The viral photo of a neighborhood meeting at San Francisco’s Fort Mason in July shows what’s been described as a sea of gray hair. Taken by a San Francisco Chronicle reporter, the photo quickly became a meme. Commenters quipped: “These people should be sent to Alcatraz.” Others wrote: “Imagine being in the final months, or even weeks of your life and spending your precious energy ensuring younger generations have no chance at enjoying the same lifestyle you had,” and “We must rebel against boomer despotism.”

Hundreds of residents had gathered to discuss the controversial redevelopment of the Marina District Safeway into a mixed-use housing complex. Composed of two towers that rise up to 22 stories tall, the proposed project at 15 Marina Blvd. has proven to be polarizing. 

Critics, with jokes abound, saw the photo as a symbol of how older, established residents are trying to block new housing.

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But Marina resident Erin Roach isn’t laughing. She’s disgusted by “vile” and “ugly” reactions to the photo, saying it unfairly targeted seniors. 

“It’s become a YIMBY versus NIMBY thing, and it’s just absolutely the wrong framing for this project,” she said in a phone call with SFGATE, referring to the “Not In My Backyard” and “Yes In My Backyard” movements. 

Roach is president of the Marina Community Association and one of the community leaders calling for more environmental review of the waterfront project. Roach said the real concern among residents is that the project lies on landfill and a former industrial site that’s contaminated with toxic waste — digging into this site could expose the neighborhood to these toxins. 

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“I’m not inventing this when I say there are contaminants, and I’m not inventing this when I say this is the most documented liquefaction zone in San Francisco,” she said. “The city is being irresponsible ... No one here is saying they don’t want the site to be built. We’re just saying that we would like........

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