Press Release: SFCLT Secures Mission District Building, Ensuring Long-Term Residents Stay Rooted in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO — Artists, teachers, and long-time families in a mixed-use Mission District building are breathing a sigh of relief this week, as the San Francisco Community Land Trust (SFCLT) finalized the purchase of their property at 3235 16th Street, ensuring their homes will remain permanently affordable and under community control.
“Our family feared for the worst when we found out our building was getting ready to be sold,” said Alana Herron, a San Francisco educator and longtime 16th Street resident. “When I learned that the San Francisco Community Land Trust was an option, I felt hope. Now that it’s becoming real—that our homes will be in community control as long as we’re here—it’s hard to describe the sense of security that my neighbors and I are sharing today.”
The 16th Street residents—artists, school teachers, and families who have lived in their homes for more than two decades, some more than 30 years —are part of the cultural fabric of the Mission District. Among them is a co-writer and producer of Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, the groundbreaking immersive theatrical work inspired by the 1966 uprising in San Francisco’s Tenderloin.
“Our residents are at the heart of everything we do, and this acquisition is about making sure they can stay rooted in the neighborhoods they’ve shaped for decades,” said Kyle Smeallie, SFCLT Policy and Communications Director. “Preserving affordable housing is about keeping what makes San Francisco special: the people, the culture, and the communities that give this city its soul.”
The acquisition comes at a moment of intense focus on housing production and upzoning in San Francisco, driven by state Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) requirements, which mandate the City to allow 82,000 new units, with more than 46,000 being affordable. While much of the public debate has centered on building new market-rate units, SFCLT’s purchase highlights a complementary and cost-effective strategy: preserving existing homes for residents who are already rooted in the city and at risk of displacement at a fraction of the cost.
The timing of the acquisition aligns with new state policy that recognizes the value of affordable housing acquisition. AB 670, a state law passed earlier this year, allows affordable housing acquisition and preservation projects to count toward RHNA targets, rather than only new affordable housing production. AB 670 permits jurisdictions to credit preservation projects for up to 25% of their RHNA targets, leveling the playing field for affordable housing acquisitions.
“San Francisco’s culture is rooted in the people who have built their lives here over decades,” said District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. “When long-term residents, artists, and families are displaced, our neighborhoods lose the social and cultural fabric that makes them unique. SFCLT’s acquisition of this building is the kind of proactive, community-centered housing strategy we need to stabilize residents, prevent displacement, and ensure that the people who create San Francisco’s cultural legacy can remain in the neighborhoods that shaped their work.”
The acquisition of the 16th Street property was made possible through San Francisco’s Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (COPA), a policy that gives qualified nonprofit organizations the first chance to purchase multi-unit buildings when they go up for sale. By granting nonprofits an early window to make an offer, COPA helps keep homes out of the speculative market and preserves stability for long-term residents at risk of displacement. This framework has become a cornerstone of San Francisco’s anti-displacement strategy, ensuring that community-centered organizations like SFCLT can step in quickly when vulnerable buildings hit the market.
In addition to COPA, the purchase was supported by the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development’s Small Sites Program, which provides funding for community-based organizations to acquire and preserve housing for residents who might otherwise be pushed out.
The success of this approach is resonating beyond San Francisco: on Thursday, New York City voted to approve its own version of COPA, embracing a similar model to protect tenants and expand community ownership. Together, these local and national developments signal growing momentum for policies that center residents, prevent displacement, and strengthen long-term affordability.
About the San Francisco Community Land Trust
The San Francisco Community Land Trust (SFCLT) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and producing permanently affordable, resident-controlled housing. By acquiring multi-unit buildings and removing them from the speculative market, SFCLT ensures long-term stability for working-class and marginalized communities across San Francisco. Through collective governance and community stewardship, SFCLT empowers residents to remain in the city they call home. The 16th Street property is SFCLT’s 17th acquisition, with a total of 174 permanently affordable homes in San Francisco.