Monday, April 20, 2009
Desde La Gran Manzana a San Pancho: HEEPESTERS Love Thick Mexican Moustaches!!!
Peep articles...
Hipster: The Dead End of Western Civilization (Adbusters)
So, Who Is a Hipster? (Mission Local)
Friday, February 6, 2009
Support Our Neighbors Keep their Home

Rally and Press Conference
Support Mission Families in their fight to keep their homes!
The apartment building on 24th and Harrison, (2789 Harrison St), home to 6 working-class Immigrant and Latino Families are being forced out of their long-time homes by a new land-lord. He is trying to implement rent increases between $800.00 and $1100.00 per month, in effect forcing the residents out of their homes. The residents are willing to negotiate a fair increase in rent in order to remain in their homes. These increases are too much for these working families to afford, we believe this is an injustice and ask that the owner of the property RBA member Mr. Allen McCarthy negotiate a fair rent increase and new lease with the residents of 2789 Harrison.
Please Join us on the Steps of City Hall for a rally and Press Conference to support the Residents and the introduction of a Board of Supervisor Resolution introduced by District 9 Supervisor David Campos calling for a just resolution for the residents.
Rally and Press Conference
Tuesday, February 10
12:00pm
Steps of City Hall (Polk St. entrance)
Sponsored by: Comite 24 y Harrison with support from MAC, and community allies
Friday, September 26, 2008
I LOve THe Peoples Plan/Yo Quiero El PLan POpular
Haz click abajo y descarge la carta apoyando las familias que luchan cada dia en San Francisco. Mandelo por email a los Supervisores del Comite del Uso de Terreno...
Sophie Maxwell, District 10 Supervisor
(415) 554-7670 - voice
(415) 554-7674 – fax
Sophie.Maxwell@sfgov.org
Gerardo Sandoval, District 11 Supervisor
(415) 554-6975 - voice
(415) 554-6979 - fax
Gerardo.Sandoval@sfgov.org
Aaron Peskin, District 3 Supervisor
(415) 554-7450 - voice
(415) 554-7454 - fax
Aaron.Peskin@sfgov.org
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Aint Nothing Like a Job and Affordable Housing To Make Our Streets Safe

On Tuesday the Mission Community Council hosted a very emotional and inspiring community meeting in response to the latest upsurge in street violence in the Mission District & throughout Southeast SF . The community room at Mission Recreation Center was packed with public officials, cops, front-line outreach workers, youth organizers, reporters and concerned mothers. Many in the room, long-time and newbie residents alike, were alarmed and wanted justice for the 7 homicides that have taken place on the streets of the Mission over the past three weeks. Check out the photos on the HOMEY website.
These past months life has been challenging for many in the neighborhood, especially young Latinos and Blacks who have to navigate & survive on these streets. The recent flare ups in street violence targeted at our young people has us all worried and wanting to take action. People in the community are expressing their pain and anger through marches and vigils. Others have been holding prayer circles. And yet others have been clamoring at our local officials to do something about it. The media, especially the virulent and sensationalist Chronicle, Examiner and Fox News, has politically attacked and pointed fingers at our immigrant community thus frightening Mayor Newsom into getting soft on our Sanctuary City ordinance.
With all the attention and talk of stemming the violence, the debate being shaped by the Mayors Office, cops and reactive neighborhood associations has focused solely on aggressive police tactics. One highly controversial strategy has been the five month old Gang Injunction (already in place in Bayview and Western Addition). Youth advocates from here to LA agree that this is a free pass to racially profile youth/adults, stigmatize & label non-affiliated youth as gang members, make the neighborhood "desirable" for land speculators and weekend bar-hoppers, and has do nothing to change the conditions of our communities.
Over the past 8 years that we have been organizing amongst Mission residents on behalf of an healthy & equitable community plan, we have witnessed and experienced first-hand the multitudes of challenges working families throughout San Francisco's eastern neighborhoods are undergoing. From poverty, unemployment/underemployment, displacement of family/community networks, uncontrolled debt, inequitable education system, no or poor health care, and a disconnect from the political process.
