Category: Update

By Michael Barca : substandard – excerpt

San Francisco is entering uncharted territory to recoup more than $23 million that city officials say Recology shouldn’t have charged local ratepayers for trash pick-up.

Supervisor Aaron Peskin announced legislation Tuesday urging the city Controller’s Office to draft new rates that Recology can charge San Francisco customers for garbage collection.

According to Peskin, this marks the first time in nearly a century that the city—rather than Recology or its predecessors—plans to initiate rate-setting. The supervisor hopes to offset a billing increase due in July by directing the controller to kickstart the process now.

Peskin’s legislation comes a day after Controller Ben Rosenfield concluded that Recology netted $23.4 million in “excess profits” between 2018 and 2021—largely because the firm spent less on its workforcethan anticipated…(more)

By Tim Redmond : 48hills – excerpt

Speculators who use the Ellis Act to evict tenants saw their property values rise almost twice as fast as other landlords in the city, with the median haul from tossing long-term renters into the streets at $1.4 million.

That’s what a study, by the Board of Supes Budget and Legislative Analyst, makes clear—and it shows that these speculators can afford to pay far more money in relocation fees than the city currently charges.

The report was requested by Sup. Myrna Melgar, who has introduced legislation to raise the relocation fees, currently at $7,419 per tenant, to $10,000. That bill will be heard Monday/16 at the Land Use and Transportation Committee.

Melgar is seeking to raise the relocation fees to $10,000 per tenant, with a maximum of $30,000 for a unit.

The legislation would also make clear that if a landlord decides to re-rent any unit vacated by the Ellis Act they also have to rent the rest of the units, at the pre-Ellis price…(more)

by Joe Eskenazi : 48hills – excerpt

Multiple sources close to the process on Sunday told Mission Local that Mayor London Breed will today name SFPD Director of Strategic Communications Matt Dorsey as the next District 6 supervisor, replacing Matt Haney.

Let the record show that Dorsey — the former longtime spokesman for City Attorney Dennis Herrera — is an extremely smart and competent man, is a savvy political operator with longstanding relationships in this city, and possesses a deep knowledge of the dark arts of San Francisco politics. He is someone ready for a street fight — certainly on the moderate-friendly streets of the newly formed, Tenderloin-free District 6.

But, make no mistake: Tapping the cops’ spokesman for political office — a career communications pro and political operative, who also recently served as a lobbyist for a firm representing tech and business titans — is a hell of a thing…(more)

Joe was right about that. It appear there will be another battle for the new district so this position may be short lived. We shall soon find out who the priorities are of the residents of the newly contrived district 6.

By Mary McFadden : 48hills – excerpt

Emphasizing supply intentionally ignores what drives demand: tax subsidies for multi-billion-dollar corporations

Apple still gets huge tax breaks that promote the economic inequality behind the housing crisis. Wikimedia Commons image by Andrew Hitchcock.

Zelda Bronstein in her article, Supply Sophistry, is completely correct in her examination of the many flaws in the supply and demand argument as it pertains to housing. It is worth noting that supply and demand doesn’t really apply to anything.

The supply and demand mantra has infiltrated all our economic debates and permeates our housing discussions even as it leads further and further away from economic justice. This myth is propagated by those who profit from entrenching it into our assumptions. Nothing has ever been a direct supply-and-demand relationship because a host of conditions—slavery, labor devaluation, tariffs, taxes, global corporate conglomeration—make consumerism an indirect relationship…(more)

by David Sjostedt : sfstandard – excerpt

City officials are demobilizing a city-sanctioned tent village at Civic Center in preparation for the comeback of Pride festivities in June.

The encampment opened in May 2020 as a temporary solution for unhoused residents, many of whom were evicted from the city’s shared shelter spaces due to Covid outbreaks. The city is now in the process of moving tent dwellers to other shelter and shutting down the site in the coming weeks.

