Dear Editor,

In the 1950s transportation planners embarked on a policy to ram freeways through the hearts of America's cities.  The damage done to communities is well documented. Here in San Francisco plans were made for an extensive system of elevated highways throughout the City. Fortunately citizens outraged by the construction of the Embarcadero and Central Freeways, rose up to stop the highway planners from destroying homes and neighborhoods from the Sunset to the Marina.

In a few days San Franciscans will decide the fate of the last vestige of that failed freeway plan. Proposition E, if it passes, would replace the earthquake-damaged portion of the Central Freeway with a system of new ramps and a landscaped boulevard similar to that which replaced the Embarcadero Freeway. According to the planners, architects and engineers who developed this plan, it would move traffic as well or better than a plan approved last year to retrofit and widen the existing structure. But by removing the blight of the elevated roadway and replacing a portion of it with new housing, it would have the added advantage of improving the neighborhoods that were decimated when the freeway was built 40 years ago.

As we move into the 21st Century, we have found there's a better way to move people that can enhance rather than destroy neighborhoods. The proposed Boulevard plan affords voters the chance to correct a 1950s mistake. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. San Franciscans should seize that opportunity and vote Yes on Proposition E.

Robin F. Levitt, Architect

Examiner Writer Commended
For Story on Visitacion Valley

Following is a letter sent Aug. 12 to the San Francisco Examiner by the Visitacion Valley Asians Alliance.

Re: Vis Valley Transformed

Dear Sir/Madam:

Annie Nakao should be commended for her extensive research on our diverse and growing community. It's the first time a major English newspaper has focused on our demographic transformation and also through the lens of photographer Lacy Atkins. We welcome more such coverage in the future.

Now, after years of attempts, other community leaders and City departments are more willing to listen to the needs of the sizeable Asian residents.  Our group was initially formed in 1989 to appeal for help because of the high, reported and unreported, crimes against the English-handicapped and immigrant population. As a nine-year resident and spokesperson for our predominant non- and limited English residents, I want to emphasize that I have an understandable "dogged focus" on the issue of crime and not at any racial group. Now that community leaders are finally collaborating to address community safety and Captain Bruce's Ingleside precinct will have a bilingual officer stationed on Leland Avenue soon, it will encourage monolingual residents to be more responsive to crime prevention and intervention.

Another way to reduce community friction is to stipulate that public (and hopefully private) funding sources listen to the needs of all major groups. Unequal distribution of public funds and resources will cause divisiveness and pit one group against others in any community. True, the combined Chinese population from Visitacion Valley, Bayview and Excelsior communities far exceeds that of Chinatown but because many of these residents are recent arrivals, they are more vulnerable given their language barriers, cultural inhibitions and politically repressive backgrounds. Unfortunately, they have not been offered much outreach nor resources from within these neighborhoods.

My 27 years of teaching both adults and children, combined with my multiple language skills, give me a unique experience to understand them and present their needs, Unlike other published reports, Ms. Nakao's article gives a realistic glimpse of Visitacion Valley so it will have an impact for positive changes. As community leaders, we must make the needs of every group inclusive in our community plan. It is then that we can work towards mutual understanding and foster these ties to build social, political and economic growth for the benefit of all groups in Visitacion Valley.

Yours sincerely,
Marlene Tran, Spokesperson