San Francisco Housing Authority
Resident Services Newsletter

March 2008 - Volume 3 Issue 3

OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING AND RELATIONS   1251 Turk St San Franscisco, CA 94115
Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm
Tel: 415-345-0123   Fax: 415-345-0122   URL: www.sfha.org

MARCH 17, 2008 - HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! The 156th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2008.
Start: 11:30am, (2nd and Market to Civic Center Plaza).
A full day of fun is planned for the Saint Patrick's Day Celebration at Civic Center Plaza, Grove and Larkin from 10am to 5pm. The colorful festivities surrounding the parade will showcase Irish culture through live performance and entertainment, arts and crafts exhibitor presentations and food and beverage concessions. Children's activities, cultural competitions & games also planned.

Village Project: Mardi Gras Event

The Village Project will be sponsoring its 2nd annual Mardi Gras - San Francisco Style Fundraiser on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm at the African American Arts and Culture Complex, located at 762 Fulton Street. For more information on this event and how you may be able to volunteer, please contact: The Village Project, Executive Director, Adrian Williams at 415-424-2980.

SF Urban CHC: Mortgage Loan Process Workshops

The mission of the SF Urban CHC is to revolutionize the approach to affordable housing by creating a direct link between families qualified to live in affordable units with available affordable units in San Francisco. Through extensive counseling, financial literacy and home ownership education, SF Urban CHC empowers those who wish to be homebuyers with the tools to realize their dreams. The SF Urban CHC will be coordinating two Mortgage Loan Process Workshops in the month of March: Thursday, March 13, 2008 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm and on Saturday, March 15, 2008 from 10:00 am to 12 pm. Both workshops will be held at the San Francisco Housing Authority office located at 1815 Egbert Street (off of Bayshore Blvd.). Please call 415-252-0949 or visit www.sfurbanchc.org to R.S.V.P. for the workshops.

2008 Safety Network Community Leadership Awards & Nominations

The Safety Network would like to acknowledge and honor the efforts of the individuals and groups that work to improve public safety with their Community Leadership Awards, which will be held on Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at 6 pm at the State Building Auditorium located at 455 Golden Gate Avenue.
Throughout San Francisco, community members have taken leadership in organizing and facilitating public safety projects that are specific to the needs of their respective communities and are tailored to engage neighbors, merchants, residents, service providers, SFPD and other community members. If you, someone you know, or a group are involved in helping to improve public safety in your neighborhood, please nominate them for this award and tell Safety Network why you think this person or group should be recognized for their involvement in the community. Nominations must be received by no later than Friday, March 14, 2008. For a nomination form, please contact the Safety Network at 415-202-7940, or email: awards@safetynetwork.org.

ATTENTION RESIDENTS OF ROSA PARKS AND CLEMENTINA TOWERS

The Service Connection Pilot Project is coming to your building in March 2008. The San Francisco Housing Authority, The Department of Aging & Adult Services and other community agencies will bring services and information to you. The teams will be at Rosa Parks on the 2 and 4 Tuesdays of each month from 1-4 p.m. and at Clementina Towers on the 1 and 3 Tuesdays of each month from 1-4 p.m. Watch for an informational flyer in your mail. If you have questions or would like to volunteer as a Resident Ambassador for this project please call Marie Swanson at (415) 345-0130.

THE HUNTERS VIEW REVITALIZATION CONTINUES!

Residents, community partners and Housing Authority staff continue to meet the 4th Wednesday of each month, to discuss the revitalization of Hunters View. A draft relocation plan has been developed and a community benefits plan that encompasses job training/employment opportunities will also be developed. The next meeting is on March 26, 2008 from 5:30-7:00 pm at the Hunters View Tenants Association office: 227-229 Westpoint Road. If you have questions about the Hunters View Revitalization, call Tessie Ester, President of the Hunters View Tenants Association at 415-821-2137, Margaret Campbell, John Stewart Company at 415-345-4400, and Juan Monsanto-San Francisco Housing Authority Housing Development and Modernization Department at 415-715-3217.

ALICE GRIFFITH OPPORTUNITY CENTER

Check out the many programs and services available to you at the Alice Griffith Opportunity Center, located at 2525 Griffith Street:

There will also be a Winter Program from March 24 through March 28, 2008 and Overnight Camping on March 28, 2008. Coming soon will be Anger Management and Parenting programs. For more information on all services and programs, call 415-822-6100.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION TELEPHONE LINE

The San Francisco Housing Authority, Office of Fair Housing & Resident Relations' Economic Development Information Telephone Line provides weekly updates on the following:

*EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES   *TRAININGS/WORKSHOPS   *CHILDCARE SERVICES
*COMMUNITY EVENTS, MEETINGS, ACTIVITIES and MORE.

All residents of San Francisco Housing Authority are encouraged to call the information line at (415) 345-0135. The information is available 7 days a week 24 hours a day.

