In 2013, GCC began providing funding to catalytic development projects located near transit, with the goal of leveraging other funding to move planning into pavement.
Current Year Catalyst Projects
BRIDGE Housing – Childcare Facility at San Leandro BART
San Leandro
One of the GCC’s first sites in 2007-2008, now several development proposals consistent with the San Leandro BART Station Area Plan are fully entitled to replace the surrounding surface parking lots: new high-tech office and 200 units of affordable housing. As of early 2013, $70 million in local, state, and federal funds had been secured for the build-out. However, a childcare facility had always been a central demand of the GCC’s San Leandro campaign, but BRIDGE Housing had difficulty securing the funds for this ground-floor component. Through our “Moving to Work” project, we have found that childcare pick-up and drop-off is a significant barrier to parents commuting by transit. Our funding helped leverage an additional $100,000 in City Funds to build out the childcare facility.
Mission Mercado – Plaza Build-Out
San Francisco
The Mission Community Market, Rebar, and the Central American Resource Center formed a partnership to create a plaza and public space in the heart of the Mission District in San Francisco – ¼ mile between two BART Stations and along the busy Mission bus corridor. Building on an already popular temporary weekly community market, Mercado Plaza will provide a beautiful, safe and much needed public space for activities that support family health, promote small businesses and bring diverse communities together. As of early 2013, commitments had already been secured from several public agencies, including $1.6m for infrastructure improvements from Department of Public Works, which will transform the street into a primarily pedestrian plaza. Our funding helped with final design, and leveraged other funding from a private developer who will be constructing new housing along the plaza.
PODER –Balboa Park MUNI Upper Yards Affordable Housing
San Francisco
After many years of station-area planning, in late 2012 City of San Francisco MTA committed to donating 1.8 acre old rail yard (previously a surface parking lot) on top of the Balboa Park BART station towards an affordable housing complex. People Organizing to Demand Environmental and Economic Rights (PODER) created a plan (view pdf) and began to tackle some of the infrastructure challenges unique to this site. This grant helped complete the pre-development work, secure an affordable housing developer for the site, and bring additional financing.
UP/Center for Land Recycling – Dogpatch-Potrero Green Benefits District
San Francisco
This new post-redevelopment financing pilot “Green Benefits District” will fund small-scale capital improvements around the 22nd St Caltrain Station and Third Street light rail stations in San Francisco. The proposed “GBD” would be the first-ever example of California Business Improvement District (BID) being used for urban neighborhood greening efforts of this scale – a replicable model for TOD neighborhoods throughout California. A particular focus is on better physical and green connections between the newly redesigned HOPESF Potrero public housing and the existing Dogpatch community. Our grant helped leverage contributions from developers, property owners, businesses and city dollars to establish the GBD and create a green master plan.
