I’m a Gazan Who Relied on UNRWA to Survive. Don’t Defund It Reform It

By Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib
First posted to Newsweek and reprinted with permission of the author

When my family was on a single income in Gaza in the year 2000, access to the food and medical services provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) was incredibly important—though I distinctly remember the shame that our family felt as a result of having to seek food through UNWRA aid. My dad, who was unemployed at the time, made sure we brought in the food bags from UNRWA late at night so our neighbors wouldn’t see. Later, my dad would go on to work for the agency as a physician, servicing crowded refugee neighborhoods and seeing hundreds of patients a day.

Seventy percent of Gazans are classified as refugees who qualify for UNRWA schools, have access its clinics, and work for its various programs. As descendants of refugees, a controversial point for many who believe refugee status should not be inherited, our family attended UNRWA’s primary education schools. The classrooms were jam-packed with an average of 55 students, the textbooks were worn out from repeated use, and lice was a constant menace that we suffered from. However, the UNRWA school system, unlike the smaller network of Gaza government schools, was renowned for giving students a quality education and rigorous instruction, which produced academically capable and advanced students. The foundation of my advanced English skills began in UNRWA schools. Similarly, UNRWA’s medical clinics, crowded and overwhelmed, were vital in providing primary health care to Gaza’s impoverished people.

Pacifica Against the Sea?

Rosanna Xia, a Los Angeles Times reporter and author who covers the California coast, and Gary Griggs, a noted coastal expert and UC Santa Cruz professor, will discuss the impact of rising sea levels at a March 3 event at the Pedro Point Firehouse. The program, entitled “Pacifica Against the Sea?”, is co-sponsored by the Pacifica Climate Committee, Pacifica’s Environmental Family, Pacifica Historical Society, and the Pedro Point Community Association.

Xia is the author of “California Against the Sea: Visions for Our Vanishing Coastline,” published by Heyday Books and the winner of the Golden Poppy Award for best 2023 California nonfiction work. Xia’s book focuses on California communities struggling because of rising sea levels. Pacifica is featured in a chapter entitled “A Town on the Edge” that traces the city’s difficulties in addressing its crumbling shoreline. Xia wrote about Pacifica in deeply researched Los Angeles Times articles in 2022 that led to her being named as a Pulitzer Prize finalist.

Griggs is a Distinguished Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at UC Santa Cruz with expertise in coastal erosion, sea level rise and geologic hazards. He has served on the State of California’s Ocean Protection Council’s Sea Level Rise Task Force, producing the “Sea Level Rise Guidance, 2024 Science and Policy Update”. Griggs also has studied the challenges facing Pacifica, having written the evaluation for the Beach Boulevard Seawall Replacement Project.

Xia and Griggs have “devoted considerable time and energy to how coastal communities are affected by the changing coastline,” said Nancy Tierney of the Pacifica Climate Committee, one of the event sponsors. “We all stand to benefit from learning more about the nature of the environmental changes and how some communities have responded.”

The program will start with an invocation and recognition of native tribes that for centuries cared for the coast by Catalina Gomes of the Muchia Te` Indigenous Land Trust and a descendent of the Rammaytush, Salinan and Bay Miwok. Pat Kremer of the Pacifica Historical Society will give a brief visual presentation of the historical changes along Pacifica’s shoreline.

With strong interest in this program, the event is at capacity, wait list only.
Notification will be sent to those on the Wait List if there is additional space, otherwise it is full. 
Plans are in the works for recording the talk that will be shared after the event. 

California Against the Sea: Visions for Our Vanishing Coastline
Excerpt from Chapter 4, “The People’s Law”

Peter Douglas, who had recently graduated from UCLA’s law school, was looking for a job. His connection to the shore had deepened in his teenage years as he surfed on handcrafted balsa boards in Redondo Beach, dove for abalone, and worked long hours on tugs and barges that ferried to and from Santa Catalina Island. An old classmate put him in touch with [state assemblyman Alan] Sieroty, who was looking for a legislative aid to draft a more comprehensive coastal bill that looked at the California coast as a whole.
…

By early 1971, Douglas had drawn up a bill that would protect the entire California coast by the terms many were calling for: less pollution, better public access, and more oversight on development that could harm the natural features of the shore. He worked with Sieroty, Kortum, and an alliance of conservationists to establish guiding principles. First and foremost was the precautionary principle: A project could not be approved without proof that it would not significantly damage the coastal environment. “In short: When in doubt, deny,” Douglas said.

