• NOPNANews

    nopna.org A Publication of the North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association

    Winter 2025

    The Inaugural Haight-NOPA

    Repair Café!

    The best thing about the Haight-Nopa

    Repair Café? The sound of the bicycle bell trilling and

    the cheers that followed signaling another successful repair!

    by Claire Bonham-Carter, Co-founder

    Justin or Emma whisked the patrons off to meet their

    designated repairer at one of the tables labelled

    ‘Woodwork,’ ‘Appliances,’ ‘Sewing,’ or ‘Electronics.’ Then

    That bell rang over 25 times and made everyone smile.

    through great repairer collaborations, patrons watched

    The community room at the Park Branch Library was

    their appliance, electronics, jewelry, or clothing being

    transformed into a hubbub of activity on the afternoon

    studied, unscrewed, soldered, tweezered, or stitched.

    of Saturday, October 4. Patrons visiting the repair café

    What did our amazing volunteers fix? Among other

    first were greeted by Bailey and Matthew, who helped

    things, a 100-year-old rosary; a 1970s record player;

    them fill in a registration form with vital statistics about

    their broken thing. Anna then helped them select a

    a toaster; a CD player; all sorts of rips and holes in

    shirts, sweaters, and pants; earrings and necklaces; and

    sweet treat, and Kinshuk showed them to a seat before

    a shopping trolley!

    (continued on page 3)

    2 | NOPNANews

    FROM THE BOARD

    Hello NOPA

    Neighbors,

    Maria Diploudis,

    NOPNA News Managing Editor

    This edition of the NOPNA News marks the one year anniversary

    since I accepted the role of Associate Editor, prior to taking on the

    role of Managing Editor. I’ve enjoyed working with our volunteer

    writers, photographers, and editors to bring together a quarterly

    newsletter centered around my favorite San Francisco neighborhood

    and the people and businesses that comprise it.

    We are always accepting new volunteers, and there are many ways

    to help in both small and big ways! If you are interested in being

    directly involved with the newsletter, you can volunteer as a writer,

    editor, photographer, or offer your time to help distribute copies of

    the newsletter. We also have lots of opportunities to help with the many

    community events we have planned. This year we hosted block parties

    on the Slow Street on Lyon, monthly neighborhood Happy Hours,

    and we just wrapped up our annual Halloween extravaganza with the

    neighbors on Grove and on Lyon. If you don’t want to commit to anything

    that feels like work, please spread the word about NOPNA to neighbors

    and businesses that might not know about us yet!

    As we approach the holiday gift-giving season, please consider

    supporting our local NOPA businesses and restaurants. If you find

    a local business you absolutely love that we haven’t featured yet,

    please let us know — we love to amplify our neighbors.

    If you have an idea for an article that you think would be a great fit

    for the newsletter, or if you have feedback about articles that we have

    already written, please email me directly at maria@nopna.org and

    let me know your thoughts!

    It has been a joy volunteering my time as Managing Editor, and am

    looking forward to a great 2026. Thank you to our wonderful volunteers

    and thank you to all who read the newsletter. I hope to hear from you!

    Maria Diploudis has lived in NOPA for fifteen years. You’ve prob-

    ably seen her walking around the neighborhood or performing

    stand-up comedy somewhere in the city.

    Sign up for our

    email newsletter!

    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, and

    Divisadero and Fell Streets.

