AWARD WINNING NEIGHBORHOOD JOURNALISM -Society of Professional Journalists, NorCal Chapter
Supervisor Myrna Melgar and challengers Stephen Martin-Pinto and Matt Boschetto respond to the Westside Observer. Editors Note: Dr. Edward Yee did not respond to our inquiry.
Propositions D and E on the ballot aim to reform the City's commission system. Which do you support?
Stephen Martin-Pinto Responds:
I support Proposition D, but I do not support Proposition E. The City government cannot be trusted to voluntarily downsize itself and it must be compelled to do so through voter mandate. I think Proposition D is a giant step in the right direction, but I would ideally like to see it go much further. I believe we need no more than 40 commissions composed of no more than 7 commissioners each, and I would like to see the police commission be reformed so that they no longer have authority over police direct general orders. I further would like to see the mayor have the ability to remove department heads for cause, and not have to go through commissions and the board of supervisors for approval.
Matt Boschetto Responds:
I support Proposition D and oppose Proposition E. San Francisco has too many commissions and advisory bodies, many with too much authority and too little accountability to voters. Some were established by Charter, most by ordinance, but all are made up of members appointed by the Mayor and Board of Supervisors, so they lack direct accountability to voters and have few if any requirements for direct expertise related to their task. In addition, the distance from voters is exacerbated by appointers' general inability to dismiss appointees at will, which is particularly problematic when commissions have actual powers to determine strategy, rules and/or departmental leadership. Commissions often do important work, but also slow government decision-making and enable mutual, responsibility deflection. And finally, commission seats are often granted as political favors for favors, further removing them from a primary goal of protecting citizen interests.
I want San Francisco government to be managed better in the first place, thereby requiring less outside, inexpert oversight, but given that incentives in government are not always aligned with public interest, we need some commissions in key areas. Proposition D will require reduction in numbers of commissions after a task force study to determine those most necessary and functional. More importantly, D will make many more commissions advisory-only and allow appointers to dismiss appointees at will--both moving responsibility and authority back to elected officials who are directly accountable to voters.
Unlike Proposition D, which has a real timeline for action and consequences for inaction, Proposition E appears to be no more than a task force to make recommendations within 2 years, with no assurance of resulting ordinances for change. As a result, I believe Proposition E will accomplish little and is therefore a cynical attempt to defeat the very real ambitions of Proposition D. Proposition E is therefore just a time-worn legislative tactic to confuse the public in hopes of preventing progress.
Supervisor Myrna Melgar:
I support neither. I voted no on E at the Board and did not vote on D, as they gathered signatures. I support Mayor Breed's proposal for comprehensive Charter reform.
Dr. Edward Yee Responds:
Dr. Yee did not respond to the question.
This is a special election feature to inform readers in District 7 about the candidates positions. Got a question? Send it to the editor, editorATwestsideobserver.com
October 9, 2024
Supervisor Myrna Melgar and challengers Stephen Martin-Pinto, and Matt Boschetto respond to the Westside Observer Dr. Edward Yee did not respond..
How would you rate the City’s response to the RV resident encampment at Lake Merced? Please comment on the Supervisor’s response as well as the SFMTA’s actions. Please also share your concerns about the future for those residents.
Stephen Martin-Pinto Responds:
The response overall from the city has been poor. The RV problem has become an issue because SFMTA has refused to enforce parking laws, while enforcing them for everyone else. Furthermore, when I have personally walked by the RV encampments on Lake Merced Boulevard and Winston Drive, I have noticed running generators and accumulation of waste which are environmental and health issues. The eviction of the RVs from Winston Drive to the Pomeroy Center made it abundantly clear that city leadership has no intention of solving the problem, but rather hiding it.
What we are asking from the city is a solution to the RV problem, and this is nothing new that hasn't been done before. In 2019, there was a similar RV issue on De Wolf Street in District 11. A coordinated response between SF DPH, SFMTA, and SFPD resolved the problem. Shelter was offered, and those who refused were evicted.
I took the time to visit with the RV residents at the Pomeroy Center to try to find out more about the situation. What I discovered was surprising. In addition to Honduras and Nicaragua, many of the RV residents were from Brazil, and they were here without documentation.”
As a supervisor candidate and a concerned citizen, I took the time to visit with the RV residents at the Pomeroy Center to try to find out more about the situation. What I discovered was surprising. In addition to Honduras and Nicaragua, many of the RV residents were from Brazil, and they were here without documentation. I asked them what they were doing for work, and many of them said they were working for Uber Eats, Door Dash, and other positions in the gig economy. Upon further investigation, I found out that many of the residents were driving and delivering for these companies without driver’s licenses. They were able to do this because they rent profiles from legitimate Uber Eats, Door Dash, etc... drivers. This is, of course, illegal and poses several security and safety risks. I was recently interviewed by Daily Mail UK, and this potentially points to a much more serious and bigger problems with potential links to human trafficking and organized crime activity that as supervisor, I will fully investigate. Furthermore, many of these RVs are being purchased on Facebook Marketplace according to residents I spoke with. I will also, as supervisor, investigate and take further action on this issue.
Ultimately, a considerable section of the RV community has chosen RV living because we have allowed it to be a choice through non-enforcement and poor strategy. We cannot have a system in which we have one set of laws that apply unequally to different classes of people. As supervisor I will ensure that the law is applied fairly and equally every time.
Matt Boschetto Responds:
On the night of August 1st, the Coalition on Homelessness coordinated a mass move of all the RVs located on Winston Drive, cutting a lock and chain to occupy the zoo parking lot. This move came in reaction to the SFMTA’s plan to repave the road, after which hourly-limited parking would be implemented, effectively eliminating Winston Drive as a parking haven for the RVs. Park rangers and the SFPD responded, treating the incident as a felony breaking-and-entering.
