Supervisor Carmen Chu: Controls for Massage Parlors

As you have probably seen in the news, the Sunset District has had a number of incidents involving establishments licensed for services, such as gyms or acupuncturists, cited for solicitation of prostitution. In addition to tightening current collaboration with the SF Police Department's Vice Crimes unit and the SF Department of Public Health (DPH) to address enforcement of these businesses, we also wanted to address the problem before it begins. A major loophole that we have been working with DPH, Vice Crimes and other city agencies to close has to do with how the business opens to begin with.

Up to this point, if one were to open a massage establishment, that operator would need to go through a planning process that would allow for community input and city input on operating conditions. However, in the case where a business wanted to add massage as an "accessory use," or side business, the operator would be able to obtain a permit over the counter, no questions asked. This loophole allowed some to escape scrutiny.

Encouraged by neighbors of such establishments, as well as proprietors of legitimate businesses fed up with these bad actors tarnishing their reputations, I introduced an ordinance that will require anyone seeking to add massage as an "accessory use" to go through the planning process. The legislation will be heard at the SF Planning Commission on May 21, before it goes to the SF Board of Supervisors.

If you would like to show your support, please write to the Planning Commission at: SF Planning Department, 1650 Mission St., Suite 400 San Francisco, CA 94103-2479

Library Amnesty Program: May 3 - 16
The San Francisco Public Library is encouraging patrons to return their overdue books and other library materials and restore their borrowing privileges without penalty or fine during an amnesty period to be held May 3 - 16.

The amnesty program is for late books only Ð patrons are still responsible for lost or damaged books. The program, Free2Return, gives patrons the chance to return items without penalty and thus make more items available for public circulation again. Because patrons with a fine balance of more than $10 are prevented from borrowing library materials, the amnesty restores borrower privileges to those patrons once they return their overdue materials. There is no limitation on the length of time materials have been overdue. The amnesty does not include overdue fines still on record from previously returned or lost materials.

The last time the SF Public Library held amnesty programs was in 1998 and 2001. There are currently an estimated 123,442 materials overdue. Overdue materials can be returned to any branch or the Main Library during the amnesty period.

For more information on the library overdue materials amnesty, please call (415) 557-4277.

Upcoming community events, monthly Pine Lake Park clean-up
Our office started a community clean-up effort at Pine Lake Park to clean and maintain the dog run. We meet every second Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to noon. Our next clean up is May 9, and we hope to see you there! Supplies are provided.

Upcoming Sunday Streets
Celebrate our San Francisco neighborhoods and take pride in the community as a Sunday Streets volunteer. Sunday Streets is a San Francisco city event that opens miles of car-free neighborhood streets to people for walking, biking and recreation. The Sunset will host Sunday Streets on Aug. 9 and Sept. 6. I will be holding a community meeting to address concerns and planning for the event on May 12, at 7 p.m., at the United Irish Cultural Center (2700 45th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard). If you have any questions, call our office at (415) 554-7460.

Sunset Recreation Center renovation
The Sunset Recreation Center and Playground is slated for a major remodel with funds from the Proposition A parks bond. This is a $13.7 million project, which includes the repair and renovation of the recreation center, children's play area, fields and courts, and restoration of existing roads and pathways, upgrades to irrigation and lighting systems; modifications to the site to remove barriers and improve accessibility, and overall reconditioning of the park landscape.

With a project this big, it is important to get as much input as possible from the people who really use it. The Recreation and Park Department is hosting several public meetings this spring and summer. The first one will be at the Sunset Recreation Center on Wednesday, May 13, from 6 - 8 p.m. We hope you can come and be a part of the vision.

Carmen Chu is a San Francisco supervisor representing District 4.