What's News - August, 2024
This note is just to update you on the activities of summer and some proposals for the autumn. This summer neighbors hosted two “Coffee wit
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Neighbors demand DTSC, TNDC and City Hall
"Clean It Up Before You Build It Up"
In 2019 a series of environmental investigations—sparked by the potential sale of the Police Credit
Union building at 2550 Irving St. to affordable housing developer, TNDC—disclosed the presence of
hazardous levels of PCE, a cancer-causing solvent used by dry cleaners.
For three years the Mid-Sunset Neighborhood Association (MSNA) has asked city and state
agencies to address the contamination issue promptly and comprehensively. From the mayor’s
office to many media outlets, MSNA’s pleas have largely been ignored or dismissed as a NIMBY
tactic. The community has continually emphasized that its concerns are not aimed at stopping or
delaying the construction of the affordable housing project. Rather, their rallying cry is "Clean it up
BEFORE you build it up." (The SF Examiner published a good background article with the headline
“The First 100% Affordable Housing in the Sunset Sits on Contaminated Soil.”)
...
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or by emailing midsunsetcommunity@gmail.com
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COMMUNITY UPDATES
Cancer causing vapors found in Mid-Sunset homes. Experts say residents have been breathing toxic air for decades. The neighborhood demands cleanup.
Mid-Sunset Neighborhood Association - Press Release, January 12, 2022
For further information contact Paul Holzman — pbholzman@gmail.com
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) recently sent letters to Mid-Sunset homeowners informing them of elevated toxic PCE (tetrachlorethylene) vapors in their homes. PCE is a dry cleaning solvent that even at low levels of exposure causes multiple types of cancer and neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s.
Lenny Siegel, director of the Center for Public Environmental Oversight (CPEO), said that after reviewing these letters as well as public documents that show soil gas contamination throughout the area, “it’s clear that the whole neighborhood should be subject to a full environmental review.”
The recent letters from DTSC confirm that toxic PCE gas above the State of California’s screening level was measured inside the homes adjacent to the Police Credit Union property at 2550 Irving St. The source is a soil gas plume created by toxic releases from the two dry cleaners that operated in the immediate area for decades.
TNDC sued for noncompliance with BOS resolution urging compromise on 2550 Irving Street.
Nearly one year ago, the Mid Sunset Neighborhood Association accidentally learned from their Supervisor, Gordon Mar, that the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development had awarded part of the 2019 Prop A funding to the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation to build a seven story affordable housing project at 2550 Irving Street.
Despite pleas from the community for greater transparency and engagement, especially with the high numbers of non-English speaking neighbors and seniors left out of untranslated Zoom-only meetings, TNDC has ignored the community’s key concerns over PCE contamination, scale and density.
Supervisor Mar has repeatedly gone on record
stating the neighbors have legitimate concerns and expressing his disappointment that TNDC and MOHCD have been unwilling to discuss compromise.
PCE Contamination on Irving Street, San Francisco:What Is Acceptable?
by Lenny Siegel
September, 2021
http://www.cpeo.org/pubs/PCUPCE.pdf
On the surface, the plan to construct about 100 affordable apartments on the site of the San Francisco Police Credit Union (PCU) building on Irving Street is a solid step forward to address the Bay Area’s growing housing crisis. However, beneath the surface of the Mid-Sunset property lies a toxic plume of tetrachlorethylene (PCE) vapors that poses a health threat both to current neighbors and future residents.
Still, despite pleas from the neighborhood, California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has chosen not to require remediation of the PCE property, relying on passive mitigation to prevent exposure.
PROPOSED AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT AT 2550 IRVING ST (BETWEEN 26TH-27TH AVENUE, CURRENTLY POLICE CREDIT UNION)
The Mid Sunset Neighborhood Association (MSNA) will be sharing updates regarding the proposed Affordable Housing Project at 2550 Irving St between 26th and 27th Avenues (currently the Police Credit Union) being developed . This project will have long-term ramifications on the neighborhood and we would like all Sunset community members to participate in the neighborhood feedback process to ensure your voice is heard.
If you would like to receive our updates by email, please subscribe by using the form at the bottom of this page or by emailing midsunsetcommunity@gmail.com
ABOUT US
For over 40 years, the Mid-Sunset Neighborhood Association has helped connect, build and support our community as it evolves. Our focus is balancing growth and local businesses’ needs, with neighborhood character and safety to the overall benefit of our community.
The borders for the association are Noriega St and Lincoln Way, 19th Ave to 36th Ave in the Sunset District of San Francisco, CA.
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