Editor:
Why have we heard so little about the closing of Laguna Honda Hospital?
There’s a good reason. It has nothing to do with the stated rationale for closing. There is nothing wrong with the hospital facilities, which were rebuilt after the overwhelming passage of a bond issue. There’s no demand for its closing, rather the reverse.
The cited employee misbehavior issues, which could be addressed by removal, replacement, or retraining of the offending individuals are just a figleaf. What’s really going forward in secret is to replace the hospital not only with luxury condos (as with the old Public Health Hospital on the Presidio) but an entire new neighborhood, which is planned to be the biggest real estate development in San Francisco for many decades. That’s what has investors and developers susurrating in ecstasy. That’s why nothing is being heard from Pelosi and other local politicians, because those in the know have been quietly bought off.
The plan is wait till the patients are all removed – and after the election – then to announce it as a surprise. All the stops are to be pulled out and all the cliches about affordable housing, solving the homeless problem, high density infill, and meeting the needs of every possible interest group. Except one – the disabled and impoverished seniors living there now, and those who may be in need of space in the future. Those are just useless eaters, to be bounced off to the Central Valley or Nevada or anywhere out of sight, if a virus doesn’t get them first.
Pat Lamken
Categories: Laguna Honda Hospital
Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon 
Pat, although I have no inside info, that is my suspicion. It’s beautiful real estate.
The City’s time might be better spent investigating the complaints of our for-profit nursing homes. Dawn, SF Lifetime Resident, Retired RN.
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Thanks to the author for saying what San Francisco residents have suspected. The programs to cleanse the city of undesirables who are taking up valuable real estate are going strong, helped by our government representatives in Sacramento and Washington. Our California representatives rushed up the process of emptying Laguna Honda by putting criminals in the hospital so they could force closure of the facilities, to make way for the selloff. Watch to see who buys the property and the they they get on the purchase price. We may anticipate a Balboa Reservoir type deal will be offered in exchange for something the citizens don’t want or need as much as they need this facility of last resort for the elderly and infirm. This project will be a big one since it involves the Washington reps. We hope the world is watching so it sees the true heart and soul (or lack thereof) of San Francisco, and does not make the mistakes we did of trusting our leadership.
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And anybody who objects is a horrible NIMBY. Developers have never had such a cheering mob behind them, demonizing anyone who objects to their plans. I’m sure the homeless will be lining up to rent all these luxury condos – problem solved!
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