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Happy Stairway Month, District 8!
It’s sunny, it’s block party and street fair season, and it’s been great to see many of you out and about in the district. As usual, we’ve been busy!
LGBTQ History Museum
On October 1st, the Mayor and I introduced legislation to acquire the building at 2280 Market Street between Noe and Sanchez to be used as a permanent home for the LGBTQ History Museum! The road to this point has been a long and winding one. We looked at a number of sites, entered into several letters of intent, requested appraisals of multiple buildings, negotiated with various owners, had our hopes raised and dashed at different points.
This journey began more than fifteen years ago, when then-Supervisor Bevan Dufty struck the deal that allowed the GLBT Historical Society to open a museum space in the Castro. Although that space has been a great success and a destination for visitors to the Castro and neighborhood residents alike, we have all known for some time that it would not be the museum’s forever home. Beginning in 2021, Mayor Breed set aside funds in each year’s budget to be used for a permanent home for an LGBTQ history museum befitting San Francisco’s role in the story of queer liberation, culture and politics.
Former Supervisor and now State Senator Scott Wiener found $5.5 million in State funding to help make initial improvements to the building and give the GLBT Historical Society a solid start on the private fundraising required to sustain and grow the museum’s operations in the future.
Currently we anticipate that the building will be operated in partnership with the GLBT Historical Society and the Community Arts Stabilization Trust, a nonprofit that specializes in supporting cultural nonprofits in the acquisition and operation of real estate assets. Our hope is that in time the GLBT Historical Society will be able to acquire the building from the City, but until that point it will operate the museum under a lease.
There is still lots of work to do to close on the property, get the second floor ready for the museum and see the museum open and operating, but it is most exciting to have made it this far.
SF Stairway Month and Burnside Steps
One of the fun parts of this work is that we get to celebrate neighborhood beautification projects and citywide civic involvement. This month, we had the chance to do both!
You may be familiar with the Burnside Mural in Glen Park and the effort to create a tiled staircase there, led by the relentless Renee Berger (Renee was profiled in our July “Faces in the Crowd” segment). After a long, meandering, and frankly painful journey through our city’s regulatory “approval” process, tiles are being installed this month. Head out to 50-59 Burnside Avenue to see the work in progress and come for the ribbon cutting on October 27 to see San Francisco’s newest tiled staircase!
With the impending completion of the Burnside Steps, the many Crosstown Trail-themed events of “Crosstober,” and the best weather of the year coming up, it seemed a perfect time to celebrate the City’s 900+ stairways. So, we wrote a resolution declaring October to be San Francisco’s first-ever Stairway Month! My colleagues on the Board passed the resolution unanimously on October 1st, so get out there and enjoy District 8’s many stairways! You can find your nearest, or furthest, stairway here to plot your adventures. Stairway Month will include a guided walk across five of the City’s tiled staircases and several other fun events; get involved and find out more here. Happy trails!
Other Legislative Highlights
We wanted to try something new this month to give you more of a sense of what else we’ve been working on. Here are some of our other legislative highlights from the last month. You can find a complete list on Legistar by using the Advanced Search function with my name. FYI: Sponsorship means our office wrote legislation or was its primary supporter; cosponsorship means we were involved along the way and indicates our strong support for someone else’s legislation.
SFUSD Planned School Closures
Finally, SFUSD released their list of proposed school closures and mergers on Tuesday . While I certainly recognize and appreciate the looming budgetary crisis confronting the District and the importance of effective resource alignment, I am quite concerned about the specific proposal to close the Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy and merge it with Sanchez Elementary. Although the Board of Supervisors does not have direct authority over the School District, which is governed by an independently elected Board, I have expressed my concerns directly to Superintendent Matt Wayne and members of the School Board and I will continue to advocate for the communities at both schools to ensure an outcome that better meets their needs than the current proposal.
We welcome constituent feedback on the school closure proposal; if you have thoughts you would like to share, please feel free to reach out to my legislative aide Henry DeRuff.
Thanks for reading, and as always, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our office. You can always reach us at mandelmanstaff@sfgov.org and (415) 544-6968, or you can stop by to visit us in Room 284 of City Hall.
