Land Use Committee forwards landmark designation for Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts

The Land Use and Transportation Committee voted unanimously to forward an ordinance recommending that the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts at 2868 Mission Street be designated a city landmark under Article 10 of the San Francisco Planning Code.

Supervisor Hillary Ronan, sponsor of the nomination, told the committee she was "here today to really highlight the Mission Cultural Center's significance as a cultural anchor for the Latinx community in my district and in San Francisco." Planning Department staff summarized the building’s history (constructed in 1947 and converted to a cultural center in 1977), character‑defining features including the upper‑façade mural "Spirit of the Arts," and interior spaces that house a theater, gallery and printmaking studio.

Joanne Lee of the San Francisco Arts Commission said MCCLA is "one of four cultural centers owned by the Arts Commission and would not be here in existence if not for tremendous community advocacy and labor," and noted that $10,000,000 in FY22 capital funds are allocated for seismic renovation work. Anne Cervantes of the San Francisco Latino Historical Society supported designation but questioned whether the $10 million allocation would be sufficient for full seismic and ventilation upgrades, saying the actual need could be closer to $25,000,000.

Speakers from MCCLA — including Executive Director Martina Ayala and other staff and volunteers — described the center as "the heartbeat of the mission," citing events such as Day of the Dead and carnival and the institution’s long history of community programming.

After public comment, Chair Supervisor Mirna Melgar moved to forward the ordinance with a positive recommendation. Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Dean Preston joined Melgar in voting "aye," and the motion passed 3–0. The committee record indicates the item will appear on the full Board of Supervisors agenda on May 17 unless otherwise noted.

The ordinance seeks to exempt certain storefront work from a certificate of appropriateness (to enable planned renovations) while recognizing the building’s National Register listing and preserving its character‑defining features. Planning staff said the designation focuses on the building as the container of cultural activities and that a portion of a mural on an adjacent property would not be included because the city lacks authority over that private parcel.

The committee’s vote sends the nomination to the full board for final consideration; the committee also acknowledged outstanding questions about the scope and sufficiency of capital funding for required seismic and ventilation work.