[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6626964,"mediaKeyId","2733125-525519cff43006230e7c96358ca12457","parentId",2733125,"title","Advocates warn Walgreens closures create 'pharmacy deserts' that hinder older adults and people with disabilities","audioSeconds",1947,"startMs",628000,"endMs",2575000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2733125-525519cff43006230e7c96358ca12457&start=628&end=2575","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2733125-525519cff43006230e7c96358ca12457/thumbnail_628000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6626964/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Advocates-warn-Walgreens-closures-create-pharmacy-deserts-that-hinder-older-adults-and-people-with-disabilities","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6626964-bd241a889f55d532bdc0f77c7260c09c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770583576&Signature=nAs0vEeG4l3xwhcKO2VoD96-5AOn08ufjv0ho5g2dzLgMdsSpwu0Zqlcr7VL8041ILUbkctnqhXjwsfMzDRbERTiPn4IaEIW8t57lnaHWIKC8MMJUUHVMhyNYBEM1O441eaVEIMyMKgiguwwpk~BhPKIeSgm59siYM9gFFtbz4kb46mohFs9glwmTK~BgRw3qtQzufHc3GU1Mjz5oA8BSLlhJqGrrhwX-rGypcPs6whaT-v0Lfo4GDimGBjq14aLJwxoe7s6t1qTdb1xghrPcX8dO2kBuL9CbBxpUpHrLfETvzekvnoW8P11WqWkraR7ZW9WxUP~75rGIuY17tuuXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of San Francisco","date","2025-03-21T00:00:00Z","article","Speakers at the Mayor’s Disability Council warned that recent pharmacy closures in San Francisco have created access problems for older adults and people with disabilities, particularly those who rely on in-home support services to pick up prescriptions.

Eileen Norman, public policy staff at the San Francisco IHSS Public Authority, told the council she represents roughly 25,000–26,000 IHSS recipients and that about 92% of them have authorized in-home providers to run errands such as pharmacy pickups. She said Walgreens closed 11 stores across the city and that closures in the Bayview left that neighborhood without a nearby pharmacy. Norman described longer travel distances and longer lines for caregivers as a new burden and encouraged MOD and council members to collaborate on solutions.

MOD Director Eli Jelardin also raised the closures during his director’s report, saying the Mayor’s Office on Disability is concerned about the impact on individuals with disabilities and older adults and is exploring strategies and alternatives with stakeholders. He advised residents affected by transfers of prescriptions to verify the designated Walgreens location, but also noted verification does not guarantee accessible access.

Council member Cindy Fassler suggested one temporary option: mail-order or pharmacy-delivery services such as OptimumRx that accept Medicare and private insurance and can deliver prescriptions to a person’s home or to a caregiver. Several council members and public commenters expressed interest in longer-term strategies to restore neighborhood pharmacy access and asked MOD to coordinate with other city agencies and community partners.