See you in the District!
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MEET YOUR SUPERVISOR: OFFICE HOURS
VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS: Join me online on Saturday, October 19th, from 9:30-11AM! Reach out to mandelmanstaff@sfgov.org to secure a spot.
IN-PERSON OFFICE HOURS: Our next in-person office hours are Saturday, November 23rd, from 10AM-12PM in Glen Park! Email mandelmanstaff@sfgov.org to reserve a spot.
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JOIN FRIENDS OF EUREKA VALLEY PARK
From Friends of Eureka Valley Park:
Join Friends of Eureka Valley Park! Did you know that the SFParks Alliance's Community Partner Network includes 100 San Francisco parks -- but Eureka Valley Park is not one of them? Our community is missing out on the opportunity to apply for city grants to beautify and improve our park. Friends of Eureka Valley Park was established in 2022 to build a strong relationship with the Parks Department and other neighborhood organizations and join the Community Partner Network to bring more funding to our park. Join our next community gardening session, coming up in October. Email FriendsOfEVPark@gmail.com to get involved.
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JAMES LICK MIDDLE SCHOOL EVENTS
From the James Lick Middle School Parents:
There are alot of great things happening at JLMS this year! Here are some of the highlights:
- Partnership with SF Public Works - Bringing educational programs focused on maintaining our school grounds, including our upper and lower yards and the surrounding areas.
- Garden Club - Encouraging student learning and enrichment by planting edible gardens!
- Beautification & Repair Club - Empowering our students to make decisions and take action to improve areas around the school.
- JLMS Cultural Block Party - Join us at James Lick Middle School on Wednesday, Nov. 20th, 4:30 - 7pm. We’d love for you to attend and help spread the word (see attached flyer)!
- JLMS Boys Soccer - Our team won the Championship this past Wednesday!
- Beautification Fundraising Goals: To support improvements both inside and outside the school, including:
- Murals
- Repaving and painting the tarmac
- Basketball hoop repairs and replacements
- New outdoor furniture
- Shade structures for the eating area
- And much more!
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SANCHEZ STREET BLOCK PARTY!
Come on out to the Sanchez Street Block Party next weekend!
When: Sunday, October 20, 12-3pm
Where: Sanchez St. between Clipper and 26th
What: Fun for the whole family, food, dancing, and more!
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RESTAURANTS: JOIN FALL SF RESTAURANT WEEK!
From the Golden Gate Restaurant Association:
Fall SF Restaurant Week will take place November 8th-17th. Registration is open now and we would love as many participants from District 8 as possible. Golden Gate Restaurant Association membership is required, but for qualifying small restaurants we do offer complimentary or reduced fee memberships. Registration details are available here!
PROPOSED J-CHURCH UPDATES IN UPPER NOE VALLEY
For years, our office and the Upper Noe Community have advocated for the MTA to install four-way stop signs at 28th and Church to make the intersection safer.
Here’s the latest from the MTA:
In response to community concerns about traffic safety, the SFMTA is proposing to install all-way stop signs at Church and 28th streets. Improving safety at this intersection has long been a priority for our office and Noe Valley residents. The proposal also includes changes to the location of nearby J Church stops.
If approved, the J Church stops at Clipper and 27th streets would shift to 26th and 28th streets. Shifting these transit stops to even-numbered streets would create more regular spacing that is similar to other stops nearby. For example, the J Church currently has stops at 14th, 16th, 18th, 20th, 22nd, 24th and 30th streets. It would also allow for all-way stop signs to be added at 28th Street without delaying trains. While train stops would shift, no stop signs would be removed.
Some community members have voiced concern over the Muni stop changes, but overall, we’ve heard strong support for the proposal — especially adding the all-way stop sign. The proposal was presented at an SFMTA public hearing on September 6, and the SFMTA will request final approval from the SFMTA Board on October 15. You can share feedback on the proposal at the board meeting, or by emailing the project team at JChurchProject@SFMTA.com. Check out the proposed J Church changes and sign up for project alerts.
In the coming years, the SFMTA will evaluate more safety, reliability and efficiency improvements for the J Church in Noe Valley. We will keep you updated once this process starts.
