Notre Dame Senior Plaza

Notre Dame Senior Plaza sits in San Francisco on the site of the old 1907 Notre Dame High School, and they turned this historic building into senior housing back in August of 1997, you see, with 66 HUD 202 affordable units for older adults and services running under active contracts for up to 65 units at a time, and the place covers 53,000 square feet across 1.75 acres, where they've kept a lot of the old architecture and the original feel, but they added a new entry that's wheelchair accessible, improved the building's facade, replaced the systems, and put in fresh courtyards, gardens, and a bright open lobby, plus these airy reading nooks and a two-story skylighted aviary, so it looks and feels cheerful with all the high ceilings and sunlight from big windows, which is nice for the people living there. The community focuses on making sure the physical space supports each resident's identity and dignity, which you can see in the way the grounds and rooms are designed to be both safe and easy to move around in, and it offers a continuum of care, meaning there's independent living, assisted living, memory care, nursing home care, respite care for short-term stays, and even home care, so seniors with different needs don't have to leave the place as their needs change. Staff can, for example, help seniors with daily things like bathing, getting dressed, medicine reminders, meals, and general personal care, and inside you'll find meal services, room amenities, and group activities ranging from trips and art classes to trivia and taking care of pets like cats and dogs. They have full-time activity directors, space for group events, and the restored public areas add a sense of both history and renewal. Notre Dame Senior Plaza is connected with Catholic Charities, now known as Mercy Housing California, and benefits from government programs like Section 202 and Section 811, making rents more affordable for seniors who qualify. Everything stays focused on health-centered design, aiming to help both residents' bodies and minds, and the building stands out for being a safe, comfortable, and restorative community, keeping prices affordable, and providing reliable support, all while honoring the history of the site and the surrounding neighborhood. Office hours run from 8:30 in the morning to 5:30 in the evening, Monday through Friday, and reviews give the place a score of 8.1, based on feedback from residents and their families.