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Supervisor Ronan introduces cultural districts legislation to protect neighborhood identity and curb displacement
Summary
Supervisor Hillary Ronan introduced legislation to create a process and support structure for cultural districts aimed at preserving cultural assets, supporting affordable housing and economic opportunity, and establishing local advisory committees and funding oversight.
Supervisor Hillary Ronan introduced legislation on Oct. 24 intended to create a formal framework for establishing cultural districts in San Francisco and to provide city support to protect neighborhood cultural identities.
Ronan said the policy is a “first of its kind” effort to address gentrification and strengthen cultural identity in neighborhoods such as the Mission, Japantown and the Castro. Ronan listed several goals for the legislation: preserving significant cultural assets, stopping displacement, creating economic opportunities, promoting affordable housing and home ownership, supporting arts and entrepreneurship, and boosting tourism tied to neighborhood culture.
The proposed ordinance would define what constitutes a cultural district, establish a clear process for creating new cultural districts, and clarify roles for city departments in providing data analysis, programming and technical assistance in historic preservation, economic development, arts support, affordable housing, public infrastructure planning and zoning protections. The measure also includes a structure for public oversight of funds and gives the board discretion to establish citizen advisory committees for each cultural district.
Ronan said she had worked with District 9 Supervisor Malia Cohen and other colleagues on the draft and thanked existing cultural districts and local groups — she specifically named the Mission Latino Cultural District, Compton’s Transgender District in the Tenderloin, Soma Pilipinas in SoMa and the Leather/LGBTQ Leather District in the Tenderloin — for involvement in drafting the legislation.
Public comment on the board’s general public comment calendar included expressions of support from community members and arts advocates who urged preservation of neighborhood culture and artists’ spaces. Honey Mahogany and Andrea Horn spoke in favor of cultural districts and urged board support.
Ronan’s item was introduced; committee referral and subsequent hearings were not recorded in the Oct. 24 session text.
