SFBV 5/28/08 - Proposition F: A fight for the heart and soul of San Francisco

There is a fight happening for the heart and soul of San Francisco: Bayview Hunters Point. Bayview Hunters Point, during World War II, was the heart and soul of San Francisco, as the district was the center of the wartime industry, drawing thousands of African Americans from the South to work on the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard.

Bayview Hunters Point was once the home of the Black Panther Party free breakfast programs. It was the site where, 40 years ago, the community rose up in resistance to police brutality against a young man named Matthew Johnson who was shot in the back by the San Francisco Police Department. Bayview Hunters Point was second only to the Harlem of the West, the Fillmore District, as the center for African American life.

Over the last 15 years, however, the African American population in San Francisco has dropped by 45 percent. That means nearly one in every two Black folks in this City have left. The reasons vary, but the most common reasons are 1) the lack of affordable, accessible, safe housing in San Francisco and 2) the feeling that San Francisco couldn’t care less whether Black folks stay or go.

Try and fill Candlestick Stadium – otherwise known as Monster Park – which holds 70,207 people, or AT&T Park, which holds 41,503 people, with African Americans in San Francisco, and you would not be able to do it. That’s the seriousness of the crisis of Black displacement or, should we say, Black disappearance, from the City and County of San Francisco. We live in a City that, while once a hub for African American life and culture, now has more dogs than children, and more dogs than Black people. Imagine that!

It’s almost as if Bayview Hunters Point has been forgotten. When tourists come to our City, they’re given maps that don’t even say that Bayview Hunters Point exists, much less is a place to visit. The only exception is when the police logs show another tragedy in the neighborhood, or when greedy developers, like Lennar, start eyeing this land to build multi-million dollar condos and stadiums where we can’t afford to even attend the games. Then, all of a sudden, Bayview Hunters Point is back on the map.

Lennar is an out of state, Miami-based developer worth more than $16 billion. This is a developer that has a horrible track record throughout the country for skirting environmental regulations and building poor quality homes that sell for top price.

In Florida, Lennar built brand new homes on top of an old World War II bombing range that still contained undetonated bombs, and failed to disclose that fact to the people who bought their homes – and soon found the bombs in their yards. In South Carolina, environmental advocate Erin Brockovich – known for her groundbreaking work with low-income residents in Hinkley, California, who were poisoned by PG&E – is investigating Lennar for building homes on contaminated land and failing to disclose it to new homeowners.

Right here in San Francisco, Lennar caused a stir in the South of Market area amongst those who’d recently bought million dollar condos, only to find that the work was half done, if done at all. And here in Bayview Hunters Point, Lennar, with intent, failed to install air monitors and follow environmental regulations to protect residents and elementary school children from asbestos laden dust.

Huttoparke, Texas, residents recently posted a You Tube video linked to a “Yes on Proposition F” commercial, detailing their troubles with Lennar (to view this video for yourself, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPvesq4TgAM&feature=related). There are hundreds and hundreds of stories like this one that detail the ways in which this company has lied to community residents, lied to new homeowners, lied to the Environmental Protection Agency, and used its deep pockets to get it out of hot water. And, if Lennar has its way, its Proposition G will turn over our community of Bayview Hunters Point to the lowest bidder — Lennar.

Lennar has used its multi-million dollar profits to buy off community groups, pay community residents as “consultants” and sell a set of wolf tickets that would have shamed even the wolf himself. Proposition G would allow them to gain control over nearly 800 acres of waterfront land and use public monies to build a stadium for a team that has already declared that they are leaving San Francisco.

The worst part of Proposition G is that it has absolutely, positively, no legally binding language. Riddled with words like “should,” “anticipates,” “encourages” and so on, Proposition G is composed of a lot of hot air with little, if any, REAL returns for San Francisco and, least of all, for Bayview Hunters Point (see the proposition for yourself: www.sfgov.org).

Speaking of wolf tickets, ask Proposition G supporters if they have even read the proposition, and most will tell you that they haven’t, but they believe what Lennar says. The question is: Why? When and where has Lennar proven itself to be a trustworthy company?

Was it when it intentionally poisoned low-income Bayview residents and elementary school children for more than 384 days? Or was it when Lennar promised a $30 million legacy fund, which has now been whittled down to merely half of its original amount?

