General

By Karen Fishkin, HANC Board

Each year, the number of seniors, veterans, adults with disabilities, and those with chronic and life threatening conditions like HIV and Alzheimer's, continue to grow in neighborhoods across the City. Currently, 25% of San Franciscans are over 60 or living with a disability. That number is projected to grow to 30% by 2030.

Without a stable funding source, services for our most vulnerable residents will continue to decline as the cost of living rises and the need for services increases.

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A big "thank you" to all of the people who renewed and newly joined HANC in 2015!  Now its 2016 and for those of you who receive the HANC Voice newsletter electronically or via snail mail and have not yet joined, please take the time to join the most informed and timely neighborhood organization in San Francisco.  In these times of rapid change in our city, we need the vigilance of all to protect and enhance the neighborhoods of San Francisco.  (You can enroll by following this link.)

Michelle Welch, Membership Chair

By Calvin Welch, HANC Board

There are 24 local ballot measures on this November’s ballot. With the single regional and 17 state measures, that’s a total of 42 ballot measures, which sets an all-time record.

But the record is “caused” by the 18 state and regional measures, not the 24 local measures.

The record for local ballot measures was November, 1993, when 28 measures were on the local ballot. That was the second year of Frank Jordan’s term as Mayor. Like Ed Lee, Jordan was massively disengaged in the actual politics of the City and did only what his staff told him to do. Since his staff--again like Ed Lee--had a very narrow, pro-business perspective much of the “people’s work” was left to the voters themselves in local ballot measures.

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By Rupert Clayton, HANC Board

San Francisco voters can help secure $500 million to fund wetland restoration and counter the impact of climate change by voting Yes on Measure AA on the June 7 ballot. This measure would levy a $12-per-year parcel tax on each property in the nine counties of the Bay Area. It was placed on the ballot by the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, which was set up by the California legislature in 2008 to coordinate efforts to restore the bay.

The parcel tax would provide $25 million each year for the next 20 years to fund a wide variety of projects. Some would turn industrial land back into wetlands, like the work already done at former salt ponds in the south bay.  Others would restore marshland around San Pablo Bay that was drained and converted to grazing land in the 19th and 20th centuries. There would be projects in San Francisco, too. Some would further existing work at places such as Crissy Field, Tennessee Hollow and Heron’s Head Park in Hunter’s Point. Others would restore the bay ecosystem at locations such as Candlestick Point and along the eastern waterfront.

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Prop AA:  Parcel Tax for Wetlands.  Yes

SAN FRANCISCO

Prop A:  Public Health and Safety Bonds.  Yes

Prop B:  Parks Set Aside Charter Amendment.  No

Prop C:  Charter Amendment Affordable Housing Requirements.  Yes

Prop D:  Office of Citizens Complaints Investigation.  Yes

Prop E:  Paid Sick Leave Consistent with State Law.  Yes

Also, Please Vote on the Democratic Central Committee Races

Early Voting at City Hall starts May 9th

By Richard Ivanhoe, HANC Board

I looked around and almost cried
To see the neighborhood so gentrified.
No friends on stoops at the new highrises,
New restaurants with small portions
At extremely high prices;
Bars filled with young white techies
Staring at their devices.
Long white buses block Muni stops,
Homeless still  harassed by cops.
Newcomers buying properties with all cash,
Another car drives by with that silly pink mustache.
These changes unfortunately correspond
With all the friends and neighbors who had to move
 To Oakland and beyond.

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