    PUBLISHER

    NOPNA Board of Directors

    MANAGING EDITOR

    Maria Diploudis

    maria@nopna.org

    COPY EDITORS

    Lark Breen, Jason Cauthen, Robin Kutner,

    Christofer Nolan, and Meg Rahner

    LAYOUT AND GRAPHIC DESIGN

    Brenda Drake Lesch

    BUSINESS OUTREACH / ADVERTISING

    Anu Rajan

    sponsorships@nopna.org

    DISTRIBUTION

    Will Valentine

    PRINTING

    Image Printing, San Francisco

    2025 NOPNA BOARD

    PRESIDENT Tim Hickey

    VICE PRESIDENT Anna Selina

    TREASURER Caitlin Stanton

    CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

    Robin Kutner

    RECORDING SECRETARIES

    Jeremy Besmer, Leela Gill

    ADDITIONAL BOARD MEMBERS

    Martin Aetzad, Sarah Bashford, Ryan Booth,

    Jason Cauthen, Sarah Cortez, Amanda Eaken,

    Meg Rahner, Shakirah Simley, Maria Diploudis

    NOPNA is a non-profit organization

    of neighbors who care about

    the community, our city, and our

    world. Our mission is to establish

    neighborhood unity, maintain multi-

    ethnic, 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 (Venmo

    @nopnatreasurer) allows NOPNA to

    cover the costs of our newsletters,

    community building events like our

    block party and holiday party, public

    art projects in the neighborhood, and

    other activities that enrich our

    dynamic neighborhood.

    Make a difference on our streets

    and become a member today!

    Contact NOPNA

    board@nopna.org

    www.nopna.org

    (continued from page 1)

    Repair Café!

    issue 4 : 2025 | 3

    Thank you again to all our volunteers,

    many of whom are NOPA residents (in bold)

    – logistics helpers Matthew, Bailey, Erica,

    Kinshuk, Anna, Justin, and Emma; bakers

    Abby, Samantha, Johanna; master repairers

    Vishnu, Nathan, Curtis, Taran, Geoff, Pete,

    April, Jude, Lilly, Matt, Jenna, Kevin, Cyrus,

    and Alex; photographers Sean and

    Christopher; and helping fuel everyone,

    Zaid of Slow Street Coffee.

    If you missed it, check out more photos and

    the first blog on www.repaircafesf.org and dig

    out your broken thing to bring to the next

    repair café, which will be held at 1:30-4pm on

    January 25, 2026 at the Park Branch Library.

    Claire is a sustainability and climate change planning consultant who has lived in the neighborhood for 18 years.

    4 | NOPNANews

    BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH GAMES:

    GAMESCAPE CELEBRATES 40-YEARS!

    by Leela Gill

    firm in New York. Inspired by Bobby

    Fischer’s rise as a grandmaster and

    the cultural fascination with chess,

    Robert wanted to bring that passion to

    California. He founded San Francisco’s

    first game store, Gambit, a small

    shop in Chinatown, before launching

    Gamescape at 333 Divisadero Street.

    Forty years later the store remains

    a local institution, now guided by

    Robert’s son, Thomas Hamilton.

    Thomas grew up in the Sunset,

    and Gamescape has been part of his

    life since childhood. “Games filled

    my childhood with joy, but what

    I discovered as I got older is that

    building a place for others to connect

    takes passion and persistence,” he

    reflects. From loading up the family

    station wagon with inventory to help

    run his dad’s satellite stores in Palo

    Alto and San Rafael, Thomas learned

    early what it means to blend play with

    responsibility.

    In the early days chess and

    backgammon reigned supreme,

    drawing large crowds to tournaments

    hosted in the store and at nearby

    cafés. Robert’s events sometimes

    brought together 60 to 100 players at

    a time, creating a vibrant community

    around board games. Classic titles like

    Scrabble, Monopoly, Pictionary, and

    Taboo quickly followed as bestsellers,

    becoming family staples. Thomas

    notes that their popularity comes from

    the replayability and shared joy. “Every

    game of Scrabble is different. The

    strategy and challenges are what keep

    the game fun.”

    Gamescape evolved with the

    industry. What began with chess sets,

    puzzles, and Dungeons & Dragons

    has grown into a diverse collection

    On September 1, 1985, a family

    dream took shape when Robert

    Hamilton opened Gamescape, the

    Western Addition’s first dedicated

    game store. Robert, an avid chess

    player, had grown restless in his

    career as a broker for a large trading

    spanning cooperative

    adventures, trading

    card games, miniature

    games, deck builders,

    role-playing games, and

    family favorites. “There’s

    truly a game out there

    for everyone,” Thomas

    says. “What used to be

    a niche hobby is now

    mainstream — gaming

    has become part of

    modern culture.”

