MESSAGE FROM CATHERINE

Dear John,

As the year comes to an end and the holiday season is upon us, I always take time to reflect on everything I'm thankful for. I am profoundly grateful to represent District 2 at City Hall and for a chance to be your voice on policies that have significant impact on our district and the city as a whole. We've been through another difficult year as we continue to persevere through the pandemic, but I am grateful to see how many people have come together in our community to help one another. 

Public safety continues to be one of my main priorities and it's why I held a hearing on the status of family violence in San Francisco, passed legislation to require more transparency from the District Attorney's Office, announced my June 2022 ballot initiative to support victims of crime in our community, and called for a hearing on police staffing, recruitment and retention issues. Please see below for information about these items and more.

Please reach out to me at [email protected] or 415-554-7752 with any questions about what I'm working on or how my office can be of service.

Warm Regards,

Catherine

COVID-19 RESOURCES AND UPDATES

Booster Shots

Booster shots are now available and recommended for adults 18 years and older who received a Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Boosters are free and they are critical to keeping San Franciscans safe. You can find a nearby pharmacy or vaccine site providing booster shots here.

Vaccinations for Children 

Children ages five and older are now eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Most of the pediatric vaccine doses go directly to health care providers and pharmacies like UCSF, Kaiser, CVS and Walgreens. Parents and caregivers can make appointments using their health system, pharmacy websites, the state’s vaccine booking website, or the city’s website.

Flu Shot

The San Francisco Department of Public Health strongly recommends that everyone ages six months and older get their annual flu vaccine. With COVID-19 and the upcoming flu season overlapping, it's more important than ever to get vaccinated against the flu this year. More information can be found here.

Rent Help

Eligible renters can apply to San Francisco’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program to receive up to six months of rental assistance, including back and future rent. For more information on the program and additional community and state resources, see here.

Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC)

The ERTC is a refundable tax credit for up to $33,000 per employee for businesses of all sizes who were forced to partially or fully suspend operations due to government orders. Businesses that experienced a 50% decline in gross receipts during any quarter of 2020 compared to the same quarter in 2019 can also qualify. You can see if your business qualifies here.

POLICY AND LEGISLATION

My Voting Record

The San Francisco Chronicle recently published a special report analyzing the voting history of past and current Supervisors. I think this report highlights my independence, and I am proud of my voting record. I will never back down from an issue that I care about, and with your continued support, I will always put the city's best interest first. 

Public Safety

The San Francisco Victims’ Rights Initiative

Each quarter, nearly 20,000 San Franciscans report that they are victims of a crime. However, almost 90% of those victims do not qualify for help. Too often I hear from people across the city who have been victimized expressing that they cannot access the services they need nor get information on how to receive help under our current system. San Franciscans need an independent agency that will make the needs of victims their first priority. 

That is why I developed my San Francisco Victims’ Rights Initiative, which will be on the June 2022 Ballot. My initiative will provide essential support for all victims of crime by creating a new independent Office of Victim and Witness Rights and establishing a Right to Civil Counsel for Victims of Domestic Violence. This office will be a one-stop shop, outside of law enforcement, where victims can get the help they deserve. It will identify gaps in our current system and design programs to fill them, consolidate and coordinate victims’ services across the city, and help victims navigate the criminal justice system.

I'm grateful to my co-sponsors Supervisors Mandelman, Melgar, Safai, and Haney and all the advocates who joined me when we made the announcement on the steps of City Hall. The status quo is no longer acceptable and we must support all victims of crime. You can read more here.

Creating More Transparency

According to the Family Violence Council’s annual report on family violence trends in San Francisco, local calls to crisis lines increased by 37% and calls to nonprofits assisting with restraining orders increased by 166%. At the same time, prosecutions against abusers declined. These findings are as devastating as they are unacceptable.

As a result, I passed legislation requiring the District Attorney’s Office and the Police Department to quarterly report their actions on domestic violence cases. We cannot continue to let domestic violence cases slip between the cracks - too many lives depend on it. You can read more about my work around domestic violence here or watch the NBC segment on it here.

Hearing on Police Staffing 

Prior to the pandemic, we received an independent study on police staffing indicating San Francisco needed to hire more than 330 new employees to meet service demand. The study also found that during the day, our sworn force spent almost all of their on-duty hours reacting to calls or reported incidents – and they had almost no time to engage in the proactive work necessary to achieve crime reductions.

Since March of 2020, the police have reported that their staffing is down even further. Police Chief Scott shared that we now need to hire almost 500 officers to adequately serve the city. The fact is crime is up and our daytime population has not returned to normal, leaving residents more vulnerable to crime. 

For these reasons, I called for a hearing to establish what the demand for service is, how it changed since the last independent study, and to understand what efforts the Police Department has undertaken for recruitment and retention. 

Street Safety 

Tragedy at Union and Franklin

The fatal crash at Union and Franklin has understandably left our community shaken and I share the outrage over this senseless loss of life. Pedestrians of all ages have a right to safely make their way across the city.

I believe tragedies like this demand urgent responses, and I’m glad to report that the SFMTA has repainted the crosswalks and installed additional daylighting, painted safety zones, and added left and right turn calming at this corner. 

Last week, I also called for a hearing on pedestrian safety around both public and private schools in San Francisco. This hearing will include presentations from city departments on traffic safety and calming around schools and an update on the Safe Routes to Schools program. 

