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Tuesday, May 19, 2020
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>> President Yee: good
afternoon and welcome to the May 19, 2020 regular meeting of the san francisco board of supervisors.
Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll.
>> Clerk: thank you, Mr. President. [Roll Call]
>> Clerk: okay.
Mr. President, you have a quorum.
>> President Yee: thank you, Madam Clerk. Please place your right hand
over your heart.
Would you please join me in
reciting the pledge of allegiance. [Pledge of allegiance]
>> President Yee: okay. On behalf of the board, I would like to acknowledge the staff
at sfgov or sfgtv who record
each of our meetings and make the transcripts available to the public on-line.
Madam Clerk, are there any communications?
>> Clerk: yes, Mr. President. The record will reflect that
since the declaration of local health emergency as a result of
the covid-19 disease, the
members of the board of supervisors are participating in the board meeting through
video conference and to the same extent as if they were
physically present in their legislative chamber.
Provisions have also been made for the public with and without the internet to be able to participate remotely in the following ways. For those who do not have the
access to the internet, the U.S. Postal service will
deliver your written correspondence. Please address the envelope to the san francisco board of supervisors, city hall, room
244, san francisco, california, 94102. If you are interested in
listening to the meeting, you
can, on your telephone, by
dialing 888-204-5984, and when
prompted, end the access code 3501008, and press pound twice. You'll have joined and can
listen to the meeting in progress. And if we're staying with
access by phone, if you would like to provide general public comment, which is item 25 on
today's agenda, dial that same
number that's crawling across sfgovtv and across your screen
if you're having the meeting
streamed live on the computer.
888-204-5984, and when
prompted, enter the access code
3501008, press pound twice to join the meeting. Once you wish to enter the queue to speak, dial one, and then zero. You'll be moved into the
speaker line, and you'll be prompted when it is your turn
to provide comment. You can get in line early or
wait until item 25 is called.
The key is to only press one and zero one timed.
Otherwise, pressing it twice,
you'll be moved out of
commenting mode and back out of
the queue to speak. While people are calling in, please call from a quiet location. That means mute your television
and your radio. Speak clearly and slowly. Each speaker will be allowed up
to two minutes to speak on
items within the subject matter jurisdiction of the board. Elections are always around the
corner, but please, no
electioneering at the board meeting during your general public comment. Address the board as a whole
and not to individual members of the board.
Two points.
The office of civic engagement
director has assigned three interpreters and are standing
by to assist the public in their public comment.
I would like them to know that
they are here for them.
Agnes lee.
Miss Lee? [Speaking chinese language]
>> Interpreter: thank you.
>> Clerk: thank you, Miss Lee. Thank you.
And now, Mr. Arturo cosenza.
>> Interpreter: hi there. [Speaking spanish language]
>> Clerk: thank you, Mr. Cosenza.
Miss Lau? [Speaking tagalog language]
>> Interpreter: thank you, Miss Clerk.
that's all for me.
>> Clerk: thank you.
And finally, if members of the
public have statements and they'd like to submit
statements to the board, board.Of.Supervisors@sf.Gov.
If you'd like to watch it on
cable, it's cable channel 26. Thank you for your patience with the length of my communication. Mr. President?
>> President Yee: thank you, Madam Clerk.
Before me get started, just a friendly reminder to all the supervisors to mute your microphones when you're not speaking to avoid audio feedback, and welcome, supervisor safai. Colleagues, today, we are approving the minutes from
April 7, 2020, regular board
meeting, and the April 1, 2020
special meeting at the budget and finance committee, and
April 1, 2020, special meeting
at the budget and appropriations committee, which constituted quorums of the board of supervisors.
Are there any changes to these
meeting minutes? Okay. Seeing none, can I have a
motion to approve the minutes
as presented?
>> Supervisor Peskin: so moved. Peskin.
>> President Yee: okay. Seconded?
>> Supervisor Ronen: second, ronen.
>> President Yee: okay.
So it's been moved and seconded.
Without objection, then.
Will you please call the roll?
>> Clerk: thank you, Mr. President. [Roll Call]
>> Clerk: there are 11 ayes.
>> President Yee: okay.
Without objection, they will be moved as presented.
Madam Clerk, will you call
items 1 through 5 on the consend con
consent agenda?
>>
>>.
>> Clerk: these items lifted
hereunder constitute a consent
agenda and are considered to be
routine by the board.
>> President Yee: okay.
Do any members of the board
wish to sever any items? Okay.
Madam Clerk, let's call the roll.
[Roll Call]
>> Clerk: there are 11 ayes.
>> President Yee: okay.
The ordinances are passed on
first reading, and finally passed unanimously.
Madam Clerk, let's go to our new business.
Please call items 6 and 7 together.
>> Clerk: items 6 and 7 are two airport commission items.
Item 6 is a resolution to
approve modification number 6
to an airport contract, airport
shuttle bus services with sfo
hotel shuttle, inc.To address
the not to exceed amount of 120 million approximately -- it's
actually 116 million, and to
extend -- exercise the final two-year option to extend the
term from July 1, 2020 pursuant
to charter section 9.1189.
Item 7 is a resolution authorizing the san francisco airport commission to accept
and expend a grant in the
amount of 2,746,298 and any additional amounts up to 15% of the original grant that May be
offered from the california air
resources board for the carl moyer memorial air quality
standards attainment program
grant to purchase and install electrical ground service equipment charging stations and supporting infrastructure for the proposed project erred
period of June 2020 twlu June
2021 and affirming the planning
department's determine under ceqa.
>> President Yee: okay. Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll. [Roll Call]
>> Clerk: there are 11 ayes.
>> President Yee: okay.
Then without any objection, the
items are adopted unanimously. Madam Clerk, let's go to the next item.
>> Clerk: item 8, resolution retroactively authorizing the department of elections to accept and expend funds allocated by the california
secret of state in an amount
not to exceed approximately 2 million to fund voting system
and election management system replacement for the period
February 1, 2019 through June 30, 2022.
>> President Yee: Madam Clerk, call the roll on item 8.
>> Clerk: on item 8 -- [Roll Call]
>> Clerk: there are 11 ayes.
>> President Yee: okay. Then without objection, the
item is adopted unanimously. Madam Clerk, please go to item number 9.
>> Clerk: item 9 is a resolution to authorize designated city and county
officials to execute and file,
on behalf of the city, actions
necessary to obtain state and federal financial assistance, including the federal fisk the
year 2020 urban areas security initiative grant, the management performance grant,
the 2020 locate will government
oil spill contingency plan
grant, and the 2020 hazard mitigation grant program.
>> President Yee: supervisor fewer?
>> Supervisor Fewer: yes, colleagues. I am introducing a technical amendment today to this item as a request of the department of
emergency management.
On page 2, lines 19 to 20, the language should include the 2020 hazard mitigation grant
program as it is also listed in the long title but was left out
of the body of the resolution.
>> President Yee: there's been a motion made by supervisor fewer to amend. Is there a second?
>> Supervisor Peskin: second, peskin.
>> President Yee: seconded by peskin. Madam Clerk, please call the roll on the amendment.
>> Clerk: on the amendment -- [Roll Call]
>> Clerk: there are 11 ayes.
>> President Yee: okay. Then, without objection, the amendments are accepted. Madam Clerk, please call the
roll on the amended resolution.
>> Clerk: on item 9 as amended -- [Roll Call]
>> Clerk: there are 11 ayes.
>> President Yee: okay. Without objection, the amended resolution is adopted unanimously.
Madam Clerk, let's go to item
10.
