A major housing organization with city contracts is neglecting poor housing conditions in its buildings while amassing lobbying power and political influence.
An investigation into a San Francisco housing nonprofit highlights how a lack of city oversight can harm vulnerable tenants while organizations take advantage of public funds. Josh Koehn and David Sjostedt report on the story in The San Francisco Standard.
“Internal financial records show that annual revenue for TODCO’s main nonprofit entity has more than doubled over the last decade while it has steadily reduced the share of revenue it spends on its residents, who are low-income and disabled seniors and formerly homeless people.” According to Koehn and Sjostedt, “In many ways, TODCO offers a case study of how nonprofits in San Francisco can leverage huge sums of taxpayer dollars for political activity while neglecting their core mission.”
The article details the organization’s growth and its involvement in San Francisco political causes—some overtly progressive, others aimed at halting development, in some cases preventing the construction of new housing. “TODCO’s eight properties in SoMa charge fair-market rates, and most of its 900-plus tenants pay 30% of their monthly income. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development—with some assistance from the city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing—subsidizes the remaining cost.” Yet TODCO, led by John Elberling, “has become notorious for blocking market-rate housing projects.”
Meanwhile, “A review of complaints with the SF Department of Building Inspection confirmed that the eight SoMa properties owned by TODCO, which has $48.5 million in assets and receives multimillion dollar contracts from the city and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, have repeatedly had issues with infestations, mold and heating in recent years.” The source article includes stories of shootings and drug overdoses in the buildings, which tenants say management has done little about.
FULL STORY: SF Housing Nonprofit Spends Big on Politics. Tenants Deal With Infestations, Overdoses
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.