BOMA California Update - Proposition 13 Split Roll Tax Propositions

BOMA Members:

A number of Proposition 13 split roll related tax propositions are moving through the California State Legislature in 2013.  BOMA California representatives and members are tirelessly educating the state's elected officials on how Proposition 13 works, the economic effects of adopting a split roll tax as well as how it would increase property taxes on businesses by about six billion dollars.   The main argument is that Proposition 13 is working exactly the way it was intended: It doesn't allow huge yearly reassessments and tax increases without solid justification and broad voter support, and keeping property taxes stable and predictable.

Here are the 12 bills BOMA California has identified as Prop 13/Split Roll issues:

AB 59 - (Bonta D) School districts: parcel taxes.
AB 188 - (Ammiano D) Property taxation: change in ownership.
AB 561 - (Ting D) Taxation: documentary transfer tax.
ACA 3 - (Campos D) Local government financing: public safety services: voter approval.
ACA 6 - (Gatto D) Initiatives: constitutional amendments: voter approval.
ACA 8 - (Blumenfield D) Local government financing: voter approval.
SCA 3 - (Leno D) Taxation: educational entities: parcel tax.
SCA 4 - (Liu D) Local government transportation projects: special taxes: voter approval.
SCA 7 - (Wolk D) Local government financing: public libraries: voter approval.
SCA 8 - (Corbett D) Transportation projects: special taxes: voter approval.
SCA 9 - (Corbett D) Local government: economic development: special taxes: voter approval.
SCA 11 - (Hancock D) Local government: special taxes: voter approval.

More information on how these measures proceed in the next few months will be reported here.

UPDATE - Planning Code Amendments for Bicycle Parking

UPDATE - March 29, 2013

BOMA San Francisco Members:

BOMA leaders met with Planning and Department of Environment staff regarding this proposal recently.  Code development is an issue that members take seriously so this additional meeting was fruitful for all stakeholders.  The gathering produced the following suggested amendments/issues of concern to BOMA members:

• Planning, Environment Codes - Bicycle Parking; In Lieu Fee 
• References to No Cost Bicycle Parking in the Proposal 
• BOMA members ask that the commercial property owner and tenants negotiate the reasonable amount to charge for bicycle parking, if required, in an existing commercial building or parking garage. Based on BOMA member interactions with tenants, charging for bike parking will incentivize tenant employee cyclists to ride their bicycles to work and care for their bike investment (i.e., they won’t want to damage their costly bicycle as well as the commercial property). 
• Applicability (pg. 26) 
• New Entitlements 
• Planning Department staff suggested strongly that the new bicycle parking requirements in the proposal affect entitlements for new developments, not existing buildings.  
• State Law California Title 24, Part 11, Sec 5.701.6.2 
• We spoke about BOMA members’ concerns about ‘code creep’ which is a colloquial term to explain the unintended consequences of a code proposal at any level of government. BOMA members interpret and implement existing code and work closely with San Francisco Department of Building Inspection, San Francisco Fire and the Planning Department when pulling permits for Tenant Improvements and other projects for existing buildings. 
• (5) where DBI determines that an addition or alteration meets the bicycle parking thresholds set in the State Law California Title 24, Part 11, Sec 5.701.6.2 
• Planning Department staff mentioned that this new addition to the Applicability section of the proposal is required by State law. They also stated that Barry Hooper with the Department of Environment would be the correct person to speak with.  BOMA staff has reached out to Mr. Hooper but have yet to receive his comments.
• Tenant Bicycle Parking in Existing Commercial Buildings Environment Code 
• BOMA staff has communicated member concerns to the Department of Environment and are awaiting a response.  Most importantly, as detailed in the January 24, 2013 update below, is that the new bike parking requirements may affect existing buildings and parking garages based on specific criteria. 

We are awaiting an updated draft of the proposal before it is heard at the Planning Commission later in April.  Thank you to the staff from the Planning and Environment Department for listening to our member's concerns.

