Maritza Arguello with her kids at their apartament.

[Leer en español]

Staying in San Francisco became possible for an immigrant mother thanks to her patience and determination to fulfill the dream of owning a home.

The journey for Maritza Arguello, originally from Nicaragua and a mother of two, began when she received news of a rent increase.

“I crunched the numbers and realized that the cost of paying a mortgage would be the same as rent,” recalls Maritza. “So I started exploring my options.”

One of Maritza’s initial realizations was that she wouldn’t qualify for a market-rate home because she was the sole source of income in her household at that time. However, Maritza discovered resources for first-time buyers and learned she could qualify for those programs. From that moment on, she dedicated much of her time to preparing for the eventual home purchase. During this period, she received support from ��ϼ����’s homeownership opportunities team.

“I was familiar with ��ϼ���� because I had previously filed my taxes with them; I had an existing relationship with the agency,” says Maritza.

Together with Pedro Tuyub Jr., Housing Opportunities Coach at ��ϼ����, the immigrant mother developed an action plan that included a budget tailored for homeownership.

“Pedro was incredibly patient because buying a home is a lengthy and complex process,” says Maritza. “His support was crucial because he remained consistent and honest about the situation. Pedro motivated me, but he never gave me false hope.”

The culmination of their efforts resulted in Maritza acquiring a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo in the heart of the Mission District. This acquisition was partly made possible through a down payment grant for , which Maritza successfully applied for.

“Maritza consistently demonstrated initiative and promptness throughout the process,” says Tuyub Jr. “Despite encountering obstacles, she always met the requirements, even if it meant investing numerous hours. I am delighted to have met her and assisted her in becoming a homeowner.”

Maritza encourages other community members to embark on the same journey, as she believes “every step was worthwhile.”

“I now see the fruits of my labor, and I know I’ll have an address in San Francisco, the city where I want to reside,” says Maritza. “Trust your coach and persevere.”

Ready to start the process of buying a home? Contact our homeownership opportunities team at homeownership@medasf.org.

“Sé que tendré una dirección en San Francisco”, el camino de una madre hacia la vivienda propia

Permanecer en San Francisco fue posible para una madre inmigrante gracias a su paciencia y determinación para cumplir con el sueño de ser dueña de vivienda.

El proceso para Maritza Arguello, oriunda de Nicaragua y madre de dos, empezó cuando recibió la noticia de un nuevo incremento en el alquiler.

“Hice cuentas y supe que el valor de pagar una hipoteca iba a ser el mismo del alquiler”, recuerda Maritza. “Entonces empecé a preguntar por mis opciones”.

Una de las primeras conclusiones de Maritza fue que no iba a calificar a una vivienda a precio de mercado debido a que era la única fuente de ingresos en su hogar Sin embargo, Maritza encontró que había recursos para primeros compradores y que por esa vía podía calificar. A partir de ese momento dedicó gran parte del tiempo a prepararse para cuando llegara el momento de comprar vivienda. Durante ese tiempo contó con el acompañamiento del equipo de oportunidades de vivienda de ��ϼ����.

“Conocía a ��ϼ���� porque ya había hecho mis impuestos con ellos, tenía una relación con la agencia”, dice Maritza.

Junto a Pedro Tuyub Jr., consejero de oportunidades de vivienda de ��ϼ����, la madre inmigrante preparó un plan de acción que incluía un presupuesto diseñado para dueño de vivienda.

“Pedro fue muy paciente porque comprar vivienda es un proceso largo y complicado”, dice Maritza. “Su apoyo fue importante porque era congruente y franco con la situación. Pedro me empujaba, pero sin darme falsas esperanzas”.

El resultado final del esfuerzo es un condominio de dos habitaciones y dos baños en la Mission. La adquisición fue posible gracias a una subvención de cuota inicial para residentes de San Francisco a la que Maritza pudo postularse con éxito.

“Maritza siempre mostró iniciativa y prontitud durante el proceso”, dice Tuub Jr..” A pesar de enfrentar obstáculos, siempre hizo lo que se requería de ella, incluso si tenía que dedicar varias horas. Estoy muy feliz de haberla conocido y haber trabajado con ella para convertirse en propietaria de vivienda”.

La madre invita a otros miembros de la comunidad a vivir el proceso ya que para ella “cada paso valió la pena”.

“Veo el fruto del dinero que trabajo, sé que tendré una dirección en San Francisco, en la ciudad donde quiero vivir”, dice Maritza. “Confíen en su consejero, no desistan”.

¿Desea empezar el proceso para comprar vivienda? Contacte a nuestro equipo de oportunidades de vivienda a homeownership@medasf.org.

The post “I know I’ll have an address in San Francisco”: a Mother’s Journey to Homeownership appeared first on ��ϼ����.

Karoleen Feng, ��ϼ����’s Chief Community Real Estate Officer.

By Karoleen Feng, Chief Community Real Estate Officer

2024 is a big year for Community Real Estate (CRE) program at ��ϼ����.

Ten years ago we set out with the audacious goal of countering the displacement of Latinx families from San Francisco’s Mission District with a POC- led team. This year, we celebrate our first decade of work within an organization that just celebrated its 50th.

Our ten-year milestone happens to also be the Year of the Wood Dragon in Chinese tradition – one my family recognizes and celebrates. The Dragon holds a significant place as an auspicious and extraordinary creature, and wood dragons dream of changing the world. With that at the top of my mind, we have two priorities for this auspicious year:

• Nurturing a second generation of POC leadership within the Community Real Estate team
• Securing sustainable funding to scale affordable housing for the next ten years through ballot propositions

We want to harness the energy of this year for particularly exciting projects in the pipeline. Our two priorities ensure that we can start construction on our first educator housing homeownership project (Casa Adelante – 2205 Mission), purchase our first large apartment building portfolio of 110 homes and small businesses, and continue the pre-development of at least 700 units at three sites (Casa Adelante – 1515 South Van Ness, Potrero Yard, and 1979 Mission – Marvel in the Mission) while continuing to develop a team of career-long affordable housing professionals.

