This year I am so excited to be back in City Hall to hit the ground running on the issues that matter most to our neighborhoods. After many conversations with my friends and neighbors in District 7, my top legislative priorities this year are: Housing; Public Safety; a City for All Ages; and Transportation. These priorities will be deeply intertwined in my legislative agenda, my budget negotiations, and especially our district’s participatory budgeting process which kicks off in March.
I am also proud to announce that this year, I was elected by my colleagues to serve as Vice Chair of the San Francisco County Transportation Agency. In this position, I will lead the charge to manage large transportation projects across our City and ensure that communities from across the Bay Area can get to work, school, and everywhere in between quickly and safely. In addition, I have been tapped to serve as Chair of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Mobile Source and Climate Impacts Committee. This crucial committee aims to reduce the impact that our transportation system has on our natural environment, including air quality and pollution. I am honored to serve in these positions to spearhead our transition to clean transportation and combating the devastating effects of climate change on our planet.
As we look ahead to the next year, I want to congratulate my newest colleagues in the City, including District Attorney Brooke Jenkins as well as my Westside colleague, Supervisor Joel Engardio. I look forward to working with these leaders and many more on the greatest issues facing our neighborhoods, our City, our region, and our planet. As always, I welcome you to reach out about how you think we should be tackling these issues at City Hall and to get involved by talking to your neighbors and volunteering for causes that mean the most to you.
Happy Year of the Rabbit!
Myrna
TABLE OF NEWSLETTER CONTENTS
District 7 Updates
Legislative Updates
Staffing Updates
January 2023 Virtual office hours
Events
Board of Supervisors Lunar New Year Open House
Ocean Avenue Lunar New Year Celebration
Chinese New Year Parade
Lunar NY Dine Shop SF
Transportation Townhall - Inner Sunset
Storm Recovery
Storm Recovery Programs
Office of Small Business - Flood Relief Grants
Minnesota Street Project Foundation’s Artist Emergency Relief Grants
This month, I introduced the Family Housing Opportunity Act to the Board of Supervisors. This legislation will make it easier for families in high-opportunity zones to expand their homes to total 3 units, while keeping neighborhood design guidelines, which preserves neighborhood feel. This legislation will allow seniors to age at home while earning income from underutilized space and enable young parents to live in intergenerational homes while maintaining their privacy. It will build intergenerational wealth and allow our citizens to stay in San Francisco. You can read more about it in the San Francisco Chronicle here.
Ambassadors on Ocean Ave
The Ocean Avenue Association, under the leadership of their new Executive Director Christian Martin, will soon be welcoming community ambassadors. These ambassadors are unarmed community members who patrol our commercial corridors, acting as the eyes and ears of the community, assisting neighbors and businesses and calling for help when needed. Ambassadors through this and other programs have already been a huge success in other parts of the City, and we are excited to welcome them to Ocean Avenue in early March!
STAFFING UPDATES
We have a new staff member on board: Leah LaCroix! Below is a list of general work areas for my staff, please feel free to reach out any time to them:
Emma Heiken- Emma.Heiken@sfgov.org - Transportation; Environment; Vision Zero (Pedestrian Safety); Small Businesses
Leah LaCroix - Leah.LaCroix@sfgov.org - General Constituent concerns; Children, Youth, and Families; Resiliency; Racial and Gender Equity; Commissions and Appointments
Michael Farrah - Michael.Farrah@sfgov.org - Interim Chief of Staff; Land Use; Housing; Public Safety; Parks and Open Space
Our January 2023 office hours will be held virtually on
Thursday Jan 26, 10 - 11:30 am
We hope you can make it! Book an appointment here.
Staff is always available to you throughout the week by phone or email to help you with any issues you may have.
LUNAR NEW YEAR EVENTS
Join the Board of Supervisors offices for a Lunar New Year Open House. We look forward to seeing you!
Tuesday, January 24th
4:30pm - 6pm
City Hall, Rooms 256-284
2nd Floor
Lunar New Year on Ocean Avenue - Feb 11th
Lunar New Year Celebration on Ocean Avenue
Saturday, February 11
12PM-3PM
Unity Plaza (Next to Philz Coffee) & CCSF Parking Lot
1002 Ocean Avenue
Join the Ocean Avenue Community in leaping into the Year of the Rabbit! Join Supervisor Melgar, Assembly Member Phil Ting, Community Youth Center of San Francisco, Ocean Avenue Association,, the OMI Cultural Participation Project and Oceanview Merced Heights Ingleside Community Collaborative for this special event with family-friendly community resources, local vendors, and multicultural performances. A complimentary lunch will be provided by participating local businesses on Ocean Avenue to the first 400 guests!
This event is FREE and parking is also FREE at the City College parking lot on Frida Kahlo Way!
SUPPORT LOCAL MERCHANTS
Shop local this Lunar New Year. From red envelopes, sweets, home goods, clothes, and meals, find all that you need for Lunar New Year celebrations and traditions in San Francisco. Plan to visit local merchant corridors for Lunar New Year shopping and dining.
On February 27, 2023, Supervisor Myrna Melgar will host a transportation Townhall in the Inner Sunset to hear from neighbors and business owners about transportation opportunities and challenges in District 7. RSVP by replying to this email or by emailing melgarstaff@sfgov.org.
STORM RECOVERY
STORM RECOVERY FOR SMALL BUSINESS
The multiple storms since New Year's Eve have caused widespread impact on our small business communities. The Office of Small Business will continue to share information about staying prepared for more storms while recovering from recent ones.
