Under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi and Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, the Democratic majority has created unprecedented rules for transparency of and accountability for projects sponsored by Members of Congress. Under new rules created in 2007, it is required that each bill must be accompanied by a list identifying projects and the Member of Congress who made each request. Those lists are made available online before any votes. In the House, each project on the list is accompanied by a public letter from the requesting Member identifying the project, the entity that will receive the funds and its address, a description of the project, and a certification that neither the requesting member nor their spouse will benefit from it financially. Each certification is available on the internet at least 48 hours prior to a floor vote on the bill.
Beginning with Fiscal Year 2010 Appropriations bills, the 111th Congress mandated additional requirements for expanded transparency. In order to increase the time available for public scrutiny of funding decisions, lists identifying each project and the requesting Member are now made available the same day the relevant Subcommittee reports each bill rather than when the Full Appropriations Committee acts. Each request is also now subjected to further scrutiny by the Executive Branch, with each agency being given 20 days to check that proposed projects are eligible for funding and meet goals established in law. In addition, all Members of Congress must now post information listing all requested projects on their Member web sites at the time the request is made, explaining the project and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer funds.
The Appropriations Committee announced on March 10, 2010 that, beginning with the Fiscal Year 2011 appropriations bills, it will not approve requests for earmarks that are directed to for-profit entities. If this rule had been in effect last year, it would have resulted in 1000 fewer earmarks. To assure compliance, the Committee will require agency Inspectors General to audit at least 5 percent of all earmarks directed to non-profit entities. This new oversight measure is to ensure that earmarks go to their intended purposes and to prevent for-profits from masquerading as non-profits.
Finally, the total dollar amount earmarked for non-project-based accounts in appropriations bills was reduced by over 50 percent relative to Fiscal Year 2006, when the Republicans were in the majority. The Appropriations Committee will limit future earmarks to no more than 1 percent of total discretionary spending.
Below are Speaker Pelosi's community funding requests for appropriations bills in Fiscal Year 2011. These projects include $42,150,000 in requests made by the Mayor or District Attorney of San Francisco to meet high priority local needs. In addition, a large portion of the funding requested by Speaker Pelosi is for Army Corps of Engineer projects. The Army Corps' work is essential for the operation, maintenance and protection of San Francisco Bay. Specifically, these ongoing projects are necessary for infrastructure, dredging and wetlands restoration activities that allow commercial, transit and recreational vessels to utilize the Bay while protecting vulnerable ecosystems. These are authorized projects that are typically included as part of the President's annual budget proposal, and it is common for Members of Congress with significant Army Corps activities in their districts to request funds for the continuation of those critical activities.
California Bay Watershed Education & Training Program
Recipient: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Education
Address: 299 Foam Street, Monterey, CA 93940
Amount: $2,500,000
The California Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program was established to increase environmental stewardship and appreciation of the watershed and marine environment through environmental education for students, teachers and communities in specific watersheds. To date, the California B-WET program has educated over 40,000 students, 7000 teachers and 1000 adults about local watersheds, the marine environment, and the connection between local actions and global issues. Federal funds are provided through a competitive grant process to eligible organizations covering the San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay and Santa Barbara Channel watersheds to fund hands-on learning about the ocean and coastal environment. Independent evaluators have found B-WET to be effective at increasing the stewardship ethic of youth. Additionally, research concluded that associated training is successful at increasing teachers’ use of experiential learning to teach about the watershed in their classroom. Requested funds would allow the California B-WET Program to continue educating students and teachers in areas associated with the Gulf of Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.
Huckleberry Community Assessment and Referral Center for San Francisco Non-Violent Juvenile Offenders
Recipient: Huckleberry Youth Programs
Address: 3310 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94118
Amount: $300,000
Huckleberry House in San Francisco was the first shelter in the country for runaway youth, which later became the model for hundreds of adolescent shelters nationally. Huckleberry seeks support to increase capacity for its Community Assessment and Referral Center (CARC), the primary juvenile justice diversion program in San Francisco. The program is a public-private partnership serving over 500 youth each year by delivering rehabilitation services to non-violent juvenile offenders. This approach significantly reduces recidivism and has reduced the detention population at Juvenile Hall, producing substantial savings. Although the CARC has been a critical safety-net program in the juvenile justice system for over 10 years, it does not have the infrastructure to support planned growth. As CARC expands its services, it is critical to create an infrastructure that supports growth and institutionalizes the program for future years.
CARC seeks to develop a comprehensive data collection and evaluation capacity to demonstrate the effectiveness of the program; to institutionalize CARC within San Francisco’s juvenile justice system through the development of written inter-agency policies and procedures; to develop an effective on-call strategy to expand CARC to a 24/7 response system; and to develop materials on CARC to facilitate CARC replication in other jurisdictions. Federal funding would support implementation of a comprehensive client outcome evaluation, “best practice” replication materials, development of Memorandums of Understanding between CARC and SF juvenile justice agencies, and pilot testing expanded coverage through an on-call case manager during hours when CARC is closed.
San Francisco Bay Area Environmental Justice Law Enforcement Project
Recipient: San Francisco District Attorney’s Office
Address: 850 Bryant Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Amount: $400,000
Environmental criminals make billions of dollars every year illegally dumping toxins, smuggling hazardous materials, and polluting air and water. These crimes contribute to climate change and harm ecosystems. Environmental crimes are not limited by county or state lines. As a result, these cases – complex and technical in nature – are further complicated by concurrent jurisdiction and a combination of civil, criminal and administrative remedies. The District Attorney seeks to create a San Francisco Bay Area Environmental Justice Law Enforcement Project in the District Attorney’s office. This project would enable the office to expand the current Environmental Justice Unit’s capacity and redesign it with a regional focus.
Across the country, environmental crimes disproportionately hurt our most marginalized communities. Locally, San Francisco’s Bayview Hunters Point and other low-income communities experience high levels of industry and transportation next door to poor families, causing high levels of air pollution and asthma. The proposed project would enable the DA’s office to gain additional expertise in prosecuting environmental crimes in order to develop and provide training and technical assistance to prosecutor’s offices across the country that want to develop environmental justice units. Funds are requested to expand the Environmental Justice Unit; pay experts for technical expertise and testimony in environmental prosecutions; provide staff training; and provide training and technical assistance for regional partners. Requested federal funds would enable project staff to dedicate considerable time to the complex training they need to handle these cases.