Denny Machuca-Grebe, spokesperson for the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, said the city is in the process of rehousing the remaining 24 guests at the site into permanent supportive housing. Those who aren’t rehoused will be placed into one of the city’s shelters until an appropriate placement is found, Machuca-Grebe said… (more)

By Tim Redmond : 48hills – excerpt

Task Force members say Mayor’s Office was calling the shots on redistricting

Shortly before the Redistricting Task Force meeting Monday, approximately 150 protesters gathered outside City Hall, saying that the Task Force is under political influence and has ignored concerns aired by members of the public during prior meetings.

Their concerns reflect the very public statements of some Task Force members, who say the mapping process has been secretly driven by the Mayor’s Office…(more)

Don’t know how secret this is since the allegations are pasted on headlines around the city, but, what is interesting in this impromptu rush to tell, is that so far no one has denied the story. Or I missed the denials if there are any. Let us know if you see any.

From sfstandard newsletter – excerpt

Two bills designed to allow more housing on the city’s West Side came under the microscope again on Monday as the Board of Supervisors parsed through how to streamline housing development as it faces the monumental task of finding room for 82,000 units by 2031…

At Monday’s meeting, the Land Use and Transportation Committee scrutinized Supervisors Rafael Mandelman’s and Gordon Mar’s proposals to allow up to four units on lots citywide and up to six on corner developments. READ ON ABOUT THE CITY’S CONTINUED PUSH FOR GREATER DENSITY…

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If you can join us for this zoom meeting tomorrow night…

Find out how the new state laws are changing the way our cities grow and taking away our rights to voice our opinions.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2022 – 6:30PM CSFN LUTC Meeting. We will investigate how passage of recent state laws and local oridances and policies have effected our neighborhoods by concentrating on some neighborhood projects that concern our members. See flyers with details on these two projects: 2955 Misison and 2700 BLVD We are looking for any SB 9 or SB 10 applications people are aware of. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84386587854?pwd=RSszKy9jbkR4cXIzeXB4MG5IZnBSUT09

We will investigate how passage of recent state laws and local oridances and policies have  effected our neighborhoods by concentrating on some neighborhood projects that concern our members.2955 Misison Flyer
Join Zoom Meeting:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84386587854?pwd=RSszKy9jbkR4cXIzeXB4MG5IZnBSUT09
Meeting ID: 843 8658 7854     Passcode: 967961
Phone: 1-669- 900-6833 US

via email

Police staffing levels, hiring & retention are scheduled for a hearing this Thursday before the Public Safety & Neighborhood Services Cttee.

SFPD staffing levels are at historic lows. If you wish to register your support for more police officers in our neighborhoods, please email the committee members by this Wednesday,

Send an email Please send an email to the members of the Public Safety & Neighborhood Services Committee urging increased funding for police staffing. You can access a sample email with the appropriate email addresses here:  Send Pre-Written Email

If you have more time, please give public comment at the hearing. The committee agenda provides the link to SFGOVTV and call-in info.

Share with your neighbors, safety aliases, etc. Contact RescueSF for more information:  info@rescuesf.org     Visit our website: RescueSF.org

San Francisco Police Department Collaborative Reform Initiative
PHASE III – FINAL ASSESSMENT REPORT
https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/hillard-heintze-phase3-report-sfpd-cri-021122.pdf

By Tim Redmond : 48hills – excerpt

Why did the Task Force suddenly change direction? Here’s what’s going on behind the scenes.

In case anyone was still seriously wondering about the clear gerrymandering that’s going on with the new Board of Supes lines, an email that’s circulating, apparently from real-estate developer Nick Podell, answers the question.

I was given an email that came from Leslie Podell, who based on what I can tell from social media is married to Nick Podell. She says “this is from my husband.”

A broad group of community activists opposes what is happening with the task force

Public records show that Nick Podell has been involved in Neighbors for a Better San Francisco, the real-estate and tech-funded failed effort to keep progressives off the board. The message lays out exactly what the group wants to do.

Here are the details:…(more)