2008 promises to be hot in the City! The exodus of Blacks has become a major issue; so much so that Reverend Amos Brown, Senior Pastor Third Baptist Church, and President San Francisco NAACP called an emergency meeting on Sunday December 23, at the church to address the critical subject!

Earlier last year, Mayor Gavin Newsom issued a press release that stated his concerns over the declining African American population in the City, appointed the African American Out-Migration Task Force and Advisory Committee, which after several months of study, filed recommendations for the retention and attraction of African Americans in San Francisco.

Out-Migration has hurt Black churches; membership down, hard to attract new members, for the cost of living too high for young families who are forced to move further away. When I moved to San Francisco in the late 50s, the black population thrived across the City in Bayview and Western Addition - Black churches packed with worshippers; the population then about 17-20%. Life was good!

Obviously, Brown is going to take Mayor Gavin Newsom at his word that he’s concerned over the declining African American population in the City. Statistics show African Americans make up about 6% of the population.

Startled when I heard that he would urge Mayor Newsom to call for a “Marshall Plan” to stop the flight of Blacks from the City! The Plan was an American program of economic aid and reconstruction in Europe after World War II. Interested in Brown’s vision, attempted to call the City Preacher; left a message on his phone, but unable to converse with him before deadline.

Are Blacks getting a piece of the economic pie in contracts? Read where Rev. also want the Mayor to appoint a “czar” to focus on issues facing African Americans living in San Francisco. Demand jobs for Black contractors on City projects. There’s plenty of construction work on the table. Parkmerced, San Francisco’s largest apartment complex, located West of Twin Peaks, in the vicinity of San Francisco State, have huge housing plans to redevelop the community that will effect the entire area and transportation!

Affordable housing high on the agenda. Dr. Brown was quoted as saying the housing lottery system is killing our seniors!!! Overall Blacks fall short and do not fare well in the lottery system mix with White and Ethnic groups. One senior housing staff person told me information is not getting to the Black community in a timely manner (some never aware) thus other groups get the jump start to file their applications.

Rev. Brown, a Commissioner on the San Francisco Housing Board, and Pastor Third Baptist Church in the Western addition, is well aware of the plight of seniors in particular. And suggest the City should reserve three-quarters of its low income housing slots for poor Black families!

African-American Developer Michael Simmons plan to develop new affordable condominiums at 1345 Turk Street, behind the MUNI Substation Building on Fillmore. Next Wednesday, January 9, he will present the preliminary schematic design, give a basic overview of the project at a Community meeting to be held in the Northern Police Station Community Room, Fillmore at Turk Street.

31 years writing about personalities in the African American community, my mind reflect back to one successful black businessman - Mr. Todd Cochran, the first African American Dodge automobile dealer in the U.S.; the first African-American new car dealer in San Francisco, and proprietor of K.C. Dodge located in the Mission District, in his native City for 21 years.

Mr. Cochran was a trailblazer, one of the six founders of Chrysler (Daimler Chrysler) Corporation Minority Dealers Association which at the time of his death consisted of top performing minority dealers
throughout the U.S. After retirement in the 90s, he and his wife Inis Cochran moved to Southern California where he passed on November 3, 2001.

During the waning days of the year - the Jazz world lost two icons - legendary virtuoso Jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, and sweet horn blowing trumpeter Frank Morgan; both would have made their way on both sides of the Bay to headline at Yoshi’s!

As I pen this first column of the year, to borrow a few phrases from the late Jazz vocalist Shirley Horn’s memorable rendition “Here’s to Life,” in all its splendor, may all your storms be weathered and life gets better as we move forward in the New Year!

HEY, IT’S NICE TO BE NICE AND TO ALL OF YOU OUT THERE...LOOK FOR ME...I’LL BE THERE...

E-mail Rochelle at iheard@earthlink.net