July 26, 2021
A Message From The Supervisor:
On Friday, July 23, 2021, I had the pleasure of speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for Seton Medical Center retrofitting and modernization project. The hospital’s new owner, AHMC Healthcare, is investing a total of 160 million dollars into the medical center with 60 million dollars going towards retrofitting and modernization of the facility. This 128-year-old institution has been a vital resource and asset to my district especially to my constituents residing in the southern portion of my district. Many of my constituents work at Seton Hospital or use the medical center for emergency and/or primary care due to its close proximity to San Francisco. It is less than 4 miles to the Outer Mission and OMI/Lakeview neighborhoods.
This upcoming week is jam-packed with meetings at the Board of Supervisors to address many pressing issues prior to the August recess. Earlier today, my ordinance to allow for Vote-by-Mail for Exclusively Municipal Elections was heard at Rules Committee. This ordinance would require San Francisco Department of Elections to mail ballots to all registered San Francisco voters for all municipal elections. With nearly 20 states having enacted more than 25 new laws making it harder to vote, I believe states like California must continue to fight for greater access to the ballot. I believe my ordinance is aligned with our San Francisco values and it sends a clear message that San Francisco believes in democracy.
Secondly, during tomorrow’s Board of Supervisors meeting, we will be casting our final vote on my 5150 ordinance that would amend the Health Code to provide a certain number of certified and accredited paramedics employed by the Fire Department with the ability to initiate temporary psychiatric holds, subject to state law procedures and requirements adopted by the county behavioral health director. This legislation is critical in advancing our City's efforts to decriminalize mental health.
Finally, my ordinance amending the Administrative Code to revise the eviction protections for commercial tenants related to unpaid rent due to financial impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic to create a six-month forbearance period for tenants with between 50 and 99 full-time employees, and to authorize the Office of Economic and Workforce Development to create incentive programs to encourage landlords and tenants to agree to a repayment plan will be heard at Budget & Finance Committee this Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at 10:30am. This ordinance is the first of two that I have introduced in my efforts to mitigate small business closures in San Francisco. I have been hearing from many small business owners in my district that they are drowning in unpaid rent and loans. Lease restructuring is critical to maintain stability and longevity for small businesses on our commercial corridors. I encourage all small business owners to call in and provide a public comment on Wednesday. For more information visit the following link:
https://sfbos.org/sites/default/files/bfc072821_agenda.pdf
This is the final week before the August Recess at the Board of Supervisors. The recess begins Sunday, August 1, 2021 and concludes after Labor Day, September 6, 2021. Our office is always available and open to answer any questions or concerns that you may have.
City Hall is now OPEN! Please make an appointment with my staff, if you would like to come visit the District 11 office in person. 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.
Sincerely,
Supervisor Ahsha Safai
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San Francisco, Contra Costa, and Santa Clara County Public Health Officials Urge Employers to Consider Requiring Employee Vaccination to Promote COVID-Safe Workplaces
With COVID-19 cases rapidly on the rise, leaving unvaccinated individuals at risk for serious illness and death, the health officers of Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and San Francisco counties strongly urge all employers to consider implementing workplace COVID-19 safety policies that require their workforce to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible.
For any employees who are not yet fully vaccinated, employers must require and enforce masking under current state law. In addition, employers are encouraged to require frequent COVID-19 testing of unvaccinated employees.
Employers can play a critical role in ensuring a safe workplace environment and boosting vaccination rates among working-age individuals by requiring vaccination as a condition of employment, with very limited exceptions for medical exemptions or strongly held religious beliefs.
For information about finding a safe, free and convenient COVID-19 vaccine, visit sf.gov/getvaccinated.
Important Message regarding Delta Variant
San Francisco is leading the nation in COVID-19 response. Even with remarkable progress in our fight against the virus, the increase in cases of the Delta variant poses a significant threat to the health and wellbeing of our community, especially among the unvaccinated population. Vaccinating as many people as possible, as soon as possible, is our best defense against COVID-19, including variants. Here are some important updates to share with your loved ones, staff, and members of your community:
- COVID-19 Vaccine Reminder: Delta Variant Continues to Pose Threat
- As we continue to reopen our economy and welcome visitors to the City this summer, San Francisco’s coordinated response continues as we mitigate the harm the pandemic can do to our City. We are doing everything in our power to get more of our eligible population vaccinated, our best tool to keep cases stable and protect people from COVID-19, and its variants.
