Newsom’s Housing Authority Plan Ignores Available Federal FundsRandy Shawbyline‚ Jun. 11‚ 2007Since San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom took office in 2004, the city has failed to apply for $355 million in HOPE VI grants that HUD has made available for upgrading housing projects. Newsom is the only mayor of the past three who has failed to apply for this money, and his Administration does not intend to apply for funds this year either. To qualify for these funds, the SFHA would have had to seek and receive a waiver from HUD because of its current failing grades for the physical condition of the units and the financial condition of the Agency. Rather than seek this waiver--which would acknowledge the Housing Authority’s problems--- the Mayor gave up the federal money and seeks to fund project upgrades by partnering with private developers and issuing revenue bonds. The lack of federal money means that the city will have to approve hundreds of market-rate condos near public housing sites to subsidize rebuilding of the low-income units, speeding the gentrification process. |