SUPERVISOR DALY CALLS FOR SURPLUS FUNDS TO HELP ADDRESS CRISIS IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING

San Francisco- On Tuesday, March 07, 2006, at 12 noon, Supervisor Chris Daly will be joined by community groups to announce his introduction of a $40 million supplemental for the acquisition, construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing at the Board of Supervisor's meeting that afternoon. The $40 million housing supplemental will be allocated as follows:
$20 million for family housing affordable up to 60% of San Francisco Medium Income (SFMI),
$10 million for housing for seniors and people with disabilities affordable up to 60% SFMI, and
$10 million for currently homeless people and people at risk of homelessness.

The funds and housing plan will be administered by the Mayor's Office of Housing. While private developers are pursuing thousands of units of market rate housing, the need for affordable housing has reached crisis proportions. According to a recent Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth Report, “Families Struggle to Stay”, 39,000 families have unmet housing needs. The current housing pipeline will only produce 1550 family units in the next few years. There has been a steady rise in families becoming homeless, living in SRO's, or otherwise being forced to live in substandard conditions. Similarly, seniors and people with disabilities have serious have serious unmet housing needs. According to the Senior Housing Action Collaborative, waiting list for senior affordable housing average five to seven years long and one third of the seniors that are currently on waiting lists have been waiting over 5 years.

“The unexpected budget surplus presents us with an opportunity to turn the tide against the exodus of families and displacement of seniors and working people from the City. These folks are the heart and soul of this city-- without a commitment of affordable housing, we will lose our greatest asset” says Supervisor Daly.

Supervisor Daly was joined by the Housing Justice Coalition, San Francisco Organizing Project (SFOP), Senior Action Network, the San Francisco's People's Organization (SFPO), Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center, Chinatown Community Development Center, SoMa Families in SRO's and several other community groups.