That military legacy left a curse. When the Navy departed in the 1990s, they left behind a Superfund site: radiological contamination, lead paint, asbestos, and barrels of unknown chemicals buried in the sandy soil. For decades, the island sat in limbo—affordable housing for the working class, but a poisoned chalice for developers.
By J. Parker, Senior Environmental Correspondent slammed treasure island
Protestors have repeatedly slammed Treasure Island’s leadership at public hearings. They argue the island is becoming a "gated fortress for tech millionaires" while the homeless crisis rages two miles away in downtown San Francisco. That military legacy left a curse
The new plan promises 8,000 new homes, but only 20% are designated "affordable." The rest are market-rate luxury condos with rooftop gardens, marinas, and yoga decks. The new plan promises 8,000 new homes, but
For potential buyers, the gamble is immense. Will this be a brilliant investment in a rising waterfront, or a financial tomb when the sea rises?
"Building hundreds of millions of dollars of luxury housing on a landfill in a rising bay is insanity," said Dr. Helena Marks, a coastal geologist. "Treasure Island is going to be slammed by storm surges before the mortgage is paid off." San Francisco is earthquake country. Treasure Island is entirely built on "hydraulic fill"—loose, sandy dredge that turns to liquid jelly during a major quake.
For centuries, the very name "Treasure Island" has conjured images of swashbuckling adventure, buried chests, and uncharted maps. But in the 21st century, a different kind of drama is unfolding on the real-world Treasure Island, a 400-acre man-made island in the heart of San Francisco Bay.