By Calvin Welch, HANC Board 

In the lowest national turnout in 70 years and the lowest governors’ race turnout in modern history, Haight-Ashbury voters swam against the rising tide of voter cynicism in numbers that exceeded city, state and national levels-56% of us cast our votes in the November, 2014 elections.

In the chart below (click on the "read more" link) voter turnout is given for  each precinct in the three “sub areas” of the Haight-Ashbury:  the North Panhandle (N PAN), that area from Fell to Fulton, Stanyan to Baker; the “Flatlands” (FLATS), Oak to Frederick, Stanyan to Baker and the “Hills” from Frederick to 17th, Stanyan to Clayton/BV West.

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By Richard Ivanhoe, HANC Board

This month, the topic of our general meeting (December 11 at the Park Branch Library, 1833 Page St, beginning at 7 pm) is Cleaning Up in the Haight-Ashbury, plus an update on the Homeless Youth Alliance (HYA).  We’re not speaking metaphorically about cleaning up—we are not inviting speculators, and we are not featuring transients selling their northern harvest.  Instead, we’re speaking literally—sidewalk cleaning and showers. 

We have invited Christian Calinsky and Carlie Leduc from Taking It to the Streets.  The organization began this past February, with the goal of interrupting the cycle of homelessness and transitioning people back into housing.  One of the programs they started employs street kids (“kids” could be as old as in their 30s) to clean the sidewalks, abate graffiti, and acting as a liaison between business owners and the street population, in exchange for housing and food.

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By Michelle Welch, HANC Board

On October 6, word was received that the Community Opportunity Fund (COF) grant requested for Panhandle improvements was denied.

Not to be deterred, residents will work to seek additional funds for other improvements outlined in extensive plans by Dera-Jill Pozner of NOPNA, including another application for COF money and private donations. This is independent of funds a HANC initiated coalition  got successfully allocated in this years budget that will total $500,000 over the next two city budget cycles to rebuild the southern pedestrian pathway along Oak Street.

Efforts will be made to get Supervisor Breed to continue with her support of this project, by getting the Rec & Park Department (RPD) to designate a project director for the Panhandle. Funds specifically earmarked for the southern pedestrian pathway rebuild need to be monitored to be sure that the funds remain committed to this project. 

For more detailed information about the project, check out http://www.panhandleparkimprovements.com/ where you can view the plans that went through three community meetings earlier this year.

The Urban School's proposed Academics and Athletics facility, to be built over the two St. Agnes parish-owned parking lots along Oak Street, is currently slated to begin construction in the Spring of 2015.  An environmental review "categorical exemption" from the SF Planning Department has been granted and a final presentation before the Planning Commission will occur in early 2015.  Meanwhile, a community meeting has been Scheduled Tuesday, December 9, 6 pm, St. Agnes Church Sanctuary, 1025 Masonic Avenue (enter main door of church on Masonic). 

By Bruce Wolfe, HANC Board

Last month's meeting welcomed a very informative panel on the status of Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) in California, AB 2145 (Bradford, D-Gardena) and the future of CleanPower SF, our own CCA program. The panelists were D5 Supervisor and LAFCo Commissioner London Breed, our own Jason Fried as Executive Officer of SF LAFCo , Jed Holtzman of SF Bay Area 350.org, Eric Brooks of Our City and SF Green Party, and, myself, Bruce Wolfe, facilitating on behalf of the HANC Board of Directors. SFPUC Commissioners Vince Courtney and Francesca Vietor declined to attend. Californians for Energy Choice (CfEC) lobbyist David Balla-Hawkins of ART Consulting from the Sacramento area was unable to attend. (Jed, Eric and I are coordinators and also representing CfEC).

The energy business in CA and around CCA is very wonky but all panelists gave excellent reports and explanations everyone could understand. A good outline of the history of CCA and what it brings to CA ratepayers was given. Any CCA formed would bring cheaper and cleaner energy to homes and businesses. Marin and Sonoma Counties have already implemented their programs and are reaping the benefits in addition to plans for local renewable energy build-outs better known as distributed generation. 

AB 2145 was the bill to kill CCA. It was hard fought by CfEC and allies who were successful in defeating it with the expert help of David Balla Hawkins despite various, significant labor unions being dragged into the fray under spurious influence by trade front groups, SuperPACs and investor-owned utilities (IOU) like PG&E, SoCalEdison and San Diego Gas & Electric. CfEC is reaching out to them to repair this political damage and explain that CCA is a boon to jobs in the emerging renewable energy industry in CA. They were sold a bill of goods that CCA would reduce jobs.

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All current members of HANC are invited to nominate office and board members for the 2015 HANC Board.  Submit nominations by mail to:  HANC, P.O. Box 170518, San Francisco, CA  94117, or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your nominations.  Nominations stay open until the November general meeting.

All officers and 6 of the 8 Board member positions are open for nomination.  You must be a member of HANC to be nominated.  All members of HANC as of October, 2014 can vote at the November 2014 election.

The current board offers the following slate for consideration by the general membership:

James Sword, President                                         

Bruce Wolfe, Vice-President

Michael Behrens, Recording Secretary              

Richard Ivanhoe, Corresponding Secretary

Tes Welborn, Treasurer                                          

Joey Cain, Nominating

Michelle Welch, Membership                               

Calvin Welch, Housing & Land Use                  

Karen Fishkin, Recycling                                      

Christin Evans, Merchant Liason

Members at Large:  Jim Rhoads, Burt Phillips, Colleen Rivecca, Rupert Clayton, Kevin Bayuk

By Michelle Welch, HANC Board

Recent meetings called by the Planning Department have included representatives of the Haight Ashbury Merchants Association (HAMA), the Haight Ashbury Improvement Association (HAIA), the Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council (HANC) and the Cole Valley Improvement Association (CVIA).  These meetings were to go over all the ideas compiled from 150 Surveys completed by community members, some of whom attended the initial meetings at the Urban School over the last two years.

(As defined by DCP: “The goal of the Working Group is to develop preliminary recommendations for what should happen on the sidewalk at specific locations along Haight Street. Building on the input that we received from the larger community this summer, the group will think about where to provide elements such as art, special paving, plantings, etc., and will discuss the character of those elements that would be appropriate for Haight Street.  Two to three working group sessions will take place throughout the fall. The group will consist of 6-8 neighborhood representatives.”) 

The biggest changes for Haight Street from Stanyan to Masonic include “bulb outs” at pedestrian crosswalks (a pedestrian safety method touted by the SFMTA to decrease the distance a person has to walk to cross the street and thus their time in the street), and mid-block “bulb outs” to relieve the human congestion often occurring on Haight Street sidewalks (these could be “greened” or include art installations). In general, parking for cars will be diminished. Better lighting is also on the agenda. 

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If you haven't renewed your membership in HANC, or if you want to become a member*, please take this opportunity to do so.  Membership fees are $15 (regular) or $3 (low income).  Additional donations are accepted.  Please send a check, payable to HANC, to:  HANC, P.O. Box 170518, San Francisco, CA  94117.  Include the name of each member, address, phone number and email address.  Thank you.

Also, if you are receiving the HANC Voice newsletter by postal mail, and would rather have it sent electronically, let us know by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

*Membership is open to anyone who resides in or owns property or a business within our boundaries, or who works, lives, or performs a service in the Haight-Ashbury.  Our boundaries run from Arguello to Divisadero, and from Fulton to 17th Street.  Our monthly general meetings are open to the public, but only HANC members may vote.