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Happy Summer, District 8!
As we head into the Board’s August summer recess, we hope you’re having a wonderful summer! Though there are no Board meetings until September, our office will still be open. Feel free to reach out to mandelmanstaff@sfgov.org, call us at (415) 554-6968, or stop by Room 284 in City Hall. We’ll be happy to help. We hope you enjoy this mini newsletter, and we’ll be back in September with more updates.
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MEET YOUR SUPERVISOR: OFFICE HOURS
IN-PERSON OFFICE HOURS: Join me in-person near Dolores Park on Saturday, August 24, from 10AM-12PM! Email mandelmanstaff@sfgov.org to reserve a spot and for more details
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VICTORIAN ALLIANCE PRESENTS: NOE VALLEY HISTORIC HOME TOUR
Sunday, September 8, 1-5pm: The Victorian Alliance of San Francisco (VASF) is hosting a historic home tour in Noe Valley. Visit seven unique historic homes on a self-guided tour and see how these homes are a part of the neighborhood’s transformation into a new time in San Francisco. The tour is a rare opportunity to see the interiors of these beautiful houses.
The tour showcases seven homes, plus historical sites and legacy businesses in the community. VASF’s docents and Bay Area historians will be located throughout the tour sites to provide historical and architectural details about each home and what makes this neighborhood the beloved place it is.
PURCHASE TICKETS
The Victorian House Tour is an important event for the VASF as it raises funds for its Grants Committee for restoration and preservation of architecture, landscapes, and artifacts. Click here to learn more about the VASF grants program.
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GRAFFITI ADVISORY BOARD VACANCY
Tired of blight and graffiti in your neighborhood, District 8, and San Francisco as a whole? Apply to be the District 8 representative to the Graffiti Advisory Board today. Fill out the application here by July 31. Once you’ve applied, or if you have questions, please reach out to mandelmanstaff@sfgov.org.
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GET INVOLVED IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!
District 8 is home to many active neighborhood groups that organize events for the community, lead projects to keep our neighborhoods clean, safe, and beautiful, and connect neighbors with City leaders to advocate for neighborhood priorities. Join an association or go to an upcoming local event - it’s a great way to get involved, make new friends, and change your community for the better!
Learn more about how to get involved in your neighborhood here!
- Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association: Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every other month from 7:00 – 8:00 pm, in the Ballroom of the Harvey Milk Recreation Center for the Arts, lobby level, and preceded by a community social from 6:30 – 7:00 pm.
- Dolores Heights Improvement Club. Green Gardens group holds monthly clean-ups on the first Saturday of the month from 9:00 – 10:30 am. DHIC Board meets on the second Monday of every other month. Meetings are held via Zoom from 7pm – 8pm. Email info@doloresheights.org to obtain the Zoom meeting link.
- Upper Noe Neighbors meets every other month on the third Wednesday at the Upper Noe Recreation Center.
- Castro Art Mart is a monthly street fair on Noe Street between Market and Beaver the first Sunday of every month from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm, featuring LGBTQ art from local artists, live music, comedy and drag shows, and more.
- Noe Valley Town Square hosts regular events such as Acoustic Sunday, Rhythm and Motion dance, and Free Sunday Morning Yoga.
Don’t see your neighborhood group but want your information added to our website? Email Henry DeRuff at henry.deruff@sfgov.org
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SFPD STATION CAPTAINS’ MEETINGS
Curious about safety in your neighborhood or have questions for SFPD? Attending your Station Captains’ Meetings is a great way to learn about what’s going on. Captains’ Meetings are at the following times:
- Park Station (1899 Waller): Fourth Wednesdays at 5PM on Zoom
- Neighborhoods: Cole Valley, Duboce Triangle, and Twin Peaks
- Mission Station (630 Valencia): Last Tuesdays at 5PM at Mission Station
- Neighborhoods: Castro, Mission Dolores, and Noe Valley
- Ingleside Station (1 Sgt. John V. Young): Third Tuesdays at 6PM at Ingleside Station
- Neighborhoods: Diamond Heights and Glen Park
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VOLUNTEER WITH US!
We are always looking for D8 office volunteers and interns! Volunteering or interning in my office is a great opportunity to serve District 8 and learn about the issues facing our city, gain valuable experience in the legislative branch of local government, and see how elected officials can work with the community to create effective public policy solutions to solve our toughest problems. Sign up here or reach out to calvin.ho@sfgov.org for more information.
