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Dear D9 Neighbor,
During the fall and winter holiday season, I always take the opportunity to reflect on the past year, the work our office has accomplished, and the community members who are making a difference every day in District 9. This is a heartfelt thank you to all of you, to my staff, and to my dear friends and family for all of your support and collaboration to improve the lives and conditions of our neighborhoods.
The end of my final term is fast approaching, and in December we will close this chapter with much celebration and opportunities for appreciation in all directions, especially from me to you. While the results of the recent national elections were disheartening, I pledge to you that we will continue to work for and defend justice, and protect those targeted by the hateful rhetoric and actions that will likely ensue under the next federal administration. Locally, the elections were more encouraging on some levels, and several important measures passed in San Francisco that will make a big difference for our schools, homeless families, seniors and people with disabilities. San Franciscans overwhelmingly voted down Proposition F, which would have been an irresponsible giveaway to
retirement-age police officers and provided no concrete fixes for police department recruitment and retention issues. With that behind us we can work to implement real solutions to SFPD staffing issues. And finally, voters overwhelmingly passed Prop O, reaffirming the City’s commitment to reproductive rights, serving as a safe place for people seeking reproductive care and protecting the rights of pregnant people to control their medical decisions.
And, in the District 9 race, Supervisor-elect Jackie Fielder won handily after mounting an impressive campaign. I am very happy to welcome Jackie to this role in January, and will do all that I can to support her transition. See more about Jackie's background and plans for D9 below.
As always, we are here for you. Please email ronenstaff@sfgov.org if you need any help. Read on for more news from around the neighborhoods, and as always, feel free to reach out to me or my staff to share concerns and bright spots from the District that you think we should know about.
In community, |
Introducing District 9 Supervisor-Elect Jackie Fielder
Who is Jackie Fielder?
Jackie is a Mission renter, public bank organizer, former City commissioner and educator, and climate and environmental justice advocate who got her start in the #NoDAPL movement by organizing for divestment from the Wall Street banks financing the Dakota Access Pipeline. In 2017, she co-founded the San Francisco Defund DAPL Coalition and the San Francisco Public Bank Coalition to start the nation's first City-owned bank to support small businesses, affordable housing, and renewable energy. From 2018 to 2020, she taught “Race, Women, and Class” at San Francisco State University in the College of Ethnic Studies.
In 2020 she challenged Scott Wiener in California’s 11th Senate District as a Democratic Socialist 100% independent of corporations, and secured 43% of the vote with the support of a labor coalition of teachers, laborers, and hotel workers, including a majority in District 9. Afterward, she launched Daybreak PAC, advocating for single-payer healthcare, climate action in the governor’s office, free MUNI at the local level, and collaborated with Open Door Legal on tenant eviction support. She served from November 2021 to March 2024 as Commissioner and Vice Chair of the San Francisco Local Agency Formation Commission (SFLAFCo), overseeing Clean Power SF. She is currently Co-Director of Stop the Money Pipeline, a national coalition and campaign focused on disrupting the flow of
money to fossil fuel companies where she’s worked on climate financial regulation.
She's the proud granddaughter of Mexican immigrants and Native American grandparents and a citizen of the Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota, with Two Kettle Lakota and Hidatsa descent. She was raised by a single mother in Long Beach, CA and graduated from Stanford University in 2016 with a Bachelors of Arts in Public Policy and a Masters of Arts in Sociology.
What are Jackie's plans for D9?
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On the campaign trail, Jackie met with residents and heard many of your concerns. As D9 Supervisor-elect she is dedicated to being responsive and making a difference for residents by championing affordable housing, innovative strategies to ensure community safety, economic recovery that puts neighborhoods and small businesses first, stronger mental health care services, and advocacy for better public schools. Once Jackie is in office, she will share more about her plans and stellar team.
Check out a recent interview with Jackie where she describes more about her personal history with Storied SF. |
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Rainy Season Resources
The rainy season is underway, and the City is prepared for the peak winter storms still to come. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is encouraging residents and businesses to plan ahead and prepare for the wet weather with the many resources the City offers.
