With the blessed arrival of some early season rains, it was just a matter of time before Bernal Hill began its annual transition from Brown Mode to Green Mode.
This morning, a proclamation from Neighbor Veronica made it official:
The Engreenening has begun!
Indeed! Neighbor Veronica also shared these photos of Bernal Hill’s verdant new peachfuzz to verify the transformation that’s now underway.
Hail the rains! Hail the green!
PHOTOS: Neighbor Veronica
When we last heard from Bernal neighbor Michael Gillette, he had just completed a trippy new video for My Morning Jacket that showcased his formidable skills as an artist and animator. At the time, however Bernalwood hadn’t realized that Neighbor Michael’s output is so extensive, so amazingly creative, and so closely tied to the music industry.
Now Neighbor Michael the focus of a gorgeous new book called Drawn in Stereo that’s a visual greatest-hits collection of his work:
Filled with selections from his entire career, Drawn in Stereo shares an eclectic display of artistic approaches, including gallery shows, sketchbooks, music video animation stills, and magazine contributions for the likes of; Spin, MOJO, Q, & the New Yorker.
Projects showcased include work for the Beastie Boys, Paul McCartney, MGMT, & Beck—among many others— Drawn in Stereo highlights Gillette’s ability to channel music into compelling visual art.
Featuring a foreword by Fred Deakin and an interview by Elastica’s Justine Frischmann, Drawn in Stereo reveals an inspired life, ranging from Britpop London and rooming with the Aphex Twin, to fifteen years of creativity in San Francisco.
In a message to Bernalwood, Neighbor Michael also shared these local notes:
About half of my career has been spent on Lundys, and I’d guess about 90% of the work in the book was made here.
The book is a big deal for me as it gathers together work I’ve created over the the last 25 years. The focus is on music, as this has been a constant inspiration, and I’ve made a lot of imagery in service of that industry for folks such as Beck & The Beastie Boys to Paul McCartney and My Morning Jacket.
Also, a historical footnote: As a kid I loved Rick Griffin, and his work really helped set the course of my life. I found out not long ago, his purple patch designing Fillmore posters and the like took place on Elsie Street!
So much gorgeousness. Want a copy of Neighbor Michael’s sexxxy new book — for you, or for that special locavore on Santa’s list? Get it right here.
YIMBYs rejoice! Renderings have finally been unveiled for a $40 million project to construct a nine-story building at 1296 Shotwell Street, just off Cesar Chavez, to provide 96 units of housing for lower-income senior citizens. Funding for the project will mostly come from a variety of public sources, including federal grants and San Francisco housing funds. Mission Local broke the story:
The Mission Economic Development Agency, an established neighborhood non-profit but a newcomer to the affordable housing game, is partnering once again with the experienced Chinatown Community Development Corporation to construct the senior housing complex. It will allocate 20 percent of its units to formerly homeless seniors and the remainder will go to seniors with annual incomes between $21,400 and $35,700.
This is great news, and we really need more housing, so your Bernalwood editor remains a big fan of this project even though it will definitely block some of my glamorous downtown view. Let’s build it! But let’s also look at some of the details:
Right now, 1296 Shotwell is basically a shed that’s home to a few automotive repair shops. The history of this project is intimately tied to the Vida market-rate development at 2558 Mission Street that also created the soon-to-open Alamo Drafthouse Cinema inside the restored New Mission theater. Vida is a 114-unit, market-rate project in which the developer opted to meet their inclusionary housing requirements by purchasing 1296 Shotwell Street as a land dedication site for use by San Francisco to create affordable housing. This means the City basically received the land at 1296 Shotwell for free. And presumably, since 1296 Shotwell will be senior housing, each of the units in the new building will be relatively small, although the height of the building gives it significant density. That probably explains why, even with donated land and many small units, 1296 Shotwell pencils out at the relatively low price of $417,000 per unit. Prop A, the affordable housing bond passed in the election this month, will help pay for 1296 Shotwell.
