CASTRO/EUREKA VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER Eureka! THE SUnnY HEART OF The neighborhood association for the Castro, Upper Market and all of Eureka Valley since 1878. SAN FRANCISCO Distributed to over 3,500 residents and businesses in central Castro/Eureka Valley WWW .EVN A . ORG Volume 136, Issue 5 September - October 2014 www.evna.org www.PinkTrianglePark.org Agenda Regulating Short-Term Rentals Castro/EVNA’s Amy Chan, Legislative Aide to David Chiu will speak about his proposed legislation Panel on Quality of Life and Crime issues Featuring Scott Wiener, Captain Daniel Perea, oFFICER Public Ted Lattig AND kEN cRAIG, cASTRO cOMMUNITY ON pATROL Castro Cares Meeting cbd Executive Director, Andrea aiello will discuss this innovative Program FROM neighorhood Groups Human Interest Topic SEPT. 24, 2014, 7-9 PM Local artist, Jessica Joy Jirsa will discuss her art including a slideshow of some of her work. Castro Community Meeting Room 501 Castro St. (above BofA) Public Forum A time set aside to discuss neighborhood issues ADDRESSING THE PINK ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: REGULATING THE PINK SATURDAY MEETING RECAP SHORT-TERM RENtaLS By Roy McKenzie, Hoodline. Printed with permission of the author and Hoodline, By David Chiu, President, Board of Supervisors Inc., http://hoodline.com/ Earlier this year, I introduced legislation Editors Note: For the past five years, Castro/EVNA has been monitoring to regulate short-term rentals in San the evolution of Pink Saturday from a gay-focused, neighborhood event Francisco. Although the City’s current into one that has exploded, much like Halloween did. We’ve actively laws prohibit housing units from being participated in discussions surrounding the quality and safety of the event rented for fewer than 30 days, this and ways to prevent it from getting out of hand. As President, I attended activity has been pervasive and largely left the meeting on Wednesday, September 10th, along with several other unchecked. As a result, entire apartments have been converted Board members. I had intended to write a piece for The Eureka! but, as into year-round vacation rentals, further straining the housing Roy McKenzie of the Castro Biscuit, now part of Hoodline did such an stock. These kinds of illegal hotel conversions must be stopped. amazing job, I asked Roy and Hoodline if they would allow us to reprint it. They graciously agreed. Alan Beach-Nelson At the same time, I’ve heard from many residents who rent short-term while they are traveling to help pay their rent and [On Wednesday, September 10] the Eureka Valley Recreation make their mortgage. For students that travel during school Center was filled with community members from all walks breaks, workers that travel for business, and working families of city life ready to talk about the pink elephant in the room. and seniors on a fixed income that travel during holidays, the Namely, what will the future of Pink Saturday look like? supplementary income helps them stay in their homes. I believe Castro residents, event organizers, DJ’s, out-of-towners, it’s important to create some flexibility for permanent residents politicians, police, and activists all showed up to make it clear while shutting down the speculators who are displacing San that regardless of whether the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Franciscans. continue to host Pink Saturday or turn the event over to the I think we can all agree that the status quo is simply not working. city, it can only continue if event organizers beef up security, That’s why I’ve proposed a regulatory framework to address establish an earlier end time, and change the event programming. the problem. My legislation would prohibit short-term rental If you missed the meeting or need a refresher, read on for a full activity in units that are not occupied by permanent residents, recap of what went down. and increases the penalties for violations and resources for Pink Saturday continues on page 6 enforcement. Chiu - Short-Term Rentals continued on page 9 ANNOUNCING CASTRO CARES ADDRESSING QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE CASTRO & UPPER MARKET By Andrea Aiello, Executive Director, Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District Everyone says they want to do fund additional dedicated overtime A private fundraising campaign begins something about at-risk populations SFPD officers, plus Patrol Special in October with the goal of raising an and the consequences, now neighbors Police Officers and homeless outreach additional $235,000 per year. in the Castro are turning their concerns services. Frustrated by the lack of progress in into action. resolving quality of life issues in the Castro Cares launches Friday September Castro, the coalition has been meeting 19th. Under the