By Vanguard Staff
SAN FRANCISCO — Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced the groundbreaking of two new affordable housing communities in San Francisco’s Fillmore District, part of an ongoing effort to convert underutilized state-owned land into housing for low- and extremely low-income Californians.
The two developments will create a combined 167 units, with a particular focus on serving public sector employees such as teachers and community college staff. The projects are being developed under Newsom’s 2019 executive order that launched the Excess Sites program, which identifies surplus state land that can be repurposed for housing.
“These projects are the latest testament to the innovative work happening across the state to make housing more affordable,” said Newsom. “The sites announced today help put a roof over people’s heads and place them in a stronger position for opportunities to uplift themselves, their families, and their community.”
The Excess Sites program is overseen by the California Department of General Services and the Department of Housing and Community Development. Through a digital inventory and ongoing review process, the state solicits proposals for new housing on previously unused land, with an emphasis on proximity to transit, jobs, and community amenities.
One of the new sites, located at 750 Golden Gate Avenue, will replace a surface parking lot with 75 affordable rental units designated for employees of the San Francisco Unified School District and the San Francisco Community College District. It marks the city’s second educator-focused affordable housing project. A second phase at an adjacent parcel is expected to add another 96 units.
The other site, located at 850 Turk Street, will transform the former parking garage of the state’s Employment Development Department into a 92-unit multifamily housing complex. The development will include indoor and outdoor common areas, office and residential services, and tenant amenities such as a private courtyard, rooftop terrace and barbecue facilities. Both projects are being developed by MidPen Housing Corporation.
Tomiquia Moss, secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, said the program has been instrumental in turning neglected state properties into “community assets for current and future generations.” She said the projects in San Francisco are especially important for those who have been unable to live in the neighborhoods where they work.
Nick Maduros, secretary of the Government Operations Agency, said the developments address local housing needs while easing burdens on essential public workers. Ana M. Lasso, director of the Department of General Services, added that the projects show how state-owned properties can be reimagined to benefit both individuals and communities.
Gustavo Velasquez, director of the Department of Housing and Community Development, said the effort is part of a broader strategy to ensure that workers such as teachers, nurses and first responders are not pushed out of the regions they serve. “We are honored to help implement the governor’s vision to transform underutilized state land to meet this critical need for affordable housing options,” Velasquez said.
The 2019 executive order that launched the program has led to the development or construction of hundreds of affordable housing units statewide. Those projects include developments in the Tahoe region, Riverside, Sacramento, Reedley and Truckee. Each was built on state land previously considered surplus, and each reflects the Newsom administration’s effort to scale up housing production using public resources.
Newsom’s office said the approach has proven cost-effective and replicable, particularly in high-cost regions like the Bay Area where land is scarce and housing demand remains high. With housing costs continuing to rise, the state is leaning into this strategy as a way to meet its ambitious affordable housing targets while directly addressing the needs of workers and families who would otherwise be priced out.
