Calle 24 Map

Unanimously approved by San Francisco’s Land Use and Economic Development Committee yesterday, the resolution to designate the area around the Mission’s 24th Street commercial corridor as the Calle 24 (“Veinticuatro”) Latino Cultural District is slated to be adopted by San Francisco’s full Board of Supervisors this afternoon.

The designation of the area which is bound by Mission, 22nd, Potrero, and 25th could pave the way for the establishment of a Special Use District or other Planning Code amendments intended to help “stabilize the displacement of Latino businesses and residents from the area,” preserve Calle 24 as “the center of Latino Culture and commerce in the city,” and ensure “that the City of San Francisco and interested stakeholders have an opportunity to work collaboratively on a community planning process.”

UPDATE: The resolution to establish the Calle 24 (“Veinticuatro”) Latino Cultural District was unanimously approved by San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors.

45 thoughts on “Calle 24: San Francisco’s Latino Cultural District”
  1. “The designation of the area which is bound by Mission, Potrero, 22nd and 25th Streets could lead to the establishment of a Special Use District or other Planning Code amendment and is intended to help stabilize the displacement of Latino businesses and residents from the area.”

    Stabilize it how? What does this actually alter?

  2. @ Sam: I think it will give planning more ammunition to reject anything it doesn’t like and require projects such as housing to file more paperwork, which will give the City more $$.

  3. But if approved , it also sets a precedent that would allow dozens of other districts to be established to squash development city wide.

  4. eeeennntttreeessting. My guess is that net effect will eventually increase property values in that area. And given that I own 2 condos there….chaa-ching! (Of course, I wouldn’t want to develop a project there NOW, as wacko NIMBY’s will be all over you with this new designation.)

    And while I could see the heavy handed restrictions working on business usage, I’m curious how they could restrict residential use. Would you be required to show your Latino credentials to own or rent there? Or perhaps they can amend the Ellis act (again) to give extra protection to calle 24 residents, if they are bona fide Latinos.

    Bottom line: expect more crazy times in the mish, as it’s been rather slow the last few weeks. goog busses have seemed to have run their course (sic) in the media circus. We need fresh meat.

    1. I think in pratical terms this will amount to very little different. Under both state and federal law, you cannot restrict residential or commercial properties by race or ethnicity, so there can be no preference given to “bona fide” Latinos. There may be more planning requirements for affordable housing in the district and perhaps low-interest loans afford to existing small-businesses, and this may have some impact on so-called displacement, but beyond that I suspect very little will change.

  5. Totally racist.

    Might as well classify Atherton as Caucasian Cultural District and create laws to prevent caucasian residents from being displaced in the future.

  6. do we not bother to commemorate the german, irish, and italian working class immigrants that were gentrified out by the current residents in the 1930’s-50’s?

    the only reason this city is so awesome is that it keeps changing, a new wave every other decade. just hang on man, hang on.

    1. They were not gentrified out. White flight to the suburbs in the 50s and 60s was the opposite of gentrification.

    1. I’ve lived in this neighborhood for a while, crime has never really been that bad. Particularly in the last few years. Except for the odd shooting like near Pops, but that can happen anywhere. Gang crime is all but gone

  7. Of course the whites will say it’s racist. Do you not remember that ALL OF THIS WAS MEXICO. Go back to your clan meetings.

    1. I don’t remember when 24th street in San Francisco was Mexico. But I’m fairly young, so I’ll let older member of this forum comment on this.

    2. Wrong, ALL OF THIS WAS INDIAN LAND. Then it was Spanish from 1776 to 1821, then Mexico from 1821 to 1846. Then US territory / state ever since. That’s 45 years, then 25 years, then 158 years.

      I would add that at some point France could have had a claim over SF during Napoleonic times. They invaded Spain in 1807 and let it go only in 1814. But they had their hands full already, they even let go of Louisiana.

      1. I agree with the fact that all this was Native American land long before the Spanish came and made Mexico, some recognition should be made to them. But this particular area became Spanish(Mexican) land subsequently Latino, embracing all Latin Americans and thus making it a perfect place to establish a “cultural district”. It’s crazy that whites always tout “German” or “Irish” culture when any minority gets the spotlight. Whites already have enough privilege in this country, so it’s nice to let the (not so)minorities have some recognition.