>> Clerk: item 10 is a resolution approving
modification number 14 to airport contract program
management support services for
the airport, terminal 1,
boarding area b redevelopment
program, with t1 partners, a
joint venture, to increase the
contract amount by $6 million
for a new not to exceed amount
of $38 million for services and
extend being the term.
>> President Yee: okay. Supervisor peskin?
>> Supervisor Peskin: thank you, Mr. Chair. Supervisor fewer, I was just
wondering why the committee chose to continue this item from May 6?
>> Supervisor Fewer: yes.
I believe we just -- through
the chair, I believe we just wanted more information. This was more information in
light of covid-19 and economic downturn.
We had not seen a plan that the airport actually had to how they were going to balance
their budget and what kind of
cost savings they were investigating. They have sent a memo to us and
the budget committee that -- us
at the budget committee that
answered all of our questions.
>> Supervisor Peskin: thank you, supervisor fewer, through President Yee. That answered my question and
I'm prepared to vote in the affirmative.
>> President Yee: okay. I don't see any other speaker, then, Madam Clerk, call the roll on this item.
>> Clerk: on item 10 -- [Roll Call]
Voters
act in 2016 which allows
communities to expand mail in ballot and early voting. San francisco has not at this point opted in, and at this point, we don't have time to
implement the voter's choice
act by November.
Whatever the status of shelter in place orders by the time election day comes, we can't leave voters with the impossible choice of deciding between their health and casting a ballot.
Governor newsom issued an executive order on May 8
requiring that all counties must send mail in ballots to registered voters.
We do not have from the state any standard minimums or best practices for how to provide
for safe and accessible
in-person voting sites for voters who don't have access to
mail delivery, for people with limited english, or simply with
the thousands of potential voters who don't have
experience with mail in ballots or who are afraid their votes won't be counted. We need an emergency plan for November and a timeline to prepare for future elections,
and we need transparency so the public can participate in
designing and implementing a successful election. Specifically, the legislation before you directs the san francisco department of elections to mail a ballot to every registered voter for the November election and to notify
all households of the option to register.
It directs the department to implement in-person voting and
early voting in ways that use
space and extended duration to participate and keep election voters safe. It highlights the role of the
office of racial equity and
community-based organizations
in outreach, organization and
participation in communities
with historically low turnout,
and it requires a submittal to
the board of supervisors an election plan no later than June 30.
I want to thank san francisco
democratic party chair david
campos and aclu northern california. Thank you as well to supervisors haney, walton, preston, and mar, for cosponsoring. Colleagues, I hope you will vote today to approve the legislation, and I look forward
to working with you on clean,
safe, fair, and accessible elections in November.
>> President Yee: thank you, supervisor ronen.
Please add me as a cosponsor,
if you don't mind.
>> Supervisor Ronen: thank you. Thank you.
>> President Yee: Madam Clerk, let's call the roll.
>> Clerk: on item 11 --
[Roll Call]
>> Clerk: there are 11 ayes.
>> President Yee: okay. Without objection, the ordinance is passed on first reading unanimously.
Madam Clerk, let's call items 12 through 15 together.
>> Clerk: items 12 through 15 are four resolutions that approve lease agreements with the airport commission and the following entities.
For item 12, approves the on
airport rental car operations
lease between the city and avis
budget car rental with a
minimum mag of $11 million for
the first year of the lease. Item 13 is a resolution
approving the aairport rental
car operations between enter
price and the city and county
of san francisco, for a mag of
$16 million for the first year
of the lease.
Item 14 is a resolution
proofing the on airport rental
car operations lease between the hertz corporation for a
term of five years with two two-year options to extend
and a mag of $16 million for the first year of the lease,
and item 15, resolution
approving the on airport rental
car operations between sixt
rent a car, for a term of five years with two two year options
to extend, and a mag of $3.5 million for the first year of the lease.
>> President Yee: okay.
Supervisor mar?
>> Supervisor Mar: thank you,
President Yee.
I move to continue items 12 through 15 for one week to
allow these items to be heard with item 3.
>> President Yee: okay.
Is there a second?
>> Supervisor Ronen: second.
>> President Yee: okay.
There is a motion and a second.
madam clerk, please call the roll.
>> Clerk: on the continuance of items 12 through 15 -- [Roll Call]
>> Clerk: there are 11 ayes.
>> President Yee: okay. Then without objection, these resolutions will be continued
to the meeting of tuesday, June 2, 2020.
Madam Clerk, please call items
16 and 17 together.
>> Clerk: items 16 and 17 are two resolutions that declare the intention of the board of
supervisors to renew and expand
property based business
improvement districts and to
levy multiyear assessments on
all parcels in the district, approving the management
district plan and engineer's
report and proposed boundaries
map for the supervisors,
sitting as a committee of the whole.
For item 16, it's a committee
of the whole on July 14, 2020, at 3:00 P.M., approving the
north of public hearing and assessment assessment.
And for item 17, it's committing as a committee of
the whole on joule 14, 2020, as 3:00 P.M., approving the form
of the notice of public hearing and assessment ballot proceeding and assessment ballot, directing environmental findings, and directing the clerk of the board of supervisors to give notice of
the public hearing and balloting.
>> President Yee: okay.
Madam Clerk, let's call the roll.
>> Clerk: on items 16 and 17 -- [Roll Call]
>> Clerk: there are 11 ayes.
>> President Yee: okay. Without objection, the
resolutions are adopted unanimously. Madam Clerk, let's -- please call the next item.
>> Clerk: item 18 is a motion to appoint the following
individuals to the soma community stabilization fund
community advisory committee
for terms ending December 21,
2023, marke bieschke and
lorenzo lit
lorenzo listana. Sorry if I didn't say those names correctly.
>> President Yee: okay. I don't see any names on the
roster, so Madam Clerk, please
call the roll.
>> Clerk: on item 18 -- [Roll Call]
>> Clerk: there are 11 ayes.
>> President Yee: okay. Without objection, the item is approved unanimously.
Madam Clerk, let's go to item 19.
>> Clerk: item 19 is a motion
to approve the President Of the board of supervisors norman
yee's nomination of deland chan to the planning commission for
a term ending July 1, 2022.
>> President Yee: okay. Colleagues, I want to thank all
of you for taking the time to
meet with deland chan, and to chair ronen and the rules committee for their support.
As I previously mentioned, nominating for this vacancy was
one I took very seriously, and
while we had a number of very
strong candidates, deland stood
out as someone who not only had experience in urban planning
but a unique perspective as an
educator and a participant -- participatory community planner. Our city will be facing even
more challenging with the
use -- with land use and
housing issues given the compounded economic crisis that we're facing today. We need to bring people together.
We will need to build on the public's trust that government is not meant for only a few but
for the masses, and we have to
be creative about equitable human-centered solutions.
We heard so many testimonies
about how the land inspired her students to become the next
generation of planners and transportation and housing, and
now, she lit a fire in them to
become more engaged in local politics that dictate the world
around them. That is the type of passion we need on the planning commission.
I look forward to deland's added voice to the commission
and hope that I can count on your support today.
Madam Clerk, can you -- supervisor peskin?
>> Supervisor Peskin: thank
you, President Yee.
I want to thank you for your
careful, deliberative process
as you worked through a number
of very qualified candidates.
I knew Miss Chan since early in
her career when she was a
planning developer at the chinese neighborhood community center and when she was a student at stanford.
She's always been based in the community.
Her intellectual powers are remarkable.
Her thoughts and worries about gentrification in vulnerable communities are -- we all
share -- or at least I share,
and I want to thank you for this nomination and am really delighted to add her to the san
francisco planning commission
where she will work harder than
she's ever worked, even as
she's doing her doctoral
dissertation and be paid
virtually nothing.
