The mission district,San Francisco

to whom does the mission district belong

• latino community-catholic heritage longstanding entry point for south american migration to san francisco

• wealthy new white residents-mission popular with tech workers

• pushing up house prices-flat streets , sunny and gets less fog

• less busy in daytime-close to freeway and station

• niche food /lifestyle busniess and nightlife boom

• fear and reality of racism and conflict-evictions doubles and older residents die off

How and why have the demographic and cultural characteristics of Mission District, San Francisco changed?

• the percentage of latino population halved from 50% in 2000 to 40% in 2014

• there is still a high level of cultural diversity but it is changing because the white population has increased to be the dominant group due to tech workers

• from 1980 to 2003 totl population increased by 13% this was less than the rest of the city mainly because of the decrease in families in SF

• education levels have improved with 52% of people now having a collge degree compared to 18% in 1980

• median incomes have risen from 15,000 to 65,000 in 2012 but it is slightly low compared to the whole city

• median rents have increased

• The Ellis Act (California Government Code Chapter 12.75) is a California state law that allows landlords to evict residential tenants in order to “go out of the rental business”,

• overcrowding in the mission has significantly reduced Due to decrease in family households?

• For example, drug-related crimes dropped from over 2,000 in 2003 to just over 1,000 in 2013

what are the reason for all of these changes?

gentrification-buying and renovating properties in more run-down areas by wealthier individuals. often improves the economy but displaces lower income groups resulting in demographic and cultural change and conflict

How do insiders perceive, engage with and form attachments to Mission District, San Francisco?

old residents-multi cultural,diverse, artistic,lower income groups, a place of conflict

new residents attracted to the climate, amenities, and cultural richness,accessibility of the mission district,a trendy place to be

How do outsiders perceive, engage with and form attachments to Mission District, San Francisco?

local government-keen to promote the mission a place for everyone

toursits-misture of views,some commenting on the climate,cultural and artistic richness but some concerned with crime,drugs and homelessness and environmental degredation

How are the meanings of Mission District, San Francisco bound up with different identities, perspectives and experiences?

Whilst there are shared meanings of the Mission District (climate, cultural richness, artistic) there are clear differences in perspective between old and new residents. Old, lower income, Latino residents want to maintain their home and its liberal, diverse culture with affordable housing, whilst new residents are keen to see the area grow economically with luxury housing for a high standard of living and they are less concerned about the loss of ethnic diversity.

How is San fransisco represented by different forms of media?

La Mission film - The film represents the Mission District as a multi-cultural, particularly Latino community, with violent gangs, a strong community, and a gay minority community. The film presents tensions caused by homophobia. Also captures the split between the white and Hispanic population

Tourist agency material - San Francisco Travel promotes the city to visitors and tourists as the oldest neighborhood, historic, hottest new restaurants and galleries, a sunny outlook, a large concentration of murals

Monica Galvan (photography)-shows the modernized version of the district with modern art, coffee shops

Murals captures the colorful Latino community and the reactions to the gentrification but the values of tech entrepreneurs are not captured

How does media give contrasting images to that presented formally or statistically?

Many of the media representations of the Mission District are very similar e.g. the artistic and multi-cultural representation can be seen in modern paintings, photographs, tourist brochures, architectural diversity, and graffiti (art murals). The impact of gentrification is also heard in the songs, poems, and the culture map. However, there are some differences e.g. the historical images which show the Mission District as a center for trade and manufacturing. This is less represented today.

This contrasts to the statistics, many of which suggest that gentrification positively impacts the economy and society.

or

older media such as murals and songs tend to contrast with the quantitative data as the mission district has changed since they were made. Newer media such as the film La Mission match the data as they show the tension between the older and the newer residents

summary of cartographic and census evidence describing the mission district

• 42% white,40% Hispanic population

• 52% college college-educated/only 17% have no high school diploma

• low crime rates eg only 500 burglaries in 2013

• highest rates of Ellis Act evictions (71 in the mission district sf 40 in the next highest district

How are different external agencies attempting to influence or create specific place-meanings and shape the actions and behaviours of others?

