[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6467417,"mediaKeyId","5795666-7146ff57390b86f00b52b4b344e25141","parentId",5795666,"title","Council receives letters raising accessibility concerns at Sunset Dunes/Great Highway and requests for more curb‑ramp funding","audioSeconds",176,"startMs",9899000,"endMs",10075000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5795666-7146ff57390b86f00b52b4b344e25141&start=9899&end=10075","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5795666-7146ff57390b86f00b52b4b344e25141/thumbnail_9899000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6467417/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Council-receives-letters-raising-accessibility-concerns-at-Sunset-DunesGreat-Highway-and-requests-for-more-curbramp-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6467417-c355f319b7d179c420739dcbfd3da251/orig.mp4?Expires=1770660491&Signature=MEvUPKYsXS8jaDO8vEq-gsHW8i8zO9~g9qitTbiJ3L~Two6y6aRoRXXuRT6eW-0BfXhTM2Lhubg5Z4BSisZf1V5ZVdqLq1RyZgw0sAEdakvHGG3pFGFEvSonhgXPpM~t7Wj2wNw9P0ZePDFUepTHOzXysXpS1cQswmsAI89Henzt-wcPbymIjWdOBmdzpWJZ-65YFeXcEH8PlR6ynySmVfy41ut68F4oU5qr7-8josj1R9DjybpNgV7H78nMFfGEVBlUhFaRa3~uGk8nXIY51o8ogP5tkMViwbbJd~m1ryq1NjLUiT3rb4TyBA3WaIYmZQ7~c4Bacxch7GEfcPD3~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of San Francisco","date","2025-09-19T00:00:00Z","article","The Mayor’s Disability Council read three letters during its Sept. 19 meeting documenting pedestrian access concerns at Sunset Dunes and the former Great Highway and urging more funding for curb ramps.

Council staff read a May 16 letter from Nancy Federico who described difficulty using paths near the Lower Great Highway with a cane and asked who is assigned to monitor the area. A second May 16 letter from Tony Villa said the reconfigured Great Highway felt dangerous to walk with a cane because of motorized bicycles and scooters, asked for ADA access points and accessible parking near park entrances, and called for shuttle service similar to Golden Gate Park. Both letters asked the city to prioritize safe, ADA‑compliant access.

A third, longer letter dated July 15 from Howard Chabner focused on curb ramps, noting a long history of advocacy and urging the city to increase funding for curb‑ramp construction and maintenance. The deputy director said the letters are on file and that the agencies have discussed the topics cited.

Deputy Director Debbie Kaplan read the correspondence and told the council that slides and presenter contact information would be posted on the MDC webpage. Council members asked about timing and noted public safety and access issues raised by letter writers.

The presentations and correspondence were followed by discussion of follow‑up avenues, with ODA and council members encouraging residents to post specific locations and to work with city departments on remediation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of San Francisco - Video Open Video Only in Windows Media Player","oneSentenceSummary","Three letters to the Mayor’s Disability Council documented access problems at Sunset Dunes and along the former Great Highway, complained about motorized vehicles on pedestrian paths, and urged increased funding and maintenance for curb ramps citywide.","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},6467423,"SFMTA outlines early results of Access for All wheelchair‑access program; one contractor discontinued",1627,6363000,7990000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5795666-7146ff57390b86f00b52b4b344e25141&start=6363&end=7990","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5795666-7146ff57390b86f00b52b4b344e25141/thumbnail_6363000.jpg","/articles/6467423/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/SFMTA-outlines-early-results-of-Access-for-All-wheelchairaccess-program-one-contractor-discontinued","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6467423-9f01ed926e635d7373703a4316259f47/orig.mp4?Expires=1770660491&Signature=LTW0hgsmbNf2q6G6908u8ffD6EclgVluy-DtDU55VO5ifdyeL1OQX7BGHSC1HgTn-W~Njbs7mzmEQ7B1qDW14pCirSWr5b7IKXuVLA11ZMyORuIzXlOMeho07tW8g3n~S3DqQ27h9kb3CLRo1WcY35wqd8rKe4r5oYZnemPiHHbMez6Grsc88of1GVUR69seA-vnsEOVP4HfxkRlNoOCOb5fCmTqa62SnQy-Rl7W200fnzoy3zKW2OgU-oWehn943ndUIhfJhvxnwgShPJ74AL9LZTUVmm6cgoxUIrcyUGw2g9fQgrQXAsw2OB-ZayUFzEijR4UEYrkUQ6Q37nDPQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","SFMTA staff told the Mayor’s Disability Council on Sept. 19 that the city’s first year as a local Access for All administrator showed modest ridership, uneven outreach and room for changes to contracting and marketing.