>> President Yee: thank you, supervisor peskin.
Madam Clerk, on item 18, can you please call the roll.
>> Clerk: on item 18 --
[Roll Call]
>> Clerk: there are 11 ayes.
>> President Yee: okay. Without objection, the motion
is approved unanimously.
Madam Clerk, let's go to committee reports.
Please call item number 20.
>> Clerk: for the committee reports, items 20 through 23
were considered by the land use
and transportation committee at
a regular meeting on monday, May 18. Item 20 is an ordinance ordering the summary vacation
of a portion of 25 street,
which is generally bounded by
assessor's parcel block number
4241, lot number 002 to the
north, seawall lost number 355,
portions of assessors parcel
block number 4298, lot number 002, assessor's parcel, black
number 4299, lot number 001,
and assessors parcel, black
number 4300, lot number 001, to
the south, michigan street to
the west, and seawall lot
number 356 to the east, to
enable extended operation of a
temporary navigation center for homeless residents.
>> President Yee: okay. Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll.
>> Clerk: on item 20 -- [Roll Call]
>> Clerk: there are 11 ayes.
>> President Yee: all right. Without objection, the
ordinance is passed on first reading. Madam Clerk, will you please
call the next item.
>> Clerk: let's see here. Item 21 was tabled, so it is
not before the board.
Item 22 is an emergency ordinance to establish protections for occupants of
residential hotel during the covid-19 pandemic by, among
other things, making it city
policy to place in solitary
hotel rooms S.R.O. Residents
who meet the criteria for isolation or quarantine established by the county health officer.
>> President Yee: supervisor peskin?
>> Supervisor Peskin: Mr.
Chair, item 22 and 23 are a package of protections for S.R.O. Residents.
Could I ask you to read with it the next item?
>> President Yee: sure.
Madam Clerk, could you also
read item 23?
>> Clerk: yes.
Item 23 is an ordinance
amending the administrative
code to prohibit landlords of
residential hotel units from
evicting tenants for nonpayment of rent that was not paid due
to the covid-19 pandemic, and
from imposing late fees, penalties, or other similar
charges on such tenants, and to
establish a covid-19 S.R.O.
Relief fund.
>> President Yee: thank you.
Supervisor peskin, did you want
to speak on these items?
>> Supervisor Peskin: yes.
Supervisors, together with the
district 6 and 9 supervisors, supervisors ronen and haney,
this has been an area of policy that I've been interested in
and advocated for for, really, the last 20 years.
And in this particular instance, as it relates to items 22 and 23 on the calendar, I would like to thank the district's 9 and 6 supervisors who have S.R.O.S in
the mission and in the
tenderloin, as I do, in chinatown and north beach. So thank you, supervisors ronen and haney.
I also want to thank supervisor safai, who I think was moved
yesterday in committee by the outpouring of support that we
saw from the S.R.O. Community
and the S.R.O. Collaboratives,
and so thank you, all three
members of the board, for your support of protections and protocols for emergency relief.
Since the pandemic, even before the March 16 emergency
declaration by the mayor that led into the so-called
lockdown, the mayor and I were
already introducing orders
about cleanliness standards and
protocols in S.R.O.S.
And as we all know, and we saw in committee, since the first
day of April, S.R.O.S have seen
a 1500% increase in confirmed
covid-19 cases, which, by any
statistic, is staggering, and I know that we are all amazed
that as of today, we have just
slightly over 2,000 confirmed
covid-19 cases in san francisco
and california is leading -- san francisco
is leading the S.R.O.S.
Many S.R.O. Residents, as we
all know, have historically
been marginally housed, and at
host are at risk -- at most at risk due to not only being
homeless, but at risk of comorbidity.
The two pieces of legislation
before you do the following.
They mandate protocols on
culturally competent contact
notification, case education,
community education, contact
tracing and quarantine with
real-time frames attached to them.
They attach rights to them,
including a right to return to
units after quarantining, as
well as numbers of quarantine
sites in units. [Inaudible]
>> Supervisor Peskin: -- as we know and have written in the media, which have unfortunately happened early on in a couple
of cases, and I really want to
thank my chief of staff, sunny
angulo, who has been working with the three chief collaboratives in san francisco. Look, I didn't want to turn these things into legislation,
but we've been waving our arms around for a couple of months. I think everybody at D.P.H. Knows that.
It took introducing this
legislation to focus the
attention on these highly transmissive sites, and I want to thank everyone for paying
attention and for Dr. Cohen to
speaking to me as late as 10:00 on sunday evening.
And I do have, pursuant to that conversation -- and colleagues,
you are all in receipt of this
amendment to item number 22, as
page 6, start -- number 22, at page 6, starting at line 9, highlighted in yellow. I'll read the entire paragraph with the changes. Within 48 hours of such confirmation contact, all
occupants of the residential
hotel in which the S.R.O.
Resident resides and all close
contacts of the S.R.O. Resident
to offer an initiative for covid-19 testing for individuals on the site of the
residential hotel, and/or
insert at an off-site facility
determined by D.P.H. In
consultation with the S.R.O. Collaboratives to be suitable, accessible, and located in the neighborhood of the S.R.O.
Hotel in which the resident of
the S.R.O. Hotel who has tested positive for covid-19 resides. So I would like to offer that one amendment to item number 22
and thank Dr. Cohen for the constructive conversation that we had the day before yesterday, so I'd like to make
that motion, Mr. President.
>> President Yee: all righty.
So supervisor fewer? Are you muted?
>> Supervisor Fewer: sorry. I keep talking and not realizing. I just wanted to mention that I have three S.R.O.S in my neighborhood, and so I
respectfully ask to be added as
a cosponsor to this legislation.
>> Supervisor Peskin: thank you
to the President.
>> President Yee: supervisor haney?
>> Supervisor Haney: yeah. Thank you, President Yee. I really just want to thank you, supervisor peskin, for taking the lead on this, and to
your chief of staff, sunny
angulo, for this extraordinary work.
There are S.R.O.S in my district, as well as a number of cases.
I was shocked to find out that
weeks after there had been a
number of positive cases, there were still people waiting to be
tested in the S.R.O.
So it got moved up, and then, it got moved.
So it's really clear of how the
process is how we protect people in vulnerable environments.
There's a lot of focus in people that are homeless and people that are in shelters,
but if you're in an S.R.O.,
sharing kitchens, sharing bathrooms, and in very close contact, it's critical that we
respond proactively,
particularly in cleaning and contact tracing, protecting people as needed.
I appreciate your leadership,
peskin, on behalf of all the supervisors, including supervisor fewer, who has
S.R.O. In her districts. This will protect people, keep
people safe and healthy, and
I'm sure will save lives.
Thank you.
>> President Yee: supervisor preston?
>> Supervisor Preston: thank you, supervisor peskin, and supervisor yee, for your leadership on this.
I would like to be added as a co cosponsor to item 22.
And I'd just like to speak briefly on item 23 because I've
had conversations with colleagues who were asking about how this interacts with
the pending legislation that
I'm sponsoring that will has
identical protections for a
broad range of tenants that the administrative ordinance applies to. Supervisor peskin, in working with the city attorney, has
actually addressed in his item
23 here what happens in the
event thats, as a board, we pass both items and they May become law.
So again, protection for S.R.O.
Tenants are a crucial subset of some of the most vulnerable tenants who are covered but
under the other law, as well,
and there will not be a conflict between this and ours
which comes to committee in
June if they become law, so thank you.
>> President Yee: okay. Supervisor walton?
>> Supervisor Walton: thank you, President Yee.
I just wanted to be added as a cosponsor to both items.
>> President Yee: okay. Thank you.
