Sup. Wiener May newsletter

May Newsletter

Office Phone: 415-554-6968
Email: scott.wiener@sfgov.org

Community Updates

Earthquake Preparedness
One of my priorities coming into office has been to make sure that the city is prepared for its next major earthquake. This can be seen in my Good Samaritan Rental Law (see below). Another key is making sure that our buildings are more resilient, especially soft-story buildings. Unfortunately, a voluntary program to help fund upgrades has been ineffective and underused, so we need to look to stronger ways of ensuring retrofits.

Another way for San Franciscans to prepare for the next earthquake is to be part of NERT (Neighborhood Emergency Response Team). Click here to find out more about how you can be a part of this program that trains citizens how to be self-sufficient in a major disaster situation by developing multi-functional teams trained in basic emergency skills.

Save the Date: Dolores Park Renovation Kickoff Workshop
Thursday, June 2nd
6:30pm
Location TBD
On Thursday, June 2nd at 6:30, the community will gather for the first of a series of workshops to plan the renovation of Dolores Park. Everyone is invited to participate. At this first workshop, community members will brainstorm a wish list for park improvements and tour the park to create a shared analysis of what needs to be improved. The June 2nd workshop will be followed by 3 additional participatory design sessions in which the community will decide the priorities of the project, create a conceptual plan and then refine the details of the plan. The project is also forming a Community Steering Committee composed of representative local leaders to guide the planning effort and assure the project addresses the community’s priorities. For the location of the meeting and more information please click on the link below, or call Jake Gilchrist, Project Manger, at 415-581-2561 or Steve Rasmussen Cancian, a member of the project design team, at 415-409-1814.
Click here for more information

Dyke March Fundraiser
Saturday May 7th
5:00-7:00pm
Trigger, 2348 Market Street (between Castro and Noe Streets)
San Francisco, CA 94114
I will be co-hosting a fundraiser with Supervisor David Campos and former Supervisor Bevan Dufty to help raise funds for the Dyke March. The Dyke March is an important annual event for woman in our community, and it’s struggling to meet increasing costs. It’s imperative that we step up to help out our sisters and ensure that this vital community event continues to thrive.

Click here for the invitation. If you can’t attend the fundraiser at Trigger, please donate online by clicking here. Every dollar counts!

Harvey Milk Day
Sunday May 22nd
1:00-2:00pm
Jane Warner Plaza at the Corner of Castro and Market
San Francisco, CA 94114
Come celebrate the 2nd Annual Harvey Milk Day. This California State holiday will take place on the birthday of Harvey Milk. We will meet at Jane Warner Plaza on the corner of Castro and Market Street at 1:00pm for a rally with speeches from friends of Supervisor Milk, including Cleve Jones and Anne Kronenberg as well as his nephew Stuart Milk. After the rally, there will be a march down Castro Street to the site of Harvey Milk’s camera shop. Please come celebrate the inspiring and enduring message of Harvey Milk’s life, which continues to resonate through San Francisco and across the country and world.
Click here for more information

41st Anniversary SF Pride Parade and Celebration
Sunday June 26th
10:00am
Steuart and Mission Streets
San Francisco, CA 94105
Please join me for the 41st SF Pride Parade on Sunday, June 26th. Don’t miss out on all the colorful and outrageous fun that makes Pride a must-attend event every year. For those who have never marched in the Parade before, this will be an unforgettable experience. Friends, families, children and pets are all encouraged to join in the festivities.

To join us in the celebration, please email your name, t-shirt size and mobile number to Adam Taylor at adam.taylor@sfgov.org call my office at 415-554-6968. Don’t miss out on this fantastic, only in San Francisco celebration!
Click here for more information

Scott’s pride contingent marches in the 2010 parade

Randall Museum Expansion
The California Department of Parks and Recreation has awarded a Nature Education Facilities grant in the amount $5,477,194 to the Randall Museum. The Nature Education Facilities Program, funded by the state’s Prop 84 Safe Drinking Water Bond Act of 2006, works to foster environmental awareness and inspire stewardship to help protect California natural resources for future generations. This grant will allow the Recreation and Park Department, in partnership with the Randall Museum Friends, to make major site improvements including: a redesign of the live animal exhibit to portray native animal species in their natural habitats, an addition of dedicated study stations to the animal exhibit for deeper exploration of topics such as migration, invasive species and pollination, construction of a new exhibit lobby on the lower floor that will allow the museum to display their extensive Geological and Zoological collections for the first time, and construction of a hands-on science laboratory open to museum visitors.
Click here for more information

