Category: News

Classic Parisian Patisserie Maison Danel Opens in Veritas’ 1030 Polk

Posted on February 12, 2020

Nothing quite says Paris like an elegantly sleek patisserie and salon de thé. Now, that magic is coming to San Francisco.

Inspired by the great eateries in the City of Light and other European culinary centers, Maison Danel opens Feb. 18 in Veritas’ beautifully restored 1030 Polk St. building.

David and Danel de Betelu, who have operated Baker Street Bistro since 2009, are eager to debut their vision for a quintessential European tea salon. “It’s an experience we don’t have here in San Francisco,’’ David de Betelu said.

In addition to classic pastries and tea, Maison Danel will offer breakfast, lunch, tea service and weekend brunch.

The married duo is also proud to be part of the rejuvenation of the area near Post Street, noting they looked all over the city before deciding on the spot. He noted that Maison Danel will be far more neighborhood friendly than the businesses previously in the space, including a smoke shop.

The building is also part of owner Veritas Investments’ commitment to placing locally-oriented businesses in commercial locations.

“We’re delighted to have this slice of Paris available for San Francisco,” said Justine Shoemaker of Veritas. “Maison Danel will quickly become part of the Bay Area’s local culinary heritage.”

The couple emphasized that the salon is their bébé, with no investors or ties to chains. “I cashed in my 401k,” David de Betelu laughed. “There’s no tech money here!”

At 3,000 square feet, Maison Danel is divided into three areas, with pastry display cases at the front, flanked by the tea salon dining area to the right and the kitchen to the left. Visitors will feel like they’ve stepped into a shop in the Palais-Royal as they take in the decor, replete with an elegant chandelier and Maison Danel’s name and intertwined double-D crest inlaid in the tile floor.

Parisian chef Adrien Chabot, who recently moved to the Bay Area, leads the kitchen.

As befitting its Parisian lineage, the shop will sell pastries in brightly colored boxes from the long marble counter, allowing customers to take home gifts after enjoying a meal or bite in the salon while visually feasting on the display.

Of course, vibrant macarons will highlight the menu, along with croissant, tart meringue, choux a la creme and other patisserie staples. Patrons can sip specially branded locally roasted coffee as well.

The new café will also bring along some Baker Street Bistro favorites, including brioche french toast, duck confit and steak frites. Tea service will feature classic towers with finger sandwiches, petit fours and mignardises.

Another notable, authentic offering: Champagne. Along with coffee and tea, the drinks menu will include true French bubbly including champagne floats, plus a selection of wines and other libations.

The couple’s story began in 2008 when David, a marketing specialist in Minneapolis, was on a business trip to New York and met Danel, a classically trained French chef from Biarritz. Love for each other and food ensued, and the pair decided to settle in San Francisco.

“You have one life to live,” David de Belelu reflected. “You should enjoy it with good food. We want to share that vision with San Francisco.”

Maison Danel is open from 7am to 7pm Tuesday through Sunday. More info at http://maisondanel.com/

Veritas Holiday Toy Drive and Festive Spirit for the Season

Posted on December 27, 2019

Santa greets visitors and residents at 2677 Larkin Street.

Veritas staff and residents know how to spread cheer for one and all, giving back and sharing the spirit of the season. They’re not bad with holiday decor, either.

One of the largest residential rental companies in San Francisco, Veritas helps set the mood with its annual toy drive, and this year its employees and residents donated over 600 new toys for children. Toys were collected at Veritas’ annual holiday celebration before Santa’s helpers delivered the bountiful collection to the San Francisco Fire Department for its annual drive.

“We’re amazed at everyone’s generosity, which seems bigger and better every year,” said Mike McCamish, Veritas’s Director of Property Management.

Donating gifts is only one facet of how Veritas ushers in the holidays, as Resident Managers play a key role in decorating buildings, setting up holiday events and handling special requests such as deliveries, mail-collection and just keeping an attentive eye out while residents are away.

Wanda Brown is perhaps the dean of holiday decorations. She’s brought the spirit of the season to 2128 Van Ness Avenue for more than 20 years, long before Veritas owned the Edwardian building.