- To protect yourself, your family, and community, get vaccinated! The Moscone Center South high-volume vaccination site is open through July 14 every day for drop-in visits. Additionally, vaccine sites in the San Francisco Health Network have expanded hours for drop-in.
- Please visit sf.gov/getvaccinated or call 628-652-2700 for vaccination information and sites.
- To mask, or not to mask. The City of San Francisco has not changed it’s guidance or recommendations. Please find the most recent health order (issued on June 11, 2021) here for information about when/where/who should be wearing a mask. Have an amazing summer, but wear a mask if:
- At public spaces indoors if not vaccinated
- At indoor events of more than 5,000 people, unless there is proof that everyone is vaccinated
- When riding public transit like Muni and BART
- Inside any business that requires everyone to be masked regardless of vaccination status
- If you are staff at an indoor establishment and are not vaccinated. Please check with your employer about rules that apply to your workplace
- Testing continues to be an important component to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Please share this flyer that explains the importance of getting a COVID-19 test if someone has symptoms, regardless of vaccination status. Visit the Outreach Toolkit to download the flyer in Spanish, Chinese, and Filipino.
- New required signage reminder! Please remove the blue and gold signs (recycle if you can!) that have kept you and your community safer since the start of the pandemic and replace them with new signage.
- The latest health order requires businesses to post two signs: one for patrons and one for personnel . There is a printer-friendly version with a white background for businesses and organizations to print them on their own. Some businesses and organizations may want to post signage related to the state’s face covering guidance. Sample signage is available for download in the Outreach Toolkit.
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BART Limited Late Night Service for Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and August 2 Systemwide Schedule Change
The limited late-night service will be available on the nights of July 15-17, July 22-24 and July 29-31. The service will be replaced on Monday, August 2, when BART extends its operating hours to midnight on weekdays and Saturdays. The limited late night plan was announced after BART determined it can accomplish this late night option as it readies staff for the much more robust schedule change on August 2.
The limited late night service will be in addition to the special service for A's night games and the limited service provided for Giants' night games.
Four trains will leave Embarcadero or Civic Center at 11:30pm.
- One train will take riders from Embarcadero and will stop at Civic Center, 16th Street Mission and Daly City stations only. No other stops will be made along the line. This train will be labelled: Civic Ctr-16th St-Daly City ONLY
- A second train will stop at Civic Center and Embarcadero and will take riders to West Oakland, MacArthur, and Pleasant Hill only. No other stops will be made along the line. This train will be labelled: West Oak-MacArthur-Pleasant Hill ONLY
- A third train will stop at Civic Center and Embarcadero and will take riders to West Oakland and Bay Fair only. No other stops will be made along the line. This train will be labelled: West Oakland-Bay Fair ONLY
- A fourth train will stop at Civic Center and Embarcadero and will take riders to West Oakland, MacArthur, and El Cerrito del Norte only. No other stops will be made along the line. This train will be labelled: W Oak-MacArthur-El Cerrito del Norte ONLY
August 2 systemwide schedule change
Starting August 2, 2021, BART will expand its hours and significantly increase service:
- Weekday service will be 5am-12am (currently 5am-9pm) with 15-min frequencies on all lines from 5am-8pm and 30-minute frequencies from 8pm-midnight.
- Saturday service will be 6am-12am (currently 8am-9pm) with 5-line service offering more options for Saturday riders, and for the first time, offering four trains per hour on most lines.
- Sunday service will remain 8am-9pm with 3-line service and 30-minute frequencies to accommodate BART’s critical cable replacement project and other infrastructure rebuilding work.
BART was able to advance the major schedule change by working collaboratively with labor partners to accelerate the hiring, training, and shift sign-up process.
August 2021 Muni COVID-19 Core Service Changes
Route Restorations
- M Ocean View will return to rail service and resume its full pre-pandemic route between the Embarcadero station and San Jose and Geneva Avenues.