San Francisco Court Team for Maltreated Infants and Toddlers
Recipient: ZERO TO THREE
Address: 400 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Amount: $300,000
Zero to Three is a national non-profit that informs, trains and supports professionals, policy makers and parents to promote the health and development of infants and toddlers. Funds are requested to establish a multidisciplinary Court Team with the tools to ensure abused and neglected children are receiving appropriate services leading to measurable improvements in health and education. The Court Team would focus on ensuring that needed services become judicial orders, service gaps are identified and additional providers are available to better meet the needs of maltreated infants, toddlers and their families, including developmentally appropriate visitation practices, as well as health and developmental screenings. In addition, Zero to Three would continue to provide training, technical assistance and expert consultation to help the Court Team meet its goals. Specifically, federal funds would be used for staffing, training and technical assistance, project evaluation, and development of print and web-based resources.
San Francisco Human Trafficking Prosecution and Victim Support Project
Recipient: City and County of San Francisco
Address: 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 130, San Francisco, CA 94102
Amount: $750,000
Every year, more than 50,000 children and women are brought into the US against their will. Human trafficking, the fastest growing crime in the world, is more profitable than trafficking guns or drugs. Just 10 years since the federal government enacted human trafficking legislation, most jurisdictions do not have the tools, training or capacity to prosecute traffickers or support victims, leaving the problem largely unaddressed. Traffickers prey on children and women who find themselves isolated, imprisoned and raped. They are enslaved through violence, seclusion and debt bondage, forced to work off enormous loans. Many victims have lost familial support networks, been uprooted from their country and are unable to speak the dominant language.
San Francisco is a major hub in the United States for human trafficking. In response, the City has launched the San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking (SFCAHT), a partnership between government and community nonprofit agencies to raise awareness, provide expanded services for victims of trafficking and increase prosecution of traffickers. The City and County is creating a "best practices" model to combat human trafficking that holds traffickers accountable and gets victims to short-term safety and long-term stability. In addition to public awareness efforts, the District Attorney’s Office is coordinating with the Police Department and federal agents to begin surveillance operations in known trafficking hot spots and expand internet surveillance operations to find and free victims. Victim Services are also being expanded to include housing placements, case management and trauma recovery services. Funds are requested to develop the infrastructure necessary to establish a robust and institutionalized coordinated approach to addressing human trafficking in San Francisco. Specifically, funds are requested for city-wide data collection to determine the true scope of this hidden crime and for replication of materials and training plans for use in other jurisdictions.
San Francisco Police Department COMPSTAT
Recipient: City and County of San Francisco
Address: 850 Bryant Street, 5th Floor, Room 500, San Francisco, California 94103
Amount: $1,000,000
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has classified the San Francisco Bay Area as a top threat Urban Area, due to our world renowned landmarks and assets, including the financial center of the West Coast. Good information is perhaps the strongest weapon we have to combat both terrorism and common crime. Success in reducing crime results when law enforcement has the ability to connect the dots. COMPSTAT is an organizational management tool for police departments designed to significantly improve data quality, productivity and efficiency of crime analysis to foster crime reduction, quality of life improvement, and personnel and resource management. This approach creates accountability at all levels of the organization by holding police managers directly accountable for combating the crime in their assigned area and providing them the authority to deploy their resources to achieve the desired results. Police Departments such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, New Orleans, Los Angeles and Newark, New Jersey have all experienced significant reduction in violent crimes as a result of the implementation of the COMPSTAT crime control model.
San Francisco is working to do an aggressive deployment of COMPSTAT and reorient the way policing is carried out in the city. Funds are requested to assist with equipment upgrades to implement COMPSTAT, including consolidation of data sources, integration with the city’s current Records Management System, and deployment of department-wide “Crime Dashboards” that provide arrest data and enable collection of incident data.
Fort Scott Sustainable Infrastructure
Recipient: Presidio Trust
Address: 34 Graham Street, San Francisco, CA 94129
Amount: $3,000,000
Fort Scott has an important role in our nation’s history as the former headquarters of the Coastal Artillery Corps. The rehabilitation of Fort Scott as a public venue for the American people is a key remaining task for the Presidio Trust. Before undertaking the ambitious task of rehabilitating the physical structures at Fort Scott, there is a pressing need to address the antiquated infrastructure systems. Funds are requested to update these systems for modern use, including the electricity grid, street lighting, street improvements, parking, water infrastructure and wastewater management. The Trust believes it can attract private and philanthropic funding for a significant portion of these costs, and is seeking this federal contribution to initiate the project. A federal funding investment at this early stage would increase the economic viability of Fort Scott, allowing the Trust to pursue an ambitious public use in the future. The project will also highlight how green design can be employed in a historic landscape to maximize cultural and environmental resources.
Hunters Point Shipyard Clean-Up
Recipient: City and County of San Francisco, Office of Economic and Workforce Development
Address: 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 448, San Francisco, CA 94102
Amount: $9,000,000
Since its closure in 1974 the Hunters Point Shipyard has been a neglected and contaminated neighbor to the Bayview Hunters Point community. Concurrently, rates of prostate cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer and asthma have increased in this portion of the City. The City of San Francisco and the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency have been working for more than 15 years to transform the former Hunters Point Shipyard into a source of jobs and economic development, parks, recreation, wetlands restoration and affordable housing for the Bayview Hunters Point Community. A programmatic redevelopment plan has been in place for the Shipyard since 1997 and a Phase 1 development agreement has been in place since 2003, but actual reuse depends on the Navy completing the remediation and transfer of the land. Following a Conveyance Agreement in 2004, Parcel A was successfully transferred to the City in 2005 and construction of the first phase of development on the Shipyard started immediately thereafter. However, the remaining parcels are still awaiting transfer.
Funds are requested in FY 2011 to complete the transfer of parcels B and G and to continue with ongoing clean-up obligations for Parcels C through F, including removal of sewers and storm drains in order to remove low-level radiological contamination. Other major projects on other parcels include groundwater treatability studies and making significant progress on finalizing proposed plans and required environmental reviews. These funds would allow the City to continue with early conveyance of Navy property in order to meet its goal of delivering parcels for development in 2012.
Neuropsychiatric Trauma in U.S. Combat Troops
Recipient: Northern California Institute for Research and Education (NCIRE)
Address: 4150 Clement Street, #151NC, San Francisco, CA 94121
Amount: $6,250,000
NCIRE is a non-profit corporation established to support medical research conducted at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The DoD/VA/NCIRE Neuroscience Center of Excellence is dedicated to support research targeted to the diagnosis, prevention and management of neuropsychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), neurodegenerative diseases, traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries that occur in U.S. war fighters. It is the only such center in the United States dedicated solely to brain imaging in support of research on neurological diseases and conditions that affect active military personnel and veterans. This Center of Excellence has become a national resource for research in neuroimaging biomarkers for PTSD, traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases; biomarker, co-morbidity and risk factor assessments for PTSD; promoting neuronal growth and minimizing inflammation from head trauma; and treatment development studies responding to these conditions experienced by service members and veterans.
