At the HANC general meeting on Thursday February 13th at 7:00pm at the Park Branch Library, representatives from the SF Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) shared about proposed water rates increases to continue investing in San Francisco’s aging infrastructure.  We also discussed as a neighborhood techniques and strategies we can use to conserve water and support a diversified supply in our homes and neighborhoods.  

Representatives from the PUC shared many details about the capital intensive projects underway to secure and develop the water supply to the city and emerging capital projects to repair and redesign core components of the sewage treatment facility.  What does this mean for ratepayers in the Haight (and across the city). Here’s an outline of the proposal they shared:

Time Span: 4 years, starting July 2014

Average Annual increase: $7-10 on monthly bill (for average single family)

The PUC advised the neighbors of the process for the adoption of these rate changes:

April 22: Staff and Rate Fairness Board Recommendations and Public Hearing at Commission

May 13: Commission considers Rate Adoption

May 19: Submit rates to Board of Supervisors

June 19: Deadline for Board of Supervisors to review rates

July 1: New rates become effective

By Craig Dawson, Executive Director, Sutro Stewards

At a public meeting held on November 21, 2013, the University of California San Francisco made a statement which has left neighbors, the conservation community, and environmentalists stunned. After 15 years of community planning and commitments to maintain and begin restoration of the the 61-acre UCSF Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve, UCSF is now proposing to ABANDON ALL PLANNED CONSERVATION EFFORTS on Mt. Sutro in favor of “mowing” 25 acres of understory as a “Hazard Reduction Measure” and leave the remaining 36 acres untouched.  

This will in effect remove critical habitat for wildlife as well as wipe out some of the few remaining indigenous plant colonies. Further this proposal does nothing to address the invasive ivies that are in effect killing the older and healthier eucalyptus trees, effectively suppressing re-growth and preventing the reintroduction of other species where ivies dominate the forest understory. 

The revised UCSF plans ignore the restoration of the Woodland Canyon, Woodland Creek, riparian corridor, which is Mount Sutro’s last remaining watershed and seasonal creek, where water often flows well into the summer. 

This stunning reversal by the University is in stark contrast to UC’s own legacy within the conservation movement including the founding of the National Parks system, the Sierra Club and the role it played in creating Yosemite National Park. It also ignores San Francisco’s own environmental policies and those of the neighboring GGNRA and Presidio National Park. By not including the conservation options within the revised DEIR this move could in effect prohibit all forms of environmental stewardship to take place within the 61-acre property. Further, by continuing the mismanagement in 36 acres of forest and proposing to leave it untouched, the fire danger will continue to grow on the Northern, Eastern and Western slopes of Mount Sutro as the rapid decline accelerates.

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By Tes Welborn, HANC Board Member

The SF Plaza Program is another effort of the City to privatize public spaces and to pass on their maintenance costs to private parties. It innocuously imagines non-profits and neighborhood groups being able to spare time and money to address City infrastructure maintenance, and then allows them to close the public space and hold private, entrance-fee events. We've seen how allowing Civic Center to be leased by private parties has led to the blocking off for weeks of Civic Center and portions of adjacent streets, followed by continued closure while grass is replanted. Imagine nonprofits set up by Twitter, Ron Conway, Google, etc. being able to take over even more of our precious and limited public space! AND put up sponsor signs!

The Mayor's office of Economic and Workforce Development gives a number of examples of current “activation” such as farmers markets, movie nights, food trucks, and dance that do serve the community. Why should the public have to maintain city facilities paid for by taxpayers? Why should private, admission-charged events occupy public plazas at the expense of quiet public enjoyment?

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By Michelle Welch, HANC Board Member

HANC has been invited to participate in a community-initiated planning process for the Panhandle.

Three Community Meetings have been scheduled:

SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 11:00am – 12:30 pm
Panhandle Playground Bulletin Board (Rain or shine following Steward's Work Day)

TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
PRO/SF General Mtg @ Bread & Butter Café 1901 Hayes St

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 1–2:30 pm
Park Branch Library, Park Meeting Room 1833 Page St

HANC has long been concerned about deteriorating conditions in the Panhandle (particularly the faulty sprinkler/irrigation system which creates drainage issues AND the southern pedestrian pathway) and RPDs general policy of “deferred maintenance” for non-revenue-producing neighborhood parks.

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By Calvin Welch, HANC Housing and Land Use Board Member

Facing the most broad scale pressure in recent years as a result of Mayor Ed Lee's constant boosterism for the high rolling tech industry -from an increasing rate of state mandated Ellis Act evictions to historically rapid increases in rents- San Francisco tenants are “pushing back” and making some real headway in addressing their concerns. 

