By Richard Ivanhoe, HANC Board
It would be an understatement to say that 2020 was a year like no other. We are still living through the global pandemic and economic crisis that both hit us last year. Nationally, we had an impeachment, a primary election, and a general election. Here’s a recap of 2020 from a very local perspective—HANC and the Haight-Ashbury.
We ended 2019 with a celebration of HANC’s 60th anniversary (our first meeting was in October, 1959, and our bylaws were adopted in March, 1960). We had a new Supervisor (Dean Preston). Our new District Attorney (Chesa Boudin) would be sworn in in January. Our new Park Station Police Captain (Renee Pagano) had just started in November. The Panhandle Playground had reopened in November, after 7 months of construction. The Coalition for a Complete Community (CCC) held a community meeting in December to discuss the long-range development of the 730 Stanyan site.
At our first meeting of the year, Jackie Fielder presented on behalf of the San Francisco Public Bank Coalition. The meeting also featured a showing of 1972’s A Report From the Neighborhood and a presentation by local artist and former Haight-Ashbury resident (1975-2013) David Wills. The CCC held another community meeting in January—this time with MOHCD staff. Later in the month, Chinatown Community Development Center (CCDC) and Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Center (TNDC) were named as joint developers of the site.
Our February meeting focused on the March primary election. HANC endorsed Proposition D and wrote a ballot argument supporting Proposition E. Proposition D would impose a tax on storefronts which remained vacant for an extended period. Proposition E would restrict adding commercial office space until San Francisco meets it affordable housing goal. Both measures were approved by the voters. Supervisor Preston held a well-attended meeting to discuss putting a navigation center in District 5. February also saw two violent incidents—a shooting and a hit-and-run that seriously injured bystanders and destroyed property.
We had planned to discuss the two incidents at our March meeting, but Covid-19 intervened. The Park Branch Library canceled all public meetings. For the first time in our history, HANC did not have a monthly meeting in a month that wasn’t August (when we usually do not have a monthly meeting).
In April, we printed a special issue of the Voice and distributed approximately 4,000 copies door-to-door. This issue included an explanation of the shelter-in-place order, a list of groups providing mutual aid, and other neighborhood resources, including essential businesses that remained open, senior hours, and businesses that continued online. Also in April, Page Street became a “Slow Street” and was closed to thru traffic. JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park was also closed to motorized vehicles.
We resumed monthly meetings in May, but online. For our May meeting, Supervisor Preston presented an update on the City budget and on District 5. Service providers and volunteers presented on resources available and on opportunities to volunteer. C.A.M.P., the safe sleeping site at 730 Stanyan opened in May.
At our June meeting, Bruce Wolfe presented on the Sunshine Task Force and how the shelter in place order has affected open government. Edward Wright, aide to Gordon Mar, discussed the proposal to establish a Public Advocate and Office of the Public Advocate to address public corruption. The measure had the support of four other supervisors, but needed one more to make it to the ballot when it came to a vote at the Board of Supervisors in July. Later in June the two developers of the 730 Stanyan site introduced themselves to the neighborhood (via online meetings). Park Police Station Captain Renee Pagano retired, and was replaced by Captain Chris Pedrini.
At our July meeting, we discussed the San Francisco budget. At the time, the Mayor and a majority of the Board of Supervisors had competing budget plans—each actually had multiple plans. 140,000 San Franciscans had already applied for unemployment, and sales tax and hotel taxes had dried up—revenue projections were looking bleak.
In August, we stuck with tradition and did not have a monthly meeting. The Voice provided a preview of the ballot measures for the November election. The developers of the 730 Stanyan site held a meeting to present the initial concept design for the site. Although both HANC and the CCC supported building housing for families, transitional age youth and seniors, MOHCD had directed the developers to plan only for families and transitional age youth. At the meeting, many residents expressed support for including all three populations. August also saw wildfires in much of California (and other states), leading to poor air quality in San Francisco.
HANC Meetings resumed in September. Captain Pedrini introduced himself to HANC. Neighbors of a proposed development on Grove Street discussed their appeal of the development which was planned to be built in what would usually be backyards—with limited access to the street. We continued to discuss local ballot propositions for the November election. Also in September, the appeals of the two Proposition C measures (June, 2018 child care and November, 2018 homeless services) were finally defeated. Funding was unlocked, and the Our City, Our Home Oversight Committee began meeting to determine how the funds will be spent.
Our October meeting was again about the November election—this time focusing on California propositions. The CCC held a community meeting about the proposed populations for 730 Stanyan.
At our November meeting, Brandon Harami and Jim Stearns discussed the impacts of dark money—funds coming from difficult to trace sources--and of newly formed political action committees on the November election. We elected HANC’s new Board. We also sadly announced the passing of former Board member Dave Groeschel.
At our December meeting, Calvin Welch presented How the Haight Ashbury voted in the November election. Christin Evans gave a review of the OEWD (Office of Economic and Workforce Development) survey and provided some ideas from the Haight Street merchants on how they might recover in 2021.
We are looking forward to and hoping for a better year in 2021. We hope that a new Federal administration and the arrival of vaccines help speed our recovery. HANC plans to continue to provide a forum to discuss neighborhood news and ideas, and we look forward to seeing you in the new year.