The inefficient 'housing element'

Carol Lloyd discusses the issues surrounding building housing in the Bay Area in this week's Surreal Estate,

The real issue, of course, is that cities don't actually build housing -- developers do. That means cities need to incentivize builders to fulfill their plans, which is easier said than done when it comes to low-income housing. "In the end, there's not that much money for low-income housing," Schwob explained. "We can make land available, but building affordable housing is very expensive."

But I know one planner-turned-developer who still feels cities could take their legal obligation to the housing element more seriously. He regards many of the government promises about new housing as so much hot air. "It's all BS," he told me, adding that recently a San Francisco city planner told him the city is meeting only 40 percent of its current needs. "Hardly any of the cities actually fulfill their plan." [more...]

The inefficient 'housing element' is better than nothing when it comes to creating affordable housing [SFGate]

SFist interviews Rob Black, candidate for D6 Supervisor

As they have been doing, SFist is interviewing candidates for District 6 supervisor... Those that will run against Chris Daly in November. Today's interview is with Rob Black, my personal favorite for the election,

What do you think are the biggest problems facing District 6 today?
Straight up – quality of life. From all corners of the district, residents tell me that District 6 is dirty and dangerous. District 6 has less open space and recreation and park facilities than any other district in the City. The City is planning on building about 10,000 new units of housing in the District, and those units need to come with more green space. Lots more.

And while we’re on the topic of housing, District 6 needs more middle income housing units. My district has a housing supply shaped like an hour glass – lots of housing at the high and the low ends, but nothing in the middle. To keep District 6 healthy and vibrant, it needs more housing that is affordable to middle and lower middle income folks. [more...]

There's actually a fundraiser for Rob tonight at Le Duplex (1525 Mission Street) from 7pm till 9pm, just prior to the San Francisco Magazine Awards After-Party. Entry fee is $50-$75 and all proceeds go to Rob's campaign. Food and drink will be served during the fundraiser. Come out and meet Rob, and enjoy a bit of a party...

He's got a great chance of defeating Daly in November. Look him up and find out more about him. I think that you'll agree (unless you're a rabid Daly supporter) that this is the guy who will lead D6 into better times for people at all income levels, especially the under-served middle class.

Rob Black for Supervisor 2006 [official site]
ABC Vol. 1 - Anybody But Chris [SFHomeBlog]

Below Market Rate Units at Broderick Place available

Saw this first on Craigslist, then did a little more research...

Appears that a non-profit real estate broker called Homebricks is handling the sale of the eight below market rate units at Broderick Place (Broderick at Fell/Oak in the Panhandle).

HomeBricks will hold an Information Workshop on the application and purchase process for Broderick Place on Saturday, July 8th at 12 pm at the African American Art & Culture Complex in San Francisco (762 Fulton St #300 - Hall of Culture). Light lunch will be served.

To attend, you must R.S.V.P. by calling (415) 738-7925 or emailing broderickplace@homebricks.com. In your message, please state your full name and the number of people with whom you plan to attend.

CalHFA updates income limits on affordable housing [SFHomeBlog]
Huge S.F. crowd vies for affordable luxury condos [SFHomeBlog]

New Community Benefit Districts Spark Controversy

From today's BeyondChron,

Two new Community Benefit Districts (CBDs) located in the Fillmore and Mid-Market neighborhoods moved forward yesterday, but only after enduring unusually contentious hearings that raised questions about their formation process. CBDs, which levy a tax on property owners, then direct the revenue towards improvements in the community, have until this point represented rare instances of broad consensus in often fractious neighborhoods. It appears that neither the Fillmore or Mid-Market CBDs will be sailing such calm waters, however, as accusations of trying to rush both proposals at the expense of adequate community outreach were leveled at the CBD organizers yesterday. The next obstacle for the CBDs comes today, when the full Board of Supervisors will vote on whether to allow these districts to take the next step towards formation.

In order to be formed, CBDs must first prove that 30 percent of property owners in the area are interested in the idea. The Board of Supervisors must then authorize an election to take place in the community, the result of which will determine whether the CBD will move forward or not. [more...]

Two SF Neighborhoods elect to tax themselves [SFHomeBlog]

Have we finally seen a bubble burst... With the 'bubble' bloggers?

Jonathan Miller's Matrix covers a growing list of 'bubble' blogs that have simultaneously run out of things to blog about, and have gone silent...

