Name: Matt Hort Chiron: Valencia Farmer’s Market Location: Valencia and 24th Street, San Francisco, 94110 Text: I think the only the only thing we’re losing is a gas station. My concern is about not having gas stations. I notice all the gas stations we have are going away. I haven’t seen a ton of construction. We’ve been here for 30 years, neighborhood has become like another totally different neighborhood. Icon: ltblu_blank Opinion on Development: Equivocal |
Name: Ada Almendarez Chiron: Employee at Casa de Salud Location: 3203 24th Street San Francisco 94110 Text: They should continue building --it stops criminals. I’ve been here 20 years and I see customers complain because landlords don’t remodel, so rent-increases are normal. It has improved a lot. Valencia Street is nice. Most of my clients have already moved to Santa Rosa, San Rafael. I don’t live in the Mission... Latinos don’t really live here anymore, sometimes they come to my shop from Tracy, Fresno…Most people from this area, have already moved. Some people don’t like it because of the raise in rent, but for me, more housing is better, cleaner, there’s new people. New apartments help improve the neighborhood overall. Icon: grn_blank Opinion on Development: For |
Name: Adam Sad Chiron: Manager Big Mouth Burgers, lived in San Francisco for seven years. Location: 3392 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: Over here there isn’t a ton of construction, yet… There’s good reasons and bad reasons for new construction. Yeah, maybe we shouldn’t have gas station in residential area. But the bad is that it’s going to be expensive. With the construction in the neighborhood it has been a pain to find parking, if they build new construction they should be concerned about that. They change all the atmosphere in the neighborhood. Is it good? I don’t think so. Yes, it’s good if it will help a lot of people, but new renters aren’t going to be people who live here. We should stop it if it’s just to make money off the neighborhood. Icon: ltblu_blank Opinion on Development: Equivocable |
Name: Craig Zaretsky Chiron: Owner Campfire Gallery, 20 year resident of San Francisco. Location: 3344 24th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: If we’re talking about those cookie cutter condos, I don’t like those. I don’t have much positive to say about those. A lot of charm, a lot of character is stripped away by modern architecture--that’s even a compliment to call it modern! There’s plenty of housing being made for people who can spend a $100,000 a year on rent, but what about people who can’t afford that? Like a lot of other things, there’s not enough regulation--just like internet companies…. I don’t agree that adding more supply will be good for everyone. It’s just one specific demographic that gets served. It doesn’t support broader range of people, it limits diversity, when you get these big developments. I’ve been here for 20 years, came during first dot com boom, it’s always been expensive. It’s tricky for me because I benefit as business owner, but I don’t want to see more big developments. Icon: orange_blank Opinion on Development: Against |
Name: Gloria Esteva Chiron: Shopkeeper, former Mission Resident Location: 24th and Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: I think a moratorium would be good. It’s a double-edged sword. Lack of housing can be an excuse [to continue building], but if there is nothing else but expensive housing? What they built by Arriba Juntos [Mission and 15th] ––impossible! And, for merchants [on the first floor] they have to be very elegant to rent there… We can’t be told that building more is the answer, because there won’t be space anyways for poor people. And, the Mayor loves money. Icon: orange_blank Opinion on Development: Against |
Name: Carmelita Elías Chiron: Owner of Mejor Bakery for 22 years Location: 3329 24th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: Change has always been like this. The people building are investors, they are rich and building for the rich. There is no middle class anymore. They come in, buy blocks of housing and invest --they take people out. When building, the law says they have to give an indemnization to people [that are already living there], and then they prefer to not rent it out to people that will stay there long-term because then they have to ask them to leave. And, the commercial spaces below… no one is giving leases for longer than three years on Mission Street anymore. Icon: orange_blank Opinion on Development: Against |
Name: Cosmin Haims Chiron: Employee at Vapory Shop Location: 2707 Folsom St, San Francisco, CA 94105 Text: More construction means more gentrification. It’s bittersweet you’ll never please everyone… We’re so flush with new business already, so it’s not like we need more business. If there’s ways to lower crime rate, bring more jobs, and bring housing that’s affordable… but that’s a hard problem to solve. Icon: ltblu_blank Opinion on Development: Equivocal |
Name: Diana Medina Chiron: Owner of Diju Jewelry Location: 3247 24th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: I’m not opposed to building more, but a limit would be good as long as it doesn’t affect the neighborhood. To charge up to $5,000 a month? We are not millionaires. If tech is boosting all this, why don’t they build residential developments outside the city? When they do it here, everyone is affected. That they will build affordable housing where there is market rate is a hoax. First, they will raise the rent and once they build, we’ll be left out. These are corporations and they don’t care that Latinos are leaving and that the neighborhood is changing. As a merchant, I provide a good service and I have a lot of American [white] customers, about 80%. But, I already have that customer base, and not all the businesses can survive. Icon: orange_blank Opinion on Development: Against |