The council did not take formal action on the pharmacy issue during the meeting. MOD said it will continue stakeholder outreach and evaluate possible strategies to address the access gaps created by the closures.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of San Francisco - Video Open Video Only in Windows Media Player - Mar 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Speakers at the Mayor's Disability Council described recent closures of 11 Walgreens branches in San Francisco and raised concerns about access to prescriptions for IHSS recipients and other residents; the Mayor's Office on Disability said it is exploring strategies with stakeholders.","taxTitle","San Francisco City, San Francisco County, California","taxId",5751,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6626968,"Public Works outlines curb ramp backlog and seeks $10M to speed citywide accessibility",610,7250000,7860000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2733125-525519cff43006230e7c96358ca12457&start=7250&end=7860","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2733125-525519cff43006230e7c96358ca12457/thumbnail_7250000.jpg","/articles/6626968/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Public-Works-outlines-curb-ramp-backlog-and-seeks-10M-to-speed-citywide-accessibility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6626968-4a3c7e2bf2a64d8d07a4d2b53fd0e4f0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770583576&Signature=W2UQbmw9Hxrj-UGKCDjsbosG9M~YNX5v-wtMVDv0ClWd0QC7vfE4DNIlG7preDeoSIFn3iZp~gsBZqT~Bf4XZIzlt9KUua5haY8mo5NCGy~BfRYB3A2mbXeIsA4uYUMV6LX5F718FYhQCbOgGjxrs6Ve~I71I0SBXHOKnxi3jRJ244CCY35ZlEsGd7J~yaFLZbi5MSKSXTMGkKsY6e7eUPOLNTfVzhgmitMvT50kzEbh-iPiQa2eHX5o5ktYoeN~T1dr8RAxcGptKSzAWaQLTNx9Pll~R26Mf7mEvzKPfCAfvqWjNvRw0YXPf6hsar4Fjd1I8b1qk6YO5JM9nqsj1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","San Francisco Public Works briefed the Mayor’s Disability Council on the city’s curb ramp inventory and its funding need to achieve full accessibility citywide. Program staff said about 42,000 curb ramps are in the city’s inventory; to reach full ADA “saturation” (remediating fair/poor/no-ramp locations) the city needs to build roughly 9,731 more curb ramps.

Anastasia Haddad, curb ramp program manager for Public Works, told the council the program categorizes ramps as good, fair, poor or no-ramp (buildable). She said Public Works completed varying numbers of ramps in recent years depending on funding and third-party construction, and that inconsistent funding and staffing have limited the program’s output. Public Works reported construction counts by fiscal year and agencies involved; city departments and third parties both contribute to ramp construction.

Haddad described the program’s prioritization criteria: number of requests at a location, existing path of travel, whether the location is on the high-injury network, condition of existing ramps, requests from people with disabilities, geographic equity, and district-level request volume. She said the program is currently cleaning up its request database and that unresolved community requests number about 4,300 across districts, with some districts showing more outstanding requests due to older infrastructure and basement/utility conflicts.

Public Works asked the Capital Planning Commission for $10 million for FY 2025–26 to increase capacity and complete an estimated 290 curb ramps next year; the program said to reach citywide saturation within a decade it would need to deliver roughly 300–400 curb ramps per year from the program. Haddad said complex locations — particularly in older parts of the city with many below-sidewalk basements and utility conflicts — are more time-consuming and expensive to complete.

Council members asked technical and process questions. Members sought clarity on which department to contact for uplifted sidewalks from tree roots (Public Works said Urban Forestry handles tree root repairs and would coordinate where root uplift affects a curb ramp). Public Works advised that 311 and MOD requests are routed to the curb ramp program, and that for complex curb-ramp projects coordination with SFMTA or other departments sometimes is necessary when signal poles or other utilities are affected.

Public Works emphasized funding and staff availability are the program’s principal constraints. Staff urged community members and council members to support the Capital Planning Commission request on Monday, and encouraged residents to continue using 311 or MOD to report inaccessible curb locations.

The presentation included district-by-district unresolved request counts and historical construction totals; Public Works said a standard curb-ramp construction can be completed in roughly one month when the site is not complicated by basement or utility conflicts.","San Francisco Public Works presented the city’s curb ramp inventory, a 9,731-ramp gap to reach full ADA 'saturation,' and requested $10 million for FY 2025–26 to increase annual deliveries toward a 10-year goal.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6626973,"City Seeks Funding to Make Holiday Plaza Accessible; Architect Presents helical-ramp concept",1740,3300000,5040000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2733125-525519cff43006230e7c96358ca12457&start=3300&end=5040","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2733125-525519cff43006230e7c96358ca12457/thumbnail_3300000.jpg","/articles/6626973/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/City-Seeks-Funding-to-Make-Holiday-Plaza-Accessible-Architect-Presents-helical-ramp-concept","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6626973-b673f18e03646b35be9b60ebb12b240d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770583576&Signature=M3NShxCj-lw9CmH4x5i5lCVX67yeZEFr~thltB7XFXprszzDSk0SgiXIswdUsrba6q-zjU-wdII7iteWeGkG4loNZg0MT5CSiQLNPSOm9F5OAwI9WikHp61ERD6B3oAyqzlxglM2rt1Iy3DBlRjY1KOlPjpk2NjnMgeno3zxYkeDnkjLOnPmeIcvTcTYKVC5y-drqNuHCENFgB3ih~Q56cMDLjXXq4mpcJO1hP8xZFbGcDpNzquMciS~YbbZ~Av7U551yweDZwwwfk~LmGlEFlDO8pH7HHvFGF~3QwEhK0bD8YVd3qymcjpHNxyqKexcK-h9ElMY4KxqeJVWRmpVOQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","San Francisco’s Mayor’s Office on Disability presented plans and a conceptual design for making Holiday Plaza — the below-street plaza at Market and Powell — fully accessible, ahead of a Capital Planning Commission decision on funding scheduled for March 24.

