2024 Year in Review

As we wrap up 2024, I would like to take a moment to look back on all the work we accomplished together.

We helped close a $800 million budget deficit, while scrutinizing wasteful spending and preserving critical services for seniors, working families and tenants. We passed impactful legislation, advanced transit and pedestrian safety measures, brought family-friendly events to the district and connected with thousands of Richmond residents at activities, boba and coffee shops throughout the district. I am so proud of our work this year, and proud to continue to serve as your supervisor for the next four years.

Legislation

This year, our office introduced and passed more than 50 pieces of legislation and held public hearings into issues affecting every day San Franciscans, including:

• Inquiries to expedite repairs to the Richmond Senior Center.

• Holding the San Francisco Board of Education and the superintendent accountable to our students and communities.

• Strengthening safety protocols to the City’s Fire Code.

• Safeguarding local jobs from automation in parcel delivery services.

• Expanding protections for small businesses impacted by city construction projects.

• Protecting union work.

• Holding city departments and city contractors accountable as your budget chair.

This work advanced and improved laws in San Francisco to protect working families.

Housing and Direct Services

This month, the City’s affordable housing lottery system, DAHLIA, has begun accepting applications for 4200 Geary Blvd., a new housing development of 100% affordable housing units for our seniors. The building has 96 units, and priority will go to Richmond District neighbors and veterans.

In addition to 4200 Geary Blvd., we saw the new community hub for CYC open on Clement Street, providing services for our seniors and youth alike. We also have projects in the works with Self-Help for the Elderly to create senior housing on Clement, and broke ground on the new building for Richmond Area Multi Services (RAMS) on Clement in the Inner Richmond, to provide culturally and linguistically competent mental health services to Richmond residents.

This month, we are reaching another milestone and will be introducing legislation to advance housing development at the Alexandria Theatre site. This legislation will re-zone the site for 76 units of housing, which will be two- to three-bedroom units suitable for families. The legislation also will allow the owner to develop the site while preserving key historical features, like the marquee and blade sign, that are integral to the history and character of the Richmond neighborhood. We know this project is much anticipated by the community and we will provide updates as it progresses.

Transit

Studies have shown that speed is the number one factor in fatal traffic collisions. Knowing this, we partnered with Assemblymember Phil Ting, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), and the County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) to engineer traffic-calming measures along the Fulton Street corridor. We lowered the speed limit from 30 m.p.h. to 25 m.p.h. and narrowed the lanes to further slow traffic. Next year we will install speed cameras at key intersections for assistance in enforcement of the speed limit. We also installed a flashing pedestrian beacon on Outer Geary Boulevard and will see speed cameras installed along Geary early next year. My team also continues to work with SFMTA on traffic-calming measures along Balboa and Cabrillo streets, near our elementary schools, to help prevent traffic incidents and will be rolling out the Arguello Boulevard protected bike lane in the new year.

Neighborhood Investments

This year, we partnered with the Civic Joy Fund to bring summer night markets to the Heart of the Richmond. Thousands of neighbors joined us and local merchants and makers for fun on Clement. We can’t wait to bring these markets back next year. We invested the Golden Gate Park Community Benefits Fund to give back to the Richmond through film festivals at the Balboa Theatre, new ping pong tables at the Richmond Recreation Center, nature educational programming and dahlia planting at Cabrillo Playground. The third film festival will take place in January; we will share details as soon as we have them!

We also expanded the retired police ambassador program to the Richmond. We now have ambassadors patrolling Inner and Central Richmond, working with our merchants and visitors to help keep our district safe and clean. We will continue to push for further expansion to the Outer Richmond and beyond.

Thank you for your trust in me as your supervisor. Working together, we can continue to build on these investments in the new year and beyond. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and a very happy new year!

Connie Chan represents District 1 on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. She can be reached at 415-554-7410 or chanstaff@sfgov.org.