And I would like to be added to
both items, as well, also.
There's been a motion to amend,
and is there a second?
>> Supervisor Walton: second.
>> President Yee: I think it was supervisor walton that
seconded it.
>> Supervisor Walton: correct.
>> President Yee: okay.
So Madam Clerk, let's call the roll on the amendments.
>> Clerk: on the amendment to item 22 -- [Roll Call]
>> Clerk: there are 11 ayes.
>> President Yee: okay. Without -- without objection,
the amendments are accepted. Madam Clerk, let's call the
roll on item 22 as amended and item 23 together.
>> Clerk: on item 22 as amended and item 23 -- [Roll Call]
>> Clerk: there are 11 ayes.
>> President Yee: okay. Then without any objection,
item number 22 as amended
passes unanimously, and under
item number 23, it is passed on first reading unanimously. Ab.
Madam Clerk, it's time for basically roll call for introduction.
>> Clerk: roll call for introduction. Supervisor fewer, you're up
first to introduce new business.
>> Supervisor Fewer: submit.
>> Clerk: okay. Thank you. Submit? Supervisor haney.
>> Supervisor Haney: can I --
can I rerefer?
>> Clerk: rerefer? Certainly. Okay.
Supervisor mandelman?
>> Supervisor Mandelman: thank you, Madam Clerk.
Colleagues, today, I'm asking
that we adjourn today in memory
of jamal mike omar. [Inaudible]
>> Supervisor Mandelman: mike's
father, mohamed omar, founded
the business, having first
operated a store in palestine
in the 1970s.
When his father retired in 1987, mike and his family took over the business. Mike and his family lived in the apartment above the market,
and he raised his children in the same neighborhood where he grew his family business.
Mike and his brother could be heard speaking with customers
in several languages, speaking
in their native arabic, switching to spanish and english. Regulars would come for
homemade cookies and delicious
deli sandwiches, and they'd stay and chat with mike in the store about their family weekend plans.
When asked about retiring in a
2010 article, he said, what
would I do if I retire?
I'd have nothing to do. Mike will be greatly missed in
his district, and the rest I submit.
>> Clerk: thank you,
supervisor mandelman.
Supervisor mar?
>> Supervisor Mar: thank you, Madam Clerk. Colleagues, I have three items
for introduction.
First, I'm introducing the
strategic investment education fund as a key part of our city's economic strategy.
While our covid-19 response has been overall quite successful
as our public health authority, it has caused traumatic disruption to our economy.
Over the past two months, an unprecedented number of workers have been laid off, are struggling to pay for rent and food, and face the precarious future in a changing economy and job market. As you know, the city college
was already facing major budgetary challenges before the health emergency, and the
likely further reduction in state funding could lead to
additional drastic class cuts
at a time when enrollment in city college is expected to increase significantly. The workforce education and recovery fund will ensure that
nearly 100,000 unemployed san francisco can upgrade their skills and get back to work as soon as possible.
City college provides the most
comprehensive offering of vocational training and
education programs in our city,
and all tuition classes are
free for our residents. They offer technical programs, including many skills that will
be key to a safe recovery, such
as health care, nursing, public
safety, building trades, and information technology. Excuse me.
More importantly, it's an investment in economic opportunity and security for tens of thousands of workers and their families.
I look forward to discussing this further with you as it
moves forward legislatively. Second, I'm asking to introduce another charter amendment for the November ballot to create
the office of the public advocate.
This new position will be elected by and accountable to the people of san francisco,
and the public advocate will be
laser focused on investigating
and eliminating public
corruption, waste of taxpayer money, and abuse of the public trust.
San francisco needs a public advocate.
We need structural reform to
address the environment of casual corruption and pay-to-play politics in order to make our city government
more effective and transparent.
We are reminded this by the
breadth of the ongoing
investigations into criminal
corruption into the department
of public inspection and municipal transportation.
It shouldn't take a federal F.B.I. Investigation by the trump administration to root out local corruption, and it
shouldn't take decades to address criminal and corrupt
behavior by high ranking public officials.
In a public advocate, we will
address corruption as it
should, locally, publicly, and proactively. I would like to thank supervisor ronen, and former
supervisor david campos, who led this idea four years ago.
This is a long-term solution for a long-term problem, and
this is an idea whose time has come. In light of the covid-19 public health and economic crisis, it's more important than ever
that our city services are effective, accountable, transparent, and trustworthy.
San francisco is ready for structural change.
The public deserves public accountability, and I look forward to discussing this in
depth with all of you as this proposal moves forward and urge your support in placing it on the ballot.
And finally, colleagues, I'm
submitting a resolution
supporting state senate bill 882, authored by senator scott
wiener to address the prevalence of foot insecurity
and -- food insecurity and
poverty in older adults by increasing participation in the
cal fresh program. San francisco county currently ranks in the bottom third of
california's counties in terms of cal fresh participation with a rate of 56%.
In the past, we have acknowledged that food is a basic human right and essential
for public health, and we created the food security task force with the goal of ending hunger.
We must do everything we can to end food insecurity and poverty.
This would simplify the application for cal fresh
program for older adults, end burdensome reporting
requirements that cause many households to lose food
assistance and ensure all
applicants and individuals can complete the application in
person or by phone.
I want to thank the S.F. Food
bank for working with me on this resolution, and also
supervisor ronen for
cosponsoring, and the rest I submit.
>> Clerk: thank you, supervisor mar. Supervisor peskin?
>> Supervisor Peskin: today, i'm looking to address an issue
that I take some responsibility
for insofar as I was the sole
author of proposition a, the
charter amendment that gave the
sfmta more authority back in
2007 to make programatic decisions.
Most of that, I do not regret.
It was a desire to give san
francisco more independence in its financial making, and I
want to insert the words, in
its independent judgment.
As I've said to you and I want to say publicly, that effort was, in large part, an effort
to make sure that the sfmta was
not managed by 11 supervisors,
but indeed, while the legislative branch has, in
large part, gotten out of
policy oversight of the sfmta,
that was less true for the executive branch. A recent vote of the sfmta
board really made me and many of us question whether or not
the sfmta is able to make certain critical value based decisions that are aligned with its own transit first principles that the voters
adopted, principles of equity
and affordability and maximum
ridership, and I want to thank supervisor preston, who was the author of the legislation that
we passed, urging the sfmta
board not to raise fares in the
face of the covid-19 pandemic. But even after the board adopted that policy urging the
agency not to raise fares,
given the impacts on transit dependent communities at a
moment of extreme crisis -- and
I acknowledge that the sfmta is
under extreme financial pressures, I think we all agree that the department should be evaluating nonessential
functions of their own offices, staff reductions or other programs before placing burdens
on san francisco residents to pay for new programs. It's frankly outrageous, as far as I'm concerned, and it's clear that the time is really
now to take a look at how the
city is holding departments accountable by providing
appropriate oversight over budgets and anything else that
will further the needs of san francisco residents,
particularly as it relates to fare increases at muni.
So I really want to thank
supervisor preston for his leadership, and frankly, the board has been toying with this
idea in a number of ways for a
number of years.
President Yee actually authored
legislation to split
appointments at the board, and
this charter amendment is the culmination of many discussions with my colleagues. Supervisor safai made some earlier charter amendment proposals.
I want to thank the city attorney's office, sfmta, particularly, our new director,
jeff tumlin, who actually
injected some good policy ideas into the charter amendment
ideas that I'm introducing
today, as well as tilly chan.
I want to thank the transit advocacy community, particularly on the environmental justice side, and
no more than my sfmta citizens
advisory representative, quina
chin, and the members for their input and advocacy.
this charter amendment would eliminate the sfmta's exclusive
authority to fix fares by providing a separate process for the board of supervisors to
accept or reject muni fare
changes by a majority vote.
