Friends and Neighbors,
As we near our August legislative recess, we want to thank our constituents for their participation in the legislative process over the course of the first half of 2023. We have much more to do to help make San Francisco a thriving community for all, and we look forward to continuing to work with our constituents.
At the same time, we know many San Francisco children go back to school next month. For parents who need assistance accessing equipment or getting trained on technology being used by our public schools, there is some support available!
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Dean Preston,
District 5 Supervisor
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➩ Car-Free Hayes Street Extended by 1 Month
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The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority has agreed to a one-month extension of car-free Hayes Street after my office intervened yesterday with a letter to the SFMTA Board and Director Tumlin.
We were surprised to learn on Friday last week that the SFMTA decided to terminate the program at the end of this month. We heard from dozens of small business owners and neighbors that they wanted to see the program continue.
We couldn’t agree more: Car-free streets have brought joy to families and residents throughout the city, and the Hayes Valley Shared Spaces program has for nearly three years been a transformative example of how we can change our streets for the benefit of the entire community. The discussion should be about how to make this program permanent, not when to shut it down. I appreciate the SFMTA giving us more time to figure out the long-term plan for this vital community resource.
I look forward to working with community stakeholders, city departments, and Mayor Breed on how to address any concerns and find a path to a permanent car-free space.
Read more here.
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➩ Addressing Car Break-Ins
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Car break-ins have become an unacceptable status quo in San Francisco, but they don’t have to be. With more than 10,000 car break-ins so far this year, our office called a hearing to hear what departments are doing to address San Francisco’s car break-in problem and what else we can do to make a dent into this vexing issue. We plan to hear from the Mayor’s Office, the District Attorney, San Francisco Police Department, San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency, Department of Emergency Management, and others, and hope to work with these departments to evaluate the city’s current strategies.
It is time to let the public know what the city has been doing, what’s been working and what hasn’t, and what can be done collaboratively to finally reduce car break-ins in San Francisco.
Read more about this effort here.
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➩ Deal for More Affordable Housing
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In collaboration with our office, the City has reached a deal to acquire 600 McAllister Street in order to create up to 196 units of affordable housing for local working families, in addition to increasing the height and density of the current development on 98 Franklin Street and a $1 million jumpstart in the development of an affordable housing project in Hayes Valley. This much-needed affordable housing project is anticipated to create up to 671 homes, with at least 42% being permanently affordable housing. Approved last week by the Land Use and Transportation Committee, this comprehensive package is a key win for affordable housing accessibility in the Hayes Valley neighborhood.
Read more about this effort here.
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The Board will be taking its final vote on the city budget next week. We want to take a moment to express our gratitude to the Budget Committee and Chair Connie Chan for their partnership on some key priorities, including affordable housing and rent subsidies for families, transitional age youth, and seniors; wellness hubs and overdose prevention programs in the Tenderloin; reparations; small business, anti-hate, and arts/culture funds for Japantown; food safety net programs; funds to continue our work on public bank, Clean Power SF, and fulfill our city’s promise of ownership to Midtown Park Apartment residents; worker protection programs; immigrant and youth civic participation programs; and community ambassadors, to name a few. We remain disappointed that the mayor’s $20 million cuts to social housing and unconditional $62 million increase to police– all while the department’s own data shows that the disparities in the use of force against the Black community doubled in the last part of 2022.
Our office will continue pursuing funding and other paths for the many programs and needs that were not included in this budget.
You can read our detailed statement on the budget here.
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➩ Updates on aftermath of Dolores Park skating event
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Our office was dismayed to see the news that the annual Dolores Park “hill bomb,” which attracts visitors from all over the city and larger Bay Area, resulted in the mass arrest of over 80 children. Per on-the-ground reporting from Mission Local, dozens of officers in riot gear surrounded the area around Dolores Park in anticipation of this yearly local skating event and later circled over 100 children and young adults, arrested them, and held them in zipties for hours, resulting in egregious circumstances with teenagers wetting themselves as they were denied access to restrooms, food, or water. Our office has heard from various parents and young people who were either arrested of witnessed the events. The Public Defender’s office is expected to dismiss the cases of 79 of the 81 teenagers, following public outcry against the San Francisco Police Department’s intolerable behavior. Read more about this incident here.
Thank you to community members and city leaders for reaching out to our office with your concerns. We formally requested that the Police Commission exercise its oversight authority and look into its police response during this incident, and the Police Commission held a hearing on the matter last week. Our thanks to Police Commission President Cindy Elias and members of the Police Commission for their quick action on this issue.
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➩ Security Guard Legislation
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Following the tragic shooting of Banko Brown at a Market Street Walgreens in May, our office swiftly introduced legislation limiting the use of firearms by security guards. Since 1981, the current city police code states that security guards may draw their weapons "in lawful response to an actual and specific threat to person and/or property." State regulations for security guards make clear that “[i]n a conflict situation while on duty, a guard must have just cause to remove the weapon from the holster. Just cause is defined as an imminent danger to life.” Our local law should reflect that, and I’m proud to be pushing for this important change.
Read more about this legislation here.
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As the city and the country grapple with severe shortages of financing for affordable housing, green infrastructure, and small businesses the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Government Audit and Oversight Committee accepted the Reinvestment Working Group’s plan to create the first municipal bank in the nation.
The approved proposal comes at a critical time as the city continues to navigate ongoing concerns with the post-pandemic economic recovery. The plans include a business and governance plan for creating a publicly owned municipal financial corporation (MFC) and for converting the MFC into a full San Francisco public bank.
Traditional private banking has failed to offer sufficient access to financial services for residents and small businesses, especially in communities of color. The consequences of that lack of access include inequitable economic, employment, health, affordable housing, and environmental outcomes that continue to this day.
