BOMA San Francisco Government Affairs Members Meet with BART's General Manager - Grace Crunican

BOMA's Government Affairs Policy Advisory Committee members met with Grace Crunican recently to discuss BART's System Renewal Program Plan . Click here for her presentation. Our members look forward to collaborating with Grace and her team on the organization's future-forward vision for BART.

About Grace Crunican

Grace Crunican was appointed General Manager of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit by the BART Board of Directors on August 31, 2011. She oversees a staff of 3,137 full time employees and a $15 billion transportation infrastructure. The Board of Directors selected Ms. Crunican because of her 32 years of experience in the public transportation industry, her proven leadership abilities, and her focus on providing safe and reliable transportation services for all Bay Area Communities. She brings to BART a reputation for transparency and accountability.

Prior to coming to BART, Ms. Crunican was Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). She guided SDOT in meeting the goals of Bridging the Gap, Seattle’s transportation maintenance levy, and implemented the Transit Master Plan – Seattle Connections, Bike Master Plan, Freight Mobility Strategic Plan and Pedestrian Master Plan, aimed at building a system to move more people and goods with fewer cars and helping Seattle achieve the U.S. Kyoto Protocol goals.

Previously, Ms. Crunican was the Director of the Oregon Department of Transportation for five years where she implemented Community Solution Teams, integrated livability objectives into transportation planning and instilled a customer focus throughout the department.

Her Washington DC experience includes being the Deputy Administrator for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) from 1993 to 1996. Before joining the FTA, Grace led the Surface Transportation Project a nonprofit coalition dedicated to implementing the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, or ISTEA.

Her first transportation appointment was in 1979 to the Presidential Management Intern Program for the U.S. Department of Transportation followed by serving as Professional Staff for Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee.Ms. Crunican has local level experience working as the Deputy Director of Portland’s Department of Transportation. She holds a B.A. from Gonzaga University and a MBA from Willamette University.

BOMA Leaders Meet with San Francisco Assessor-Recorder Carmen Chu

BOMA San Francisco leaders recently met with San Francisco Assessor-Recorder, Carmen Chu.

Our members last met with Assessor Chu in 2015 and we were honored to welcome her again to provide an update of the improvements the Department has made over the last year, and to inform our members of a few challenges:

• At this time in 2015, there were approximately 5000 outstanding assessment cases; there are 1000 now.
• They have a brand new, customer focused, website.
• There are about 12000 outstanding new construction projects which is unprecedented. The Assessor is required to calculate the economic impact of each project.
• They need to hire more people or they will be further behind. 
• Physical files abound but they have made significant improvements with their digital scanning project that will improve workflow.  
• Assessor Chu is progressing with her goal to remove the paperwork that is sent in. In fact, all physical paperwork received is now immediately scanned.
• Improving technology is still a challenge. 
• There are limited options for off-the-shelf software for assessors to replace the current system. She wants to invest in the right program and will take the time to be sure the option selected is the most appropriate. 

About Carmen Chu

Carmen Chu was re-elected on November 4, 2014, to serve as the Assessor-Recorder for the City and County of San Francisco, and is committed to making government work for the people of San Francisco.

The work that the Office of the Assessor-Recorder does helps to generate over one-third of the City’s General Fund revenue—revenue which is used to fund crucial services like fire, police, neighborhood improvements, and health & family support services.

Since taking office, Chu has prioritized customer service and office efficiency. Beginning in 2013, she implemented e-Recording, which allows submitters to record documents from the convenience of their office or home. Chu has secured resources to address the increase in workload generated by historic highs in assessment appeals. This additional funding will allow the Assessment Appeals Board to schedule and hear appeals cases more quickly and ensure a more timely resolution for taxpayers. She also began the process of digitizing historic real property records currently maintained only in hard copy. This project will ensure that vital assessment details and property files are available for staff when valuing both residential and commercial properties.

BOMA SF-PAC Slate Card for the June 7, 2016 Election

BOMA San Francisco's Political Action Committee's Slate Card
June 7, 2016 Election

Did you know that BOMA San Francisco has a Political Action Committee that campaigns for candidates and issues that promote the economic vitality of the industry and the City and County of San Francisco?

The BOMA SF-PAC is looking forward to the June 7, 2016 election and our members have already endorsed candidates for elected office and taken positions on the following propositions in San Francisco (click here to learn more about the various measures). If you are a registered voter in San Francisco, please reference this guide when you vote!

If you have any questions, please contact Ken Cleaveland at kenc@boma.com and John Bozeman at johnb@boma.com.

Local Propositions 

SUPPORT --- Proposition A - Public Health and Safety Bond                                                    
NO POSITION ---Proposition B - Park, Recreation and Open Space Fund                              
NO POSITION --- Proposition C - Affordable Housing Requirements                                                
NO POSITION--- Proposition D - Office of Citizen Complaints Investigations                                  
SUPPORT --- Proposition E - Paid Sick Leave

Regional Proposition

SUPPORT --- Proposition AA - San Francisco Bay Clean Water, Pollution Prevention and Habitat Restoration Program      

CANDIDATE ENDORSEMENTS

The San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee  

San Francisco's Democratic County Central Committee, or DCCC, is the governing body of the local Democratic Party. The DCCC is comprised of local Democrats elected by voters in each Assembly District (AD), 17 and 19 as well as partisan-level Democratic elected officials and nominees who serve as Ex-Officio Officers.

The BOMA San Francisco Political Action Committee has endorsed a moderate slate of candidates that will continue to work hard for all within the Democratic party in San Francisco. 

