As luck would have it while we’re beginning our series ‘behind the scenes‘ …one of our founders received the following email last week from the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association’s (HVNA) president. A bit of context here: earlier this month he attended one meeting and was censored heavily when asking particulars. Consequently at a later meeting on the same day he was removed from that meeting and placed in the waiting room. The following week he was emailed the below.
It’s worth noting that Richard called the meeting referenced that occurred months ago and at that meeting the HVNA president indicated that she had no intention to speak with him, but because others had explained that he has done a lot of work in the neighborhood1 she was swayed.
To date Richard’s two questions posed in response to the email reprimand below have gone unanswered. It’s our experience that board members of the HVNA are comfortable dishing out accusations but when pressed for explanation it’s par for the course for them to ignore and say “they are moving on”.
The slash-and-burn leadership style of the HVNA never ceases to amaze us.
This reprimand cements are decision to start publicizing our past experiences with the HVNA’s ruthless leadership.
Stay tuned for more posts in this series.
1 Richard’s advocacy work and contributions to Hayes Valley span across 3 decades and include being a founding member of the HVNA, past president, board member and committee chair. He also founded the community organization Community Partners United (CPU), a San Francisco Parks Trust Partner whose network included a collaboration of volunteers, community and neighborhood organizations, housing developments, SFPD, the business community, faith based groups and city agencies.