AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE BAYVIEW (4/12/08)

It has not been easy as the Proponent of Proposition F to attend to some of the things including posting articles on this website. There is too much to do in terms of attending meetings — mostly Endorsement and outreach to make of Ballot Measure F a success come June 3, 2008 — election time. Proposition F has made history all over this Nation. In less than ten days we collected over eleven thousand eight hundred and eighteen signatures. The required number of signatures needed to put our Initiative on the Ballot — seven thousand one hundred and sixty five. Once we collected the signatures all hell broke loose at City Hall. The San Francisco Department of Elections decided to count each and every signature. We knew pressure was coming from Room 200 and Mayor Gavin Newsom. Other dubious entities and that include the Pacific Heights Mafia. I took the matter personally to the Secretary of State and then we saw some change. However, we had to create three teams and each team leader saw to it that we had observers to monitor the signature count. It was hectic and these went for days. Then suddenly the San Francisco Department of Election decided to stop counting and verifying the signatures. We were certified and our Initiative was put on the Ballot. But, there are other processes and even as we were victorious with our Initiative — we had to gather our strength to finalize the language that would be posted linked to the Ballot Measure. This meant attending long meetings with the Committee that reviews the language and deems fit what is right. Our opponents did not have to go through the hectic hours we spent monitoring the count of the signatures nor the language review before the Ballot Committee. They have the resources and the person power. One good thing that emerged from the process was that people were pissed off and in getting pissed off they got involved. Getting involved enabled them to be empowered — and if one looks back — this is the best thing that could have happened to us. We are demanding fifty percent affordable housing for all San Franciscans. We look at the Candlestick Point area — an area over seven hundred acres and valued easily between four and five billon — not six billion. With such equity and the land given free for development there are hundreds of developers that will jump at the opportunity to develop Candlestick Point. We do not agree that Candlestick Point should be given to the Lennar Corporation. This Rogue Company does not have a good track record. All over this Nation — thousands of home owners are suing Lennar. Lennar has no money and fakes that it can deliver but the only thing it has delivered so far are lies and not abiding by the Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA) a legal document. Closer to home on Parcel A — Lennar has failed to abide by the Disposition and Development Agreement — a legal document. Lennar has failed to abide by the Dust Mitigation Plan. Lennar reneged on the commitment to build rental units. Lennar clear cut over four hundred mature trees on Parcel A at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. With intent it bombarded heavy metals like lead, mercury and asbestos structures by not containing large areas containing Ultramaphic Serpentine Rock. This rock when crushed will release dense asbestos structures. Lennar with intent poisoned our children and so we the community have no faith in this rogue company. More over Lennar does not have money — its Stock and Shares have been reduced to junk status. It is in a worse situation then Bear and Stearns that made headlines recently and had to be baled out by the Reserve Bank. Bottom line we prefer to have dealings with any decent developer and prefer some from California. In fact we see no reason why some developers from San Francisco — could not take up the challenge and build fifty percent affordable housing. Lennar promises to do the clean up. This company has a track record building homes on toxic dumps. The United States Navy polluted the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and should do the clean up. This will take billions. Not the measly eighty two million that was released that is just the tip of the iceberg and will just scratch the surface of the mitigation and abatement project. Lennar in its conceptual plan post that it will create four hundred acres of open space and recreational fields. Well, first and foremost the area must be cleaned to residential standards. Then we must deal with Cumulative Pollution. We do not have a sound Environmental Impact Report (EIR). So as much as some like to talk — we must have the empirical data to evaluate the situation and do justice when it comes to Quality of Life issues. Remember Proposition P it demands sound cleanup to Residential Standards — eighty seven percent of San Franciscans said so. This passed in the year 2000. The Conceptual Plan talks about jobs. Well, so far City Build and Young Community Developers have failed to provide career jobs. The reason is simple they have no clue about Work Force. Some youth are given a couple of weeks training and cannot perform simple tasks. There has been no model where youth and others are trained and mentored by Journey Men and other professionals over an extended period of time. A glaring example and failure the project linked to Apartment Investment Management Company (AIMCO) at Hunter Point. Here Latinos were pitied against Black workers. One worked was shot and killed. Several workers were assaulted and injured. Workers were told to sign their checks and money taken from them. The AIMCO fiasco is known to all but City officials will not comment. A waste of over seventy three million of State of California Bond money. The San Francisco Human Rights Commission has not said a word and this is a crying shame. The SF Human Rights Commission started in the Bayview Hunters Point. It has not addressed the demise of the Black population from a high thirty four percent all over San Francisco to less then five percent — today in the year 2008. Lennar promises eight thousands to ten thousand Work Force Housing units. Well, it cannot deliver on Parcel A, has failed in Florida selling thousands of vacant homes forty cent on a dollar, has reneged on its commitment with Mare Island not far from San Francisco, has been sued for inferior homes and has NO money with its Junk Bond Ratings known among respected circles of finance. It promises facilities for Artists because Nancy Pelosi made that arrangement the first time around. However, the artists quarters not far from Parcel A suffered adverse impacts. I know of two artists that died from cancer. Here again we must address Cumulate Pollution. Lennar makes room for some affordable housing for the residents of Alice Griffith also known as Double Rock public housing. Right now law enforcement cannot control the situation and many have left Alice Griffith. Over forty percent of the homes are boarded up. In a couple of months there will no one to apply for the dream homes mentioned in Lennar's conceptual plan. The Forty Niners do not want to stay and play in San Francisco if they can help it. Right now everything is moving in the right direction at Santa Clara. The Lennar Conceptual Plan mentions the building of a stadium but has no money allocated for this vast project. Two Proposition D and F passed by San Franciscans in large measure — prohibit Lennar Conceptual Plan as it is now is read. Hence, Lennar demands that these Proposition D and F be ratified. Mission Bay has lot of room for Greentech Research Park to promote innovations that improve the environment and provide jobs to local residents. Lennar presupposes that it can control the State Park that comes under the jurisdiction of Sacramento. Even talking about swopping land on the Hunters Point Shipyard that has not been conveyed to the City and County of San Francisco and is under the jurisdiction of the United States Navy to occupation State Lands — such gumption. Talks about Proposition D and F - Lennar feigns that it will save the Tax Payers money and lies about public bonds. It fails to understand the mechanisms that went in D and F and has no clue about the real issues at hand. Lennar touts Green Building Leadership to be chick but that is the extent of one more promise that it has no intention of delivering. Ballot Measure F offers the constituents of San Francisco an opportunity to vote for what is right. F stands for fortitude and the future of San Francisco and we must do what is right. This is our opportunity to get some affordable housing tailored made and linked to incomes that make sense at eighty, sixty and thirty percent of San Francisco Median Income. The land is free and offers billions in Equity. We must stop being greedy and pandering to Rogue Developers. This is the last frontier and too many decent San Francisco are leaving the City of San Francisco because they cannot afford good housing. Come June 3 and before that using your Absentee Vote — do the right thing and Vote for Ballot Measure F. You will do yourself proud and future generations — justice.

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