Apparently peeing outdoors is not everyone's cup of tea.

A religious group and several local residents have sued the City and County of San Francisco over the new outdoor urinal in Mission Dolores Park, calling it a “shameful” invasion of privacy and decency.

The San Francisco Chinese Christian Union, along with several neighbors of the park, filed a 25-page civil lawsuit in San Francisco County Superior Court on Thursday alleging gender and disability discrimination, as well as violations of health and sanitation codes.

The urinal, which city officials call the “pissoir,” opened in January as the city's latest measure to combat public urination. It was part of a major park renovation that included new irrigation systems, playgrounds and restrooms.

The open-air urinal, next to a Muni streetcar stop, consists of a concrete slab with a drain and a circular fence that offers limited privacy. It is located near the southwest corner of the park, affectionately known as the “gay beach.”

The San Francisco Chinese Christian Union, described in the suit as a religious nonprofit organization that includes 15 churches, and other plaintiffs said in their suit that the “sewage hole” forces unsuspecting parkgoers to see strangers' genitals in a public park. It also discriminates against people who need to pee but don't want to do so outdoors, the suit says.

“The outdoor urination hole violates the privacy of those who need to use the restroom but must expose their bodies and endure the shame and humiliation of urinating in public,” the lawsuit states. “Seclusion when defecating is a societal norm and represents one of the most basic expectations of privacy.”

The urinal is also unfair to women, the lawsuit says.

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“The hole provided for outdoor urination is particularly egregious for women and girls,” the lawsuit states. Using this facility would subject women to “extreme embarrassment not experienced by men or boys who merely unzip their pants and pee all over the place.” [sic] when urinating.”

The plaintiffs are represented by the Sacramento-based Pacific Justice Institute, a conservative legal group that is pushing to overturn a state law that requires public schools to allow transgender students to use restrooms and play on sports teams of the gender with which they identify.

“If San Francisco wants to be truly progressive, it needs to have public parks that are accessible to everyone, not just certain groups,” Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, said in an interview. “The city is not above the law. They put the urinal in a place where people will see it, whether they want it or not.”

The office of San Francisco City Attorney Dennis J. Herrera issued a cheeky statement in response to the lawsuit on Friday, titled “Isn't That a Urinal?!”, saying Dolores Park is “famous for its counterculture, rampant sunbathing, hash brownies, 'Hunky Jesus' and more.”

“If I had to predict the 100 things in Dolores Park that would likely most offend these plaintiffs, I would not have guessed this would be among them,” Matt Dorsey, a spokesman for Herrera, said in the statement.

The residents of the neighborhood had campaigned for the urinal, the statement said.

The prosecution pointed out in its statement that the Southern Poverty Law Center has classified the Pacific Justice Institute as an anti-LGBT hate group.

Dacus rejected the designation, saying it came from a “very far-left extremist organization” and said the city was “desperately trying to distract from the real issues” in the lawsuit.

hailey.branson@latimes.com

Follow me at @haileybranson / Google+

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OREM, UT — /PRNewswire/ — Any Hour Group (“Any Hour” or “the Company”), a leading provider of residential plumbing services, today announced partnerships with seven companies – 3 Mountains Plumbing (“3 Mountains”), Connors Plumbing & Heating (“Connors”), EJ Plumbing (“EJ”), Oak Island Heating & Air Conditioning (“Oak Island”), Pacific Aire (“Pacific Aire”), We Care Plumbing, Heating, & Air (“We Care”) and Wizard Plumbing (“Wizard”) – to expand its operations into new markets, including California, Oregon and Minnesota. Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

Founded in 1961, Any Hour provides homeowners with peace of mind through a comprehensive range of high-quality heating, ventilation, plumbing and electrical services. The company has achieved a market-leading position through rapid organic growth and in July 2021 partnered with Knox Lane, a San Francisco-based private equity firm, to accelerate the development of Any Hour.

By partnering with We Care, Oak Island and Pacific Aire, Any Hour has expanded into the large and growing Southern California market, including San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Orange County. Any Hour is also expanding its presence in California through its partnerships with EJ and Wizard in Santa Clara and San Mateo, respectively.

Additionally, Any Hour has officially established a presence in Oregon, another attractive West Coast market, through its partnership with 3 Mountains, and has entered into a second Midwest partnership with Connors of Waseca, Minnesota. Both companies will benefit from Any Hour's extensive digital marketing, recruiting, training and operations capabilities, but will retain their respective brands, headquarters and management teams.

Wyatt Hepworth and Jeremy Hansen, CEO and COO of Any Hour, said, “Any Hour has experienced significant growth over the past 18 months as we continue to execute on our vision to build a differentiated, strategic home services platform in the Western United States. We are encouraged by the progress we have made and are excited to join forces with such a talented group of operators. Our team looks forward to building a strong presence in several key new regions through these partnerships, which we plan to continue to expand.”