“If we had learned anything from the disastrous Santa Barbara Channel oil spill in 1969 . . . it was that human-induced change on the planet is often unpredictable, with major destructive, unintended consequences.”
…

By November 7 of that year, the message was clear: The people of California voted yes.
Yes, the people said, the beaches of California do belong to more than just the rich. Yes, construction projects can no longer block public access, fill wetlands, or alter river mouths and streams. No more expansion of Highway 1, nor a string of nuclear power plants along Malibu, Moss Landing, and Point Arena. No more big subdivision plans, which came to a grinding halt. Wealthy speculators who had invested in dozens of planned developments like Sea Ranch now realized they could no longer get their grand schemes approved. They went to Ronald Reagan, governor at the time, and pleaded for ways to sell off their land. In another win for the public, the state ended up buying huge swaths of coastal property and expanded California’s park system by 145,000 acres. Along the Sonoma coast, the state purchased the 274-acre property that PG&E had planned for its “Atomic Park.” The giant hole in the ground, transformed into a pretty pond now filled with ducks, is all that remains today of the attempted nuclear operation. Even Sea Ranch was scaled back considerably. Large signs today welcome visitors to a number of trails that are open to the public.
The passage of Proposition 20 established the fundamental principle that, in California, the coast serves a greater public good. When faced with tough planning decisions, whether from economic pressures or the uncertainty of sea level rise, acting in the interest of the commons was now not only the right thing to do—but also the law. The people of California, Douglas said, asked for this law. The people made it possible to preserve beaches, save wetlands, and honor the natural processes of the sea for generations to come.
…

To this day, the California Coastal Act is one of the nation’s most elegant and toughest sets of environmental safeguards—a model for shoreline management that has been studied by states and countries around the world. The law exemplifies the power of collective planning and commits California to the public trust doctrine as it pertains to the shore, memorializing the ancient principle that public access to the beach is a fundamental right.

Leap Into Kindness

Pacifica, CA — Community organizations throughout Pacifica and adjoining areas invite you to join us at “Leap Into Kindness, a community sing-along.” This fun-spirited and enjoyable evening will bring people together to sing out for kindness, compassion, justice and peace. The free event will be held Thursday, February 29, 7-9 PM, at the Mildred Owen Concert Hall, 1220 Linda Mar Blvd., Pacifica. 

Think of your fellow man
Lend him a helping hand
Put a little love in your heart
–Writer/s: Jackie DeShannon, Jimmy Holiday, Randy Myers

You don’t need to be versed in three-part harmony or sing in a chorus! We’ll be led by some of our talented local singers and musicians including Pete Shoemaker, Michael Crabtree, Charlie Goldberg and John Hall. And all lyrics will be provided on the big screen. Your enthusiasm to celebrate kindness in the spirit of community is the only prerequisite.

The sing-along is brought to you under the umbrella of “Art for a More Peaceful and Just Community” a creative collective project of the Pacifica Collaborative (community-based organization partners, school districts, and city) including Sanchez Art Center, and grant-funded by the San Mateo County Arts Commission. A response to hateful actions and crimes that have occurred in Pacifica and surrounding communities, the grant emphasizes the utilization of arts in all forms to actively promote kindness, resilience, peace and compassion.

With so many difficulties in the world today, why focus on something seemingly small, like “kindness”? Kindness is an integral component of peace and justice. It’s the basis of a strong community and personal well-being. Being kind can reduce stress, increase good-feelings, boost confidence, and optimism, and has a ripple effect… being kind to someone, provides them the inspiration to pass it on by being kind to someone else.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No not just for some, but for everyone
–Lyrics: Hal David; Music: Burt Bacharach, 1965

Who: All are welcome to come together, sing-along and leave happy!
(Note: good for middle-schoolers and above; childcare will not be available)
What: Community — Singing —Fun — and Refreshments too!
Where: Mildred Owen Concert Hall, 1220 Linda Mar Blvd, Pacifica
When: Thursday, Feb 29, 2024, Leap Day! 7:00 – 9:00 pm

Pacificans Care has generously sponsored “Leap into Kindness” sing-along and invites everyone to lift ourselves up individually and collectively as a community to affirm positive values.

Come on, people now 
Smile on your brother 
Everybody get together 
Try to love one another right now 
— The Youngbloods

Mark your calendars and spread the word. Share about the event to your network via email, social media and old-fashioned talking to each other!

With thanks to Pacifica artist Joel Fontaine for creating the poster for this special event.

Questions about Leap Into Kindness: info@SanchezArtCenter.org
Look forward to seeing you on Thursday, February 29.
RSVPs not required, though Greatly Appreciated (to assist with planning)

For more information about Pacificans Care visit our website or email
pacificanscare1982@gmail.com | PacificansCare.com | Facebook/PacificansCare
P.O. Box 875, Pacifica, California 94044
Pacificans Care, EIN 77-0004308,an exempt organization permitted by Section 501(c.)(3.) of the Internal Revenue Code

Reducing unintended consequences of our County’s encampment ordinance

By Suzanne Moore, Pacifica Housing 4 All (PH4A)

On January 30, 2024, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance, Hopeful Horizons, to reduce encampments in unincorporated San Mateo County. The ordinance provides legal means to dismantle encampments as shelter beds become available. The County claims these legal incentives are necessary to protect both the health of the homeless and the greater community.

Many opponents to the ordinance questioned its legality, efficacy, and humanity, yet the ordinance passed and is now in the hands of County staff to draft regulations.

PH4A has concerns, and we provide these suggestions to reduce unintended consequences of the ordinance.

1. Retain the role of the Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) as homeless advocates and trustworthy, approachable providers of homeless resources. Do not ask them to dispense or document legal warnings: the HOT staff have worked hard to gain the trust of the homeless, and this law enforcement task undermines that relationship.
   
