Trinity Plaza Housing Redevelopment
Authors: San Francisco Department of Public Health
Location: San Francisco, California, United States
Completion Date: September 2003
HIA Report: Anticipated Effects of Residential Displacement on Health: Research Summary
Summary of the HIA
Proposed Policy or Project
The proposed redevelopment project of an apartment complex near San Francisco’s Civic Center would convert 360 rent-controlled units to market rate condominiums.
Background and Policy Context
In 2003 a local coalition challenged the city of San Francisco’s approval of a private developer’s intent to convert and redevelop a 360 unit rent-controlled apartment complex into market-rate condominiums, also known as Trinity Plaza Housing Redevelopment. They cited human impacts from stress, loss of social support, and the relocation of residents to poor quality housing areas as reasons for their opposition. Health disparities are presumably related to area of residence, ethnicity, and measures of SES.
Scope and Methods
Researchers conducted a rapid desktop HIA with the scope of the project representing an intersection between health determinants and community priorities, namely housing adequacy and affordability; social cohesion; residential displacement and segregation. Methods used included public hearings, focus groups, historical documents and reports; as well as logic pathways and empirical evidence.
Tenant focus groups suggested displacement would lead to increased psychological stress, fear, crowding, substandard living conditions due to limited affordable replacement housing, food insecurity due to increased rent burden, and reduced social capital.
Summary of Findings
Recommendations were made to the planning department to initiate displacement analysis, and to also develop a prevention strategy.
Background Reports
- Estimation of health benefits from a local living wage ordinance.
- Bhatia R. Protecting Health Using an Environmental Impact Assessment: A Case Study of San Francisco Land Use Decision Making.
Contact
Rajiv Bhatia, MD, MPH
1390 Market Street, Ste. 822
San Francisco
,
California
94102
(415) 252-3982