Celebrating 10 Years at Pigeon Palace!
Earlier this year SFCLT gathered with neighbors, friends, and longtime residents at Pigeon Palace in the Mission to commemorate a full decade of stability, community, and creativity. We also unveiled a striking new mural by renowned San Francisco artist Mona Caron, honoring the story of Pigeon Palace and its resilient group of residents.
At the Pigeon Palace 10 year community celebration!
The six-unit Queen Anne Victorian building on Folsom Street in San Francisco, dubbed the “Pigeon Palace” by its tenants in 2011, dates back to the early 1900s. When the long-time landlord passed away in 2014, a court-appointed conservator put the building up for sale. Tenants feared losing their homes to speculators.
In July 2015 probate auction, the SFCLT stepped in and outbid a notorious serial evictor, ultimately bringing the building permanently into community ownership. Since then, Pigeon Palace has been removed from the speculative market—its tenants protected from eviction and the rising pressures that threaten so many in this city.
San Francisco muralist Mona Caron, an early resident herself (living there in 2004–05) and a celebrated chronicler of local narratives, created the new mural with meticulous care and rich storytelling—beckoning viewers to slow down, connect, and reflect. Her work on the Pigeon Palace façade is a crowning jewel to the celebration, echoing the building’s commitment to creativity, solidarity, and place-based art.
Pigeon Palace is more than affordable housing—it’s proof of how the Community Land Trust model provides long-term stability and sanctuary for those who shape our city: artists, historians, activists, educators, and more. These are the people who make San Francisco San Francisco. By securing their homes, SFCLT has ensured that this rich tapestry of community can flourish without the constant fear of displacement.
A heartfelt thank you to the resident‑activists—past and present—whose vision, persistence, and care have shaped Pigeon Palace into the lively, supportive, and culturally rich community it is today. Your dedication has reshaped a turn-of-the-century Victorian into a thriving center for creativity, mutual aid, and resistance to displacement. Cheers to 10 years—and here’s to 100 more!