In a significant move, Supervisor Bilal Mahmood of San Francisco is advocating for a public hearing with Geo Group, one of the largest private prison corporations in the nation, in light of a recent tragedy involving a resident at a transitional housing facility located in the Tenderloin district.
At the upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting, Mahmood will address concerns following the death of Melvin Bulauan, who was found deceased on the street in the Tenderloin on July 14, as noted by a GoFundMe campaign organized by his family.
Before his passing, Bulauan had expressed a desire to return to prison rather than continue living at the facility on 111 Taylor Street, which has garnered increasing scrutiny.
“This company runs ICE detention facilities for the Trump administration across the country,” Mahmood stated, emphasizing the need for transparency regarding the living conditions at the facility.
“There are reports that this private facility in San Francisco is worse than a prison, and we want to know what’s going on there.”
Activists have rallied for significant changes at the facility, referring to it as having “prison-like” conditions.
Mahmood’s call for a hearing comes amid ongoing criticism of Geo Group, particularly as it relates to the facility that sits on a site steeped in LGBTQ history.
The location is historically known for its connection to the Compton Cafeteria Riot of 1966, a pivotal moment in the fight for transgender rights.
The former diner, which served as a safe haven for queer and trans individuals, has been transformed into a halfway house by Geo Group since its purchase in 1989.
Despite the building’s historical significance, the Board of Appeals recently upheld Geo Group’s use of 111 Taylor Street, despite activists advocating for a zoning change to repurpose the site as a community center for LGBTQ residents.
City officials are supporting Mahmood’s efforts to summon representatives from Geo Group in order to question them about reports of civil rights violations and the operational standards at the facility.
“We want to know how they are operating a facility in our own backyard,” said Mahmood, highlighting the increasing concerns around conditions affecting residents there.
After the Board of Appeals meeting, which lasted an exhaustive five hours, community members shared heartbreaking accounts of the detrimental impacts of living at the facility.
“My father’s death is not an isolated tragedy, but part of a larger pattern of institutional failure,” Anjru Jaezon de Leon, Bulauan’s son, remarked during the discussions advocating for justice and accountability.
The family of Melvin Bulauan also shared that after identifying his body, they reached out to his parole officer at Geo Group, who appeared unaware of the circumstances surrounding Bulauan’s exit from the program.
“This is about more than reclaiming a sacred space for San Francisco’s trans and queer community; it’s about justice for everyone who has been incarcerated, brutalized and killed by Geo Group,” stated Santana Tapia, a spokeswoman for the Compton’s x Coalition.
The recent death of Bulauan is viewed by many in the community as a symptom of broader systemic issues affecting immigrants and marginalized groups, with growing fears about increasing ICE raids in the Tenderloin.
Supervisor Mahmood expressed deep sympathy for the family, stating, “It’s heartbreaking to hear what the Bulauan family has experienced — no child should have to lose a parent under such circumstances.”
The hearing with Geo Group, intended to provide clarity and answers regarding the site’s operations and the implications for community members, is set to take place this fall.
While a date has yet to be finalized, the initiative reflects a broader movement seeking to address underlying problems associated with private prison systems and their impact on vulnerable populations.
image source from：kqed