    This year Gamescape

    marked its 40th

    anniversary with open

    gaming, food, and

    festivities on Sunday,

    September 28. As

    issue 4 : 2025 | 5

    UPCOMING

    EVENTS

    November 20 — NOPNA Community Meeting

    November 22 — Neighborhood Trash Cleanup

    November 28 — Fourth Friday Happy Hour

    December 1 — Monday Runday

    December 7 — Slow Street Block Party

    December 27 — Neighborhood Trash Cleanup

    January 5 — Monday Runday

    January 15 — NOPNA Community Meeting

    January 23 — Fourth Friday Happy Hour

    January 24 — Neighborhood Trash Cleanup

    The NOPNA Board hosts several opportunities

    to meet neighbors! We gather monthly for

    happy hours, trash clean ups, and fun runs.

    Event details are updated frequently, so please

    follow us on social media @nopna_org or watch

    your email inbox.

    NOPNA Community Meetings: Get updates

    on neighborhood news and events. Brahma

    Kumaris Meditation Center, 401 Baker Street.

    3rd Thursdays of odd months, 6:30pm social

    time, 7pm meeting start

    Monday Runday: Are you looking for a

    casual running group? Meet Martin outside of

    Matching Half. He’ll lead a comfortably paced

    Panhandle loop and provide coffee afterwards!

    Every 1st Monday, 8:30am

    Fourth Friday Happy Hour: Come meet

    some new friends and support a local business.

    Locations rotate monthly. The first 15 people

    get a drink on us! • Every 4th Friday,

    5pm–7ish

    Neighborhood Trash Cleanup: We’re cleaning

    up NOPA every 4th Saturday. Meet neighbors

    and help keep the neighborhood clean! No ex-

    perience needed. Meeting location may rotate.

    Every 4th Saturday, 12–2pm

    Divisadero Farmers Market: DMV Parking Lot,

    Broderick at Fell. • Every Sunday, 10am–2pm

    Follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram at

    “nopna_org” or “nopna” on Xor sign up for

    email updates at www.nopna.org.

    Email us to get involved: board@nopna.org

    Thomas reflects, the store

    has always been more than

    a business; it’s a place for

    people to connect. “I get

    to walk into a game store

    every day and play games

    with like-minded people,” he

    says. “That’s what makes it

    worthwhile.”

    Gamescape thrives not only

    on its selection but on the

    community that has grown

    within its walls. With a staff of

    13, Gamescape feels more

    like a family. Team outings,

    like a recent Escape Room adventure, bring employees

    together just as much as the customers do. And the holidays

    are especially meaningful: “Closing on Christmas Eve after

    helping so many people find the right gift is an incredible

    feeling,” Thomas shared.

    This holiday season, that same spirit of connection makes

    Gamescape a meaningful place to shop local and give gifts

    that bring people together. Consider making Gamescape

    part of your own tradition by finding the perfect game to wrap

    and share. Among the hidden gems Thomas recommends is

    Sky Team, a cooperative game where players act as co-pilots

    trying to land a plane in a crowded airport. With so much

    variety on the shelves, from classics to modern favorites,

    holiday shoppers can count on discovering unexpected and

    memorable gifts for everyone on their list.

    Leela Gill, NOPNA Board member, has lived in the area for many years with

    her family and enjoys the Farmers Market and all the businesses in the area!

    6 | NOPNANews

    KNOW YOUR RIGHTS:

    ENCOUNTERS WITH ICE

    by Anna Selina

    Did you miss the Know Your

    Rights training at the July

    community meeting? Here’s

    a simple guide on how to better

    protect yourself and neighbors during

    an ICE encounter.

    Every person in the US has

    guaranteed rights under the

    Constitution, regardless of

    immigration status. Fundamental

    rights include:

    • Right to remain silent when

    questioned or arrested by

    immigration officers.

    To view these documents at full size visit:

    https://asaptogether.org/en/

    sample-warrants/

    • Protection against unlawful

    search and to demand a judicial

    warrant.

    • Right to counsel if you are

    arrested.

    What does that mean in practice?

    AT HOME

    • Do not open the door.

    • Tell them they don’t have

    permission to enter your home.