These include:
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Flood Insurance: As a member of the National Flood Insurance Program, San Francisco provides residents with access to more affordable flood insurance premiums, helping to protect homes and businesses from flood damage at reduced costs.
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Floodwater Grant Program: Offers eligible residential and commercial property owners up to $100,000 for flood resiliency projects.
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Green Infrastructure Grants: Financial support for implementing sustainable solutions that manage stormwater.
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Free Sandbags: Available for San Francisco residents and businesses to help keep their properties from flooding.
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Updated City Flood Map: Offers key data to boost flood resilience.
For more information go to SFPUC Resources to Get You Rain Ready.
Interfaith Winter Shelter Program
The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing
has initiated its Interfaith Winter Shelters, a joint program with the Mayor’s office, the San Francisco Interfaith Council (SFIC), and Episcopal Community Services (ECS). The Winter Shelter Program includes the participation of a range of different faith communities offers shelter and other services, including hot meals and mobile showers for people experiencing homelessness throughout the winter season. For more information on the program and how to support our unhoused neighbors in accessing the shelters, go here. |
Mission Street Improvements
16th Street Pedestrian Crosswalks Celebrating the American Indian Cultural District
New crosswalks have been installed in recognition of the American Indian Cultural District (AICD)
at the intersection of Mission and 16th streets. AICD has been working to beautify and revitalize the corridor, with vibrant murals and a planned installation of decorative lanterns coming soon. My office has been supporting AICD to make these projects a reality and we are thrilled to share the latest with the crosswalk painting.
A little more about AICD... |
Founded on March 31st, 2020, AICD is the first established Cultural District of its size in the United States dedicated to recognizing, honoring, and celebrating the American Indian legacy, culture, people, and contributions. AICD is located on unceded Ramaytush Ohlone land in what is now known as the Mission Neighborhood, in a part of the City that holds a unique concentration of historical events, cultural resources, and American Indian based organizations, programming, services, and gathering spaces that are historically and presently important to the American Indian community in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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| Photo credit: Jennifer Ferrigno |
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Extending the Transit Lanes in the 16th Street Corridor
SFMTA is about to extend the westbound red transit lane on 16th Street, from Bryant Street to Church Street. This will connect to existing transit lanes between Bryant and 3rd streets. No parking will be removed. The work will be done in phases starting this month and finishing in January 2025, weather permitting. Please note that there is only one transit lane in this segment of the project, running in the westbound direction. Additional projects around District 9 include:
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The red transit lane from South Van Ness Avenue to Guerrero Street is estimated to start November 6th and be completed before the end of the year. This work will take place from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. and will not interfere with commercial business hours.
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The red transit lane from South Van Ness Avenue to Bryant Street is estimated to start December 1st. These blocks are not within the holiday moratorium area, and work will take place during the day, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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The red transit lane from Guerrero to Church streets is expected to start after South Van Ness Avenue to Bryant Street work is completed, with an estimated start date in January 2025.
Construction for the 16th Street Improvement Project finished in Summer 2023, and now the red transit lane from Potrero Avenue to Church Street will be installed in the coming months. The 22 Fillmore, which travels along 16th Street, has already seen about a 25% improvement in reliability and travel time because of this project.
If you have any questions, please contact us at 16thStreet@SFMTA.com or by calling 415.646.2160. |
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Affordable Housing
3300 Mission
On November 14th, we celebrated one of the first 100% affordable housing developments to break ground in the Mission Bernal corridor in nearly 20 years. This six-story building will include 35 studio apartments serving low-income individuals and small households, and proves what is possible when our City, neighborhood developers, and community come together around a mission to build affordable housing. For years, private developers fell short of producing housing at this site that was once home to low-income community members and a legacy small business. Now, thanks to the work of our City,
Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center (BHNC) and fellow development partners, and considerable community support, this building is underway! |
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| Photo credit: Jennifer Ferrigno, 3300 Mission Street Groundbreaking. |
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Casa Adelante 1515 South Van Ness
You may have noticed that the old green building at 1515 South Van Ness is gone. Pre-construction demolition has begun in preparation for the 168 unit affordable housing project at 1515 South Van Ness. Funding has been secured, and we anticipate the groundbreaking to take place with construction starting in February 2025.