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UPDATE - February 28, 2013

BOMA San Francisco Members:

Please click here to review the most recent draft of the executive summary and language for the Planning Code Amendments for Bicycle Parking.   We've received word that the proposal will be continued at today's Planning Commission meeting and will be heard in the near future.

In the meantime, please continue to send in your feedback to johnb@boma.com.  The Planning Department and San Francisco Bicycle Coalition have been gracious partners in this process.  Collectively, we feel that most BOMA member issues have been addressed.

What is the major issue identified in the proposal at this time?

As present, BOMA members and other commercial property owners will have an August 2013 deadline to build a bike room to current standards or the NEW standards after August 2013.  The new layout/design requirements may impact existing building property owners that file for a specific exemption under the Tenant Bicycle Access in Existing Buildings Law.

Your BOMA Advocacy team and members are working on a compromise to extend the deadline.

What are the next steps?

We will recommend that the Planning Department/Commission consider reviewing future existing building bicycle parking facility build outs by square footage.  More details on this as the dialogue continues.

Once the Planning Commission approves the amended code changes at an upcoming meeting it then goes to the Board of Supervisors and relevant committees (most likely Land Use and Economic Development) for review. BOMA members and other stakeholders can suggest amendments at the appropriate time.

History

This large scale update to San Francisco’s Codes that relate to bicycles is based entirely on the 2009 Bicycle Plan that was adopted unanimously by the Board of Supervisors on August 11, 2009.

I want to know more. Where can I review this proposal?

Take a moment to review the Executive Summary of the Planning Code Amendments. Specifically:

• Triggers for Bike Parking Requirements in Existing Uses (p. 4) 
• Bike Parking as an Active Use (p. 5) 
• Related to bike parking rooms/facilities.  
• Bike Parking Requirements for Existing Garages (p. 6) 
• Bicycle Parking in the Environment Code (p. 7) 
• This is referencing your feedback so far regarding the Tenant Bicycle Access in Existing Buildings Law. 
• Public Comment (pp. 8-9) 
• BOMA feedback 
• Department of Environment feedback 
• San Francisco Bicycle Coalition 
• City and County of San Francisco Department of Real Estate 

If you’re so inclined, please review the language of the Planning Code Amendments. Specifically:

• Standards for Location of bicycle parking spaces – Class 1 (p. 19-20 of the ordinance)
• These are the bicycle parking requirements AFTER August 2013 if you want to build or expand your bike room.
• Effective Date (p. 26 of the ordinance)
• Note the language that identifies bicycle parking rooms (or facility) and the effective date for new bicycle parking requirements as August 1, 2013

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UPDATE - February 13, 2013

The San Francisco Planning Commission will hear this measure on February 28th.  Please email johnb@boma.com if you have any questions or concerns.

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Original Post - January 24, 2013

Your BOMA San Francisco Advocacy team has been working with our partners at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) and the San Francisco Planning Department on an ordinance that will affect the way all property owners - including the City and County of San Francisco - administer bicycle parking on and adjacent to their premises.  This new proposal includes the Tenant Bicycle Access in Existing Commercial Buildings law that our members worked on with the SFBC in 2011 and was signed into law in 2012.

The aim of this new measure is to streamline all references to bicycle parking and to provide for new requirements in the San Francisco Planning and Environment Codes.  The catalyst for these updates is the San Francisco Bicycle Plan adopted in 2009.  Please note that the Planning Department is still working on amending the proposal language to reflect stakeholder issues, including BOMA San Francisco's concerns mentioned below.  Please contact johnb@boma.com with any questions when you review the available proposal dated December 13, 2012.

About the San Francisco Bike Plan

The San Francisco Bike Plan set as one of its major goals to ‘ensure plentiful, high quality bike parking’ in San Francisco. In order to achieve this goal, this Plan asks that the existing Planning Code be amended to better address bicycle parking. The plan identifies changes that would expand and increase these requirements and also organize and consolidate the existing Code sections. The proposed legislation would help implement many of these actions specified in the adopted San Francisco Bike Plan.


