San Francisco public housing shouldn’t be left hopeless

From the SF Examiner,

It was 2007 when then-Mayor Gavin Newsom launched the ambitious Hope SF initiative, making a promise to the residents in eight of San Francisco’s most-dilapidated public housing projects that help was arriving. The unlivable conditions arising from years of underfunding and deferred maintenance would be addressed with the old buildings being torn down and new mixed-economy community would be built.

But after all the grand fanfare, with impressive deals made in anticipation of city funding contributions and millions of dollars raised for design and preliminary development, the harsh reality of the national housing meltdown brought the dream crashing to a halt. Public housing residents who have been repeatedly disappointed are back in limbo, living day-to-day in homes that — in many cases — are vermin-infested, lack heat, have broken walls, ceilings or windows, and are consistently rated as dangerous and life-threatening.

Read more at SF Examiner

Newsom disagrees with Brown on cutting redevelopment

From KGO,

Lieutenant Gov. Gavin Newsom has a different take on cutting redevelopment agencies than his boss, Gov. Jerry Brown. Newsom says redevelopment funds used properly can be a real boon to cities such as San Francisco.

"Some of my most proud work as mayor was the redevelopment work we did in Bayview Hunters Point, the work we did to get the Treasure Island deal done, the Transbay Terminal done, the work we're doing on mid-Market to revitalize mid-Market and recruit companies like Twitter and others and capturing that increment in that mid-Market corridor," said Newsom.

Newsom says he understands Brown has to cut billions from the state budget, and hopes to serve as an intermediary for cities across the state trying to save their projects.

San Mateo Co. supes urge Newsom to veto ordinance - KGO

David Louie at KGO writes,

SAN MATEO, Calif. (KGO) -- On a 4-0 vote, San Mateo County Supervisors today passed a resolution urging San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom to veto an ordinance that calls for a 50 percent local hiring goal for all city-financed construction jobs within a 70-mile radius of San Francisco. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors' intent is to help provide jobs to building and construction trades people who live in San Francisco.

However, San Mateo labor leaders and the four San Mateo County Supervisors (the Board is currently missing one member with the election of former Board President Richard Gordon to the state assembly) argue that San Francisco's ordinance takes away job opportunities for its local residents. They point out the current jobless rate is close to 30 percent for construction and trades jobs.

Read more at KGO

But, as Sarah Phelan at the SF Bay Guardian asks,

Does Mayor Newsom represent SF workers or San Mateo politicians?

SF shutting down power plant Jan. 1 - SFGate

San Francisco's last fossil fuel power plant will start the new year by shutting down.

The Potrero Hill plant, one of the dirtiest in California, will cease operations on Jan. 1, state officials are expected to announce today. The plant, operated by Houston-based GenOn Energy Inc., formerly Mirant Corp., could be fired up in the event of a dramatic power emergency before being decommissioned permanently on Feb. 28, officials said.


Read more: SFGate

Avalos’ mandatory local hiring legislation heads to mayor’s desk December 19, 2010 - SF Bay View

Mayor Newsom has until Dec. 24 to sign historic jobs bill to put unemployed residents back to work and millions into the local economy

San Francisco – On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors once again approved Supervisor John Avalos’ landmark local hiring legislation requiring jobs for San Francisco residents on publicly-funded projects, sending the bill to Mayor Gavin Newsom’s desk for signature. Thousands of eyes watch City Hall Room 200 for a hint that Mayor Newsom will sign the law and help give the city’s unemployed a Christmas gift nearly 50 years in the making.

More at SF Bay View

Newsom and downtown groups court Cohen - SFBG

Steven T Jones at SFBG writes,

A rogue's gallery of downtown power brokers and moderate politicians is lining up to give D10 supervisor-elect Malia Cohen money during a fundraiser at Democratic Party money man Wade Randlett's house tomorrow night (Wed/1). And while the group may be trying to buy the support of a candidate they didn't support in the election, Cohen and some of her progressive supporters say she's been open to developing relationships across the ideological spectrum.

Read more at SFBG