(clapping). >> so nice today. you know, everyone should have the day off today and yeah. >> know i'm joint tenant kidnapping especially the union square ambassadors know not today. um, hi, everyone i'm san francisco mayor london breed and joined today by our union square ambassadors our downtown ambassadors and our union square alliance ceo melissa rodriguez and yerba buena executive director and so many people have a lot to do in the downtown area

i want to express my appreciation to all of you for being here but more importantly all of you for building in and never giving up on san francisco (clapping.) and for all you have folks shopping on line please stop. >> but in all seriousness we're here and began cars one of our most sergeant off designation for people visiting san francisco we know before the pandemic what we saw happened in downtown many of the visitors and people who he welcomed if all over the world and conventions san francisco was a place that for tourism and vegetables and even businesses we never had to work for and now we do work from home has challenged our city like never before the challenges around

crimes and other things having put a lot of information that isn't entirely adequate as you can see today, this city is beautiful this city sister vibrant and exciting and we are back folks. we're not coming back we are back (clapping.) so why is it important to be here today? fall to talk about the momentum but also as you might have heard i just introduced any budget last week. and we have some really exciting investment in we plan to make in the downtown area to make that visibly more exciting and a lot for fun and support and enhance a lot of existing programs that are here as well. now here's the thing i want to give a facts what is happening in san francisco. and we know that

people have been talking about public health and like in the major city challenges did you know that crime is down in 2023 and continuing to be one of the lowest crime rates we've seen in 10 years not including the pandemic and break-ins for cars continuing to decline significantly because of the resources and support that we gotten from our district attorney's office from our police department and all the incredible work that ma many of our city agencies to combat those issues and starting to see and feel a difference. is that perfect 90? no, but doubling down and working hard with the support of our downtown and union square ambassadors we are really changing the experience that people have when and come

downtown but, you know, downtown can't be a place for retail it can't be a 9 to 5 has to be one of the to newest neighborhoods people live and work and play so we know a lot of great events how how many of you went to are going to first thursday that thursday? >> (clapping) how many of you love it when he close down the streets and bring people together in downtown? >> (clapping.) my budget investments includes more active and night life downtown and more opportunity to turn areas of the downtown into entertainment zones can you imagine buying a small beverage and hang 0 in the sunny plaza and century and enjoy yourselves and say hi and meet people we're

creating an environment people want to be in places where this is activation and excitement and we'll be making more investment in actuating and bringing the culture and exciting experiences here to downtown san francisco. the other program we had that was extremely sketch is our have an opportunity to vibrant program do you change that is? of our better late than never gave free space for the a lot of small businesses that started in their garages in san francisco during the pandemic. and a doughnut spot a coffee and closing locations and vacant to vibrant free startup spaces for the entrepreneurs and 7 of them signed long term wlaez for downtown we're going to be doing more of that along that powell

street and making more and more investments how much how many of you love tour neighborhoods in san francisco? >> we want to bring that neighborhood feel to downtown those favorite businesses can actually be in downtown san francisco that is our goal and that's what i'm excited to do we want the vest more activation for downtown. the city has to be a partner little partnerships to make that work for small businesses and retail, to make sure that we are investing in public safety and to make sure we're turning s400 to into a neighborhood i can, live and in effect my budget invests $15 million in 0 o to that exist and that fun and enjoy that we so specially need in our city i'm grateful we have extraordinary partners to help us continue to do do work and

build we get the resources, and work as a partner but the people who are on the on the ground in union square do the work every single day to make that best and the last thing i want to mention before i bring up mri rise roger's how many of you look at plaza not the most attractive design in an urban environment that is underutilized i introduced a bond before the divorces voters in november you providing $50 million to make is an attractive designation for people (clapping.) to enjoy make sure you vote 2307b that body in november so many xiecht and activation and fun and so many joy that's what we're going to do to make

downtown san francisco the place we know and love (sirens) and i want us to remember one thing? not unfamiliar territory to us weaving been in challenging places before in fact, due went this building the info center a couple of stores that weren't even on at one point and this city had the violation to tear down those stores with a center and mission bay was recall tracks and any it is where the categorical state warriors with housing and it is whole that new neighborhood with bike trail and parks and open space so we are not going to be deferred by what we know we're

capable of that is exactly why we're making investments working out to transform downtown into the neighborhood that we can joy for the people who work here, the people who visit here and the people who live here thank you all thank you for being here today. >> and with that, i'd like to introduce our partner whose working hard rat union square and doing an amazing job more and more businesses signing leases and oh my god, in the union square area and 60 businesses for the last two years in union square thanks to the leadership or mri rise rodriguez. >> all right. >> (clapping) how is everyone feeling. >> i can't hear you loitered. okay. >> now i'm happy to be here and mri rise with the union

