I’m now one month into my term as District 8 Supervisor, and my staff and I have hit the ground running. (Click here to read the Bay Area Reporter’s overview of my first month in office.) Thank you all so much for giving me the opportunity to work to improve our district and our City. And, congratulations to Supervisor Bevan Dufty for a stellar 8 years in office. Supervisor Dufty has been incredibly gracious and helpful during the transition, and I look forward to continuing to work with him.
I’ll be sending out this newsletter monthly, so that you’re updated on my work and know about ways you can get involved. For more regular updates, you can “like” (i.e., sign up for) my “Scott Wiener” fan page on Facebook, and you can follow me on Twitter (@sdwiener). As always, feel free to contact my office at (415) 554-6968. You can email me at scott.wiener@sfgov.org or my aides Gillian Gillett (gillian.gillett@sfgov.org) and Adam Taylor (adam.taylor@sfgov.org).
Speaking of which, I’m honored to have Gillian and Adam, both District 8 residents, on my team. Gillian has a long history of working in the community, as co-founder of the San Jose/Guerrero Coalition to Save Our Streets, as one of the key players in the Guerrero Street median greening project, and in numerous other neighborhood improvement projects. Gillian also serves on the board of directors of SPUR (San Francisco Planning and Urban Research), and has chaired its Transportation Policy Committee. Adam served well as my campaign manager, is on the board of the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, and is a Bay Area native.
My Office and Volunteer Opportunities
My office is #274, on the second floor of City Hall. Always feel free to stop by and say hello. I hosted an open house on January 8, after my swearing-in, and I’ll be hosting periodic open houses going forward. Stay tuned for dates and times. If you have time to volunteer in the office, please contact Adam Taylor. We are particularly looking for people who can commit to regular weekly hours.
Office Hours
I’ll be hosting office hours on a monthly basis both in my office and out in the District. This is the best way to speak with me one-on-one about any issues you may have. The upcoming office hours are listed below:
Friday, March 4th
10:00am-12:00pm
San Francisco City Hall, Room 274
1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place
Saturday, March 5th
10:00am-12:00pm
Martha & Bros Coffee
3868 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
Friday, April 1st
10:00am-12:00pm
San Francisco City Hall, Room 274
1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place
Saturday, April 2nd
10:00am-12:00pm
Cafe Bello
2885 Diamond Street
San Francisco, CA 94131
Friday, May 6th
10:00am-12:00pm
San Francisco City Hall, Room 274
1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place
Saturday, May 7th
10:00am-12:00pm
Spike’s Coffee
4117 19th Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
These office hours are arranged on a first-come, first-serve basis (so please arrive 15 minutes early).
My Committee Assignments
Board President David Chiu has assigned me to two committees: the Land Use and Economic Development Committee, and the Budget and Finance Committee. These are two critical committees that will allow me to work on some of the most important issues facing our City. I’m thrilled to be able to serve on these two critical committees that will allow me to work on some of the most important issues facing our City and the district.
Community Update
Arson in the Castro
In response to the recent string of fires in the Castro, I introduced legislation on Tuesday to help tenants who are displaced from their homes by disasters by making it easier for them to find short-term rentals. Click here for more information In addition, I will be co-hosting a benefit at the Lookout Bar (more information here) for tenants who were displaced by the arson.
Trader Joe’s Status and Community Meeting
February 14th, 7:00pm
Davies Medical Center, North Tower, Level B Auditorium
Castro & Duboce Streets, San Francisco CA 94114
Trader Joe’s is moving forward with its plan to open at Noe and Market. There has been considerable discussion in the community about this possibility, and the Planning Commission may consider TJ’s application this spring. The Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association will host a community meeting on the subject. Representatives of Trader Joe’s and the Planning Department will be there. Make sure to attend to learn what is happening and to provide any thoughts you have.
Noe Valley Town Square
I attended a recent community meeting regarding the proposed Noe Valley Town Square on 24th Street. Chris Guillard, the Landscape Architect in charge of the project, presented 3 different plans for the Town Square, and the attendees had an opportunity to discuss the various design possibilities. Funding for the Town Square will be a challenge — albeit a doable challenge — and I am working with people in the neighborhood, Rec & Park, and the Neighborhood Parks Council to try to move the project forward.