Each of these projects leads the field of affordable housing and community development which secure permanent and life-long homes for our Mission residents.

Building the Second Generation of POC Leadership

From our very start, the Community Real Estate team has been primarily led by people of color who have lived experiences that reflect the families we are housing. ��ϼ����’s CRE staff has not always come from elite schools with graduate degrees. As we have grown, we have supported staff as they navigate the affordable housing field and develop their experience and knowledge base of complex financing and regulations. To train the next generation of leaders is in the spirit of ��ϼ����’s values. Staff who have moved on from CRE have been able to grow within the field with peer nonprofits, government offices, community funders, and consultants.

Our CRE team is committed to developing our staff to be successful with long-term, sustainable careers in affordable housing to counter the industry average of limited 3-5-year tenures. Their longevity and lived experiences enrich not only the field of affordable housing professionals but also the effectiveness of securing permanent affordable housing for generations. We are looking at their professional growth through the lens of their personal ambitions – career, family, and personal well-being to achieve those goals for the long haul.

Beyond ��ϼ����’s Community Real Estate team, we are growing the capacity of our peer community-based partners, YCD, Tabernacle, SFHDC, Self Help for the Elderly with a community-led and place-focused approach to affordable housing in the neighborhoods they started in – Hunter’s Point-Bayview, the Westside. We have partnered on new construction and/or preservation projects in multiple projects so that we can truly exchange learnings and support the changes in the organizations and teams as they expand their pipeline and portfolio.

Funding Landscape

2024 is also a significant year for local, regional and state funding for affordable housing goals over the next decade. 2024 is an election year and while most voters may be focused on our presidential elections, voters will also get to address affordable housing funding ballot measures in the March primaries and November elections. Over the past couple of years, the narrative of affordable housing as an othering issue has shifted into a universal issue of housing as a fundamental human right. ��ϼ���� will be outreaching to our families, allies and neighbors to get out the vote and encourage them to vote with ��ϼ���� through ballot guides.

San Francisco was one of the first cities in the state to complete the Housing Element plan for the ambitious goal of 42,000 affordable housing units by 2030. To reach this goal will take substantial taxpayer dollars to address the disparities in housing costs locally, regionally and statewide.

Affordable housing advocates worked with City leaders to place Proposition A on the March 5th elections – $300 million in local bonds for funding the existing, robust pipeline of affordable housing, and does not raise taxes. San Francisco has relied on local funding bonds over the last ten years to preserve and build affordable housing units in the City. Our Potrero Yard and 1979 Mission – Marvel in the Mission projects will rely on funding from Prop A to jumpstart the multiple phases of development. In the last decade, previous bonds financed the 1000s of apartments we were able to build in the Mission District, like Casa Adelante – 1296 Shotwell, Casa Adelante – 2060 Folsom, Casa Adelante – 2828 16th Street, and Casa Adelante – 681 Florida as well as preserve 33 small sites.

In the November 5th elections, voters will get an opportunity to fund more affordable housing beyond the existing pipeline in San Francisco, with a $10-20 billion regional housing bond and a possible state bond.

As we enter this new year, we also look forward to the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development’s new leadership with Daniel Adams as Director of San Francisco’s largest agency responsible for housing and community development. We continue to encourage MOHCD to act expansively and collaboratively with the nonprofit developer community. We know our accelerated growth in the last decade came from City leaders believing in community capacity and funders looking to local organizations like ��ϼ���� for thought partnership and collaboration in tackling our most pressing challenges to growing San Francisco with a racially equitable approach.

It’s been an honor to build ��ϼ����’s Community Real Estate program in the last ten years as a foundation for our next decade of work towards reversing displacement of the families who make the Mission District, the Mission, and making this a national movement.

I continue to be inspired by the determination of my Mission District neighbors and partners in my role as Chief Community Real Estate Officer, and as I dive deeper I will continue to advocate with them for a more just and healthy ecosystem of affordable housing for all our families.

On a personal note: My daughter also turns 10 this year. Seeing her grow alongside this amazing team and the work at ��ϼ���� has given me so much insight on myself, and also on life.

Our next generation is the reason why we work so hard for what we do – through her I am reminded of that daily.

The post Year of the Wood Dragon: Entering the Next Decade of Community Real Estate appeared first on ��ϼ����.

By Christina Tetreault

Music roars from native drums and the feathers of colorful headdresses float through the air as native dancers bless the space – one that over 200 people are now able to call home in San Francisco.

Dozens came out to celebrate the official grand opening of Casa Adelante – 681 Florida, a 9-story fossil-fuel-free building with 130 units of forever affordable housing in the Mission District developed and owned by ��ϼ���� (��ϼ����) and .

“This project is another collective win for affordable housing in the Mission and San Francisco. This building and these units provide hope and stability for people and families to not just survive, but thrive in the City for years to come,” said ��ϼ���� Executive Director Luis Granados. “We’re proud to say this project represents the very best of ��ϼ����’s values which include collaboration, audacity and equity – which is always our north star. ��ϼ���� is thrilled to have a steadfast partner like TNDC to bring this project to life for a community that has advocated and relentlessly fought for affordable and dignified housing in the Mission District.”

In attendance to the June 22nd grand opening celebration was Mayor London N. Breed, Legislative Aide to Supervisor Hillary Ronen Ana Herrera, CANA CEO Roberto Hernandez, and representatives from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) amongst other local leaders, residents, tenants and community members.

