Lisa Feldstein’s Response to Questionnaire

www.lisafeldstein.com

1) The current proposal for the U.C. Berkeley Extension property, a 6-acre site located between Laguna, Haight, Buchanan and Hermann streets, calls for the development of 500 housing units, with 80-88% market-rate rentals and the remainder income-restricted rentals. Market-rate rentals that are not subject to rent control often have a high rate of turnover, attracting transient renters who are looking for a “temporary” home. On the other hand, “affordable” housing tenants tend to remain in their apartments for many years. Do you believe the proposed amount of affordable housing is appropriate? Further, do you believe that housing on this site should be entirely rental? If not, what will you do to negotiate housing opportunities for a wider mix of income levels or home ownership on the U.C. Extension property?

The U.C. Berkeley Extension property is quite simply the largest and most important existing development opportunity in the HayesValleyarea, and as such should reflect the highest standards in planning, design and affordable housing policy. The development of this property represents a strategic opportunity for the HayesValleyneighborhood to implement the Upper Market/Octavia Better Neighborhoods Plan, and to set the bar for future development proposals along Octavia Boulevardand on infill sites throughout the neighborhood.

Clearly, the current proposal for the development of the site does not reflect the neighborhood’s aspirations for progressive and visionary development. The proposal should include a broader range of affordable housing units, and opportunities for expanding the unit mix by tenure and size should also be explored. Moreover, the current project does not reflect the highest standards in transit supportive design, and should be reexamined in light of community planning goals reflected in the as-yet unadopted Upper Market/Octavia Plan.

As Supervisor, I would do my utmost to expedite the final approval of the Upper Market/Octavia Plan, and to see that consistent zoning controls area adopted for the HayesValleyneighborhood. I would also convene a meeting with representatives from the current development team and community leaders to initiate a more inclusive and extensive community planning process regarding the development of the UC Extension site. As currently proposed, I oppose the project, and would work for a more suitable development plan for the site.

2) The Park and Rec Department seems particularly hard hit with layoffs and cutbacks. There will be a new director for Parks and Rec who will have to deal with these challenges. Explain how you will select and support this new director with these specific issues in mind:

• voters repeatedly approve capital improvements funding for parks showing their support, but then the city cuts maintenance resulting in rapid deterioration of parks (in our community, the focal Koshland Park is one such example). What is your commitment to adequate maintenance budgets? What is your target level of financial support for parks (vs. current actual levels)?
• another mission of Parks and Rec is children's programs. These have also seen severe cutbacks resulting in kids with little outlet for productive expression. The result is detrimental to the children and the community. The Western Addition, including Hayes Valley, is especially hard hit with its high concentration of at-risk children. How are you going to support Park and Rec restoring these programs?

Parks and Recreation are central to the urban living experience. However, San Franciscotoo often treats these important public spaces and programs as non-essential, and they are among the first to be cut during difficult budget times. The Parks and Recreation Department was particularly hard hit in the recent budget process, losing both funding and key dedicated staff. As Supervisor, I will work to restore funding to key positions and programs in future budget processes. This will require the exploration of new revenue sources, as well as a careful examination of waste and excessive overhead across City government. I will also work with the business community and local civic organizations to encourage a broader engagement in the City’s Parks and Recreation activities. City government working alone will never be able to address all of the gaps in our local programs. The downtown business community has an obligation to step up and assist with the funding of projects that serve the neighborhoods, not just the physical areas immediately surrounding their office buildings.

On the capital facilities side, the city has deferred maintenance of so many parks for so long that further significant investment is essential without any more delay. This year’s crisis concerning capital improvement program funds demonstrated that there is a greater community demand for renovation of park capital facilities than there is available funding. New funding sources for capital improvements must be identified to pay for capital improvements that are still “on hold,” as well as other necessary projects. For example, KoshlandPark is a little oasis in HayesValley, and was renovated in 2000, but still needs a new retaining wall -- a project that is currently funded but needs continued support from District 5's Supervisor in order to keep moving forward.

