Ground Is Broken For 168-Unit Affordable Project on Site of Pandemic-Time Tent Camp In Mission

Casa Adelante, a 168-unit affordable housing project, celebrated its groundbreaking at 1515 South Van Ness Avenue, marking a significant milestone in the Mission District's housing landscape. This development is the largest all-affordable project in the neighborhood in 20 years and is co-developed by the Mission Economic Development Agency and the Chinatown Community Development Center. Over the past five years, nearly 777 affordable units have been built in the Mission, reflecting a shift in housing priorities amidst rising costs and gentrification pressures. Supervisor Jackie Fielder noted that the community's advocacy played a crucial role in achieving this outcome. Previously, the site was notorious for controversy, as market-rate developers aimed to build there, leading to protests from affordable housing advocates.

The property transitioned from a "safe-sleeping village" for the homeless during the pandemic to a site for affordable housing, illustrating the changing dynamics of urban development. This project joins almost 200 additional affordable units currently under construction in the area. The shift in focus towards affordable housing represents a significant response to the ongoing housing crisis in San Francisco.