“From the beginning of my term as supervisor, I have fought to bring affordable housing to 1515 South Van Ness,” said Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who represents the Mission. “In the interim, the site has been utilized for homeless services and shelter, and I am thrilled that HCD has recognized the value of this development, and we are finally ready to break ground.” |
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Building renderings: courtesy of MOHCD. |
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SPECIAL COMMENDATIONS
Dr. Martina Ayala
With over 35 years of experience in education, social services, and the arts, Martina has dedicated her career to serving intergenerational, multicultural communities. Since taking the helm at MCCLA in 2022, after years as a volunteer and consultant, she has strengthened programming, addressed structural issues, and established a temperature-stable archival system to preserve the center's historic art. Notably, her creative vision transformed the annual Day of the Dead exhibit into a multi-faceted celebration.
Martina stands out for honoring MCCLA’s history while pioneering new strategies for its future. During the upcoming retrofit, she plans to launch a mobile art-making van to bring Latinx art classes to neighborhoods across the City. A transformational leader, Dr. Ayala creates equitable spaces for artists, fosters cultural programming for families, and inspires others to discover their purpose. Thank you, Martina, for your dedication to San Francisco's cultural institutions! Be sure to explore MCCLA’s programming and support their incredible work. |
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Photo credit: Jennifer Ferrigno. Dr. Martina Ayala and the MCCLA crew supporting her at the Board of Supervisors speial commendation for her service and leadership. |
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Antonio Díaz
Antonio Díaz has dedicated over 30 years to championing environmental and economic justice, beginning with his participation in the 1991 National People of Color Summit, a watershed moment that led to the launch of the environmental justice movement. His journey brought him to San Francisco, where he became the founding director of PODER
in the Mission District. Under his leadership, PODER has achieved significant milestones, including securing land and public funding for over 1,700 affordable housing units, creating vital community spaces like Parque Niños Unidos and In Chan Kaajal Park, and advancing environmental and mobility justice through initiatives like Hummingbird Farm and Bicis Del Pueblo.
Antonio’s grassroots approach—knocking on doors, mentoring youth, and organizing community events—has empowered Latino families, youth, and elders to reclaim public spaces and advocate for policy change. His work has cultivated resilience and inspired a thriving community-driven movement in San Francisco, where those most impacted lead efforts for justice. Standing alongside Latino leaders in the Mission and Excelsior Districts, Antonio continues to champion a just transition, proving that another world is possible through collective action and unwavering commitment to equity.
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Photo credit: Sheila Chung Hagen. Antonio Díaz Special Commendation with Supervisor Ronen and the PODER crew who came out to cheer him on. |
Education & Youth
Committee of the Whole Hearing on Math Pilot
On October 29th, I held a hearing at the Board of Supervisors with my colleagues to showcase the miraculous results of the Whole School Lesson Study Math pilot program funded with a City investment of $8M over two years. The pilot's aims were to implement an innovative math and teacher development program in four SFUSD schools, to begin to level the playing field for San Francisco’s most vulnerable students. What schools found after two years is that not only did test scores significantly go up in math and literacy, the program is changing school atmospheres for the better, reducing absenteeism, lifting self-confidence and joy of student math learners, and increasing collaboration and
networking among teachers.