In looking at ongoing maintenance of our parks, District Five has long been one of the most neglected areas of the City. Out of 955.03 full time parks and recreation employees in San Francisco, only 23.175 are specifically dedicated to facilities and programs in District Five. This is the smallest number of dedicated employees in any district in San Francisco, even after accounting for employees working at Citywide resources like Golden GatePark.

I agree that recreation programs for youth are particularly crucial in our neighborhoods, and I will work diligently as Supervisor to ensure that HayesValleyand all of District Five receive a more proportionate share of parks and recreation funding. Because the population served by recreation programs (majority low income and people of color) is underrepresented in city government, recreation programs are treated as a lower city priority than other services that are considered essential when the city leaders sit down the decide where scarce dollars will be allocated. This mentality needs to change. Investment in youth services pays big dividends in terms of reduced demands on other services in the long run. Why spend money to “police” our youth that could go much further when spent to involve youth in productive activities that give them an investment in the community? 

It is important to acknowledge that good recreation programs require good leadership. Money can and should be spent on professional development for recreation directors and better salaries to hire more professional recreation directors. Well-trained, professional recreation directors will have the skills and knowledge to bring in talent to offer specific programs, whether from the neighborhood or farther afield.

Existing community organizations, like Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth, as well as existing neighborhood groups, have lots of input to offer already concerning how recreation programs can be improved. As a Supervisor, I will work with the Recreation and Park Department to publish seasonal catalogs describing available recreation programs, both on paper and on-line. Such catalogs are standard practice in neighboring communities, and should be here. Right now, there is no regularly published list of what recreation programs and services are even offered in this city. I think that publicizing the lack of depth in city recreation services would help generate demand and promote accountability. San Franciscans deserve to have youth and adult recreation services that are at least equal in scope to those available in suburban communities.

Finally, the new director of Parks and Recreation will need to have a progressive vision which includes greater citizen involvement, engagement of the business community, and the fair and equitable distribution of City resources. Acting Rec & Park General Manager Yomi Agunbiade has, I believe, shown himself to be more open to community involvement than the previous director, and I am encouraged by this positive change. I see the Rec & Park General Manager as a key position in our City government, and as Supervisor will do everything I can to ensure the Mayor selects a highly motivated and socially and environmentally conscious Parks and Recreation General Manager.  

3) Part of the purpose of the recent chain store legislation spearheaded by Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association is that it will help to preserve San Francisco's cultural and architectural heritage from being replaced by the "formula" architecture and interiors of large national chain stores. There is also sentiment in Hayes Valley in favor of designating certain parts of the neighborhood as historic districts as a way of preserving neighborhood character. What is your position on Historic and Architectural preservation?

We should make every effort to preserve the historic resources which are crucial to the City’s cultural and economic vitality. I believe that a progressive agenda for the growth and development of San Francisco and District Five must prioritize the preservation and rehabilitation of historic buildings and neighborhoods, including areas of the City that have long been neglected. While still keeping an eye towards the future, we must be careful to preserve and strengthen the historic fabric of the City which links us to the past.

Throughout my tenure as a Planning Commissioner, I was a strong advocate for historic preservation. As Supervisor for District Five, I will work to strengthen the Landmarks Advisory Committee and adopt the Preservation Element as part of the City’s General Plan. I will also be an advocate for responsible programs for increasing City funding for the rehabilitation of historic buildings, particularly those which have the potential for providing much needed affordable housing for low income individuals and families.

San Francisco’s recent history is rife with examples of poor planning and a shortsighted neglect of historic resources. In District Five, many residents still remember the vibrant African-American commercial corridor along Fillmore Streetwhich fell victim to the destructive urban renewal policies of the 1950s and 1960s. Perhaps the most dramatic example of the need for a strong historic preservation policy is the FoxPlazaon Market Streetwhich replaced one of the largest and most architecturally significant movie theaters on the West Coast. We must remain vigilant to ensure that brutal and shortsighted development practices do not take more of our historic resources.

