The Grow SF Report, Vol. 6
What You Need To Know
The latest updates on SF government progress, policies, and priorities:
School Saga Update
Things are going to be “dignified” now (hopefully)…
San Francisco’s embattled school superintendent abruptly announced his retirement (quit) rather than work with the current school board and its ongoing chaos and controversies anymore. Then he suddenly announced he would stay one more year — if the school board behaved (stop mucking things up with distracting ideological pursuits and firing the people he needs to get things done). It’s all in a new contract that requires the school board to act in a “dignified and professional manner.” Read it here.
But they still aren’t behaving…
This week’s school board meeting was as ironic as ever. They voted on a new vice president after stripping Alison Collins of her VP title for her racist tweets against Asian Americans. The new VP is Faauuga Moliga. Collins was the sole dissenting vote. She is suing her colleagues for $87 million and said Moliga was not a team player. You can’t make this stuff up. Here/Say Media has a video.
The case for Progressive YIMBYism
You know what our elected leaders in SF should be focused on? Building more housing.
Sam Deutsch makes the progressive case for more housing in this blog post. His take? Single family zoning was born out of racism and is supported by homeowners and landlords who profit from high rents. A lack of housing is bad for the climate, increases rents and displacement, and is bad for the city as a whole. Grow SF agrees!
20mph speed limits in the Tenderloin!
The first 20mph speed limits in San Francisco were introduced this past week, a move that will surely prevent accidents and save lives. According to Muni, “Vehicle speed is the number one predictor of crash severity. A pedestrian struck at 20 mph versus 25 mph has double the chance of survival.” We’re thrilled to finally see this happening and hope we can continue to make SF a people-first city.
Update: SF COVID-19 Vaccinations
San Francisco continues to quickly distribute the vaccine. Here’s the latest:
Vaccination Rate: 65% of SF residents over 16 have received at least 1 dose. 42% have been fully vaccinated.
Eligibility: All SF residents 16 or older are now eligible to be vaccinated!
Vaccine Sites: Find a vaccine site near you. Some allow drop-ins, while others are appointment only.
Your Action Plan
Now that you know what’s happening, help us shape what happens next:
Conversation: Should We Restructure the School Board?
Date: Thursday, April 22
Time: 8pm
Place: Clubhouse
The SF School Board has gained national attention this year, amidst lawsuits, racism, and re-opening debacles. We’re joined by Better SF Public Schools to discuss ways to reform the School Board.
Support High-Speed Rail
We need the California legislature to appropriate the funds to complete the Bakersfield to Merced high-speed rail line of fully electrified trains that run on 100% renewable electricity.
This line is the backbone of the eventual Los Angeles to San Francisco line, and the backbone and proof of concept for high-speed rail in the United States. The line will take cars off the road to cut harmful emissions, create thousands of green jobs, and champion climate justice in a region of the state that produces some of the worst pollution in the country.
Click here to submit an automatic request to your elected officials to support the Bakersfield to Merced project.
Help with the School Board Recall
The movement to recall the SF School Board is in full swing. Read the case for recall here. Signatures must be pen on paper (online doesn’t count). Download a petition here to print, sign, and mail. Or come to the drive-thru signing this Saturday. Walk-ups and bikes are welcome!
Drive-Thru Petition Signing
Date: Saturday, April 24
Time: 11am to 1pm
Place: Lowell High School, 1101 Eucalyptus Drive
Use this traffic flow map to make your entry and exit seamless for everyone:
Fun in SF
Check out some of our favorite fun activities happening in SF right now:
Take a walk
There are always fun events going on in San Francisco, but the easiest and cheapest thing one can do is to take a walk on any of the 1,500 beautiful miles in this city. Can you walk them all? Sure, this person did it. We think you should pick a neighborhood you rarely visit and just walk.
Calder-Picasso at the de Young
The exhibition isn’t new this week, but we forgot to mention it before. Given museums are running at limited capacity and require advanced tickets, don’t delay your visit to see Calder-Picasso at the de Young. Sadly, their amazing Frida exhibition is already sold out.
Topical Tweets
Yes, there is good stuff on Twitter. Here’s some of it:
Disney/Marvel just released the first teaser trailer for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, featuring a kick-ass fight scene on a San Francisco Muni bus that starts at about 1:28.
The Chronicle published an inspiring story highlighting how a handful of workers at SFO and Muni teamed up with doctors and nurses to transport over 1,000 unused doses of the Pfizer vaccine over 300 miles in less than a day so they could be distributed to SF residents in need.
