What You Need To Know
Here’s what happened around the city for the week of March 20, 2022:
- Van Ness Muni rapid transit lanes open April 1
- The cost of doing business in San Francisco
- A tale of two DAs: Compare the flow of crime prosecution
- Some good downtown revitalization news
- GrowSF in the news
Van Ness Muni rapid transit lanes open April 1
It may have taken 27 years and $300 million from conception to completion (that’s another story about getting things done in San Francisco), but we can finally celebrate the upcoming opening of the rapid bus line along notoriously clogged Van Ness Avenue.
Transit planners claim buses in the red BRT lane will run 30 percent faster than before.
The cost of doing business in San Francisco
Sunset small business owner Michael Hsu was recently featured in the Wall Street Journal — not for his business savvy but because his shoe and sports apparel store is a symbol of San Francisco having the highest property crime rate in the nation.
Hsu’s store has been repeatedly burglarized. He told the Journal that his business costs now include a new security system and other anti theft devices, including giving his employees pepper spray.
The Journal reported that commercial and residential burglaries in the Sunset rose 80 percent from 2019 to 2021. The Sunset also experienced an armed carjacking and two home invasions within 12 hours this week that made the news and put residents on edge.
Meanwhile, our police department has a staffing crisis. We’re short more than 500 officers and more are quitting/retiring with few new recruits willing to replace them. Perhaps we need to replace the elected officials who called for defunding the police.
A tale of two DAs: Compare the flow of crime prosecution
The San Francisco Chronicle published a flow chart visualization of criminal case outcomes that compare District Attorney Chesa Boudin to his predecessor George Gascon. The data show that convictions went down under Boudin.
This information was made public thanks to the dogged public records pursuit by the group Stop Crime SF, which has posted on its website all the raw data from the Chronicle story.
Some good downtown revitalization news
Despite continued reports of a dead and dormant downtown, it’s wonderful to hear that the new Mira condo tower was able to fill its retail space with five businesses. There’s a wine bar, a coffee shop, an optometrist, a salad restaurant, and a body stretch wellness center. Just about everything a tech worker needs. So get back to your office and save downtown!
GrowSF in the news
The SF Standard noticed the post-election letters GrowSF sent to every voter in the Sunset and Richmond neighborhoods after the school board recall. We reminded everyone that Supervisors Gordon Mar and Connie Chan were opposed to the recall and worked against the vast majority of their constituent’s wishes.
The letter was newsworthy because no one expects that type of mail to arrive after an election.
GrowSF’s Steven Buss explained: “We stood with parents and believe the residents of the Westside, where the recalls won with roughly 80% of the vote, deserve to know that their Supervisors are out of step with their values.”
Celebrate San Francisco
There’s a lot to love about our city. Here’s what makes it great:
ReImagine fundraiser and auction at the Randall Museum
Enjoy light food, beer, wine, and champagne and mimosas to celebrate the exhibit Reimagine: The Art of Sustainable Thinking and raise funds to support arts education.
April 3rd, 2-4pm
Buy tickets here.
The 2022 Soapbox Derby at McLaren Park
Witness Bay Area creativity in overdrive when SFMOMA’s Soapbox Derby returns to McLaren Park for the first time in more than 40 years! The original artists’ derbies from the 1970s are legendary events in our history.
April 10th, 10-5pm (Race begins at 11am)
More info and RSVP here.
Parks Alliance 2021 Impact Report
San Francisco has one of the best park systems in the world. Check out the Parks Alliance’s 2021 Impact Report to see all the great work they did this past year.
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Topical Tweets
Yes, there is good stuff on Twitter. Here’s some of it:
Have you explored Yerba Buena recently? There’s a ton to do and eat. Check it out.
We had incredible weather this week; look out for some rain this weekend!
The best way to avoid the skyrocketing gas prices is to take the bus!
