Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS) and Mount Zion Health Systems conceived the complex in 1996, to serve the
needs of the elderly and provide a permanent home for the JFCS offi ces. To make the center a reality, the nonprofi t Scott
Street Housing Corporation contacted BRIDGE Housing’s Donald Terner, Rick Holliday’s friend and mentor, who agreed to
fi nd a developer to manage construction. After Terner’s tragic death in a plane crash, Holliday Development stepped in as
the fee-developer to manage the project. Among the challenges: San Francisco’s sunshine ordinance, which forbids any
shading of the adjacent park; state requirements for nursing homes; city building codes for offi ce buildings and parking lots;
rules for rehabilitating historic buildings; and the separate interests and needs of the JFCS and Mt. Zion Health Systems.
The resulting complex, 100% privately funded and known as Rhoda Goldman Plaza, offers services and facilities that foster an independent
lifestyle. The seven-story building has 155 well-designed rental units including one- and two-bedroom residences, studios, and
alcove apartments. Residents have easy access to art museums, shopping, and the full spectrum of San Francisco’s cultural activities.