For Immediate Release
The Kelsey Civic Center: San Francisco Welcomes Landmark Disability-Forward Community
San Francisco, CA (10/15/2025) — The Kelsey and Mercy Housing California proudly announce the opening of The Kelsey Civic Center, a deeply affordable, accessible, and inclusive community in the heart of San Francisco. The community was celebrated this week alongside Mayor Daniel Lurie, Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, residents, and community partners.
Located next to City Hall at 240 Van Ness Ave, the $88.3 million development includes 112 apartments affordable to individuals earning 20% to 60% of California’s area median income. Twenty-five percent of units are reserved for people with disabilities using Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS). The building marked a historic milestone as San Francisco’s first housing lottery to preference HCBS users, paving the way for future inclusive housing policies. On the ground floor, the nation’s first publicly funded Disability Cultural Center opened in July in the building’s 1,400 sq. ft. commercial space.
The Kelsey Civic Center site was awarded to The Kelsey and Mercy Housing California through Reinventing Cities, a global C40 Cities competition designed to drive carbon-neutral and resilient urban regeneration. The all-electric building incorporates sustainable elements, including a courtyard garden that promotes biodiversity and serves as an urban green space, energy-efficient units with finishes chosen for their health benefits, and shared community spaces. Cumulatively, the sustainable, low-carbon design reduces waste and operational resource use, while fostering a resilient community.
“The opening of The Kelsey Civic Center marks a historic moment for disability-forward housing and for San Francisco,” said Micaela Connery, co-founder and CEO of The Kelsey. “We’re proving that even in one of the nation’s toughest housing markets, accessible, inclusive, beautiful, and sustainable homes are possible. This movement is co-led by people with and without disabilities, across housing, advocacy, philanthropy, and sustainability, and we’re proud to have this community in a city with a rich history in all of the above.”
Amenities include a roof deck overlooking City Hall, interior courtyard with pet relief area, resident common room with full kitchen, community work room, free Wi-Fi via the City of San Francisco’s Fiber to Housing Program, on-site laundry, bike parking, and Inclusion Concierge staff, a program by The Kelsey to connect residents to services and supports as well as foster community among residents. On-site property management is provided by Mercy Housing Management Group. The site’s central location allows for easy access to public transit, jobs, healthcare, and cultural resources.
“The Kelsey Civic Center is a bold blueprint for how we build belonging,” said Tiffany Bohee, President of Mercy Housing California. “It shows what’s possible when inclusive design, sustainability, and community come together in the heart of San Francisco. Mercy Housing California is honored to have helped bring this vision to life, and to continue supporting residents in their daily lives through the care and presence of our onsite team. We believe everyone deserves a home like The Kelsey Civic Center, where they can feel seen, supported, and truly part of something bigger.”
The building was designed by WRNS Studio and Santos Prescott and Associates, with Cahill Contractors as the construction partner. It was developed using the Inclusive Design Standards, a framework consisting of over 300 design and operations elements that support cross-disability access for diverse physical, sensory, and support access needs. The Inclusive Design Standards were created in partnership with The Kelsey, Mikiten Architecture, and the Inclusive Design Council, and serve as a resource for public and private housing developers nationwide.
“The Kelsey Civic Center is a model for what inclusive housing can look like—a first-of-its-kind model for accessible, affordable housing in San Francisco,” said Mayor Lurie. “With projects like these, we are proving that we can build communities for people of all abilities in San Francisco. Our administration is working to build enough housing so that kids growing up here can afford to raise their own families in the city they love—and the opening of The Kelsey is another step towards that goal.”
“The Kelsey’s innovative housing model serves as an example of how to build diverse, affordable, and vibrant urban communities,” said Supervisor Bilal Mahmood. “I’m proud to support this inclusive community and look forward to welcoming new residents to the neighborhood.”
The Kelsey Civic Center is the second in The Kelsey’s pipeline of disability-forward communities, following The Kelsey Ayer Station in San Jose, CA, with a third planned in Birmingham, AL, for 2027.
Funding and Support: The Kelsey Civic Center was made possible through a diverse range of funders, including the State of California Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program, State of California Housing Accelerator Program, City of San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, California Department of Developmental Services, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 811 Program, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Golden Gate Regional Center, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Housing Trust Silicon Valley, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, and individual supporters.
Quotes from Key Stakeholders:
J.P. Morgan Chase
“We’re thrilled to celebrate the opening of The Kelsey Civic Center, a development that is setting a new standard for inclusive, accessible housing,” said Cécile Chalifour, Head of the West Region for J.P. Morgan Community Development Banking. “As the proud parent of a child with a developmental disability, I am honored that our team could help finance this impactful project and deeply impressed by its thoughtful design that prioritizes independent living. Our team hopes it inspires similar developments in communities across the nation.”
California Department of Housing and Community Development
“Forward-thinking projects like The Kelsey Civic Center are key to ending unsheltered homelessness in San Francisco, while also addressing climate risk and pointing us toward a low-carbon future,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. “Through HCD’s Accelerator program, shovel-ready projects avoid delays that can derail critical development, opening doors to opportunity for more residents faster.”
California Housing Finance Agency
“The California Housing Finance Agency is honored to administer Section 811 funds on behalf of the state to developments like The Kelsey Civic Center that serve some of California’s most vulnerable individuals and families,” said CalHFA Chief Deputy Director Rebecca Franklin. “We are thrilled for this partnership in particular because of The Kelsey organization’s focus on inclusion and accessibility for people with disabilities, and the fact that this development brings affordable housing to the heart of San Francisco where the need is so great.”
Housing Trust Silicon Valley
“As a community lender, Housing Trust Silicon Valley provides financing where conventional sources can’t or won’t, aggregating resources to meet that need. Through our Apple Affordable Housing Fund, we provided a $5 million construction loan to The Kelsey, and joined public, private, and nonprofit partners to make Civic Center possible. These 112 affordable, disability-forward homes in this vibrant heart of San Francisco are a shining example of how innovative capital and cross-sector collaboration can open doors to more inclusive communities.” – Noni Ramos, CEO, Housing Trust Silicon Valley
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
“The Kelsey Civic Center will help even more residents of all abilities find connection and thrive,” said Amy Kleine, senior program director at The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. “We are proud to support this project and deeply value The Kelsey’s care and commitment to fostering an inclusive community in the heart of San Francisco.”
Golden Gate Regional Center
“The Kelsey Civic Center puts to action the vision of true community inclusion and engagement for all people, including people with disabilities. The work of The Kelsey to develop thoroughly accessible housing encompassing universal access for all residents and to work with community partners across the nation to develop similar models and infrastructures is groundbreaking, and yet, it is a model we hope to see as the standard moving forward. This housing model not only creates more affordable and accessible housing, but also builds community by blending the rich tapestry of diverse identities and lived experiences. Golden Gate Regional Center is proud to be one of The Kelsey Civic Center’s partners, and celebrates their work to build more universally accessible housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as all people with disabilities.”
Federal Home Loan Bank
“We are proud to work with Tri Counties Bank and The Kelsey to help make a positive impact by creating more high-quality units of affordable housing that offer individuals and families a place to call home,” said Joseph E. Amato, interim president and chief executive officer of FHLBank San Francisco.
Photo Credits: Bruce Damonte
