A significant increase in tree planting was published as an initiative by Mayor Bloomberg in NYC in last week's New York Times, and this would be an excellent idea for San Francisco. The article suggested that NYC will plant 1 million more trees which is a significant commitment. In SF, there are many blocks in the Mission and Hunters Point that have no trees or very few despite the excellent weather, and this contributes to a sense of urban blight. Per the Friends of the Urban Forest website, tree plantings improve whole neighborhoods, increase property values, promote civic pride and Read This Post »

Here's an idea.. make sure the police actually do their job.  I just came from watching an all-out brawl at Hallidie Plaza/Powell Street BART/MUNI station.  I viewed this out of my apartment window which overlooks the plaza. I didn't call the police because I saw 2-3 BART police (or some other type of uniformed officer) come out of the BART station and watch the fighting.  I assumed they were just calling the police or for backup and waiting for them to arrive.  But they just stood there and did nothing.  Half an hour later, the police have finally arrived and Read This Post »

Hello, Here is a suggestion.  If the Mayor would re-instate the 15 Third Street Bus until  the Third Street Light Rail's problems have been worked out, the people who rely on that line to get to work in a timely manner will be truly grateful. P.S.  The Mayor has my vote!!!! Name Withheld Read This Post »

Kudos to your efforts to foster biotech companies in SF and to establish a quality-of-life court. Here is something SFPD should really do something about. I live at 4th and Harrison right near the City Nights club. I always see police outside of the club on Friday and Saturday nights to keep the peace. But when I'm trying to sleep at 1AM and some clubgoer pulls up to the intersection with a car stereo that shakes my ENTIRE apartment building, that also qualifies as disturbing the peace. Those people should be arrested for such blatant disrespect and prosecuted, maybe in this Read This Post »

I know the police have more important things to do than catch minor traffic violators, but why not have an S.F. Highway Patrol Motorcycle Division, whose only purpose is to maintain the rules of the road/sidewalk. Enough hired could easily pay for their job. Don't just nab drivers, but pedestrians, cyclists, and sidewalk skateboarders. I get the feeling that non-enforcement has crept to the point of most not even knowing the rules. Brian Grieb Read This Post »

I don't know, maybe this solution is too simplistic, but here goes anyway.  It seems to me that if the panhandlers on the street never got any handouts from anybody, they would stop asking and try somewhere or something else.  So, how about if the City initiates a program that discourages people from giving money to panhandlers.  That would include signs in appropriate locations, a public announcement campaign directed at both citizens and visitors, and maybe even monitors on the street who would discourage anybody from giving out cash.  This might be considered another facet of our "Care Not Cash" Read This Post »

I watched police last night yelling at car drivers just trying to go when their light was green.  The message we're sending is that just because there are a lot of people breaking the law, it's ok.  This is OUTRAGEOUS.  THEY ARE PURPOSELY BREAKING THE LAW AND PURPOSELY ANNOYING LAW ABIDING CITIZENS.  Put a stop to this or control it.  Arrest them all.  All those cops descending on motorists trying to cross the street on the green light could've instead stopped all the bicyclists running the red light.  STOP ALLOWING ANARCHY. Name Withheld Read This Post »

Make them organize and assume responsibilities for approved courses, permit and police costs, a marked course- this is ony fair in a city ruled by law. parades need permits and have to cover costs, Races and walks , often to benefit non profit charities, pay thousands of $$ to cover city costs, money that woulkd otherwise go to non profits. And because of all of this, the city residents and those working here are made aware of traffic issues and threats to their normal traffic. Critical Mass is given a pass, the city pays, the citizens except the few hundred Read This Post »

Dear Mr. Newson, I live on Eddy Street between Laguna and Gough and in the past year our block has been terrorized by a number of daylight murders. Back in February, I wrote to your office to express my anger at your apparent refusal to bring foot patrols to our neighborhood. My letter, as well as my request, remains without a response. Many in our neighborhood, which has a clear view of City Hall, feel very much ignored and neglected by you. I realize that police resources might be quite strained in our city, but I just don't see you, the honorable Mayor Read This Post »

