Dear Neighbor,
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As Ramadan comes to a close, the Muslim community is preparing to celebrate the end of this period of fasting, reflection, and spiritual renewal with Eid al-Fitr, which is traditionally observed with charity, prayer, and community festivals.
This year, I am thrilled to announce that big things are coming to the Tenderloin for Eid! I invite you to join us for the Eid Street Fair this April 5th, which will feature local food and artisanal vendors, games and activities for children, and a special live performance by MC Abdul. The Tenderloin community welcomes you to join us, grab your
free ticket on Eventbrite here.
And like any grassroots community event, we could use volunteers to make it a success! We'll need folks staffing the petting zoo, rock climbing wall, bounce house, and so much more, so sign up here to get involved.
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I’m thankful to our organizing collaborators Tenderloin Muslim Youth, Into the Streets, and Chinatown Community Development Center, and supporting partners EMPIRE and Golden State Warriors for coming together in community to ensure the Tenderloin Eid Street Fair features something for everyone. And this event will mark several firsts for the neighborhood:Â
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The first time Tenderloin based restaurants will be able to cook openly in an outdoor bazaar through Into the Streets
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The first time children of the Tenderloin will be able to play basketball with Warriors Basketball Academy coaches at one of the neighborhood basketball courts
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The first time EMPIRE will host a special performance from a major artist from their label in the Tenderloin
This neighborhood is full of joy, diversity, and connection – pockets of light which are often misunderstood or overshadowed by the challenges in this part of the city. I believe our families and residents deserve to have events to showcase the amazing food, small businesses, and vibrancy that this community is truly about. Together, we can shift the narrative and uplift our neighbors. This is just the first of many events I hope to bring to the neighborhood to revitalize and activate.Â
I hope to see you there! |
When I ran for office, I ran on the promise to propose evidence-based solutions to deliver results for residents. This week, I am proud to announce that the Drug Market Intervention (DMI) legislation passed the full board, calling on Mayor Lurie to utilize the recently passed Fentanyl Emergency Powers to contract an expert to design a comprehensive and community-driven approach to shut down open-air drug markets and create pathways for prevention and intervention.
This resolution was created because the Tenderloin is home to over 3,500 children, yet these youth face unimaginable circumstances—from witnessing overdoses to being coerced into the drug trade. The fentanyl crisis has created an unsafe environment for families and children and has shifted our city’s perception on a national scale to one that doesn’t capture the heart and soul of our city by the bay.
The impact of the fentanyl crisis isn’t just on individuals, it’s on entire families and communities – we’ve tried different approaches in this city to address the crisis and it's not for lack of will or resources, but we have to be honest about the progress we’ve made in SF.
I’m grateful to my colleagues on the Board for understanding the need for urgent action to try a new approach in our city. What this resolution calls for is bringing in a specialist who can work with our city departments to diagnose this situation and prescribe a roadmap for implementing a uniquely tailored solution for our city that will drive results.
Because we simply cannot allow another generation of San Franciscans to grow up thinking this is the normal state of our city. Every child in San Francisco deserves a safe and healthy childhood. And every resident and visitor deserves to feel safe and welcome in our city.
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With over 1,000+ pages of permitting and building code, San Francisco remains the slowest city in California to build housing.
We can all agree there is something uniquely wrong here.
That’s why I’ve asked the Budget and Legislative Analyst Office for a comparative study of the permitting process across US cities to help us diagnose what other cities have done well to build housing faster and provide a roadmap for San Francisco’s future.
The study will examine the number and types of permits from other major cities and counties, and how they have successfully reformed post-entitlement permitting processes for small businesses, single-family homes, small multi-family housing projects, and large housing projects to build more quickly.
The BLA report is estimated to be completed by the end of summer.
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In the Heart of the Community |
Exciting news! We broke ground on the Buchanan Mall in the Western Addition.Â
This project represents a turning point in the neighborhoods history. It will connect five blocks of the Western Addition with a new park, connecting history and memories.
