Upper Noe Neighbors General Meeting
March 20 , 2019 at 7  p.m.   Upper Noe Rec Center, 295 Day St.

UNN Board members Olga, Chris, Erin, and Laura were joined by an additional twenty or so neighbors.  Finally, a meeting where it wasn’t raining!

Our guests included District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman and members of his staff, and presenters from The Community Youth Center of San Francisco.

First, Supervisor Mandelman presented on issues he’s been dealing with, and took questions from the audience (and also questions emailed my UNN members who could not attend).  Of note, the Supervisor spoke on the following issues:

• First, if you email the Supervisor, always cc his aides.
• SB 1045 and conservatorship of the mentally ill and drug addicted – Sup. Mandelman hopes to tap more into the Behavioral Health Court than jails.
• Sup. Mandelman is concerned about the lack of funds for new trees in SF.  The City netted only one new tree this year (many were planted, but to replace removed trees).
• Public Transportation: The J line has only 34% on-time performance.  The back up begins at the beginning of the line coming out of the gate at Balboa station.  The reason given by drivers: the bathroom is very far away from where the trains are parked and turned around.  SFMTA is now building a bathroom station next to where the trains stop at the last station, hoping to reduce the lag in the ability to leave the station on time.
• Traffic issue at Randall and San Jose.  Enforcement is down to 40 officers for traffic, it was at 75 officers at one point.  SFPD is working on traffic calming at that corner including Chenery.  They are also working on easing congestion on Dolores Street
• Sup. Mandelman does not support it SB 50.  He is concerned that the State is not helping to fund new infrastructure to support the housing that SB 50 would require local governments allow to be built.
• Issues on Randall and 30th with homelessness – HOT Team should be contacted to address this.
• Illegal Demolitions – Huge impact on tenants.  Loss of small single-family homes. Sup. Mandelman is hoping to work on legislation that will address these issues.
• Old St. Luke’s hospital is set for demolition.  No definite date yet for demo to start.
• Abandoned storefronts along Church Street and Upper Market – The average time for the planning department to review request to build/occupied by new occupant/company is 332 Days.  Sup. Mandelman agrees that this amount of time needs to be reduced.

Next, elections were held.  Next year’s Upper Noe Neighbors Board is:

• Olga Milan-Howells – UNN President
• Chris Faust – Vice President
• Erin Zielinski – Treasurer
• Laura Beaton – Secretary
• David Emanuel – Director at Large

UNN VP Chris also shared with everyone a list of issues that UNN knows neighbors are concerned about and/or that UNN is working on.  View then at http://uppernoeneighbors.com/issues/ . Let us know if you think something else should be on the list!

Finally the Community Youth Center of San Francisco presented on emergency preparedness and what you should have at home to prepare for “the big one.”  If a major disaster hits, it’s likely you will have no power, no heat, and no water.  And emergency help can be unavailable.  So, you should be able to meet your own needs for 5-7 days.  A home disaster kit should include, at a minimum:

• Water – 1 gallon a day per person
• First aid kit
• Flashlights and batteries
• Fire Extinguisher (somewhere in your home)
• Can opener
• Food that does not require refrigeration or cooking.
• Cash – small bills are best
• Backup battery packs for cell phones
• Medications
• Pet food

Be sure to make a plan with your family members to have two separate meeting places in case of emergency – one at home one outside of your immediate neighborhood, like a park close to your house.  Also be sure to have a contact person outside of the Bay Area you can use to communicate important information.

Please send your concerns, suggestions and comments to info@uppernoeneighbors.com.