Mayor Willie Brown (center) speaks shortly after the court filing to stop the surprise sale of Frederick Douglass Haynes Gardens. Attorney Jonathan Holtzman (l), Rev. Dr. Amos Brown (right) and Preston Turner (far right).

San Francisco, July 30, 2015 - The housing storms continue to batter San Francisco. When heavy hitters, longtime city leaders step up to the plate to fight for affordable housing in San Francisco, it goes to show  just how bad things are.  

The perfect storm seems to be brewing in District 5 which is led by San Francisco Board of Supervisors President London Breed, who was on hand on Tuesday for the news conference held after the injunction to stop the sale of the affordable housing was ordered.  

The meeting Breed called at the West Bay Conference Center on Monday, July 27 was supposed to be about retaining the former Yoshi's/Addition Complex for economic development and the community's call to action to keep it from falling into the hands of speculators.  The complex was developed with tax dollars as an anchor in the Black Community of the Fillmore, a community that had been ravaged by the Redevelopment Agency.  The late LeRoy King, whose memorial at ILLWU Local 10 was held Saturday, was instrumental in the development of the complex and fought for the site to be an anchor for economic revitalization in the community.

The meeting Monday night suddenly had the community crying out about the impending illegal sale of the Frederick Douglass Haynes Gardens Apartments.  The complex of 104 units is located on Golden Gate Avenue and was created by public private partnership between Third Baptist Church and HUD.  When Mayor Willie L. Brown Jr. showed up and voiced his concern about the sale of the property announcing that a lawsuit would be filed the next day, Tuesday, July 28th in Superior Court, the connection between the two issues became evident.  

Reverend Arnold Townsend, an NAACP Vice President and resident of the Frederick Douglass Haynes Gardens, at both the West Bay Conference Center meeting and the press conference in front of Superior Court, characterized the battle.  "We live in the first period in history where the wealthy covet the homes of the poor," said Reverend Arnold Townsend, a resident of Frederick Douglass Haynes Garden. More is forth coming with the Internationalmediatv.com reports of the Yoshis/Addition Complex meeting.  

Here is a more extended look at Tuesday's news conference as Jackie Wright interviewed leaders. 

As one follows the money in San Francisco, it should be noted that one of the players in the attempt to obtain the Frederick Douglass Haynes Gardens is a seemingly benign group, LISC Bay Area (Local Initiatives Support Corporation).  They have put up a $3 million line of credit for the deal in the sale of the affordable housing complex that will result in rents increasing to between $3,000 a month for a one bedroom up to $7,000 a month for a four bedroom apartment. (See this jpeg of the email that shows LISC's Involvement).

LISC's brand motto: "Helping neighbors build communities."  The group has a very sharp and slick website that is filled with laudable examples of how its helping build affordable housing with Black faces prominent in their multicultural photos.   But their involvement in the surprise sale of the Frederick Douglass Haynes Gardens and the funding of the Broad Street Neighborhood Profile that has as a major finding that the 13 mostly Black churches along the Broad Street corridor hinder economic growth, makes me think of what the Prophet Habakkuk states: "They rejoice like those who feed on the poor in secret." There is obviously more than what meets the eye in LISC's dealings.

The Broad Street report prompted a recent article, "OMI Dreaming" in the neighborhood paper Ingleside Excelsior Light: http://www.ielightsf.com/2015/07/02/1696/ . It focused on the finding on page 5 or the report written by SF State student Daniel Marroquin and sponsored by the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, San Francisco Planning Department and LISC Bay Area: Page 5

The finding about the churches is an opinion that is not based on any empirical methodology.  Why were not the 9 empty storefronts listed under challenges for the neighborhood? (For a response to the Ingleside Excelsior Light article click here.)

It's my observation that no matter how benign LISC appears to be, by being involved in the deal to sale Frederick Douglass Haynes Gardens and setting up the undermining of the Black churches in the report they funded, they are no friend to the Black community.  One must ask who are the "neighbors" they are referring to in their motto.

In the midst of economic downsizing, rightsizing and turmoil, would it be beyond the greedy, to create confusion to run off with the goods.  Ponder that as you consider the former Yoshi's Complex that closed its doors although reportedly making millions annually, the attempted sale of the Frederick Douglass Haynes Gardens complex and the assessment that the Black churches in the OMI.  Those with resources, it's time to do a "due diligence" investigation.

I suggested at the Monday's meeting about the Yoshi's/Addition complex, that LISC should be engaged to provide funding to assist with obtaining the building so that it can be utilized by the Black community in the Fillmore for economic and workforce development. If LISC is truly in the business of "helping neighborhoods build communities," they should be first in line to assist with the efforts to regain the Yoshi's/Addition complex.

JUDGEMENT FROM A HIGHER AUTHORITY?

For those who skipped Bible study and Sunday School, this may get pass you.  But you can Google, Jezebel.   It's interesting to note that judgment didn't come down on Jezebel until she prepared documents that resulted in her stealing the property of Naboth for her husband King Ahab through a set up.  Although, Jezebel had done many egregious things including killing many prophets, it was her manipulation to get Naboth's land, that resulted in the prophetic word that dogs would lick her blood and there would be no body to bury.  The beginning of her end began when her husband sighed and wished for Naboth's land although he already owned lots of property.  He was the king. Jezebel satisfied Ahab's desire and they both met judgement.

"Everyone who lives in the Fillmore, Bayview Hunter's Point, Mission District and even Chinatown, be wary.  We live in the first period in history where the wealthy covet the homes and neighborhoods of the poor," said Reverend Arnold Townsend, a resident of Frederick Douglass Haynes Garden.

Keep in mind the Third Baptist Church lawsuit to save Frederick Douglass Haynes Gardens is to prevent more homelessness in San Francisco. Here at the seat of City Hall is a sad portrait of what is multiplying in San Francisco. Drive around other than Union Square and see the proliferation of homeless people with an increasing number of elderly. The Black churches are a hindrance to economic growth says the city in a report sponsored by the City and Bay Area LISC. Yet here is an example of a church taking action to keep 104 families from economic ruin. Instead of attacking the churches, the powers that be engage and empower the churches and other nonprofits to further stabilize families in San Francisco. Report Sponsored by City of San Francisco and Bay Area LISC.

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Remember the Community Reinvestment Act to make up for years of Redlining?

 

Economic empowerment must be more than brochures and classes on how to improve your credit. When organizations with money hand out brochures to empower the community yet use millions of dollars to undermine affordable housing in the name of building communities, "Houston, we've got a problem."

 

Don't forget the money that was supposed to get to homeowners because of the predatory loans and other deceptive banking practices?  Oh yeah, you got your brochure, but not a dime. 

 

After all the community meetings two years ago, whatever happened to the $10 millions to be invested in Bayview Hunter's Point?

 

"I'm Jus Askin'...." 

 

Related Information:

Church Suit News Release by Jason Overman, Barbary Coast Consulting

Supporting documents

Complaint Filed July 28, 2015Ex Parte Application

 

S.F. church accuses nonprofit it created of betrayal-San Francisco Chronicle Coverage

 

 

 

HOPES For Yoshi/Addition Complex

"San Francisco Return of the Renaissance In-Migration,"produced by Jacquie Taliaferro, Barry Dow, Majeid Crawford

 

 

 

 

D.M. Evans & Associates-Seminar on Recovering Real Estate Losses- August 15@ Bayview Library

 

 

ACCE-Resource for Homeowners Facing Foreclosure