A parking lot in South San Francisco’s Old Town neighborhood could be the city’s next park, with the City Council last month signing off on the purchase of property at 616 and 700 Linden Ave. in hopes of providing the developing area with more green space.

The city expects to pay roughly $1.3 million for the two parcels, and will host public outreach events to decide on the park’s design.

“This is such a win for our community,” Mayor Mark Nagales said. “We’ve heard it from residents in Old Town, they’ve been asking for a park, asking for some open space.”

The lot at 616 Linden Ave., currently a public parking lot with 18 metered spaces, was previously an automotive repair shop with underground petroleum tanks that contaminated the soil, so the construction will include cleanup efforts. The lot across the street at 700 Linden Ave. is a grassy field bisected by a pedestrian path.

According to a city report, the sites had been examined for housing, which would have required a more extensive and expensive cleanup estimated to cost nearly $800,000. City staff also noted the need for open space as the neighborhood has already been seeing increasing amounts of new residential construction.

The land is former redevelopment agency property, meaning the city will need to pay out various taxing entities to acquire the property. The city plans to pay out of its park acquisition fund, which currently has a $2 million balance thanks to fees paid by residential developers. Apart from the land acquisition, construction of the park is estimated to cost $3.1 million.

Nagales noted the park was one of the benefits of allowing new developments and allowed the city to “reinvest back into the community.”

“I know that when other neighborhoods hear about [the park] there might be some jealousy, but I want folks to know this isn’t the last park we’re taking a look at,” he said. “We’re looking at other locations throughout South San Francisco.”

Councilmember Mark Addiego said he envisioned the park with a gazebo modeled after one that sits in a plaza in Atotonilco El Alto, Jalisco, Mexico, one of the cities South San Francisco exchanges cultural, educational and economic information with as part of its “sister cities ” initiative.

“It made me smile when I heard some of the comments that were encouraging us to do a gazebo, which is very common in a lot of Latin American cities,” he said.

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A new seven story, 99 unit residential building with restaurant space on the ground floor has been proposed to replace a building at 421 Cypress Ave. in South San Francisco, home to the shuttered Bertolucci’s restaurant.

Peter Sodini, the owner of Bertolucci’s, submitted an application for the project last year, according to the city. The Planning Commission will review the project Aug. 18 during a 7 pm meeting.

Bertolucci’s, a landmark Italian eatery — opened in 1928 as a boarding house — and was purchased by Sodini in 2005 after the Bertoluccis retired. The restaurant closed amid the pandemic, and will reportedly reopen in the new building, potentially called Sodini’s, by renderings.

Plans indicate 1,500 square feet of space for the restaurant at the corner of the building, plus outdoor seating space. The first floor would also include 99 parking spots, made possible with mechanical stackers.

The existing two-story building including the restaurant and five apartments would be demolished.

The planned building’s architecture “harkens back to the historic character of the city with its brick base” according to a city report. “A faithful reproduction of the original Bertolucci’s sign” would also be included, it states.

Sodini, a Burlingame resident, also owns Golden Boy Pizza, with its original San Francisco location and newer location in San Mateo.

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ONTARIO, Ore. (AP) — Planned Parenthood is renting medical office space in the town of Ontario on the Oregon-Idaho border.

Planned Parenthood has not confirmed its plans for the space, but has said it’s preparing for an influx of out-of-state patients seeking abortions in Oregon because of multiple legal challenges to abortion rights, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.

Earlier this year they successfully lobbied the Oregon legislature to set aside $15 million in an unrestricted fund for reproductive health equity.

“No matter what happens we will be there for our in-state and out-of-state neighbors, and continue to meet the needs of our patients,” said Kenji Nozaki, the chief of affiliate operations at Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette. “We are prepared to support anyone who seeks their legal right to decide whether and when to become pregnant.”

The office space Planned Parenthood is renting in Ontario was previously home to the Four Rivers Health Clinic, a nonprofit serving people without health insurance.

Joe Recla, the group’s executive director, said Four Rivers will use the rental income to continue to support uninsured patients.

A Planned Parenthood clinic in Ontario could be a significant high desert outpost for access to abortion and other reproductive health care services, in advance of a US Supreme Court decision anticipated this summer that could overturn Roe v. Wade, the nearly 50-year-old landmark abortion ruling.

The small town of Ontario is about an hour’s drive from Boise, Idaho.

Idaho has two trigger laws criminalizing abortion at all stages of pregnancy that would take effect in the event of a successful legal challenge to Roe v. Calf.