- 5R Fulton Rapid service will be returning from La Playa to the Transit Center Bus Plaza.
- 18 46th Avenue will connect customers from the Richmond and Outer Sunset to Stonestown.
- 28 19th Avenue service will be returning between Daly City BART and the Marina (via Lombard).
- 35 Eureka will provide additional access from hilly districts to Muni Metro and BART.
- 36 Teresita full route will be restored.
- 39 Coit will return, providing high-frequency service in North Beach and Fisherman’s Wharf.
- Muni “school trippers” will run during afternoon peak school hours.
New Route
- 58 Lake Merced will travel along John Muir Drive and Sloat Boulevard, serving communities west of the lake and connecting to shopping destinations, Daly City BART and Muni’s 14 Mission.
Adjusted Route Restorations
- 23 Monterey will resume providing service between Palou Avenue & 3rd Street and Saint Francis Wood and will connect to West Portal Station instead of Great Highway.
- 31 Balboa will provide service from Cabrillo Street and La Playa to Cyril Magnin at Market Street.
- 52 Excelsior will resume providing service between Dublin Street & La Grande Avenue in the Excelsior and Forest Hill Station. Service will be extended to connect to 14th Avenue & Quintara Street via 7th Avenue, Judah Street and 9th Avenue, providing service to Golden Gate Heights via a segment of the temporarily suspended 6 Parnassus.
- 56 Rutland will resume providing service between Visitacion Valley Middle School and Executive Park. Service will be extended to connect to 29 Sunset and Burton High School on Mansell Street.
- 57 Parkmerced will resume providing service along a shortened route between Eucalyptus Drive & Junipero Serra Boulevard and Daly City BART Station, providing direct connections from Stonestown and Parkmerced to BART and KT Ingleside-Third Street. The new 58 Lake Merced will provide service along John Muir Drive.
- 66 Quintara will resume providing service between Vicente Street & 30th Street and 9th Avenue & Judah Street. Service will be extended to provide connections to UCSF and Haight Street & via Parnassus Avenue along a segment of the temporarily suspended 6 Parnassus.
Route Extensions
- 12 Folsom will be extended to the south from Market Street to provide service between Jackson Street & Van Ness Avenue and Caesar Chavez & Bartlett Street. In the Mission, service will run along 26th Street instead of connecting to 24th Street BART Station. South of Market, instead of running along 2nd Street, service will be provided to Rincon Hill via routing along Main Street and Spear Street.
- 48 Quintara/24th Street will be extended to the west from West Portal Station to resume providing service along the pre-pandemic route between 20th Street & 3rd Street and Great Highway & Rivera Street.
For more information on frequency and hours of service, read more on the COVID-19 Muni Core Service Plan.
Expanded Evening Service
In August, Muni service hours will be extended to midnight on 16 key routes to help people traveling later as the city reopens from the pandemic. For those who need to get around after midnight, we are planning to bring back Muni’s full late-night Owl network, including the 5 Fulton Owl and the 48 Quintara/24th Street Owl, providing service from midnight to 5 a.m. (except for the L Owl, which will continue to run from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.). Late-night bus routes will include:
We also plan to extend Metro Bus hours to cover the time span between Owl and rail service.
The K Ingleside Bus, N Judah Bus and T Third Street Bus will operate from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. to midnight on weekdays and 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. to midnight on weekends.
Metro rail service on the KT Ingleside-Third Street, M Ocean View and the N Judah will run from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekends and on the J Church from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Restoring All Owl All-Nighter Service
Muni’s full and original late-night Owl network is scheduled to be restored in August, providing service from midnight to 5 a.m. by adding back the 5 Fulton Owl and 48 Quintara/24th Street Owl. Owl service frequency will remain approximately 30 minutes.
Visit our Muni Owl All-Nighter Service page for the full list of Owl routes and service information.
