February 22, 2022
A Message From The Supervisor:

Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone had a safe and rejuvenating long weekend. Over the weekend I was able to participate in great events. I rode with John, an Excelsior native, in this years Lunar New Year Parade. John has a beautiful blue old school car that turned heads throughout the parade. I was delighted to celebrate the Lunar New Year with so many familiar faces. It was even more special to celebrate in person after a year of virtual celebrations. 

Before joining the parade, I spent time at Minnie and Lovie Recreation Center in Lakeview. I joined the Mayor, community members, and people visiting the OMI to celebrate Black History Month. I specifically called out the need for educational supports for those with learning differences. Dyslexia has hindered many undiagnosed African American youth from reaching their full potential. I continue my commitment to championing this cause and insuring that schools in our District are getting the adequate resources needed to support children with learning differences. This is something I care very deeply about. 

Our office remains accessible to the public through telephone, email, virtual meeting or in person via appointment.  We are available by email: safaistaff@sfgov.org or by phone 415-554-6976 (leave a message and we will call you back). You can also check for updates on my Twitter , Instagram, and Facebook. Stay safe and healthy.

Please note - if you miss my weekly newsletter, you may find it later on the Board of Supervisor’s website. Click HERE to read past newsletters.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to my staff at Safaistaff@sfgov.org.

Sincerely,

• Have everyone ages 5+ get their COVID-19 vaccine and booster if eligible.
• Anyone who develops symptoms of COVID-19 should isolate themselves and get tested as soon as possible.
• Get tested before travel, upon return, and again 3-5 days later.
• Take advantage of quick and easy home test kits available at no cost in pharmacies and stores. Starting Jan. 15, purchased home test kits are eligible for reimbursement.
• Order an at-home test for your household at covidtests.gov.
• Outside gatherings are safer than indoor gatherings. Limit the number and size of indoor gatherings.
• Take all precautions, including vaccinations, boosters, and testing when gathering with others without masks – especially with elderly or immunocompromised individuals.
• Wear a well-fitted mask indoors and in crowded settings.
• To best protect yourself, wear an N95, KN95, KF94 or double mask with a cloth mask over a surgical mask to improve the seal.
• Wear a mask that is comfortable with the best fit and filtration, and wear it over your nose and mouth. Get the most out of your masking.
• Unvaccinated adults should avoid travel and gatherings outside their household.
• Wash hands or use hand sanitizer often.
• Layer your defenses, and reduce your household’s risk exposure during periods of high transmission.

• ZSFG (1001 Potrero Ave, Bldg 30)  
• Southeast Health Center (2401 Keith Street) 
• Chinese Hospital (845 Jackson Street)
• Kaiser Tent (2350 Geary Blvd)
• Mission Wellness Pharmacy (2424 Mission St.)
• HealthRight 360 (1563 Mission St.) 
• All DPH neighborhood sites

• https://sf.gov/topics/coronavirus-covid-1
• https://www.sfcdcp.org/communicable-disease/diseases-a-z/covid19whatsnew/
• https://www.sfcdcp.org/infectious-diseases-a-to-z/coronavirus-2019-novel-coronaviru
• https://sf.gov/resource/2021/covid-19-data-and-reports

2022 Muni Service Gradually Phasing Back

While SFMTA looks forward to continuing implementation of the approved 2022 Muni Service Network as quickly as possible, Muni service since the beginning of the year has been significantly impacted by the Omicron surge. Currently, we are missing between 20 and 25% of scheduled Muni service, which means that riders are waiting longer than usual for their bus or train, and they are experiencing more crowding while onboard. 

The staffing shortages the SFMTA is experiencing will not impact the February 19 service changes because they are relatively resource neutral. However, we do need to delay the more extensive bus changes that were planned for March. 

What to Expect Going Forward

Starting Saturday, February 19, Muni Metro service hours in the subway will be extended on Sundays until midnight (instead of 10 p.m.). The new Muni Metro hours will be approximately 6 a.m.–12 a.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m.–12 a.m. on weekends. 

Last Muni Metro trips on the KT Ingleside-Third, M Oceanview and  N Judah  will depart from their various neighborhood stops between approximately 11:30 p.m. and 11:50 p.m. in order to service the subway by midnight.  

Late night Muni Metro buses on the KT Ingleside-Third, M Oceanview and N Judah lines will continue to operate, in addition to train service, from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Sundays until bus service is adjusted in mid-April. 

Owl service will continue to run from midnight to 5 a.m., except for the L Taraval Owl, which will continue to run from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. 

Additionally, the J Church  will resume service between Balboa Park and Embarcadero. This change was approved by the SFMTA Board of Directors in December 2021 based on feedback from J Church customers. As the SFMTA Board of Directors requested we will continue to monitor subway performance and report if conditions degrade. To minimize subway congestion, J Church frequency will go from 10 to 15 minutes on weekdays, and 12 to 15 minutes on weekends. 

During hours when the subway is closed, the J Church will turn around at Church Street and Duboce Avenue.

Looking Ahead 

SFMTA plan to implement their next schedule in mid-April and will include the 8AX/BX Bayshore Express routes and a minor extension on the 56 Rutland to Burton Highschool. We will also reduce the scheduled frequency on the 1 California, 14R Mission Rapid and 30 Stockton to match our current delivery. This will improve reliability and vehicle spacing on these routes. 

Despite our desire to expand service further in March, we don’t believe it would be responsible to make these changes until we are confident that we have the staffing needed to deliver on them. We are committing to a schedule we know we can deliver so our customers are not left waiting longer than usual for their bus or train. Customers are already experiencing longer wait times and crowded vehicles because of our high level of absences related to the Omicron surge compounded by our existing transit staffing shortage. Additionally, because of the fallout from Omicron and an increasingly competitive job market, we had fewer trainees in our operator training classes in January and February than we had planned for. These were the trainees who were going to be supporting our added service.  

In summer they expect to bring back additional routes that have been temporarily suspended since 2020 like the 2 Sutter (previously the 2 Clement), 10 Townsend and the 21 Hayes, some with modified routing, see SFMTA.com/2022Network for information. We will provide a more detailed description of the schedule as soon as it’s available. 

They deeply appreciate your incredible patience and understanding as we keep pushing forward. Please know that we are working behind the scenes to address gaps in service with a focus on access to essential services like hospitals, groceries, diverse workplaces and schools and service in the neighborhoods identified in the Muni Service Equity Strategy. We are also working to minimize large gaps in service and prioritizing service to Chinatown to support additional travel during Lunar New Year. A huge thank you to the hard working men and women at SFMTA that are keeping the city moving under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. 

If you need an alternative to Muni for essential trips, read about our Essential Trip Card and other transportation support programs.

The Community Ambassadors Program (CAP) is seeking applicants for their program!  CAP is a community safety and neighborhood engagement job training program developed and operated by the City & County of San Francisco Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA). 

Community Ambassadors work in diverse neighborhoods to promote safety and connect people to services. Ambassadors help San Franciscans that are low-income, experiencing homelessness, speak a language other than English, older adults, and more.

Ideal candidates for this position: 

Live in San Francisco 
Can work up to full time, Monday to Friday, including some evenings 
Have a strong interest in working with the public and vulnerable populations
Ability to read, write and speak English well

Preferred skills or experience include: 

You graduated high school or have a GED
You experience with community outreach, security or customer service 
You are bilingual

If you or someone you know is interested in applying, please click HERE to get started! 

For questions, email community.ambassadors@sfgov.org.