I-Hotel Grand Opening Celebration!

Grand Opening Celebration of the new International Hotel
Friday, August 26th 1:00PM-4:00PM
Jackson St. & Keany St. San Francisco, CA

"The law should take a stake concerning low income housing in every state. That's what I want. That's what the poor people want.
-Wahat Tampao, The Fall of the I-Hotel

Thirty-seven years after the manongs received their first eviction notices, the new I-Hotel will be reopening in its original location in the heart of San Francisco's old manilatown with 104 units of low income housing, a community center, and a museum to honor the struggle of the original tenants and of the Pilipino-American experience. Come celebrate this momentous occasion with us on August 26th.

In all seriousness, this is one of the most significant events to happen in recent Pilipino-American history. You do not want to miss this.

Background on the I-Hotel

The International Hotel, otherwise known as the I-Hotel, was once was the heart of the old Manilatown in downtown San Francisco. It was home to over a hundred senior citizens primarily of Pilipino descent. The above photograph was taken in 1977. On August 4, four hundred police officers in full riot gear crushed the barricade of three thousand protestors surrounding the building. The doors of the building were smashed in, and the remaining Manongs were dragged out of the building to live on the streets.

Just two years later, the I-Hotel was a hole in the ground, and corporate owners planned on constructing a parking structure. But the fight didn't end there. Organizations like the MHF fought for decades, and nearly 30 years later, the International Hotel has been rebuilt with 104 units of low income housing. The I-Hotel will reopen on August 26, 2005.

For more information, visit the Manilatown Heritage Foundation's website.
Also, check out our historical gallery for images from our past.

-Victor
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