Category: Environment

Wed Mar 5: Debate between CA State Assembly candidates David Campos and David Chiu

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Endorsements, Environment, Housing, Uncategorized

David Campos, David Chiu, J.R. Eppler
the crowdPotrero Hill Democratic Club presented a lively and informative debate between the two Supervisors running to succeed Tom Ammiano in the State Assembly, District 17: David Campos and David Chiu. The two Davids, both Harvard-educated attorneys, agreed that they agreed on a lot – and also tried to bring their differences into sharp focus.  Moderator, PHDC board member J.R. Eppler (right), did a stellar job. The result of the endorsement vote? A flat-out tie. Photos by Kate Gaidos.

Members did vote to endorse YES on Prop B, the Voter Approval for Waterfront Development Height Increases initiative, after presentations and Q&A with Jon Golinger for and Corinne Woods against.

WHEN: Wednesday March 5 at 7:30pm.
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St

Tues Feb 4th: WATER IN A TIME OF DROUGHT

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Environment, Uncategorized, Water Issues

Feb 2014 Water meetingA presentation about PUC policy and proposed water rate hikes by the SF Public Utilities Commission‘s Yolanda Manzone (center left), Environmental Justice and Land Use Analyst, and Jamie Querubin (center right), SFPUC Financial Analyst,  was followed by a very lively conversation about the drought, its implications and, yes, opportunities, with Jennifer Clary (left),Water Policy and Legislative Analyst for Clean Water Action, the SFPUC reps, and moderator, former CA PUC President Loretta Lynch (right). Photo by John O’Neill.

Club business included  election of  2014 Club Officers.

WHEN: Tuesday, February 4th at 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St

Tues, Nov 5: Election Night hang

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Education, Elections, Environment, Housing, Uncategorized

Since our regular meeting place – the theater at the Neighborhood House – was a polling place on election night, we gathered at the Dogpatch Saloon, site of our recent auction.  CCSF Trustee Rafael Mandelman presented his recently proposed Resolution in Support of City College (the club signed on to the SaveCCSF coalition back in March – but a lot has happened since then). Not having a quorum of voting members just then, we continued the vote online later and passed the resolution unanimously. Representatives of BRITE (Bayview Residents Improving Their Environment)  discussed their opposition to the proposed renovation/expansion of a homeless drop-in shelter on Jennings St, and their ideas for an alternative site. A proponent of the project was invited but did not appear.

Election results: WE WON this battle against the rampant greed-fueled development of precisely the housing San Francisco does not need. Props B & C lost big – but the struggle to keep our city affordable for the non-rich is far from over.

WHEN: Tuesday, November 5th at 6:30pm
WHERE: Dogpatch Saloon, 2496 Third St @ 22nd St

Tuesday, June 4th: Oil & Waterfront

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Environment, Money in politics, Uncategorized, Water Issues

Citizens Climate Lobby carbon fee slideshowOIL. The upper safety limit for atmospheric CO2 is 350 parts per million (ppm). We’ve just hit 400 ppm. Dave Massen (SF group leader) and Jeff Whittington of Citizens Climate Lobby (click here for recent NY Times article about CCL) want to cut greenhouse gas emissions and promote transition to a green energy economy through carbon fee and dividend:  taxing carbon pollution from fossil fuels, and returning the proceeds to American households. This idea is an alternative to cap and trade, which now exists in California. After the presentation (photo above by Maulik Shah), Club members voted to sign on to a letter urging Congress to enact carbon fee & divArt Agnos and Rick Weltsidend legislation.

WATERFRONT. Is the proposed Golden State Warriors Arena development project for Piers 30-32 being rushed through without appropriate scrutiny? Former Mayor Art Agnos of the San Francisco Waterfront Alliance thinks so, and he told us why.  Warriors President and Chief Operating Officer Rick Welts joined Mayor Agnos with a different perspective. Many questions, much passion, a great meeting.
Photo by Linda Post

WHEN: Tuesday, June 4th at 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St

Tuesday, April 2nd meeting: The future of our water

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Education, Environment, Gun control, Money in politics, Water Issues

With increased population growth, climate change, and the inevitable “big one,” securing San Francisco’s water supply will require creative and forward-looking plans. Attendees heard from experts about these and other water issues in our city and in the state, including: the dangers fracking in California; ways that San Francisco is slowly mitigating its practice of treating rainwater runoff as if it were wastewater; chemicals in drinking water in other parts of the state; taxing fertilizer to offset the contamination it causes. Conversation-starters Jennifer Clary of Clean Water Action, Ellen Levin of SF Public Utilities Commission, and Adam Scow of Food & Water Watch opened the program, followed by breakout groups and a final Q&A session. Earlier in the meeting, PHDC members updated the group on past topics, including the CA DISCLOSE Act, gun safety legislation, and saving City College.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 2 at 6:45pm (meeting at 7pm)
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St

August 7th meeting: various campaigns, & last-minute party planning

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Environment, Fund-raising, Uncategorized

Final details for our August 11th party & auction. Preview of auction items. Organizing for America neighborhood team leader Kierith Jones and Obama convention delegate Arthur Murillo with news of several ways to get involved, now and in the future. Jon Golinger, Campaign Director for the No Wall on the Waterfront Campaign, against the 8 Washington development. Alec Bash with arguments in favor. The urgent situation of the California DISCLOSE Act, and a resolution concerning its status.

