Building For Former Foster Youth In San Francisco Causes Controversy
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) ---- A proposal to build affordable housing in San Francisco's Presidio Heights for youth who are transitioning out of foster care is under review by the Board of Supervisors. Generally, there is wide spread support for the project, but neighborhood residents have also raised some concerns as well.
The Booker T. Washington Community Service Center has run a recreation center at Sutter and Presidio for years, and now wants to add 50 affordable housing units. Neighbors say they don't have a problem with former foster kids living there - it's the proposed 55-foot-high building, which exceeds the current 40-foot height limit.
KCBS' Barbara Taylor Reports:
Some neighbors want the supervisors to scale back the building to 41 apartments and 45 feet, but supporters say the needs of former foster children come first.
"When we talk about feet and units, we're really talking about lives," said one man at the meeting Lives of transitional age youth who by no fault of their own have ended up in a hard place.
Supporters note there is a MUNI bus yard across the street but the critics say the project is way out of scale with other residential buildings.
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