Outside Lands Festival - No Park Street Closure Information

It is starting to become a tradition here in San Francisco that whenever there's a major festival and this is their first one, they never notify the residents affected by the event about street closures.

Well here comes the new Outside Lands festival (concert) event that is consuming a huge part of Golden Gate Park. So this billionaire thinks of this great idea and gets the necessary permits to do it, I say, well a good idea there.

Then the residents don't get told about how this will hurt them. For this event, people who live in the Sunset, Richmond, and Panhandle areas will be greatly affected, especially if you take the bus or drive.

The festival's website DOES NOT have any information about street closures in the park. I noticed one sign saying that Chain of Lakes will be closed, but I noticed that when I was driving home last week Friday.

I checked the SFMTA's website about closures, and there is barely any information.

I checked the 511 website about closures, and they just tell you to expect heavy traffic and take the bus.

Then there's the folks at 311. The first time, I get this guy who immediately says that he will transfer me to the 511 call center. Well the 511 automated system does not have any information at all. Then I call back and speak to another person and ask the same question, and she puts me on hold for ten minutes, and says there are "no street closures." I asked her what her source of information is, and she says it's from the SFMTA website. Yeah, that's very accurate when I know that at least one park road is closed and one park street entrance is shut down.

And just to insult the folks at 311... here's a comment left on SFgate's comment section about their promotion of the concert:

"Getting around the park to get out of the Sunset and to work was hell this morning. The concert organizers didn't even bother to notify the locals of street closures in advance. They could've suggested an alternate route. I've not experienced this kind of GGP take-over before, not even with those free concerts. Who do these people think they are? Oh, and the city quickly patched up some potholes on Fulton to make the ride a bit smoother. The rest of the year, they don't care about the Outside Lands..."

I did not want to do this, but now I'm waiting for a reply back from Supervisor McGoldrick's office because at least they have more power than the average citizen to get the information what we all need. It always seems that when 311, SFMTA, SFPD, and other local agencies can't get their information straight, McGoldrick's office is always on top of it getting the most accurate information for the folks (like me) in the Richmond.

This blog will be updated with closures as soon as possible.

UPDATE 6:23PM: Did not receive any e-mail from McGoldrick's office. Looks like we are going in this event blind people.

UPDATE 7:09PM: Why don't we grind our axes? Here's some more quotes from local residents from my favorite place, SFist:

RationalGal says:
"The chainlink fences went up around the event perimeters early this week, and cars were already being denied access into the park at 41st and 25th Avenues on the Sunset side at 10:00 a.m. this morning. Private enterprise in public places?..."

Shibi's comment about Muni being a much worse hellhole (than it already is):
"I'm home now and I've washed the funk off, guzzled some wine and I've pretty much recovered, but at 4pm all of the Market/Haight Street buses were ALREADY packed hell-rides."

Also to add, it is not just first-time festivals, but also first-time marathons. I had an ax to grind with the first Nike marathon when my neighborhood turned into a virtual prison with the marathon route going on the west side (Great Highway), north side (covering Pt. Lobos and other streets), east side (27th avenue) and south side (the entire Golden Gate Park). It got so bad that I lodged a complaint at Supervisor McGoldrick's office and he called a HEARING AT CITY HALL and I spoke out arguing that it was not just the event organizers, but the city as well for not having consistent information to all their agencies. When I called the Richmond SFPD station about the marathon, it resulted in an "I don't know" answer. I wonder, if there is a serious incident and the cops need to get through a marathon, and have a lack of knowledge about what's going on, they'll be very late in saving my butt. I remember talking to a police officer on the phone and said that lack of information is total bullshit (yes, I said "bullshit"), he totally agreed with me.

Lastly, kudos to Curbed SF and Eye on Blogs (KPIX/CBS 5) for spreading the news.


UPDATE: 7:24PM: Yep, the complaints keeps coming in.

Howardwasright on SFgate says:
"Just walked the dog through the park and was astounded to see the entire west end of the park closed to traffic...except VIP pass holders who can park inside the park. Add to that the fact that the park is gonna be TRASHED--literally and figuratively. Already the roads in and out of the park are covered with garbage. Yuk. And you think there was pee-pee after the marathon??"