Dustin Van Orman, President of Business Development and M&A at Any Hour, added, “We are honored to partner with like-minded owners and operators who have built strong businesses through a tireless commitment to their customers and employees. We are excited to provide these operators with additional support and resources so they can build on their respective momentum and serve more customers in these key markets.”

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POMPANO BEACH, Fla., Feb. 12, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Wrench Group, a national leader in home services, announced that Lindstrom Air Conditioning & Plumbing, a leader in home services in Southeast Florida, has joined Wrench Group is.

With Lindstrom, Wrench Group has added its 28th store nationwide. Founded in 1975 by Carl Lindstrom, Lindstrom Air Conditioning & Plumbing has grown primarily through word of mouth, a shining testament to the company's commitment to excellent customer service. Serving more than 100,000 homeowners in Southeast Florida, the company provides air conditioning, heating, plumbing and air quality services through its team of experienced technicians.

“We are excited to join the Wrench Group family as they are truly the nation's leading provider of home services,” said Jeff Lindstrom, president of Lindstrom Air Conditioning & Plumbing. “This partnership will allow us to grow and serve even more homeowners throughout Southeast Florida while continuing our tradition of service excellence that our customers have come to know and love.”

“Lindstrom is a perfect fit for Wrench Group,” said Ken Haines, CEO of Wrench Group. “They are a great family business with a rich history and an outstanding local management team set up for long-term success in a rapidly growing region. We look forward to working with them and to great things ahead.”

Lindstrom employs approximately 300 people and its service area includes Broward, Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties. They have offices in Pompano Beach and Port St. Lucie. For more information about making an appointment online, visit https://www.lindstromair.com/.

Troutman Pepper, LLP and PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP acted as legal and financial advisors to Wrench Group, and Greenberg Traurig, PA and SF&P Advisors acted as legal and financial advisors to Lindstrom.

About Wrench Group

Wrench Group, LLC is a national leader operating in 28 markets across 15 states. The locations provide home repair, replacement and maintenance services specializing in heating, ventilation and air conditioning, plumbing, plumbing, electrical and related services. The company collectively serves more than 2 million customers annually with more than 7,300 team members in Atlanta, Austin, Birmingham, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Fort Myers-Naples, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville-St. Augustine, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Palm Springs, Phoenix, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Francisco Bay Area, Sarasota, Southeast Florida, Southern Maryland, Tampa Bay and Tucson metropolitan areas.

The story goes on

The locations have developed a strong reputation with brands that date back to the 1940s. For more information please visit us at www.wrenchgroup.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240212378157/en/

contacts

Meghann McNally
404-803-8164
mmcnally@wrenchgroup.com

Shawn Malayter
872-267-2636
smalayter@greenhousepartners.com

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Expands Presence in Strategic Markets and Positions Company for Continued Growth

OREM, Utah, Jan 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The Any Hour Group (“Any Hour” or “the Company”), a leading provider of home services, today announced partnerships with seven businesses – 3 Mountains Plumbing (“3 Mountains”), Connors Plumbing & Heating ( “Connors”), EJ Plumbing (“EJ”), Oak Island Heating & Air Conditioning (“Oak Island“), Pacific Aire (“Pacific Aire”), We Care Plumbing, Heating, & Air (“We Care”), and Wizard Plumbing (“Wizard”) – to further expand its operations into new markets, including California, Oregonand Minnesota. Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

Founded in 1961, Any Hour offers homeowners peace of mind through a full suite of high-quality HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services. The Company has achieved a market-leading position through rapid organic growth, and in July 2021 partnered with Knox Lane, a san francisco-based private equity firm, to accelerate Any Hour’s trajectory.

By partnering with We Care, Oak Island and Pacific Aire, Any Hour has expanded into the large and growing Southern California market, including San Diego, Santa Barbara, Venturaand Orange County. Any Hour is also growing its presence in California through its partnerships with EJ and Wizard in Santa Clara other San Mateorespectively.

In addition, through its partnership with 3 Mountains, Any Hour has officially established a footprint in Oregonanother attractive west coast market, while adding a second Midwest partnership with Waseca, Minnesota-based Connors. Each business will benefit from Any Hour’s extensive capabilities in digital marketing, recruitment, training, and operations, while retaining its respective brand, headquarters, and management team.

Wyatt Hepworth other Jeremy HansenCEO and COO of Any Hour, respectively, said, “Any Hour has experienced significant growth over the past 18 months as we continue to execute on our vision of building a differentiated, strategic platform for home services in the Western United States. We are encouraged by the progress we’ve made and look forward to joining forces with such a talented group of operators. Our team is excited to establish a strong presence in several key new geographies through these partnerships, which we intend to build upon further.”

Dustin Van OrmanPresident of Business Development and M&A for Any Hour, added, “We’re honored to be able to partner with like-minded owners and operators that have built strong businesses through a relentless commitment to their customers and employees. We’re excited to provide additional support and resources to these operators so that they can build on their respective momentum and serve more customers in these key markets.”