I had another thought which I never heard from Parking and Traffic about.  I think that handicapped people should pay for parking like everyone else.  They are provided priority spaces as well as any other legal space they wish.  Meters would need to be redesigned to accept a card that could be swiped and that would eliminate a time limit on the meter so that handicapped people could park for as long as they wished to pay for.  This would not only get rid of the people who use handicapped tags for free parking and in handicapped zones but it would greatly increase Read This Post »

One on going thing that has been a real problem for no reason involves street trees. We have five Italian Cypress trees against the front of our building. As you may know they are not a shade producing tress and are usually used (as in this case)  as ornamentals. Two of the five are now getting a disease which spreads easily among this species and cannot be cured. The trees die.  We hired an arborist to get a permit (which shouldn't even be required for ornamentals) from Urban Forestry to replace all five with Yew trees which are not susceptible Read This Post »

I have a very simple solution: Enforce the law. Bill Promes Read This Post »

The newspaper mentioned the next Critical Mass event.  I had an idea.  Would it be possible to put up signs "No parking" on the route where the bicyclists will be?  Would it be possible to ask the drivers to not drive on the same route as the cyclists?  I realize that some people need to drive to get to places, especially emergency vehicles and paratransit vehicles.  Would it be possible to offer free MUNI during the hours of the Critical Mass?  I am trying to think of a win-win situation for everyone. Name Withheld Read This Post »

During events at AT&T park, traffic is snarled, Muni trains are overcrowded, and parking is impossible. As a solution I would suggest: 1. Creating a detour for traffic between 280 and Embarcadero that avoids King Street during game nights. During events, traffic often backs up way down 280. 2. More trains during AT&T park events! J, K, L, M, N should all run to Caltrain during these events. The trains are so crowded they often run right by the stop at 2nd & Brannan even when passengers are waiting to board. 3. Restrict parking during events! All neighborhood streets should be 2-hour parking Read This Post »

I realize that this would be expensive, but I think it would be worthwhile to build a pedestrian overpass at the intersection of McAllister and Leavenworth Streets. I can't count the number of times I've had to swerve around people who are in too much of a rush to wait for the light, and just dash out into the street, or just decide to cross whenever they feel like it, against the light. I try to be extra careful when I approach that intersection, but it's very nervewracking!  Name Withheld Read This Post »

Thursday, April 26th is "Dining Out for Life" a fundraiser for the Stop AIDS Project.  My restaurant is RNM at Haight/Steiner. We're committed to total booking and we have a few tables left at the second seating: 8:30-9PM.  Call them at 551-7900 to book.  Eat and Drink and 25% of your bill goes to fighting AIDS.  Great food, great fun, great cause! Read This Post »

Bicycle theft is a big quality of life issue for many in this city! I suggest one police officer be assigned to coordinate efforts to reduce bike theft, including a voluntary bicycle ID system. I also suggest more stings, and frequent crackdowns on bicycle "chop shops." Name Withheld Read This Post »

One thing that makes this city feel hostile and unfriendly to motorcyclists is the arbitrary enforcement of sidewalk parking rules. A non-enforcement policy most of the time, that is suddenly acted upon on one street, but not the next, to the tune of $100 feels very unjust. Also, with street parking at a premium, a safely parked motorcycle on a wide sidewalk saves badly needed room for cars, and protects the motorcycle from damage. I suggest rules be adopted to allow for very specific types of sidewalk parking, in very specific places. failing that, I suggest a warning system. vehicles Read This Post »

The City is doing OK in regards to public property, but the greatest problem lies with private property. The current process is as follows. A call is received by DPW (now via 311) about the location and description of graffiti on private property. An SR (Service Request) is generated and the SR number is communicated to the citizen who made the report and the SR is forwarded to DPW. DPW sends someone out to the property to post an NOV (Notice of Violation) on the premises, a picture is taken of the graffiti and a copy of the NOV is also mailed Read This Post »

For every RFP/ RFQ / SOQ that is answered for the city, multiple copies are required, and copies of standard forms about firm composition, location in the city, etc. are included.  These standard forms should be filed on an annual or bi-annual basis, both by notarized copy and on disk.  Then, when filed with the City, the firms refer to their filing number.  HUGE amounts of paper will be saved.  We could go further an have all rfp's, rfq's, etc. be answered electronically...but one step at a time. Ruth Knapp Read This Post »