BRING IT ON: The Japantown Festival Controversy

The Japantown Festival threat controversy alone is bringing a ton of attention to Akit's Complaint Department and I will not let this issue down until Japantown's festivals will be saved and kept, and the tenant's association and developer apologizes in writing for their absolutely hateful letters. The Nihonmachi Street Fair may be over, but I won't give up.

Outside of the Japanese American media, I am especially greatful to the folks at Curbed SF and SF Citizen for their efforts to spread the word.

Reading Curbed SF's comments, I came around to reading this very hurtful comment left by an anonymous poster (comment #15):

What a group of losers! Your street fairs stink and your know it. I live on Bush and Laguna and look at those pathetic festivals as the last gasp of a gang of out-of neighborhood activists who don't even live in the 'hood. What's Vietnamese BBQ, the SFPD and sellers of cruddy womens clothes have to do with this neighborhood or its heritage. Sorry dudes, trying to save those lousy malls with their tired businesses will never make it. Time to put a Whole Foods/Trader Joe's in there -- something people actually want. Time for you to move on since none of you live here -- suspect most of you are mostly bridge and tunnel anyway with your parents parked in their segregated retirement ghettos.

Here is my reaction that I posted about one hour after it was posted (comment #16):

EXCUSE ME? If you don't like Japantown, get lost.

I am appalled that you do not have any respect for the Japantown neighborhood. We have been kicked out due to internment and redevelopment. We can't help it if our malls don't look nice on the outside because redevelopment screwed Japantown and forced many people to move somewhere else, such as the Richmond District, and even the East Bay. If you have ever patronized Japantown in any way, you should not give any disrespect to this community.

Understand this, while only about 10% of Japanese Americans still live in Japantown, many of us do come back when we can to patronize restaurants, help out the community organizations, and meet friends.

Let me say that one more time, a lot of us don't live in Japantown, but we still love it and support it. Come meet a bunch of my friends who have volunteered for this community for OVER 40 YEARS. Why not visit Kimochi, the non-profit organization still going strong, and talk to the hard working volunteers that keep the organization moving with great programs like their lunch program.

Although my late grandmother passed away, she is considered the "Godmother of Japantown" for her leadership to fight for redress for all Japanese Americans interned in the camps during WWII, and her endless volunteering to her community; from preparing meals to serve the elderly every single day to fundraising over a million dollars to build a senior care live-in facility. And she also lived on Bush and Laguna.

You know what, I don't mind that the festival sold Vietnamese food. We have a social responsibility to help out others as well. During my tenure as the leader of the Save Japantown movement in 2006, I said to the Filipino American community that we could use their support because we all have a responsibility to help struggling communities. Japanese Americans were out there supporting the protests at the International Hotel and we needed their support as well. That message alone brought in 3,000 petition signatures in just 24 hours.

That's the spirit of Japantown for you. We are a proud community.

--Aaron "Akit" Kitashima
Owner and Blogger of "Akit's Complaint Department"

This is all I have to say for now. If you get a chance, subscribe to my RSS feed or sign-up for e-mail updates on Akit.Org and on the upper left side of the page for the subscription links.

Updates: Japantown Festivals and Muni Transfer Coupons

Here are some new updates to past postings on Akit's Complaint Department.

First of all, Japantown being threatened by a condo association and developer:

• I'm generating a lot of heat (the good kind) by spreading the word around where I can. I've received a few e-mails from community leaders and members of the public, and received wide exposure through Yelp's "Talk" pages (click here to view).
• It is becoming a consensus around the Yelp area that although the festivals may be the same, the food might not be the world's best (although I argue that it is good food for a good cause (the J-town community organizations)), it is an annual tradition to hold two festivals in Japantown. There is also the argument going around about the letters written by the president and developer of 1600 Webster saying that they went a little too far in their letter. In my opinion, I think they are trying to bully an event that started 35 years ago to bring the community together, and now they want to rip us apart. It is much more respectful to write a kinder letter while still making your requests (not demands), and not going off topic about the look of our malls, the food, the gifts, etc.

