RECENT HEADLINES AND NEWS

March 2008
In this edition:

• Market-Octavia Plan Advances to the Full Board
• Supervisor Strengthens First Source Hiring Ordinances
• Supervisor Mirkarimi Wins Legislative Fight to Save the Workers' Compensation Clinic
• Fix Masonic Rally
• 55 Laguna Update
• Celebrate Persian New Year with Supervisor Mirkarimi
• District 5 Community Clean Day/Kids Crush Cans at John Muir School to Promote Recycling
• Supervisor Mirkarimi Returns to Budget & Finance and Public Safety Committees
• Open Government Legislation Endorsed by Sunshine Task Force
• Phone Numbers for Useful City Resources
• Looking for a Job?
• Upcoming Events
• Board of Supervisors Information
• Office and Community Volunteers Needed
• Comments, Suggestions, or Questions?
• Did you miss a previous newsletter?

Market-Octavia Plan Advances to the Full Board
Supervisor Mirkarimi has successfully shepherded the Market-Octavia Plan to the Full Board. The Land Use Committee approved his amendments for increased affordable housing, efficient parking ratios and community benefits.

It's been nearly 20 years since San Francisco has enacted a housing and land-use plan near the scope and size of the Market and Octavia Neighborhood Plan (Market to Church Streets). The M-O Plan is comprised of 6,000 housing units and two million square feet of commercial space. When the M-O Plan emerged from the Planning Commission in late 2007, it wasn't upgraded to reflect the BMR (below market rate) affordable housing calculations that are routine for land-use projects today. The M-O Plan planning process began approximately eight years ago, predating many considerations aimed toward transit and parking efficiency, affordable housing below 80% of the average median income, and work-force accountability for commercial retail space below 25,000 square feet.

Supervisor Mirkarimi introduced a number of amendments that had several hearings at the Board of Supervisors Land Use Committee. Substantial testimony from neighborhood advocates, developers, affordable housing advocates, land use and transit advocates, merchants, and others, all weighed in.

One of the most pronounced debates was Supervisor Mirkarimi's proposal to increase the Community Impact Fee to $10 per square foot as a means to increase the affordable units. The amendments passed. As a follow-up, Supervisor Mirkarimi refined his amendment to redistribute the impact fee based on a tiered system - smaller developers would not have to shoulder the same costs as the largest developers as long as the result came close to the affordability objective. Instead of a flat $10 fee increase: $8 for the Van Ness/Market Special Use District; $4 for the NCT; $0 for the RTO; the TDR fee (Transfer of Development Rights) would also be applied.

Amendments of this type require a 10 day wait and hearing; final consideration of the entire M-O Plan is expected to be heard by the Board of Supervisors in late March. For more information, see this Beyond Chron article and this Bay Guardian article.

Supervisor Strengthens First Source Hiring Ordinance
At the February 12th Board Meeting, Supervisor Mirkarimi introduced legislation to expand the scope of the First Source Hiring Ordinance in the Market and Octavia Plan. The ordinance is intended to identify entry level positions in order to allocate training resources and provide an opportunity for graduates of those training programs to be considered for employment. Currently, the First Source Hiring Ordinance applies to any building permit for commercial activity over 25,000 square feet and involving new construction, additions or alterations which would result in increased entry level jobs. It also requires the FSHA to report annually to the Mayor and the Board on the status of implementing the ordinance, including numbers of contractors, number and percent of first source employers posting jobs, wage data, and numbers of job seekers, among other things.

The proposed amendments to the ordinance will cover building permit applications that involve any commercial activity over 10,000 square feet in floor area. In addition, the new legislation will now require the First Source Housing Administration to report certain information on permittees upon reasonable request. It will require all covered contractors and permittees to comply with all the requests for information from the FSHA in its attempt to comply with its annual reporting requirements under the ordinance.

Supervisor Mirkarimi Wins Legislative Fight to Save the Workers' Compensation Clinic
For the third year running, the Mayor has recommended that the Workers' Comp Clinic at San Francisco General Hospital be closed. This time, the cut was made to be effective on March 15. The facility sees 10,000 patients every year, many of them City employees, and it helps all its patients to navigate the bureaucracy involved in being compensated for work-related injuries. The Clinic also helps to keep track of injury and accident patterns.

