Pelosi, Feinstein, Newsom announce federal funding
for Hunters Point shipyard cleanup

Newsom says redevelopment will not result in gentrification

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Dianne Feinstein today announced $82 million in federal funding for the toxic clean up
of the Hunters Point Shipyard superfund site.
Photos by Luke Thomas

By Luke Thomas

January 3, 2008

Joined by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Dianne Feinsten, Mayor Gavin Newsom today announced $82 million in federal funding for the toxic cleanup of the Hunters Point Shipyard superfund site.

“This is a huge victory for San Francisco in general and the Bayview Hunters Point Community in particular,” Newsom said. “With these funds in hand, the City will be able to continue moving forward with its plans to transform the long-shuttered Shipyard from a environmental blight on the community into a world-class location providing waterfront parks, thousands of jobs, affordable housing and a major clean technology campus.”

Mayor Gavin Newsom

Mayor Newsom, who made several trips to Washington D.C. in the past year to persuade federal officials that the cleanup of the Shipyard should be a major priority for the federal delegation, praised the work of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Dianne Feinstein in securing the cleanup money for the Shipyard.

“At a time when the Department of Defense is spending less and less money every year cleaning up closed, toxic military bases, this level of funding is truly remarkable,” Newsom said. “It is a testament to the strong leadership and commitment of Speaker Pelosi and Senator Feinstein to get the Shipyard cleaned up on time and in a manner that will allow us to implement the community’s vision for revitalizing the City's southeastern waterfront.”

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Ca)

Speaker Nancy Pelosi

The federal funds will be used to prepare over 100 acres of land at the Shipyard for transfer to the City at no cost, including land slated for new housing, parks and approximately 25 acres for a potential site for a new stadium for the San Francisco 49ers.

Asked what assurances he could provide to the Bayview Hunters Point community to allay fears of gentrification due to redevelopment, Newsom told Fog City Journal: "That’s why 42 percent of the work being done is being done by local builders on Parcel A. That’s why 30 percent of all the housing that’s being developed out here on Parcel A is affordable housing. That’s why we’re rebuilding public housing units, one-to-one replacement, and providing mixed-income opportunities for people at all income levels by rebuilding public housing. That’s why we’re including protections and provisions that are very similar for the rest of the project."

"One thing I will not do is sit back and do nothing, and continue to see the rates of prostate cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer rise in the southeast sector - and asthma rates - because we didn’t have the courage to actually step up and actually get something done. And that’s something I’m very proud that we’ve advanced," Newsom said.

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