    • Ask to see the warrant through a

    window or under the door. Ensure

    it is signed by a judge and all

    information is correct.

    • Do not answer any questions

    or sign anything without an

    attorney. You can say “I chose

    to remain silent.”

    • You are not required to show

    documentation. Do not show

    fake documents.

    ICE must have a judicial warrant

    (left) signed by a judge to enter your

    home. ICE “warrants” (right) are not

    signed by judges and do not grant

    access to your home without consent.

    If they are asking for your permission

    to come inside your home, they likely

    don’t have another legal way to enter.

    CAN LEGALLY ENTER

    CAN NOT LEGALLY ENTER

    issue 4 : 2025 | 7

    Provided by Immigrant Legal Resource Center. Available in more languages here: https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards-tarjetas-rojas

    AT WORK

    • Try to remain calm and stay silent.

    Do not answer questions about

    your immigration status or country

    of origin.

    • Ask to see the warrant. ICE needs

    a warrant to enter non-public

    areas of your workplace. These

    areas should be clearly marked as

    “private” or “employee only.”

    • You are not required to show

    documentation. Do not share fake

    documents — doing so can lead to

    additional charges.

    • Do not sign anything without an

    attorney.

    TRAFFIC STOP

    • Remain calm and pull over when

    you can safely do so.

    • Open your window slightly but do

    not open your door. Keep your

    hands visible.

    • Drivers and passengers have the

    right to remain silent. Do not

    answer questions about your

    immigration status or country of

    origin.

    If you are a passenger, you can ask

    if you are free to leave. If they say

    yes, calmly leave.

    If asked, the driver must show

    their license and registration.

    Passengers do not need to show

    identification.

    • Do not consent to a search of

    your self or your vehicle. If police

    believe your car contains evidence

    of a crime, your car may be

    searched without your consent.

    IF YOU SEE ICE OUTDOORS

    • Move to a safe indoor location.

    If questioned on the street, ask if

    you are free to leave. If they say

    yes, calmly walk away immediately.

    If you are a US citizen, record

    or document any relevant

    information.

    IF ARRESTED OR DETAINED

    • Ask if you are free to leave. If

    they say yes, calmly walk away

    immediately.

    • Contact a lawyer. If you do not

    have one, SF Rapid Response

    Network (415-200-1548) can

    provide immediate assistance.

    • Do not sign anything.

    • Ask for an interpreter, if needed.

    US CITIZENS CAN PLAY A

    VITAL ROLE IN PROTECTING

    OUR NEIGHBORS:

    • Educate. Speak with your

    community and neighbors

    about our rights. Share this

    article or print and distribute

    Know Your Rights cards.

    • Document. You have a right

    under the First Amendment to

    record or take photos of law

    enforcement and ICE so long as

    you don’t interfere with an arrest.

    You can report an ICE raid to

    SF Rapid Response Network by

    calling 415-200-1548.

    • Fact-check information.

    Disinformation spreads quickly —

    do not spread rumors.

    • Support community

    organizations like East

    Bay Sanctuary, who hosted

    this training. Check out

    https://eastbaysanctuary.org/

    know-your-rights/.

    Anna Selina has lived in the neighborhood for

    10+ years. She’s a regular at trivia, neighbor-

    hood eateries and the Panhandle.

    8 | NOPNANews

    OLD BLOOD BANK GETS

    NEW PURPOSE AT USF by Andrea Gremer

    I used to be deathly afraid of

    needles. Anyone administering an

    annual flu shot would have to remind

    me to breathe so I didn’t pass out.

    Then, in 2017, a coworker organized

    a blood drive. In an effort to get

    over my fear, I agreed to donate

    blood. While I didn’t get over my

    terror — and it turns out you’re

    supposed to be tense when you

    give blood — I did discover that

    I’m an almost-universal blood

    donor and that a Vitalant blood bank

    (Blood Centers of the Pacific) at 270

    Masonic was literally two blocks away

    from my home. I’ve been a regular

    donor ever since. However, after

    ten years of negotiations, the

    Vitalant property was sold to the

    University of San Francisco (USF) for

    $31 million in May 2022.