square alliance i'm a san franciscan make should noise san franciscans. >> i want to hear you (clapping.) i live in the beautiful city i work if if beautify city and pend my life in this city hoping to understand and know have well in order for our entire cities and community to thrive we need a downtown that is thriving too many with that without a thriving dentist we can't support the infrastructure that is needed to support all of our community, our schools and roads and infrastructure, our city services so important and right now you're downtown needs all of us. what we're seeing behind us is all of us a village we brought the heart of our city to be strong again that is union

square. and yerba buena. we want this area to feel what is the potential we're 12 hotel rooms in union square another 10 in house u thousand in the yerba buena area for people to experience lives greatest moments and as is bayview residents we put our best foot forward and show people that san francisco is a beautiful city we all know love and cherish by the bay this is our culture when you're walking up powell student we have work to do thanks to our mayor and police chief and our city administrator and thank you mta thank you, sf traveler and mike who is here our ambassadors whoer here comes everyday in the

trefrjz and down here when san franciscans won't come downtown we want you back come back and continue to enjoy lives moments the holidays or moerdz and this great opportunity that mayor present makes us without excuses we can access it and park and enjoy shows and music and beauty and activation and so pleased and so excited for this opportunity for our future 0 support in bond. imagine housing above plaza and imagine music here and imagine an area filled with tourism we love this city by the bay i love it city and thank you for being here. and for your help making f this happen and we need clean streets

thank you, mayor so, yes all of that is happening thanks to the support of our leadership. [off mic.] >> thank you. >> yes, we need all of three and going to bring our city back with that, i'd like to welcome up the director of the yerba buena cdb scott. >> (clapping) (laughter). >> hi, everyone i'm scott the executive director for the yerba buena community benefit district and south of market and thank you, mayor london breed and dennis and oewd for their support on creating this comprehensive program like this and will energize downtown. >> thank you mri rise and the entire team with the union square alliance for partnering us with us to do this existing

program and yerba buena we are a community of museums and combraerlz galleries and restaurants and garden centers and it is pretty amazing neighborhood we have 12 thousand resident across the street in the neighborhood to call yerba buena their home very diverse and amazing neighborhood. um, we also have a lot of momentum as mri rise mentioned mortality here and in yerba buena an amazing health fair snowflake with 20 thousand people across the street actuating the street and we have 25 new restaurants and bars opened in the last two years we have seeing change that is happening. our organization in yerba buena district we are about creating safe and welcoming and beautify neighborhoods and we do that on a daily basis with ambassadors see our ambassadors yerba buena ambassadors the union square ambassadors and the welcoming

ambassadors. (clapping.) they sdwefr for hands we can clap but keep on clapping for them they're on the streets everyday taking care of the important things thank you for your hard work and commitment and programs lake what we're talking about today enhances the street level experiences and bifurcation and safety programs and community programs really comprehensive anticipate new businesses will be attracted and strengthen sour existing arts and culture and museums that is really important we have 12 museums. >> and we are very excited about that as i mentioned thank you all and now i get the exciting pleasure to introduce our partners from the filipino community whew sorry about that

desie and he's been an amazing executive director and runs an amazing cultures business please come up. >> thank you for the warm introduction thank you. i'm representing the filipino community today and for us this is not just a press conference foreclosure guess revitalization of the downtown but a press conference step up to the plate and helping san francisco recover from the pandemic so the investment mayor london breed is talking about not a hail mary but concentrated investments been investing in the philadelphia pen community with the market in the san francisco mix and the first community to showcase what is the possibility of the community coming together and taking over the streets and make arts and commerce together

and that market with the economic development not just for filipinos but chinatown and so forth and during the pandemic, you know, we stepped up to the plat and given a by platform called it it the garden and 0igd 350 volunteers over 6 months to have 15 beautiful color to bring the community together and during the pandemic give a retail space with sfmta for over a decade and turned it into is fabric artist maker space creating exhibitions and artwork phenomenal not only to bring people back mayor london breed will be giving the filipino community we want the world to think about the filipinos on the same day that

chinatown came to san francisco and that option of culture attractiveness and designation not a hail mary they're are one half a million philippines many of you may be married to a filipino or a dj that is filipino we have to turn part of the downtown spot next contribution for san francisco and one of the things that often bugs me in the work i had is do all the economic development and bring out vendors like 50 different businesses on the streets and yet an by wall is half by i'm hoping to open up the mall to transform the mall and make three a filipino

transition for all of san francisco so at the mayor london breed and thank you to all my partners three building for the filipino community like the yerba buena and all the agencies like oewd and mpdu the whole albeit so, thank you. >> thank you, so much desie and you mentioned the room in the mall and our haven't do vibrant program is hopefully will help us get to a place where some that have the ground zero that want a brick-and-mortar business that the city will be that angle that partner yes property owners to have reduced rates and - but we can do this together. and it will be a partnership because the representation of the filipino community is strong if

neighborhood and it should be stronger within our retail establishments and hopeful with the investment we'll start to realize i also wanted to mention, of course, we want you to take public transportation and bike to downtown, but we know some of you won't get out of our vehicles that's okay. part of my budget includes the possibility of some free parking i don't know what is is about free parking that gets people excited but during lunar increasing with parking with available and little square people went crazy we love about that parking lot was packed and more people visited chinatown to we broke down and provided additional resources in the budget because there is something for everyone and has to be something for the additional public comment may be provided later in the agenda. like i said what work here and, live and time to come here to play. so with that, i want to

thank you for being here. and we are looking forward to seeing transformation in our downtown. and again, this week first thursday down on second street between market and mission (clapping.) we'll have a disco dj and those restaurants down there are amazing you don't have to wait night thursday but more activity and more excitement for the dentist let's show san francisco and feel the magic thank you all. >>

