There's only room in for one well-funded uber-neighborhood council in the Haight, and it appears the tides have shifted in favor of The Money. Coming off the heels of the recent approval of the 690 Stanyan Whole Foods and condos, the merchant-and-resident coalition Haight Ashbury Improvement Association is riding high on the sweet nectar of victory over the venerable and once oh-so-powerful (and still oh-so-anti-WF) Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council. HAIA brought more than 100 members to the 690 Stanyan planning meeting and they had stickers. HANC is considering an appeal of the project, which passed with flying colors last week. But victory alone isn't enough for The Association. HAIA president Ted Loewenberg has some fighting words for HANC, whose "kingmaker status vanished some time ago." Says Loewenberg, "I would think twice about appealing this because they might lose it. Do they really want to see their brand tarnished more?" Pro tip for HANC: your nabe council brand should be your first priority! Also: stickers.
· New community activists flex muscle in Haight [SF Gate]
· Approved With Love: 690 Stanyan's Mixed-Use Whole Foods [Curbed SF]For more stories from Curbed SF, go to sf.curbed.com.
