In this street interview series taken during the “No Kings” protest in March, people across the city spoke candidly about what matters most where they live, and what they want local leaders to pay attention to.
Category: Neighborhoods
Posted inEnvironment, Health, Neighborhoods
Remembering the Bayview Activist Who Fought for Community’s Health and Dignity
Marie Harrison did not initially choose to be an activist. Yet the battles around housing, energy and pollution turned a self-identified “milk and cookies” mom into an environmental justice warrior in Bayview-Hunters Point.
Posted inCommunity, Economy & Business, Immigration, Neighborhoods
Young People Once Avoided Chinatown. Now They’re Coming Back
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, local leaders were looking for ways to keep local culture alive as older entrepreneurs retired without successors to carry on their legacies. They supported new galleries and festivals to fill the gap left by the loss of tourism, while trying to protect the neighborhood’s status as a home for low-income immigrant families and seniors. As new arrivals, each with their own motivations, look for their place in the neighborhood, they must engage with an already established and diverse community.
Posted inCity Hall, Neighborhoods
Voters Recall Supervisor Engardio as Asian Americans Lead Revolt Over Road Closure
A powerful political backlash to the conversion of a roadway to a park on the city’s western seashore led to Tuesday’s downfall of the supervisor representing the neighborhood — a move Asian American leaders say signals the community’s rising political power.
Posted inCity Hall, Community, Elections, Neighborhoods, Politics
Recall Supporters Consider This Non-Endorsement a Victory. Why?
When Chair Nancy Tung announced that the Democratic County Central Committee of San Francisco would not take a position on the recall of District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio, recall supporters cheered.
In the lead-up to the vote, a narrative gained traction: if the DCCC opposed the recall, it would signal to west-side Asian American voters that their voices didn’t matter.
While the decision is unlikely to change the outcome of the Sept. 16 special election, political strategists say it signals that this constituency is becoming harder to ignore and demanding a seat at the political table.
Posted inEconomy & Business, Neighborhoods
Tech to Table: Second-Generation Business Owners Take Over Chinatown Restaurants
Chelsea Hung wasted no time in making a life-changing decision: In her late 20s, she left her tech job in New York City, and headed back to San Francisco’s Chinatown to take over her parents’ restaurant, all within a month.
Hung’s parents were planning to sell the restaurant, R&G Lounge. Her motivation was simple: She didn’t want to see the place where she grew up and celebrated so many milestones close its doors.
After moving back in 2018, she kept the business running and in March, R&G Lounge celebrated its 40th anniversary.
Posted inCommunity, Housing, Neighborhoods, News
Mission District Slated to Gain 168 Affordable Homes for Families by 2027
After years of advocacy and shifting plans, construction has begun on Casa Adelante at 1515 South Van Ness, a project set to bring 168 below-market-rate units to the Mission District by 2027 for low-income, formerly homeless, and HIV-affected families.
Posted inCity Hall, Government & Politics, Neighborhoods
Complaint Alleges Ethics Violations by Campaign to Recall Engardio
A complaint filed with the San Francisco Ethics Commission accuses the group campaigning to recall District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio of failing to properly report its spending and disclose funding sources of campaign materials. The commission has not yet indicated whether it is taking any action on the complaint, according to the attorney representing the filer.
Under local ordinance, the Ethics Commission may not publicly disclose whether it has received a complaint or is conducting an investigation, though filers are notified if their complaint is dropped or sustained. Campaign finance experts said that without further investigation, it’s unclear whether the alleged reporting failures constitute violations.
Posted inCommunity, Neighborhoods, Transportation
Advocates Win Fight to Keep Chinatown-SOMA Bus Connection
After months of pushback from Chinatown community leaders, a compromise has been reached on the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s proposed bus service cuts. The revised plan will allow the 30S bus route to run slightly south of Market Street.