During storms:
Call or use the mobile app for 311 to report flooding, clogged storm drains, and downed trees
ONLY call 911 for life-threatening emergencies, not to report flooding issues
Recover:
The Office of Small Business staff can help you understand the process for physical and financial recovery. They have staff available to help in Spanish and Chinese, along with more translation services as needed.
Make a record of your business losses by take photos and videos of damage. Please feel free to share them with sfosb@sfgov.org, so that we can track the storm's impact as we are exploring federal, state, and local resources to support small businesses in recovery.
Contact your landlord. They may be responsible for repairs to the property, and may have insurance coverage as well. We can connect you with advisors to review and understand your lease.
Contact your insurance provider, if you have flood or business interruption coverage. They will give you more information about how to file a claim for recovery costs.
Get help with permits. If you need to make building repairs, our Small Business Permit Specialists can provide information and support.
Consider applying for a Floodwater Management Grant, from San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), which is for flood prevention improvements for small businesses with 50 or fewer employees, residences, and property owners that have experienced flooding in the past, up to $100,000.
Eligible expenses include designer fees; supplies, material and installation costs; permits and encroachment fees; plumbing; dry flood risk reduction; wet flood risk reduction modifications
ADDITIONAL FLOOD RELIEF GRANT
In response to the storms and flooding impacts on San Francisco businesses, the Office of Small Business is also launching a Flood Disaster Relief Grant.
Grants are available to support small businesses that have been severely impacted by flooding. Eligible small businesses within the city’s flood zone will be prioritized for awards. Grants are available on a first-come, first serve basis, pending funding availability.
“We know that the recent storms have added additional difficulties to small businesses that have already been trying to recover from pandemic impacts,” said Katy Tang, Executive Director of the Office of Small Business. “While we recognize that this grant program will not solve all challenges, the city is offering support along with other resources and services currently available to businesses.”
FLOOD RELIEF GRANT
Apply for a grant if the winter storm flooding significantly damaged your business.
Grants can cover the following:
Flood damage to businesses from the 2022-2023 winter storms.
Grant amount: $2,000 or $5,000
Program priority:
Prioritizing grants to businesses with significant damages, located in parts of the city most prone to flooding according to the City's flood zone map.
The Minnesota Street Project Foundation has created an emergency relief initiative to offer financial and infrastructure resources to support artists in the San Francisco Bay Area impacted by the record-breaking rainfall and floods.
Minnesota Street Project Foundation’s Artist Emergency Relief Grants will provide immediate assistance to visual artists with an initial seed fund of $20,000 to provide grants up to $1,000 to cover unforeseen expenses resulting from emergencies that impact artists’ ability to work, including restoration, storage, and temporary studio space.
Grants are awarded based on need.
To contribute to the expansion of the Artist Emergency Relief Grants program and to donate, click here.
Applications are available here and will be accepted and reviewed immediately.
The Minnesota Street Project Foundation recognizes that there are unforeseen circumstances in our community that call for urgent attention. The Artist Emergency Relief Grants help ensure that artists have the capacity and ability to respond effectively to environmental disasters and emergencies.
The program is funded in part from a grant from Minnesota Street Project Art Services.
For inquiries please contact Rachel Sample, Director, Minnesota Street Project Foundation
ANNOUNCEMENTS
SFUSD 2023-24 ENROLLMENT DEADLINE
APPLY TO SFUSD SCHOOLS FOR 2023-24 BY FEB. 3!
If your child is entering Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Middle School, or High School next year, you need to apply to a new school by Feb. 3. Learn how to apply today at sfusd.edu/apply! If you need help with your application, call (415) 241-6085 or visit our office in Civic Center at 555 Franklin Street, Monday thru Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can also visit our Bayview office at 1520 Oakdale Avenue on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We have staff who speak English, Spanish, and Chinese who can help you enroll.
PARTICIPATORY BUDGET 2023
What is the Participatory Budget?
Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a democratic process in which community members propose projects and collectively decide how to spend part of our City’s budget. The District 7 office is committed to building strong communities and increasing civic participation through this long-standing initiative. We appreciate how engaged and invested District 7 residents have been in improving our neighborhoods and increasing the quality of life for all who live and visit our District.
We will start accepting proposals for community projects in March. We will share an announcement widely (via our newsletter, our website, and social media) informing residents that the application is live. To get your creativity going, our categories are: Community Resilience & Recovery; Public Safety; Disaster Preparedness; Children & Seniors; and Vision Zero. Stay tuned for our application announcement!
The SF City Option was created under the Health Care Security Ordinance (HCSO) in 2008. Employers can choose to comply with the HCSO through SF City Option. The program provides a Medical Reimbursement Accounts (SF MRA) account for the workers of the participating employers but some workers may not know it exists. Employees can access the funds in SF MRAs by completing registration and then submitting receipts for a wide range of health and wellness expenses for themselves and their families. The funds never expire if the account is kept active.
Last year, the City passed a new policy in compliance with state law to address the compounding inactive program funds. The new policy, which is governed by the California Government Code Sections 50050 et seq., is to permanently close any SF MRA that has been inactive for three consecutive years. Any account that has not been activated by 2026 is subject to be permanently closed and funds will become unavailable. So please check your SF MRA account and we ask that you amplify this message to all relevant audiences and encourage any individual to access their account. Thank you for your help.