No reliable biomarkers for either PTSD or TBI have been yet validated in peer-reviewed published research. However, promising preliminary work with high-field MRI suggests significant physical and chemical changes in the brain occur with PTSD and TBI, and that each condition has associated co-morbidities and risk factors including depression, dementia, Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. Funds are requested to continue research focused on discovery of accurate and reproducible biomarkers that will enable clinicians to effectively identify, treat and monitor progression of health conditions facing troops, veterans and the public. In addition, funds would also be used for maintenance and software upgrades to the 4Tesla MRI and planned migration to the new VA funded 3Tesla and 7Tesla research MRIs in order to better equip investigators in their search for accurate, reproducible biomarkers for PTSD and TBI.
Pier 70 Hazardous Materials Abatement
Recipient: Port of San Francisco
Address: Pier 1, San Francisco, CA 94111
Amount: $3,000,000
San Francisco’s Pier 70 shipyard was occupied by the US Navy for more than four decades, from WWII through a portion of the Vietnam War. Legacy hazardous substances remain from that occupancy, including lead and asbestos in structures at the site. In 2007, the Department of Defense appropriated $2.4 million for the first phase of a project to address this problem through investigation and planning for abatement of these materials. As the initial phase nears completion, the Port of San Francisco is requesting funding for the next phase. Beyond the direct environmental benefits, this project will have a very substantial economic impact on San Francisco’s low-income southeast neighborhoods. Removal of these hazardous materials is an expensive barrier to attracting private dollars and the Port’s plan to redevelop the site to bring 6000 to 8000 new jobs and 20 acres of new waterfront parks to underserved eastern neighborhoods of San Francisco.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation and Columbia University Medical Center, Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease
Recipient: Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation
Address: 888 7th Avenue, Suite 400, New York, NY 10019
Amount: $3,000,000
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disease with known treatment targets, but no currently available therapy. The SMA Foundation addresses this unmet need. Working with the Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease (MNC) at Columbia University, the Foundation has used previous DoD funding to undertake new studies aimed at understanding and treating the loss of muscle activity. Recent discoveries include the role of other neurons and spinal cord cells in triggering motor neuron degeneration and the identification of a restricted set of genes which are incorrectly expressed in SMA and whose reestablishment leads to correction of some aspects of the disease in animal models. The NIH has selected SMA as the single most promising neurological disease for translational research - turning research findings into cures.
Funds are requested in FY 2011 for research targeting the nerve circuits within the spinal cord that are most vulnerable to SMA. This research would use novel high-throughput screens to identify drugs that can correct SMA-related deficits in the culture dish and serve as the basis of new therapeutic strategies. Since research focuses on dying neurons, keeping them alive and stimulating them to regenerate, advances should be applicable to other debilitating neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS, which has a disproportionate impact on combat veterans. Such discoveries could also impact treatment of traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, which are frequent injuries for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Traumatic Brain Injury and Long-Term Health Effects in the Military
Recipient: J. David Gladstone Institutes
Address: 1650 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA 94158
Amount: $3,000,000
Up to 360,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans may have suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Many will require treatment for forms of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Gladstone is already a leader in Alzheimer’s research and has conducted substantial research on the link between TBI and Alzheimer’s. Individuals with a particular type of protein made in the brain have a poor outcome from TBI after six months. This protein - apolipoprotein (apo) E4 - is also the greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. ApoE4 is not rare - it occurs in about 25 percent of the population. In contrast, another form of the protein, apoE3 (the so-called “normal” form), appears to offer some protection against neuropathology. Differences between these two forms of apoE offer insights into disease processes and point to potential treatments. ApoE4 is strongly associated with a poor long-term outcome after TBI. Pharmacological treatments could block the apoE4-associated detrimental clinical outcome of TBI once the mechanism is understood. Although the exact role of apoE in TBI and AD pathogenesis remains unknown, there is little doubt that this protein is a major part of the problem and of the solution. The requested funds would support research to define that role more clearly. Specifically, funds are requested to use transgenic and gene-targeted mouse models expressing apoE3 or the detrimental apoE4 to determine how apoE4 causes the poor clinical outcome following TBI.
Center for Science and Innovation Building
Recipient: University of San Francisco
Address: 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
Amount: $1,000,000
Educating students in the sciences has been consistently identified as a national priority to promote competitiveness in trade, bio-tech and high-tech industries. The demand for such students with BA or BS degrees is especially high in the San Francisco Bay Area where public and private investments in these industries are keys to economic growth. A new 57,000 square foot facility will be constructed on a site directly adjacent to USF’s existing Harney Science Center. The new facility will be dedicated to teaching laboratories, digital studios and informal interaction space for science students and faculty. It will also advance a number of faculty research projects such as wireless device efficiency, wetlands restoration, parallel computing and biofuels development. In addition to educating tomorrow’s scientists, this new facility will improve USF’s ability to recruit faculty, staff and students. Federal funds are requested for direct construction costs, including excavation, foundations and framing work in the first phases of the project.
Central Basin Dredging, Continuing Authorities Program, Section 107
Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District
Address: 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398
Amount: $100,000
The Port of San Francisco’s shipyard, located at Pier 70, is home to the largest privately owned drydock on the west coast of the Americas. This drydock services both private and military vessels. However, siltation in San Francisco’s Central Basin and adjacent Federal Channel (the area that is, essentially, the “driveway” to the drydock) has created an increasingly restrictive navigation hazard for vessels that would otherwise make use of the facility. The Port of San Francisco seeks to dredge the Basin to a depth of 35 feet, which would allow the shipyard to bid competitively on a larger fleet of vessels, resulting in an estimated additional $10 million of work coming to the shipyard each year. Listing of the Central Basin Dredging project with other projects named in the FY 2011 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill for consideration by the Army Corps of Engineers for inclusion in the nationwide budget for Continuing Authorities Program, Section 107 (CAP 107) projects would make resources available to expand the capacity of the Central Basin, as well as employment opportunities in the shipyard. As a part of the Army Corps of Engineers’ CAP 107 program, once the Basin has been initially dredged, the Corps would continue periodic maintenance dredging with the Port assuming 25 percent of that cost. The nationwide budget for these projects is currently substantially over-subscribed, and projects that are not listed are unlikely to be funded in the near term.
