The Rise & Fall of the "Harlem of the West" — Bill Sorro Housing Program

In the mid-20th century, San Francisco’s African American communities thrived in the Western Addition and the Fillmore District – earning the name of “Harlem of the West” for their prominent jazz clubs, Black-owned businesses, and vibrant culture.
However, by the 1970s, most of these spaces were demolished, displacing around 20,000 residents—85% Black— from their homes under the guise of “urban renewal.”
Decades later, the scars of these policies have shaped a housing landscape marked by high prices, income gaps, and the near-erasure of San Francisco’s Black population.
This Black History Month, we reflect on the legacy of San Francisco’s displaced African American communities, and recognize their resilience in the face of injustice.
(Photo: *1698 Fillmore St. as seen in 1952; via SFRA archives; accessed via* *Medium*)

The Rise of a Community

*Alivia Scott, Hattie Carpenter, and Flossie Burtos help build SS George Washington Carver, Kaiser Shipyards, Richmond, California, 1943 via* *JSTOR*

San Francisco’s African American community forged its cultural identity in the 1940s and 50s, through hard word and cultural innovation.

During World War II, over 43,000 Black Southerners arrived seeking shipyard jobs, drawn by wartime promises of opportunity. Many settled in the Fillmore District—a neighborhood left largely empty after the forced internment of Japanese Americans.

By 1970, this population would grow to nearly 96,000 people, establishing a strong cultural presence in the blossoming city.

This community would soon take on its own identity: the “Harlem of the West” – for its renowned jazz clubs, Black-owned businesses, and tight-knit community.

The Fillmore’s Golden Era (1940s–1950s)

Photo: Steve Jackson Jr.; From HarlemoftheWestSF.com[/caption]; Accessed via Medium

In the wake of post-World War II America, over 30 jazz venues like Jimbo’s Bop City and the New Orleans Swing Club brought vibrancy and life to the Fillmore.

Hosting jazz legends like Billie Holiday and John Coltrane, the neighborhood became a sanctuary where artists and residents defied racial barriers and found freedom and innovation through music and entrepreneurship.

From soul food restaurants and roller skating rinks to bowling alleys and barbershops, the Fillmore’s growth in this era attracted a diverse population of customers from across the city.

Black-owned newspapers like The Sun-Reporter and the opening of historic resources like the Booker T. Washington Community Center in the Western Addition also grew to serve the local African American population, providing resources and information to their community.

Unlike segregated Eastern cities, the Fillmore blended working-class and middle-class Black families to create a rare mixed-income community.

“Urban Renewal”

Photo from San Francisco News-Call Bulletin Photo Morgue, San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library, Accessed via SF Public Press

The Redevelopment/Urban Renewal era in San Francisco aimed to modernize the city for global financial appeal, but led to the calculated destruction of Black communities.

The SF Redevelopment Agency (SFRA), backed by downtown corporations, media moguls, and politicians, prioritized white-collar housing and tourism over existing communities.

The destruction of San Francisco’s Black population began under the 1949 Housing Act and 1956 Interstate Highways Act, which funneled federal funds into an effort known as “slum clearance”, which targeted neighborhoods they deemed as “blighted”.

In San Francisco, elites weaponized these laws to target Black neighborhoods, labeling the Fillmore a “blighted area” despite its vitality, and using subjective criteria like crime rates and building conditions to justify demolition.

Over 20,000 residents would be displaced across the two phases of Redevelopment, with the SFRA demolishing 883 Victorian homes and 4,729 businesses.

Since 1970, San Francisco’s Black population has fallen from 96,000 to less than 46,000 – the only minority group to decrease in size since then.

Not Without a Fight

As cultural hubs were gutted from San Francisco, movements of resistance formed against the forced displacement of San Francisco’s vulnerable populations, echoing the Civil Rights Movement of the time.

In 1968, the Western Addition Community Organization (WACO) sued and won the right to participate in urban renewal processes. A 1968 federal injunction halted demolition temporarily, forcing the SF Redevelopment Agency (SFRA) to improve relocation plans and prioritize affordable housing. They also protested against the demolitions of prominent black-owned businesses, including Jimbo’s Bop City — an icon of Jazz culture in San Francisco.

At the same time, movements to defend other cultural hubs arose, like the fight for the International Hotel in Manilatown, which housed over 100 elderly Asian immigrants.

These acts would inspire housing justice activists and advocates to continue fighting against displacement to this day.

The Modern Housing Crisis & The Legacy of Displacement

San Francisco’s current affordability crisis is rooted in this history, with further acts of gentrification, zoning restrictions, and tech booms continuing to threaten displacement.
With median home prices hovering at $1.2 million, and median rents nearing $3,000/month, families across the city continue to experience severe rent burden.
87% of formerly redlined neighborhoods face ongoing gentrification, and only 10% of new affordable housing is built in high-opportunity areas, stifling affordable housing opportunities for disenfranchised populations.

Amid these challenges are modern movements to drive transformative solutions.

Expanding Access to Affordable Housing:
Organizations like BiSHoP, GLIDE, and the Housing Rights Committee advocate for housing & tenants’ rights and provide direct support to communities facing housing insecurity, supporting their journey to sustainable housing.

Certificate of Preference Program:
Introduced in 1969, this initiative prioritizes displaced families and descendants for affordable housing, which organizations like Bill Sorro Housing Program help clients access. In 2024, 94 descendants of displaced residents received a Certificate of Preference to help them land affordable housing in San Francisco – to see your eligibility for a COP, visit their portal here.

Community land trusts:
Organizations including the SF Community Land Trust and Freedom West Homes Co-op are acquiring properties to create permanently affordable housing, resisting speculative development to increase housing equity.

Reparative investments:
Projects like the Sunnydale HOPE SF project – which includes 170 affordable units with wraparound services – aim to support historically Black neighborhoods by investing in housing & support services accessible to their population.

The Path Forward: Repairing the Past, Rebuilding the Future

As the city commemorates Black History Month, it must confront its role in shaping the future of its Black communities, especially in the face of high costs of living.

Whether it’s mandating inclusionary zoning to desegregate high-opportunity neighborhoods, expanding support for Black-owned businesses and affordable housing programs, or supporting affordable developments in areas such as Bayview & the Western Addition (with larger African-American populations), the fights for housing and racial justice in San Francisco are intertwined.

“Urban renewal did indescribable psychological damage. Repairing it requires more than bricks and mortar—it demands truth, accountability, and healing.” - Pastor Amos Brown, a civil rights leader and reparations task force member (source)

Bill Sorro Housing Program stands with communities reclaiming their right to stay, thrive, and belong. This Black History Month, we honor the resilience of San Francisco’s African American families—and recommit to building a city where everyone has a home.

Additional Reading:

“Why San Francisco's Fillmore District Is No Longer the 'Harlem of the West” - a KQED article

“Brief History of Bayview-Hunters Point” - an article from FoundSF.org

https://www.findmysfcp.org/faq – a resource to learn more about SF’s Certificate of Preference.