Policy Work and Hearings

Good Samaritan Rental Law Passage
This past month, the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed the Good Samaritan Rental Law that I introduced in the wake of the Castro arsons. This legislation will help tenants displaced by disasters find affordable temporary housing while their buildings are being renovated. Under this law, landlords can offer a discounted rental rate to disaster victims for up to one year, sometimes two years, at a rate no higher than 10% above the tenant’s previous rate, without committing to a long-term rent-control relationship. The law will encourage more property owners to rent out their properties, on a temporary basis, to displaced tenants after a disaster. I worked closely with tenant organizations and landlord organizations to craft this consensus legislation.

Mayor Lee signs Scott’s Good Samaritan Ordinance into law

GGNRA Resolution Adopted
The Board of Supervisors adopted my resolution opposing GGNRA’s proposed severe restrictions on dog access on federal lands in San Francisco like Crissy Field, Ocean Beach and Fort Funston. If dogs are restricted on these federal properties, dog owners will take their dogs to City-owned neighborhood parks and open spaces. An increase in dog activity in these spaces could affect people used to fewer dogs, and could also cause a strain on the City’s parks budget. I look forward to continuing to work with the GGNRA on finding a solution that will address their concerns about these federal parks and that balances with the needs of San Franciscans. Since I introduced the resolution and held a hearing on the subject, GGNRA and the City have been engaging in very productive discussions on the topic.

Appointment to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission
Mayor Ed Lee recently appointed me to represent San Francisco, along with Supervisor David Campos, on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. The MTC is a key regional planning and funding body for transportation projects in San Francisco and around the Bay Area. Transportation is one of my top priorities, and I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues on the MTC to improve our City’s and region’s transit systems.
Click here for more information

Historic Preservation Hearing Recap
This week, we held a hearing about Historic Preservation at the Land Use and Economic Development Committee. I called the hearing to discuss how Historic Preservation policy, which I support, affects other public policies like affordable housing, parks, libraries and pedestrian safety. The hearing drew an overflow crowd of speakers with a wide variety of opinions and lasted four hours, which shows just how important this issue is to the people of San Francisco. I believe this was a good first step in a productive conversation about the role of historic preservation in San Francisco. Some perspectives on the subject here and here.

District Town Hall Recap
Last month I co-hosted a District 8 Town Hall with Mayor Ed Lee at Mission High School. We were joined by the District Attorney, the Chief Police, Heads of DPW, the PUC, MTA and Rec and Park and representative from other city departments to discuss the City’s budget and other issues.
Click here for more information

Community Courts Program
This month saw the start of District Attorney George Gascon’s Community Courts program. The goal is to have panels of local citizens hold accountable those with minor violations like drinking in public, panhandling and graffiti within the neighborhood. By using the community instead of criminal courts, the city will save time and money while empowering the neighborhood to address its own problems. Assistant District Attorney and District 8 resident Rebecca Prozan is the neighborhood prosecutor for the pilot programs taking place in the Mission and the Bayview. It will be her responsibility to meet with those who have received citations from the police and offer them the chance to appear before the community court to receive a sanction and have the violation cleared from their record. This is a creative and innovative way to streamline our over-worked criminal justice courts.

Glen Park Draft EIR issued
The Planning Department published the Glen Park Community Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report this month. This important step in the process of making the Glen Park Community Plan a reality will inform the public and decision-makers about potential environment impacts of the plan, and recommend how to minimize or reduce these impacts. The document can be found by clicking here. For those who want to see a hard copy, they can be found at the Planning Department Information Center (1660 Mission Street), the Main Branch Public Library (100 Larkin Street) or the Glen Park Public Library (2825 Diamond Street).
Click here for more information

Budget Update
I serve on the Budget Committee and have been meeting regularly with my colleagues, city departments, and community organizations about our City’s priorities and how best to prioritize and fund them. It is a difficult budget year, with our current deficit estimate to be almost $300 million, but we are working through it. If you have ideas around the budget, please let me know what they are.