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Coming Soon: Storefront Vandalism Relief Grant
The Office of Economic and Workforce Development is expecting to launch applications for the Storefront Vandalism Relief Grant at the end of August 2021. In the interim, please visit the webpage which includes details on how businesses should prepare in order to apply in the amount of $1,000 or $2,000 to go towards storefront vandalism-related damages. Incidents are retroactive to January 1, 2021. There is also a registration link which allows small businesses to send questions, receive updates, and be notified when the program launches. Click HERE for the website. |
Dream Keeper Initiative Update
Please attend the Dream Keeper Initiative funding update tomorrow, Tuesday, July 27, at 5PM during a virtual community meeting with Mayor London Breed. This is an opportunity to get your questions answered and learn more about funding distribution of the $120 Million Mayor Breed identified for investments across San Francisco's Black communities.
Register in advance for this meeting here: https://www.dreamkeepersf.org/calendar/dream-keeper-initiative-update-july-27
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ArtSpan Artists Pam Axelson, Catherine Gutierrez, and Wendy Robushi Exhibition at City Hall
Join us for a virtual Zoom reception with ArtSpan Artists Pam Axelson, Catherine Gutierrez, and Wendy Robushi, currently on view in the office of District 11 Supervisor Ahsha Safai! The office is located on the 2nd floor of City Hall in Room #256.
Come see and hear what our thriving creative community has to offer virtually!
Exhibition on display through October 25, 2021.
Log-on with a drink and snacks, invite your art-curious friends and come ready for artful conversations as we mix and mingle from wherever you're sheltering-in-place.
The exhibition is on view virtually on our Art-In-Neighborhoods dedicated gallery: V-AIN
Zoom Virtual Reception: Thursday, August 5th 2021 from 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
**Click HERE to RSVP. You must RSVP to receive the Zoom link to join this event. As an attendee, you will receive reminders 48 hours, 2 hours, and 10 minutes before the event starts.**
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SFPD Tourism Deployment Plan
Mayor London N. Breed announced details from San Francisco’s new community policing and tourism deployment plan to support and safeguard a re-emergent travel season that is forecast to exceed 15.3 million visitors by year’s end.
Outlining operational elements at a press conference at Chinatown’s iconic Dragon’s Gate this morning, Mayor Breed and Chief Bill Scott also joined by Supervisor Safai highlighted how the San Francisco Police Department’s Tourism Deployment Plan will provide high-visibility and welcome support to an economic sector that is vitally important to San Francisco as travelers worldwide emerge from COVID-19 lockdowns.
The San Francisco Police Department’s Tourism Deployment Plan draws heavily from a community policing strategy that is among the pillars of SFPD’s groundbreaking 21st century police reforms. Under the plan, SFPD will deploy 26 additional police officers on bicycle and foot patrols to an array of high-traffic and highly sought-after travel destinations in five of the City’s ten police districts:
- Central Police District’s new deployments will feature 14 additional officers on bike and foot patrols that include: Union Square, Market Street, Powell Street, Chinatown and Lower Grant Avenue, Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf, North Beach and the crooked portion of Lombard Street.
- Mission Police District’s new deployments will feature two additional officers on bike and foot patrols in the Castro and Upper Market.
- Northern Police District’s new deployments will feature six additional officers on bicycle patrols around the Palace of Fine Arts, Alamo Square and Japantown.
- Park Police District’s new deployments will feature two additional officers on bicycle patrols along the Haight Street commercial corridor.
- Richmond Police District’s new deployments will feature two additional officers on bicycle patrols in Golden Gate Park.
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Groundbreaking AHMC Seton Medical Center
On Friday, July 23 I joined federal, state and local leaders to break ground on the seismic retrofit of AHMC Seton Medical Center.
For nearly 128 years, Seton Medical Center has been the staple for the Southern region of San Francisco, Daly City and San Mateo County community; providing over a 1,000 jobs and seeing nearly 30,000 patients annually. Last year, we nearly lost this community hospital prior to the start of the pandemic. It is hard to fathom that the closure of Seton Hospital was almost a reality. I am so thankful for AHMC Healthcare and their investment into this hospital.
I can’t express enough that is truly an honor for me to celebrate AHMC Healthcare’s investment into Seton Hospital and Medical Center. This investment will ensure that this hospital is around for another 128 years for both San Francisco County and San Mateo County residents to utilize.
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