“In San Francisco we are creating more housing that provides a community for individuals and families who otherwise would not be able to call San Francisco their home,” said Mayor Breed. “We need to continue our work to aggressively build housing across our entire city for people of all income levels.”

Completed in August 2022, the $89-million dollar building was designed by local architectural firm Mithun with the goal of providing amenity-rich, family-friendly urban living.

Funding for the project came from the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development () and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (), as well as a mix of low-income housing tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, and funding from private lenders.

The building and space includes 39 units provided to formerly homeless families and an almost 1,000 sq. ft. performance space for Cultura y Arte Nativa de las Américas (CANA), organizers of Carnaval San Francisco, providing a new community-centered arts hub that celebrates cultural place-keeping, a goal of ��ϼ����’s work, to sustain and promote the artistic and cultural identity of the Mission District. 

The purpose behind Casa Adelante – 681 is to provide permanent affordable housing for moderate-income, low-income, and homeless households in San Francisco is consistent with the 2015 voter-approved General Obligation Housing Bond Proposition A, as well as the City’s Consolidated Plan, the Master Plan Housing Element, and the Department of Homelessness and Housing’s Strategic Framework goals for reducing homelessness for families.

“I am so proud that the Mission is celebrating the latest of seven new 100% affordable housing sites in District 9 with 681 Florida Street,” said District Supervisor Hilary Ronen. “We cannot end homelessness without affordable housing projects like these and I am thrilled for these 130 life-changing homes, including 39 permanent supportive housing units for our formerly homeless residents.”

The post A Grand Opening Celebration: Casa Adelante – 681 Florida brings 130 new affordable homes to the Bay Area appeared first on ��ϼ����.

[Click for English, which follows Spanish.]

Despertar en una vivienda nueva y económica fue el mejor regalo de navidad que pudo tener una madre latina que había sido desalojada previamente. 

El pasado 24 de diciembre, María Elena Rivas y su familia se pasaron a vivir a una de las unidades de Casa Adelante – 681 Florida, un nuevo edificio de vivienda 100% económica construido por ��ϼ���� en asocio con Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation. Para la familia inmigrante fue la culminación de un proceso de cuatro años que incluyó un desalojo por la Ley Ellis, una legislación de California que permite a los dueños de propiedad desalojar a sus inquilinos si van a salir del negocio del ser propietarios. María tuvo que vivir por varios meses fuera de la Mission, el vecindario que María ha llamado su hogar desde que llegó a vivir a San Francisco; y enviar un buen número de solicitudes de vivienda económica a través del de la Oficina de Vivienda y Desarrollo Comunitario del Alcalde de San Francisco.

“No lo podía creer”, dijo María. “Fue un regalo hermoso de Navidad. Lloré de felicidad, no esperaba cambiarme a un lugar que acaban de construir y en la zona en donde quería vivir”.

El cambio ha sido como el día y la noche, según la inmigrante de El Salvador. Además del desalojo, María tuvo que lidiar con malas condiciones de vivienda en el apartamento en el que vivió por seis años.

“Hubo un momento en que tuve que usar mi dinero para reemplazar una alfombra que estaba en mal estado”, dijo María. “Mi hija se me estaba enfermando en ese lugar. Ahora nos sentimos mejor”. 

La madre inmigrante conoció sobre la lotería de vivienda gracias a María Núñez, promotora de vivienda y cuyo hijo iba al mismo preescolar de su hija. A partir de ese momento tuvo dedicación para enviar solicitudes y reunir los documentos que se requería en cada ocasión.  

“Hay que ser puntual y estar atento, nunca darse por vencido, porque sí es una realidad que se puede obtener vivienda económica”, dijo María. “Lo más importante es moverse, buscar ayuda, ir a las agencias y hacer preguntas. Si me decían que tocaba enviar una solicitud para tal lugar o me pedían documentos, pues iba a hacerlo”. 

María contó con el apoyo del equipo de oportunidades de vivienda de ��ϼ���� durante el tiempo en que fue notificada del desalojo y obtuvo su nueva vivienda.

“La persistencia de Maria por encontrar un lugar donde vivir tenía su razón en la pequeña la hija Bridgette de 6 años y su tía”,  dijo Dairo Romero, gerente de Iniciativas Comunitarias de ��ϼ����, sobre los esfuerzos de María.

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Si usted requiere de apoyo con solicitudes de lotería de vivienda económica llame al (415) 209-5143 para agendar citas con nosotros. Estamos para servirle.

WAKING UP IN A NEW AND AFFORDABLE HOME, THE DREAM CHRISTMAS OF AN IMMIGRANT MOTHER

Opening her eyes in an affordable housing unit was the best Christmas gift a previously evicted Latina mother could have.

On December 24, María Elena Rivas and her family moved into one of the units at Casa Adelante – 681 Florida, a new 100% affordable housing unit built by ��ϼ���� in partnership with the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation. For the immigrant family from El Salvador it was the culmination of a four-year process that included an , a California law that enables property owners to evict tenants if they are getting out of the business of being landlords. For six months, María had to live outside of the Mission, the neighborhood that she called home since she arrived in San Francisco, while submitting a good number of affordable housing applications through the of the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development.

“I couldn’t believe it,” says María. “It was a beautiful Christmas present. I cried of joy, I did not expect to move to a place that had just been built and in the area where I wanted to live”.

The change has been like night and day. In addition to the eviction, Maria had to deal with poor housing conditions in the apartment she lived in for six years before being evicted.

“There was a time when I had to use my money to replace a rug that was in unhealthy condition,” says María. “My daughter was getting sick in that place. Now we all feel a lot better.”

The immigrant mother learned about the housing lottery thanks to María Núñez, a housing promotora (community outreach worker) whose son went to the same preschool as her daughter. From that moment on, she dedicated herself to applying to units and gathering the documents that were required to apply.

