The Ellis Street Family Apartments is newly constructed, affordable family housing in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, an ethnically mixed area that is home to many recent Asian immigrants. This development is part of an ongoing effort of local non-profit organizations to provide housing suitable for families in this neighborhood with few multiple-bedroom units.

The five story building has four levels of wood-framed residential apartments built over a concrete ground floor. The apartments are mostly 2 and 3 bedroom units with studio apartments on the top floor. Ellis Street Family Apartments was designed to be a services enriched facility with after school programs for the resident families, community spaces, computer lab, and landscaped garden. The exterior façade facing the sidewalk exhibits enclosed display boxes to announce community events.

Two non-profit community-serving agencies (one faith-based agency and one community service agency) joined together as the project sponsors. One of the project sponsors, San Francisco Network Ministries, was able to obtain considerable contributions for material upgrades and amenities.

With the commitment of State Tax Credits, funding from the local Mayor's Office of Housing and financial institutions, and in combination with standard construction methods and materials, the project's costs allowed the affordability structure of the rents to be realized. The project's costs were also assisted by a reduced developer and architectural fee.

Support household and neighborhood fit:

The building recalls older apartment buildings in San Francisco with different unit plans and apartment units with cross ventilation. Like these older apartments, the street front has strong symmetry and is broken down by the use of typical San Francisco vertical bays. Two different bay types are used to denote living room spaces and to denote bedroom spaces. The solid base of the building reflects the security needs required in this neighborhood, yet the steel and glass entry canopy give a sense of welcoming to the residents.

The design of the ground floor meandering curved lobby and hallway with slate tile floor is intended to reflect a "passage" from the life on the street to the safety and security of the garden in the back. The "passage" reflects contributions to tenants well-being, including assistance from the manager in his office, community rooms for communal gatherings, counseling rooms for one-on-one healing and finally the secure, south-facing sun-filled urban garden.

The community participated in the planning and design of the development. Suggestions that were adopted at the many community meetings included: ground floor commerical space; lighted cases in the commercial store fronts to display artwork by Tenderloin residents on a rotating basis; bright but attractive night lighting; and a community room for the building and the neighborhoods use.

Be universally accessible:

All residential units are designed to be adaptable for people with disabilities, as are all community areas including: on the ground floor, a community recreation room, counseling offices, large laundry overlooking the rear garden, commercial space, and parking spaces; and on the top floor, a tutorial center with computer stations, study desks, and resource library.