Or was it when Lennar promised to build 1,200 rental units on Parcel A, only to break that promise and instead move forward on building a gated community right in the middle of the hood? Needless to say, Lennar cannot be trusted, and we cannot afford to leave our future in the hands of a company that’s in the business of telling lies.

Proposition F, however, is a community backed grassroots proposition that has beat the odds to even make it this far. Qualified by gathering 11,818 signatures in less than 10 days, Proposition F says NO to developer’s greed, and YES to real benefits for Bayview residents.

Proposition F is not in the business of making deals — instead, Proposition F holds developers accountable to the future of our city by saying that we deserve better. We don’t deserve to be priced out of more than 75 percent of the housing built in our neighborhood that Lennar would sell at market rate, which currently hovers around $700,000.

We deserve more than a sad attempt to, as one Proposition G supporter said, “bring the Marina into the Bayview.” We deserve more than the same old politics, the same old backroom deals and the same old stuff with the same sad results.

Proposition F is more than a fair deal. In exchange for nearly 800 acres of waterfront property, more than $300 million in community dollars, $82 million in federal clean up monies, all we’re asking is that 50 percent of the 10,000 new housing units built be made affordable to those who live in the community right now. No gimmicks. No fine print. Clear and simple.

We’re also demanding that if Alice Griffith – also known as Double Rock public housing – is part of the development plan, that it be rebuilt without moving out current residents. No “shoulds,” no “anticipates,” no “encourages,” but instead, “Lennar must,” “Lennar will” and “Lennar is required to.” Proposition F is a proposition that you can trust, because it uses City law and legally binding language to hold developers accountable to our futures.

Not only is Proposition F a fair deal, but also it’s the only deal that wasn’t brokered in a backroom without community input, participation or support. Those 11, 818 San Franciscans determined that another Bayview is not only possible, but NECESSARY to ensure the survival of African Americans and working class families in our city.

Proposition F was developed out of more than a year of weekly town hall meetings, averaging 100 people in attendance every week. Proposition F was developed out of four years of knocking on doors and talking with low-income homeowners and public housing residents about what it would take to make Bayview Hunters Point even better than it is.

Proposition F did not have to pay people to voice their support or appear on mailers. Proposition F did not have to include a “severability” clause in our initiative. That’s because Proposition F stands for families, a fair deal and the future.

On June 3, voters in our City have a critical choice to make. Will we sell the heart and soul of San Francisco to the lowest bidder for little return? Or will we stand up and demand that developers who come to our City play by the rules and protect the future of all of San Francisco?

A vote for Proposition F means that you believe that Lennar could do better by our children and by our communities. Even if you decide to vote for Proposition G, you MUST vote YES on Proposition F to make sure that the future is secured for Bayview Hunters Point.

Alicia Schwartz is a community organizer with People Organized to Win Employment Rights (POWER) and a student at San Francisco State University. For more information on Proposition F and to get involved, visit our website at www.PropositionF.com or our blog at http://yesonF.blogspot.com.

The Yes on F Rally in the Point was very festive. Participants took music and dance intermissions in between speeches.

SF State students of different nationalities came out en masse to the rally in support of Yes on Prop F in H.P. Tuesday.

Holy Ghost was one of a hundred plus participants who made his voice heard at the Yes on Prop F Rally held in Hunters Point Tuesday. He will be performing songs from his new album at Lil Bobby Hutton Park Mansion on 18th and Adeline in West Oakland this Saturday, May 31, from 5 p.m. to midnight.

At the lively rally Tuesday for Prop F that filled BVHP with the sound and spirit of fighting back – and winning! – MC Joanne Abernathy shared a word with lead organizer Alicia Schwartz. Both are with POWER, People Organized to Win Employment Rights. Members of the SF State Black Student Union shared the stage.

Alicia Schwartz is one of the many community leaders in the fight for more affordable housing in San Francisco, as well as to stop Lennar from poisoning the community with asbestos dust from its construction site. Thanks largely to Alicia’s organizing genius, fueled by the energetic commitment of the Black Student Union from SF State and all the leaders in the town hall movement, the Yes on Prop F Rally in Hunters Point Tuesday drew a crowd of over 100 on only a couple days’ notice. Everyone contributed – speaking, dancing, rapping – while people passing in cars and on the T-train waved and honked and hollered, and nobody wanted to leave. The rally, starting at 3:00, lasted until near dusk. With such passionate support, Prop F is a sure-fire winner in Tuesday’s election – if every voter votes!

