SPUR: Yerba Buena Yesterday: 150 Years “South of the Slot”

In the 19th century, Yerba Buena was the industrial heart of San Francisco — the big, rough counterpart to the genteel city emerging to the north. Many a booster, from William Ralston to Ben Swig, saw “South of the Slot” as easy pickings for an expansion of the downtown. But it was the struggle over urban renewal - in which hardscrabble SRO residents organized to demand affordable housing and fair compensation - that came to define Yerba Buena’s search for a more inclusive revitalization, driven by affordable housing, convention services and the arts. Join community advocate and SPUR Board Member Brad Paul, historian and Shaping San Francisco Director Chris Carlsson, and SPUR urban designer and curator Benjamin Grant for a wide-ranging conversation about SPUR’s back yard and its storied history.

Sponsored by the Yerba Buena Community Fund.