Dear Friends:

I am writing to you and other key stakeholders to share with you what’s been happening at Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC) over the last four months, since my assuming the position of Executive Director. With periodic letters like this, I’m hoping to take the opportunity to share news of TNDC events in a more candid way than is possible with newsletters, annual reports, and the other ways in which we communicate with TNDC’s supporters.

The last quarter of the year is typically a hectic one for us. Under the leadership of Department Directors Felicia Scruggs-Wright and Yvette Robinson, our property management and tenant services staff intensify the number of activities with the tenants during November and December. We hold parties at many of the residential hotels to mark Thanksgiving and Christmas, and we distributed some 800 bags of groceries to our neediest tenants, which is in addition to the weekly distribution we undertake throughout the year. (Quietly, we’ve become the fourth largest distributor of food from the San Francisco Food Bank.)

Working with the kids at the TNDC After School Program (TASP), we held our annual, ever-popular Halloween party, and organized gifts for all the children at the annual Christmas/ Hanukah/ Kwanzaa party. More recently, the teens organized and led a Mini African American Festival for Black History Month, and we’re now assembling a group who will go on the annual college tour that TNDC sponsors annually. As many as fourteen children, ranging from 13 to 18 years of age, will participate in a 10-week preparatory class before heading off for a week – this year, to Chicago or Austin or Minneapolis.

I was very proud to see the results of a “Consumer Satisfaction Survey,” sponsored by the City’s Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, to help evaluate TASP in 2005. Amidst all of our hard work, commitment and focus on organizing TASP’s daily activities, it’s important to be willing to step back and evaluate what we do – and though we heard some good suggestions for making the program better, the overall assessment was nothing short of excellent. Three-quarters of the TASP participants who responded agreed with the statements: “I feel safe here.” “The people who work in this program respect my culture.” “The adults in this program challenge me to do my best.” “There is an adult in this program who really cares about me.”

The survey also quoted some of the kids, and two of my favorites were, “What I like most about this program is the staff,” and “It’s a place to go after school, to keep out of trouble.”

Meanwhile, we continue to bring along new development projects to meet a seemingly endless need for affordable housing in San Francisco. We finished construction of Curran House, and moved 67 families into their new homes. We hope you’ll be able to join us for the March 21st grand opening.

Other efforts to develop new projects proceed apace. The Klimm Apartments are under construction, and we expect to start construction on 110 units of senior housing (including 50 for seniors who are homeless) at Polk and Geary Streets in early summer. The additional natural light resulting from the project’s corner location affords a breathtaking design, and through a still-developing financing program, TNDC and its partner, Citizens Housing Corporation, will be able to make this affordable to San Francisco’s neediest seniors. The project at Polk and Geary is just one of several joint ventures we’re now undertaking. Our partners in three other new homeless developments include Glide Economic Development Corporation and Community Housing Partnership, and we expect to start construction on these projects in 2007 and 2008.

TNDC’s 150 property management employees – our biggest department – did the unsung but critical work of keeping our 1,700 occupied homes in good physical and financial condition:  responding to maintenance requests, filling vacant units, collecting rent, and untold other activities. It may seem like routine work, but each day brings a new challenge, and it’s a special person who does it well. For TNDC, working daily with the 2,300 people who reside in TNDC’s buildings is where the community development rubber hits the road.

Some exciting things are brewing for the next few months. We’re practically giddy as we see our 25th Anniversary Celebration (May 9th at the Marriott) take shape under the inspired leadership of Nancy Bechtle and Ellen Newman. With the help of a sterling Celebration Committee and Beach Blanket Babylon scheduled for a brief “birthday” performance, our hopes are high for a memorable event. We’ll be honoring TNDC’s long-time friend Chip Conley with the first annual Kelly Cullen Community Service Award.

I’d like to say a word about Brother Kelly Cullen, TNDC’s long-time Executive Director and my friend and mentor. He remains in close contact with us and continues with the resilience and positive attitude that he demonstrated during 13 years running TNDC. Many in the TNDC family have reached out to offer him their best wishes, for which he has expressed to me his deep appreciation. His spirit and values live in TNDC’s programs and culture, and in me.

We’re seeing a few changes in key personnel. Many know TNDC’s Chief Operating Officer, Cath Merschel, and of her many contributions since summer 2001. She’ll be moving on to different challenges, and we’re in the process of recruiting a new COO. In a different vein, we’ve promoted Senior Project Manager Diep Do to take my place as Director of Housing Development. She joins an outstanding, diverse, Senior Management Team whose median tenure now exceeds 5 years.

There is much more to tell, but I’ve reached my two-page limit. We remain grateful for your support. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Donald S. Falk
Executive Director