City Administrator's August 2022 newsletter

Celebrate Women's Equality Day by Boosting Civic Participation

Recent actions by the federal government and Supreme Court highlight the importance of civic participation. From student debt relief, to environmental programs and reproductive rights, our representatives make big decisions that impact our day-to-day lives.

In honor of Women’s Equality Day, citywide leaders gathered on the steps of City Hall yesterday to uplift the message of civic empowerment and to announce the 2022 W Challenge—a day of action to go door-to-door to register more women to vote. Interested? Register for the W Challenge Day of Action this Sunday, 8/28 here!

The W Challenge initiative was founded on Women’s Equality Day in 2018 by City Administrator Carmen Chu, the Department on the Status of Women, and the League of Women Voters of San Francisco with the simple goal of raising women’s voices. Each year, the W Challenge partners introduce a new challenge to encourage women to vote. Learn more about the W Challenge at www.WChallenge.org. 

Trash Talk: Give Us Your Feedback on Public Trash Cans

Have you seen new modern-looking public trash cans in your neighborhood? If so, that’s because prototypes of the next generation of our City’s public trash cans have hit the streets. San Francisco Public Works is piloting several custom and off-the-shelf public trash cans across the City to test their performance under real world conditions. If you've seen one of these across the City, let us know what you think. Visit sfpublicworks.org/trashcanpilot to see the models, find a prototype in your neighborhood, and take the survey. The pilot ends September 16.

Free One-on-One Financial Coaching

The San Francisco Office of Financial Empowerment (under the Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector) provides free, confidential, one-on-one financial coaching through a program called Smart Money Coaching.  The program is available to anyone who lives, works, or receives services in San Francisco, regardless of immigration status. Smart Money coaches can help you build your credit, reduce debt, save for the future, and more. Visit the Smart Money Coaching website to learn more and make an appointment. 

Visit Sunday Streets this Summer!

Sunday Streets SF continues its 2022 season with monthly open streets events now through October. Sunday Streets transforms San Francisco streets into community spaces for play, exercise, and connecting with neighbors and community organizations. Neighbors, nonprofits, small businesses, and community groups citywide are invited to host neighborhood activities for the second annual Sunday Streets Phoenix Day on October 16. Learn more about hosting a Pheonix Day event here.  

Moscone Center Brings Visitors to San Francisco

In-person conventions are back in San Francisco! The City-owned Moscone Center is welcoming a full slate of conventions this summer and fall, bringing visitors from across the country to San Francisco and invigorating the local economy. Take a look at upcoming conventions coming to the Moscone Center now through October: 

• August 29 - September 1: VMWorld 
• September 7-10: California Dental Association's Art and Science of Dentistry  
• September 20-22: Dreamforce 
• September 27-30: Circle Crypto Ecosystem Conference  
• October 1-3: ACEP Annual Scientific Assembly   
• October 8-13: Congress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting  
• October 18-20: Disrupt San Francisco 

Need Storefront Improvements? Apply for Free Design Services and Construction Funds

Grants are now available through the SF Shines Storefront Improvement Program to help both small businesses and nonprofits make improvements to their properties and support thriving commercial corridors. The Design Services Grant provides free drawings and design services from a licensed architect or logo and signage design from a graphic designer. The Construction Funds Grant provides up to $5,000 to complete storefront improvement construction projects and purchase new equipment. Learn more at sf.gov/sf-shines. 

Starter Guides for Small Businesses

Interested in starting a new business? The Office of Small Business provides interactive “Starter Kits” for opening a business in a variety of sectors, including bars, food trucks, retail stores, and consulting, with step-by-step instructions and links to City resources. Take a look at the guides here.

138-Unit Affordable Housing Development Breaks Ground on Treasure Island

A new affordable housing development, the Star View Court, recently broke ground on Treasure Island. It will provide 138 new homes for low-income residents, formerly unhoused families, and legacy households currently living on Treasure Island. As the second affordable housing project, it is a significant part of the City’s larger development plan for the Island. In addition to Star View Court, additional market rate buildings have broken ground this summer with more sites to follow before the end of the year. These new developments further progress the master plan for Treasure Island, which includes 8,000 new homes—of which over 27% are affordable housing—as well as parks, retail space, upgraded school facilities, and an improved public transit network. Read the press release here.

Public Works Commission Holds First Hearing

The newly formed Public Works Commission and Sanitation and Streets Commission hosted their joint inaugural meeting on July 28 at City Hall. The commissions will serve as formal oversight bodies for public works functions including street cleaning and maintenance, building repair, architectural and engineering services, urban forestry, and more. The formation of the commissions marks a major milestone in the implementation of Proposition B, which was approved on the November 2020 ballot. Learn more about the commissions and view upcoming meeting dates at the links below:

Public Works Commission 
Sanitation and Streets Commission 

Bringing You Prints and Mailings from City Agencies

ReproMail provides design, printing, and mailing services to all City departments. In fact, ReproMail produced over 25 million prints, including COVID-19 signage and information, power and water bills, voting information, patient appointment reminders, labor law updates, brochures and pamphlets, and more last year! Services continued uninterrupted throughout the pandemic, ensuring that vital information was communicated to our residents and constituents. Watch the video here for a behind-the-scenes look at ReproMail’s print shop!