Heard back from the Supervisor's office
Got a second response this afternoon, this one from Bryan Dahl in Supervisor Matt Dorsey's office.
This one's more substantive than the Rec and Park reply. Worth reading what's actually in it before getting excited.
What I think they're saying
A few specifics that weren't in the first response:
- SFPD says they increased deployment in the area starting the week of May 4. great.
- Southern Station added officers focused on VMD and the surrounding blocks. awesome.
No numbers attached to any of it. I have no way to verify whether "increased" means two more officers or twenty, or what the deployment actually looks like on a Tuesday afternoon when I'm walking Noodle past someone smoking fentanyl on a bench. Buuuut it's the first time anyone at the city has tied a date to an operational change at this park, so I'll take it.
The bigger thing:
Our office will be working with Recreation & Parks to organize a community meeting focused on Victoria Manalo Draves Park so residents and stakeholders can share feedback and have a productive conversation around these issues.
when?
Why I'm not celebrating yet
A community meeting is a commitment to hold a meeting. It's not a commitment to change anything.
Things I'm watching for:
- Does it actually get scheduled? "We'll share more information once details are finalized" is the polite version of "TBD."
- Who's running it and who's at the table? A meeting where Rec and Park explains current policy to residents is not the same as a meeting where residents propose changes to it.
- When is the dog issue actually open for discussion? Bryan's wording was careful. Rec and Park policy "does not allow dogs on athletic fields," and a discussion about how the space is used is "warranted." That's not the same as saying the policy is on the table.
Where this leaves me
It's a response that didn't cost the city much. Organizing a meeting is cheap. More cops for a few weeks is real but reversible. Nothing here requires anyone to change a policy.
So I'm curios to say the least, and I'll show up to the meeting whenever it happens. Until then, this is a sign — not a result.
If you live in the neighborhood and want to be in the room when the meeting gets scheduled, keep an eye on this site. I'll post the date as soon as I get it.
The full response
Dear Benjamin,
Thank you for taking the time to write to our office and for sharing your concerns regarding enforcement activity and quality-of-life conditions at Victoria Manalo Draves Park.
We have regularly been in touch with the Mayor's Office, SFPD, the Sheriff's Office, Recreation & Parks, and other City partners regarding ongoing conditions at Victoria Manalo Draves Park and throughout the surrounding SoMa neighborhood. In response, we've been informed that SFPD deployment and enforcement resources in the area were increased beginning the week of May 4. Southern Station has also added officers focused specifically on calls for service and street condition concerns, including around Victoria Manalo Draves Park, alongside routine patrol coverage throughout the district. In addition, Healthy Streets Operations Center officers continue daily deployments into SoMa to address tents and structures with support from Public Works cleaning teams.
More broadly though, we understand the larger point you're raising around access to open space and how residents use and experience the park. While Recreation & Parks shared that current department policy does not allow dogs on athletic fields due to health, safety, and field maintenance considerations, we agree that a discussion regarding how available recreational space is being used and whether current options are meeting the needs of the surrounding community is warranted.
To that end, our office will be working with Recreation & Parks to organize a community meeting focused on Victoria Manalo Draves Park so residents and stakeholders can share feedback and have a productive conversation around these issues. We'll share more information once details are finalized.
Thank you again for writing and for your advocacy on this.
All the best, Bryan
Bryan Dahl | Legislative Aide Office of Supervisor Matt Dorsey, District 6