2. Provide navigators through the complex systems. Our unsheltered homeless are among our most vulnerable neighbors. This ordinance could ask our homeless to understand and comply, in a 72-hour period, with a legal mandate involving three complex County systems: housing and shelter, medical and mental health, and legal systems including the court. This will be intimidating and frightening. An individually assigned navigator to assist a homeless individual can reduce fear and confusion and likely assure greater success.
   
3. Avoid a record of a misdemeanor for being homeless. The ordinance refers to diversion programs to avoid a record of a misdemeanor, but a better system is needed that assures this will not be part of an individual’s record.
   
4. Avoid loss of property. Our homeless value their possessions. A system that keeps their property safe and (best) in their possession is likely to assure greater success.
   
5. Evaluate the program utilizing an independent system. An evaluation, that includes numbers and outcomes for both participants and those declining to participate, will provide important indicators of strengths and weakness of the program for future improvement. Did our program truly accomplish a pathway to stable, safe, permanent housing?

PH4A suggests that concerned community members contact our Board of Supervisors and our County Manager’s Office to express concerns of unintended consequences. Ask the County to meet its intended goal to provide a truly successful means to end homelessness.

• Mike Callagy – mcallagy@smcgov.org
• Dave Pine – dpine@smcgov.org
• Dave Canepa – dcanepa@smcgov.org
• Warren Slocum – wslocum@smcgov.org
• Noellia Corzo – ncorzo@smcgov.org
• Ray Mueller – rmueller@smcgov.org

Will the City of Millbrae disable powerful housing programs statewide? It just might.

By Karyl Eldridge, Vice Chair of One San Mateo and Jess Hudson, Public Policy advocate and Millbrae resident

Dear friends and allies,

When the City of Millbrae filed a lawsuit on November 13, 2023, to stop the conversion of La Quinta Inn to permanent supportive housing for families and seniors, it also put in jeopardy the entire HomeKey program, a statewide program initiated during the COVID crisis to reduce and prevent homelessness. To help persuade the City of Millbrae to withdraw this lawsuit, please click here.

Project HomeKey provides local governments with funds to purchase and rehabilitate buildings into long-term housing for people experiencing or at risk for homelessness. Since its inception in 2020, Project HomeKey has transformed buildings, mostly hotels and motels, into more than 15,000 housing units to serve over 163,000 people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. 

The contention of the Millbrae lawsuit is that the legislation giving rise to Project HomeKey (AB 83) was a violation of Article 34 of the California constitution. 

Article 34–What is that?

It is something that California realtors are now very apologetic for.

In 1949 Congress passed the Federal Housing Act, prohibiting explicit racial segregation in public housing. In response, the California Real Estate Association undertook an effort to prevent housing integration by campaigning to pass constitutional amendment Article 34. This required that any low-income housing project financed in whole or in part by federal, state or city government be approved by a vote of the public. The amendment passed by a narrow margin, and in the years since then, has served its intended purpose of blocking affordable housing and excluding from our communities low-income people and people of color.

If Millbrae’s challenge succeeds, it not only threatens to upend the conversion of La Quinta Inn, it puts the entire HomeKey program at risk. 

Unbelievably, though, the threat goes even further than that.

In addition to AB 83, the California legislature created other carveouts to Article 34 that allow affordable housing with certain newly created funding sources to be exempted from the need to obtain voter approval. This has enabled the state to make important progress on tackling the affordable housing and homelessness crisis. If the Millbrae lawsuit is successful, these other carveouts could also be invalidated, the result being damaging in the extreme. The cost of producing new housing will rise sharply and the rate of production slow, thereby crippling our ability to respond to current needs.

These are not empty words. The threat is real. Please click here and sign the petition. Help to avert an outcome that would devastate our efforts, both locally and statewide, to create affordable housing and keep people housed.

P.S. The overturn of Article 34 will be on the California ballot this fall. Please watch for it. We need to rid ourselves of this!

STOP THE LAWSUIT!

Dignity, privacy, safety, stability, and shelter are the essential ingredients to solve San Mateo County’s rising homelessness needs. Homelessness is a problem in every community, which is why all cities need to be a part of the solution. The County is leading the way by exploring multiple innovative strategies to support our neighbors in need. One such strategy, Project Homekey in Millbrae, would transform a soon-to-close motel into permanent supportive housing for up to 75 families transitioning out of homelessness. 

Homelessness across California is a local issue: 90% of California’s unhoused population lived in apartments or houses in the communities where they are currently residing. The largest cause of homelessness is the loss of safe, stable, and affordable housing. Project Homekey is an essential part of reaching functional zero homelessness in the Peninsula and across California by providing homes to people without housing.

Project Homekey has been embraced in communities across the state and our region, including in Redwood City, South San Francisco, and on the coast as an invaluable tool to build new homes. However, since June of 2023, Millbrae city council members Gina Papan, Ann Schneider, and Anders Fung have opposed the County’s efforts to convert a La Quinta Inn into permanent supportive homes.