        1. the hipsters displaced the latinos. the latinos displaced the irish. The Irish displaced the 49ers. The 49ers dispaced the mexicans. The mexican displaced the spanish. the spanish displaced the natives. the natives displaced the neandrethals. why is 24th street not named the neandrethal cultural district. Its all nonsense.

        2. Privilege? Not in the constitution. Color blindness works both ways.

    3. “Klan” not Clan. My white sheet is at the dry cleaners so I will have to stick to the internet for now.

    4. “Go back to your clan[sic] meetings.”

      Ken, would you mind explaining to us (and the moderators) why you believe this is appropriate language in this forum?
      And what sort of meetings could you yourself possibly be attending to have your feeble mind corrupted in such a way, one might wonder.

      1. What’s wrong with my language? I’m not dropping f-bombs or harassing anyone. I’m entitled to make an statement (even if it makes one’s rear quarters pucker)

        1. You can’t go accusing people of being nazis or Klan men because you’re 1) being obnoxiously insensitive and 2) killing the debate thanks to Godwin’s law.

        2. So you do think it’s appropriate. Guess that’s one hell of a chip on your shoulder. Good luck with that.

    5. Actually, all of this was Native American. Then it was very thinly settled by Mexico, in a belated attempt to keep out Russian, British, and American (in that order) explorers, trappers and settlers. And in the period immediately before the Mexican War, conventional wisdom is that there was strong sentiment among the Californios to join the U.S. – historians widely see Fremont’s military actions in California as both unnecessary and counter-productive, as they shoved some undecided Californios back into a pro-Mexico posture.

    1. Yes. the dinosaurs were here first. All of this is a bunch of hot air.

      Much ado about nothing.

      1. Wrong, amoeba were here first. The mineral world cannot speak for itself therefore I think that settles it.

        1. Typical anti-mineralist sentiment. As an honorary self-replicating extracellular molecule, I take great offense.

          1. Beware of atoms. Quantum computing is more advanced by the day.

  8. I am perplexed. Wasn’t the entire Mission District a Latino cultural district for decades? Why do we need to codify this in law? Should the Castro be a legally-designated Gay cultural district? How about the Sunset — Asians only? And “Pac Heights Is For the Whites” — that’ll be a winner down at City Hall.

  9. This “Calle 24” designation is racist B.S. designed by David Campos to get Latino voters motivated in campaign against David Chiu for San Francisco’s 17th Assembly District.

  10. In practical terms, how will this be different than Chinatown? Besides some nice lamp posts and perhaps a few signs in Spanish, I could see preserving murals and perhaps cultural institutions like precita eyes, la raza gallery, etc. that’s really about it. Go ahead, make the mission more precious. It’s good for property values and tourism (man we are getting tons of tourists on 24th st.)

  11. This ship has sailed.

    24th st is in full transition to Valencia-dom.

    I love 24th st the way it is now, slightly yuppified. If we could only freeze it as-is.

    But this is just the usual boring and pointless campos crap. Will accomplish about as much as the idiotic Harvey milk airport thing I suspect.

  12. Just read this elsewhere: “The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve Calle 24 as a special district akin to Chinatown.

    While the designation carries no special restrictions, it means that when items come before the Planning Commission, the district’s Latino Cultural designation will come into play.”

    Bingo, I was right. So it’s basically cultural recognition which is not a bad thing at all IMO. I think it will be a good thing for the neighborhood overall. For once the [Board of Supervisors] made a good call- I’m amazed!

    1. Don’t tell me: there will be extra fees to pay for the commissions, a.k.a. pork

      San Francisco, Land Of The Fee.

  13. Editor: please, I find it unnecessary and controlling that you attempt to limit my freedom of political speech by editing my above descriptor: bored of stupidvisors. These paid politicians are big boys/gals, and I’m sure they can handle it, especially given their controversial stances.

  14. I don’t differ much in your assessment of our City representatives; however, this is a privately-held site and the Editor certainly has the right to maintain enough decorum in the responses to prevent the conversation from denigrating into that seen on some cable news channels. You got your point across; and the Editor did post your last reply without changes so I wouldn’t see anything as directed strictly towards you. Cheers.

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