SOMA Pilipinas, NCLF, and Lynx Announce Completion of Historic Yerba Buena Center Records Transcription,Expanding Access to Certificate of Preference Program
New Cultural Marker in Yerba Buena - A Beacon for Filipino Community and Call for Displaced Individuals and Descendants to come forward
September 10, 2026 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SOMA Pilipinas, The New Community Leadership Foundation (NCLF) and Lynx Insights & Investigations, Inc. (Lynx), today announced a major milestone in the ongoing effort to reconnect individuals and families impacted by redevelopment in San Francisco’s South of Market (SOMA) neighborhood. Approximately 120,000 pages of former San Francisco Redevelopment Agency (RDA) records related to the Yerba Buena Center (YBC) redevelopment area have been transcribed, organized, and entered into an interactive dataset. This announcement was made at the public unveiling of the first Filipino cultural marker in Yerba Buena - the Philippine Sun (13°N, 122°E,) located across from the SF Moma.
These records, spanning 1959 to 1982, document thousands of individuals and households affected during the redevelopment process. Redevelopment in the South of Market “Yerba Buena Center” area resulted in the displacement of over 3,500 residents including elders, retirees, Filipinos, and other working class people, the demolition of over 4,000 units of housing, and the displacement of more than 700 businesses.
The Philippine Sun (13°N, 122°E) lighting project is part of the efforts, along with outreach by community investigators, to identify, locate and contact displaced persons and their descendants.
“This altar represents caretakers of this land past and present those who made home here, and displaced from here” said Alexis David, the MC said while also reading off addresses of families who were displaced by redevelopment.
“SOMA Pilipinas is excited to work with NCLF and Lynx to educate the community about the buried history of displacement of Filipinos and other working class and people of color from the Yerba Buena Redevelopment and to help find descendants of displaced individuals” said Raquel Redondiez, Director of SOMA Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District which encompass the Yerba Buena area.
The newly processed records identify 2,622 households and approximately 3,099 individuals, including multi-generational family data. The majority of documented displacement occurred between 1967 and 1973, with a peak in 1969-1970. Historical accounts note that redevelopment plans required the relocation of residents, including hundreds of families and thousands of residential hotel occupants in the project area.
The processing of these records builds on NCLF and Lynx’s ongoing partnership with the City to help locate and reconnect people impacted by urban renewal efforts and ensure access to the Certificate of Preference (COP) Program, which provides housing preference for those displaced, and now their descendants.
“This milestone reflects a continued commitment to improving access to historical records and ensuring that those impacted by past redevelopment efforts have a clearer pathway to available housing opportunities today.” shared Majeid Crawford, Executive Director, New Community Leadership Foundation. “NCLF and Lynx’s approach combines community-based outreach with advanced data processing to make historically difficult-to-access records usable for the public. This effort helps bridge the gap between historical documentation and present-day access to benefits.”
Individuals and families who may have been displaced from the Yerba Buena Center / SOMA area can now more easily determine eligibility and take next steps. Those who believe they or a family member were displaced are encouraged to:
Visit www.findmysfcp.org to determine if they were included in redevelopment records
Reach out to the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) to learn more about eligibility for the Certificate of Preference Program.
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About SOMA Pilipinas
SOMA Pilipinas is dedicated to preserving and promoting Filipino culture and history, supporting community artists and cultural workers, and fostering economic development through cultural arts and community partnerships.
About New Community Leadership Foundation (NCLF)
New Community Leadership Foundation is a San Francisco-based nonprofit working to strengthen and empower underserved communities through economic development, civic engagement, and cultural initiatives.
About Lynx Insights & Investigations, Inc.
Lynx Insights is an investigative firm specializing in complex investigative research, data analysis, and community-centered investigative work.