Supervisor Hillary Ronen - COVID19 Update 20200904 Newsletter

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September 4, 2020
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Budget Victories, Homelessness Update, Mental Health SF, Defunding the Police, and More

Dear Neighbors,

I have been thinking about my constituents every single day and worrying about you. This is the hardest time I have lived through in my 44 years, and I know so many of you feel the same. I am working hard to do everything in my power to help residents of District 9 get through this time.

Please know that Amy, Santiago, Paul, Jennifer, and I, as well as our incredible volunteers Bruce, Anne, Lisa, and Nathalie, are always here for you. Don’t think twice about getting in touch. Our job is to fight and advocate for you, and we take that responsibility very seriously. Here’s some info about how we have been doing that.

In this newsletter, we cover the latest updates on:

Budget Victories
Homelessness Update
Mental Health SF Implementation
Fighting for Students and Parents
SAFER Act - Worker Protection
November Election Plan
Tenant Protections Law Upheld
Defunding the Police
Reopening San Francisco
Carnaval Latino COVID-19 Healing and Recovery Fair
Shop the Portola Raffle
Join the Portola Garden Tour
Muni Service Expansion
Get Counted: Complete Your Census Today

We are fast approaching the deadline to be counted in the Census. When you take the Census, you help San Francisco get the resources we need to take care of our community and ensure fair representation in federal and state government. Please, get counted now. It’s easy and takes just a few minutes. Take it here.

My office may not be in City Hall these days, but we are still here for you. We are available by email: ronenstaff@sfgov.org or by phone at 415-554-5144 (leave a message, and we will call you back-- we are checking voicemail frequently). Check for updates on my Twitter and Facebook.

Budget Victories

It's been said before, but it is worth saying again: A budget is a moral document. It is a statement of our priorities. My goal was to concretely take care of the most urgent needs of my constituents.

A non-exhaustive list of priorities I fought for and was able to win for us this year:

Full implementation of Mental Health SF (more info below)
COVID-19 testing for community hubs to keep our children safe
Support for tenants who are fighting evictions
Help for hard-hit small businesses and commercial corridors
Support for COVID-19 response in the Mission, where residents have been most impacted by the pandemic
Financial support for front-line nonprofit organizations providing childcare, educational enrichment, healthcare services, and other essential services
Continuation of critical legal defense and rapid response for immigrants
Funding for anti-violence youth programs and community safety
Investment in urban agriculture and food security
Resources for arts and culture

There were difficult choices and some hard cuts, but as a Board, we were able to focus on shared priorities -- health and housing, food security and families, and economic stability and equity for our communities that need it most.

Many, many San Franciscans are hurting right now. At this unprecedented time, it makes sense that the Board of Supervisors decided to draw a small portion of the reserves we’ve saved for the hardest times. We will be monitoring closely and managing the budget carefully over the months ahead. I am hopeful that voters will support the progressive revenue ballot measures this November so that we have the resources our City needs to recover and thrive.

Mission Homelessness Update

After months of advocacy and fighting for both the unhoused and housed neighbors of the Mission, we have secured a significant solution: we won a site for unhoused individuals so they can shelter in place safely at 1515 South Van Ness.

The site will be used to relocate individuals who are currently residing on public sidewalks, schools, and private driveways in the Mission to a place where they can be connected to services and new housing opportunities. The site will accommodate about 40-50 tents and will be staffed by Dolores Street Community Services.

We have secured funding to operate the new safe sleeping site for one year, but we expect the site to be used as a safe sleeping site for only as long as the shelter-in-place order is in effect.

As some of you may recall, we were able to purchase this site late last year for future construction of affordable apartments. Before the pandemic, I was in the process of preparing the building to be used in the interim as a community arts and culture hub with Galeria de la Raza.

However, the unprecedented circumstances around the unanticipated global health emergency made it necessary to reactivate this site to support the City's broader COVID response and recovery efforts.

I have been working tirelessly alongside service providers, community advocates, faith leaders, the Latino Task Force on COVID-19, and City departments to develop a Mission Neighborhood Needs Assessment and map out a block-by-block strategy.