Also by way of context, the Mission neighborhood nonprofit partner for 1296 Shotwell is Mission Economic Development Agency. MEDA has been in operation since the 1970s, mostly as a community assistance organization providing educational and small-business support services to Latino families in the Mission. More recently, MEDA has branched out into housing development. MEDA was a major backer of the recent Proposition I push to establish a moratorium on market-rate housing in the Mission, and Gabriel Medina, MEDA’s policy director, managed the Yes On I campaign from MEDA’s headquarters at 2301 Mission Street. Prop I was rejected by voters in the election earlier this month.
Also, by way of further clarification, Bernalwood’s understanding is that 1296 Shotwell is separate from 1515 South Van Ness, the previously-discussed Lennar development that seeks to create 160 units of market-rate housing on the site of the former McMillan Electric warehouse (which was itself originally the site of the Lesher-Muirhead Oldsmobile dealership). This diagram shows how the two proposed development sites fit together:
As far as we know, none of the proposed developments will impact the (rather charming) Johns’s British Motor Car repair shop that fronts Cesar Chavez, nor the AutoZone store with its very fashionable view of Bernal Hill.
That’s a lot of change coming soon to one Bernal-adjascent block, but it it’s good to see positive efforts to put a dent in our housing shortage. At last.
That big fire in the Mission on Sunday morning created a pillar of billowing smoke that was an ominous spectacle for many Bernalese living on the north slope of Bernal Hill.
Neighbor Jason used some optics to enhance his view from Bernal, and the photos above show the dramatic results: He captured the scene as flames engulfed the much-loved Rolling Stock tire shop on the corner of Shotwell and 16th. The SF Appeal wrote about the details:
A three-alarm fire this morning in the Inner Mission neighborhood of San Francisco destroyed an auto business and displaced 17 people at an apartment building, an assistant chief of the San Francisco Fire Department said.
The first report of the fire came in at 7:45 a.m. at 16th and Shotwell streets, assistant chief Dave Franklin said.
No civilians or firefighters were injured, Franklin said.
The fire destroyed an auto business that sells tires and other auto equipment, Franklin said.
A business named Rolling Stock is located at the corner of 16th and Shotwell streets, according the firm’s website.
The company was not open for business at the time of the fire, Franklin said.
The fire also burned an apartment building on 16th Street where 17 people had to leave their homes, he said.
PHOTOS: Neighbor Jason
Hello Citizens!
As you know, we voted on Tuesday. Yay, democracy!
By now you’ve probably had the chance to digest some of the the overall results. Citywide, Mayor Ed Lee coasted to victory with 57% of the vote, but that was an underwhelming tally given that he had no major opposition. The progressive hot-button ballot measures, Prop F (the Short Term Rental Ordinance) and Prop I (the Mission District Housing Moratorium) were both soundly defeated. Ross Mirkarimi, the scandal-tainted Sheriff, suffered a big (and appropriately humiliating) defeat. Prop A (the Affordable Housing Bond), Prop C (the Lobbyist Expenditure Ordinance), and Prop D (Mission Rock Development) were all approved by comfortable margins.
All politics is superhyperlocal, however, so what was the tally like for voters from Bernal Heights? And for different parts of Bernal Heights? Just as he did last year, Neighbor Adam has done us a great service by analyzing the election data from Bernal Heights to reveal how Bernal residents voted in 2015. Take it away, neighbor Adam:
Here’s a hyperlocal look at this week’s election, to follow up on the discussion that took place on Bernalwood last year about where Bernal voters fit in with the rest of the city and what, if any, differences there are between North and South Bernal.
This year, I analyzed Bernal’s vote using the election results data available at midday on November 3, 2015. This data may omit some subsequent vote counts that include late mail-in ballots, but the final results are unlikely to change significantly.
For 2015, I looked most closely three races: Mayor, Prop F (Short-Term Rentals), and Prop I (Mission Moratorium). These races probably reveal the greatest distinction in right-center-left or moderate-progressive voting patterns, and they serve as good follow-ups to last year’s Chiu/Campos race and Proposition B (waterfront development regulations).
Overall, the results clearly reflect Bernal’s left-leaning nature, with Mayor Lee failing to get a majority in either North or South Bernal, and Props F and I both receiving greater percentages of “yes” votes here than they did citywide.
Interestingly, however, the differences between North and South Bernal are more pronounced this year, with North Bernal skewing farther left than South Bernal. For example, while both Prop I and Prop F captured a majority in North Bernal (by modest margins), both were defeated in South Bernal (also by modest margins).
