by Nube Brown, Editor
On my technique to the workplaces of the San Francisco Bay View Nationwide Black newspaper, Thursday, Sept. 29, I acquired a textual content from Dennis Williams of No Racism No Hate saying: “Half of Plaza East on Larch Manner within the Fillmore is with out scorching water. Water is popping out chilly and brown. Water heater is being changed, however staff simply stated they put in a boiler however suppose a homeless particular person broke it already.
“Residents are at my door and calling me saying their youngsters, infants can’t be with out water for any extra days!”
Chilly, brown water! Is that this Jackson, Mississippi? Flint, Michigan? No, it’s the Fillmore, in San Francisco, California.
So, a number of questions come to thoughts. Do the Plaza East residents have clear working water or not? Do the Plaza East residents have scorching water or not? Why is that this multi-billion greenback housing developer simply now caring for repairs which were wanted for years – “after Supervisor Dean Preston gave the billion greenback slumlord firm $3 million to finish repairs?” reported Dennis.
Why is that this outsider slumlord nonetheless in our neighborhood abusing us and lastly – and maybe most significantly – what would this scene appear like if we had Black builders, Black neighborhood members, Black contractors, and so on., employed to take care of the wants of our neighborhood?
Right here’s what Dennis needed to say and steered we do most instantly:
Dennis: It’s been an eventful day within the Fillmore, from police harassment and raids this morning at 5 a.m. to an entire row of models, individuals who have been with out [hot water]. I didn’t know all the main points as a result of I’m on the opposite aspect of the road now. My unit on the opposite aspect of the road has been abated by DBI, which is the Division of Constructing Inspections, so you may simply kinda really feel what we’re dwelling in – uninhabitable dwelling situations, as a lawyer would say.
Anyhow, as you already know, I’m one of many neighborhood leaders, so I’m getting emails, cellphone calls, knocks at my door of all races; that’s why I named my grassroots group, No Racism No Hate San Francisco, for that purpose alone. So, what’s occurring right here is individuals having brown water for 3 to 4 days is what Ms. Danita Flores instructed me, and he or she has two younger youngsters.
One baby is 2 years previous who’s alleged to have a birthday celebration on Saturday. I didn’t even find out about this. It’s not like notices got here within the door or something to inform individuals.
A 12 months in the past, Dean Preston, together with London Breed, gave MBS $3 million of taxpayers’ cash, San Francisco’s cash, for speedy repairs.
The flip-side of what’s been occurring is the corporate McCormack Baron Salazar (MBS), the billion-dollar out of state slumlord, is altering the boilers. Why are they altering them now? As a result of our lawsuit is heating up in courtroom. Our trial was alleged to be Nov. 30 for over 25 residents who’re suing for points like uninhabitable dwelling situations, pests, black mildew, safety and security causes, all varieties of issues – which for those who perceive the Black neighborhood, all of us take care of these similar points, and what’s taking place proper now.
A 12 months in the past, Dean Preston, together with London Breed, gave MBS $3 million of taxpayers’ cash, San Francisco’s cash, for speedy repairs after among the information articles got here out, particularly one that you simply put out for me, thanks a lot – the neighborhood appreciated that – and those that got here out within the San Francisco Public Press and the Chronicle.
Nube: What wouldn’t it appear like if Black contractors, builders, and so on., had been employed?
We may rent the troubled youth of the neighborhood. Employment is an antidote to crime. Our younger individuals may be paid, and it’ll deliver delight, cultural delight: “Did we simply receives a commission for doing one thing locally?” This by no means occurs! It’s 2022. Spending $100 or $50 for barbecues at these little summer season packages and issues for these youngsters shouldn’t be sufficient. These youngsters find out about $150, $200 sneakers. Let’s pay them accordingly.
We’ve got over virtually 200 models right here at Plaza East; meaning 100 backyards. They’re cleansing the backyards, weed-whacking and eradicating rubbish. That’s it! Nothing else. They’re paying a Latino firm $800 to $1,200 per yard!
Within the Black communities, billions of {dollars} are being allotted for growth in Sunnydale, Potrero Hill, Fillmore, but no Black contractors have contracts!
You instances that by 100, that’s $80,000 to $120,000 that they’re stealing from our communities. It’s over 20 youth, numerous ages and younger adults, that might’ve beloved to try this work and it might’ve helped them see, “Look, we’re doing one thing constructive! We’re bettering our neighborhood, and we had been paid! That’s manner higher than going to interrupt into someone’s automotive for a pair {dollars}.
These tales gotta come out. Within the Black communities, billions of {dollars} are being allotted for growth in Sunnydale, Potrero Hill, Fillmore, but no Black contractors have contracts! We’re alleged to be millionaires! We’re alleged to be coming out millionaires!
There’re Black girls which can be inside designers! Decorators! They’re alleged to be designing a few of these buildings. Millionaires, 10-hundred-thousand-aires – see how that’s altering? You would assist your youngsters, you might assist your nephews and nieces, you might assist your grandma, your mama. However they’re taking that away from us.
We’re struggling; our children are struggling. Adults. There are males that want jobs. They all the time say get a enterprise, begin a enterprise; we’ve been instructed this our whole lives. Properly I’ve one, and so many others, Sterling Framers and so many others. Why are we not being employed after we are, on paper, over-qualified?
If you happen to’re in public housing in San Francisco, low revenue housing, get a lawyer.
Nube: Dennis, contemplating each the speedy and long-term points, what are you asking the Individuals to do now?
Dennis: Okay, for those who’re in public housing in San Francisco, low revenue housing, get a lawyer. Sue for the situations that you simply’re staying in and that they’ve saved you in for thus a few years. That’s one.
Nube: Can this even be a class-action?
Dennis: No, by no means do a class-action. That is what I discovered, and I obtained over $100,000 from this firm two years in the past. And I’m suing once more as a result of I didn’t waive my rights and so they saved me in these situations. See? We are able to out-smart them. By no means do a class-action in a metropolis like San Francisco when the legal professionals are the individuals at Metropolis Corridor.
Nube: Particular person go well with, Individuals. Proper now we’ve chilly, brown water. You’ve gotten the appropriate to sue.
Dennis: Secondly, we’ve to get on our supervisors. I don’t care what district you’re in. However undoubtedly get on our supervisors to demand that we’ve Black actual property builders, Black contractors to construct our communities. Redevelopment is all the things. And likewise, we wish our communities for ourselves.
Name Supervisor Dean Preston at 415-554-7630 and Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton at 415-554-7670.
Dennis: Oh! The San Francisco Giants have a 1.5 billion challenge – there may be not one Black particular person on there. These items is prison! Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, these individuals made that company into what it’s immediately. Think about, think about. Thanks.
Editor’s observe: We are going to proceed to comply with this story, in fact. However search for the continuing sequence of tales we intend to cowl from Dennis Williams relating to the Metropolis’s refusal to rent native Black contractors, Black actual property builders, neighborhood members, and so on. We would like our communities again!
Bay View Editor Nube Brown is a creating New Afrikan, abolitionist and Liberate the Caged Voices columnist. She hosts Jail Focus Radio on KPOO 89.5 San Francisco and KPOO.com each Thursday 11:00 to midday and likewise broadcasts Bay View TV Breaking Information on Instagram @sfbayview each weekday morning from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. Join along with her at nube@sfbayview.com.
