The Hoodline news-and-lifestyle blog has been keeping important watch on Les Natali, whom I've dubbed the Blight King of the Castro for all of his empty store fronts and buildings in the gayborhood.
On September 5th, Hoodline reported that Natali's property at 18th and Collingwood that currently houses the tasty and friendly Zapata! Mexican restaurant, will soon lose the popular eatery. Restaurant owner Jorge Perez said Natali offered a very short-term lease renewal that was a bad business deal for him so he's vacating the space in mid October.
Just more blight for San Francisco's LGBT district and I've not heard a peep of protest lately from any of the current gay electeds who've taken Natali's donations for their political campaigns.
State senator Mark Leno, whose district includes the Castro, has accepted a total of $16,500 from Natali for his runs for assembly and senate, and his campaign for lieutenant governor in 2018, according to public records at the California Secretary of State's site. The donations came either from Natali himself or his business Natali Inc.
Locally, District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener took in a total of $2,500 from either Natali or his business for his seat on the Democratic County Central Committee and his supervisorial reelection effort in 2014, as documented by San Francisco Ethics Commission records. The Castro's City Hall rep sure would send a loud message to Natali if he returned those amounts, in protest of the continuing blight.
And finally, Mission District Supervisor David Campos received $300 from Natali for his unsuccessful bid for the state assembly, according to state records.
Actually, it would be a stronger message if not just the Castro supervisor but also Leno and Campos, gave back the money from Natali and united as three gay electeds to tell Natali it's time to end the blight his greed and empty businesses that are a curse to the Castro.
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