As I sat at Monday’s Land Use Committee meeting to keep tabs on a controversial measure extending just cause eviction protections to housing units built after 1979, it occurred to me that many people spend most of their time trying to get others to be on their side of the issue.
In fact, some dedicate their whole life trying to get fellow neighbors to believe in the same powers that be as they do. Take a look at two 21-year-old missionaries, who took to the Mission District recently, spreading the word of God, one door knock at a time.
The question of divine existence aside, Caltrans will implement stricter safety measures after a truck driver died early Monday morning while traveling down the new Bay Bridge S-curve at 50mph – the speed limit is 40mph. The driver lost control of his big rig and fell 200 feet to Yerba Buena Island.
Meanwhile at City Hall, property owners and tenant rights advocates continue last week’s debate on how extending just cause eviction laws will affect the rental market. If the former argue it will decrease their incentive to be landlords and to rent, the latter argue that the amount of new housing construction proves otherwise.
“We can use a reprieve for a minute, it might be okay,” said Supervisor Sophie Maxwell in response to all the new construction.
Across the way, however, Mayor Gavin Newsom’s commitment to affordable housing is in the form of increased production – apparently he believes space is infinite. According to the 2008 Annual Housing Report recently released by the Mayor’s Office of Housing, 576 new affordable apartments were built. Not to mention, 4,792 new affordable homes and apartments are in the planning stages. This might explain some of the scaffolding we see around the Mission.
But having a stable roof over your head and a place to call home is the real prize. No one knows this better then Juan, a young man who has lived in detention centers intermittently since he was 10. Read Nina Goodby’s story on how Comunidad San Dimas, a catholic ecumenical community, tries to help.
As for the fate of immigrant youth, the Board of Supervisors will meet today to decide whether they will overturn Mayor Newsom’s veto of policy to restore due process to those who have committed a felony.
Back to where the worlds collide – the Land Use Committee room – a third meeting will take place on Nov. 23rd to finally decide on whether the new legislation on just cause evictions, pending amendments, will move forward. Supervisor Maxwell even showed some inclination towards the new measure, saying she was “ultimately not opposed” to it.
Out in the hallway I got a pleasant “Hey, how ya doing?” from Supervisor David Campos. I took it as a nod to MissionLoc@l.
Hi luchagrande,
It would be great to know the exact breakdown of the types of housing we have in the Mission.
Thank you.
“This might explain some of the scaffolding we see around the Mission”. All that scaffolding is not affordable housing. Valencia St, Chavez & Bartlett, Bryant & 20th, etc… are all market rate condos. Great story on your hands… inventory of market rate units, below market rate units (in which private developers are to provide 12%-15% “affordable” units to a family of four making up to 120 g’s), public affordable housing.