Hamilton Army Airfield Wetland Restoration
Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District
Address: 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398
Amount: $20,000,000
This project, which is linked to the Oakland Harbor -50 Foot Navigation Improvement project, allows for essential dredging of ports and harbors and for reuse of the dredged material for wetlands restoration at Hamilton Army Airfield. This wetlands restoration project advances the economic and environmental goals cooperatively established by Bay Area stakeholders in the Long Term Management Strategy. This project is authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 1999.
Oakland Harbor -50 Foot Navigation Improvement
Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District
Address: 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398
Amount: $4,330,000
This project, which is linked to the Oakland Harbor -50 Foot Navigation Improvement project, allows for essential dredging of ports and harbors and for reuse of the dredged material for wetlands restoration at Hamilton Army Airfield. This wetlands restoration project advances the economic and environmental goals cooperatively established by Bay Area stakeholders in the Long Term Management Strategy. This project is authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 1999.
San Francisco Bay Area Biosolids to Energy Project
Recipient: Delta Diablo Sanitation District
Address: 2500 Pittsburg Antioch Highway, Antioch, CA 94509
Amount: $500,000
Biosolids, produced regularly by wastewater treatment facilities, are a presently untapped renewable energy source. Most agencies dispose of biosolids through a combination of land application and alternative daily cover at landfills. Both practices are increasingly challenged by lack of land and landfill space. The Bay Area Biosolids-to-Energy project will diversify biosolids management options with the development of a regional facility utilizing biosolids and other biofuels to generate renewable energy. A facility located within the Bay Area would also minimize greenhouse gas emissions associated with the present practice, which requires hauling this material from the 16 agencies participating in this effort over 800,000 miles annually. In addition, the project would develop uses for an underutilized resource (biosolids) and address environmental justice concerns by reducing reliance on land application of biosolids. Federal funds would help fund technical environmental studies, facility design and public outreach. Federal funding would also allow the coalition of public agencies involved in this project to secure additional local agency commitments to develop and construct the proposed facility.
San Francisco Bay Harbor Dredging
Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District
Address: 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398
Amount: $3,300,000
This funding provides for maintenance dredging of various channels in San Francisco Bay, including a 55 foot depth for the San Francisco Bar Channel, to provide safe navigation for all vessel traffic in and out of the Bay. This critical channel is the gateway to San Francisco Bay. This project is authorized by the River and Harbor Acts of 1927, 1935, 1939, 1965 and 1968.
San Francisco Bay Long Term Management Strategy
Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District
Address: 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398
Amount: $3,500,000
The objective of the Long Term Management Strategy (LTMS) is to ensure that dredging and disposal of dredged material are carried out in an economic and environmentally sound manner in the San Francisco Bay Area, and to establish and implement a framework for beneficial reuse site designation, sediment management and long-term site monitoring. This project is authorized by the Appropriations Act of 1991.
San Francisco Electric Vehicle Initiative
Recipient: City and County of San Francisco, Department of the Environment
Address: 11 Grove Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Amount: $1,000,000
Electric transportation will reduce costly reliance on petroleum for transportation, and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollution. This project addresses major challenges specific to deployment of Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure in San Francisco’s urban environment. Overnight home charging is critically important for EVs to be successful, both to provide driver convenience and to enable off-peak nighttime charging. However, the majority of San Francisco residents do not have access to individually controlled parking facilities where they can install home EV charger equipment to allow overnight charging.
Funds are requested to assist with San Francisco’s EV Initiative to implement a pilot project for installing and operating curbside charging stations, to conduct demonstration programs for installing EV infrastructure in multi-family buildings, and to provide limited, short term incentives for property owners to prepare for EV charger installations. Funding would also be used for technology demonstration projects to provide additional flexibility in charging options, such as fast charging or battery exchange stations and solar-EV charging stations, as well as to assist with planning and installing expanded access for the City’s residents to charging stations in public garages, commercial lots, car-sharing facilities and workplace parking lots.
San Francisco Energy Efficient LED Streetlight Project
Recipient: San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Address: 1155 Market Street, 11th Floor, San Francisco, 94103
Amount: $1,000,000
Retrofitting San Francisco-owned streetlights to use energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) fixtures would produce cost savings, increased energy efficiency and improved safety for the City’s neighborhoods, parks and other urban areas. Existing poles and light arms would remain in place, with LED fixtures. Additionally, a smart lighting controls system would be installed to manage these streetlights and reduce maintenance costs. Upon completion of this project, with the replacement of 17,600 lights, there will be a total savings of 5.7 million kilowatt hours per year - enough energy to power 1500 San Francisco homes. LED lights also have significantly longer life (50,000 hours or more, compared to 15,000 to 35,000 hours). In addition, LEDs contain no mercury, lead, or other known disposal hazards, and some models can be triggered by a 911 call center to flash in warning of dangerous situations and to aid first responders in locating the site of the emergency. Because this project can proceed incrementally, SFPUC proposes to use federal appropriations to fund the LED deployment in areas of the City that are most popular to tourists. Educational signage will be installed at select locations to inform the public about the benefits of energy efficiency and LED technology. Funds are requested to retrofit 1430 streetlights with LED fixtures and smart controls.
San Francisco Harbor & Bay (Drift Removal)
Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District
Address: 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398
Amount: $3,090,000
The Drift Removal project provides for the collection and disposal of floating debris and hazards to navigation from San Francisco Bay and its tributary waters, and maintenance of drift removal equipment. An estimated 1100 tons of large debris are removed annually, enhancing safety for ferry, commercial and recreational vessels in these high-traffic channels. The San Francisco Water Transit Authority is developing new ferry connections around the Bay. This project is authorized by the River and Harbor Act of 1950.
San Francisco, Pier 35 & 70 Demolition
Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District
Address: 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398
Amount: $20,200,000
The pier substructure supporting the Port’s primary cruise terminal, Pier 35, is in a substantially deteriorated condition - at serious risk of being red-tagged and closed. Loss of this facility would result in potential loss of up to 60 cruise calls to San Francisco each year, which would have a devastating impact on the City’s economy. Funds are requested for complete repair of this facility, ensuring its operations can continue without interruption. In addition, Pier 70’s Wharves 6, 7 and 8 are severely deteriorated structures that have become hazards to navigation, as pieces of the structure detach and float into the adjacent federal channel. Submerged, freestanding piles constitute a stationary navigation hazard to federally owned vessels that enter the adjoining shipyard for repair work. Additionally, these structures are comprised of wood treated with creosote, a hazardous substance that contains polyaromatic hydrocarbons known to be harmful to Bay marine life. Pier 35 is a federally recognized historic structure and is listed as a contributing resource to the Embarcadero Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. Repair of this facility, which would greatly improve the ability of this structure to resist seismic events, would make this a robust evacuation point following a major disaster. Removal of both these piers and wharves will also constitute removal of “bay fill” – a regulatory requirement that the Bay Conservation and Development Corporation (BCDC) imposed on the development of the Exploratorium Museum. Funding for demolition of these structures is authorized under the Water Resources Development Act of 2007.
