Dial 311 for SF City Services

Wondering how to get rid of that couch on the sidewalk?
Need advice on which Muni line to take to your appointment?
Want to report a broken swing at the park?

In the past, you would have needed at least three different phone numbers for these kinds of questions. As of this week, all you need to know is 311, which will put you in touch with one of the dozens of operators at City Hall who can log your report, send it to the appropriate agency, and even confirm it with an email. Pretty neat stuff - give it a try!

Ken Garcia on customer service at City Hall

Public Parking in the DMV lot

Our friend Lisa Zahner, the Divisadero Corridor Manager for the Mayor's Office of Economic Development, is trying to get the DMV to open their parking lot for nights and weekend parking. Sound good? Then help her out by giving your 2 cents in a quick and easy online survey -

Dear Neighbors:

As part of the Divisadero Corridor Improvement Project, we are working with the DMV to open their lot for paid hourly and overnight parking,as well as a limited number of monthly parking passes.

Your feedback is important and will help us move this project forward.

Please answer the survey below and forward to friends or neighbors who are near the DMV or, if you are a merchant in the area, to your customers who may use the DMV lot. The survey will be available for responses until March 31st.

Our goal is to have the lot open for public parking by the end of 2007.

If you have further questions or comments, please contact Lisa Zahner, Divisadero Corridor Manager, at lisa.zahner@sfgov.org.

Thank you!

Mayor's Office of Economic and Workforce Development

DMV LOT USAGE SURVEY
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=731693490867

SF Communities Responding to Violence

From today's SF Chronicle, a story about how neighbors in Bernal Heights joined with residents in the Alemany Projects to lobby for a strategic response to the shootings and problems there.

After a spike in violence last year that spilled beyond the borders of Alemany and into the surrounding neighborhood, leaders of the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center helped organize the Alemany Working Group comprised of public housing residents and their neighbors to come up with a plan.

They worked closely with Captain Paul Chignell of the Ingleside police station, other police officers, Supervisor Tom Ammiano and representatives from the mayor's office.

The group eventually secured $90,000 in funding -- $30,000 apiece from the city, the Police Department and the San Francisco Housing Authority -- to start a three-month public safety pilot program involving more police presence and an increased effort on the part of officers to get to know Alemany residents.

Starting in December, the station assigned police officers to work overtime to patrol Alemany 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

In January, violent crime in Alemany was down 83 percent compared with January, 2006, according to police statistics. Other offenses, including unlawful weapons possession and disorderly conduct, were down 32 percent....

The effort proved so successful, the city and Police Department decided to make it permanent. Starting last weekend, four police officers were assigned full-time to the Alemany beat. The Ingleside police station received four new officers to make up for the ones assigned to Alemany.

http://www.sfgate.com

Have you written a letter to Mayor Newsom yet?

Highlights from Thursday's NOPNA general meeting

We had a great meeting on Thursday night with many new faces and old friends as well. Here are some highlights...

1. The letter campaign is making a difference - representatives from the Mayor's Office and Supervisor Mirkarimi's office both told us that they were responding to the letter-writing campaign. It's not too late to add your voice! More information here...

2. Over a dozen merchants from the neighborhood came to introduce themselves and talk with neighbors about their businesses.

3. Representatives from the Black Rock Arts Foundation and the Finch Mob arts collective presented their plans for the Panhandle Bandshell, a temporary installation that will be up from May through September in the Panhandle. Pictures and information available at www.panhandlebandshell.com.

4. Sheryl Davis from Mo MAGIC told us about several great youth-led initiatives taking place in the Western Addition to provide alternatives for youth in the community. A semi-formal dance is planned for April 11th, and they need volunteers to be adult chaperons. Please call Sheryl at 558-2487 if you can help.

5. Our Divisadero Corridor Manager, Lisa Zahner, had a drawing of the mural planned for Divis & McAllister and also reported that the DMV parking lot will soon reopen for evening and possibly weekend parking, probably in the fall.

Stay tuned for more...

March Newsletter has hit the streets

Keep an eye out for the March NOPNA newsletter, featuring interesting articles about our local medical cannibus dispensaries (aka "pot clubs") and the bee keeper in our midst.

If you did not receive a copy on your doorstep, you should be able to find some at any of our local businesses.

Also, the next NOPNA general meeting is coming up and we're looking for a strong turn out since the Mayor's office, Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi's office, Park Station Police Captain Erhlich, and the DA's office will be there. Plus all of our favorite merchants will be there too!

Thursday, March 15th
Café Neon (McAllister and Baker)
7pm Meet & Greet
7:30pm-9pm Meeting

Agenda:

1. Meet the Merchants (7:30pm to 8:15pm )

Come meet the owners of some of our favorite local businesses and talk to them about their business, issues that affect you or just say "thanks" for helping to create a great neighborhood. We expect to have a range of merchants from restaurateurs to tattoo artists so it should be fun!

2. Safety Discussion (8:15pm to 9pm)

We will talk about our Project SAFE kick off and have speakers from the Mayor's office, Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi's office, Park Station Police Captain Erhlich, and the DA's office there. This is YOUR chance to speak directly to our City officials.

We are hoping for a very strong turn out so please tell your neighbors and make an evening out of it! The more people in attendance, the stronger our voice.

Evening ride to the Panhandle Sundial

Sun., March 25 | 6:30 pm

Did you know there's a giant sundial in the city? Come along and read the day's last rays of sunlight as they fall on this historical curiosity. Bring snacks to share and those ever-luvin' blinky lights. Info: robinm@exploratorium.edu.

From the SF Bike Coalition website

Free Disaster Preparedness Training, March 28th

FREE TRAINING FOR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
Offered by the San Francisco Fire Department's Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT)

WHO: For everyone - bring your friends, family and neighbors!

WHAT: Free Two-Hour Personal Preparedness Workshop
This workshop will cover what every individual should know to prepare personally for a disaster, large or small. Topics include:
· Risk Awareness
· Disaster Supplies
· Personal Disaster Planning
· Utilities Overview
· NERT Overview
· SF SAFE Orientation

WHERE: SF Public Library – Park Branch, 1833 Page Street, between Cole and Shrader

WHEN: Wednesday, March 28 - 7:00pm – 9:00pm

HOW: RSVP to sffdnert@sfgov.org or call 415-970-2024 to register. Limited space! For more information, visit www.sfgov.org/sffdnert.

WHY: Hurricane Katrina has shown us the need for everyone to get prepared. For your safety in times of emergency, it matters what you do today!!!

Alex Tune is our local NERT representative. You can email him at nopa.nert@gmail.com

Report on Police Community Meeting

"... Capt. Ehrlich, appearing along with Assistant District Attorney Pamela Hansen, police Capt. Kevin Cashman and police homicide investigator Lt. John Murphy, said he understood the concerns of the community but that crime is actually down statistically from last year.

He also pointed to three arrests in the Feb. 11 shooting of the 13-year-old girl as proof that some progress was being made. The shooting was one of at least five in a 24-hour time span that left two dead. According to Ehrlich, who was representing Park Station, those shootings were most likely gang-related. Lately, he said, a loose confederacy of smaller gangs calling themselves Uptown have been "at war" with Eddy Rock, an alleged street gang based in the Plaza East housing units."

From Fog City Journal