It’s always a special day when Mercy Housing California (MHC) breaks out the oversized scissors and cuts the ribbon in front of a new affordable, service-enriched community, but a day marking the opening of San Francisco’s largest permanent supportive housing site requires a little extra celebration. On February 1^st, officials from around the country flew in to celebrate the dedication of 1064 Mission Street in San Francisco, a community with 256 homes owned and managed by long-time MHC partner Episcopal Community Services of San Francisco (ECS). Fully leased up as of January 27, 2023, 1064 Mission Street was co-developed by MHC and ECS to provide affordable homes and onsite services that will help hundreds of San Francisco residents transition out of homelessness for good. Now that construction is complete, ECS will be the owner and manager of the community.

 

“From our federal partners who used the Title V program to transfer a $54-million plot of land to the City for just one dollar, to the state agencies who contributed crucial funds, to the local government and nonprofit partners who showed incredible commitment in making this dream a reality, 1064 Mission Street represents the best of what’s possible when we think big and work together,” said Doug Shoemaker, MHC President. “Mercy Housing is excited to congratulate the San Francisco residents who are starting a new chapter of their lives in this supportive community.”

MHC and ECS have partnered on many supportive housing communities, and 1064 Mission Street showcases a smorgasbord of design features and onsite services inspired by years of working together to discover what works best for people exiting homelessness. From leafy courtyards providing respite from the hustle and bustle of its SoMa neighborhood to brightly painted common spaces adorned with comforting artwork, it’s clear that 1064 Mission Street was designed to feel give residents a feeling of homecoming.

Even more critical than the architectural details are the many spaces focused on supportive services, including a hub for In-Home Healthcare Services employees, a behavioral health wing, and the Maria X Martinez Health Resource Center, a community-serving health center operated by the Department of Public Health. On its ground floor, 1064 Mission Street sports a brand-new, 6,000 square-foot commercial kitchen and teaching space, serving as the new home of ECS’ CHEFS workforce development program. Through CHEFS, people experiencing extreme poverty can enroll in a free, 12-week culinary job training program, and people experiencing food insecurity can access nutritious meals.

The two, six-story buildings, with 256 homes, and substantial service spaces comprising 1064 Mission Street are all impressive – but to the new residents, the size and scale of the development are less important than the fresh start their new home will provide. Mercy Housing California thanks ECS and our government partners and wishes a very happy homecoming to the current and future residents of 1064 Mission Street.

ARCHITECT: Herman Coliver Locus Architecture

ASSOCIATE ARCHITECT: Lowney Architecture

GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Cahill Contractors

MODULAR CONTRACTOR: FactoryOS

FUNDED BY: National Equity Fund, JP Morgan Chase, Century Housing, San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

• View the dedication event video. Thanks to ARC8 for recording and streaming.
• View photos from the dedication event. Thanks to Amy Sullivan for photographing the dedication.
• View photos of the building (Thanks to Bruce Damonte for building photography.)