Meet me... really...

The SOMA redevelopment meeting was really depressing.

It solidifies my beliefs that societal problems are inherent in our current structure. They are designed to put rich men in business suits at the head of committees, deciding the welfare of the poor. How can somebody so far removed from the working class make these decisions? Not because they are insensitive, but because they are only governing from their own class biases.

Luckily for SOMPAC, the president has been a longtime single room occupancy (SRO) resident. SOMPAC actually requires at least one SRO resident on the board, I assume to solve the very problem above.

And while the name badge may say president, other more affluent business types ruled over the meeting. The person in charge of the budget independently chose where $50,000 for the next fiscal year would be budgeted. His misuse of power was noted by the rest of the committee but no action against the spending took place. A small respectful tiff wasn't going to be enough, but the other members seemed apathetic.

I was the only member of the public there, when the meeting directly impacted low income residents of the district. I couldn't decide if it was because these meetings were under-advertised or people didn't care. I was looking hardcore for any kind of advertisement outside of their web page, but couldn't find anything outside of a SFGOV listing. Shouldn't all public meetings have huge advertisements, particularly in the community centers and SRO's?

Their entire plan was depressing...

They want to remodel the transbay terminal, where many of the SOMA homeless sleep. It's a place where they can have some shield from the rain and doesn't get constantly patrolled by the security guards who wander around the SOMA. They plan to make two high-rise towers, one for condos and the other for commercial properties.

At this point, the main goal seems to be development and profit. Sure, they keep around about 50 SRO's but that is nothing compared to the people who are being pushed out. A figure that sticks out, for every 25 SRO's they're tearing down, only one will go back up.

And the president who I thought was a huge example of rising above her class, merely seems a pawn in the society. She was just filling a quota rather than commanding the direction of the committee.

--------------------------

More investigation necessary to write my article.