March 15, 2022
A Message From The Supervisor:
Happy Tuesday! Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of joining the San Francisco Fire Department for the annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. This parade was special because as we all remember, it was one of the first events to be cancelled in 2020. It felt great to be back on Market Street surrounded by spirit and green decorations. It was great to see representatives of labor, elected officials, schools and community members celebrating again. The parade embodies the lively spirit of San Francisco and I was happy to join in the fun.
Last week, I was featured on a KQED forum about the state of addiction in San Francisco. I’ve talked to many people in recovery. A large amount of the people I've talked to have indicated that abstinence based approaches are how they managed to get clean and sober. Last year, I advocated for funding and opened a Treatment, Recovery and Prevention (TRP) Academy in partnership with Adult Probation and lead by a community group, Positive Directions Equals Change, which uses the abstinence based model for justice involved individuals.
In my conversations and work with the community – I have resolved that abstinence based approaches are a viable option for recovery. I believe abstinence and harm reduction models can co-exist. This isn’t an either/or situation, but rather an opportunity for the city to add more possibilities to its recovery toolkit. Our streets are decaying rapidly. We should be open to trying new things. Why not try a more demanding approach in addition to what the City already has?
You can listen to the forum by clicking HERE.
This Sunday, March 20, 2022 is the first day of spring and Nowruz, the Persian New Year. Spring is an eternal symbol of renewal and rebirth, with light and hope filling the hearts of people around the world. Wishing everyone a prosperous, successful year that is filled with happiness and love. We will hold a Haft-seen at San Francisco City Hall on Friday, March 18 between 12:00-3:00PM in the South Light Court. This event is open to the public and I invite you to join us.
Our office remains accessible to the public through telephone, email, virtual meeting or in person via appointment. We are available by email: safaistaff@sfgov.org or by phone 415-554-6976 (leave a message and we will call you back). You can also check for updates on my Twitter
, Instagram, and Facebook. Stay safe and healthy.
Please note - if you miss my weekly newsletter, you may find it later on the Board of Supervisor’s website. Click HERE to read past newsletters.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to my staff at Safaistaff@sfgov.org.
Sincerely,
Supervisor Ahsha Safai |
COVID-19 Updates from the San Francisco Department of Public Health
As we come off the heels of International Women’s Day, it is important to recognize the many ways that women make this world a better place. San Francisco’s COVID-19 response has been led, managed, staffed and supported by incredible women who have worked tirelessly to make this City a better and safer place for everyone. As we continue to roll back COVID-19 mask and vaccine requirements, we’re reminded that it has only been made possible through the efforts of our staff members, volunteers, community organizations, and local leaders.
As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to decline, rolling these legal requirements back is a signal that we are coming out of crisis mode and learning to live with the virus. As SF reaches endemic status, we remain focused on strategies to reach communities that were hardest hit by COVID with events that aim to close the gap on vaccinations and boosters by race and ethnicity, testing support, mask distribution, and other resources.
SF Removes Proof of Vaccination Requirements
With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continuing to decline, the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) recently announced that as of today, proof of vaccination or a negative test will no longer be required to enter inside businesses where food and drink is consumed, such as restaurants and bars, and where elevated breathing occurs, such as gyms and fitness studios. As always, businesses can decide to be more restrictive than local health guidelines and can continue to require proof of vaccination or a negative test from their staff and clients. Masks can also still be required. Per state guidelines, proof of vaccination or a negative test is still required to enter indoor “mega” events, currently defined as gatherings of 1,000
people or more. SFDPH will continue to work closely with the business community to provide related guidance and assistance in the coming days.
Read more about SF’s lifting of vaccination requirements here.
Read more about minimum vaccine and masking requirements for large events here.
SF Aligns with State on Indoor Masking in Schools and Childcare Settings
The San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) recently announced
that the City will align with the State to remove the requirement that children wear masks in TK-12 schools and early childcare settings, beginning Saturday, March 12. SFDPH strongly recommends that all individuals in schools and childcare continue to wear masks for the time being to keep an added layer of protection and minimize disruptions to in-person learning. With the recent changes in masking guidance, we recognize the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable communities and will continue to prioritize low-barrier access to vaccines and boosters. SFDPH will be working closely with the school systems to provide guidance and assistance in the coming days. SF has distributed 150,000 KN95 masks for San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD)
staff, and a half million surgical masks for SFUSD students. SFDPH is also distributing pediatric KN95 and surgical masks through community partners working in highly impacted neighborhoods.
Watch SF Health Officer Dr. Susan Philip as she answers important questions about SF’s next steps on masking and schools. Captions are available in Spanish,
Chinese, and Filipino.
Redoubling vaccination efforts, SF and SFUSD have opened drop-in vaccination sites at Bret Harte Elementary School in the Bayview and Rosa Parks Elementary School in Western Addition, and are hosting numerous “pop-up” clinics at school sites like John O’Connell High School on Friday, March 18.
