Rhea Serna's blog

On July 14, 2008 I testified at a public hearing in front of the City of San Francisco Land Use and Economic Development Committee. The proposed legislation will update the City’s Condo Conversion Below Market Rate (BMR) program and bring it in line with the existing BMR program. Over 40 BMR owners and activists testified both in support and against the proposed legislation. After much impassioned discussion the Committee decided to put the legislation to a continuance so that the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH) can do more research. If the Committee approves the legislation the full Board of Supervisors will then decide whether 550 BMR condo conversion units will be permanently preserved as affordable housing units in San Francisco. These units are scattered throughout the city including the Mission district.

I attended the 2008 Democracy at Work Conference organized by the United States Federation of Worker Cooperatives. This was the Federation’s third national conference. The conference was held in New Orleans as a result of the Federation’s commitment to support cooperative rebuilding efforts as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

I am working with the Mission Anti-displacement Coalition (MAC) to ensure that the Mission District Community Planning Process will include more affordable housing for low and very low-income residents, as well as economic development policies which will make the Mission a livable and sustainable neighborhood for immigrants and working families. This is important because the last time the Commission rezoned the Mission was 50 years ago.

On Thursday, June 12, 2008 the City of San Francisco Planning Commission was scheduled to hold a hearing on what is known as the Eastern Neighborhoods Program. The neighborhoods included in this rezoning effort are: the Mission, Showplace Square/Potrero Hill, the Central Waterfront, and East South of Market (SOMA). The hearing was scheduled to start promptly at 3:30. Over 30 residents and activists were gathered outside of City Hall strategizing on how to approach the Planning Commissioners with our proposed amendments to the City’s Area Plans and to present the “People’s Plan for Housing, Jobs, and Community.”