-
NOPNANews
A Publication of the North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association
2019 : issue 2
OUT
ABOUT&
There’s always something new to
feeling reclusive, tangles of noodles
explore in NOPA, which is perhaps
await.
why residents find Divisadero bustling
with traffic on any given weekend. But
with new bars, restaurants, and shops
opening all the time, as well as regular
Art Walks (next one June 13th!) why go
anywhere else?
Mangrove Kitchen adds some
welcome diversity to Divisadero and
Che Fico is growing: Chef David
Nayfield’s acclaimed Jewish-Italian
taverna (Gwyneth Paltrow’s a fan,
among many) opens a more casual
wine bar and retail space with Che
Fico Alimentari. The extension will
be located just downstairs from
the mothership on Divisadero and
Oak. The Thai restaurant opened
McAllister, and offers both dine-in
doors over the summer serving
and take home options. Expect a
The 19th Annual NOPA Block Party
Baker St. between Fulton and Grove
Saturday, June 1 | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
classics like tom yum soup, papaya
more Italian-focused menu (antipasti,
salad, and curries. Plenty of options
cured meats, gelato) at lower price
Food & Drink | Street Games | Crafts & Face Painting |
Bouncy House | Live Music | Nametag Day Participation
Email us to get involved: board@nopna.org
North
Of
Panhandle
Neighborhood
Association
for vegetarians and meat eaters, as
points with plenty of interesting wine
well as Thai iced teas and low-alcohol
pairings. Stay tuned for bottles to go
cocktails. The nautical-themed interior
when Alimentari’s retail license arrives
creates a spirited (albeit confused)
vibe and service is speedy, too. Order
this summer, an event sure to upgrade
the contents of park-destined picnic
ahead online or for delivery if you’re
baskets everywhere.
(continued on page 4)
2 | NOPNANews
FROM THE BOARD - LAND USE SUBCOMMITTEE
I originally joined NOPNA as a way of giving back and meeting neighbors.
What immediately struck me was the role NOPNA played in influencing
the decisions that most impact the community: from safety, to transportation,
to land use. Conversations about land use with community members, focused
on new developments or changes to streets and sidewalks, proved to be the
most contentious — and for good reason. New developments not only
represent a change to our built environment, they also serve as key contributors
to livability, sustainability, and opportunity. NOPNA has the opportunity to
engage and amplify the voice of our community in these conversations.
For this reason, we’ve decided to launch our first ever land use subcommittee.
The committee will be responsible for tracking and responding to land
use and zoning proposals, both residential and retail, that substantially impact
our neighborhood. We plan to work with neighborhood groups, government
organizations, and the broader community to ensure a diverse perspective in our
responses to developers and other impacted parties.
NOPA neighbors will have many opportunities to provide input: we will host
information sessions, conduct surveys, and use other communication
channels. The committee will meet bi-quarterly and will include board members
and other neighborhood residents with diverse backgrounds and
perspectives. In taking positions, the committee will be explicit in the
projects we focus on and how we evaluate them (e.g., impacts to
neighborhood livability, affordability, and sustainability). We want our efforts
to be focused and effective.
What excites me most about our work is the opportunity to collectively shape
our community through empathy and action and to ensure that new
developments make our neighborhood greater than the sum of its parts. If
you are interested in joining the conversation, reach out to me at
Julian Mackie serves as the Vice President of NOPNA and is focused on housing and
transportation
UPCOMING EVENTS
NOPNA BLOCK PARTY Saturday, June 1st, 11am-3pm. Baker Street - Fulton to Grove
North
Of
Panhandle
Neighborhood
Association
NOPNA GENERAL MEETING [NOPNA.org], City Real Estate - 629 Divsadero
Thursday, July 18 - 7pm; Thursday, September 17 - 7pm
SFPD PARK STATION COMMUNITY MEETINGS Park Station Community Room
Second Tuesday each month, 6pm
DIVISADERO FARMERS MARKET Grove@Divisadero, Sundays, 10am–2pm
PANHANDLE PARK STEWARDS [panhandlepark.blogspot.com]
Bulletin Board near Panhandle Playground. Second Saturday each month - 9am-12pm
The NOPNA News is published by the
North of Panhandle Neighborhood
Association for the residents,
businesses, and friends of our
neighborhood, which is bounded by
Masonic Avenue and Turk, Divisadero
and Fell Streets.