Delano’s/Mollie Stone’s on 18th Street
On February 3rd, I met with the owners of Mollie Stone’s at their soon-to-be newest store in the Castro (the currently vacant Delano’s site). Mollie Stone’s is a family-owned Bay Area company, and this will be its 9th location. I’m thrilled to welcome this popular and high-quality supermarket to the neighborhood. Mollie Stone’s is aiming to open by early March, and my office will be providing whatever assistance is necessary to help smooth the way (below is a picture of myself with the owners).
My Policy Work
I haven’t wasted any time moving forward on important policy issues:
Temporary Affordable Rentals for Displaced Tenants
As mentioned above, I introduced legislation on Tuesday to allow for temporary below-market rentals for tenants who’ve been displaced by fires, earthquakes, or other disasters. The goal of the legislation is to ensure that after a disaster, tenants have temporary housing options while their apartments are being fixed. I’m working closely with both tenant and property owner advocacy organizations to craft a fair and broadly supported measure.
J Church Hearing
The J Church is one of the most important transit lines in District 8. Yet, it is unreliable and a continual source of frustration for its users. I’ve called for a hearing on why the J Church is unreliable, what Muni is doing to improve it, and what physical changes can be made to the line to make it work for the riders. Once the hearing is scheduled, I’ll let you know so that you can attend and spread the word.
Graffiti Prevention and Accountability
Graffiti is a significant problem in the City and costs us over $20 million a year. For a variety of reasons, people who damage property in this way are frequently not held accountable for their behavior. I’m working with Supervisor Carmen Chu, SFPD, the District Attorney’s Office, and others to formulate a policy response — one that will protect our property and allow the City to spend its scarce resources on other priorities.
Historic Preservation Hearing
Historic preservation is a core San Francisco value — one that I hold dear. We need to value the best of our great City’s past. We also need to embrace other key policy goals, including having great parks and libraries, creating transit-oriented and affordable housing, and promoting pedestrian safety. Recently, we’ve seen conflict in some of these areas, including efforts to landmark libraries and parks (possibly undermining their renovations) and surveying potential historic districts in ways that could impair the creation of new housing. Given these conflicts, I called for a hearing on how historic preservation interacts with other key policies. I hope that this will be the beginning of a conversation about balancing all important policy goals in San Francisco.
Affordable Housing Land Swaps
Supervisor Dufty authored legislation, for which I have now assumed sponsorship, to allow developers in the Market-Octavia Plan area to dedicate land for affordable housing. Under current law, developers must either build the affordable units on-site or pay a fee. This third option will have significant positive benefits in the creation of affordable housing in the area, and I’m proud to be sponsoring the legislation.
Improving the Safeway Recycling Center
The Safeway recycling center at Buchanan and Market provides an important service to the community. However, for years, neighbors have expressed frustration about the center’s impacts on the surrounding neighborhood in the form of drug dealing and other negative behavior. I am working with with Department of the Environment, Safeway, and others to improve the recycling center’s relationship with the community. In that spirit, I am considering a resolution calling on the California Legislature to amend the state recycling law to allow counties to require recycling centers to provide, instead of cash, certificates redeemable in supermarkets and corner groceries for food or toiletries (and not alcohol or tobacco). This option will allow the centers to continue to provide income to people who need it while not allowing recycling to become a source of money for drugs and alcohol.
Analyzing Our Nighttime Economy: Nightlife and Entertainment
Our nighttime economy — including bars, clubs, restaurants, and arts — generates a significant number of jobs and creates tax revenue and tourism for San Francisco. Yet, we haven’t analyzed the scope of that contribution. It’s important that we understand the size and reach of this industry as we consider regulations in the area. As a result, I’ve requested that the San Francisco Controller conduct an economic impact study so that we have a complete understanding of this economic sector. Once the study is complete, we’ll hold a hearing to learn about its results.