About Any Hour Group
Founded in 1961, The Any Hour Group is the market-leading home services company in the state of Utah, providing residential customers with a full suite of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services, including repairs, replacements, and maintenance. Any Hour has a long history of organic growth and a workforce of more than 1,200 employees and technicians. Any Hour’s unique culture, commitment to its employees and customers, and track record of success has positioned it for continued growth, with well over $300 million in annual revenue. For more information, please visit www.anyhourservices.com. If you are interested in exploring a partnership with the Any Hour Group, please contact Dustin Van Orman at [email protected].

About Knox Lane
Based in San Francisco, Knox Lane is a growth-oriented investment firm comprised of a team of accomplished investors and operators with a shared work history and a strong track record of partnering with leading companies to accelerate transformational growth. Knox Lane employs an investor-operator mindset and seeks to provide support across a number of business components, including human capital, brand management, end-to-end digital transformation, sourcing, supply chain and logistics, strategic acquisitions and business development. For more information, please visit www.knoxlane.com.

About 3 Mountains Plumbing
For over 22 years, 3 Mountains technicians have been ready to roll out their red carpet service for customers in the Portland, Oregon area. 3 Mountains, led by Bill and Dani Kerrigan, is committed to providing quality plumbing services with exceptional results and premier customer service. The Company gives back in its community through its work with ReFIT, providing pro bono accessibility remodel services for households in need.

About Connors Plumbing & Heating
Connors is a long standing HVAC and plumbing service provider in Waseca, MNthat has established a reputation for top-tier service in the greater Minneapolis area. Connors technicians are known throughout the area for being courteous and trustworthy. Founded in 1949 by Robert Connorsthe company is now led by his daughter, Peggy Hildebrandt.

About EJ Plumbing
EJ Plumbing was established with the goal of providing customers in San Jose other Santa Clara with superior plumbing solutions. EJ is led by Emmanuel Jimenez and is backed by over twenty years of experience. EJ’s friendly technicians are proud of the solid reputation they’ve worked hard to build, with a proven commitment to customer service. Customers can count on finding the quality plumbing services they need – almost.

About Oak Island Heating & Air Conditioning
Oak Island was founded in 1998, providing heating and cooling services to Escondidoand the broader North San Diego area. Oak Island partnered with We Care in 2020 and is led by Jacob Young other Rusty Cochran.

About Pacific Aire
Pacific Aire has been led by Mark Schneider since 1990, providing heating, air conditioning, and plumbing services to the Santa Barbara, Ventura other los Angeles communities. Pacific Aire’s desire to provide outstanding customer service and superior workmanship has never wavered. Pacific Aire employees strive every day to create a professional and pleasant customer experience, achieved through the company’s commitment to growth and education.

About We Care Plumbing, Heating, & Air
For over 20 years, We Care has been serving Southern California as the premier heating, air conditioning, and plumbing company in the area. We Care continues to be the service team of choice for its customers because simply put, “We Care To Go the Extra Mile”. We Care is based in Murrieta, California and led by Rusty Cochran.

About Wizard Plumbing
Wizard has a reputation built on honesty, integrity, and exceptional customer service, serving the San Mateo, San Carlos, Palo Alto, and broader Bay Area for over a decade. Led by Mark Evansthe Wizard team works every day to provide each and every customer with the same quality workmanship they would expect for their own families.

Media Contact
Woomi Yun / Eric Carlson
Joele FrankWilkinson Brimmer Katcher
212-355-4449

SOURCE Knox Lane; The Any Hour Group

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WACO, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Decisive Point Consulting Group (“DPCG” or the “Company”), a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business providing Health Information Technology and Patient Safety Technology Integration to the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA), today announced the signing of a contract award supporting the San Francisco VA Health Care System (“San Francisco VA”), San Francisco, CA, under its partnership with CareView Communications Inc. Decisive Point Consulting Group and CareView formed a Partnership to contract directly with VA hospitals to use a variety of CareView products to enhance the services being provided to veterans.

The CareView Patient Safety System facilitates continuous remote patient monitoring of any patient that may be at risk of harm due to fall precautions, behavioral issues, suicidal ideation, etc. The solution leverages an in-room wireless mobile cart with camera, display, and audio capabilities utilizing CareView’s patented Virtual Bed Rails® and Virtual Chair Rails® technologies to improve patient safety. The Virtual Bed Rails® use machine learning to identify when the patient’s movement indicates a fall may be imminent, and subsequently alerts the Safety Technician. Pre-recorded messages in patients’ native language or 2-way audio allow for direct communication with the patient. The system can offer a considerable reduction in sitter labor costs and greatly enhance overall patient safety. This solution can conduct telemedicine consultations and integrate industry standard nurse call platforms once available for integration at the San Francisco facility.

