Fillmore / Lower Fillmore Neighborhood Association (FLFNA)
MINUTES (DRAFT) – General Community Meeting – Jan. 26, 2012, “Creating Opportunities in the Fillmore through Street Carts and Food Trucks
Minutes Contain the Following Sections
- About the Fillmore Neighborhood Association and Purpose for Meeting
- Getting Started with Street Vending (Presentation by Pia local restaurant manager at Gussie’s Chicken & Waffles) (*1)
- Presentation by Department of Public Works (Issuer of Permits on Public Spaces)
- How Can Street Vending Benefit Local Businesses and Community?
- City Contractors for Street Vending Training/Development in Western Addition.
- Resources for Existing and Start-up Street Vendors
- Action Item: Established Artisan Marketplace at Gene Suttle Plaza Sub-committee
- Action Item: Established Fillmore Public & Private Space Development Sub-committee
- Action Item: Explore the Creation of a Sub-committee for Neighborhood Beautification and Increasing Foot Traffic
1) About the Fillmore Neighborhood Association and Purpose for Meeting:
- Our vision is that all people work together to come up with something that benefits everyone in the community. Black people and other long time residents and new people can live and share a thriving and viable community.
- The parameter/boundary of the Fillmore Neighborhood Association or “Fillmore Proper” is from Grove to Geary Blvd and Laguna to Divisadero Street. The historic boundary of the Fillmore is from Waller Street to Geary Blvd. and Gough to Masonic Street. Any business or resident within either boundary can join our neighborhood association. If you live outside of “Fillmore Proper” and want to join the Fillmore Neighborhood Association we ask that you join the local neighborhood association as well.
- We want residents and businesses in the area to set up street vending sites as well as other innovated street vendors who live outside the community.
- The Fillmore Neighborhood Association has a diverse board and we welcome the different identities to become a member and participate in our upcoming board elections. We want to maintain the culture that is represented here.
- We have Japantown that in twenty years may not be here. There is the outgoing community in Fillmore which is predominantly Black folks and the in coming community which is a nice diversity of people. Our mission and anything that we do is for people to work together, new comers, long-time residents and everyone in between.
- At the core of our efforts around street vending is the economics of the Fillmore. By selling jewelry and products members of the community become not only consumers but producers. Anything we do is to provide opportunities for the local community; at the end of the day the neighborhood association serves the community.
- Food carts and trucks can be supported but working in balance with community especially now that the CBD is gone. Whatever the issues are especially the financing. We want to make sure it works to enhance and energize and not be so restricted or cumbersome that breaks the efforts and energy of people and not able to be successful in the long run.
- We all know about the out migration of Blacks in S.F. The community is dealing with not only the out migration but the Black folks that are still here. We are trying to open it up economically so folks can be able to afford to stay here.
- Bayview and Portreo Hill are going through demographic changes. Even the Latinos in the Mission District are being pushed out. It is really a class issue. We are not trying to make this a whole African American thing because it is not going to be like that ever again in Fillmore, we want to maintain some type of Black presence.
- Beautify and market the Fillmore area. Business on the street that are positive and bring foot traffic will help to curve what is going on with the thefts at Safeway. We can turn the bad into the positive by creating opportunities.
2) Getting Started with Street Vending (Presentation by Pia local restaurant manager at Gussie’s Chicken & Waffles) (*1)
- We produced Reggae Festival the past summer and sold food booth to other street vendors ourselves as well as we our street vendors and we rent space at other events/festivals to sell food.
- Health Department a real stickler about where restrooms are located when setting up food booths/vending… a few feet not just across the street.
- Hand sanitation table, respect for public space and property, so you need tarps on the ground, fire dept for open flames, access to own garbage (can’t just dump).
- The most successful business is when you don’t repeat what is already there. Meet the community half way, you want to respect the businesses around you and don’t want to be repetitive.
- Be creative and trendy. The most successful day we have had is when we sold fried cool-aide. We got the ideal form yahoo where we saw that fried cool-aid was trending.
- You want to create something crave-able. You don’t want to do it everyday.
- Yelp can let people know that you are here, also a way of selling events. Advertise every week in the area you are vending. You can always trade product for advertisement. SF weekly has a Street Team that you can give free meals/other give-away to get advertisement for your business.
- Don’t want to impose on other businesses that are around, all businesses are trying to survive daily.
- Biggest challenge. Getting the word out. Being mindful of what is going, not just in your neighborhood but all around the City. We picked a date for our Reggae Festival that had a really big concert. Know everything that is going on in the City.
- Street Vending is popular.
- Neighborhood advertisement… have lunch during odd hours.
3) Presentation by Department of Public Works (Issuer of Permits on Public Spaces)
- Have a well thought out plan. Need help go to the Small Business Commission.
- Moving forward there are fees. Health Dept need to collect permit fees because they need to inspect food. If you have an open flame source used for cooking Fire Dept. will need to issue a permit, the Fire Dept. has to come out and check. There is a business tax certificate with City. All this is standard before we issue permit.
- Base fee and additional location. Each person can have a maximum of seven permits. Seven carts, unlimited number of locations for permits. The caveat is to give use times for locations. I don’t know how many people are going to be out there. We are flexible in the beginning.
- Two ways to apply: One cart one truck, with multiple locations or one location and multiple trucks.
- Notification process: Labels, postage of all business 300 feet from location and give to DPW. DPW will send out a letter. So and so want to sell this and you have 30 days to reply. The business owner has a right to object. Talk to them, try to resolve issue or the business owner can ask for departmental hearing.
- What we do when there are objectives. Why it is a good thing or bad thing. The director will make a decision. It is or not ok but I am going to change the permit conditions based on the concerns that people may have.
