Commission approves predevelopment loan and schematic design for Alice Griffith Phase 4, emphasizing no displacement

The Commission on Community Investment and Infrastructure on June 21 approved a predevelopment loan and schematic designs for Phase 4 of the Alice Griffith public-housing redevelopment, actions staff said will keep the project on track to meet federal grant deadlines while avoiding resident displacement.

OCII housing staff said the work at Alice Griffith is part of the multi-agency Hope SF initiative and that the rebuild will proceed in phases "without any resident displacement," according to Elizabeth Colomelo, senior development specialist. Colomelo told commissioners the project team has secured a $30,500,000 Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI) grant from HUD, with about $21,350,000 earmarked for construction; she said the CNI funding includes statutory deadlines for delivering units in 2016 and 2017.

Staff asked the commission to authorize a predevelopment loan to cover architectural fees and construction drawings so the team can keep design and permitting on schedule. "This loan is proposed at 3% interest with deferred payment," Colomelo said; staff later clarified the short predevelopment term is intended to roll into a larger permanent loan with a 55-year term.

The schematic designs presented by HKIT Architects and You Studio show Block 5 arranged along Aurelius Walker Drive and Fitzgerald, providing protected play areas, 18 parking spaces for 31 units, and a mix of building types that include 13 four- and five-bedroom townhouses to meet current resident needs alongside 18 one- and two-bedroom units. Rod Henmey of HKIT described the site plan and unit layout, and Yaku Askew of You Studio described design moves intended to activate the street and break up massing with stoops, canopies and varied materials.

Commissioners pressed staff on several operational details. Staff said the predevelopment loan carries deferred payments and a short term until it converts into a permanent loan repaid from surplus cash; the permanent financing is expected to have a 55-year term. Commissioners also asked how parking will be distributed (staff: distribution to be decided closer to construction), how lottery and outreach to Certificate of Preference (COP) holders will be run (workshops set for June 23 and July 14 with a lottery likely in September), and what happens to tenants who are not "in good standing"; Colomelo said the housing authority will prioritize assistance and that services and outreach aim to minimize the number of tenants who would be ineligible at initial lease-up.

Staff reported SBE and workforce outcomes to date across phases, noting credit and dollar-value distinctions: participation credit for SBEs can differ from actual dollars paid, and contract-compliance staff said actual local-dollar participation on recent blocks is closer to the mid-20s percent range after accounting for joint ventures. Commissioners asked staff to provide more geographic detail about non–San Francisco contractors working on the project and requested regular updates on lease-up and relocation outcomes.

During public comment, Timothy Rife of Carpenters Local 22 supported the project for local job opportunities. After discussion Commissioner Singh moved and Commissioner Bustos seconded approval of the two Phase 4 items; the secretary announced 4 ayes and 1 absent and the commission adopted the items.

The staff presentation and schematic-design conditions require on-site material mock-ups, further refinement of landscaping and fencing for safety, screening of energy-collection panels from neighboring views, and consistency with the Candlestick streetscape master plan. OCII staff said they will return later this year with a request for permanent financing and additional lease-up updates to the commission.