Propelled by the overwhelming vote against the 8 Washington project last November, tenant leaders have taken the offensive in defining that victory not as some sterile anti-height vote aimed narrowly at the waterfront but instead as a cry of opposition to the assault on San Francisco’s large majority of low and middle income tenants as a result of the tech boom.

At the February 4th Supervisors meeting Supervisor David Campos introduced an ordinance that would require landlords who want to file Ellis Act evictions pay their tenants the difference between the rent on that unit and market rent for a comparable unit in the same neighborhood, for two years. This follows Supervisors Mar's proposed legislation introduced last month which would raise the bar locally on tenants-in-common conversions by requiring that the Planning Department review conversions to make sure the units are up to code and require a finding of “extraordinary circumstances” before approval of the conversion.

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By Kevin Bayuk, HANC Vice-President

In 2013 California received less rain than in any year since it became a state in 1850. As you are reading this we may have experienced a rain event here in the Haight; at least a drizzle.  And, as you are aware, we are in the midst of a drought. An official Drought Emergency was declared by Governor Jerry Brown on January 17th.  What does that mean for residents of the Haight Ashbury?  Can we expect mandatory rationing?   What about water rates?  At our next general meeting on Thursday February 13th at 7:00pm at the Park Branch Library, we will host a representative from the SF Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) to share about proposed water rates increases to continue investing in San Francisco’s aging infrastructure and speak to conservation tips in light of our proposal and drought emergency.  HANC board member, Kevin Bayuk, will also share some context about coastal California climate patterns and what it might mean for future prospects for rainfall and how we, as residents, can prepare our properties and our lifestyles to be more resilient.

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One of our members sent HANC a letter which began, “I received this letter accusing me of a crime; levying a fine of $145 and telling me what a selfish, thoughtless person I am.” The enclosed 3-page, single-spaced letter was on letterhead from “Community Action, 1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place, Room 348, San Francisco, CA 94102,” which is the address of City Hall. But the letterhead included the line, “Community Action is not affiliated with a Government Agency.”

The letter complained about signs our member had posted for a garage sale as “a malicious trespass and harmful misuse. Such postings are incompatible with community goals and aesthetic standards, recognized as a public nuisance and criminal misdemeanor in particular instances.” The letter continued for two pages with similar language, in the midst of which was a request to “submit a check to cover an $145.00 abatement charge. Make check payable to “BSUM” addressed to Department of Public Works, 875 Stevenson Street, Room 460, San Francisco, CA 94103.” The letter ended with a page of excerpts from various laws, and then with a proof of service.

Although the letter may look somewhat official, the Department of Public Works has posted a warning about letters like this one on its website: “Please Note: If you receive any correspondence from The SF Cleanup Project (endorsed by Quinn Cooper), Neighbors for Livable Neighborhoods (endorsed by Tom Miller or Jessica Miller) or Community Action (endorsed by Denise Johnson), please note that none of these entities are affiliated with the Department of Public Works or any City Agency in the City and County of San Francisco. If you receive a letter from one of these entities, about signs you have posted, please submit it to DPW, Director’s Office, City Hall, Room 348, San Francisco, CA 94102, and DPW will deliver it to the City Attorney’s Office for investigation. For more information contact DPW’s Bureau of Street Use and Mapping at 554-5810.”

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As members might remember, this last summer we devoted two of our monthly meetings (see May and July, 2013 Voice) to a set of presentations and discussions of four development sites occurring on Page Street, between Stanyan and Broderick: the reuse of 1500 Page Street (at Masonic) for a permanently affordable,16-studio independent living residence for developmentally disabled people; the expansion into the St. Agnes Oak Street parking lot of the Urban School; the expansion of the French American International School at 11 55 Page (between Baker and Broderick), site of 9 pre school and kindergarten classrooms for 180 children; and the pending sale and reuse of the Boys and Girls Club at 1950 Page (between Stanyan and Shrader).

One of the projects (1500 Page Street) was recently approved by the panning commission and two others- the Urban School and the French American International School made major headway in the last four weeks.

At the December 19th Planning Commission hearing the adaptive re-use of 1500 Page Street was unanimously approved. HANC endorsed the project and testified in support at the hearing. The 16 studio rehab of the old Page Street Guest House at Masonic will result in minimum changes to the attractive building with the greatest exterior change being the addition of a wheelchair-accessible entrance on the east (Masonic Street side) of the building (see developers rendering at right).

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