“You have to be on time and be attentive, never give up, because it is a reality that affordable housing can be obtained,” says María. “The most important thing is to move, seek help, go to agencies and ask questions. I was on it every time they told me that it was time to submit an application for such a place or when they asked me for documents”.

Throughout the time that she was served with the eviction notice and obtained her new home, María had the support of ��ϼ����’s housing opportunities team.

“María’s persistence to find a place to live was rooted in her 6-year-old daughter Bridgette and her aunt,” says Dairo Romero, ��ϼ����’s Community Initiatives manager, of María’s efforts. 

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If you require support with affordable housing lottery applications, call (415) 209-5143 to schedule appointments with us. We are here to support you.

The post Despertar en una vivienda nueva y económica, la navidad soñada de una madre inmigrante appeared first on ��ϼ����.

Juan Mesa
Community Communications Manager
��ϼ���� (��ϼ����)
(415) 463-7196
jmesa@medasf.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Report Finding Reveals Impact of Housing Conditions on the Health of Low-Income Latinos in San Francisco

”Health Equity Through Housing” is the result of a project undertaken with the support of a grant from the California Department of Public Health 

SAN FRANCISCO, JAN. 31, 2023 — ��ϼ����’s Policy Counsel, Director of Advocacy, Norma Garcia, will be joined today by elected and health officials and community members at the Polk St. steps of San Francisco’s City Hall to present the findings of a year-long research project entitled, ”Health Equity Through Housing,” undertaken with the support of a grant from the California Department of Public Health. 

As a 50-year-old community economic development organization deeply embedded in creating more affordable housing opportunities in San Francisco, ��ϼ���� understands how critical housing is to health.  ��ϼ���� undertook this project to document the experience of San Francisco’s hard-hit Latino community during some of our city’s darkest days to better inform policymakers of the repercussions on our community and to look for solutions.  With a focus on five San Francisco neighborhoods, (Mission, Excelsior, Visitacion Valley, Bayview, and the Tenderloin), Garcia investigated the nexus between housing and related social determinants of health and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on San Francisco’s low-income Latino population. 

“COVID-19 merely lifted the veil on what happens when the social determinants of health are stacked against a vulnerable community in the face of a fierce disease,” said García. “This project underscored that affordable, safe and dignified housing is integral to health and wellbeing and should be considered a public health imperative.”  

The report includes feedback from 261 survey respondents and recommendations from dozens of community stakeholders who participated in the project. The project recommendations are presented in-depth in the Community Roadmap for Recovery and Greater Health Equity section. The community-generated recommendations offer a starting point for a better future. Undoubtedly, the community will add to this list and adapt as needed. What ��ϼ���� created through this project provides a blueprint for other communities nationally to examine how COVID-19 and housing, and other vulnerabilities in the social determinants of health, have impacted them.  

We invite you to read the full report at the following link: Health Equity Through Housing

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About ��ϼ���� (��ϼ����)

��ϼ���� is a 50-year-old nonprofit started in 1973. Rooted in San Francisco’s Mission District, ��ϼ���� is advancing a national equity movement by building Latino prosperity, community ownership and civic power. We envision generations of Latino families choosing where to call home, thriving economically, succeeding in learning opportunities, and leading policy and social change toward a more equitable society.

The post Report Finding Reveals Impact of Housing Conditions on the Health of Low-Income Latinos in San Francisco appeared first on ��ϼ����.

In his new role, Aristos looks to reset the relationship between landlords and their tenants, empowering community members via education. He defines success as more residents staying in their home and feeling empowered in their rights as tenants. 

��ϼ����’s Christopher Gil sat down with Aristos to discuss his vision for this scaled work with the community.

CG: Welcome to ��ϼ����, Aristos. My first question is: Why is starting a housing legal services program at ��ϼ���� important, especially at this time?
AK: Acknowledging ��ϼ����’s place-based framework as a strong basis to build equity, the organization has built this program to address the conditions that threaten the long-term well-being of Latino residents in the Mission. This has become especially poignant considering how the COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened socio-economic disparities that our Latino community members face. Thus ��ϼ���� aims to address the wide range of living situations across the housing continuum, from homelessness to homeownership, with legal advocacy attuned to community needs to proactively confront and prevent Latino displacement. By empowering residents with an effective understanding of their housing rights and streamlined access to meaningful resources, ��ϼ���� seeks to support tenants, who might potentially be evicted and displaced from the city, to stay in their home long term, rooted in the Mission and San Francisco. 

CG: What specific housing challenges did the Latino and immigrant community of San Francisco face during the pandemic?
AK: While the entire San Francisco community faced pandemic-related challenges to housing with rent-debt accumulation, the immigrant community faced particular obstacles that have distinctively affected them. Simply put, the immigrant community in San Francisco is the backbone of the restaurant industry: This commercial aspect trickles down to the residential. Restaurants and bars shut down when the shelter-in-place order began in March 2020, and the immigrant community had to foot the bill as our government had mandated the shutdowns.

When taking into account the multitude of cryptic local, state and national ordinances that have regularly fluctuated over the past two years, troubling misconceptions and confusion have percolated surrounding housing rights and rental assistance resources during and after the eviction moratorium – misconceptions that are compounded by language barriers. Unfortunately, the revolving door of messaging often bewildered community members, and some policies equated to being nothing more than stopgap measures. This phenomenon highlights the growing need to empower our communities with consistent, multilingual communication lines for periodic updates and general education about evolving legislation surrounding housing security.

