By Nina Gupta
Environmental racism is the systemic placement of underprivileged communities in unsafe living conditions, often exposing them to air and water pollution, extreme heat, and harmful radiation. Modern-day examples include California cities building homeless shelters in polluted industrial zones because of the lower cost of land.
In 2021, an unhoused RV community called the Bayview Vehicle Triage Center opened in Candlestick Point State Recreational Area in Bayview-Hunter’s Point, San Francisco, California. City officials claimed the original vision was to create a city-funded site providing 120 RV spaces where residents could access showers, bathrooms, and electrical and sewage hookups for their vehicles (Chien, 2024). Unfortunately, the center did not have a permanent electrical system, resulting in the city implementing 16 unauthorized diesel generators to provide power to the vehicles (CBS News, 2023).
A San Francisco citizens’ group claimed that installing the diesel generators without a permit violated the Clean Air Act and posed serious health hazards. The plaintiffs argued that the city had created a dangerous situation for surrounding residential areas and that pollution emitted from diesel generators is among the top sources of cancer risk from air contaminants in California (Chien, 2024).
In addition, census data showed that 89% of Bayview residents are Asian American, Hispanic, and Black (CBS News, 2023). Bayview has struggled with industrial pollution since it was purchased by the US Navy in 1937 to build naval warships. This brought African Americans to the area to work in the shipyard. The site later became a location for decommissioning radioactive ships and researching the effects of radiation and atomic weapons. The history of radioactive contamination continues to affect residents today (Carleton College).
There was also a danger of breathing in dust, as Bayview is located in the middle of a gravel pit used for making concrete and is in close proximity to three other concrete plants (NBC Bay Area, 2021). The mounds of sand and broken up asphalt create clouds of dust that can become trapped in peoples’ lungs. Residents also argued that regulations failed to ensure that materials were kept wet enough to control dust (NBC Bay Area, 2021). However, air district officials claimed that the stress of being homeless rather than the dust was responsible for elevated cases of asthma in the area. Residents argued that their basic human rights were being violated because of the daily dangers they were exposed to.
The Bayview Vehicle Triage Center closed down in March 2025, and the City of San Francisco began towing RVs from the vacant lot, disregarding the citizens and their relocation plans (ABC7 News, 2025). Consequently, more than 30 residents remained at the site without anywhere to relocate, despite the city claiming that relocation was offered. This resulted in residents filing lawsuits over the matter. The Triage Center housed 132 families over the three-year course as claimed by the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (ABC7 News, 2025).
The creation and closing of Bayview Vehicle Triage Center shows that providing housing or shelter to homeless residents is not enough if the surrounding environment puts their health at risk. As the City of San Francisco continues to address homelessness, the next development to watch is whether the city chooses locations that prioritize residents’ safety and whether displaced RV residents are given meaningful alternatives and resources. Bayview’s experience also reminds the community that environmental justice includes the right to live in a healthy environment, especially for those who have the fewest resources to advocate for themselves. Therefore, where a community is located matters just as much as whether it is given a place to live.
References
ABC7 News. (2025, March 4). RV owners plead for help after SF tows vehicles from safe parking site near Candlestick Point.
Carleton College, Department of Chemistry. (n.d.). History and legacy of environmental racism in the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood.
CBS News. (2023, January 11). San Francisco citizens’ group sues city over diesel generators.
Chien, T. (2024, December 13). This homeless solution was a costly disaster. What comes next for the RV camp? The San Francisco Standard.
NBC Bay Area. (2021). Air quality makes COVID-19 shelter worst place to live, environmental activists say.