PUBLISHER
NOPNA Board of Directors
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Jason Cauthen
LAYOUT AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
Brian Donovan
BUSINESS OUTREACH/ADVERTISING
Carmen Chan
PHOTOGRAPHY
Joseph Wilinski
COPY EDITORS
Nathan Lovejoy
Erika Alexander
Jessica Stoneman
Lydia Horne
DISTRIBUTION
Will Valentine
PRINTING
Image Printing, San Francisco
NOPNA’s mission: The purpose
of this association shall be to establish
neighborhood unity, maintain multi-eth-
nic and multi-cultural diversity, foster a
sense of neighborhood pride, promote
a safe and clean community, and
improve the quality of life for all residents
of the neighborhood.
Your financial support allows
NOPNA to cover the costs of our
newsletters, community b u i l d i n g
e v e n t s l i k e o u r b l o c k p a r t y and
holiday party, public art projects in the
neighborhood, and other activities that
enrich our dynamic neighborhood. It
also supports this site.
Make a difference on our streets and
become a member today!
Contact NOPNA
North OfPanhandleNeighborhoodAssociation
THE BAKER STREET FIRE FUNDRAISER
issue 2 : 2019 | 3
PHOTO: Damage to residential building at the corner of Baker and Hayes Street. Photo Credit: Joseph Wilinski. www.joewilinski.com
On March 14th, 2019, NOPNA partnered with the
Divisadero Merchant Association, and the Alamo Square
Neighborhood Association to raise funds for neighbors
who were displaced by a fire late last year. At the
Divisadero Art Walk we raised $2,000 in donations to be
evenly distributed to the displaced neighbors. The main
goal in this effort was to come together for our neighbors,
while their homes on Baker Street are being restored.
On December 14th, 2018, a residential building at
the corner of Baker and Hayes Street caught on fire.
Fortunately no one was hurt, but 22 long-time neighbors
were displaced — some were seniors, a few have
disabilities (one uses a wheelchair). Twenty of the 22 (two
declined services) have been placed into permanent
housing, with rental assistance from the city rental subsidy
program.
The North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association
would like to thank our neighbors, Divisadero Merchant
Association, Alamo Square Neighborhood Association,
Bi-Rite, Che Fico, Emporium, Souvla, Red Cross, The
Supervisor’s Office, and the disaster response team, for all
of their efforts or contributions!
Charles Dupigny is the President of the NOPNA Board and focuses on
sustainability and quality issues in our neighborhood.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
RE: Developing NOPA, How Neighbors
Influenced Petrini Plaza. Issue 2019:1
Certainly, our city is under tremendous
p r e s s u r e t o c r e a t e m o r e a f f o r d a b l e
housing, but I would caution in put ting
too much faith in the good intentions of
private real estate developers.
S e n s i b l e , s m a r t g r o w t h w i t h i n p u t
from NOPA residents is the only possible
answer. A ll d evelo pe r s a re not c reate d
e q u a l; s o m e a re re a s o n a b l e, r e s p e c t
t h e n e i g h b o r h o o d a n d a r e o p e n t o
dialogue. Others not.
Green lighting projec ts for some vague
promise of affordability will not meet the
needs of the City nor the NOPA community.
- Steve Nuzzo, NOPA resident
4 | NOPNANews
OUT & ABOUT (continued)
PHOTO: clockwise from left, Mangrove Kitchen interior space, inside City real estate, shop front of Che Fico Alimentari.