On Tuesday March 11, the Board voted 7-3 to save the Clinic and approved a supplemental appropriation of $246,000 authored by Supervisor Mirkarimi. Mirkarimi stated, "Similarly to when they tried to cut the psychiatric beds at San Francisco General Hospital, their rationale to cut the worker's compensation clinic is counterintuitive and wasteful. This fuzzy math is an attempt to privatize this clinic." For more information, see this Fog City Journal article.

Fix Masonic Rally

On February 27th, Supervisor Mirkarimi and a coalition of fellow neighborhood, bike, and pedestrian advocates gathered to support making travel North of the Panhandle safer for pedestrians, have a dedicated bike lane, and have calmer traffic. The broad coalition, including the San Francisco Bike Coalition, the North of the Panhandle Neighborhood Association, SF Day School, the Safety Network, and City College Board Trustee John Rizzo, were able to collect over 500 signatures to support these needed improvements and were subsequently given to the Municipal Transportation Agency. Masonic Avenue is the only direct street that connects the mid-Haight with the Richmond district. This event was just the first step, the Fix Masonic project is up and running and gaining new supporters daily. For More information about the event as well as how you can get involved in this project please visit: www.sfbike.org/?masonic.

55 Laguna Update
On March 4th, a unanimous vote by the Board of Supervisors affirmed certification of the Environmental Impact Report for the proposed redevelopment at 55 Laguna Street. After long negotiations with the University of California over the development this is an imperative step to securing increased affordable housing for LBGT seniors. After standing up to the strong powers of the UC, working in concert with grass roots affordable housing advocates, as well as State Senator Carole Migden and Assemblymember Mark Leno, Sup. Mirkarimi was able to broker an agreement that expanded the amount of affordable senior housing to 37% of the proposed development. The Bay Area Reporter highlighted the advocacy of the Mirkarimi, Migden, and Leno and singled out the Supervisor, "All have been credited to make more units in the development affordable, especially Mirkarimi" (BAR 3/6/08). The next test for this important housing development comes at the Land Use Committee hearing to be held on March 17th.

Third Friday Art Party: Celebrate Persian New Year with Supervisor Mirkarimi


This event is free and open to the general public.

What: Nowruz Deed-o Bazdeed Celebration
When: Friday, March 21st, 5:30pm to 8:00pm
Where: Supervisor Mirkarimi's office
Room 282 at City Hall
Van Ness Ave. between McAllister and Grove Streets

Please come to the first annual Nowruz Deed-o Bazdeed with Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi at his office in San Francisco City Hall. Deed-o Bazdeed means to exchange visits with friends and family signifying the first 12 days of the Persian New Year celebration. On Friday March 21st, we will serve Chai (tea) and Shirini (Persian Sweet) while visiting each other in the customary tradition of Nowruz. The event also features the art work of three popular Iranian Artists representing Iranian themes and the Persian New Year: Nasser Ovissi, born in Tehran, 1934, Ovissi is one of the most popular painters inside and outside Iran; Zaman Zamani is one of the most popular mixed media artists inside and outside Iran; and Mohammad Hourian, born in Hamedan, Iran, the capital of ancient Persia, 1955, Mr. Hourian was the youngest artist to be elected to the Iranian National Academy of Fine Arts, at age 20. The works of these artists will be on display for one month.

