Primary Plan: Compton’s x Coalition

A Strategy for Liberating Compton’s Cafeteria from GEO Group and Securing an Intersectional Future at 111 Taylor Street

Opening

111 Taylor Street is more than a building, it is the historic site of the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, the first well documented uprising by trans and queer people against police violence in the world. Today, this landmark is operated by GEO Group, the world’s largest private prison corporation and top ICE contractor with a record of human rights violations, labor abuses, and carceral profiteering.

Since launching this campaign in early 2025, we have mobilized legal, political, cultural, and community action to challenge GEO Group’s presence. We have organized public hearings, grown a broad coalition, and filed zoning appeals. Despite strong public testimony, the San Francisco Board of Appeals denied our appeal on July 16, 2025, and again denied our request for rehearing on August 20, 2025.

With the appeals pathway closed, we are escalating through litigation, Board of Supervisors oversight, historic landmarking, and ICE prevention policy. The CDCR has renewed GEO’s contract at 111 Taylor, but the fight is not over. We are building toward permanent removal of GEO Group, protection against ICE or other carceral takeovers, and community stewardship through a land trust that centers trans, immigrant, and justice-impacted communities.

Vision Statement

To protect and transform 111 Taylor Street into an intersectional site of liberation and cultural memory, free from carceral control and corporate profiteering, and to anchor a broad vision of intersectional justice. We will preserve this historic landmark, prevent its future use for incarceration, and steward it for abolitionist futures, housing justice, and ecological healing.

Objectives

  1. Escalate through litigation and oversight after the Board of Appeals’ denial, including nuisance, wrongful death, wrongful eviction, and zoning enforcement lawsuits.

  2. Prevent ICE Conversion by closing all legal and political pathways for federal detention or surveillance at the site.

  3. Secure Historic Landmark Protection to permanently block carceral uses.

  4. Achieve a Just Transition for all workers and people incarcerated at 111 Taylor, ensuring continuity of housing, services, and employment.

  5. Leverage State Reforms (e.g., AB 32, AB 3228, SB 593) to weaken GEO’s legal foothold and funding base.

  6. Establish Community Ownership through a land trust, COPA purchase, or eminent domain strategies.

  7. Enforce Nuisance & Safety Protections to hold GEO accountable for unsafe, noncompliant conditions.

  8. Build Sustained Public Pressure through hearings, media, direct action, and coalition mobilization.

  9. Center Cultural Memory & Community Envisioning in all phases of site transition and stewardship.

Strategic Pillars

1. Just Transition for Incarcerated People

  • Conduct updated gap analysis on housing and service needs.

  • Identify and resource community-rooted, non-carceral reentry providers.

  • Hold listening sessions with incarcerated people for participatory planning.

  • Develop nonprofit reentry provider alternatives for state/federal contracts.

2. Legal & Policy Action

  • Litigation: File nuisance abatement, wrongful death (Melvin Bulauan), wage theft class action and wrongful eviction suits.

  • Landmarking: Advance nomination to the Historic Preservation Commission to protect 111 Taylor against carceral reuse.

  • Zoning Enforcement: Pressure DBI and Planning to act on occupancy, safety, and use violations despite appeals denial.

  • Legislative Fixes: Explore BOS ordinances requiring CUAs for carceral halfway houses in RC zones, and prohibiting for-profit operators.

3. Government & Political Advocacy

  • Board of Supervisors Hearing (Oct 2025): Mobilize turnout, coordinated testimony, and media attention.

  • Maintain briefings with AM Haney, AM Bonta, AM Stefani, Senator Wiener, and Rep. Pelosi’s office.

  • Push BOS to subpoena GEO, pass contracting bans, and adopt resolutions urging state/federal non-renewal.

  • Align with AB 3228 enforcement and SB 593 implementation to shrink GEO’s eligibility for state support.

4. ICE Prevention & Federal Oversight

  • Draft and advance ICE Ban Ordinance prohibiting ICE use of historic/noncompliant sites.

  • Monitor federal contract activity, especially FBOP renewal due March 25, 2026.

  • Coordinate a National Call to Stop GEO Group to align with reentry contract deadlines.

5. Financial Pressure & Acquisition Readiness

  • Launch divestment campaign targeting GEO’s public subsidies and investors.

  • Prepare for COPA opportunities if GEO sells the building; explore eminent domain for historic/cultural purposes.

  • Build a $15–20M community acquisition fund with aligned investors.

  • Continue fall grant applications and bridge financing strategies.

6. Public Awareness & Direct Action

  • Sustain #LiberateComptons through BOS hearings and media cycles.

  • Release Zine 3

  • Amplify Melvin Bulauan’s story and community testimony in press and public events.

  • Stage high-visibility direct actions leading into the BOS hearing.

7. Stewardship Structure & Site Transformation

  • Confirm Community Advisory Council and hold first Strategic Wisdom Council (Sept 3).

  • Publish envisioning session report and installation to shape BOS advocacy.

  • Finalize CLT governance and bylaws for community stewardship.

  • Secure city/state commitments to facilitate transfer of title to the land trust.

Implementation Timeline

Phase

Key Milestones

Due

1 – Legal & Political Foundation

Appeal LoD, zoning complaints, legislative briefings

COMPLETE (Spring 2025)

2 – Public Pressure Campaign

Petition, media, teach-ins, Just Transition launch

COMPLETE (May–Aug 2025)

3 – Appeals & Contract Leverage

July 16 appeal, Aug. 20 rehearing (denied)

COMPLETE (Summer 2025)

4 – Transition & Interim Protection

BOS hearing prep, litigation filings, landmarking kickoff, ICE ordinance drafting

Aug–Dec 2025

5 – Community Ownership & Restoration

Transfer stewardship, begin programming, dedication

2026+