While the zoo occupation has barely been mentioned in the news, this extraordinary event is clearly a coordinated effort by the Coalition on Homelessness, who willfully broke the law in an attempt to take over City land...”
While the zoo occupation has barely been mentioned in the news, this extraordinary event is clearly a coordinated effort by the Coalition on Homelessness, who willfully broke the law in an attempt to take over City land without the consent of the government with little regard for West Side residents. The fact that an investigator from the City Attorney’s Office is involved highlights the seriousness of this overreach.
In an email to a concerned user of the Pomeroy Center, Supervisor Myrna Melgar stated she was aware of the plan: “On July 29th, my office was informed of the RV dwellers on Winston Ave relocating to Zoo Road with the help of staff from the Coalition on Homelessness.” Did Melgar know they would commit a felony break-in at the Zoo? Would she admit it if she did? Either way, she quickly skirted responsibility, claiming she “reached out to the SFPD, MTA, and the Mayor’s Office to request support and a coordinated response to address the situation.” Great, but what about her knowledge that they would move to Zoo Road?
If she knew they were moving to Zoo Road on July 29th, why didn’t she inform the Pomeroy Center? Why didn’t she push back on the Coalition for planning to move the vehicles to a place that West Side residents and Pomeroy stakeholders have repeatedly said is not suitable for RV parking? The fact that she has “been working diligently for the past three years to identify a safe parking site with services for this population&rduo; is a testament to her failure to address the issue over almost four years in office. Is this political theater to show false progress on an issue she has had little resolve to fix?
Eyewitnesses claimed Melgar’s staff was on site during the occupation, but it is unclear whether they were there during the break-in or after Rec and Park responded. What is clear is that Melgar directed the coordinated move to Zoo Road, next to the Pomeroy Center, contrary to the center’s past objections. According to David Dubinsky, Pomeroy’s CEO, “RVs and cars have made it dangerous for our participants and staff to walk to the Center.” While most West Side residents want to see this issue resolved and “share compassion for the RV residents, Zoo Road is not an acceptable location.”
Placing RVs next to an institution serving disabled children is not the best solution. When you consider there are children among the RV dwellers, we are mixing two vulnerable populations who deserve our utmost care and consideration. Failing to notify residents and stakeholders adequately goes against common sense and suggests Melgar prioritizes the housing-first ideology over practical solutions to the issues her constituents want addressed.
While the prevailing myth from Melgar’s office is that most of the RV dwellers are working-class families with children, eyewitness accounts suggest otherwise. Does Melgar have the exact count of families vs. individuals, and how many children are living in the enclave? If not, who does? Shouldn’t any honest attempt to provide solutions include concrete counts? This should be the first step in determining a fair and compassionate solution for the people living in those conditions.
Even if all the RV dwellers were families with kids, why does she believe it is acceptable to raise children on the side of a road? With a $14 billion budget and over $1 billion spent on homelessness and health services, it’s inexcusable that the city has not prioritized getting these families into a safe place to raise their children. Supervisor Melgar can do better for both the West Side and our homeless children.
The city has repeatedly offered services and housing solutions to this cohort, with 23 families moved into permanent housing. While Supervisor Melgar will be quick to take credit for this, it’s clear the mayor’s office and relevant city departments have played key roles. A spokesman from HSH claimed, “These households have been offered an abundance of resources, and many have exited homelessness through our programs.” At what point do we consider them voluntarily homeless? What do we say to parents of homeless children who repeatedly turn down safer housing options to remain living in an RV on the street?
Melgar’s plan is to let them live in unsafe conditions on Zoo Road until permanent housing can be found. According to a memo obtained by The Standard, Melgar’s plan “outlines a proposal to make the one-way, L-shaped street into a two-way cul-de-sac, with the southern end closed to through traffic.” It remains unclear how long this process will take and whether new families can replace those who accept services. Does Melgar have a timeline for this plan? When does she expect that all the dwellers will be housed, and Zoo Road given back to the public?
True leadership on this issue admits it’s unsustainable for the city to keep allowing people to live like this. Melgar speaks about a permanent place for the RVs, but is this a permanent solution for San Francisco? What stops people from continuing to move in, like the 21-year-old plumber and his girlfriend who moved into an RV to “save for their future?” What Melgar does not talk about is enforcement.
Now that Grants Pass has been overturned, San Francisco can end RV street dwelling. Any full promise should include a temporary place for the families and the rest of the dwellers to live safely, but also a full enforcement plan for RV street dwelling. We need to increase our capacity for services for those who deserve our compassion. Those who become homeless in SF should not wait a day for services, especially when kids are involved. At the same time, we need leaders who will look after the good of those adhering to the social contract and strike a balance between compassion and accountability. Unfortunately, for District 7 and the West Side, Melgar has proven not to be that type of leader.
Supervisor Myrna Melgar:
It has always been my top priority to get families into stable housing – no child should ever have to live out of a vehicle on our City’s streets. I am grateful for HSH’s quick action that led to the successful placement of these families and the MTA for quickly addressing the access problems created by this situation for the Pomeroy Center. These agencies along with my office and the leadership of Mayor Breed brought together the management of Parkmerced Apartments, supportive services of La Raza Family Resources Center, Compass Family Services, Episcopal Community Services, and the Welcome Home Project to get these families into housing units. It just shows that with effective coordination and with swift outside-the-box thinking, we can make progress.
I am grateful for HSH’s quick action that led to the successful placement of these families and the MTA for quickly addressing the access problems created by this situation for the Pomeroy Center.”
I have included the most up to date information about this issue from the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Services below.
HSH has been outreaching to the households living in RVs and encamped on Winston and more recently on Zoo Road. HSH has consistently made offers of shelter, housing, public benefits and health services to these households.
Over the past several months, HSH helped 23 households move off of Winston and into long term housing. These clients were able to access a variety of housing resources ranging from rapid rehousing to project-based PSH and scattered site PSH. Other households declined offers of housing assistance.
