By Lisa Awbrey, HANC Board

On December 9, 2025, as part of Mayor Lurie’s announced Permit SF planning code reforms, D4 Supervisor Alan Wong (appointed by Lurie) cosponsored legislation (File #251211) to “streamline“ urban development by altering street tree requirements. The controversial ordinance would allow developers to pay an in lieu fee of $2590 instead of planting a required replacement tree when a tree is removed from the landscape. Under the change, developers could choose to provide “alternate landscaping” (whatever that is.) The proposed change also exempts ADUs from tree requirements, and most controversially, the change eliminates the public’s ability to appeal city initiated tree removals in our neighborhoods. 

Opponents are concerned that the ordinance would markedly reduce San Francisco’s urban tree canopy. Decades of data show that city trees are proven to assist in filtering urban air, and that established trees help reduce urban heat islands by providing shade. Mature trees also require little to no additional water and are largely drought tolerant. Opponents of the measure are concerned about diminished public oversight of developers who profit from construction in our neighborhoods. 

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By Calvin Welch, HANC Board

 As folks may have noticed people are moving into 730 Stanyan St at the corner of Haight and Stanyan.  Some 40% of the 160 units have been filled and, as more folks complete the application process, it is expected that all units will be full in March/April of this year. 

128 of the units are to be for families with dependent children, with 17 being studios , 29 being one bedroom, 42 being two bedroom and 40 being three bedroom units.  Seniors are allowed to apply for these family units and as of two months ago some 10% of the units then occupied were occupied by seniors. 30 of the units (18 studios and 12  one bedroom) are reserved for transition aged youth ("TAY").  The remaining 2 units are for on-site staff.

Developers are expecting a formal opening ceremony in April. 

By Richard Ivanhoe, HANC President

We have had updates on the Doolan-Larson House at our July and September meetings, and wrote about its history and prospects for its future in our September, 2025 newsletter (https://www.hanc-sf.org/24-home/933-doolan-larson-house-update).

Concept Proposals were solicited, and thirteen were submitted.  You can read the submissions at this site:  https://haightandashbury.org/rfcp/ (click on the pictures at the bottom of the page; do not click on the “Download the Concept Submissions” button).  San Francisco Heritage has selected five of these submissions as finalists (near the top of the same website), and is now seeking Requests for Proposals (RFP) from these finalists.    The RFPs are due by June 1, and a finalist will be selected during the summer.  To read more about the RFP, click on “Download the RFP” under the names of the five finalists.

Election Day for the June Primary Election is June 2.  Early voting begins on May 4, and ballots should be mailed around that date.  Candidates include United States Representative for District 11 (formerly held by Nancy Pelosi), and California State Offices:  Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, Superintendent of Public Education, and Treasurer.  The top two vote-getters in each of these races will move on to the November General Election.  There are also local races for one Superior Court Judge, one Board of Education seat, and seats on the Board of Supervisors for Districts 2 and 4.  The Haight-Ashbury is in District 5 and will not be voting in the Supervisor races.

There are four local ballot measures that have qualified for the June primary (State ballot measures can only be voted on at the general election).  These measures will be given letters on March 9.  The working titles for these measures are 1) Earthquake Safety and Emergency Response Bond, 2) Lifetime Term Limits for Mayor and Members of the Board of Supervisors, 3) Increases to Business Tax Based on Comparison of Top Executive’s Pay to Employees’ Pay, and 4) Decrease to Business Taxes.

HANC cannot endorse candidates, but we can endorse ballot measures.  Look for more information from us in the coming months.

By Richard Ivanhoe, HANC President

At our January meeting AjaiNicole Duncan, campaign manager for 2024’s No on D, Yes on E campaign, and HANC Board member Christin Evans discussed two topics—the Commission Streamlining Task Force and the Charter Reform Working Group.  Although these are two separate groups which are composed of different individuals and meet separately, they both seem to have the same objectives—increase the Mayor’s power and decrease the public’s opportunity to participate in City government.

Commission Streamlining Task Force

The Commission Streamlining Task Force was created when the voters passed Proposition E in November, 2024.  There are five seats on the task force—one appointed by the City Administrator, one by the Controller, one by the City Attorney, one by the President of the Board of Supervisors (a public sector labor representative) and one appointed by the Mayor (an expert in open and accountable government).  The Task Force has been met on January 31, 2025, March 19, 2025, then mostly twice a month, with three meetings in December, 2025 and in January 2026.  The Task Force issued its final report on January 28, 2026, which can be found on its website--https://www.sf.gov/commission-streamlining-task-force (scroll down and click on final report).  There are meetings scheduled for February 11 and February 25, in which the Task Force is expected to draft legislation to be sent to the Board of Supervisors by March 1.

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Note:  This is not a Library-sponsored event