Current SFUSD drop-in, pop-up vaccination sites:
📍 Bret Harte Elementary School (Bayview) – $100 gift cards available
1035 Gilman Ave
Fridays / 2pm to 6pm
📍 Rosa Parks Elementary School (Western Addition) – $100 gift cards available
1501 O'Farrell St
Mondays / 2pm to 6pm
📍 John O’Connell High School (Mission) – $100 gift cards available
2355 Folsom St
Friday, March 18 / 3:30pm to 5:30pm
#VaccinateSF
Masks in City Buildings will be Recommended, Not Required
In alignment with State guidance, indoor masking will no longer be required in City Hall and City facilities beginning Friday, March 18, except for in public hearing rooms while in session. City facilities include libraries, recreation centers, offices, and other service sites operated by the City and County of San Francisco. The San Francisco Health Officer still strongly recommends that people wear masks in these facilities. City employees and members of the public visiting City facilities will be strongly recommended but not required to wear masks regardless of vaccination status in most settings. Masks will continue to be required of all participants when attending public hearings in these facilities regardless of vaccination.
Read more about masking in City buildings here.
Updates on Omicron-Driven COVID-19 Surge
COVID-19 cases continue to steadily drop each day to now 105 cases per day, as of March 3. As of March 10, 83% of San Franciscans have been vaccinated, and 65% of vaccinated residents have been boosted. Although masks are no longer required, Bay Area health officers continue to strongly recommend they be used as an effective tool to prevent the spread of the virus especially when case rates are high, or when additional personal protection is needed. As evidence continues to show,vaccinations and boosters
remain the best defense against the virus.
Read the latest data about COVID-19 Omicron-driven cases in decline on our dashboard.
Where to get a vaccine or booster:
Here are the following locations in San Francisco where people ages 12 and up can drop in to receive a booster, Monday to Friday, while supplies last each day:
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ZSFG (1001 Potrero Ave, Bldg 30)
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Southeast Health Center (2401 Keith Street)
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Chinese Hospital (845 Jackson Street)
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Kaiser Tent (2350 Geary Blvd)
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Mission Wellness Pharmacy (2424 Mission St.)
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HealthRight 360 (1563 Mission St.)
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All DPH neighborhood sites
Information & Guidance Updates
Sign up to receive alerts from the Information & Guidance team for updates to San Francisco’s Health Order, guidance, and directives here.
COVID-19 Resources
SFDPH COVID-19 vaccine call center
Call 628-652-2700 to book an appointment, find a drop-in site, or if you have questions about the vaccine. You can also email sfvaxnow@sfdph.org.
Please check the following sites for regular COVID-19 updates: |
In collaboration with my office, the Small Business Rent Relief Pilot Program is now open and accepting applications. Go to
sf.gov/rent-relief-grant or click below to read additional program requirements and apply.
This grant will pay for a portion of the rent debt you accrued from March 2020 to September 2021 if your property owner agrees to extend your repayment term to September 2024.
If you have any questions about the program, reply or email investsf@sfgov.org.
For more information about the Commercial Eviction Moratorium and free legal assistance, visit oewd.org/evictionhelp. |
Commercial Vacancy Tax Webinar hosted by Treasurer and Tax Collector
The Treasurer and Tax Collector will be hosting a webinar on March 16, 2022 at 3pm to explain how the tax works, who is required to file/pay, when a commercial space is considered to be kept vacant. Please click HERE to register for the webinar. |
| SFMTA Budget Priorities for FY 2023 to FY 2024
It’s budget season!
Every two years, the SFMTA develops a consolidated budget to guide the agency’s decisions about where to focus our funding to best meet the transportation needs of all San Franciscans. We’re developing a budget that’s designed to support San Francisco’s economic recovery, increase transportation equity, protect the environment and keep the agency on sound financial footing.
SFMTA presented the base budget (projected revenues and expenditures for the next two years if we made no changes and continued our current policies) to our Board of Directors in early February to get their feedback and are now seeking input from the public. Your feedback will help SFMTA understand what to change in our base budget: which investments are most important to San Franciscans and which new revenue sources you think we should pursue. We’re considering both fare increases and decreases as well as changes to parking fees.
The City Charter requires SFMTA to submit the final budget to the Mayor’s Office by May 1. The Mayor then sends it to the Board of Supervisors on June 1 for a final vote.
How to provide your input on the SFMTA FY 2023 to FY 2024 budget
Online Survey: SFMTA invites you to give us feedback about your transportation priorities by filling out this short survey. It’s available in English,
Spanish, Chinese and Filipino. We’ve included an open-ended question so you can let us know if there’s a specific transportation priority you want to let us know about. |
Online Listening Sessions: We’re hosting two listening sessions that will include a short budget presentation and time to hear your questions and suggestions. You can request simultaneous interpretation in any language for our budget listening sessions by calling 415.646.2109 at least 48 hours prior.
