By Tes Welborn, HANC President

Prop 15 was put on the ballot by a record-breaking 1.7 million people who believe that wealthy corporations need to pay their fair share.  “For more than 40 years, California has endured a contorted property tax system that punishes home buyers, chills housing construction and rewards businesses who skate by when assessments are set. Proposition 15 would ease the worst of these abuses while protecting homeowners and small businesses.” --SF Chronicle

Californians have seen our schools and universities go from the best in the nation, to quality and spending near the state of Mississippi’s abysmal levels.  Prop 13.

Proposition 13 largely froze homeowner taxes, a boon to many older and/or cash-strapped Californians. Unfortunately, since properties now could only be reassessed upon sale, long-term holders like commercial and industrial land owners could escape reassessment.  They also could structure deals to avoid reassessment. The result: Businesses enjoyed low taxes while new homeowners faced higher taxes. The classic example is that Disneyland pays less property tax than most home owners.

Prop. 15 offers a solution to this unfairness. It calls for splitting the rolls, with residential property staying within the present protections while it sets more timely assessments for large business holdings. The heart of the original law still will protect homeowners from steep tax boosts.

The proposed change may net as much as $6.5 billion to $11.5 billion!  These vast sums would be split 60% for local government and 40% for schools.  For small businesses, it would exempt commercial properties worth $3 million or less.  This helps protect small businesses such as restaurants and stores, often with small profit margins.

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By Karen Fishkin, HANC Board

On the ballot in November is a measure that will open up the possibility of rent control to many housing units that are now off limits.  Newer buildings, single family homes and properties that are vacated could all be rent-protected.  

New construction will have what is being called a "rolling deadline".  Rent control will only come into effect when newly constructed housing turns 15 years of age, giving owners of these buildings those 15 years to make their investments lucrative.  After the 15 years, rent control will keep the rent increases within the reach of ordinary workers and families.

The possibility of vacancy de-control is another important aspect of this measure.  Currently there is no rule that limits how much rent can be charged when one tenant moves out and a new renter moves in, even if the building is currently under rent control. The sky and the market are the limits.  Under Proposition 21, rents could not be increased more than 15% over a three year period.

In California rent issues in our legislature have been tilted towards landlords for many years.  This measure will provide some relief and predictability for workers.  Will it work as hoped for?  We shall see.

By Christin Evans, HANC Board

During September’s HANC general member meeting, Calvin Welch presented his perspective on Prop H and urged the organization to take a “No on H” position.  The Mayor’s Office of Economic & Workforce Development (OEWD)  had made a series of recommendations for loosening land use restrictions and making changes in permitting processes & fees in 2018/19 which then Supervisor Vallie Brown had introduced at the Board of Supervisors.  But failing to gain her colleague’s support, Brown’s legislation was severely trimmed back and was restricted primarily to land zoning and permitted use changes primarily in District 5 alone.  

However, with Prop H, a measure placed on the ballot by the Mayor, we saw many of OEWD’s recommendations re-appear in a sprawling piece of legislation over 90 pages long which allows new uses such as movie theaters, shared office space (WeWork type model) by-right in neighborhood commercial corridors where they previously required a conditional use permit. 

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California Proposition 18 will allow 17-year-olds who will be 18 at the time of the general election to vote in the primary.  Assemblymember Evan Low (Assembly District 28--Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Monte Sereno, most of Cupertino, and some of San Jose) played a significant role in advancing ACA4/Prop 18, and is a key partner in the Prop 18 campaign.  He discussed the Proposition at our October meeting.

18 States, and the District of Columbia already allow 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the time of the general election to vote in their primaries.  Although there is a "No" on 18 argument by Ruth Weiss, Co-Founder, Election Integrity Project California, John Coupal, President, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and Larry Sand, Retired Teacher, there is apparently no active "No on 18" campaign, as there had been no donations or expenditures as of September 19.