leadership of the Castro/ biweekly since October 2013. Supervisor Upper Market Community Benefit Wiener facilitated meetings with the District, a coalition of neighborhood SFPD and the Police Commission. The groups will bring additional, dedicated coalition also met with HOPE Director resources to the Castro/Upper Market Bevan Dufty, SF Patrol Special Police, from the San Francisco Department of and the Department of Public Health’s Public Health, the San Francisco Police Homeless Outreach Team (HOT). Department, and Patrol Special Police. “It soon became clear that at this time, The initiative begins with the placement given current staffing levels, the police Castro Cares is the result of an effort in the Castro of a Homeless Outreach do not have the resources to address by a coalition of neighborhood groups, Team case manager, funded by the the issues to our satisfaction and neither organizations and businesses working health department, to connect those does the Homeless Outreach Team,” with District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener, living on the streets with services. said Andrea Aiello, Executive Director, who successfully championed for When the full initiative rolls out over Castro/Upper Market Community $100,000 per year in city start-up funds the coming year, Castro Cares will Benefit District. “We realized we can for two years. THE BEST WAY TO Build a CREATE COMMUNITY bundle. IS TO BE A PART OF IT. Save a EUREKA VALLEY | MORE THAN HOME bundle. Traci Hollander, Agent Bundle auto, home and life Insurance Lic#: 0C19063 for big State Farm® discounts. 556 Castro Street [email protected] So let me show you how Bus: 415-575-3775 State Farm can help protect all the things that matter most – for a lot less than you think. GET TO A BETTER STATE.® CALL ME TODAY. Mark D McHale 415.735.8037 BRE# 01243912 FB: sfrealtor 555 Castro Street San Francisco, CA 1203025 State Farm, Bloomington, IL www.vanguardsf.com Castro/Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association September - October 2014 Page 2 continue to complain or we can try to enforcement to core affected areas in model is to provide dedicated police do something ourselves. We opted for the CBD boundaries every week.” and homeless related services, randomly the latter.” scheduled, 7 days a week throughout To better determine the array of services the day and evening and across the Members of the neighborhood provided by Castro Cares to those living district. I believe it won’t happen over coalition include: Castro/Upper on the street, HOT surveyed 100 at- night, but with dedicated services over Market Community Benefit District, risk people on the street in the Castro/ the program’s first year we will see and Castro/Eureka Valley Neighborhood Upper Market regarding their needs, notice a reduction in quality of life issues Association, Castro Community demographics, etc. The analysis of in the neighborhood.” on Patrol, Most Holy Redeemer this data will help shape the services Catholic Church, Duboce Triangle provided by Castro Cares. Services HANDY RESOURCES FOR HOME Neighborhood Association, Hartford could comprise a range including, but CALL 311 FOR: Report Litter and Graffiti, St. Cleaning, Street Neighbors, Collingwood Street not limited to, dedicated street outreach, Abandoned Vehicles, St. Signs Missing/ Neighbors, St. Francis Lutheran Church, medical care, case management, rooms, Damaged, Pot Hole Repair Safeway, and Castro Merchants. or help reuniting with family. POLICE: Non-Emergency: 553-0123 “The overall goal of Castro Cares is Greg Carey, Chief of Patrol, Castro Report nuisance and non-urgent issues. to improve the quality of life for those Community on Patrol said, “The idea is Always ask for a CAD #. living on the street and for those who to try to build relationships with people Mission Station: 558-5400 live, work, and play in the Castro/Upper over time and get them engaged in the HOMELESS ISSUES: Community Awareness & Treatment Market,” said Alan Beach-Nelson, health and social service system.” Service (CATS) non-emergency: 734-4233 President, Castro/Eureka Valley Daniel Bergerac, President, Castro PARKING AND TRAFFIC ISSUES: Neighborhood Association. “When Merchants expressed optimism about SFMTA Parking Enforcement: 553- fully funded, the program will provide 1200 Castro Cares, explaining the services 44 hours of outreach work to at-risk SFMTA Parking Tickets: 701-3000 will be spread randomly throughout a populations and 51 hours of added DIST. 8 SUPERVISOR SCOtt WIENER: 24 hour period on a daily basis, “The 554-6968, [email protected] BECAUSE PAINTING IS PERSONAL™ At CertaPro Painters® of San Francisco, we understand painting is personal for you, because it’s personal for us and we have a system to ensure your satisfaction. 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