Community updates

by Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer

Dear neighbors:

I hope you’ve been able to swing by Frank McCoppin Elementary School, on Sixth Avenue and Balboa Street, to see “Generation of Hope,” a stunning new mural created by a collaboration of McCoppin, Asian American Women Artists Association and talented artists Erin Yoshi and Frankie Gomez. This amazing artwork won the 2018 Activation Award from San Francisco Beautiful!

I was honored to join the celebration of the 130th anniversary of Central Chinese High School, a community treasure that has educated and empowered generations of students in learning Chinese language and culture. I had so much fun volunteering with my sister, cousin, aunt, uncle and others to make food for hungry golfers and crab lovers in order to support activities for Chinatown YMCA families.

The Internet Archive is one of the coolest places in the Richmond and I was happy to honor them during their annual bash. I joined the mayor, Walk San Francisco, SF Municipal Transit Agency, SF Police Department (SFPD) and George Peabody Elementary School’s Safe Routes to Schools Program on Walk and Roll to School Day.

I also did a walk and talk with the SF Bicycle Coalition, Mayor’s Office on Disability and teams from the California Academy of Sciences and M.H. deYoung Memorial Museum to discuss improving accessibility and safety issues in Golden Gate Park.

I was proud to stand in solidarity with striking hotel workers from Unite Here Local 2 on the picket line and urge Marriott to deliver a contract that gives these workers a living wage and better working conditions. As a former hotel worker myself, I know how hard the job is, especially when you’re not making a living wage.

My office hosted a Public Safety Town Hall with SFPD Chief Bill Scott, Capt. Michelle Jean of the Richmond Station and Commander David Lazar. We had a great conversation with neighbors about pedestrian safety in the Richmond and other citywide policing issues.

Many thanks to Friends of the Urban Forest and volunteers who came out to do a “One Richmond thing” by beautifying our hood with sidewalk gardens.

Thank you also to all of the neighbors who came out to the fifth annual Wine on the Westside event to benefit the Richmond District Neighborhood Center’s home delivered groceries program. This program, with a network of volunteers who commit to weekly deliveries, helps build food-security for hundreds of seniors in our neighborhood.

I had a great time at the spook-tacular fall carnival put on by the Lafayette Elementary School P.T.A.

I was excited to unveil the artwork of Richmond District resident Eddie Ahn on AT&T utility boxes. Ahn is one of the artists who developed the One Richmond brand and logo, and we are so lucky to have his beautiful artwork all over the neighborhood!

Artist Eddie Ahn (right) joins members of the community for the
unveiling of his new artwork, which covers 10 AT&T boxes. Photo: Paul Kozakiewicz

Thank you to neighbors for participating in the second “greenbelt community” meeting to identify priorities and improvements for the greenbelt.

I am thrilled that two One Richmond businesses: the Balboa Theater and House of Bagels, have been approved to be added to the city’s legacy business registry! I was proud to nominate both of these businesses and speak in favor of their approval in front of the SF Small Business Commission. Remember to support our local One Richmond businesses.

Inside City Hall

In October, the SF Board of Supervisors unanimously passed my legislation to create a Cannabis Oversight Committee. This committee will convene representatives of cannabis business operators, workers, patients and key stakeholders to oversee the Office of Cannabis and its implementation of our local cannabis regulations. It will also provide recommendations to the mayor and Board of Supervisors on amendments that can be made to local regulations in order to facilitate socially-responsible growth of this new industry by creating living wage jobs and economic opportunities for those hit hardest by the “war on drugs.”

After weeks of negotiations, SF Supervisor Hillary Ronen and I successfully reached an agreement with Mayor London Breed, leaders from the Labor Council, SEIU 2015, SEIU 1021 and our colleagues on the Board of Supervisors to provide an immediate wage increase for some of San Francisco’s lowest-paid home health care workers and nonprofit workers. This is extremely good news for the more than 20,000 home health care workers who do critical work taking care of our seniors, and for the thousands of nonprofit workers who work on the front lines of homelessness and provide safety net services for our families.

I also had the honor of recognizing two exemplary SFPD officers, who went above and beyond in rescuing residents from an apartment building fire on 48th and Cabrillo. Within moments of being the first responders on the scene, officers Jarrod Yee and Michael Mellone fearlessly ran into the building, kicking down doors to rescue residents before becoming impacted by smoke inhalation. These officers put their lives on the line and the well-being of our residents first; they are true One Richmond heroes!

Community announcements

Please join us for the final community meeting on the Golden Gate Park Dog Park on Thursday, Nov. 8, at 6 p.m., at the Golden Gate Park Senior Center at 6101 Fulton St.

The proposal to renew an extension of the 10-year contract for the Outside Lands Music Festival was scheduled to be heard Nov. 1 at Rec. and Park’s Park Operations Committee. My office is requesting this item be heard at the full Rec. and Park Commission meeting in January, although it could be scheduled as early as Nov. 15. We encourage residents to email the commission at recpark.commission@sfgov. org.

San Francisco Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer represents District 1.