Tag Archives: Dave Burke

2025 Fall Gathering Recap – Neighbors Meet New Police Captain & Legislative Aide

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On a warm sunny Saturday, Dolores Heights neighbors socialized and then met Captain Sean Perdomo, the new head of SFPD Mission Station.  They discussed safety concerns – the disruptive and illegal dirt bikes in the Dolores area, the  loud after-hours parties at Dolores Park, and speeding on neighborhood streets.  The Captain took notes and on Monday, Oct. 6 responded with these actions [excerpts from his email of October 6]:  

  1. Dirt Bikes. The Department’s using technology to aid in the apprehension of dirt bikers. At the station we have followed up and obtained an arrest/search warrant for a dirt biker on a previous incident at Dolores Park using the technology. I am tasking my plainclothes officers with more arrest/search warrants for those dirt bikers we can identify. Please encourage your members to call 911 to report a gathering of dirt bikers so that we can coordinate the drone.
  2. Traffic. Dave Burke identified the trouble areas and the intersections have been added to the Traffic Unit’s (motorcycles) daily enforcement activities. Please let me know if you see them in the area  … they are short staffed and are tasked with many dignitary visits. Captain Peter Shields of the traffic unit was notified. If they aren’t in the area much, I can assign a traffic car when staffing allows.
  3. Dolores Park Noise. I contacted Chief Murphy to have him evaluate placing rangers in places where they are most visible. The current challenge is the shift change that occurs at 2200 hours when the park closes. I’ll keep you posted on further. 

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman also spoke and took questions from neighbors.  And he introduced Sophie Marie (sophie.marie@sfgov.org), his newest Legislative Aide and our contact when we need assistance getting City action on filed complaints or finding out “who to contact” for a specific issue.  

We held our annual raffle and Fiona, a young resident, drew the winning tickets.  Neighborhood merchants donated eleven gift cards and bottles of wine & liquor which made the raffle a “hot ticket.”   Please patronize these donating businesses and thank them for their support:  Absinthe Restaurant Group, Poesia Restaurant, Canela Bistro and Wine Bar, Hot Johnnies, Castro Coffee, 17th Street Market, and a kind neighbor who donated two bottles of premium wine and tequila. 

Meet Mayoral Candidates & Your Neighbors at the DHIC FallFest

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Saturday, September 28

DHIC’s Fallfest, our annual neighborhood block party, is happening on Saturday, September 28 from 11am to 1pm on Sanchez Street between 21st and Hill Streets.  Everyone is welcome!

The FallFest will feature two mayoral candidates: Mayor London Breed and President of the Board of Supervisors, Aaron Peskin.  Mayor Breed will join us at 11:30am for 30 minutes of talk and Q&A. Supervisor Peskin will do the same from 12:15-12:45 pm. 

Join us to meet your neighbors, learn about our activities, hear from our Supervisor Rafael Mandelman and the mayoral candidates, and participate in our great raffle.  

This is an-all volunteer event.  If you can help, email us at info@doloresheights.org

Here’s what’s on tap for you:

  • View the historic Dolores Heights photos
  • Join your neighborhood block safety group
  • Get safety and security handouts; talk with savvy neighbors about home safety
  • Learn about the proposed mural project at 20th and Noe Streets
  • Meet the people behind the Green Gardens monthly hillside clean-ups
  • Bring your kids to “Kids Korner” activities
  • Hear from our District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman

And enter the raffle to win gift cards to great area restaurants and other services! (Note the raffle drawing will occur at 12:45pm.  You must be present to win.) 

DHIC Fallfest 2023 – a great neighborhood block party!

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On the bright and sunny Saturday, October 14, over 80 neighbors turned out  from throughout Dolores Heights.  They looked at great photos of Dolores Heights … from the earthquake era to today.  They talked with leaders of DHIC’s key priorities – Safety, Cleaning & greening our Green Spaces, and Planning and Land Use – and learned about how they can help support them.  Supervisor Rafael Mandelman recapped his key priorities and issues in the City.  And Dave Burke described his role as D8 Public Safety Liaison in the SFPD.  To top it off, we held the Great Raffle – with over ten prizes including gift cards to top restaurants in the Castro/SF.  

The photos give a glimpse of what went on.  We hope you were there and left with a better understanding of DHIC’s role in ensuring that Dolores Heights is great place to live and that our interests are represented at City Hall and with our elected supervisor and state legislators!  If you have questions or want to help, we want to hear from you!  Email us at info@doloresheights.org

Neighborhood Safety Tips from Dave Burke – D8 Public Safety Liaison

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On August 16, 20th Street residents walked the 3900 block of 20th with Dave Burke.  The objective was to identify ways to deter residential break-ins/burglaries

Dave described the burglar mindset: stealing is the profession, the burglar wants our things, not to hurt us, and usually does not break in via the front door.  90 % of break- ins happen between 2 am and sunrise.  Dave’s specific recommendations covered three areas:

Lighting: 

  • Bright light over front door, over garage, and at back door (“treat back door like your front door”
  • Don’t use motion-activated lights.  Set a timer to turn on the light at sundown and off at sunrise.  If burglars see a lit street, they will find a dark one
  • Light up spaces in between homes    

Security:

  • Secure all doors and windows even when you’re home
  • Set up cameras at the front and back doorsSet up TV lights, lights on timers and/or get a dog!
  • Do the same for the garage – radio or machinery noise
  • Reinforce any garage windows and pull up the emergency release cord    

Garden: 

  • Cut back bushes as burglars hide
  • Keep front garden neat and beautiful; burglars prefer unkept homes    
  • Keep garden free of ladders for burglars to climb and tools to take

Network with neighbors. Know when they are out of town.  Watch out for each other!

June 3 Safety Meeting Brings Neighbors Together

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On a sunny Saturday, over 60 neighbors met to discuss safety.  After a brief intro, folks organized by their block safety groups and talked about their specific safety concerns and suggestions.  Following these 30-minute small group discussions, they reconvened to hear the key takeaways.  

Here’s what each group’s leader reported:

  • 19th Street – Church to Noe and down Noe to Hancock (Russ Kellites) – discussed the wide range of low-cost safety devices to help folks monitor safety on their property and to prevent crimes such as garage door break-ins 
  • Lower 20th – Church to Sanchez (Celeste Oberfest – DHICsafe) – reminded neighbors of services available including DPW street/sidewalk cleaning.  They also distributed Dave Burke’s contact info (listed at end of this article.) 
  • Upper 20th – Sanchez to Noe (Sheri Harris & Patrick Crisp) – talked about lighting as a safety measure – where, when, and types of illumination
  • 20th & Noe Streets (David Dea) – focused on natural disasters (such as the “big one”) and preventative measures (like automatic gas shut-off) to reduce fires, harm, or damage
  • Liberty Street – Church to Rayburn (Jennifer Bury & John O’Duinn) – shared a number of safety/security tips such as securing the garage, general household safety tips, awareness when walking at night and/or in Dolores Park
  • 21st /Hill /Sanchez Streets (Hans Kolbe) – discussed recent safety issues; discussed sharing info via an incident tracker.    

If you’d like to join any of these block safety groups, contact the lead listed above or simply email info@doloresheights.org   And for those wanting a deeper dive on block safety, Dave Burke is D8’s Public Safety Liaison.  You can contact him at dave.burke@sfgov.org