SF Travel Association - Vision -local and internal

ensure that SF is the most compelling destination in the world,they have popularized many slogans through out its history

The '70s and '80s were closely linked to the phrase, "Everybody's Favorite City." In 2004 San Francisco Travel introduced its "Only in San Francisco" campaign. In 2014, the theme became “Never the same.  Always San Francisco.” An example of Rebranding.

whose actions or behaviours are they shaping

visitors and tourists and tourist industry businesses

visit and spend in the city

SF government-global and external

at the heart of the mission action plan 2020

the vision of a thriving mission district is a healthy and safe community for families and children,local neighborhood-serving businesses , community nonprofits and cultural organizations,it should be a community with opportunities to prosper economically and find a permanent and affordable home

whose actions or behaviours are they shaping

local residents,businesses and organisations ,locate invest and employ in the city

people organizing to demand environmental and economic justice PODER - local and internal

a grassroots organization that works to create people-powered solutions to the profound environmental and economic inequities facing low-income Latino immigrants and other communities of color in SF e.g advances in public health, the availability of affordable housing, access to parks and open space, and accountable government

whose actions or behaviours are they shaping

low income latino immigrants and other communites of colour

mission anti displacement coalition-local and internal

formed in order to fight hte neighbourhood displacement brought upon the neighbourhood by the tech start ups and evictions of the dot come boom in late 1990s

whose actions are they shaping

long term residents

new investors

SF government

stop the evictions and build affordable rental properties

how can agencies influence the meaning and representation of mission distrcit?

Some groups of people can strongly influence the meaning and representation of the place.

For example, the San Francisco government controls planning laws and, therefore the Mission District's architectural representation. Their planning laws have allowed gentrification, changing the Mission District's meaning.

Also PODER, they are arguing that there is a real struggle within low-income Latino communities, this representation is creating a place with inequality and a high number of low-income population by capturing the needs of the district, advances in public health, availability of affordable housing

But some groups have less influence than others. For example, there are active pressure groups e.g. the Mission Anti-displacement Coalition which have had very limited success in preventing gentrification changing the meaning of the Mission District.

Different groups create different meanings. For example, San Francisco Travel aims to create a positive meaning to attract tourists to the arty, foodie, multicultural district, whereas the Mission Anti-displacement Coalition creates a negative meaning of conflict and protest.

What are the past processes of development in Mission District, San Francisco?

• Religious development: 18^th Century Spanish missionaries arrived

• Economic development: California Gold Rush (1848–1855)

• Social development 1940s-90s immigration, especially Latinos

How have they influenced the social and economic characteristics of Mission District, San Francisco and therefore its present meaning?

• Religious development: 18^th Century Spanish missionaries arrived

• 18^th Century Spanish missionaries arrived: It has encouraged the growth of a Christian community in the district. The historic Mission building attracts tourists to visit 

• murals

strong influence

• Economic development: California Gold Rush (1848–1855)

• It has created a multi-cultural society as it caused international immigration into the district. It started the inequalities in wealth that persist today.

• welcoming to outsiders ,shown in anthony holdworth

• weak influence

• Social development 1940s-90s immigration, especially Latinos

It means there is a concentration of Latino ethnic groups in the district and many are low-income groups

17% no high school diploma

known as Mexico towns ,retained in murals similar to kais story

• strong influence

What are the present processes of development in Mission District, San Francisco?

Dotcom boom 1995-2001

economic development late 1990s -gentrification

Rapid growth of the internet sector causing growth of the high-tech global industry in Silicon Valley, SF. Key players e.g. Apple, Microsoft, Google, Facebook. It caused an influx of investment and the movement of higher-income, usually White, residents into previously low-income, multi-cultural areas in the Mission District

• Many commute to work in Silicon Valley. The new residents were attracted to the climate, amenities, cultural richness and accessibility of the Mission District. This has caused gentrification, which has changed the culture as it has increased the proportion of the white ethnic group, it has decreased household size, decreased crime and  it has increased the average income and increased house prices. The Mission District is increasingly home to affluent, white people employed in the technology industry. It is also making the district a place of conflict and protest as the local Latinos resist the changes.

assess the importance of past and present processes of development in influencing the present meaning of the mission district

2 contrasting views

• past processes of development remain an important influence on the present meaning of the mission district because past processes shaped the district with Latino culture which is retained throughout the district and is seen in murals, Christian community, etc,

  However present processes of development are strongly reshaping the present meaning because it has started to change the culture, reshape it into a more affluent and techie place with high house and rent prices

  overall past processes of catholic and Latino culture have a higher influence than slowly gentrified district

• Some of the past processes of development have had an important influence on the social characteristics and present meaning of the Mission District. For example, Latino immigration. Some of the past processes of development are less important today, but they still have some influence over the society and economy, for example, the arrival of Spanish Missionaries means that there is a Christian community. However, present 21st Century processes of gentrification are increasingly important because they are strongly reshaping the meaning

  
  

what is Californias place meaning

• outdoor/activities

• opportunities

• wealthy and affluent

• beachy

• optimistic

• happy

• freedom and diversity

• sunny environment

what is san franciscos place meaning?