CG: There is so much need around legal services for housing, especially for the Latino community. On which areas of legal housing services will ��ϼ���� initially focus?
AK:  In 2022, ��ϼ���� has initiated an eviction-defense program as part of the organization’s ongoing expansion of housing services. Taking into account the range of legal issues in the housing continuum that members of the Mission community face, this new venture will be integrated into ��ϼ����’s established rental application and placement portfolio to further our anti-displacement efforts in the neighborhood. ��ϼ���� will comprehensively address the spectrum of tenant-landlord disputes of our Mission community. As part of ��ϼ����’s aim to continually educate and empower clients at any and every stage of their living situations, these eviction defense services will be complemented by the ongoing work of the promotoras and Family Success Coaches who initially engage clients to navigate their conflict and provide ombudsman guidance along with valuable resources. It is through this engagement that the promotoras and Family Success Coaches build rapport with our community by regularly sharing pertinent and effective materials to support clients in taking ownership of their housing situations. Through constant collaboration among the interdisciplinary ��ϼ���� team, there will be an evolving commitment to not only keep the public apprised of important developments in the San Francisco housing landscape, but also proactively address trends that are pervasive within the Mission community.

CG: How did the pandemic showcase the importance of affordable and stable housing?
AK: At ��ϼ����, we know that “housing is health.” When considering the current importance of affordable housing, the financial impact of the pandemic has had direct ramifications on housing in San Francisco – and the world as a whole. While many have taken the opportunity to thoughtfully reevaluate their living situations during the quarantine, there unfortunately are far too many members of our community who have been forced into making difficult situations due to new socio-economic pressures. We recognize this as a major wealth-stripping event in the Latino and immigrant community of San Francisco. 

Additionally, when taking into account the purposeful intent behind the , there is a growing awareness on a national level that secure housing is correlated to public health. Ultimately, the last two years have reshaped the public’s perception of affordable and secure housing, primarily in light of economic and societal health concerns that have affected all of us. Think of it this way: Transience is an obstacle to community-building.

CG: What would equitable recovery around housing look like in the Latino and immigrant community of San Francisco?
AK: Reflecting upon how the pandemic has irreversibly shifted the housing dynamic among the Latino community, I envision that equitable recovery will take shape by transforming our collective view on proactive and preventative participation in the tenant-landlord relationship. Now that our city as a whole acknowledges the aftermath of the eviction moratorium, there is a heightened awareness of the pitfalls and pain points that can disrupt the foundation of that tenant-landlord dynamic. Inasmuch as we conscientiously strive to identify, avoid and uproot these dangers, moving forward we can begin to implement fail-safe measures to assure positive relationships between a tenant and their landlord. I encourage tenants to visualize issues and nip them in the bud. Simply put, it’s about being proactive rather than reactive.

CG: What is the best piece of advice you can offer the community around tenants’ rights?
AK: I believe the most useful piece of guidance I can share regarding best practices in the tenant-landlord relationship is for the tenant to make an active commitment to fostering a positive communication line. To that end, I find that both tenants and landlords gain value by acting as collaborative partners rather than limiting their connection to transactional exchanges. Having a candid understanding of one another’s short- and long-term housing goals prevents confusion and disputes from the outset, while also fostering community relations that are key to maintaining the culture of our neighborhoods, thereby bettering the community at large.

CG: What brought you to the legal field, especially around fairness in housing?
AK: While I never had childhood aspirations to become an attorney, I have naturally moved into the legal profession due to the influence of my academic background – primarily shaped by my Jesuit education throughout my life. During my formative years in high school and college, I was fortunate to have mentors who supported my interest in combining philosophy with social justice. This led me toward viewing law as an opportunity to serve with and for others by utilizing my professional skill set while also piquing my intellectual ambitions. So, when the pandemic inevitably affected the real estate interests of my San Francisco community, as an attorney I felt a sense of civic duty to support tenants in dealings with their landlords, aiming to find equitable solutions for everyone during a uniquely trying time. In the U.S., housing law resonates with everyone. It’s a fundamental need.

The post Interview: ��ϼ���� Forms Housing Rights Legal Services with Newly Hired Housing Rights Counsel Aristos Kemiji appeared first on ��ϼ����.

Christopher Gil

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 2021

��ϼ���� Receives Health Equity Through Housing Grant from California Department of Public Health
Aims to address the root causes of the disproportionate and devastating impact of COVID-19 on San Francisco’s low- and moderate-income Latino community

SAN FRANCISCO — The ��ϼ���� (��ϼ����) has announced that it will be the recipient of a Health Equity Through Housing grant of $293,782 from the California Department of Public Health. ��ϼ���� was one of of such grants from the state.

With this funding, ��ϼ���� will engage and empower a cohort of Latino community leaders to develop a Community Action Plan for immediate and long-term housing, plus planning changes that improve community-defined health outcomes and address the underlying inequities in living conditions. 

The pandemic laid bare long-entrenched systemic inequities. Latinos are only 15% of San Francisco’s population, but throughout the 15-month course of the pandemic they have comprised 40-50% of the positive COVID-19 cases in the city. There were disproportionate challenges for the Latino and immigrant community, who were mostly frontline essential workers living in overcrowded conditions that afforded little opportunity to isolate. Many were compelled to choose work over health, the immediacy of putting food on the table and paying the rent paramount to the possibility of falling ill to the virus.

The work will focus on the San Francisco neighborhoods of the Mission, Excelsior, Visitacion Valley, Bayview-Hunters Point and the Tenderloin. The effects of this replicable model, which aims to better state and national health for Latinos and immigrants, will be measured by the following outcomes: greater community awareness for infectious-disease prevention; increased prioritization for equitable housing solutions; augmented health professional awareness; more affordable housing; reduced overcrowding living conditions; and lower infection and death rates. 