When the encampment moved to Zoo Road, we continued to outreach to the community. Many of these households had been previously offered housing assistance from HSH and had declined these offers. Given the pending enforcement and households on Zoo Road have been more inclined to accept our offers. For households eligible for rental subsidies, we offered an expedited move in process into pre-identified housing units. These two factors have led to an increase in acceptance of housing assistance by the households on Zoo Rd.
As of Sunday August 18th, 27 households with 69 unique family members were assessed and referred to permanent housing programs: 25 rapid rehousing and 2 permanent supportive housing.
14 of these households have moved into their new homes with 9 more moving in on Monday the 19th. The two households referred to permanent supportive housing are waiting on placements and 2 households declined HSH’s offer of housing assistance.
Big thank you the HSH staff, the Homeless Outreach Team, Compass Family Services, Episcopal Community Services, and Park Merced who are working together to smoothly transition these households from their RVs to new homes, just in time for the new school year. This work includes outreach, eligibility assessment, subsidy administration, unit viewing, leases signings, moving in support, furniture purchases, utility activation, landlord engagement, and ongoing social services.
For households receiving Rapid Rehousing subsidies, the household pays approximately 30% of their income towards the rent and the subsidy makes up the difference. Households will receive rental assistance for 2 years with the opportunity to extend based on their unique circumstances.
Emily Cohen, Deputy Director for Communications & Legislative Affairs, San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing
Dr. Edward Yee Responds:
Dr. Yee did not respond to the question.
This is a special election feature to inform readers in District 7 about the candidates positions. Got a question? Send it to the editor, editorATwestsideobserver.com
August 28, 2024
Supervisor Myrna Melgar and challengers Stephen Martin-Pinto, Dr. Edward Yee and Matt Boschetto respond to the Westside Observer.
Since the budget-related closure of the Mental Health Rehabilitation Facility at SFGH (MHRF) ten years ago, the Health Department began relocating mentally troubled patients, including those with drug addiction behaviors, to Laguna Honda Hospital, mixing them with frail senior and disabled populations. Problems of cohorting patients began immediately, culminating in the loss of certification.
What would you recommend to the Health Department to permanently fix the problem, or do you think the steps that have been initiated to regain certification are sufficient?
Stephen Martin-Pinto Responds:
The failure of the Department of Public Health to understand the second and third order effects of not properly sorting and quarantining patients with mental illness and drug addiction from the senior and disabled populations was profound. It was clear that the proper risk assessment of mixing patient populations was never completed. This was a failure of leadership and I have concerns in the competency within the Department of Public Health. I would do a deep dive investigation into who made the decision to move these incompatible patient populations next to each other, and how it was approved and justified.
Patients with drug addiction and mental illness issues may need to be isolated from the general population, and there should be physical barriers (such as locked doors and security) and administrative barriers (such as signage and written policies limiting visiting hours) between the various populations. A system of continuous assessments needs to be created, evaluating residents for improvements in mental condition or sobriety. As patients improve, they may need to be moved to different parts of the Laguna Honda Hospital facility, and a plan should be made for this as well.
It was clear that the proper risk assessment of mixing patient populations was never completed. This was a failure of leadership and I have concerns in the competency within the Department of Public Health. It was clear that the proper risk assessment of mixing patient populations was never completed. This was a failure of leadership and I have concerns in the competency within the Department of Public Health.”
Essentially this was a failure of supervision and planning. I would hold those who made and approved the decision to mix incompatible patient populations together accountable, and if necessary, search for competent qualified leadership to manage the Department of Public Health and Laguna Honda Hospital facility.
Matt Boschetto Responds:
Since the closure of the facility at SFGH ten years ago, relocating mentally troubled patients, including those with drug addiction behaviors, to Laguna Honda Hospital has caused significant issues. These problems culminated in the loss of certification due to the mixing of frail senior and disabled populations with patients requiring different care levels. While our elected leaders have been part of the recent recertification process, it’s crucial to recognize that their failure to address the underlying issues contributed to the crisis.
The failure of Proposition C and the overemphasis on permanent housing contributed to these issues by neglecting the need for comprehensive treatment services. Addressing these failures and implementing these solutions will ensure that Laguna Honda and similar institutions remain certified and provide the highest quality of care.”
To achieve permanent stability and prevent future lapses in certification, the Health Department must address the root causes of patient cohorting issues. This includes establishing specialized facilities for mentally troubled patients and those with addiction behaviors to ensure appropriate care without compromising the safety and well-being of frail seniors and disabled individuals. Reinstituting stringent screening and admission policies is essential to prevent mixing incompatible patient populations, reducing violence and drug use within facilities. Increased funding for mental health services is crucial to provide adequate support for all patients, reducing the need to relocate them to inappropriate settings.
The failure of Proposition C and the overemphasis on permanent housing contributed to these issues by neglecting the need for comprehensive treatment services. Addressing these failures and implementing these solutions will ensure that Laguna Honda and similar institutions remain certified and provide the highest quality of care. Real change requires addressing these underlying issues, not just temporary fixes.
Supervisor Myrna Melgar:
Laguna Honda Hospital is a City treasure and we must ensure its sustainability. The recent decertification crisis has been averted for now, thanks to the hard work of staff, and the City’s leadership who all came together to address all the findings that led to the decertification in the first place.
Now that California voters have made funding available to build facilities for this population in proposition 1, I think we need to plan to build a facility for this specific use.”
The initial incident that resulted in the hospital being scrutinized was due to drugs being found on a patient, but many of the subsequent findings in the survey that led to the decertification were not. Many of the findings had to do with protocols, some even had to do with the physical facility. The population of folks who have substance use disorder and/or mental illness is here in our city and many of these folks are aging, and homeless. Now that California voters have made funding available to build facilities for this population in proposition 1, I think we need to plan to build a facility for this specific use.