South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Study
Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District
Address: 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398
Amount: $2,800,000
The South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Study is necessary to provide flood protection for Silicon Valley and to facilitate tidal wetland habitat restoration. The flood protection will benefit approximately 42,800 acres, 7400 homes and businesses, as well as major highways, parks and airports. Funds are requested in FY 2011 to allow the Corps of Engineers to make essential progress on completion of the Feasibility Report for the Study as directed by the Water Resources Development Act of 2007. The requested funding is being sought in conjunction with the second largest wetlands restoration project in the United States. This portion of the project will provide tidal and fluvial flood protection for the Silicon Valley and other South Bay communities. This restoration project will provide dramatic benefits to the region, state and nation by transforming 15,100 acres of ponds formerly owned by the Cargill Corporation into a vibrant wetlands area that will provide extensive habitat for federally endangered birds, fish and wildlife.
Family Child Care Provider Training Program
Recipient: Wu Yee Children’s Services
Address: 706 Mission Street, 6th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103
Amount: $150,000
Low-income, limited English speaking recent immigrants comprise the majority of the over 3000 clients Wu Yee serves each year. Clients, who are frequently both new immigrants and new parents, rely on Wu Yee’s linguistically appropriate and culturally competent services to access child care. In order to increase access to child care for low and moderate-income families, Wu Yee plans to increase the supply of culturally competent child care providers citywide, offering San Francisco families more choices in selecting child care providers and allowing them to work, secure job training or attend school. This effort is designed to create jobs, particularly for monolingual Cantonese/Mandarin speakers, by helping them to create their own microenterprises.
California requires only 15 hours of training to become a licensed child care provider and Wu Yee plans to assist in the creation of 11 new businesses and maintenance or expansion of 30 existing microenterprises through a new Family Child Care Provider Training Program. This effort would create a total of 328 additional child care slots. Funds are requested for staffing, translation, training and printing costs needed to provide training to potential child care providers, including business plan creation, financial literacy and child care requirements such as safe environment, licensing regulations and working with children, as well as technical assistance with curriculum development, marketing, business expansion, quality programming, loan packaging, employee hiring and management, and accessing resources.
San Francisco Financial Literary Services
Recipient: City and County of San Francisco, Office of the Treasurer
Address: City Hall Room 140, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102
Amount: $300,000
Through the Bank on San Francisco initiative and the creation of the Office of Financial Empowerment, San Francisco has emerged as a national leader in the delivery of programs to reduce financial exclusion, combat predatory practices, and create opportunities for asset building and long-term savings. The key focus of this effort is connecting low-income San Franciscans to healthy financial products and providing culturally relevant financial education to ensure success in the mainstream. This initiative is currently being replicated by 70 cities and states nationwide, and is considered a model program by the National League of Cities, the William J. Clinton Foundation and the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Funds are requested to expand this successful initiative by launching a comprehensive Financial Education Network to provide access to quality financial education resources citywide. This project would streamline and coordinate financial education, embed financial education in all City workforce development training programs, work with employers to increase use of direct deposit by low-income workers, facilitate easy access to resources through web-based tools, conduct targeted outreach and a public awareness campaign, convene stakeholders regularly to identify best practices and service gaps, include financial education in the K-12 curriculum in all public schools, and provide technical assistance to financial education providers, including supporting 30 key community organizations to become “financial empowerment centers” by offering a full suite of services such as financial education classes, debt reduction programs and financial coaching. Streamlined programming would include a network of trained financial educators able to teach classes, and provide culturally competent counseling and coaching.
Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant Gates, Fencing & Security Server Upgrade
Recipient: San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Address: 1155 Market Street, 11th Floor, San Francisco, 94103
Amount: $450,000
The San Francisco Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant is located in San Mateo County and serves both the County of San Mateo and the City and County of San Francisco. The plant retrieves water from sources based in San Mateo and treats the water at the plant before it is sent to 2.5 million retail customers in both counties. Currently the fencing along the southern border of this facility is sub-standard in height and does not implement a non-climbable fencing fabric. Additionally, at various locations along the southern fence line the fence is sagging, barbed wire is compromised, corrosion has affected the durability and strength of the barrier, and there is no concrete curb beneath the fence to deter digging under the fence allowing unauthorized entry. Existing gates also do not meet current standards. Finally, first responders in the County of San Mateo currently do not have emergency access to the facility.
This project will enhance security access by upgrading automated gate equipment and installing fencing that is commensurate with current standards. In addition, first responders would be provided access after improvements to the gate operators have been completed through the use of “Knox boxes” at each gate, which allow immediate ability to open the gates by emergency personnel when necessary.
Historic Streetcar Extension to Fort Mason
Recipient: Fort Mason Center
Address: Landmark Building A, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA 94123
Amount: $1,500,000
The Historic Streetcar Extension to Fort Mason will allow Fort Mason Center, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park and nearby neighborhoods to be served by a 0.85-mile extension of the existing F-Line streetcar, linking this part of the northern waterfront with much of the City. The Extension will directly connect two National Park sites with regional transit services, including BART, Caltrain and the Bay ferry providers, as well as San Francisco's complete transit network. In addition to directly serving Fort Mason Center, the Extension will also serve the east residential area of the Marina neighborhood. Since no additional parking is possible at Fort Mason, the implementation of the Historic Streetcar Extension is an integral part of the Center's plan for the full restoration and re-use of the building assets of this National Historic Landmark District. Funds are requested for final design and engineering of the project.
South San Francisco Bay Wetlands Restoration
Recipient: San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Address: 9500 Thornton Avenue, Newark, CA 94560
Amount: $1,000,000
The Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is managing 9600 acres of recently acquired South Bay ponds, including installation and management of water control structures, levee maintenance, and monitoring. Funding is requested to match California state funds to assist with implementation of Phase I of this restoration project, the second largest wetlands restoration project in the United States. Funds are also requested for levee maintenance to protect Silicon Valley from tidal flooding prior to implementation of a permanent flood control solution by the Army Corps of Engineers. This effort provides dramatic benefits to the region, state and nation by transforming these ponds, formerly owned by the Cargill Corporation, into a vibrant wetlands area that will provide extensive habitat for federally endangered birds, fish and other wildlife. In addition, the project will improve wildlife oriented recreational opportunities including fishing, hunting, environmental education and bird-watching. All local project sponsors are committed to working with the Corps of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Service, and other federal agencies through project completion.
