BULLETIN: The Webster Street Safeway abruptly announced plans to close in March which would create a food desert in the Western Addition, severely impacting families, residents, visitors, and workers. On January 17, 2024, the Japantown Task Force board voted unanimously to stand with our neighbors in the Fillmore District and Western Addition to oppose the March closure, urging instead a longer timeline to allow for community planning.

Community advocates will be coming together with Supervisor Dean Preston and other members of the Board of Supervisors at a community rally at 9 am, Tues, 1/23/24, at or near the Webster Street Safeway, 1335 Webster. Please come out to show your support for food justice!

Then, the Board of Supervisors will consider a resolution opposing the March closure authored by Supervisor Preston and co-sponsored by President Aaron Peskin, Supervisor Connie Chan, Supervisor Ahsha Safai, and Supervisor Shamann Walton, possible others, at its full board meeting beginning at 2 pm at City Hall. NOTE: Remote public comment is no longer available. Public comment must be made in-person at City Hall or in writing (you are welcome to email your Supervisor). Also, while the BOS meeting begins at 2 pm, there is not a good way to estimate when the resolution will be heard. It is listed as #35 on the agenda, but, often, the order of items gets shuffled. Hope to see you at City Hall!

JTF, in partnership with the Japantown Community Benefit District, the Nihonmachi Parking Corporation, and the City & County of San Francisco, invites you to the third and final Open House for the Osaka Way Upgrade Project, 5:30-7 pm, Tues, 2/6. This event is a fantastic opportunity to view the final conceptual design, which integrates valuable community feedback from previous iterations. Various perspectives and insights have been essential in shaping this vision, and the project team is excited to share progress with the community. Participants (both in-person and virtual) will have the opportunity to once again provide feedback and suggestions. This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided. RSVP today at this link.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP): Reimagine Japantown Framework, details here.

***DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 5 pm FRI, 1/26/24***

The Reimagine Japantown Committee, composed of a group of Japantown community leaders, has partnered with the City to articulate a bold but realistic vision for the future of Japantown, while at the same time recognizing the critical role it has played in San Francisco for over 115 years. This vision will have a focus on the Japan Center Malls, and will engage representatives from the Japanese American, City, local business, development, cultural, historical and residential communities to ensure that Japantown thrives and successfully sustains its cultural and historic identity into the next century.

About the Reimagine Japantown Framework: The Reimagine Japantown Framework aims to produce a community vision statement for the future of the Japan Center Malls, site-specific goals, and an articulation of public benefits, derived from an analysis of community planning efforts to date, informed by financial feasibility. RFP details are available at this link.

Photo credit: Wally Gobetz.