Converting hotels into homes for the unhoused is a proven strategy to address homelessness. Decades of research demonstrate homelessness is first and foremost a housing problem caused by a shortage of homes, especially affordable homes. High housing costs in Millbrae and across our region make it difficult for local residents to afford decent shelter. Project Homekey is a solution that provides stable housing to locals who need it. The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted to approve the supportive homes with major concessions to Millbrae, including more than $3 million in grants, a reduced unit count from 100 to 75, and increased police presence in the area. 

Now, despite stated concerns about lost revenue, Millbrae is spending taxpayer money on an expensive lawsuit based on a 73-year-old law, Article 34 of California’s constitution, to stop the proposal. Article 34 was initially created to stop racial integration of neighborhoods by requiring all government-funded lower-income housing to undergo a ballot measure. The California Association of Realtors, which sponsored the original statewide ballot measure, has since said, “We not only apologize for those actions, we strongly condemn them, and we will continue working to address the legacy of these discriminatory policies and practices.” Millbrae is leveraging this explicitly racist law to prevent housing for its unhoused residents. 

Therefore, we call on Mayor Anders Fung and the entire Millbrae city council to withdraw the Article 34 lawsuit and promote permanent supportive housing at La Quinta Inn. Continuing to fight a project intended to create opportunities for our unhoused neighbors builds nothing and saves nothing. 

If you believe Millbrae should do its part to contribute to solutions and use public tax dollars to support residents instead of vilifying them, we urge you to sign our petition to Millbrae Mayor Fung.

Join your community members and add your name to the petition today!

Dear Mayor Fung,

We, the undersigned, urge you to stop the costly and wasteful lawsuit against the county aimed at blocking housing for our unhoused neighbors.

Dignity, privacy, safety, stability, and shelter are what 110 of our unhoused neighbors need and will be provided if you drop this lawsuit.

This lawsuit does not just cost Millbrae residents–all San Mateo County residents are paying to defend the suit, and everyone in California will need to pay more to provide affordable homes. By working with the County to get these much-needed homes built, you have the opportunity to build a Millbrae where everyone belongs and feels supported. We need more affordable homes, not more wasted taxpayer dollars. 

For the good of Millbrae and all of San Mateo County, please drop the lawsuit.

HIP Housing’s Self Sufficiency Program

HIP Housing’s Self Sufficiency Program provides housing and coaching support to adults in school and/or job training with dependent children. 

There are currently openings in our four group share properties in Menlo Park, Redwood City, and San Carlos. Rent is $100 per month per room. 
For more information, please visit Self Sufficiency Program – HIP Housing or contact our office at (650) 348-6660.

Timiktak Quarry

Geologists have determined that the limestone spires and rocks at this location are 100 to 120 million years old, originating near the equator and as a result of the movement of the tectonic plates, have journeyed north to their present location at the north end of Rockaway Beach, often referred to as “The Quarry.”

During the Spanish era in the 1770s, the local Indigenous communities were enslaved and forced to extract limestone to be used in the construction of Mission Dolores and The Presidio in San Francisco, as well as for the adobe outpost located in the San Pedro Valley at the Rammaytush village site of Pruristak. The mining of limestone at this location continued until extraction operations were ceased in 1987, having removed most of the limestone hill that once existed. Thankfully, Nature has since reclaimed the area and has started her own process of healing the scars that were left by human extraction — establishing wetlands and creating habitat for a multitude of species, including the endangered red legged frogs and the San Francisco garter snake.

The majestic location nestled between California State Route 1 and The Pacific Ocean shoreline has in more recent times been under the threat of development. In 2016, the current landowner proposed development of a luxury hotel and condominium complex, known as Measure W, which the community overwhelmingly voted against. The threat of development continues. There is a current proposal being submitted to the City of Pacifica, the applicant being Baylands Soil Pacifica LLC. The two founders of Baylands Soil have been convicted and are currently serving federal prison time for bribery of San Francisco City Officials. Moreover, the city of San Francisco has banned Baylands Soil from operating business endeavors in the city.

At the Timiktak Quarry site, Baylands Soil LLC is proposing to truck in 141 truckloads per business day of potentially inadequately tested soil from various construction sites around the Bay Area to fill the huge cavity created by the ongoing limestone mining operations. Baylands Soil has shown a rather flagrant disregard for the possibility of this questionable fill leaching into groundwater or into Calera Creek which flows into the ocean, having a detrimental effect on all of the local ecosystems – the land, water, air, wildlife and community at large.

My Rammaytush family feels deeply that we have a responsibility to our ancestors as descendants of the ancestral village of Timiktak to care for the well being of all native life forms currently living within this vital ecosystem. We also believe that all who call this place home need to be forever vigilant in protecting the delicate balance of the natural world – a world that has been drastically damaged by human interaction since European contact, enslavement, genocide and colonialism. We are very grateful for this community’s support and understanding.

‘Ek Raakat Cata Gomes
Kaana-k Rammaytush, Salinan, ‘at Saklan

Sea Level Rise in Pacifica: We need vision, open minds and empathy. 

Our future as a city depends on it!