Dr. Edward Yee Responds:
Dr. Yee did not respond to the question.
This is a special election feature to inform readers in District 7 about the candidates positions. Got a question? Send it to the editor, editorATwestsideobserver.com
July 19, 2024
Supervisor Myrna Melgar and challengers Stephen Martin-Pinto, Dr. Edward Yee and Matt Boschetto respond to the Westside Observer. Editors Note: We initially left out candidate Boschetto; we regret the error.
Mayor Breed has proposed an unprecedented rollback of San Francisco’s height and density limitations that would allow six-eight story buildings in areas previously zoned for one and two-story construction. All three candidates for Supervisor in District 7 have responded.
The zoning map from the Planning Commission of Proposed Upzoning as of February 2024
Supervisor Melgar Responds
I support upzoning commercial and transportation corridors consistent with the SF Housing Element, which was passed unanimously by the Board of Supervisors last year.
District 7 must build all kinds of housing to help San Francisco meet its targets, but it must also do it to meet the needs of our own people today and tomorrow. We have a diverse population - we need housing for middle-class folks, and we need low-income housing. We need larger units for families, and we also have an aging population so we need smaller units for seniors. We need housing for students — District 7 is home to SFSU, City College and UCSF Parnassus. This past year we made it much easier for homeowners to add in-law units, up to 3 more units to their single family homes.
The draft plan that the Planning Department has shared with the public still needs work, and as Chair of the Land Use and Transportation Committee of the Board of Supervisors, I will work to ensure this plan responds to the needs of our district, and meets our commitments by the 2026 deadline.”
As a City, we have also committed to climate action goals, so we are planning to build the most housing where it is close to public transportation so that future generations can be less car dependent. We have several large sites that are already entitled for denser housing, like the Balboa Reservoir, which will be 50% affordable and Stonestown.
The draft plan that the Planning Department has shared with the public still needs work, and as Chair of the Land Use and Transportation Committee of the Board of Supervisors, I will work to ensure this plan responds to the needs of our district, and meets our commitments by the 2026 deadline.
6-8 story buildings would be OK if the plan is executed as is.
Stephen Martin-Pinto Responds:
The plan needs further refinement.
It does not consider limitations of street size, infrastructure, and geologic conditions in many locations. For example, according to the planning department webpage, it shows the 19th Avenue corridor slated for high-rise upzoning between Sloat and Junipero Serra Boulevards, even though the properties indicated are on Stonecrest and Denslowe Drives, two very narrow residential streets inappropriate for high-rise development.
It would be more appropriate to shift this development onto Stonestown, Parkmerced, or San Francisco State University property. The greenbelts on Junipero Serra Boulevard and Brotherhood Way should remain – we have few greenbelts and park neighborhoods in San Francisco, and these should be protected.
I agree that we can add stories to buildings along West Portal and Ocean Avenues, however I do think that the 85 foot height-limit is too aggressive for those streets and likely to cause unnecessary and avoidable blowback. I think that 2-6 story limits are an acceptable building height limit in most locations on those corridors, and even modest height increases can yield substantial housing stock in a minimally contentious way.
I believe that, with some policy adjustments, we can stabilize and even reduce housing costs in San Francisco. The permitting process for new construction should be audited, and permits that are unclear, unnecessary, and contradictory should be deconflicted and eliminated.”
Ultimately, it's about striking a balance of protecting and preserving our neighborhoods and communities while providing for more housing in the least contentious and most sensible manner, and the mayor's proposed zoning change plan does not meet this objective. To me it’s evident that the mayor’s plan was drafted by someone who is not quite familiar with the neighborhoods of San Francisco.
I believe that, with some policy adjustments, we can stabilize and even reduce housing costs in San Francisco. The permitting process for new construction should be audited, and permits that are unclear, unnecessary, and contradictory should be deconflicted and eliminated.
Rent control policies should be modified to entice more landlords to enter the market and increase housing supply. Affordable housing requirements should be replaced with a voucher system that allows for more freedom of choice and flexibility in living locations and situations.
Infrastructure needs to be integrated into this zoning plan.
It must be sequentially implemented as one change will cause perturbation and possible unforeseen ripples.
Matt Boschetto Responds:
I believe the upzoning plan has been politically disastrous in District 7. While most West Side residents want to build more housing, they also care deeply about quality of life, neighborhood character, and community voice. For District 7 voters, these priorities are not mutually exclusive and must be balanced thoughtfully. Any plan that overlooks this fact either misunderstands or disregards what many constituents want.
I understand the logic behind upzoning to satisfy the state's housing mandate. However, the extent of the upzoning has caused significant opposition, hampering progress on housing issues in our district. I firmly believe District 7 can meet its housing goals without compromising our neighborhoods. By focusing on the least contentious and highest probability parcels, we can build more units while preserving community harmony.
There are excellent examples of this approach in District 7, with nearly ten thousand units, many of them affordable, in the pipeline at the Balboa Reservoir, Park Merced, and Stonestown developments. This volume demonstrates that our district can produce housing effectively while uniting the community rather than dividing it.
As District 7 Supervisor, I promise to stand up for residents while prioritizing sensible housing development across the city. My focus will be on market dynamics and finding solutions that incentivize developers to break ground. If we are to prioritize housing, we must stop overburdening landlords and developers with excessive subsidies and regulations. From cumbersome planning processes to overly stringent rent control policies and affordable housing requirements, the current environment has made real estate investment too risky and stagnant.
Further movement in this direction by leaders more familiar with City Hall politics than market dynamics will only hinder our progress toward a more affordable and abundant housing market. I am committed to bridging this gap and ensuring that District 7 can grow responsibly, maintaining the unique character and quality of life that our residents cherish."
This is a special election feature to inform readers in District 7 about the candidates positions. Got a question? Send it to the editor.
