What We Do
Inform the community of matters important to residents through our quarterly newsletter (CVIA News), periodic email announcements and public meetings.
Advocate on behalf of residents on neighborhood-specific and city-wide matters.
Organize neighborhood events and fundraisers, such as Santa on Cole.
Fund and coordinate Clean Cole Street, an award-winning program that provides daily sidewalk cleaning of Cole Street’s commercial corridor.
When possible, support other organizations that improve the quality of life of our residents, such as Sutro Stewards and Friends of Grattan Playground.
Attend meetings and serve on committees that affect life in Cole Valley, such as the Kezar Advisory Board, UCSF’s Community Advisory Group, the Community Police Advisory Board, the Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods and the Waller Center.
CVIA is a 501(c)(3). Donations to CVIA are tax-deductible (Tax ID #: 20-1652073)
Our Mission
Our mission is to promote a safe, respectful community, help enhance the lives of all residents, support our merchants, and present an active voice to address civic, social and safety issues in our neighborhood.
The Board
Chris Hock, President
Shannon Cooper, Vice President
Joan Downey, Treasurer
Karen Crommie, Recording Secretary
Chuck Canepa
David Crommie
Lena Emmery
Carole Glosenger
Marianne Hesse
Chris Hock
Daniel Thomason
Edward Walls
CVIA board members receive no compensation other than neighborly goodwill. All programs and projects are initiated and maintained by volunteers who are passionate about the community.
If you have questions about CVIA or would like to speak to a board member, please contact us:
Meetings
CVIA holds periodic public meetings that are announced several weeks before they’re held. We often invite a speaker as a focal point of the meeting, which in the past has included the Mayor, District 5 Supervisor and Park Station Captain, as well as representatives from the District Attorney’s Office, California Academy of Sciences, Recreation and Parks Department, SFMTA and others.
Further, the CVIA board meets on the first Monday of every month and the meeting’s minutes are distributed via our quarterly newsletter. All members are invited to attend board meetings and should contact the Board if interested.
Our History: How CVIA Began Its Journey
CVIA evolved from a neighborhood SAFE block group that started on Cole Street in 1987. The SAFE group members quickly found that they had common interests beyond Cole Street as the neighborhood was experiencing increasing frequency of drug sales and camping in the Panhandle and the Stanyan Street entrance to Golden Gate Park (Alvord Lake). The droves of people wanting to relive the Summer of Love brought, and continue to bring, unique challenges to our community, such as public drug use and dealing, camping in parks, sleeping in cars and doorways, sidewalk obstruction and violence. At the same time, as an increasing number of old flats were being converted into social services institutions following the path set by the Haight-Ashbury Free Clinic. As a result, many people began fleeing the neighborhood and there were fewer families with vested interests in the community.
CVIA took a very public and forceful position in January of 1988 when Mayor Art Agnos, in violation of city ordinance, permitted individuals to sleep in vehicles parked on the streets bordering the Panhandle and Kezar Stadium. The mayor's decision resulted in an influx of car campers. With no public toilets, driveways became the solution. As we met with members of the Board of Supervisors, pushed for television coverage of the issue and organized a letter writing and telephone campaign–we succeeded in convincing Mayor Agnos that this was an ill conceived idea and he retreated. As a result, scores of Haight families joined CVIA, expanding our membership far beyond Cole Valley.
Although many decades have passed since our founding, we haven’t forgotten the neighborhood’s past. There was a time when Haight Street was a dead zone of boarded-up buildings. Banks red-lined the neighborhood and it was difficult for home buyers to secure a loan if they wanted to purchase in the Haight. We’ve fought for decades to improve our community, and we will continue to work tirelessly to serve Cole Valley and the greater Haight-Ashbury.
