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Dear neighbor,
From all of us in the D9 office, we want to wish you a Happy New Year! 2022 was full of challenges and successes, and while next year promises to be even more formidable, we are up to the task and have high hopes we can continue to move the needle towards addressing the many pressing needs of District 9 residents.
We have been busy in D9! This year, my office introduced 50 ordinances, resolutions or hearing requests in order to address the many concerns of our community. Read on for a wrap-up of our accomplishments this year.
But before we go any further, we have to share the sweet holiday event we participated in with the Mission Education Center...
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Supervisor Ronen and President Walton, along with staff from District 8, 9 and 10 offices, join Mission Education Center for their annual toy giving event on December 16.
“Regalitos for all the kids at the Mission Education Center! Sweetness overload!” —Supervisor Ronen |
These are the moments we love the most—the opportunity to provide for the kids of District 9, and bring smiles to their beautiful faces.
As the year comes to a close, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to every one of you who partnered with our office this year on projects big and small. We have welcomed your feedback, questions and constructive ideas, and count on your input and collaboration on issues that matter most to District 9 residents.
Wishing you and yours a very happy New Year! |
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The Budget
This year, as Chair of the Budget & Appropriations committee, I fought hard to guarantee funding for essential services for our District 9 residents, after fears that many critical programs were to be cut by the Mayor’s initial budget proposal. We were able to negotiate with my colleagues and the Mayor’s office to:
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Save funding for food hubs across the City
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Increase dedicated shelter beds for D9
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Expand street cleaning
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Ensure funding for programs providing vital community services throughout our district and City-wide, and
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Fund the expansion of an innovative pilot math program at 4 schools in SFUSD that has had dramatic results in math and literacy scores at John Muir Elementary where it was initially tested.
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| Supervisors Chan, Walton, Safai, Ronen, Mar & Melgar with Mayor Breed, at the Budget signing ceremony, July 27, 2022. |
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“Today the Mayor signed a budget that we believe reflects the collective values of the Board and balances the need to revitalize our downtown corridors with the imperative to support our neighborhoods and our most vulnerable residents and workers,” said Supervisor Hillary Ronen. |
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“We are also collectively proud that our City workers are getting the raise they so richly deserve after getting the City through the first worldwide pandemic of our lifetime. I want to thank my colleagues on the Budget and Appropriations Committee, the entire Board, the Mayor’s office, and so many community advocates for their work on this budget.”
As the new year approaches we have received much unsettling news about the upcoming city budget. As of this newsletter the Controller is projecting several hundred million dollar deficit, due in large part to big losses in business tax as many workers have not returned to our downtown corridor and the contraction of the tech industry. The loss of federal funds for COVID recovery has also played a major role.
Last month the Mayor issued budget instructions which directed departments to make 6-8% reductions to their upcoming budget proposals, which she will evaluate early next year and then present her budget to the Board. The Board will face many tough decisions next year, but I will continue the fight to bring every resource we need to District 9. I will fight to protect our schools, build housing and improve street conditions and will only vote for a budget that delivers significant investments towards addressing our City’s most pressing issues. |
Homelessness
Homelessness continues to be one of the most significant issues in our district. Over the last six years I have fought every single week to increase services and resources for District 9, to get people off the streets and into safe and dignified shelter and housing. Yet, after pre-pandemic progress we have now moved backwards and the situation is as bad as ever. In response, my office will continue to demand that our unhoused District 9 neighbors are prioritized for the limited shelter spots in the system as we advocate to grow the number of beds Citywide. I have specifically secured funding for a tiny cabin community, proposed for the parking lot at 1979 Mission St., the old Walgreens at 16th
and Mission and the future site of the "Marvel in the Mission." We will be meeting with community stakeholders in January to receive feedback around the proposal before a final decision is made. If you are interested in participating in the community process or to express your opinion, please contact my office at ronenstaff@sfgov.org
As we return from winter legislative break, I will be seeking to understand how the recent Court order will impact our work in the Mission and will work to ensure that the City follows its own policies regarding clearing encampments —policies that I agree with if adhered to.