CareView’s innovative Patient Safety System is the only virtual sitter solution in the industry with no audible alarms in patient areas, making it the perfect solution for VA Community Living Centers (CLC’s). Additionally, because patient privacy is important, the CareView System features a privacy option mode that can be utilized when needed, ensuring enhanced safety, security, and peace of mind for loved ones.

Daniel Wilcox, DPCG Systems Engineer, stated, “We are pleased to be working with San Francisco VA and know that our solution will address their current and future needs to reduce patient falls while increasing overall patient safety and staff efficacy. We are looking forward to working closely with our VA partners to integrate the enhanced system capabilities inherent to the system in the San Francisco VA once those disparate capabilities are deployed on site.”

To learn more about the DPCG, LLC, visit www.decisivepointconsulting.com

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Comment

It was raining in San Francisco on Wednesday morning when volunteer Shanna Orona arrived at a homeless encampment on Erie Street surrounded by police vehicles.

As rain fell — the approach of the powerful “atmospheric river” that would slam California cities with heavy winds and flooding — city workers, including police and fire department personnel, cleared out the encampment so they could power-wash the street, Orona alleged in a court document.

The individuals at the encampment left without receiving “concrete” offers of shelter after a fire department commander threatened that police would arrive to conduct warrant checks and other city workers would throw away people’s belongings, said Orona, who volunteers with the Coalition on Homelessness, a San Francisco nonprofit. When one person from the encampment responded to the fire department commander in Spanish, the commander allegedly turned away, saying, “I don’t speak Mexican.”

The Jan. 4 sweep Orona witnessed was not only inhumane but also violated the orders of a California district court, attorneys representing the Coalition on Homelessness argued in court documents filed Thursday.

On Dec 23, the Coalition on Homelessness won a preliminary injunction in an ongoing court case against the city of San Francisco, successfully arguing that it was unconstitutional for the city to enforce certain laws penalizing unhoused individuals while the city lacks sufficient shelter space to house them. The court order forbids the city from enforcing various laws prohibiting “involuntarily homeless individuals” from sitting, lying or sleeping on public property.

But San Francisco isn’t listening, the coalition alleged last week.

The group filed statements from several staff members and volunteers, including Orona, who alleged that the city violated the injunction by conducting several sweeps of homeless encampments in late December and early January, even as the devastating storm neared.

“I was very taken back,” Orona told The Washington Post. “I was like, the city has a lot of nerves.”

A spokesperson for the city attorney’s office told The Post in a statement that the activities described by the coalition did not violate the injunction.

“The order prohibits the City from enforcing six specific laws to prevent involuntarily homeless individuals from sitting, lying, or sleeping on public property,” the city attorney’s office said in the statement. “The order does not prohibit the City from maintaining safe and healthy streets for all. The City may continue to ensure sidewalks are not obstructed, but are usable for everyone. And, the City may still ask unhoused people to move temporarily for cleaning activities.”

In court filings, attorneys for the coalition contested that characterization, alleging that individuals were still threatened with the confiscation of tents and other personal belongings, which the injunction forbids, and that city workers’ behavior — threatening warrant checks and “forcibly waking people up, standing over them, and yelling at them to move” — still constituted an enforcement threat. They also questioned why the city moved unhoused residents to power-wash a street during a storm.

The timing of the newest wave of sweeps, coming shortly after the injunction was issued and as a powerful storm prepared to batter the city, came as a shock to the coalition, executive director Jennifer Friedenbach told The Post.

“My experience is that the city kind of backs off on these things during bad weather,” Friedenbach said. “It was a bit shocking to see them continue these operations in the pouring down rain.”

John Do, an attorney representing the coalition, echoed Friedenbach’s concerns.

“Your survival gear, your personal belongings shouldn’t be taken by the city and thrown away,” Do said. “And certainly not in an atmospheric river. That is truly inhumane and cruel.”

As of Monday, 11.16 inches of rain had fallen on San Francisco in a 13-day stretch, the wettest spell since 1871. The city remains on flood watch, and residents have been advised to stay home.

Additional storms have been forecast in the coming week. In response to the weather, San Francisco’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing opened four temporary shelters accepting walk-up referrals that will run until Jan. 15.

Strongest atmospheric river yet battering California with damaging floods

The allegations surrounding the pre-storm sweeps are the latest development in a months-long court case challenging San Francisco’s handling of a persistent homelessness crisis exacerbated by the pandemic. In September, the Coalition on Homelessness and seven unhoused individuals sued the city and county of San Francisco, Mayor London Breed and several city departments to stop the city from enforcing several laws that criminalize sitting, sleeping or lying on public property.

The coalition argued in a 100-page complaint that because San Francisco lacks enough shelter space to house the majority of the city’s unhoused population, sweeping encampments and displacing individuals under threat of arrest amounts to cruel and unusual punishment that violates people’s constitutional rights. The nonprofit also alleged that city workers routinely violated a “bag and tag” policy that is supposed to allow displaced individuals to retrieve belongings seized during encampment sweeps, saying workers repeatedly dispose of them instead.