LTE, M & R on F and G

Yes on F Letter to Editor in Chronicle

Editor - What would it look like if everyone could live in the city they serve? Half of homes would have to be built for the most prosperous half of the city. And the other half would need to be developed for the less well-to-do half of citizens. With heavy subsidies, such as free land in San Francisco, this leaves hundreds of millions in profits that no developer could resist.

Recently, Bayview/Hunters Point saw the opportunity for a practical, fair solution to the affordable housing crisis in their community when working families learned that city hall wanted to give away 721 acres of San Francisco waterfront for $1. Lennar Corp. is fighting to get the land (Proposition G). At the same time, Lennar is also paying armies of consultants to take our 50/50 deal (Proposition F), and paint it as some diabolical scheme. In fact, they've spent more money on this campaign than has ever been spent on any initiative in San Francisco history: $3.26 million just through May 22. Now, Bayview/Hunters Point needs your help. Our community's future is in your hands on June 3. No matter how you vote on Lennar's Proposition G, please vote "yes" on the community's Proposition F.

CHRIS CASSIDY Volunteer Communications Director F is for Fairness San Francisco

M and R:

Cat and mouse: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is being unusually cagey about his big budget presentation today, and the reason may have a lot to do with Tuesday's election.

Chronicle reporter Heather Knight tells us that as of Friday afternoon, none of the members of the Board of Supervisors had gotten their invites to the ceremony where Newsom will announce his spending plan for fiscal 2008-09.

Newsom has never followed the mayoral tradition of presenting the budget in the board's chambers, opting to go out into the community instead. But board members have typically received formal invitations with several days to spare.

Newsom spokeswoman Giselle Barry said Friday that the presentation will take place at 10:30 a.m. today somewhere in the southeast part of the city, but she wouldn't divulge where.

Folks at the artists colony at the old Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, however, say they know just where it will be - in the auditorium of Building 101, the hub of the colony. Artist David Trachtenberg said the mayor's press staff already has toured the building and reserved the space.

The shipyard, of course, is at the center of Propositions G and F, the competing plans for developing Hunters Point and Candlestick Point on Tuesday's ballot. Newsom supports Prop. G and opposes Prop. F, and some e-mails circulating among the artists, most of whom are voting the same way as Newsom, have said to keep the location of his presentation secret so Prop. F protesters won't know where to show up.

"I would be shocked if the discussion of the propositions were not involved somehow," Trachtenberg said. "I'm sure it's going to be brought up. ... Voters tend to get last-minute information before they go to the polls, and this is a last-minute event."

Trachtenberg also pointed out that there's a guard gate at the shipyard, making it a "controlled environment."

Supervisor Chris Daly, who supports Prop. F, said the mayor was clearly presenting his budget there for "opportunistic purposes."

Bayview Residents Differ on Props. F, G

Heather Knight, Chronicle Staff Writer

Sunday, June 1, 2008

They're both African American women, both residents of San Francisco's Bayview district for more than 50 years, and both lived in the city's public housing projects before moving into their own homes - one painted pale green, the other pale yellow.

They both recall fondly the days before the 1974 closure of Hunters Point shipyard when the neighborhood was prosperous and peaceful, and they want that feeling to return.

But on Tuesday, Lola Whittle, 51, and Esselene Stancil, 76, will cast opposite votes on their neighborhood's fate, demonstrating the division among Bayview residents over a proposal to dramatically remake 721 acres of the shipyard and Candlestick Point.

Whittle will vote for Proposition G, which would give approval to a development company to add 10,000 new units of housing, commercial and industrial space, parks, a rebuilt public housing project and a new 49ers stadium if the team stays in the city.

She'll vote against Proposition F, which would mandate half the new homes be affordable to poor and middle-income residents - a requirement the developer, Lennar Corp., says would kill the entire project. Stancil, on the other hand, will vote against G and for F.