As for Muni, or what I like to call it, "the dumbest system on earth:"

• Today was my most recent visit to the Giants game since I last reported that Muni's Judson True promised that BART to Muni transfer tickets would be accepted at AT&T park for the ride home, and was caught red handed by me on video of them messing up after their promise.
• The good news is that this time, they did take the ticket and I got to pay the discount price. And it was the same guy I previously recorded on my camera!

Then on the ride back, it was the start of the 9th inning and the Dodgers was whipping our butts bad, and one metro train just left, and about 200 people were on the platform for the next train. The train did not arrive for about 10 to 15 minutes after the most recent train left, and people were leaving the game and waiting for the next vehicle. The wait got so long, that I confronted a Muni official who was on the track level (I was on the platform) arguing that it should not take like 15 minutes for a train to come by and pickup people from a GIANTS GAME. Then the guy wanted to confront me, demanding me to show my face. I sure did show my face in bravery showing that I don't take shit from Muni and their lousy officials. The guy told me to go take a cab, it was just down the block. I demanded his employee ID number when I threatened to call SF's 311, and the guy never gave it to me, and walked away. OOOOH... you don't walk away from me. I yelled at him that he was a disgrace to being a government employee.

Do you ever wonder? If a Muni operator causes an accident, injuries, or even kills someone, the chances are good that their union will keep them on the job. Hey Muni union, you better remember that the local taxpayers RULE YOU and we can find a way to make you wipe your own ass instead of the taxpayers doing that right now. And we have the basic right to treat you like shit if you treat us like shit.

I've thrown Muni to a brand new low when I caught them breaking a promise and capturing it on video. Now, this happens and I should have caught it on video too. Damn, I had my camera on me.

Lastly, there was also a fistfight on the Muni metro platform at Embarcadero. Some lady on the same train I was on, accused a guy behind her of hitting her (or maybe just an accidental shove), then they exit the train. I'm walking to the opposite escallator when I hear screaming and I turn around and say "holy shit" and see two people fighting each other. They go up past the fare gates, and I'm talking to the booth lady to get the cops. So BART police arrive, turns out that they think that the fight happened on the BART platform and stops all the trains going in and out, delaying everyone for at least five to ten minutes when the damn incident happened on Muni's platform and the confrontation continued on the faregate platform!

Dang, what a day.

Correction: "Muni to BART" transfer ticket, not "BART to Muni"

Japantown Festivals Threatened

I've received word that San Francisco's Japantown was threatened by an angry letter from the President of the Association and Developer of the 1600 Webster Building, former site of the Japantown Bowl.

As many of you have known, the Japantown Bowl was sold to a development company, the old building was abandoned and stayed up for a year, and was eventually torn down and built into very expensive condos and two business spaces. The community did not want condos and even offered their own funds to purchase and preserve the alley. The community was also offended with Starbucks moving into the large business space because it would hurt the local businesses (such as Cafe Hana), and was able to have the company pull out of its quest to open an establishment.

Today, the condo association President and the Developer of the 1600 Webster condo development threatened the Japantown community by arguing that the community festivals (Cherry Blossom and Nihonmachi Street Fair) saying that we have too many festivals that impact them. They claim that we have " schlocky souvenirs, mediocre food stands..." Oh give me a break, yeah we sell souvenirs, but it's just part of our community, and those food stands are NON-PROFIT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TRYING TO MAKE SOME MONEY (how can you hate on them?) and it is GREAT FOOD (people come back every year to eat it again).

I need to make myself clear on this: I am only talking about the Cherry Blossom Festival and the Nihonmachi Street Fair, but not the Asian Heritage Festival. If you have a problem with the Asian Heritage Festival, talk to Mayor Newsom and AsianWeek. The Asian Heritage festival is not have any official relation to Japantown's community and its people because this festival is organized around going to different neighborhoods every year and hosting it there.

Then they argue that the food booths create a mess in the neighborhood. To be honest with you, yes, we do make somewhat of a mess, but we clean-up the mess after the event is over. Both Cherry Blossom and Nihonmachi have volunteers that go around the food areas to change garbage bags, and sweep the streets. After cleaning up the booths, a more thorough cleaning is done by the city and the event organizers, especially the grease issues. One thing I wonder about is, why do they (the condo association) feel like they need to pay out of their own pockets to sweep the sidewalks and take care of the trees after the festival? If we use the area for the festival, it is our job to clean-up the mess that people leave.