Transportation planner Jovan Garcia said the California program (created by Senate Bill 1376 and administered by the CPUC) collects a 10‑cent fee on TNC trips to support wheelchair‑accessible on‑demand services; the agency chosen as the local administrator (a local Access for All administrator, or LAFA) distributes funds to local providers. SFMTA awarded grants in its first round to Fog City Access, Green Cab and Tower Mobility.

Garcia said Fog City Access launched with six wheelchair‑accessible vehicles serving the entire city and offers distance‑based fares (0–3 miles $5; 3–5 miles $10; 5–7 miles $15; discounted fares for riders with disabilities). Riders can book via a Fog City app or by phone and the service supports multiple languages. Tower Mobility also launched but did not meet ridership expectations; SFMTA discontinued that contract and reserved about $730,000 for future cycles. Green Cab was awarded funding to convert or operate accessible taxi service and is expected to launch soon.

Performance, outreach and next steps

Garcia said SFMTA’s first‑year lessons included: the need to invest in outreach and marketing to reach the intended community; the value of collecting additional metrics beyond CPUC benchmarks to understand trip origins and connections with paratransit and fixed‑route services; and the need to tailor performance metrics to provider business models. He recommended an expanded community engagement and a technical advisory group to shape the next request for proposals, which SFMTA plans to issue this fall with awards expected early in 2026.

Council members and public commenters urged stronger, professionally supported marketing and cross‑agency outreach — suggestions ranged from partnerships with hospitals and tourist venues to targeted campaigns for riders who rely on medical appointments. Several council members raised vehicle‑design and boarding concerns — including rear‑loading vehicles that can leave some passengers tilted during travel — and suggested exploring options such as on‑site attendants or co‑pilot assistance for customers who need help getting to and from a vehicle.

Garcia invited MDC members to join a technical advisory group to help shape the next RFP and to send SFMTA examples of outreach partners and venues for future marketing.","SFMTA reported on the first year as a local administrator for California’s Access for All program, describing provider performance, fares and next steps; Fog City Access is operating now, Tower Mobility’s contract was discontinued for low ridership, and SFMTA plans stronger marketing and revised RFP criteria for the next funding cycle.",{"_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},6467426,"Local disability nonprofits ask Mayor’s Disability Council to prioritize accessible tourism, transit and workforce supports",1534,2517000,4051000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5795666-7146ff57390b86f00b52b4b344e25141&start=2517&end=4051","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5795666-7146ff57390b86f00b52b4b344e25141/thumbnail_2517000.jpg","/articles/6467426/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Local-disability-nonprofits-ask-Mayors-Disability-Council-to-prioritize-accessible-tourism-transit-and-workforce-supports","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6467426-426a005c7deaa6c5caeaac55f75ff2cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770660491&Signature=ONJnKBc-3TSs9CBu-P1i8nqN6V5r3uhbM97hjyzhbs3cZqRRwnd1iFnVsEmwOqyRgdUeb2AT6bdGBAC1lqXDEmXRAWZLvYRfA6HOmDeZdK3FZa~uXZotI9nn3SUoBHkpi26GoVLBeKhl-709FjuTvSQNnNrFXymvrshxsyQq2cKpTCayj~R2qVAIzeltiu7PMdPk1HKyDWsokWG9k~g~OAa5gVnbLOHHrRLw0u9QtNOitnbGzo7zTTlkBHC756y9P-xNVmw9SMod46ch6wecA~0X6qbvkOd43OBddVx41zD2hEGYKQK117JQbZ6mMu8NGAZVLSVjLrrTFBO1VLsegA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Leaders from four local nonprofit organizations told the Mayor’s Disability Council on Sept. 19 that San Francisco should prioritize accessible tourism, safer streets, and support for workforce and housing services for older adults and people with disabilities.