The plans now move to the full Board of Supervisors, after which the Board can take action to formalize and implement the process of starting an MFC or Public Bank in San Francisco.
For more information on the final plans, visit the LAFCo website.
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➩ Senior Tenderloin Tenant Gets Help from Right to Counsel, Rent Relief Programs
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Cedric Dugger, longtime resident of the Tenderloin, received a gift on the eve of his 70th birthday dreaded by all San Franciscans: an eviction notice. Taking advantage of free legal representation provided through the tenants Right to Counsel program, in conjunction with support from the Veritas Tenants Association and rent relief from the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Digger is now able to stay in his home.
We are grateful Mr. Dugger is able to remain in his home, and we deeply appreciate the work of the Veritas Tenants Association, Legal Assistance to the Elderly, and Right to Counsel Program which kept a longtime resident in his home. Dugger’s story is a resounding success for our city’s anti-displacement programs: free legal counsel and rent relief for tenants can be life-changing.
Read more about this story here. Mr. Duggar’s community is raising money to help continue to support him here.
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➩ Closing the Rent Control Loophole
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After families of Frederick-Douglass Haynes received shocking news that their rent control has been torn away, our office has authored a bill to close the rent control exemption loophole in the event a property owner gets tax-exempt bonds to finance repairs and prevent the further displacement of San Francisco residents.
This legislation restores rent control to residents at Frederick-Douglass Haynes, a 104-unit affordable housing complex located in the core of the Western Addition. After owners received funds to conduct necessary repairs in 2020, the city determined that residents were no longer protected by rent control policy, which opened the floodgates to astronomical rent increases. One local resident since 1977, Patricia Beasley, reports their family’s rent increasing by an astronomical 182% over the course of 5 years due to their loss of rent control protections.
In the midst of national conversations regarding reparations, it is unacceptable that current rent policies in the City of San Francisco lead to the disproportionate displacement of our local residents, especially the African-American community. Our office is working diligently with local advocates and residents to restore rent control to the residents of Frederick-Douglass Haynes and close this loophole for good to ensure this never happens again.
Read more about this effort here.
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We are happy to announce that we are launching a new grant program in conjunction with Fillmore Community leaders and the Office of Economics Workforce Development to support local entrepreneurs in the Fillmore. Recipients of this grant will receive $4,500, and the program is expected to fund at least 32 local entrepreneurs. This community-based economic development plan aims to revitalize the Fillmore neighborhood and provide support for Black businesses, which have faced a history of under-investment. Entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to pitch their business ideas for a panel of small business peers, community leaders, and business advisors. Please note that you must have previously completed a city approved technical assistance program. If you have not completed a technical assistance program, the city recently launched new technical assistance opportunities that you can apply to join. Please read below to ensure you are eligible for the next round of the Fillmore Pitch Program.
Apply here by Thursday, August 10th.
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➩ Small Business Grants Now Available!
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Last week the City announced $4 million in grants that will fund two programs to support the launch of small businesses across the City while addressing storefront vacancies. The funds, distributed through the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), are part of a larger strategy aimed to help businesses contribute to thriving neighborhood corridors where residents can find the services and goods they need close to home.
The two grants launched by OEWD prioritize strengthening existing businesses and filling ground floor space in commercial corridors that serve low to moderate income areas or whose sales tax volume is slower in recovery.
Learn more information here, or by reaching out to the Office of Small Businesses and schedule an appointment with them by calling (415) 554-6134 or emailing sfosb@sfgov.org.
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Special Tenderloin Walking Tour
Tuesday, August 1st, 3:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
55 Taylor Street, ending at 601 Eddy Street (Phoenix Hotel)
Come take an in-depth tour of the Tenderloin and its history! First 30 people can RSVP by emailing mvuong@kidsclub.org with the subject line: “Tenderloin Walking Tours”. Ages 21+.
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I Love Tenderloin Happy Hour
Tuesday August 1st, 5:00pm-9:00pm
601 Eddy Street (Phoenix Hotel/Chambers)
Enjoy drink specials, cool vibes from DJ Kwame, food available as well; we highly recommend Phoenix Hotel if you need a place to stay. Phoenix Hotel, Chambers, and Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco. Ages 21+.
Email Michael Vuong at mvuong@kidsclub.org for more information.
Democratic Socialists of America SF: Labor 101
Tuesday August 1st, 7:00pm
1916 McAllister Street
The DSA SF Labor Working Group is hosting Labor 101– an introductory course on the history of labor organizing and why it’s so important in our fight to build a better world for all working people.
Can’t make it? Check out DSA SF’s other events here!
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Ensuring Digital Equity
Our office recently held a hearing on our resolution urging internet providers to do their part to help bridge the equity divide when it comes to internet access. Even with the availability of affordable internet through ACP/Lifeline, our seniors and disabled people experience interruptions and delays in their connection. This is often blamed on outdated cables, the locations of which correspond with underserved Black and Brown neighborhoods. This issue persists for older low-income housing and residential homes: in the Bayview, about 18% of residents don't have internet access. In the Tenderloin, about 30% of residents lack high-speed internet access. Learn more about the ACP program here.
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Like everyone else, we are continuing to monitor the situation regarding COVID-19 and MPX (formerly known as monkeypox). Want to find resources? Click here to read about the latest on the City’s COVID-19 updates and resources, and here to read about the latest regarding MPX. Please note: the City’s COVID-19 health officer emergency order has expired. We encourage you to read more about what this means here.
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Email prestonstaff@sfgov.org for more information, questions, or suggestions for our next newsletter!
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