Accessibility Information: City Hall is accessible to persons using wheelchairs and other disabilities. The Van Ness Avenue Entrance is closed at 5pm each day. The entrances to City Hall that are open after 5:00 pm are the Grove Street and the Polk Street / Carlton B. Goodlett Entrances. The Polk Street / Carlton B. Goodlett entrance is accessible via a ramp and a wheelchair lift. All of the other City Hall entrances are accessible via ramp

District 5 Community Clean Up/Kids Crush Cans at John Muir School to Promote Recycling
On Saturday March 8, Arbor Day, over 200 people gathered at the African American Cultural Center and fanned out throughout the district to clean graffitti, plant trees, and beautify the neighborhood. Later students from John Muir Elementary School participated in a can-crushing event sponsored by the California Department of Conservation and attended by actor and recycling buff Ed Begley Jr, as well as a giant blue dinosaur named Recycle Rex. About one hundred young people and their parents showed up for free muffins, kitchen magnets, and lots of can crushing. The students at John Muir have been saving cans and bottles to finance a field trip at the end of the year. According to fourth-grader Kache, you can recycle plastic bottles to make soft fleece blankets to provide to the homeless. She adds, "But I still like crushing the cans."

Supervisor Mirkarimi Returns to Budget & Finance and Public Safety Committees
Supervisor Mirkarimi is excited to continue to advocate on behalf District 5 on the powerful Budget and Finance Committee and the critical Public Safety Committee. The Board of Supervisors is organized into committees that analyze proposed legislation before it is heard by the full Board. The Budget and Finance Committee handles appropriation ordinances, measures concerning bond issues, taxes, fees and other revenue measures, redevelopment, real estate, and the City's annual $6 billion budget. The Public Safety Committee is assigned legislation concerning the City's coordination, strategies, policies, programs, and budgetary actions relating to public safety and violence prevention.

On February 26th, Board President Aaron Peskin announced the committee assignments for the 2008-2009 year; the first named committee members are the chairpersons, and the second named members are the vice-chairpersons.

The new assignments are:
Budget & Finance Committee: McGoldrick, Elsbernd, Mirkarimi, Daly, and Chu.
City Operations & Neighborhood Services: Chu, McGoldrick, and Elsbernd.
Government Audit & Oversight: Peskin, Ammiano, and Maxwell.
Land Use & Economic Development: Maxwell, Sandoval, and Peskin.
Rules: Daly, Dufty, and Ammiano.
Public Safety: Mirkarimi, Maxwell, and Dufty.
City & School District: Dufty and Alioto-Pier.

Open Government Legislation Endorsed by Sunshine Task Force
The Sunshine Ordinance Task Force approved Supervisor Mirkarimi's legislation mandating that, for all public meetings held in City Hall hearing rooms, the audio or video be recorded and made available on the City's website. The proposal will dramatically increase the current number of City Hall meeting available to the general public via the City's website. The ordinance further requires that all recordings be made accessible to the public without charge on a playback device provided by the City. The legislation will be scheduled in the Rules Committee in late March. For more information, see this Bay Guardian article.

Phone Numbers for Useful City Resources
We have assembled a list of frequently called phone numbers for City resources. The services covered include everything from graffiti removal to building permits to conflict resolution. Remember that you can now call 311 for all non-emergency City government services. If there's any useful numbers that we should add to our list, please let us know.

Looking for a Job?

City Jobs
The City is always hiring for a wide variety of positions. For information on City employment openings click here. This page contains lists of job openings, information on Civil Service examinations, and a variety of other useful information on finding work.

SFPD
SFPD Hiring The SFPD is continuously hiring qualified applicants. Applicants must be 21 years old, have a valid driver's license, must be US citizens, must have a high School diploma or equivalent, and must not have been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor which would prohibit possession of a firearm. For more information or to apply, Contact the Department of Human Resources at 44 Gough St, San Francisco. Additionally, applications are available on-line at www.sfgov.org/police or at governmentjobs.com.

Do You Know of Other Job Openings?
Please let us know and we'll include them in next month's newsletter. Email us at mirkarimistaff@sfgov.org or call the office at 554-7630.

 

Upcoming Events

General Calendar

Friday March 14, the Fillmore Jazz Preservation District "Development Opportunity"
Proposal Due, a request for proposals for the Muni Substation Building Adaptive Restoration & Reuse, contact, Michele.Davis@sfgov.org, (415) 749-2581

Saturday, March 15: "Chain Link Fence" Art Show and Sale
Time: 11:00 am to 4:00PM
Location: East Fence along Octavia at Patricia's Green
This is the second of what is a monthly event held every third Saturday, sponsored by Hayes Valley Art Coalition. For more information contact Madeline Behrens-Brigham madelinebb@sbcglobal.net, or Russell Pritchard russellsf@earthlink.net

Tuesday, March18: Taraval District Police Community Forum
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Taraval Station / Community Room, 2345 - 24th Ave.
For details contact Taraval Police Station: SFPDTaravalStation@sfgov.org, 415-759-3100.

