Community Demands Emergency Hearings

Hunter's Point community voiced their concerns about their health and environment



One after another, concerned citizens approached the podium at the San Francisco City Hall Legislative Chamber to voice solidarity with the Bay View Hunter’s Point District in support of justice.

Close to 500 people from all over the Bay Area spilled out into the North Light Court of the city hall on September 15, 2009 at the Board of Supervisors meeting that took place on the second floor chambers. They were there to address a number of issues that plague communities of color, the Bay View in particular.

“Why do you ignore the obvious,” asked Fulu Tuiasosopo, a representative of the Samoan community, addressing Lennar and its relation to the asbestos exposure at Parcel A, of the Hunter’s Point Shipyard. “All you’re doing is delaying the dilemma until new people [with money] move in.”

The residents of Bay View Hunter’s Point believe that they were contaminated by asbestos containing rock that was drilled up by the developer, Lennar Corporation. The residents of Bayview Hunter’s Point in San Francisco, California are exposed to a large amount of toxic waste everyday. The residents have reported that their children are having a hard time breathing and their eyes turned blood shot red during the three month period that Lennar said that their monitors were broken. The dust was so thick from the drilling that you could see it in the air, BVHP witnesses said.

According to the community, Lennar has proven difficult to regulate or to hold accountable at “Parcel A” in BVHP. From April 2007 to August 2007, Lennar, which is a contractor that builds houses, reported that their systems “stopped working” and they were unable to report the levels of asbestos that the people in that area were exposed to. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) fined Lennar $515,000. This money has yet to be given to the people of BVHP.

“I have seen people get nose bleeds out of no where,” said Tuiasosopo. “People are getting cancer and they don’t know why.”

Fulu Tuiasosopo brought his 20-year-old son, Denton Tuiasosopo, to the Supervisors’ meeting so he could be educated on the issues that people in BVHP community are facing.

“I see the violence and poverty, and the war on drugs is not the answer,” Denton said. “It’s an economics issue. How are people supposed to get money if there are no jobs?”

One of the main organizing forces behind the convergence that took place at the city hall is the Nation of Islam’s local chapter in San Francisco, headed by Minister Christopher Muhammad. They are calling their movement “Caravan for Justice” and people from different parts of the world are getting involved. The Caravan for Justice has established many connections with other organizations that are geared toward education, social justice and civil rights issues. They have lobbied at SF City Hall and Sacramento Capitol building as well as held weekly town hall meetings in various places in the Bay Area. The meetings started taking off at the beginning of the year after Oscar Grant’s death at the West Oakland BART station.

“It takes the hood to save the hood,” were the words that were written on the backs of the many United Playaz’ t-shirts who were in attendance.

“We are organizing to save the hood,” stated Rudy Valentino, the founding director of United Playaz. “If we don’t stand up for our community, who will?”

United Playaz is a violence prevention and youth-led leadership program that works with San Francisco youth through outreach programs and has been around for 15 years.

E’Dreana Black, 21, was a student at Thurgood Marshall Academic High School when she was introduced to UP. After her graduation in 2006, she decided to stay with UP and she is now working with the organization as a Psychology Coordinator and conflict mediator.

“Now, I really understand the value of education,” she said. “There are students who come over here from different countries and dominate in our classes. I think its time that my community step up and take advantage too.”

After waiting to hear the different agendas on property taxes and environmental findings that the Board of Supervisors had to discuss for almost two hours, the people of the community were able to speak. They were each given two minutes to speak, some spoke beyond that point.

Minister Christopher Muhammad was among one of the first to address the Board of Supervisors. President David Chiu had to restore order after the crowd raised and applauded.

“I think that at a certain point this community is going to need some emergency hearings,” said Minister Christopher Muhammad. “Men are being criminalized, families are being evicted and policies coming straight from this city hall are running gentrification programs all over Northern California.”

Shawna Sanchagrin, 25, program coordinator of the California Coalition for Women Prisoners expressed her solidarity with the Bay View. She expressed her concern that the number of black women in prison is on the rise. According to the Drug Policy Alliance Network, the problem of women in prison is directly tied to current U.S. drug policy. The Bureau of Prisons reports that almost 80% of the female populations being incarcerated are serving time for drug related offenses. She said that she was concerned about the impact that this statistic is having on the black community.

Jaron Browne from POWER (People Organized to Win Employment Rights) was in attendance at the meeting as well. He expressed their concern about California Senate Bill 792, a bill state Sen. Mark Leno introduced that would allow the state of California to sell 42 acres of state parkland on the shoreline at Candlestick Point in Bay View Hunter’s Point for private condominium development. She believes Lennar represents “corporate greed.”

“We want to make sure that Lennar delivers on their promises,” Browne asked. “They’ve had a poor practice of engaging the Bay View community.”

The Chinese Progressive Association, an organization that caters to low-income Chinese immigrants, announced solidarity as well.

“The Bayview has the highest asthma rates in the city,” said the representative of CPA. “All while having the least amount of access to healthcare, hospitals and health clinics.”

“My cousin died of cancer and my uncle died a couple days later,” said Lonnie Mason. “I feel that I’ve paid for that dirt up there.”

Back in the 2000 citywide elections, Proposition P was the largest vote getters on the ballot. The mandate that over 200,000 San Franciscans voted in favor of demanded the navy to clean up the shipyard in BVHP.

The shipyard was closed in 1974. The land has since been divided into six parcels. Prop. P stated that San Franciscans want no compromise on health concerns for residents of the surrounding BVHP district and future residents and workers of the shipyard. Proponents note that Bayview residents are afflicted with the highest levels of cancer, respiratory diseases and other illnesses in San Francisco such as headaches, nosebleeds, and stillbirths.

Lennar was chosen by the city as its master developer for the redevelopment of San Francisco. Lennar, a Miami-based housing corporation has different housing projects all over the country and is one of the largest home developers in the country. Reports have shown that Lennar has suffered financially from a number of homes going unsold which may make future ventures harder to accomplish.

During the testimony single mother and author, Neessee Joshua, 31-year Bayview resident, approached the podium and began to address Sophie Maxwell who is the supervisor of the Bayview District.

“Please refrain from addressing a member of the board directly,” asked President Chiu while pounding the gavel.

The woman said that Maxwell never “had her back." There was an outbreak of about 12 people between the city hall security and representatives from the community after one of the sheriff police tried to restrain Joshua who refused to leave the podium and continued speaking her agenda. Sophie Maxwell intervened and asked President Chiu’s permission for the woman to finish.

Sophie Maxwell responded to the heated situation by stating that she did not take Joshua’s comments personally.

“There are a lot of changes taking place and the people in Bay View need to get themselves prepared,” said Maxwell after the testimonials. “My main concerns for my district are economic development and to have a healthy, clean environment.”