This is somewhat surprising. Last year’s results didn’t show as much of a difference between North and South Bernal, and based on what I think is a slightly more attractive real estate market in North Bernal, one might have expected North Bernal to head in a more centrist direction after another year of resident turnover. But in fact, the opposite happened. Perhaps the real estate market had no effect on voting patterns, (Editor’s Note: Most likely, since the total number of houses that turn over in a given year is small.) or perhaps folks moving in to North Bernal are more progressive than those moving into South Bernal. Or perhaps these numbers are all too small to draw conclusions. What is certain is that Bernal has retained its status as a very left-leaning part of the city.
The difference in the result between North and South Bernal prompted Todd to wonder how the Dep’t of Elections defines the two voting districts. As you can see in the Election Departmment map shown above, North Bernal includes the more left-leaning microhoods in west Bernal and around the summit of Bernal Hill, while South Bernal includes the more centrist St. Mary’s microhood, along with some of our ancestral kin from the Bernal Glen area on the other side of the Bernal Cut.
For the sake of completeness, I’ve also included the results of the Sheriff’s race and all the other propositions. In general, they all show the same slight lean to the left in North Bernal, but are otherwise not quite as illuminating as the big three races of Mayor, Prop F, and Prop I.
Voter Turnout:
North Bernal: 2909/8208 = 35.44% of registered voters
South Bernal: 2211/7148 = 30.93% of registered votersNOTE: these numbers above don’t match up to the vote totals below; not sure why. As such, percentages listed below are percentages of vote totals for each ballot item, not percentage of “turnout totals” above.
Mayor:
Citywide: LEE (57%)
North Bernal: LEE: 1156 (37.4%) OTHER: 1770 (57.3%)
South Bernal: LEE: 1021 (43.1%) OTHER: 1224 (51.7%)Prop F – (Short Term Rental Ordinance)
Citywide: NO (55%)
North Bernal: YES – 1605 (50%) NO – 1577 (49%)
South Bernal: YES 1115 (46%) NO – 1288 (53%)Prop I (Mission District Housing Moratorium)
Citywide: NO (57%)
North Bernal: YES – 1670 (52%) NO – 1472 (46%)
South Bernal: YES – 1171 (48%) NO- 1189 (49%)Sheriff:
Citywide: Hennessy (61%)
North Bernal: Hennessy – 1554 (50.3%); Robinson – 109 (3.5%); Mirkarimi – 1205 (39%)
South Bernal: Hennessy – 1258 (53%); Robinson – 117 (4.9%); Mirkarimi – 1148 822 (35.7%)And here are the rest of the 2015 ballot propositions:
Prop A (Affordable Housing Bond)
Citywide: YES (73.5%)
North Bernal: YES – 2512 (83%) NO – 481 (15.9%)
South Bernal: YES – 1784 (78.2%) NO – 464 (20.3%)Prop B (Paid Parental Leave for City Workers)
Citywide: YES (66%)
North Bernal: YES – 2393 (79%) NO – 566 (18.7%)
South Bernal: YES – 1677 (73.5%) NO – 555 (24.3%)Prop C (Lobbyist Expenditure Ordinance)
Citywide: YES (75%)
North Bernal: YES – 2178 (72%) NO – 715 (23.6%)
South Bernal: YES – 1614 (70.8%) NO – 556 (24.4%)Prop D (Mission Rock Development)
Citywide: YES (73%)
North Bernal: YES – 2287 (75.6%) NO – 677 (22.4%)
South Bernal: YES – 1623 (71%); NO – 606 (26.6%)Prop E (New Public Meeting Requirements)
Citywide: NO (67%)
North Bernal: YES – 782 (25.8%) NO – 2140 (70.7%)
South Bernal: YES – 635 (27.8%) NO – 1556 (68.2%)Prop G (Renewable Energy Disclosures)
Citywide: NO (77%)
North Bernal: YES – 437 (14.4%) NO – 2424 (80.1%)
South Bernal: YES – 400 (17.5%) NO – 1729 (75.8%)Prop H (Clean Energy Right to Know Act)
Citywide: YES (79.5%)
North Bernal: YES – 2477 (81.9%) NO – 359 (11.9%)
South Bernal: YES – 1793 (78.6%) NO – 325 (14.2%)Prop J (Legacy Business Historic Preservation Fund)
Citywide: YES (57%)
North Bernal: YES – 1892 (62.5%) NO – 1027 (33.9%)
South Bernal: YES – 1367 (59.9%) NO – 812 (35.6%)Prop K (Housing Development on Surplus City Land)
Citywide: YES (73%)
North Bernal: YES – 2458 (81.2%) NO – 475 (15.7%)
South Bernal: YES – 1733 (76%) NO – 462 (20.3%)
Wow! That’s fantastic. Thank you, Neighbor Adam, for crunching the data.
