About
Dedicated Advocates
TODCO grew from a social movement of tenants and owners who joined forces to prevent the displacement of poor and elderly residents in SoMa in the late 1960s and ‘70s. Now we are an affordable housing developer with a 50-year track record of improving the lives of South of Market residents.
TODCO Mission Statement
As South of Market Neighborhood Builders, it is the Mission of the TODCO Group to assure that the poor, the disadvantaged, and the working people of South of Market —elders, hotel residents, homeless, immigrants and families — will always be an integral part of their Neighborhood's future, always benefited rather than displaced by renewal, and able:
To meet basic needs for housing, nutrition and economic security, ending deprivation.
To live in safety with dignity, respect and equity, ending isolation and exploitation.
To share community productivity to build social capital, institute wellness, expand common assets, and impact the future.
To achieve their just aspirations now and for generations to come.
See more on our advocacy page here.
A successful neighborhood is truly diverse – brought to life by people of all backgrounds and income levels. We understand that true community development requires planning and advocacy that allows for real diversity and social justice.
Our History
In the 1960s when the City of San Francisco approved the massive Yerba Buena Center Redevelopment Project to demolish Third Street’s “skid row” and build a convention center, the poor and elderly residents organized to fight back and vowed “we won’t move!” Their federal lawsuit demanded decent relocation housing that brought the project to halt for four years.
Ultimately, the City was legally required to provide four sites in Yerba Buena Center to replace the demolished housing and to provide tax funds to finance development. Thus, Tenants and Owners Development Corporation (TODCO) was born as one of San Francisco’s first non-profit community-based housing development corporations.
TODCO went on to build and redevelop eight buildings in SoMa that now provide almost 1,000 living units for the elderly, homeless, hotel tenants and people with disabilities. In response to our residents’ need for professional support services and active social involvement, we introduced out Resident Services and Activities Program (RSAP). And throughout it all, we have fought tirelessly to champion the needs and perspectives of our low income and senior residents through rapid development and gentrification.
Responsible development includes housing policy that respects the needs, rights and contributions of all of the people of San Francisco, including low income residents and seniors. With unshakeable determination, TODCO has championed the belief that community input must shape San Francisco neighborhoods so that development meets human needs.
Read our complete history/timeline here.