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By James Sword, HANC Board

There are many theories to policing. In 2010 HANC developed a community policing stance (https://www.hanc-sf.org/16-home/-sp-234/34-elements-of-effective-community-policing ) – in essence, work with the community and foot patrol = good, sitting in cars = bad. The key to community policing is community. Unfortunately, community policing is not how police seem to be deployed in the Haight as of late. More often than not police are seen selectively enforcing Sit-Lie and other “quality of life” policies.

Recently there were 6 police officers standing on the corner of Haight and Ashbury for an entire afternoon, six. One car was parked on the southeast corner, an SUV was parked the wrong way in the southbound lane at the northwest corner, six officers standing and talking. Neighbors asked if there had been a recent crime (in the last two years there’s been a shooting by an FBI agent and vehicle mayhem at this intersection. A month earlier there was a shooting resulting in death less than a block away). There was no crime; officers stated they were assigned to this corner by Captain Pedrini after a request for some police presence – “some,” not six.

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By Calvin Welch and Christin Evans, HANC Board

This month's general membership meeting will focus on the unprecedented series of unilateral actions taken by Mayor Breed during the longest period of "emergency powers" in recent San Francisco history. Specifically, three of Mayor Breed’s recent  actions will be discussed by our invited panel: the declaration of a SECOND emergency (and emergency declaration  within an existing declared emergency) regarding executive actions to be taken in the Tenderloin to "address  the  drug crisis"; the proposed charter amendments for the November, 2022 ballot to transform children services and funding by placing them all under the Mayor (see  BoS file 211284) and finally, to redefine "affordable housing" to be up to 140% of Median Income ($2850 a month rent) and make its development as a "matter of right"  with no public hearings (BoS file 211289).

Our panel will include three particularly experienced and knowledgeable participants: Jennifer Friedenbach, Executive Director of the Coalition on Homelessness will discuss the Tenderloin State of Emergency;  Margaret Brodkin, Director of Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth for 26 years and former Director of the Department of Children, Youth and Their Families and leader of the campaign that created the San Francisco Children's Fund will discuss the Mayor's children's charter amendment ; Joseph Smooke, coordinator of  Racial Equity in Planning (REP) a citywide housing coalition (of which HANC is a member) and former Executive Director of Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center, former Program Director for the Housing Rights Committee and a past aide to two San Francisco Supervisors, will discuss Breed's "affordable" housing measure.

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By James Sword, HANC Board

Back in September 2021 I wrote an article asking the organized-under-COVID parent political action committee (formerly Decrease the Distance) to use their loud and well connected voices to improve issues within the school system rather than push for status quo and take credit for efforts by communities long ignored by politicians. (https://www.hanc-sf.org/24-home/639-sfusd-under-covid-19).  While this group has mostly ignored this call to action, they have continued to focus on reforming San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to better serve themselves and other already families already benefiting from the status quo (like mine). Two areas they have focused on are 1) helping raise nearly $1,000,000 for the recall of the Pacific Islander, Latina, and Black members of the Board of Education (BOE), and 2) increasing the power of the Mayor in influencing and controlling the BOE. As early as March of 2021 people closely connected to Decrease the Distance (DtD) began pushing a charter amendment to have the Mayor appoint the BOE rather than have it as an elected board – currently the only election where non-citizens are allowed to vote.

Fast forward to December 2021 when Mayor London Breed announced she was introducing a charter amendment, “Children First” ballot measure that will make San Francisco “a national model for how cities can improve the well-being for children. The measure will reform how the City delivers services to children and create accountability measures to ensure the San Francisco School Board focuses on kids, not politics.” The word salad announcement was dripping with irony, starting with the fact that DtD politicized SFUSD when they called for schools to reopen before teachers were vaccinated by leaning on the moderate politicians representing San Francisco to push the cause, and lobbying them to withhold money from an already underfunded school district.

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By Richard Ivanhoe, HANC Board

We began 2021 with a note of optimism—a new Federal administration and the arrival of vaccines would speed our recovery from Covid.  As we look back on the year, we find the usual mix of frustration from unfulfilled promises and some progress.  HANC did meet every month in 2021 (except for our tradition of skipping August), although we could only meet online.

In January, we discussed affordable housing—how funds from 2018, 2019, and 2020 ballot measures could be used to bolster the City’s affordable housing by purchasing permanent affordable housing and shelter in place hotels, and by helping renters remain housed.  At our February meeting, we discussed UCSF’s plans to expand its Parnassus campus.  We also discussed CART, a community alternative to policing.  For our March meeting, we discussed plans to make permanent the closure of JFK Drive and slow Page Street, suggestions for improvements to the Panhandle, and the investigation of Parks Alliance.  Jen Snyder, from Dean Preston’s office, also gave a primer explaining the City’s budget process.

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UCSF is proposing to construct a new giant hospital, nearly 300 feet tall, about one hundred feet taller than existing campus buildings. A new hospital is required by law, but this size reflects UCSF's desire to serve more well-paying patients. Construction would begin in 2023 and be completed by the end of 2030.

Please comment by February 14 on Environmental Factors such as Air Quality, Noise and Vibration, Geology and Soils, Transportation, as well as the three Alternative Proposals including a smaller hospital, approved in 2014 Plan.

The Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) analyzes potential environmental impacts that would result from implementing the NHPH. The Draft EIR is available at tiny.ucsf.edu/HospitalDraftEIR for a 60-day public review and comment period from December 16, 2021 to February 14, 2022. You can obtain a paper version of the Draft EIR by calling (415) 502-5952.

While UCSF will self-certify the EIR, we need to put neighborhood concerns on the record and for possible use in the three pending lawsuits against the giant hospital.

By Alec Hawley

My daughters Talulah and Tomasina (TnT) recently made a new sign for the Page Slow Street at the intersection of Stanyan. We ride and walk along Page daily. We love to go slow, to breathe and to appreciate our city and the community that makes it so joyful. That’s why we were sad when the old Page Slow Street sign that greeted us every day disappeared. TnT) loved the sign, and were always curious to see what would be added or changed each time we visited, and who we might encounter on our slow treks across the city for work, school, playdates and shopping trips.

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