Dear Readers,

Earth Day will soon be upon us (April 22), which was created to raise awareness about our need to protect our planet and its inhabitants. In this newsletter, I will highlight some relevant topics that I had the fortune to influence and share some news from around the district.

Beginning on a lighthearted note, this week I introduced, along with Supervisor Peskin, a resolution of intent to make the Wild Parrots of San Francisco the official animal of the city, solidifying their place in history and our hearts. The boisterous tropical birds were recently voted the most popular choice by over 27,000 participants to the SF Chronicle’s poll and the Board of Supervisors is pursuing making it official.

Their story is intriguing because they are actually native to the jungles of Ecuador and Peru, but have thrived in our unlikely foggy urban environment, most likely as escaped pets. They have even created their own regional dialect, making communicative sounds different from their Central American relatives. Read more about the birds, the contest, and the resolution in the SF Chronicle.

"[The resolution] calls the birds “a symbol of the city’s diversity, sociability, and resilience” that are “raucous and noisy, wild and free … much like their human San Franciscan counterparts."

In addition to protecting animal habitats, our own residents and our youth  deserve to feel safe and secure in our neighborhoods.

Recent criminal activity in the District has impacted both our neighborhoods’ quality of life and our communities’ sense of safety, which I take seriously. That is why our office has organized several Town Halls on the themes of public safety, school safety, and the budget process which funds our city programs. You will read about them in this newsletter. 

Sincerely, 

Myrna Melgar

• Public Safety Townhall
• Addressing Youth Violence
• Gas Appliance Regulations
• District Honorees - Carol Dimmick and The Taliaferros
• Participatory Budget Ends Soon!
• Tenants Rights Workshop
• Next Virtual Office Hours
• Citywide Events

DISTRICT 7 UPDATES

YOUTH VIOLENCE - PREVENTION AND SAFETY 

I know many of you are troubled by the youth-involved incidents that took place last month, including the attacks and fights at the Stonestown Galleria mall and schoolyards. When we send our children off to school or community spaces, we should expect them to be safe. 

Immediately after the incidents, I joined the Mayor’s Office, the San Francisco Police Department, the Department of Children, Youth, and their Families, School District leaders in a meeting to implement a rapid, coordinated response plan which includes accountability for students who have acted violently and expanding existing violence prevention programs to provide increased interventions for all youth. I also visited Stonestown to meet with stakeholders and business leaders to learn from their lived experiences. We now also have an increased presence of San Francisco police officers and security on site. 

After these violent incidents and the impact they have made on our neighborhoods, it’s crucial that we continue to act quickly. That’s why I called for a hearing to discuss youth safety and school site violence prevention at the Board of Supervisors that will take place on: Thursday, April 27, 2023.

The meeting starts at 4:00pm where the Board of Supervisors’ Youth, Young Adult, and Families Committee will meet jointly with the San Francisco Youth Commission.

For more information, you can contact Jen.Low@sfgov.org.

GREENHOUSE GAS REGULATIONS

Emissions from buildings form a large portion of our carbon footprint, worsening our air, warming our planet, and destroying our natural environment. In March, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), of which I am a member, voted to ban the sale of certain gas furnaces and gas water heaters throughout the Bay Area beginning in 2027. A similar law will go into effect across the state of California in 2030. Bay Area residents will still be able to use and repair existing gas appliances, but this ruling will encourage new construction and conversions away from these high-emissions devices. You can read more about the legislation here.

BUDGET TOWNHALL

We will host a virtual townhall to hear directly from community members what they would like to see in this year's budget, answer questions about the budget process, and share her strategies to address San Francisco's budget deficit. RSVP for the zoom link here.

HEARING ON STORM DAMAGE & TREE MAINTENANCE

District 7 was battered by multiple storms this year. This past month we heard from neighbors in and around all parts of District 7 on how the storm had caused power outages, flooding, and road blockage. Last week I called for a hearing of City agencies to report on the safety and conditions of the City's approximately 125,000 trees after the horrible weather that we all experienced. I am eager to hear the plans for the completion of cleanup, safety and maintenance of  trees, and what restoration will look like for our urban forest. I expect to hold this hearing in late May.

Please reach out to Michael.Farrah@sfgov.org for further information. 

POLICE FUNDING

On March 20th the San Francisco Board of Supervisors supported Mayor Breed’s supplemental appropriation of $25 Million to pay for police overtime. I agree with the neighbors who have contacted my office that public safety is a serious concern. My colleagues and I in District 7 are doing everything that we can to support the Department and hire new police officers and the numbers for the next academy class are looking much stronger than they did last year.

HONOREES
Carol Dimmick & Jeff and Sabine Taliaferro

Recently, the Board of Supervisors honored Carol Dimmick for her dedication and service to District 7. Throughout her life, Carol has been an asset to her community and her City. Whether through beautifying neglected public lands or advocating for public art on bridges and walkways, Carol’s actions have led to great impacts on the Westside.

The Board of Supervisors also honored Jeff and Sabine Taliaferro, owners of the Ocean Cyclery.  The Taliaferro’s promote outdoor recreation and sustainable transportation and have been an invaluable asset to the Ocean Avenue community. They even helped Supervisor Melgar set up her e-bike to ensure that the brakes were safely installed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DEADLINE SOON!

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 a public budget. It began in 2013 by then-Supervisor Norman Yee, and this year, Participatory Budgeting is back and improved! We are looking for bold and innovative ideas as well as necessary neighborhood improvement projects.

We hope to get as many different project ideas as we can, so be creative and tell us what your concerns, priorities, and ideas are. Please help us spread the word to your neighbors as we hope to expand community participation through this virtual process — every vote counts! You can find all this information and more here. 

SUBMISSION PROCESS

All proposals must be submitted through the Google Form found here.

SELECTION PROCESS

A committee of District 7 residents and community members who have subject-matter expertise will review and score proposals. We will have representatives from across District 7, including Park Merced, Twin Peaks, St. Francis Wood, Westwood Park, Balboa Terrace, Parkside, Sunnyside, Midtown Terrace, Miraloma, Inner Sunset, Golden Gate Heights, Westwood Highlands, Ingleside Terraces, and Forest Knolls. provide comprehensive training and strategies to help communities navigate a disaster ($50,000)

QUESTIONS?  Contact Emma Heiken - Emma.Heiken@sfgov.org 
 

KNOW YOUR TENANT RIGHTS

VIRTUAL OFFICE HOUR

Our April office hours will be held virtually on 

Wednesday, April 26 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

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.

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

7x7 - Check out this celebration of some of the district’s treasures. Slideshow created by our intern and D7 Youth Council member, Jin Valencia-Tow.

GRAND JURY MEMBERS NEEDED