Shifting Demographics Challenge Communities

Visitacion Valley, an old working-class neighborhood in the southeast corner of San Francisco is facing the same challenges faced by other neighborhoods around the nation.A fast-changing economy and shifting demographics are making these Communities face cultural differences, economic resentment, and competition for services.In Visitacion Valley, application forms for new townhomes are now translated into Samoan, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog and Spanish. Differences between longtime African-American residents and newer Asian residents have surfaced. The Visitacion Valley Community Center is also a place where disagreeing groups meet to talk about common issues such as neighborhood crime. "They're fighting. But at least they're on one table hashing it out,'' said Gloria Woo, a city community development planner. "At least they're together.''