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NEW STAFF MEMBER: ANH HA
Here’s a message from Ahn:
Hi District 8!
I'm excited to be the newest legislative assistant on Supervisor Mandelman's team. I recently joined in mid-July and have been focusing on learning the job with help from my amazing co-workers!
I have lived in the Bay Area for the past eleven years and have been a D8 resident since 2017. Previously, my focus has been on my immediate neighborhood – shoutout to the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District and the Castro Art Walk – but I am eager to be involved in other parts of the district and to meet more community members.
For the past two years I have been consulting for small businesses as well as starting my own sustainable lifestyle brand. Before that, I worked in different industries including political communications, commercial real estate, residential mortgages, and software design. You might guess that I'm a jack of all trades, which I think will aid me in this role!
You can often find me in the district enjoying the parks, rock climbing, going to art shows, and spending time with my friends and family.
Looking forward to meeting you all! Feel free to reach me at anh.v.ha@sfgov.org
Cheers,
Anh
P.S. Here's a photo of me and my new boss on a hike recently!
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FACES IN THE CROWD: BOB SIEGEL
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Welcome to Faces in the Crowd, written by Marshall Kilduff, accomplished journalist and long time volunteer with our District 8 Office. Marshall tells the stories of District 8 community members who are going above and beyond to contribute to San Francisco!
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The city needs more dirt than asphalt. It could also use a more knit-together feel that can sometimes be missing in its hilly, divided terrain. Bob Siegel is on a mission to solve these issues. He’s the determined force behind the 17-mile Crosstown Trail.
It runs from Candlestick Point in the city’s southeast to the water’s edge above the old Sutro Baths. Determined hikers can travel the distance in a day while more casual strollers can drop in for a partial stretch. It’s mapped out on https://crosstowntrail.org, which was created by Siegel and his helpers. Just recently, on the fifth anniversary of the trail, Bob and the Parks Alliance announced a second pathway running from Fort Funston near the zoo to North Beach: the Double Cross Trail. Grab your Hokas, San Francisco.
A Peace Corps volunteer who backpacked through Africa, Siegel spotted an opportunity when he moved here. The trim, 80-something outdoor enthusiast worked on the still-emerging Bay Ridge Trail and decided the city could fashion its own link. Building on city support, he went to work, walking sidewalks, parks and preserves. He found something stunning: everywhere he went there was support. Laguna Honda welcomed a stretch behind its midtown hospital. The well-off Forest Hill neighborhood didn’t object to newcomers wandering through. A string of city, state, and federal agencies agreed with his idea and skipped the red tape.
The result is a city on full display. Hawks in the sky and wildflowers on hillsides. When the trail hits the streets there are coffee spots and bookstores. Stairways and hilltop vistas are slipped in. The trail hosts birthdays, dates, and youth groups looking for an outdoor challenge. Its popularity got a boost during the Covid shutdown, when people needed a release from cooped up living quarters.
In a city where bureaucracy can rule, Siegel was surprised. “There was no pushback. It was wonderful how people supported the idea.” The project proves another lesson for would-be activists. “It pays to be a self starter, something I learned in the Peace Corps.” Though the city had plans for a public trail, the idea languished until Siegel and friends ran with it. “It never would have happened otherwise,” he said.
The original trail just grazes District 8, running through Glen Park and Twin Peaks. The forthcoming second trail, however, will shoot down from Twin Peaks, past Mount Olympus, and through Buena Vista Park, Adah’s Stairway, and Duboce Park on its way to Civic Center.
Siegel’s homegrown idea has taken root elsewhere, making him a celebrity on the wool sock circuit. He’s in touch with Boston, which is planning a 27 mile walkway, and Seattle, where there are plans for a 31 mile path. Crowded, busy cities are finding a way to relax and enjoy themselves.
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On July 24th, we gathered to celebrate SFPD members who have earned leadership promotions over the last few years. In an incredibly challenging environment for policing nationally and locally, these folks have been doing the hard work of reforming the department while at the same time maintaining and strengthening its efficacy as a crime-fighting organization. Thank you, promotees!
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On July 23rd, I had the privilege of presenting the Transgender District’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program (EAP) with a Special Commendation at the Board of Supervisors Meeting. The EAP provides free business education, coaching, mentorship, and seed grant funding to jumpstart trans-led businesses in San Francisco. Since the Program’s founding in 2020, the Transgender District has worked with 37 transgender program participants, many of whom are people of color. Congratulations graduates! I’m excited to watch you thrive and contribute to San Francisco’s vibrant small business community.