In the complaint, Toro Castaño, a plaintiff with the coalition, called the city’s sweeps a “dehumanizing disruption to the small ounce of stability I was trying to build for myself during one of the hardest times of my life.”

As issued, the preliminary injunction remains effective for the duration of the case, as long as there are more homeless individuals in San Francisco than shelter beds available. San Francisco had a total capacity of 5,080 shelter beds in 2022, including around 2,000 temporary beds scheduled to be phased out by the end of that year, according to city statistics cited by the coalition, while 7,754 people were counted in the most recent survey of the city’s unhoused population.

The city filed a motion for clarification on the injunction last week, arguing that the restrictions within are unreasonable and contradicting an injunction in a separate case on homelessness that mandated the city remove unhoused individuals who’d refused offers of shelter in the city’s Tenderloin district.

“It defies logic to require that San Francisco have shelter for all persons experiencing homelessness before San Francisco may enforce these laws against any one person, even after that individual has refused adequate shelter,” the city attorney’s office told The Post. According to the city, providing the required shelter beds and services would take several years and cost an additional $1.45 billion.

In their recent filings, attorneys for the coalition asked the court to mandate the city provide additional information about sweeps and appoint a special master to monitor the city’s compliance with the preliminary injunction. The lawsuit broadly asks for the city to submit to greater oversight over sweeps and for the court to establish a similar, permanent injunction until all of San Francisco’s unhoused residents have access to shelter.

A hearing is scheduled for Thursday, when a judge may address both the coalition’s allegations and the city’s motion for clarification.

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Once the boxes are filled and crammed into car trunks and back seats, the volunteers caravan across San Francisco to make deliveries to expectant and new Black moms.

The “Sunday Show Ups” began at the start of the pandemic when Gebre noticed that few of the Black Patients at her Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital clinic were taking advantage of a pantry a doctor had set up for pregnant patients. Concerned about insufficient outreach to a vulnerable population during an uncertain time, Gebre sought donations on social media for her Black patients and the grassroots effort took off.

“There were disparities in access to masks, access to education and factual information around the pandemic,” Gebre says. “Out of this hard period, we created a space where we can engage in conversations and give back to the community in a positive way.”

One Love Black Community organizer Asmara Gebre speaks with expectant mother Tanisha Bell about resources for her newborn in Bayview-Hunters Point, San Francisco, on Nov. 13, 2022, during the organization’s ‘Sunday Show Up.’ (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

The focus on Black women is personal and purposeful: Gebre, 34, was living in a home for single moms more than 15 years ago. She relates to the multitude of challenges her patients face. As a medical professional, she has seen Black women suffer from higher rates of pregnancy-related complications and preterm births even as the city’s Black population dwindles.

In San Francisco, Black families make up half of the city’s maternal deaths and 15% of infant deaths (PDF) despite representing just 4% of all births. City data also shows nearly 14% of Black infants are born prematurely compared with 7.3% of white infants. It’s a cause for alarm because preterm babies are more likely to experience chronic disease, not to mention learning and behavioral difficulties in school.

At first, the donations included masks, hand sanitizer, diapers, children’s books, produce and money. The cash donations allowed Gebre to distribute $200 per woman — no strings attached.

As her network of volunteers grew, so did her reach.

Cassandra Perkins (left) and Asmara Gebre pose for a portrait on Treasure Island after making all their deliveries during One Love Black Community’s ‘Sunday Show Up’ on Nov. 13, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

With the help of her most dedicated volunteer Cassandra Perkins —to outreach coordinator for the San Francisco Department of Public Health – they expanded their deliveries to new moms participating in the California Black Infant Health program and pregnant women who are unhoused. They also aligned with several Bay Area initiatives that are trying to address Racial inequalities to improve Black maternal health.

Perkins has spent the last 23 years working in HIV and family planning clinics in the city’s marginalized Black neighborhoods. She has an easy smile and is the kind of person who gives away books, socks and toiletries stashed in her car to give away to people she meets on the street.

She calls the Sunday show-ups her church.

“I look like them so it’s easier for them to relate to me … just to inform, educate and be of service and always treat people with dignity and respect and you get it back tenfold,” Perkins says.

She said after the women leave the hospital and recover at home, many of them miss out on information about services focused on Black women’s health. The home visits are filling a crucial gap in postpartum care and establishes One Love Black Community as a reliable source of information to a community wary of outsiders after experiencing decades of poverty, environmental injustice and racial discrimination.

Bayview-Hunters Point became a Black neighborhood in the 1940s as African Americans from the Gulf Coast migrated to the Bay Area to work at the nearby Navy shipyard. After World War II ended, jobs evaporated. Black people, who were limited in where they could live in San Francisco due to discriminatory housing policy, were left languishing in substandard housing surrounded by pollution left over from the shipyard.

“If they show initiative in how much they care to help you, then that’s the most helpful because they make you want to put more initiative into yourself,” says Charise Haley, who met Perkins when she was living on the streets and pregnant with her now 10-month-old son.

