Supervisor Wiener's September 2012 Newsletter

September 2012 Newsletter

Office Phone: 415-554-6968

Email: scott.wiener@sfgov.org

Website: www.scottwiener.com

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My Policy Work

Transportation Update

Rehabilitating Muni's Bus Fleet

Muni has many challenges - as any of us who take it daily understand - and one of its biggest is its aging infrastructure - vehicles, switches, track, signals, and so forth. For decades, we underinvested in the system's maintenance, and we are now suffering the consequences in breakdowns and other delays. Last week, I was proud to introduce legislation authorizing Muni to purchase 45 additional hybrid diesel buses that will replace buses that have reached the end of their useful lives and to rehabilitate scores more. This is a significant step - albeit only one of many needed - to improve the system.

Expanding Taxi Service

I've written repeatedly about the need to improve our city's deficient tax service. We don't have enough cabs on the road, you can't get a cab in many parts of the city, and our dispatch service is inadequate. I've been working closely with the Municipal Transportation Agency on its ongoing demand study, which will support the issuance of a significant number of new taxi permits. In addition, the MTA recently approved the issuance of 200 temporary permits. I'm optimistic that in the near future, we will see significantly improved cab service.

Improving Access to Car Sharing

In addition to taxi service and public transit, car sharing is a key part of the future of transportation in San Francisco. We need to ensure that car sharing is widely available. Particularly as two of the most common locations for car sharing - gas stations and surface parking lots - are reduced because of development, we need to take advantage of every opportunity for car sharing spots. Including car sharing in new developments is one such opportunity. I recently introduced legislation to make it easier for developers to include car sharing spots in their projects.

Student Housing Legislation

The Board of Supervisors passed my legislation to increase the supply of student housing while avoiding conversion of apartments into exclusive student housing. We need to create new student housing without cannibalizing our existing housing stock.

Scott with Supervisor Cohen at the

Gay Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA) Gala.

Helping Small Business: Repealing Second-Hand Dealer Red Tape

The Board of Supervisors passed my legislation to repeal most of the onerous permitting requirements for small businesses that sell second-hand goods, such as vintage clothing stores, antique shops, and used book stores. Our Police Code treated these stores as if they were the worst kind of pawn shop, requiring them to be fingerprinted and photographed at the Hall of Justice, to pay a $1,500 fee, to keep a log with the name and physical description of each and every customer, and to submit that log to the Police Department daily. These onerous requirements weren't consistent with our city's stated commitment to support unique neighborhood businesses. My legislation repealed the permit requirement entirely for most second-hand dealers and kept intact a scaled back version for a small set of goods (e.g., jewelry, electronics, cell phones) that are more likely to have been stolen.

Repealing Antiquated Laws

I authored legislation, which the Board of Supervisors recently passed, to repeal a number of outdated provisions in our municipal code, including laws prohibiting tying a dog to a streetlight or tree even to run in and get a cup of coffee, setting mandatory fees (in the 25 cent to 50 cent range) for carrying someone's luggage from specific locations in the city to other specific locations, and similar outdated laws. I also sponsored legislation, passed by the Board of Supervisors, repealing an outdated Parks Code provision that restricted protests in certain parks to specific locations, some of which no longer exist. The Recreation & Park Department will still have the ability, on a case-by-case basis, to limit protests to specific areas of a park in order not to disrupt park events, but this outdated law will no longer impose overly restrictive limits.

