The International Hotel Senior Housing Inc. (IHSHI) is a 501©(3) non-profit corporation governed by a nine member Board of Directors. This Board is appointed by the Boards of the two sponsors of this U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) project: the Chinatown Community Development Center and the Kearny Street Housing Corporation. The IHSHI Board of Directors owns and operates the new International Hotel including the community space on the 1st floor and the 3rd floor. The project also has a Tenant Advisory Committee to advise staff and the Board on various operational issues of the project.
IHSHI was formed in 1994 to meet the HUD requirement that a single-asset corporation own and operate the project for low-income seniors. The co-sponsors had histories of advocating for low income housing. The Chinatown Community Development Center had a history of developing low income housing in Chinatown. The Kearny Street Housing Corporation (incorporated arm of the International Hotel Citizens Advisory Committee ) starting in 1979 had been advocating for the building of low income senior housing on the former site of the demolished International Hotel.
Because the new International Hotel was part of a planned unit development including three air parcels (1) International Hotel, 2) St. Mary’s School & Chinese Catholic Center, and 3) the garage), a number of agreements were developed and approved by the IHSHI Board, St. Mary’s School and the Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco to set forth the relationships between the principal parties. Among the agreements were various agreements related to the sale and purchase of the property, development of the property, construction management and funding, entitlements, and easements.
The IHSHI Board chose the Chinatown Community Development Center as the developer for the new International Hotel. In addition, the Chinatown Community Development Center raised funds to help with the gap between funding available from government sources and construction costs. IHSHI now contracts with the Chinatown Community Development Center for building management and tenant services. It has a use agreement with the Manilatown Heritage Foundation to provide programming to tenants and the community at the Manilatown Center in the 1st floor community space (868 Kearny St.). It also has an agreement with Self Help for the Elderly to provide the Manilatown senior nutrition and activity program for tenants and seniors living in the community in the 3rd floor community space. It also from time to time has contracted for other services to enhance community life in the building and to make more accessible information about the history and operation of the new International Hotel.