112-0208-002 Meeting of June 3, 2008
May 22, 2008
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
TO: Agency Commissioners
FROM: Fred Blackwell, Executive Director
SUBJECT: To update the Commission on activities leading to the potential formation of a Community Benefit District in the Yerba Buena Center Redevelopment Project Area.
PURPOSE OF INFORMATION
The purpose of this Informational Memorandum is to update the Commission on activities underway in the Yerba Buena Center Redevelopment Project Area leading to the potential formation of a Community Benefit District, or CBD. A CBD is an assessment district that creates a means of financing local services and improvements that supplement existing city- and Agency-funded services and has been an Agency goal for the Yerba Buena Center Redevelopment Project Area (the “Project Area”) for a number of years. Staff believes the establishment of a CBD in the Project Area is vital to the long-term economic self-sufficiency of this neighborhood, especially in light of the impending expiration of the Project Area on January 1, 2010.
Over the past 17 months, many activities related to the formation of the proposed Yerba Buena Community Benefit District (“Yerba Buena CBD”) have taken place. The Yerba Buena Alliance hired New City America, Inc. to assess the feasibility of a Community Benefit District in the Project Area, and has been working closely with the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, which strongly support the formation of the Yerba Buena CBD. In January 2007, the Yerba Buena Alliance started facilitating meetings of the Yerba Buena CBD Steering Committee (“Steering Committee”), a committed group of 26 individuals representing 40 properties in the Yerba Buena Neighborhood, listed on Attachment 1. This group has met 23 times and will continue to meet throughout the rest of the formation process. Since August 2007, the Alliance and the Steering Committee have coordinated 27 community meetings to discuss the proposed Community Benefit District and solicit community feedback. Community suggestions and feedback were implemented into the Yerba Buena CBD Management District Plan wherever possible.
Recent Milestones and Future Actions Required
On April 15, 2008, the Steering Committee authorized a petition mailing to all property owners within the proposed Yerba Buena CBD. Of the petitions returned 60% supported CBD formation. This percentage exceeds the requirements of local CBD legislation, which requires that owners representing at lease 30% f the total proposed CBD assessments support the CBD at the petition phase.
Supervisor Chris Daly is expected to introduce a Resolution of Intention to form the Yerba Buena CBD at the June 3, 2008 meeting of the Board of Supervisors. It is expected to be referred to the June 9, 2008 Government Audit and Oversight Committee to be voted on and then sent to the June 10, 2008 full Board meeting. It is anticipated that the full Board will adopt the Resolution of Intention which will initiate the formal election process. As a result, on June 13, 2008 ballots will be mailed to the owners of the 1,554 parcels within the proposed Yerba Buena CBD. Ballots must be returned to the Department of Elections by mail or in person anytime prior to the expected July 29, 2008 public hearing at the Board of Supervisors. If affirmative ballots are received representing 50% of the total proposed Yerba Buena CBD assessment, the Yerba Buena CBD will be formed at the July 29, 2008 Board of Supervisors hearing.
The Agency owns 20 parcels in the proposed Yerba Buena CBD. Under state law (Article XIIID(4)), the Agency’s parcels are not exempt from assessments for services provided by the Yerba Buena CBD. Therefore, the Agency will receive a ballot for each of the 20 parcels. It is anticipated that staff will request authorization for the Executive Director to cast these assessment ballots at the July 1, 2008 Commission meeting.
SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED
The Yerba Buena CBD will fund four service categories: sidewalk operations, beautification and order; district identity and streetscape improvement; administration, organization and corporate operations; and a contingency/reserve fund.
Sidewalk Operations, Beautification, and Order
These services will include:
- Partnering with the San Francisco Police Department to hired 10B officers to provide consistent, daily coverage of the community
- Implementation of highly-trained Ambasssadors/CommunityGuides to serve as way-finding resources, connect those in need to appropriate supportive services and work to improve the experience of CBD-area residents, visitors, employees and merchants
- Regular sidewalk and gutter sweeping and enhanced trash emptying
- Regular sidewalk steam cleaning, and as-needed power washing
- Tree and hanging flower basket planting and maintenance
- Maintenance of pedestrian public spaces in addition to sidewalks
- Distribution of small annual grants through a Community Benefit Fund to community organizations providing these kinds of services in the district, such as support for anti-gang activities or similar community crime prevention programs to prevent graffiti and vandalism.
District Identity and Streetscape Improvement
These services will include:
- Development of neighborhood brand and identity
- District-wide special events
- District Web site and newsletter
- Marketing and promotions strategies
- District map and brochure, advertising and communications
- Distribution of small annual grants through the Community Benefit Fund to community organizations providing these kinds of services in the district such as increasing access to public art through outdoor murals or an art contest to design and implement street furniture.
Administration, Organization, and Corporate Operations
These services will include:
- Personnel and administrative costs
- Corporate operations insurance
- Office related expenses, financial reporting and public relations.
Contingency/Reserve
These services will include:
- Reserves and long term capital improvement projects
- Repayment of District formation costs of up to $50,000 to businesses, property owners, individuals or organizations that funded the formation efforts of the district.
Originated by Catherine Pickering, Assistant Project Manager
Fred Blackwell
Executive Director
Attachment – Yerba Buena CBD Steering Committee
cc: Rich Hillis, Director, Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development
Lisa Pagan, Project Manager, Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development
Yerba Buena CBD Steering Committee
District 6 Supervisor Chris Daly
Yerba Buena Neighborhood Community Benefit District
Steering Committee
California Historical Society – David Crosson
City College of San Francisco, Downtown Campus – Steven Glick
City and County of San Francisco – John Noguchi*
The Contemporary Jewish Museum – Kate Patterson/Stacey Silver
Fifth and Mission/Yerba Buena Garage – John Brown
Forest City Development – Natalie Berg/Andrew Bryant
Four Seasons Hotel – Daniel Ho/Doug Housley
Four Seasons Residences – Saul Feldman
Marriott Hotel – Dan Kelleher/Greg Lattin*
Metreon – Chuck Martinez**
Millennium Partners – Sean Jeffries*
The Moscone Center – Bob Sauter/Dick Shaff
Museum Parc Homeowners – Peter Hartmann
The Paramount – Jesse Leite**
SFCVB – Dan Goldes
SFMOMA – Joe Brennan
SF Redevelopment Agency – Cathy Pickering*/**
South of Market Child Care Center – Noushin Mofakham
SPUR – Jim Chappell
St. Patrick’s Church – Rev. Eduardo Dura
St. Regis Hotel – Toni Knorr
St. Regis Residences – Nicole Gorman
TODCO – John Elberling**
W Hotel – Mike Nettles
Westfield San Francisco Centre – Heather Almond*
*Executive Committee Members, ** Budget Committee Members