Potential BOMA Member Issues - Your Feedback Is Requested

The new measure will target primarily new construction projects and existing buildings where building alterations increase the gross square footage of a structure by 20% or more.  There are a few issues that will affect a BOMA members' ability to facilitate bicycle parking in an existing building going forward.   Any feedback on the following is appreciated.  Please send to johnb@boma.com.

Bike Parking Facilities (Bike Rooms) - Grace Period Until August 2013

The aforementioned 2012 Tenant Bicycle Access in Existing Commercial Buildings law requires that commercial building owners allow bicycles to be brought into the tenant space/or into a bike room on site for tenant employees only.

If a BOMA member has elected to allow tenants to park their bicycles in a bike room and they have not built it by August 2013, they will have until that time to do so under the current Planning/Environment Code.  After August 2013, they will be subject to the new bicycle parking requirements including: new parking design standards, number of parking spaces based on square footage, path of travel (e.g., no stair or escalators may used to access parking) and parking facility location requirements that are included in the 2013 bike parking proposal.

 - Charging a Reasonable Fee for Bike Parking Facilities

If you charge a reasonable fee for use of your building's bicycle facilities, you'll need to provide the bike parking facility at no charge if you build it after August 2013.

 - Existing Bike Parking Facilities 

According to the Planning Department, if a property owner has an existing bike parking facility on site that meets the current code, they do not have to meet the new requirements (after August 2013) unless they have building alterations that increase the gross square footage of the structure by 20% or more.

- Allowing Full Tenant Employee Bicycle Access

If a property owner or manager allows all tenant employees bicycle access into the building without restriction, they are not impacted by the new proposal.

We'll update this post once we receive the next draft of the proposal outlining these changes.  Please email johnb@boma.com with any questions you may have.

BOMA Leaders Attend Transbay Tower Groundbreaking

Image retrieved at http://transbaycenter.org/

BOMA San Francisco leaders attended the groundbreaking for the new Transbay Tower that is being developed by BOMA members Boston Properties and Hines.  You can read more information regarding this exciting project via the San Francisco Business Times and by watching the video below.  Please click here for pictures from the event on the BOMA San Francisco Facebook page!

EPA Recognizes BOMA International with Sixth ENERGY STAR® Award

BOMA International was presented with its sixth ENERGY STAR® Award on March 26 during an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. as the EPA recognized the association as a Sustained Excellence Partner of the Year. BOMA’s successful application highlighted the dramatic environmental effects of the 7-Point Challenge, the continued sharing of data through BOMA STARS and the growth of Kilowatt Crackdown’s nationwide, as well as BOMA’s continued encouragement of benchmarking through other programs, such as the BOMA 360 Performance Program® and the TOBY awards.

An ENERGY STAR partner since 2005, BOMA International previously was honored as Energy Star Partner of the Year in 2007 and 2008, and received the Sustained Excellence Award in 2009, 2010 and 2012. No other commercial real estate association has received this honor.

Treasurer Appoints David Augustine as San Francisco Tax Collector

BOMA members interact with the San Francisco Treasurer's office frequently.  As such, please note that Treasurer José Cisneros recently announced his appointment of David Augustine as San Francisco Tax Collector. 

Mr. Augustine most recently has served as Interim Tax Administrator following service as Tax Collector Attorney and Policy & Legislative Manager for the Treasurer’s Office.

In accordance with the City Charter the San Francisco Tax Collector is appointed by the Treasurer and serves at his pleasure. The San Francisco Tax Collector is responsible for all tax collection in the City and is the ex offico license collector under California law.

Mr. Augustine joined the Office in 2004 as Policy & Legislative Manager, and was instrumental in the implementation of the Treasurer’s many innovative social programs, including Bank on San Francisco, Kindergarten to College, and the Working Families Credit  program. As Tax Collector Attorney he represented the office in a number of bankruptcy proceedings and coordinated collections work with the Bureau of Delinquent Revenue.

Supervisor Scott Wiener Speaks to BOMA's Government Affairs Committee

BOMA San Francisco Members:

BOMA's Government Affairs Policy Advisory Committee members welcomed Supervisor Scott Wiener to a recent meeting.  Mr. Wiener provided an update of the initiatives he is working on including, Mobile Food Facilities, CEQA reform, and funding for the care of San Francisco's urban forest.  Mr. Wiener's office is still studying this issue and we'll post more information on the proposal in the near-term.

