In June of 2020 the encampment issues were at an all time high in Hayes Valley. The HVNA Committee Chairs for both the HVNA Communications and Public Safety Committees were on the front lines of community outreach regarding this crisis during the COVID pandemic. Meanwhile, the HVNA Board was orbiting in their own bubble, writing letters and crafting a petition with zero input from either committee. Unbeknownst to the HVNA Communications Committee a letter was sent to the Mayor and was then shared on the Hayes Valley Society Page on Facebook by HVNA’s Corresponding Secretary Barbara Babs Kitty Early. Neighbors brought this matter to the attention of the Communications Committee at which point the Committee Chairs began an inquiry to the Board about not being included. As neighbors over the years have cited, the HVNA Board typically pushes policy and actions that impact the neighborhood with little consensus from neighbors let alone its members. The HVNA Communications Committee of 2020 included 2 founding members of the HVNA and a 7 year volunteer (whose tenure included: committee chair and board member). The Committee faced an uphill battle with the HVNA 2020 Board in large part because they questioned the Board’s failure to follow the bylaws among other nonexclusive actions such as being blocked to meetings with city agencies (an action taken by the HVNA Vice President Jenn Laska) and being bullied by Merchant Committee Chair Lloyd Silverstein.
Sign the petition for for a better, brighter, cleaner and safer community.