BAYVIEW HOPE TRUCK DRIVING ACADEMY

Get you're A's for Free and get a job as a Commercial Driver. To get started, attend an informational orientation at the Bayview Hope Truck Driving Academy. The training is absolutely free and Bayview Hope Truck Driving Academy will help you find a job when you graduate. The average starting wage is $15 per hour. The next orientation is scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, 2008 from 3:00-5:00 pm at the True Hope Church located at 950 Gilman Avenue. You will need to bring a recent H-6 DMV printout and remember to dress casually. For more information, please call: 415-575-2142.

CURRENT TENANT MONITORS FOR FAMILY AND SENIOR PUBLIC HOUSING SITES

Notice to all residents - please report any suspicious activity, i.e. suspicious persons on the property, trespassing, loitering, illegal drug use, gambling, or other criminal activity, to the San Francisco Police Department's Anonymous Tip Line in your district. After contacting the SFPD Anonymous Tip Line, please also call the San Francisco Housing Authority's Anonymous Tip Line Line at (415) 241-1028. All calls are confidential and will be helpful in curbing crimes on our property. Remember, the first step to solving crimes is reporting them.

San Francisco Police Department Districts

CALL NUMBERS FOR SERVICES-QUICK REFERENCE

SFHA LAUNDRY FACILITIES

For hours of operation/access or to report maintenance problems, please contact your site's Property Office. To report service problems with the washing machines/equipment, please contact the vendor.
WEB: 1-800-824-7780 or Coinmach: 1-877-264-6622.

Site

Location

Vendor

Site

Location

Vendor

Rosa Parks

1251 Turk Street

WEB

363 Noe

363 Noe

WEB

Woodside

255 Woodside

WEB

25 Sanchez

25 Sanchez

WEB

491-31st Avenue

491-31st Avenue

WEB

1760 Bush

1760 Bush

WEB

462 Duboce

462 Duboce

WEB

Ping Yuen

655, 711, 795, 895 Pacific

WEB

666 Ellis

666 Ellis

WEB

Ping Yuen North

838 Pacific

WEB

Westside Courts

1535 Broderick

WEB

Joan San Jules

1357 Eddy

WEB

1880 Pine Street

1880 Pine

WEB

Clementina

320, 330 Clementina

Coinmach

350 Ellis

350 Ellis

WEB

Sala Burton

430 Turk

Coinmach

John F. Kennedy

2451 Sacramento

WEB

Robert Pitts

1150 Scott

Coinmach

2698 California

2698 California

WEB

Alice Griffith

4 Cameron Way

Coinmach

939 Eddy

939 Eddy

WEB

Potrero Annex

851 Missouri

Coinmach

Hunters Point East

763 Jerrold

WEB

Hunters Point West

1065 Oakdale

Coinmach

345 Arguello

345 Arguello

WEB

Mission Dolores

1855-15th Street

Coinmach

990 Pacific

990 Pacific

WEB

3850-18th Street

3850-18th Street

Coinmach

227 Bay

227 Bay

WEB

1750 McAllister

1750 McAllister

Coinmach

SFHA NON-DWELLING UNITS - SERVICE PROVIDERS

EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR HOUSING

These programs may help you pay for your housing costs in an emergency. They may help with back rent, deposits and first & last month's rent. For other programs, please call HELPLINK at 1-800-273-6222.

SFHA PROPERTY MANAGERS LISTING

HOUSING MODERNIZATION UPDATES

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR RESIDENTS OF SFHA SENIOR/DISABLED BUILDINGS

I'm Okay Card Program - The SFHA Housing Management Department has a voluntary I'm Okay Card Program available to residents in our Senior/ Disabled buildings. This card is used to let your neighbors and SFHA Staff know that you are okay in your apartment. Each building has identified someone who checks each door daily to see if the resident has put his/her card outside saying "I'm Okay". If the card is not turned to the "I'm Okay" side, the management staff will call the resident to check in with you before entering your unit. Only management staff has access to your unit, the resident checking for the "I'm Okay" card does not have access and can not enter your unit. If you are interested in participating in this program, contact your property office to get a RED I'm Okay card today.

PEACE WALK - THE MESSAGE OF HOPE

Please join us and walk with the Daniel Webster Elementary School Community,
The Potrero Hill Family Resource Center and the Potrero Hill Community Conveners.

DATE: Thursday, March 13, 2008     TIME: 9:30 A.M.     WHERE: Daniel Webster's School Yard
	Rosa Parks	Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.	Cesar Chavez

Metropolitan Transportation Commission: HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is again sponsoring its High School Internship Program. The purpose of the program is to introduce high school students to career opportunities in the field of transportation, and to provide assistance to MTC's transportation partners (such as planners at transit agencies or traffic engineers at city and county public works departments) with assistance in completing a special project or filling in where extra help is needed. The program was conceived by MTC's Minority Citizens Advisory Committee to encourage young people who might not otherwise consider a career in transportation. Students of all orientations and abilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

How the Internship Works - Approximately 25 summer internships are available throughout the nine-counties of the San Francisco Bay Area: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma. Each year the work site locations will vary and are posted on MTC's website: http://www.mtc.ca.gov in the spring. Students are paid a competitive hourly wage. Students will generally work Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm (there may be some exceptions), up to 40 hours per week. Most internships are flexible and designed to meet the needs of the student. Students may work full-time or part-time for up to 8 weeks between the months of June and August. Internship activities vary depending on the needs of our partner agencies and the skill set and interests of the intern.

