Mission Bay Library:San Francisco
The Mission Bay redevelopment project in San Francisco was the first effort to implement co-location between libraries and affordable housing. According to the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, “the building that houses the library includes a community meeting hall, an adult day health center, a coffee shop, and Mission Creek Senior Housing, with 140 apartments for low-income seniors” (McCormick, 2019, p. 22). The new library was a part of a broader public-private planning initiative to redevelop underutilized railyards, and surrounding parcels into a vibrant community. During the planning of this development, The San Francisco Public Library passed a, “$106 million bond program to build and refurbish 24 neighborhood branch libraries” (SFPL, 2015, p.3). This initiative known as, the branch library improvement program (BLIP), made the construction of the Mission Bay Branch possible. The new branch served as the initial experiment in redefining the role of public libraries in the context of sustainability, place-making, and community building.
According to Mercy Housing, “the community serves very low-income seniors, many of whom are at risk of homelessness or who have HIV/AIDS” (Mercy Housing, 2024). According to the Homelessness Research Institute, “with rising housing costs, elderly households often must choose between housing and other basic needs such as food and medical care” (Sermons, Henry, 2010, p. 4-5). This issue is exacerbated by the high cost of housing in San Francisco. As recorded by the US Census, the median gross rent from 2018-2022 was $2,316 in San Francisco, compared to $1,268 nationally (2024).
The development of The Mission Bay Library expanded the impact libraries have on the communities they serve, “library staff are recognized as very active in and connected to the community, attending community meetings and forming partnerships with neighborhood organizations, businesses, and schools” (SFPL, 13, 2015). The co-location of affordable housing and the library enhanced the ability of staff to expand services and programming to low-income residents who need them the most. These residents were housed in a building that provides resources such as computers, education, and the plethora of social services that are offered at many libraries. Additionally, “residents of the senior housing upstairs often come down to the library to read the morning newspaper or a book in their native language and to engage with their neighbors and fellow community members” (SFPL, 13, 2015). This outcome illustrates how providing gathering spaces, curates a sense of community by creating a third place for the elderly. According to The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, “social isolation or loneliness in older adults is associated with a 50% increased risk of developing dementia, a 30% increased risk of incident coronary artery disease or stroke, and a 26% increased risk of all-cause mortality” (Donovan, Blazer, 2020). The decrease in economic stressors, increase in health, and access to library resources help alleviate the conflict presented by Scott Campbell. The Mission Bay Library took the necessary steps to support the community, and in turn, this allowed low-income residents to take an active role in their community, and its preservation through sustainable practices.