News

In 2019, DTNA kicked off a fundraising effort with the goal of completing historic surveys of all properties in the triangle formed by Castro and Market Streets and Duboce Avenue, for which our neighborhood was named. Our neighborhood is one of the most historic in the City, with most buildings dating back to a period which began in the late 1800s and continued through the 1920s. Today, even those “newer” 1920s properties are nearly a century old! 

See full article.

As the pandemic paused commuter traffic, San Francisco rolled out a massive experiment: Slow Streets. Noe Street was selected as one such street, running right through the Triangle. In our Jun/Jul Newsletter, DTNA Land Use Chair Kevin Riley wrote about DTNA’s exploration of a Slow Triangle A Slow Triangle is a vision...not a policy, ballot measure, or SFMTA plan. It's an idea.”

See full article in Land Use Blog.

DTNA has the privilege of working with UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design on exploring the nuances of our vision for a Slow Triangle. Part of this work was inspired by a conversation with Hugo Errazuriz, who researched the Duboce Triangle himself in 2002 while a student at Cal. We had a conversation with Hugo about this work then, and here’s what we learned.

See full article in Land Use Blog.

Starting this Saturday, September 25th, Upper Market COVID Testing/Vaccinations resumed at the 18th Street Parking Lot behind the Castro & 18th Street Walgreens.

There will be testing and shots into arms every Saturday 11:00 AM to 05:00 PM through the end of the year, expect for the weekend of the Castro Street Fair when they will be given at the Fair on Sunday, October 3rd.

This important community health initiative of the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District is being co-sponsored by Dubose Triangle Neighborhood Association and Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association.

The Saturday Noe COVID Health Mart had been extremely successful in getting COVID Vaccine shots into arms, including 3rd shots for those with HIV or others who are immunocompromised, and COVID testing. However, the Noe venue was forced to close because of objections of Noe businesses to the Saturday closure of Noe Street and concern for losing drive-up customers despite the Health Mart including short term drive-up parking on Noe near Beaver Street.

Get Tested, Get Vaccinated if you have not already done so, and come join your neighbors as we engage to keep life in the City healthy and moving forward.

Stay Safe to Be Healthy,

The Board of Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association meets every other month. At the September 2021 meeting, we discussed the following:

Board Function

Discussed expectations and interactions of fellow volunteers.

Website Migration 

Website content is being updated and customized where needed. The Board approved transferring the membership list from the Treasurer to DTNA President Kimyn Braithwaite which will facilitate extracting membership data for migration to Wild Apricot.

Land Use Updates

The Board voted to endorse the goals and intent of the Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza initiative, but at this time not endorse any particular design, but wanting to stay involved with the process and informed of any major updates or changes in design.

DTNA is still pursuing traffic calming for 14^th Street between Castro and Sanchez. At this time Noe Street is not on the SFMTA’s list of permanent Slow Streets.  UC Berkeley students will be researching Duboce Triangle and how it could become more pedestrian-friendly.

A letter of support for the Maitri Mural has been sent to the SF Arts Commission.

Duboce Triangle News

The News welcomes three new News distributors. If you can help deliver the News, please contact us at https://www.dtna.org/contact.html.

Phoenix Day Block Party: Sunday, October 17th, Noe Street between 14^th and Henry Streets

Frank Tizedes is leading the effort as the Block Captain. If you would like to help or participate, please contact DTNA https://www.dtna.org/contact.html.

Castro LGBTQ Cultural District COVID Testing & Vaccination Initiative

The Board voted to be a sponsor of this initiative that has been very successful in getting COVID shots into arms and people tested. It has been held recently every Saturday on Noe Street, but because of objections to the street closure by local businesses, a new site in the Upper Market is being sort.

Treasurer’s Report

The Historic District Initiative funding was discussed and has covered expenses to date. Payments for the online migration of DTNA to the Wild Apricot platform were approved.

Upcoming October Community Public Meeting Agenda

Assemblyman Chiu and Senator Weiner have confirmed. Supervisor Mandelman has also been invited.

Free COVID Testing and COVID Vaccinations now available every Saturday from 11 AM to 5 PM at the Noe Health Mart on Noe Street between Market and Beaver Streets. A self-administered PCR COVID test is collected and available for everyone. Free primary COVID vaccinations as well as a third shot for those who meet CDC guidelines are available.

These free COVID tests and vaccinations are made possible by the initiative of the LGBTQ Cultural District https://castrolgbtq.org and Castro Merchants https://www.castromerchants.com. The LookOut overseas the street management. The intent is to continue the Noe Health Mart venues through 12/31/2021, and the Delta Variant Surge.

Sexual Health Services of the San Francisco Health Department is also present at the Noe Health Mart. Information regarding how men can obtain free home STD testing kits for syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia as well as possibly free condom home deliveries is provided. 

The Dolores Park History Fair Day will take place on Saturday, September 18th, 11:30 AM to 04:00 PM at the Park. History Day is free and open to all. There will be six stations covering the history of the Park from First Nations to modern day. At the “Love Dolores” station visitors can pick up a map and “passport” which if validated at all 6 stations can be returned to the “Love Dolores” station for free give-away items.

DTNA is pursuing plans to hold a Phoenix October 17 Sunday Noe Block Party on Noe Street between 14th and Henry Streets. Frank Tizedes is leading the effort as the Block Captain. If you would like to help or participate, please contact DTNA  https://dtna38.wildapricot.org/contact.html.

August 9th DTNA General Meeting

Jane Chan, DPW Architect, presented the City’s plans for ADA compliance work at the Castro MUNI Station, including a new elevator at Harvey Milk Plaza. The new elevator will be an independent structure within the plaza with access to/from Market Street, the Castro level plaza, the Station level plaza and the MUNI platform. Other measures include widening the Market Street sidewalk. https://www.sfmta.com/projects/castro-station-accessibility-improvements-project

However, the City has no current plans for installing a canopy over the Harvey Milk Plaza entrance as it was mandated to do at the MUNI/BART access sites downtown. It appears that the Mayor and SFMTA/SFCTA have no interest in protecting the MUNI escalators and Transit users from rain and inclement weather unless it is mandated by a higher authority.

Harvey Milk Plaza

Brian Springfield, Friends Executive Director, and Daniel Cunnington, SWA Group Design Associate, presented the current design vision of the Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza which involves tearing down the current plaza and rebuilding it. https://neighborland.com/harveymilk.

Howard Grant, Architect, presented the Advocates for Harvey Milk Plaza vision for renovating the current design without a teardown. https://www.saveharveymilkplaza.org.

Port Authority Waterfront Resilience Program

https://www.sfportresilience.com

Matt Bell, Port Civil Engineer for the program, presented the detailed approach that the Port is taking in selecting projects to address the rising sea level and earthquakes. Reportedly 25 potential projects have been identified that will undergo further vetting before selecting those to pursue. 2021-0809 DTNA Public Port Presentation.pdf

Land Use

DTNA is issuing a letter of support for the Maitri Mural on Duboce at Church Street and continues to support Traffic Calming Measures for 14th Street between Castro and Sanchez Streets. MUNI has insisted that there be back-in angled parking on the north side of those two blocks to avoid wide lanes that could encourage drivers to drive around buses stopped at bus stops.

October 11th DTNA General Meeting

Senator Scott Weiner has agreed to come to the October meeting. Invitations have also been extended to District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman and to Assemblyman David Chiu to provide neighbors with a legislative update.

Get Tested, Get Vaccinated if you have not already done so, and come join your neighbors as we look at and celebrate life in the City.

Stay Safe to Be Healthy,

Cheers,

Bob Bush, DTNA Vice President