Many lives have been lost on these blocks in decades past due to gun violence, and today's ground breaking honors their memory towards a vision of joy and investment in community.Â
Thank you to all the community leaders in the Western Addition who made this day possible.
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It was a joy as always to spend a morning reading to elementary students at Tenderloin Community School.Â
To celebrate Women’s History Month, we read Ketanji Brown Jackson: A Justice for All. This book highlights her incredible journey to the Supreme Court and the value of cultural pride, justice, and perseverance.
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I joined SF Hip Hop for their first ever Walk the Block event in the Fillmore, where we walked through the neighborhood to connect with local merchants and community while getting some fresh air and exercise.Â
We stopped by Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement, In the Black, Nia Soul Food and Miyako Old Fashioned Ice Cream. Thank you to all organizers for bringing the neighborhood together in community!
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We commended the International School of San Francisco’s Varsity Basketball Team for their first-ever State Championship victory! In the championship game, the Jaguars overcame a 12-point deficit in the second half, showcasing their resilience and determination. We celebrate this team not only for their championship title but for the values they uphold —sportsmanship, resilience, and community spirit.
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Congratulations to the International School of San Francisco Jaguars, their coaches, their families, and entire school community on this historic achievement.
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In recognition of Women’s History Month, today we commended Radwa Hussein for her incredible dedication to our community. She has been a vital bridge between families, businesses, and leaders, and a pillar in the neighborhood for her work to secure food, gift cards, and toy donations for Tenderloin families.Â
Radwa’s tireless outreach to Arabic-speaking families has strengthened community engagement in our schools. As the founder of Arabic Story Hour and an organizer of the annual Eid Celebration, she fosters connection, education, and joy. Her leadership makes San Francisco better every day and we celebrate her contributions.
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 Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month: Honoring the Next Generation of Leaders
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the rich contributions of our AAPI communities. Launched right here in San Francisco in 2005, this annual celebration is led by the APA Heritage Foundation in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office.
This year’s theme, "Energizing The Next Generation," focuses on uplifting AAPI youth through community engagement and recognizing young leaders as role models. To support this, the AAPI Youth Change Maker Awards will honor one middle school student and one high school/college student for their impact through service or community projects.
Today is the last day to submit nominations. Winners will be announced at the AAPI Heritage Month Kickoff Press Conference in April and honored at the APA Heritage Awards on May 1, 2025. In addition to commendations from the City of San Francisco and the APA Heritage Foundation, the awardees will have the opportunity to direct a contribution to a nonprofit of their choice.
Know a young changemaker? Submit a nomination here: https://form.jotform.com/250535376115151
Let’s celebrate and uplift the next generation of AAPI leaders! |
When the Tags Catch Your Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie… We Clean It Up!
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Left to Right: Before and After |
Our friends at Gioia Pizza were tagged with profane graffiti—but in less than 24 hours, our amazing DPW team wiped the slate clean. This wouldn’t have been possible without the concerned neighbors who flagged the issue with 311 and our office—a perfect example of teamwork in action.
Thank you to DPW for the speedy cleanup and to the community for speaking up! Graffiti that is offensive or includes profanity is elevated per DPW policy for an even faster response time, so be sure to always say something if you see something!
If your business or property gets tagged, check if you’re eligible for free ongoing removal through the Graffiti Abatement Program by using the opt-in eligibility map: https://sfpublicworks.org/services/graffiti-opt-in
Let’s keep San Francisco looking clean! |
This week, my office had the pleasure of helping Zeryihun, who you may know as the owner of Fillmore Postal at 1015 Fillmore Street, a go-to neighborhood spot for shipping, printing, and more. After a billing error left him in limbo for years, he reached out for help—and our office got to work. Partnering with the Department of Weights and Measures, we secured a waiver for past fees and got operations back on track so he could get back to serving the community.
Special thanks to DPH for working with us to balance the scales for small businesses like Zeryihun’s!
Let’s continue to lift up and support our small businesses! |
Don’t hesitate to reach out at MahmoodStaff@sfgov.org. We’re here to help!
Let’s work together to make District 5 a better place for all.
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