Haley, who continues to cope with losing her partner to suicide, says she’s close to receiving a subsidized apartment.

“Cassandra is one of my favorite people because if it wasn’t for her actually believing in what I can do, I probably wouldn’t be where I am right now,” she says about Perkins.

Haley was among seven women who received deliveries on one Sunday last month.

Charise Haley picks up her son Isaiah from his toy car outside of her home in San Francisco on Nov. 13, 2022, during a visit by One Love Black Community volunteers. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

I ride with Gebre in her SUV that’s cluttered with baby supplies in the back and her half-eaten breakfast in the front. A tireless multitasker, she also finds time to lead Black Centering, a program at UCSF where she organizes nature walks, CPR classes and other community-building activities for expectant Black parents.

Perkins and Katiana Carey-Simms, a midwifery student, follow in two other cars filled with supplies. Meanwhile, Gebre’s son Devin comes along to pack and haul boxes.

We go uphill to an apartment complex overlooking the bay and meet Crystal Hill, who is receiving her first delivery from One Love Black Community. Inside her unit, football plays on the TV while Hill’s 2-month-old boy lays in a baby swing.

Big pots of stew simmer in the kitchen, and the aroma prompts Gebre to offer to sign Hill up for six weeks of meals delivered by Postpartum Justice, an organization that recruits Bay Area restaurants to cook nourishing meals for Black women healing from childbirth.

“I need to start getting healthy because I have high blood pressure and diabetes that stayed with me after [pregnancy],” Hill, 40, tells her.

“This would be a beautiful transition, just having some nice meals and sharing with the family and thinking differently,” Gebre replies.

A short drive later, we stop at the Bayview home of a pregnant woman Perkins recently met while shopping at Safeway. Perkins urges the woman, who declines to be interviewed, to enroll in the Abundant Birth Project because she is in her first trimester and thus eligible. The guaranteed income program gives $1,000 per month to a randomly selected group of Black and Pacific Islander pregnant women who face some of the greatest degrees of income inequality in one of the nation’s most expensive cities.

Sabrina Hall holds her newborn, Harleigh Quin, at her home in Bayview on Nov. 13, 2022, while visiting with volunteers from One Love Black Community. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

The experiment is part of a growing number of guaranteed income programs responding to racial and economic inequality by giving unconditional cash directly to people in need. Abundant Birth’s goal is to ease financial stress for these women and improve their health outcome.

Gebre suspended her monthly cash gifts due to tax reasons, but said she’ll resume it as soon as she receives proper fiscal sponsorship.

She estimates 300 women have received deliveries from One Love Black Community in just over two years. This Christmas, she hopes to show up for 100 families with the help of volunteers from a Black sorority.

She recalls the small acts of kindness that made a big difference for her when she was raising Devin in the Santa Cruz area. Once, when she volunteered at a horse ranch so he could get free riding lessons, a woman slipped a surprise in the book Gebre was reading.

“I remember one day I was running out of gas and was like, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to get through this week of school.’ I opened the book and there was $100 in cash in there,” Gebre says. “There were so many moments where my community showed up for me. Little things here and there, but they add up.”

She says she’s driven to give back because of the support she received.

When we reach Sabrina Hall at her home in an industrial part of the Bayview, Gebre and Perkins pitch the postpartum meals and online support group for Black moms facilitated by UC San Francisco.

Hall, 41, says she developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy and suffered nerve damage and other complications after delivering her daughter, Harleigh Quin, three weeks early. The baby weighed just 5 pounds.

The experience was nonetheless an improvement from four previous pregnancies, Hall says. She participated in the guaranteed income study, and says the extra cash helped her buy baby gear and catch up on some bills.

“With my other kids, no one told me about doulas. [There was] just a lack of education,” Hall says. “This birth, I had a doula, I had Black Infant Health — you know, just the support. I had no one to speak for me with the medical office or the staff. And this time I had an advocate.”

Boxes filled with diapers, formula, and other essentials are loaded into a car to be delivered to mothers throughout San Francisco and Treasure Island as a part of One Love Black Community’s ‘Sunday Show Up’ on Nov. 13, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/ KQED)

Back in the car, Gebre says since the guaranteed income pilot launched two years ago, she noticed patients who receive the money participate more actively in their prenatal care. For example, patients in transitional housing were more likely to find transportation to show up for their appointments.

“I have not met one patient who doesn’t care about their pregnancy or want the best for themselves and their baby, although there are so many factors around them that are influencing their ability to engage or not engage in the kind of quality of care that they want,” she says. “When you’re able to provide additional resources to minimize those stress factors — that burden, that toll is no longer present — you can notice the difference in patients and how they engage in care.”

She drives across a section of the Bay Bridge and exits onto Treasure Island, passing a housing construction project and new ferry terminal. She parks in front of a cluster of townhouses to check on her former patient Danesha Johnson.