Thursday, March 20: African American Educational Summit
Time: 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Location: 1800 Oakdale Ave., Southeast Campus, Alex Pritcher Community Room
This is the first of two important summits to discuss the issues and concerns regarding African American students in San Francisco. There will be four panels: Students, Parents, Community and Educators. Some topics to be discussed are: African American Achievement Gap, Student, Youth and Young Adult Empowerment/Participation, Parent Empowerment, African American Educators Participation, African American Community Involvement, Educational Technology, African American Students and Adult Health Issues, Student and Youth Employment. The general public is welcome to attend the two summits.
For more information contact Dr. James M. Calloway, 415-240-6086 or email j.m.calloway@worldnet.att.net.

Saturday, March 29: Japantown Community Clean Day
The Japantown Task Force, along with the San Francisco Chapter of the Japanese-American Citizens League, will be hosting a Japantown Community Clean Day. Everyone is invited to spend the morning to help with the clean up, which involve sweeping, trash pick-up, and graffiti removal. Volunteers will meet @ the Peace Plaza, (Post and Buchanan Street) The event starts at 9 AM. Anyone interested in helping clean up or wishing to provide supplies should contact, Abantao @ (415) 346-1239.

Wednesday, April 2: Safety Network Community Leadership Awards
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: State Building Auditorium, 455 Golden Gate Avenue
The eleven community based organizations that make up the Safety Network Partnership believe that feeling safe is a right, not a privilege. The Police Department, City Departments and public officials cannot make our communities safe on their own- it is only with the commitment of the dedicated, organized residents working together that public safety can be improved for everyone. Safety Network would like to acknowledge and honor the efforts of these individuals and groups across the city with our annual Community Leadership Awards.
For more information and to learn about nominations, go to the Safety Network website: www.safetynetwork.org.

Ongoing

January 22 through April 6: Americans Who Tell the Truth Exhibition
Location: African American Arts and Culture Complex, 762 Fulton Street
On display are portraits by artist Robert Shetterly. The exhibition includes portraits of Malcolm X, Lateefah Simon, James Bell, Utah Phillips, Alice Waters, Eva Paterson, Cindy Sheehan, Hariet Tubman, Ella Baker, Emma Goldman, Van Jones, Daniel Ellsberg, Cesar Chavez, Frederick Douglass, Marian Wright Edelman, Harry Hay. Additional portraits are also on view at the Administrative Offices of the Courts, 455 Golden Gate Avenue. For more information call Visual Arts Coordinator, Samara Brown, at 922-1995 or email samara@aaacc.org.

Every Wednesday: Young Mothers United, support group for Formerly Incarcerated Young Mothers
Time: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Location: Call Cria at the Center for Young Women's Development for location.
Learn about your rights a young mother and community resources. Free food and childcare, and earn $25 dollars for every workshop.
Contact: Cria, 415-703-8800

The District 5 Interfaith Teen Council
Teens in the Fillmore, Western Addition, Japantown neighborhoods
Date: to be determined
Come and join in creating a new and vibrant multi-denomination community in your own backyard. The members are from local schools, churches, and religious institutions interested in sharing in religion, and strengthening the neighborhood with fellow District 5 teens. If you are a teen, or know of teens in your community that might be interested, and want to learn more or come to the next meeting.
Contact: Rabbi Mark Asher Goodman
mgoodman@jchsofthebay.org or 415-345-9777.