Name: Ricardo Peña Chiron: Owner Mixcoatl, lived in the Mission for 25 years Location: 3201 24th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: It’s okay that there is a limit in construction in neighborhoods where poor people live. To build more it’s a move from real estate developers to build more and create more housing...These are luxury apartments, and for what? Nobody born in San Francisco will be able to afford it. It’s for people that come from other countries, or other parts of the country that want to live here. And, there is no affordability, not even to buy. So, yes, there should be a moratorium. Icon: orange_blank Opinion on Development: Against |
Name: Denise Gonzalez Chiron: Owner Luna de Luz, lived in San Francisco for 30 years Location: 3182 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: When you build more, it’s good for people… but nature of this neighborhood, it’s going to change. Rents are extremely high, we don’t want neighborhood to change so much. It’s already such an expensive place to live, it’s going to push us out. Let’s keep things simple. I like the old buildings. Look at the building on Mission and 22nd, it’s too new, why not make it look more like other things. We have these beautiful streets, trees, flowers. I don’t want big buildings like downtown. Icon: orange_blank Opinion on Development: Against |
Name: Chris Dixon Chiron: Owner Explorist International, lived in San Francisco for 18 year Location: 3174 24th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: If it’s a blanket moratorium, it can’t be a 100% good thing. There are things that’s needed in the neighborhood, a lot of unused buildings or disused properties. Obviously knocking down La Parilla to build new condos isn’t great. All that stuff that’s nasty, crappily built and super expensive it’s going to be rundown in 20 years… But moratorium seems like too much. There’s a lot of rundown buildings that need to be demolished and rebuilt, but it feels like some of the new stuff is just wanton construction. It’s just like in the late 90s when they were building all these live-work spaces for young, new people, but by the time they were done, everybody was gone… It just isn’t all black and white. Icon: ltblu_blank Opinion on Development: Equivocal |
Name: Marta Espinoza Chiron: Waitress at Sun Rise Restaurant, lived in Mission for 15 years Location: 3126 24th St San Francisco, CA Text: It’s not good for people who live in this area. They’re making expensive condos, but most people can’t pay to live in them. People who live here have to leave. Icon: orange_blank Opinion on Development: Against |
Name: Twee Goule Chiron: Manager at Delicateses La Plaza Location: 2598 Folsom St San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: I much prefer a building than an old lot. The problem is we don’t have enough housing. I think we should build more and that old place [Charyn Auctions] is horrible. They should build more, when more competition grows price will go down. If we have more apartments there will be less pressure on market. Gentrification happens everywhere. A hundred years ago on Union Street, it wasn’t that fancy. I’m not afraid of changes… We need places to sleep, places to live. (Laughs) You won’t find many people like me! Icon: grn_blank Opinion on Development: For |
Name: Louis Hermosillo Chiron: Mission resident for 23 years. Location: 23rd and Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: New development is good, don’t get me wrong, but when you’re pushing people out, that’s a problem… This neighborhood has changed 100%. Icon: ltblu_blank Opinion on Development: Equivocal |
Name: Rafael Hernandez Chiron: Mission resident for 30 years Location: 2609 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: They charge too much for rent. We can’t live here, we can’t live in this city anymore. You can see it everywhere, everywhere all over the city there’s too many people, too much construction. Icon: orange_blank Opinion on Development: Against |
Name: Isaac Muhawih Chiron: Owner Isaac's Market Location: 2601 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: There’s too much construction… It’s good for business, but I don’t care, it’s just too much. There is a housing shortage, sure, but it could be better for people who live here. Icon: orange_blank Opinion on Development: Against |
Name: Will Fox Chiron: San Francisco resident for five years Location: 3101 24th St San Francisco, CA Text: Seems foolish to limit infrastructure. As the city grows, infrastructure has to grow with it. If you want to see the rainbow, you’ve got to see some rain… San Francisco is at an interesting juncture. If I live in a rent-controlled apartment and if I said no to new developments, it seems shortsighted. City can’t totally control what kind of apartments gets built. I understand things need to get built, but no one is going to build reasonably priced apartments, given how much things are going for. People are adverse to density, I understand, I benefit from it, but pulling out the stoppers doesn’t seem sustainable, it’s short sighted protectionism. I’ve always enjoyed 24th Street, because it strikes a balance, this place feels kind of steady. I don’t know if this will be helped by construction, but at the same time, no one should be able not to live where they want to live because there’s no housing. Icon: grn_blank Opinion on Development: For |
