community garden fee hike

**y*@sfo.com**

Hi -- I just heard that our local community garden rates are scheduled to
go up from 15 cents a square foot per year to 50 cents -- a rate that will
be unaffordable for many people in the garden. Low-income discounts will
also be eliminated. Plots range from 200 to 900 sq. ft.; most are 300-500.
About 160 gardeners IIRC.

It was a stealth move by the city, which decided to raise all municipal
fees over the summer and was going to spring this surprise on gardeners
Jan. 1, but somehow the word got out sooner. We pay once a year, so this
would have been a huge shock. They reportedly researched the average fee
for community gardens (35 to 45 cents per square foot?) to get closer to
"market rate."

A related issue is that the city has had proposals (so far rejected by
taxpayers) to use the land for a parking garage or library expansion, and
that this may be a way to get rid of any barriers to that use.

Besides getting lots of warm bodies to the next city council meeting and
sending around a petition, any other suggestions for effectively fighting
the increase? Success stories? Strategies?

Tanya Kucak

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