“��ϼ���� thanks the California Department of Public Health for trusting ��ϼ���� to push forward this equity movement around health and housing,” said ��ϼ���� Policy Counsel and Director of Advocacy  Norma P. García “Our nonprofit looks forward to partnering to create a Community Action Plan that ensures no future crisis disproportionately affects the low- and moderate-income Latino community of San Francisco and others like ours, no matter where they are.”

��ϼ����’s implementation of the state’s Health Equity Through Housing program will commence on July 1, 2021.

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About ��ϼ���� (��ϼ����)
Rooted in San Francisco’s Mission District, ��ϼ���� is advancing a national equity movement by building Latino prosperity, community ownership and civic power. We envision generations of Latino families choosing where to call home, thriving economically, succeeding in learning opportunities, and leading policy and social change toward a more equitable society. 
medasf.org

About California Department of Public Health
The California Department of Public Health is dedicated to optimizing the health and well-being of the people in California.

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The name says it all: A Promise Neighborhood is, indeed, a promise to a neighborhood. A promise to strengthen families. A promise to create equity in early learning. A promise to our kids that they will have opportunity.

And it’s a promise we should all make.

That’s why the Mission Promise Neighborhood (MPN) was created seven years ago in San Francisco’s Mission District. It’s also why MPN has been invited to the 10th Annual Promise Neighborhoods National Network Conference, presenting our lessons learned over the years and, specifically, around our recent COVID-19 response, affordable-housing work and use of Results-Based Accountability (RBA) to measure our impact.

Some background: MPN is launched
Based on the success of the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York City, then-President Obama launched around a dozen Promise Neighborhoods across the land. Thankfully, one was created in San Francisco’s Mission District in December 2012. MPN is a partnership of 15+ community agencies annually providing cradle-to-career, wraparound supports to more than 5,000 community members. The Mission District has long been a welcoming hub for Latino immigrants, with a need for culturally relevant services offered to help these newcomers create the life they seek in their new community. When the neighborhood became popular with six-figure-earners, fueled by a booming tech industry, rapid gentrification led to displacement of 8,000 Latinos from the Mission in just a decade — that’s over 25% of our community.

The genesis of MPN quickly showcased the need to define it as a community anti-poverty education initiative. The data showed that a household earning under $75,000 a year could no longer stay in their neighborhood of choice. The data also showed that our families were making a median of just $30,000 a year per household.

To create equity, the MPN team and its partners rolled up their sleeves and collectively got to work to turn the curve on displacement of our families: A two-generation approach was employed to strengthen families so students succeeded academically. That translated to every year from 2013 to 2019 showcasing phenomenal results, running the gamut from increased kinder-readiness to improved high school graduation rates.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 then descended upon the neighborhood.

Pivoting, with housing a priority
When San Francisco’s shelter-in-place order commenced in mid-March, MPN partners immediately started hearing a collective tale of woe from community members. For our families, there was no working from home. No computer for distance learning. No money for next month’s rent and, far too often, to even put food on the table that night. The Latino and immigrant community of the Mission was being disproportionately affected: While just 15% of the city’s population, Latinos were accounting for 50% of positive COVID-19 tests. One of the reasons was that these were still our frontline essential workers (think food delivery), out in public for their livelihoods while potentially risking their lives. Additionally, many families were residing in overcrowded conditions, meaning self-quarantine was impossible if one contracted the virus.

This challenge led to MPN, as a direct connection between families and elected officials, being part of a push to inform the City’s emergency-funding decisions to meet urgent needs in the community. Food pantries appeared overnight, relief funds were structured and small-business assistance was delivered. The success of this movement for equitable resources was made possible because MPN could leverage its seven years spent building relationships and earning the community’s trust. This was complemented by schools and early care and learning centers already being community hubs. MPN Family Success Coaches (FSCs) had long been serving thousands of families each year at nine Mission schools, with other FSCs based at early care and learning centers dotting the community. These FSCs acted as connectors to free resources available from the bevy of MPN partners, from legal services and financial coaching to job training and health care. When the shelter-in-place order was implemented, these FSCs pivoted in their work and joined newly formed action teams at ��ϼ����, the lead agency of MPN. Two of these buckets of work are: Income, with 1,553 family income-relief applications processed; and  Small Businesses, with 86 loans disbursed. 

The third bucket of work centered around housing, as affordable and stable housing remained a priority, despite San Francisco’s eviction moratorium that had been implemented. That’s why a “Housing Action Team” was cobbled together with FSCs, promotora community outreach workers and ��ϼ���� staff. This tireless team has assisted thousands of families with everything from garnering housing subsidies to submitting below-market-rate apartment applications. The latter was vital, as there were finally 100% affordable-housing developments in the Mission after a decade of no such units being built. Two of the properties — 2060 Folsom and 1990 Folsom, a block apart — were built by ��ϼ���� itself. Time was of the essence, as the City had stringent guidelines for submitting the initial application, conducting a lottery and, eventually, getting needed financial paperwork to verify eligibility. The good news is that 2,448 below-market-rate (BMR) applications were completed for entry into City lotteries.

The “Housing Action Team” strategy included the early adoption of every means possible to stay in contact with families to assess their immediate needs — meeting these community members where they are at. Some communications methods are tried and true, such as a phone call, email or text; conversely, new communications strategies include WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Facebook Lives, the latter to disseminate expert information on housing matters to a wide audience in one fell swoop.

RBA ASAP .. and for the long term
An essential part of MPN’s success is due to the collective adoption of the Results-Based Accountability (RBA) model. RBA tools help to improve the lives of children, families

and communities by setting the collective intention around community-level conditions of well-being, plus it aims to improve programs that contribute to those population-level results. How so? RBA augments collaboration and consensus by: quickly moving from talk to action; creating an easily digestible process; offering the space to challenge long-held assumptions and breaking down obstacles to innovation; and using data and transparency to ensure accountability.