Payroll Tax Reform
The Board of Supervisors recently passed legislation, which I supported, to create a special tax district in the mid-Market and Tenderloin areas. For the next six years, businesses will not pay payroll tax for jobs created in this zone. This legislation, which among other things will keep Twitter in the City (specifically at 9th and Market), will help spur economic growth in this zone, which has suffered economically for decades.

We are also considering proposals to address taxation of stock options and other issues relating to our payroll tax, which inhibits job creation in San Francisco.

Community Spotlight

Gordon Chin
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Honoree

At the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Commendation Ceremony, I honored District 8 resident Gordon Chin. Mr. Chin is the founding Executive Director of Chinatown Community Development Center (CCDC), which brings together community organizing, affordable housing development, property management and neighborhood planning. During Mr. Chin’s tenure, CCDC has built or rehabilitated over 2,300 units of affordable housing. For over four decades he’s been active in San Francisco, including as a member of the boards of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation and Bridge Housing Corporation. He’s also served on several commissions, including the Public Utilities Commission and the Recreation and Parks Commission. It’s my pleasure to recognize Mr. Chin for all of his work in San Francisco.

Scott and Gordon Chin at the APA Commendation Ceremony

Orphan Andy’s
Small Business Month Honoree

On May 17, at our Board of Supervisors meeting, I will be honoring Orphan Andy’s, one of the Castro’s most popular restaurants. Orphan Andy’s has been in the neighborhood for many years, and it’s a terrific gathering spot day and night. In addition, owners Dennis Ziebell and Bill Pung are great contributors to the community through their stewardship of the Jane Warner Plaza at Castro and Market. They play a key role in maintaining the plaza, storing its furniture, and reporting problems that arise. They are great role models for anyone wanting to make their neighborhood a better place.

Upcoming Events to Remember

Church and Duboce Track and Street Improvement Project
Thursday, May 5th
6:00-7:00pm
California Pacific Medical Center
Davies Campus, Gazebo Room
45 Castro Street, San Francisco CA 94114
Join me and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency for a community meeting on the Church and Duboce Track and Street Improvement Project. The SFMTA will begin the two-year improvement project this summer, starting with four months of utility work such as water and sewer improvements and transitioning to streetscraping improvements to make the area more pedestrian friendly. At the meeting, we will cover: an overview of all work to be accomplished over the two-year period, the construction schedule, traffic and parking plans, and MUNI service adjustments.
Click here for more information

SFUSD Community Budget Meetings
May 5th, 6:00-7:30pm
Thurgood Marshall High School, 45 Conkling Street (near Silver Avenue)
May 12th, 6:00-7:30pm
James Lick Middle School, 1220 Noe Street (at 25th Street)
May 25th, 6:30-8:00pm
Jefferson Elementary School, 1725 Irving Street (near 19th Avenue)
As California’s economic crisis continues, our city and our school district are facing of one of the worst economic crises in California history. As such, SFUSD receives less money while expenses keep increasing. In preparation for the 2011-12 budget, SFUSD is seeking to both inform and get input from community stakeholders through a series of community forums next month. Come learn more about the SFUSD budget and share your questions and suggestions.
Click here for more information

UCSF Free Skin Cancer Screening Day
Saturday, May 7th
8:30am-4:00pm
Chinatown Public Health Center,1490 Mason Street at Broadway
San Francisco, CA 94133
The incidence of melanoma is rising each year and occurs in one out of every 65 people. May is American Cancer Society’s Melanoma Month. The UCSF Department of Dermatology is holding a free skin cancer screening day. Hosted by Supervisor David Chiu, the UCSF Department of Dermatology, and the Chinatown Public Health Center.
Click here for more information

The 31st Annual Fair Oaks Street Fair
Saturday, May 7th
9:00am-5:00pm
Fair Oaks and 21st Streets
San Francisco, CA 94110
Come out and join the fun at one of San Francisco’s oldest street fairs! The residents of Fair Oaks will be hosting an all day street festival, complete with numerous garage sales and great deals. Those open for shopping will also be making donations to the Jamestown Community Center, so spend your Saturday supporting a great cause.