Photo Credit: Lydia Horne
City Real Estate opens its HQ on Divisadero, a sleek glassed office between Hayes and Grove. The full-service real
estate firm represents buyers and sellers all over the city with rentals and homes for sale. With eleven agents at your
service, pop in to find your next million dollar Victorian or just a sweet crash pad until your company IPOs. City Real
Estate has been graciously hosting NOPNA general meetings in their new space since March of this year.
Looking for gifts or trinkets? Perdita on Divisadero (between Oak and Page) offers handmade goods by independent
makers — think home goods, books, stationery, and accessories. Prices range from $2 (stickers) to $300 (hand-beaded
bag), although most items are under $100. Capitalizing on the hygge aesthetic, the store offers monthly craft nights,
book clubs, and other events. Says owner Liz Lucero, “It’s been so great getting to know people in the neighborhood, it
really feels like a community.”
Lydia Horne - is a journalist specializing in photography and visual culture. She’s lived in the neighborhood for almost three years.
SAN FRANCISCO DAY SCHOOL UPDATE
issue 2 : 2019 | 5
San Francisco Day School (SFDS), on
the corner of Masonic and Golden
Gate Avenues, has been a staple in
the NOPA neighborhood since 1977.
Neighborhood residents might be
familiar with the school’s plans to
expand its campus, as it has hosted
community meetings to hear feedback
on issues like traffic and noise levels
around school grounds. But with the
campus expansion also comes plans
for the school to increase its presence
within the local community.
Head of School Dr. Mike Walker sat
down with the NOPNA News at the
end of April to discuss expansion plans
and the school’s neighborhood impact.
It is in the process of getting permits
and plans to begin construction
next year. SFDS’s expansion includes
updates to main school facilities
and plans to renovate and convert
two adjacent homes into multi-unit
apartments for SFDS teachers. The
school purchased the older Victorians
in the early 2000’s, and Dr. Walker
hopes that the housing options will
help recruit and retain teachers, and
integrate them into the neighborhood
community.
kids are being dismissed, but then
we’ve got Breakthrough kids arriving
too, and I’d love for the neighborhood
to understand that.” In addition to
Breakthrough, SFDS opens up its
facilities to organizations like the Girl
Scouts and the Bay Area Teacher
Training Institute, and it also serves as
both an SSAT testing site and voting
site during election cycles.
Other educational institutions make
efforts to integrate with the local
community. The University of San
Francisco offers local residents a
discounted gym membership, and
Head Royce School allows neighbors
to access its outdoor facilities like
tennis courts, sports fields, and
basketball courts after school hours.
Working with the local community is
“one of the things we’ve learned over
the last 10 years,” said Dr. Walker, and
he hopes that expansion will continue
the trend of integration in the future.
PHOTO: Dr. Mike Walker of SFDS.
Photo Courtesy of: SFDS.
Dr. Walker also emphasized the
expansion’s impact on community
programs like Breakthrough.
Breakthrough was started at SFDS in
1993 and currently brings non-SFDS
students to campus each weekday
for rigorous after-school academic
programming. Neighbors might have
noticed after-school traffic and Dr.
If you would like to learn more about
Walker emphasized that the difficult
the SFDS Expansion or community
logistics of turning over 400 SFDS
engagement efforts, please contact
students and almost 200 Breakthrough
the Office of the Head of School by
students over the course of a few
email at bvoss@sfday.org or phone at
hours. “At 3:30 in the afternoon, our
415-568-3602.
Angeli Agrawal - is a Bay Area native who
found out about NOPNA News by reading it in
Matching Half Cafe.
6 | NOPNANews
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH IN NOPA:
PART 2
This series originated out of some concerns of mine—
to purchase the church’s adjacent parking strip. The church
and a bit of curiosity—as a homeowner on Broderick
refused the offer. In recounting this episode, Rev. Dupré,
Street since 1977: 1.Concern with the rapid exodus of
with a friendly smile, stated firmly: “Little Zion is not for
African Americans from San Francisco; 2.Concern with
sale.”
the demographic changes in this neighborhood, and
3.Curiosity as to the fate of the African American church in
this neighborhood.