BOMA San Francisco members approve of competent and effective political leadership at any level of government.  It was refreshing then to listen to Supervisor Wiener elucidate the ongoing collegiality at City Hall. "The tone has changed; there is more productivity" said Wiener.

Indeed, Mr .Wiener mentioned a number of successful public policy measures negotiated by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and Mayor Ed Lee recently that is a manifestation of this collaborative environment:

• Affordable Housing Trust Fund
• Business Tax Reform - Gross Receipts Tax
• California Pacific Medical Center Deal
• Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond 
• Mandatory Seismic Retrofit Program for Wood Framed Building

BOMA members thank Supervisor Wiener for his time and stewardship of rational public policy for all San Franciscans. 

BOMA International Advocacy Update - Funding for Energy-Efficient Retrofits, NYC Building Energy Use and ASHRAE Building Performance Guide

DOE Funding for Energy-Efficient Retrofits

The Department of Energy (DOE) Better Buildings Program has announced a $12 million funding opportunity for smaller commercial buildings. DOE is seeking new technical, business and implementation solutions to deliver energy-efficiency in commercial buildings of 50,000 sq. ft. or smaller that will result in energy savings of at least 20 percent in existing buildings and meet or exceed the Architecture 2030 Challenge targets in new construction. Six to twelve awards will be given out with the maximum award of $2 million per recipient.

DOE also hosted a brief webinar to explain the application process. More information and the full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) can be found online. The initial concept submission is due next Friday, March 22.

EPA Announces Cities with the Most ENERGY STAR® Buildings in the U.S.

Los Angeles once again has bragging rights as the U.S. city with the most ENERGY STAR certified buildings in 2012, a list it has topped for an impressive five years running. The city had 528 buildings achieving a 75 or greater through verified benchmarking in ENERY STAR’s Portfolio Manager last year. The number two slot goes to Washington, D.C. with 462 buildings; third on the list is Chicago with 353 buildings; and New York City ranked fourth. Further down the list at number seven is Houston, home to the Phoenix Tower, which has earned the ENERGY STAR certification 14 times—more than any other building in the U.S.

The number of ENERGY STAR certified buildings has increased by more than 24 percent compared to the previous year, with more than 8,200 buildings earning certification in 2012 alone. The full list of cities can be found online.


New York City Energy Use Data Reveals Surprising Results

As mandated by a 2009 benchmarking disclosure law, the first public release of energy and water usage data for all New York City buildings over 50,000 sq. ft. recently occurred. More than 1.8 billion sq. ft. of space was included in the report and the data shows that, in office and multi-family buildings, the most prolific utilities users consume three-to-five times more energy than the smallest users. Somewhat surprisingly the data also showed that most newer buildings use more energy than older ones. Analysts have suggested that this could result from different usage patterns, but also could be explained by the fact that newer designs use more glass on average than most of the city’s existing buildings. Two iconic existing structures included in the release reported increased energy efficiency as a result of recent extensive renovations to their insulation and mechanical systems: the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building.


ASHRAE Publishes Existing Building Performance Measurement Guide

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recently published Performance Measurement Protocols for Commercial Buildings: Best Practices Guide, which is intended to serve as a how-to guide for continuously evaluating and improving the performance of commercial buildings throughout their service life. The guide covers energy use, water use and elements of indoor environmental quality such as thermal comfort, indoor air quality, lighting/daylighting and acoustics. According to ASHRAE, the guide provides practical performance measurement guidance to meet market demands for keeping operating costs down without sacrificing the health, comfort and productivity of building occupants. The target audience for this guide includes building owners, facility managers, building operators, commissioning authorities, consultants and design professionals. For more information and to obtain a copy of the guide, visit the ASHRAE bookstore at www.ASHRAE.org.