The Navy’s Parcel F Radiological Impaction map was excluded from the Record of Decision of September 2024. Raw data was also excluded from environmental testing for radionuclides.
Ruling that “cruel and unusual punishment” does not apply to fining, ticketing, or even arresting homeless (even when there are no public shelters available),overturning the 9th Circuit Court.
Yearly, as much as 1.2 billion gallons of combined stormwater runoff and sewage containing feces, bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and trash are dumped into the Bay.
The Navy’s Parcel F Radiological Impaction map was excluded from the Record of Decision of September 2024. Raw data was also excluded from environmental testing for radionuclides.
Over the next two months, each mayoral candidate will have an evening to greet attendees and answer questions in a laid-back “meet the candidate” event.
5 supervisors put Prop K on the Ballot, unannounced and at the last minute. No community input, no questions answered, no concerns addressed, no discussion by the Supervisors.
They originally consisted of fifteen residents and UCSF workers, located within six blocks of the western fence line of the NRDL campus and industrial landfill”
Ruling that “cruel and unusual punishment” does not apply to fining, ticketing, or even arresting homeless (even when there are no public shelters available),overturning the 9th Circuit Court.
On the last day the Supervisors could put an initiative on ballot, Engardio and Melgar pounced and forwarded the legislation to the Department of Elections.
Once just a border of California native plants around the garden’s perimeter, providing habitat and nourishment for local fauna it’s now a beautiful neighborhood gem.
City hase long minimized the root cause of LHH’s dysfunction and decertification. Just look at the self-congratulatory Press Release announcing its re-opening.
SFMTA’s Plan for West Portal Station Pushes Buttons
by Maura Corkery
West Portal merchants, residents, and long-time frequenters have weighed in for months on the City’s plan to institute significant new traffic regulations and barriers primarily at the mouth of the MUNI station.
Newsom—Declare a Public Health Emergency at Hunters Point
by Dr. Ahimsa Porter Sumchai
The Precautionary Principle affirms SF’s leaders duty to prevent harm through anticipatory action. ‘There is a duty to take anticipatory action to prevent harm.”
Since the Mental Health Rehabilitation Facility closed, the City began relocating mentally troubled and drug addicted patients to LHH, mixing them with frail senior and disabled populations.
It’s not only how schools are funded but how important topics are taught. At stake is what our children learn about democracy as well as about their rights and responsibilities as citizens.
West Portal accounts for 6% of the City’s accidents; after the implementation of Project Zero in 2014, accidents of every kind in the West Portal area have dropped from 20% - 48%.
Right now, there’s no timeline or budget for this project. The SFMTA admitted it had not conducted a preliminary cost/benefit analysis despite the multi-million-dollar deficit they’re facing this year.
The men the American people admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth.” Thus spoke H. L. Mencken
There is a dire shortage of nursing home beds in SF—especially for those on Medi-Cal—which pays for chronic long-term care when a resident cannot afford $15,000 a month.
Mayor Breed has proposed an unprecedented rollback of San Francisco’s height and density limitations that would allow six story buildings in areas previously zoned for one and two-story construction
The format made it difficult for candidates to evade tough questions—all four seasoned politicians are skilled in. Even non-politician Lurie was not exempt.
A confluence of major legal actions has moved forward to pretrial deposition testimony in BVHP Residents v Tetra Tech brought by SFPD and whistleblowers under the False Claims Act.
Removal of the weedy species is necessary. All plants have natural predators in their native ranges, but landscape plants imported from, say, across the ocean, left their predators there.
While gasoline tax-paying automobile owners finance the streets of San Francisco San Francisco’s Budget finances the SF Bicycle Coalition, a private entity?
SFMTA still has no quantifiable road safety data other than right turns are bad, left turns are bad, fast-moving cars are dangerous, slow-moving cars are dangerous, cars are bad, and bikes are good.
Local school board elections used to be sleepy affairs. No more. Political activists now pay close attention to these local contests — for good reasons.
Despite a surplus of water in our reservoirs sufficient to withstand a drought for four years, the SFPUC has imposed a drought surcharge on San Francisco ratepayers.
The previous City Administrator was a protégé of Willie Brown—resigned due to corruption. The current City administrator is a protégé of a protégé of Willie Brown.
With housing and commercial vacancies like Park Merced and businesses still closing downtown, on Market Street, and in most neighborhoods, it’s dogging the Mayor’s election.
The devastating effect of drug addiction is evident from the human wreckage ...Yes, it’s a nationwide plague. But SF overdose rates are twice the national average.
“It is a significant reconfiguration of the street. A two-way bikeway would replace existing parking. Bus stops would relocate from the curb to new transit boarding islands in traffic lanes.
If you do get into a shelter — they’ll take away your belongings, you can’t have a pet, you can’t have visitors and after a few days or a week, you’ll likely be turned out on the street again with nothing.
Two surprises. Republican Steve Garvey, and Democrat Adam Schiff were the top two finishers. Schiff concentrated on making Garvey his opponent rather than Barbara Lee and Katie Porter.
Unfortunately,it also has many disadvantages. The gas is explosive. It needs to be compressed or converted into other chemicals, such as liquid ammonia...
Every five years, the EPA determines the success of superfund cleanups
New Shipyard Report Confirms: Unsafe for Habitation
by Dr. Ahimsa Porter Sumchai
Take-home message: Cleanup efforts in 15 parcels and sites do not protect residents from hazardous substances, pollutants, and contaminants emanating from the dirty base
Unlike Flint, we don’t use salt to deice roads. However, if we over-tax our ground aquifers, we could draw salt from the Pacific into our drinking water.
Just when Laguna Honda seemed to be turning the corner on its struggle toward reform, three law firms have teamed up to expand their Class Action lawsuit.
“Tamales are such a delicate process... things like the balance of masa to filling, or how long you steam them for, or how tightly they’re wrapped in their husks And time... timing is crucial to ensure they do not become dry and tough.
