Media Contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Vacation Rental Owners & Neighbors of Palm Springs (VRON-PS) Commissions Landmark Study

72% of Palm Springs voters say homeowners renting to visitors and tourists is good for Palm Springs

www.vronps.org 

5 May 2021 – Palm Springs, CA: As Palm Springs continues to recover from the COVID pandemic and its subsequent economic downturn, more-and-more people see the benefits of vacation home rentals. A recent study commissioned by the nonprofit Vacation Rental Owners & Neighbors of Palm Springs finds that 72% of voters say Palm Springs homeowners renting to visitors and tourists is good for Palm Springs, up from 63% in just over two years.

“Vacation rentals have been a positive part of Palm Springs since the 1950s,” says David Feltman, one of the founders of VRON-PS, “Palm Springs got it right with smart, enforceable rules that balances the needs of visitors with the economic impact on the City and with the necessary security and safety concerns of those who live, work and own homes here in Palm Springs.”

The survey, conducted in early April 2021 by the nationally known firm David Binder Research (www.db-research.com), polled over 325 respondents, all Palm Springs voters. The toplines show current comparisons to results from a previous Binder survey with identical questions in January 2018.

• 72% say Palm Springs homeowners renting short term to visitors and tourists is good for Palm Springs, up from 63%
• 61% say Palm Springs homeowners renting to visitors is good for their neighborhood, up from 53%
• Fewer respondents today say short-term rentals should be prohibited: 11% today, 20% in 2018
• Respondents saying current regulation of short-term rentals is not strict enough has dropped from 35% to 21%
• 87% want the same or more tourists coming to Palm Springs compared to 81% in 2018

“A rising tide lifts all boats,” said Aftab Dada, President Palm Springs Hospitality Association and Vice President, Hilton Palm Springs. “Tourism leaders in Palm Springs consider vacation rentals to be a complementary industry to the hotel industry due to the huge demand, year round on weekends and for special events. There is a myth that the hotel and hospitality community do not support homeowner managed vacation rentals. Nothing could be further from the truth. A well balanced tourism economy demands just that: a balance of accommodations. The more options provided to our visitors, the more attractive Palm Springs is as a destination and the more people will eat in our restaurants, enjoy our recreational activities, and stay in our hotels. I salute VRON for their work and advocacy.”

Vacation Rental Owners & Neighbors of Palm Springs is dedicated to preserving Palm Springs’ vibrant history of vacation rentals and home-sharing through education, awareness, and the promotion of responsible vacation rental ownership and management. 

“Tourism, including vacation rentals, are a vital part of our economy, especially as we recover from COVID. This survey is a great way to understand the community support for the work we’ve done to make Palm Springs a fantastic place to live, work, and visit,” said Palm Springs Mayor Christy Holstege. “VRON Palm Springs is exactly the sort of fact based, grassroots, community engagement that is key to what makes Palm Springs so special and attractive to visitors and residents alike.”

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About VRON Palm Springs:
VRON-PS’ guiding principle is that tourism and residents in Palm Springs can co-exist through smart policies and best practices. Through research, open data, community involvement, collaboration, transparency and ethics, effective policies can be developed that create a win-win for neighbors, renters, businesses, property owners, and the community at large. VRON-PS represents both VR homeowners (whether they self manage or have a property management company), vacation rental property management companies, supportive non-VR homeowners, citizens who live and work in Palm Springs, and visitors to Palm Springs that share a common vision of responsible tourism and compliant vacation rentals and home-sharing.