Recruiting BEET Rangers- Band of Environmentally Educated Teens
Green Job Training Internships stipend of $1,000+
Date: 8 months Spring-Fall 2008
This is a great opportunity for low income, diverse youth between the ages of 13-19 years old living in the Western Addition. This is an opportunity to become an environmental leader and improve the community's urban parks while making friends and helping others. Events planned include; wilderness adventures workshops in: park maintenance, design and construction, recycling, composting, organic gardening, nutrition, and cooking. park clean-ups, community celebrations, farmer's market, trips to urban and rural organic farms, bike rides/alternative transpiration and more events are planned! For the requirements and to request an application to either be in the program or sponsor/mentor please contact the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Parks Group at 415-643-3638 or 415-431-8112
hvnparks@hotmail.com or 415-345-9777.

April 12-13 and 19-20, San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival
The 41st annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, this Annual Tradition Has Roots in Ancient Japan. The cherry blossom is the national flower of Japan and throughout the spring families and friends gather for hanami "flower viewing". While San Francisco celebrates the season a few weeks later than is custom in Japan; it is still a rich and honored local celebration. With 90 plus free events and activities headquartered at the Japan Center, Post and Buchanan streets.
The 2008 Cherry Blossom Queen Program, April 12, @ the Sundance Kabuki Cinema, 1881 Post Street, from 7 to 10 PM. General Admission, $25.00. To secure tickets call; (650) 871-9287
The Grand Parade, Sunday April 20, @ 1 PM which starts at City Hall, north on Polk Street to Post Street, West on Post to the Japan Center.

Support Your Local Schools, Rosa Parks Elementary
The Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program (JBBP) is open for enrollment. The JBBP is a unique, 35-year old Japanese language and cultural program with strong community support, students receive one hour of formal Japanese each day by Native-Japanese-speaking "Sensei" who also work closely with credential teachers in each classroom. PTA Open House, March 19, @ 6 PM. 1501 O'Farrell Street
John Muir Elementary, Parents, students at John Muir benefits from strong community support of programs, dedicated teachers and staff and a great on-site after school program, the Beacon Center. Located at 380 Webster Street.

Volunteers Needed, Home Away from Homelessness, 13th Anniversary Event, on May 22, 2008
Contact, Sami, sami@siaconsult.com.

Garden Park Work Parties

Alamo Square - March 15, 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
Contact: Lisa Bastick lmbastick@yahoo.com
or 415-921-3109.

Alvord Lake Area, Golden Gate Park – March 22, 9:00 AM – noon.
Contact: Karen Crommie at kcrommie@aol.com

Buena Vista Park - April 6, 9:00 AM – noon.
Contact: Richard Magary, of Buena Vista Neighborhood Association (BVNA), and Friends of Buena Vista Park (FoBVP) at BVNA@ix.netcom.com.

Friends of Duboce Park Volunteer Days April 12, 10:00 am -noon
Location: Meet near the basketball courts, behind the Harvey Milk Building
The community is invited to help beautify the park. Tools and gloves are provided. Look for the gardener's truck or gardener's Cushman. You're invited to come for as long or little as you would like. Even a 1/2-hour makes a huge difference in the park. No experience is necessary. For more information feel free to contact Rose Gillen at rosegillen@sbcglobal.net.

Haight-Ashbury Stewards Every Wednesday from 9:30 am to noon
The weekly work parties do habitat restoration in the Haight.
Contact: Nature in the City, 415-564.4107 for details and check the natureinthecity.org/haightashburystewards.php.


Koshland Park - Monthly Cleanup, for more information,
Contact: Hayes Valley Neighborhood Parks Council, hvnparks@hotmail.com

Panhandle April 12, from 9:00 am – noon
Location: Fell and Ashbury aside the bulletin board next to restrooms
NOPNA and Panhandle Residents Association invites the community to come garden every second Saturday of the month. The park provides Gloves and tools but feel free to bring some of your own. Contact 415-346-1448, or home@prosf.org.

Patricia's Green -Currently no set schedule.
If you're interested in participating in a clean up contact Russell Pritchard. He has bags and gloves. You can find him at Zonal at 568 Hayes or call 255-9307 or email: madelinebb@sbcglobal.net or russellsf@earthlink.net.

Board of Supervisors Information

Looking for the Board of Supervisors meeting information, minutes, or agendas? Click the picture below or click here: