The article discusses a "Historical Housing Tour" led by Jane Natoli, emphasizing the condition of various historic buildings in San Francisco. Attendees, primarily housing advocates and preservationists, debated the importance of historic preservation amid the city's urgent need for affordable housing. Natoli acknowledged the complexities of this issue, stating the tension between preserving the past and the necessity of modern development. She also noted that while some advocate for minimal preservation, others call for more drastic measures, underscoring the diverse perspectives in San Francisco's housing debates.
"It's a cool building," said Natoli, the organizing director for the San Francisco chapter of national pro-housing organization YIMBY Action. "It was once the largest sausage factory on the West Coast, right? But it hasn't been that for a long time, and what it is right now is an empty building with a parking lot next to it."
Over the last 45 minutes of the tour, along a vibrant stretch of Grant Avenue between Filbert and Union Street, that group fell into debate about how historic preservation fits into San Francisco's rich cultural history and the city's urgent need for new and affordable housing. "In a city like San Francisco, especially, we have a lot of conflicting views about how we honor our past while making a path forward," Natoli said.
Natoli supports some levels of historic preservation. "There's going to be some people who are just like, you should be able to basically tear anything down," she said, "And I don..."
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