District 8 Updates: Legislative Aide Adam Thongsavat (Sup Mandelman was out of town)

Town Hall on Organized Retail Theft
Feb 5th at 5 pm at Noe Valley Ministry on 26th Street
Brooke Jenkins, Supervisor Mandelman, SFPD, and SF Retail Association

Sup Mandelman’s 3 big priorities for 2024:

1. Mental Health / substance abuse disorders.
SB 43 went into effect on January 1 and expands the definition of “gravely disabled” to include severe substance use disorder. It seeks to make it easier to commit people to conservatorship. A hearing with Dept Public Health on how they will comply with new law is scheduled. Prop 1 on the March 5 ballot, Behavioral Health Services Program and Bond Measure (also known as Treatment Not Tents), seeks to issue $6.4 billion in bonds to pay for housing and treatment facilities.

2. Charter Reform
SF has 130 different commissions, working groups, etc. Sup Mandelman is seeking a consolidation of commissions. He is also looking to Streamline ballot propositions from the Board of Supervisors.

3. Reforms to Proposition C to get more shelter beds
Unhoused persons should not be able to refuse shelter. Ideally, there would be a range of facilities available for people in a crisis.

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March Election Highlights:  NV Democratic Club President Carrie Barnes

The Democratic County Central Committee (DCCC) is an important but little understood element of our local politics. The long list of mostly unknown candidates (30 for our Assembly District 17) appears at the bottom of your ballot and draws far less interest than it should. Candidates tend to run together in slates to assist voters in understanding their goals.

Officially, the purpose of the DCCC is to 1) Endorse Democratic candidates and ballot propositions 2) Charter Democratic clubs 3) Register voters. However, the DCCC serves as an incubator for emerging politicians and it is instrumental in shaping the direction of SF policy.

Only voters with Democratic Party preference may vote in the DCCC. To change party, one must re-register to vote. Register online before Feb 20th or in-person through election day.

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Treasurers Report: Tony Harris
* We have received one third of the $50k grant for Church St Branding Project.
* Dues-paying members of Upper Noe Neighbors are eligible to vote in our annual election in March. Click here to pay or renew your dues.

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Future of the J Church: Kathy Setian and Karen Canard (Restore the J Workgroup)

Restoration of the J-Church to the subway in February 2022 has gone well, without causing congestion. However, a new Muni Metro Community Working Group (CWG) is considering future changes, including removing one or more lines from the subway (called “service restructuring”). There are concerns that: 1) the CWG makeup lacks pro-J representation 2) public access to CWG meetings was limited 3) MTA’s claim that “service restoration” will be needed to prevent future subway congestion.

MTA’s claim is based on pre-pandemic morning rush hour data, and depends on “worst case” assumptions that are unlikely to occur: 1) 82,000 new housing units built; 2) SF population increases from 715K to over 1.2 million; 3) Riders fully return to physical downtown work at pre-pandemic levels (no remote/hybrid work); and 4) ridership increases by 80%, to 300,000.

Restore the J is working with L and K riders and transit groups to oppose cutting service to any of the streetcar lines. To support this effort, mn  ride the J frequently and watch for future updates. Contact: restoreJ@sbcglobal.net.

SFMTA has still not yet presented a design for changes to the Noe Valley section of the J Church project.

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Church St Parking Solutions: Chris Faust

Upper Noe Merchants and St Paul’s Church want to improve short-term parking on Church Street. Curb parking is often monopolized by commuters who park for the entire day and catch the J downtown, or by car owners who leave their vehicle in one place for days or weeks. In addition, newly passed State law AB 413 removes parking near crosswalks. It affects up to 4 spaces per intersection, about 22 parking spaces along Church St from 30th St to Cesar Chavez.
Recently, SF Office of Small Business and SFMTA Curb Management observed a need for improved access to shops and St. Paul’s School. They offered their support. Some suggested solutions: 1) Install parking meters on the block from Valley to 29th Street. 2) Install 1 or 2 hour daytime parking limit signs. Another suggestion that came from our meeting audience: install parking meters on the south side of Day Street along the park. Community input and buy-in is required.

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Community Goals:
Once again, we look at what we want to achieve in the coming year. We began by looking back at the results for last year. Many of our stated goals were sidelined in the spring when we received a grant to enhance the Church Street merchant district (Church St Branding Project).

2023 Community Goal results:

1. Install Stop Signs on Church St at 28th St => no sign yet but petition submitted with 362 names; 100 calls to 311. We got SFMTA’s attention.

2. Fill empty storefronts, Veteran’s Liquor, Hall Realty => no progress; initiated conversations with owners but cannot force it.

3. Sampling tour night to promote restaurants (Supper Noe) => no action (looking for volunteers)

4. Day St mural along the Upper Noe Rec Center wall => tabled due to low interest.

5. Repave both Church St and 30th St along the MUNI tracks => some repair of potholes was completed but this route is not on the City’s repaving schedule. We tried to attach it to the J Church project but the request was rejected.

6. Improve Street Lighting between 30th St and Randall => no progress (lots of interest in this)

7. Preserve J-Church stops, parking and access to institutions, shops and restaurants on Church St => J Church project stalled; no changes yet.

8. Trim trees to improve street lighting on Church St => no action taken but unknown if DPW or owners trimmed.

9. Conduct more emergency response preparation such as NERT training and a neighborhood hazard survey => no action (interest level is unknown)

10. Create a more formal/regular/inviting process for informing our community about land use issues. => still in committee; no results yet.

Attendees offered these suggestions for 2024 goals:

• Repave Noe
• A light at each home for safety
• Inventory of missing street trees
• Fix street lights

Please email your ideas for 2024 goals. We will present them at our March meeting.

The next UNN Community Meeting is March 20 at 7pm at Upper Noe Recreation Center