We have never been threatened or received such a complaint like this EVER in the history of this neighborhood. The people who organize this event has BENT OVER BACKWARDS for the condo people by letting them have access to their underground garage during festival days, even if there is a huge mob of people on the closed street for the food fair, and we have put fencing around the building to keep people from perching or encroaching on their property. We have other people who live directly in the path of our festivals and they have never complained, not once, not even a peep. And all they do is move their car out of their garage and park it somewhere nearby.

If the association president is reading this, please tell us about the vote? How many were absent? How many voted in support of writing this letter to the community, and who voted against it?

And I've been a hard worker at the festival for over ten years, and my father and "uncles" (Hawaiian term for family friends) have done this for OVER 30 YEARS. If the association president and the development manager have the guts, come meet us, talk to us, and explain your concerns to us. We want to see you make your argument in front of the people who make this community the way it is today, the hard working volunteers who get paid nothing to do something to support their community, and its fine organizations.

Don't go on the chicken route of just writing a letter.

All of you readers should come on out and support our community festival. It is this Saturday and Sunday, August 9-10 from 10AM to 6PM with live music, food, and arts & crafts (some of them are handmade by seniors). A petition will be passed around the area and we can use your support by signing it and enjoying our festivities for this 35th year anniversary of the festival.

Below are excerpts from e-mails from the President and the Developer of the 1600 Webster Street Condo’s, the former site of the Japantown Bowl to the Nihonmachi Street Fair Committee

To Nihonmachi Street Fair Committee

As you are aware, this Association (along with other members of this neighborhood) must tolerate what seems to be an endless use of Post and Webster Streets for a series of look-alike street fairs with the same purveyors of schlocky souvenirs, mediocre food stands and exhibitors who have absolutely no relationship to the community. There is no other neighborhood which is asked to put up with these sorts of disruptions, and that, of course, doesn't include the disruption presented by the Fillmore Street Fair which is only one block away.

Thus, we find it astonishing that the Fair organizers would propose an event that would leave the neighborhood in worse condition than you found it and then impose your clean-up costs on this Association and other property owners. The streets and sidewalks of this neighborhood are usually filthy, especially those that surround that appalling mall, and 1600 Webster already devotes part of its yearly budget to the maintenance of its sidewalks and street trees from which this neighborhood receives a direct benefit.

We want to make it very clear to you that if the neighborhood sidewalks are not cleaned in an adequate fashion this year, this Association will file a protest with the City when you seek a permit for next year's street fair.

David H. Zisser

President, 1600 Webster Street Homeowners' Association

-------------------------

This is real simple. You want to put on an event; you take responsibility. In this instance, you make a mess, you clean it up. You don't get the benefits (proceeds), without the liabilities (expenses). If your event doesn't make money, you should rethink it's usefulness. In any event, if we have to clean up afterwards, we will not only oppose the event next year we will look to small claims court to reimburse us for clean up costs. We don't need a bunch of emailing back and forth on this. It is not a negotiation.

John McInerney

Developer 1600 Webster Street

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mr. Zisser,

Thank you for your email regarding the upcoming Nihonmachi Street Fair.

After thoroughly reading your reply I am very troubled by the response you presented.

The Nihonmachi Street Fair (NSF) like the many other community events held in and around Japantown has always worked with our neighbors both residential, community organizations and businesses to make sure that we keep our streets clean and that the event is a successful one especially for the many non profit organizations that participate.

We have never received any negative comments like this and it puts a damper on what we hope will attract many visitors to the area. The Nihonmachi Street Fair has always done our best to keep the streets of Japantown pristine after the event closes each day. Our committee knows how important it is to not only represent the NSF in a positive manner, but that our actions also reflect our organization and more importantly our community.

Due to very limited funds this year we are unable to spend the funds to hire the City to steam clean the sidewalk area directly in front of the 1600 Webster condo. The Food Fest area will be contained on Post Street. Other than having our volunteers sweep the streets during and after the event, as well as the Department of Public Works coming by to sweep the entire Fair areas, we should be fine. Of course if any of the streets that we use is soiled and is an eye sore we do go out there and physically scrub the area.

