Plaza East residents press housing authority over services, RFPs and capital improvements

Residents and community organizers used public comment Oct. 24 to press the Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco for clearer communication, more resident control over funding and faster completion of capital work at properties including Plaza East, Rachel Townsend Apartments and Sunnydale.

Francis Harvard, a resident and board member, told the commission he had submitted a report alleging safety incidents at Rachel Townsend Apartments and said a tenant "pulled a knife on an employee at HomeRise." He asked staff to retain the report for follow-up. Doneisha Carlos, a Housing Authority client, said she was "appalled at the lack of accountability, leadership, and customer service" and that she receives responses only after contacting President Joaquin Torres's office. Dennis Williams, executive director of the Fillmore Community Development Corporation and a Plaza East resident, said residents and local…