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Dear Neighbor,
Below I describe a number of efforts and interventions we have been working on and will implement shortly to improve the unacceptable street conditions in some areas of the Mission District. I want to describe to you the underlying philosophy and thinking behind these decisions because making them has not been easy. The root causes of what we see unfolding on the streets of many neighborhoods in San Francisco is ever widening poverty. Over decades, government policies–mostly at the national level–have made the rich richer and the poor poorer. When everyday more and more human beings can’t meet their basic needs for housing, food, medical care, and a decent education, eventually the impacts of that impoverishment will spill out into the view of us all and we will all feel the impact. That is what is happening in the streets of San Francisco and all over the country. What we see here is happening in most major cities and even smaller towns and cities across America.
As a Supervisor confronting this reality in the Mission District, I’m in a real bind. We don’t have the budget or infrastructure to address this reality at its root for everyone facing poverty, drug addiction, mental illness, and homelessness in our streets, or the ones that will come here from other cities seeking more safety. However, we do change lives dramatically everyday.
Thanks to San Franciscans who voted for Prop C, we’ve been building thousands of affordable housing units and have successfully ended homelessness for tens of thousands of San Franciscans. You, our voters (and especially voters in District 9), are compassionate and see that there is a need for investments in such important infrastructure and services. But it’s not enough, and I argue won’t be enough, until we convince the Federal government to build public housing again like it did in the 70s for every American that couldn’t afford a home.
In the meantime, I can’t allow Mission Street to continue to be chaotic and sometimes dangerous, and I must continue to support more shelter and more affordable housing for the homeless, and more interventions and treatment options for those suffering from drug use disorder. So read on to learn about some of the ways we are working to improve conditions in the neighborhood today to provide relief to housed residents and small businesses, while also trying to make the lives of those living in poverty better and safer now.
Despite all of the obstacles, there are two things that keep me fighting every day: how much I love this city, and how lucky I am to work alongside District 9 residents who are also active in bringing about positive change and reclaim the city we all know and love so dearly.
And with that, I will end with an expression of deep gratitude to the service workers and small business owners who keep our vibrant merchant corridors alive, to the artists who fill our streets with murals celebrating our diverse histories, to the nonprofits that provide vital support to families and individuals who need a hand, and to so many more. You all give me hope in knowing that together, inch by inch, we are making a difference toward a better, healthier San Francisco.
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Homelessness
Tiny Cabins Shelter at 1979 Mission
In order to reduce homelessness in the Mission, and prevent dangerous situations like the fires that occurred this week on Stevenson and Julian, we must offer dignified shelter and permanent supportive housing to our homeless community members. To that end, the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) will begin breaking ground on a tiny cabin shelter site at 1979 Mission Street. This will be the site of 400+ 100% affordable homes in the next couple of years, but in the interim, the City will use this lot for 60 non-congregate shelter cabins that will offer safe and supportive temporary shelter for homeless community members in the Mission. The model Tiny Cabin village at 33 Gough Street has been a success and has helped individuals transition into permanent supportive housing.
While I had prior reservations over this project due to concern over our city departments’ capabilities to keep conditions around Mission shelter sites clean, I am proud to announce that the Mission will soon have a brand-new, full-time City employee dedicated to maintaining safe and clean conditions around these shelter sites and throughout the Mission (more on this below).
There will be a community meeting to learn more about the Tiny Cabins this Wednesday, October 18 from 5:30p to 7:00p, at St. John's Episcopal Church (1661 15th Street).
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| Photo: Tiny Cabins design rendering. Image credit: San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing |
Street Conditions
Director of Mission Streets Condition Response
I advocated for and secured a position to be established in the Mission, to coordinate City department response services and outreach on the streets of the Mission, primarily in the areas where there are homelessness services. This position will be placed in the Department of Emergency Management (DEM), and will be hired in the coming days. The role of the Director of Mission Streets Condition Response will be to continuously monitor conditions on the streets, build relationships with people experiencing homelessness and coordinate with the Departments that provide services , to offer shelter placement, mental health referrals, and more. They will also work closely with the Department of Public Works to ensure regular clean up and power washing to keep the streets clean. The Director will be accessible to neighbors and businesses to arrange responses to concerns in real-time. There has never been a high-level position like this in our District, and it will bring much needed problem-solving attention to the areas of the Mission that are struggling with deplorable conditions. More information to come once DEM announces the final hire.
