Why Blacks Are Leaving San Francisco Faster Than Any Other City In The Country

WHY BLACKS ARE LEAVING SAN FRANCISCO FASTER THAN ANY OTHER CITY IN THE COUNTRY

When you have a population of black people with the highest home ownership of any part of San Francisco, then why are black people fleeing from San Francisco? First let’s look at the South East Sector of San Francisco where most of the black people reside. Then, let’s examine the most vulnerable part of the population, which is the low income residents and people in public housing. By the San Francisco Housing Authority’s count it has 12,000 residents and 21,000 Section 8 Participants with the majority of those in Bay View Hunters Point. Well, as many people know the San Francisco Housing Authority is on HUD’s “Troubled Agency” list for mismanagement and corruption. Moreover, people are leaving many units (for whatever reasons), then the units are boarded up and left vacant. Many units are in disrepair and left that way when there is no shortage of people there in need, why? The Federal Government is working towards a takeover of this 501C3 troubled agency which is failing to help the residents that need help the most. If the housing locations are left in a vulnerable condition it makes it easy for a private developer to make a proposal to take over those troubled housing locations.

Let’s move on to health per Dr. Mitch Katz: “the highest hospitalization rates are from the people of Bay View Hunters Point”, which has a population of approximately 32,000 people. Some of the health problems that have been reported and written about are high infant mortality, some of the highest asthma rates, cancer rates, heart conditions and diabetes. We all know about the Superfund site, the former PG&E power plant site, The Sewage Treatment plant and over 900 other toxic locations around Bay View Hunters Point. Well the people have met, demonstrated, asked for help and prayed for an answer. Please read San Francisco Grand Jury report “The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same”. There are numerous other articles that can be Googled on Hunters Point Health that shine a light on the chilling lack of sensitivity or help for the people of Bay View Hunters Point.

The Economics of the area are reflective of how the people have been treated, promise after promise has been made to the people of BVHP about jobs, using the carrot and the stick approach yet the unemployment remains more than 30% with numerous broken promises about employment. The people of BVHP have been promised various tax incentive programs, however none have materialized. Have you asked about Community Reinvestment Dollars? What happened?

The Redevelopment Agency attempted and received a Project Area Designation for most of Bay View Hunters Point which simply means most of the community can be bulldozed because it is said to be a “Blighted Community”. Remember the Fillmore, remember the promises. This sure looks good for the developers of a blighted community. Have you asked yourself if they had or have the highest home ownership what happened to the tax money for services, where did it go? Who will make money on the bulldozing of the community? Will it be the residents or whom?

With many dollars having been spent in Hunters Point on Redevelopment and Transportation why didn’t the local community benefit? The local contractors didn’t, the local laborers didn’t, who really benefited?

What avenues have been provided for young people? Most of the young people are in the South East Sector. Is there a no way out environment created for them no matter what they do?

In reality if you look at what has been or is being provided for the Black people of Bay View Hunters Point, who have paid the taxes for their home ownership, who have provided critical support for our country in time of war by ship building during a very critical time for the United States, you will see that the people have been repaid by lack of city services, denials by the Health Department, and left in a toxic polluted environment, Redlined, lack of jobs, and faced with insecurity through Eminent Domain, public housing residents being relegated under the stewardship of a troubled San Francisco housing authority agency. Exposure to Racism. Please go on line and research the facts about BVHP. All you have to do is put in Bay View Hunters Point and the subject. an example of the subject would be Environment, Health, etc. Then ask yourself are these issues to benefit the people or private interest?

Then one needs to ask why are Black people staying?