SFPD BOUNDARY ANALYSIS UPDATE + FEEDBACK:
As a charter requirement, every ten years, the San Francisco Police Department must develop a new SFPD District Station boundary map. This proposed map has 15 changes, with the intent to balance workload across stations and improve police services across the city. These changes would move the Castro from Mission Station to Park Station. The new borders between the stations would be Sanchez, 22nd, and Grand View. We have heard from residents and merchants several concerns and priorities, primarily: keeping the Castro beat officers; ensuring institutional knowledge is kept and passed along; and maintaining at least the same level of service.
We encourage you to share feedback with SFPD. See the proposed map and provide feedback by October 15 here. You are also welcome to share your thoughts with my aide, Henry DeRuff.
2026 SFUSD ENROLLMENT FAIR
The SFUSD Enrollment Fair is the start of next year’s annual enrollment cycle. Families who will apply for PK, elementary school, middle school, or high school for the 2025-26 school year can come to the fair to learn about the application process, meet school Principals and other representatives, and access the resources provided by SFUSD and other city agencies and community organizations. Learn more here.
- Date: Saturday, October 19, 2024
- Time: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
- Location: Balboa High School (1000 Cayuga Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94112)
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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.
- Bernal Cut Project has monthly work days along the east and west sides of San Jose Ave, join the newsletter to find out what's going on and to plant, weed or mulch.
- 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.
- Castro Art Walk is a monthly community-driven event where local businesses host special events to share art with the neighborhood! Check out their website to learn which businesses are participating and head out to the Castro each month on the first Friday, from 5-8pm!
- 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 newsletter? 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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311 UPDATE: NOW AVAILABLE IN CHINESE, SPANISH, AND FILIPINO!
From the City Administrator’s Office:
The SF311 mobile app is now available in Chinese, Spanish, and Filipino! Accessing City services has never been easier. Whether you're on Android or iPhone, just a few taps connect you to the services you need. Download the app today. The app will automatically detect your phone’s language.
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. Once you’ve applied, or if you have questions, please reach out to mandelmanstaff@sfgov.org.
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VOLUNTEER WITH US!
We are always looking for D8 office volunteers and interns! Specifically, we are looking for interns or volunteers on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. 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 anh.v.ha@sfgov.org for more information.
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FACES IN THE CROWD:
CHEF JOSH DAVIDSON
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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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Would you like banh mi for lunch? How about chicken tikka or a breakfast burrito? For vegans there’s BBQ tofu, if you slide your tray down the cafeteria line. In a growing number of public schools, these are the mealtime choices offered by super-chef Josh Davidson to hungry high schoolers.
For these students, gone are the days of thawed out food trucked in from Midwest warehouse kitchens. His team at the McAteer campus at the top of Glen Canyon is whipping up their own meals, buying food locally, baking bread, and serving produce grown on a reclaimed football field.
To begin with, the issue is obvious. School chow usually ranks below airline meals or day-after fast food. A decade back, parents complained and school employees noticed barely noshed offerings filling trash cans.
San Francisco school leaders set a new course, canceling outside food contracts once thought to be cheap and efficient. A group of determined nutritionists including Davidson saw an opportunity and over time built up the kitchen on the hilltop campus that hosts Ruth Asawa School for the Arts and the Academy San Francisco, two city high schools.
He started out feeding 60 students a day, a tiny portion of the 1000 students walking by the cafeteria. But with a new menu at breakfast and lunch, that number has jumped to 500, with 600 showing up on pizza day.
The meals are free, paid by state and federal funds. The program also ships meals around the city to several pre-schools and small high schools without kitchens. If a November bond measure wins, the school system may build a major kitchen to prepare food for all students city-wide, tapping Davidson’s ideas and energy.
He’s a lifelong foodie. After working in restaurants in New York and Philadelphia, Davidson came west, believing schools could be a proving ground for new ideas. Students, he noticed, were ready to suggest menu items. They were open to different cuisines. ”Kids are better customers,” he said. “They’re appreciative, grateful. They tell you what they like.”