Groups like HOMEY, Community Response Network, CARECEN and others are taking a deeper approach- holistic and equitable- towards remedying the ills that are beating down on the community. They and others see law enforcement as a small part of the equation towards realizing a safe, healthy, affordable and vibrant Mission District. The members and activists of the Mission Anti-displacement Coalition have joined in on these efforts. We believe that our young people and their families need real opportunities like affordable housing, good paying career driven jobs, strong community institutions and a land use plan that treats our community as if we matter.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
The Eastern Neighborhoods Plan (EN)

For today I will answer some FAQs to provide some background information to the new readers of the blog.
What is the Eastern Neighborhoods Plan?
To view the City’s answer, click here.
To sum up the website, the Eastern Neighborhoods Plan will rezone several neighborhoods on the eastern half of San Francisco. These neighborhoods include: The Mission District, SOMA, Central Waterfront, and Potrero Hill. The proposed EN plan will limit/eliminate community input into the planning process, eliminate thousands of blue-collar jobs, and encourage high density luxury condos.
Why is MAC involved?
We are involved in the process because the new planning codes from the rezoning process have the potential to continue the displacement of Mission District and San Franciscan residents. We believe that disenfranchised members of our neighborhood, including working class communities of color, not developers, should be steering the planning process. One way we do this is by creating and advocating for the People’s Plan, a set of zoning policies and maps created by working class Mission residents that work to meet the housing, economic development, open space, and transportation needs of the people most vulnerable to displacement.
What is MAC advocating for?
Among other things, we are advocating for the Eastern Neighborhoods Plan to be amended to require greater levels of affordability in all new housing developments, preserve blue collar jobs in the city, create green jobs for all, and allow for greater community input into the planning process.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Taco Tuesday: Veggie Deluxe Seattle Style... eeww

"New demographic figures make clear what a statistical outlier Seattle is, with few families, few kids, high education, and rapid gentrification. Only San Francisco can compare."
Friday, August 29, 2008
Friday Happy Hour/Hora Feliz: Convivios in the Barrio
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Join Us For The Summer Mixers//Unete A Los Convivios En El Barrio

We are calling friends, activists & allies to join us for some tasty food & drinks as we share our policy demands & strategy for taking back our SF Eastern Neighborhoods. At the same time we are mobilizing to win Prop B (the Affordable Housing Charter Amendment) this November, we are also organizing hundreds of people to win thousands of affordable housing units through the Eastern Neighborhoods Plan.
Join us for one these fun political mixers in the barrio...
August 27, 5pm @ PODER
474 Valencia St. #120 (at 16th St.)
-OR-
August 28, 5:30pm @ Le Boheme Cafe
3318 24th St. (at Mission St)

Estamos invitando a nuestros amig@s y aliados a reunirse en una tarde con comida y bebidas en dondoe vamos presentar nuestras demandas y estrategias para retomar Nuestro Ciudad. Ala misma vez que estamos movilizando en favor de la Proposición B (enmienda para Viviendas Accesibles) de este Noviembre, tambien estamos organizando miles de personas para ganar miles de unidades de vivienda accesibles en Los Vecindarios del Este de San Francisco.
27 de Agosto, 5pm en PODER
474 Calle Valencia #120 (acerca la Calle16)
-O-
28 de Agosto, 5:30pm en Le Boheme
3318 Calle 24 (acerca la Calle Mission)
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Que Viva Jose Morales!
On July 27 over 70 supporters joined Jose Morales for a vigil commemorating his 14 year battle against an unjust Ellis Act eviction from his home of 43 years. At 79 years old, Jose has accomplished the amazing feet of fighting his landlord for the right to live out his golden years in the neighborhood and home that he loves. Over these triumphant years Jose has garnered the enthusiasm and hope of thousands of peoples from throughout the City.
