San Francisco, CA — Today, Mayor London N. Breed joined State Senator Scott Wiener, City officials, and community leaders to celebrate the grand opening of The Hub, a new community center in Sunnydale HOPE SF. The center includes a childcare center operated by Wu Yee Children’s Services, a Boys & Girls Clubhouse, a new recording studio, shared living room and community kitchen, multi-purpose rooms for events and classes, and study and meeting spaces serving residents of Sunnydale, Visitacion Valley, and surrounding communities.
The Sunnydale neighborhood is home to one of the highest concentrations of young people in San Francisco, as well as one of the highest concentrations of poverty. The Sunnydale Community Hub will provide safe and accessible space to families, children, and youth for childcare and after-school services, recreation opportunities, cultural events, as well as health and wellness programs and activities.
“The Hub in Sunnydale HOPE SF will not only provide vital resources and opportunities for families and kids to feel empowered and succeed, but with this space we are bringing joy and strengthening connections for the Sunnydale community,” said Mayor London Breed. “I know firsthand how important access to a safe and welcoming community space is, having grown up in public housing in San Francisco with access to community and City resources. I want to thank Senator Scott Wiener and our federal partners, as well as the generous commitments from community who are helping San Francisco fulfill the promise of HOPE SF, and our work to drive equity and accessibility across the City.”
“Our communities thrive when they have spaces to come together to play, learn job and financial skills, and develop healthy lifestyles. This major new service hub will support the Sunnydale community and allow people of all backgrounds to thrive,” said Senator Scott Wiener. “I was proud to obtain $5 million in the 2022 state budget to support this critical project.”
Anchored at the Southeast corner of John McLaren Park at the corner of Sunnydale Avenue and Hahn Street, the Sunnydale Community Hub functions as a gateway into the neighborhood and a space for community programs and neighbor-to-neighbor connections. The community center houses the Boys & Girls Clubhouse which will provide academic support, daily education enrichment, character development programs, and physical activity to 135 youth in grades K-12; and the Wu Yee Early Childhood Education Center, a childcare center providing childcare and school readiness services to 70 children ages 0-5, as well apprenticeship programs to launch careers in early education.
"At Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco, we are committed to providing safe, supportive environments where all youth can learn, grow, and reach their full potential. We are proud to have played a major role in the building of this inspiring space and to be serving as a key partner in providing wraparound services to the Sunnydale community,” said Rob Connolly, President of the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco.
“Wu Yee Children’s Services is very proud and grateful to be included as a partner in the extraordinary Sunnydale Hub, which brings essential services and enriching activities to residents of all ages. Young children will learn and thrive alongside youth and their families. Our deepest thanks to the many leaders and staff that had the vision and tenacity to create the Sunnydale Hub, a place of joy, wellness, and discovery for the community today and for years to come,” said Monica Walters, CEO of Wu Yee Children’s Services.
Sunnydale is one of four former public housing sites that comprise San Francisco’s HOPE SF initiative, the nation’s first large-scale community development and reparations initiative aimed at creating inclusive, mixed-income, and thriving communities without the mass displacement of existing residents. All HOPE SF projects aim to center residents first and change systems and shift power to ensure San Francisco is a racially and economically inclusive city.
The Sunnydale HOPE SF project includes the complete revitalization of the existing 50-acre Sunnydale-Velasco Housing Authority site, replacing 775 existing apartments with a mixed-use neighborhood of 1,700 high-quality, energy efficient homes. To date, 222 new affordable homes have been completed and an additional 170 homes are currently under construction.
“We are excited about the opening of ‘The Hub’ at Sunnydale, which will strengthen the fabric of our neighborhoods and uplift residents of all ages here in Visitacion Valley,” said Supervisor Shamann Walton. “This center is not just a physical structure but a testament to the power of collaboration between public, private, and community as an investment in our city’s future. Today, we celebrate the fulfillment of a promise to our residents.”
The $46 million joint development is made possible by a combination of funding sources including the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD), San Francisco’s 2020 Health & Recovery Bond, Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2022 Budget Act, federal and state funds secured by Senator Scott Wiener, and pledges from community donors.
Mercy Housing California and Related Companies are co-leading the Sunnydale transformation and Community Hub projects, which, in partnership with the MOHCD and the San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA), were selected to transform Sunnydale into a vibrant, unified, mixed-income community. Local firms Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects (LMSA) and Swinerton were also enlisted in the development of the community center.
“The Hub is a testament to Sunnydale's residents' strength, vision, and advocacy,” said Ashlei Hurst, Vice President of Community Life at Mercy Housing. “This community center exists because of the countless voices who have spoken up, dreamed big, and worked together to create a space where all can thrive. We are immensely grateful for the residents who have shaped this vision, and we are committed to ensuring that The Hub celebrates and empowers the entire community. A heartfelt thank you goes to Mayor Breed, Senator Wiener, and our partners, who recognized our aspirations for the Sunnydale neighborhood and committed to this journey alongside us from the start.”
“We have always believed that this community deserved not only high-quality, affordable housing but a center for services, recreation, job training, and a place to come together as a community,” said Bill Witte, Chairman & CEO of Related California. “Our contribution was intended to encourage others to contribute and to ensure the highest quality, and we couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”
###