Online Town Hall: At our online Town Hall meeting, we’ll share the feedback we heard from the survey and online listening sessions.
March 10, 2022, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Get login information at SFMTA Budget Planning - Fiscal Years 2023 & 2024
After gathering feedback from the public, our directors and our staff, we’ll revise the budget and present it for additional review at two SFMTA Board of Directors meetings:
SFMTA Board of Directors Budget Meetings:
Budget Background
If you’ve been tuning in to our Board of Directors meetings during the two years, you’ll know that the SFMTA’s revenue was severely reduced by the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID devastated our transit fare and parking revenues, which are two of our three biggest revenue sources. Even now, our transit revenues are about 75% lower than pre-pandemic levels and parking revenues are 20% lower.
The recovery of our transit fare and parking revenue depends on the pace of San Francisco’s economic recovery, which is still uncertain. Data from the Controller’s Office shows that the city’s economy and downtown are recovering more slowly than comparable metropolitan areas.
This compounded the financial problems our agency already had. Over the last 20 years, the demands on San Francisco’s transportation system have grown and revenues haven’t kept up. Our agency has what’s called a “structural deficit” -- the amount of money it takes to operate our system costs more than the revenues we take in.
We got through the last two years because we fought for and won San Francisco’s fair share of federal pandemic relief funding and then we were prudent about using that funding to restore service.
Recently, our short-term budget outlook has somewhat improved because some of the external revenue sources we rely on did better than expected. We’re receiving more money than we thought we would from the San Francisco General Fund and need to spend less on our pension costs. Still, according to the Controller’s Office, the SFMTA will face a structural deficit of approximately $20 - $50 million every year beginning in FY 2024-25.
This background informs the FY 2023 to FY 2024 base budget that we’re asking for feedback on. It tries to balance the need for us to restore and expand services with the need to maintain the agency’s long-term economic stability.
Click below to view the budget website in:
Español - 繁體中文 - Filipino
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SFPUC Water Shortage Emergency
Despite winter rains, we are still in a drought. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission declared a Water Shortage Emergency and asks everyone to continue to use water wisely. The Emergency Declaration also authorizes a 5% drought surcharge to appear on customers’ water/sewer bills starting April 1, 2022. The drought surcharge is necessary to cover our costs and maintain responsible reserves. Our operational costs are fixed. Reduced water use decreases our revenues, while the costs to responsibly run the system remain unchanged. In order to continue to operate our systems, the SFPUC must recover those costs during this time. The less water properties use, the less they will feel the impact of the surcharge on their bill and the better
able we will be to stretch our water supplies and get through this drought.
The SFPUC offers free resources to help homes and businesses cut water waste. Small changes can make a big difference in your water use. For details on water conservation rebates, and resources by clicking HERE.
Find information on the drought and downloadable toolkits for renters, homeowners and businesses by clicking HERE.
For questions about our conservation services, contact the SFPUC at waterconservation@sfwater.org or 415-551-4730.
For questions about the drought surcharge, please contact SFPUC Customer Service at (415) 551-3000, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm except on holidays, or email us at customerservice@sfwater.org.
Fact sheets in English, Spanish,
Chinese, and Filipino are posted on our website at
sfpuc.org/drought.
In the meantime, please feel free to contact us at waterconservation@sfwater.org or (415) 551-4730 if you have questions about the SFPUC’s water conservation assistance services.
Thank you for your continued support.
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Upper Islais Creek Storm Flooding Study
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is undertaking a one-year study of the Upper Islais Creek Watershed to alleviate flooding in the Lower Alemany Area while offering additional neighborhood improvements. The SFPUC would like to acknowledge the Lower Alemany community organizations, businesses, property owners, and residents who have contributed their time and knowledge through interviews and the community survey. Your feedback will help center this study on neighborhood improvements that matter to you and your community.
Study timeline
• August 2021 - Study kick-off
• October – November 2021 - Phase 1 online and in-person community survey
• January – February 2022 - Phase 2 in-person community survey and interviews
• March – November 2022 - Future opportunities for community engagement
• November 2022 - Study Completion |
Taraval Station Newsletter
Taraval Station Officers have been working very hard keeping the community safe and addressing current crime trends by increasing patrols in hot-spot areas and actively seeking out persons wanted for committing serious crimes in the district (see notable incidents section of newsletter).
Click HERE to read more in the Station Newsletter |
Dream Keeper Initiative
We invite you to the DKI Community Updates Meeting on Thursday, March 17, 2022, from 5:30 pm to 7 pm. Join us for a presentation on mini-grants, Office of Economic Workforce Development(OEWD), and to hear from the SF Department of Human Resources. Please click HERE to register for the meeting
or contact DreamKeeperSF@SFgov.org.