The project is supported by the San Francisco Bay Joint Venture, the City of San Jose, The Bay Institute, Save the Bay, the Bay Trail Program, the National Audubon Society and many other local governments, environmental groups, community groups, businesses and recreation organizations. In addition, staff from the U.S. Geological Survey, the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission participated in the restoration design process.
Bayview Hunters Point Health and Environmental Resource Center
Recipient: Bayview Hunters Point Health and Environmental Resource Center
Address: 828 Innes Street, Suite 110, San Francisco, CA 94124
Amount: $175,000
In 2007, 5.6 million school-aged children (5-17 years old) were reported to have asthma, with higher rates occurring among children in public housing. As a result, asthma education and asthma management is a pressing need in low-income communities. The Bayview Hunters Point Health and Environmental Resource Center (HERC) helps families with asthmatic children learn proper cleaning techniques to improve indoor air quality. HERC currently has an asthma home assessment project that delivers services to more than 45 residents annually. The aim is to identify possible asthma triggers and remove mold, mildew and dust, as well as clean grime from ovens. Green cleaning techniques, such as steam, are used to remove triggers. By teaching residents how to effectively clean their homes using something as simple as steam, improvements in indoor air quality can be ongoing. Funds are requested for staffing and training costs needed to expand this initiative to serve additional residents in Bayview Hunters Point. The goal is to reduce pediatric and adult respiratory illnesses of residents within three miles of a superfund site located in the Hunters Point Shipyard.
Green Collar Workforce Project
Recipient: San Francisco Conservation Corps
Address: 241 5th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Amount: $300,000
Conservation Corps have been on the forefront of environmental action, sustainability and green workforce development for decades. Experience demonstrates that the Corps model, tied to green jobs, gives young men and women the foundational and industry-specific skills and competencies they need to find meaningful, lasting employment. Unemployment rates for out-of-school young adults have skyrocketed, leaving a large pool of applicants waiting to enter San Francisco Conservation Corps’ (SFCC) Green Collar Workforce Project. SFCC plans to expand this program to serve additional unemployed, out-of-school young adults ages 18-26 by adding three 12-week sessions, serving a total of 40 unduplicated clients. The project would include paid job training, technical skills training, environmental education (ECO-literacy), supportive services, case management, financial literacy and career services, including placement in green sector jobs. Funds are requested to support project, education and career development staff; to expand green sector-focused technical skills training to include water conservation, energy efficient transportation and conservation-oriented landscaping techniques; to expand career development components through enhanced job search assistance, work readiness training and an expanded network of green collar employers; and to expand case management services.
Interventional Lab System
Recipient: St. Mary's Medical Center
Address: 450 Stanyan Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
Amount: $500,000
St. Mary’s specializes in adult medical care and has a large MediCare/MediCal patient population. Heart disease, strokes and cancer are the leading causes of death in the U.S. St. Mary’s plans to create a new Vascular Suite in their existing Cardiac Catherization Lab to improve the ability of radiologists, cardiologists and vascular surgeons to conduct non-invasive surgeries. For example, rather than open heart surgery patients receive a cardiac stent, and rather than liver surgery patients receive a cancer fighting chemo injection directly into the liver. These procedures have speedier recoveries, incisions less than a centimeter, and less pain and expense for the patients. Physicians from these three disciplines would work together to improve the evaluation and treatment of patients. No single specialist can match the cognitive and clinical skills of multidisciplinary specialists working and communicating with one another. The centerpiece is the Interventional Lab System, which would provide real-time images of the moving heart, organs and blood vessels. It is a digital x-ray system using a radiopaque substance, reducing patients’ exposure to radiation and contrast dyes. The new system is expected to serve more than 750 new patients per year.
Metro Academies College Completion Initiative
Recipient: California State University
Address: 1600 Holloway Avenue, Lakeview Center, San Francisco, CA 94132
Amount: $400,000
The Metro Academies Initiative will establish the infrastructure for a statewide network of permanent programs at California State University (CSU) campuses and community colleges to increase college completion by low-income and first-generation college students, setting them on a path to employment in high-demand industries. Metro Academies are “schools within schools” to give students a personalized home base for the first two years of college, incorporating an ensemble of evidence-based, high impact educational interventions. Each Metro Academy has a career theme in a high-demand industry, such as health or green technology. Four CSUs and five California community colleges have established a consortium to disseminate Metro Academies far beyond the four existing highly successful demonstration sites funded by the James Irvine Foundation, the Haas Foundation, and the US Department of Education. This project would establish a Center of Excellence at San Francisco State University, serving as a dissemination hub to include a detailed web-based toolkit of all materials needed to start a Metro Academy; a sophisticated web-based evaluation and data management system capable of supporting multi-campus monitoring of “dashboard indicators” such as college retention, time to graduation and results from national norm-referenced measures such as the National Survey of Student Engagement; and a student electronic portfolio system to demonstrate the mastery of competencies according to rigorous proficiency criteria.
New Day for Learning, Summer Learning Collaborative
Recipient: New Day for Learning
Address: 135 Van Ness Avenue, Room 117, San Francisco, CA 94102
Amount: $300,000
In collaboration with the San Francisco Unified School District, New Day for Learning is building San Francisco’s first Summer Learning Collaborative, comprised of community based organizations, cultural and recreational institutions, and relevant City departments. The purpose of the Collaborative is to prevent the well-documented summer learning loss that accounts for over half the achievement gap between middle class and disadvantaged children. A further focus is to increase access to physical activity and healthy foods, as children gain body mass index twice as fast during the summer months. This project will expand and improve summer learning opportunities by developing five model sites across the city, increasing overall access to enriched learning opportunities for underserved youth and maximizing the effectiveness of a broad network of youth-serving institutions. Federal funds are requested for staffing to build the network among organizations and facilitate outreach to youth, parents and service providers; professional development; training modules; summer-specific project-based curriculum; and public education materials, including parent and student outreach materials.
Newcomer Elementary Student Tutorial Program
Recipient: YWCA of San Francisco-Marin
Address: 271 Austin Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
Amount: $150,000
Newcomer families who have recently immigrated to the United States face numerous challenges upon arrival in their new home, including learning a new language, finding employment, enrolling children in school and becoming familiar with new customs. Parents, who are also actively learning a new language, often work more than one job and need a safe environment for their children to receive academic help after school. In addition, families need assistance in accessing community resources and may need assistance communicating with local government or school personnel. The YWCA Newcomer Elementary Student Tutorial (NEST) Program provides trilingual (English/Cantonese/Mandarin) educational and multicultural enrichment to approximately 62 newcomer elementary school children ages 6-11 annually. Families are recent legal immigrants from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The NEST after school winter and summer programs have been offered since 2000.