Community Event with Recology at Dolores Park
Saturday, May 7th
2:00pm
Dolores Park, Corner of 20th and Church Streets
San Francisco, CA 94114
Please join us at Dolores Park this Saturday to celebrate the launch of a new and improved waste and recycling collection program for Dolores Park during the peak months. Thanks to a partnership among Recology, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, and Mission Neighborhood Services, there will be increased collection of existing waste and recycling receptacles-particularly on weekends and holidays-as well as recycling education for park users in an effort to keep our beloved park clean and help San Francisco reach its goal of zero waste. For more information, please contact my office at 415-554-6968.

Cesar Chavez Sewer Streetscape Improvements Public Meeting
Wednesday, May 11th
6:00pm
Leonard R. Flynn Elementary School Auditorium, 3125 Cesar Chavez Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
Join the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission for a public meeting to discuss the upcoming Cesar Chavez Sewer and Streetscape Improvements.Construction work for sewer improvements is tentatively scheduled to break ground this summer, and will be followed by streetscape improvements – work for both is estimated to be complete in Summer 2013. These improvements are coordinated efforts with two phases of construction: Phase 1 is a sewer improvement to increase reliability of the combined sewer system and minimize potential flooding in the area. Phase 2 is a streetscape improvement to ensure a safe, gracious and ecologically sustainable Cesar Chavez corridor. The City will provide project-specific details on construction work for sewer improvements and an update on the streetscape improvements.
Click here for more information

Join Me for the 17th Annual Bike to Work Day
Thursday, May 12th
7:45am
Jane Warner Plaza, Castro and Market Streets
San Francisco, CA 94114
Join me for the 17th Annual Bike to Work Day on May 12th. San Franciscans love biking, and one of the most fun and rewarding days to bike is the annual Bike to Work Day Celebration. We’ll be meeting at the 17th Street Plaza (Jane Warner Plaza) that morning to bike to work as a group. For those who can’t join our bike train, energizer stations will be set up in neighborhoods across the city to offer free coffee, snacks, and other goodies (and mechanics will even check out your bike for free at select locations).
Click here for more information

California Academy of Sciences Free Days
May 13th, 14th and 15th for ZIP codes 94117 and 94131 (other zip codes forthcoming)
Golden Gate Park, 55 Music Concourse Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
Residents of these District 8 ZIP codes can enjoy our world class Academy of Sciences for free! Each visiting adult is limited to six children for free entry. Each visiting adult must also show a valid photo ID with proof of residency. The following items or combinations are acceptable: a driver license of state ID card, photo ID plus postmarked envelope, postcard, or magazine label with name and date, or a photo ID plus utility bill (gas/electric/cable), bank statement, or letter from a government agency with name and home address (not a P.O. Box).
Click here for more information

Glen Park Farmer’s Market
Sunday, May 15th
10:00am-2:00pm
Glen Bark BART Station Parking Lot
San Francisco, CA 94131
This month will see the first Glen Park Farmer’s Market in the Glen Park BART parking lot. From May 15th through the end of October, every Sunday the parking lot will be turned into a wonderful space for Glen Park residents to buy locally produced organic produce and food and to gather as a community. A big thanks goes out to the Glen Park Merchant’s Association, the Pacific Coast Farmer’s Market Association, the Glen Park Association, and BART for making this happen. The parking lot will be closed to cars between 8:00am-4:00pm.
Click here for more information

Bliss 2011, Maitri’s Signature Gala and Auction
Sunday, May 15th
6:00-10:00pm
San Francisco County Fair Building, Hall of Flowers
1199 9th Avenue (at Lincoln Avenue)
San Francisco, CA 94122
Maitri provides compassionate residential care to men and women living with AIDS in need of hospice or 24-hour care and cultivates the deepest respect and love for life among its residents and caregivers. Please join me at Maitri’s annual Gala and auction, featuring music by Jazz Artist Paula West, superb cuisine, luscious wines and libations, and extravagant live and silent auctions.
Click here for more information