Oregon has no legal restrictions on abortion, but the state has one clinic that performs abortion east of the Cascade Mountains, in Bend. For those seeking abortions in eastern and northeastern parts of the state, the closest clinics are out of state, in Boise or Walla Walla, Washington.

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA — United Playaz will host its annual gun buyback event in San Francisco this Saturday.

The event will run from 8 am to noon at 1038 Howard St.

Representatives from the mayor’s office, the San Francisco Police Department and community organizations will safely accept guns from people who no longer need them, according to the state Attorney General’s Office.

People turning in guns will be offered $100 cash for handguns, rifles and shotguns, as well as $200 cash for automatic weapons.

United Playaz is a San Francisco-based violence prevention and youth development organization, according to its website.

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Even before the cause of the deadly campfire is cleared, California lawmakers are drafting laws to protect PG&E from massive fire-related liabilities.

“We want to send a signal to the financial markets that we are not going to let the utilities flutter in the wind,” said Kellie Smith, chief adviser to the state committee on utilities and energy, on Tuesday. The bill is expected to be introduced by Los Angeles County’s Democratic Rep. Chris Holden, who chairs its main legislative body.

The bill is expected to protect major California investor-owned utilities from wildfires.

“What a happy Thanksgiving gift for PG&E shareholders, directors, and executives to enjoy this holiday weekend as over 12,000 Butte County residents spend Thanksgiving in shelters, tents, or their cars, with some mourning their deaths or despair over their missing “Said Senator Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, a frequent critic of PG&E, on Tuesday.

The idea behind the expected legal framework would be to ensure that financial liabilities resulting from destructive forest fires in 2018 like the Camp Fire in Butte County don’t destabilize a major utility like PG&E.

Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 901, a comprehensive law to end past, present, and future California wildfires, in September, brushing aside criticism that the move was a bailout for PG&E that came with a troubling mountain of inferno-related liabilities is facing the the Wine Country and other regions in October 2017.

This bill created a smoother way for state regulators and PG&E to pass costs on to the company’s customers with higher monthly utility bills. SB 901 requires the powerful state commission on public utilities to conduct a stress test to determine the maximum amount a utility and its shareholders can bear without going bankrupt. SB 901 contained a narrow provision to include the wine country fire storms, a number of which were believed to be caused by PG&E devices.

The new legislation appears to address the bug in SB 901 that primarily applied to fire liabilities in 2017 and potential fires in 2019 and years thereafter, but not specifically applicable to fire disasters in 2018.

“There will be a time and a place for all of this, but for now PG&E is solely focused on helping first responders and helping our customers recover and rebuild,” said PG&E spokeswoman Andrea Menniti on Tuesday.

Ultimately, the legislation is designed to prevent a utility company from going bankrupt in connection with the forest fires, and that protects customers, Smith said.

“When a utility goes bankrupt, it will do a lot more harm to tariff payers than this mechanism we create to make the utility pay until it hurts,” said Smith. “The idea is to make the utilities pay until it hurts.”

San Francisco-based PG&E is using the specter of bankruptcy to alert state lawmakers and regulators to come to the rescue, Hill says.

“PG&E is using the bankruptcy bogeyman to scare lawmakers,” Hill said. “You could have a PG&E payment plan for many years, which BP did after the Gulf oil spill. Instead, PG&E is always looking for the easy way out, no matter how many people are affected. “

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SAN FRANCISCO – (BUSINESS WIRE) – Planned Parenthood Northern California (PPNorCal) opens the doors tomorrow to its brand new, state-of-the-art, $ 22 million flagship health center, funded entirely by more than 800 individual donations. The flagship San Francisco Health Center is located at 1522 Bush Street near Van Ness Avenue and is easily accessible by public transportation. It offers access to a range of treatments, including wellness screenings, birth control, cancer screenings, STI tests and treatments, gender-affirming care, and abortion. PPNorCal provides expert health services to 78,000 people in 17 health centers each year.

PPNorCal’s flagship was patient centered and inspired. According to the figures, PPNorCal expects 20,400 visits and 13,000 patients per year in the brand new health center and expects the waiting time for appointments to be shortened by three days. The flagship will serve as a hub for training and other community events and will house the executive office, research department, education department, public affairs and fundraising staff of PPNorCal.

“At PPNorCal we have always believed that your body is your own. With the opening of our flagship San Francisco facility, fully funded by donors, we’re one step further to ensure people have more control over their lives, health and futures, ”said Gilda Gonzales, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Northern California. “Now is the time to strengthen and secure access to sexual and reproductive health care. We all – the Biden government, states, local governments, communities, and individuals – must face this moment. ”

The opening times for the new health center can be found on the PPNorCal website here. The new 12,000 square meter site features an open architecture with an emphasis on promoting safety and efficiency. The facility has eight multifunctional examination and counseling rooms and four operating suites, and offers advanced services such as vasectomies, more comprehensive abortion services, and mental health services.