Does this mean that they have found little merit in their topic, or just that people have stopped caring about their once-endless rants?

Bubble Redux: More Housing Bubble Blogs Crash, No Soft Landing [Matrix]

SF Business Times articles for June 26th

Since there are so many articles in today's San Francisco Business Times related to housing in San Francisco, I'll just link to them...

The politics of planning - The Mayor and supervisors square off over development

Transbay Terminal, neighborhood on the rise - Plan in place for big transit hub, offices and housing

Stuck in the pipeline: The case of 2660 Harrison

Third Street rail brings housing along tracks - But developers complain process is slow

A 'perfect storm'? Costs could kill condo mania - Prices may not be high enough to offset soaring costs

City hunting for treasure in middle of bay - Treasure Island ready for a transformation

Port turns to state legislation to open up land

Buyer checks into Canterbury for timeshares - Cendant swoops on S.F. hotel

How to steal your neighbor's property and avoid jail

From Bob Bruss at Inman News,

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's property" is part of the Ten Commandments. But real estate law in every state says it is all right to steal your neighbor's land without going to jail if you comply with state law.

That news may be shocking. However, it's true. In fact, statutes in every state encourage the theft of your neighbor's unused property.

The selfish reason is the state wants to collect as much property tax as possible by keeping property in use.

But when a property is vacant and unused, the rightful owner often fails to pay the property taxes. So state laws encourage stealing property and returning it to the property tax rolls. [more...]

It's not something that happens overnight, but since I get so many emails from people asking about neighboring properties that have been abandoned/vacant for decades, perhaps there's some merit to this process...

Selling your home: 10 questions you might ask when choosing an Agent

Saw this great post on a non-real estate blog called Dumb Little Man. He interviewed four real estate agents in the process of considering the sale of his home. He brings up both some great questions to ask as well as some good items for real estate agents to consider...

Recently, my wife got the bug to move just because her brother was (I quickly killed that bug - we are NOT moving). I did however have a chance to interview 4 Real Estate agents. I quickly learned that they are not all created equal.

I took some notes specifically for Dumb Little Man. Here are the questions I asked, the answers I got, and the answers I wanted to hear. [more...]

How to correctly list your home for sale [SFHomeBlog]

Changes to Rent Ordinance pass 'Supes

From today's BeyondChron,

...from the Board meeting Tuesday afternoon, the residential rent ordinance finally passed, 7-4.

The ordinance clarifies existing law to require a landlord to prove just cause when severing any service included with the rental unit such as a parking space, storage unit, or laundry facilities.

It was felt by many that the ambiguity in the law had allowed landlords in the city to effectively evict unwanted tenants by denying them access to important common area services. The only avenue open to renters was to apply to the rent board for a reduction in rent; for many residents, this action did not overcome their daily inconvenience.

The new legislation will protect tenants’ rights and the services provided with a rental unit. A landlord will have to provide just cause in order to lawfully rescind a service, whether it is the use of a lobby, a parking garage or access to any other common area.

Rent Ordinance Measure Moves Forward at City Hall [SFHomeBlog]

Democracy Inaction

There's a great quote on SF Cityscape today,

...we were watching The Daily Show when Jon Stewart made this comment, one we found relevant to the matter at hand: Extremists get their way, he said, "because moderates have shit to do." Of course, he added: Maybe people should be penalized for apathy. Sure. But nor should we ever get the false impression that a small group of committed people is by default thoughtful, or representative, or anything more than free to attend a community meeting.

Amen to that!

We know that the SF Tenant's Union has done a masterful job of mobilizing people to show up for any (and EVERY) supervisor's meeting, planning commission meeting, redevelopment meeting, and open house protest. But it seems to get lost in the shuffle that the people who might not agree with the tenant's union are just too busy working (in order to pay their mortgage) to cut out for a few hours to stand in line and wait to speak at a community meeting...

I suppose that in many ways, silence equals consent, but this post brought up some great food for thought. Thanks, Steve!

Democracy Inaction [SF Cityscape]

Selling illegal immigrants the American dream

I was out of town last week when this was in the Chronicle, but was tipped off by the Inman Blog,

...It was a typical new-homeowner scene with one exception: Ramiro and Marisol, who asked that their last name not be used, are undocumented immigrants from Mexico. They've been in the country for four years. Marisol entered on a tourist visa. Ramiro hid in a car.

Their immigration status did not prevent them from buying a home. It is legal for undocumented people to purchase property in the United States.

The problem has been borrowing the money to pay for it. Ramiro and Marisol have stable jobs, but many undocumented people have spotty or nonexistent credit histories. Often, they've worked off the books. That's two big strikes against getting a mortgage.

Another issue used to be an absolute deal breaker when undocumented people applied for home loans: Until recently, people had to have a Social Security number to qualify for a mortgage.

Now, a handful of banks, including some major institutions, have begun offering home-mortgage loans to people who don't have Social Security accounts. Instead, borrowers can use individual taxpayer identification numbers, or ITINs, which are used to file income tax returns. These lending programs also allow borrowers to use unconventional ways to demonstrate their creditworthiness. [more...]

Illegal immigrants, legal home owners [Inman Blog]

Housing industry generates 11% of California's economy, study says

From Kelly Zito on today's SFGate,

The housing industry contributed more than a quarter-trillion dollars, about 11 percent of total output, to California's economy last year, according to a home building group.

From the money builders spend to put up new homes to the dollars rippling through the economy from workers' spending on gas and medical care, the housing sector accounted for $273 billion in the state last year and supported about 960,000 jobs, based on the more than 200,000 residential units built last year, said a study conducted by the Sacramento Regional Research Institute.

The building study, which did not include the economic impact of commercial real estate, calculated a range of economic impacts, from direct and indirect benefits -- such as the expenditures by builders and their employees, as well as the services provided by wholesalers, architects and engineers -- to induced benefits -- which include money spent by employees on retail items, housing and insurance. [more...]

Presidio housing hits wall with community

From today's Examiner,

...The project — near 15th Avenue and Lake Street — has already been scaled down from the original proposal of 450 bedrooms in 350 units because of complaints, according to Dana Polk, media relations manager for the Presidio Trust.

A final environmental impact report, which includes a plan for residential units with 367 bedrooms, office space and a grocery store, will be presented at a meeting Thursday.

Despite the downsizing, there will be 716 people using the site, which is about the same number as the original proposal, according to Claudia Lewis, the president of the Richmond Presidio Neighbors Association.

To mitigate traffic concerns, 15th Avenue would be turned into a one-way street exiting the area while 14th Avenue, currently a cul-de-sac serving 11 homes, would be turned into a one-way entrance. A plan to create an offramp from Park Presidio Boulevard into the park has been put on hold by Caltrans because of safety concerns... [more...]

According to the Examiner, the Trust will hold its final public hearing Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the Golden Gate Club at 135 Fisher Loop. The board of directors could make a decision on the plan by the end of the month.

Presidio more of a haven for families with children? [SFHomeBlog]

More on One Rincon

I skipped the free-booze-fest preview sales party last night at One Rincon, but the FriscoKid from CurbedSF was there...

And the Chronicle today has a nice, big spread on the front page of the Bay Area section,

The first tower will change the city's skyline. It is on top of Rincon Hill, one of the more obscure of San Francisco's fabled hills, mostly known for the place where the Bay Bridge lands in San Francisco. Rincon Hill has a colorful past, but it is best known now for the Fremont Street off-ramp leading into the city and the First Street on-ramp leading onto the bridge.

The towers will change all that. "It will be the most dramatic thing people will see coming from the East Bay and coming into the city," Mayor Gavin Newsom said when ground was broken for the project in the fall.

The towers will be tall and slender -- "simple and strong," said Michael Kriozere, the San Diego developer who is building them, and "meant to be seen at a distance."

It is more than just location -- and height -- that makes the project important. One Rincon will help create a whole new San Francisco neighborhood in what is now a wind-swept area where the sidewalks are deserted at night.

One Rincon also intensifies two trends -- the gradual movement of the city's center south of Market Street into what was traditionally an industrial district, and a social shift in San Francisco. [more...]

Rincon Hill towers get permits after OK for seismic safety [SFHomeBlog]
Rincon Hill [CurbedSF]
One Rincon Hill Condominium Residences [sales site]

Permanent part-time home

From today's San Francisco Business Times,

Time-shares have always been the poor cousin of the residential real estate market, and in San Francisco they have been nearly invisible -- until now. A new, much more sophisticated and expensive breed of time-share is surfacing in prominent locations from Market Street to the Wine Country. They are called fractionals, and buyers can obtain as little as one-twelfth deeds to the property. More traditional time-shares are increasing as well, popping up on Nob Hill and around Union Square.