One final (and fascinating) detail: Despite all the bluster and noise, Prop F and Prop I didn’t do so well in the Mission either. For comparison’s sake, in the Mission, Prop F garnered just 55% of the vote, while Prop I — The Mission Moratorium! — squeaked by with just 56%. That puts Prop I in Ed Lee territory, which is to say that with those levels of support on their own home turf, the NIMBYs of the Mission don’t enjoy much of a mandate either.
Citizens of Bernalwood! Today is Election Day, 2015! Don’t forget to vote. If you’re a registered voter, here’s some last-minute guidance from the San Francisco Department of Elections:
All San Francisco polling places citywide are open for voters from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Department urges San Franciscans to confirm the locations of their polling places at sfelections.org/pollsite or by calling (415) 554-4375 before they go to vote.
Voters may also vote at the City Hall Voting Center. Located on the ground floor of City Hall, the Voting Center is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Vote-by-mail voters may drop their ballots off from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at any polling place in San Francisco, at the Department’s Ballot Drop-off Stations outside two City Hall entrances–the main entrance at Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place (Polk Street) and the Grove Street entrance– or at the Department’s office.
Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked with today’s date and received by the Department of Elections no later than Friday, November 6. Anyone uncertain about whether his or her mailed ballot would reach the Department in time to be counted is encouraged to instead bring the ballot to any San Francisco polling place, the City Hall Voting Center, or the Department’s Ballot Drop-Off Stations before 8 p.m.
Still on the fence about how to vote? The Bernalwood Slate Card looks at the 2015 ballot from a YIMBY/urbanist point-of-view, and it’s been getting a lot of traffic lately. Otherwise, our friends at Hoodline have put together a rather spiffy interactive reference guide to all the other election guides around town, so you can browse, compare, and contrast. Viva democracy!
PHOTO: Election Day on Precita Avenue, 2011 by Telstar Logistics
Here’s late-breaking addition for your Halloween schedule. Once again, the spooky Haunted Garage is coming to Precitaville, and you’re welcome to visit…. if you dare. Neighbors Paul & Annelise tell us:
Hey neighbors.
It’s on again: Haunted Garage Saturday, October 31 5pm-8:30pm at 25 Bessie Street. It’s like a weird blacklight funhouse, with little kids and adults alike coming through for cheap thrills (free, to be exact). Last year we overheard “it’s like Fort Thunder!”
It’s hilarious hearing people make their way through the haunted garage: “Is that guy moving? I think there’s someone in there… you go first. No you go… there is totally someone in there. It’s gonna move when we get close…. oh shit oh shit oh shit….”
There will probably be live musical things happening inside, as well.
Our host at the front will help our guests choose the level of scariness, from 1-10, so everybody can be accommodated.
For tens of thousands of years, the merchants of Cortland Avenue have opened their doors during the evening hours on October 31st and put out candy baskets for children, so that families in Bernal Heights can introduce their kids to the rituals of Halloween in locavore safety and style.
This year, that ancient tradition continues, and Neighbor Darcy from Heartfelt brings the details:
Bernal Heights Halloween festivities take place on Saturday, October 31st. The merchants on Cortland start giving out candy for the wee crowd at 4:30-5:00 p.m.
Please take note that Cortland is not closed off to vehicle traffic. Please talk to your trick or treaters and ask them to abide by some basic safety rules:
- Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established
crosswalks wherever possible and please use the sidewalks
do not walk in the street.- Carry a flashlight and/or put reflective tape on your costume.