By Christine Boles, Councilmember, District 2

View from 1112 Palmetto, January 2024. Property was purchased in 2014 for $985,000, red-tagged as unsafe in 2016, and recently sold for $25,000

As we prepare for our upcoming city wide discussion about sea level rise and coastal planning in Pacifica on March 2, the storms, waves and king tides continue to erode and flood our coast, putting more people and property in harms’ way. The scientists tell us that the recent storm/king tide events of January and December 2023 are a visual warning sign of what is to come as the oceans continue to warm, expand, and rise. My City Council district in Manor is the most at risk because of our tall fragile bluffs; we’ve already relocated a row of mobile homes, and lost 13 homes and three apartment buildings on Esplanade. Dr. Gary Griggs, Distinguished Coastal Scientist with UC Santa Cruz, said in a recent article in the Journal of Coastal Research, “In Pacifica much of the northern part of the city has been forced to retreat, albeit in a somewhat ad hoc, unplanned way, with no end in sight.”

The Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment prepared in 2018 is sobering, the red line showing predicted coastal erosion by 2100.

I’ve been spending a lot of time the past year walking these bluffs, watching the erosion happen in real time, and speaking with residents to understand our past and current challenges, from historic Dollar Radio down to Shoreview and Sharp Park. While scientists tell us bluff erosion averages 1-2 feet per year, we know it happens much more quickly in El Nino years such as 1983, 1996, and 2016. One resident, who once lived in one of the single family homes on Esplanade, went to bed with 40-50 feet of land separating her bedroom from the bluff edge. She woke up one rainy morning to find that her bedroom was overhanging the cliff edge, her home deemed unsafe to live in overnight. Our bluffs actually erode episodically, meaning one episode, one storm, can be devastating. We are rapidly running out of time to plan for our future.

The city sea level rise discussions that began soon after the tragic events of 2016 became a political nightmare, with contentious City Council and public meetings showing a very divided community. At the root of the disagreements was very real fear: fear of losing one’s home and lifetime investments, fear of losing our beaches (rocks and seawalls erode beaches in front of them) and the potential for more sewage spills due to aging infrastructure in harms’ way. The Draft Local Coastal Plan that was finalized by the Council in 2020 and submitted to the Coastal Commission (CCC) has been in limbo for a few years, with proper planning for increasing hazards and public safety being one of the key issues of disagreement.

We are now at a critical juncture, CCC staff having marked up our Local Coastal Plan with minimal changes that they recommended the Coastal Commissioners certify. Separately, our city staff has been working with CCC staff to consider potential new policies for special areas in town with high visitor serving uses, and high tax base for the city in Sharp Park and Rockaway. These policies have never been tried in California, so we are being carefully watched from all over the state. At this point, it is not certain that even property owners in these areas support these policies; there are still too many unanswered questions. 

There is a lot to discuss and work through as a community, and I certainly do not have all the answers. What I appreciate is that our current City Council, Mayor Vaterlaus, Mayor Pro-Tem Beckeyer, Councilmembers Bier, Bigstyck and I, have unanimously prioritized the importance of continued detailed discussions with the community, and with the Coastal Commission, who is the ultimate permitting body for areas west of Highway 1, to try to find a path forward. No one is saying do nothing and let our city fall into the ocean. 

My understanding is that the Coastal Commission does allow some armoring and seawalls, but as those solutions can destroy beaches and habitat, any legal waivers need to be offset by real and tangible actions elsewhere, for example nature-based solutions as we have done previously at Linda Mar Beach. Pacifica actually won awards for that project, in which we removed two homes, moved the parking lot inland, restored dunes which provide natural and adaptable flood protection, and restored the mouth of San Pedro Creek. This is the kind of visionary planning we need, not holding on in desperation to what is, but dreaming together of how things can potentially be better and safer at the same time.

While some in our community are asking us to fight the Coastal Commission, it seems that state legislators have made it clear that this is not acceptable. In fact, they recently adopted SB1, where the CCC was given direction to address climate change in their work, “to identify, assess, and, to the extent feasible, avoid and mitigate the adverse effects of sea level rise”. SB272, new legislation signed by the governor last fall, requires local governments to create sea-level rise plans, certified by the CCC, and adaptation strategies with timelines, identifying specific projects. State money will be prioritized for municipalities that comply.

Whatever we choose as our communal path forward will have enormous cost implications, and our city is struggling to survive as it is. Whether we can be first or last in line for this very needed public funding will depend in part on our work in the next few months. Please come and be a part of the conversation. Your voice at this critical time is so important.

For more information and to sign up for the 3/2 community meeting, go to this city website. Hope to see you there, in person or on zoom! 

On Tree City Pacifica: recommended goals.

By Paul Totah

Tree City Pacifica was formed in 2019 to help Pacifica become a Tree City USA. We also organize the annual Arbor Day celebration held the second Saturday of November each year. We have another goal as well — to help the city preserve and protect the trees that already exist here. Toward that end, we assisted with the recent tree ordinance revisions, which still need some tweaks (see below), and we offer our assistance to the Climate Action Task Force as it considers a tree Canopy Goal for a nature-based solution to climate change.

