Here are some of
the Task Force's more recent activities and accomplishments.
* In conjunction
with Prof. Ben Kobashigawa and Yoko Tsukuda of the San Francisco
State University Ethnic Studies Department, we have expanded
and enhanced our Japantown and Japanese American database which
is also available for community organizations.
* We activated our 5-year Japan Center Garage contract and established
a work plan and budget for fiscal year 2002-2003. Through this
contract we purchased directional signage from freeways, tourist
destinations, and major thoroughfares to Japantown with Caltrans,
San Francisco Parking and Traffic, the Japantown Merchants Association
and the Japan Center Garage Corporation.
* We partnered with the Japantown Merchant's Association and
the Japan Center Garage Corporation to secure funding from the
Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Beautification to purchase the
"Litter Hawk" machine - starting the "Keep Japantown
Clean" program.
* We secured new funding from San Francisco Beautiful to provide
multilingual outreach in Japanese, Chinese and Korean for the
"Keep Japantown Clean" program.
* We collected over 500 signatures from residents, merchants,
and community workers to promote pedestrian safety (particularly
for elders) and were successful in stopping the San Francisco
Bicycle Coalition in striping a bike lane on Post Street.
* We advocated for increased safety measures after the murder
of Tony Chan in the Nihonmachi Parking Corporation (NPC) parking
lot behind the 1600 Webster Street property. The Task Force
facilitated meetings with NPC board members, the Police Department,
the Merchant's Association and Command Security to work together
to develop adequate lighting, tree trimming, and increased police
patrols at hours when most crime occurs - 1:00 am to 3:00 am.
* We developed working committees to conduct the strategies
in the Japantown Community Plan: Health and Safety; Cultural
and Historical Preservation; Communications; Economic and Business
Development; and Fundraising Committees.
* We worked with the San Francisco Landmarks Commission to ensure
that the Japantown community, property owners and occupants
were first contacted before their properties were placed on
the landmarks list. The Landmarks Commission is working with
the Task Force to ensure that they work hand-in-hand with the
community in the landmark process. |
These are some of our recent activities. If
you'd like to find out more, check out our newsletters here.
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