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Dear D9 Neighbor,
In honor of Women’s History Month, I had the privilege of being interviewed by SFGovTV for their series on women leaders in San Francisco. You can check out my full interview , but I wanted to reiterate what I said about what Women’s History Month means to me: “For me it means a month to be inspired. Women contribute everything to this world, this country, this city, and it is a moment to shine a spotlight on some of those contributions, and to take a moment to celebrate those contributions…” I am truly in awe every day of the countless women who work around the clock to make things better for our communities.
In the spirit of Women’s History Month, I am proud to honor the fearless women visionaries of our City and District 9 that have the tenacity to make change happen –women like Gloria Esteva, who I honored at the Board of Supervisors on March 7th. Gloria is one of the most remarkable women I know. She is a SF immigrants rights organizer at Causa Justa|Just Cause, a multi-racial, grassroots organization that builds community leadership to advocate for low-income SF and Oakland residents. Previous to her work with Causa Justa, Gloria volunteered for 14 years with People Organized to Win Employment Rights, or POWER. Through Gloria’s organizing and advocacy in San Francisco, Gloria has played a significant role in many of the public campaigns to strengthen our sanctuary city policies and empower our youth and immigrant communities. Gloria was a part of bringing us Free MUNI for Youth; passing our remarkable Due Process for All Ordinance; stopping our discriminatory tow policy for immigrants; and ensuring immigrant children have a right to counsel in San Francisco. Gloria is also recognized nationally as an immigrants rights leader as she has traveled, protested, and participated in acts of civil disobedience to demand immigration reform for our country’s 11 million undocumented immigrants. Thank you, Gloria, for your decades of service on behalf of the immigrant community in San Francisco!
Also, every month we spotlight an exemplary community organization, and this month, I am spotlighting the vision, leadership and power of the women behind the Homeless Prenatal Program. Read below to learn about this amazing program that supports women to achieve healthy, stable and self-sufficient families.
Before I dive into the newsletter, I want to first express my gratitude to so many of you who have expressed your well wishes, sent get well cards and offered support as I recover from my recent knee surgery. My community has shown up for me in such a beautiful way, and I want to share that I am healing well, and was even able to be back in person at the Board of Supervisors this week. Throughout this entire ordeal, my team has not missed a beat. We have been working at full speed to push forward on efforts to improve conditions in our beloved District and city-wide.
In community,
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Homelessness & Street Conditions
Tackling Family Homelessness
We have been seeing an increase in family homelessness, and in particular newcomer family homelessness, in San Francisco, with a concentration of families in District 9. The Stay Over Program (SOP) that I helped spearhead with Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 school, run by Dolores Street Community Services (DSCS) is operating at full capacity and has seen little flow out of the shelter despite its intention as an emergency shelter, a short-term landing place for families to move into more permanent supportive housing. It should not have to be stated that no child should ever have to sleep on the streets of San Francisco, but we have been notified of many instances of children sleeping in tents or cars.
My office has been working with community partners, including Faith in Action, DSCS, Good Samaritan, Latino Task Force, CARECEN, and many others to support families in need of shelter. Faith in Action hosted an event in early March that brought out 350 people to St. Anthony’s Catholic Church to hear testimony from unhoused families and demand a plan of action from the City. In an expression of our commitment to solving this issue, Supervisor Safai spearheaded legislation, that I co-sponsored with Supervisors Walton, Preston, Chan and Peskin:
Resolution urging the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) to prioritize families with children to receive shelter or hotel vouchers the same day that they arrive at an access point, to develop a comprehensive plan that focuses on children and families to prevent children from living on the streets and develop a multilingual, accessible public dashboard where families can monitor the waitlist and the progress of moving families into permanent housing. [File 240239]
We will work with the City departments to ensure this plan gets implemented as soon as possible, and will not let up on our work to seek solutions to ensure that all families have a safe place to sleep and resources to establish stability and ultimately thrive in San Francisco.
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| Photo credit: Jennifer Ferrigno. Supervisors Preston and Safai join Faith in Action at a press conference announcing a Board of Supervisors Resolution to be introduced to address family homelessness. March 12, 2024 |
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The RVs on Bernal Hill
In early March, the Mayor’s office decided to begin reenforcing an existing no overnight parking policy on Bernal Heights Boulevard to prohibit the 15 or so RVs that were parked along the hillside. I was not in favor of this decision because 1) it does not address the root of the problem of housing insecurity that is a crisis in San Francisco, and 2) it simply moves the issue to another part of our District. As we are well aware, there are hundreds of RVs and people living in their cars throughout the City and this resolution on Bernal Hill did nothing to solve the bigger problem.
My office had been working regularly with City departments to provide outreach to the RV dwellers to offer alternatives and services, and we advocated to get more crews from DPW to keep the area clean. All of this while working every day to increase shelter capacity, such as with the opening of the Tiny Homes in the Mission, and bring more affordable housing online in District 9.