After a lot of work, the neighborhood assessment is live. You can view it here. This detailed report includes recommendations to ensure that all residents, unhoused and housed, can safely navigate the neighborhood and have safe passage and access to their homes and businesses.

I will continue our fight to secure additional resources to move people out of unsafe living conditions and into safe, sustainable shelter and housing opportunities.

Mental Health SF Implementation

I am beyond excited that Mental Health SF, a complete overhaul of how SF provides services to people in crisis from mental health illness and/or addiction, will be fully implemented this budget year, including:

24 hours/ 7 days a week crisis intervention street teams
24 hours/ 7 days a week Mental Health SF Service Center
Drug Sobering Facilities
Dozens of new case managers
More Urgent Care Clinics
More short and long term recovery beds, and so much more

I wrote Mental Health SF with Supervisor Matt Haney and front-line providers because the crisis on the streets and in our communities is a tragedy and unacceptable. When Mental Health SF is fully up and running, we will all see and feel the difference, and people suffering from these illnesses will finally receive the support and medical attention they need to be safe and recover.

Fighting for Students and Parents

Parents, children, and educators of San Francisco: I know this will be one of the toughest school years we've ever had. You are not alone. I hosted a hearing at the Joint City, School District, and City College Select Committee the Friday before school started to get answers, and I am working with the United Educators of San Francisco, School Board members, the District, the City's Department of Children, Youth, and their Families (DCYF), and our County Health Officer to develop multiple support programs that families desperately need right now.

Making school successful for everyone is one of my top priorities as Supervisor this year. My goal is to make sure that we don’t continue to widen the achievement gap that COVID-19 has already exacerbated. To that end, I have been working to ensure the safe implementation of DCYF’s Community Hubs Initiative, which will provide in-person support for students in grades K-6 who are utilizing SFUSD’s Distance Learning Curriculum, and will prioritize children and youth with the highest need.

The first wave of enrollment for the Community Hubs is by invitation, and community-based organizations throughout the city are reaching out to eligible families, who include residents of HOPE SF, public housing, and SRO hotels; families experiencing homelessness; children in the foster care system; English language learners; and low-income families. SFUSD families who did not receive an invitation to apply but feel that they are a part of one or more of these priority populations can call 3-1-1 for more information on how to apply.

I will continue to advocate for support programs at a bimonthly public meeting at the Board of Supervisors until we are physically back in schools. Stay tuned; additional help is coming.

In the meantime, as a parent of a second grader (wow - they grow up fast!), I am doing the best I can, just like everyone else. Sending all parents, students, and educators solidarity for a positive school year!

SAFER Act to Protect Workers from COVID-19 Discrimination

On September 1, the Board unanimously approved an emergency ordinance I authored, the SF SAFER Act, which protects workers who have COVID-19 or must quarantine because of COVID-19 exposure.

With the assurance that a positive COVID diagnosis cannot result in a worker being fired from their job, this legislation will help encourage workers to get tested for COVID-19 so they can prioritize their health and contribute to the city's ongoing recovery efforts.

The SF SAFER Act would make it illegal for an employer to fire, threaten to fire, demote, suspend, discipline, reduce employee benefits, or in any manner discriminate against any worker who is unable to work or who requests time off work because they tested positive for COVID-19 or are quarantining due to exposure.

November Election Plan

The November election may be the most important of our lifetimes. With our current state of emergency and rise in national voter suppression -- especially directed at communities of color --, it is more urgent than ever that we keep our democracy active, safe, and secure. I hosted a public hearing this week at the Board’s Rules Committee to be sure that San Francisco is ready.

In early June, the Board passed my legislation requiring the Department of Elections to send us a plan that would include vote-by-mail ballots to all registered voters, while also providing a range of alternative options for safe in-person voting, early voting, ballot drops, and a robust plan for education and outreach, including coordination with the Office of Racial Equity and community-based organizations to engage historically low-turnout communities.

Every voter registered by October 19 will get a mail-in ballot. To register now, go to registertovote.ca.gov/.