NEST focuses on improving English and literacy skills, broadening understanding of students’ cultures as well as other cultures, and increasing knowledge of healthy nutrition and exposure to physical fitness activities. In addition, NEST offers parental and family support services, including computer classes, translation of school and government documents, assistance with employment and medical applications, workshops, and referrals to community resources. Funds are requested to expand these after school programs to serve 45 additional children.
Potrero Hill Health Center Primary Care Expansion
Recipient: San Francisco Department of Public Health
Address: 101 Grove Street, Room 310, San Francisco, CA 94102
Amount: $700,000
The San Francisco Department of Public Health operates Healthy San Francisco (HSF), which provides universal, comprehensive, affordable health care to uninsured adult residents irrespective of income level, employment status, immigration status or pre-existing medical conditions. It integrates public and private providers into a single system to provide universal care, expanding access to care without providing health insurance to uninsured residents. There are over 50,000 uninsured adults participating in HSF (83 percent of an estimated 60,000 uninsured adults). The city has seen a 27 percent decrease in emergency department visits among participants.
Providing participants with a primary care medical home is central to improving access to care under HSF. Funds are requested for a clinic expansion at Potrero Hill Health Center, which provides complete medical and dental services (almost 12,000 visits per year) to over 3000 adults and children residing in five of San Francisco’s eleven districts. There is a significant shortage of space at Potrero Hill to provide medical care. An expansion is needed to include additional examination rooms (2), medical offices (3) and a conference room. This renovation would increase the number of patients served from 3000 to 3800 (a 27 percent increase) annually, reducing use of costly, less appropriate hospital emergency rooms for primary care.
Renovation of Clinic Site at Historic YMCA
Recipient: San Francisco Department of Public Health
Address: 101 Grove Street, Room 323, San Francisco, CA 94102
Amount: $700,000
San Francisco has housed approximately 3500 chronically homeless persons through the “Direct Access to Housing” (DAH) program. DAH is a national model for housing chronically homeless persons, targeting individuals whose health is deteriorating due to multiple and prolonged episodes of homelessness. These individuals use the highest levels of emergency medical care, often exceeding $100,000 per year. DAH provides a combination of long-term supportive housing with on-site health and behavioral health services, improving health outcomes and producing significant savings for taxpayers through reduced rates of hospitalization and overuse of emergency services. This model has produced impressive housing stability and improved health outcomes for people who have been previously written off as "unhouseable" or in need of institutionalization.
The City is working with the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation to renovate the historic Downtown YMCA to include 174 DAH units and to provide a new home for an expanded Housing and Urban Health Clinic. $30 million in City funds has leveraged $60 million in other investments, but this $90 million cannot be used for interior build-out of the health clinic. Funds are requested for clinic construction of this new site, which will be a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), allowing it to capture federal funding through the FQHC program for ongoing clinical activities. The expansion funded under this appropriation request would allow the clinic to double its current capacity, allowing for 2000 monthly visits. It will also be the first-in-the-nation health and wellness center co-located with supportive housing.
San Francisco Promise College Preparation Program
Recipient: City and County of San Francisco
Address: 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 201, San Francisco, CA 94102
Amount: $400,000
The SF Promise initiative guarantees a spot at San Francisco State University (SFSU) and financial assistance for all participating students enrolled in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). The goals of SF Promise are to increase state university admission eligibility and graduation rates, increase the number of students who receive post-secondary education, and increase the number of students who attend California universities from traditionally under-represented groups. SF Promise currently serves 1400 students (6th and 7th graders) from low-income families whose parents/guardians did not attend college and/or who belong to traditionally under-represented college attendance groups. Participants must demonstrate academic proficiency or high potential for academic proficiency. By targeting students in middle and secondary schools, SF Promise works with kids to ensure they have the academic foundation and financial resources they need to pursue a post-secondary education. The City is working to expand SF Promise to include all eligible 6th graders. Funds are requested for curriculum development, parent education workshops, teacher professional development, testing, materials, planning and implementation.
Senior Services Program, Mission Neighborhood Centers
Recipient: Mission Neighborhood Centers, Inc.
Address: 362 Capp Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Amount: $250,000
Mission Neighborhood Centers’ (MNC) Senior Services Program is an effective multicultural, holistic wellness and healthy aging program that brings together a diverse group of elders facing multiple barriers, including poverty. MNC operates two senior centers in San Francisco’s low income Mission and Excelsior districts. These centers provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services to approximately 1000 monolingual Latino, Filipino and Chinese seniors each year. Approximately 80 percent live at or below 125 percent of the poverty level. A needs assessment conducted by the Haas School of Business in 2003 found that seniors living in the Excelsior and the outer Mission districts are currently the most underserved in the City and experience significant barriers to services that can assist them in maintaining independent living. Federal support would be used to enhance MNC’s capacity to effectively serve seniors in both the Excelsior and Mission districts through program enhancements focused on healthy aging and reducing health disparities for the populations served by MNC. Specifically, federal funds would be used for equipment purchases, staffing, case management, ESL instruction expenses associated with increased health outreach and educational programming for Cantonese, Tagalog and Spanish speakers.
Spark Bay Area Student Apprenticeship Program
Recipient: Spark Program
Address: 251 Rhode Island Street, Suite 205, San Francisco, CA 94103
Amount: $100,000
The United States has a dropout crisis. Over 1.2 million American high school students drop out annually, including 18.9 percent of all high school students in California. Studies have shown these students have a dramatically higher chance of landing in prison, have lower life expectancies and face high barriers to finding the employment needed to lift their families out of poverty. Intervention in high school is often too late. Engaging students during the critical middle school years and providing them with the motivation to learn as well as the self-confidence to succeed are essential to putting at-risk youth on the path toward high school graduation. Spark’s youth apprenticeship programs operate in low-income communities to address the drop-out crisis in the Bay Area and Los Angeles by re-engaging at-risk middle school youth through hands-on, one-on-one professional apprenticeships. Initial studies show Spark students have significantly higher retention in high school relative to non-Spark peers, as well as significant gains in school engagement, confidence and classroom behavior. Funds are requested to expand programming in San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood. In 2010, Spark will provide services to 125 San Francisco at-risk youth in the Excelsior and Richmond neighborhoods. This funding would help Spark increase enrollment to an estimated 175 high-need San Francisco youth in 2011.
