Disturbing report on affordable housing in San Francisco compares housing projections with worker income levels

Vic Lee Image
ByVic Lee KGO logo
Thursday, October 17, 2019
SF City Hall releases disturbing housing report
The report released by the Legislative Budget Analysts office concludes San Francisco's housing production is out of sync with job growth which is climbing in the city, both for high and low wage workers.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- "We're becoming one of those third world countries here where the rich are comfortable and poor that serves them has to commute two to three hours a day to get here," says Conny Ford with the group Job for Justice.

The report released by the Legislative Budget Analysts office concludes San Francisco's housing production is out of sync with job growth which is climbing in the city, both for high and low wage workers.

"Between 2010 and 2018, San Francisco's population has grown ten percent while jobs have increased 38 percent," San Francisco Supervisor Gordon Mar said.

The fastest-growing segment, those making more than $103,000 a year. Almost growing as fast, those making annual salaries under $69,000.

RELATED: Building a Better Bay Area: Housing Crisis

For poor to moderate-income workers in the city, the housing statistics are grim.

Although San Francisco has approved some 18,600 market-rate units for 14,000 high wage households, they're short 15,600 affordable housing units for lower-income households.

"The security guards, the hotel workers, the restaurant people, the domestic workers and so on. That's the group we're talking about," says Conny Ford who's with the group Jobs with Justice.

"They're already being pushed out and forced to leave and many of them live in Vallejo, Antioch, Tracey and even Stockton."

Yong Yu Lei, her husband, and two children have lived in a Chinatown SRO - Single Resident Occupancy - unit for more than a decade.

RELATED: Bay Area Housing Crisis: How are you making it work?

Lei, who speaks little English, chose not to leave because she feels secure here. But in order to stay, she works three jobs.

"I know of many families who also live in SRO with kids under age 18 and its extremely difficult to find housing for families with children like myself."

Supervisor Mar is planning to introduce legislation that would require the release of this report every year.

Its data may give Mayor London Breed, who's made affordable housing one of her priorities, some actual numbers to go by.

Take a look at ABC7's latest stories and videos about efforts to Build a Better Bay Area.