December 11, 2020
In addition, I co-sponsored a resolution urging a comprehensive return to school plan. Lastly, I called for a hearing to review data regarding San Francisco’s Digital Divide and put forward a resolution to support efforts to close or eliminate the digital divide. To learn more about my upcoming resolution please click here:
https://sfbos.org/sites/default/files/LI120820.pdf
In this newsletter, I will provide an update on the following:
- COVID-19 Resources and Upcoming Asian Health Town Hall
- Transportation Updates
- Food Pantries Open in District 11
- Support for Local Small Businesses
- Online Tool for Traffic Court Debt
Although our City Hall Office is closed to the public due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we are still here to serve you. 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.
Sincerely,
Supervisor Ahsha Safai
|
|
COVID-19 Updates
Excelsior (Community Pop-up Site)
Mondays from 10am to 6pm
Crocker Amazon Park
799 Moscow (in the parking lot near Paris Street)
San Francisco, CA 94112
Walk-Through and Drive-through
OMI/ Lakeview (Community Pop-up Site)
Fridays, December, 4, 11, and 18 from 9am to 4pm
Wednesday, December 23 from 9am to 4pm
50 Broad Street (in the St. Michael’s parking lot)
San Francisco, CA 94112
Walk-Through Testing Only (Parking is available)
Alemany Farmers Market (CityTest SF)
Monday-Friday
Monday, 12:30 to 4:30pm
Tuesday to Thursday, 8:30am to 4:30pm
Friday, 8:30am to 12:30pm
100 Alemany Boulevard
Walk-Through and Drive-through
Alemany takes a limited number of drop-ins. Make an Appointment for guaranteed testing. Click HERE to make an appointment at Alemany.
|
|
Asian Health Institute 10th Town Hall
Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 4:00pm
|
|
Transportation Updates
DMV Temporarily Halts Behind-the-Wheel Driving Tests
DMV offices remain open but, customers are encouraged to go online first. The California Department of Motor Vehicles is temporarily suspending behind-the-wheel driving tests for at least two weeks beginning Monday, December 14. The DMV is taking this step for the health and safety of customers and employees during the current statewide surge in COVID-19 cases.
"Behind-the-wheel drive tests require two people to share space in one vehicle and – while we have made numerous changes to safeguard the testing process – the current surge in COVID-19 cases presents increased risk to both parties,” said DMV Director Steve Gordon. “While our field offices remain open to serve the public, we hope customers will first go online to take care of their DMV needs.”
In-vehicle testing is a requirement for first-time driver’s license holders and commercial license applicants. The temporary suspension includes commercial and noncommercial tests but does not apply to motorcycle drive tests, which can be conducted at a safe distance.
Customers with scheduled appointments in the next two weeks will be notified their tests are canceled. The DMV will automatically reschedule the tests at a later date.
|
101 Alemany Project | Overnight Lane and Street Closures
Caltrans is scheduled for overnight lane closures on Northbound (NB)
and Southbound (SB) U.S. 101 approaching Alemany Blvd for the month of December from 10 PM to 6 AM Monday though Friday with occasional weekend work as crews complete follow up work on the highway. Additionally, lanes below approaching the Alemany Circle on Alemany Blvd continue to be reduced 24/7 also for follow up work.
Note: overnight lane closures on 101 will not take place on the following days, however please reduce your speeds as crews will still be working on the shoulder(s): Thursday, December 24 | Friday, December 25 | Saturday, December 26 | Thursday, December 31.
For more information and updates, please visit the website.
|
|
Local Business Highlight
Gentilly
4826 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA
Hours: Dinner: Tuesday - Sunday, 4-9pm
Brunch: Saturday/Sunday, 11am-2:30pm
Open for Takeout and Delivery! Visit their website at https://www.gentillysf.com/ to find delivery options.
