David Heller: Helping Create a Better Community

During this time of economic and social upheaval, the Greater Geary Boulevard Merchants and Property Owners Association is doing its best to bring together a positive future for the community.

The merchants and property owners association was founded by local merchants hoping to bring about an interest in the business, civic, educational, social and economic condition of the Richmond District and, more specifically, Geary Boulevard in 1922. In 1951, the association helped remove a light rail system that had been installed in the late '30s. This decision opened Geary Boulevard up to becoming one of the busiest thoroughfares in the City today.

We are continuing our efforts to beautify Geary Boulevard, including planting trees and facilitating neighborhood cleanups. The association is also working in conjunction with the SF Department on the Environment to help merchants replace their current light fixtures with energy conserving fixtures. The merchants are also encouraged to use energy saving lights in an effort to reduce the burden on our energy supply.

In an effort to help bring more business to Geary Boulevard, the association led three members of the San Francisco 49ers, Andre Carter, Brian Jennings and Quincy Stewart, on an hour-and-a-half tour of Geary Boulevard in November. As well, signs saying "America: Open for Business" have been posted and we recently installed banners along the median strips on Geary Boulevard urging local residents to support Geary merchants.

We also work hand-in-hand with the captain of the Richmond Police Station to help keep the streets safer. The association has worked with city government and the SF Department of Public Works in an effort to resolve the grafitti problem in our area and we worked with the SF Department of Parking and Traffic to alleviate parking problems on Geary Boulevard.

We sponsor youth and civic awards ceremonies in an effort to keep morale high and to ensure that every person in the community has an opportunity to impact the world around them. We also support the Youth Court and Community Action Hours, as well as establishing partnerships with schools in the Richmond District to create a better community.

More than 350 people annually, including members of the SF Board of Supervisors and SF Mayor Willie Brown, attend our annual luncheon.

This year we will be honoring Ron Miguel, president of the Planning Association for the Richmond, Julie Lee, co-founder of the SF Neighbors' Association, Alessandro Barccari, president of the Fisherman's Wharf Association, and Robert "Bob" Begley, executive director of the San Francisco Hotel Council, at our luncheon that will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 19. Gateway Computers will be in attendance to help demonstrate new technological advances. All members of the public are encouraged to attend the luncheon ($35). For more information, call me at 387-1477.

We realize that right now is an especially difficult time for our community; this is why our association continues to make life more pleasant for the residents of the Richmond District.

We appreciate any input from members of the community and I hope that the Greater Geary Boulevard Merchants Association and members of the community will be able to work together to make the Richmond District a better place.

David Heller is a Geary merchant and long-time president of the Greater Geary Boulevard Merchants and Property Owners Association. He is also a candidate for the city's Democratic Central Committee in the upcoming March 5 election.