UPDATE: On Monday, Mayor London Breed announced an agreement with Safeway to keep the Webster Street location open until January 2025. Press release here. Considerable public pressure from the Fillmore District, Western Addition, and Japantown communities, including a letter by JTF opposing the closure and the 9 am rally at the Webster Street Safeway organized in partnership with Supervisor Dean Preston yesterday, no doubt played a pivotal role in the reversal of the decision. Many thanks to all those who assisted in this successful community-driven effort!

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

***DEADLINE 5 pm THIS FRIDAY, 1/26/24***

UPDATED Questions & Responses Document + Roster of Attendees to Info Session now available at the RFP website.

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.

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.

The City and County of San Francisco's Digital Equity Initiative invites you to two local events to support the enrollment of eligible San Francisco households in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).

• What is the Affordable Connectivity Program? The ACP Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more. The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households, which will last through April with a possibility for continuation pending additional federal funding. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers.

• Who is eligible for the program? About 124,000 households in San Francisco are eligible for the ACP Program, although only just over a quarter have applied. A household is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program if the household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or if a member of the household meets at least one of the criteria listed here.

• How can eligible households apply? We are encouraging the public to attend one of two in-person enrollment support events happening this week! If households are unable to attend an event this week, they may check if they qualify and get started online by visiting sf.gov/connectsanfrancisco.

The events:

1. Wednesday, January 24, 2024 from 2:00-7:00pm (see flyer attached for details and needed documentation)
   San Francisco Public Library, Main Branch - 100 Larkin St, San Francisco

   Tech Exchange is partnering with the San Francisco Public Library and San Francisco Digital Equity Initiative for a free community event. Guests can get help enrolling in the ACP Program to save $30 every month on internet. There will also be a raffle to win one of several Chromebooks or iMacs!

2. Saturday, January 27, 2024 from 2:00-5:00pm (see image attached for details and needed documentation)

   The Women's Building - 3453 18th St. #8, San Francisco
   NextGen Policy and Dev/Mission, in partnership with human-I-T and San Francisco Digital Equity Initiative, will be hosting an ACP enrollment event. Enrollees will be entered to win one of 16 Chromebooks throughout the afternoon!

The Affordable Connectivity Program will stop accepting new applications and enrollments on February 7, 2024. Households are strongly encouraged to attend an event to receive enrollment support and apply as soon as possible. All of the above partners will continue to provide enrollment support through next month's deadline!

Photo credit: Kamaji Ogino.

SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS: The City & County of San Francisco is seeking small, local businesses for pop-up shops in downtown San Francisco.

Vacant to Vibrant is a program by SF New Deal and the City of San Francisco. We help small businesses collaborate with local property owners to create engaging pop-up experiences and community spaces in downtown San Francisco. Our team handles everything from managing pop-up permitting to securing city funding so it’s easy for locals to participate in turning vacant storefronts into vibrant gathering places — and help re-energize the neighborhood. 

Selected pop-up activators will receive:

- a free, temporary space (2-3 months with potential to extend) in downtown San Francisco,

- a grant ranging from $3,000-$8,000 to cover related expenses, permit fees covered and insurance as needed,

- personalized technical assistance to support the success of your activation.

- SF New Deal will provide participating property owners with resources to cover tenant improvements and utility expenses valued at up to $5,000.

DEADLINE to apply it Fri, 2/23/24. Application is available here.

Image credit: Felicia Liang