“The residents really love this,” she said. “In fact, previous residents come back at Christmas just to enjoy it again. Little children in our neighborhood come by to see the decorations, and I hand out candy canes.”

One of Brown’s touches is the placement of the previous owner’s antique toys. “He loved them, and would help me decorate,” she beamed.

Stockings, figurines and a Nativity scene line the hallway at 2128 Van Ness Avenue.

The building also participated in collecting gifts for the Firefighter’s campaign. “I’m pleased to say that our toy drive was very successful,” she said.

Another Veritas holiday landmark is 2677 Larkin Street, where Rick Nelson has brought festive holiday pizzazz for four years.

“Sometimes I think I do it more for me than the residents,” joked the eighth-generation Californian. Nelson said many of the ornaments were his late mother’s, and some were donated by residents.

“I’m so thankful for Veritas, and I love this building,” he said. “It’s my home, and I want it to look good, for everyone.”

Veritas Helps Fund New Mobile Health Clinic

Posted on December 3, 2019

An innovative mobile health clinic designed to serve at-risk San Franciscans made its debut December 3, funded in part by grants from several San Francisco organizations including Veritas Investments.

The community celebration included officials from the Mayor’s Office, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and Veritas’ CEO Yat-Pang Au and COO Jeff Jerden, plus a cadre of Veritas team members. Building from iconic roots as the “Haight Ashbury Free Clinic”, HealthRight 360 unveiled a new mobile medical van that extends the non-profit’s innovative, community-based healthcare that integrates medical, mental health, and substance use treatment for at-risk San Franciscans.

With a distinctive tie-dye exterior paint scheme created in part by Veritas’ graphic design team, the mobile clinic has two complete exam rooms, a waiting area, a bathroom, refrigerator, and an elevator wheelchair lift. Already operating in the Tenderloin neighborhood, the van will expand its schedule over time to include the Haight Ashbury and other areas of great need across San Francisco.

“As a San Francisco company, it’s a privilege to give back to our community and support HealthRight 360’s innovative new mobile healthcare clinic on wheels,” said Yat-Pang Au, CEO of Veritas, San Francisco’s premier provider of rental housing. “This clinic is providing essential services to more vulnerable San Franciscans experiencing homelessness and addiction.”

Giving Tuesday was an auspicious day to unveil the van, Au noted.

Other sponsors of the mobile clinic include Sutter Health’s California Pacific Medical Center and Wells Fargo Bank.

“These are challenging times in healthcare, especially for the vulnerable populations we serve. Being able to provide Mobile Healthcare Services is a huge step forward,” said Vitka Eisen, HealthRight 360’s CEO. “Over the years, our clients have gotten sicker, they have many more complex health challenges, more co-occurring mental health conditions and fewer resources.”

Eisen knows the importance of community access from first-hand experience: She is a recovering heroin addict who was successfully treated at Walden House, which, along with the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic, merged to form the nonprofit HealthRight 360 in 2011. After treatment, she received her undergraduate degree at New College and then attended San Francisco State University, where she earned her master’s degree in social work. From there, she received a doctorate in education from Harvard.

Since the merger, HealthRight 360 has expanded its depth and range of services for underserved people, taking other health organizations throughout California under its wing. The group offers primary care, mental health and substance abuse services using programs sensitive to its patients’ languages, ethnicities, genders, sexual identities and cultures.

“This mobile clinic is all about meeting people where they are and bringing quality medical care directly to the people who need it most,” said San Francisco Mayor London Breed in a statement. “It’s another great example of HealthRight 360’s commitment to responding directly to the most pressing needs of San Franciscans, and demonstrates the importance of nonprofit organizations, the private sector, and government working together.”

Several speakers gave nods to the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic’s origins in the 1960s.

“This gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘magic bus,’” said California Pacific CEO Warren Browner.

Transforming Neglected Housing To Address San Francisco’s Housing Crisis

Posted on November 25, 2019

Veritas Investments has led the way on improving San Francisco’s rent-controlled housing stock through series of interior, exterior, life safety and system upgrades. Buildings which commonly come into the Veritas portfolio often do so following years of disinvestment and significant deferred maintenance. One 26-year resident said things are now the best they’ve ever been!