Community updates

Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer

Dear Richmond District neighbors:

I hope you all are enjoying your summer! Just a reminder that August is a legislative

recess for the SF Board of Supervisors; that means that I will not be holding

neighborhood office hours this month, but will resume in September. My office

will also be closed during the week of Aug. 7, and will reopen on Monday, Aug. 14.

Commendations

I had the opportunity to honor three incredible Richmond residents in July! I presented a

commendation to Nancy DeStefanis, better known as the “Heron lady of Golden Gate

Park.” A longtime social justice advocate, DeStefanis founded the San Francisco Nature

Education program and has been serving young people and families for many years.

In May, I had the pleasure of visiting the fabulous Heron Watch program at Stow

Lake that DeStefanis runs with the help of volunteers.

I also honored two everyday heroes from the Richmond:

Dino Anderson and William Fitzgerald. Concerned by increasing income inequality, they

began to provide food and clothing to some of their homeless neighbors, and built a

relationship with Sara, a homeless elder (raised in the Seacliff) who had been sleeping in

a bus shelter on La Playa.

While providing her with meals, Anderson and Fitzgerald realized that her medical

issues were increasingly urgent and they coordinated with my office and the SF

Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing to get her medical attention.

Now, she is happily in temporary housing! Thank you to Anderson and Fitzgerald; may

you be inspiring examples for all of us.

In the neighborhood

During the month of July, there was much to celebrate! Supervisor Katy Tang and I

(along with SF Department of Public Works, Richmond District Neighborhood Center,

Surfrider Foundation and wonderful neighborhood leaders) announced

the exciting installation of 40 new cigarette butt ashcans in districts 1 and 4, to reduce

cigarette butt litter in our neighborhoods.

I connected with constituents representing the Richmond’s Russian-speaking community,

and attended a Town Hall Meeting with SF Police Chief William Scott on public safety

for the Asian Pacific Islander community. I joined the Planning Association for the

Richmond’s meeting about neighborhood news outlets, and participated in a community

meeting to discuss the upcoming summer concerts in Golden Gate Park. And, I was able

to attend the Clement Street Merchants Association’s lively summer social,

as well as the Richmond District Democratic Club’s summer soiree.

On June 30, we had a reception to highlight two Richmond District artists, Kelly Tunstall

and Ferris Plock; their art will be up in our office through September. I celebrated with

our Public Works “pothole crew,” who were dedicated to the Richmond during the month

of June; these hard workers filled a total of 368 potholes in the district.

And, finally, our heartfelt thanks to Assemblymember Phil Ting, who secured $2 million

in state funding for improvements to the Golden Gate Park dog park.

Please join us at the National Night Out at the Richmond Police Station on Aug. 1,

from 4-7 p.m. There will be a BBQ, activities, station tours and fun for the whole family.

Come meet the officers in our neighborhood.

Budget and legislative updates

In July, I called for a hearing on undergrounding utilities, estimated costs and any

progress on the development of a master plan. Undergrounding utilities is first and

foremost a safety issue.

I have concerns about the risks associated with overhead wires in the event of a disaster,

and, unfortunately, neighborhoods like the Richmond were not  included in the initial

under-grounding work that took place between 1996-2008.

My office is also working to schedule hearings on vacant storefronts, workforce

development in the technology sector, and strengthening the city’s

“good food” policy relating to local and sustainable agriculture and fair labor practices.

Finally, I am proud to share that through the city budget process, $1 million in new

resources will be coming into the Richmond District for infrastructure and

beautification, youth and family services, senior services, neighborhood safety efforts,

tenant counseling and more.

I am especially pleased to announce the funding of a new initiative called

“One Richmond,” which my office will be working on with the Mayor’s Office of

Economic and Workforce Development. Designed to uplift principles of inclusion,

interconnectedness, responsibility and supporting neighborhood resources,

like small businesses,

One Richmond will be launching sometime this fall with exciting ways for everyone to

get involved to strengthen our neighborhood.

As we enjoy the last month of summer, play safe and have fun in our wonderful

neighborhood. Let’s work together to keep it that way.

San Francisco Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer represents District 1.