|
February Newsletter
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.
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. Upcoming Events to Remember Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy Drag Show February 11th, 8:00-11:00pm 4235 19th Street, San Francisco, CA 94114 Proud performing parent Ivy Drip and the wildly talented Ana Mae invite you to the "February Drag Show" with a star studded drag extravaganza! The Big Fun takes place on Friday, February 11, 2011 just prior to the avalanche of chocolate and the Valentine's Love we all look forward to! A slew of San Francisco's finest Drag Performers have teamed up to raise money for Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy Parent Faculty Club, which helps fund Arts Education, Before and After School Programs, Healthy Food Programs and whatever else the little Darlin's might need. So come join Ivy Drip, Ana Mae, eat a MOUNTAIN of chocolate and revel in a host of San Francisco Drag Legends and Fabulous Up-and-Comers for a spectacular night of fun! This show is for ADULTS ONLY! Click here for more information Argentine Tango February 11th, 7:00pm-1:00am Harvey Milk Center for the Arts 50 Scott St., San Francisco CA 94117 The Recreation and Park Department's Cultural Arts Division is hosting a special Valentine's Milonga (tango dance party). The event will include live music by Trio Garufa! The suggested donation is $5, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Instructor for the evening will be Andrea Fuchilieri, and there will be introductory classes beforehand: Beginning Tango drop-in class from 7:00-8:00p for $10, Intermediate Tango drop-in class from 8:00-9:00pm $10. Polish your skills and great ready for the Milonga! (No partner required) Click here for more information Community Clean Team Kickoff February 12th, 9:00am North Ping Yuen Housing Development 838 Pacific Ave, San Francisco CA 94133 The Department of Public Works (DPW) is inviting San Francisco residents to come out and celebrate Chinese New Year and the Year of the Rabbit by volunteering to clean and green San Francisco through its premier city volunteer program, the Community Clean Team program. Click here for more information Lyon Martin Clinic Fundraiser, Hosted by Anna Conda and Sister Roma February 13th, 3:00-5:00pm Mix Bar, 18th Street between Castro and Hartford Lyon Martin is a health clinic that serves 2,500 low-income women and transgender people a year. It's a terrific health care model, but because of management problems, it is in danger of closing. Management is being revamped, and the community is coming together to raise enough money to keep the clinic open while it gets its house in order. Click here for more information Jewish Community Relations Gala February 16th, 6:00pm Jewish Community Center San Francisco 3200 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94115 Join JCRC and the Gala Committee Co-Chairs Marci and Marc Dollinger in celebrating our community honorees for their extraordinary contributions. Light dinner reception followed by program & dessert. Inspirational performance by the Glide Ensemble and the Change Band.
Click here for more information Chinese New Year Parade February 19th, 5:15-8:00pm Market & Second Street to Kearny & Jackson, San Francisco, CA 94133 Named one of the top ten Parades in the world by the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA), the Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco is one of the grandest night illuminated Parades in the country. Started in the 1860's by the Chinese in San Francisco as a means to educate the community about their culture, the Parade and Festival have grown to be the largest celebration of Asian culture outside of Asia. Parade highlights include elaborate floats, lion dancers, folk dancers, costumed elementary school groups, marching bands, stilt walkers, Chinese acrobats, and a 250 foot long Golden Dragon. Click here for more information Graffiti Watch Training March 5th, 9:00-11:00am Location TBD Graffiti Watch is a partnership between the City and its residents to keep graffiti off our streets and sidewalks for a safer and cleaner San Francisco. This is a great way to empower yourself and your neighborhood to take ownership of a heavily-tagged four-block area and remove graffiti from public property such as utility poles, mailboxes, trash receptacles and other street furniture. In return, DPW will provide training and tools. Click here for more information Diamond Heights Quarterly Neighborhood Meeting March 5th, 4:00-6:00pm St. Aidan's Church, 101 Gold Mine Drive Join me at this quarterly meeting, where we discuss issues facing Diamond Heights. SPUR Good Government Awards March 21st, 5:30pm San Francisco City Hall, Northern Light Court 1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102 The Municipal Fiscal Advisory Committee (MFAC) is pleased to host the 31st annual Good Government Awards on March 21, 2011. This event has evolved over the last three decades, but its purpose remains the same: to recognize and acknowledge exemplary job performance and leadership by San Francisco City employees. Event chair Michael Walker, President of U.S. Bank of Northern California, City department heads and the Mayor of San Francisco will present a select number of outstanding City employees with the distinguished Public Managerial Excellence Award. The event will include a hosted reception, and present sponsors with the opportunity to meet with City department heads, members of the Board of Supervisors, other elected officials and business and community leaders in an informal atmosphere. In addition, all former San Francisco mayors are being invited to join the Mayor Lee that evening. Click here for more information LGBT Community Center Soiree Gala March 26th, 8:00-11:00pm San Francisco Design Center Galleria 101 Henry Adams St., San Francisco CA 94103 The SF LGBT Community Center is excited to announce its 9th anniversary gala - Soiree 9: La Dolce Vita! This year's theme is 'La Dolce Vita' - come prepared to experience the elegance and romance of Italy in the 60s - from our silent auction featuring travel packages and weekend getaways to our open bars serving top shelf drinks to our showcase of the best Bay Area entertainment and DJs. Ticket sales for this event directly benefit the Center's programs and services. Click here for more information 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). | 
