As we noted last month with respect to the proposed design for the 71-unit affordable and supportive housing development at 1100 Ocean Avenue:
The parking garage is located at grade level and is accessed from the Lee Avenue extension. The garage contains five-off-street parking spaces including a handicap accessible space and a car share space. The building will have 32 class 1 bicycle parking spaces for the residential space and four class 1 bicycle parking spaces for the commercial space. The remainder of the ground floor will provide supportive service and community space.
As the Chronicle writes today:
Neighbors were never especially happy about plans to build 71 units of affordable housing on a city-owned bus turnaround at Ocean and Phelan avenues, across the street from City College. But when they learned the apartment complex would have just five parking spaces – plus one car-share slot and a single handicapped space – the complaints poured in.
Keep in mind that 21 of the units are intended for occupancy by young adults transitioning out of foster care, the remaining units are intended for occupancy by households earning less than 50% of area median income, the Balboa Bart station is an eight minute walk away, and the Bayshore B Express to downtown currently does its turnaround right there.
∙ The Designs (And Approvals) For 1100 Ocean Avenue As Proposed [SocketSite]
∙ Housing plan sets off S.F. parking debate [SFGate]
The plain and simple reason for the opposition is that the existing residents don’t want anyone else competing for their free subsidized street parking. But if their wish is granted, they’ll suffer with increased congestion.
I think the true reason is that the neighborhood doesn’t want the supportive housing and they are going to hang their hat on the lack of parking vs. being honest. This is on a busy corner with commercial spaces/City College on all sides as I recall. None of the ‘neighbors’ is likely to be parking on Ocean Avenue no matter what they claim.
The Chronicle article has dozens of comments, the large majority of which are pro parking, anti “transit first” which turns out to be a vote into the charter of 25 years ago. This can be overturned by a new vote, suggested by one commenter. Easy to win, since tenants, owners and landlords have common cause. The only people against parking are the extreme left-wing, and they already have cars.
Have we not learned from the failure of such car- deprived neighborhoods as Nob Hill? It’s not like that area is worth anything or at all desirable.
Parking is not free in this area. It is all permit parking. which has to be paid for yearly. Come over to this area right now and see just how congested it is. Good luck finding a place to park within a mile in any direction.
I don’t want low income housing to come to the neighborhood. Geneva Towers is finally gone and it ruined the surrounding neighborhoods. To bring back low-income housing is repeating bad history for a neighborhood we are trying so hard to revitalize. What low-income people are going to be able to afford Whole Foods grocery? Whole Foods will be the first real commodity for this neighborhood, but if we keep sending people to this neighborhood who can’t afford it, Whole Foods will disappeat and a chance for this neighborhood to be desirable will be gone. I’m sick of being embarassed of where I live. We have nothing here. Sure I want to save the small business, but what other businesses are attracting people to shop at these small businesses for them to thrive. C’mon give then neighborhood a chance and try to attract people who have money to spend. Maybe our property values will increase. And can everybody stop hanging their laundry in front of their house? Its disgusting! And as for parking stop putting cones and you rgarbage cans to save a spot,its not your parking spot. We need quality people in this neighborhood to be proud.
So you are saying this shouldn’t be built in your neighborhood. What a shock. I wonder if there is a term for people that feel the same…