In part 1 (2019:Issue 1), I identified seven African American
churches in NOPA and I provided a short narrative profile
of one: First AME Zion. In this issue, I bring a depiction
of two churches, but I also raise here the suggestion that
the African American churches in our neighborhood echo
the NOPNA mission: “to maintain multi-ethnic and multi-
culture diversity...and foster a sense of neighborhood
pride...”; for the African American churches in NOPA are—
as the religious historian Judith Weisenfeld has written—
“arenas...to affirm black humanity, cultivate creativity,
nurture families, and enable spiritual expression.”
Little Zion Baptist Church and New Liberation Presbyterian
Church share a historical and land use lineage: both are
currently situated on land provided through the mechanism
of the Western Addition A-2 redevelopment program.
New Liberation Presbyterian Church, 1100 Divisadero
Street
New Liberation was founded on May 27, 1973 with the
present site dedicated on February 22, 1976. The founder
of New Liberation is the late Reverend Dr. Hannibal A.
Williams. Hannibal Williams is an iconic figure in community
activist circles due to his fierce and vigorous leadership
of WACO (Western Addition Community Organizations),
the principal organization in opposition to the Western
Addition redevelopment program.
I made three Sunday visits to New Liberation. However,
on each visit, the doors were locked and the customary
signs of an active church were absent. Because of New
Liberation’s revered pedigree, I wanted to be certain of
the church’s status before writing of its possible decline, so
on Sunday, April 28 I made another visit. I was delighted
to find the doors open. When I entered the sanctuary,
I witnessed an energetic young African American man
Little Zion Baptist Church, 1245 Divisadero Street
delivering a rousing sermon to a rapt multi-racial gathering
Little Zion, originally located on Fillmore Street between
Bush and Pine Streets, was founded in 1955 by the late
Reverend W.R. Drummer; its current site was dedicated on
August 14, 1977. Rev. Drummer was an active participant
in the community organization opposing the Western
of 20. I could not stay for the entire service, but I have been
informed that a new pastor has been assigned to New
Liberation, Rev. Stewart Perrillat. I will return soon to meet
the new pastor and find out if a rebirth is underway at New
Liberation.
Addition A-2 redevelopment program.
The black churches in NOPA have survived the relentless
The current pastor, Reverend Timothy Dupré, is in his fourth
year at the church. I visited Little Zion on three Sundays
and talked with Rev. Dupré at length after the service. He
speaks with confidence about the difficulties of sustaining
Little Zion in this current era of gentrification. In one of
our discussions, he informed me that the church had been
approached by a nearby developer, who offered $50,000
forces of gentrification in this neighborhood and the
steady emigration of African Americans from San Francisco
— a paradox that meaningfully, I believe, aligns these
black churches with the NOPNA mission statement by
maintaining a multi-racial and multi-cultural presence in this
vibrant neighborhood.
Carl Williams is an attorney and writer with a wide-ranging interest in African
American history, religious and literary culture; he and his wife Jayne, also an
attorney, are homeowners on Broderick Street since 1977.
issue 2 : 2017 | 7
8 | NOPNANews
HOME SHARE MATCH-MAKING -
A NEW SERVICE TO FIND THE PERFECT HOUSEMATE
PHOTO: A happy Home Match pairing anticipates move-in day. Photo credit: Home Match SF.
There are many stories behind a person’s decision to share their home, and just
as many stories behind a person’s search for a new home. Whether you need
supplemental income to meet mortgage payments, have a spare bedroom,
cannot afford rising rental costs or have been displaced, Home Match SF brings
the people behind these stories together.
Home Match SF connects people based on lifestyle and interests to ensure
compatibility. Our staff screens applicants through interviews, background
checks, and home visits. We also help design a comprehensive Living Together
Agreement and offer ongoing support, even after move-in day.
