The Central SoMa Plan represents a plan by and for developers, not the existing community in the South of Market. The plan prioritizes office space for tech companies and new luxury, market-rate housing.

Since 1992, Orlando De Vera, the Bustos family, and the Bonifacio family have lived in the apartments at 657-659 Natoma Street. Mr. De Vera says they “all came from the village of Masantol near Angeles City in the Philippines” and recreated their village within the walls of their adopted home.

The Excelsior district is one of the last remaining neighborhoods in San Francisco that has a large concentration of working-class Filipino and Latino families. Despite the current challenges of gentrification and displacement, there are ways to mitigate these ongoing threats and stabilize vulnerable populations.

On the evening of July 3rd, as Downtown office workers headed home amidst rush hour, tenants facing eviction, advocates, and concerned community members gathered in front of multi-millionaire landlord Michael Cheung’s condominium to protest his Ellis Act eviction court orders served to the multi-generational families at 657-659 Natoma Street.