Nihonmachi Street Fair Response

Wondering about Japantown's Future

On late Tuesday evening around 8:30PM, I went to San Francisco's Japantown for a nice late night dinner, which is rare because I don't usually go to Japantown at night.

And something crossed my mind as I walked through the Kintetsu mall that evening, I looked around and saw not many people walking down the aisles of the mall, yet it was so interesting to just go to Mifune for an order of cold noodles (the "Mifune Special") and realize that the place is nearly packed. I also realized that the other restaurants, including the ever so expensive Benihana was crowded too.

Sometimes I wonder if Japantown is really changing for the good or the bad. One observation I noticed as I was eating my dinner at Mifune is the other people around me. Interestingly, there was not even one fellow Japanese American in sight, and it was a little difficult to find a fellow Asian American. Most of the people I saw are European American.

Just this observation alone made me wonder about what might happen to Japantown. In a previous discussion with a friend, we talked and agreed that while we believe the people who have been raised or have been very active in this community feel that "outsiders" who want to help is an uncomfortable idea; the other point of view I mentioned is the concept of "strength in numbers."

In the society of Japantown, it is becoming much harder to gather the support of the people of the community to fight for the preservation of our community. Yet, when we think about it, we need that "strength in numbers" to help secure our community. One particular example I have noticed these days is at the Cherry Blossom Festival. As always, the "regulars" are out there to support our community, but these so-called "outsiders" also play a major role in supporting our community as a whole. In this situation, the best example I can provide is the anime fair and their segment of the parade. It is amazing to see many young people, many of whom are not even Japanese American, participating in this event.

In some form, our community needs to find a way to promote this idea of "strength in numbers," and anime and Japanese popular culture may be the new way to do it.

Right now, our community is like an "old school" society, where the community is old fashioned. We practice some good old traditions including martial arts, and our restaurants reflect an old fashioned style. Right now, the community is taking a turn, trying to get those numbers by simply relaxing this old fashioned ideal and welcoming in the anime and J-pop theme. The Miyako inn was transformed into a J-pop themed hotel, and we are now building the new J-Pop center.

To many people I speak to in the community, all of them believe in preservation of the community. To many of them, it is keeping the traditions of Japantown alive. Yet, I see that the anime and J-pop idea may be a new concept that might actually help us, although we are sacraficing the old fashioned ideals that have been with us for generations.

I love Japantown a lot. It is difficult for our community to come together and fight because many of us have a job and it makes it a challenge to be out there. I feel that I sometimes regret that I can't always be out there to be the young leader of the community, yet I am still proud of the accomplishments that I have taken part of, including my leadership work to fight to preserve Japantown during the massive sale of the malls and hotels in 2006.

In one view, it can be said that Japantown will always be here, no matter what happens in the future. To others, they feel that Japantown will disappear if we don't do anything.

Today, we are struggling with the planned demolition and renovation of the Japan center. There is word that they will destroy our existing infastructure and insert something even worse: a taller facility that houses businesses and homes, and may destroy the economy of our community. Those malls and the businesses who lease the spaces make a big impact to our community, and if they destroy the malls and the shopkeeps are forced to find somewhere else, will they ever return? Will they be guaranteed a space with the promise of the same rent rate?

It seems that nobody has the true guts to ask this question to the people. Many Japanese Americans in our community have this feeling that they should not speak out, yet there are legendary Japanese Americans who have spoken out on items in the past and have became the true leaders and representatives of our community.

• Steve Nakajo, co-founder and Executive Director of Kimochi Inc., a non-profit senior services organization wanted to provide services to Japanese American elders because of the tradition of younger people always taking care of our elderly.
• Paul Osaki, Executive Director of the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California always speaks out about the issues surrounding our community.
• My late grandmother, Ms. Tsuyako "Sox" Kitashima was a survivor of the Japanese Interment Camps and was given a reality check from younger Japanese Americans that they should demand redress and an apology from the goverment for violating their civil rights and making them lose all their property. She was the first to speak out about her experiences in the Japanese interment camps and she went out of her way to ask other people give their testimony to government representatives at a special hearing at Golden Gate University. And nobody could really believe that a 2nd generation 60+ year old grandmother and the belief that 2nd generation Japanese Americans would keep quiet about their camp experiences, would be out there pushing congress and other people to fight for redress. In the end, a big reward came to light; Japanese Americans interned in the camps received a $20,000 check and an apology from the president. And all it took was to speak-out and fight for what you believe in. Even after redress, my late grandmother helped other Japanese Americans sign-up for redress, and went to local public schools to tell the story to make sure nobody ever forgets.

