Potrero Hill Neighborhood House
953 De Haro St. (at Southern Heights)
6:45 PM Social
7:00 PM Business Meeting
7:45 PM Ranked Choice Voting Info from the Dept of Elections
8:00 PM Break
8:10 PM Supportive/Affordable Housing Bond should we support? Kate White, Housing Action Coalition
9:00 PM Adjourn
by Tony Kelly, President
At this month’s Boosters meeting, we'll start discussing the November 2 Ballot. The Department of Elections will have a brief informational presentation on Ranked Choice Voting (the 'instant runoff' system that's now in place for elections for supervisor, mayor, DA, and other City offices). And the folks supporting Proposition A have asked the Boosters to take a position on the Supportive and Affordable Housing Bond. Kate White of the Housing Action Coalition writes to tell us the background of the current bond.
Homelessness and housing affordability continues to be the number one concern facing San Franciscans, according to the most recent Bay Area Council report. Luckily, a comprehensive solution is on the way. After months of analysis and coalition-building, Mayor Newsom and the Supervisors have agreed on a $200 million “Supportive and Affordable Housing Bond,” which needs a two thirds vote of the electorate on the November 2nd ballot to pass. The Bond passed the Supervisors 10-1, and was signed by the Mayor on July 22.
“San Francisco continues to face one of the worst affordable housing crisis in the country,” said Mayor Newsom as he pledged his support for the Bond. “That's why we drafted a comprehensive bond that addresses the full spectrum of housing needs this city faces.”
“While the federal government is ruthlessly cutting affordable housing funds, we have an opportunity right here in San Francisco to assist our own people,” said President of the Board of Supervisors Matt Gonzalez.
The largest part of the Housing Bond, $90 million, will house the homeless a top priority of the Mayor's, helping fulfill the mission of “Care Not Cash.” An additional $60 million will house low-income families and individuals who make between $0 and $57,000 for a family of four many of whom currently live in over-crowded conditions or are forced to leave the city without the availability of housing they can afford. The final $50 million of the Bond will be split between down-payment assistance and new affordable home-ownership production.
“Having affordable housing has helped me get off the street, and get my life on track,” said Ana Gutierrez, a resident of a SoMa affordable housing development. “I only hope that many more San Franciscans will have such an opportunity to become productive members of society.”
Eileen Boken of the Sunset/Parkside Education and Action Committee submitted the following argument against Proposition A to the Coalition of San Francisco Neighborhoods:
Only eight years ago, San Francisco voters approved a Prop “A” housing bond for $100 million. Now there is yet another Prop “A” housing bond on the ballot, this time for twice that amount. If passed, the newest Prop “A” would be the largest municipal housing bond in U.S. history. It would increase the City's General Obligation Bond debt to over one billion dollars and would add all this additional debt in only five years. All this additional debt is being proposed in the context of city deficits, state deficits, layoffs and cutbacks in city services. It is also being proposed in the context of the City's bond rating. Since last year, both Standard and Poor's & Moody's have placed the City on credit watch (“negative outlook”). In May, Fitch Ratings downgraded the City's bond rating. All this additional debt is being proposed even though there is already $57 million for housing in the City's current budget as well as funds from state and federal sources.
Before any new housing bonds are approved, voters should insist on a full comprehensive audit of the 1996 housing bond funds, not just a limited one. They should also insist that all housing bond audit points be corrected. Vote No on A.
Signups for Community Email Information
In the past few months, dozens of neighborhood residents have started receiving daily updates from Captain Rick Bruce of the SFPD’s Bayview Station about the Police Department's community work and enforcement activities, and weekly updates from Supervisor Sophie Maxwell's office about her legislative work at City Hall. Do you want to receive their regular updates in your email? Here's where to send a brief request to sign up:
Police updates: Rick_Bruce@ci.sf.ca.us
Supervisor Maxwell updates: greg.asay@sfgov.org
The Boosters are now posting these regular updates on our new website bulletin board at potreroboosters.org check it out and sign up there! And, check out the Neighborhood Forum, a community board for breaking news, regular updates, and community events.
Police Department Cell Phone Numbers for Quality of Life concerns
For years now, the Boosters and other residents of Potrero Hill and the Bayview have sought a different way to contact the Police Department for non-emergency crime reports; we don't want to tie up 911, but using the department's office lines led to delays, misinformation, and inefficient service.
Captain Rick Bruce of Bayview Station writes to bring us good news:
The SFPD has obtained a number of cell phones, in order to allow residents (and others) with non-emergency police issues the opportunity to contact their assigned officers directly. The names of the officers, their respective assignments, and their phone numbers are listed below.
For abandoned autos and other vehicle-related issues, phone 254-7185. Officer Maurice Edwards will have this phone from Monday to Thursday, from 6:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
For illegal encampments, trash dumping, graffiti, etc., phone 254-7120. Officer Tim Buelow will have this phone from Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
For drug dealing, prostitution, and other related activities, phone 254-7197. This phone will be in the possession of the on-duty plainclothes unit, which changes from day to day and from watch to watch. Sgt. Carl Fabbri and Lt. Charlie Orkes will have this phone from around noon until around 11:00 p.m.
For the Potrero Hill Development, Officers Kelvin Sanders and Luis DeJesus can be reached at 509-1408. Officers Tim Fowlie and Rafael Rockwell can be reached at 987-6389.Thanks for helping us continue to make the Hill a better place to live!