4) The replacement of the elevated Central Freeway with the Octavia Boulevard presents an opportunity for Hayes Valley to balance automobile traffic with other modes of travel, including public transit, walking and bicycling. What measures do you recommend implementing that would limit auto congestion and encourage the creation of a pedestrian-oriented community where residents can shop within walking distance of their homes?

Through the Better Neighborhoods planning process, HayesValleyresidents created a remarkable, visionary plan of a walkable, diverse neighborhood that is not built around cars but around people. As a Planning Commissioner, I was a strong advocate for the process and the Market/Octavia Plan.

Fortunately, much of the planning work to better balance District 5’s transportation network has already been completed. All that is needed now is actual implementation of those plans. As supervisor, I would sponsor legislation and work directly with City departments to implement the following four priorities:

1. Performance Measures.Currently, the City measures the success of our transportation network primarily by “Auto LOS” (Level of Service), counting seconds of delay for motor vehicles at intersections. I would sponsor legislation at the Board to change our priorities to emphasize the movement of people over the movement of vehicles, and to prioritize safety. I would also adopt Quality of Service measures for all modes of transportation, providing guidance to planners and engineers about how to balance the needs of all modes against one another.

2. Parking Management.The Market & Octavia Better Neighborhoods plan has excellent strategies for managing congestion and improving our quality of life by changing parking requirements and our residential parking permit programs. I would work with Planning and DPT to create legislation to adopt these ideas immediately.

3. Transit Performance.Despite recent improvements, Muni bus service is still too slow and unreliable. Muni’s proposed Bus Rapid Transit improvements on Geary, however, offer hope for the modern transit system San Francisconeeds.  I would work to expedite that project and to apply its lessons to all of Muni’s key transit corridors, including Van Ness, Mission, Market and other corridors studied in Muni’s “Vision Plan.”

4. Bicycle, Pedestrian and Traffic Calming Projects.San Francisco’s new transportation sales tax, Prop. K, includes substantial funding for bicycle, pedestrian and traffic calming projects, many of them directed at the Better Neighborhoods areas. I would work with the Transportation Authority to quickly allocate funds for all of the neighborhood streetscape improvements called for in the Market & Octavia plan, including traffic calming on Page, streetscape on South Van Ness, sidewalk improvements on Hayes, and other identified projects.

5. More Bike Racks.Making it easier for cyclists to park their bicycles will encourage them to rely more on bikes and less on cars. Where sidewalk width permits, I’d encourage the City to step up its installation of bike racks.

5) Define “Community Policing” in three sentences or less. How many times in the last year have you attended the Northern District Police/Community Relations Forum?

Community Policing is fundamentally about a proactive, grass roots approach to public safety. This means different things in different neighborhoods, but in District Five a sound community policing policy should include a greater commitment on the part of the SFPD to partnering with neighborhood groups to prevent crime rather than the disengaged and reactive practices which currently prevail. HayesValleyand the rest of District Five need dedicated police officers with a long-term commitment to the neighborhood and a deep familiarity with local residents and their issues.

I have not yet attended a Northern District Police/Community Relations Forumbecause I only recently learned of them. I am grateful to Richard Johnson and to Judy Edmond for letting me know about the forums and plan to attend in the future. 

6) The Market/Octavia Plan creates a blueprint for a high-density, pedestrian-oriented, urban neighborhood where owning a car is a choice rather than a necessity. Please describe the elements of this Plan that you consider most important in determining the success of the Hayes Valleyneighborhood. Please also identify any elements you think should be changed, and explain why.

Community involvement and an emphasis on quality of life issues distinguish the Upper Market/Octavia Plan from so many other planning efforts in San Francisco. The plan represents a truly progressive vision for the future evolution of HayesValley: one that focuses on making the neighborhood an increasingly vital and livable urban community. 