Time-share developers are converting small hotels and office buildings in San Francisco for their projects. Major hotel groups such as Ritz-Carlton and Fairmont are trying to extend their prestige brands to make the fractional concept a more sophisticated and urban experience. Instead of golf and surf, they are selling San Francisco's big-city sophistication to sway fractional buyers. Recent deals include JMA Ventures hooking up with Fairmont to buy buildings in Ghirardelli Square for fractional conversion and Trendwest Resorts buying the well-located Juliana Hotel near Union Square.

San Francisco and New York City have the best potential for time-share development over the next five years, according to Anwar Elgonemy, a Jones Lang LaSalle vice president who has advised time-share developers in Colorado, Florida and the Caribbean. Elgonemy said developers take a high risk because of rising property and construction costs, but work on a higher profit margin. Hotel developers work on 17 percent margins, while time-share investors seek a minimum 25 percent. [more...]

Buyers snap up Ritz-Carlton condominiums on Market Street [SFHomeBlog]
Ritz-Carlton Club - San Francisco Resort [RitzCarltonRealEstate.com]
Ritz says it sold $106M in S.F. timeshare units [SF Business Times]
The Fractionalization of SF? [Curbed SF]

Buyers snap up Ritz-Carlton condominiums on Market Street

From today's San Francisco Business Times,

Break open the champagne and caviar on Market Street.

The hard deadline for non-refundable deposits on the Ritz-Carlton's Club and Residences project at 690 Market St. has come and gone, and thus far the numbers are extremely solid.

Some 40 of 51 private residences have been secured with a deposit of between $100,000 and $250,000, depending on the size of the unit. That includes one of two penthouses, which sold for $4.6 million. The other penthouse, listed at $5.3 million, is still available.

On the fractional ownership side, hard deposits are in on 58 shares, which is about 10 percent of the inventory. With fractional shares, club members pay between $200,000 to $300,000 for a one-twelfth, deeded interest in one of 49 units. About half of those who put deposits down on a private residence also snagged a share in one of the fractional units.

In total so far -- assuming all the deposits result in a sale -- the private condo sales come in around $82 million and the fractional sales about $14 million, said Robert van Dijk, the project's director of sales and marketing. [more...]

Ritz-Carlton joins condo club [SFHomeBlog]
Ritz-Carlton Club Units Selling Quickly [SFHomeBlog]

Home Valuation as a function of Buyer Profile

There's a great article on the Rain City Real Estate Guide (Seattle) on why you should consider the value of a home (whether a buyer or seller) based on factors that cannot be determined from raw comps alone.

For example, who is the best buyer for a particular property? If you're a seller, is your house right for the buyers who are paying the most in your specific market? If not, why? And can you fix these issues before you list your property?

Whether you are a buyer or a seller, you really need to dig a little deeper when determining the value of a home. One thing I noticed when I first started practicing real estate in the Seattle area, is that almost no one digs deep enough when determining value based on “buyer profile”. This is an old fashioned concept, I guess, that I learned many, many years ago when I was the Certified Corporate Property Specialist (CCPS) for a large real estate company on the East Coast. That’s a fancy name for someone who must quickly sell the vacant inventory homes of relocated executives whose homes were “acquired” via a “buyout” corporate perk. The very first question I had to ask myself when I went to the property before putting it on market was, “Who is likely to buy this house?” I needed to know if I had an expanded or diminished buyer “pool”.

Remember, the market is shifting from a “baby boomer” market to a “Generation X” market, and we have to change our thinking and valuing with the trends that are affected by this shift. “We” meaning anyone interested in the “value” of property, whether that be buyers, sellers or real estate professionals. [more...]

It's important to note, as this author does, that people are "getting info from the internet regarding total square footage, and doing comps based on this total square footage. “The house across the street sold for $800,000, so this one is worth X on a “price per square foot” basis."

That logic does not account for SO MANY factors in a home purchase. It's a good starting point, but if you are pricing to sell your home or if you're comparing houses prior to writing an offer, consider who this house was really laid out for, and how that translates into value in today's market. Even if it's perfect for you, will it work for other buyers?

As always, a Realtor is your best source for this information! As helpful as the data may be on the internet now, nothing can replace actual life-experience from an agent who has been in many of the other houses in a given neighborhood.

