Petrelis Files

Latin Seniors at Planning Commish: 'Transit Service, Not Lip Service!'

About thirty-minutes into an informal Planning Commission forum at the Women's Building tonight, a couple of longtime Latin residents of the Mission yelled their complaints about the commission's process for implementing changes of a lot of public services and spaces in the Mission district.

Much of the evolution in the works from the commission and Muni for the Mission fails to address the deep, daily worries of long-term residents, small businesses and cultural venues without the deep pockets of the techies moving into the neighborhood. If you've got a six-figure income, copious cash in the bank and a robust savings-and-investment portfolio, you have little to worry about regarding your housing and basic needs.

Everyone else for whom the latest tech boom isn't providing affordable housing and crucial social services, because the profits of the sharing economy don't trickle down to thousands of ordinary San Francisco residents, has myriad reasons to worry about the planning process and goals.

As I learn the tricks of using my new video cameras, I ask you to bear with me on the shaky camera and audio recording. The important thing is I captured the voices and faces not only of those fine neighbors of mine letting out their pains and worries, impossible for the two dozen City workers to ignore, but also got on tape the applause and nodding heads of approval from others.

Act up, fight back, fight for the Mission!