I sure want to be like my grandmother someday, and I did earn that true respect during the "Save Japantown" days. Yet, I always keep worrying about this little community that I call home.

Two Weeks Late - Where's Translink (SF Bay Area)?

Let the insanity begin!

The Bay Area's Translink program is now two weeks overdue for its official rollout for San Francisco's Muni and Caltrain systems.

So what's the damn holdup?

In an article by Rachel Gordon of the SF Chronicle written in April of 2008, it states that the delay for Translink " has pushed back the estimated start date for the San Francisco Municipal Railway and Caltrain to July 15 and for BART to Sept. 25."

See article here.

Come on... I know the damn things say "testing in progress," and I think the whole thing is ready to go. The readers are mostly working, although unfortunately this one I found on the 29-Sunset (a.k.a. the worst bus line in San Francisco) is not working.

Just reprogram all the readers, remove the yellow stickers, give a flier to the bus drivers on how to operate and accept the cards, and GET THE BALL ROLLING!

Muni also installed these on the far left faregates at all metro stations as well. Caltrain is allegely installing card readers at all their ticket machines, but I haven't been on that system in years.

I've been waiting for this program for over four years since I was a pilot tester, and the delays after delays are really pissing me off. HELLO METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, TRANSLINK MANAGEMENT, SF MUNI MANAGEMENT, AND CALTRAIN MANAGEMENT, IT IS TIME TO GET THIS THING GOING!

OK management people, line up and bend over; it is time for your spanking for delaying the process! AND I HIT VERY HARD WITH A PADDLE WITH AIR HOLES.

Lastly, as for BART on "September 25th..." um... that's a total mystery if they will make it in just less than a month. So if they f-up, I'll be here blogging about it.

AT&T Park Muni Vendors MUST accept Muni Tokens too

Quick update before I get to my posting:

SF Muni is starting to make a little progress. I don't know if it is because of my blog or that I informed Phil Bronstein about the problem, but there's some changes:

One thing is they finally got their website FULLY (not partially) up to date. What I mean by "partially" is that one part of the page was correct with the new policy, while scrolling down at the bottom was incorrect.

Now the page clearly says:
"BART discount coupons are accepted" in the "Major Points" section.
"Muni to BART" discount coupons may be used" in the "Leaving the Ballpark" section.

Now, back to the topic!

Here's the next task for Muni and its vendors at AT&T Park, how about accepting tokens and the token tickets too? They are the same fare media as paying in cash.

Their website says:
"Muni tokens or token coupons cannot be used at this time to purchase proof of payment at the Giants sales window" in the "Leaving the Ballpark" section.

I use Muni token tickets because it is easier to carry than a handful of quarters and dollar bills. Plus, I can purchase these with my Commuter Checks, a program that issues me a check for public transit media (passes, tickets, etc.) and is automatically deducted pre-tax from my payroll.

So why not Muni?

If your policy says: "Please be prepared to show your Proof of Payment to Muni staff working the entrance lines to Muni Metro. If you do not have proof of payment, you will be sent back to the Giants sales window to purchase a ticket."

And a MUNI TOKEN OR TOKEN TICKET is a legal Muni fare, why can't AT&T park take it too so passengers can get their "Proof of Payment?" If the inspector is going to kick your ass for not letting you through and the vendor won't give you a transfer because all you have is a token at hand, that's just crazy.

Maybe I should just put the point across again, SF Muni promised its citizens that the token and token ticket is a LEGAL FARE for all Muni rides (except for Cable Cars and Candlestick Park express buses), so why not honor it for the return ride home from AT&T Park? Muni is simply dishonoring their agreement again to its citizens.

Do I once again need to walk to a 30 Stockton bus stop, give my token ticket to the driver, get a transfer, and walk back to the AT&T park metro platform for the ride home? Hell no.