    As of September 2025, according

    to the USF website, the timeline for

    site improvements is undetermined,

    pending funding, final design, and

    permitting. Building renovations will

    include seismic retrofitting, but

    USF is not proposing any changes

    to the building’s footprint. In the

    meantime use of the parking lot

    is available to appropriately

    permitted USF vehicles, and USF

    Public Safety will cite any vehicle that

    is illegally parked.

    l

    l

    u

    T

    h

    a

    o

    N

    y

    b

    s

    o

    t

    o

    h

    P

    The former Vitalant

    building, located on

    the northeast corner

    of Masonic and Turk,

    was built in 1955 to

    provide blood bank

    services throughout

    Northern California

    and includes about

    76,000 square feet

    of space across three

    stories. Previously used

    for blood donations,

    lab testing, and

    patient intake, the

    building will be

    transformed for cross-

    disciplinary activities

    including simulation,

    virtual reality, and

    research, according

    to the USF website. The school

    expects the costs to acquire

    and improve the building was

    approximately $73 million, including

    the initial purchase in 2022. In 2024,

    USF received donations from the

    Herbst and Fletcher Jones

    foundations totaling $1.5 million for

    building renovations and equipment

    purchases. Upon completion, the

    USF School of Nursing and Health

    Professions, College of Arts and

    Sciences, and School of Education

    will all make use of the space, which is

    currently referred to as the Health &

    Life Science Campus. In a nod to the

    building’s history of being the first

    blood bank in the nation to routinely

    test blood units for HIV, the new campus

    expansion will continue this legacy of

    scientific research and learning.

    Andrea iis a Bay Area native and has lived in

    NOPA for the last ten years. As an avid but

    slow runner, you may see her plodding around

    the neighborhood in the early mornings.

    issue 4 : 2025 | 9

    NOPNA NEWS

    VOLUNTEER

    OPPORTUNITIES

    NOPNA News is a volunteer-

    driven publication created by

    and for our neighbors. If you’d

    like to get involved and be a part

    of its creation, join us — we’d

    love any contribution of your

    skills, voice, or time.

    There are several areas where

    we are always looking for more

    support:

    PHOTOGRAPHY — Do you

    have a great eye and a decent

    camera? Volunteer to capture

    the beauty and humanity of our

    neighborhood in photographs.

    DELIVERY — If you want 30-45

    minutes of exercise every three

    months, become a deliverer and

    help these 4,000 issues find their

    way into your neighbors’ hands!

    WRITING — We’re always look-

    ing for folks interested in writing

    content. You can pick a topic or,

    if you prefer, we

    can assign you

    a story.

    COPY-EDITING —

    Did you find any

    errors in this issue?

    Would you like

    to have input

    on the tone or

    content of the

    next issue? Reach

    out, we want to

    hear from you!

    If any of these

    roles interest you,

    or if you have

    other ideas for

    ways to contribute,

    we’d love to

    hear from you at

    board@nopna.org.

    10 | NOPNANews

    CELEBRATING SAN FRANCISCO’S

    GOOD NEIGHBORS by Meg Rahner

    NOPNA proudly joined the

    inaugural San Francisco Good

    Neighbor Week, celebrating

    the people who make our city

    feel like home. From September

    27 to October 5, neighbors came

    together to honor acts of kindness,

    strengthen connections, and build a

    more vibrant, welcoming community.

    The week coincided with National

    Good Neighbor Day, a tradition

    started by President Jimmy Carter

    in 1978, and included a wide range

    of neighborhood events, resources

    for block leaders, and even a Good

    Neighbor Hackathon.

    One of the highlights was NOPNA’s

    Fourth Friday Happy Hour on

    September 26, the eve of Good

    Neighbor Week, at the Lyon Slow

    Street Mural. Nearly 100 neighbors

    of all ages gathered outdoors to

    connect with one another, and many

    indulged in wine tasting from Certified

    Specialist of Wine and NOPA neighbor

    Adam Antelyes. The event was a

    joyful reminder of the power of

    community. NOPNA looks forward to

    making this outdoor happy hour an

    annual tradition.