I have always said that homelessness will not be fully solved without significant federal resources to build enough shelter and housing for anyone who needs it throughout the entire country. It appears that the Biden administration is turning some attention to the issue, with a goal of reducing homelessness 25% by 2025. For more on the federal response: 'It is the obvious thing.' The White House tries a new tack to combat homelessness
. I welcome any leadership that aims to address one of the most pressing social issues of our time, and will continue to advocate for effective federal action to combat homelessness.
In order to understand the scope and monitor progress City-wide and for D9, you can look at City-wide data here, and check out our D9 data tracking here.
If you encounter an unhoused person who seeks shelter and resources, please assist them or encourage them to call 415-355-7401 and leave a message with their name and location. Neighbors may also call and leave a message to request outreach. Please note you can only leave a message and SFHOT will only respond to the location described in the message. SFHOT does not resolve encampments, clean or move people along.
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Affordable Housing
This year, we celebrated the grand opening of two major 100% affordable housing sites, Casa Adelante at 2828 16th St. and 2060 Folsom St., while 130 families began to move into the 681 Florida Street site that also opened this year. My office also partnered with Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing and Dolores Street Community Services to open Casa Esperanza in September this year, which serves as permanent supportive housing for 25 transitional-aged youth in our community.
Since 2020, and despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, we have created over 800 new, permanently affordable units in the Mission District.
We have also preserved hundreds more through the City’s Small Sites program. I’m thrilled that we have over 1,400 more affordable housing units in the pipeline, including |
At the opening of Casa Esperanza, permanent supportive housing for transitional-aged youth. Photo 2: A Casa Esperanza resident newly moved in. (September 2022) |
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With two of my role models, Martina Ayala from the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts and Mary Travis Allen from the American Indian Cultural District. Cleaning up the streets in and with community. Community Clean Up Day on October 22, 2022. |
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Cleaning up Trash on the Streets of D9
Our office supported and participated in several community clean-up days throughout the year together with Calle 24 Latino Cultural District, the American Indian Cultural District and the Mission Street Merchants Association. You can also find me walking the streets of Bernal Heights and the Mission each week picking up trash on my way to different meetings or events, or waiting for my daughter outside her music class. |
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I often encounter other citizen volunteers doing the same. If you would like to make this part of your regular routine as well, the Department of Public Works (DPW) will give you handy trash pickers and sturdy orange trash bags that you can leave at any public trash can after filling-up.
I will continue to fight to get DPW additional resources to increase street cleaning, but lending a hand is a nice way to pitch in and help solve the problem of unacceptable street conditions as well. I want to thank all the District 9 volunteers who have helped out this year! |
| | The results of one of my regular walks to and from an event, picking up trash in Bernal Heights and the Mission! |
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Downtown Streets Team
Weekly, the Downtown Streets Team collects over 300 pounds of trash from our neighborhood streets. I am happy to say that through my advocacy during the budget process the Downtown Streets Teams will continue to operate next year and will expand their services to power washing and large scale trash removal to address dumping.
Downtown Streets Teams currently operate on the Mission Corridor, South Van Ness to Bryant Street and the area around Jose Coronado Park. We hope to add more teams during this year's budget process.
Community Ambassadors
Through the advocacy of my office, the Mission has received a grant from the Mayor’s office to fund 14 new community ambassadors, to bring the total number of city ambassadors in the Mission to 25. These new ambassadors will be hired and trained by local, community-based organizations, to reflect the individual needs and culture of our neighborhood. The Ambassadors are being recruited and trained and we expect them to hit the street early next year.
Currently ambassadors are deployed around schools to ensure safe passage of children and their families. These ambassadors will be deployed in high needs areas such as the 16th & 24th Street BART plazas, around schools and along the Mission corridor.
