The Kelsey Civic Center is a 112-unit affordable housing community built for people with and without disabilities.
This San Francisco development “challenges the notion that affordability, accessibility, and inclusivity must be traded off against one another, instead proving that these priorities can and should exist,” says Micaela Connery, CEO of The Kelsey, a nonprofit advancing disability-forward housing solutions.
PROJECT DETAILS
DEVELOPERS: Mercy Housing California and The Kelsey
ARCHITECTS: WRNS Studio and Santos Prescott and Associates
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Cahill Contractors
MAJOR FUNDERS: San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development; California Department of Housing and Community Development; J.P. Morgan; California Department of Developmental Services; Golden Gate Regional Center; Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco; Housing Trust Silicon Valley; Department of Housing and Urban Development; The Kelsey; The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
Co-developed with Mercy Housing California, the building was designed using Inclusive Design Standards, a framework of over 300 elements that support cross-disability access. The building has foot-operated elevator controls, extra-wide corridors for wheelchairs, and a courtyard with plants selected to engage all senses. An “Inclusion Concierge” program offers individualized support and proactive engagement from the start.
“The Kelsey Civic Center is a model for what inclusive community-centered, sustainable infill development can be,” says Tiffany Bohee, president of Mercy Housing California, noting that the development costs were on par with projects that don’t incorporate the same standards.
Serving residents earning up to 60% of the area median income, the community has studios for people living independently and two-bedroom apartment homes for residents who have caregivers. Twenty-five percent of the apartments serve people with disabilities who receive support through the state’s Home and Community-Based Services.
© Bruce Damonte Photography
Ideally located, The Kelsey Civic Center places residents in the heart of San Francisco, across the street from City Hall and major performing arts venues. The ground floor will house the Disability Cultural Center, further anchoring the community in inclusion and advocacy.
The $89 million development was financed with the help of city and state programs, including the California Housing Accelerator, which enables shovel-ready projects without low-income housing tax credits to move forward
