AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Casa de la Misión
Casa de la Misión provides much-needed permanent supportive senior housing to San Francisco residents exiting homelessness. The 45 unit, five-story development features a mix of studios and one-bedroom apartments. With a tight site area of .15 acres, a mindful L-shaped plan, wrapped around a ground floor courtyard, was implemented to ensure each unit felt comfortable and spacious to residents. In addition to the courtyard, Casa de la Misión offers a variety of gathering spaces, including a lobby, meeting room, community room, and rooftop terrace adorned with raised planters and dynamic views of the surrounding neighborhood and Bernal Hill. The ground floor also offers retail space.
Located in the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District of San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood, the design of the space sought inspiration from the surrounding community. The structure’s laser-cut awnings and sunshades reflect the Latinx cultural heritage of the area through motifs drawn from papel picado, or Mexican paper cut-outs. A rich treatment of shimmering tiles lines the building’s base along with a mural at the western façade. The mural “The Five Sacred Colors of Corn.” was recreated by the Precita Eyes Muralists Association, a San Francisco non-profit located in the Mission. The mural portrays the relationship between people and the cycles of nature and acts as a gateway to the well-known Balmy Alley. Since the mid-80s, Balmy Alley has offered the most concentrated collection of murals in San Francisco.
The site for Casa de la Misión was purchased from PepsiCo in 1994 by Mission Neighborhood Centers (MNC), a 100+ year-old non-profit serving over 45,000 low-income seniors, youths, and families throughout San Francisco. The negotiation stemmed from MNC’s desire to provide empowering, multicultural, multigenerational social services to those in the Mission community. Today Casa de la Misión residents have access to numerous resources intended to keep them housed and healthy.
Casa de la Misión residents have expressed excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to have a place to call home. They can easily explore the surrounding neighborhood and enjoy being a part of the rich history of San Francisco’s Mission.
Located in the Latino Cultural District of San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood, this project features a contemporary design that fits mindfully into a historic area. Drawing inspiration from the LatinX community, laser-cut awnings and sunshades reflect papel picado, or Mexican paper cut-outs.
Bound by the well-known Balmy Alley, Casa de la Misión continues the neighborhood’s tradition of storytelling through art with a recreated mural on the western façade. The central placement of the project provides residents with easy access to public transportation, markets, and nearby shops.
Amenities at Casa de la Misión include a resident lobby, meeting room, community room, a landscaped courtyard, and a rooftop terrace with views of the surrounding neighborhood and Bernal Hill. Resident supportive services include on-site education classes and referrals to community-based programs.