Fears About Public Housing Show City Hall’s Disconnect

It is more than understandable that residents and community members would be worried about what the future might hold in store for places like Potrero and Alice Griffith. The combination of local history, national reality and the lack of clear communication from and opportunities for community participation from the City have created a climate ripe for the fomentation of fear, anger and distrust.

It is true that low-income, African-American residents were displaced from the Fillmore district by racist government policies in the sixties. And it is true that after promises were made to “phase-in” development at North Beach public housing during the HOPE VI rebuilding, many residents were both temporarily and permanently displaced from the project.

And there are former residents of Valencia Gardens that were unable to return to their homes after the demolition and reconstruction of the buildings. It is also an unfortunate reality, as a result of past HOPE VI development projects, that hundreds of public housing units have been lost in San Francisco. And we have all had experiences that prove that government has a less than clean track record when it comes to keeping promises.

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