Anti-Graffiti Huddle

The City is putting together an event for people who hate graffiti. Here’s the info they sent:

“Zero Graffiti for a Beautiful City”
ANTI-GRAFFITI SUPER HUDDLE

Thursday – April 23, 2009

REGISTER NOW at http://zerograffitisf.org

Hilton San Francisco Financial District Grand Ballroom
750 Kearny Street

2:45 p.m. Registration

3-5 p.m. Program

5-6 p.m. Social Hour.

You are invited to participate in the Second Anti-Graffiti Super Huddle.  At the Huddle, you will receive information about the City’s campaign to defeat graffiti vandalism and learn how to get involved.  The event will feature guest speakers, neighborhood resource tables, and a social hour where you will meet others who share your concerns and who want to take action.

The City has adopted a zero tolerance policy toward graffiti, and agencies like DPW, MUNI, Recreation and Parks and the School District, are working hard to keep public streets, parks, schools, buildings and buses free of graffiti tagging.  San Francisco property owners have been doing their part by quickly removing graffiti to keep it from spreading.  There are also hundreds of residents throughout the City who volunteer to remove graffiti in their neighborhoods.

All these efforts have paid off and there is a marked improvement in the way San Francisco looks today.  Sadly, graffiti removal costs the City more than $20,000,000 annually – funds that could be spent on badly needed services.  Graffiti vandalism will continue to be a drain on the City’s limited resources unless we do more to stop it.

Only by coming together as a community, will we be able to defeat graffiti in San Francisco.

Please join us at “Zero Graffiti for a Beautiful City” on April 23rd and help spread the word by inviting others who may be interested in attending.  You can register on-line at zerograffitisf.org or call 415-641-2600 to receive additional information about the Anti-Graffiti Super Huddle.

Office of the City Administrator/GSA

New Asia Restaurant, R&G Lounge, Portsmouth Square Garage,
Asian American Contractors Association, Building Owners and Managers
Association of San Francisco, Norcal Waste Systems, RAPIDRenu,
Shorenstein Realty Service.

Duboce Park Volunteer Day – Tomorrow

From Friends of Duboce Park:

“Our next volunteer day is this Saturday, April 11, 10 a.m.-noon. We will meet at the Scott St. Labyrinth and will be supervised by a Rec & Park gardener. The plan is to spread wood chips and do some more planting, pruning, and weeding. All supplies, tools, and gloves are provided. 30 minutes or an hour of your time makes a big difference in the appearance of the park. We meet, rain or shine.”

Playground to reopen May 1

Courtesy of the Friends of Duboce Park newsletter (subscribe!):

“The playground should be reopened by May 1, according to Keith Kawamura, Project Manager, Rec & Park. New concrete curbs next to the playground to redirect water around rather than into the playground have been installed. New pathway edging, base rock, and asphalt paving of the paths leading to the playground are in the process of being completed. Kawamura said, “we are very hopeful that we will reopen the playground prior to May 1, possibly by April 18,” the day that DogFest 2009 is being held in the park…”

Speaking of Dogfest …

Photo by Jeffrey Franey, Duboce Triangle resident

DOGFEST RETURNS SATURDAY APRIL 18

McKinley Elementary School’s DogFest returns to Duboce Park on Saturday, April 18. DogFest 2009 is a fundraising event that benefits the children of McKinely Elementary School at the corner of 14th and Castro Streets and is both a dog show and a carnival that will include jumpy houses (see picture at left) and face painting. Last year 97 dogs competed in various light-hearted contests like Best Bark and Best Ears.

The proceeds from DogFest 2009 will fill in the gaps for student enrichment programs such as art, music, and science where state and district funds continue to fall short, especially in these economic times. Registration for the Dog Show continues online or you can register in the park during the event. For more information, please e-mail dogfest@mckinleyschool.org or call Katy Wilcoxen at 710-7387.

Friends of Duboce Park

Housing in Duboce Triangle

If you’re concerned about affordable housing, and other issues about how our city will grow and be able to absorb the full diversity of San Francisco, be sure to weigh in on the 2009 Housing Element.

You can check out the progress on the plan thus far, take a survey, give direct feedback, and generally ponder the complexities of how the housing stock of our city impacts everything else. (And no, that photo isn’t from our part of the city. It’s a virtual homage to a sunny day at the end of a rainy week.)

