THE MISSIONPOPULATION • HOUSING • CULTURE

THE MISSIONPOPULATION • HOUSING • CULTURE

© 2012 Mario Mejia

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Design and Photography by Mario Mejia mario@mariomejia.us www.mariomejia.us

Limited Edition: a special portfolio piece. Printed and hand-bound in San Francisco, CA.

FIRST EDITION ISBN 123-4-56789

THE MISSIONPOPULATION • HOUSING • CULTURE

MARIO MEJIA

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INTRODUCTION

POPULATION

HOUSING

CULTURE

The Mission District is a dynamic predominately Latino environment serving as a constantly shifting cultural ground in San Francisco. A very densely populated neighborhood, over 30,000 people per square mile, The Mission serves home for about one third of San Francisco’s Latino population, according to U.S Census data. Over the last decade this neighborhood of mainly working class families has undergone the highest eviction rates in San Francisco, over 600 between 1999 and 2000 alone. One of the main reasons for this being the neighborhood’s housing options, most typical being a duplex or triplex as well as single family homes and very few large apartment buildings. Mission Street and 24th Street serves as the heart of the community, boasting with eateries, businesses and cultural centers. Its popularity makes it a highly demanded living space that can not suffice all of the demand, thus shifting the population.

INTRODUCTION

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Latinos represent the majority of the Mission’s population, 50.1%, representing almost a third of the City’s total Latino population. The map shows that the Latino population is generally east of Valencia Street, with the highest concentrations in the census blocks in the areas along 24th Street and along Harrison Street. Moreover, 67.5% of the Mission’s population is a minority group. Close to half of the total residents of the Mission (44.7%) are foreign born (naturalized and non-citizens), and 45% of Mission residents spoke Spanish at home. Household sizes for Latinos in the Mission District were much higher than the citywide average, at 3.82 persons compared to 2.30 citywide. While household sizes decreased in the west side of the Mission, reflecting the increased gentrification along the Valencia corridor, household sizes continue to be large in the east side of the neighborhood, following the larger proportion of Latino families.

POPULATION

86,498PEOPLE

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The Mission District had 60,202 people in the 2000 Census, or about 7.8% of the City’s population. This represents an increase in the neighborhood of 3,186 people since 1990. The current population results in a density of about 30,000 people per square mile, twice the City’s average density of about 15,000 people per square mile.

POPULATION GROWTH

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ETHNIC BREAKDOWNOne of the determining factors of the Mission’s popularity is the wide array of ethnicities that share the neighborhood. Although highly known for the Latino culture, the Mission represents one of the city’s most diverse neighborhoods.

White African American

Native American

Latino Asian Others

31,533

2,082722

30,145

6,929

15,087

Although the majority of the Mission remains white, the Latino population follows closely behind. This map shows the percentage of the population that are Latino in each area of the Mission during 1990. The population trends seen on the map to the right show how population has shifted.

70 - 83%

60 - 69%

48 - 59%

LATINOPRESENCE

34 - 47%

15 - 33%

0 - 14%

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1990: 60-69% 2000: 15-33%ê

1990: 60-69% 2000: 34-47%ê

1990: 48-59% 2000: 15-33%ê

1990: 48-59% 2000: 34-47%ê1990: 60-69%

2000: 34-47%ê

1990: 48-59% 2000: 60-69%é

1990: 60-69% 2000: 34-47%ê1990: 34-47% 2000: 60-69%é

1990: 34-47% 2000: 60-69%é 1990: 60-69%

2000: 15-33%ê

1990: 0-14% 2000: 15-33%é

1990: 48-59% 2000: 15-33%ê

1990: 60-69% 2000: 15-33%ê

1990: 70-83% 2000: 60-69%ê

49%MALE

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51% FEMALE

Education has a high impact on the overall well-being of a community. Despite the high number of immigrants that reside in the area, education levels are high in comparison to other neighborhoods with similar ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. The graph to the left shows the Mission’s educational attainment as reported by a study in 2007.

EDUCATION

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Graduate Degree

Bachelor’s Degree

Associate Degree

Some College

Some High School

No High School

5,089

11,915

3,270

8,344

3,659

7,560

In 2010 San Francisco’s per capita household income was $45,478 however many households in the Mission are way below that. Although information on income is usually reported as median household income, per capita income helps deliver better results as it takes the number of dependents in a household into consideration. This makes results more holistic, thus showing the reality of the situation. The map on the right illustrates the percentage of the Mission’s population that is at, or above San Francisco’s average per capita income.

INCOME

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95 - 110%

80 - 94%

65 - 79%

50 - 64%

34 - 49%

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During the 1990s and to this day the Mission has become an increasingly popular neighborhood to live in. Since the dot-com boom to the recent rise of the “Hipsters”, shifts in population have been a constant factor in the area’s popularity. The demand for housing due to these shifts has caused raises in rent and housing prices, many times driving long-time residents away in search of more affordable housing.

HOUSING

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20,108HOUSEHOLDS

The cost of living in San Francisco is at an all time high, rising as time goes by. The Mission District is part of this statistic, making living in such neighborhood a difficulty for many households. Most of the rent costs in this neighborhood are decent for middle class households however many of these households have lower per capita incomes making it even more difficult to keep up with rising prices. The map to the right illustrates what percentage of a household’s income is spent on rent alone, not including other expenses such as food, utilities, and other necessities.

