For Immediate Release
Contact: Denise Lamott
(415) 897-5089

June 28, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO — Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC) and its partner, AF Evans Development, Inc. (AF Evans) of Oakland, are pleased to announce the acquisition of the historic Shih Yu-Lang Central YMCA building 220 Golden Gate Ave. at Leavenworth.  With the support of the San Francisco Department of Public Health and Mayor’s Office of Housing, the partners will renovate the 100 year-old building, creating approximately 174 affordable apartments with supportive services for homeless individuals, along with a holistic health clinic and wellness center for residents and other extremely-low income and homeless members of the community.

“Adding a health and wellness center along with housing and other supportive services sets a new standard for the supportive housing model,” explains TNDC’s Executive Director Don Falk.  “It’s an incredible opportunity to offer chronically homeless people housing, health services and other critical social support all in one place.  It greatly increases their chances of breaking out of the cycle of homelessness.” 

Indeed, the collaboration of AF Evans and TNDC with San Francisco’s Department of Public Health and the Mayor’s Office of Housing will bring affordable housing and health services directly to the people who most desperately need them and who often fall through the current system’s cracks.  With a holistic approach to health care, the onsite clinic and wellness center will combine traditional and non-traditional medicine along with innovative preventative care services aimed at significantly improving the overall well being and health status of tenants and community members. 

“This creative and innovative endeavor will mark a significant advancement in the City’s plan to end chronic homelessness, which calls for the creation of 3,000 units of permanent supportive housing by 2010,” said Matt Franklin, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Housing.  “Housing that is affordable and includes comprehensive supportive services works to meet the long-term needs of formerly homeless people and keep them off the streets.  We are proud to be a part of this effort.”

“This redevelopment of the Central City YMCA will embody all of what we have learned about creating successful, life-affirming communities for people who have spent far too long living in isolation and despair,” said Marc Trotz, Director of Housing and Urban Development for the San Francisco Department of Public Health.   “This building will be much more than a place to live -- it will be a place to make friends, receive innovative health care services, participate in fitness activities, and, most importantly, reintegrate into the rich life that San Francisco has to offer.”

“AF Evans is pleased to renew its longstanding commitment to the Tenderloin and its deep relationship with the YMCA.  We are gratified to preserve a critical resource to this community; both as an historic building and a social nexus for neighborhood activity,” stated Jack Robertson, President of AF Evans Development, Inc.   “An undertaking so bold requires innovative and committed partnerships, and we have a tremendous team prepared to realize an unprecedented vision.”

“We are thrilled with this partnership,” said Carmela Gold, Executive Director of the Shih Yu-Lang Central YMCA. “It was of paramount importance to us to find a buyer for this building who was deeply committed to continuing to support this community.  We will be reinvesting the proceeds from this sale to build a new YMCA that will serve the Tenderloin for the next 100 years. We will always remain part of this neighborhood.” 

The rehabilitation of the Shih Yu-Lang Central YMCA will be the latest in a series of building restorations along the Tenderloin’s Golden Gate corridor that is updating the look of the neighborhood while maintaining its character and affordability for residents.  Originally built in 1910, the nine-story Central YMCA is one of the largest buildings along the Golden Gate Corridor.  Comprising 150,000 square feet, the building currently includes a full health & fitness center, wellness programs, neighborhood youth and young adult center, computer and technology labs, a senior center, a 103-room hotel and several neighborhood non-profit organizations   Continuing their long-standing commitment to the neighborhood, the YMCA plans to move to an interim location nearby while finalizing construction of their new home at 377 Golden Gate Avenue.

TNDC and AF Evans propose to completely restore and rehabilitate the historic building, updating its antiquated systems while preserving the historic auditorium, lobby, atrium, mezzanine building a new grand entry staircase.  The rehabilitation will provide approximately 174 single room occupancy (SRO) apartments with private bathrooms and kitchenettes.  The renovation will also include a variety of common areas, such as, lounges, kitchens, fitness areas, and laundry facilities.  Scheduled for completion in 2010, TNDC will manage the building. The Department of Public Health will manage the health and wellness center, and the Mayor’s Office of Housing will provide the critical financing necessary to fund the development.

About The Team

Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation
Founded in 1981, TNDC’s mission is to provide safe, affordable housing with support services for low-income people in the Tenderloin community and be a leader in making the neighborhood a better place to live. TNDC now owns and manages 25 buildings that provide homes for 2,500 extremely low-income seniors, families, people with disabilities, low-income wage earners, immigrants and others in the Tenderloin and nearby neighborhoods. In addition, TNDC provides on-site supportive services and resources such as social workers and after-school programs to help residents stabilize their lives and develop a sense of community. More information about TNDC can be found at www.tndc.org

AF Evans
AF Evans Development, Inc. is dedicated to the development, acquisition and rehabilitation of high-quality housing, serving all income levels. AF Evans is committed to the concept that everyone deserves a decent, safe place to live, no matter their income, age or ethnicity. AF Evans are seasoned affordable housing developers -- experts at managing complex financing, and working with cities on serving a variety of needs. AF Evans places an emphasis on quality; from the initial design and construction through (if applicable) long term ownership and management. AF Evans is also committed to creating affordable housing that not only serves a critical need for its residents, but also vitally enhances its community. As the affordable housing industry matures, AF Evans remains poised to provide new and creative solutions necessary to create exceptional developments.

San Francisco Department of Public Health
The mission of the San Francisco Department of Public Health is to protect and promote the health of all San Franciscans. The Department strives to achieve its mission through the work of two Divisions - the Community Health Network (CHN) and Population Health and Prevention. The CHN is the City's health system and has locations throughout the City including San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center, Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, and over 15 primary care health centers. The Population Health and Prevention Division has a broad focus on the communities of San Francisco and is comprised of the Community Health and Safety Branch, Community Health Promotion and Prevention Branch, and the Community Health Services Branch.

San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing The mission of the Mayor’s Office of Housing is to provide financing for the development, rehabilitation and purchase of affordable housing in San Francisco. MOH also guides and coordinates the City’s housing policy. MOH administers a variety of programs to finance the development of affordable housing by non-profit and for profit developers, provide financial and educational assistance to first-time homebuyers and finance housing rehabilitation costs for low-income homeowners. MOH is also responsible for monitoring and ensuring the long-term affordability and physical viability of the City's stock of affordable housing.

About YMCA of San Francisco The YMCA of San Francisco is a diverse nonprofit organization dedicated to building strong kids, strong families, and strong communities by enriching the lives of all people in spirit, mind and body, in the City and County of San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo and Solano Counties, through 15 primary neighborhood branches and 80 satellite program sites, by providing a range of health, wellness, fitness, child care, afterschool programming, tutoring, violence prevention, mentoring, mental health counseling, camping, environmental education, volunteering, and other development initiatives which positively impact hundreds of thousands of lives in the community each year. For more information on the YMCA of San Francisco, please visit us at www.ymcasf.org

# # #