UPDATE: Information on Bike Sharing Pilot Program for Downtown San Francisco from the SFMTA

BOMA San Francisco Members:

UPDATE - March 18, 2013

On February 26, 2013, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a notice to Alta Bicycle Share authorizing them to deploy and operate a pilot regional bike-sharing system in the cities of San Jose, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Redwood City and San Francisco. The first phase of the project will deploy a fleet of approximately 350 bicycles and 35 kiosk stations in San Francisco and is anticipated to launch by August 2013.

For the system to reach its full potential in the region and San Francisco, additional funding will be needed to grow the system and the partners are actively seeking sponsors. In the short term, once additional funding is secured, the pilot system will be expanded to deploy at least an additional 150 bicycles at 15 kiosk stations in San Francisco. Longer term, a system size of up to 10,000 bikes regionally with several thousand bicycles in San Francisco is envisioned.

The SFMTA is prioritizing locations for the first 35 stations and will be reengaging with the public and contacting properties adjacent to these locations.

If you have any questions please contact Matt Lasky at matt.lasky@sfmta.com.

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Original Post - July 14, 2011

Bike sharing is coming to San Francisco! A regional pilot program led by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) in partnership with the SFMTA will bring approximately 50 bike share stations and 500 bikes to San Francisco’s downtown core beginning in spring 2012. The SFMTA is working with a regional team to implement this pilot along the Caltrain corridor in San Francisco, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Redwood City and San Jose and shown in this Regional Bike Sharing System map. The project is funded through a combination of local, regional and federal grants with major funding coming from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Innovative Bay Area Climate Initiatives Grant Program (BACI).

What is bike sharing?

Similar to car sharing, bicycle sharing is a term used to describe a membership-based system of short-term bicycle rental. Members can check a bicycle out from a network of automated bicycle stations, ride to their destination, and return the bicycle to a different station. Bicycle sharing is enjoying a global explosion in growth with the development of purpose-built bicycles and stations that employ high tech features like smartcards, solar power, and wireless internet and GPS technologies.

Who is involved with launching the San Francisco bike sharing system?

The BAAQMD is the overall regional project lead, coordinating the planning and implementation efforts of the local partners: the City and County of San Francisco, the Cities of San Jose, Mountain View and Palo Alto in Santa Clara County and the City of Redwood City in San Mateo County. The SFMTA is leading the project in San Francisco, and we are working in cooperation with our City and County partners, including the Planning Department, Department of Public Works, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and the Port of San Francisco. The regional partners will be selecting a contractor in fall 2011 to install, operate, and manage the system.

Where will bike sharing be located in San Francisco?

As the San Francisco Bicycle Sharing Pilot Service Area map (PDF) presents, in San Francisco, the pilot service area will be centered in San Francisco’s employment- and transit-rich Downtown/SOMA corridor between the Financial District, Market Street and the Transbay and Caltrain terminals. This area is notably flat, has the densest bikeway network coverage in San Francisco and enjoys the highest levels of cycling, yet those who commute by transit from cities to the east and south encounter difficulties bringing a bicycle with them on BART or Caltrain. Much of San Francisco’s densely urbanized northeastern quadrant is similarly well-suited to bicycle sharing.

When will bike sharing launch in San Francisco?

The regional partners will be selecting a vendor to install, operate, and manage the bike sharing system in 2011 with the goal of a system launch in Spring/Summer 2012!

Further Information

If you have any questions, comments or feedback about bike sharing, contact the SFMTA atsustainable.streets@sfmta.com.
Explore:
Overview
Pilot Area

UPDATE: CAPSS - Community Action Plan for Seismic Safety Meeting

BOMA San Francisco Members:

UPDATE - March 18, 2013

BOMA supports the Mandatory Seismic Retrofit Program for Wood Framed Buildings, or Soft Story Building Legislation, that is scheduled to be heard at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors' Land Use and Economic Development Committee.  This measure derives from CAPSS, Community Action Plan for Seismic Safety, an effort that BOMA San Francisco Codes and Regulations Committee members have been involved with since its inception.