Having RBA as part of the culture of MPN means this model is currently being used by partners to adapt to the current conditions under COVID-19. RBA is also helping us answer important equity-focused questions, such as:

“How do we collectively determine a family has been given the necessary wraparound supports to best weather this crisis?”

“What does a true, immediate recovery from COVID-19 look like on a population level for the Latino and immigrant community of San Francisco’s Mission District?”

“How do we measure the eradication of the systemic inequities that led to San Francisco’s Mission District Latino and immigrant community being disproportionately affected by a crisis?”

It must be acknowledged that communities of color will suffer more-adverse effects of any crisis (e.g., an earthquake or the climate crisis). The power of RBA must be harnessed so that we can properly measure that equity has been achieved.

Conclusion
While turning the calendar to 2021 is something we all look forward to doing in a month, we must keep in mind lessons learned and best practices. Promise Neighborhoods are a model for creating multi-generational equity of opportunity in communities of color. MPN successfully combatting issues in the epicenter of gentrification in the nation means this model can — and should — be replicated in other cities experiencing such issues. This must be done during the ongoing pandemic, and long thereafter as we collectively define what an equitable recovery should look like.

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Años después, Carmen la hermana de Elvira vino a San Francisco para reunirse con su ella y su esposo, y los tres compartieron un apartamento en 656-48 Capp St. Aquí en San Francisco, Carmen conoció a su esposo Mario Hernández y los dos se movieron a un studio debajo del apartamento de su hermana Elvira.

La familia Arriola le gusta vivir en La Mission por la cultura y se siente muy agusto porque puede hablar su propio lenguaje, y ir de compras en tiendas y supermercados que llevan productos como los que conoce en México. También viven en una locación perfecta, están localizados muy cerca de transporte público y no necesita coche.  

Elvira y Refugio tienen dos hijas Gloria y Jessica. Gloria asiste John O’Connell High y Jessica en Cesar Chavez Elementary. Las dos escuelas son parte de La Comunidad Promesa de la Mission. En Cesar Chavez, la familia Arriola conocio a Yadira Diaz (foto, tercer derecha), Guia de Éxito Familiar de la Comunidad Promesa de La Mission. Elvira es una mamá voluntaria. Desde el 2006 Elvira es voluntaria en Cesar Chavez ayudando a las maestras en preparara sus materiales para la clases también es voluntaria en Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 y John O’Connell High School. También apoya a  Diaz cuando ofrece talleres de servicios a los padres. Elvira también es la vice-presidenta de ELAC (English Learners Advisory Council). Jessica y Gloria aprecian mucho a Elvira y les gusta pasar tiempo de calidad con sus mama y recibir su apoyo en la escuela. La familia Arriola Hernandez tiene una gran presencia en la Mission. Refugio, Carmen, y Mario trabajan en limpieza en la ciudad. Carmen también vende sus ricos tamales en el corazón de la Misión, y su esposo le ayuda a prepararlos.

Después de 20 años de vivir en su hogar en la Mission la familia recibió una carta explicando que la dueña iba poner el edificio en venta. La familia Arriola Hernández es testigo del desalojo que está sucediendo en La Mission y tenía miedo que su futuro sería igual a los 8,000 Latinos que han sido desalojado de sus casas desde el 2000. La carta del dueño del edificio llegó como un golpe a la familia, rompiendo su tranquilidad con la realización que tal vez podría  ser desalojado de su hogar.

Refugio recuerda ese momento muy difícil, “No podíamos dormir ni comer. Me despertaba cada noche a las 2 o 3 de la mañana pensando en el futuro de mi familia. Pensé que nuestra única opción era volver a México.” El gran miedo de Refugio y Elvira era de quitarles a sus hijas la única casa que conocían y empezar un vida nueva en México.   

Elvira confió en  Diaz durante ese momento difícil para encontrar una solución.  Diaz refirió a la familia al equipo de Bienes Raíces de la Comunidad en ��ϼ����. Después de su primera cita en ��ϼ���� la familia Arriola Hernandez empezó a trabajar con ��ϼ���� para comprará el edificio donde vivían. La familia organizaron a todos los inquilinos para pedirle a los dueños del edificio que vendieran a ��ϼ����. Después de mucho trabajo escribiendo cartas y haciendo llamadas a los dueños el edificio se le vendió a ��ϼ����, y se formó parte del programa “.”

Juan Diego Castro, de ��ϼ����, explicó que la familia tomó la gran responsabilidad de organizar a los inquilinos para que ��ϼ���� pudiera comprar el edificio y asegurarse que los inquilinos no fueran desalojados. La familia Arriola Hernandez les daba esperanza a los inquilinos en ese momento difícil y siempre estaban al tanto comunicando los procesos de la venta

Después que ��ϼ���� compró el edificio, Refugio todavía recordaba lo sucedido y cómo su edificio tenía un rótulo de venta. Refugio y Castro de ��ϼ���� quitaron el anuncio juntos. Al final, Refugio y su familia pudieron dormir sin miedo y pudieron seguir sus vidas. Necesitamos crear más oportunidades para familias como la familia Arriola Hernández en la Misión, esta familia forma un componente importante de nuestra comunidad.

A Determined Family is Strengthened

The Arriola Hernandez family moved to the United States in the 1990s from Mexico City. Refugio Arriola was the first one to move to the U.S., seeking to continue his studies. The newcomer quickly learned that life in his adopted homeland was very expensive, forcing him to spend much of his time working just to keep pace. Once settled, he was reunited with his wife, Elvira, in San Francisco.

A few years later, Elvira’s sister, Carmen, also moved to San Francisco to live with her sister and brother-in-law. The three shared an apartment at 656-48 Capp St. Carmen later met her husband, Mario Hernandez, and the pair moved into a studio on a floor below her sister.