- Trick or treat with friends or adults.
Have a super time, it is a wonderful night in Bernal and we hope this is a grand one.
Love,
Darcy, aka the queen that night
Looking for some last-minute costume ideas? Check out these greatest-hits galleries of Bernal costumes from 2012 and 2013. But it may be tough to beat the incredible, interactive video costume Neighbor Dan Rosenfeld created:
ALSO, please share your photos of Bernal Halloween 2015 costumes with us during the weekend, so we can do a greatest hits costume roundup for this year too. Send your costume photos to bernalwood *at* gmail dot-com.
PHOTOS: Top, Neighbor Goldilocks and Two Bears, spotted on Cortland Avenue during Halloween 2013. Below, Big Head Dan. All photos by Adrian Mendoza.
Artist Mona Caron just finished a beautiful new mural on Ripley just east of Folsom. But who’s Mona Caron? And how did the mural end up there?
The mural was commissioned by Neighbors Wayne and Janet, who tell Bernalwood the backstory:
After a stroll with a friend down Balmy Alley, we were returning home to Ripley Street and she suggested it would be nice to have a mural on my grey garden wall. I contacted Precita Eyes and discussed some of my ideas with one of the artists there, but I didn’t connect with the various artists’ styles. Another friend suggested I look at the murals at the Noe Valley Farmers’ Market on 24th Street. I loved the images and started a quest to find the artist, Mona Caron.
I contacted her through her web ite to see if she would be interested in a small, private project. She said she had a few projects in the works, but would be glad to talk with me a few months later when she returned. We got together over coffee a couple of times to discuss my vision for creating a garden on the street. Mona said she is currently in her “Weeds” phase (as you can see on her website) and would need to think about how she could try for what I wanted, yet be true to her current genre. We eventually agreed on the mural as it is now adorned on our garden wall. It is such a wonderful combination of color and movement. We love it and hope our neighbors do as well.
Mona is an amazing artist, as well as an amazing person. It feels like such an honor to have had such an accomplished artist invest in our garden and our neighborhood.
Indeed, Mona seems to have quite a fan club here in Bernal. In fact, Bernal artist Todd Berman first tipped us off about the new mural, and he provided some background about her work:
Mona Caron is an artist celebrated for her bikeways mural along the Duboce bike lane behind Safeway, and the Market Street Railways mural which illustrates the history and future San Francisco on a wall at 15th and Church.
Caron has made oversized weeds a theme in her work, partly as an example of what beautiful life can emerge through the cracks in the concrete of the city. In one panel of her Tenderloin mural at Golden Gate and Jones, she included floating seed pods that were each created by youth from the Boys and Girls Club across the street. Maybe this Bernal plant came from one of those seeds.
The rest of the Tenderloin mural is populated by portraits of people she got to know during the months she spent on the sidewalk painting.
Lately, Caron has been painting massive murals in far off countries, so Bernal is fortunate that residents have lured her back to the city to decorate our neighborhood with her work.
PHOTOS: via Mona Caron on Facebook
Neighbor John shares these photos showing the return of the truly Grisly Picket Fence of Death that the neighbors on Gladys create to celebrate Halloween:
A few of us on Gladys Street have once again created our “Grisly Picket Fence of Death,” in honor of the upcoming holiday.
Not to be outdone, there’s also this super-spooky house on Moultrie at the corner of Eugenia:
https://instagram.com/p/9UtZg9Opg8/
PHOTOS: Courtesy of Neighbor John
Neighbor Abraham Nunez has created some new yum for your tum. Neighbor Abraham is also Chef Abraham, and he’s opening a brand-new restaurant in the former (good karma) Emmy’s Spaghetti Shack space at 18 Virginia Ave, just across from our Taoist Safeway. Neighbor Abraham’s restaurant is called Chicano Nuevo, and it offers food from the borderlands, right here in our metaphorical front yard. Chicano Nuevo’s grand opening is scheduled for tonight, Wednesday October 28, and Bernalwood is told:
In the location of the old Emmy’s Spaghetti Shack, right around the corner from tequila bar mainstay El Amigo, arrives the new So-Cal inspired Chicáno Nuevo.