    The week also celebrated local

    efforts to beautify NOPA. Volunteers

    planted over 50 new trees with

    Friends of the Urban Forest in late

    August, and Phase Two of the project

    during Good Neighbor

    Week brought even more

    green space to our streets.

    The Neighborhood Trash

    Cleanup on September 27

    at Central and Hayes saw

    neighbors pitching in to

    keep the area clean before

    gathering afterwards at

    Scarlet Fox.

    Good Neighbor Week

    was a chance to shine a

    spotlight on the everyday

    heroes who strengthen our

    neighborhoods through

    kindness, generosity, and

    dedication. People were

    encouraged to nominate

    neighbors for “Good

    Neighbor Awards” and the

    NOPA winners are Zaid

    Zayouna, Leela Gill, Danny Saiki,

    Will Valentine, and Tim Hickey. It

    was also an invitation to all of us

    to reflect on how we, too, can

    contribute to a stronger, more

    connected community.

    “It was incredible having over

    40 community partners join the

    city’s inaugural celebration of this

    holiday,” said Julia Gitis, founder

    of SF Good Neighbor Week. “This

    included promoting the Good

    Neighbor Awards, celebrating 40+

    neighborhood events, and passing

    a Board Resolution and Mayor

    Proclamation for SF Good Neighbor

    Week. We’re excited to organize SF

    Good Neighbor Week again in 2026

    and to expand and improve on how

    this year’s celebrations went.”

    Thank you to everyone who

    participated, planted trees, picked

    up litter, or simply celebrated a

    neighbor’s efforts. Together, we’re

    making NOPA – and San Francisco

    as a whole – a friendlier, more

    connected place to live.

    issue 4 : 2025 | 11

    WHERE ARE ALL

    THE PHARMACIES?

    by Genna Gores

    Imagine this scenario: you are

    wrapping up a doctor’s appointment,

    and the nurse asks you where your

    closest pharmacy is located. As a

    NOPA resident, do you pick the CVS

    or the Walgreens that are both a mile

    away? You choose CVS in Lower Haight

    over the Fillmore Walgreens, even

    though both require a special trip.

    For many in NOPA this dilemma

    probably sounds familiar. Before the

    COVID-19 pandemic, there were more

    options available for NOPA residents.

    In 2022 Save Mart, the parent

    organization of Lucky Supermarket

    on Fulton, was sold to Los Angeles

    private-equity firm Kingswood Capital

    Management. This merger sold off

    the pharmacy located within all Lucky

    stores to Walgreens, eliminating

    NOPA’s most convenient pharmacy.

    In early 2025, Walgreens announced

    it would close 12 stores in San

    Francisco, including 1363 Divisadero.

    Walgreens cited the prevalence of

    online retailers like Amazon and

    declining prescription drug payments

    as the main reasons behind the

    closures. Now the closest Walgreens

    is in the Fillmore. These closures

    are a nuisance to many, but for those

    who are transit-dependent or have

    limited mobility, this change could

    be life-altering.

    Pharmacy closures are a nationwide

    issue. According to a UC Berkeley

    research study, about 1 in 3 retail

    pharmacies in the US have closed since

    2010. Within San Francisco at least

    64 pharmacies have closed in the past

    10 years, with Walgreens and

    CVS closing approximately half their

    stores since 2021.

    While many may blame crime for

    these closures, the actual culprit is

    Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs).

    PBMs arose in the 1970s as a middle

    manager between pharmacies and

    insurance/drug companies — they

    decide the price of the drugs and

    the reimbursement process for

    pharmacies. Pharmacies report that

    PBMs under-reimburse pharmacies

    for their drug purchases and also

    penalize pharmacies that do not

    utilize their services. According to

    CBS News, “insurance plans are

    reimbursing pharmacies less than the

    cost to purchase the drug for at least

    three of every 20 prescriptions they

    fill.” The combination of PBMs, online

    pharmacies, and thefts is a sure recipe

    for pharmacy closures.

    Early this year, District 9 Supervisor

    Jackie Fielder brought light to this

    issue. Her office is currently looking

    into options such as allowing the city

    to purchase medications in bulk to sell

    to pharmacies at a regulated price,

    cutting out the PBMs completely.

