Welcome to Bernal Heights
Even though there is a great deal of variety in the community, many neighbors have lengthy histories of working together to effect change and preserve neighborhood assets. The Bayview Footprints Network, a long-running blog, maintains the community's oldest. And the San Francisco Bay View is the neighborhood newspaper. Focal sites for environmental campaigners have included the Hunters Point Shipyard, a former Superfund site, and a polluting power plant. Social justice campaigners such as Julia Commer, Osceola Washington, Ruth Williams, Rosie Williams, Elouise Westbrook, Essie Webb, Espanola Jackson, Shirley Jones, and Alex Pitcher led the community in organizing throughout the Civil Rights Movement. The first African American to run for mayor of San Francisco was Sam Jordan, a successful boxer and bar owner.
Cortland Avenue, which is part of the hillside hamlet, features both residential properties and a small business area located to the south, including the city's historic library, which is known locally as Holly Park. Precita Avenue cafes are located on the north side of Precita Park, which is more or less a family-oriented locale. It's quite a comfortable climate in the city, especially during the summer when the Fiesta on the Hill Street Fair and Outdoor Cinema is popular.
The Bernal Heights housing stock is eclectic, ranging from primitive hillside cottages to several Victorians and Edwardians and a healthy sprinkling of new and renovated farmhouses with some spectacular vistas. Many of the people who live there are very varied, as can be seen, that they each have their community center and newspaper, the Bernal Journal. It is one of the city's hottest real estate markets right now, and it is a hidden gem.
Warm, welcoming, and open: these are all words that define how inhabitants of Bernal Heights describe their community. There are some residents in this area that like beautiful weather, well-maintained streets, and calm nights. The beautiful Victorian mansions in the region give the area a typical San Francisco flair, while the shopping, dining, and public areas keep you busy all day. Bernal Heights is welcoming to families, LGBT individuals, and pets.