PPNorCal began serving the San Francisco community at 1650 Valencia Street in 2011, which is now permanently closed. With the vision of increased impact and innovation, the organization launched a five-year fundraising campaign from January 2015 to December 2019, despite multiple and increased threats from January 2017. This fundraising campaign resulted in an impressive sum generated by a total of 877 people and organizations like the Hellman Foundation in San Francisco. The project also received a wide range of community support.

“In the midst of a global health crisis, we at the Hellman Foundation are moved and inspired by Planned Parenthood Northern California’s commitment to making health care accessible to all,” said Susan Hirsch, executive director of the Hellman Foundation. “With the opening of San Francisco’s flagship health center, Planned Parenthood Northern California will continue to establish a national model for community rooting, justice and exceptional health care, education and advocacy. We are proud to be part of the community of donors that made this vision a reality, and look forward to the expanded impact and leadership that Planned Parenthood Northern California will have over the years and decades to come. ”

PPNorCal looks forward to continued and expanded support from the San Francisco community. For more information and to book an appointment, please visit https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-northern-california or call 1-800-230-7526.

About Planned Parenthood Northern California (PPNorCal)

PPNorCal offers inexpensive or free reproductive health care. Their health services include birth control, STI tests and treatments, life-saving cancer screenings and breast exams, as well as annual assessments and checkups, and abortions. They also provide emergency contraception, UTI tests and treatments, and sexual and reproductive health education. The doors of PPNorCal are open to everyone, regardless of insurance status, immigration status, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or income.

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The Sunset District could get a 100 percent affordable housing project of up to 100 units, many of which are family-oriented – the first of its kind in the neighborhood, according to supervisor Gordon Mar.

Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation plans to build a low-income housing estate at 2550 Irving St. near 26th Avenue, one block from Golden Gate Park.

The mayor’s office for housing and community development has raised $ 15 million from the voter-approved affordable housing bond of 2019, spokesman Max Barnes said Monday.

“It is the first affordable housing project specifically for families,” said Mar, who represents the region. “This is exactly the kind of housing we need at sunset to ensure that low-income families can live in our neighborhood.”

The Irving Street project will begin construction on what is now the Police Credit Union site in 2023 and could reach seven floors. The costs have not yet been determined as the project is still in an early stage of development.

MOHCD will release funds pending a budget from TNDC, project approval from a municipal loan committee, and final approval from the supervisory board.

The project promises commercial space, parking spaces for cars and bicycles, and offices on the ground floor. The units will be a mix of studios and up to three bedrooms.

“Creating more affordable housing across San Francisco is at the heart of our COVID-19 recovery strategy. We are excited to work with TNDC to bring much-needed sustainable affordable housing to sunset,” said Eric Shaw, director of MOHCD, in a Explanation . “We are continuing to expand our pipeline and focus on equitable investments to meet the housing needs of residents across the city.”

MOHCD announced on Friday that it has selected nonprofit property developer Tenderloin after deciding in 2019 to acquire locations in Districts 1, 2, 4, 7 and 8 for affordable housing.

Community meetings hosted by TNDC and Mar will begin in January to determine the bedroom mix of the units and get feedback on design and affordability.

“TNDC is grateful and humble to help more families stay housed and thrive by bringing affordable housing to a neighborhood with high-performing public schools and access to resources like grocery stores and public transportation,” said Donald S. Falk, CEO of TNDC. “With our community-based approach, we look forward to working with the Sunset neighborhood, MOHCD, and a number of partners to further address the San Francisco housing crisis and keep the city alive.”

Another affordable housing project in the Sunset District dedicated to educators is underway at the Francis Scott Key Annex at 1360 43rd Avenue. Construction of more than 100 family-sized residential units will be completed in 2023.

Mar’s office hopes to make affordable neighborhood housing projects less infrequent by facilitating the creation of a nonprofit Westside property developer with the help of TNDC and Mission Economic Development Agency.

An initiative called Sunset Forward, which involves the planning department and local organizations, engages District 4 residents through focus groups and surveys to prioritize housing, transportation, businesses, and services.

“That was one of the challenges in developing affordable housing on the West Side, the lack of a not-for-profit housing association focused on our neighborhoods,” said Mar. “I’m just really excited about this project and looking forward to doing it with community To drive contributions. “

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