Name: Natasha Matthews Chiron: San Francisco resident for 33 years, employee and San Francisco Friends School Location: 2800 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: I like a lot of the new construction. If they’re building apartments that are affordable for people and not pushing people out, that’s good. I support all the new construction if it’s beneficial for residents, if it’s bringing in business and creating jobs. With the new construction at 22nd and Valencia, I thought: Oh these are cool, but I wonder is it pushing people out? What’s considered affordable most residents can’t afford. Icon: ltblu_blank Opinion on Development: Equivocal |
Name: 1298 Valencia Chiron: Preliminary Plans Location: 1298 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA Text: Currently one of the Mission's few gas stations, this corner could get 35 units of new housing if the plans are approved by the Planning Department. Icon: buildings Opinion on Development: |
Name: Grace Avila Chiron: Owner of Paris Perfume Location: 3245 24th St, San Francisco,CA 94110 Text: I don’t have much to say, it’s going to be very different with all these buildings. Many are going to have to close their business when a new buildings go in. I think it can be bad for economy of area. I think a slow down is good. Sure we have housing problem, but developers that want to do it on 24th Street are doing it more for economic reasons… For businesses, it’s very bad. We have many customers that come in here looking for their favorite perfume, but they’ve all moved outside the city. If they go away, they’re less likely to come here. They live in Oakland, Richmond, and other places. We’re having that problem. Icon: ltblu_blank Opinion on Development: Equivocal |
Name: El Bates Chiron: Mission resident for 12 years. Location: Capp Street and 24th, San Francisco, CA Text: I don’t want too many of these new buildings. They’ve been driving people out of here. I like the older look, don’t like this new stuff. Icon: orange_blank Opinion on Development: Against |
Name: Jimmy Dominguez Chiron: Bay Area native, lived in San Francisco for ten years. Location: 24th Street and Folsom, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: Rents aren’t going to go down unless there’s more construction, but it sucks. It feels like your neighborhood is going away. I think everyone acknowledges we need more housing, but who is it for? You see what low income housing brings, but you also see what kind of people luxury housing brings. Twenty-fourth street is special, it’s my favorite street in the city… Everything you see going up is awful, look at Vida, which sucks. Everybody has a lot of complaints but no one has solutions. Icon: ltblu_blank Opinion on Development: Equivocal |
Name: 1198 Valencia Street Chiron: Preliminary Plans Location: 1198 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: Mixed-use housing development to replace vacant lot. If approved by the Planning Department, it would bring 42 units to this corner. Icon: buildings Opinion on Development: |
Name: 2918 Mission Street Chiron: Preliminary Plans Location: 2918 Mission Street San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: If approved by the Planning Department, plans at this address would demolish an existing laundromat to make room for 38 new units of housing. Icon: buildings Opinion on Development: |
Name: 1515 South Van Ness Chiron: Preliminary Plans Location: 1515 South Van Ness, San Francisco CA 94110 Text: There are big plans for this site which currently holds the offices of McMillan Electric. If approved, this project would bring 160 units of new housing, 19 of them would be affordable. Icon: buildings Opinion on Development: |
Name: Vida's Land Chiron: Land Dedicated for Affordable Housing Location: 1296 Shotwell Street San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: As part of its compliance with affordable housing law, Vida condos gave this parcel to the city to create 44-units of affordable housing. No timeline yet as to when this project will get developed. Icon: buildings Opinion on Development: |
Name: 3085 24th Street Chiron: Preliminary Plans Location: 3085 24th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: This project would demolish the existing La Parilla Grill to make way for 20 units of new housing. Icon: buildings Opinion on Development: |
Name: Casa de la Misión Chiron: Affordable Housing Location: 3011 24th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: This project by the Mission Neighborhoods Centers will bring 32 units of low-income and senior housing. It's been approved and construction should begin sometime in the next year. Icon: buildings Opinion on Development: |
Name: 2675 Folsom Street Chiron: Preliminary Plans Location: 2675 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: Plans to construct a five-story, mixed use building at the location of Charyn's Restaurant Auction would bring 115 new units of housing, 17 of them would be affordable. Icon: buildings Opinion on Development: |
Name: 2600 Harrison Street Chiron: Preliminary Plans Location: 2600 Harrison Street San Francisco, CA 94110 Text: This project, if approved, would demolish Western Plywood to make way for 20 new units of affordable housing. Icon: buildings Opinion on Development: |