This legislation, which includes sensible phase-in provisions for owners of residential/mixed-use properties, is a step in the right direction for the City and County of San Francisco to improve housing resiliency in the event of a major earthquake in the region.

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UPDATE - December 19, 2012

If you are interested in attending a CAPSS meeting, the next gathering will be on Monday, January 28, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at San Francisco City Hall, Room 34.  

BOMA San Francisco Codes and Regulations Committee member Will Grogan will be in attendance and will provide a report on the CAPSS meeting discussion at the February 27, 2013 Codes meeting.

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Original Post - November 26, 2012 

The CAPSS/Earthquake Safety Implementation Program continues to work toward a more resilient San Francisco. Here is a very brief update on their activities:

• Patrick Otellini appointed Director of Earthquake Safety
• Soft-story building program final review
• Private School Earthquake Safety Working Group progress
• Upcoming CAPSS/Earthquake Safety Implementation Program Public Meeting

A Message from Laurence Kornfield

Dear Friends,

Big news! The Mayor has appointed Patrick Otellini to be San Francisco’s Director of Earthquake Safety. We are fortunate to have such a qualified and enthusiastic new Director. Patrick comes to the CAPSS/Earthquake Safety Implementation Program from the private sector where has spent over a decade working across the spectrum of San Francisco’s building community – he is intimately familiar with the City’s permit approval and inspection processes, building owner and user concerns, the pragmatic construction issues of costs, scheduling, and financing. He has been closely engaged in the CAPSS earthquake safety work, including serving as a committee chairperson on the 2010 Mayor’s Soft Story Task Force. Patrick, who will be working directly under City Administrator Naomi Kelly, brings passion, vitality and commitment to the position of Director of Earthquake Safety. I am thrilled that we are fortunate enough to get Patrick Otellini in this role.

I will continue to work on the CAPSS/Earthquake Safety Implementation Program (ESIP) both on our ongoing programs and as an advisor to Patrick and his staff, as we embark on our challenging 30-year implementation program. I am extraordinarily grateful to have Patrick join me in the leadership of our crucial earthquake safety programs. Patrick’s commitment, the overwhelming support of the City leadership, and your continued involvement mean that we will succeed in making San Francisco a safer and more resilient city.

With much thanks,

Laurence Kornfield

Click here to download the Mayor’s Office press release.

Soft-Story Building Final Review

All of the pieces are now in place to move forward with a program to dramatically improve the safety of many of San Francisco’s most hazardous buildings. Over the next few months the Earthquake Safety Working Group will work to determine the best ways in which to implement the proposed regulations for earthquake upgrade of vulnerable soft-story buildings, focusing on buildings having five or more dwelling units and three or more stories (ESIP Task A.3.a). Much of the groundwork for these regulations was laid under the 2010 Mayor’s Soft Story Task Force. The CAPSS team is looking forward to a collaborative, consensus-based effort to make San Francisco’s housing stock more resilient and safer. More details on this in the near future.

Private Schools Earthquake Safety

A Private Schools Earthquake Safety Working Group, under volunteer chairperson Laura Samant, is studying the technical and policy issues related to the earthquake risk of private schools in San Francisco, and will propose ideas for how the City may best address private school safety (ESIP Task A.6.f). The group is exploring challenging issues such as community expectation for school safety, evaluation of earthquake risk, and potential building improvement opportunities. A report on the findings of this Working Group is to be delivered to the City Administrator and the Mayor in late 2013. If you would like to receive information about the activities of the Working Group by email or to participate in the Working Group, please contact Micah Hilt, micah.hilt@sfgov.org.

The next meeting will be in City Hall, Room 370, on December 6, 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Click here to download our notice to the private schools.

Upcoming CAPSS/Earthquake Safety Implementation Program Public Meeting

December 10, 11:00 a.m. until 1: 00 p.m. at City Hall, Room 370.

Please join the CAPSS team for an update on their many CAPSS/Earthquake Safety Implementation programs. This will be an opportunity to ask questions and to learn how you can get further involved in their activities.