Sadly though, on August 6 the San Francisco Sheriffs at the request of the courts, delivered the final blow and forced Jose out of his home at 527 San Jose Ave. It was a sad day but I couldn't help feeling hopeful at the sight of dozens of community members and organizations lending Jose a hand during this difficult time. That's what a community does... we take care of our own!
Currently, Jose is staying at a shelter being run by Dolores Street Community Services and is working with the fine folks at Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center to get him into affordable senior housing as soon as possible. Click here for the full Tecolote story.
Props go out to the many peoples and organizations that have and continue emotionally, spiritually and materially supporting our Abuelo. Click here for the pictures.
Development without Displacement: is it possible?
The MAP will have numerous effects on the Mission District, on Mission Street in particular. Contrary to the People’s Plan that advocates for 55 feet (5 stories) height limits, the MAP will increase the height limits on Mission Street to 85 feet (8 stories) from an average of 65 (6 stories). What does this mean? This means that most of the land along Mission will become more expensive overnight. The city will have conferred wealth to landowners at the expense of the community. How? The taller a building can be, the more housing that can be built. Generally, the more housing that can be built, the more expensive the land becomes. There is nothing wrong with building more housing but we are afraid that more housing units along Mission Street will likely mean more luxury condos that the vast majority of residents can not afford.
More luxury condos will eventually lead to more gentrification. More gentrification will result in your neighbor, your favorite businesses, your best customer or even you being evicted or price out of the neighborhood. Does sound like a plan that would benefit the neighborhood? No it does not.
We are advocating for increased affordability levels (more below market rate units) for any development along the corridor, and enhanced affordability levels for any development that is higher than 55 feet. What does increased affordability mean for the business in the neighborhood? It means that there will be more low-moderate income customers in the neighborhood. This is approximately a family of four that earns less than $80,000 a year. This segment of the population is the customer base for many of the stores that operate in the daytime along Mission Street.
Mission merchants protect your customer base by supporting the People’s Plan, the only plan that will protect local business and residents from being evicted, and the only plan that will lead to housing, jobs, and economic development for Mission District residents.
EN ESPANOL
Desarrollo sin desplazamiento: es esto posible?
El Plan Popular por Vivienda, Trabajos y Desarrollo Económico fue presentado oficialmente a la Comisión de Planificación el 10 de Julio del 2008. El Plan Popular (un trabajo conjunto de planificación comunitaria) fue escrito para incluir las demandas de la comunidad en el Plan de Area de la Misión (MAP en inglés) presentado por la ciudad. La Comisión de Planificación votará si recomienda el Plan a finales de agosto pero la aprobación final la decidirá la Junta de Supervisores.
El MAP de ser aprobado tal como está tendra numerosos efectos en el distrito de la Misión y en particular en la Calle de la Misión. Contrario al Plan Popular que apoya un límite de altura de los edificios de 55 pies (5 pisos), el MAP propone 85 pies (8 pisos) de altura límite para los edificios en la calle de la Misión. Qué significa esto? Esto significa que la mayoría de las propiedades en particular el valor de la tierra en la calle de la Misión será de un día para otro mucho más costosa. Por medio de esta política la Ciudad le estará otorgando riqueza a los dueños de la tierra a expensas de la comunidad. Cómo pasa esto? Entre más alto pueda ser un edificio, más vivienda puede construirse. Generalmente, entre mas vivienda pueda ser construída en un terreno mayor valor adquiere la propiedad. No hay nada de malo en construir más vivienda, pero nos preocupa que las viviendas que van a construir a lo largo de la calle Misión son condominios lujosos que la gran mayoría de los residente no pueden comprar.
La construcción de más condominios lujosos solo conduce a más aburguesamiento del barrio. Mayor aburguesamiento resulta en que su vecino, su tienda favorita, su mejor cliente ó usted mismo sea desalojado de su vivienda o negocio por el exagerado aumento en la renta. ¿Le parece que este es un plan que podría beneficiar al vecindario? Por supuesto que No!