As I’ve said in public meetings, I don’t believe the Plan is a menu from which elements can be chosen. The Plan functions as an integrated whole. For this reason it is difficult to pluck out elements that are key to the Plan’s success, but I’ll summarize a few:

• Commitment to diverse and affordable housing. Many neighborhoods measure progress by increase in property values; however, this often means lower-income residents have been displaced. HayesValleyhas embraced affordable housing as part of a healthy residential mix. Residents also see the importance of providing housing that is appropriate for seniors, families – for all the diverse populations that make up a vibrant community.
• Creating an environment that values people over cars. Not only does this make for safer, more attractive streets, but there are numerous additional benefits. People who are not traveling in their separate automobiles tend to interact with their neighbors, building community. Fewer curb cuts for garages allow for a more active, engaging streetscape. People shop in their neighborhoods, contributing to a healthy commercial district.
• Actively seeking neighborhood-serving retail. Neighbors can’t shop in the neighborhood if the things they need are not for sale there. The Plan emphasizes convenient neighborhood services, which reinforces the goal of a vibrant neighborhood commercial district.
• Recognition of the opportunity created by the tearing down of the Central Freeway and the construction of the new Octavia Blvd.Without this recognition, the development sites created through the destruction of the freeway would have been built for highest economic return on a site-by-site basis, rather than thinking about them as an integrated opportunity.
• Finally, the single most important component is the fact that the neighborhood created it. Residents came together and figured out what they wanted their community to be. That is immensely powerful and inspiring.

The success of the plan will depend upon its implementation and coordination between the various City agencies responsible for regulating and funding urban development. If there is a flaw in the Plan it is on the side of implementation and financing rather than an inherent flaw in any of the recommended policy language.  

7) Name the key crime areas in the Hayes Valleyarea. Name some individuals, groups, and community based organizations located in the HayesValleyarea that are currently working on reducing crime and improving the quality of life in our neighborhood.

The key crime areas in Hayes Valley include the intersection of Gough and Market, the 400 and 500 blocks of Haight Street between Webster and Steiner, and the area around Grove and Buchanan. There are, of course, other areas in HayesValleywhich also experience ongoing problems with crime and safety, particularly theft and vandalism.

The key organizations working on crime and safety issues in Hayes Valley include all of the Hayes Valley Community Partners: the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association (Richard Johnson); the Neighborhood Safety Partnership; Operation Contact; and the Safety Network (Judy Edmond). Captain Kevin Dillon of Northern Station, Edward Goehring of City Hub Neighborhoods, and Barbara Winger are also actively working on crime reduction and neighborhood improvement activities. 

8) Please comment in detail on the recently passed chain store legislation.

As a Planning Commissioner, I had the opportunity to work with the developers of the Formula Retail legislation, and it is one of the things I’m most proud of from my Commission tenure. I went through the proposed legislation line by line and worked closely with Supervisor Gonzalez and with Peter Cohen to ensure that a strong, enforceable piece of legislation was enacted. I was and am a great supporter of the legislation, and am pleased to see that it is already being strengthened and expanded.

Formula retail has dramatically changed our nation’s economic and visual landscape. As Main Streets become indistinguishable from malls, communities across the country have struggled to find ways to retain their character. Formula Retail legislation is just such a mechanism. San Francisco’s legislation is well-nuanced, requiring notice of prospective chain stores in most of our Neighborhood Commercial Districts, while providing restrictions or prohibitions in only a very few. This allows communities to decide for themselves whether to welcome chain stores or not. Neighborhoods like the Bayview can welcome formula retail with open arms, while HayesValleyhas said “No” under any circumstances. Retailers benefit, too, by not investing resources in trying to site stores that are not welcome. And small businesses can flourish without threats from mega-corporations that can undersell them, driving them out of business.