Both women have appeared at news conferences on behalf of the campaigns, and say they haven't earned any money for their advocacy. They're just convinced they have the right idea when it comes to the future of Bayview-Hunters Point.

One view

Across Third Street sits a little yellow house on Palou Street where Esselene Stancil lives with her husband of 55 years, a retired mechanic named Ben. Stancil, a retired cook, has three children and five grandchildren. Pictures from various proms and graduations sit next to basketball and cheerleading trophies on her shelves.

Stancil was the 14th of 15 children born to a farmer and housekeeper in Yahola, Okla. After her mother's death and a fire that destroyed the family house, 21-year-old Stancil sought a fresh start in California. She moved into the Hunters Point projects.

"They had all kinds of stores - a big huge grocery store, a beauty shop, a barbershop," she recalled. "It was really nice, and the people really looked out for each other. It has changed a lot."

Stancil has seen government attempts to improve the city's predominantly African American neighborhoods but says none of them have worked. She doesn't believe Lennar's plan will either.

She remembers residents of the Fillmore district losing their homes to bulldozers in the name of urban renewal in the 1960s.

She remembers city voters passing a measure in 1997 that allowed $100 million in public funds to be spent on a new football stadium and shopping center at Candlestick Point. But it went nowhere - and Tuesday's Prop. G would repeal it to make way for the new plan.

"We have been promised things for years and years and years, and it has never materialized," Stancil said.

Stancil is suspicious of Lennar, which reported a $1.9 billion loss for 2007 and like many other national developers recently had its credit rating downgraded by Standard & Poor's. Prop. G is not binding, and until Lennar actually signs a deal with the city, the company could back out at any time.

Stancil believes Prop. G is a land grab for the company that hopes to make hundreds of millions of dollars by persuading wealthy people to buy market-rate homes in a corner of the city with great weather and beautiful views.

That's why she wears a pin on her T-shirt reading, "We Strive to Thrive: Yes on F." Prop. F is binding and would require that Lennar and any other company make half the new homes affordable to people earning 30 percent to 80 percent of the city's median income, or $64,267 for a family of four.

She believes holding Lennar to this standard is the only way to ensure Bayview improves without its residents being pushed out.

"It needs improving, yes," she said. "If they're going to improve it to help the people and not hinder them, then yes."

Another view

From the back deck of her expansive house on Griffith Street, Whittle can see the 49ers' current stadium and the Alice Griffith public housing projects.

Both decrepit structures would be torn down under Lennar's plan; a new 49ers stadium would be built on the shipyard, and the crime-plagued Alice Griffith projects would be remade with public housing and market-rate housing mixed together.

Looking out at the two structures and the bay beyond, Whittle, who owns a cafe at the airport, said she can picture the vibrant neighborhood she hopes takes shape.

She wants parks in which to walk her bichon frise puppy, Papi. She wants a grocery store offering "Trader Joe's type stuff." She wants her neighborhood to make it into San Francisco guidebooks.

It's a vision Whittle's grandmother talked about for years. Zerline Dixon, the matriarch of Whittle's large family, moved from Natchitoches, La., in the 1940s to work as a welder at the shipyard.

Whittle was one of four children born to a single mother, Dixon's daughter, and lived for a time in Double Rock, the former name of the Alice Griffith projects. Once her grandmother could afford to buy her own home, Whittle's family moved in with her.

Dixon eventually bought eight homes in Bayview, which are still in the family, because she was convinced the neighborhood would improve dramatically.

"My grandmother talked about it for many, many, many years, but time had just passed," she said. "I feel like it could happen with Prop. G, and if it doesn't, our neighborhood will stay the same for another 20 years."

Sitting in her living room, filled with family photos, stacks of Ebony and Jet magazines and African artwork, Whittle said her neighborhood can improve without driving away African Americans.

"I don't want to see gentrification. I want to see revitalization," she said. "African American people, we've always been a strong people, and we need to find that strength to not get scared and not leave - to say, 'I'm going to stay here and make this a better community.' "

If her grandmother were still alive, Whittle knows exactly where she'd be in the days leading up to the election.

"She'd be outside with a banner marching in the streets," she said. "She'd be so supportive."

E-mail Heather Knight at hknight@sfchronicle.com.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/01/BA5N10QFAC.DTL

This article appeared on page B - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle