Supervisor Eric Mar: Special events in August

Sunday Streets
This summer, I am continuing my work with you and city department staff to make the Richmond a thriving, livable and sustainable place to live.

Sunday Streets is coming to the west-side of San Francisco on Aug. 9 and Sept. 6. The Great Highway will be closed from Golden Gate Park to the SF Zoo.

Sunday Streets is a safe and fun event for residents to get out, meet their neighbors, and get active. I will definitely be out with my daughter and her friends and thousands of SF families. Come participate in a variety of activities, like dancing, biking, skating, walking, hula hooping, yoga, and, especially, people watching.

Please volunteer at http://sundaystreetssf.com.

Improving Geary Transit
Thanks to all of you who came to the Better Transit Town Hall Meeting we co-hosted with the SF County Transportation Authority on July 27 about the proposed Geary Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project and street and pedestrian improvements.

With more than 70 people in attendance, we were able to have a great discussion about the project and to inform everyone about the environmental review process that is currently underway. All comments from the meeting will be incorporated into the final environmental review report, which will be available to the public.

For more information about the project and upcoming public meetings, please visit www.gearybrt.org.

Outside Lands Festival
On Aug. 28 - 30, San Francisco and Golden Gate Park will host the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, one of the most diverse concerts in the country, attracting some of the most innovative and exciting rock, alternative, independent musicians and bands in the world.

I have been working closely with neighborhood groups, the SF Recreation and Park Department, Richmond Police Station and Another Planet Entertainment in anticipation of the festival. City staff has learned greatly from last year's festival and are making all efforts to mitigate any potential problems, like increased traffic, excessive noise and other nuisances.

Our City's Recreation and Park Department will benefit from an estimated $1.3 million from the festival. There will also be a community hotline, 933-6901, open from 10 a.m. - 11 p.m. during the event. For additional information, including road closures, please go to the Web site at www.sfousidelands.com/311.

Protecting Families
Working with Coleman Advocates for Family and Youth, the San Francisco Tenants Union, Housing Rights Committee and other organizations, I have sponsored an ordinance to offer help for families that are struggling to survive during this economic crisis.

Last year, dozens of families were threatened with Owner Move-in Evictions (OMI), which accounted for more than 40 percent of no-fault evictions, according to a recent report by the Office of the Legislative Analyst. These evictions force vulnerable families to struggle to seek scarce affordable housing options, often during their children's school year.

According to the SF Department of Children Youth and Their Families, children only account for 14.5 percent of San Francisco's population, one of the lowest percentages in the nation.

During these challenging economic times, our city needs to do whatever it can to ensure that our families are able to live, work and thrive here. SF protects seniors and other vulnerable tenants from no-fault evictions. I believe children should to be protected from these evictions too.

The legislation is scheduled to be heard in the Supervisor's Land Use Committee on Monday, Aug. 17, at 1 p.m., at City Hall, Room 263.

Coffee with Eric
This month, I will be at Nani's Coffee shop, 2739 Geary Blvd., from 11 a.m. to noon. Come meet with me and other Richmond residents and share what's on your mind!

Eric Mar represents District 1.