RENTAL COST

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29 - 31%

26 - 28%

23 - 25%

20 - 22%

17 - 19%

$1,191MEDIAN RENT IN 2009

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Between 1990 and 2000, many apartment units were converted into condominiums, raising community concerns about loss of affordable housing. However, higher levels of owner-occupancy are also associated with increased stability and safety, since homeowners tend to be more invested in the health and success of their neighborhoods. The map to the right illustrates the percentage of housing units that were owner-occupied in 2000.

HOME OWNERSHIP

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34 - 38%

26 - 33%

17 - 25%

9 - 16%

2 - 8%

1,163EVICTIONS

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14%CITY TOTAL

Over the past 15 years there has been a dramatic increase in no-fault evictions in the city of San Francisco. This is primarily due to the Ellis Act and Owner Move-In evictions (OMI) which facilitate removing units from the rental market, decreasing the overall amount of properties available for rent. Many of these units were built before 1979, making them subject to rent control; removing them from the market decreases the amount of affordable housing options.

This has become an increasingly big problem in the Mission particularly, having the highest number of OMI Eviction notices in the city since 1994. The table to the right shows the number of units removed from the rental market annually since 1993.

EVICTIONS

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1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

2085

27 10 15 29

879

281

188233

338

480

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The Mission District is the cultural and commercial heart of San Francisco’s Latino community. Serving home to hundreds of organizations, cultural venues, small businesses and services, the Latino footprint is evident in the area. Known for its food, art scene, murals, and bars, the Mission’s culture has transformed the neighborhood into a leisure destination.

CULTURE

Harrison St.

Valencia St.

Mission St.

S. Van Ness Ave.

Folsom St.

Alabama St.

Bryant St.

Treat Ave.

Florida Ave.

York St.Hampshire St.

Potrero Ave.

Shotwell Ave.

Julian Ave.

Capp St.

24th St.

23th St.

25th St.

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San Francisco is home to murals in almost every neighborhood, however the Mission District’s murals are by far the most dense and culturally representative. These murals visualize many aspects of Latino culture, from social struggle to religious scenes. The Mission’s “mural movement” boomed in the 1960s as a result of the Chicano movement and is constantly evolving with new murals. The map to the left shows where some of the murals on 24th Street are located.

MURALS ON 24TH

Ralph Maradiaga Mini Park

500 Years of Resistance

Leyenda Azteca

Balmy Alley

Para La Gente Maya

El Arroyo Laundromat

Lady Xoc

LATINOEPICENTER FORSAN FRANCISCO’S

CULTURE

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The Mission is famous for its varied flavors and many different cultures represented through food. Not only do dozens of taquerias and Mexican restaurants fill the streets with delicious aromas but so do El Salvadorean, Guatemalan, Nicaraguan, French and American restaurants. From on-the-go food stops to classy restaurants, the Mission is sure to have a food option that will leave you wanting more. The map to the right shows where restaurants from different price ranges are located within the Mission.

RESTAURANTS

$$$$$$ $$$ $

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16th St.

24th St.

Market S

t.

Guerrero St.

Valencia St.

Mission St.

S. Van Ness Ave.

Folsom St.

Alabama St.

Bryant St.

Treat

Ave.

Sanchez St.

DoloresPark

The Mission District is extremely popular for its nightlife. On any given night of the week the streets are filled with people ready to enjoy their leisure time. From bars to lounges the Mission has a place to fit everyone’s taste. The map to the left shows bars and lounges in the Mission with different price ranges.

NIGHTLIFE

$$$$$$ $$$ $

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16th St.

24th St.

Market S

t.

Guerrero St.

Valencia St.

Mission St.

S. Van Ness Ave.

Folsom St.

Alabama St.

Bryant St.

Treat

Ave.

Sanchez St.

DoloresPark

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With such a lively population and culture the Mission remains one of San Francisco’s most popular neighborhoods. Because of this, it is inevitable that as time goes on not only will the population demographic shift but so will the cultural influencers. Although the people may change, it is important to remember to preserve the culture that makes the Mission such a diverse environment.

CLOSING WORDS

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Asian Neighborhood Design. (2006, January). Gentrification via tenant evictions in the Mission.

Retrieved from http://www.andnet.org/storage/pdfs-cp/Mission Evictions 1990-2005.pdf

Goode Bryant, L. (2003, June 17). Pov: Flag wars. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/pov/flagwars/

Hendricks, T. (2009, May 5). History, culture mix in vibrant mission murals . SF Gate. Retrieved

from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/05/BAN3172ACH.DTL

Hunt, J. (2005, July). San Francisco: Mission. SF Gate. Retrieved from http://

www.sfgate.com/neighborhoods/sf/mission _ 24thstreet/

Urban Mapping, Inc. (2011). Mission district. Retrieved from http://www.

city-data.com/neighborhood/Mission-District-San-Francisco-CA.html

U.S. Census Bureau. (2012, January 31). State and county quickfacts from the U.S. census

bureau. Retrieved from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/06075.html

Worth, K. (2011, March 20). San Francisco neighborhoods have changed faces over two

decades. The Examiner. Retrieved from http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/development/2011/03/

san-francisco-neighborhoods-have-changed-faces-over-last-two-decades

Design and Photography by Mario Mejia.

WORKS CITED