VRON-PS exists to:

• Educate and communicate on ordinance requirements and best practices
• Represent VRON homeowners in meetings and negotiations with the City
• Manage media relations as it pertains to VRON-PS mission and objectives
• Facilitate factual reports and studies around VR data, impact and economics
• Build strategic partnerships with Coachella Valley tourism organizations in support of responsible VR ownership
• Provide funding for potential legal representation

Media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

“Valencia Lights” Official Lighting Ceremony: Friday, May 7 at 8pm

Over 35 Merchants and More than 500 Community Members Raised Money
to Light Valencia Street from 14^th to 24^th Street

5 May 2021 – San Francisco, CA:  If you light it, they will come. Such was the successful reasoning of the Valencia Corridor Merchants Association as they sought to beautify and promote the Mission District avenue that has become a symbol of the area’s resilience during COVID and its recovery as we move beyond it. On Friday, May 7 at 8pm, a ceremony between 16^th & 17^th  on Valencia Street will officially launch the project that has electrified community support – and the neighborhood – with LED ambient string lights stretching all the way to 24^th Street. Registration for the lighting ceremony is at the link below:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/valencia-street-lights-lighting-ceremony-tickets-152750225035

“Lighting up Valencia from end to end, from 14th to 24th street, will bring a sense of community and warmth we all need as we re-emerge as a City and come back swinging. It’s a project built by the community and we should all be so proud of that fact. We did this together.” said Jonah Buffa, co-owner of Fellow Barber and President of the Valencia Corridor Merchants Association.  “TheVCMA as the group, in service of the merchants, the corridor, residents and neighborhood, really made this happen.”

The lighting of Valencia Street for a ten-block stretch is the first such initiative in the history of the neighborhood, and a direct outgrowth of the COVID-induced Shared Spaces Program – of which the Valencia Street Corridor was the first — which continues on weekends through June 27 when three blocks of Valencia becomes a pedestrian and cyclist only area to encourage retail and outdoor socially distant dining options.  Cars are prohibited during this period in the following blocks of Valencia: 16^th to 17^th; 18^th to 19^th; 20^th to 21^st during the following times: Fridays 5pm to 9pm and Saturdays 12pm – 9pm. Vehicular traffic on the cross streets will not be impacted.

To pay for the project, a GoFundMe campaign was launched by the Valencia Corridor Merchants Association and $40,020 was raised to pay for the lights. The campaign link continues at: https://www.tinyurl.com/valencialights

“This project was made possible thanks to the generosity of the whole community, with over 500 businesses and individuals coming together to raise the funds for lights and over 35 merchants coming together to power them,” said Manny Yekutiel, owner of Mannys and Valencia Corridor Merchants Association Board Member. “It is our hope and intention that they serve as a beautiful little beacon to bring back our precious customers and neighbors.”

The ceremony will begin at 557 Valencia street, between 16^th-17^th streets on the closed portion of the street. The program will include a live Mariachi band (Mariachi Puro Jalisco), a community blessing led by Sister Roma and the Sister of Perpetual Indulgence, and remarks by Supervisor Rafael Mandelman and small business leaders. Light refreshments will be provided. 

The Valencia Corridor Merchants Association is a member-operated neighborhood association including merchants in and around the Valencia Corridor. Its mission is to cultivate and beautify the corridor for the benefit of visitors, residents and merchants. Additionally, it endeavors to combine its members voices and views toward the goal of maintaining the unique identity and independent spirit of the neighborhood.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Friday, April 30, 2021

Contact: Mayor’s Office of Communications, mayorspressoffice@sfgov.org

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SAN FRANCISCO LAUNCHES SMALL BUSINESS WEEK 

Starting May 1, a weeklong series of events will highlight recovery and celebrate the resiliency and vibrancy of San Francisco’s small businesses 

San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed today announced the launch of San Francisco’s Small Business Week, which will take place from Saturday, May 1 to Friday, May 7, 2021. This year’s small business week will include resources and information that will support small businesses and entrepreneurs as San Francisco gets on the road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

San Francisco’s 94,000 small businesses make up over 93% of total businesses in the city and support more than 364,000 jobs. As cornerstones of San Francisco’s neighborhoods and communities, the small business sector will be central to the city’s economic recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has decimated many of our small businesses. Throughout it all, business owners and their employees have shown tremendous resilience and strength, with many adapting their business models and implementing public health guidelines,” said Mayor Breed. “With more businesses and activities reopening and more people getting vaccinated each day, the future for our City is bright. We all need to do our part to ensure our small businesses can recover and keep moving forward. This Small Business Week will provide San Francisco’s small businesses with resources and support to help them stay open and come back even stronger than before.” 