Update: The Club passed the DISCLOSE resolution, and also voted to sign on to the No Wall on the Waterfront campaign. We were inspired by Democratic Convention delegates Arthur Murillo and Rick Hauptman, and especially fired up by Obama team leader Kierith Jones, who absolutely nailed how and why we in California can and must help the effort in the battleground states. You don’t have to leave town or donate any money! Sign on to your neighborhood team by visiting the OFA Dashboard.

WHEN: Tuesday, August 7, 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro @ Southern Heights

 

Tuesday, May 1st: Clean Energy, Clean Air & Water

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Environment, Water Issues

To continue the momentum of Earth Day, this meeting was all about the environment:

• Jason Fried (left), Senior Program Officer, SF Local Agency Formation Commission, described CleanPowerSF, last heard about at PHDC in 2010. The City’s custom-tailored community choice aggregation program (CCA) is the culmination of a collaboration of City agencies to develop a cleaner, more renewable energy alternative for residences and businesses.

• Evan Wynns (center), Executive Director of San Francisco Energy Co-op, talked about the new renewable power co-op aimed at raising awareness among all city residents, especially renters, about the benefits of green energy available to almost anyone: sustainable power, resulting in some profit for everyone who invests.

• Adam Scow (right), California Campaigns Director, Food & Water Watch and an old friend of PHDC, returned to talk about water: the corporate water grab via a $50 billion pipeline to benefit Big Ag, and fracking going on right here in CA.

Jason Fried  Tuesday, May 1, 7:00pm    Evan WynnsAdam Scow


 

 

Tuesday, March 6th: OccupySF occupies the Nabe

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Environment, Uncategorized, Wall Street

Occupy at PHDC
Another terrific meeting! Heartfelt thanks to Joshua Clayton, Andy Gillis, Rachel Lyra Hospodar, Jane Smith, and Janice Suess, active participants in the various Working Groups within Occupy San Francisco, who engaged members and friends of PHDC in a spirited, eye-opening conversation. Find more photos on our Facebook page.

Also, after a presentation and Q&A with three representatives of the Free Muni for Youth Coalition, the Club voted to endorse that campaign.

WHEN: Tuesday, March 6, 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St

October 4th: Endorsed candidates & campaigns, Sharp Park revisited

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Elections, Endorsements, Environment, Uncategorized

Dennis Herrera for Mayor, David Onek for District Attorney, and Chris Cunnie for Sheriff, plus Ken Tray of UESF for Yes on A and No on H came by to touch base, to thank the Club for its endorsement, and to let us know how we can help their campaigns. We previewed our door hanger and took signups for precinct-walking and Potrero Hill Festival tabling. We revisited the Sharp Park Golf Course issue, but this time, the discussion was strictly limited – unlike the out-of-control Aug 2 meeting (scroll down for info), at which the vote was tabled so members could have time to learn more. The motion to endorse Supervisor Avalos’s legislation to restore Sharp Park passed. The meeting ended with an update from Megan Hamilton, aide to Supervisor Cohen, who was still in a BOS meeting.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 4th, 7pm
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St

Tuesday, May 3rd Meeting: High-Speed Rail

On By potrerohilldemocratsIn Environment, Uncategorized

<img src="https://phdemclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/d36a2-cahsr2.jpeg&quot; alt="cahsr2" title="cahsr2" width="200" height="143" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1791"Cathleen&DominicAssemblymember Cathleen Galgiani (D-Merced County), a leader in promoting the development of California’s first-ever high-speed rail system, spoke about the project’s progress and challenges. Dominic Spaethling, California High-Speed Rail Authority Project Manager for the SF-San Jose corridor, addressed local aspects and impacts, and agreed to return with updates.

Further discussion of the Campaign for New Priorities, with Sandra Schwartz returning to answer questions, resulted in the Club’s endorsement of the Campaign’s principles.

Member also voted to endorse the CA DISCLOSE Act, legislation mandating that the public be informed who is really paying for political ads – clearly and unequivocally, on the ads themselves.

Jane Bernard-Powers, President of Democratic Women in Action, spoke about the Political Potpourri, a round-table discussion of women’s issues, scheduled for May 7th.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 3rd, 6:45pm sign in & socialize, 7:00pm start
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St