Brown, Newsom, and Chiang Call Project a Model for Redevelopment

4/13/11— Mayor Edwin M. Lee today applauded Governor Jerry Brown and his Department of Finance, Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom and State Controller John Chiang for their support and recognition of the Hunters Point Shipyard Candlestick Point Project as a model for redevelopment by local communities. The Governor’s Office announced its support for the Project at the California State Lands Commission meeting last Wednesday. The Commission, headed by Lieutenant Governor Newsom, unanimously approved a Public Trust Exchange Agreement and State Parks Agreement for the Project, which will facilitate the implementation of the more than 700-acre redevelopment Project in the southeast part of San Francisco.

“It’s especially heartening that the Governor through his Department of Finance,  has shown his support for this public-private partnership, which will revitalize southeastern San Francisco and create thousands of units of affordable housing, hundreds of acres of parks and open space and millions of square feet of desperately needed job-generating retail space,” said Mayor Lee. “This clearly affirms all of the hard work and efforts by the City, its redevelopment agency and the Bayview Hunters Point community. This should put to rest any concerns about the use of tax increment and the tool of redevelopment funding for this Project.”

“Supervisors and mayors have come and gone, but what has remained constant over the 30-year struggle for this project is the tremendous community leadership whose hope and tenacity have taken this project one step closer to completion,’’ said Lieutenant Governor Newsom. “I am particularly grateful to Governor Brown for the strong support of this project even as the state seeks to end redevelopment programs. The Governor’s unwavering commitment to see good projects like this through to completion is a tremendous boost for the Bayview Hunters Point community.”

“I just want to thank everyone who came here from San Francisco, the long drive to tell us about what is I guess close to the consummation of this wonderful, wonderful project,” said Cindy Aronberg, Deputy State Controller for the Environment and Housing for State Controller John Chiang, at the hearing. “We’re going to be happy to support it.”

“As you know, our newest Governor has decided or has a proposal out to eliminate redevelopment agencies,” said Karen Finn, Project Budget Manager in Governor Brown’s Department of Finance, who testified at the State Lands Commission hearing. “But I think you’ve also heard [Governor Brown] say that his intention was never to undo or disrupt any significant projects that were under contract, under way.  So, I’m here also to add our support of the project and acknowledge that this is exactly what the redevelopment has been used for and is a good Project.  We’re adding our support.”

These agreements will provide for the reconfiguration of public trust lands so that the entire waterfront shoreline of parks, public access trails and open space habitat areas at the Shipyard and Candlestick Point will be subject to the public trust.   Additionally, these agreements provide for $50 million in consideration to the California Department of Parks and Recreation for park improvements and ongoing operations and maintenance of the Candlestick Point State Recreation Area, the State’s only urban State Park, as well as land for enhanced shoreline access. These agreements, and the Project as a whole, will provide for the investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in public infrastructure, open space and affordable housing at no cost to the State or City’s general fund. These agreements are awaiting execution by Governor Brown.

“We have confidence that the Governor will quickly sign these important agreements so the City, its redevelopment agency, and the community can move forward with implementing this important Project,” said Mayor Lee.

Last summer, the Hunters Point Shipyard Candlestick Point Project was approved by the Board of Supervisors, six other City Boards and Commissions and the two community advisory groups with jurisdiction over the site (the Hunters Point Shipyard Citizens Advisory Committee and Bayview Hunters Point Project Area Committee).  The Project will create 10,500 units of housing, 32% of which will be offered at below-market rates at a range of income levels, including the complete rebuild of the Alice Griffith Public Housing site, more than 300 acres of new or improved public parks and open space, millions of square feet of retail and research and development space with a focus on green technologies, invest more than $1 billion in public infrastructure and transportation improvements and includes an additional $83 million in other programmatic community benefits.   The first phase of the Shipyard’s redevelopment is already underway which will ultimately include up to 1,600 homes, 27% to 40% of which will be affordable, and 26 acres of parks and open space.  Construction of the first homes is expected to commence this year.