New proposed location for Ocean View Library is ideal
by Glenn Rogers
Few were surprised when Supervisor Safai learned the library was not to be built in the Greenbelt — he feared the worst. No library at all.Since 2023, the Library Commission has been considering 466 Randolph Street, where the I.T. Bookman Community Center and the Pilgrim Community Church are located.
When the runways for the Alameda Naval Air Station were extended out into the bay—using dredged bay fill, the same way Treasure Island was created — they crossed over the city line. The federal government apparently didn't know or care.
The March 5 election is fast approaching. The San Francisco Department of Elections will start mailing all registered voters automatic vote-by-mail ballots in early February.
Your local self-appointed sage hopes Trump is barred from his presidential candidacy by high courts such as the Supremes. (And I don't mean the singing group!).
UCSF proposes settlement for Joseph Miranda and his radioactive truck
ONE BIG MAN — ONE HOT TRUCK!
by Dr. Ahimsa Porter Sumchai
Two UCSF workers with respiratory disease, cancer and lung disease were not evacuated during shipyard landfill fire that erupted in “green, yellow, and orange” flames.
Assessing Judge Bergert’s use of mental health diversions
by Lou Barberini
Fortunately for Mendez, he appeared in ultra-liberal Judge Michael Begert’s court. Despite Mendez’s failure to comply with diversion, Begert nevertheless granted Mendez “mental health diversion’ (again).
Newsom, Breed, and SF’s Supervisors may all have taken a hands-off waiting game approach I knew Nancy and her good government advocacy for years, sometimes crossing her path when we both attended meetings at City Hall.
The unreliability of American and San Francisco media today is not new to our country. Neither is the people's right to discard biased, unsound judges.
To families parked along Winston Drive the dreaded December 19 date is less than a month away. Four-hour parking restrictions approved by SFMTA will certainly upend their lives and dampen their holiday spirits.
Neighbors apprehend a thief in the act, but will he be back on the street?
A Man Walks Into a Walgreens ...
by Michael Antonini
Aware that his escape was implausible, or perhaps it was the ear-splitting sound of approaching police cars, the thief turned and ran back into the Walgreens
The Judge denied a motion to detain an alleged drug dealer despite the defendant had over half a kilo of drugs, including 170.8 grams of fentanyl, enough to kill 85,400 people.
Delayed Inspections Mean Dumping More Seniors Out-of-County
Laguna Honda Hospital’s Endless Waiting Game
by Patrick Monette-Shaw
Newsom, Breed, and SF’s Supervisors may all have taken a hands-off waiting game approach to LHH’s Medicare recertification inspection process that will take four months to complete.
Falling advertisements, digital transitions and major lay-offs plague journalists
by Dr. Derek Kerr
Emilio Garcia-Ruiz worried about the New York Times becoming a “huge competitor” in the Bay Area by “undercutting the market on subscription costs to $1/week.
At last! SFUSD has identified why students aren’t learning. Ready? The real cause is White Supremacy. That’s right. White Supremacy Culture is preventing our students from learning.
The unreliability of American and San Francisco media today is not new to our country. Neither is the people's right to discard biased, unsound judges.
It effectively punishes hundreds, if not thousands, who want to participate in our local government. Even worse, it will force those who have disabilities to disclose their special needs. Or face the burden of traveling to City Hall.
District Elections, London Breed & the Housing Exageration
by Quentin Kopp
Construction of new housing? I’ve concluded from present vacancies and dispirited new home construction the matter is extravagantly exaggerated by City Hall politicians and local media.
Owner Diana Zogaric has little time to bemoan setbacks. She notes that the original owner, Douglas Shaw, opened the business during the Great Depression in 1931.
SF has lost 1,381 Skilled Nursing Facility beds. If LHH loses 120 more beds it will leave only 2,161 meanwhile 4,186 patients were discharged to other counties in 2022.
Laguna Honda’s battle to keep 120 skilled nursing beds is unnecessary.
Patrick Monette-Shaw
LHH’s bedrooms exceed the minimum square-foot restrictions. They have sliding doors between each bedroom — essentially making them all private, single-person rooms.
It’s time to assess Prop 47’s havoc on the safety of San Franciscans
by Lou Barberini
Before Prop 47 eliminated California Penal Code section 666, a police officer could charge a thief with a criminal history with “felony theft with-priors” and take him to county jail.
Pretend you're an alien (E.T.) come to earth in human form to live and learn and even to rationally guide humans who have lost their way. You land in San Francisco.
Don't Let High Rises in the Sunset Overshadow Other City Hall Absurdities
by Quentin Kopp
Have any such housing units been built? Of course not! strong>Why? Probably because there’s no market for them. Why not? Because the population has declined
Some say a little bit of corruption greases the wheels. Just don't kid yourself ... each of these words, Social Impact Partnering, are buzzwords. There's a reason for that.
The neighborhood was much different then. Yellow and white margaritas were everywhere in wild areas on the south and north side of Alemany Blvd. There was no Highway 280.
City Family’s coziness with contractors sustains a “Homeless-Industrial-Complex." Politically-connected entrepreneurs are awarded City contracts and return the favor.
Giving a complaint to the “Ethics” Commission is like giving a complaint to a black hole. Your complaint goes in and the chance that anything comes out is slim.
Laguna Honda Finally Hires a Nursing Home Administrator
Patrick Monette-Shaw
After 20 years without a licensed Nursing Home Administrator at the helm, that will change. At last someone knowledgeable about Federal nursing home regulations will be in charge.
The Health Department burned down a village of Chinese fishermen dependent on the lucrative shrimping industry when the Navy purchased the 934-acre property using eminent domain for the Naval Shipyard.
It Could lead to more arrests of protestors, minorities, or anyone the State considers a threat if artificial intelligence is designed and executed improperly.