Chef and owner Abraham Nunez brings his family’s recipes from Chula Vista to Bernal Heights, and recreates his childhood— from the border taco joints to the traditional holiday meals— in the form of Ensendena style “Baja” fish tacos, three-cheese tamales with an infused chile masa, and queso fundido served in authentic casuelitas de barra, sent here straight from Tijuana.
Nunez, a Bernal Heights resident and enthusiast, is an alumnus of Emmy’s, where he designed and managed its cocktail program. He is also well known in the neighborhood as one of the former lead bartenders at St. Mary’s Pub.
“I’m still in denial of it actually happening,” said Nunez about opening the place. “There really isn’t anything else like this in the city, and I am just really excited to share this kind of food with my friends and neighbors.”
Chicano Nuevo opens to the public Wednesday Wednesday Oct 28, with plans to serve late-night fare on weekends, staying open until 3am.
UPDATE Oct 28, 7:30 pm: Neighbors Susie and John where first in the door at the grand opening tonight with their son Eddie, and they shared this photo of Chef Abraham with Eddie. Neighbor Susie says:
We came to Chicano Nuevo based on the Bernalwood post. We’re their first customers. Potato taquitos! Everything was very delicious, especially the fish tacos w yummy soup on the side!
PHOTO: Top, Neighbor Abraham Nunez
Earlier this morning, a surprising series of Class 4 rainbows touched down around Bernal Heights, triggering widespread feelings of euphoria and awe. Neighbor Bronwyn shared the photo above, and check out this stunner from Neighbor Jordan (click to embiggen):
Here’s what Neighbor Estelle saw:
Meanwhile, other reports streamed into the Bernalwood Rainbow Situation Control Facility:
Confirmed… Double Rainbow!!
As you may recall, the most recent SFPD Community Meeting with Ingleside’s Capt. Joseph McFadden took place last week at the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center (BHNC). Your Bernalwood editor was in attendance, and it was an informative meeting — as you’ll soon see.
Capt. McFadden was the guest of honor at BHNC, but the real superstar was Neighbor Edie, who took these wonderfully detailed notes. There’s a lot of useful information here about crime and public safety in Bernal Heights, so read on, read thoroughly, and stay safe. Over to you, Edie…
Captain’s Report by Captain Joseph McFadden
<joseph.mcfadden@sfgov.org>
October 20, 2015
at the Bernal Heights Neighborhood CenterNotes taken by volunteer Edie, who is also responsible for any errors made below.
Personnel: The Captain introduced Chris Schaffer (formerly from Bayview Station). Chris is one of three swing-watch lieutenants. He’s a dynamo and worked 8 years in the Bayview, and was formerly undercover.
Recent incidents, Problems and Questions:
1. Car Break-ins, House Break-ins, and Package Theft: There seems to be a high amount of recidivism now, where thieves are arrested and held briefly, then get out and do it over again. The holidays are coming, too, with increases in car and house break-ins, and package stealing.
Package theft usually happens during the day. Ask delivery services not to leave packages if you’re not home – find a neighbor to receive them for you, or ask Central Pharmacy, or Daniel’s on Geneva. Also pay attention to anyone following Delivery trucks as they drop off packages. Thieves have been following the trucks, stealing the packages they deliver.
Car break-ins happen most often late at night, so don’t leave packages, garage door openers, or any personal items in your car, either. Thieves use shaved keys or do a quick smash and grab, so take everything out. Some people even leave their cars unlocked with notes saying there’s nothing inside, so their windows don’t get broken. Car break-ins primarily happen at night–drug addicts take stolen goods to 7th and Market, get a little cash for them, get a fix, and do it again. Make it more difficult to break in or steal by using a club, and a thief will choose another car instead of yours.
House burglaries usually happen after 9am. The thief comes to the door and rings the bell; if there’s no answer, they’ll kick the door in, or go around back to break in a door or window. So, if someone knocks, even if you don’t want to, answer so they know that you’re home and leave.