DCCC AD17

Joshua Arce, London Breed, Malia Cohen, Zoe Dunning, Tom Hsieh, Gary McCoy, Leah Pimental, Rebecca Prozan, Alix Rosenthal, Arlo Smith, Frances Tsang, Scott Wiener, Jill Wynns

DCCC AD19

Kat Anderson, Keith Baraka, Joel Engardio, Mark Farrell, Tom A. Hsieh, Mary Jung, Trevor McNeil, Emily Murase, Rachel Norton, Marjan Philhour

California State Senate - District 11

The BOMA SF-PAC is supporting Scott Wiener for California State Senate, District 11. Learn more about this outstanding moderate candidate by clicking here.

San Francisco Business Registration Renewal Deadline and Resources for BOMA Members - May 31, 2016

The San Francisco business registration renewal deadline is May 31, 2016 for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2016 and ending June 30, 2017. 

Every one of the over 100,000 registered businesses in San Francisco must renew their business registration by the end of the month. You may have questions about the process, so we are sharing three major resources, below:

• Online video tutorials so taxpayers can learn more about the online filing process before they complete their return. These online filing tutorials are available in English, Spanish, Cantonese and Tagalog.
• Questions can be submitted electronically any time at http://sftreasurer.org/contact-us and a customer service representative will contact them on the same day of the request if submitted prior to 7:00 pm. Requests received after 7:00 pm will receive a response by the next business day.
• For those taxpayers that would like additional in person guidance wih completing their online return, Taxpayer Assistance Days in the South Light Court of City Hall are available: May 27 and May 31, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

BOMA Members Meet with Leaders of The Port of San Francisco

BOMA San Francisco's Government Affairs Policy Analysis Committee (GAPAC) members met with Elaine Forbes, Interim Director and Susan Reynolds, Deputy Director of Real Estate for the Port of San Francisco.

It was an engaging meeting with the Port leaders; Here are a few of the topics that were discussed:

• San Francisco's Sea Wall
• Estimated $5 billion needed for overall seawall upgrades
• Port of San Francisco's Strategic Plan
• Commercial Real Estate and the Port
• The Port has about 600 very diverse tenants, e.g., the San Francisco Giants and the Exploratorium are tenants, with a territory that extends from Aquatic Park to Pier 96 in San Francisco. 
• 88 square feet is the occupancy of their smallest tenant!
• 25 finger piers still exist.
• Some need to be retained and repaired; a challenge is that they must have a maritime use.
• Pier 45 is an active fish processing area.
• Port property cannot be sold so leasing has transpired since 1968. 
• The Port's real estate department has 20 employees including 5 property managers.
• Class C buildings constitute a majority of the structures within the Port's jurisdiction.
• Challenges
• Regulatory framework for the Port and perspective tenant can be issue. This is especially true for leases that include a large amount of square footage as there are, generally, high infrastructure costs associated with tenancy with the Port. 
• Use restrictions are also deal breakers for some possible tenants.

Elaine Forbes was appointed as Interim Director of the Port of San Francisco in February 2016 following the resignation of longtime Director Monique Moyer. She was previously responsible for directing and managing all internal support services for other Port divisions and the executive staff; overseeing business services, inventory and purchasing; managing information systems, human resources, finance, accounting and infrastructure maintenance function; and formulating division-wide budget, business and strategic plans.

Susan Reynolds joined the Port of San Francisco's executive team in November 2006 as Deputy Director of Real Estate. She is responsible for directing, promoting and managing the Port's real estate portfolio along the 7.5 miles of San Francisco's waterfront that extends from Fisherman's Wharf to Bayview/Hunters Point.

BOMA SF-PAC Slate Card for the June 7, 2016 Election

BOMA San Francisco's Political Action Committee's Slate Card
June 7, 2016 Election

The BOMA SF-PAC is looking forward to the June 7, 2016 election and our members have already endorsed candidates for elected office and taken positions on the following propositions in San Francisco (click here to learn more about the various measures):

Local Propositions 

SUPPORT --- Proposition A - Public Health and Safety Bond                                                      
NO POSITION ---Proposition B - Park, Recreation and Open Space Fund                                
NO POSITION --- Proposition C - Affordable Housing Requirements                                                  
NO POSITION--- Proposition D - Office of Citizen Complaints Investigations                                    
SUPPORT --- Proposition E - Paid Sick Leave

Regional Proposition

SUPPORT --- Proposition AA - San Francisco Bay Clean Water, Pollution Prevention and Habitat Restoration Program        

CANDIDATE ENDORSEMENTS

The San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee  

San Francisco's Democratic County Central Committee, or DCCC, is the governing body of the local Democratic Party. The DCCC is comprised of local Democrats elected by voters in each Assembly District (AD), 17 and 19 as well as partisan-level Democratic elected officials and nominees who serve as Ex-Officio Officers.

The BOMA San Francisco Political Action Committee has endorsed a moderate slate of candidates that will continue to work hard for all within the Democratic party in San Francisco. 

DCCC AD17

Joshua Arce, London Breed, Malia Cohen, Zoe Dunning, Tom Hsieh, Gary McCoy, Leah Pimental, Rebecca Prozan, Alix Rosenthal, Arlo Smith, Frances Tsang, Scott Wiener, Jill Wynns

DCCC AD19

Kat Anderson, Keith Baraka, Joel Engardio, Mark Farrell, Tom A. Hsieh, Mary Jung, Trevor McNeil, Emily Murase, Rachel Norton, Marjan Philhour

California State Senate - District 11

The BOMA SF-PAC is supporting Scott Wiener for California State Senate, District 11. Learn more about this outstanding moderate candidate by clicking here.