It would also establish a policy for muni fare increases, something that I think has been long overdue. It would require that the sfmta
submit a number of different action strategies which would
create the space for real
policy oversight and iterative
dialogue between the board of
supervisors, the elected body, the sfmta commission, relate to
key performance indicators and goals every two years. These are action plans that we
talk about, but hopefully, this
would elevate them as it relates to climate change,
vision zero, and street safety.
It would also require that the sfmta provide benchmarks for
level of services and revise
the minimum standards for
performances and delivery of
routes. Finally, it would implement a
quality review through the use
of nationally recognized firms. So that is what is before you. I think those are all
reasonable and fiscally responsible policy changes, and
I really want to thank my cosponsors who happen to
constitute the entirety of the
land use -- and let me underscore -- the
transportation committee,
supervisors dean preston and
ahsha safai, both of whom have
a long track record of
advocacy, and the rest I will submit.
>> Clerk: thank you,
supervisor peskin. Supervisor preston?
>> Supervisor Preston: thank
you, Madam Clerk. Colleagues, first off, I want
to thank supervisor peskin for
his remarks in introducing the charter amendment but also just
for all of his work on this very thoughtful and carefully crafted charter amendment.
I also want to thank my
colleagues that supervisor
peskin referenced that objected
to the fare increases in April.
We're not going to let fares be hiked on passengers during a pandemic, especially at a time when services are being slashed. Supervisor peskin's outlined the details of our proposed charter amendment, and let me
just say, well, the measure
will reform muni in significant
ways but will lead to better
service and accountability and reliability and also make
public transit an integral part in eliminating local emissions and addressing climate change. Now, more than ever, we need to
make muni the best it can be and preliminary nating
eliminating the barriers to public transportation by
increasing fares is essential at this time. I'm proud to be a cosponsor of that measure, and looking forward to getting input on it
and making sure that it passes
in November.
I'm also, today, introducing legislation to extend
protections to the tenants at midtown park apartments. I began working with the city attorney to craft the proposal.
we met on multiple occasions
with the tenants at midtown
park apartments in my district, at the corner of divisadero and
geary, and we also met with
leadership at mohcd and the san francisco rent board to discuss
the details of how to do this. Then, obviously, as we all know, much of our work shifted to the coronavirus response, and rightly so.
But as we continue to address the urgent public health needs before us, I intend to make
good on our commitment to bring rent control protections to midtown residents, and that's what the legislation I'm introducing today will accomplish.
For years, tenants at midtown believed that they were covered by the city's rent control law,
and they were treated as such.
Then, in 2013, the city
abruptly shifted gears. Many midtown tenants received huge rent increases, some as
high as 300% of increase over what they were previously paying. The tenants challenged these increases, but the rent board
and the superior court ruled that san francisco's rent control law did not extend to midtown because the property is
owned by the city.
This legislation remedies what we believe was the unfair
decision by the courts to deny
the tenants the benefits of
rent control, and this rolled
back the clocks, that tenants
who occupied their units in
2014, what we're calling the
retroactive tenants of midtown,
they'll be set to the limit of
May 1, 2014, and will be
allowed the protections of chapter 37 of the administrative code.
For those who paid in excess of what was allowed in rent
control, they will be credited
that amount in excess to future rent.
I want to thank the midtown tenants' association and every resident there for never giving
up the fight, even when they felt they were being treated unfairly.
You all worked tirelessly to
stop the demolition of midtown, successfully stopping the city
in its efforts to bulldozing
the complex. For too long, our city
government has told the residents of midtown what is best for them, instead of listening to midtown residents and fighting for them, an agenda that simply includes being able to thrive in the place many have called home for
generations in the fillmore.
Many issues remain to be
resolved at midtown, including a long-term plan regarding ownership and operation of the complex. I look forward to working with all stakeholders to arrive at a
long-term plan supported by and crafted by the residents.
In the meantime, extending rent
control protections is an
important step towards
accessibility and affordability for midtown residents, and I look forward to the support of my colleagues.
And finally, colleagues, I want proud to announce in my
district the first protected
bike lane in the protects streets program.
the parking protected way will
be on shroud between baker and shrader.
Our office has heard loud and
clear from district 5 constituents.
The feld street project is a
perfect way that we can create safe social distancing by using streets that currently have less car traffic and create space for people walking and biking who need to get around for essential activities, services, and exercise during this public health crisis. I want to thank the sfmta for their partnership and leadership in their effort, specifically, jeff tumlin and
his staff, libby parks,
liveable streets director.
And also recommend the seeds for this step forward have been planted and watered, frankly, and nurtured for years thanks
to tireless efforts of the san
francisco bike coalition, walk S.F., vision zero, and our friends in the neighborhood at the north of panhandle neighborhood association.
This latest effort follows our
announcement last week of a
second slow street, golden gate
avenue, from masonic to
broderick, which follows the
successful launch of page as a slow street. I think as we find positives, not just the daily efforts to mitigate this health care pandemic, it's important to celebrate these steps forward
that help us all stay saferer and -- safer and healthier. Our office is looking forward to expand the slow streets program in district 5 and
beyond. The rest I submit.
>> Clerk: thank you, supervisor preston. Supervisor ronen?
>> Supervisor Ronen: submit.
>> Clerk: okay. Thank you, supervisor, for committing. Supervisor safai?
>> Supervisor Safai: thank you, Madam Clerk. Colleagues, today, I wanted to start by adding onto some of the things that supervisor peskin talked about with regard to the sfmta. I want to thank him for his leadership on this charter amendment.
He and I have been in an ongoing conversation since I
joined the board over the last
3.5 years, and part of that, he
always reminds us how we are responsible for some of the imbalance of power.
I say that not jokingly but seriously, and I appreciate that there's always times for reflection and revision.
Part of this proposal today is
really a revision about the
balance of power between an
agency that has directors that are appointed by the mayor, but as any of my colleagues will
tell you, probably one of the agencies that we receive the
most concerns, e-mails, calls, inquiries, questions,
complaints, and a lot of the other things that I can think
of that every one of my colleagues understands very well. So I think this is an important charter amendment. It cleans up some past
language, but it also asks about accountability.
It inserts into the conversation equity, it talks about vision zero, and
ultimately, it gives a motion denied
denied -- modicum of control by the board of supervisors if and when a fare increase is proposed. So I'm proud to put my name on
that as a cosponsor. Again, I thank supervisor
peskin for engaging me in this ongoing conversation over the
last three years, as he noted.
We had a few renditions of charter amendments that we proposed, and I think this one
is appropriate at the right time. Interestingly, it's on the same day that we heard there might be a budget windfall coming down from the federal government, so we'll see if it's true or if it's fake news
coming down from the commander in chief who's responsible for a lot of fake news.
But in this instead, hopefully,
it's not, and we can use this
money to continue to have
conversations during the worst
economic crisis that we've seen
in almost the past 100 years. So I appreciate your support,
and I'm proud to put my name on it. Secondly, I am introducing a charter amendment today, along
with my cosponsors, supervisor
haney, supervisor peskin,
supervisor walton, to talk about basically term limits for boards and commissions and committees here in the city and county of san francisco. It's very straightforward.
It would allow for individuals
to serve on boards for two terms of four years, up to eight years, and after that, they would not be able to serve
on that commission anymore.
It's in the same vein of conversations that we've had
over the last couple of months,
to ensure that there isn't a concentration of power or imbalance of power in one person's hands. Some people have been on commissions for decades, and that's fine. We appreciate their expertise and experience, but we would
like to open up these bodies
for new commissioners and new information to obtain.