"This data is incredible, and as a 20 year long educator, I can say, I have almost never in my career seen this kind of data. And again, test scores aren’t everything, but frankly what they are doing is not teaching to the test, they are actually creating a deep pedagogy, curriculum instruction in a safe school environment that is welcoming kids, not teaching to the test and producing test results. That is quality right there, and frankly we have not seen a lot of examples of this so what I would say from the Board of Ed is this would be great to see expanded in order to meet these very ambitious goals". – President Matt Alexander, Board of Education, San Francisco Unified
School District
"We are providing teachers with the space to learn from each other and with each other, I will add we just need to do more, and that’s what we want to do…My goal in terms of using the Student Success Fund to meet the needs of our students is really to identify all of those innovative and dare I say radically innovative ideas, and see what their results are and then do more of that, and do more of that in all the schools that are open to accepting and wanting to implement those innovative ideas." – Dr. Maria Su, Superintendent, San Francisco Unified School District
With so much negativity around the school district for so long, we wanted to show the magic that is happening at some of our public schools. When the City and District work together in partnership to carry out evidence based programs that show success for students, we can make a real difference. This commitment to doing what it takes to implement a proven program that works for the kids having the hardest time learning results in a lifting up not just those kids, but in improving the experience for all kids at school. We are proud to be champions of this pilot that is achieving the most fundamental goal for SFUSD: student success
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AI Legislation
Last month, I introduced legislation
requiring the City’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) to compile and publish a public inventory of Artificial Intelligence (AI) products used within City government. While AI has the potential to improve the City’s delivery of services and support innovation, it also poses risks such as bias, misuse, and lack of transparency. By learning from past missteps in regulating technologies like social media, this legislation aims to provide policymakers and the public with a clear understanding of the AI tools in use by City departments and those that may be adopted in the future.
As AI adoption accelerates, creating a centralized inventory is critical. While only a few City departments currently procure AI products, many employees already use free tools like ChatGPT. San Francisco’s decentralized IT system, where departments independently manage their technology, makes oversight challenging. This inventory will empower the City to make informed decisions about AI use, ensuring it aligns with public values and priorities. |
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Alemany Farmers' Market RFP
The City’s Real Estate Division issued an RFP on October 28th to find a new operator for the Saturday Alemany Farmers Market. We expect that the new operator will have the expertise and staffing capacity to improve services at the Market and elevate the experience for both the community and vendors.
The market will continue to operate as usual throughout this process, with no changes to its hours or services. The City will work with the new nonprofit operator to transition operations and will provide support on Market Days as needed to ensure success. At no time will the market cease to operate.
Nothing has changed! You can still visit the Alemany Farmers Market every Saturday from 7 AM to 3 PM at 100 Alemany Boulevard.
The Farmers Market accepts EBT payment – and when a new operator is selected, they will also accept EBT payments. No one wants to change that! The City recently secured a second EBT device from the State, so we are hopeful that people are already experiencing shorter lines. We’re making sure that the future operator will continue using a minimum of 2 EBT devices as well. We are all committed to improving the experience for vendors and shoppers at the Market, and an experienced operator will help us do just that.
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| Photo credit: Courtesy of SF City Administrator |
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This RFP is focused solely on the Farmers’ Market and not the Flea Market because typically, they are operated by different entities. Non-governmental organizations operate fifteen other successful farmers’ markets in San Francisco: Castro, Civic Center, Clement St, Divisadero, Dragonspunk, Ferry Plaza, Fillmore, Fort Mason, Inner Sunset, Mission, Noe Valley, North Beach, Outer Sunset, Stonestown, and Associated Students. |
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•• The City will continue to operate the Alemany Flea Market every Sunday and may at some point issue a separate RFP for an entity to run it as well, someone who can greatly improve both the vendor and customer experience. |
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Spotlight on a D9 Business
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To lift up the amazing work that is happening every day in Bernal, the Mission and the Portola, we are featuring the exemplary D9 organizations and businesses in each newsletter. This month features… |
“We are a one-stop-shop for Arts and Entertainment”
FrameArt Studio and Arthur Koch Studio Art Gallery
~ Frame Shop ~ Art School ~ Photo Studio ~ Painting Studio
At 153 Bacon Street in the vibrant Portola District, Lisa Magruder and Arthur Koch have established their creative havens. In the front, Lisa custom frames pictures, teaches art classes, and manages the art gallery. Step in further and you’ll find Arthur operating photo and painting studios, currently completing a community mural for installation at 100 Burrows Street.
