Certificate of Preference Program & Marketing Requirements

Certificate of Preference Program

During the 1960s and 1970s SFRA, as part of the federal funded urban renewal program, displaced many residents and businesses from its Project Areas. In 1967, the SFRA initiated the COP program for former residents of housing displaced by its activities.

The COP program does not guarantee a certificate holder any particular housing unit, but it provides the holder with a preference over other applicants of affordable housing sponsored by OCII and MOHCD, provided that the Certificate Holder meets the financial and other qualifications of the unit.

The COP program is authorized under the CRL, which limits the preference to low- to moderate-income persons who were displaced. Cal. Health & Safety Code § 33411.3. In 2022, the state legislature expanded this preference to include the descendants of displaced persons and authorized housing successors (i.e. MOHCD) to implement the expanded preference. The preference only applies to housing that is affordable to low- and moderate-income households.

At the direction of the Commission in FY13-14, OCII staff initiated a more robust early outreach and marketing protocol to ensure as many COP holders as possible obtain housing, and to maximize the number of COP holders who live outside of San Francisco but want to return. Table 7 shows success, over the past ten years, as measured by the increased number of COP holders housed, COP holders who applied for housing, and those returning to San Francisco.

In FY 23-24 no current or former OCII projects were in a leasing period therefore there are no COP holders housed. In FY 24-25 marketing and sales efforts at 400 China Basin were underway, providing new opportunities for firsttime homeowners in San Francisco, During the FY 24-25 period, OCII and MOHCD also managed the marketing and leasing of affordable rental units in the Shipyard, including 72 units at 275 Coleman and 110 units at 151-351 Friedell. Through the support of Project Based Vouchers (PBVs), these efforts prioritized residents with COP. None of these projects completed sales or lease up in FY 24-25, therefore results will be reported in the FY 25-26 Annual Housing Production Report. These initiatives reflect a continued commitment to expanding access to affordable housing and homeownership in the OCII's Redevelopment areas.

OCII contracts with MOHCD to assist with marketing our affordable units, and MOHCD manages the COP program for both OCII and MOHCD projects. Importantly, MOHCD staff and housing counseling agencies work with COP holders to navigate through the marketing and lease-up process. MOHCD provides an annual report to the OCII Commission describing the COP program for OCII sponsored projects, accomplishments, and next steps in greater detail.
 

If you are interested in receiving the COP e-newsletter please click here.
 

Certificate of Preference Reports and PowerPoint Presentations to the OCII Commission

TABLE 7: COP Program Highlights Ten Years Ending FY 24-25

Marketing Requirements

OCII relies on an Early Outreach Plan and Tenant Selection Plan (“Marketing Plan”) for each OCII sponsored project as tools to guide marketing. OCII requires that the Early Outreach Plan includes affirmative marketing to COP holders during the early phases of construction in order to allow applicants sufficient time to prepare for and take advantage of any community based or City sponsored readiness programs. OCII also requires developers to outreach to COP holders and connect them to rental and homebuyer readiness workshops.

MOHCD uses its web-based application system, the Database of Affordable Housing Listings,

Information and Applications (“DAHLIA”) for all OCII sponsored affordable housing, to streamline the application process to make it easier for COP holders and others seeking affordable rental or homeownership housing opportunities (https://housing.sfgov.org).

MOHCD partners with several non-profit agencies to support rental readiness and eviction prevention programs to assist applicants in using DAHLIA and to prepare individuals for successful tenancies/occupancies.