As development visions loom over Bayview–Hunters Point, locals are hopeful yet wary about change to one of San Francisco’s most historic Black neighborhoods, and who will benefit.
The big picture: A recently revised development plan would deliver over 2 million square feet of commercial space and more than 7,000 housing units, including affordable housing, at the former site of Candlestick Park in Bayview.
- The project has already dragged on for over 10 years, but some local leaders say they’re hopeful it will provide fresh opportunities for retail and other entrepreneurs.
- The state-authorized Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure is working with the developer to ensure local hiring and contracting are prioritized as part of a community benefits agreement, executive director Thor Kaslofsky told Axios.
Yes, but: That fresh progress hasn’t abated gentrification and displacement concerns, particularly for Black residents who have seen their community members increasingly leave San Francisco.
- “There’s been things that have been done to us years ago that’s embedded in some people’s DNA,” James Mabrey, Bayview resident and owner of Your All Day Everyday Janitorial Services, told Axios.
- It’s hard to overcome that distrust, Mabrey noted.
- Developers should employ people from the community and also invest in trade skills training for the next generation, he added.
- “As you’re developing this project and you’re developing these young children, it’s going to all blossom together,” Mabrey said.
Why it matters: Bayview flourished as a hub for the Black community in the 1900s but has long struggled with disinvestment, higher poverty rates and the effects of toxic waste…