ADA Compliance for Small Businesses
Monday, May 16th
3:30-6:00pm
BASF Conference Center, 301 Battery Street, 3rd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
The BASF’s Lawyer and Information Service and Disability Rights Committee are hosting an overview and intersection of Disability Rights Law as it pertains to the operation of small businesses. Topics covered will include the pros and cons of litigation in regards to ADA compliance for small businesses. Additionally, you’ll learn what new legislation can protect business owners and increases access, and also find out what lawyers need to know to advise small businesses. The speakers present at the event will be Larry Paradis (Co-Director of Litigation, Disability Rights Advocates), Regina Dick-Endrizzi (Director, Office of Small Business, City and County of San Francisco), Susan Mizner (Director, Mayor’s Office on Disability, City and County of San Francisco), Jan Garrett (Program Manager, Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center, Pacific ADA Center), and Carla Johnson (CASp Inspector, Access Compliance and Emergency Planner, Mayor’s Office on Disability, City and County of San Francisco).
Click here for more information

Senior Clipper Days
Thursday, May 26th
10:00am-2:00pm
Walgreens, 498 Castro Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
The SFMTA is teaming up with Walgreens, Real Water and the San Francisco Chronicle to promote and host Senior Clipper Days in select Walgreens locations for seniors (65+). At these events, SFMTA Clipper Ambassadors will be on hand to not only help seniors obtain their Senior Clipper card, but also to answer questions and to show them how to load their discount monthly pass or cash value onto their Clipper card. As of June 1st, seniors must have a Senior Clipper card if they wish to use a discount monthly pass to ride MUNI.
Click here for more information

Diamond Heights Community Association Meeting
Thursday, May 26th
7:00pm
San Francisco Police Academy, 350 Amber Drive
San Francisco, CA 94131
The Diamond Heights Community Association is hosting a public meeting for neighborhood residents. Representatives from the SFPD Gang Task Force and SFMTA will be present to discuss issues including gang-related activity and pedestrian and traffic safety on Diamond Heights Boulevard, respectively. Questions, comments, and general feedback are welcome at the meeting, so please attend for more information on these issues.

Recycle Mercury-Laden Fluorescent Light Bulbs at Canyon Market
7:00am-9:00pm, 7 days a week
Canyon Market, 2815 Diamond Street
San Francisco, CA 94131
Instead of throwing your old environmentally friendly fluorescent light bulbs in the trash, keep them green by recycling them right here in District 8. Canyon Market, a local grocery store in Glen Park, is part of a pilot project run by the Dept of Environment to increase recycling of fluorescent lights and other hazardous waste.
Click here for more information
Click here for more information

CBD City Volunteer Ambassadors Program
Spring is here and the Castro CBD is actively recruiting volunteers to join its Castro Volunteer Ambassador program. Castro Volunteer Ambassadors serve as good will ambassadors and a guide for tourists. As a Volunteer Ambassador, you would provide visitors with critical neighborhood information, directions to destinations throughout the city, and information about community events and attractions as well as other gay related events in the City. Additionally, you would work in pairs and be deployed in the merchant corridors of the Castro on Saturdays and Sundays. You will be outside, meeting people, and promoting the neighborhood, making it more welcoming to tourists and other visitors.
Click here for more information

Scott guides a walking tour of the district

Upcoming Office Hours

My upcoming office hours are listed below:
(please check with my office before attending office hours,
since they occasionally need to be rescheduled)

Friday, May 6th
10:00am-12:00pm
San Francisco City Hall, Room 274
1 Dr. Carlton B Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102

Saturday, May 7th
10:00am-12:00pm
Spike’s Coffee
4117 19th Street
San Francisco, CA 94114

Friday, June 3rd
10:00am-12:00pm
San Francisco City Hall, Room 274
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102

Saturday, June 4th
10:00am-12:00pm
The Blue Fig
990 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

Paid for by Scott Wiener for Supervisor 2010, FPPC # 1319353.

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