Supervisor Stefani 10012019 Newsletter
MESSAGE FROM CATHERINE
This October has been a great month of hearing from so many people in our community about the changes they want to see in the City. It’s clear that people want to get involved in improving our neighborhoods and – especially as Election Day gets closer – one of the best ways to do this is to vote! I hope you’ll join me at the polls on Tuesday, November 5. Keep reading for updates on what I’ve been working on and, as always, please feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns by emailing me at Catherine.Stefani@sfgov.org or calling (415) 554-7752. You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Warm Regards, Catherine POLICY AND LEGISLATION UPDATESInterim District Attorney Suzy Loftus This month, following the early resignation of George Gascón, I joined community leaders from across San Francisco as Mayor London Breed announced the appointment of Suzy Loftus as San Francisco’s interim District Attorney. Reversing former District Attorney Gascón’s diversion policy, the interim District Attorney has already committed to prosecute first-time DUI cases, as we have had two dozen traffic fatalities this year. As a former prosecutor myself, I am so looking forward to working with her to make our neighborhoods safe for all of us. Hearing on Filling Vacancies for Urgent Public Health and Safety Positions I called for a hearing to examine the hiring practices and procedures around critical public health and safety positions in order to understand how long it takes and to speed up the process to fill those vacancies. During a recent Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee meeting, we heard from the San Francisco Police Department about how long it is taking to hire civilian staff in order to deploy more officers to important patrol duties. We know that performance standards and the public’s expectations aren’t met when critical positions aren’t being filled. It is essential that we have as many patrol officers on the streets as possible, and we must do everything we can to ensure this is the case. Calling for Assistance Over the past few months of community meetings and merchant corridor walks, I have heard loud and clear that the City has made it too confusing to know who exactly you should call when in need of assistance. If you see tent encampments or debris blocking the sidewalk and public right of way, report to 311. You can do this by phone, or by using the 311 app on Android or Apple. To report discarded syringes only, report to 311 or text a photo and location to (415) 810-1337. To report trespassing or blocked entrances, or to request a well-being check for an individual who is not in acute distress, call the SFPD Non-Emergency line, (415) 553-0123. As always, if you feel that someone is a threat to you, themselves, or others, call 911 immediately. This includes situations such as medical or mental health emergencies, violent or threatening behavior, unresponsiveness, or trespassing and blocked entrances where an individual may need medical assistance. For more information on calling for assistance, please visit the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing’s website. Chuseok Festival Last month, we celebrated San Italian American Heritage Month The Board of Superv IN THE COMMUNITYReopening Moscone Playground We enjoyed beautiful wea Sixth Annual Pier to Pier Walk We had a fantastic turnou Meeting with Daniel Burnham Court Board of Directors It was my plea Honoring La Canasta I was thrilled to Quarterly Neighborhood Leaders Meeting Thank you to the n Domestic Violence Awareness Month Thank you to Ma Pacific Heights Residents Association Annual Meeting It was my honor Commemorating Loma Prieta Thank you to May Resilient District 2 Thirty years after L Celebrating Italian American Heritage Month In honor of Italian American Visits with Local Students It was my pleasure to m Cow Hollow Association Mid-Year Meeting Thank you to the EVENTS AND PROGRAMSElection Day Tuesday, November 5 is Election Day, and all ballots must be cast by the close of polls at 8:00 pm on Election Day to be counted! Ballots that are returned by mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day and delivered no later than Friday, November 8. Those who prefer to return their vote-by-mail ballots in person may bring them to voting centers or to any polling place during voting hours on Election Day. For more information about the upcoming election, contact the Department of Elections at sfvote@sfgov.org or at (415) 554-4375. Discovery Day at Oracle Park On Saturday, November 2, between 11:00 am and 4:30 pm, experience hundreds of dynamic demonstrations, engaging experiments, and geeky games led by Bay Area scientists and engineers. There will be free activities for