Resolution strongly urging the Mayor, Board of Supervisors, Department of Children, Youth, and their Families, to continue its budgetary support for immigrant youth and children services and to establish a youth center in the South of Market.
WHEREAS, SOUTH OF MARKET, IS THE HOME OF A LARGE PROPORTION OF SAN FRANCISCO'S IMMIGRANT, ETHNIC, LOW-INCOME, ELDERLY, DISABLED, AND DISPLACED FAMILIES, INCLUDING CHILDREN AND YOUTH;
WHEREAS, the dot.com industry's collapse and economic decline since September 11 has not reduced the influx of immigrant, ethnic, low-income, elderly, disabled, and displaced families with children and youth to the South of Market in the last few years;
WHEREAS, despite the growing youth population in the South of Market the concentration of redevelopment efforts has been primarily focused on building high cost residential units, high technology and commercial areas, tourist attractions and events, leaving resident children and youth with very little recreational places and spaces in their neighborhood;
WHEREAS, many of the South of Market streets and spaces, used by immigrant youth and children, have also become places where drug dealing, prostitution, pornography, illegal gambling, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, domestic violence, theft, and other street crimes occur on a daily basis;
WHEREAS, in the last December 1, 2001 South of Market Youth Summit, attended by over 250 youth, children, and their supporters, it was established that the South of Market immigrant community urgently needs a youth center where both preventive and curative psycho-social interventions could be offered by private, public, and nonprofit agencies;
WHEREAS, in the April 2002 San Francisco Redevelopment Agency-commissioned feasibility study it was acknowledged that there is a serious lack of a safe, positive, and constructive space for immigrant, ethnic, low-income, elderly, disabled, and displaced families with children and youth in the South of Market;
WHEREAS, a South of Market youth center could be used as an important community venue to offer a safe, positive, and constructive social, recreational, health, economic, environmental, cultural, immigration, and educational, leadership programs and projects;
WHEREAS, funding for immigrant services relating to youth, children, and their families in the South of Market are also being curtailed in the next city budget;
IT IS THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT, the San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commission strongly urges the Mayor, Board of Supervisors, Department of Children, Youth, and their Families, to continue its budgetary support for immigrant youth and children services and to establish a youth center in the South of Market.