HayesValleyis facing its first test of the legislation in the attempt of the Melting Pot to locate in the vacant storefront space on Gough owned by BRIDGE Housing. One lesson to be learned from this is that San Franciscohas not done a good job of educating property owners about the legislation. Apparently BRIDGE was under the misimpression that the legislation was advisory, not a prohibition. For the legislation to be effective, we must ensure that property owners know about it, and as Supervisor I will work to ensure that this education occurs.

I support the recently passed chain store legislation and will continue to fight for small neighborhood businesses in HayesValleyand throughout District Five. As I’ve long believed, small business is the economic lifeblood of our city. Small businesses in San Franciscoprovide more than half of our City’s jobs, and many sole proprietors make significant contributions to our local economy as well. However, the voices of these small businesses are rarely heard at City Hall. As supervisor, I would continue to support community-based planning that enhances small business opportunities in our neighborhood commercial districts and elsewhere.  

9) The Octavia Boulevard Project includes the creation of a new neighborhood park on Octavia Street, between Fell and Hayes. We expect this park to be an important gathering spot for the neighborhood and the performing arts community. The Octavia Boulevard Project does not include any funding for the maintenance of this park. The Recreation and Parks Department has no funding to maintain this park. How do you propose obtaining funding for the maintenance and upkeep of this very important park?  

This is another example of the HayesValleyneighborhood getting short shrift when it comes to funding of parks and recreation programs and projects. As part of my overall approach to improving parks and recreation activities in District Five (see question 2), I would make this important project a priority. It is short-sighted for the City to invest in infrastructure without maintenance. Parks that are not well-maintained become unappealing to all except criminals. It is a smarter investment – both economically and socially – to maintain all of our parks, new and old, and I will fight for the money to do so.

10) What is your position on green space as a requirement for any UC Extension development plan? Please provide as much detail as you can on what you feel adequate green space would be in this major site.

I support the inclusion of active public space in this project, which could be in the form of a central courtyard, a well designed playground or some other form of community space. Any public or community space that is integrated into the project should include environmentally sensitive landscaping, and the overall project should be designed to build upon and enhance the character of the surrounding neighborhood. I do not believe that there is one invariable formula for determining a minimum proportion of green space in urban infill projects. Indeed, I’ve often seen minimum green space requirements translated into inaccessible, unattractive and underused lawn areas which neither benefit the community nor the environment. Rather, consistent with the Market Octavia Plan, I believe in an active and thoughtful engagement through the planning and design review process to ensure that new infill development is sensitively designed and provides attractive and well designed public amenities to residents and neighbors alike.

11) A payroll tax exemption has been proposed for biotech companies while existing small businesses have recently been saddled with a new gross receipts tax. Do you support an exemption for biotech companies? Why? Do you support the new gross receipts tax? Why? How do you propose to help independent, locally owned and operated businesses thrive in San Francisco?

I do not support the poorly conceived and unfair biotech exemption. I do, however, believe that a progressive gross receipts tax may prove to be an effective way to tax small and large businesses in San Francisco. A sliding scale tax structure means that smaller businesses with lower gross receipts pay a smaller percentage of those gross receipts in taxes than would a larger business. As I’ve previously stated, small businesses are the economic lifeblood of San Francisco, and my economic platform strongly emphasizes programs and policies to help small businesses. As a sole proprietor myself, I understand the difficulties inherent in running a small business and pledge to:

• Work with small business owners to make sure their input is part of the decision-making process in City Hall;
• Fight for tax structures that don’t penalize small businesses; and
• Work with the Small Business Commission to maximize its effectiveness and impact on San Francisco.
• Revise the Permitting and Land Use Process to reduce delays, reducing start-up costs. 
• Create Incentives for Socially-Responsible New Businesses by creating Special Investment Zones in communities that have difficulty attracting business investment capital. New businesses that meet zoning criteria and agree to pay living wages and benefits would benefit from employer tax credits when they hire employees within the area, and permitting for these new businesses would be streamlined to attract these socially-responsible new employers.
• Preserve Our Industrial Areas. Industrial companies provide needed local jobs and ensure economic stability for our City.  We must preserve our industrial areas and the specialized buildings with large floor plates, trucking access, and separation from residential uses.
•  Access to Skills Development. It is important that San Franciscans have access to the education and skills development that will make them entrepreneurs as well as attractive employees, with the skills that will allow them to command good wages.
•  Extend Transit Services. The City must work with businesses to ensure that transit access to their businesses meets their needs.
•  Clean Up the City. Businesses rely on clean, well-maintained streets and surroundings to attract patrons. I support the City working closely with businesses to improve the quality of business surroundings, including streetscape upgrades.
• Triple Bottom Line. This sustainable economy concept looks not just at the economic value businesses add, but also on the environmental and social value they add. In approaching economic development opportunities, I pledge to look at social and environmental contributions as well as economic contributions. By looking at all three, we can grow a balanced, sustainable and diverse economy that benefits all San Franciscans.

12) In order for our commercial districts to thrive we need to encourage many more customers to visit our shopping areas than can arrive by personal automobile. What creative ideas do you have for encouraging shoppers to travel to shopping districts by walking, biking, public transit or taxi?

I want to commend HVNA for its understanding that our commercial districts must rely on more than automobile traffic for a customer base. While so many merchants focus energy on trying to obtain more parking resources, HayesValleyis looking for alternate means by which to bring in the customers that will ensure a vibrant Neighborhood Commercial District. I can think of several ways to encourage shoppers to travel to our shopping districts by means other than private automobile.

First of all, we can and should improve weekend and evening MUNI service, with an emphasis on service to Neighborhood Commercial Districts. Many people do most of their shopping at these times, and are more likely to utilize public transit for their shopping trips if service is convenient and frequent.

Second, we should explore the possibility of developing shopper shuttle services. Emeryville’s free bus service, Emery-Go-Round, does exactly this, with weekend service to and from BART and major shopping areas in Emeryville. The city and merchants could partner to provide shuttles that serve major transit nodes as well as shopping districts such as HayesValleyand the Haight.

To attract more bicycle-riding customers, we must improve bicycle parking options in shopping areas. Offering free, secure bike parking will allow more people to shop by bike without worrying about their bicycles being stolen or vandalized.

For shoppers traveling by means other than private automobile, storage of purchases can be a concern. Many department stores offer parcel check for customers, understanding that a person who is not weighed down by packages is more likely to continue to shop and spend money. Neighborhood merchants might consider offering similar services to encourage shoppers to continue to shop.

Finally, increasing the number of people who live within walking distance of our Neighborhood Commercial Districts increases the resident customer base for those districts.The Market Octavia plan recognizes the benefits of increased density in our urban neighborhoods. By continuing to advocate for and develop higher density neighborhoods where appropriate, we should see more vibrant, healthy Neighborhood Commercial Districts that are benefiting from having more people in the neighborhood.

13) When you become supervisor how do you propose to reduce crime and improve the

quality of life for residents who live within the H.V.N.A. boundaries? Please give specific examples.

As I mentioned above, I am a strong supporter of community policing and of expanded parks and recreation programs. I believe these are both key to improving neighborhood quality over the long-run. Specifically, I would work with the SFPD to ensure that they assign beat cops to the HayesValleyneighborhood for longer than six-month assignments to ensure that they become intimately familiar with the neighborhood and have a sustained impact on reducing crime.

I also think it is important to acknowledge that there is a complete breakdown of trust between law enforcement and the public, especially within communities of color, the important work of people like Richard Johnson and Judy Edmond not withstanding.. Violence and drug dealing present real threats to residents’ safety in many of our neighborhoods. If we are going to improve public safety, restoring trust between law enforcement and the public is imperative. I support the establishment of a Citizens’ Advisory Committee to the SFPD. I think it is critical that citizens work hand in hand with police to determine law enforcement priorities and to provide a feedback loop to the police regarding community relations. The police must work with the public to come up with comprehensive approaches to eliminate crime; area sweeps just move criminal activity to another location. A comprehensive program, with significant citizen participation, is critical if people are to feel safe in their communities and with their law enforcement personnel.