Nosotros estamos abogando por incrementar los niveles de accesibilidad para familias de bajos y moderados ingresos (mayor número de viviendas a precios por debajo del mercado BMR en inglés) en cualquier nueva construcción de vivienda más alta de 55 pies (5 pisos) a lo largo del corredor comercial de la calle Misión. ¿Qué significa aumentar el acceso a vivienda económica para los negocios? Esto significa que habrá más familias de bajos y moderados ingresos (familia de 4 que ganan menos de $83,000 al año) en el vecindario. Ellos son el segmento de la población considerados los mejores y más fieles clientes de las tiendas que operan durante el día en la Misión.
Comerciantes de la Misión protejan a sus clientes apoyando el Plan Popular, el Plan que protegerá a los negocios locales y residentes de ser desalojados, el Plan que nos llevará a obtener vivienda, trabajos y desarrollo económico para los residentes del distrito de la Misión.
Monday, August 11, 2008
The End Is Near! Let's Organize...
MAC has been organizing around this process since its beginning, way back in 2001. We have been ceaselessly advocating for our community derived land-use policies, contained in the People's Plan, to be adopted by the Planning Department. The City's plan, as approved, falls far short of what we have been demanding. It does an adequate job of protecting land for industrial jobs in the Mission and it also requires new "hybrid" industries that provide industrial jobs but have a larger office component, to hire a significant portion (25%) of their workers from within our traditional industrial workforce. However, the Devil is in the details; unless we have adequate monitoring and enforcement of the new rules, our communities will lose out. So far the details are conspicuously lacking in their plan.
The housing side is far worse: a giveaway to market-rate developers that will quickly gentrify the neighborhood at an even more rapid rate than what we have seen this past decade. The Planning Department is not offering much in terms of affordable housing beyond "inclusionary housing," which is in essence below-market-rate ownership housing and what it calls "middle-income" housing, that would offer housing for people making 150% of Area Median Income (about $99,000 per year for a single person!). We are still strongly advocating for zoning that will result in affordable housing for low and moderate-income renters, who are the majority of the folks that live in the Mission, as well as affordable ownership opportunities.
While the Planning Commission and Planning Department may have given up on truly affordable housing, we haven't! We are organizing our community to come out in force to the Board of Supervisors in September. The Board still has the power to give the community the plan we have worked so hard to get. Please check back here regularly to get updated on specific hearing and event dates and to get updated on our specific campaign demands. The end is near and that means that we have to come together stronger than ever before.
Versión En Español
El jueves pasado la Comisión de Planificación de San Francisco votó para aprobar El Plan de las Vecindades del Este rezonifica cuatro de las vecindades más diversas y económicamente más importantes, East SOMA, Central Waterfront, Showplace Square, y el Distrito de la Misión. Este proceso ahora empieza su etapa final en la junta de Supervisores donde los Supervisores harán cambios basados en el retroalimento de la comunidad. El punto de vista del SF Chronicle puede ser encontrado aquí.
MAC ha estado organizando alrededor de este proceso desde su principio en 2001. Hemos estado abogando incesantemente para nuestras políticas derivadas por la comunidad, contenidos adentro del Plan Popular, para que sean adoptadas por el Departamento de Planificación. El plan de la ciudad, según lo aprobado esta corto de lo que hemos estado exigiendo. Es adecuado en sus protecciones para los trabajos industriales en la Misión y también requiere que las nuevas industrias “híbridas” que proporcionan trabajos industriales pero que tienen un componente más grande de oficina, para que empleen una porción significativa (25%) de trabajadores industriales tradicionales. Sin embargo, el diablo está en los detalles; a menos que tengamos la supervisión y aplicación adecuadas de las nuevas reglas, nuestras comunidades perderán. Los detalles están faltando hasta ahora en su plan.