The theme for the 17^th Annual San Francisco Small Business Week is Roots of Recovery, and the week will include resources and information for small business owners at every point in their small business journey. The City has partnered with the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce to host a series of informational events, networking opportunities, and business-building workshops to highlight available resources and best practices for businesses as the city builds towards recovery.

“This Small Business Week is a great opportunity for San Franciscans to celebrate the incredible resilience of our small businesses and support our neighborhood merchants as they reopen after a year of unprecedented challenges,” said Anne Taupier, Acting Director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. “Small businesses are the economic and cultural cornerstones of our communities, and right now they are relying on all of us to shop small, protect local jobs, and work together to support a stronger and more vibrant San Francisco.” 

“Our San Francisco small business community has faced true hardships over this last year, but we have proven how resilient and vibrant our small businesses can be,” said Rodney Fong, President and CEO of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. “Our residents have stepped up throughout the pandemic to support their beloved neighborhood businesses – that sentiment should be celebrated during Small Business Week and throughout the year. I look forward to this year’s San Francisco Small Business Week as an opportunity to help our small businesses as we look towards a recovery.” 

This Saturday, May 1, Small Business Week will kick-off with the installation of 13 floral butterflies placed throughout San Francisco’s merchant corridors. The butterfly wings, built by local artists and designers, are six to nine feet in diameter and constructed of natural materials and fresh flowers. The wings are a partnership with the San Francisco Flower Mart, the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, and Kilroy Realty and are designed to attract shoppers to San Francisco’s merchant corridors. A map of the wings can be found on Shop and Dine in the 49.  

May 1 also marks the start of the Small Business 30-day Challenge. Organized by Small Business Commission President Sharky Laguana and small business owner and SFMTA Board Director Manny Yekutiel, the challenge will begin on May 1 and go through May 31, with the goal of encouraging individuals to shop at local businesses for the entire month and for all of their shopping needs as much as they can. Individuals who choose to participate are encouraged to post on social media using the hashtag #SmallBizChallenge. More information is available here. 

“It is so exciting to start to see the City opening up again, and the Small Business 30 day Challenge is a great way to help our small businesses recover,” said Small Business Commission President Sharky Laguana. “We all use online stores and services, so it is going to be an interesting challenge to see if we can get by for the month of May by shopping and dining only at our local small businesses. We hope everyone will tag their favorite small businesses with the #SmallBizChallenge hashtag, and visit our website at SmallBiz30.com to take our pledge challenge and find interesting places to shop!”

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the City of San Francisco has provided immediate and ongoing support for small businesses, including directing more than $50 million in grants and loans to more than 3,500 small businesses, tens of millions of dollars in fee and tax deferrals, and assistance applying for state and federal funding. This includes legislation introduced and signed by Mayor Breed to waive $5 million in fees and taxes for entertainment and nightlife venues and small restaurants, meaning that businesses that receive a waiver do not have to pay back the fees at a later date. 

In addition to creating and supporting programs that respond to the urgent and ongoing needs of COVID-19, Mayor Breed has continued to invest in programs that regularly support small businesses in San Francisco, including the Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative and Grants for the Arts. Lastly, the City has advanced numerous initiatives to make it easier to operate and open businesses during COVID-19 and beyond, such as the Shared Spaces program and the Small Business Recovery Act legislation, which is currently before the Board of Supervisors.  

Small business owners and employees looking for assistance should go to oewd.org/covid19. Businesses can also call the hotline at 415-554-6134, and employees can call the hotline at 415-701-4817. Assistance is available in multiple languages. 

More information about San Francisco’s support for small businesses is available here.

About Small Business Week 
This year’s San Francisco Small Business Week will take place from May 1-7 and is partnership between business and government organizations to honor and support the thousands of small businesses and entrepreneurs that call San Francisco home. As part of National Small Business Week, it celebrates the contributions and achievements of small business owners by offering a series of educational and networking events designed to inspire, empower, and connect the members of our business community. For more information on San Francisco Small Business Week, go to sfsmallbusinessweek.com. 