all ages, including a dedicated Teen Zone, Pre-K Area, and Robot Zoo. See the full Bay Area Science Festival schedule at www.bayareasciencefestival.org. Clean and Green with the Friends of Lafayette Park Join the Friends of Lafayette Park for a workday on the first Sunday of the month, November 3, between 9:00 am and 12:00 pm. Meet at the picnic tables at the south end of the playground to help maintain the park and get to know your neighbors! Embracing the Journey Join the JCC for the Fifth Annual End of Life Resource Fair, Embracing the Journey, between 9:15 am and 5:00 pm on Sunday, November 3. Learn compassionate and dignified ways to navigate the pathways that we and our loved ones will all travel. Presentations and activities will take place throughout the day, with a resource fair between 10:30 am and 2:00 pm in the Pottruck Family Atrium. Register to attend for free at 415-292-1200 or jccsf.org. UCSF Veterans Job Fair and Open House Calling all veterans and military service members! UCSF’s 4th Annual Veterans Job Fair and Open House is designed for veterans to get to know the UCSF community and consider UCSF as an employer of choice. Veteran job seekers interested in exploring UCSF employment are welcome to attend between 1:00 and 4:00 pm on Friday, November 8, at the UCSF Laurel Heights Campus, located at 3333 California Street. Light refreshments will be served. Please RSVP here to attend. Veterans Day USO-Style Dance at the Presidio Officers’ Club On Saturday, November 9, from 7:00 to 10:00 pm, travel back in time to a USO-style dance at the Officers’ Club in its World War II heyday. Light up the Officers’ Club’s historic dance floor as you swing to the 1940s rhythms of The Royal Society Jazz. Admission is free and vintage dress is encouraged! Register here. 99th Annual Veterans Day Parade Honor our veterans’ service with the 99th Annual Veterans Day Parade on Sunday, November 10, between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. The parade will begin on the Embarcadero and North Point Street and end at the last block of Jefferson Street. This event is free. Veterans Day Interfaith Service Fighting ceased at the end of World War I – the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month – and November 11 became Veterans Day, honoring all those who have served in the United States Armed Forces. At 11:00 am on Monday, November 11, at the Presidio Interfaith Center, Luc Ferier of the Forgotten Heroes 14-19 Foundation will present fascinating untold stories of Muslims, Christians, and Jews in the First World War. District 2 Family Summit You’re invited to share your personal stories, perspectives, and experiences to help make San Francisco a great place to grow up. The City’s Family Summits are places for San Francisco youth and families to make their voices heard for our five-year planning process. Food and family fun will be provided! Our Family Summit will be on Thursday, November 14, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Sherman Elementary School. RSVP here. I hope to see you there! Golden Gate National Recreation Area Public Advisory Period Golden Gate National Recreation Area has extended the public advisory period for the 2019 Superintendent’s Compendium. You can view the document here and submit feedback to goga_public_affairs@nps.gov by November 27. Those who have previously submitted feedback related to compendium changes do not need to resubmit their input. Park staff will review and consider all feedback at the end of the advisory period. Neighborhood Empowerment Network Awards Nominations The Neighborhood Empowerment Network Awards are returning for the twelfth time this winter, and NEN is currently seeking nominations for this year’s awardees. The Awards celebrate the amazing work of leaders and organizations making our neighborhoods more resilient, but we need your help to make sure that the heroes in our community will be considered for an award! To see a complete list of NEN Award categories, and to make nominations by November 29, visit this year’s website. Flu Season It may be flu season but it’s not too late to get your flu shot! If you’re not sure where to go, find the best place here: https://www.sfcdcp.org/immunizations/where-to-get-immunized/. Water and Sewer Savings To keep basic services like water and sewer affordable and accessible to all, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission offers discounts on water and sewer charges to qualifying single-family residential customers through its low-income Community Assistance Program. You may be eligible for a 15-percent discount on water and a 35-percent discount on sewer services each month. For more information, to see if you qualify, and to apply, please visit SFPUC’s website.
Office of Supervisor Catherine Stefani |