San Francisco, CA - Today, Mayor London N. Breed and representatives from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) joined City officials, community leaders, and housing advocates to celebrate the grand opening of Star View Court, a new 100% family-oriented affordable housing project on Treasure Island.
Located at 78 Johnson Street, Star View Court is a seven-story, 138-unit development offering homes designated for formerly homeless families, legacy Treasure Island households, and households earning between 50-80% of the area median income. It’s also the second affordable housing project to finish construction as part of a larger plan to revitalize and further develop Treasure Island.
“We are transforming Treasure Island into a premier, 21st century neighborhood right in the middle of the San Francisco Bay,” said Mayor London Breed. “Star View Court will deliver affordable housing as part of our broader revitalization project that will serve all San Franciscans. This is an exciting milestone in our long-term vision that will include more than 300 acres of parks, open trails, restaurants, public art, and the future home Bay FC’s training complex. But it takes more than the City to do this work – I want to thank the community for their support, as well as our state partners who are providing critical financial support for this project and others throughout San Francisco.”
Star View Court is part of the greater Treasure Island Revitalization Plan, a Development Agreement between the Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA) and Treasure Island Community Development (TICD). This plan includes 8,000 new residential units for more than 18,000 residents, including a minimum of 435 new units that will be prioritizing homeless households to be developed by One Treasure Island member organizations, such as Mercy Housing and Catholic Charities. The entire Treasure Island project, once completed, will add more than 2,000 below-market-rate homes to San Francisco’s affordable housing portfolio.
“Treasure Island is becoming a model for San Francisco’s future, where growth and community go hand in hand,” said District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey. “The opening of Star View Court marks a significant milestone as one of the first 100% affordable housing developments on the Island. This project is not only helping to address our city’s housing needs but will also provide a stable and supportive community for current and future residents for years to come.”
“Star View Court represents a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to provide stable, supportive housing for those in need. Overall, our vision is that Treasure Island will become a lively, diverse, mixed-income neighborhood with Star View Court at its heart,” said Nella Goncalves, Co-Executive Director of One Treasure Island.
Increasing housing affordable to lower-income and vulnerable residents is a key priority in the City’s Housing Element which calls for additional funding for affordable housing production and preservation, as well as Mayor Breed’s Housing for All Executive Directive that sets out the steps the City will take to meet the bold goal of allowing for 82,000 new homes to be built over the next eight years.
Star View Court was developed by Mercy Housing California in collaboration with Catholic Charities. The new building features a secure courtyard and bicycle parking, parking garage, laundry facilities, and community-serving spaces, including a teen lounge and a community kitchen. With residents now moved in, Mercy Housing will continue to provide property management services while counselors from Catholic Charities provide on-site support to residents in their new homes and connect households to social services.
“I have been working at Catholic Charities for nearly 30 years. This is one of my proudest days. There are solutions to homelessness when you dream big and get things done,” said Ellen Hammerle, Ph.D, Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Charities of San Francisco. “Catholic Charities plays a key role in keeping families housed in the Bay Area. Our partnership with Mercy Housing, the Treasure Island Development Authority, and One Treasure Island means that 138 households now have a future full of dignity, permanency, and belonging.”
“This beautiful, newly constructed building is a crucial step toward ensuring that all individuals, regardless of age or background, have access to safe, affordable housing in San Francisco,” said Doug Shoemaker, President at Mercy Housing California. “Treasure Island is a more vibrant place now that residents have moved into Star View Court.”
Star View Court was funded in part by the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) through the voter-approved 2019 Affordable Housing General Obligation Bond, with additional financing support from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) via the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program and the California Housing Accelerator fund, a state program that aimed to reduce the backlog of affordable housing projects that were stalled in the funding pipeline.
“The Accelerator program does just what the name implies,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. “This program lets us kick-start shovel-ready projects that otherwise may have been derailed by funding gaps. Now Star View Court stands as the core of what will grow into a revitalized Treasure Island community and a true home for so many who have fought to remain in San Francisco despite rising costs.”
The name “Star View Court” highlights the building's view of the San Francisco Bay and pays tribute to the former Star Barracks that housed enlisted military personnel when Treasure Island was an active military base. Star View Court was designed by Paulett Taggart Architects, woman-owned San Francisco firm, and constructed by local general contractor Nibbi Brothers. Local firms Community Economica Inc., Gubb & Barshay, and Rockridge Geotechnical were also enlisted on the project.
Both Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island are being transformed into an environmentally sustainable new 21st-century San Francisco neighborhoods, in the middle of San Francisco Bay. In addition to Star View Court, the larger revitalization project also includes 300 acres of parks, trails and open spaces, with new restaurants and shops, and public art installations. Bay FC, the new women’s professional soccer franchise representing the Bay Area in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), in September announced the franchise’s plans for the location of Bay FC’s new permanent training facility on Treasure Island.
###