Street Vending
Every community deserves clean and safe streets. Unfortunately a good intentioned State Law SB 946, which legalized street vending in any public space in California, has led to problems in the Mission District and in many other areas around the City. When I originally tried to limit street vending in the Mission, the City Attorney explained that the State law limits what we can do. I stretched the limits of the law by passing a permitting regimine attempting to improve conditions. That law has had only limited success and the Mission’s vulnerable small businesses and residents deserve streets and a public transportation system that they can easily access and that is safe.
I recently learned that DPW workers who enforce the law have been assaulted and had their lives threatened by individuals selling stolen goods on the street. I also found out that DPW workers are wearing bullet proof vests to work and that many workers filed grievances through their union so they no longer had to work in the Mission because they feared for their safety. Outraged, I pulled a group of City leaders together with the City Attorney to demand that we find a way within the law to address the situation. After pulling health and safety records in the neighborhood, we were able to make the case that allowing vending on Mission Street and around BART Stations are creating measurable hazards in the neighborhood.
Therefore, starting in November, the City will ban street vending on Mission Street. To mitigate the harm to innocent street vendors who sell their artisan goods to make a living, we are identifying spaces off public sidewalks where vendors can sell their goods as well as adding resources to existing workforce development programs serving the street vending population so they can find alternative sources of income.
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Housing
Teacher Housing Coming to 2205 Mission Street
63 affordable homes for educators and their families are finally coming to 2205 Mission St. after the recent Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) award from MOHCD. This innovative project is the first teacher housing project and first NOFA awarded for below-market-rate ownership in District 9. With both a teacher shortage and affordable housing shortage, this historic solution keeps educators and their families in our city. Read more here.
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Transit
Highland Street Bus Stop
There was a proposal by SFMTA to remove a bus stop at the intersection of Mission St and Highland Ave. Our office heard from many neighbors their concerns with this proposal. We requested that SFMTA give residents another opportunity to weigh in. Thanks to community feedback from D9 neighbors, SFMTA will not be proceeding with the removal of this bus stop. More information about these plans can be found here.
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Small Business
Profile of Mission District Small Business
After confronting many challenges over the last several years, beloved Bissap Baobab is once again operating at full capacity in the Mission district.. The food boasts delicious Senegalese dishes such Yassa, Mafe, Jollof Rice, and marinated fish, chicken and beef courses. The cocktail menu is equally inspired, with drinks concocted of ingredients including tamarind, passion fruit and spiked hibiscus-lime. And finally, the music and dancing is legendary, featuring Afrobeat, salsa, Brazilian tropicalia, and international dance beats. Rum will flow at S.F. Senegalese restaurant after long dispute
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Bissap Baobab strives to create a sense of 'teranga,' which can be translated from Senegal's Wolof language to mean “hospitality.” Teranga is reserving the best part of the meal for one's guests; neighbors taking care of one another; being accepted for who you are. As restaurant owner, social entrepreneur, and a dedicated community member, Marco (Senghor) has infused teranga into Baobab, transforming Mission Street into a multicultural enclave. One can truly experience the diversity of San Francisco by visiting this West African oasis.
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Dine in, take out or delivery available. Bissap Baobab can also cater meetings, events and parties.
Contact: (415) 966-7475 | marco@bissapbaobab.com
Visit:
Bissap Baobab SF, 2243 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110 |
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| Photo: Supervisor Hillary Ronen with Marco Senghor at City Hall. |
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Education/Youth Issues
New D9 Commissioner on the SF Youth Commission
The SF Youth Commission held their 2023-2024 swearing in ceremony last month, and we had the honor of welcoming our D9 representative, Commissioner Dang, and the entire Commission to their posts this year. These young leaders are inspired, innovative and ready to work in partnership with their District offices to advocate for the needs of young people in San Francisco. Congratulations and good luck to this year’s Commissioners!