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Media Contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. / news@davidperry.com / (415) 676-7007

San Francisco Chinatown Renaissance 2021 Initiative Kicks Off May 4^th

Community Leaders Unite to Save Communities Devastated
by COVID and Economic Downturn

30 April 2021 – San Francisco, CA: A consortium of San Francisco business, community and civic leaders have come together to revitalize Chinatown post-COVID and develop a unified grant proposal seeking new and incremental foundation funding for Chinatown revitalization projects in San Francisco and other major American cities. The kick-off event for the San Francisco Chinatown Renaissance 2021 Initiative will take place on Tuesday, May 4, 12pm at the Victory Memorial Hall (827 Stockton Street, San Francisco). COVID protocols will be strictly enforced including mandatory mask wearing, socially distant seating and temperature checks.

“The impact of COVID shutdowns, ‘China-virus’ scapegoating, and anti-Asian xenophobia has had a disproportionate economic impact in Chinatown,” said Buck Gee, longtime Committee of 100 member.  “In the past few months, we have seen exciting and innovative ideas from many individuals in Chinatown.  But now it is time for the community to acknowledge that this is a collective problem, and that we need to work together to build a better Chinatown.”

According to Gee, in February 2020, immediately before the pandemic hit San Francisco, 15% of Chinatown business storefronts were vacant.  Six months later, it was 48%.  Along Grant Avenue, the main tourist district, empty storefronts rose from 16% to 58%.  Along Clay, vacancies among small businesses mostly serving local residents climbed from 11% to 66%.

“While there have been a few new businesses opening along Grant recently, it will take an extraordinary effort to replace the 180+ businesses shut down in the past year,” said  Jane Chin, Board co-chair for the Chinatown Community Development Center: “COVID-19, China scapegoating, and anti-Asian hate have devastated businesses in Chinatown.”

The ad hoc consortium is being sponsored by the Northern California Region of The Committee of 100 in partnership with the Chinatown Community Development Center, and the Asian Pacific Fund. The initiative seeks to work with a wide range of community groups and organizations, collect their ideas to revitalize Chinatown post-COVID, and develop a unified grant proposal seeking new and incremental foundation funding for Chinatown revitalization projects.

“This initiative is intended to assist the renaissance and renewal of Chinatown,” said Audrey Yamamoto, President and Executive Director of the Asian Pacific Fund. “It will bolster support from the state and local government to maintain Chinatown as a safe and sustainable environment for residents and community businesses.  We’re honored to be part of this historic effort, given the devastating impact that the pandemic has had on our Asian American and Pacific Islander community, especially the businesses and nonprofits in Chinatown.”

In addition, the San Francisco Chinatown Renaissance 2021 Initiative is exploring partnerships with leaders in other large urban Chinatowns to see whether the regional concept could be expanded into a National Chinatown Renaissance initiative.  In addition to Gee, Chin and Yamamoto, other Initiative leaders include David Lei with the Chinese American Community Foundation, Dennis Wu, Cally Wong, and Dan Lee.

MEDIA ADVISORY / REQUEST FOR ONSITE COVERAGE:
TUESDAY, MAY 4 – 12PM

WHAT:
Kick-Off for San Francisco Chinatown Renaissance

WHERE:
Victory Memorial Hall, 827 Stockton St, San Francisco
ONLINE ACCESS: TBD.

WHEN:
Tuesday, May 4
12pm doors open, temperature checks, mask check, assigned (socially distanced) seating
12:30pm program startsWelcome: David Lei
Covid’s impact on Chinatown: Jane Chin
Impact to Chinatown business: Nancy Yu Law (Chinatown Merchants United Association)

Chinatown Renaissance Consortium: Buck Gee
Consortium objectives: Dan Lee (Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association)
1:30pm Meeting ends, box lunches distributed