District 8 July 2024 Newsletter
Happy Summer, District 8!
As we head into the Board’s August summer recess, we hope you’re having a wonderful summer! Though there are no Board meetings until September, our office will still be open. Feel free to reach out to mandelmanstaff@sfgov.org, call us at (415) 554-6968, or stop by Room 284 in City Hall. We’ll be happy to help. We hope you enjoy this mini newsletter, and we’ll be back in September with more updates.
MEET YOUR SUPERVISOR: OFFICE HOURS
IN-PERSON OFFICE HOURS: Join me in-person near Dolores Park on Saturday, August 24, from 10AM-12PM! Email mandelmanstaff@sfgov.org to reserve a spot and for more details.
VICTORIAN ALLIANCE PRESENTS: NOE VALLEY HISTORIC HOME TOUR
Sunday, September 8, 1-5pm: The Victorian Alliance of San Francisco (VASF) is hosting a historic home tour in Noe Valley. Visit seven unique historic homes on a self-guided tour and see how these homes are a part of the neighborhood’s transformation into a new time in San Francisco. The tour is a rare opportunity to see the interiors of these beautiful houses.
The tour showcases seven homes, plus historical sites and legacy businesses in the community. VASF’s docents and Bay Area historians will be located throughout the tour sites to provide historical and architectural details about each home and what makes this neighborhood the beloved place it is.
The Victorian House Tour is an important event for the VASF as it raises funds for its Grants Committee for restoration and preservation of architecture, landscapes, and artifacts. Click here to learn more about the VASF grants program.
GRAFFITI ADVISORY BOARD VACANCY
Tired of blight and graffiti in your neighborhood, District 8, and San Francisco as a whole? Apply to be the District 8 representative to the Graffiti Advisory Board today. Fill out the application here by July 31. Once you’ve applied, or if you have questions, please reach out to mandelmanstaff@sfgov.org.
GET INVOLVED IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!
District 8 is home to many active neighborhood groups that organize events for the community, lead projects to keep our neighborhoods clean, safe, and beautiful, and connect neighbors with City leaders to advocate for neighborhood priorities. Join an association or go to an upcoming local event - it’s a great way to get involved, make new friends, and change your community for the better!
Learn more about how to get involved in your neighborhood here!
Cole Valley Improvement Association: To learn more, contact CVIA here .
Diamond Heights Community Association: To learn more, contact DHCA here .
Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association: Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every other month from 7:00 – 8:00 pm, in the Ballroom of the Harvey Milk Recreation Center for the Arts, lobby level, and preceded by a community social from 6:30 – 7:00 pm.
Dolores Heights Improvement Club. Green Gardens group holds monthly clean-ups on the first Saturday of the month from 9:00 – 10:30 am. DHIC Board meets on the second Monday of every other month. Meetings are held via Zoom from 7pm – 8pm. Email info@doloresheights.org to obtain the Zoom meeting link.
Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association meets every other month on the fourth Thursday with options to join in-person or virtually via Zoom.
Glen Park Association meets quarterly and alternates between in-person and Zoom meetings. Email info@glenparkassociation.org for more information.
Upper Noe Neighbors meets every other month on the third Wednesday at the Upper Noe Recreation Center.
Castro Art Mart is a monthly street fair on Noe Street between Market and Beaver the first Sunday of every month from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm, featuring LGBTQ art from local artists, live music, comedy and drag shows, and more.
Noe Valley Town Square hosts regular events such as Acoustic Sunday, Rhythm and Motion dance, and Free Sunday Morning Yoga.
Don’t see your neighborhood group but want your information added to our website? Email Henry DeRuff at henry.deruff@sfgov.org
SFPD STATION CAPTAINS’ MEETINGS
Curious about safety in your neighborhood or have questions for SFPD? Attending your Station Captains’ Meetings is a great way to learn about what’s going on. Captains’ Meetings are at the following times:
Park Station (1899 Waller): Fourth Wednesdays at 5PM on Zoom
Neighborhoods: Cole Valley, Duboce Triangle, and Twin Peaks
Mission Station (630 Valencia): Last Tuesdays at 5PM at Mission Station
Neighborhoods: Castro, Mission Dolores, and Noe Valley
Ingleside Station (1 Sgt. John V. Young): Third Tuesdays at 6PM at Ingleside Station
Neighborhoods: Diamond Heights and Glen Park
VOLUNTEER WITH US!