- At that point you as a street vendor/merchant have 90 days to get all the permits. Obviously we don’t want you to buy a truck before you get the guarantees.
- Late night food after 8pm you are required to contact the local police officer. Yes or no. If SFPD don’t want you to work at a certain time we are not going to approve it.
- Guidelines where you can be. Not allowed to set up in residential area. Can not set up 1,500 feet from school. Evaluation is on ethnic food.
- Walk around think about what you want to set up. Specific size. Curb-side or next to curve. How wide is sidewalk, am I blocking anything. We wont’ tell you where to go.
- Public comment - I know there are quite a few schools in area and I raised three kids in public schools. The street vendors can be more healthy than public school food. Can this law be revisited.
- Public comment – I think the law is good. It was probably set up so businesses don’t target youth while they are at school.
- Public Comment – Don’t’ want kids off premises
4) How Can Street Vending Benefit Local Businesses and Community?
- The most successful business is when you don’t repeat what is already there. Meet the community half way, you want to respect the businesses around you and don’t want to be repetitive. Don’t impose on other businesses around, all businesses are trying to survive.
- Street Vendors should set up everyday, but in different locations when appropriate.
- The core effort around street vending is the economics for the Fillmore. By selling jewelry and products members of the community become not only consumers but producers.
- The community is dealing with not only the out migration of Black people but the Black community that is still here. We are trying to open Street Vending up and create a level playing field economically so people from the Fillmore can be able to afford to stay here.
- We want residents and businesses in the area to set up street vending sites as well as other innovated street vendors from throughout San Francisco.
- Consideration be given to brick-and-motor businesses in the case where a street vendor has a significantly lower over-head costs but selling the same product as the existing store-front.
- Arts and crafts is a good fit for street vending that benefit all local businesses in the area because it is not in direct competition and complements area businesses which creates a win-win.
- Brick-and-motor businesses in many cases have higher overhead costs, consideration should be given on a case-by-case basis.
- Innovated street vending that provide the best food or products, potential for success and is an economic benefit to the community should be a priority, no matter if local owned or not.
5) City Contractors for Street Vending Training/Development in Western Addition.
- Mobile Food Workshop May 19-Oct 13, 2011 (Urban Solutions, La Cocina, OEWD and Wells Fargo
- Urban Solutions training in general business skills.
- La Cocina training industry specific (street vending).
- Workshops for WA residents but open to anyone; didn’t’ want to limit knowledge.
- Participants stronger but not ready to start street vending.
- Fillmore Artisan Marketplace
· OEWD allocated financial resources to Urban Solutions to assist in the development.
- Community Development Block Grant to La Cocina
· OEWD asked La Concina to apply and received a $25,000 cart that has been designated for use in Fillmore by local residents. The folks that went through the Mobile Food Workshop above will have a process to compete to use cart for first year under extremely favorable terms.
6) Resources for Existing and Start-up Street Vendors
- The Small Business Commission
- SCORE
- Supervisor Christina Olague Office will look for and find funding streams and other resources for existing and start-up street vendors.
7) Action Item: Established Artisan Marketplace at Gene Suttle Plaza Sub-committee:
- Make recommendation on what the organizational structure should look like as well as a business plan for an artisan market place at Gene Suttle Plaza.
- Examples of organizations structures are cooperatively or collectively owned by vendors/artists, managed by a for-profit, non-profit, neighborhood association sub-committee, collaboration and/or other.
- Gene Suttle Plaza is a circular plaza that connects Safeway to Fillmore Street like a thoroughfare. Gene Suttle Plaza is privately owned.
- First we have to get the property owners ok which he seems completely open. There is a successful Farmers Market which was started by a local resident Mel Simmons. An ideal is to start out having the marketplace on Saturday. Sat is a good day to start because the Farmers Market is already drawing people.
- Adding another day can be considered. The limit should be three days which is the limit due to a type of permit to apply for. Revocable permit which only allow for three days a week.
- Supervisor Christina Olague Office will look for and find funding streams and other resources for existing and start-up street vendors when appropriate.
- The marketplace will be open by summer.
- Need clean access to electricity.
- Must go through the Planning Department and not DPW since this is private property.
- The property owner is currently undergoing a major painting project.
8) Action Item: Established Fillmore Public & Private Space Development Sub-committee:
- Two Types: One cart one location or one location multiple trucks.
- Outside Property Line – DPW
- On Property – Planning Commission
- Special Events Permit
- MTA Street Fairs to get closer permit
- 1 day permit
- Commercial Zoning
- Residential Zoning
- Safeway Parking lot
- Food truck in Safeway is Planning Department
- Create a win-win
- Economic or enterprise zone
- Kimball park
- Beautify area
- Resident Survey
- Weekly Street Closers
- Juneteenth
- Ella Hill Hutch
- More Street Closer
- Bike Assessable
- Host Food Cart Competition
- Creating opportunities for youth
- The market is dead right now to implement a lot of street vending in Fillmore. The community is not in the right position to go to extreme with street vending.
- Street vending can create division in community and move Fillmore backwards.
- People come to the Fillmore for historic value like to visit John Coltrane Church and Marcus Book Store.
- Make sure community want businesses here, store front or street vendors
- Not a lot of people selling deserts.
- Food Commissaries - Exxletic (Bayview), Mission Creek and South City
- Food Carts Stored Behind Fences to Protect Carts
- More foot traffic to improve business
- Reality and Balance
- Young people are not skate-holders right now, they have no interests here, young people must become stake-holders, it is possible to share a vision.
- Informal economy to formal economy
9) Action Item: Explore the creation of a Sub-committee for Neighborhood Beautification and Increasing Foot Traffic:
- Reach out to local stake-holders/residents.
- Kick off with theme around Black History Month
