Activists and scholars in San Francisco are taking steps to reclaim the historic site of the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, as they prepare to present an appeal aimed at removing the GEO Group, a private prison operator, from its longstanding use of the location as a transitional housing facility.
The advocates envision transforming the site into a more community-oriented space, reflecting its historical significance.
For over 30 years, the facility at 111 Taylor Street in the Tenderloin has been operated by the GEO Group, a for-profit company based in Florida, which notably manages prisons, immigration detention centers, and reentry facilities.
Activists argue that the current use of the site undermines the spirit of the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, which occurred in 1966 when trans women clashed with San Francisco police in the very diner that occupied the ground floor of the building.
The riot became a pivotal moment in queer resistance, predating the more well-known Stonewall Uprisings.
This year, the site was designated the first federal landmark recognized for its contributions to the transgender movement and is part of the world’s first legally recognized Transgender Cultural District.
In January, the Planning Department reaffirmed the transitional housing center’s status at the Taylor Street location, prompting a coalition of activists and historians to file an appeal in May, claiming the determination was inaccurate.
Today, this appeal will be heard by the Board of Appeals, marking what Chandra Laborde, who is leading the appeal, described as a “key moment” to reclaim 111 Taylor Street.
In coordination with ongoing advocacy efforts surrounding the location, the TurkxTaylor coalition’s appeal seeks to prevent the renewal of GEO Group’s contract with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which expired in June.
Despite the contract renewal, as confirmed by Senator Scott Wiener’s office, activists remain committed to pursuing the appeal.
State legislators, including Wiener and Assemblymember Matt Haney, have expressed their support for the appeal in a letter to the Board of Appeals, stating that the site is “ill-suited” to be operated by a for-profit private prison corporation with historical zoning violations and established ties to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Laborde emphasized in her appeal that GEO Group’s operations at the site extend beyond transitional housing into more intensive reentry services, which, she claims, exceed the scale and intensity allowed under the current Group Housing zoning classification.
She highlighted practices such as headcounts, curfews, and breathalyzer tests, arguing that the facility functions more as an institutional or residential care setting rather than a simple housing facility.
“The facility currently offers not just transitional housing but also intensive parolee reentry services,” Laborde wrote.
In response, attorneys for GEO Group asserted that the center has consistently operated in the same capacity for over 36 years, housing approximately 200 formerly incarcerated individuals, and they rejected claims of prison-like conditions at the site.
They warned that achieving the appeal could leave many residents without necessary support, emphasizing that the center serves a critical population.
Moreover, GEO Group’s legal team mentioned their attempts to honor the location’s history by reintroducing a café in the space that once housed Compton’s Cafeteria.
Zoning Administrator Corey Teague backed the call to deny the appeal, citing prior determinations confirming that the space has consistently been utilized for group housing.
He noted that the Planning Department lacks the authority to enforce proper use if any misapplications occur at the GEO Group’s facility.
Trans and LGBTQ advocates have long argued that given the historical significance of the site, its current use should be aligned with its legacy, and they urge the city to support such an initiative.
Janetta Johnson, a former resident at 111 Taylor Street who helped found the Transgender Cultural District, stressed that GEO Group’s presence at the site feels incompatible with its transformative history.
She described the Tenderloin as often “not conducive” to recovery for individuals exiting step-down programs and criticized keeping individuals under surveillance and control at a place synonymous with resistance and liberation.
“My hope for the building is that it becomes senior housing for queer trans GLBTQ community members,” Johnson shared.
Sister Anya Streets, a drag queen and former resident of 111 Taylor St., echoed these sentiments, stating that while the creation of a transgender cultural district was admirable, without addressing issues like policing and the broader history of the movement, it risks being merely symbolic.
“GEO does not have to be there. It’s not necessary for the city,” Streets said. “What’s essential is for the city to return to its roots and remember what made San Francisco diverse and forward-thinking.”
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