Bayview Hunters Point YMCA Center for Community Life
Recipient: YMCA of San Francisco, Bayview Hunters Point branch
Address: 1601 Lane Street, San Francisco, CA 94124
Amount: $600,000
Well-documented educational, economic, public safety and health disparities exist in the service area of the Bayview Hunters Point YMCA. The YMCA provides a “pathway of care” for youth, in which multiple programs and services combine to facilitate healthy choices and lifestyles as children develop through each stage of life, including an early child development center, teen resource center, health and wellness center, and exercise facilities. Through these and other community-oriented programs, the Bayview YMCA has created replicable models for truancy abatement, youth development, family reunification and bridging health disparities. The YMCA purchased a former parochial school in 2005 and is converting it into a comprehensive neighborhood resource. The renovation of this 48,000 square foot facility will be used to dramatically expand programs and increase the number of individuals and families served. Federal funds are requested to complete construction of an expanded early child development center, expanded teen resource center, and a kitchen and family nutrition center, in addition to furnishing and equipping these areas. Construction began in spring 2009. The current phase (seismic and ADA compliant retrofitting) will be completed by the end of 2010, with the entire renovation project completed in 2011.
Berkeley to San Francisco Ferry Service
Recipient: San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority
Address: Pier 9, Suite 111, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111
Amount: $500,000
San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) is launching a brand new ferry service from Berkeley to San Francisco, providing approximately 1800 passenger-trips per day. The proposed new route will help to remove one full lane of traffic from the Bay Bridge during peak commute hours and will enhance waterborne emergency response capabilities in San Francisco Bay. If Bay Area bridges are compromised an estimated 325,000 people in downtown San Francisco could need alternative means of crossing the Bay. Further, emergency response teams may need to rely on waterborne transportation to access affected areas. This project will increase the existing fleet of Bay Area ferries that could be used in an emergency situation, and create a new terminal that would serve as an additional access point for emergency response/evacuation services.
Funds are requested to construct two ferry vessels for the new Berkeley to San Francisco ferry service. The vessels would surpass WETA’s own mandate to construct vessels which are 85 percent cleaner than EPA emission standards for Tier II (2007) Marine Engines. The vessel design incorporates Selective Catalytic Reduction and solar (renewable energy) technology, innovative measures such as low wake and low wash hulls to protect the bay and marine life, provides room for 34 bikes and several seating options to maximize passenger comfort. The vessels would operate on a blend of biodiesel and ultra low sulfur diesel fuel.
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy - Trails, Bikeways and Transit Links at the Presidio
Recipient: Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
Address: Building 201, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA 94123
Amount: $1,000,000
This project will support the construction of key gaps in the California Coastal Trail in the Presidio, a unit of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and other important Presidio trails and bikeways segments identified in the 2003 Presidio Trails and Bikeways Master Plan. This work would help to complete the alternative transportation, bicycle and pedestrian network of the Presidio, linking visitor destinations such as Crissy Field, the Presidio Main Post, Baker Beach and the Golden Gate Bridge with the Main Post and Bridge Toll Plaza transit hubs. This project, which includes one of California’s most popular pedestrian, bike and transit-served trail corridors, would improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists, reduce automobile trips and boost economic development. Previous federal investments have leveraged more than two-and-a-half times their dollar level in non-federal funding.
According to the most recent study conducted by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (2002), almost 1 million people reach the Bridge by bike and foot annually. Considering the project’s location in the San Francisco Bay Area and the incredibly high number of bicyclists and pedestrians who use the current trail network, these proposed improvements have the potential to be among the most highly used trail facilities in the nation.
Harney Way Improvement Project
Recipient: City and County of San Francisco, Office of Economic and Workforce Development
Address: 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 448, San Francisco, CA 94102
Amount: $2,000,000
Harney Way is one of two main access roads to the proposed redevelopment planned for Candlestick Point and the Hunters Point Shipyard. Harney Way provides a critical linkage to northbound and southbound US 101, as well as regional transit hubs connecting to downtown San Francisco, the South Bay and beyond. The proposed project includes reconstructing the existing roadway, constructing new sidewalks and connections to new roadways, expanding the roadway from 4 to 5 lanes, and accommodating two additional lanes that are dedicated transit-only lanes for bus rapid transit, as well as bicycle paths and lanes, new streetlights, route signage, new street trees, enhanced pedestrian connections to the Bay Trail and the Blue Greenway, and new utilities to serve the roadway. Federal funding is requested to complete the planning, design and engineering of the roadway improvements. Additional funding for this project is provided through local sales taxes, transit fares and private/public business collaboration through a locally-maintained Transportation Management Association.
Sunnydale HOPE SF Housing Revitalization
Recipient: City and County of San Francisco, Mayor’s Office of Housing
Address: 1 South Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94103
Amount: $1,250,000
HOPE SF is the nation’s first large-scale public housing revitalization effort to create sustainable mixed-income communities without displacing the current residents. While many other cities have taken on individual HOPE VI projects, San Francisco has chosen to develop a citywide approach to housing revitalization and human services issues facing these communities. The HOPE SF initiative is working with a nationally-renowned research team to evaluate the work being done at four HOPE SF sites, including Sunnydale.
As a key component of this effort, the Sunnydale HOPE SF development will replace 770 units of public housing, on a one-for-one basis, along with a high-quality mixed-income community of 1700 homes. Rebuilding in phases instead of demolishing the whole site will limit the need to relocate residents during construction and minimizes disruption to their lives. Additional neighborhood improvements will include new parks, a new recreational/educational center, neighborhood-serving retail space, creation of a new “green street network” of edible landscaping, bioswales to reduce stormwater impacts and community gardens. Requested funding would be leveraged with additional local funds to enable the project to complete critical infrastructure and housing development work. This would enable the project to compete for state and national funds such as low-income housing tax credits, new markets tax credits and HOPE VI/Choice Neighborhoods funding from HUD.
Transitional Housing for Domestic Violence Survivors, Chinatown YMCA
Recipient: YMCA of San Francisco, Chinatown branch
Address: 855 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA 94108
Amount: $500,000
San Francisco is a gateway for immigrants, particularly those from China and the Pacific Rim. Given the YMCA’s reputation, many new immigrants seek out their services. The Chinatown YMCA, which is currently under expansion to provide additional services, is adding 23 single-room occupancy (SRO) housing units to provide housing to women and children in transition from abusive relationships. In a community where poverty, language and cultural barriers are issues, participating women will have access to a range of culturally competent, bilingual services. The housing will provide women and children with a safe transition place for up to two years to begin to rebuild their lives. Women will receive counseling and support, legal assistance, job training and educational support. Children would be supported through existing YMCA mentoring, after school enrichment, sports and recreation, and wellness programs provided in the new facility. The SRO area will be safe and secured, including a separate, private entrance. Funds are requested for costs associated with the transitional housing units, including construction, renovation, furniture, fixtures and equipment.