>> i am supervisor melgar. i am the supervisor for district 7. [music] i am a immigrant to san francisco. my family came when i was 12 from el salvador during the civil war. this place gave us security, safety and an opportunity to thrive, so i love the city deeply, and as a mother of three kids who have grown up as city kids, i'm grateful for everything the city has to offer for people like me and families. i have been politically involved my whole life, either in government or a non profit worker and i care about the community. i care about people around me, and i want to make sure that as the world changes around us, other people have the opportunity that

my family did. >> we are back in san francisco post pandemic. so important to be out supporting our businesses, supporting our neighbors. >> i'm the first woman to represent the district, believe it or not. i'm the first latina elected to the board of supervisors without an appointment first ever, so i do think that (indiscernible) i want immigrants to be represented, women, moms, people that have different experiences because that brings richment to our decision making and i think it makes for betting decisions so that inspired me to run. district 7 is one of the most diverse districts in san francisco both in economics and ethnicity. it spans north from golden gate park. it includes all the institutions in the park, the wheel. the music

concourse, mew seem to the south to the daly city boarder and west to the organization. includes the zoo (indiscernible) all those fun things and to 280 oen the east. includes city college, san francisco state. i had ucsf parnassus so very large geographically. it is mostly single family homes, so it is the place where for generations family (indiscernible) nice parks, lake merced, mount davidson. >> this is like a village within the city, so we are very close nit community. we tend to band together and try to support one another and it is a friendly place and families and people to have a cup of coffee and check out the park. >> ocean avenue, which is the southern end of our district is vibrant commercial

corridor that mostly cater tuesday the local neighborhoods and the students. as you go further west you have the mall which has some of the best pan asian food offerings in the city. if you haven't been there, it is really fun. as you go up a little bit further, there is west portal avenue, which is a very old school commercial district where you can still find antique shops and cobbler shops and as well as like more modern restaurants. it is definitely hopping and full of families on any weekday. >> i'm matt roger, the coowner or (indiscernible) >> carl, other coowner in west portal. >> we are a neighborhood hardware store. been a community institution since it was founded in 1936. we had a little bit of everything. (indiscernible) to gardening or gift buying.

>> my entire experience in san francisco is this community. it is a very small town feel for a big city. the community is caring and connected. >> what makes me excited doing business in district 7 is i know it sell well. i grew up here. i knew a lot of customers, parents of friends. it is very comfortable place and feels like home. >> if you go up north, you have the innerpz sunset commercial corridor which has a awesome farmers market on weekdays and plethora of restaurants. there is everything you need. >> friendly and safe and (indiscernible) i love they bring their kids with them. they teach them how to use their money, and it is something you dont see in too many markets in other communities. i love to see the kids come and talking

to you. it is something different then i see from (indiscernible) >> the ev access to transit in inner sunset and ability to do a lot of shopping on foot, and now the improved biking with jfk closed to cars, because we have a 4 and a half year old who rides her bike. we now have a safe place to go and ride bike jz don't have to to worry about traffic. >> graffiti continues to be one of these things that during the pandemic just got out of control everywhere in the city and i do think that it is hampering our recovery of commercial corridors, so some of the volunteers on west portal avenue, some of the merchants got together with interns at our office to do some hands on abatement and we have been doing it regularly. we are doing it once a week and we have a wonderful

neighbor, carrie organizing and storing the paint and supplies in her office on west portal, but this needs more then just a volunteer efforts. >> i'm grateful for the collaboration. we passed legislation at the board and put $4 million in the budget over the next 24 months to help the department of public works hire laborers and labor apprentices to abate the graffiti on private property on commercial corridors. i think that for a couple years this recovery strategy so we can get back up as normal after this awful pandemic. participatory budgeting is a pot of money that is available every year for district 7 neighbors to propose projects that improve the neighborhood and the district. anyone, any organization in the district can propose a project and then

it's a vote. it is popular vote. we have 14 projects just approved and they span from you know, a vegetable garden at aptos middle school to pedestrian safety projects on (indiscernible) it runs the gamut, but it is wonderful because it allows people to be engaged in a real way, and then to see the outcome of their energy and work, because the things get improved in front of them. >> i like it is really close to the parecollect parks and bunch of businesses as well as a calm feel. it is a very peaceful feel even though it is close to a lot of things. (indiscernible) also not boring. there is stuff to do too.

>> so, there is lots to see and experience in district 7. [music]