Representatives from Self Help for the Elderly, Community Living Campaign, Senior and Disability Action, and the Disability Cultural Center presented recommendations and described programs they said align with the council’s physical‑access goals.

Self Help for the Elderly: Title V cuts and workforce services

Annie Chung of Self Help for the Elderly described a long list of services the agency provides — home‑delivered meals, congregate meal sites, adult day health, transportation and housing subsidies — and said federal reductions to the Senior Community Service Employment Program (Title V) led to the loss of about 91 subsidized older‑worker slots and roughly nine staff positions. She said the agency’s Title V contract included a $350,000 administration grant and that the organization would welcome help identifying funding to sustain vocational training and placement for older workers.

Community Living Campaign: sidewalk ACT teams and accessible tourism

Marie Jobling and Jennifer Walsh of the Community Living Campaign described local campaigns including a Disability Pride treasure hunt and sidewalk ‘‘ACT’’ teams to inventory hazards and report them through 3‑1‑1. They said AARP and other partners will help train neighborhood connectors and that they are seeking the council’s support in promoting accessible tourism through partnerships with the visitors bureau and chambers of commerce.

Senior and Disability Action: transit, street safety and vaccine access

Shaya French of Senior and Disability Action urged stronger transit service, saying Muni’s reported $322 million shortfall threatens frequency that seniors and people with disabilities rely on. She called for higher frequency on busy routes, support for Vision Zero/Street Safety Act strategies on high‑injury corridors, more bus filters and protections for vaccine‑at‑home programs for people who cannot leave home.

Disability Cultural Center: disability cultural district

Mika Weisman, co‑director of the Disability Cultural Center, asked the council to back a proposal to create a disability cultural district in San Francisco to concentrate arts, history and disability tourism assets and to strengthen public visibility and solidarity among disability organizations.

Council response and follow‑up

Council members and ODA staff asked organizations to share contact information; presenters said slide decks and contact addresses would be posted on the MDC webpage. ODA Director Eli Galardin highlighted possible partnerships for a cultural‑district process that would involve the mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development and other departments. The council discussed possible cross‑departmental outreach and noted upcoming events — including an ADA/Employment awareness program and a Housing Futures Summit — that could carry these priorities into city planning.","Four nonprofit leaders presented recommended priorities to the Mayor’s Disability Council, urging support for accessible tourism and a disability cultural district, protections for transit and Muni service levels, and restoration or replacement funding for a Title V older‑worker training program that lost 91 positions.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6467428,"San Francisco Office on Disability and Accessibility reviews complaints, projects and new initiatives at Mayor’s Disability Council meeting",177,599000,776000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5795666-7146ff57390b86f00b52b4b344e25141&start=599&end=776","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5795666-7146ff57390b86f00b52b4b344e25141/thumbnail_599000.jpg","/articles/6467428/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/San-Francisco-Office-on-Disability-and-Accessibility-reviews-complaints-projects-and-new-initiatives-at-Mayors-Disability-Council-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6467428-4db51dad8b6f28456ae9f129f34f4362/orig.mp4?Expires=1770660491&Signature=GJYzD0wQYAZmBSOe0Pul7OWO1d7ghDheUmvaYDtFi5NvoMSKGIW0SyRFV7CT2RS2hsmiP~LQMJelCug1QTgbM9QAmE9S5y3G59GD7-l2VbHPpADx8W2RMTSibZDu6SJgaLrv8AyEIq~bFbpmZQuZvsG2U~vB2MWJNl~lyL~ULNhgaj6e~YrteiRgaJfj5Vk8Yv1wOBFCUmNueL48aw04SCSi~MMYTOla1zXUDL78V~1h-mjEK-NtK-iEicVqom2RAvpknhrwMgX3KwgFhp1hcO1-ClqiHFOs6Z07VaPPEtSC9P~E4lc~Jb4bSKRW2lHMMBX~NKEbEDEVOhPjyayNlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The director of the Office on Disability and Accessibility (ODA) told the Mayor’s Disability Council on Sept. 19 that the office handled about 233 grievances in the past year and closed roughly 90% of those cases by year-end.

