As if the last glimmers of hope for San Francisco’s housing situation hadn’t died a thousand deaths already, homeless people are now being kicked out of a place called Home.
Responding to a 911 call yesterday afternoon, the Fire Department discovered a “mini-encampment” inside 2100 Market Street, which once upon a time was the brunch joint Home. Whatever was burning in there caused no injuries; according to Hoodline, SFFD may have found a “little one,” which I hope refers to a small fire and not an infant. By the time the cops showed up, the men living inside had shoved their shit into a shopping cart and “overflowing suitcase” and hightailed it out of there.
Home is pretty tagged-up, its windows are slathered with yellowing newspaper, and it’s difficult to see inside. When I peeked around this morning I noticed that the adjacent parking lot is still in use. As the former restaurant’s rear wall is covered with chickenwire in places, the squatters probably hopped the lot’s gate (which, poignantly, still reads “Welcome Home”) and got in that way. In other words, they might have been living there for quite awhile without alerting any passersby.
Since every last wedge-shaped lot at the six-way intersection is apparently destined to become luxury housing, it’s strange that a parcel whose previous business went defunct in 2011 has languished so long without redevelopment. It was going to be a Chipotle, possibly with 64 units of housing on top, but Planning nixed both ideas (with a strong assist from the Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association). Now Curbed SF reports that a modified design is slated for 60 units, with 15 on-site parking spaces and bike racks for everybody. From thePreliminary Project Assessment, it doesn’t look like 2100 Market will include any below-market units but will pay into the affordable housing vortex instead.
In short, NIMBY opposition kept this site vacant for four years, until desperate people turned it into housing anyway. Now, Arquitectonica will eventually erect yet another bland condo exclusively for the affluent. Looks like the last low-income people have been cleared out of this particular Home.
[Via Hoodline; Curbed SF; top photo courtesy of Thomas Hawk/Flickr]
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