Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Senior Care Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee forwards Jewish Home special‑use district to allow a major Expandsion in the Excelsior
Summary
The Land Use Committee unanimously forwarded a general plan amendment and zoning code change to create a Jewish Home of San Francisco Special Use District to allow demolition, two new buildings up to 80 feet tall, roughly 210 additional residential care units and new ground‑floor retail; the Jewish Home emphasized financial pressures, seismic upgrades, and a new 'square' model for services.
The Land Use Committee unanimously moved two items that would create the Jewish Home of San Francisco Special Use District in the Excelsior, allowing a multi‑building campus expansion at the intersection of Mission Street and Silver Avenue.
Frances Shay (Supervisor Avalos' office) said the project would expand a campus that has served the neighborhood for more than a century. "They're seeking to expand their facilities, adding assisted living space as well as room for other supportive uses," Shay said.
Tina Chang from the Planning Department described the technical scope: the property covers approximately nine acres and includes five buildings; the plan would demolish the main west building and construct two new buildings totaling about 265,000 square feet and heights up to 80 feet. The project would provide roughly 210 additional residential care facility units for up to 245 residents and about 4,800 square feet of ground‑floor retail along Mission Street to activate the corridor.
Daniel Ruth, president and CEO of the Jewish Home of San Francisco, framed the proposal as necessary to sustain services and respond to demographic and financial pressures. Ruth said the Jewish Home "has run at a deficit" and cited a past 30% Medi‑Cal reimbursement cut and an $18 million retroactive liability; the expansion, he said, will help the facility serve additional assisted living and memory‑care residents and create the "square," a campus‑wide set of services for residents and nonresident seniors.
More than a dozen public commenters, including volunteers, former board chairs, clergy, neighborhood groups and family members, spoke in support of the expansion, stressing the home's role serving frail, vulnerable seniors and its community partnerships.
Committee action: Supervisors, including Supervisor Scott Weiner and Supervisor Jane Kim, voiced support and forwarded both items to the full Board with a positive committee report.
Next steps: Items 4 and 5 will be considered by the full Board of Supervisors as committee reports; Planning Department and the Jewish Home will provide permitting and design details through the Board process.