El plan para viviendas es mucho mas peor: un regalo para los urbanizadores de viviendas al nivel del mercado que rápidamente va a aburguesar a la vecindad aún más rapido de lo qué hemos visto esta última década. El Departamento de Planificación no está ofreciendo mucho en términos de la vivienda económica más allá del “inclusionary housing,” que es, esencialmente, vivienda de compra bajo del nivel del mercado, y lo qué ellos llaman la vivienda de “renta promedia,” que ofrecería viviendas para la gente que hace 150% de promedio de ingresos de la área (¡cerca de $99,000 por el año para una sola persona!). Todavía estamos abogando fuertemente para zonificación que dará va a crear viviendas económicas para los inquilinos de ingresos bajos y de la moderado, que son la mayoría de la gente que vive en la misión, así como oportunidades para comprar viviendas económicas.
¡Mientras que la Comisión y el Departamento de Planificación pudieron se han dado por vencidos en la idea de vivienda económica, nosotros seguimos luchando! Estamos organizando a nuestra comunidad para venir con fuerza a la Junta de Supervisores en septiembre. La Junta de Supervisores todavía tiene el poder de dar a la comunidad el plan que hemos trabajado tan duro para conseguir. Regrese por aquí regularmente para conseguir las fechas específicas para audiencias y eventos y para obtener noticias sobre nuestra campaña. El fin esta cerca y esto significa que tenemos que venir juntos más fuertemente que nunca.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
The Mission is our Home
It has been ten years since Mission residents were first being evicted and priced out of their homes in the gentrification of the Mission. In an attempt to quell these problems, the Mission Ant-displacement Coalition (MAC) has been fighting to prevent displacements through grass root organizing and advocacy. In response to neighborhood concerns, the San Francisco Planning Department has been in the process of creating a Mission Area Plan to rezone the Mission District. Among other things, the plan will “strive to provide a significant amount of new” affordable housing and “attempt to ensure a stable future” for industrial type businesses.
The residents of the Mission will need to advocate for “a significant amount of new” affordable housing and “a stable future” for industrial type businesses, because the City will fail to provide a suitable amount without community pressure.
The proposed zoning changes by the city will affect your home, business, health, employment and/or commute. It is imperative that community residents voice their opinions at City Hall. The Planning Department staff hopes to finalize the Mission Area Plan by year’s end. Hearings at the Planning Commission regarding the Mission Area Plan (MAP) are scheduled to begin in May. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors will have final say on the policies in the MAP.
MAC has been in discussions with the panning department and other neighborhood based organizations to deliver community input into the plans. MAC has advocated for the plan to include regulations requiring that a significant percentage of the new housing built be affordable to families in the neighborhood. As a coalition of social service agencies, MAC is very aware of the need for affordable family-size housing in the neighborhood.
The biggest physical changes to the neighborhood will likely occur along the corridors (Mission, 24th, 16th, and Valencia Street) and the northwest corner of the Mission. The plan can also have a significant affect on the number of residents and businesses who are evicted or priced out of their respective homes and locations.
The rezoning of the corridors will play an important role in where new housing is built. The plan calls for rezoning Mission Street to allow for more housing by increasing height limits along the corridor. It could create incentives for developers to demolish existing buildings with businesses on the ground floor to build expensive mid-rise condos. Rezoning along the corridors should be done to maximize affordability and minimize displacement.
The plan will also determine the future uses of the industrial spaces in the northwest corner of the Mission. It will recommend the conversion (rezoning) of some parcels zoned for industrial use to residential and commercial uses. It is important to preserve industrial businesses because they provide thousands of blue-collar jobs.
