Parkmerced one of the largest rental apartment communities in SF, recently received a nomination as a "marvel of modernism" by the cultural landscape foundation. (www.tclf.org) The recent changes by the current owner, and sales of land to San Francisco State University (www.sfsumasterplan.org) which approved changes to the overall prior masterplanned development of parkmerced through the use of a programattic EIR, vs. a project specific EIR dealing with the loss-of use of the recreation site of parkmerced and blocks of housing in University Park South, brings into question the spending, and impacts of universities on rental housing stock of urban areas. The loss of Stonestown Apartments, and the current lack of maintenance on the UPS site is becoming more visible daily. The fact that they are a state entity, deems that they are not responisble in maintaining the overall appearance to a similar level as the rennovated areas of parkmerced. The UPS block units that have not been structurally repaired shows a lack of concern for the University Housing residents who live there. There have been tenants who have become more vocal regarding the issues of lack of maintenance and repair by the SFSU Housing group, by longer term tenants. The new landlord of parkmerced has gone on a huge expenditure effort to update and provide better communications and building systems for the tower units and garden units on site, however the majority of the garden unit work is proposed to be demolished in further development proposals. This is highly un-sustainable. The SF planning Dept. is also embarking on an update to the housing element of the SF general plan, with little emphasis on requiring a balance of affordable RENTAL housing as part of the overall equation. Most new rental units built are not affordable, and the increase in prices of units in parkmerced due to a lack of controls for units vacated by students has left little control to the upswing this last year to market rental levels. (ex: a 2-bedroom recently in a tower was noted to us on a visit at $2950 per month!) This is a huge issue for the Parkmerced community as ammenities sold off or shifted, are offered back through the re-development of the remaining portion of parkmerced. Parkmerced is a possible national landmark candidate and efforts are underway to ensure that the adequate historical resources survey and proper understanding of the landscape design at risk is underway. The landscape design and interior courtyards can be seen at (www.parkmercedlandscape.blogspot.com)
Please do support the PRO group, and the TCLF organization for their efforts in raising awareness of one of the Post WW2 design and urban planning projects that solved huge housing issues and can be very relevant in its sustainable preservation today!
Sincerely
Aaron Goodman VP @ PRO
www.parkmercedresidents.org