Parking Tax and Small Property Owners

On Tuesday, the Board passed my legislation to simplify the process for small property owners who rent out a few parking spots to pay the parking tax. Unbeknownst to many, if you rent out a parking spot to someone who doesn't live in your building, you are required to pay parking tax. (The tax doesn't apply if a resident or tenant in the building rents a spot.) The tax collector was starting to seek back payment, with penalties and interest, against some property owners, resulting in large bills. The problem, however, is that San Francisco makes it very hard to pay parking tax, treating small property owners the same as a large commercial garage. You have to pay monthly, install certain equipment, pay a fee of approximately $1,000 annually, post a bond, and get fingerprinted at the Hall of Justice. My legislation, which applies to residential property owners who rent out up to five spots to non-residents, does several things. First, it simplifies the process of paying parking tax by eliminating the fee, bond and fingerprint requirements, and equipment requirement. It also makes the tax payment annual instead of monthly. Second, the legislation creates an amnesty. Property owners who come forward from January 1 through June 30, 2013, and register will be liable for no more than two years worth of back taxes, with no penalties or interest. This legislation will increase compliance with the property tax and simplify the process. Third, the legislation eliminates the restriction on renting out a space only to someone who lives within 1,250 feet of the building. Instead, the renter must reside in San Francisco.

Urban Forest: Maintaining Our Street Trees and Park Trees

Our urban forest - street trees and park trees - is one of our city's great assets, and we need to care for it. Yet, the City doesn't have the funding to do so. Property owners are now responsible for essentially all street tree maintenance, and Rec & Park has so little funding for tree maintenance that it's able to do routine maintenance on trees every 50 years. The Planning Department has just completed a multi-department Urban Forest Master Plan, which analyzes our urban forest, its needs, and financing options. I requested a hearing on the subject so that the public can learn about the challenges we face and what it will take to address them. I'm very interested in finding a funding source that allows the City to assume responsibility for street trees and that provides Rec & Park with the resources it needs to care for our park trees.

Scott with members of Friends of the Urban Forest in Noe Valley

for a neighborhood tree planting.

Community Updates

Erik Escalon Case Solved

Earlier this year, Erik Escalon, a resident of Diamond Heights, was murdered in his home. The Police Department, with very strong support in the community, conducted a thorough investigation and recently made an arrest. In a statement from Chief Suhr, "The San Francisco Police Department would like to thank our community partners, including the Castro Community Patrol and the media for their assistance in our investigation." He continues, "It is this kind of community involvement that helps us to solve crimes. We are pleased that with the community's help we apprehended the suspect in the brutal murder of Eriq Escalon." I want to express my personal thanks to SFPD and to the community, particularly Castro Community on Patrol, for this success.

Harvey Milk Plaza Update

Harvey Milk Plaza is at the heart of the Castro, and it's a very important space for our community. Unfortunately, the situation at the plaza has been unacceptable for quite some time. People camp there, block the plaza with their belongings, urinate and defecate, and leave the plaza a mess. At my request, SFPD regularly passes through the plaza, and the Department of Public Works has been steam-cleaning the plaza regularly and increasing garbage collection. In addition, earlier this year, the Board of Supervisors passed my legislation banning camping, nighttime sleeping, and smoking in the plaza. The Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District, which works hard to maintain the plaza, recently held a community meeting on the state of the plaza and possible future changes to improve the situation. Coverage here.

San Jose Avenue Update

As a result of redistricting, I now represent both sides of San Jose Avenue in the area known as the "Bernal Cut." This formerly neighborhood street was transformed into a semi-freeway in the 1950s, and after the 1989 earthquake, Cal Trans encouraged people to use San Jose Avenue, which connects to the 280, while the 101 was being repaired. San Jose Avenue has significant traffic impacts on the surrounding neighborhoods (College Hill and Glen Park) and is blighted in areas. The College Hill Neighborhood Association has done tremendous work cleaning up the eastern side of the street, working closely with the Department of Public Works. I recently met with Cal Trans senior management, joined by my colleague Supervisor Campos, to request that Cal Trans work with the City to calm traffic coming off of the 280 onto San Jose Avenue. Cal Trans was receptive to the idea, and I look forward to continuing to work with the community and the relevant agencies to improve this situation.

4 Fun Ways to Get to School Safely

The Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS) promotes safe and active walking and biking to and from school. SRTS San Francisco is currently working with 15 public elementary schools to provide educational lessons in the classroom, fun events and activities related to walking and biking, and traffic enforcement around the schools. Events like Walk to School Day and Bike to School Day are open to all schools in San Francisco. Click here to view SRTS's flyer with additional details.