This past month MSNA was involved with several activities, ranging from picking
up trash and beautifying the area around the Irving Street corridor with the
coordination of the non-profit Refuse Refuse, to appealing the demolition of the
building at 2550 Irving Street.
Our appeal was heard at the Board of Appeals over two Wednesday afternoons in
February. The overall presentation, including public comment and questioning
from the commissioners, took over 10 hours. Our request was simply to include
some very specific testing for PCE before and during demolition. The former site
of Miracle Cleaners, on the 2550 Irving parcel, has never been tested for PCE and
it most likely is a source of the current high levels of PCE in the soil and air in the
immediate area. (Dry cleaners used PCE solvent for cleaning for decades, until
very recently.) Finding a source would force DTSC to consider soil vapor
extraction to eliminate the PCE and any future problems. Although we lost our
appeal, the commissioners did ask DTSC to promise to work with the neighbors
and pursue additional testing at this time at 2550 Irving. We are currently
preparing specific plans for this testing and a letter hopefully binding DTSC to its
verbal commitments at the hearing.
We have joined the Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods and we are sending
representatives to Catalysts for Local Control meetings. We will be sending
representatives to lobby the State legislature in Sacramento on March 14. The
issue at hand is Scott Weiner’s proposed bill SB423, which we deeply oppose. It
would make SB 35 permanent and give communities no legal recourse to oppose
or modify affordable housing at any time, once the proposal had passed the
Planning Department’s overview. If any of you are interested in attending with us,
we can offer you a ride. For more information go to https://catalystsca.org/
Contact me if you would like a ride to Sacramento on the 14th.
Finally, if you signed up for our emails, we consider you a member of Mid-Sunset
Neighborhood Association, unless you ask to be taken off the list. Every member
counts. We are asked regularly by reporters, the courts, City officials how many
families we represent. Please consider asking your neighbors if they would like to
sign up for our emails.
We realize not everyone has the time or money to donate monthly, but we hope
you value the ways MSNA tries to advocate on behalf of the neighborhood. If you
support our efforts, we invite you to join as a founding member for an annual
membership fee of $20.00. All members will continue to receive our monthly
emails. Founding members are invited to come to select Board meetings to share
your thoughts and ideas.
Next month we will be sending you suggestions on how to prepare for the
demolition and document the current status of your walls, windows, and
foundations before demolition begins. In case of damage resulting from the
demolition, you will need this documentation.
Thanks for taking the time to read this letter.
Flo Kimmerling
President, MSNA