My office worked with SFMTA to pause enforcement of the overnight parking ban through March 28, to give us time to help people find alternatives. We asked that the Mayor’s office guarantee a plan to ensure that these folks are prioritized for services and Homelessness and Supportive Services and their Homeless Outreach Team reached out to provide solutions. The enforcement pause has now come to an end, and the RVs are no longer going to be permitted overnight on the hill. There were a few positive resolutions for some of the RV dwellers, for others, their future remains uncertain. We are keeping in touch to support them with continued offers of assistance. Meanwhile, this continues to be a citywide issue that must be handled intentionally, and with underlying principles of compassion and understanding for the plight of the poor in this expensive city. We will be advocating for more safe sleep sites, and continue to push for increased shelter and affordable housing capacity.
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Mission Cabins Opening in April
We are thrilled to share that Mission Cabins, the Tiny Cabin village at 1979 Mission Street, will be opening its doors to residents in April. In order to reduce homelessness in the Mission, we worked with the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing to offer a new type of dignified non-congregate shelter and permanent supportive housing to our homeless community members. The cabins are on the site of a future 100% affordable housing site that won’t break ground for a few years yet, taking advantage of the space and filling a great need meanwhile. Following the model Tiny Cabin village at 33 Gough Street which has been a great success, Mission Cabins will help individuals transition into permanent supportive housing. Alongside the establishment of this tiny cabin village, my office has advocated for City resources to be dedicated to maintaining safe and clean conditions around the shelter site and throughout the Mission, and already we are seeing great improvements, and more to come as soon as we open the doors and begin sheltering folks who have been living on the streets.
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| Photo credit: From Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. A rendering of Mission Cabins. |
Historical Landmarking
The Grand Theater gets Landmark Status
This month, the Board passed my legislation recognizing the Grand Theater, located at 2665 Mission Street, as a historical landmark. The Grand Theater’s location in the Mission corridor and Calle 24 Latino Cultural District are significant as this theater’s history goes back to its early days operating as a single screen movie theater for working class families. While other historic theaters in the Mission have been demolished or turned into parking lots, the Grand Theater has continued to be in community use thanks to the Gray Area , a non-profit digital arts organization that has been a fantastic steward of the theater since their arrival 10 years ago. Gray Area has supported countless local and BIPOC artists, hosting community events and galleries open to the public, and most recently raised over $50,000 to reignite the Grand Theater’s neon marquee sign.
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| Photo courtesy of Gray Area. |
Naming Street Corner in Commemoration of Sean Monterrosa
Commemorative Street Name Designation “Sean Monterrosa Boulevard” on Park Street at the Intersection of Holly Park Circle.
Sean Monterrosa was a 22 year Bernal resident who was shot and killed by officer Jarrett Tonn of the Vallejo Police Department on June 2, 2020, amidst a period of protests demanding justice for George Floyd. Born and raised in San Francisco, and having lived on Park Street his whole life, Sean made his mark in his community through his participation in several local organizations, including MYEEP, 7 Teepees, Horizons Unlimited, Lifeworks, DJ Project, and the Excelsior Boys and Girls Club, and more. He mentored at-risk youth and was firm in his commitment to social justice. Sean’s community remembers and honors him as a compassionate, kind, and thoughtful leader.
The Monterrosa family, in particular the Monterrosa sisters, have carried on social justice work in his honor, and commemorated his life through events, such as a block party attended by hundreds near Holly Park, officially called “Tucan’s Day,” to remember the life that Sean led, celebrate the impact that he had on his community, and demand justice for his death.
In 2021, the Sean Monterrosa Knowledge Up Community Library had its grand opening on Holly Park Circle, a physical tribute to Sean’s legacy and a community fixture that encourages young people in the neighborhood to read books on social justice issues. Last year, a mural was unveiled in his honor at the corner of South Van Ness and 24th Street, with an event celebrating his life.
This week, on March 26th, 2024, the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution to install a commemorative street name at the corner of Park St and Holly Park Circle in his honor, where he grew up. This intersection will now be commemorated as “Sean Monterrosa Boulevard,” to continue to honor this powerful young man’s legacy, and in solidarity with his family who carry forward his important work.
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EDUCATION
The Student Success Fund Grant Awards Announced
The Student Success Fund (SSF) has released its 2024/2025 grant award recipients. San Francisco voters passed Proposition G in November 2022 establishing the Student Success Fund, an initiative I spearheaded along with a team of inspiring educational and community leaders. The fund provides support directly to school sites for innovations aimed at achieving grade-level success in core academic subjects and/or enhancing the social and emotional well-being of SFUSD students. SSF provides sustained, robust, and targeted funding for programs that address longstanding systemic and societal inequities in public education.