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Make Beats with Mission Bit
Beats Unlocked is a workshop experience where participants create musical beats using computer coding. The program is designed to go step-by-step for beginngers. Even if participants have never written music or coded before, they can create amazing beats while learning basic computer coding!
Bay Area 7th-12th graders
Wednesdays, March 30th, April 6th, or April 20th from 5-7 PM
Remote on Zoom
Register at missionbit.org/programs/workshops
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Foster Youth Vaccine Ambassador Upcoming Trainings
The San Francisco Department of Public Health is recruiting foster youth to be vaccine ambassadors. For more information on the dates and times of the training, please contact Christine Abella at christine.abella@sfdph.org
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Youth Art Exchange (415) Public Gallery
Youth Art Exchange announces our 3rd annual (415) Public Gallery, an art show that places the public as both exhibitors and audience members. All ages/backgrounds welcome.
The call for submissions is open from now - March 31st. Work will be on display starting from April 11, 2022 - April 28th, 2022. Join us Friday, April 15, from 4:00-7:00pm.
Submission Instructions:
We can accept ONE submission (visual or video or audio) per person. Fill out this submission from when you come to drop off your artwork: https://bit.ly/415PublicGallery.
Staff will be onsite at [x]space, 5137 Mission St (near Geneva) from 12-6:30pm Monday-Thursday to receive artwork submissions. It’s very important that the form linked above is filled out so we know how to credit you, promote your work and contact you if the piece is sold. Please include any relevant details for each piece – this can include artist bios, links, etc.
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Diabetes Empowerment Education Program
Six-week virtual workshop for diabetes prevention and self-management!
For registration or more information, please contact Miguel M. Jimenez, 415-550-2201, mjimenez@onlok.org or Daisy Jimenez at 415-550-2257,
djimenez@onlok.org.
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Somatic Movement Program for Spine Mobility and Posture for Seniors
10-week program, March 15 to May 19, 2022
Tuesday and Thursday, 2:30-3:30 pm.
Instructor: Diana Lara, MS. RSMT
For more information, please contact Diana Lara, 415-550-2209, diararodgers@onlok.org. |
Transportation Fund for Clean Air
The Transportation Authority is pleased to announce a call for projects for $935,315 in Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) County Program Manager Fund programming for the Fiscal Year 2022/23 cycle. Applications should be emailed totfca@sfcta.org
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Need Legal Assistance with Renting? Tenancy Advocacy Project Can Help
Are you struggling with a rental dispute? Need your landlord to make repairs? Need help applying for Covid-related rental assistance? The Tenancy Advocacy Project's (TAP) lawyers can help with those issues, as well as subsidy terminations, disability accommodations, income recertification, and other disputes with landlords or property managers. If you rent your home in San Francisco, you may be eligible for TAP's help. To contact us, please email us at tap@sfbar.org
, or call (415) 989-1616. Please mention the Tenant Advocacy Project in your message, and make sure to include your name, phone number, best times to reach you, and a brief description of the tenancy-related issue(s) you are dealing with.
TAP is part of the Justice & Diversity Center of the Bar Association of San Francisco. TAP does not assist with eviction lawsuits. If your landlord has filed an eviction lawsuit against you, please contact the Eviction Defense Collaborative: evictiondefense.org
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Bay Area Minority Law Scholarship 2022 Applications Are Open - Apply by May 27
Do you know someone interested in going to law school who could use financial assistance? The Bar Association of San Francisco and the Justice & Diversity Center are excited to announce that the 2022 Bay Area Minority Law Student Scholarship applications are now open.
In 21 years, the program has awarded more than $2 million to 110 students with scholarships that are generally $10,000 per year. Applications are due by May 27. Click here for more information or to start an application now.
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Now Hiring! Community Ambassadors Program
The Community Ambassadors Program (CAP) is seeking applicants for their program! CAP is a community safety and neighborhood engagement job training program developed and operated by the City & County of San Francisco Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA).
Community Ambassadors work in diverse neighborhoods to promote safety and connect people to services. Ambassadors help San Franciscans that are low-income, experiencing homelessness, speak a language other than English, older adults, and more.
Ideal candidates for this position:
Live in San Francisco
Can work up to full time, Monday to Friday, including some evenings
Have a strong interest in working with the public and vulnerable populations
Ability to read, write and speak English well
Preferred skills or experience include:
You graduated high school or have a GED
You experience with community outreach, security or customer service
You are bilingual
If you or someone you know is interested in applying, please click HERE to get started!
For questions, email community.ambassadors@sfgov.org.
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Saint Patrick’s Day Parade 2022! Feels good to be back out celebrating. I was able to walk with San Francisco Firefighters Local 798 and meet some of Sacred Heart Cathedral state championship football team! 🍀 |
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