Where do the kids sleep?!? [Rain City Real Estate Guide]

Neighbors fighting city land sale

From today's Examiner.com,

A patch of land with trees and flowers on a steep embankment of upper Market Street may be the first piece of surplus property The City sells to help pay for low-income housing — but neighbors are fighting to protect what they call a park.

The potential sale of 3184 Market Street, a 12,700-square-foot plot of land northeast of Twin Peaks, is under consideration as part of the Surplus City Property Ordinance, passed in 2002 by the Board of Supervisors, as a way to create housing for low-income individuals, including homeless people.

Although several parcels of land are currently being considered for development, the steep slope of the Market Street plot, which reaches up to Corbett Street, would make it difficult, and thus more expensive to develop, which wouldn't be cost-effective for low-income housing, Joel Lipski, housing development director for the Mayor's Office on Housing, told The City's Planning Commission Thursday. [more...]

Surplus property ordinance may soon bear fruit [SFHomeBlog]
SFGov: Real Estate Division [SFGov]

SoMa skyscrapers pushed

From today's Examiner,

...the newest tower, located on Fremont Street between Harrison and Folsom streets, would include up to 330 residential units in a 400-foot tower. The proposed project would involve the demolition of two buildings, both of which are marine labor union halls considered to be historical resources.

On Thursday, San Francisco’s Planning Commission was scheduled to consider several requests for planning code variations from the project sponsors, Colorado-based Archstone Smith Operating Trust and San Francisco’s Jackson Pacific Ventures. Planning staff have recommended approval of the requests, including an exception to a parking requirement that limits parking for residential units to a ratio of one space per two units. Instead, the developers have asked for one parking space per unit, on the grounds that because the parking is underground it won’t impact the surrounding area — an assertion challenged by the project’s critics.

All matters related to 340 Fremont Street were postponed until next week, however, after one of the Planning Commission members asked for an extra week to review the Final Environmental Impact Report. [more...]

Half of San Francisco's Albertsons stores to close?

Following the sale of Albertsons to Supervalu, the NBC11 site is reporting that two Albertsons stores will be closed in San Francisco county.

Since there are only four stores in San Francisco.... Guess that means that half of them are slated to close...

The four current Albertsons locations:

1515 SLOAT BLVD

3995 ALEMANY BLVD

3132 CLEMENT STREET

1750 FULTON STREET

Then just an hour ago, a piece showed up on SFGate with the complete list of stores that will close. And the losers are:

3132 Clement St., San Francisco

3995 Alemany Blvd., San Francisco

There have been rumors of the Fulton/Masonic location changing hands almost since it first opened, but this does not appear to be the time that we'll see anything happening at 1750 Fulton (which is the closest store to my house).

Albertsons to close 31 Bay Area stores [SFGate]

Homes in less-expensive areas making big price gains

I post this article today not because it even mentions San Francisco, but because it is refreshing to see two things: first, that Kelly Zito put together an article that really focused on local economies (rather than her usual statewide doom and gloom pieces), and second, that she didn't have anything negative to say for a change.

When Laura and Patrick Melendy bought their turn-of-the-century cottage in Point Richmond last year, they hoped it would hold its value if the market cooled.

So far, so good.

Even as recent, rising interest rates and an increasing supply of homes for sale has dampened price growth for the overall Bay Area market, values in certain areas are still surging.

Not surprisingly some of the biggest jumps around the region in the last year have come in desirable spots such as Burlingame and Danville, where posh homes and strong schools abound. But others are in sections of Oakland and San Jose better known for rundown properties, slack test scores and, in some cases, higher crime rates.

What's the attraction? In a phrase, affordable prices. [more...]

And what's important here is that real estate is VERY local. It's not something that can be editorialized based on something that a hot-head from UCLA spouts every couple of months. It's about families seeking affordability, and about finding ways to own their homes.

I don't doubt the list of comments that will cry 'gentrification' or 'evictions' in response to this post, but that's not my point today. My point is that you cannot look at real estate on a macro level.

In San Francisco, this means getting down the the neighborhood level, even beyond the sub-district level (we have 10 districts and 86 sub-districts on the San Francisco Association of Realtors map), and understanding what makes those economies work.

Glen Park used to be 'too far away', until folks realized that there's a BART station in the middle of a quaint commercial district. Now you pay a huge premium to be walking distance from the village core.

Or Potrero Hill, where one side has breathtaking views and great restaurants and the other side has violence and shootings (but also fantastic, breathtaking views). Both sides are in the same sub-district, but they are two VERY different economies.