At a hybrid meeting of the Mayor’s Disability Council, Director Eli Galardin summarized ODA activity over the summer and outlined projects the office is advancing, including planning for a Holiday Plaza accessibility redesign, further work on Sunset Dunes park safety and the launch of an ADA grievance pilot. He said the office is prioritizing accessible tourism and capital projects while recognizing constrained city finances.

Galardin said the complaints logged at ODA over the past year included a large share tied to the public right-of-way: about 40% of grievances related to sidewalks, 23% involved curb cuts, 14% concerned architectural access, 11% programmatic access, and smaller shares involved transportation, housing, parking and service-animal issues. He described the data as partially shaped by improved collection and increased in‑person use of city facilities after the public-health emergency.

\"What we're very proud of, if you look at the big picture, we have a 90% closure rate, by the end of the year on all complaints,\" Galardin said during his presentation. He added the office is working with more than 60 departmental ADA coordinators across city government to address grievances and implement the city’s ADA transition plan.

Holiday Plaza and inclusive design

Galardin said ODA staff have met bi‑monthly with the Department of Public Works to build the planning and design phase for a Holiday Plaza redesign and that community listening sessions pushed for preserving the option of a future elevator. He said the office plans a field visit to the Ed Roberts Campus to demonstrate inclusive design approaches and emphasized the need to layer any design with limited capital funds in mind.

\"This is going to be the gateway to Union Square,\" he said, adding that the project will require coordination among Public Works, real estate managers, BART and SFMTA.

Sunset Dunes: immediate safety changes and next steps

On Sunset Dunes, Galardin said Recreation and Park changed path designations after community outreach: the west side of park pathways will be a park zone for pedestrians, and the east side will be a multi‑use path for bicyclists, e‑bikes and micro‑mobility users, with new signage directing people to appropriate routes. The office also discussed beach access, potential mobi‑mats, accessible restrooms, blue‑zone parking and adaptive devices such as the Terrain Hopper.

ADA grievance pilot, capital planning and outreach

ODA said it will launch an ADA grievance pilot and is coordinating presentations and staff training with the Department of Human Resources and other city offices. The office noted advocacy that helped double a curb-ramp capital request from $2,000,000 to $4,000,000 in recent planning, and said it will prioritize capital ADA projects given limited fiscal resources. Galardin said ODA is working on a \"Beyond the Front Door\" campaign with the Office of Small Business and Department of Building Inspection to help local businesses implement readily achievable accessibility improvements.

Context and next steps

Galardin also presented a demographic snapshot—about 88,000–94,000 San Franciscans report a disability, he said, with large numbers of people reporting mobility, cognitive and sensory disabilities—and reviewed trends in grievances rising from about 132 in 2019 to roughly 233 this year. He invited council members to follow up on projects and signaled the office’s intent to keep the mayor’s disability council involved as designs and priorities are refined.","The city’s Office on Disability and Accessibility reported on complaints, capital projects and outreach work, including Holiday Plaza planning, Sunset Dunes safety changes and an ADA grievance pilot; the office said it closed roughly 90% of complaints in the last year and urged prioritized capital spending amid limited funds.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council receives letters raising accessibility concerns at Sunset Dunes/Great Highway and requests for more curb‑ramp funding

SFMTA outlines early results of Access for All wheelchair‑access program; one contractor discontinued

Local disability nonprofits ask Mayor’s Disability Council to prioritize accessible tourism, transit and workforce supports

San Francisco Office on Disability and Accessibility reviews complaints, projects and new initiatives at Mayor’s Disability Council meeting