Restaurant owners feel trapped after SF buys their building for formerly homeless youth
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- In San Francisco, the owners of a popular Burmese restaurant say they are feeling trapped after the city bought the building where they lease to turn the upstairs into housing for formerly homeless individuals.
With over 100 Google reviews raving about their food, you may think Bay of Burma has been around for ages. Well, no - they opened in 2023 after a year of renovating and getting permits.
"We didn't have any clue what is happening on the building," said Kay Zin, co-owner of Bay of Burma.
The Burmese restaurant is located on the ground floor of 1174 Folsom St. In San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood.
On the first day they opened, Kay Zin said a neighbor broke the news to them. The city had purchased the building and the tenants above them were moving out - to make way for a new project
"At first they were intended for a safe injection center," said Kay Zin.
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Kay and Ryan co-own the restaurant and have invested over $300,000. For over a year, they have been communicating with the city's homelessness and supportive housing department trying to find solutions.
"I was simply asking for them to reimburse for the construction cost because that is all of our savings. I just wanted to relocate to a safer place," said Kay Zin.
In 2024, the city changed plans and said a different project would go in.
The new plan is to turn it into supportive housing for homeless youth.
Bay of Burma owners Kay and Ryan Zin said their business has been robbed twice at gunpoint and they have seen crime spike in the area, which is home to other city-run aid centers like an addiction treatment center, a sobering center and a homeless shelter.
They are afraid the new project will add to that.
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"We are asking for more safety," said Ryan Zin, co-owner of Bay of Burma.
In a statement, HSH said they have been working with this community for over a year and described the housing complex as:
"A critical and much needed step towards solutions for young people struggling to exit homelessness and gain stability."
Supervisor Matt Dorsey said safety will be key.
"Twenty-four-seven ambassador services outside in the adjacent neighborhood which is the 1100 block of Folsom Street. There is also going to be onsite security during special key overnight hours," said Sup. Dorsey.
The city is designating this site a drug-free community.
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Sup. Dorsey: 'If anybody is using illegal drugs on site, it will be grounds for eviction."
Luz Pena: "Will the tenants get drug tested?"
Sup. Dorsey: "No, there is no testing."
Supervisor Dorsey said his office will help the business owners if the outcome is not positive.
"They didn't sign up for this. They want out. I'm happy to have that conversation and bring my office in negotiating that. I don't want to do anything that will hurt a small business," said Sup. Dorsey.
The housing complex is set to open in April.
"We are the tenants, too. If you want the whole building, take it. We will go somewhere else. We don't want to deal with everything that we don't want to because we want to focus on our business, but our hands are tied," said Ryan Zin.
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Full HSH Statement:
"The permanent supportive housing at 1174 Folsom supporting young adults is a critical and much needed step towards solutions for young people struggling to exit homelessness and gain stability. The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing is contracting with Abode Property Management to operate the site and Lyric to provide the onsite social services. Abode has also entered into a long-term lease with the City and is the master tenant at the site.
The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing has been working with the 1174 Folsom community, including the Bay of Burma proprietors, for over a year, conducting an extensive, robust and inclusive stakeholders process before moving forward with the project.
HSH has worked closely with the SOMA West Community, the Mayor's Office and Supervisor Dorsey to ensure that the program at 1174 Folsom can be a positive addition to the West SOMA Community. Our community commitments include:
- Security: Private security is in place 8 hours a day and will continue during operations
- Safety and Cleanliness: HSH and DPH are funding an expansion of the SOMA West Community Benefits District's ambassador program to provide 24/7 public safety support in the area
- Including dedicated ambassadors on Russ Street to support a safe passageway for youth and families in the neighborhood.
Now that Abode is the master tenant at the site the Bay of Burma proprietors have been instructed to negotiate their lease with Abode Property Management, and we are encouraging both parties to work together to develop a lease agreement that supports our local small businesses and encourages a collaborative relationship at 1174 Folsom. "
