As we close out this calendar year we want to take a moment to reflect on the many efforts by our community members and volunteers. As we enter our 2nd year at HVSafe, we can attest to having started a new organization as being a rewarding and inspiring endeavor. We are driven to go to bat for neighbors and small businesses. We take our outreach and the opportunity to hear your thoughts and concerns seriously; we view our efforts as a true extension of a collective voice.
Here are a few bullet points of what we’ve accomplished this year:
- HVSafe continues to be a working partner with SFPD while we continue to advocate for Public Safety Issues in Hayes Valley. We’ve successfully held regular monthly meetings with the Police Captain.
- We’ve held numerous meetings with City Agencies and the Supervisor’s Office throughout the year addressing concerns in Hayes Valley.
- We successfully advocated for the reopening of the 500 block of Hayes – after the HVNA (Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association) pulled a permit for the Shared Street Closure without buy-in from some of our neighborhood’s long standing independent small businesses.
- We put our position out publicly about Formula Retail Trader Joe’s and Rivian entering Hayes Valley. We’ve worked closely with the Hayes Valley Small Business Association (HVSBA) to maintain a pro small business position on several matters impacting our local small independent business operators.
- HVSafe continues to be vocal about our positions on homelessness, tents and addiction and have held and attended several meetings with other expert point people in San Francisco.
- HVSafe successfully advocated for tree issues in our business corridor.
- Our newly formed Traffic Calming Group conducted several working group sessions and met with several City Agencies to address key concerns that we believe SFMTA should focus on.
- We’ve doubled down on our Communications efforts and have thus grown and expanded our member reach and community input on several fronts.
- We’re proud to have formed a working group to address the staggering number of issues with the Hayes Valley Freeway Commemoration Project. After a successful letter campaign to draw attention to the impropriety and conflicts of interests we have launched an official petition addressed to the Mayor and our Supervisor.
- We advocated for the return of the 21 Bus.
- We formed a Traffic and Planning working group that is well poised for 2022.
- Tenant issues remain at the forefront of our advocacy efforts while housing issues and costs continue to rise in Hayes Valley.
- We launched a BTS series on the humble beginnings of HVSafe, neighborhood politics and players in Hayes Valley.
- We’ve held regular monthly member meetings.
- As a small organization we’ve remained self sufficient and self funded thanks to the generous in kind donations of our members and volunteers.
As we look ahead to 2022 we look forward to continuing our advocacy efforts while shining light on neighborhood politics which impact quality of life and small business in Hayes Valley.
Drop us a line if you have a concern or are looking to get involved.
Be well, stay safe and talk soon.
HVSafe Communications Team
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