Saturday, March 31, 2018
 

As a born and raised Jesuit-educated San Franciscan, it is my absolute honor to proclaim March 31, 2018 Sister Jean Schmidt Day in the City and County of San Francisco.

Sister Jean is a native San Franciscan, attended Most Holy Redeemer Grammar School and St. Paul High School, and at 98 years young, has been the most loyal and vocal supporter of the University of Loyola-Chicago’s men’s basketball team.

President Trump’s latest attack on the transgender community is obscene and unpatriotic. Anyone willing to risk their life to keep our country safe should be able to serve and defend our country with honor.

The federal administration has once again tried to repackage a discriminatory policy in an attempt to disguise its bigoted intent. Plain and simple, this ban is an attack on human rights and our core values as a country. We have come too far to allow one person to set us back.

For too long, this nation has followed the same tragic script: we play witness to a mass shooting, mourn the losses and passionately advocate for sensible gun reforms, only to be disappointed time and again by a lack of progress.

But we are seeing the dawn of a new era. Thanks to the brave and courageous actions of our youngest generation of leaders, this nation is finally rising up against the murderous policies of the National Rifle Association and the spineless actions of Republicans indebted to that organization.

Mayor Mark Farrell today convened a safety briefing and roundtable discussion with representatives from autonomous vehicle (AV) companies and City officials to begin an ongoing dialogue regarding the future of self-driving vehicles in San Francisco.

From the pioneering leadership of Dianne Feinstein to the innovative accomplishments of architect Julia Morgan to the moving beauty of poet Maya Angelou, San Francisco has always been a great City because of the amazing contributions of our women residents—a legacy we proudly celebrate.

However, outside of this City, these are troubling times for women. We have a President who has shown an appalling lack of respect for women and a federal administration that continues to attack female health and reproductive rights.

Mayor Mark Farrell and Adult Probation Chief Karen Fletcher today announced expanded efforts to confiscate guns from individuals convicted of felonies and violent misdemeanors, made possible by the passage of Proposition 63.

In response to a four-alarm fire in North Beach on Saturday night, Mayor Mark Farrell has activated the Small Business Disaster Relief Fund to assist seven local businesses affected by the incident.

“When these devastating events impact our small businesses, the City must act—and act quickly—to support our local merchants,” said Mayor Farrell. “Neighborhoods such as North Beach are special because of their unique blend of homegrown businesses—the communities would not be the same without them. We want to ensure that these businesses are back up and running as soon as possible.”

For the second straight year, the Trump Administration has proposed unprecedented cuts to essential cultural programs that bolster our city’s economy and contribute to an environment that fosters innovation and creativity. 

San Francisco is famous for its influence on the arts and culture world. From our storied history with experimental, counterculture music movements, to the first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20^th century art, the City’s art scene has something to offer every resident and visitor.

Mayor Mark Farrell and Supervisor Jane Kim today introduced legislation to create 50 permanent supportive housing units for formerly homeless residents at the vacant Minna Lee Hotel in the SoMa District.

Today, Mayor Farrell announced second year data from the implementation of Laura’s Law that showed those suffering from severe mental illness who qualified for Laura’s Law were significantly less likely to return to the City’s crisis systems and jail following placement in treatment.