HUD Assistant Secretary Mercedes Marquez (speaking) with San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, HUD Regional Administrator Ophelia Basgal.

HUD Assistant Secretary Mercedes Marquez joined San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, HUD Regional Administrator Ophelia Basgal and city officials and partners to tour a supportive affordable housing project for chronically homeless veterans on February 3, 2012. The project site is 150 Otis Street. It is an historic building constructed in 1916. The proposed project received $2.5M in HOME funds. It will be receiving funding through HUD’s Shelter Plus Care program. When completed, the project will be called Veterans Commons. It will have 75 housing units with supportive services for a frail and aging homeless veteran population. With the frailty of this population in mind, the Veterans Commons project will offer 100 percent accessible or adaptable units. Residents will have onsite amenities that will allow them to age in place. Those items include roll-in showers in each unit and a small clinic on the first floor. Assistant Secretary Marquez, a native San Franciscan, said she was proud of the City’s efforts to provide permanent housing for the homeless, especially homeless veterans.

Local Community Planning and Development Information.