Last week, the city of San Francisco released a 200 page report to outline any environmental concerns related to the construction of a new jail. In all those pages, the Planning Department concluded that the jail would have no negative environmental impacts. We know better. We know that the new jail would be extremely damaging to San Francisco’s environment, housing, economy and public space.
We will not let them ignore the truth.
Among its many other harms, this jail would kick out residents of affordable housing units in the midst of the worst housing crisis San Francisco has ever seen. It would displace long-standing local businesses, and destroy at least 43 jobs. This environmental report also fails to sufficiently address air quality for outdoor yards in the jail, whose semi-enclosed design may actually concentrate pollution from the freeway that sits directly next to those yards.
This is a shameful attempt on the part of the Planning Department to obscure the real environmental impacts of the new jail, and pad the city’s pockets with bloated and exaggerated expense projections. San Francisco needs the millions of dollras this jail would cost to invest in affordable housing, healthcare, public education and sustainability for the community.
We have until June 5 to give public comment in response to this report. Will you join us?
We won’t stop until this jail is defeated– and we need your help. In addition to submitting public comment in opposition, we will gather for a Town Hall Meeting on May 30. If San Francisco officials won’t address the destructive impacts of this jail, we will come together as a community to fight for true sustainability and justice for our city.
In Solidarity,
Mari Castaldi
Critical Resistance Oakland
Member of Californians United for a Responsible Budget
