San Francisco’s Grassroots Efforts in Anti-Displacement Work
San Francisco’s Grassroots Efforts in Anti-Displacement Work
Article Written by Elizabeth Beltrán
The Displacement of Low-Income Black Households
As rent prices increase in San Francisco, many people of color and of marginalized identity who originally lived in affordable neighborhoods have been experiencing displacement.1 The increase in rent prices that this article will be looking at predominantly occurred in low-income areas between 2000 and 2015. The increase in rent prices caused a shift in SF communities.2 Rent prices increased by 30% in eastern and southern areas of San Francisco, resulting in a 21% decrease in low-income families of color living there. This caused about 3,000 Black families to be forced to move out of historically Black neighborhoods, pushing 75% of them out of San Francisco entirely. To combat the effects of displacement, higher poverty levels, and segregation, many grassroots coalitions have been fighting to end increasing rent prices and evictions of low-income communities.
Mission Anti-Displacement Coalition
The Mission Anti-Displacement Coalition was founded in 1999, following the increasing pressure on the Mission District of San Francisco to gentrify.3 As technology use rose, there was a growing interest in developing more office space. In addition, with the increase in white immigrants entering San Francisco, there was a push for a technological remodeling of the mission. The Mission Anti-Displacement Coalition protested at the Planning Commission after it approved SKS Investment's purchase of a 159,000 square foot lot for an office complex in 1999. Through approving the office construction, about 60 small businesses would be removed. Despite the new office potentially opening up about 510 new jobs, 24 coalition activists voted against it at a Planning Commission hearing. They claimed that it would build a demand for about 172 housing units to fulfill the office needs of workers, if they chose to live in San Francisco. The protesters foresaw that the approval would allow for the reconstruction of current complexes and neighborhoods, which would create a higher cost of living for individuals who have lived there. With an increase in workers moving to San Francisco and remodeling of current housing, this would push out current residents and increase rent prices. Despite protesting during the hearing, the city continued to go through with the project.
San Francisco Anti Displacement Coalition
Similar to the efforts of the Mission-Anti Displacement Coalition, the San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition is a grassroots movement that helps combat displacement, consisting of a group of tenants and allies who fight against evictions and increasing rent prices.4 They formed their coalition in 2013 after an increase in harassment from landlords and escalated evictions. There has also been an increase in housing reconstruction. When remodeling existing housing, landlords may rent apartments and houses to new tenants with higher incomes. Unlike landlords, the San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition aims to provide stable housing for tenants rather than an investment opportunity for corporations. Today, they support policies that protect residents' rights to affordable and secure housing and organize network workshops for tenant counselors, informing them on current renters' issues.6 They also provide information on how to unionize against landlords, receive help in rent, and obtain legal support in multiple languages.7
Immigrant Tenants Rent Strike
An uprising movement that the San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition supports is the Immigrant Tenants Rent Strike. The Immigrant Tenants Rent Strike began in 2023, when Johana Ramirez’s landlord failed to provide housing repairs, pest control, and reimbursements for enduring unhealthy living conditions.8 In her Tenderloin studio, where she lived for seventeen years, she dealt with a cockroach infestation, broken tiles, broken windows, and uninstalled closet doors. When she demanded her needs, along with those of other tenants in the complex, instead of compensating them, they were faced with eviction notices. As her landlord is the largest residential landlord company, Ballast Investments, many other immigrants in San Francisco experience similar renting hardships. As immigrants began to strike against more landlord companies, such as Veritas Investment, eviction notices began to be sent only in English and staff were instructed to speak just English. As by law, landlords are not allowed to evict or increase tenants’ rent within six months of tenants reporting, landlord companies started to fulfill immigrant tenants’ needs. For example, Veritas took out a $1 billion dollar loan to invest in repairs for 95 buildings and Land Trust ownership began to base rent on tenants' income.
Through the efforts of tenants protesting against investment and landlord companies, grassroots anti-displacement movements began to emerge in San Francisco. As tenants endured unsafe living conditions, wrongful evictions, and rent increases, low-income communities of color have been forced to move from the neighborhoods they once occupied. Thus, allowing for further segregation and lack of opportunities. Through educating others on their mistreatment, protesting against companies, and hosting tenants' rights workshops, grassroots movements have helped alleviate the effects of displacement through demanding a decrease in rent, housing repairs, and evictions.
References
1. San Francisco Planning. Community Stabilization | SF Planning. Sfplanning.org. Published 2018. Accessed November 13, 2025. https://sfplanning.org/community-stabilization-strategy
2. Verma P, Rinzler D, Zuk M, Dasilva M, Kaplan E. Rising Housing Costs and Re-Segregation in San Francisco. UC Berkeley’s Urban Displacement Project and the California Housing Partnership. Accessed November 13, 2025. https://www.urbandisplacement.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/sf_final.pdf
3. Beitel K. Mission Anti-Displacement Coalition. Foundsf.org. Published 2013. Accessed November 13, 2025. https://www.foundsf.org/Mission_Anti-Displacement_Coalition
4. San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition. Mission + Coalition. sfadc.org. Published September 18, 2024. Accessed November 13, 2025. https://sfadc.org/about/
5. San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition. Housing Opportunity Fund ballot measure introduced today! sfadc.org. Published May 21, 2024. Accessed November 13, 2025. https://sfadc.org/2024/05/21/housing-opportunity-fund-ballot-measure-introduced-today/
6. San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition. Work + Research. sfadc.org. Published April 4, 2021. Accessed November 13, 2025. https://sfadc.org/work/#
7. San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition. Get Help. sfadc.org. Published May 17, 2017. Accessed November 18, 2025. https://sfadc.org/help/
8. Hernandez BJ. In the news: Immigrant tenants lead rent strike movement against San Francisco’s largest landlords. sfadc.org. Published April 28, 2025. Accessed November 13, 2025. https://sfadc.org/2025/04/28/in-the-news-immigrant-tenants-lead-rent-strike-movement-against-san-franciscos-largest-landlords/