It took courage for the Public Guardian to file suit. Hopefully, the public will learn the full extent of the scandal. The timing couldn’t be worse for LHHs struggle to survive.
April 14th is the anniversary of Laguna Honda's decertification
Just Released—Laguna Honda Hospital's Revised Closure Plan
Patrick Monette-Shaw
LHH mostly serves low-income, medically indigent patients, likely to face discharges, exile, and displacement to out-of-county facilities, away from their families, and support networks.
Fentanyl overdoses have killed more San Franciscans than COVID. Yet, SF fails to prosecute dealers; no convictions for fentanyl sales in 2021. Most dealers are granted diversion.
The history of liberty is the history of the limitations on the power of government. And the provenance of government usually expands on federal, state and local levels
Xylazine is infiltrating North American fentanyl and heroin supplies. It is causing more fatal overdoses, zombie-like intoxication— addictions that are harder to treat than simple fentanyl dependency.
Controller's estimated $290 million deficit — $90.1 million more than projected in January. For the next two fiscal years, the shortfall is projected at $779.8 million.
Billions and Billions Later, California's High-speed Rail Future Is Still Illusive
by Quentin Kopp
The project cost for the non-high speed rail portion in the Central Valley increased last month to $35.3 billion from $25.2 billion. It obtains money from a cap-and-trade program which adds 23 cents to every gasoline gallon besides the state’s 53.9 cents tax per gallon
For decades, the City has allowed weaker standards for buildings shorter than 240 feet — no signs of seriously considering these structural deficiencies.
This mural is currently on loan from City College to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) —
The agreement includes the return of the mural to City College which has been its owner and guardian since 1940.
In third grade...nearly 60% of students are not yet proficient in reading — students can't “read to learn” until they have successfully learned to read.
Is it true that none of Mayor Breed’s four nominees for the Homelessness and Supportive Housing Oversight Board seem to have any experience or credentials in dealing with the problems of homeless citizens?
Did 20 years of mismanagement prompt the Feds to intervene?
The Bungled Management of Laguna Honda
Patrick Monette-Shaw
Kanaley had no experience running a skilled nursing facility whatsoever and certainly no experience or training to run a 1,200-bed nursing home with approximately 1,500 employees
Newsom violated ethics laws by signing into law Shipyard redevelopment measures he sponsored before the Board of Supervisors and accepted the transfer of Parcel A at the cost of one dollar
Poor people seldom end up on the street. But, addicted and mentally ill people become “disaffiliated” from supporters – a key determinant of street homelessness
30% of Parkmerced's 3,221 units are vacant. If the Prop M Vacant Unit Tax does not encourage lower rents, the City might purchase them at a bargain, making thousands of new units available...
Madam Mayor parties down as City is deluged in “atmospheric river”
Mayor's Clueless New Years Fumble Signels Trouble
by Dr. Ahimsa Sumchai
Adorned in a feather boa and accompanied by City Attorney David Chiu, Breed's City Officials were oblivious to the massive flooding NASA satellite images predicted December 16, 2022.
A huge number of students who enter high school are not proficient in English and math — almost 45 percent of SFUSD 8th graders are not proficient in English. More than half are not proficient in math
...the mission of a nursing home is to promote resident autonomy. This is not compatible with the treatment of persons with unstable behavioral issues, which requires structure and agreement to "house rules." If LHH continues admitting persons with active substance use or unstable mental illness, we will lose Laguna Honda.
Willie Brown predicted the Central Subway would reduce (can you imagine?) Muni’s operating costs by $23.9 million annually. Muni’s operating costs will now increase by more than $25 million per year.
Renne sought to take credit for the Tobacco Settlement Revenue lawsuit. It was used, in part, to pay for the LHH rebuild project. Renne had done no such thing.
Climate reparations dominated Egypt's UN Climate Change Summit this month — overburdened communities demand help cutting emissions, adapting to climate change…and compensation for damages!
Since its inception, the SOTF has been a thorn in City Hall’s backside. Why? ... Engaged citizens and journalists seek more information than officialdom likes to share.
Audit non-profit agencies and City contracts to ensure that services are provided ... especially those providing homeless services. ...revenue-generating departments need to ensure all revenue sources are addressed
You won't see from downtown what you can see from Mt. Tam. Out here at Ocean Beach the nighttime fog makes viewing an occasional event. Happy skywatching!
Despite these commitments to ensure safe and minimally-stressful transfers ... it did not fully grasp the number and complexity of LHH patients. So, LHH was “pigeon-holed into rules applying to standard nursing homes.
City Leaders Value Saving Money Over Saving Lives and Property
by Frank T. Blackburn and Nancy Wuerfel
Mayor Breed remains blissfully silent on the need to extend adequate fire protection to approximately half the City, even though she has knowledge of Fire Department needs having been a fire commissioner in 2010.
D5 gets $50,000 for tree planting. D8, $246,000 for sidewalk gardens and street trees. And that's it for the entire City. If there is a climate emergency you wouldn't know it from San Francisco.”
There is a need for a routine and consistent review of this facility. Programs that exist here are rarely audited, and when they are, the list of improvements required is long and important.
Time to Shine a Brighter Light on SFUSD Chronic Absences
by Carol Kocivar
Children living in poverty are two to three times more likely to be chronically absent—and face the most harm because their community lacks the resources to make up for the lost learning in school.
As of July 11, just 623 patients remain at LHH, compared to 681 in May. Most have been transferred to San Mateo nursing homes. Three went to homeless shelters.
Power plant emissions formed black soot on windows and doorways in their homes and triggered asthma attacks, headaches and nosebleeds in their children. Residents led the successful fight that ultimately closed the PG&E Hunters Point power plant in 2006
Farmers Market and St. Ignatious in Tug-of-war over parking spaces
by Jonathan Farrell
...the farmers market gets: 2000-6000 visitors per weekend. Whereas if the area were ceded back for Saint Ignatius’s parking needs they would serve about 60 cars...
