Pelosi Remarks at Recovery Act Anniversary in the Tenderloin

Contact: Nadeam Elshami/Drew Hammill, 202-226-7616

San Francisco – Democratic Leader Pelosi spoke about creating jobs now with Mayor Ed Lee and construction workers hired with Recovery Act funds on the site of the Tenderloin YMCA housing development. This project received $54 million in ARRA funds and is estimated to create 390 jobs. Below are the Leader’s remarks as prepared for delivery.

“Thank you, Don Falk [Executive Director, Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation], for your generous introduction and for your commitment to this neighborhood. I would also like to recognize the new leader of our city, Mayor Ed Lee, and two Cahill carpenters and members of Local 22, Mark Graeven, and Tanya Lewis. Thank you to all of the partners, activists, and supporters who made this day and this project possible.

“Upon taking the oath of office – in the midst of the deepest recession in our lifetimes – President Obama demanded ‘action, bold and swift’ to create jobs and revitalize our economy. Two years ago today – one week and one day after the President’s inauguration – the House of Representatives answered the call.

“We passed the Recovery Act to put people to work, pull our economy back from the brink, and invest in our infrastructure, in our short-term recovery and our long-term growth. Now, after the President reminded us, in his State of the Union address, that we can ‘win the future’ if we ‘out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world,’ our focus on jobs and our economic prosperity must – and will – continue.

“The investments of the Recovery Act yielded positive results for the American people: saving or creating more than 3 million jobs.

“And they opened the door to cities, states, and local communities to put new funds to good use, to take advantage of new opportunities, to advance projects that offer our workers good-paying jobs, rebuild our nation, and benefit all Americans.

“Among the cities and organizations vying for Recovery Act dollars, San Francisco stood out. Our city was prepared. Our local leaders did not waste any time – because they recognized the potential good we could do with this money; the lives we could change for the better; the progress we could make.

“It is thanks to this proactive leadership that we are here today – to see how federal funds turn into tangible results for San Francisco; to witness the way smart, strategic investments are creating jobs and transforming communities.

“All together, this project received $54 million in Recovery Act funds, through loans and direct support. That makes up nearly 60 percent of the total cost for this project. It will help create 390 jobs during construction.

“And it will result in real change for the Tenderloin neighborhood:

• 174 units for chronically-homeless men and women;
• A health and wellness center in the building, for residents and the greater community;
• On-site support services for the residents.

“This site will also house retail space to revitalize this area and bring economic development, businesses, and jobs to another part of our city.

“For decades, 220 Golden Gate hosted a YMCA fitness and hotel facility – a center of community action, a destination for the Tenderloin’s youth and families. Today, we are building a new legacy: a place for local San Franciscans to get back on their feet, lead a secure and healthy life, and build a better future.

“Here in the heart of the Tenderloin, two years after the House passed the Recovery Act, we are still seeing the positive impact of our work. We are showing that our ‘bold and swift’ action is paying off in our communities.

“As we continue to fight for more jobs and a stronger middle class nationwide, we are laying the foundation for prosperity, growth, and opportunity right here in San Francisco.

“Thank you.”