EN ESPANOL
La Misión es Nuestro Hogar
Han sido ya 10 años desde que residentes de la Misión fueron desalojados y desplazados de sus viviendas por el alto costo de las rentas y el proceso de aburguesamiento del barrio. En un intento para enfrentar el problema, MEDA con otras organizaciones de la coalición MAC han estado luchando para prevenir los desplazamientos y estabilizar el vecindario por medio de la organización y participación comunitaria. En respuesta a las preocupaciones de la comunidad , el departamento de Planificación de la ciudad ha estado en el proceso de crear el Plan de Area para la Misión para rezonificar el Distrito de la Misión. El Departamento de Planificación espera lograr la aprobación del Plan para finales de este año. Entre otras cosas, el Plan de Area se “esforzará por proveer una significativa cantidad de vivienda económica” e “intentará asegurar un futuro estable para los negocios industriales”
Los cambios de zonificación propuestos afectarán su vivienda, negocio, salud, empleo y transporte a su lugar de trabajo. Los cambios físicos más significativos en el vecindario se notarán alrededor de los corredores comerciales de las calles Mission, Valencia, 24 y 16 y la parte noreste de la Misión. El plan puede tener un impacto significativo en el número de residentes y negocios que son desplazados o desalojados debido a los altos precios de la renta. Audiencias en la Comisión de Planificación con respecto al Plan de Area de la Misión empezarán en Mayo. La Junta de Supervisores sera quien diga la última palabra con respecto a las políticas del Plan de Area.
MEDA como miembro de la coalición MAC ha abogado por incluir legislación que requiera un mayor porcentaje de construcción de vivienda nueva accesible para familias del vecindario. El Plan de la ciudad propone rezonificar la calle Mission para permitir mayor altura de los edificios para constuir más vivienda. Lo anterior puede motivar a los constructores a demoler los edificios existentes que tienen negocios locales en el primer piso para constuir edificios de condominios costosos e inaccesibles a nuestra comunidad. La rezonificación alrededor del corredor comercial de la Calle Mission debe ser hecho para maximizar el número de vivienda económica y minimizar el desplazamiento.
El plan de la ciudad determinará el futuro de los usos industriales en la esquina noreste del Distrito de la Misión. Por ahora la recomendación de la ciudad es rezonificar algunos lotes designados para uso industrial y convertirlos para uso residencial y comercial. Es importante preservar los negocios industriales porque proveen miles de trabajos para nuestra comunidad.
Si está interesado en saber más del Plan de Area de la Misión, puede visitar la siguientes páginas de Internet:
Departamento de Planificación: http://www.sfgov.org/site/uploadedfiles/planning/Citywide/Eastern_Neighborhoods/VOLUME_1_Mission_Area_Plan.pdf
Coalición de MAC: http://www.macsf.org/documents/Peoples_Plan_Draft_part_1.pdf
Qué es zonificación y porque es tan importante?
Cada dirección (lote o parcela) en la ciudad es zonificada para ciertos usos. La calle Mission está zonificada para uso comercial y residencial. La calle 24 tiene también los mismos usos pero solo permite edificios hasta de 4 pisos de altura. Sin este tipo de regulaciones los edificios podrían ser tan altos como de 10 pisos.
Vivienda Incluyente: Es un requerimiento para cualqueir nueva construcción que incluye un porcentaje de unidades de vivienda accesible.
Vivienda Económica: Vivienda donde personas con ingresos menores del 80% -120% del ingreso medio de area ($80,000 al año para una familia de 4) paga no mas del 30% de su ingreso. Valencia Garden es un ejemplo de vivienda económica.
Comisión de Planificación: Es un grupo de 7 personas elegidas por el Alcalde y la Junta de Supervisores que supervisa el trabajo del Departamento de Planificación y aprueba, cambia, modifica o desaprueba las construcciones en la ciudad.
Junta de Supervisores: La rama legislativa de la Ciudad compuesta de 11 miembros elegidos en cada distrito. La Junta establece políticas, aprueba el Plan de Area y adopta ordenanzas y resoluciones.
Plan de Area: Es un elemento del Plan General de San Francisco. El Estado de California require que las ciudades decidan como van a cumplir con las necesidades de vivienda a través del Plan General.