Up against Starbucks

The citywide battle over chain stores moves to the Planning Commission January 8 in City Hall, Room 400, at 1:30 p.m., where global giant Starbucks' Sunset proposal faces overwhelming community opposition.

The commission will hold a public hearing to determine whether to exercise its discretionary powers over a proposed new Starbucks at 3906 Judah Street (and 44th Avenue). There are no Starbucks west of 20th Avenue in District 4. If this project is approved, it is feared that Starbucks will invade this part of the city and drive out of business all independent coffee shops.

Sunset Neighbors for Action (SNA) is leading the opposition to stop Starbucks. It has collected over 4,000 signatures on a petition and obtained letters of support from Assemblymember Leland Yee, Board of Supervisors president Matt Gonzalez, Angela Alioto, Sunset Parkside Education and Action Committee (SPEAK), Sunset Reform Democratic Club and Westside Democratic Club.

This Starbucks project violates three 1986 Proposition M planning code priority policies:

1. "That existing neighborhood-serving retail uses be preserved and enhanced and future opportunities for resident employment in and ownership of such businesses enhanced";

2. "That existing housing and neighborhood character be conserved and protected in order to preserve the cultural and economic diversity of our neighborhoods"; and

3. "That commuter traffic not impede Muni transit service or overburden our streets or neighborhood parking."

The Sunset neighborhood, like other city residential areas, would be adversely affected by this out-of-state chain store because:

• it would force out independent small businesses;

• it would increase traffic and parking congestion;

• it would block a transit corridor (N Judah Muni line);

• it would drain profits out of the local economy;

• it would increase commercial property rents; and

• it would drag down employees' salaries.

San Franciscans take pride in this city's unique culture, ethnic diversity, and neighborhood character. Starbucks represents none of these local community values.

Please join in the effort to stop an out-of-state corporation from squeezing out independent coffee houses and draining dollars out of our local economy for a few wealthy individuals in Washington state.

Tess Manalo-Ventresca
Sunset Neighbors for Action
San Francisco

Save Measure EE!

Anyone who believed Oakland's Rent Wars came to an end when Measure EE, the eviction protection initiative, was ushered in by the will of the people during the election of November 2002 is in for a rude awakening.

On January 7 at 6:15 p.m., Oakland voters are showing up at the Planning Commission meeting in Hearing Rm #1, at City Hall to defend Measure EE.

The anti-democratic forces in City Hall are trying to deregulate Oakland's 20-year-old condo-conversion laws with a vote at the Planning Commission. Condominiums are exempt from Measure EE and rent control, and if the landlords convert rental units into condos, Measure EE cannot be enforced.

Presently, existing laws restrict condo-conversions from happening unless the landlord subdividers can demonstrate that new rental units were built recently somewhere in Oakland. Convert a rental unit into a condo, and it has to be replaced with another rental unit or the conversion is not allowed to take place. The restriction on condo conversions has protected Oakland's rental-housing supply for over 20 years and kept many thousands from being evicted.

The Planning Commission plans to vote in an amendment to end the restrictions, allow unlimited condo conversions to take place, and Measure EE will become impossible to enforce in all of the rental units being targeted for condo conversions.

Every time we turn around, it seems that the democratic process is being eroded by city officials or elected politicians that have no respect for the will of the people or the democratic process. Oakland is no exception, and I oppose any actions by corrupt officials doing the dirty work of their corporate masters to overturn the will of the people that voted for Measure EE!