Please, vote as EARLY as you can. Mail ballots will begin arriving on Monday, Oct. 5. Early voting begins the same day outside City Hall in front of Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. You can drop off your completed mail ballot at the City Hall Voting Center throughout October. Polling places will still be available to vote in person or to drop off your ballot, but locations may change. For updates, check sfelections.sfgov.org/ways-vote.

Read about how the City is laying out our plan for Vote-By-Mail procedures here.

Tenant Protections Law is Upheld

Good news! The San Francisco Superior Court upheld the law I passed earlier this year to protect renters in single-family homes from wrongful eviction. The new law made it illegal for a landlord to use excessive rent increases to pressure renters into leaving their homes.

The San Francisco Apartment Association sued the City to deny us the ability to rein in bad faith actions by landlords. For a landlord to use a rent increase to get around San Francisco’s eviction controls is illegal and it’s harassment. I am relieved that the court saw through their cynical attempt, and we can now move on to protect tenants from being caught in this loophole tactic.

Defunding the Police

This budget season, the Board of Supervisors made historic cuts in SFPD’s budget and redirected those funds to departments that are better equipped to address the health crises of mental illness and substance abuse.

We expanded the number of Street Crisis Response Teams, a main component of Mental Health SF, to a total of 6 teams that will operate 24 hours a day. Starting this winter, people in mental health crisis will be met by teams consisting of a community paramedic, social worker, and peer advocate and will be able to work with the individual to get them off the streets and into care.

By reducing police overtime, replacing armed officers at desk jobs with civilians, and eliminating three academy classes, we will reduce costs and decrease the footprint of the SFPD as we continue to go through a longer term process to reimagine and redesign what maintaining public safety looks like in San Francisco.

San Francisco Reopening

Starting September 1, the city is allowing hair cuts, barbers, massages, nail salons, and other personal services to operate outdoors.

The beauty industry has been hit extremely hard during COVID-19, and they have not been able to operate at all since the shelter in place first started in March.

Support these small businesses in any way you can! As we further reopen our city, it is important that we continue to be careful and protect both ourselves and others. Make sure to follow proper protocols, and make sure to stay at least 6 feet apart and wear a face covering!

Outdoor activities that were permitted to resume this past week include:

Outdoor hair salons and barber shops
Outdoor personal services
Outdoor massage
Outdoor pools (lap swimming, wading), with limited capacity
Outdoor non-contact, recreational activities
Indoor malls at 25% capacity, with limitations
Childcare and Out of School Time programs, with limitations
Higher and adult education, with limitations
Indoor funerals (up to 12 people)
Outdoor gym and fitness centers (September 9)

For more information, check here: https://sf.gov/step-by-step/reopening-san-francisco

If you are a small business looking to operate outdoors, please apply for a FREE permit through the City’s Shared Spaces Program. The program allows neighborhood businesses to share a portion of the public right-of-way, such as sidewalks, full or partial streets, or other nearby public spaces like parks and plazas for neighborhood retail activity, as allowed by San Francisco’s Public Health Order.

Carnaval Latino COVID-19
Healing and Recovery Fair

CANA-Carnaval San Francisco, in partnership with the San Francisco Latino Task Force, community-based organizations, health providers and city departments will present a community event:

Latino COVID-19 Healing and Recovery - Salud es Poder
September 5 and 6, 2020
12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
John O'Connell High School,
on Harrison between 18th and 20th Streets

Stop by for free COVID-19 testing, health, education, employment, housing, food and other resources to Latino residents hardest hit by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Shop the Portola Raffle

The Portola Neighborhood Association is launching Shop Portola, a shopping raffle that runs Sept 1 - Sept 27! Spend $5 at 5 Portola businesses for a chance to win $50.

They are focusing on San Bruno Ave merchants located between Rickard and Felton Streets.

How does it work?

Shop at 5 different Portola businesses located between Rickard and Felton Streets between 9/1 - 9/27
Spend at least $5 at each business
Submit all 5 receipts for a chance to win prizes

Submit all five receipts to the Portola Neighborhood Association by 9/27 for a chance to win gift certificates from Portola businesses and cash.