The other side of public safety is crime prevention. The city must continue to work with the public to develop programs that offer alternatives to crime. Youth activities, job training and placement, and real support for those exiting the criminal justice system will all work to provide alternatives to crime for those who don’t presently see alternatives.

When discussing quality of life, I think it is important to define terms. To me, quality of life means that all of us have access to the resources we need to live safely and with dignity. These resources include: safe communities; high quality, affordable housing; healthcare; excellent educational opportunities; employment; well-maintained open space ;recreational opportunities; access to healthy food; and efficient transportation. When some members of our society do not have access to these resources, the resulting impacts on the quality of the lives of those individuals negatively impacts quality of life for the rest of us. By using our scarce land resources intelligently, by ensuring that city budgeting priorities meet our human needs, we can address quality of life issues at a fundamental level with positive results for all of us. Once again, the Market Octavia plan can be held up as an example of a blueprint for enhanced quality of life for members of our community.

14) Our performing arts center often has performances that draw many more patrons than can be accommodated by personal automobile. What creative ideas do you have that would encourage patrons to use public transit? What other suggestions do you have for effectively transporting patrons to and from the performing arts center? Do you support the construction of additional parking garages, or the expansion of existing garages in the Civic Center vicinity?

First of all, I do not believe that simply because of its proximity to the performing arts venues of the CivicCenter, it is the responsibility of HayesValleyto solve the parking problems of those institutions. I stated this repeatedly during my tenure on the Planning Commission, and I will not waver in my resolve. Nor do I support the construction of additional parking garages or the expansion of existing garages in the CivicCentervicinity. Here again, I am on record as opposing more or bigger parking structures and I will not waver.

I believe that many of the mechanisms that would serve to bring customers to our Neighborhood Commercial Districts would also work to bring patrons to the CivicCenterto enjoy our arts scene. The CivicCenteris well served by MUNI and BART; the arts establishments must work harder to encourage their patrons to use these resources. Once again, expanded weekend and evening service or event-specific service, as is provided for baseball games, should encourage more people to take public transit to CivicCenterperformances.

It is also true that many of our South of Market parking garages and surface lots are underutilized evenings and weekends. It would be cost effective for the CivicCenterarts organizations to provide free shuttle service to these existing parking facilities, and I have stated this publicly on several occasions. Once again, I would support expanded Muni service and specific weekend and evening shuttle services to accommodate special events. I would not support additional or expanded parking garages under any circumstances. You might have more concrete ideas.

15) Funding for the traffic calming/pedestrian safety portions of the Octavia Boulevard Project's "ancillary projects" has been budgeted at $5 million. A large portion of this money will likely be spent on enhancing the livability of the South of Market neighborhood located near the touchdown ramp. This South of Market area will require a great number of amenities to maintain any reasonable quality of life.

Spending the majority of the "ancillary" project money on South of Market, leaves very little money to spend north of Market on traffic calming or on developing "living streets" on the alleyways crossing the Boulevard. Pedestrian safety and the enhancement of the livability of our alleyways are key elements to the success of the overall Octavia Boulevard Project. How do you propose funding these improvements?

The primary source of funding for these improvements should be the sale of parcels along Octavia Boulevardas well as from the sale of other publicly owned sites in the area. Citywide Tax Increment funds from the Redevelopment Agency could also be earmarked for this purpose. City Agencies must be more aggressive in pursuing MTC funding for special projects involving transit supportive development.

In terms of the City’s overall budget, $5 million is a very small amount of money. I’m confident that this sum can be found and I am committed to ensuring that funds are identified to fulfill the vision of the Octavia BoulevardProject.