Since 2015, they've been active members of the Portola Neighborhood Association, volunteering for the Arts and Beautification Committee. Lisa now serves on the Board of Directors. They foster community through first Friday happy hours/potlucks, hosting artists at Open Studios, annual events like the Garden Tour, holiday exhibits, and curating art for local businesses.
After 9 wonderful years, Lisa has decided to sell her business to embark on new creative adventures. Art hopes to continue with his painting/ photo studio in the back, and will invite the community to see his works in progress during open studios, and at other local events and opportunities where you can see his murals and pantings in the making!. 🎨✨ But the duo will continue serving and being active members of the community from their house at 156 Girard Street like they did during COVID. They are open to subletting the retail space for any kind of business for the remaining 2 years on the lease. It would be ideal for someone who wanted to continue the picture framing business, needs her equipment and her long list of loyal customers and/or continue with art classes. The
business is listed here. |
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Photo credit: courtesy of Frame Art Studio. |
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District 9 Upcoming Events & Opportunities
•• BERNAL HEIGHTS HOLIDAY STROLL 🎁 Thursday, December 5 from 5:00PM - 6:00PM on Cortland
Join us for a festive evening of music, shopping and dining in the Bernal Cortland corridor. Shop local this holiday season at your friendly Bernal businesses! Sponsored by the Bernal Business and Arts Alliance. Go here for more info.
•• SHOP LOCAL AT THE FIESTA NAVIDEÑA 🎄Friday & Saturday, December 6 & 7 from 11:00AM - 6:00PM at La Placita at 24th Street and Capp
Join the festive spirit and shop local for toys, clothing, piñatas and artisan crafts. Free hot chocolate, cookies and gift wapping! Organized by Calle 24. Go here for more info.
•• BERNAL HEIGHTS LIBRARY HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE 💫Saturday, December 7 at 12:00PM to 4:00PM Bernal Library Community Room
La Familia Peña-Govea will kick off Bernal Heights annual open house festivities which will include pan dulce tasting, raffles, and much more. We will have a variety of children's crafts throughout the day. The Bernal Jazz Quintet will help us end the celebration with two sets starting at 2pm.
•• HOLIDAY ON THE HILL & GIFT FAIRE 🎁Sunday, December 8 from 11:00AM - 4:00PM all over Bernal Hill
Meet neighbors, find or sell unique gifts such as cards, jewelry, ceramics, ornaments, treats, "kidnpreneurs" inventions, garage parties, and more! For a full map of where to go, go here.
•• THE MISSION CRAFT HOLIDAY MARKET 🧵🧶Sunday, December 8 from 11:00AM - 5:00PM at 455 Valencia Street
This market will feature 30 local artists who will be selling handcrafted ceramics, candles, jewelry, woodworking, and more. They will be spotlighting local makers on their Instagram page leading up to the event. Registration is free but please sign up ahead of time.
•• PORTOLA NEIGHBORS HOLIDAY PARTY 🎉Wednesday, December 11 at 6:00PM at the Italian American Social Club (25 Russia Ave at Mission)
Join us for an evening of catching up with your neighbors and making new friends — with a hearty dinner, a visit from Santa and holiday music. Adults and kids over 10 years old: $32.50 & kids from 5-10 years old $16. Need to get tickets in advance via Paypal or Venmo to: FARNAZL@yahoo.com for more info call: 415-816-1335
•• ALEMANY FARMERS' MARKET 🥦 🍒 🍓🥬
Every Saturday, 100 Alemany Blvd. from 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM
100 Alemany transforms into a bustling farmers market with fresh produce and local foods every Saturday! Join us next Saturday to shop for fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods. The City is committed to keeping the market accessible to our San Francisco community! |
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