Vendor Legislation and Conditions at 24th Street Bart
After passing the Vendor Legislation mid-year, it has been a top priority of my office to ensure that legitimate street vendors selling their artisan goods have a safe and orderly place to operate, earn their living and contribute to the character and economy of the Mission.
Community partners have worked around the clock with us to ensure this is a success, doing outreach and education with vendors. Public Works has also done an exceptional job of outreach and education about basic minimum standards to keep our streets clean and free from the fencing of stolen goods.
While there has been improvement, there is more to do to make sure the Mission is not a destination for the selling of stolen goods.
Through a special allocation in last year's budget, Public Works will hire more inspectors to ensure there is a city presence at 24th and Mission and the Mission corridor 7 days a week. Our office will continue to monitor the situation and demand the appropriate City response when needed.
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Public Safety & Criminal Justice
Prohibiting Use of Rape Kits for Future Prosecution of Victims
This year we passed legislation prohibiting the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) from using rape kits for future prosecution of victims after learning that the San Francisco Police Department had used DNA evidence from a rape kit taken 6 years ago to prosecute the victim in a theft case. Victims need to be protected! 'S.F. approves measure to prevent police from identifying suspects using their rape exam DNA'
Pushing to Open the Courts
The fight to deal with the backlog of criminal trials continues. Other jurisdictions have dealt with their backlogs while the SF Superior Court continues to violate people’s constitutional rights by continuing their trials past the statutory last day and allowing people to continue to languish in jail. We addressed the Judicial Council this month and will continue pushing for additional courtrooms and for the judges to deal with this backlog.
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Stopping the Use of Killer Robots
In an about face after an initial vote that allowed SFPD to use robots for lethal force in certain circumstances, my colleagues and I who had voted against granting such power succeeded in rolling the vote back and banning the deployment of deadly robots. The issue was kicked back to committee for further review where the many ethical and practical public safety questions should have been vetted more thoroughly to begin with.
'Amid outcry, San Francisco pauses on 'killer police robots' |
| | Speaking at a rally with my colleagues, Supervisors Preston and President Walton, the day the vote to allow SFPD use of deadly robots was pulled back. |
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Public Health
Opening Wellness Hubs
“It is time for this City to stand up for proven interventions that have saved countless lives in the 200 sites around the world and greatly reduced the amount of open-air drug use in the streets,” said Supervisor Hillary Ronen, District 9 Supervisor. “Safe consumption sites are often the first interaction people with drug addiction have to caring services that aim to lead individuals towards long term recovery.”
With over 1,900 overdose deaths so far in San Francisco since 2020, abysmal street conditions in certain neighborhoods, and the recent closure of the Tenderloin Linkage Center, I, together with Supervisors Ahsha Safai, Shamann Walton, Dean Preston, Matt Dorsey, Myrna Melgar, Connie Chan, and Aaron Peskin introduced a plan to fast track the opening of Wellness Hubs which include safe consumption spaces, in San Francisco. The Tenderloin Linkage Center, which reversed 333 overdoses in its 11 months of operation, closed this month and in preparation, the Department of Public Health released a comprehensive Overdose Prevention Plan which included opening 12 Wellness Hubs citywide within two years.
These Wellness Hubs would be one critical piece in the continuum of care by providing overdose prevention services, including a safe consumption area, services to improve health, and linkages to treatment. The Gubbio Project and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation were preparing to open Wellness Centers in the Mission and SOMA neighborhoods when the Department of Public Health (DPH) abruptly shut down the projects.
In response to the Mayor’s sudden change of course, my colleagues and I came together to introduce a plan to pursue the opening of several Wellness Hubs. The plan includes:
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An updated hearing on why the City ceased plans for the Wellness Hubs after months of work to open the centers.
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A 5.5-million-dollar budget supplemental to fund the near term opening of Wellness Hubs in neighborhoods where death by overdose and open-air drug use is most prevalent.
