Neighborhood Notes: Vandalism at Money Mart, unlocked tax credits, and many events— including Carnaval

What’s going on in the neighborhood? 

Vandalism at Money Mart at 16th and Valencia 

Around 7 a.m. on Wednesday, May 26, an employee at the Money Mart at 16th and Valencia streets discovered nine broken windows. While you may think a place called Money Mart would get looted, you’d be wrong. Police officers said that when they did a walk-through of the premises just shy of 8 a.m. that morning, they concluded nothing was stolen and the suspect never bothered to enter the building. An incident report has been taken, but the investigation continues. If anyone has info on what happened, the police department encourages you to call the 24-hour tip line at 1-415-575-4444 or to text a message starting with “SFPD” to TIP411.

Clara-Sophia Daly contributed to this report.

After a robbery, Bernal Heights artist needs help to ramp up home security

John Rampley, an 84-year-old painter who has lived in Bernal Heights for years, was robbed on May 18, 2021. Allegedly, a robber broke a window in his garage and snuck in through an open bathroom window, then discreetly nabbed Rampley’s wallet and cash and a painting from off the wall — all while Rampley was asleep. Rampley is “understandably very traumatized and worried about his finances, as he lives off of SSI,’ his daughter, Geneveive, stated on a fundraising page about the incident. She created a GoFundMe page asking for $5,000 to boost security upgrades in the house. So far, the page has received about $2,806. 

“I went to sleep watching a program on Channel 9 at around 10 p.m. I assumed they tried to get out through the bathroom window, which was wide open when I woke up,” Rampley told Mission Local. “I have secured the door and am installing security cameras. The anxiety is overflowing.”

In the past, Rampley said he’s had street murals featured at the de Young Museum and  Fort Mason. More recently, he’s had his work in the Far Out Gallery on Taraval Street.

“John Rampley is a wonderful human and artist who has lived in Bernal Heights forever,” a neighbor, Vanessa, wrote in an email to Mission Local. She hopes others will donate to his fund. If you’re so inclined, donate here. 

Self-Help for the Elderly, and Veritas expands senior escort program for Asian elders

In a time of heightened Anti-Asian violence, many throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area are scared. Anti-discrimination groups like Stop AAPI Hate, which has some roots in the city, began popping up nationwide.

The movement to end this harm has also paved ways for new actions from storied nonprofits. In the latest attempt to address the fear Asians feel, Self-Help for the Elderly, a San Francisco nonprofit that works with many Asian seniors, has teamed up with an unlikely partner: Veritas Investments, the real-estate company faced with several lawsuits and the ire of many tenants’ rights organizers. The two groups on Friday, May 28, will announce the expansion of a senior escort program, in which volunteers can opt to accompany seniors who feel unsafe going to the doctor or purchasing groceries solo. Veritas COO Jeff Jerden said the company has pledged $30,000 for this effort, in large part to the company’s CEO Yat-Pang Au, who identifies as Asian-American and feels the antagonism towards Asians “is personal.”

In addition, Veritas will show off some of the Stop Asian Hate signs that have usurped those advertising “Rent SF Now,” which is a subsidiary of the company. These new bright orange signs include a QR code that links to Stop AAPI Hate’s site, where users can report hate crimes or sign up for other actions geared toward addressing Asian violence.

Anti-semitic graffiti at Chabad of Noe Valley

Racist writings appeared at Chabad of Noe Valley, a preschool with strong Jewish ties that is located on 3781 Cesar Chavez St. According to the Jewish News of Northern California, the teachers discovered black ink saying “Death to Israil” and “Israil terror” on May 14.

This comes on the heels of a rise in anti-semitic actions across the country, many which occurred following killings and violence in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Palestinians.

The San Francisco Police Department was contacted, and the FBI is investigating.

Deadlines

Heads up: hundreds of dollars could come your way 

According to a study by United Ways of California, a nonpartisan state organization focused on health, education, and financial policy, some 7,100 low-income San Francisco residents missed out on a chance to get some moolah. Taxpayers failed to take advantage of two programs that offer tax credits, the California Earned Income Tax Credit and the Golden State Stimulus. You can still apply for that tax credit if you are employed and made $30,000 or less in annual income last year, and you may get up to $3,000 back. You can also still get the Golden Gate Stimulus if you made $75,000 or less and have an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN). This golden ticket awards you a one-time payment of $600 or $1,200. 

Need help filing? If you made less than $66,000, you can have someone else file for you at myfreetaxes.org.