“How are you?” Gebre asks while hugging Johnson, who gave birth a month earlier.

“The recovery is fine, no complications. I’m fine,” the 21-year-old says.

When Johnson’s partner, Darrian Burrows, comes out to carry the supplies inside, Gebre tells Perkins that he assisted her in the delivery room and caught his daughter when Johnson made her final push. Perkins remembers seeing him in the hospital when Johnson was in labor, and she’s overcome with emotions.

“That was so beautiful for you to be in the tub with her when she was going through labor to help ease things,” she says as tears fill her eyes.

“You’re giving me the chills because I work in our communities of color and they’re always giving our men a hard time,” Perkins continues. “And some programs, there’s something for the mom and the baby but they don’t want the dad involved. So just to see you all as a couple and loving one another and having a baby brung into this world together …”

Bearing witness to a happy, healthy birth makes her want to keep this thing going, she says.

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PLYMOUTH, Minn. — Dakota Supply Group on Thursday announces its acquisition of Western Steel and Plumbing.

Western, founded in 1949, is a leading distributor of plumbing and HVAC products with two locations in Bismarck and Minot, North Dakota.

“After three generations as a family business and personally 50 years as an employee of Western Steel, I know the time has come to depart and watch the business grow and prosper in the future,” said Western owner Maury Kamins. “I am so proud of our existing staff, a group I would call one of the best in our industry with DSG’s diverse product offerings, excellent website, superior purchasing power, and experienced management team combined with Western Steel’s special talents and history will make our company better than ever before .”

The company will operate as Western Steel and Plumbing, A DSG Company, before eventually transitioning to the DSG brand.

“We’re excited to welcome the Western Steel and Plumbing associates to the DSG team of employee-owners,” DSG President and CEO Paul Kennedy said. “The addition of Western Steel complements our existing strong electrical and waterworks presence in the state and provides a platform for further segment expansion throughout North Dakota.”

DSG is one of the Midwest’s leading distributors of innovative products and services for the electrical, plumbing, HVAC/R, utility, communications, automation, waterworks, and on-site sewer, water, and well industries. DSG is a 100% employee-owned company with more than 900 employee-owners in more than 50 locations across seven states.

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Any Hour Expands Into New Strategic Markets and Positions Company for Continued Growth

OREM, Utah, Sept 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The Any Hour Group (“Any Hour” or “the Company”), a leading provider of home services in the Mountain West region, announced today that it has partnered with four additional leading home services businesses – Grapids Heating & Cooling (“Grapids”), Precision Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical (“Precision”), Chandler Air (“Chandler“), and All Hours Air (“All Hours”) – to further expand its operations in the Mountain West region and in new markets. Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

Founded in 1961, Any Hour offers homeowners peace of mind through a full suite of high-quality HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services. The Company has achieved a market-leading position through rapid organic growth, and in July 2021 partnered with Knox Lane, a san francisco-based private equity firm, to accelerate Any Hour’s trajectory.

Through the addition of Precision and All Hours, Any Hour has solidified its position as the leading home services provider in the Mountain West region, broadening its footprint into Colorado other Nevada. The addition of Chandler further bolsters Any Hour’s strength in Arizonaexpanding the Company’s presence in the Greater Phoenix Area. Finally, Any Hour’s partnership with Grapids marks Any Hour’s first expansion into the Midwest. Each business will retain its respective brand, headquarters, and management team, while drawing on Any Hour’s extensive capabilities in digital marketing, recruitment, training, and operations.

Wyatt HepworthCEO of Any Hour, said, “We are thrilled to add Grapids, Precision, Chandler, and All Hours to the Any Hour Group as we continue to execute on our vision of partnering with like-minded, exceptional operators to build a differentiated, strategic platform in residential services. We are excited to be entering several new strategic markets through these partnerships, and to build upon the strong existing footholds they have established.”

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Jeremy HansenCOO of Any Hour, added, “We’re very pleased about the significant momentum that we’ve achieved through a combination of rapid organic growth and partnerships with best-in-class companies. We’re honored that Grapids, Precision, Chandlerand All Hours have chosen to join forces with us and we look forward to building the Any Hour Group together.”

About Any Hour
Founded in 1961, Any Hour is the market-leading home services company in the state of Utah, providing residential customers with a full suite of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services, including repairs, replacements, and maintenance. With a long history of organic growth and a workforce of more than 900 employees and technicians, Any Hour’s unique culture and track record of success has positioned it for continued growth. For more information, please visit www.anyhourservices.com. If you are interested in exploring a partnership with the Any Hour Group, please contact Dustin Van Orman at dustin@anyhourservices.com.

About Grapids Heating & Cooling
Grapids Heating & Cooling was founded in 1999 by Nathan Engelsma and delivers HVAC installation, maintenance, and repair services to the greater Grand Rapids area. For over 20 years, Grapids has delivered high quality service to West Michigan. As a locally operated business, Grapids wants its customers to be customers for life, and goes the extra mile to give personal, neighborly support.