On March 9, we will be at the City Council’s annual Goal Setting Meeting to make requests in the following areas. If anyone would like to join us, you’re welcome!

1. Adjusting fees. After the city council adopted the new tree ordinances, the city staff set fees of $1000 for tree removal and pruning and $577 for a tree removal appeal. We believe both of those fees are excessive and are far higher than those of neighboring cities.

Many illegal tree removals have been reported to the city – companies cutting down trees where no permits have been issued. The problem with this is twofold: this circumvents the appeals process and it does not guarantee a two-for-one replacement of the removed tree. We believe the $1,000 fee has led to illegal tree removals. We have also heard from individuals that the $577 fee for appeals is too expensive and has dissuaded appeals. We’ll be requesting that these fees be lowered to those comparable to other cities.

2. Loophole: What was one reason Tree City Pacifica was formed? We learned that more than 250 city trees were slated for removal with no plans for replacement. When the 2-to-1 replacement requirement was included in the revised tree ordinances, we were relieved that protected trees would be replaced with appropriate trees, and Pacifica’s canopy would be maintained.

Unfortunately, we recently learned that Pacifica’s urban forest canopy has been “loopholed”. Newly discovered loophole language mandates that the current requirement pertains only to “healthy trees” and replacement trees will not be required for those deemed “unhealthy.” For example, a developer could remove a grove of trees, hire an arborist that reports those trees were not “healthy,” and plant no replacement trees. This was not the Council’s intent when they approved the ordinance at the 8/22/22 City Council meeting. This loophole language does not appear in other cities’ ordinances with tree replacement requirements. Although the city or others could choose to replace trees, it is not mandated. We’ll be requesting that the loophole language be removed from the ordinances to ensure that the intended 2-for-1 replacement trees are planted and our urban forest is not depleted when it becomes necessary to remove protected trees.

3. Website: The city offers a list of trees that have been removed and that will be removed on the Public Works website. We applaud this move and would like to see it expanded. For each tree scheduled for removal (with the exception of dead trees), a completed arborist report is required. We would like to see that report linked to each tree on this website, prior to the tree being removed. Also, similar to the City of Fremont’s website, we would like to see a list of arborists available for Pacifica residents interested in pruning or removing a tree. This would help curb the number of illegal tree removals and would advertise licensed tree services familiar with the city ordinances.

4. Climate Action Plan: The city’s Climate Action Taskforce is meeting to arrive at recommendations to help the city meet the threats associated with our changing climate. Many cities (especially those with Tree City USA designations) have Canopy Goals as part of their Climate Action Plans. We are requesting a Canopy Goal of at least 30 percent to maintain and increase our urban canopy. Trees sequester carbon and help provide shade and clean our air. Increasing Pacifica’s urban forest canopy would be one more arrow in our quiver to deal with many of the consequences of extreme weather.

We hope to see you at this upcoming Goal Setting meeting!

Support Palestine Pacifica Peace People and Pacifica Social Justice

Come join Pacifica Peace People (PPP) and Pacifica Social Justice (PSJ)

to support Palestine in a Highway 1 sign waving on Thursday 3/7 from 4:15 – 5:15 by the Moose Lodge. It is time to bring our message to the Coast again. Demand a permanent cease fire now.

Act for peace and justice.

THURSDAY, MARCH 7
4:15-5:15
Highway 1 by the Moose Lodge

We will have a few signs but feel free to bring your own.

Anna Eshoo is Pacifica’s representative in Congress. Call her and urge her to represent us “calling for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine.” Call Senators Padilla and Butler and urge them to show support for a ceasefire.

No to Installing License Plate Cameras in Half Moon Bay or Anywhere

By Blue Murov, Pacifica Social Justice

On Feb 20, 2024, the Half Moon Bay City Council held a study session to discuss installing local license plate cameras at the request of HMB Police Captain, Rebecca Albin, from the San Mateo County Sheriff Department. A prior request for cameras was voted down in 2019. Proponents of the cameras claim the devices are used to increase public safety. There are, however, deep concerns about privacy, data handling, and misuse of the cameras. 

 In 2022, the sheriff’s department in Marin County was sued by the ACLU because their license plate reader data was being shared with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Currently, 72 California law enforcement agencies are being accused of sharing such data with agencies in states that criminalize abortion.

People have been taken from their cars and handcuffed at gunpoint due to camera inaccuracy and misidentifications. There is a high percentage of misreads of the photos.

Data also suggests the cameras are not particularly effective as a law enforcement tool. The cameras do very little in helping to prevent crime or improve public safety.

A major concern of the use of these devices is the breach of privacy. From every camera, photos capture location and images of each passing vehicle. Records from these photos are stored in a database accessed by many law enforcement agencies. The cameras are disproportionately deployed in highly policed areas regardless of indicators or justification. 

