[Sustain] Lennar Corporation Exposed For Racism & Environmental Violations In Bayview

[Eric Brooks]

http://www.fogcityjournal.com/news_in_brief/kirshenbaum_070317.shtml

Lennar slapped with racial discrimination lawsuit,
accused of violating toxic asbestos cleanup restrictions


Bayview Hunters Point Shipyard, file photo.
Photo(s) by Luke Thomas

By Daniela Kirshenbum

March 17, 2007

Lennar Corporation is considered the King Midas of developers, ready to 
turn the Bay Area's most toxic sites to gold. But a lawsuit filed March 
16 alleges the firm is poisoning the community and is discriminating 
against its workers.

The lawsuit lists numerous instances when African-American employees for 
the firm’s Bayview-Hunter’s Point Shipyard project were subject to 
humiliation and insulting comments about their race.

The three plaintiffs are Gary McIntyre, a project manager; Clementine 
Clark, a community benefits manager and a member of San Francisco's Fire 
Commission; and Ceola Richardson, an administrative assistant. They 
describe an atmosphere in which African-American employees were made to 
feel they were hired specifically to fulfill minority-owned business 
requirements, and yet those requirements were not met.

The lawsuit also details instances when the plaintiffs tried to alert 
their supervisor, Paul Menaker, about dangerously high levels of 
asbestos in the air and near an adjacent school. Menaker made a point of 
disregarding the warnings and did not ensure that basic steps were taken 
to mitigate the release of dangerously high levels of toxic asbestos 
dust, the suit alleges.

The San Francisco Redevelopment Agency has had to step in (item 4d) to 
request that Lennar undertake routine asbestos handling practices.

Conceivably, the case could affect Lennar's standing as a favored 
government contractor. The firm is one of the largest in the country. 
Locally, they are the developers for the lucrative Treasure Island, Mare 
Island, Bayview-Hunter's Point, and potential 49ers stadium/housing project.

The case creates political implications on a number of levels, which may 
make things awkward for Mayor Gavin Newsom. One of the plaintiffs in the 
case is a mayoral appointee of the Fire Commission. Plaintiffs attorney 
Angela Alioto plays a role in the Newsom administration. And finally, 
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is involved in Lennar's local projects.



MORE INFORMATION:

Lennar is a green builder with SF government support.

Lennar is on the record as supporting African-American cultural history.

Lennar’s stock price has looked better, but at least one Democratic 
heavy hitter is a Lennar president.