[Sustain] Ministers Tied To Lennar In Development Deals

[Eric Brooks]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/08/02/BA8KRBF742.DTL&type=printable


  Ministers have financial ties to developer


    Hunters Point shipyard condos safe and important, they say - some
    with health fears outraged

Matthai Chakko Kuruvila and Leslie Fulbright, Chronicle Staff Writers 
<mailto:mkuruvila at sfchronicle.com>

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Two of the San Francisco church leaders who this week praised plans to 
build condominiums on the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard have an 
economic stake in the development - as partners with the project's main 
developer, the Lennar Corp.

While the ministers say they have been up front about their involvement, 
it came as a shock to some community members.

Some residents of Bayview-Hunters Point are protesting the development 
because they say dust kicked up from the site is causing health 
problems, such as asthma and nosebleeds. Hundreds of supporters and 
opponents of the project turned out Tuesday at a Board of Supervisors 
meeting about the health concerns.

The ministers - the Rev. Arelious Walker of True Hope Church of God in 
Christ and the Rev. J. Edgar Boyd of Bethel AME - said at the meeting 
that there is no proof that naturally occurring asbestos and dust are a 
danger, and they urged the project to move forward. The city Public 
Health Department and other agencies said it is impossible to test the 
health effects of the dust and there is no proof it is a danger. The 
Board of Supervisors voted to let the project continue.

Boyd, in his testimony at the public hearing, did not acknowledge his 
financial relationship with Lennar. Walker said that he represented 
Tabernacle Affiliated Developers, but did not explain what that is.

The ministers acknowledged the financial relationship when asked about 
it on Wednesday by The Chronicle.

Boyd and Walker are part of a 2-year-old development team - Tabernacle 
Affiliated Developers - that includes the Rev. James McRay of Jones 
Memorial United Methodist Church, the Rev. Donald Green of San Francisco 
Christian Center and Calvin Jones of Providence Baptist Church. Under 
their contract with Lennar, the Tabernacle group will build about 200 
affordable homes, Walker said. The profits from those home sales will go 
to Tabernacle and the five ministers.

They pointed to press releases and Web sites explicitly disclosing the 
relationship, and said they regularly tell their parishioners about 
their development efforts, which don't involve church money. They said 
they began their affordable housing development efforts to stanch 
African American flight from the city to cheaper suburbs.

Redevelopment has historically driven African Americans from 
neighborhoods like the Western Addition, said Walker, 76, a lifelong 
resident of the Bayview.

The area's toxic land, lack of jobs, inadequate housing and high crime 
all are problems, Walker said. But, he added, because construction dust 
cannot be proved to be a health issue, the development should move forward.

"We need some strong economic development to change the paradigm for 
quality of life," he said.

Bayview community activist Marie Harrison said she was outraged to learn 
that local ministers are working with Lennar as developers.

"Some of these pastors can't decipher between church and politics," she 
said. "When I found out J. Edgar Boyd was in business with Lennar, my 
stomach did loops.

"I really think there should be a separation between religion and 
politics. He doesn't even live in this community nor have a church in 
this community. He has no connection."

Christopher Muhammad, a Nation of Islam minister who runs a school in 
the area, said his students suffer health problems from the dust and 
called for a halt to the development until health tests are done.

"I am in pain because I do see a community so wounded, so ill-affected 
by its economic deprivation over the years that they are forced to 
choose between their health and jobs," said Muhammad.

Kofi Bonner, president of Lennar's urban land division and the company's 
leading executive in San Francisco, said the company is required to work 
with "community builders" as part of its redevelopment agreement. 
Faith-based groups are among the options, he said.

"It's all very aboveboard," Bonner said.

Boyd said the community will gain from Tabernacle's involvement.

"Our company will profit but also offer opportunities for the 
community," Boyd said. "You cannot help someone off the ground if you 
are on the ground yourself.

"We will get above ground and then reach back and assist."

/E-mail the writers at mkuruvila at sfchronicle.com 
<mailto:mkuruvila at sfchronicle.com> and lfulbright at sfchronicle.com 
<mailto:lfulbright at sfchronicle.com>./

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/02/BA8KRBF742.DTL

This article appeared on page *B - 1* of the San Francisco Chronicle



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