It is not too late to let the HMB City Council know that installing these cameras is a bad idea. The council will be voting on this in the future. Your opinion matters. Email the council at the following addresses:

• Joaquin Jimenez (Mayor) jjimenez@hmbcity.com 
• Harvey Rarback (Vice Mayor) HRarback@hmbcity.com 
• Robert Brownstone RBrownstone@hmbcity.com
• Deborah Penrose DPenrose@hmbcity.com
• Debbie Ruddock DRuddock@hmbcity.com

A Pacifica Community Gathering Feb 25

New Exhibitions open Sanchez Art Center (Feb 23 — March 24)

Stunning Watercolor Florals • Plein Air Trees • Celebrating the Seasons

Three new exhibitions, celebrating spring and nature, open at Sanchez Art Center on Fri, Feb 23, with a free evening reception from 7 – 9 pm. After opening night, the galleries will be open Fri – Sat – Sun, 1-5 pm, or reach out for an appointment during the week (info@SanchezArtCenter.org). 

Gary Bukovnik’s Forever Spring gathers the artist’s floral artwork into a bouquet that exude freshness and vitality. Clean lines bring each flower to life in both an elegant and joyful way. The exhibition combines works from the artist’s iconic Symphony series with newer pieces that reflect flowers and vases merrily tumbling about created in watercolor, woven in tapestries, on screens and metal sculpture.

A master watercolorist, Bukovnik infuses each work with fluid authentic coloration that brings a natural and intense beauty to each piece. “It is not often that beauty is the primary focus when I curate a show,” stated Sanchez Art Center artistic director and exhibition curator, Jerry Ross Barrish. “I am more interested in content and unique artistic expression. With Gary Bukovnik, I cannot separate the subject matter and beauty. This is one of the most breathtakingly exquisite shows I have curated in over twenty years.”

Bukovnik studied at The Cleveland Institute of Art. Residencies include: Visiting Artist, American Academy in Rome, 2003, 2005; Michigan Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, MI 2010. Associated for decades with the San Francisco Symphony, his paintings have graced the walls of Davies Symphony Hall.

Forever Spring will conclude with an artist’s talk on Sunday, Mar 24, beginning at 3:30 pm.

Showing concurrently, the Burlingame Plein Air Painters, are participating in a group show in the East Gallery, Canopy, the Sheltering Trees. Group and exhibition coordinator Bart Charlow notes, “Though we’ve left the trees, they never left us. They shelter us, they provide food, and they feed our souls!”

Trees are nobly honored in pigments with an expansive show of paintings in oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, gauche, and ink on silk.

“En plein air” is the art term for painting from life outdoors. Sometimes it’s a panoramic view, others just a vignette, but always full of light. Capturing light and shadow, as well as the breadth of color in a scene, is a challenge. With the movement of the sun and changes in the weather, though the trees stand still, the light is always moving and effects can be fleeting. The paintings in “Canopy” were composed outdoors in local settings on the Peninsula; viewers will likely recognize several of the sites. The public is invited to a Gallery Walk and Conversation with the artists on Sunday, March 10, from 1:30 – 3:00 pm.

The Art Guild of Pacifica presents The Four Seasons, a group show in the West Gallery. Nature, environment, seasonal colors and moods are all reflected in the exhibition. Riitta Herwitz created an evocative piece of personal change through time and seasons. Barbara Greensweig chose to reflect on the changing of seasons with aspen trees beginning to turn from green to gold. Susan Friedman layers shapes and textures adding mark making representing birds on the shore.

Pacifica Library Events

Year of the Dragon Family Storytime & Dragon Drawing with Oliver Chin
Monday, February 26 at 3:30pm at Sharp Park
Wednesday, February 28 at 3pm at Sanchez
Join local author Oliver Chin and celebrate the Lunar New Year! During the event, Oliver will read from his latest children’s picture book, The Year of the Dragon, the latest adventure in the popular annual series Tales from the Chinese Zodiac. In addition to the reading, children will have the opportunity to learn how to draw a dragon, and then engage in coloring Zodiac animal-themed sheets. This multimedia presentation is perfect for the whole family and is suitable for children aged 4 and up. DROP IN (Children age 4 and up)

Email Essentials: Part 2
Tuesday, February 27 at 1pm at Sharp Park
Ready to take your email skills to the next level? Join us for “Advanced Email Mastery,” where we’ll delve into the advanced features of Gmail and Yahoo Mail (and other platforms depending on the students), helping you become a proficient email communicator.
REGISTER HERE (Adults 19+ years old)

Paws for Tales
Tuesday, February 27 at 3:45pm at Sanchez Library
Monday, March 11 at 4:30pm at Sharp Park Library
Do you have a reluctant reader? Sign your child up to practice reading to a therapy dog in the library. Space is limited, so register early for your 10-minute slot. REGISTER HERE (6-11 years old)

Restorative Yoga and Sound Healing
Wednesday, February 28 at 5:30pm at Sharp Park REGISTER HERE
Wednesday, March 27 at 5:30pm at Sharp Park REGISTER HERE
The Restorative Yoga and Sound Healing event is designed to provide space for you to slow down, relax, rest, and replenish yourself. In Restorative Yoga, poses are made comfortable with the support of props and held for long periods to allow for the relaxation of your mind and body. A sound bath accompanies these supportive poses. Singing bowls enhance this practice and are also played on the body to further relax your emotional and physical well-being. This class starts with centering then gentle stretching and incorporates mindfulness techniques into each restorative pose. No prior yoga experience is necessary. Please bring a yoga mat, blanket and bolster (19+ years old)

