HANC Blog

By Calvin Welch, form HANC Board Member

A broad spectrum of community residents and organizations have undertaken a community planning process to devise both interim and permanent uses for the old McDonalds site at 730 Stanyan (at Haight Street).  The lot, just under an acre (40,000 square feet), represents the largest developable site in the neighborhood since the City leased the two acre, abandoned Polytechic High School site on Frederick Street some 25 years ago. Like Poly, the site has been acquired by the City for a 100% affordable housing development.  The Board of Supervisors has designated the Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) as the lead City agency in charge of the development of the site. 

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By Karen Fishkin, HANC Recycling Chair

There was a full house at the Park Police Station on Thursday evening, January 25, all gathered to hear the makeover plans the Rec and Parks has developed for park property along Stanyan, between Waller and Fell streets.

Having attended several previous meetings on this issue, I recognized both universally accepted changes, and those that split residents. For example, replacing the dirt path parallel to Stanyan with a fairly narrow, paved path, was well-received by all.  The path will be lined by a knee-high fence running along the new pavement, and there opinions parted ways. The fence is admittedly designed to keep out shopping carts, and to herd visitors to the main entrance across from Haight Street. There will be additional fencing that may create the feeling that it is more difficult to get to the grassy spaces, but the grass is not completely walled off.

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HANC has agreed to be a co-sponsor of a Senior and Disability Mayoral Candidate Forum and Reception, which will take place on Thursday, April 12, from 1 pm to 4 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 1187 Franklin Street. The main sponsor is CARA (California Association of Retired Americans). We have a list of organizations that were also asked to co-sponsor this event, but we do not yet know which other organizations have agreed to do so.

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Here’s a brief look at some of the issues HANC has dealt with as reflected in past newsletters:

One year ago: Our December, 2016 meeting reviewed the November, 2016 elections from a Haight-Ashbury perspective. We also discussed the transition of car-share from being a pilot program to implementing permanent regulations. The Voice ran an article expressing concern over proposed bike lanes on Oak and Fell Streets.

Five years ago: In December, 2012, HANC’s general meeting again reviewed how the Haight-Ashbury voted in the November elections. We were preparing to be evicted from our recycling center, which happened in early January, 2013. The Voice discussed the November, 2012 meeting, which was about “The Haight Ashbury Public Realm Plan.”

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By James Sword, HANC Board Member

We recently received notice that the new Panhandle Playground design would not only include a sand element, but also would have a reduced "sand buffer" so as to enlarge the proposed sand play area.

We all did a brief jump for joy while lamenting what it's taken to get here and what still needs to happen. Below (shortened to fit this newsletter) is an example of a letter written to the SFRPD Commission upon the publishing of the latest design.

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The loss of one of the most stand up and rock solid contributors and members of our community saddens and angers the entire Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council membership. Our hearts and condolences go out to Georgia, Dimitri, Bobby and the whole Vardakastanis family.

Gus: Comrade. Compassionate. Driven. Tireless. Assertive. Peaceful. Scrapper. Intelligent. Political. Generous. The Haight Ashbury was his home base, his grounding. He made an investment not just for his livelihood but in this community and became an anchor for so many of us; a common glue that permeated the neighborhood. Every time you engaged him you felt his roots here.

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