Chef Davidson and the McAteer Culinary Center are looking for volunteers! Specifically, Josh is looking for book/board game donations (in good condition!) for the dining room and help at the on-campus four-acre farm. There is also a community event to come see the farm (and eat pizza!) on November 2nd from 1-3pm. To learn more about the event or food program, or to volunteer, Josh can be reached at davidsonj2@sfusd.edu.
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The Castro Street Fair celebrated its 50th Anniversary on Oct 6th! We braved the heat for a grand time and want to thank Jenn Meyer, Fred Lopez, and the entire volunteer-led Board of Directors, donors, sponsors, and volunteers for continuing the legacy of Harvey Milk’s neighborhood street festival.
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On October 5th, we went on the Glen Park Art Walk and celebrated the art, music, food, and small businesses of Glen Park. Congratulations to Art Walk SF, the Glen Park Merchant Association, and Avenue Greenlight on a great event!
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On October 1st, we caught up with friends and celebrated the SF Council of District Merchants Association’s 74th Annual Gala.
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On October 1st, the Board of Supervisors passed my legislation authorizing the installation of a commemorative plaque to honor the amazing Activists of Woodland Ave: Jane & Jack Morrison and Diana & Agar Jaicks. These families contributed enormously to countless progressive causes and campaigns through the second half of the last century and the first decades of this one. It was an honor and a treat to work with the Jaicks’ daughter Lisa on this project.
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My mother and grandmother both finished their lives at the Jewish Home. They were very different women with very different needs, but I will forever be grateful to the Jewish Home for the excellent care they provided to each of them. On September 30th, I got to visit the SF Campus for Jewish Living for the first time in seven years and to tour the beautiful new Frank Residences. They’re still doing amazing work over there.
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On September 28th and 29th, we bopped around the city for the Dolores Heights block party, the annual Children’s Council City Kids Fair, and various Folsom festivities.
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On September 24th, we honored the life and legacy of Rudy Stadlberger. Rudy, a son of SoMa and 60+ year Noe Valleyan, passed away this summer at the age of 100. Rudy was a handball champion, community stalwart, daily walker, and serially open-minded person. May his memory be a blessing.
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Also on September 24th, we celebrated an organization near and dear to Rudy's heart: Noe Walks. In the depths of the pandemic, Chris Nanda started Noe Walks as an opportunity for neighbors to get some fresh air, meet new and old friends, and take a nice stroll from 24th to 30th and back. Noe Walks is out there every Saturday at 10am -- come join!
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On September 22nd, Healing Cuts opened a second Castro business, Taboo! Glad the City was able to help with this one. Thank you, congratulations, and good luck Ismael!
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Also on September 22nd, the Cole Valley Fair had another neighborhood event, partnering with Sunset Mercantile. Had a great time walking around with Mayor Breed and talking to folks.
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On September 21st, the Upper Noe Neighbors put on a fantastic block party! Thanks to Chris Faust and the entire Upper Noe board, neighbors got to explore local businesses and restaurants, listen to great music, and win prizes.
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Also on September 21st, I went to another great St. Phillips’s Festival. Thanks Principal Mary McKeever for walking me around, and fun to run into St. Phillip’s dad and star volunteer Sean Elsbernd.
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On September 17th, we celebrated Citizenship Day! Congratulations to our newly naturalized residents and thanks to the Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs for hosting the event!
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San Francisco’s Homeless Tent Count Drops to Record Low, Mayor Says
KQED, October 10
Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, whose District 8 saw the steepest decline in tents, celebrated the latest numbers. Just one tent remained in his district at last count, down from 24 last summer.
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SF electeds back picketing UC workers amid stalled negotiations
SF Examiner, October 9
“These fights in California are getting harder and harder because the housing costs are out of control,” Mandelman said. “There’s work that policymakers need to do to try and address that, but we also need our employers to step up — and particularly our largest employers — to meet the housing needs of their lowest-wage employees.”
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More businesses choosing to call SF's Castro home
Bay Area Reporter, October 2
"For many years the Castro has suffered from a high rate of ground floor commercial vacancies, so it's especially exciting to see so many businesses opening this year and so many long-term vacancies getting filled," Mandelman stated. "From Klein Epstein & Parker to Fisch & Flore to Bar 49 to Epicurean Trader to Taboo — and those are just some of the new businesses — it's been a great year for openings in the neighborhood."