Bus Lines

In 2022, Muni service will retain service within two to three blocks of all stops that had all-day service before the pandemic. They will also extend the 43 Masonic and restore the 2-Clement from Presidio Ave and California to downtown by early 2022. You can read more about the SFMTA's plans for service in 2022 here.

Supporting Small Business 

Operating a small business in San Francisco has been difficult for a very long time. Given the added stress of the pandemic, I was shocked to learn that one of our restaurants in District 2 faced thousands of dollars in fines from the city for having their business name on both an awning and a projecting sign. 

My legislation amends the Planning Code to allow this kind of signage. This minor code change will help businesses avoid unnecessary and punitive penalties and create opportunities to improve their storefront visibility.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Veterans' Day

I had the honor of volunteering with Swords to Plowshares last month to distribute essential items to local veterans in need. This organization and its staff work tirelessly to support veterans' access to legal aid, temporary and permanent housing, and mental health services. Swords to Plowshares deserves all our gratitude for their dedication to serving our veterans in need.

Union in Bloom Kickoff

The opening of Bloomtown was an incredible success! There were murals in vacant storefronts, large art installations on rooftops, and a scavenger hunt. I'm grateful to the San Francisco Parks Alliance and the Union Street Merchants Association for their partnership in helping to revitalize the Union Street neighborhood commercial district and merchant corridor.

Opening of the American Indian Cultural Hub

I joined the American Indian Cultural District of San Francisco to celebrate their one year anniversary and the opening of the American Indian Cultural Hub in the Fort Mason Center. I am looking forward to working with the Cultural District to learn how to better recognize and celebrate the Ramaytush Ohlone and First Peoples of the Bay Area.

National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Homicide

I joined Brady California and community members for a solemn vigil on the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Homicide on the steps of City Hall. 2020 was the deadliest year for gun violence in the United States in over two decades and 2021 is on path to surpass this tragic milestone. I was proud to stand with Mattie Scott of Brady California and express my gratitude for all her violence prevention work and to also thank Brady for championing my ghost gun ban legislation in San Francisco.

Simulated Water Rescue

I was honored to join the San Francisco Firefighters Local 798 on a simulated water rescue mission at Crane Cove Park. This exercise highlighted just how long it takes to provide critical water rescue services to the southeastern part of the city. Because San Francisco is surrounded by water on three sides it is important for us to have a strong water rescue team ready to respond as quickly as possible.

Walden House Visit

For over four decades, Walden House has served clients with mental health and substance abuse disorders by providing residential treatment, outpatient programs, and in-custody services. I visited Walden House as part of a series of site visits I’m conducting of our city’s substance abuse treatment facilities to learn more about our city's gaps in rehabilitative services, each facility's funding streams, and their metrics for measuring success. 

Lilikoi Boba

We are filling vacant storefronts and helping new businesses thrive in District 2! I had the pleasure of visiting a new Cow Hollow boba shop, Lilikoi, located at 3108 Fillmore Street. They opened just a few months ago and already feel like a staple in the community. Be sure to check out their new shop and enjoy some tasty boba and mochi donuts. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Fillmore Street Sidewalk Sale

My office, OEWD, and the Fillmore Merchants Association worked together to bring you the The Fillmore Street Merchant Corridor Sidewalk Sale. On December 4th from 1pm to 4pm head over to Fillmore Street to find great holiday presents, listen to local jazz musicians, and enjoy seasonal treats. I am also hosting a kick-off event for the sidewalk sale at Harry's Bar at 2020 Fillmore at 1pm - hope to see you there!

Alta Plaza Clean-Up

On Saturday, December 4th from 10am to 12pm, meet at the Washington Street and Steiner Street entrance to Alta Plaza Park to join other volunteers and community leaders in cleaning and greening the park. You can sign up here.

2022 Dignity Fund Community Needs Assessment

The San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services is gathering community input on the needs of older people and adults with disabilities as part of their 2022 Dignity Fund Community Needs Assessment. Add your voice to this important process and help shape future decisions about how they use the Dignity Fund to meet our community’s needs. See here to take their survey. 

Covered California - 2022 Open Enrollment 

The open-enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act marketplaces began on November 1, 2021 and runs through January 31, 2022. It is the one time of the year when eligible people cannot be turned away from coverage. Those interested in learning more about their coverage options can visit CoveredCA.com or call Covered California at (800) 300-1506. Please contact my office with any questions and my staff will be happy to connect you with a certified enroller. 

Marina Branch Library Renovations

Earlier this year the Marina Branch Library shared that they were undergoing a construction project that would result in some temporary service disruptions through November 12th. Unfortunately, the project is taking a bit longer than expected. Until then, the Marina Branch will continue to provide full library service on Saturdays from 10am-6pm and on Sundays from 1pm-5pm.  Library services are available at the following locations while the Marina Branch is temporarily closed: 

Chinatown Branch: Monday through Friday 10am-5:30pm 

Golden Gate Valley Branch: Monday through Friday 10am-5:30pm 

Presidio Branch: Tuesday through Saturday 10am-5:30pm 

North Beach Branch: Mon 10am-6pm; Tue 10am-8pm; Wed 1pm-8pm; Th 10am-6pm; Fri 1pm-6pm; Sat 10am-6pm; Sun 1pm-5pm.

Office of Supervisor Catherine Stefani
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 273, San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 554-7752 Fax: (415) 554-7843