I think this goes along nicely
with the ordinance that
supervisor walton introduced
about opening up boards to different people in the city and county of san francisco. This does not talk about
charter members, such as the
health service board, the retirement board, so it does not talk about elected
commissioners or board members.
Also, it allows for, if someone
has been recently appointed, to
allow them to finish out their term, and we think this is a good proposal.
Again, someone who serves out or is riding out the remainder
of their term, they would have the is opportunity to serve on
another board or commission, just not that board or commission. I appreciate the support of my colleagues.
As I said, I think this is a simple adjustment, and I look
forward to having other members of the board support this endeavor as we move this
charter amendment forward.
Thank you, Madam Clerk, and the rest I submit.
>> Clerk: great. Thank you, supervisor safai.
Supervisor stefani?
>> Supervisor Stefani: thank you, Madam Clerk. Colleagues, today, I'm
introducing a resolution to
support senate bill 939,
authored by senator scott wiener, long
along with assembly
members chiu and wing. We know that our small businesses are in crisis.
In a recent survey, 47% of san francisco restaurant owners
laid off all their employees during the shelter in place.
Among the 73% of restaurants
that remain open for takeout, 60% are doing so at a financial loss. 80% of restaurants report that cannot survive financially with takeout and delivery service alone. 52% of restaurants surveyed reported they are making less
than 50% of what they made
prior to shelter in place. Also, 36% of restaurants surveyed are reporting that
they are not sure that they can
even come back.
More than 30% of surveyed
consumers report they do not feel comfortable going to
restaurants for service, which
is going to create even more problems.
Just 28% of restaurants were
offered discounted rent, while
9% received no relief from landlords. This will allow commercial tenants to renegotiate their
leases, and permitting those tenants to terminate their leases early if no agreement
can be reached. I'd like to thank senator
wiener and assembly members
phil and ting for drafting and
supporting this legislation to
support our small businesses during this time. Also, I'd like to adjourn the meeting, along with supervisor
peskin, in memory of our south
end rolling club member, elizabeth glass. Our President Of the club said it best when he said, sometimes
you meet people at our club who
make you extremely proud to be a south ender. Maybe it's because you have a pleasant chat with them. You might share a love of one of our sports with them.
You might have met them at one of our social events, or you might have met them preparing for a event.
We all have friends at the south end like this.
It's what makes our community special. The type of people we have,
who, when viewed through normal eyes, make us want to have them at friends.
Last week, we lost one of those
people in elizabeth glass.
Elizabeth was a resident of san francisco almost 30 years by
way of queens, new york, where
she was born.
She was a professional
photographer, an irreplaceable
assistant to the golly family
and their four children. She was an enthusiastic san francisco bay swimmer, rower,
and triathlete, and a board
member, volunteer, and 2016
member of the year at the venerable south end rowing club.
The south end is the sister
club of the world famous bondi
rowing club in our sister city,
sydney, australia. She was booked to fly to sydney
in early May as one of the 40 south enders traveling to sydney for opening day, and was heartbroken when the trip was
cancelled due to covid-19.
She was remembered for her
welcoming, nonjudgmental nature, specifically suited to specific, for being a jack of
all trades, master of many, and
being a serious G.S.T. Girl.
I'll let you figure out what that means.
She was famous for saying, it's
5:00 somewhere, and was also a
true friend to so many. Simon, our President, shared the first time he met
elizabeth, she volunteered to support him on his first swim
to the golden gate swim and back, and she did that, rowing by him and piloted the swim.
She did that for many, from red
rock to sam's, around angel
island, yerba buena island, and many other subswims. Elizabeth has been described as
the perfect south ender due to
herselfless attitude to do what she could to help other people, and she was tons of fun to be around. One member, kim howard, who was very instrumental in preparing
these remarks, described her as one of the warmest and most
welcoming people on the planet.
Another south ender says elizabeth glass was a gem.
A friend you were lucky to have by your side. When I think of her, I think of
her gentle spirit, her
mischiefious sense of human,
and her willingness to help her
fellow humans. We don't have information on a memorial service right now, but
family is asking that donations be made in memory of elizabeth
glass, to bay keeper, which protects the san francisco bay. Elizabeth will be missed by all
who knew her, especially all
the south enders who are
touched -- who were touched by her spirit for life and her
willingness to be there for all her friends, and the rest I submit.
>> Clerk: thank you,
supervisor stefani. Supervisor walton?
>> Supervisor Walton: thank you, Madam Clerk.
Colleagues, today, along with cosponsors supervisor haney and
supervisor ronen, I'm providing
a charter amendment -- [Inaudible]
>> Supervisor Walton: upon
taking office in 2019, I received several calls from
constituents who were either incarcerated or formerly incarcerated who had been victims of abuse while in san francisco jail.
We also received several
articles, e-mails about
incidences that had been reported from some of our folks
in custody here in our jails
here in san francisco.
There was also incidents of
gladiator fighting by jail
staff.
Jeff adachi and chesa boudin began working together, and we formed a neighborhood committee to discuss what was happening
in our jails and a possible strategy to address infractions.
We did hear from the sheriff's
department, under sheriff
hennessy at that time, the
office of police
accountability, and the sheriff's and police department. We have been working with
several justice organizations,
law enforcement reform groups, and other county leaders to come up with appropriate ways to eliminate any mistreatment of people in custody.
We also need to ensure that there are no more lawsuits that
cost the city lots of money and
violate the rights of residents through research which included
actual visits to other counties to see how they conduct oversight, we have found that a charter amendment to create a
sheriff's oversight body and a sheriff's department oversight inspector general is the best practice and is a collaborative way to work with the sheriff on true reform and change. We have been in conversations with the sheriff's department
about how to provide the best possible path forward and
ensure safety of individuals in custody and sheriff's
department employees and carrs. We will continue to have productive conversations with
the sheriff and his team. This charter amendment will,
one, establish a sheriff's
department oversight board of
seven members who share complete -- [Inaudible]
>> Supervisor Walton: -- and sheriff's department policies and procedures. Two, this body will appoint the inspector general and the sheriff's department to evaluate the work of the sheriff's department, compile and recommend law enforcement
custodial, and best practices, and conduct community outreach
to hear public input regarding the sheriff's department
operations and jail conditions. Three, this body will receive
and review any investigative complaints against sheriff's department employees and contractors. This body will investigate any death of any person while in the custody of the san
francisco sheriff's department. Four, the body will recommend to the sheriff a sheriff's department use of force policy and comprehensive internal review policy for all use of
force and critical incidents. Five, quarterly reported will be submitted to the sheriff and
to the sheriff's department
oversight body, and these reports will include the number
and types of complaints filed, trained analysis, and the
outcome of complaints. This charter amendment is definitely put in place with
the intent of working collaboratively with the sheriff dez department to
eliminate all misconduct in our
jails and the hefty sums that
we pay yearly on some of the cases that come from our jails,
and the rest I submit.
>> Clerk: thank you, supervisor walton. Supervisor yee?
>> President Yee: thank you, madam clerk. Colleagues, today, I'm introducing a charter amendment
a process to determine adequate
police staffing levels and ensure them moving forward the
city's decisions are grounded in a clear, proven methodology that is responsive to the
changing needs of our diverse communities. Historically, there has been
staffing -- a staffing
requirement of 1,971 fully dutied, sworn police officers in the charter, but no one
knows how we arrived at this number or how it was counted. The charter amendment I am introducing establishes a routine process to determine --
to determine staffing levels with a comprehensive data driven methodology. The new process for studying
police staffing levels would
require each department to
submit an assessment of the department's overall staffing and workload to the police
commission every two years. The police commission would consider the report and recommendation on police
staffing levels when approving
the department's proposed budget.
