MidPen Housing and its partners have opened a 135-unit affordable housing development built with San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) teachers and staff in mind.
Located in the city’s Outer Sunset neighborhood, Shirley Chisholm Village features a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. The site was previously used as a storage facility by the school district for nearly 30 years.
“This building stands as a symbol of a city that is welcoming working families instead of pricing them out,” says mayor Daniel Lurie. “With the grand opening of Shirley Chisholm Village, we are transforming underutilized spaces into affordable housing and taking another step to solve San Francisco’s housing shortage.”
Bruce Damonte, courtesy MidPen Housing
Shirley Chisholm Village is near Ocean Beach, Golden Gate Park, and multiple transit lines, connecting residents to schools, parks, and other San Francisco destinations.
The project is the result of a partnership between nonprofit MidPen Housing, SFUSD, and the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development.
“Shirley Chisholm Village represents more than a new building—it marks a meaningful investment in our educators and the future of San Francisco. For the first time in our city’s history, we are delivering dedicated, affordable housing for the very individuals who shape and inspire our children every day,” said SFUSD superintendent Maria Su. “This is a bold and necessary step toward helping San Francisco public school educators stay in our city as proud San Franciscans. By creating a place where educators can live in the city where they work, we’re doing more than providing housing—we’re strengthening our schools, supporting families, and building a more resilient, connected city.”
Named after the first Black woman to be elected to Congress, the development is the first 100% affordable housing project to open in the Sunset in more than a decade, according to officials.
“Together, we’ve created a model for housing that prioritizes public schoolteachers and district workers across a wide range of incomes—people who are essential to a thriving community,” said Matthew O. Franklin, president and CEO of MidPen Housing.
San Francisco has consistently ranked at one of the nation’s most expensive housing markets. The average rent in the city is $3,522, according to recent data from RentCafe.
MidPen worked closely with the school district and union to understand salaries, pay schedules, household compensation, and household incomes that drive eligibility. Income targeting ranges from units at 30% up to 120% of San Francisco’s area median income.
The approximately $100 million development was funded by a mix of federal tax credits, as well as substantial investment from the city and county of San Francisco, funded in part by the voter-approved 2015 affordable housing general obligation bond. This project was made possible by the voter-approved Proposition E of 2019, which enabled construction of affordable educator housing on public lots in San Francisco.
Main funding partners include The San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, First Citizens Bank, National Equity Fund, SFUSD, and the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee.