2018-09-06 · 27 comments · 11 / 16
2018-004644CUA: HANC strongly opposes CU application for CorePower Yoga at 619
Divisadero
Dear Commissioners, Please find attached the Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council's letter detailing our strong opposition to the proposed conditional-use application for CorePower Yoga at 619 Divisadero, which is scheduled to be heard at your September 6 meeting. Sincerely, Rupert Clayton HANC Housing and Land-Use Chair [email removed]
Neighbors United says NO to CorePower Yoga on DivisaderoDear Planning Commissioners, CorePower Yoga has over 170 locations in the US, with five existing locations in San Francisco and a new studio opening on Duboce. Our community has a history of opposing chains in this neighborhood. CorePower Yoga will not contribute to the unique character of Divisadero. CorePower Yoga is a profit-driven business that has a history of bad faith relations with their employees. We t… Dear Planning Commissioners, CorePower Yoga has over 170 locations in the US, with five existing locations in San Francisco and a new studio opening on Duboce. Our community has a history of opposing chains in this neighborhood. CorePower Yoga will not contribute to the unique character of Divisadero. CorePower Yoga is a profit-driven business that has a history of bad faith relations with their employees. We think Divisadero deserves better. We urge you to vote no on CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. Thank you, Neighbors Unitedshow more Stephanie Rubinstein · spoken · 2018-09-06 · support
Project presentation
Grove Residents says NO to CorePower Yoga on DivisaderoDear Planning Commissioners, CorePower Yoga has over 170 locations in the US, with five existing locations in San Francisco and a new studio opening on Duboce. Our community has a history of opposing chains in this neighborhood. CorePower Yoga will not contribute to the unique character of Divisadero. CorePower Yoga is a profit-driven business that has a history of bad faith relations with their employees. We think … Dear Planning Commissioners, CorePower Yoga has over 170 locations in the US, with five existing locations in San Francisco and a new studio opening on Duboce. Our community has a history of opposing chains in this neighborhood. CorePower Yoga will not contribute to the unique character of Divisadero. CorePower Yoga is a profit-driven business that has a history of bad faith relations with their employees. We think Divisadero deserves better. We urge you to vote no on CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. Thank you, Grove Residents' Rights Resource http://www.groveresidents.orgshow more The community opposes CorePower Yoga on DivisaderoDear Planning Commission, I am concerned with the proposed CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. I came to San Francisco 40 years ago and stayed at the Shivananda Yoga Institute then located on 7 th Av. Inner Sunset. Then I went on to practice Iyengar Yoga to this day. In my opinion CorePower is a corporate racket that exploits the real tradition of yoga.... among other things they promise to teach yoga<U+2019> in … Dear Planning Commission, I am concerned with the proposed CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. I came to San Francisco 40 years ago and stayed at the Shivananda Yoga Institute then located on 7 th Av. Inner Sunset. Then I went on to practice Iyengar Yoga to this day. In my opinion CorePower is a corporate racket that exploits the real tradition of yoga.... among other things they promise to teach yoga<U+2019> in 200 hours ... laughable , and I might add , dangerous. This business is another example of the corporate cheapening of a physical and spiritual art that is being turned into a commodity focused on profit . I suppose this is capitalism as usual... in this case I object. Regards, Rob BAKEWELL [phone removed] Thank you, Rob Bakewell Sent from my iPhoneshow more Alamo Square Neighborhood Association position on 619 Divisadero CorePower YogaSeptember 4, 2018 Re: 619 Divisadero - CorePower Yoga proposal Dear Planning Commissioners, Alamo Square Neighborhood Association (ASNA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to building and nurturing community, creating a safe neighborhood, conserving our local history, and maintaining and improving our park. ASNA does not support the proposal for CorePower Yoga at 619 Divisadero Street. The ASNA Board … September 4, 2018 Re: 619 Divisadero - CorePower Yoga proposal Dear Planning Commissioners, Alamo Square Neighborhood Association (ASNA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to building and nurturing community, creating a safe neighborhood, conserving our local history, and maintaining and improving our park. ASNA does not support the proposal for CorePower Yoga at 619 Divisadero Street. The ASNA Board of Directors voted 7-5 (with one abstention) on the position of Non-Support for this proposed formula retail use. We carefully considered this decision. We understand that retail vacancies are not ideal, and CorePower could draw new customers and businesses to the area. We also considered the financial support that CorePower Yoga has offered to the Divisadero Merchants Association (DMA). However, DMA voted not to support this chain after surveying merchants and neighborhood residents, and Yoga Garden is also opposed to this proposal. If CorePower Yoga is approved to move in, we put our locally-based yoga services at risk. Finally, with the upcoming CorePower Yoga location at Duboce opening very soon, we cannot support CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. Thank you, Gus Hernandez President, Board of Directors Alamo Square Neighborhood Associationshow more Quinton Macky · spoken · 2018-09-06 · oppose
Rapid changed or pausing
Charles Dipency · spoken · 2018-09-06 · oppose
Opposed
No Core Power Yoga on Divisadero StreetHi, My name is David Nelson, and I am a small business owner and property owner 3 blocks from the subject property. My business, Yoga Garden SF, would be a competitor business of Core Power Yoga. We are a 20-year old family-owned business, and we have been in this location for 14 of those years. Yoga Garden welcomes investment in our commercial corridor and we also welcome other fitness and yoga businesses to join … Hi, My name is David Nelson, and I am a small business owner and property owner 3 blocks from the subject property. My business, Yoga Garden SF, would be a competitor business of Core Power Yoga. We are a 20-year old family-owned business, and we have been in this location for 14 of those years. Yoga Garden welcomes investment in our commercial corridor and we also welcome other fitness and yoga businesses to join us in this neighborhood, so that it continues to grow as a robust destination for local residents, other San Franciscans, and tourists. So in this regard we are not opposed to CorePower. However, we are concerned with the aggressive expansion of their formula retail footprint in San Francisco, with five locations and two within 1/2 mile of Yoga Garden. Core Power has in excess of 170 yoga studios in the US, and expanding rapidly with the stated goal of going public with more than 500 studios in the US. Additionally, the issues of employee treatment has made the news locally and nationally, and as such, I don<U+2019>t believe they represent the best that we can bring to the neighborhood. On these grounds, we are opposed to the expansion of their brand in the space on Divisadero Street. David J Nelson MANAGING PARTNER ________________________________ Yoga Garden SF [phone removed] YogaGardenSF.com Connect with us on Facebook | Instagramshow more Chagel Lesbon · spoken · 2018-09-06 · oppose
Opposed
Jesse Khana · spoken · 2018-09-06 · support
Yoga studios are good business for the neighborhood
Tess Welbourne · spoken · 2018-09-06 · oppose
Formula retail
Scott Rothman · spoken · 2018-09-06 · oppose
Not needed
Marilyn Mendoza · spoken · 2018-09-06 · support
Support
Reema Shany · spoken · 2018-09-06 · support
Support
Randa Naseer · spoken · 2018-09-06 · support
Vacant retail storefront
Gus Hernandez · spoken · 2018-09-06 · oppose
Opposed, is it necessary and desirable.
Conner Ryan · spoken · 2018-09-06 · oppose
Opposition to formula retail
Jason Gervis · spoken · 2018-09-06 · oppose
Opposition, wrong fit
Johnny Shemayam · spoken · 2018-09-06 · support
Great energy
Lawrence Rio · spoken · 2018-09-06 · support
Support
Tom Hamilton · spoken · 2018-09-06 · oppose
Opposed
Nancy Roberts · spoken · 2018-09-06 · support
Support
Anise Nasser · spoken · 2018-09-06 · support
Support
Edward Nasser · spoken · 2018-09-06 · support
Support
Ted Nasser · spoken · 2018-09-06 · support
Support
Phillip Laurent · spoken · 2018-09-06 · oppose
Opposed
2018-10-11 · 19 comments · 6 / 13
Please oppose Core Power Yoga
Dear Planning Commission, I am writing as a community member to ask you to vote against approval of Core Power Yoga on Divisadero Street. Their labor practices do not fit with SF values, and the cost for classes and membership are out of reach to the residents in the Western Addition. The neighborhood deserves better than this. Renee Curran
The community opposes CorePower Yoga on DivisaderoDear Planning Commission, I am a neighbor concerned with the proposed CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. CorePower Yoga does not reflect the values of our community. We want a community- oriented business with integrity, one that values diversity and inclusion. CorePower Yoga has a history of employee issues: -Low pay for their workforce that is 85% women. -Labor issues including settlement for backwages and minimum w… Dear Planning Commission, I am a neighbor concerned with the proposed CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. CorePower Yoga does not reflect the values of our community. We want a community- oriented business with integrity, one that values diversity and inclusion. CorePower Yoga has a history of employee issues: -Low pay for their workforce that is 85% women. -Labor issues including settlement for backwages and minimum wage -$189 per month membership is unaffordable to our diverse community -We want a business where we will feel welcome! We don't need or want this chain in our neighborhood. The community says NO to CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. It is neither necessary or desirable for this neighborhood! Thank you, Heike Hiss & familyshow more The community opposes CorePower Yoga on DivisaderoDear Planning Commission, I am a neighbor concerned with the proposed CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. CorePower Yoga does not reflect the values of our community. We want a community-oriented business with integrity, one that values diversity and inclusion. CorePower Yoga has a history of employee issues: -Low pay for their workforce that is 85% women. -Labor issues including settlement for backwages and minimum… Dear Planning Commission, I am a neighbor concerned with the proposed CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. CorePower Yoga does not reflect the values of our community. We want a community-oriented business with integrity, one that values diversity and inclusion. CorePower Yoga has a history of employee issues: -Low pay for their workforce that is 85% women. -Labor issues including settlement for backwages and minimum wage -$189 per month membership is unaffordable to our diverse community -We want a business where we will feel welcome! We don't need or want this chain in our neighborhood. The community says NO to CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. It is neither necessary or desirable for this neighborhood! Thank you, Sent from Yahoo Mail on Androidshow more The community opposes CorePower Yoga on DivisaderoDear Planning Commission, I am a merchant concerned with the proposed CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. CorePower Yoga does not reflect the values of our community. We want a community- oriented business with integrity, one that values diversity and inclusion. CorePower Yoga has a history of employment issues: Low pay for their workforce that is 85% women. Labor issues including settlement for backwages and min… Dear Planning Commission, I am a merchant concerned with the proposed CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. CorePower Yoga does not reflect the values of our community. We want a community- oriented business with integrity, one that values diversity and inclusion. CorePower Yoga has a history of employment issues: Low pay for their workforce that is 85% women. Labor issues including settlement for backwages and minimum wage $189 per month membership is unaffordable to our diverse community We want a business where we will feel welcome! As a merchant, I am not opposed to all formula retail businesses who want to open on Divisadero. However, it has to be the right fit for our community. I believe that CPY is a tipping point on Divis. We value inclusion, diversity and the uniqueness that we provide to San Francisco. We do not need a chain that will also have multiple other locations within our city. We do not want to look like any other business corridor in SF. Thank you, Giselle Gyalzen -- Giselle Gyalzen | Owner and Buyer WE'RE HIRING! 600 Divisadero Street San Francisco, CA 94117 Phone: [phone removed] 4071 24th Street San Francisco CA 94114 Phone: [phone removed] raredevice.net @raredevice In the gallery: A Year of Color & Form by Kelly Carmbulashow more The community opposes CorePower Yoga on DivisaderoDear Planning Commission, I am a neighbor concerned with the proposed CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. CorePower Yoga does not reflect the values of our community. We want a community-oriented business with integrity, one that values diversity and inclusion. CorePower Yoga has a history of employee issues: -Low pay for their workforce that is 85% women. -Labor issues including settlement for backwages and minimum wage -… Dear Planning Commission, I am a neighbor concerned with the proposed CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. CorePower Yoga does not reflect the values of our community. We want a community-oriented business with integrity, one that values diversity and inclusion. CorePower Yoga has a history of employee issues: -Low pay for their workforce that is 85% women. -Labor issues including settlement for backwages and minimum wage -$189 per month membership is unaffordable to our diverse community -We want a business where we will feel welcome! We don't need or want this chain in our neighborhood. The community says NO to CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. It is neither necessary or desirable for this neighborhood! Thank you, Shannon Murphy ONYX 289 Divisadero Street San Francisco CA 94117 -- @OnyxBoutiqueSF [phone removed]show more The community opposes CorePower Yoga on DivisaderoDear Planning Commission, I am a neighbor concerned with the proposed CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. I was at the July 24 Alamo Square Neighborhood Association meeting where I heard the whole pitch by CorePower, along with the concerns of my neighbors, and I echo all those who were opposed. The CorePower representative was disingenuous in how he portrayed the company, and it was frustrating that only until he was pres… Dear Planning Commission, I am a neighbor concerned with the proposed CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. I was at the July 24 Alamo Square Neighborhood Association meeting where I heard the whole pitch by CorePower, along with the concerns of my neighbors, and I echo all those who were opposed. The CorePower representative was disingenuous in how he portrayed the company, and it was frustrating that only until he was pressed did he admit they<U+2019>re the biggest yoga chain in the country with 150 locations. I<U+2019>ve attended classes at a location of theirs in Minneapolis and there is absolutely nothing unique or more desirable about their teaching method or facilities nor is there anything they can do to not make them what they are: a big corporate chain. They are a yoga factory, packing people like