by Margaret DeMatteo on October 28, 2024 (BeyondChron.org)
Community Concern Over Amended Development Plan
The California Center for Movement Legal Services (Movement Legal), along with the Alliance for District 10 (AD 10), and several other community members and stakeholders have raised concerns about the slow progress and lack of accountability surrounding the development of Candlestick Point in San Francisco. As the developer, FivePoint, seeks an extended timeline with more flexibility while simultaneously accessing increased tax increment funding, the community is asking where the markers for accountability are.
Over the long history of Candlestick and Hunter’s Point Shipyard’s development, formally beginning in 2008, there are significant gaps between promises and progress. The Alice Griffith neighborhood, intended to provide affordable housing and essential infrastructure, remains largely undeveloped. Advocates suspect that it was an Implementation Grant from HUD totaling $30 million with a deadline of September of 2016 that spurred any development in the area. See Choice Neighborhoods: Baseline Conditions and Early Progress, pp. B-71-72 for more information. Anyone visiting Alice Griffith today can see the impact of the Developer’s failure to develop the infrastructure promised and envisioned to create a vibrant community.
The City’s Budget Legislative Analyst Nick Menard informed the Board on Tuesday, October 22nd when the proposed amendments were being considered: the “Project is severely delayed – the original agreement to begin this work was entered into in 2010, most of work was supposed to be done by 2030. There have been several revisions to the agreement to modify the schedule of performance that have not been adhered to…there are some performance issues with the developer and OCII that have resulted in only 4.5% of the housing being delivered that was supposed to be delivered.” “Under that 2018 Schedule of Performance, horizontal infrastructure for five subphases within the Alice Griffith area were supposed to be complete by December 2022. As of this writing, only subphase one has been completed by the developer and none of the infrastructure has been accepted by the City.”
The proposed changes to the development agreement also raise concerns about affordability and fair housing. Advocates worry that further delays to the affordable housing development could disadvantage low-income residents and certificate holders waiting for promised housing opportunities.
According to the Budget Legislative Report, the Board could consider requesting OCII reprocure the developer. Three other developers responded to the 1998 competitive solicitation. This is not ideal but possible. The Board could also defer approval of the Shipyard Plan Amendments and related language in the Pledge Agreement. At a later time, the Board could evaluate progress on the Candlestick project to assess whether further financial commitments from the City are warranted.
The Board is set to consider OCII’s response to community objections on Tuesday, October 29th. Movement Legal and other community advocates urge the Board to reconsider the proposed changes and demand accountability from FivePoint before signing off. This includes requiring payment of outstanding debts or a concrete payment plan for the promised community benefit payments of $28.3 million in payments to the workforce and housing funds, and $9.5 million to the school district, and a commitment to expedite the Alice Griffith development.
Margaret DeMatteo is Directing Attorney, California Center for Movement Legal Services