    Innovative ideas are crucial to

    help keep pharmacies open in San

    Francisco that provide a crucial in-

    person healthcare service to our city.

    Until another pharmacy opens in the

    neighborhood, check in with older

    neighbors and those with mobility

    challenges. Perhaps offer to take a nice

    stroll to Lower Haight or the Fillmore

    to grab their prescriptions.

    Meg Rahner is a communications professional

    who’s passionate about building community.

    She’s called NOPA home since moving to

    San Francisco 15 years ago and serves on the

    NOPNA board.

    Genna Gores is a native San Franciscan who has lived on and off in NOPA for four years. She

    works for Marin Transit and is a passionate advocate for reliable, safe, and accessible transporta-

    tion systems in the Bay Area.

    Autumn Update

    From Mollie + Declan

    As we dive into the Fall selling season, I’m thrilled to share

    that our market is buzzing more than ever! Inventory

    is tight, the buyer pool is deep, and multiple offers are

    becoming the norm. It’s unmistakably a market on the rise,

    and it feels like a front-row seat to another dotcom boom,

    but this time, it’s happening right here in San Francisco

    thanks to the explosive AI startup scene.

    The past months of 2025 have been nothing short of

    remarkable. On a personal note, we experienced a

    dynamic Spring season, wrapping up a good number

    of remarkable properties in and around NOPA with

    buyer pools stronger than we could’ve expected, and

    as we head into Fall, San Francisco’s real estate market

    is gaining incredible momentum, driven by the rapid

    acceleration of AI startups fueling a vibrant, competitive

    environment. Rents are soaring at the fastest rate in the

    country, and median sales prices are climbing year over

    year.

    September was a record-breaking month: luxury home

    sales exploded, and more listings went into contract than

    in September 2024. While new listings nearly doubled

    from August, the year-over-year stats show a sharp

    decline in active listings and price reductions, creating

    huge demand pushed by dwindling supply.

    We’re keeping a close eye on October sales data, which

    will give us further insights into this dynamic Autumn

    market. Typically, activity slows down in November for the

    holidays, but if recent trends continue, it’s shaping up to

    be an exciting season.

    Thinking of selling? With over 28 years of NOPA expertise,

    we know how to navigate this fast-paced environment

    and deliver exceptional results. Reach out anytime, let’s

    chat about how we can make it happen. Can’t wait to see

    you around the neighborhood!

    And once again, a

    huge shout-out to

    our NOPNA Board

    for orchestrating

    yet another

    fantastic Halloween

    celebration, another

    year of creating

    unforgettable

    memories with friends

    and neighbors!

    All the best,

    Mollie + Declan

    scan for more

    Year-over-Year % Change in Monthly Number of Home Sales

    by Bay Area County, September 2025 Sales*

    Comparing September 2025 to September 2024

    OUR FEATURED FALL NOPA LISTINGS

    2276 FULTON STREET

    Dynamic Recent Remodel

    2 Levels, 1510 sq ft

    3 BD | 2.5 BA

    Large Landscaped Yard

    2276Fulton.com

    815 LYON STREET, UNIT A

    Exceptional Modern Condo w/

    add’l upgrades since 2020 reconstruction

    Beautiful Exclusive-use Yard

    Walkout Deck off Kitchen/Living room

    3 Beds | 3 Baths plus Home Office

    1-Car Parking

    LyonModernHome.com

    MOLLIE POE + DECLAN HICKEY

    NOPA Property Owners, NOPNA Business Members,

    and Trusted Neighborhood Realtors for Over 28 years.

    Compass SF Founding Members, Nationally Ranked

    Industry Leaders, and SF Top Producers Since 2003.

    415.902.2447 | mollie@compass.com | declan@compass.com

    DRE 01239280 + 01356209

    Sales reported to NorCal MLS Alliance, per Infosparks. Estimates based on data available on 10/3/25. Percentages rounded. Data from sources deemed reliable, but may contain errors and subject to revision. Not all sales are reported to MLS. All numbers approximate and

    may change with late-reported sales. Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628, 01527235, 1527365. 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.