Green Retirement Blog

 Save Bus 39 North Beach Telegraph Hill

If you are a retired senior living in North Beach or Telegraph Hill, or you know someone who lives in the neighborhood, it is imperative that you act now to save bus route 39 service.  Your ability to continue living in the North Beach Telegraph Hill area is threatened.

The SFMTA will  hold a public hearing on Tuesday September 16th at 3:30 p.m and 5:30 p.m. . Please try to attend. If you cannot make the hearing, you can also email the board, to register your concerns.

info@sftep.com or phone 415.701.2323

Link to map showing route elimination: http://www.sfmta.com/cms/mtep/documents/rte_039.pdf

The following letter has been emailed to the SFMTA Board of Director.

Dear Directors:

I was alarmed to learn that the Transit Effectiveness Project (TEP), is recommending that part of Bus Route 39 be eliminated, to conserve resources.  While noble in purpose, the impact of this recommendation, may have the reverse effect.  Seniors and retired people may be forced to purchase automobiles, causing even more pollution and congestion in our neighborhood and city.

Worse, and the primary reason for my  letter, is my concern for the livability and diversity of our community.  This recommendation, if followed, may result in the exodus of seniors, retired people,  the handicapped, and low income citizens from our community.  Permanently changing the diversity of our community.  No longer will we have the pleasure of listening to elderly neighbors order biscotti in Italian. A community is a community when it includes all generations.

My name is Ramsay Mameesh,  I own Green Retirement Planning, which has it’s virtual office in North Beach. I currently live in North Beach, but I have also had the pleasure to live on Telegraph Hill, the neighborhood most effected by the recommendation.  Green Retirement Planning enables almost anyone, to retire with hundreds of thousands less dollars and years earlier, than is possible with traditional retirement planning.  Going Green can save a person a tremendous amount of money before retirement, and allow them to retire with less savings.  Living a car free life, is a huge savings for a retired person, and allows them to live a more comfortable retirement.

Earlier this year, I conducted a study on the feasibility of retirement in North Beach, and Telegraph Hill.  I discovered that Seniors could retire in North Beach Telegraph Hill with less than $400,000.

March 1st. 2008

“The experiment to discover how much savings is required to retire in one of the Top Ten Neighborhoods in the nation, in the second most expensive city in the U.S., is over and the results are illuminating. Retiring in North Beach / Telegraph Hill San Francisco, depending on your situation which I will discuss later, can be accomplished with less than $400,000 in savings.”

And that someone aged 44, such as myself, could retire in North Beach Telegraph Hill, with less than $800,000.

However, in the same study on retirement in North Beach Telegraph, I mention that this is made possible in part by the availability of public transportation.  That the costly expense of a car is not required to live in our neighborhood. And more importantly, the study also mentions the difficulty seniors may have, living on Telegraph Hill.

“There are no shops or businesses on Telegraph Hill, it’s purely residential, but everything you need is either a short walk or bus ride away. Admittedly, Telegraph Hill, is a steep hill. If you are physically un-fit, walking up the hill, could present a challenge. But Muni #39 will let you off at the top of the hill, and if you do want to get into shape, Telegraph Hill provides a free Stair-Master for your enjoyment.”

The North Beach Telegraph Hill retirement study concludes by recommending people choose North Beach and Telegraph Hill for retirement.

“For people choosing a city retirement, Telegraph Hill is an ideal location, combining both the amenities of a big city and a feeling of peaceful natural seclusion. San Francisco, is one of the top tourist destinations in the world, let alone one the most beautiful cities in the United States. Everyday people from all over the globe can be seen walking through the Telegraph Hill neighborhood, to see the parrots and the lovely gardens, and to enjoy the breathtaking views of San Francisco. You could retire here with less than a million dollar in savings. What are you waiting for… “

If the SFMTA Board of Directors, approves the elimination of bus route 39’s current access to Telegraph Hill and North Beach, I will no longer be able to recommend Telegraph Hill and a large part of North Beach for retirement.  I recommend that the Board of Directors, in the interest of diversity and livability, and so as not to adversely affect the lives of Seniors, retired people, the handicapped, and people living on fixed incomes, reject the (TEP) recommendation for bus route 39, and maintain the current service and route.

Sincerely,

Ramsay Mameesh
Green Retirement Planning
11 San Antonio Pl.
San Francisco, CA 94133
370#9828
http://www.iplanretirement.com
emailramsaym@iplanretirement