Dignity for Old Town

We call on our city to invest in early childhood education and youth programs and use of biotech impact fees to be invested in Old Town. We also face the unthinkable threat of closing our only playground of Cypress Park (certainly, for more high-rise buildings). We call on our city to renovate and commit to preserving Cypress playground for all future generations and to invest in parks dedicated for the forgotten seniors.

Besides the decades-old inequalities, disparities and prejudices that our Spanish-speaking immigrant community continues to experience, we are now entering a new phase of approvals-without-conscience and utter disrespect of our historic area, as a direct result of the Biotech Capital of the World. All while the disconnect from our local government and biotech continues to grow. As displacement continues, residents facing housing insecurities have not been prioritized.

Although our community was left with the impression of newfound respect after the General Plan process, we continue to question our place in our own city. There are promises of prioritizing low-income residents with the thousands of units, including South San Francisco seniors for the planned 500 Linden project, even with full knowledge of the state and federal laws that motivate these unattainable units with purpose of “gaining points” for our city. Our city cannot attempt to correct the wrongs of the past with continued lack of dignity provided to Old Town. Understandably, our community was disturbed to learn of the loan provided by our own city for another high-rise building at 500 Linden. The issue has never been about denying housing to individuals and families, as it is our people who face housing insecurities and poverty. The issue has always been about equality, inclusion and dignity — mattering to our city we call home, in which we raise our children, care for our parents and become seniors ourselves.

Meanwhile, housing and comunidad “advocates” are contributors to the marginalization of the same people they are claiming to “represent” by providing false hopes and lack of compassion and respect for Old Town residents who continue to be victimized. At the same time, there is opposition for “limited income” housing elsewhere throughout our city and county while our historic dense area has taken the brunt of housing demands. We call for our city to cease developments in historic Old Town, enact preservation policies, foster pride in our unique and architecturally rich historic area, inclusion for Spanish-speaking immigrants and balance housing in other neighborhoods.

We call on our city to prioritize resident’s safety and health and placing a human factor on people over the biotech industry. There are expectations of building with respect and a conscience at appropriate locations, without completely blocking existing neighbors’ windows and destruction of a historic neighborhood. There is an expectation of children to not ever face the cruel prospect of having their only playground taken away. There is expectation of prioritizing seniors, being fully aware of the loneliness health crisis in our county. There is expectation of supporting family-owned businesses facing displacement by securing the only public parking lot remaining at Pine Avenue. There are expectations of prioritizing resident’s safety by not closing Pine Avenue to through traffic that would essentially trap residents in case of a major disaster or emergency, for sole purpose of constructing half of a new park on contaminated soil (Pine leads into the heart of Old Town, has faced gas leaks and crosses Airport Boulevard, the main thoroughfare that run PG&E transmission lines). There is an expectation not to irresponsibly jeopardize our health by constructing a new park on contaminated soil. Without a doubt, it is the socioeconomic disadvantages that facilitate the marginalization and exploitation of communities of color by our city, county and state. In our case, it happens to be our people of color in historic Old Town.

South San Francisco was recognized by the National League of Cities featuring “transformative progress,” however, there lies the obligation to prioritize residents’ needs, safety and health, as well as the preservation of Old Town.

Olga Jiménez-Pérez is a lifetime South San Francisco resident and Old Town advocate.