• high tech

• highly urbanised

• edgy

• business

• distinct localities

• creating diversity overall

what is mission districts place meaning

• latino/diverse

• old

• murals

• specialised restaurants

• local-different cultures

• nightlife

endonegous factors

the characteristics of the place itself or factors which have originated internally

e.g

• population

• buildings and architecture

• land use

• location

• socio-cultural characteristics

• economic characteristics

exogenous factors

the external factors that contribute to the character of place

e.g

• flows of people

• flows of resources

• flows of money and investment

• links to other places

the extent of change in the demographic, socio-economic, and cultural characteristics of the mission district

overall, there is a large extent of change, people are more educated and fewer crimes are happening, house prices are 9 times more expensive

however,it is still highly influenced by the Latino community

gentrification

is the influx of investment and higher income, usually white, residents to areas with low income , often minority, residents

impact of gentrification in the mission

• decrease in population (54,428 in 2000 to 51,578 in 2013) due to fewer families

• share of family households dropped from 52% in 1980 to 38% in 2013

• Latino population decreased from 44% in 1980 to 38% in 2013

• percentage of residents aged 25 or older with a degree increased from 18% in 1980 to 52% in 2013 and the percentage of residents without high school diplomas decreased from 41% to 17%

• median family income has risen from 41,739 in 1980 to 76762 in 2013

dot come and social media boom 1995-

• tech sector workers prefer to live in districts like the mission

• 1988 law removed planning restrictions on live/work spaces for artists.Used to convert industrial areas to expensive live/work spaces for tech sector workers

impacts of dot com

• industrial businesses replaced by office space for tech companies because they would pay higher rents

• vacancy rates became extremely low by 2000 which enabled landlords to raise rents

• high rents prevent low-income households from moving into the district

• the portion of rented homes declined from 87% to 76%

the ellis act

• california state law 1985 that allows landlors to evict tenants building wide by removing the building from the rental market for 5 years after this time they can re rent at market rents

impacts of the ellis act

• increase in home owners from 13% to 24% reflects ellis act condo conversions

• ellis act evictions are highest when demand for housing is highest

• ellis act evictions are rising again as economy recovers with social media boom

• ellist act evictions are higher in mission than any other district

public investment

• Valencia streetscape project: $6.1m

• expanded and beautified sidewalks resurfaced and restriped the street with bike lanes

• none of the public works include permanent housing affordability for existing residents

impacts of public investment

there are twice as many businesses in 16th street compared to 24th Street

16th Street has developed a strong nighttime economy attracting customers from across the city

24th street businesses were more locally serving and have declined as the local population decline.50% of the businesses that closed between 2007-2010 were Hispanic-owned

evaluate the exogenous factors driving change in the mission district

• dot com (decisions of TNC)-the biggest factor as it brought tech sector workers to the district mission and decreased the local Latinos as they have changed industrialized places into expensive living spaces and increased housing rent, can out-compete the existing population.

• however, young modern disposable-income population individuals attracted to culture7

• The Ellis act ( governmental policy )is the second most important factor because many low-income people renting had to move out, these places were filled with higher-income people, may have decreased population and facilities change

• However, the government not allow new housing to be built in sufficient numbers to increase the supply

• Public investment (governmental policy) is the least important because the mission economics changing from the light industry to the service industry in response to the needs and lifestyle of tech workers

• however, its reinforcing the attractiveness of the mission to tech workers rather than causing their influx

vision for 1979 mission development

maximus real estate partners an investment and development company in the san francisco bay area

• 290 new rental apartments and 41 affordable for sale workforce homes

• 32,000 gsf of retail

• wider sidewalks,additional trees,and planters to replace blank walls and a parking lot for safer pedestrian routes

why?

the young kids don’t want to own they want to be in hip place to live,they want services

opposition from plaza 16

residents, businesses, and community organizations from the 16th and mission neighborhood and mission district

• oppose the largest market-rate development in the history of the mission. They demand that the planning commission and the city of san Fransico reject all market-rate housing developments in the mission unit housing for the poor and working class is fully restored

why?

they think the development will push rapid gentrification of their neighbourhood .they don’t want to lose their neighborhood culture they don’t wany any more of their neighbors displaced

referring to the 1979 mission development and the Plaza 16 opposition assess how the locale of the mission district is changing

Predominately white tech workers displace Latino community: younger richer fewer families,1979 mission has 290 new markets rent apartments and only 41 affordable for-sale workforce homes

this creates an atmosphere of conflict plaza 16 are fighting against the loss of its Latino community they do not want any more neighbors displaced/traditional Latino shops are shutting down and replaced by hippies and it is busier at night/ more lively

How has Mission District, San Francisco been shaped by past and present connections regionally?