How You Will Spend Your Summer - While you will undoubtedly be spending most of your time with the agency you have been hired to work with, MTC will offer excursions that provide the advantage of learning first hand about current transportation matters in the Bay Area. As the internship comes to a close, you will be provided an opportunity to present what your internship has taught you about transportation in your community. This is great opportunity to use your creativity in sharing the exciting work you have been involved with for the summer.

About MTC - The Metropolitan Transportation Commission is a regional government agency charged with planning for the transportation needs of all residents in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. In this role, MTC is a planner, banker, advocate and operator of certain programs that assist our region's travelers-regardless of how they get around. A 19-member policy board not only directs MTC, but also, since 1998, the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) and, since 1988, the region's Service Authority for Freeways and Expressways (SAFE). MTC has sponsored a high school internship program since 2000.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Applicants must:

• Be at least 16 years of age.
• Have completed the 10th grade.
• Have a grade point average of 2.8 or higher (students with a lower GPA may be considered).

Graduating high school seniors are eligible to apply.

APPLICATION PROCESS
To apply, students must submit the following documents:

1. A completed application and self-identification form.
2. A one-page cover letter briefly describing your interest in your community or any area of transportation and explaining why you are interested in the program.
3. A letter of recommendation from a teacher, principal, counselor, church representative, or employer (two letters of recommendation are required if your GPA is lower than 2.8.)

MINIMUM SKILLS AGENCIES ARE SEEKING

• Basic computer skills (Word & Excel) and basic math
• Communication and customer service skills
• Eagerness to learn something new and challenging
• Willingness to work in an office or in the field
• Ability to get around on public transportation
• Ability to perform basic office tasks such as typing, maintaining files, conducting research and compiling information from files.

SOME TYPICAL INTERN ASSIGNMENTS

• Assist in the survey of city sidewalks to identify obstructions for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
• Assist with transit scheduling and participate in train-ride observation checks.
• Learn to use geographic information system (GIS) software to assist with support tasks for corridor planning.
• Inventory and survey bicycle lane projects for "before and after" results; survey bicycle signage and parking locations to update databases.

Applications can be downloaded from MTC's website at: http://www.mtc.ca.gov/jobs/high_school/index.htm.

The application deadline is Friday, March 28, 2008, although some positions will remain open until filled. Complete application packets with all required documentation can be mailed to:

Attn: High School Internship Coordinator
Metropolitan Transportation Commission
101 8th Street
Oakland, CA 94607
Or by fax: 510-817-5848

For more information, contact the High School Internship Coordinator at 510-817-5807 or send an email to highschool@mtc.ca.gov.

SFHA HOW TO's

How to Report Problems to Maintenance: Residents have several options to report maintenance problems:

1. Contact your Property Manager's Office - See Property Managers Listing.
2. Contact the Maintenance Department - 715-3100 or Ron Fazzio, Central Services Manager at 715-3252.
3. Contact Resident Services - 345-0123 or the Language Lines: Vietnamese - 345-0139, Chinese - 345-0140, Russian - 345-0141, and Spanish - 345-0142.
4. AfterHours Emergency - 715-3100 or contact your local Tenant Monitor. Refer to Tenant Monitor listing.

How to Request for Translation Services: Contact your Property Manager's Office - See Property Managers Listing, or call the Language Lines: Vietnamese - 345-0139, Chinese - 345-0140, Russian - 345-0141, and Spanish - 345-0142.

How to Get Answers Regarding Your Lease or Rent: Contact your Property Manager's Office - See Property Managers Listing 3.

KNOW YOUR CIVIL RIGHTS

Under State and Federal Law, all persons have the right to live in any neighborhood and in any housing free from racial and ethnic harassment. The San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA) will not tolerate any threats, harassment, abuse, or violence by any person while on SFHA property. If you , or your guests, or anyone in your family threatens, harasses or abuses any person, or commits an act of violence while on SFHA property, you and your family may be subject to eviction.

If you believe you have been threatened, harassed, or abused, or that you are a victim of violence: Report the incident to the San Francisco Police Department, your Property Office, or if you have Limited English speaking skills, call the Limited English Speaking lines at: (telephone numbers below):

LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY PLAN: LEP

For limited-English speaking clients/tenants, the SFHA has bilingual (Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, and Spanish) staff available to assist with verbal and written translation/interpretation.
Services include:

* Translation/interpretation of SFHA informational/vital documents/forms

* Translation/interpretation by phone - SFHA Language Lines

* Translation/interpretation at SFHA appointments and interviews

* Translation/interpretation at SFHA resident and public meetings

SFHA clients/tenants may arrange for translation/interpretation services with the SFHA by contacting the SFHA Language Lines:
Chinese: 415-345-0140,         Vietnamese: 415-345-0139,         Russian: 415-345-0141,         Spanish: 415-345-0142.
Our office is located at 1251 Turk Street, First Floor, San Francisco, CA 94115.

ADVERTISING

Interested in advertising in this newsletter? Please contact the Office of Fair Housing and Resident Relations' Newsletter Editor at 415.345-0123 for more details.

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