You can find out which schools received grants here. Several schools in D9 were awarded funds to implement targeted programming to improve the student academic achievement and/or social emotional wellness of their unique population of students.
This is the first year of full grants from the Student Success Fund. During the first year of the fund, the current 2023/2024 school year, the fund was getting up and running and offered schools access to Rapid Response Funds. SSF is administered by the Department of Children, Youth and Families in coordination with San Francisco Unified School District. Schools that did not get funding this time around, or that did not apply, are eligible for Technical Assistance and Rapid Response Funds. We are looking forward to seeing how students and families will benefit from the proposals funded this year, and will support those schools that need access to Technical Assistance and Rapid Response Funds so that they can get ready to apply for grants next year.
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GREEN SPACES AND BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS IN D9
Alioto Park
Capp Street neighbors, the SF Recreation and Parks department, and our office have been partnering to revitalize Alioto Mini Park and make it a welcoming space for all. On March 23rd, the group held a volunteer day with gardening, kids’ activities, food, a dj and a sun-shaped cookie fundraiser inspired by the rising sun on the park’s entryway signs. Even members of the Alioto family, for whom the park is named, joined in on the fun. With a little respite from the rain, volunteers spruced up the community garden and flower beds with new plants. Going forward, the group plans to re-paint entryway signs, add a mural, host music and children’s events, and organize exercise classes like tai chi, among other ideas. Together, we are also advancing long-term capital renovations to better support community activities and improve the safety, maintenance and accessibility of the park.
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Photo credit: Sheila Chung Hagen. Supervisor Ronen and Capp Street neighbors at beautification and volunteer garden day at Alioto Park, including activities for kids and fun for all.
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Bloom Shaboom Family Connections Block Party
The Portola neighborhood’s annual Bloom Shaboom Family Connections Block Party this year was a hit. There were several hundred participants gathered for the music, greenway tours and event programming, and the delicious food from neighborhood restaurants. I was asked to speak as a guest of honor, and was surprised and humbled to learn that the Adventure Path on the Portola Greenway has been named in my honor. I have such deep gratitude for this wonderful D9 community and the regularly organized events that celebrate the uniqueness and unity of the Portola neighborhood. Keep an eye out for future block parties!
This team organizes at least one a month, and the next one:
Dim Sum and Cars
A car show and food and safety fair
Sunday, April 14th from 11-3
It's completely free and fun for the whole family!
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| Photo credit: Hannah Hanssens-Reed. Bloom Shaboom event in the Portola on March 24th, the Portola Greenway and the Hillary Ronen Adventure Path. |
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The Saint Mary's Park in Bernal Heights Celebrates 100 Years!
Congratulations to the community of Saint Mary’s Park, a neighborhood founded in March, 1924 by then Archbishop Riordan on 60 acres of land in the southwest corner of Bernal Heights. The community is designed in the shape of a bell with a monument at its entrance, and has a vibrant community center with volunteer historians, and archivist and a active neighbors who work to beautify the area, including with a mural and the cultivation of green spaces in the medians along College Avenue, right down the center of the bell. The event was well attended, on a beautiful sunny day, and was blessed by the Archbishop. To find out more about Saint Mary's Park, check out Saint Mary's Park Improvement Club or the Saint Mary's Park Rec Center.
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Photo credit: (Left) Kathy Kelly-Breitler. St. Mary's Park celebrates 100 years with volunteer archivist Jeanne Walsh showing historical documents she has collected from the neighborhoods long legacy. (Right) Google earth shot of the bell-shaped neighborhood design of St. Mary's Park.
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Spotlight on a D9 Community Organization
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To lift up the amazing work that is happening every day in Bernal, the Mission and the Portola, we are featuring the work of one D9 organization in each newsletter. This month features…
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Founded in 1989, Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP) is a nationally-recognized family resource center in San Francisco that empowers homeless and low-income families, particularly mothers motivated by pregnancy and parenthood, to find within themselves the strength and confidence they need to transform their lives.
There was no better way to kick off Women’s History Month than to spend a morning with the Homeless Prenatal Program. Their Friday Food Distribution Program, which connects families to fresh produce, diapers, and other home good products, was out in full force!
Since 1989, HPP has worked to end family poverty and homelessness. They provide an entire continuum of care to their clients including housing assistance, case management, mental and behavioral health services, family support and more. Nationally-recognized for its unique model, HPP serves more than 3,500 low-income and homeless families every year through their programs and services. I couldn’t be more proud that HPP’s home is in our very own District 9! For more information, visit homelessprenatal.org
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| Photo credit: Jackie Prager. Supervisor Ronen & Jackie Prager visiting the Homeless Prenatal Program for a volunteer food distribution day on March 1, 2024. |
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