Fillmore Residents Say They Feel Ignored By City Over Deal to Keep Community Center Open

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on a proposal to transfer programming at the Ella Hill Hutch Community Center in the Fillmore District to the Booker T. Washington Community Service Center for 13 months. The city would lease the facilities for $1 while paying the nonprofit to run summer programming for neighborhood children. The agreement is supported by Mayor Daniel Lurie, Supervisors Bilal Mahmood and Myrna Melgar, and multiple city agencies, aiming to prevent a gap in services after the dissolution of the former operator, Collective Impact. Residents report having little input in the process. Booker T executive director Shakirah Simley is reportedly closely connected to Sheryl Davis, who faces felony charges related to the Dream Keeper scandal, including allegations of steering public funds through nonprofits she controlled and splitting invoices to avoid oversight.

"The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is set to vote on a proposal that would transfer programming at the Fillmore District's historic Ella Hill Hutch Community Center to the local nonprofit, Booker T. Washington Community Service Center, for the next 13 months. The deal would lease the Fillmore community center's facilities to Booker T for $1 while the city pays the nonprofit to run summer programming for neighborhood children. The services provided at Ella Hill Hutch are critical to Fillmore families and children, said Kate Poltrack, a spokesperson for Lurie."

"Ella Hill Hutch has been facing possible closure following the dissolution of its former operator, Collective Impact, which was also tied to the Dream Keeper scandal. The agreement is backed by Mayor Daniel Lurie, Supervisors Bilal Mahmood and Myrna Melgar, and several city agencies. Through this agreement with Booker T Washington, the city and community partners are working together to ensure there's no gap in services this summer and our kids are safe as they continue to access critical programming."

"Booker T executive director Shakirah Simley is reportedly closely connected with former Human Rights Commission director and Dream Keeper leader Sheryl Davis, who, along with Collective Impact director James Spingola, was charged in March in connection with the scandal. Prosecutors allege Davis steered public money through nonprofits she controlled or heavily influenced, including Collective Impact, while using tactics like splitting invoices to avoid oversight. A city audit last year identified roughly $4.6 million in questionable spending tied to Davis and the organizations connected to her."

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