TREES ON SAN BRUNO AVENUE IN SAN FRANCISCO (7/17/06)

San Bruno Avenue in San Francisco is the most important shopping area that caters to many folks in and around the Portola District, Visitation Valley and for all practical reason including safety the Bayview Hunters Point constituents. For years NO supervisor has taken the time to solve the needs of San Bruno Avenue. For some years we had the Supervisor of District 10 that had jurisdiction of the area from Silver Avenue to Bacon Street. Now suddenly it comes under Tom Ammiano and as some of us see it the situation is like jumping from the frying pan into the dense fire. San Bruno Avenue once boasted the Avenue Theater and it was closed to the public because the operators could not manage the theater and make a profit. It is now a Church that has restored the landmark theater. The exterior of the theater still needs a lot of work. We had the Boys and Girls Club and now it has been bought by some Chinese Clinic depriving thousands of children of a safe place to play. Again the two Supervisors the one before the present one and the one that I have a hard time mentioning have done nothing to cater to our youth. On San Bruno Avenue some years ago some trees were planted and then no one took care of them. I took it upon myself to water the trees. I do not know why some entity took upon them to plant the trees but failed to water them. We had some heavy rains some months ago and 4 or 5 trees fell prey to the heavy rain and gusty wind. Before that some other trees fell prey to nature too. One of two trees fell prey to elements outside the neighborhood that come into the neighborhood to steal and destroy and this has been an on going problem. The SF Police know about this but cannot do nothing much. Policing on San Bruno is at a minimum and crime from elements outside the community on the increase. Two days ago I noticed some notices clearly demarcating all the trees between Silver Avenue and Bacon Street to be removed. I am mentioning an area that comes under District 9. I am fully aware that the trees beyond District 10 from Bacon Street further are also prone to be removed because some one has deemed the trees unhealthy. What is happening to this City? We planted the trees and now after years - some one decides to remove all the trees because some idiot decides so. We brag San Francisco is a Green City. Not so, again and again healthy trees are removed by entities that should go to jail. I have informed the Department of Public Works and the City Administrator to investigate the situation at hand and have sent them an e-mail. I am posting some photographs so that every one gets a clear picture of the situation at hand. p> San Bruno Avenue is under going some drastic changes. It is becoming a second China Town. Gone are the days when those Italians, Maltese, French, could be found gathering in spots and having a good time. The influx of Asians is changing the neighborhood. The Asians are slow to participate with the Merchants Association as the old businesses did. They are slow to participate and keep to themselves busy making money and many a times infringing on the rights of others. Some sellouts have been making deals with some Supervisors. Outsiders that do not live in the neighborhood try to come into our neighborhood and make changes. For years there was talk about a Façade Change it went away only recently to show its ugly head without meaningful participation. Some new comers find the democratic process difficult. The underground transmission lines were put without any meaningful dialog over a year ago. No one seems concerned about Electro Magnetic Fields and adverse impacts. There is talk that the Electric Poles will be removed and the underground transmission lines will serve as the electrical grid. We have been hearing that for the longest time ever. Trees are good and replacing one health tree with another healthy tree may make some sense to some but to me it is pure nonsense. I hope some one looks into this situation. Each health tree is valued at $162,000. Mature trees help clean the air and help in many Quality of Life issues. They say where there are health trees - crime is less. On San Bruno Avenue there has been an influx of crime. One senseless crime aged Asians coming home from work are attacked and their purses stolen. Many of them have been physically harmed. I have seen some White Folks some into neighborhoods where most people of color live and plant trees. It is a money making business planting trees. Some pretend that they volunteer but in fact it is a money making business. Friends of the Trees the Urban Forest and a host of other Mickey Mouse organization have joined forced to plant trees. This land once belonged to the Ohlone before it was stolen. There were pristine rivers, hills, forest, and the air, land and water was clean in San Francisco. It is so funny to see thieves and thugs mostly white collar come into the neighborhood and conduct their thuggery. Is this what is going to happen on San Bruno Avenue? And once the trees are planted is there a plan to water the trees? Remove the weeds? Or is it all about money.

Another tree destined for removal.

The Notice - Tree Removal.

Another healthy tree cut.


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