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SFMTA approves new RV parking restrictions
SF Examiner, October 1
“We can and should offer shelter and services to unhoused households, but we simply cannot allow people to live in RVs on our streets indefinitely,” Mandelman said at the time.
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Decades-old San Francisco police code prevents return of gay bathhouses
Bay Area Reporter, October 1
"Everything about San Francisco city government is complicated," noted Mandelman. "It would be great to have gay bathhouses be a part of San Francisco's revival. I hope we don't find any more impediments; if we do, we will keep clearing them out."
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San Francisco supervisors want to expedite gay bathhouse revival
KTVU, October 1
“We’ve come a long way on the way to bring back gay bathhouses to San Francisco,” Mandelman said. “It’s encouraging that there are entrepreneurs who are actually trying to open these venues, although it is frustrating that we keep finding new barriers in their way. I am nonetheless committed to clearing a path for these operators, and we will continue clearing away obstacles as they and we identify them.”
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Conflict with business-tax reform measure threatens Muni funding effort
SF Examiner, September 30
“I don’t think it was on anyone’s mind that someone might be working on what turned out to be Prop. L,” Mandelman said. The concern about another measure, he continued, “wasn’t about L. It was about an alternative business-tax reform.”
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City to buy Castro shopping center for new LGBTQ history museum
Bay Area Reporter, September 26
“Mayor Breed deserves enormous credit for committing budget resources for this acquisition back in 2021 and preserving those funds in our City budget each year since then,” said Supervisor Rafael Mandelman.
“During that time, we have explored a number of different sites in the Castro and beyond, had our hopes variously raised and dashed. In the end, I believe we have found an ideal location, in the heart of the Castro with space for the museum to make its permanent home now, and with plenty of room to expand in the future. Thanks to Senator Wiener, the museum will enter that space with a solid start on the fundraising that will be needed to make it the first-class celebration of LGBTQ history the Castro and the queer community deserve.”
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GLBT museum ticketed for permanent home in SF’s Castro
KALW, October 1
Referring to the museum's prospective location, Mandelman said: "The future of America's best gayborhood is getting brighter all the time.”
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SF officials want to cut $10 million in yearly fees for small businesses
SF Examiner, September 25
“Small business is the beating heart of our neighborhoods, and helping these businesses thrive is one of the best strategies to support San Francisco’s post-pandemic recovery,” said District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman.
“This legislation does just that, making good on one of the core elements of 2024’s Business Tax Reform – fee relief for our small businesses. I want to thank and congratulate the City Treasurer and Controller for their work to identify these fees, and I look forward to working with the Mayor and my colleagues on the Board to pass this proposal.”
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State rejects funding for LGBTQ senior housing
Bay Area Reporter, September 25
Gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who represents the Castro and has championed the senior housing project at City Hall, told the B.A.R. that the funding denial "is disappointing, but we are not giving up."
He added that he has been "a little concerned" that any public funding the project is granted doesn't hamstring the ability to see most of the housing units go to LGBTQ older adults.
"I think one of the things I want to make sure is we are finding funding sources and designing this project in a way it is useable and used by queer seniors," said Mandelman. "I think one of the issues with the other Openhouse projects was making sure there were actually queer people in the buildings. They ended up being, what, about half queer."
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Castro Barbershop Healing Cuts Expands Next Door With Day Spa, Taboo SF
Hoodline, September 24
"So happy to see Healing Cuts opening a second Castro business, Taboo," said Mandelman. "SF City government can be pretty hard on small businesses in any number of ways. Glad we were able to be helpful with this one."
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SF’s 2023 HIV cases fall below 150
Bay Area Reporter, September 23
Rafael Mandelman, a gay man who represents District 8, including the Castro neighborhood, on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, heralded the report as "great news, especially in the steep decline in new diagnoses among Latinx people."
"Of course there is more work to do," he added. "We will not be done until we truly get to zero, but this is real progress, and DPH, UCSF, and our nonprofit partners deserve real congratulations."
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