Residents weigh in on TL conditions at family summit

Tenderloin residents shared their concerns about street conditions, housing affordability, and mental and physical health in the community with San Francisco officials at a listening session last Thursday that could help shape how the city spends on children and families.

Approximately 50 adults, many with children, came to the Tenderloin Recreation Center for one of 14 Family Summits the city is holding across its 11 supervisorial districts. About 40 volunteers, city workers, consultants, and interpreters staffed the event.

Dori Caminong Wiggins, a city worker, said the aim of the summits is for city leaders to learn what it’s like to grow up and raise a family in San Francisco. Organizers chose places where families already feel safe, like community centers. The findings, along with a citywide survey open through Dec. 31, will shape a city plan for children and families. The Board of Supervisors will also consider this input when drafting and adopting the city budget.

“Since this is the first time that we’re doing the citywide needs assessment, what’s happening is that 13 city departments and the school district are actually listening,” Caminong Wiggins said.

The summits stem from November 2024’s Proposition J, which was approved by more than 83% of voters. The measure requires the city to turn the needs assessment into a plan with measurable goals, to make sure money for children, youth and families is spent effectively.

After dinner and an introduction, participants split among seven tables with city staff and consultants. They spent more than an hour writing challenges, bright spots and ideas on sticky notes and sticking them to posters.

At one table, residents expressed worry about walking kids to and from school past people using drugs on the streets.

Dorothy Sanders, a mother of two who has been living in the Tenderloin for almost two years, learned about the summit through Glide Memorial Church, where she volunteers.

“It feels good somebody is actually hearing me,” Sanders said.

She told city staff that she was concerned about dirty sidewalks, a lack of public restrooms, and overcrowded buses. She also said housing is becoming harder to find.

“Not a lot of places are accepting Section 8,” Sanders said.

Josie Dominguez-Chand, a former resident of the Tenderloin who lived here for six to seven years over several stretches, returned each time because it was the most affordable place in the city. She talked about that experience and her work at nonprofit organizations in the neighborhood at a different table, where much of the discussion centered on how environmental conditions affect residents’ minds and bodies.

“The people here, the families here, want to see change,” Dominguez-Chand said. “They want to feel change.”

Her table’s notes flagged lonely young people, youth mental health crises, and air and noise pollution. Under a section for root causes, participants wrote words including greed, discrimination and stereotypes.

“Considering the TL as the containment zone,” one note read, referring to the concentration of social services, low-income housing, and disruptive street behaviors in the neighborhood.

Dominguez-Chand said moderators told participants at the start that what they shared would help inform the city’s future budget. She wished that had been emphasized more.

“The messaging is like, ‘This is your city. Come share your story,’” Dominguez-Chand said. “But if it was messaged as: ‘Your story will impact the budget and help us inform how we will spend the money for the future of the city,’ that would be better marketing.”

Her ideas included making the Tenderloin the top model for environmental resilience and pairing students with mentors who can pass on the wisdom of the neighborhood’s residents.

Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, who represents District 5, which includes the Tenderloin, told attendees before the group discussions that the city wants to bring the neighborhood the same investment that goes downtown, and the same kinds of parks and festivals found in the Marina and the Mission.

“There’s so many challenges we have but also so much beauty in this neighborhood,” Mahmood said.

“My main takeaway from this event is that people love San Francisco,” Dominguez-Chand said. “People love the Tenderloin, and they want it to be better for all the future generations of students and families who live here.”

Caminong Wiggins urged families in other neighborhoods to attend an upcoming summit.

“They are the subject matter experts,” Caminong Wiggins said. “When we ask them questions about what their experience is like, they’re giving us the best data for us to be able to plan and make investments.”

The next Family Summit is Oct. 3 at the African American Arts and Culture Complex in the Fillmore. Each event has free childcare and free food. Find additional sessions here.