As a joint program of Covia and
Sequoia Living, two Bay Area
nonprofits, Home Match SF is a free
service, with funding from the Mayor’s
Office of Housing and Community
Development.
For more information, please
call (415) 351-1000, email info@
homematchsf.org, or visit our website
at homematchsf.org.
When I shop, I shop local. Pota was the natural choice
for our Realtor when the time came to sell our NOPA property.
She has local knowledge and lots of it.
- J. Briscoe
Pota Perimenis knows NOPA!
20
16
12
8
4
0
#1 in
Sales
and
Volume
Over the past 3 years, Pota has closed more
home sales in NOPA than any other agent.
Pota
Perimenis
#2
Agent
#3
Agent
#4
Agent
#5
Agent
Real Estate Questions?
Contact Me.
POTA PERIMENIS
#1 NOPA Realtor 2016-2019
415.407.2595
DRE 01117624
Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only
and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All
measurements and square footage are approximate. If your property is currently listed for sale this is not a solicitation.
SFPD PROFILE - CAPTAIN ENGLER
PHOTO: Captain Engler. Photo Credit: Shari Stuerenberg
Community. It’s a word that many
challenges, but says that’s why
of us hear often, but what does it
keeping community at the heart of the
really mean? For the San Francisco
department is key.
Police Department’s Northern Station,
Capt. Engler is a fourth generation
“community” defines the backbone
San Franciscan and third generation
of the work that comes with policing
SFPD officer. From his days growing
one of the most diverse landscapes in
up in the Sunset District, to watching
the city. The Northern Station’s district
his father and grandfather protect
stretches from the Presidio, to parts of
the streets, he knows what it takes
Russian Hill, Polk Gulch, Japantown,
to make a real connection with the
and the Western Addition, which
people he and his officers strive to
includes our neighborhood north of
protect. Having been on the force
the Panhandle.
since 1992, Capt. Engler says one of
Captain Joseph Engler took the reins
his most important duties is imparting
in January 2018. When reflecting on
wisdom on the Northern Station’s
his first year as captain and looking
young recruits. “Good mentorship
ahead, he admits his job isn’t without
trains my officers to be able to make
issue 2 : 2019 | 9
empowered decisions and I’ve found
there’s nothing better than a force that
owns their work,” says Engler.
One of the initiatives that Capt. Engler
is actively working on this year is San
Francisco’s Healthy Streets Operations
Center. It’s a city-wide effort for
homeless outreach. The SFPD and
the city’s Department of Emergency
Management are teaming up to
identify problem areas and direct a
unified response to behaviors that
make our neighborhoods potentially
unhealthy or unsafe. Reflecting on the
strategy, Engler offers this analysis:
“You can’t arrest your way out of a
problem. The best bet is to get to the
core issue and work to come up with
a solution so people feel safe where
they live.”
All of us here in the NOPA
neighborhood — and the larger area
that the Northern District serves —
can lend a helping hand in that effort,
too. Officers say the key is for locals
to take a picture or video before
reporting a problem or incident. If
you can see it and show it, they can
better tackle the issue; in the case of
criminal complaints, it could also be
invaluable to future prosecution. “Real
community policing is not policing
at all. It’s about the community and
getting everyone involved,” according
to Capt. Engler. That’s the message
that he’s imparting for 2019.
Shari Stuerenberg has lived in NOPA for 4
years and works at Nopalito. When she isn’t
working, you’ll find her enjoying a tall cup of
coffee at Matching Half Cafe.