Building Rating Systems

The CAPSS recommendations for improving San Francisco’s earthquake resilience were founded on an ability to evaluate or rate building earthquake performance and to effectively communicate about building performance with the public (ESIP Task A.6.h). Building rating systems for buildings of all types, from older homes to new high rises, are now being developed. The CAPSS/Earthquake Safety Implementation Program staff is working with the groups preparing these rating systems to assure that proposed rating systems will meet San Francisco’s needs. Expect to see one or more rating system proposals within the next few months.

Update to the Community Safety Element Adopted

The Board of Supervisors, following the lead of the Planning Commission, unanimously adopted an update to the Community Safety Element of San Francisco’s General Plan that incorporates many earthquake resilience goals, including those outlined in the CAPSS work. Thank much to Planning Department and Department of Emergency Management staff for their help in preparing this document.

Shelter-in-Place and Neighborhood Support Center update

The Shelter-in-Place and the related Neighborhood Support Center concepts focus on keeping San Franciscans in their homes, in their neighborhoods, and informed and supported after an earthquake. This will empower communities, reduce the demand for emergency housing, and facilitate a more rapid recovery. The Department of Emergency Management, SF SAFE, the Neighborhood Empowerment Network, SPUR, CAPSS/Earthquake Safety Implementation Program and many other groups and agencies have worked together to prepare demonstration programs, work which is actively continuing (ESIP Task A.4.b). More details on this coming soon!

A few of the other CAPSS/ Earthquake Safety Implementation Program programs underway:

• Demonstration of one- and two-family home earthquake improvements (ESIP Task A.6.b)
• Focus on earthquake improvements for economically-disadvantaged San Franciscans (ESIP Task A.6.e)
• Provide information and assistance about renter’s insurance and other insurance (ESIP Task A.1.b)

Thank you for your continued support of CAPSS and our Earthquake Safety Implementation Program.

Laurence Kornfield
Special Assistant to the City Administrator
laurence@kornfield.org

Patrick Otellini
Director of Earthquake Safety
patrick.otellini@sfgov.org

Micah Hilt
Earthquake Safety Implementation Program
micah.hilt@sfgov.org

 Click to follow the CAPSS Program on Facebook!

San Francisco Small Business Network - 2013 Small Business Recognition Award

BOMA San Francisco Members:

Please save the date for the San Francisco Small Business Network's (SFSBN) Awards Gala on May 9, 2013.  The Gala will highlight the winners of the SFSBN awards so nominate a small business owner you know today!

To do so, please complete the nomination form and return it to the SFSBN by March, 15, 2013 at 305 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 or fax to 415-661-5902 or scan and email to execdirector@sfsbn.org.

Candidates must own and operate a small business in San Francisco in one of the following categories:

• Small Business Owner of the Year – fewer than 25 employees
• Small Business Owner of the Year – 25 or more employees
• Small Business Advocate – Individual
• Small Business Advocate – Organization
• Certified Green Business of the Year
• Small Business Technology Award

San Francisco Announces Online Tool to Help Entrepreneurs and Businesses Start, Stay & Grow

BOMA San Francisco Members:

BOMA member buildings contain a significant number of small business tenants that may need assistance with applying for the proper permits and licenses to comply with City, State, and/or Federal requirements.

Mayor Lee and the Office of Small Business recently launched an online tool to help new businesses navigate the City’s permitting and licensing requirements. License 123 is an easy-to-use tool that allows entrepreneurs and small business owners to access permits and licenses at one convenient site, instead of contacting several City agencies, as they open a new business in San Francisco. In addition to the 92 City and County of San Francisco forms, there are 204 State of California forms and 100 Federal forms related to various business types. License 123 currently offers information on 258 unique types of businesses across 19 industries.

Small business owners can always receive customized, one-on-one assistance from the Office of Small Business regarding License 123, or how to start your business in San Francisco. Services are available by phone, walk-in, and by appointment, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. 5 p.m., at City Hall, Room 110. 

To schedule an appointment, please call (415) 554-6134, or email, sbac@sfgov.org. All services are available in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish.

Click here to use License 123 to find out which permits and licenses you need to start your business in San Francisco.