LGBTQ Senior Housing Concern Openhouse to Build New 15-Story Tower Near Castro Neighborhood

"LGBTQ+ community service and senior housing organization Openhouse and development partner Mercy Housing announced this month that they have been awarded funding for a new project at 1939 Market Street by the state's Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program. The site, currently a surface parking lot at the corner of Duboce and Market streets, was acquired by the city in 2020 with the express intent of developing an affordable housing project there."

"The 187-unit, flatiron-shaped building will include a mix of one-bedroom and studio units, and will be marketed to LGBTQ+ city residents aged 62 and older who earn 15% to 60% of Area Median Income. The new building will join a mini-campus run by Openhouse that includes two other previously developed buildings at 55-95 Laguna Street, which were also built in partnership with Mercy Housing, and where Openhouse runs multiple programs for LGBTQ+ seniors, including an Aging and Disability Resource Center."

"Architect Paulett Taggart tells ABC7 this week that the new building at 1939 Market will also include multiple common spaces in which residents can interact with one aother, to counter tendencies to isolation. Also, Taggart adds of the location, "obviously one of the reasons for this location is that it is located near a lot of the other LGBTQ facilities including the other one run by Openhouse.""

Openhouse and Mercy Housing secured AHSC funding to develop a 15-story, 187-unit affordable housing building at 1939 Market Street. The flatiron-shaped project will include one-bedroom and studio units targeted to LGBTQ+ residents aged 62 and older earning 15% to 60% of Area Median Income. The city acquired the surface parking lot site in 2020 specifically for affordable housing and selected Openhouse and Mercy Housing through a competitive process. The new building will join an existing Openhouse mini-campus at Laguna Street and will feature common spaces and connections to senior services to counter isolation.

Read at sfist.com