Need rent relief? Apply for up to six months of rent today 

It’s been a tough and stressful year for many in the Mission and beyond. We asked, and you told us: rent is the number one worry taking up your brain space. The mayor announced this week a total of $90 million that will be used to alleviate some of that debt — up to six months of rent, to be exact. Applications open Friday, May 28. If it’s inconvenient, you can apply online, or you can contact one of the community nonprofits enlisted to help by calling 311.

In the meantime, Supervisor Dean Preston introduced legislation to stave off the local expiration of a rent moratorium, as the state’s moratorium ends June 30. If you can pay 25 percent of your rent owed and declare it officially to your landlord, you are safe from nonpayment evictions. 

What to do this weekend 

Indómitas

The latest addition of “Indómitas,” a live, monthly podcast featuring “fierce women artists and activists,” takes place tonight at 6 p.m. This edition includes host Chelis López  of KPOO and Radio Bilingüe interviewing poet and novelist Lucha Corpi in Spanish. Tune in on Facebook Live via this link. The conversation is free to listen to, but donations are always welcome. To do so and support the Brava Theater, which supports this presentation, or to support Indómitas, go here. 

Carnaval 

It’s the little things, right? Though it’s not quite back to its former glory of costumed parades, Carnaval 2021 has at least reclaimed its May launch after befalling a pandemic postponement last year. And perhaps the tweaked agenda is for the best, as the community is still suffering immensely from Covid-19’s economic consequences and is prioritizing resources for rent and jobs. 

This year’s installment boasts a whole lot of fun and resources for the community. For example, Carnaval and Mission Hiring Hall leaders are hosting a job fair, a health and wellness pavilion, Covid-19 vaccinations and cultural exhibits. If you visit all eight booths and record it in your “Carnaval passport” (marked with stickers instead of stamps), you qualify for a raffle in August. 

The prizes will be the envy of your friends: Bad Bunny Concert tickets, San Francisco Giants swag, and gift cards. Once you complete the rounds, drop by the Calle 24 booth at 19th and Harrison streets to enter your name before 4 p.m. 

Other local eateries are offering discounts for the celebration. Grab $2 tacos from La Palma or a $10 breakfast burrito and drink combo from Sun Rise Restaurant. Go to Calle 24 Latino Cultural District’s Instagram for more details. 

Ready to join in on the fun? The event takes place May 29 and 30 at Harrison Street between 18th and 20th. The spectacle is open from noon to 5 p.m. on both days. 

Looking ahead 

Pass the popcorn

I never really thought staring at a screen was a particularly meaningful social experience, but the lockdown changed my mind. This past weekend, Roxie Theater ushered in an in-person audience for the first time since the pandemic began. To honor the special occasion, the theater premiered an audience-chosen flick Cinema Paradiso. 

In addition, Roxie Theater promises to host a slew of summer specials, such as SF Docs Fest (which celebrates its 20th anniversary!). The festival’s opening night begins on June 3 with Summer of Love, a documentary featuring “an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion.” Roll on over to the Church of 8 Wheels for an afterparty, too. 

To see what else is screening at Roxie Theater here, and the complete line up of SF Doc Fest, go here. 

The Palacios Sisters 

To our Bay Area artists, we say: brava. The Brava Theater presents a special screening of The Palacios Sisters, a radionovela written by playwright Cristina García, who is a current playwright-in-residence in Berkeley. The story is inspired by Chekhov’s “The Three Sisters,” and adds a modern and Latina twist. This iteration of the story takes the main characters Olga, Maria, and Irinita Palacios and their brother, Andres, straight into 1985 Miami, amid its cocaine-related crisis and growing AIDS epidemic. The family aims to navigate their new lives as recent immigrants from Havana and as fine artists in America. 

In addition to García, the radionovela has been created thanks to director Adrian Alea, musicians Omar Sosa and Greg Landau, and scores of other Bay Area voice actors. If you’d like to tune in, purchase a ticket online on Brava’s website. Tickets are priced on a sliding scale of $10 to $12. Once you claim yours, you can listen to the piece as many times as you like between June 4 and June 30 at midnight.

Volunteers needed for Tucan’s weekend 

The neighborhood remembers Sean Monterrosa, a Bernal Heights resident who was shot and killed by Vallejo Police at the site of an alleged Walgreens looting on June 2, 2020. Last year, his loved ones threw a block party for him in his honor, featuring a concert with local musicians and decorations with toucans, in honor of Sean’s beloved nickname, and declared it an annual celebration. 

This year’s remembrance is called “Tucan’s Weekend,” and takes place on June 5 and 6. Volunteers are needed to staff the event, according to a social media page. If you’re interested, fill out the form. If you want to check out and RSVP to the events, go here.