Jack Spade, Gentrification, and the Mission District: A Community Discussion for Action

Jack Spade, a high-end corporate chain store based in NYC, which is part of a multi-billion-dollar retail conglomerate, is set to move into the Mission District, where it would replace Abode Books on 16th Street after 25 years in the neighborhood.

But Jack Spade is, of course, just one point on the map of a neighborhood that is changing at a seemingly ever-faster rate.

Long-beloved local businesses such as Encantada Gallery, Cafe Que Tal, and many, many more are getting pushed out of the community by the escalating rents demanded by landlords in the Mission District and across the city.

Meanwhile, many long-time residents are being pushed out, through evictions and escalating rents, as well. The residents who remain witness the neighborhood around them becoming unrecognizable.

How do we, as a community, feel about this? What can we learn from each other as we consider how to confront the issues of a changing neighborhood and city? Coming from our many perspectives, are there matters that some, most, or all of us can agree upon? Is is worth, for instance, pushing back against corporate mega-retailers as they begin to muscle their way into the neighborhood? Do existing City regulations and policies around development sufficiently serve our communities? What urgent and long-term actions can we take to support existing local businesses and maintain the diversity and unique character of the Mission District? These are just a few of the questions we may discuss at this meeting.

Please join us for this public event and come prepared to share your stories and perspectives in an open and respectful discussion.

Participating organizations include:

No Jack Spade in the Mission
The Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA)
The Center for Political Education
Shaping San Francisco