Kelly, thanks for digging a little deeper today. It's not so much about the mostly-positive spin of your article (for a change!), but because you spent the time to give your readers a little closer look at how real estate is really functioning in 2006.

Petition drive launched to block Bayview Redevelopment

From today's SFGate,

Opponents of a plan to bring 1,300 acres of San Francisco's Bayview district under the jurisdiction of the city's Redevelopment Agency announced Monday a drive to collect signatures to call for a referendum on the matter.

To place a measure on the November ballot, opponents would need to collect at least 21,000 signatures and submit them to the city's Department of Elections by June 30.

The Bayview redevelopment plan is nearly a decade in the making and was approved by the Board of Supervisors in May and signed into law by Mayor Gavin Newsom on June 1.

The petition drive is backed by community activists who oppose redevelopment, saying it could force out poor families through eminent domain and gentrification.

Supporters denounce the allegations as fear-mongering and say the Redevelopment Agency will use property taxes to help finance neighborhood improvements, create new housing and increase business.

Activists Launch Referendum to Overturn Bayview Redevelopment [BeyondChron]
One Bayview/Hunters Point resident's argument FOR the redevelopment [BeyondChron via SFHomeBlog]

Google now going after architects?

Saw this on the Zillow Blog today...

Turns out Google has hooked up with (bought?) a company called SketchUp, and they're now providing free 3-D design tools for everything from playground equipment to landscaping and homes.

I highly doubt this signals the end of the need for architects, but I figure the foul-crying is soon-to-come.

They currently only offer this for Windows users, although a Mac version is 'coming soon'.

Download Sketchup here.

Then once you're done, take your dream home and drop it onto your dream home site on Google Earth. If you spend enough time looking, you might even find a vacant lot somewhere in San Francisco!

One Bayview/Hunters Point resident's argument FOR the redevelopment

From today's BeyondChron (WOW! These guys allowed an opposing opinion on their site?),

As a Bayview resident who has worked and lived in the neighborhood for a decade, I support the recently adopted Redevelopment Plan. While there is inherent imperfection in any one solution, I believe this plan offers the Bayview its best shot at harnessing development in a way that benefits current residents – both property owners and tenants – as well as local businesses. BeyondChron has admirably devoted a great deal of attention to the Bayview Redevelopment plan in recent months, with a particular emphasis on the voices opposing it. Unfortunately, much of the debate has been guided by emotion and only a small portion can be characterized as accurately rooted in fact. Below I attempt to address seven principal arguments against the plan. [more...]

Bayview Redevelopment Decision Postponed [SFHomeBlog]
Bayview Hunters Point Project Area Committee

San Francisco's development has lofty goal: Maturity

An editorial in today's SF Business Times discusses the new 1,000 foot tall tower that's being proposed for downtown San Francisco and praises the direction the city and the planning department have taken towards higher-density construction and design,

...San Francisco's planners have taken a radically different approach recently, abolishing some height limits, advocating tall buildings in carefully selected locations and nurturing those who want to build them. Last week's proposal, that San Francisco entertain offers to build the tallest building west of Chicago, is simply a logical extension of that.

That's a bit of boldness and forward thinking from a department not always known for either. Indeed, planners have justifiably been criticized for seeming at times more interested in cherishing San Francisco's gone-for-good industrial past than in its present and future as primarily a location for offices and homes.

In any case, it's a welcome change. [more...]

Proposed SoMa tower could be tallest building on West Coast [SFHomeBlog]

World-famous architect eyed for SoMa tower project

From today's Examiner,

World-renowned architect Renzo Piano is the frontrunner to design one of the tallest skyscrapers in The City — an 850-foot tower in an area city planners have targeted for denser and taller development.

Piano, who designed the current rebuild of the San Francisco Academy of Sciences, has been in talks with David Choo, president of San Francisco-based California Mortgage and Realty, over designing an 850-foot building for the northwest corner of Mission and First streets — adjacent to the Transbay Terminal. [more...]

Player Piano [SF Cityscape]
Piano, First & Mission [Curbed SF]

Alamo Square Flea Market - August 12th

Save the date for the Alamo Square Flea Market!

Saturday, August 12th
9am - 4pm

The flea market will span the entirety of Scott Street (between Fulton & Hayes Streets),
and portions of both Fulton & Hayes Streets, to Pierce.

See the Alamo Square Neighborhood Association web site for more details!