Support Portola merchants and find out more about the raffle here!

On Sept 27, there will be a raffle drawing and mural celebration at the San Bruno Market Parking lot!

Join the Portola Garden Tour

Cooped up inside and need some fresh air? Join the Portola Garden Tour on Saturday, September 26th, 2020!

Enjoy the Portola, stay safe, see the gardens that are accessible from the street, get some exercise in the sunshine and enjoy our community in San Francisco’s Garden District’s autumnal beauty.

Please be a part of the Portola Garden District Tour 2020, Covid-19 edition. I know that Portola Gardeners are the most creative people around, I’ve seen you at work! Simple, short gatherings like this are real pick-me-ups.

You can donate to the Portola Garden Tour on Venmo account at @portolagardentour.

Muni Service Expansion

As of August 22, SFMTA has restored or expanded 11 bus routes. The 67 Bernal Heights is rolling again! And the 8 Bayshore, 9 San Bruno/9R Rapid, 14 Mission, 22 Fillmore, and 49 Van Ness-Mission are all running at greater frequency. Read more here.

Remember to Take the Census!

The Census is still happening!

By making sure that EVERY San Franciscan is counted, we can ensure that we will get our fair share of federal resources and representation that are reallocated by census every ten years.

Until September 30, everyone can do the census online or over the phone. Here’s how! sf.gov/do-census

Resources and Announcements

Resources

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission will be providing a one-time bill credit to eligible CleanPowerSF customers in October. The bill relief program will offer credits of $50 for single-family homes, $3,000 for multi-family residential buildings and $750 for nonprofit or small commercial accounts—the equivalent of a whole month of savings. CleanPowerSF customers that are currently enrolled or who sign-up for CARE or FERA by September 30th will receive a bill credit in October. More information can be found at: www.cleanpowersf.org/credit.

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission has announced a number of Bill Relief Programs that offer water and sewer bill discounts of 20% to our small businesses and nonprofits experiencing financial hardship during the COVID-19 crisis. These programs are available for a limited time -- you can learn more about the programs and apply today by visiting this page or calling 415-551-3000.

Essential Worker Ride Home: SF Environment the SFCTA launched a program to help essential workers commuting home late at night and don't have a reliable transit option. Click here for more.

For families who are looking for access to the Internet for distance learning: AT&T is offering an affordable way to stay connected with Internet service for $10/month and expanded eligibility requirements. More details at att.com/access or call (855) 220-5211.

Housing

COVID-19 Eviction and Rent Increase Moratoriums – Emergency tenant protections, including more time to pay your rent, suspension of evictions during the pandemic, and a rent freeze in City-subsidized housing.

Give2SF Housing Stabilization Program – Financial help to pay rent, utilities, and other housing costs if you have been financially impacted by COVID-19.

COVID-19 Homeowner Emergency Loan Program (HELP) – No-payment loans of up to $25,000 to cover HOA dues, property taxes, and lump-sum deferred mortgage payments

Announcements

NOTICE: Some incorrect unsecured personal property bills were issued in August 2020. Your bill will be cancelled if the bill number is between 2020500001 and 2020508934, or 2020520001 and 2020521229. If you have already paid this bill, a refund will be issued to you by the Office of the Treasurer- & Tax Collector within three months. If you have not paid this bill, please disregard the bill and do not pay. For questions about billing and refunds, contact the Treasurer & Tax Collector’s Property Tax Division at (415) 701-2311. If you have questions about this assessment, please contact the San Francisco Assessor-Recorder’s Office at askbpp@sfgov.org or (415) 554-5531.
Updated County Clerk Services: County Clerk services such as marriage licenses and certificates, birth and death records, fictitious business names, notary signature authentication, professional registrations, CEQA environmental document filings, and more are updated on this page of their website website.

General Resources

SF Pit Stop and and Handwashing Stations
SF Food Resources
Help for SF small business owners, workers, and non-profits
Visit the SF Coronavirus Main Page here.
Information for the eviction and rent increase moratorium here.
SF Domestic and family violence resources
SF COVID-19 Data Tracker