Present-day UNN formed in March of 1988 when residents Sue Bowie and Janice Gendreau decided that Upper Noe needed its own voice in the neighborhood landscape and warranted its own representation to the City. In 2000, UNN elected its first officers. Vicki Rosen, who participant at that first UNN meeting, was elected president and served until she passed away in June 2015.

Upper Noe Neighbors (UNN) brings our community together. We host speakers on a variety of topics of local interest to learn about issues affecting our area. We provide a voice for our neighbors in local government and communicate news and events. We engage in city issues and hold social events. This group builds upon the history of the previous Upper Noe Valley Association that dates to the mid 1950s, at least.

Upper Noe is one of San Francisco’s oldest neighborhoods, encompassing the southern part of the valley. “Upper” refers to the higher addresses of Church Street, from Cesar Chavez Street south beyond 30th Street to the end of Church at Randall Street. Upper Noe overlaps and includes much of the Fairmount Tract, which runs south of 30th Street. In the 1990s, the Planning Department divided the city into 37 neighborhoods and drew the northern boundary line for the Glen Park neighborhood to the terminus of Chenery Street at 30th Street. Fairmount administratively was rolled into that larger area. Thus, the neighborhood of Upper Noe presently straddles the administrative boundary of Noe Valley and Glen Park.

Neighborhood and city-wide issues have been part of UNN’s activism. Issues with which we’ve become involved over the years include building development, a temporary gay homeless shelter, MUNI handicap ramps, the fate of nearby St. Luke’s Hospital, and streetcar noise. Through our neighborhood group, our voices are heard by elected officials, agency representatives, the district police captain and representatives of non-profits and large corporations alike. See Get Involved to view a list of some of UNN accomplishments over the years.

UNN strives to bring visibility to the southern part of Noe Valley. The growth of restaurants and stores along Church Street south of Cesar Chavez has added to the area’s vitality. We have upscale restaurants Noeteca and La Ciccia, casual cafes like XO Cafe’, Martha & Bros. Coffee and Toast Eatery and grocery stores such as Church Produce and Barons Quality Meats & Seafood. We also have interior design, fashion and a host of other vibrant businesses. (see Merchants)

Unlike the 24th Street commercial corridor, Upper Noe’s Church Street businesses are interspersed among houses. Situated south of Cesar Chavez St, we are served by Ingleside Police Station rather than the Mission Station to the north. We are home to On Lok 30th St Senior Center, St Paul’s Church and Upper Noe Recreation Center.

We strongly encourage you, our neighbors, to join us with your ideas for keeping UNN relevant and supportive of the needs of Upper Noe. This is your neighborhood group and we want your involvement!

For more information, please contact us at hello@uppernoeneighbors.com