Tahanan supportive housing development brings 145 apartments to San Francisco

A new modular supportive housing development is currently under construction in San Francisco’s central SOMA District.

Tahanan will offer 145 studio apartments (and one manager’s unit) of permanent housing and services for adults who have experienced homelessness. A poured-in-place concrete podium comprises common areas, a counseling suite, administrative offices, and retail space. The upper five floors of wood-frame construction consist of the modular boxes, with each one containing two apartment units and a corridor. The modules were constructed offsite by Factory OS.

The six-story building is being built via modular construction on a site in the central South of Market neighborhood and is part of the SOMA Filipina’s Cultural District, which was established by the S.F. Board of Supervisors and Planning Department to preserve the cultural diversity of the area with attention to highlighting the culture and contributions of the Filipinx American Community.

This culture is referenced in the building’s name and look. Tahanan is a Tagalog word that evokes the idea of “coming home” or “return home,” while the pattern in the cast concrete is made with traditional handwoven banig mats. Additionally, a mega-graphic of Philippine rice terraces is integrated into the exterior metal skin.

A combined enterprise of Mercy Housing, Tipping Point Community, and the San Francisco Housing Accelerator Fund, this project has been developed in collaboration with S.F.’s Department of Homelessness & Supportive Housing. The project has been under construction since October 2020 and is slated for completion in August 2021.