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A resolution calling for a portion of the funds from the opioid settlements to fund the opening of Wellness Hubs over the next two years.
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Implementing Mental Health SF
It has been extremely frustrating that the legislation I passed in 2019 has taken this long to roll-out. I will continue to push for its full implementation in 2023 because at its core, the design of Mental Health SF addresses so many critical needs for our neighbors experiencing mental health crises and substance abuse issues. Getting this program fully operational this year will truly make a difference. |
Small Business
First Year Free
This year, the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed legislation I authored to extend and expand the First Year Free program, which waives permits and fees for new small businesses in San Francisco. The program has enrolled over 2,000 small businesses and I am thrilled that even more small businesses will benefit from this City program. |
| Holiday Guide for D9 gift shops. A broader year-round guide will be created in 2023. |
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D9 Holiday Shopping Guide
We created our own D9 holiday shopping guide of gift shops located in Bernal Heights, the Mission and the Portola, and proudly includes 24th Street permitted vendors for the first time! Based on this guide's popularity and requests to include restaurants and bars, we will be working with the Office of Small Business and OEWD on a more complete, year-round D9 small business guide in 2023. |
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Transit
We’re happy that the SFMTA Board formally approved the Slow Streets Network, including two Slow Streets in District Nine: Shotwell and 22nd Street. We heard from many of you who have utilized and enjoyed these slow streets and are excited to continue supporting SFMTA in their work to sustain and strengthen the Slow Streets network. |
Social Impact Partnership Legislation
This year, in collaboration with the SF Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), I was proud to author and pass Social Impact Partnership (SIP) legislation that authorizes the SFPUC to rate the positive social impact a potential contractor has on the community through contributions they commit to making to schools, non-profits or neighborhood projects. These "social impact" commitments can be considered as a positive factor in determining who is awarded the final contract.
For generations, large PUC infrastructure projects have had a disproportionately negative effect on underserved communities of color in the southwest portion of the city. This legislation is intended to remediate these negative effects by bringing in contractors to those areas of the City that also commit dollars and in-kind services to serve the most vulnerable San Franciscans. The SFPUC has created a website where schools, non-profits and neighborhood groups can look up eligible projects and seek to be matched with a participating contractor in the
SIP program. |
Partnership with SFUSD to Support Students
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I am so proud of our work in partnership with SFUSD, UESF, the Board of Education, DCYF, and many community-based and labor organizations to craft a ballot measure to support the goals of student achievement and social-emotional wellness. |
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The Student Success Fund gives targeted City funding for up to $1million per eligible school for effective, long-term program funding to support those two key goals with students at the center. In November, voters overwhelmingly gave their approval!
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Supporting Green Spaces in D9!
As part of our efforts to support the City's Climate Action Plan, in addition to helping promote building decarbonization projects in D9, we have been supporting the efforts of several neighborhood groups who are creating or rehabbing green spaces. These projects are using City parcels for community gardens and park space to beautify our neighborhoods, implement sustainable land stewardship, and benefit residents by creating public use spaces.
All projects are resident and volunteer-led, encourage enhancing community engagement with the land, and incorporate design elements that promote art and environmental education. Current projects include:
🌿 Ogden Avenue
🍃 Virginia Garden Walk
🌱 Good Prospect Community Garden
🌾 Cesar Chavez Green Space Project at the bottom of the Peralta Stairs |
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There is a lot to do in 2023 and our office has a bold vision to make significant progress for our District and City-wide this coming year.
As always, we will look to you, our constituents, for your input, advocacy and participation.
In the meantime, from all of us in the D9 office... |
| The D9 Office and their family members gathered in December to celebrate a year of wins and overcoming challenges. There is so much more to do to address the myriad issue facing our residents.The D9 team is looking forward to making strides in improving conditions in our District and throughout our City in 2023. |
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