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| Photo Credits: SF Youth Commission & D9 Staff. Supervisor Ronen with D9 Commissioner Dang and her mother at the ceremony. |
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The Student Success Fund Rolls Out First Year of Funding
The Student Success Fund that I championed to support academic achievement and social emotional wellness for students in public schools is underway! The request for proposals (RFP) will be opening soon for schools to apply for the first year of funding. The Department of Children Youth and Families is administering the program and is also about to announce the new members of the Student Success Fund Community Advisory Council, after calls for applications for family representatives, youth, educational leaders, CBOs, teachers and school staff. The Advisory Council will advise and monitor the development of the fund and “serve as a platform for fostering collaboration, sharing diverse perspectives, and providing valuable insights to shape the future of this initiative.” We are very excited to see this voter approved program come into fruition. The Student Success Fund will provide school sites with much needed support and the establishment of the proven successful Community Schools model. For more information and to keep updated on the RFP process, go here.
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Whole School Lesson Study Pilot: Promising first year results
The pilot math program that we are supporting for two-years of City funding has begun to show signs of success. The promising approach was first tested at John Muir Elementary, known as the Whole School Lesson Study: Teaching Through Problem Solving to teach math. Starting in 2015, then teacher and now Principal Sara Liebert sought to improve math proficiency among the school’s students, a population comprised of 71% students classified as socioeconomically disadvantaged, 12% homeless, 49% Hispanic, 25% Black, and 37% English language learners. Over the course of four years, math and literacy scores at John Muir Elementary School skyrocketed from fewer than 20% of students at grade level, to over 50% of students meeting the state’s challenging standards by the end of the 2018-2019 school year. Black students, Latinx students, and English learners all made dramatic gains.
Given these amazing results, as part of our partnership to help improve student outcomes at the San Francisco Unified School District, we funded a four-school pilot to scale the program to other schools in the district, including: John Muir, Leonard Flynn, Malcolm X Academy, and Sanchez elementary schools. In initial testing data from the end of the 22/23 school year showed an increase in African American student scores in math by 50 scale points, compared to the District-wide 28 point increase. This, after just year one, in which teachers and students were just getting acclimated to the new program. This school year's data promises even more gains in both math and literacy. Stay tuned as we report back on progress.
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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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San Francisco International Indian Treaty Council (IITC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of Indigenous Peoples for over 40 years, much of the time based in the Mission District, with a recent two-year break in Fort Mason. IITC is now back in District 9, at 2169 Folsom Street, and part of the new American Indian Cultural District.
IITC also has offices in Tucson and Guatemala, and works for the rights and recognition of Indigenous People globally and locally, from the United Nations to the community level. In San Francisco, IITC has organized the Sunrise Gatherings at Alcatraz Island for Indigenous Peoples Day and Thanksgiving for more than 40 years, drawing close to 7,000 people each year to both events. The Indigenous Peoples' Day Sunrise Gathering each year commemorates the 1969-71 occupation of Alcatraz by the Indians of All Tribes.
The International Indian Treaty Council (IITC) is an organization of Indigenous Peoples from North, Central, South America, the Caribbean and the Pacific working for the Sovereignty and Self Determination of Indigenous Peoples and the recognition and protection of Indigenous Rights, Treaties, Traditional Cultures and Sacred Lands.
IITC also organizes the Indigenous People’s Day celebration at Yerba Buena Gardens in collaboration with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, which began when Indigenous People’s Day was first recognized by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 2018.
In June, IITC proudly moved their offices back to the Mission after several years at Fort Mason. For more information about their great work, check out their website here.
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| Photo Credit: Courtesy of ITTC, their new offices on Folsom Street. |
#AllOutSF 2023
District 9 will be participating in this City-wide event again this year at Charlie’s Cafe from 2:00 - 3:00 on Friday, October 27. Come grab some coffee and a pastry and sit and chat with me about our office’s current work and plans to address District needs.
To participate, please RSVP here.
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