Housing Development Training Institute – Community Member Spotlight: Mission Economic Development Agency

Photo provided by the Mission Economic Development Agency

When addressing the housing crisis in the Bay Area, one thing is clear; we need to work together. Local governments, affordable housing developers, and CDFIs all must play a part in addressing what is quickly becoming the most significant challenge facing our Bay Area community. Those most essential to this work are devoted advocates and community development leaders preparing to bridge these institutions and lead the collaboration to address the housing crisis.

Since 1988, LISC Bay Area has been key to developing this talent as a Housing Development Training Institute (HDTI) sponsor, a comprehensive program creating a pipeline of skilled housing development leaders. To date, this program has seen over 500 participants representing community development organizations throughout the state and has been critical to supporting local housing leadership. 

During Hispanic Heritage Month, it's important to recognize that the issue of affordable housing disproportionately affects the Hispanic/Latino population, which makes up about 20% of the Bay Area. Organizations like the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) play a crucial role in addressing this challenge by actively working to provide affordable housing solutions, creating opportunities for economic empowerment, leading policy and social change, and envisioning a brighter future for generations of Latino families.

For this story, we connected with one of our 2023 cohort participants, MEDA Project Manager, Laura Elaine Daza-Garcia. We asked Laura to reflect on her lived experience with affordable housing:

How has your personal journey in the affordable housing field shaped your understanding of the importance of providing safe and affordable housing to marginalized communities?

• Drawing from my personal and professional experiences, I believe that affordable housing is the bedrock of self-determination, well-being, and equitable access to opportunity. As first-generation immigrants, my family benefited from affordable housing. Having a safe, stable, and affordable home allowed my mother's recovery from illness and financial stabilization without the looming threat of homelessness. This journey highlighted that affordable housing serves as a vehicle for community and individual stability, better health and resilience in the face of climate change. 

Can you share a time when you encountered a significant challenge in advancing housing equity and how you overcame it to make a positive difference?

• Certainly. One instance comes from my work with Casa Adelante 2205 Mission, a vital affordable homeownership project aimed at San Francisco educators. Addressing the concerning trend of educator attrition - where more than 10% leave the city annually - MEDA is modeling the production of workforce housing to improve educator retention and increase wealth-building through homeownership. Nevertheless, securing funds for this project proved challenging due to its unconventional nature, which many lenders hesitated to fund, given its atypical nature from rental affordable projects. Despite these obstacles, our persistence and innovative approach are propelling us forward, and we’re excited to break ground in 2024.

From your perspective, what are some effective strategies to preserve and honor the cultural diversity within communities while addressing affordable housing needs?

• I am proud to work with MEDA’s Community Real Estate team as we have been creative about tackling the challenge of cultural placemaking in San Francisco’s Mission District, one of the most highly gentrified in the Bay Area. MEDA has used a variety of strategies such as preserving affordable and residential commercial spaces, enhancing, and strengthening the robust arts and culture infrastructure in the Mission. MEDA has also worked closely with Calle 24 Latino Cultural District to uplift cultural assets in our sites by featuring the richness and vibrancy of our Mission artists and community. Lastly, MEDA is proud to have offered commercial ownership opportunities for Mission-rooted non-profit and arts organizations, who would otherwise be at constant risk of displacement.

As we continue to work together to solve the housing crisis, we hope more of you will join us in our fight to create a more equitable and resilient Bay Area for all. This program was made possible through the generosity of Merritt Community Capital Corporation, funding HDTI through their Commitment to California initiative.