How much more can we take? It's time to fight back!

By Tahnee Stair

This year 35,000 people applied for the 1,500 subsidized Section 8 housing vouchers given to San Franciscans. Landlords in the real-estate market are not required to accept the vouchers. Only 88 housing developments in San Francisco are mandated to accept the vouchers. They are full to capacity and many of their residents are elderly and disabled. The Federal contracts ensuring these Section 8 units are set to expire at the end of this year. Because of a law passed in 1996 owners of these buildings will be able to sell the property on the market. San Francisco could loose 8,000 units of low income housing by the end of the year! So far only a few Landlords have stated they will evict low income tenants. But in the midst of this real-estate boom we can count on the Landlords to try to make as much profit as they can at the expense of the poor.

The HOPE VI program has systematically destroyed low income HUD housing projects - contributing to the racist removal of African American and other communities of color from San Francisco. In the cites HOPE VI has been implemented the result has been mass evictions, the destruction of public housing, and fewer units being rebuilt. Some of the new units will be rented to higher income tenants than before and people are subject to a screening process in order to return.

In June voters passed Measure L. The advisory measure called for Presidio housing to be used for the homeless. Instead a deal was struck with local universities to rent to students. $20 million dollars of the students rents will be used to actually destroy already existing Presidio housing! Vacant housing should immediately be made available to the homeless and low income families.

Band Aid legislation has been passed by the city preventing landlords from immediately raising rents in the 88 units whose Section 8 contracts will expire - but the rent will eventually rise. Despite the city budget surplus of $1.2 million, no city money was spent on creating affordable housing. The rate of new housing units being built is less than half of what it was a decade ago. Most of these are live/work lofts affordable only to the rich. A proposal for the city to provide funding for rent subsidies is in the works. Though every little bit helps, the $5 million dollar program would only be a drop in the bucket, and can not end the crisis. Lack of affordable housing is symptomatic of a lack of jobs and living wages. We need a comprehensive union jobs program, and a living wage of $10/hr for all.

Affordable housing is a right! Let's create and defend legislation to roll back rents. Tax landlord speculators and corporations to fund affordable housing, end homelessness, and provide for people's needs.

Vote Yes on Prop G which will make permanent a moratorium on evictions for the elderly, terminally ill, and disabled. Let's make all evictions illegal! A home is a right! Fight back! Join the Tahnee Stair for S.F. Supervisor Campaign today!