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I celebrated the Fourth of July with the incomparable Laidley Street 4th of July Parade and performances. Down with the King!
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On July 3rd, we celebrated Leadership San Francisco with a Special Commendation. For nearly 40 years Leadership San Francisco has churned out a unique product: community leaders committed to improving San Francisco’s civic life. The program has graduated some 2000 people drawn from government, businesses large and small, the nonprofit world, and even sports teams.
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SF supervisors give final approval to 3,500 new homes at Stonestown Galleria
CBS News Bay Area, July 24
"Having grown up in the Sunset, Stonestown was a big part of my life as a kid," said Supervisor Rafael Mandelman in a mayor's office statement last week with co-sponsors Mayor London Breed and Supervisor Myrna Melgar. "It's exciting to see it evolve in this way and it will be exciting to watch that neighborhood develop as a dense, urban center on the west side with amenities that will serve thousands of residents."
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Transgender District's entrepreneurship program recognized by SF Board of Supervisors
Bay Area Reporter, July 24
"According to [a] 2021 Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research study, only 4% of small businesses in the United States are owned by queer entrepreneurs. The Transgender District addresses this disparity by providing valuable support to trans entrepreneurs, who face significant barriers when following their small business dreams," said Mandelman.
Mandelman, who represents the Castro, has a record of championing San Francisco's trans and gender-nonconforming community. Notably, in June, the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution he authored that designated San Francisco as a sanctuary city for trans people, as the Bay Area Reporter previously reported.
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Castro Pride flag landmarking to be heard by SF supervisors panel
Bay Area Reporter, July 23
"Gilbert Baker's Rainbow Flag installation at Harvey Milk Plaza is a glorious physical representation of Pride, a political artwork, and an internationally-recognized symbol of queer liberation," Mandelman stated to the B.A.R. July 23. "It is past time for the installation to win landmark status, and I am looking forward to presenting this landmarking ordinance to the land use committee and the full board."
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SF’s Failed Shelter Policies Exposed at COVA Hotel
BeyondChron, July 15
The Cova is one of three tourist hotels where this has happened in the Tenderloin. During Covid many tourist hotels on both Seventh Street and Lombard became shelters. But even when owners sought to continue leasing for shelter use the city backed out. The city preferred to concentrate non-congregate shelters in the Tenderloin.
Thanks to community and supervisor input, the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) seems open to conditioning the Cova’s extension on providing street ambassadors. It has been very gratifying to hear supervisors backing Tenderloin residents and businesses in this struggle. Supervisor Mandelman, a consistent champion of Tenderloin concerns over drug activities, strongly backs the community’s position.
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‘Nailed the guy’: Nudists tackle ‘pirate’ after random attack on tourist in the Castro
San Francisco Standard, July 11
Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, whose district includes the Castro, said business owners have every right to be frustrated that Triball continues to menace the neighborhood. “In my view, he’s a guy who’ll continue committing medium violent crimes,” Mandelman said. “I don’t think he should be left to manage his own life. He should be in a conservatorship.” Mandelman added that he previously asked a judge to keep Triball in custody and that he has pushed to expand conservatorship authority. “Our system is crazy,” he said.
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SF supervisors accept grant funds for LGBTQ museum
Bay Area Reporter, July 10
Now that the San Francisco Board of Supervisors has accepted a $5.5 million grant from the state for an LGBTQ history museum, it needs to find a site. The Supervisors voted for the resolution June 11. The deadline to spend the funds is March 1, 2026. Mandelman said no museum site has yet been acquired. "It just means we're accepting it to the city, not that we're pushing it out into the world," Mandelman said of the resolution. "We are not publicly designating a site right now, though I hope we are doing that soon."
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S.F. police vow to block Dolores Park skateboard hill bomb after chaotic event last year
San Francisco Chronicle, July 5
“The city does not throw events,” said District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who represents neighborhoods including Mission Dolores. Bay to Breakers, the Pride Parade, Outside Lands — all are organized by outside groups, Mandelman said. “I think there needs to be an event promoter who wants to do it,” Mandelman said, noting that he and other city officials would be open to working with them through bureaucratic hurdles such as permitting and budgeting. “I don’t know how much city funding there could be for it, but I think we could do something if we could find a party that has this kind of track record of success with events,” he said
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