The minimum number of sworn san francisco police department officers in the charter is
currently 1,971 was actually
added to the charter in 1994.
Their methodology used to arrive at this number is
unknown, but regardless, today, in san francisco, we continue to base our police staffing decisions on a number set in
the charter -- city charter
more than 25 years ago. if we set a minimum police staffing number today, the
number would be -- would very
likely not make sense for our city 25 years from now.
The need of our city and our communities change over time,
and it only makes sense as a
city we create a process for assessing police staffing that
can respond to the changing needs and provide some framework for thoughtful analysis moving forward.
Good policy should be grounded
in policy.
Remaining the abtemporary
police staffing number from the
charter and evaluate the process. What
-- process and instead regular staffing needs is good policy
today, and it will be good
policy, and will respond to
both the needs of the community
and the department to meet its duties.
We need to have formal, comprehensive discussions
around police staffing levels.
Discussions continue to be
politically and emotionally
charged. I want to emphasize this is
legislation to provide a framework framework on informed decision
making moving forward.
I have been working on this effort for over five years. , when this board would have discussions on what staffing was appropriate. In order to take the politics
out of the equation, I worked
with the late beloved san francisco police commission
President Julius turman to develop a strategy.
Together, we developed the police strategic task force
that was comprised of a cross
section of experts, data analysts, and community stakeholders, including representatives from the U.S. Department of justice.
The office of community
oriented police services, C.O.P.S., also san francisco police department's command
staff, and city controller, and
also, the department of police accountability, office of citizens complaints and the
sheriff's office and the department of emergency management to provide an
independent analysis of what methodology of what would work, different factors, including calls for service, population, and other factors. Over the course of the past two
years, the commission worked to put together this task force,
hire a consultant, and develop
a preliminary report.
This charter amendment was a result of that collective process, and I look forward to working with you in this
process and ensure the people of san francisco that we need a steady, forward looking approach to public safety. Colleagues, I hope that you can support this effort.
The rest I submit.
>> Clerk: thank you, Mr. President. I see supervisor peskin, you're
on the roster. Supervisor haney is asking to be rerefered.
Do you need to speak to
supervisor yee's item?
>> Supervisor Peskin: no, thank you, Madam Clerk.
I was just going to regale President Yee with how
supervisor conroy came up with
the 1,971 staffing number in
1993 on a napkin in a bar, but
I'll leave it for another day.
>> Clerk: thank you, supervisor peskin. And supervisor haney?
>> Supervisor Haney: supervisor
peskin, we can always look to history for them.
Madam Clerk, I have several. First, I'm authorize --
[Inaudible] >> since the declaration of the covid emergency, our city's approach to homelessness has taken a dramatic shift, and
many of these decisions have
been done secretly or with
little to no input from the public and experts like those that serve on our local homeless coordinating board.
The members of the board have asked to meet and convene and
have a dialogue about all of
these conversations. I understand that this morning,
the mayor's office has been authorized -- [Inaudible]
.
>> Supervisor Haney: -- things
have not changed to much extent in the tenderloin.
In in fact, in many ways, they have gotten much worse and were dangerous.
Many of the residents here live
in congregate settings, such as S.R.O.S. The neighborhood has also seen
a huge up tick in the amount of tents crowding our sidewalks, which have increased by more
than 280%, which means many more people are living on our sidewalks.
And in any day or night, large numbers can be seen gathering
on the sidewalks in many parts of our neighborhood.
Many people who have
disabilities, or are seniors or
have families cannot leave their home or are fearful. Conditions on the sidewalk put everyone at risk. I've been meeting with a diverse group of stakeholders
over the last two months to help address the growing needs
of the tenderloin during this
pandemic, and we actually wrote a letter to the mayor, the
public health officer, and the
E.O.C. Director, to call for a
tenderloin plan. Thankfully, there was an inner
survey of the tenderloin completed, and they announced a plan for the tenderloin. Since then, unfortunately,
there hasn't been a lot more that's happen.
Some progress has been made,
including a recently announced testing site.
I want to thank everyone for
their work on that, but this is
still a neighborhood that's increasingly at risk, and it
creates more and more urgency about what is and isn't happening in the neighborhood.
The more we wait to address these serious inhe equities in the
neighborhood, the more it has a chance of impacting public health. I also want to say that this was a plan created fore the
neighborhood but really impacts
the entire city. There's been a recognition that this city is at risk and in need of a systemic, urgent response, to a hearing on the tenderloin E.O.C. Plan will
help us all finally get some answers on clarity on who is in charge of implementation, what
the goals and timeline are, so
we'll be asking D.P.H. And
H.S.H., sfmta, and the E.O.C.
To be present to discuss this
plan.
I am also introducing two
charter amendments. First, I'm introducing a ballot measure, a charter amendment
with supervisor walton that would require neighborhood foot
patrols across the city by creating a new neighborhood safety unit with a district station. The proposed measure would include both a charter amendment and an amendment to the administrative code. The charter amendment would
require the police commission to hold a public meeting at least once each calendar year regarding community strategies,
policing, and foot patrols. The community would adopt new policies and strategies or modify existing policies and strategies. The administrative code amendments would require the
sfpd to create a neighborhood
safety unit in each station. The purpose of the unit would
be to ensure opportunities for
patrol officers to regularly
interact with individuals, business owners, and leaders in
the community.
It would create a community policing policy.
The police commission, in
consultation with the chief of police would be required to
develop a foot patrol strategy to identify where foot patrol
officers are most needed, and that would include an outline
of all the foot beats in each
sfpd station. The chief of police would be required to submit a proposed
budget and staff in each unit.
This is to promote foot beats
in areas that have traditionally been under
supported and plagued by inconsistency.
Foot patrols are instrumental in fostering better relationships between the
communities that they serve. We know that regular foot beats
by officers working the same
shifts every day will foster relationships in communities that they serve. Currently, there is no law
requiring foot patrol officers,
and this legislation will require and prioritize foot patrol officers in the areas that we need them the most. We drafted this legislation, and I want to thank supervisor
walton for his partnership and
leadership, working with
community partners and supporters. This legislation will bridge
the division that exists between law enforcement and our community and embrace true community policing in our districts throughout the entire city.
Secondly, I'm introducing a charter amendment which I had announced previously on working
to make sure that our streets
are clean and that our
departments are focused and
held accountable and organized to keep our streets clean, safe, and sanitary.
Earlier this year, I introduced
an ordinance to create a charter amendment for the
creation of clean streets and sidewalks.
It will update our city's
antiquated laws. Nowhere in the law does it
require the city to clean the
sidewalks, even in the most
heavily populated by residents,
workers, and tourists.
It requires the importance of
providing adequate access to
bathrooms and hand washing stations. The charter will make bathroom and cleaning access the responsibility of, among other things, the department of
sanitation and streets, not an arbitrary choice, and ensure
that the streets of san
francisco remain clean and safe for everyone. Public works is currently too big and unable to focus on
street cleaning and urban
forestry adequately. Maintaining safer streets will
be an important part of our
economy, keeping our residents safe. The new department will have the responsibility of keeping
our streets and sidewalks safe,
accessible and clean, managing
graffiti, dumping, abatement,
managing our public toilets,
and provide care of our urban canopy.
Finally, it will ensure that our department have baseline
standards on keeping the city
clean based on baselines and city input and make sure cleaning standards are set and met.
This department will have a clear metrics to deploy cleaning services citywide.