sardines (way over room capacity) into class after class. It<U+2019>s not about the student<U+2019>s experience for them like it is for smaller, locally-owned studios, it<U+2019>s all about the bottom line. CorePower Yoga does not reflect the values of our community. We want a community-oriented business with integrity, and one that values diversity and inclusion. My family has lived in Alamo Square for many years. We adore this neighborhood - its historic nature, character, community orientation, and unique business offerings. A CorePower would detract from all that is great and valuable about this section of Divis and put it on a slippery slope to looking like every other generic strip across the country. (Not to mention the traffic mess I<U+2019>d anticipate it<U+2019>d create.) I'm further troubled to learn that CorePower Yoga has a history of employee issues: -Low pay for their workforce that is 85% women. -Labor issues including settlement for backwages and minimum wage -$189 per month membership is unaffordable to our diverse community -We want a business where we will feel welcome! I was sad to see Health Haven, a family-owned and operated business, close, and care about the owners<U+2019> need to find a tenant. I hope another solution to filling that vacancy can be found that works for both the owners and the residents who strongly value the formula retail restrictions in our neighborhood. CorePower Yoga is neither necessary nor desirable for this neighborhood! Thank you, Jessica Lettweenshow more opposition to CorePower Yoga on Divisadero StreetDear Commissioners: At last month<U+2019>s Planning Commission hearing I spoke against granting Core Power Yoga a conditional use permit to open a facility on Divisadero Street. At the time, I argued the proposed project is unnecessary and undesirable. There are already yoga studios in the area, including a yet-to-be-opened CorePower Yoga studio nearby, and the Divisadero corridor does not need or want anot… Dear Commissioners: At last month<U+2019>s Planning Commission hearing I spoke against granting Core Power Yoga a conditional use permit to open a facility on Divisadero Street. At the time, I argued the proposed project is unnecessary and undesirable. There are already yoga studios in the area, including a yet-to-be-opened CorePower Yoga studio nearby, and the Divisadero corridor does not need or want another formula retail business. I will be unable to attend the month<U+2019>s hearing, but I want to stress an even more powerful reason to deny the application: over the course of several years, CorePower Yoga engaged in wage theft from its employees with the result that many were paid less than minimum wage. In February 2017, CorePower Yoga settled the $1.65 million class action lawsuit (Walsh v. CorePower Yoga LLC, Case No. 16-cv- 05610 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California). Wage theft and mistreatment of workers is wrong, and no company with a history of violating the Fair Labor Standards Act should be granted special favors, such as a conditional use permit to open a formula retail business. It would be a mistake to reward this venture-capital backed chain by allowing it to open yet another facility. Thank you for your attention. Scott Bravmann, Ph.D. 1305 Buchanan Street San Francisco, CA 94115show more The community opposes CorePower Yoga on DivisaderoDear Planning Commission, I am a neighbor concerned with the proposed CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. CorePower Yoga does not reflect the values of our community. We want a community-oriented business with integrity, one that values diversity and inclusion. CorePower Yoga has a history of employee issues: -Low pay for their workforce that is 85% women. -Labor issues including settlement for backwages and mini… Dear Planning Commission, I am a neighbor concerned with the proposed CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. CorePower Yoga does not reflect the values of our community. We want a community-oriented business with integrity, one that values diversity and inclusion. CorePower Yoga has a history of employee issues: -Low pay for their workforce that is 85% women. -Labor issues including settlement for backwages and minimum wage -$189 per month membership is unaffordable to our diverse community -We want a business where we will feel welcome! We don't need or want this chain in our neighborhood. The community says NO to CorePower Yoga on Divisadero. It is neither necessary or desirable for this neighborhood! We look forward to a great business moving in to this space - and look forward to your help making that happen! Thank you, Jessie flo -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jessica Flo McDonald www.subtlepeach.com [phone removed]show more Rhey Nassman · spoken · 2018-10-11 · support
Support
Lisa Oprey · spoken · 2018-10-11 · oppose
Opposed
Dave Hall · spoken · 2018-10-11 · oppose
Opposed
Larisa Pedroncelli · spoken · 2018-10-11 · oppose
Opposed
Eric Arguello · spoken · 2018-10-11 · oppose
Opposed
Tina Jama · spoken · 2018-10-11 · support
Support
Rhanda Naser · spoken · 2018-10-11 · support
Finding a tenant
Rawan Naser · spoken · 2018-10-11 · support
Health of parents
Ted Nasser · spoken · 2018-10-11 · support
Leasing space
Gus Hernandez · spoken · 2018-10-11 · oppose
Opposition
Stephanie Rubinstein · spoken · 2018-10-11 · support
Project presentation