Remembering Herb Levine

Senior and Disability Action mourns the recent passing of Herb Levine, former SDA board member and supporter, movement leader, friend, and mentor to many in our community.

Herb moved to San Francisco from New York during the Summer of Love in 1967 and ended up staying, taking part in the 1977 Federal building sit-in that lasted nearly a month and is credited as a major win for the disability rights movement. Throughout his career, Herb’s work had a strong focus on independent living, and on the rights of disabled people to age in place, to be able to live in the community on our own terms. He was deeply involved in the Laguna Honda lawsuit, working to help people get out of institutions and live independently with the support they need.

In 2007, Herb was one of the key players in the settlement of a civil rights class action lawsuit regarding expanded community-based living options for seniors and people with disabilities in San Francisco. The settlement formed the Success at Home program, creating 500 units of accessible housing and enabling disabled SF residents to move out of institutions like Laguna Honda and live in community-based housing, with access to subsidized healthcare, and other long-term services and supports. This is just one example of the crucial work Herb was part of, and his legacy lives on today as we continue to fight for expanded affordable and accessible housing and services for seniors and disabled people.

Herb was Executive Director of the Independent Living Resource Center of SF (ILRCSF) for many years, and his colleagues there spoke to his strength and leadership, and his commitment to the independent living and disability rights movements, both in his work and outside of it. “Herb was a real force of nature,” shared Lana Nieves, current Executive Director of ILRCSF. “He went the extra mile for people who worked for him and practiced what he preached.” Those who served with Herb on SDA’s board spoke to his confident, smart, and determined personality, his collaborative spirit, and his wise voice at the table.

In the words of Maria Richardson, Latino Community Services Coordinator at ILRCSF, “He cared about you as a whole, what was important to you was important to him. Herb never acted above you or below you, you were his equal. He was your friend, mentor and teacher. Herb had a way with words, when he needed to speak up for people with disabilities, he did it with grace. He was the voice for those who could not advocate for themselves. Herb Levine was gentle, kind, and loving.”

Rest in power, Herb. You will be greatly missed.

A memorial will be held for Herb on February 5, between 1pm and 3pm at Adath Israel, 1851 Noriega St, San Francisco.