Holiday Plaza’s elevator has been out of service for roughly 20 years, a fact speakers described as a long-standing access barrier for people with disabilities. The Mayor’s Office on Disability (MOD) said the plaza is included in the voter-approved \"Healthy, Safe, and Vibrant San Francisco\" bond and has been a target for restoration and accessibility upgrades included in the city’s 2024 bond measure.

MOD Deputy Director Debbie Kaplan summarized the site history, noting an elevator was added in 1997 after a legal action but has not functioned reliably. Kaplan said MOD and advocacy groups asked architect Bill Leddy to propose an alternate approach: rather than repairing the aging elevator (MOD was told such a renovation could cost roughly $20 million), Leddy offered a concept using a helical ramp wrapped with planting and design elements that aim to make the route both accessible and welcoming. Leddy described the design as an approach that meets the Americans with Disabilities Act slope standards while providing an inclusive, dignity-building experience for all users.

The presentation included conceptual cost numbers provided by private contractors: Leddy said preliminary estimates for construction of the ramp idea were roughly $6.5 million, with a total project cost near $9 million. Leddy and MOD emphasized the scheme is a concept to inform design-phase work; if the Capital Planning Commission funds the project, MOD said the disability community will be involved during the design phase.

Community members and disability advocates spoke in support during public comment. Jaime Viloria, co-chair of the Tenderloin Traffic Safety Task Force and a local resident, said the plaza’s inaccessibility prevents seniors and wheelchair users from attending events and using the concourse. Fiona Hinsley, public policy director for Independent Living Resource Center, and other advocacy speakers urged funding the Holiday Plaza project as an opportunity to showcase universal design during the ADA’s 35th anniversary year.

MOD Director Eli Jelardin reiterated that the Capital Planning Commission decision is the immediate next step and cautioned there are no guarantees funding will be approved. If the commission prioritizes Holiday Plaza, MOD staff said they and the disability community expect to participate in the subsequent design process. Kaplan said the bond language included Holiday Plaza and that MOD has requested capital planning funds to begin design.

Public commenters and council members asked technical questions about slope and ramp standards. Architect Leddy said the proposal would comply with the maximum ADA slope of 1:12 and that parts of the ramp would be shallower to improve usability. Council members and advocates also discussed durability, maintenance, and how the ramp concept would perform in San Francisco’s windy, high-traffic downtown environment.

The project will proceed to the Capital Planning Commission on Monday, March 24, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at City Hall (Room 305), where funding decisions for Holiday Plaza and other capital projects will be considered. MOD and advocates encouraged stakeholders to attend and provide comment.","The Mayor's Office on Disability and architect Bill Leddy presented a concept to replace the long-out-of-service elevator at Holiday Plaza with a helical ramp; the Capital Planning Commission is set to decide funding for the project on March 24.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Advocates warn Walgreens closures create 'pharmacy deserts' that hinder older adults and people with disabilities

Public Works outlines curb ramp backlog and seeks $10M to speed citywide accessibility

City Seeks Funding to Make Holiday Plaza Accessible; Architect Presents helical-ramp concept