As reported this week by SF Examiner, Curbed, and SFist, the owner of three conjoined Victorian flats at 124-128 Fillmore (at Germania) is seeking to turn them into an SRO.
In case you're unfamiliar with the term, "SRO" stands for "single room occupancy" -- meaning the 15 or so individual bedrooms (rather than the three full flats) would each have their own lease. In this particular case, the building's owner, David Nale, reportedly seeks to rent the rooms for about $999 each. On the plus side, SROs provide affordable housing to those who might otherwise have trouble finding it (although does $999 a month really count as "affordable?" That's more than MY rent! --ed.). On the other hand, some neighbors have expressed reasons for opposition including, according to the project's website, Nale's allegedly spotty record of managing the property and "falsely evicting" tenants. A neighbor also expressed concern to Haighteration that once a building goes SRO, it's nearly impossible for it to revert back again. And of course, there are the usual worries over the perceived "undesirable" side effects of an SRO, such as increased crime, loitering, and noise in the immediate area. There will be a Planning Hearing on May 19th at City Hall, if you'd like to voice your support or opposition to the project. Or, as always, you can leave a comment below. So? What do you say, neighbors?
In case you're unfamiliar with the term, "SRO" stands for "single room occupancy" -- meaning the 15 or so individual bedrooms (rather than the three full flats) would each have their own lease. In this particular case, the building's owner, David Nale, reportedly seeks to rent the rooms for about $999 each. On the plus side, SROs provide affordable housing to those who might otherwise have trouble finding it (although does $999 a month really count as "affordable?" That's more than MY rent! --ed.). On the other hand, some neighbors have expressed reasons for opposition including, according to the project's website, Nale's allegedly spotty record of managing the property and "falsely evicting" tenants. A neighbor also expressed concern to Haighteration that once a building goes SRO, it's nearly impossible for it to revert back again. And of course, there are the usual worries over the perceived "undesirable" side effects of an SRO, such as increased crime, loitering, and noise in the immediate area. There will be a Planning Hearing on May 19th at City Hall, if you'd like to voice your support or opposition to the project. Or, as always, you can leave a comment below. So? What do you say, neighbors?