About Precision Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical
Precision Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical is a family-operated home services company providing high-quality service in the boulders other Denver Colorado regions since 1982. Precision was founded by Tom Robichaud and is now led by his daughter, Andrea Nelson, who started as a customer service representative in the business twelve years ago. The precision guarantee of fast, professional, high-quality service has won the company “Best of boulders” for 20 years running.

About Chandler Air
Chandler Air has been servicing homes in the Phoenix Valley since its founding by Bob Burnes in 1982. Chandler offers a full range of heating and cooling services in Chandler, Gilbert, Ahwatukee, AZ and surrounding areas, building its business the old-fashioned way: one referral at a time. The Company is led today by Bob’s son-in-law, Ryan Bondwith a commitment to honesty, integrity, achievement, professionalism, determination and persistence.

About All Hours Air
All Hours Air was founded in 2012 by Jason and Heather Cummins and is committed to providing high quality heating, air conditioning, and plumbing services in the Reno other Sparks Nevada areas. All Hours creates long-term relationships with its clients and stands behind its work with a 100% money back guarantee on everything it does.

About Knox Lane
Based in San Francisco, Knox Lane is a growth-oriented investment firm comprised of a team of accomplished investors and operators with a shared work history and a strong track record of partnering with leading companies to accelerate transformational growth. Knox Lane employs an investor-operator mindset and seeks to provide support across a number of business components, including human capital, brand management, end-to-end digital transformation, sourcing, supply chain and logistics, strategic acquisitions and business development. For more information, please visit www.knoxlane.com

Media Contact
Woomi Yun / Eric Carlson
Joele FrankWilkinson Brimmer Katcher
212-355-4449

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SOURCE Knox Lane; The Any Hour Group

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ST. LOUIS, Dec 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Marcone, the leading residential appliance parts distributor and portfolio company of Genstar Capital, announced today that it has acquired Professional Plumbing Group (PPG), a distributor of plumbing products for repair and remodel applications, from Dunes Point Capital, LP .

PPG designs, manufactures, markets and distributes high-quality plumbing products. PPG’s portfolio includes products from two proprietary brands – Wolverine Brass, and Speakman – as well as third-party products across all of the leading brands. Wolverine Brass is a respected brand selling high quality plumbing products for the past 125+ years exclusively to professional plumbers and trade personnel; Speakman is a 150+ year-old brand widely known for high quality showers and other fixtures. PPG sells 20,000 SKUs to more than 10,000 customers including plumbing technicians, third-party distributors, ecommerce providers and retailers and through commercial channels such as hospitality. PPG has nearly 300 employees and is based in Concordville, PA.

Jim SouersChief Executive Officer of Marcone, stated, “PPG is a superb business and a leader in the plumbing specialty marketplace operating through highly diversified sales channels with long-established customer relationships. Its brands are well known and trusted among the trade community and is a strong strategic fit with our go forward strategy. We are excited to capitalize on increased spending on plumbing products from consumers, technicians and larger strategic accounts, and look forward to working together with PPG to accelerate growth. We are pleased to welcome PPG’s strong management team and organization to the Marcone family.”

Rob RutledgeManaging Director at Genstar Capital, said, “When we partnered with Marcone and its management team earlier this year, we knew it was a truly outstanding business in its core market with a large opportunity to expand by selling other parts and services into the home . PPG represents an exciting step into the large and fragmented plumbing market, with material revenue opportunities across the combined customer base.”

About Marcone
Marcone is an authorized distributor for major brands such as Whirlpool, Electrolux, General Electric, Maytag, Bosch, Samsung, LG and many more. Through its vast distribution network, Marcone supplies the largest inventory of original replacement parts in the country for household appliances such as refrigerators, ranges, dishwashers, microwaves, washers, and dryers. Marcone exports to over 120 countries and also operates a comprehensive training institute offering quality business and technical training. Headquartered in st louisMarcone has 12 regional distribution centers and nearly 50 retail centers.

About PPG
PPG is a distributor of plumbing products for repair and remodeling applications. PPG distributes two proprietary brands (Wolverine Brass and Speakman), along with third-party plumbing products. PPG serves ten thousand customers across four channels: direct-to-trade, commercial, ecommerce, and retail. PPG is headquartered in Concordville, PA and employs nearly 300 people. For more information, visit https://www.ppg-inc.com.

About Genstar Capital
Genstar Capital (www.gencap.com) is a leading private equity firm that has been actively investing in high quality companies for over 30 years. based in san francisco, Genstar works in partnership with its management teams and its network of strategic advisors to transform its portfolio companies into industry-leading businesses. Genstar currently has approximately $33 billion of assets under management and targets investments focused on targeted segments of the financial services, industrials, healthcare, and software industries.

Contact: Chris Tofalli
Chris Tofalli Public Relations
914-834-4334

SOURCE Marcone

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