HANC supports this proposition and agrees with Assemblymember Low that voting is a good habit to encourage in young people.  Voting and civic engagement are habits that can be developed before their lives are disrupted by college, jobs, or travel.  People who learn to vote early tend to be lifelong voters.  Please vote yes on Proposition 18.

By Christin Evans, HANC Board

One of the state measures getting the most attention is Proposition 22, an initiative placed on the November ballot through paid signature gatherers and a campaign funded by ridesharing companies Lyft and Uber and other app-based companies including Postmates, Door Dash and Instacart. At the October 8th meeting of the Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council, Claire Lau, from the No on 22 campaign presented the "No" position and took questions.  We invited the "Yes" side, but they did not send a representative.

Proposition 22 seeks to roll back protections independent contractors received in 2019 from California Assembly bill 5.  The companies who funded the measure seek to reduce the benefits and worker protections their delivery drivers and others critical to their service offering recently received statewide.

Some of the arguments we can expect to hear from the Yes side is that a majority of their workforce prefer independent contractor status because it allows for greater schedule flexibility and control over their schedule.  From the No on 22 perspective, the measure would eliminate the possibility of workers receiving the right to unionize, paid sick leave, workers compensation and unemployment benefits.

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By Lisa Awbrey, HANC Board Member

On August 20, 2020 the Chinatown Community Development Center (CCDC) and the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC) development teams, and the design teams, along with the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) hosted a second online Zoom presentation to share information with the community about future development at 730 Stanyan. The meeting lasted an hour and 45 minutes with a short presentation from the developers and design teams, followed by a lively Q & A. Approximately 100 people attended the session. More information on future development for the project is posted at this website: www.730stanyan.org .

Current information on the website describes the project: “730 Stanyan will be a new affordable housing construction of 150+ units of rental housing to house low income families as well as families who have experienced homelessness.”

Current design plans show 12,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space for five planned tenants. Consideration of possible tenants for the retail space will be focused on the neediest of local vulnerable groups: a drop-in center for transitional aged youth/TAY, a low cost child care center for residents and neighbors, a jobs training center, a senior services and community center, and a low-cost healthy fast food service offering or cafe.

The presentation by the project managers focused solely on housing for “families and formerly unhoused families and Transitional Aged Youth/TAY,” with no mention of housing for seniors. TNDC’s Emily Van Loon stated “We were directed by MOHCD to focus on transitional aged youth and not seniors.”

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Chris Pedrini became Captain of the Park Police Station in June, after Captain Pagano retired.  Captain Pedrini is a Bay Area native.  Nine family members, including his uncle and father, have been law enforcement officers.

Captain Pedrini began his law enforcement career in 1990, serving in Half Moon Bay and in Daly City.  He transferred to San Francisco in 1994, and has worked in uniformed patrol, plainclothes, investigations, risk management, administration, and homeland security.

HANC members and other Haight-Ashbury neighbors will have a chance to meet Captain Pedrini at our September meeting.

Please join us on Thursday, September 10, at 7:00 pm, as we resume our monthly meetings.  We still cannot meet in person, so the meeting will again be online.  You can login to the meeting at https://join.freeconferencecall.com/hancsf-conf .  The security code is 1357911.  If you cannot login by computer or by smartphone, you can dial in at 720-740-9647.  If you dial in, use access code 7410391#.

Our agenda for the September meeting includes an introduction by Park Police Station Captain Chris Pedrini, who became captain of Park Station in June.  More information about Captain Pedrini (and a picture) can be found in the accompanying article.

A local group, NOPA West Neighbors (NOPAWN), will discuss their appeal of the Planning Department’s approval of a development at 1846 Grove Street.  The development is proposed for an oddly shaped lot in what would usually be backyards—it does not face any streets.  The appeal is scheduled to be heard before the Board of Supervisors on September 29.

For the rest of the meeting, we will discuss ballot measures for the November election.  HANC’s endorsements (so far) are in the accompanying article.  We anticipate discussing some of the propositions we have not yet endorsed, as well as explaining some of our endorsements.