LHH was given 6 months to correct its deficiencies. A follow-up inspection found persistent - and seemingly worse - drug and contraband use, despite LHH’s Plan of Correction.
Will Laguna Honda Solve Its Problems By Abandoning 120 More Patient Beds?
Patrick Monette-Shaw
Both consultants provided “preliminary assessment reports” of their initial recommendations. Only HMA’s “preliminary assessment report” has been made public.
Everybody involved knew that adding “unstable” adults brought disarray and danger to Laguna Honda's seniors. Most folks just went along. Now they’re surprised?
The report concludes groundwater “may” become contaminated as sea level rises. In fact, Shipyard groundwater was documented as“contaminated” where thousands of homes are being constructed.
“It seems preposterous to put a library on a congested thoroughfare when there are better places that are safer for pedestrians to use,” one community member said.
People are frustrated and spurt out the word “segregated”
That's because SFUSD has failed to prepare all ethnicities for a rigorous academic high school.
41% of companies allow employees to relocate permanently to any state freely, while companies that do not allow the employees to relocate elsewhere represent only 5%.
The moderates only need to flip one district from the progressive side of the aisle to preclude the veto power of the Board of Supervisors, since the mayor appointed moderate Supervisor Matt Dorsey ... the Redistricting Task Force handed moderates a perfect set up to do just that.
If a mandatory reduction is ordered, there will be a “floor” or minimum allocation per person so that those who have conserved, and now conserve, will not be penalized.
...competence erodes as conscientious employees get marginalized and lackeys are promoted. This consolidation promotes impunity. Betraying the public trust is normalized.
Violent Thug Attacks, Robs Asian Visitor—Goes Free
Boudin's famed "puppy killer" strikes again
by Lou Barberini
Boudin and the judge circumvented diversion rules because violent criminals are “not eligible” for diversion programs. Why did Boudin send someone to drug diversion if they weren’t arrested for drugs?”
Despite the fact that discharge is not legally required (yet) at Laguna Honda, all patients and their families are being interviewed for discharge and this is causing a lot of stress.
Too bad no one saw this coming......oh, a group of doctors from Laguna Honda did.
They would have us believe he’s responsible for the statistical rise in crime that’s occurred since the pandemic. Research, however, suggests otherwise...
Over time, those special interests have proven adept at using the same “peoples protections” to further their own interests. Recalls are expensive, and a few of San Francisco’s bitterest billionaires buy low-turnout elections when they disagree with the voters...
41% of companies allow employees to relocate permanently to any state freely, while companies that do not allow the employees to relocate elsewhere represent only 5%.
...there are issues that can unite us.. We all want to support our educators who have been doing the hard work every day despite a pandemic and political feud.
Could the motivation behind all of this be to create such a god-awful divisive plan and create so much anger that the voters would just throw up their hands and get rid of it altogether?
Taylor minced no words … the results of her 1995 investigation displeased health officials and influenced her decision not to publish significant findings, “I was convinced there was something there
Chair Townsend's Solution to African-American Population Decline Will Likely Result in a Lawsuit Redistricting's latest map has everyone on edge, scrambling to find out who their new Supervisor will be.
Three new Board of Education commissioners were appointed last month by Mayor London Breed who promises implicitly that SFUSD will somehow conquer a budget deficit of over $125,000,000.
District 7 reclaims Forest Knolls, Twin Peaks, Midtown Terrace, the Woods and Miraloma Park from District 8 as well as all of Lakeshore and Merced Manor from District 4, but loses ground entirely in the Inner Sunset.
Lowell high school's merit-based admission policy is perfectly legal. We’ve looked at the language of the law, the history of the law and the intent of the law. We've done our homework.
As additional funding for supportive housing services through programs like Project Home Key become available, radical reform of board and care programming and funding will be necessary to maintain and expand this crucial resource.
Civil rights laws have been enacted to protect people who are being denied equal access and opportunity. The closure is a violation of the ADA and California disability rights laws.
Donald Trump, disregards 42,000,000 Ukrainians by lauding Putin’s “genius” in invading Ukraine. I urge readers to divest themselves of any reverence or respect for Trump, a draft-dodger, who could demolish the Republican Party.
Labor Union Sues City for Corruption and Retaliation
Union Lawsuit Reveals "City Family" Backroom Maneuvers
by Dr. Derek Kerr
Why does the FBI manage to unearth City Hall corruption, while our watchdog agencies; the Controller’s Whistleblower Program, Ethics Commission and City Attorney’s Office cry “What happened?
… instead of looking seriously into what could be done to solve the coupling problem … henceforth the trains operating in the subway would be only one and two cars long.
Limit plastic used in wrapping done by on-line shopping? Since the pandemic, online shopping has created 29% more waste in landfills which can end up in our oceans
SFPUC: Controllers Audit Reveals Compromised Bid Process
by Dr. Derek Kerr
Most contractors lagged in delivering community benefits and submitting required progress reports. And, once a contract ended, undelivered benefits were not recoverable. SFPUC had no policies to monitor compliance.
Ideally, police can stop “sideshows” before they happen with intel from undercover officers and by monitoring social media accounts that announce where sideshows will be. That was not evident in West Portal & 30th/Lawton incidents
Ginsburg, working with the SF Bicycle Coalition and Walk SF, have banned cars on JFK Drive and the Upper Great Highway during the pandemic. Plans are being made make the bans permanent ...
Drivers ... good news for you: the vast majority of streets are dominated by cars! You can drive on all the roads, which is why a radical change is necessary.
Moving physically - or mentally-challenged patients is clearly detrimental to their health...leaving fragile patients stranded, miles away from their families and friends
Does the City care what your rates are? The Commission recently passed a resolution to guide Herrera. It lacks anything about keeping rates as low as possible.
