Mission Rock Receives Key Endorsement from House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi

The Mission Rock Initiative today received a key endorsement from House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. Additionally, the project proponents submitted more than 16,000 signatures of San Francisco voters to the Department of Elections to place the measure on the November ballot. The measure needs 9,702 signatures of San Francisco voters before July 6, 2015 to qualify for the November ballot.

"I am very pleased to support Mission Rock, a project that has been carefully shaped after many years of productive dialogue with the community and designed to balance important needs in San Francisco," said House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. "The San Francisco Giants' Mission Rock project is a winner for the neighborhood and our City - creating new construction, green energy, and manufacturing jobs, building more middle class housing and opportunities for local small businesses, and adding an impressive array of parks and public open space."

The Mission Rock project would transform a 28-acre industrial site, currently used as a surface parking lot for Giants games, into a mixed-use neighborhood featuring waterfront parks, affordable housing, new jobs, convenient transit and parking and the restoration of historic Pier 48. The project is the culmination of eight years of extensive neighborhood outreach and community planning to transform this surface parking lot into an asset for the community. The project will feature:

40% Affordable Housing: Central to the Mission Rock project is the plan to build approximately 1,500 new rental apartments - 40% of which will be dedicated to affordable for low and moderate-income individuals and families, the most ever for a private project in San Francisco. The Initiative requires a minimum of 33% affordable housing be built on site, and the Giants have committed to build 40%.

8 Acres of Parks & Open Space: The project will dedicate eight acres to open space and parks, including a major waterfront park featuring family recreational opportunities, a waterfront promenade and a dramatic green space large enough to host significant festivals and public events. The project also establishes a green town square in the middle of the site. Similar to Washington Square Park in North Beach, Mission Rock Square will become a community gathering spot surrounded by housing, shops and cafes.

Diverse Job Opportunities: The project will create 13,500 new construction jobs, many of which will be made available to San Francisco residents. Additionally, Mission Rock will support 11,000 permanent jobs, with office space to further grow economic opportunities in San Francisco. This includes below-market rents for nonprofit and arts organizations and dedicated space for small local manufacturing businesses along a waterfront "Maker's Row."

Historic Anchor Brewing Facility at Pier 48: Pier 48 will be renovated to become the expanded home for Anchor Brewing, San Francisco's oldest and largest manufacturing business, saving and creating blue-collar jobs. It will also open a public boardwalk with dramatic water and bridge views around the historic pier.

Convenient Parking & Transit: The project will locate new housing by existing public transit, including the expanded light rail connection to downtown now under construction. Surface parking spaces will be relocated into a new, efficient garage ensuring sufficient parking resources are available to serve AT&T Park and the community.

Environmentally Sustainable Design: The project protects the area against sea level rise and includes a strong commitment to sustainable design and building practice combined with a transit-first emphasis on pedestrians, bicycles and public transit.

The project carefully balances parks and public amenities with economic uses that address important city priorities. New buildings are proposed on only 10 acres of the 28-acre site, with height limits ranging from 90 to 190 feet for office and retail uses and 120 to 240 feet for rental housing, with 40% of the units dedicated as affordable housing. No buildings will be built within 100 feet of the Bay and building heights will step down as they get closer to the water.

The project is expected to generate more than $1 billion in much-needed revenue for the City and County of San Francisco to fund parks and essential city services such as schools, police, health care and transit. The project provides more than $100 million in up-front development fees to the City and more than $25 million each year in taxes.

To date, the project has received wide-spread support from a number of community and neighborhood leaders, including Mayor Ed Lee, State Senator Mark Leno, Board of Supervisors President London Breed, Supervisors John Avalos, David Campos, Julie Christensen, Malia Cohen, Mark Farrell, Jane Kim, Eric Mar, Katy Tang, Scott Wiener and Norman Yee, Former Mayor Art Agnos, Former State Senator John Burton and Retired Judge Quentin L. Kopp, among others.

Upon receipt of the signatures, the Department of Elections has 30 days to certify that the measure has received the requisite number of valid signatures to be placed on the November ballot.