In addition, please check out the Excelsior Action Group (EAG) website for updates on your local businesses that remain open as new stay-at-home orders are implemented.
|
|
Opportunities and Resources
Food Pantries Open in District 11
Wednesdays
James Denman Middle School
9am - 1pm
240 Seneca Avenue, San Francisco, 94112
Onsite registration required
Saturdays
Minnie and Lovie Ward Rec Center
9am - 1pm
650 Capitol Avenue, San Francisco, 94112
Onsite registration required
Please visit the following link for a schedule of food pantries open in San Francisco sponsored by the SF Marin Food Bank: https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/find-food/
OMI Christmas Toy Giveaway
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
11am - 1pm
IT Bookman Center
446 Randolph Street
San Francisco, CA 94132
Masks and Social Distancing Required
Contact: Renard Monroe 415-349-2015
Support for Local Small Businesses
Mayor London N. Breed announced three new measures aimed at helping local small businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in light of the new Stay at Home Order that went into effect Sunday, December 6 at 10:00 p.m.
San Francisco will extend the deadlines for businesses to pay their annual 2020 and 2021 Unified License Fees in order to provide more flexibility as a result of the economic impact caused by the pandemic. The Unified License bill accounts for a large majority of the licensing fees a business must incur in order to operate. Analysis by the Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector shows that 69 percent of businesses that must pay a Unified License Fee have $2.5 million or less in gross receipts. Additionally, locally owned businesses that either hold or have applied for a Shared Spaces permit are eligible to receive up to $5,000 in reimbursement from the City, which will help businesses that have been forced to close outdoor operations as a result of the recent Stay at Home Order and prepare for an eventual reopening. Up to $1 million in funding comes from the Shared Spaces Equity Grants Program, which prioritizes minority-owned businesses and businesses that advance the City’s equity goals.
San Francisco is also launching the San Francisco Latino Small Business Fund , which includes $3.2 million to expand the San Francisco Hardship and Emergency Loan Program (SF HELP) that will provide zero interest loans of up to $50,000 to approximately 80 small businesses. The funds are intended to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on Latino-owned businesses and small businesses in neighborhoods that serve the Latino community. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City has identified nearly $24.2 million in grants and loans for more than 1,150 local small businesses and their employees.
The Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) will conduct a lottery to identify the businesses invited to formally apply for the loan. Priority will be built into the lottery to small business located in neighborhoods with a large Latino population. Outreach will be conducted in multiple languages including in Spanish to businesses in partnership with community organizations that serve the Latino community. Small businesses interested in applying for the San Francisco Latino Small Business Fund can visit link.oewd.org/latinofund. The deadline to apply is January 14, 2021. Small businesses may also email for inquiries at FondoLatinoSF@medasf.org or call 415-612-2014.
Online Tool for Traffic Court Debt
Mayor London N. Breed, the San Francisco Superior Court, and Treasurer José Cisneros today announced the launch of MyCitations—a new online tool for people struggling with traffic court debt. The launch of the tool is part of a citywide effort to alleviate the disproportionate adverse impact of fines and fees on people with low incomes and communities of color.
Traffic citations in California can exceed $400. If people cannot pay, a civil assessment of $300 can be added to people’s citations. Research from the Federal Reserve shows that about half of Americans are unable to pay an unexpected emergency expense of $400. The MyCitations tool allows people to look up their traffic citations online, answer a series of simple questions, and submit a request for a possible reduction on the amount owed based on their financial need. In addition to requesting a fine reduction, people can also use MyCitations to request a payment plan, more time to pay, or community service. Using MyCitations can also save people an in-person trip to San Francisco Traffic Court.
Excelsior and Outer Mission 2020 Update
The Excelsior and Outer Mission 2020 Update reflects the goals, strategies, and action items that the City, community groups, and individuals were able to direct efforts and attention to, since the completion of the Excelsior and Outer Mission Neighborhood Strategy (Strategy), in December 2018.
This report serves as a resource and update for the 18-month community-led and City-facilitated visioning process, and is organized in the same thematic groups as the Strategy and Working Group:
1. Public Realm (PUB)
2. Business and Service Provider Support (BIZ),
3. Mobility (MOB)
4. Land Use and Housing (LUH).
This Update provides the opportunity for departments to reflect on what has been achieved, and the work that still needs to be done. Additionally, the Strategy is a convenient way for agencies to reference existing conditions and community goals when shaping their projects. This community-driven and collaborative process allowed for a clearly delineated long-term vision that the City will continue to integrate into its work for years to come. Click HERE to read the full report.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
