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Supervisors hear updates on Plaza East repairs as residents press for resident-led planning
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Summary
At a July 15 Government Audit & Oversight Committee hearing, presenters described emergency repairs, new property management and resident engagement plans at Plaza East public housing. Officials and callers pressed for faster repairs, clearer oversight and resident control of any redevelopment path.
The Government Audit & Oversight Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Thursday heard an update on emergency repairs, property management and resident engagement plans for Plaza East public housing in the Fillmore.
Chair Supervisor Dean Preston opened the hearing by thanking tenants and community leaders who raised concerns and noted recent emergency funds. "A $2,700,000 emergency grant was provided for life safety repairs," Preston said, and he stressed the need for ongoing oversight so residents can shape any future redevelopment.
Adi Nagraj of McCormack Baron Salazar, the development partner on the site, said the team has worked with residents and submitted financing requests to HUD and city loan committees. "We received loan committee approval for 2 and a half million for emergency repairs and just under $200,000 for social services," Nagraj said, describing steps taken to fund immediate work and social services on site.
Pauline Blackwell of McCormack Baron Salazar outlined repair progress: a March 2020 inspection informed work that began May 26; crews have phased work to limit disruption, prioritized vacant units for in‑place relocations, and completed items tied to Department of Building Inspection (DBI) violations. "We actually currently have touched 96 units," she said, and noted supply‑chain delays for appliances and windows that have slowed some schedules.
John Stewart Company regional manager Will Daniels, the property's new on‑site management partner, said the company has increased resident outreach, is providing more than one week's notice for unit work, and will start an on‑site manager July 20. Daniels said staff are working with residents daily and arranging transfers for households in emergency situations.
MOHCD (Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development) staff reported that about 12% of the repair scope and budget is complete, listing 25 units finished and 59 partially complete, and said the office is reviewing the first construction pay application. MOHCD confirmed it included roughly $198,000 in services funding to help residents through rehabs and relocation logistics.
DBI senior housing inspector Luis Barahona summarized enforcement history and outstanding complaints: the department's tracking shows 35 tenant complaints in the last 15 years and 21 active complaints now; some cases remain unabated and a reinspection was scheduled for July 20. Barahona noted several units could not be inspected because inspectors did not gain entry.
Residents and service providers who called into the hearing urged rapid, resident‑centered action. Dr. Cedric Jackson (HRF) praised the repair efforts and emphasized housing as foundational to health; Nubei Brown of the San Francisco Bayview National Black newspaper called the pattern of neglect "decades long" and framed the work as part of a reparations imperative; an on‑site resident leader and other callers urged better maintenance, on‑site management and accountability.
Committee members pressed presenters on security and Larchway Alley, a private street adjacent to the property. MBS said the repair scope includes enhanced building‑mounted lighting to improve visibility; presenters noted limits because the alley is private and does not receive routine city cleaning services. Management said it has engaged SFPD community officers and is seeking practical steps to improve safety and street‑cleaning coordination.
On redevelopment pathways, MBS and Urban Strategies described conversations with HUD about Section 18 and a newer RAD Blend option that would mix project‑based vouchers and RAD vouchers and place the property under RAD protections. Presenters emphasized that no formal resident notice process to pursue conversion has begun. Kevin Daniel of Urban Strategies described the resident engagement plan as intentionally sequenced: trust building and stabilizing households must precede formal decisions about demolition, replacement density or the inclusion of market‑rate housing.
Housing Authority leadership said the authority meets weekly with MBS and partners, is tracking spending and is attending on‑site meetings while trying to balance active oversight with space for engagement teams to build trust.
After questions and public comment, Chair Preston moved to continue the Plaza East hearing "to the call of the chair" so the committee can track progress and reconvene if further hearings are necessary; the motion passed 3–0.
What happens next: DBI is scheduled to reinspect units July 20, MOHCD will continue reviewing pay applications and the interagency teams will continue weekly coordination. The committee will monitor repairs, resident engagement outcomes and any formal HUD processes if and when the Housing Authority or residents pursue a conversion pathway.
