Religious Witness with Homeless People
P.O. Box 420486 San Francisco, CA 94142
Phone: (415) 929-0781 Fax: (415) 929-0783 

Re: Fourth/Freelon Special Use District

November 19, 2002

Dear Supervisors Chris Daly, Sophie Maxwell, Aaron Peskin:

Because I will be unavailable to testify at tomorrow’s hearing, I am writing now to urge you to vote in favor of Supervisor Daly’s legislation creating a Fourth and Freelon Special Use District.

Over the years Religious Witness has strongly advocated for building affordable housing at the local, state and national level. The proposed project will result in the construction of at least 50 new apartments affordable to those living at 60% of median income or less. The affordability component is designed to move long-term SRO tenants into apartments, thus freeing up hotel units for persons who are currently homeless.

This project’s affordability exceeds the requirements of city law and creates affordable housing at no public expense. Our city desperately needs more affordable housing, and this project will contribute toward ending the acute shortage that is the root cause of rising homelessness. We simply cannot afford to reject the opportunity provided by the Fourth and Freelon project.

Thank you for your anticipated support.

Sincerely,
Sister Bernie Galvin, cdp
Director, Religious Witness

Copy: Supervisors Ammiano, Gonzalez, Hall, Leno, McGoldrick, Newsom, Sandoval, Yee

Religious Witness with Homeless People is a San Francisco Bay Area interfaith policy advocacy coalition which achieves its goals through activism. The coalition includes leaders and members of the Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist and Christian traditions. The purpose of the organization is to join with homeless people and engage in a diversity of nonviolent strategies to protect the civil and human rights of poor and homeless people. Together, we address the causes of poverty and homelessness.