10 | NOPNANews
MICRO HISTORY
THE NOPA VELODROME
San Francisco’s first bicycling craze
between 1896 and 1899, when it was
struck in the 1890s. The “safety”
moved to the Olympic Club’s running
bicycle, with equal-size wheels and
track in the Inner Sunset.
a chain drive to transfer power from
While it lasted, the bike boom was a
the pedals to the rear wheel made
great advance for women. In 1896,
it possible. Pneumatic rubber tires
Susan B. Anthony said, “the bicycle
made it a bit more comfortable. The
has done more for the emancipation
problem of the streets remained,
of women than anything else in the
however: cobblestones or unpaved
world.” Bicycling was also derided as
roads, crisscrossed with trolley
unfeminine athleticism and a moral
and cable car tracks. Cyclists
threat because of the scandalously
became formidable advocates for
indecent clothing it required,
improved roads, but also resorted to
not to mention the unspeakable
velodromes - indoor cycling arenas -
“stimulation” of a bicycle seat.
for smooth riding without trolley and
Bicycling in the 1890s was primarily
carriage traffic.
for the wealthy and upper middle
The city had at least four velodromes
classes. Safety bikes cost $100–$150,
in the 1890s, one at the corner of
or about $2700–$4000+ today. By
Fell and Baker, the site of what’s now
the early 1900s, the cycling craze
Mercy Terrace (formerly the Southern
subsided. Bike prices fell, and
Pacific Railway employees’ hospital,
cycling’s image changed from leisure
built in 1909). The North of the
sport to working-class transportation.
Panhandle velodrome existed briefly,
“VISION ZERO”
PHOTO: Man and woman with bicycles, ca. 1900.
Photo credit: http://opensfhistory.org/Display/
wnp70.0182.jpg
Linda Ackerman leads free City Guides tours of
NOPA. For the next tour see http://sfcityguides.
org/current_schedule.html.
MEET THE BOARD
PRESIDENT. Charles Dupigny, in the neighborhood
since 2010 and active board member for over five years.
Charles is interested in community advocacy that sustains
an eclectic, diverse, and connected community.
VICE PRESIDENT. Julian Mackie started volunteering
to give back to the community. Julian’s interest lies in
using data to improve our neighborhood housing and
pedestrian safety. You can catch him exploring San
Francisco or enjoying our beautiful parks.
TREASURER. Mike Leeder, in the neighborhood since
2004 and has two boys. In addition, Mike is a Co-Founder
of Bytes for Bits, an after school organization teaching
grade school kids to code software.
SECRETARY. Leela Gill, a 20+ year resident, enjoys the
neighborhood with her two boys and husband. She is active
in NOPNA community safety and event planning.
RECORDING SECRETARY. Meg Rahner, has lived
in NOPA since she moved to San Francisco from
Pennsylvania in 2010. She joined the board to be more
active as an advocate for our community. She helps with
promotions and event planning, including the annual
Block Party! (June 1!)
Jennifer Brandl, in the neighborhood since 2013. Jennifer
is passionate about volunteering and being a contribution
to communities. She is a driven leader and regularly
attends Bay Area networking events, collaborating, and
forwarding initiatives.
issue 2 : 2019 | 11
Jason Cauthen is a San Francisco native who moved
to this neighborhood in 2011 with his wife and kids.
When not working, commuting, or editing the NOPNA
News, Jason enjoys family bike rides in Golden Gate
Park.
Carmen Chan is a San Francisco native who has
lived in the neighborhood for over 8 years. Carmen
has been helping build strong relationships between
NOPNA and the local business owners we all rely on.
Jeff Dewey and his wife, Megan, have lived in the
neighborhood since 2010. Their seven-year-old
daughter is a NOPA native. Jeff has been updating
the NOPNA website and welcomes any feedback at
Tim Hickey and his wife, Leah, have lived in the
neighborhood since 2010 and can be seen with their
son, Liam, biking, and walking through the area.
Dera-Jill Pozner and her husband have lived around
the Panhandle since 1999, including 11 years in
the North Panhandle, where she also operates her
architecture and design firm.
Noreen Vokić is interested in neighborhood safety
and creating a community via social gatherings. She
has lived in the neighborhood since 2013 with her
husband Dom and their two San Francisco natives.
Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number
Respect the neighborhood, be part of the community
Your Custom Text Here