Future of S.F. public housing where Breed grew up in doubt after developer pulls out

"Though Plaza East Apartments was rebuilt just 25 years ago, it is in dire need of repairs. McCormack Baron Salazar had planned on partnering with an investor to fix and refinance the dilapidated apartments - while also adding mixed income units to the public housing project. But since that investor stepped aside in October 2024, the future of Plaza East has been uncertain. McCormack Baron's departure adds another wrinkle to those plans."

"McCormack Baron Salazar - a national development firm based in St. Louis that had partial ownership over Plaza East along with the San Francisco Housing Authority - is stepping away from overseeing the property 25 years after redeveloping the project in 2000. The San Francisco Housing Authority will now shoulder full ownership over the complex while it searches for a new developer. Plaza East Apartments will be the only subsidized housing development in San Francisco solely owned by the Housing Authority"

McCormack Baron Salazar, the St. Louis-based developer that co-owned Plaza East Apartments, is stepping away from overseeing the 193-unit Western Addition complex twenty-five years after the 2000 redevelopment. An investor withdrew in October 2024, leaving planned refinancing and repairs uncertain. The San Francisco Housing Authority now holds full ownership and will search for a new developer, making Plaza East the only subsidized San Francisco development solely owned by the authority. Tenants fear the long-planned project to add up to 750 mixed-income units and refurbish existing apartments will stall. Residents report prolonged limbo, lack of transparency, and urgent repair needs.

Read at Mission Local