Author Archives: BCNA Board

Captain Paul Yep’s February 28, 2018 newsletter includes helpful guidance on how to avoid becoming the victim of an auto burglary in our neighborhood. Read on:

Auto Burglary (Break-ins) in the Central District
Auto Burglary (Theft from Vehicle) is a top enforcement priority for the Central Police District. Our Crime Analysis Unit took an in-depth look at the data for our District.

Here’s what we know:

• Auto Burglaries happen every day of the week, slightly more often on Mondays and Tuesdays. There is no significant statistical difference during the other days of the week.
• 70 percent occur between 8:00AM to 8:00PM, during daylight hours!
• 77 percent occur on the street; 15 percent occur in parking lots; and 8 percent occur in public garages.
• Bay Street at the Embarcadero and North Point Street at Taylor Street are the top two repeat locations in the district.

Most of the criminals involved with auto burglaries work in teams. They do surveillance, have “spotters” and “getaway” cars. They are fast and elusive!

The Central Station Street Crimes Unit (plain clothes team) has been working diligently and tirelessly to catch these criminals. They made over 180 arrests in 2017! We are also working closely with the District Attorney’s office to prosecute the offenders. We will monitor future convictions and sentencings to see what penalties the offenders will receive. We will continue to make more arrests. We are not deterred from taking strong enforcement action.

How can you help?

• Do NOT leave any property in your parked car. Not even in the trunk!
• Always lock your car
• Report suspicious activity in your neighborhood (take a photo or video of the suspects and their vehicles if safe to do so)

Our Officers will be placing “Park Smart” warning cards on car windshields throughout the Central District for our neighbors and tourists as a reminder to not leave valuables in their cars.

If you are the victim of an Auto Burglary, you can report the crime through our non-emergency dispatch phone number, 415-553-0123, go to any police station or make an online report, http://sanfranciscopolice.org/reports.

Please join the Barbary Coast Neighborhood Association as we host a neighborhood forum on safety featuring Central Station Police Captain Paul Yep. The event will take place on March 11th at 3:00 pm at the Old Ship Saloon, 298 Pacific Avenue. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and no host bar will be available. BCNA members, friends, and neighbors are welcome!

Today, the Barbary Coast Neighborhood Association sent a letter to the California Senate Transportation and Housing Committee strongly opposing SB 827, Senator Scott Wiener’s bill to override local building limits on height, density, and design requirements in transit-rich zones, including virtually the entire city of San Francisco.  The letter reads as follows:

Ms. Alison Hughes, Consultant
Senate Transportation and Housing Committee
State Capitol, Room 2209
Sacramento, CA 95814

Re: SB 827 (Wiener), January 3 Version: STRONGLY OPPOSED

Dear Ms. Hughes:

SB 827 would authorize significantly larger housing developments in areas meeting minimum levels of transit service. It does so by imposing minimum zoning standards in those “transit-rich” areas. It removes residential density limits, imposes minimum height limits, and prohibits enforcement of almost all design standards relating to the building envelope, among other things. We are strongly opposed to this measure for various reasons including:

• It would upzone virtually the entire city of San Francisco. San Francisco has an extensive public transit system. Thus, a majority of the streets in the City would have their height limits doubled from 40’/45’ to 85’. This clearly allows massive new developments in heretofore low-rise neighborhoods. This height limit concern was echoed in 2013 when San Francisco voters supported the “No Wall on the Waterfront” campaign and decisively voted down a proposed high-rise housing development on the Embarcadero. Over time the drastic approach embraced in SB 827 will destroy the human scale and character of the City’s neighborhoods.
• It would eliminate the ability of a city to maintain any control over basic building designs. This bill precludes the City from enforcing basic planning and design standards for housing. These standards often pertain to quality of life issues and involve aspects such as rear yards, open space, setbacks, etc. Taken together, they form the key to ensuring livability, walkability, and urban design quality. Blocking their enforcement will result in large institutional blockhouse structures that create a cold uninviting environment.

In summary, SB 827 eviscerates the ability of San Francisco and several other metropolitan areas to control the livability and quality of life in their residential neighborhoods. While it is broadly accepted that the state needs to build more housing, this bill is the wrong approach. It is unthinkable that a city cannot control the scale and character of its neighborhoods. Accordingly, we are strongly opposed to this bill.

Sincerely,
Diana Taylor
President

cc: Ms. Angela Hill