2. Ongoing problematic behavior by specific individuals: Bernal has a long-time resident with mental health issues who often threatens neighbors on the street. In ongoing situations, call for each incident: report the behavior, describe the person and the context, include days and times that incidents generally occur, plus any further details you have. Be specific. If you don’t get help when he threatens people, after 30-45 minutes, call the station front desk 404-4000 and ask for the Platoon Commander. You must also be prepared to stick around and talk to the police when they arrive. When you call in an incident, always ask for the CAD number so you can track response to your call.
3. Problem areas:
Around Alemany and Sickles: vandalism, graffiti, punctured tires.
Silver at Mission: Lots of kids getting out of school and hanging around. Kids get robbed, steal from each other. Neighbors are trying to track the incidents and get a handle on the situation so they and police can be more effective.North Bernal: Neighbors say they are hearing gunshots more frequently now, mostly in the evenings, and recently there have been 2-3 incidents of people shooting guns off in the night, including at the Precita Park Cafe. Neighbors also say they’ve seen drug dealing in Precita Park, and a large and active homeless encampment at Cesar Chavez under 101.
Captain’s response: Shots fired: Bayview and Mission gangs have been committing robberies in Bernal and Glen Park. There are 2 freeways to get quickly in and out, so groups move easily from district to district. If you hear shots being fired, Shot Spotter may catch it, but you should call 911 anyway. Even if you can’t tell where they’re coming from, if many neighbors call, they can track the movement and figure out where they are. Besides, you don’t know but that someone might have gotten shot.Precita Park Café window shooting is under investigation. Officers now think it’s not random, but might have something to do with an earlier altercation.
4. Deliberate reckless driving: At night, all over the city, groups get together in large open areas to do side shows – wheelies and other crazy driving. If you hear noise and can see the cars, get a license plate if possible.
5. Videos help to ID criminals and their cars. Please install video cameras, use them, and make copies of criminal activity to give the police. Police will distribute images of individuals and vehicles city-wide for officers to check daily. They may recognize then, and can keep an eye out for them as they patrol.
6. To email any city employee: first.lastname@sfgov.org
7. REMEMBER: when you describe someone, look for specific and distinct details (not a black hoodie, but the big eagle tattoo on his left arm) that would allow police to be sure they’ve got the right person.
8. Activity that happens really late at night often involves victims that are coming from gambling shacks. They’re watched as they leave with winnings or drugs, and someone takes it away from them.
Police academy: 5 new graduates are training at the station now, and a new class will graduate in November. There should be five new classes next years. Numbers at the station are holding steady at 100.
Halloween: Popular trick-or-treat corridors will have officers present to safeguard the kids.
Community leaders: The Captain introduced the community leaders present at the meeting. Sierra Desalvia, Community Boards; Ailed Paningbatan, BHNC Director of Community Engagement; Ayanna Weathersby, BHNC Community Engagement Coordinator; Joelle Kenealey, Co-Chair of the Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB) and President of the Outer Mission Merchants and Residents Assoc. (OMMRA); May Wong, President of the Excelsior District Improvement Assoc. (EDIA); Grace Breyley, Co-Captain of the Curtis-Newton NWG; Edward Whitmore, South Bernal NERT Coordinator; Bobby Cochran, Sergeant at Arms, Holly Court Resident Council; Jon Shepherd, SFSAFE.
Community Boards. Sierra Desalvia, Volunteer with the Community Boards Outreach Program.
601 Van Ness Ave. #2040. SF 94102 • 415 920-3820 • www.communityboards.org • M-Th 10am-5pm
Community Boards is the oldest conflict resolution center in the US. A non-profit, CB provides confidential, affordable voluntary conflict resolution between two or more neighbors, groups, or businesses, in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese. The mediators are trained volunteers, representative of the communities they are working with.If you’re unable to resolve a disagreement, call CB and tell them your side of the story. CB will contact the other parties, and if all concerned are willing and able to participate, will begin the mediation process. Resolutions can be oral or in writing, and must be made and agreed to by all parties involved.
CB does not handle disputes where one or more party is unwilling to negotiate, if there are credible threats of violence, or if parties are not able to speak for themselves.
Next meeting: Nov. 17th, 7-8:30 pm, Ingleside Police Station, 1 Sgt. John V Young Lane
San Francisco, CA 94112
PHOTO: Capt. Joseph McFadden at BHNC, Oct. 20, 2015 by Telstar Logistics
Bernalwood 