• Area inhabited by the Yelamu Native American tribe. They inhabited the region for over 2,000 years. They are part of the Ohlone people who occupied the coastline around San Francisco Bay. The culture of Yelamu people no longer exists so has little influence on today. It is part of the historical character of the place.

• 1906 San Francisco Earthquake: The Mission District remained largely intact following earthquake, therefore many displaced businesses and residents moved into the area, changing it from an elite neighbourhood to working class

• 1970-1980s Murals and music industry develops - Growth of artistic communities and murals. A lively punk nightlife developed along the Valencia Street corridor and the neighbourbood was dubbed “the New Bohemia’ by the San Francisco Chronicle

• The Ellis Act in 1985: This is a 1985 state law that allows landlords to evict tenants from a building by removing it from the rental market entirely OR for 5 years. After 5 years they are allowed to rent apartments at the market rate.It has caused a sharp increase in evictions in the Mission District - investors are buying properties, evicting the tenants and converting them to Condos for sale to private homeowners or for later rental. In 2009-13, 71 Ellis Act Eviction Notices were recorded in the Mission District. The highest figure in San Francisco. The reduction is rental properties has increased rental value. This has forced many long-term residents to leave the Mission District

• Bryant Square is an entire city block in San Francisco’s Northeast Mission district. Upon acquisition the property was comprised of seven buildings on 1.77 acres. SKS converted it into 76 residential condominium units and 45 loft condo units. Founded in 1992, SKS  is an investor, developer and advisor of commercial real estate properties in the western United States. This SKS development evicted working class tenants, artists, and small neighbourhood businesses – the process of gentrification

How has Mission District, San Francisco been shaped by past and present connections nationally?

• Efficient national infrastructure provides good accessibility for the Mission District. It is on US Route 101. 

• Late 1990s-present: Gentrification - Young urban professionals moved into the Mission District due to the growth of Silicon valley. Raising rent, housing prices, and resulting in out-migration of Latino American families and artists. The Latino population has dropped by over 20% in a decade. However, the Mission District still have a reputation for art and the Latino population are resisting the change

How has Mission District, San Francisco been shaped by past and present connections internationally?

• 18th Century Spanish missionaries arrived - founded the Mission San Francisco de Asís, or Mission Dolores, reportedly using Ohlone slave labour. The Native American population dropped from 400-50 between 1833-1841, the beginning of the end of the Yelamu culture. It shaped the place with historical mission buildings and a religious character, both of which persist today.

• California Gold Rush (1848–1855) During the Gold Rush, entertainments grew in the Mission District including bull and bear fighting, horseracing, baseball, duelling and a zoo at Woodward’s Gardens. Mission lands were developed and subdivided into housing plots of working-class immigrants, largely German, Irish and Italian and for industrial uses.

• Post Gold Rush to early 1900s: Developing industry and infrastructure attracted immigrants creating a diverse population, including the white elite

• 1940s-1960s: Mexican immigration - Large numbers of Mexican immigrants moved in the area for labour during and after WWII the Mission developed a heavily Latino character.

• 1960s-70s: Immigration - The diverse multicultural community attracted diddle-class young people moved in, including gay and lesbian people, alongside the existing LGBT Latino population.

• 1980-1990s Immigration - The Mission District received a high influence of immigrants and refugees from Central America, the Middle East and South America fleeing civil wars and political instability. They brought in many Central American banks and companies that set up branches, offices and regional headquarters.

• Late 1990s-present: Gentrification - Young urban professionals moved into the Mission District due to the growth of Silicon valley. Raising rent, housing prices, and resulting in out-migration of Latino American families and artists. The Latino population has dropped by over 20% in a decade. However, the Mission District still have a reputation for art and the Latino population are resisting the change

overall what is more important in shaping mission district past or present connections?

past connections are more important because it is what defines the mission district, and what it is known for, and people want to retain this culture.

culture is long-lasting lasting-Mexican immigration 1960s but still dominates the identity of the mission- cultures shape the built environment and endure cathedral/murals,the past creates place name mission due to the original missionaries

or

present connections are more significant in shaping the mission district due to the exogenous factors of gentrification it is a driving force of change in the mission district,present creates a locale of high-earning young tech workers - they came to work for multinational companies such as Facebook, their income is double the average income of normal workers in the mission district

due to the Ellis Act, local workers have been evicted as the tech workers can afford higher rents in the district which has resulted in the outmigration of Latino families and artists

gentrification has also caused an influx of new services like Uber and other app-based services which is having a detrimental effect on the sense of community that had existed in the past