We are always looking for D8 office volunteers and interns! Volunteering or interning in my office is a great opportunity to serve District 8 and learn about the issues facing our city, gain valuable experience in the legislative branch of local government, and see how elected officials can work with the community to create effective public policy solutions to solve our toughest problems. Sign up here or reach out to calvin.ho@sfgov.org for more information.
NEW STAFF MEMBER: ANH HA
Here’s a message from Ahn:
Hi District 8!
I'm excited to be the newest legislative assistant on Supervisor Mandelman's team. I recently joined in mid-July and have been focusing on learning the job with help from my amazing co-workers!
I have lived in the Bay Area for the past eleven years and have been a D8 resident since 2017. Previously, my focus has been on my immediate neighborhood – shoutout to the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District and the Castro Art Walk – but I am eager to be involved in other parts of the district and to meet more community members.
For the past two years I have been consulting for small businesses as well as starting my own sustainable lifestyle brand. Before that, I worked in different industries including political communications, commercial real estate, residential mortgages, and software design. You might guess that I'm a jack of all trades, which I think will aid me in this role!
You can often find me in the district enjoying the parks, rock climbing, going to art shows, and spending time with my friends and family.
Looking forward to meeting you all! Feel free to reach me at anh.v.ha@sfgov.org
Cheers,
Anh
P.S. Here's a photo of me and my new boss on a hike recently!
The city needs more dirt than asphalt. It could also use a more knit-together feel that can sometimes be missing in its hilly, divided terrain. Bob Siegel is on a mission to solve these issues. He’s the determined force behind the 17-mile Crosstown Trail.
It runs from Candlestick Point in the city’s southeast to the water’s edge above the old Sutro Baths. Determined hikers can travel the distance in a day while more casual strollers can drop in for a partial stretch. It’s mapped out on https://crosstowntrail.org, which was created by Siegel and his helpers. Just recently, on the fifth anniversary of the trail, Bob and the Parks Alliance announced a second pathway running from Fort Funston near the zoo to North Beach: the Double Cross Trail. Grab your Hokas, San Francisco.
A Peace Corps volunteer who backpacked through Africa, Siegel spotted an opportunity when he moved here. The trim, 80-something outdoor enthusiast worked on the still-emerging Bay Ridge Trail and decided the city could fashion its own link. Building on city support, he went to work, walking sidewalks, parks and preserves. He found something stunning: everywhere he went there was support. Laguna Honda welcomed a stretch behind its midtown hospital. The well-off Forest Hill neighborhood didn’t object to newcomers wandering through. A string of city, state, and federal agencies agreed with his idea and skipped the red tape.
The result is a city on full display. Hawks in the sky and wildflowers on hillsides. When the trail hits the streets there are coffee spots and bookstores. Stairways and hilltop vistas are slipped in. The trail hosts birthdays, dates, and youth groups looking for an outdoor challenge. Its popularity got a boost during the Covid shutdown, when people needed a release from cooped up living quarters.
In a city where bureaucracy can rule, Siegel was surprised. “There was no pushback. It was wonderful how people supported the idea.” The project proves another lesson for would-be activists. “It pays to be a self starter, something I learned in the Peace Corps.” Though the city had plans for a public trail, the idea languished until Siegel and friends ran with it. “It never would have happened otherwise,” he said.
The original trail just grazes District 8, running through Glen Park and Twin Peaks. The forthcoming second trail, however, will shoot down from Twin Peaks, past Mount Olympus, and through Buena Vista Park, Adah’s Stairway, and Duboce Park on its way to Civic Center.
Siegel’s homegrown idea has taken root elsewhere, making him a celebrity on the wool sock circuit. He’s in touch with Boston, which is planning a 27 mile walkway, and Seattle, where there are plans for a 31 mile path. Crowded, busy cities are finding a way to relax and enjoy themselves.
On July 24th, we gathered to celebrate SFPD members who have earned leadership promotions over the last few years. In an incredibly challenging environment for policing nationally and locally, these folks have been doing the hard work of reforming the department while at the same time maintaining and strengthening its efficacy as a crime-fighting organization. Thank you, promotees!