Science Action Club: Bird Scouts
Thursdays at 3:30pm at Sharp Park from February 29-May 9
Explore feathers, flight, and the features that make birds unique. Using tools and technology, identify local species and investigate environmental changes that impact bird behavior. Help scientists track changes in bird distribution and abundance across the globe
REGISTER HERE Children (6-11 years old) Teens (12-18 years old)

Backpocket Crosswords Workshop
Saturday, March 2 at 1:30pm at Sharp Park After creating and publishing two crossword puzzle books, Joanne Shwed (Backspace Ink) shares her methods of creating crossword puzzles using a five-step process. This workshop includes puzzle demonstrations, practice sheets, group participation, design assistance, editorial coaching with helpful hints for creating clues, and crossword puzzle samples to continue your work at home
REGISTER HERE Adults (19+ years old)

10 Easy Steps to Creating a Bird Friendly Garden
Tuesday, March 5 at 6pm at Sharp Park
In this talk presented by the Native Plant Society, we’ll take a look at gardening from a bird’s perspective and then delve into the ten elements that can transform your garden into a bird paradise. Attendees will receive a free packet of California native wildflowers that benefit birds that they can try out in their gardens
DROP IN Adults (19+ years old)

Protect Yourself From Scams Targeting Older and Dependent Adults
Thursday, March 7 at 11am at Sharp Park
Cassie Villar, Adult Protective Services (APS) Training & Outreach Specialist with San Mateo County, will speak about scams targeting older & dependent adults. Attendees will learn how to identify, prevent, and report scams and elder financial abuse.
DROP IN Adults (19+ years old)

Magic the Gathering
Wednesday, March 13 at 2:30pm at Sharp Park
Wednesday, March 27 at 2:30pm at Sharp Park
Learn how to play the fantasy card game Magic the Gathering! This program is geared towards middle school and high school students. You will have the chance to sort cards, build a deck, and play a match. The best part? You get to keep the deck you build!
DROP IN Children (6-11 years old) Teens (12-18 years old)

“HerStory Meets YourStory” Poster Workshop
Thursday, March 14 at 11am at Sharp Park
This workshop offers a unique blend of historical exploration and personal expression. Participants will be guided through the creation of a poster divided into two halves. One side will represent a specific woman in history, utilizing vibrant colors and artistic elements. The other half will be dedicated to the participant’s personal journey, allowing them to artistically and textually bridge the gap between historical inspiration and their own story
REGISTER HERE Adults (19+ years old)

Dungeons & Dragons
Wednesday, March 6 at 2:30pm at Sharp Park REGISTER HERE
Saturday, March 16 at 2:30pm at Sharp Park REGISTER HERE
Wednesday, March 20 at 2:30pm at Sharp Park REGISTER HERE
Saturday, March 30 at 2:30pm at Sharp Park REGISTER HERE
Challenge yourself to a Dungeons & Dragons one-shot! Intended for middle and high school
students. Handbooks and dice are provided; bring a character sheet or use one of our premade
sheets. Space is limited, please register online to reserve your spot. (12-18 years old)

The Environment and All of Us: How the Environment Can Impact Your Health
Saturday, April 6 at 10:30am at Sharp Park
A panel of science experts will take us on a deep dive into the future of healthcare and how to understand how environmental issues can impact YOUR health
REGISTER HERE

Free Childcare

Receiving CalFresh and need replacements due to storm impacts?

The Coastside Comedy Luau and Charity Auction 2024

Don your most festive Hawaiian attire and join the Wilkinson School family for a night of community, comedy, and Hawaiian cooking at the Coastside Comedy Luau Presented By Spanglers Market! It’s all going down at the I.D.E.S. Portuguese Hall of Half Moon Bay you’ll watch performances from top comedians Kira Soltanovich (Comedy Central, Tonight Show, Showtime, Netflix, and more!), Zach Chapaloni (Showtime, Netflix, MTV), Marcus Howard (Don’t Tell Comedy, Punchline SF, Cobbs Comedy Club) and more while you feast on AWESOME food, and bid on one-of-a-kind items during our charity auction!

Come hang with your Coastside friends and neighbors for what is sure to be a fun night! The event will benefit Wilkinson School in El Granada and Coastside Hope. An additional donation will be made to Fresh Help Maui (providing “boots on the ground” assistance to the families devastated by the wildfires on Maui). Hosted by Marcus D. from the “Marcus and Corey Morning Show” on Star 1013 and iHeartRadio. We look forward to seeing you there!

18 and over only.
DOORS: 6:00PM
DINNER: 6:00PM-7:45PM

LIVE AUCTION: 7:00PM
COMEDY: 8:00PM

EVENT ENDS: 10:00PM

Special Thanks to our sponsors: Spangler’s Market, Ocean Blue Real Estate, Comedy Sharks, Cameron’s Pub, Comedy Sharks, Goldworks, Stewart Chevrolet in Colma, Newbold Chiropractic, Phil’s Tire And Auto, Marcus and Corey on STAR 1013 and more!