Alvaraz to head Housing Authority
Mayor Gavin Newsom selected San Antonio Housing Authority President and CEO Henry Alvaraz III to take charge of San Francisco’s troubled Housing Authority. Alavarez began July 14 and comes to the post with a business perspective that will hopefully get the authority, beset by lawsuits and deteriorating buildings, back on its feet. Outgoing head Mirian Saez, who has run the agency for several months after the former head was pushed out by the mayor, believes that Alvarez is a great choice for the position. Before his San Antonio post, Alavarez also served in housing-related positions in Oregon and San Diego.

In other Housing Authority news, the agency announced that it will sell some of its properties to help pay the $13.5 million that it owes the relatives of a grandmother and five children who died in an apartment fire in a Hunters Point public housing development, plus the approximately $4 million it owes on two sexual harassment cases. In 1997, the authority was found negligent for not installing a smoke detector or fixing a faulty heater in the unit. It has long contested paying the judgment, but recently announced plans to sell four properties: a parking lot at Candlestick Point and properties in Western Addition, Bernal Heights and Ingleside. The sale of the properties is not expected to bring in the full amount owed in the suits, but the agency also plans to turn around vacant apartments more quickly, reduce labor costs and issue bonds to pay off the rest of the amount.

More Parking Options for Owners
Under a new rule approved by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, parking spaces at residential developments can now be made available to anyone who lives within a quarter-mile of the development, not just tenants. It also allows owners and developers to use stacking machines and valets to meet city requirements for parking ratios in developments. Previously, existing buildings and new developments were generally required to have a parking space for every housing unit and those spaces had to be accessible without the help of a person or machine. Board President Aaron Peskin sponsored the legislation in an attempt to take more cars off the street; it was supported by public transit advocates and endorsed by the San Francisco Planning Commission.

Solar Power Rebates Approved
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors gave its final approval to a program that will provide $3 million in rebates for residents and businesses that install solar power systems. The plan, sponsored by Supervisor Bevan Dufty, will reward residents with between $3,000 and $6,000 in rebates for installing solar power systems that produce at least one kilowatt of electricity. Businesses would receive $1,500 per kilowatt installed, with a cap of $10,000. The supervisors also approved a $1.5 million solar rebate program, sponsored by Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, specifically targeted at nonprofits and low-income residents. It would provide funding for a one-year pilot program.

Housing Permits Down Throughout the Bay
Housing permits in Bay Area cities were down 24% from the 1999-2006 average in 2007, according to a report by the Association of Bay Area Governments. Most of these permits were for housing designed for affluent populations, further exacerbating the affordable housing problem in the area. Almost 17,000 of the nearly 23,000 permits issued in the nine-county Bay Area were for above-moderate-income households (those making more than 120% of the area’s median income). Less than 3,000 were issued for very low-income households (those earning less than half the area’s median income).

Solono County saw one of the biggest drops, from an average of 2,998 permits between 1999 and 2006, to 1,736 in 2007—a 62% decrease. Marin was down even further: 78%. The number of permits in Alameda County actually went up 53%, due to a permitting boom in Dublin that offset the decreases in other Alameda County cities. San Francisco’s 2007 numbers stayed about even with its 1999-2006 average, though its figures are based on units constructed, not permitted.

Managers Luncheon August 21
SFAA invites all of its members in property management firms to join the Managers Luncheon on August 21, 2008, at Absinthe in Hayes Valley. These luncheons are designed to provide a venue for discussion amongst those who manage property in the city; speakers have included sanitation workers with Sunset Scavenger and officers with the Vice Crimes division of the San Francisco Police Department. The Managers Luncheon takes place the third Thursday of every other month at noon. The luncheon costs $40 per person, which includes a three-course prix-fixe lunch. Seating is limited, so please contact Education and Events Director Vanessa Khaleel at 415-255-2288 or via email at
vanessa@sfaa.org to RSVP.

Tropical Blast Trade Show September 22
On Monday, September 22, 2008, the San Francisco Apartment Association will hold its annual boutique trade show at Fort Mason. SFAA’s Tropical Blast Trade Show will cover all facets of the multifamily housing industry. Professionals who provide San Francisco’s rental housing industry with top products and services will be on hand and happy to speak to all attendees. This event is open to the general public and will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more information click here.

Second Annual SFAA Trophy Awards November 13
SFAA’s second annual Trophy Awards will be held at the Palace Hotel on November 13, 2008. Categories include: Best Independent Owner, Best Resident Manager, Best Property Management Firm, Building of the Year, Best Green Building and Best Residential Amenities. Nominate your favorite firms, employees and properties online: Nominate an individual or Nominate a business, company or property. To get involved with the 2008 Trophy Awards or sponsor the event, contact SFAA Education and Events Director Vanessa Khaleel at
vanessa@sfaa.org or 415-255-2288.