1960 Market

Check out some images from the current proposal for 1960 Market Street:

DTNA Land Use Committee Meeting

In the spirit of transparency, here is the agenda from this month’s DTNA Land Use Committee:

Agenda

1. Announcements and Agenda changes

Guest Presentation/discussion

1. Sarah Dennis (Planning Dept)—Housing Element process
 

Internal Activities/Issues

1. DTNA’s Development Review Process – presentation/review

2. Collaborating with “sister” orgs in Upper Market/MO Area

3. Update on Committee membership recruitment for 2009
 

Development Projects

1. 2200 Market St project (aka Thai House) — update

2. 1960 Market St project (76 Station site) – situation briefing

3. 2001 Market St project (aka S & C Ford) – situation briefing

4. 2299 Market St project (x 16^th/Noe) – situation briefing

5. AT & T Utility Boxes – update

6. Mail call items/ new projects

23 Dolores Street

– 

Policy Issues & Special Projects

1. Planning Dept’s DR reform – situation briefing

2. Market/Octavia CAC – update

3. Large-scale Formula Retail on Market St corridor – discussion
 

Next Land Use Committee meeting Monday May 4th 7:30pm

Concerned about MTA fare hikes or service cuts?

Information straight from the horse’s mouth about the MTA’s hearings on potential fare increases and service cuts. Note the additional public meetings next week:

As a result of the global economic downturn, a national recession, the elimination of state funding for transit operations and a City budget deficit approaching a half billion dollars, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is facing an unprecedented budget deficit of $128.9 million for the next fiscal year that begins on July 1.  

The SFMTA Board of Directors will be considering a broad range of options to increase revenues and reduce costs.

At its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, April 7 at 2 p.m. in Room 400 at City Hall, the SFMTA Board of Directors will hold a public hearing on proposals to balance the budget. Details of the proposals are available online at www.sfmta.com/sfmtabudget and include:

• Fare and Fee Increases

Proposed increases to Muni fares and parking fees, fines and rates and a proposed extension of parking meter hours.

• Service Modifications and Reductions

Three possible comprehensive options of service cuts, reductions and modifications have been proposed.  If approved these cuts, reductions and modifications would most likely be implemented in September.  Specific details of each of these three options can be viewed at www.sfmta.com/sfmtabudget. Please note that the service cuts, reductions and modifications developed in response to the SFMTA’s unprecedented budget deficit do not represent the implementation of the Transit Effectiveness Project (TEP).  However, the proposed reductions and modifications have been informed by the data collected and the extensive public input received during the TEP planning phase.

 

• Taxi Medallions

A proposal that 100 taxi Medallions be auctioned on a pilot basis.

Declaration of Fiscal Emergency

The April 7 meeting of the SFMTA Board of Directors will also include a public hearing on a possible declaration of a “fiscal emergency” for the SFMTA for the next fiscal year, which would allow the service reductions and fare and fee increases under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

A “fiscal emergency” means that the agency is projected to have negative funding within one year from the date of declaration. It is important to note that a declaration of fiscal emergency does not by itself implement service reductions or changes to fares, fees, fines, rates and charges that support transit service.

The SFMTA last declared a fiscal emergency in 2005.

The SFMTA has also scheduled additional meetings and opportunities for public comment, which will be held as follows:

Tuesday, April 14, 9 a.m.
SFMTA Board of Directors Policy and Governance Committee
One South Van Ness Avenue, 2nd Floor Atrium Conference Room

Saturday, April 18, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Information Meeting on the SFMTA Budget and Proposed Service and Fare Changes
One South Van Ness Avenue, 2nd Floor Atrium Conference Room

Tuesday, April 21, 2 p.m.
SFMTA Board of Directors Meeting
City Hall, Room 400

Thursday, April 30, 2 p.m.
Special SFMTA Board of Directors Meeting*** on fiscal year 2010 Budget
City Hall, Room 400

*** Note: The SFMTA Board of Directors is scheduled to vote on a budget balancing plan at this meeting.

In addition to encouraging attendance at the upcoming meetings, the SFMTA requests public feedback on the budget balancing options and proposed service reductions and modifications via:

• E-mail: sfmtabudget@sfmta.com
• Telephone: 311 or TTY 415.701.2323
• Facsimile: 415.701.4502
• U.S. Mail: SFMTA Board of Directors, One South Van Ness Avenue, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94103

NOTE: All written comments on the declaration of a fiscal emergency on the Board’s April 7 agenda must be received at the SFMTA by Friday, April 10.

Following the SFMTA Board of Directors submittal of an Amended Operating Budget to the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors on May 1, the Board of Supervisors has 30 days to allow it to take effect or to reject the entirety of the Amended Budget with seven or more votes.

Earth Day Neighborhood Cleanup

Castro/Upper Market Community Clean Team

District 8

 

It’s Earth Day! Come out and Help Beautify Your Neighborhood!

Join your neighbors and other volunteers to beautify your community.

Earth Day

Saturday, April 18, 2009

   

9 am to 12 noon

Meet at Harvey Milk Plaza

 

Come Prepared To PAINT and Fill Tree Wells

- Upper Market, Castro, 17th St., 18th St. and Church Streets.

 

To volunteer go to www.castrocbd.org and click on Community Clean Team

Day. 

 

Brought to you by the S.F. Department of Public Works.

 

Thanks to our community partners: Supervisor Bevan Dufty, Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District, Merchants of Upper Market & Castro (MUMC), Eureka Valley Promotion Association