The Arriola family enjoys living in the Mission because of the culture: They feel comfortable here because they have the ability to speak their native language, plus go shopping in stores and supermarkets that carry products found back home in Mexico. Their apartment is in a perfect location, as living within walking distance to public transportation allows them to get around the city without the expense of owning a vehicle.

Elvira and Refugio have two daughters attending Mission Promise Neighborhood schools: Gloria attends John O’Connell High School; and Jessica is a student at Cesar Chavez Elementary School. While volunteering at Cesar Chavez, Elvira met MPN Family Success Coach Yadira Diaz (photo, third right). Looking to give back to her community, Elvira has volunteered at Cesar Chavez elementary school since 2006, helping teachers prepare materials for class, plus supporting Diaz in the connection of families to free services. Additionally, Elvira also generously volunteers her time at Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 (part of MPN’s planned expansion) and at John O’Connell; she even serves as vice president of ELAC (English Language Learners Advisory Council). Her daughters appreciate having their mom’s presence on their campuses, and all of the support she provides them in school. Refugio, Carmen and Mario work as janitors in the city, but on weekends Carmen and Mario also sell their delicious homemade tamales in the heart of the Mission. Clearly, the Arriola Hernandez family has big a presence in the community.

Unfortunately, life in that Mission became more complicated when, after two decades of living in their apartment, the family received a letter explaining that the owners were putting the building up for sale. The Arriola Hernandez family was fearful for their future, as they had already seen the displacement taking place around them in the Mission. They hoped their lives would not change like the 8,000 Latinos that have been displaced from the Mission since 2000.

Refugio looks back on this difficult time and laments, “I couldn’t sleep or eat. I would wake up around 2 or 3 in the morning thinking about the future of my family. I thought our only option would be to return to Mexico.” The family’s biggest fear was being compelled to remove their daughters from the only home they had known to have them start life anew in Mexico.

Seeking a solution, Elvira reached out to Diaz, who connected the family to MPN partner ��ϼ����’s Community Real Estate team. After their very first visit with ��ϼ����, the Arriola Hernandez family took their first steps in working with ��ϼ���� so the nonprofit could buy the building via the City’s . The family worked tirelessly to organize the neighbors in the building to ask the current owners to sell the building to ��ϼ����. After much tenant hard work, letter writing and phone calls to the owners, the latter finally decided to sell the six-unit building to ��ϼ����.

Community Real Estate Project Assistant Juan Diego Castro explained that the family took on the responsibility of organizing the neighbors so that ��ϼ���� could buy the building and ensure that the tenants would not be displaced. The Arriola Hernandez family gave hope to the tenants during this difficult time, and remained to committed throughout the entire process. Without their help, none of this would have been possible.

After ��ϼ���� bought the building, Refugio remembers taking down the large “For Sale” sign in front of the building — a sign that had caused everyone so much stress. Finally the Arriola Hernandez family could sleep without fear and continue their lives in the Mission.

The opportunity gap needs to be closed for families, like this one, in the Mission, for they are an important part of our community. We need families like the Arriola Hernandezes, the thread that keeps the Mission together. They give back to the community and help make the Mission a brighter place to live.

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The community needs your help. Please take 10 minutes now to let the City know of your housing needs by answering the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC)

It’s not easy being an artist these days, especially when housing in the Mission and San Francisco is so expensive and out of reach. Let’s face it: artists in San Francisco are making an important contribution to our community. Just look around and open your eyes, ears and hearts and you will see what we mean.  

In the Mission, we are surrounded by many colorful and powerful murals adorning buildings in the neighborhood. These beloved murals comprise one of the largest open-air museums in the country. But what really characterizes the Mission are the neighborhood muralists who use their artistic skills to tell a community’s collective story.  

Like the Latino identity, no mural is alike: There isn’t a single political philosophy, culture or aesthetic. What these powerful murals offer is a sense of shared history and traditions — a perspective that speaks as much about the country at large as it does about San Francisco. Similarly,  dancers, musicians, poets, and actors all help to tell the story of a resilient community so that traditions continue.  

Housing crisis affecting artists
Unfortunately, housing prices in the Mission — and San Francisco overall — have risen beyond the means of most artists. Like many families in the city, artists are being displaced or live in less-than-ideal situations such as doubling up. To better understand the complex forces at play, SFAC is issuing an important 10-minute . This effort is to better understand our “local arts ecosystem, ensure equitable distribution of resources and pursue solutions to affordable housing for artists.”

Are your housing needs being met? Here’s your chance to speak out!
Having quality housing that is affordable and stable is one of the most important needs for ��ϼ����’s community. Retaining the arts and culture of the Mission — what ��ϼ���� calls “cultural placekeeping” — is a vital part of the keeping the neighborhood vibrant and inclusive.

The community needs your help. So, please take 10 minutes now to let the City know of your housing needs by answering the SFAC 

Here’s why this is so vital:

• Your feedback matters. Help us tell the City what your housing needs and concerns are — and if they are being met or not.
• Your time matters — it’s easy to complete the online survey in just 10 minutes. You can easily take the survey from your mobile phone, a tablet or a computer.
• Your privacy is protected. The survey is anonymous.
• Your participation helps ��ϼ���� fight for you every day. We will use the survey results to bring your concerns to those who can make systems change.

Let’s make sure your voice is heard. Tell SFAC what needs to be done to keep San Francisco a city for all — and the Mission a neighborhood of opportunity.

P.S. Let us know — Did you take the survey? Help us get the word out! Please share our .

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Are you an artist or cultural worker in need of affordable housing?

Learn more about the below-market-rate (BMR) process — plus Business Development and Workforce Development programs geared toward artists– by  contacting epizano@medasf.org.

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