Case Study - Contrasting Place

Question 1

Name of case study?

Answer 1

Mission District, San Francisco, USA

Question 2

Location of the Mission District

Answer 2

east central San Francisco
Bordered to the east by the US route 101, which forms the boundary between the eastern portion of the district known as the ‘inner mission’.

Question 3

Locale of the mission

Answer 3

in the San Francisco Bay Area which is a historic transit hub for the Chicano and Latino communities, especially of the 16th street BART Plaza
Due to the Dot.com boom that occurred in the 1990s and the rise of technology, major tech forms like google and facebook moved their offices to places like Silicon Valley, south of the bay, that now have become hotspots for tech firms

Question 4

Sense of place

Answer 4

its famous and influential for its restaurants, often showcasing a localised styling of Mexican food
There are also festivals and parades about art and music
Lots of colourful murals

Question 5

Place meaning of San Francisco

Answer 5

freedom/diversity
Sunny
Optimistic
Film/dreams
Leisure
Environment

Question 6

Place meaning of the mission

Answer 6

old Latino
Street art
Gentrifying (retro shopping, hipster food and drink, nightlife)

Question 7

What are some endogenous factors of the mission

Answer 7

the majority of the residents are of minorities and low income families that often have gatherings for local businesses like food trucks. Historically it was a poor area with affordable rent.
The mission has historically been the centre of the city’s Chicano and Mexican-American community
Economic focus of the area is recreation to meet the needs of the influx of tech workers

Question 8

What are some exogenous factors of the mission

Answer 8

Tourists
come for the Latino culture
Historic architecture
New quirky shops
New-comers
Large influx of affluent tech workers with high incomes
Driving up cost of living and rent costs
Now one of the most expensive cities to rent in
Outsiders
Lots of investment due to the rapid change in the area

Question 9

Summarise the extent of change in the demographic, socio-economic and cultural characteristics of the Mission District

Answer 9

Demographic has changed slightly: Latino population decreased by 10%. Families decreased by 14%.
Socio-Economic has had a drastic change: median income is 9x higher. And the population with a college education has increased by 34%.
Cultural characteristics have also had a big change as there is a decrease in the amount of crime. However the cultural characteristics remain significant

Question 10

Exogenous factors that are driving change in the mission District

Answer 10

most important
Dot.com boom
This is because TNCs decisions created demand (catalyst). Globally successful businesses, skills in high demand = high wages can outcompete existing population of rent prices.
TNCs provide buses, which facilitate workers living there
However high disposable income individuals are attracted to the culture

next most important
Ellis Act
Because government policies facilitate change. Rent controlled tenants wouldn’t need to leave otherwise
However government not allowing new housing to be build in sufficient numbers to increase supply

least important
Public Investment
Because the mission economy is changing fro light industry to service industry in response to the needs and lifestyle of tech workers
However reinforcing attractiveness of the mission to tech workers rather than causing their influx