On Wednesday evening, Mission Housing Development Corporation accepted the Housing Action Coalition's "Housing Heroes" Award.
In bestowing the award to Mission Housing, the HAC said "Mission Housing has been a leader in the affordable housing space since 1971. Throughout their history, they’ve remained committed to building and persevering high-quality homes for lower and moderate-income residents who work hard to make a life in the city.
While their legacy alone is worthy of a Housing Heroes Award, we’re honoring Mission Housing for their stalwart efforts to build a 100% affordable housing project in San Francisco’s Westside."
In his acceptance speech, Executive Director Sam Moss highlighted Mission Housing's journey -- one that has the community-based organization primed for greater growth and success.
Ten Years ago, Mission Housing Development Corporation was going bankrupt and to pour salt on the wound, not only did no one outside of our organization care but the majority of the Housing World, indeed many people sitting in this room, were rooting for our demise.
But one day along with Marcia Contreras, Mission Housing’s relentless Deputy Executive Director, we began to rebuild the Mission community’s most important nonprofit institution, Mission Housing Development Corporation.
What we've been through, how we rebuilt ourselves, has not only made us strong, but it has also made us creative. And it has made us bold. We have taken resilience and forged it into ambition.
In the next 50 years at mission housing, we're going to be building housing for those who need it most, BOTH in the Mission AND in neighborhoods that have previously blocked affordable housing.
Because we know the only way to truly achieve neighborhood preference in San Francisco is to have high quality affordable housing in EVERY neighborhood.
When things look dire, when people falter and stop believing that things are possible, that is when our community needs us. That is when Mission Housing is strongest. We can do bold things together. We can build a future together.
I’m proud of the history we share, I’m proud to be a part of the Mission Housing story. And I’m proud of what we’ll accomplish - together - in the next 50 years.