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Tenant Victory at Trinity Plaza in San Francisco!
South of Market Community
Action Network
June 14, 2005
This statement is excerpted from a release by the South of Market Community Action Network (SOMCAN). SOMCAN supports organizing in working-class, immigrant communities such as Trinity Plaza. Elderly Filipinos made up 70 percent of Trinity Plaza's tenants in 2004.
After two years of fighting for tenant protections, the tenants and owner of Trinity Plaza have reached an agreement on a plan to develop 1,700 units at 8th and Market. This development agreement would preserve the existing rent-controlled units and include below market rate units, for a precedent-setting total of 34% affordability. This agreement is the first of its kind. Angelo Sangiacomo [the owner] has agreed to allow 360 units to be governed under the San Francisco's Rent Stabilization ordinance, along with other tenant demands such as a community room, children's playground, moving expenses and right to select units in the new building.
Angelo Sangiacomo, notorious for horrendous treatment of thousands of tenants, planned to demolish the 377 low-cost, rent controlled apartments of the Trinity Plaza, exploiting a loophole in Rent Control in order to evict over 450 tenants with the legal minimum 120-day notice and $1,000 per unit. The threat to the homes of these immigrants, elderly, working people and families is reminiscent of the violent International Hotel evictions of 1977 and the 5,000 Yerba Buena evictions both due to demolitions.
Trinity Plaza tenants fought Sangiacomo's plans for over two years. Marches and vigils lead to the passage of the Housing Preservation Ordinance by the Board of Supervisors, a ban on demolitions of rent-controlled apartment buildings. Mayor Gavin Newsom vetoed the ordinance in Feb. 2004. Tenants and community organizations collected over 20,000 signatures to place the Housing Preservation Ordinance on the ballot as Proposition M, only to be thwarted by a judge, who used a technicality to remove it from the election.
Luisa Balatbat fought hard to save the home for her two children, her mother, and self. "Its not just a victory for the Trinity Plaza tenants, but for the community as well." Luisa says. "If not for the support of the community and tenants rights groups, we would not be here today." Tomorrow the Trinity Plaza residents will receive official commemoration and commendation for accomplishments benefiting the entire city by the Board of Supervisors. Under the leadership of Supervisor Chris Daly, the tenants and owner of Trinity Plaza have come together on a plan that includes no evictions and preserves affordability.
For more information on the Trinity Plaza struggle, please visit:
