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San Francisco Secures Over $200 Million in State Funding for Affordable Housing

“These funds come at a critical time in San Francisco,” said Mayor London N. Breed. “They will help us continue to deliver desperately needed affordable housing units for our families, workers, and individuals exiting homelessness as part of our overall strategy of building more housing at all income levels across the entire City. In addition to the State’s critical leadership, I want to thank Speaker Nancy Pelosi and our federal leaders for their incredibly important work to bring this funding to California and San Francisco.”

Published

4 years ago

February 15, 2022

Oakland Post

Mayor London N. Breed

Funding Supported by American Rescue Plan Act

Mayor London N. Breed announced on February 4 that San Francisco has been awarded more than $200 million in funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development. This support was provided by the new California Housing Accelerator Fund, which was seeded with a $1.75 billion investment from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

These dollars will provide the final funding necessary for four key affordable housing projects that will build over 400 units of affordable housing for families, formerly homeless individuals, public housing residents, and transitional aged youth. These projects include:

180 Jones St., a 70-unit development for formerly homeless and low-income adults in the Tenderloin.
1801 18th St., a 157-unit affordable family housing project that is a component of San Francisco’s HOPE SF initiative which will provide new replacement units for residents living in public housing in Potrero Hill and additional affordable family housing.
Parcel C3.1, a 138-unit affordable family housing development on Treasure Island.
San Cristina Hotel, a rehabilitation of a 58-unit Single Room Occupancy Hotel on Market Street which will house formerly homeless adults.

These shovel-ready projects are expected to begin construction in the coming months.

“These funds come at a critical time in San Francisco,” said Breed. “They will help us continue to deliver desperately needed affordable housing units for our families, workers, and individuals exiting homelessness as part of our overall strategy of building more housing at all income levels across the entire City. In addition to the State’s critical leadership, I want to thank Speaker Nancy Pelosi and our federal leaders for their incredibly important work to bring this funding to California and San Francisco.”

“Thanks to Democrats’ American Rescue Plan, a life-changing $200 million investment in affordable housing is headed to San Francisco,” said Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives. “With this urgently needed funding, our City will be able to build, rehab, and replace more than 400 affordable housing units, house more low-income San Franciscans struggling through the pandemic and reduce homelessness. Let us salute Mayor London Breed for her dedicated and long-standing leadership in expanding affordable housing opportunities in San Francisco.”

“When we launched the California Housing Accelerator, we had clear objectives – eliminate the backlog of projects standing in long lines for tax credits and bonds, bring affordable housing to communities in need, and reduce the amount of time and money involved in preparing to make these homes available,” said Gustavo Velasquez, director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development. “And while more work remains in Tier 2, (the) announcement is an important step toward achieving our affordable housing goals.”

“We are grateful for the Housing Accelerator Fund’s investment in San Francisco,” said Eric Shaw, director of the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development. “This funding source has been key to moving our projects forward in a competitive funding environment.”

This report comes from the Mayor’s Office of Communication.

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Oakland Post: Week of July 22 – 28, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of July 22 – 28, 2026

Published

13 hours ago

July 27, 2026

Oakland Post

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Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant Plans Bay Area Farmers Market Initiative

Published

1 week ago

July 18, 2026

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Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant displays watermelons from her Sacramento farm at the Temescal Festival in Oakland. Photo by Carla Thomas.

In her 80s and still actively working as an agricultural engineer, Effie Gant continues to break barriers in urban farming and community leadership.

The certified USDA grower and respected urban farmer, based in South Sacramento, was recently spotted vending at the Freedom Farmers’ Market by the Temescal Street Fair on Saturday, July 11, where she proudly displayed dozens of sweet, juicy watermelons.

Festivalgoers gathered not only to purchase her produce but also to enjoy activities like the popular watermelon-eating contest. Yet beyond the festive atmosphere, Gant has a larger vision.

Gant is now setting her sights on the Bay Area, where she plans to launch a farmers’ market to increase access to fresh, locally grown food.

Known for her leadership in sustainable agriculture and food justice, she brings decades of hands-on experience and community advocacy to regions where food access remains inconsistent.

She has built a strong reputation through her work with Meadowview Urban Farm and the Yisrael Family Urban Farm, cultivating crops such as watermelons, honeydew melons, and collard greens. Her approach emphasizes sustainability, education, and empowering residents to grow their own food, even in small urban spaces.

As a USDA-certified grower, Gant blends technical expertise with grassroots engagement to combat food insecurity.

Beyond farming, Gant serves as CEO and President of Highways to Hedges, a nonprofit focused on environmental justice and community development. She is also president of the Hampton Station Neighborhood Association and board chairman for HHCORE, where she advocates for safety, equity, and economic opportunity.

Her proposed farmers market will connect small-scale farmers with urban communities while elevating Black farmers and other underrepresented growers.

“I want to teach the next generation about farming and how lucrative it can be,” Gant said. “You don’t need hundreds of acres. You can start with one acre or even your backyard.”Gant also noted her involvement in a collective of farmers who supply produce through government-supported programs.

“We operate as a team, and we all benefit,” she said.

Through workshops, speaking engagements, and hands-on training, Gant and her organization continue to educate communities about agriculture and food justice. Her market initiative will emphasize affordability, cultural relevance, and nutrition education.

Her broader work includes creating edible forests in partnership with Soil Born Farms, planting fruit trees directly in neighborhoods to expand food access. As a mentor with the Center of Expertise on Food Justice and Health Equity, Gant remains a leading voice in building sustainable and resilient food systems.

Gant says she welcomes the community to join her in creating a new farmer’s market.

“Farming is essential to life,” she said. “I want to train as many people as I can to use food and farming as a tool for empowerment, health, and long-term change.”