It's time to give our city streets the laser focus and dedicated attention that they deserve. The residents of our city and
certainly the residents of our city cannot accept more of the same. They cannot simply afford to
have the same structure and
same outcome which has not only
kept our own streets clean by
has led to allegations of mismanagement and corruption.
The residents of san francisco
deserve adequate sanitation, clean streets. I've worked closely with the
staff at public works, and I've taken their recommendations in crafting this proposal, and I look forward to working with
all of you, the administration,
the department of public works, residents, and stakeholders to make this happen. The rest I submit.
>> Clerk: thank you, supervisor haney. Mr. President, there are no names on the roster.
That concludes the introduction of new business.
>> President Yee: okay. Thank you. Thank you, colleagues. I see that our voters will
probably have a lot to read for November.
So it -- where are we? Okay. Let's go to public comment.
>> Clerk: thank you, Mr. President.
At this time, the board of supervisors will host public
comment remotely via teleconference. each speaker will have up to
two minutes to provide public comment. At the beginning of the
meeting, I provided the telephone number who those of you who just wanted to listen to the proceedings.
If any of you would like to now provide general public comment,
if you haven't already done so,
press one and then zero to get into the queue to provide
public comment. Remember, the key is to only
press one and zero one time. That will keep your place in line. For those of you calling in now, the number is crawling on our website. It's crawling on channel 26, and I will provide it to you
now. It's 888-204-5984.
When prompted, enter the access
code 3501008. Press pound twice.
You'll have joined the meeting to be . To be added to the queue to
speak, dial one, and then zero. While the speakers are queueing up, I'll note the best practices. Make sure you're speaking slowly and clearly so we can understand your message. Your location should be quiet. Turn down your television or your radio. Each speaker will have up to two minutes to deliver nr comments.
If you're utilizing an interpreter, the interpreter will let you know that you have two minutes to make your comments, and then, the interpreter will be timed for
two minutes to interpret your comments. Remember to keep your comments
within the subject matter jurisdiction of the board. You can speak on the minutes that were approved at the
beginning of the meeting, you can speak on general items.
You can also speak on the items for adoption without reference to committee calendar.
Those are items 26 through 33.
You May support or oppose a legislative item on the adoption without committee reference section, but there
should be no electioneering on
any matter.
Please do not ask for support
of oneself or any member of the public on public comment.
If you do so, you will be moved
out of the queue.
Please address your comments to all members and not one
individual member. There are three individuals
standing by from the office of
civic engagement. We're going to have them introduce themselves and to let the community know they're here for them.
Let's start with agnes lee. [Speaking chinese language]
>> Interpreter: I'm done.
>> Clerk: thank you, Miss Lee.
Arturo cosenza. [Speaking spanish language]
>> Interpreter: thank you.
>> Clerk: thank you.
And Miss Leal. [Speaking tagalog language]
>> Interpreter: thank you, Madam Clerk.
>> Clerk: thank you very much.
And if you would like to submit
your written comment, and you
don't have internet, you May do
so via U.S. Postal mail.
Address the envelope to san
francisco board of supervisors,
city town hall, room 244, san
francisco, california, 94102.
Or you May send an e-mail to board.Of.Supervisors@sf.Gov.
>> President Yee: okay.
Let's start public comment.
>> Clerk: okay.
Do we have any speakers in the
queue?
>> Operator: yes, we have a number of speakers.
>> Clerk: okay. Welcome, speaker. >> good afternoon.
My name is juan gonzalez.
-- [Inaudible]
>> -- to provide food for her children who are victims in a
cycle of violence triggered by
war and civil unrest. [Inaudible]
>> the pandemic hurts the communities of poor and of color the most. We cannot talk about the
pandemic without talking about city college programs that
empower marginalized communities.
We know that historically we
recover from economic recession
by promoting a public education institution, therefore,
promoting city college, our
recovery depends on it. [Inaudible] >> city college of san francisco is currently
strengthening my colleagues'
aspiration to attend U.C.
College berkeley. [Inaudible]
>> -- and endorse workforce education recovery fund and
ensure that san francisco survives the trials and beyond --
>> Clerk: thank you, sir.
>> Operator: you have 20 questions remaining.
>> Clerk: good afternoon, everyone.
My name is charlie garcia
siegel, and I am here on behalf of my community at the city college of san francisco.
As a student worker, a peer domestic violence educator, I
am here to stress the importance of the workforce education and recovery fund and urge the board of supervisors
to support the implementation of the fund. During economic downturns like
the one we are experiencing, resources like city college are often the most necessary but the least prioritized. This cannot be the case during this health crisis.
During my time on the rchp
committee, I have seen the effects of effects of this pandemic on our city.
We are always proud to show up
for our community, but we can't
do so alone. Entire communities would benefit immensely from this fund.
Now it's true that we at city college need the city of san
francisco right now, but more importantly, the city of san francisco needs us.
As we recover from this crisis, the city is going to need
health workers of all stripes. City college is the best option
we have to train all of these workers. I know with the support of the board of supervisors and the workforce education and recovery fund, we can support the city and all who live and work here in recovering from
the covid-19 public health crisis.
We will be a key parlt of this t of this
recovery, and we deeply appreciate your support to do so.
>> Clerk: thank you for your comments. Well come, welcome, caller. >> hello.
I am speaking in support of the workforce education recovery fund.
I want to start by saying our
program is working four tenured members short now.
Last year, one of my teachers retired, and I've been teaching
my course all by myself.
I have part-time instructors able to teach lecture and clinical, but they're not able
to do the job of administrative. My faculty are experts in
pediatrics, but they're new to teaching, so they need training as educators.
This funds will -- funding will
help support the effort
throughout our program as it's
hard to fill the positions in our program.
Our students come from very different backgrounds.
I hope everyone had a chance to
see our student, mei yang,
speak during yesterday's press conference. Mei's story is an example of
the students we attract and the
path they take.
Specific to the covid-19 pandemic, we have new opportunities that were brought for our students.
We weren't allowed to attend our usual clinical sites, but in April and May, they volunteered and received
clinical hours working for the
mission latinx studies. All 45 graduating students had
an opportunity to work closely with the community and gather information on covid. If we didn't have funding for this measure, we won't have a program to serve communities like this.
>> Clerk: thank you for your comment.
>> Operator: you have 18
questions remaining.
>> Clerk: welcome caller. >> yes.
My name is maureen nunen, and
I'm a faculty in the registered nurse department in the city college of san francisco.
I'm asking you to support the workforce education recovery fund. This funding is vitally needed to support the city's economic recovery and meet the workforce needs in health care as we work through this covid-19 public health crisis. I believe we are going to be
faced with a profound gap when
we look at supply versus demand
of registered nurses in san
francisco. City college of san francisco registered nursing program has the ability to help meet this demand and fill the labor needs of the city.
We have a strong program and excellent reputation.
We are currently impacted and
can only admit 50 students per
semester with over 300 applications per cycle.
We rely on stability of ccsf as
we rely on supports and counseling. If we don't have an adequate
number of counselors, our
students May slip between the cracks, which could delay their completion. We must also meet regulatory
standards for faculty, so we
cannot be subject to a hiring freeze in our department.
Without this funding, at worst, we risk an ability to maintain a program altogether. Hopefully, you were able to
hear, as joyce had said, mei
young's story during the press briefing yesterday.
She shares her story at ccsf as a new immigrant, and how the
college enabled her to be a successful student in our program.
She exemplifies our student population and what they can offer our city. I hope you'll consider this while deliberating your work.
>> Clerk: thank you for your comments.
>> Operator: you have 17 questions remaining.
>> so supervisors, I'll state
again, it's imperative that we
have public comment at the beginning.
As you have heard, the many representatives from city
college are speaking for a cause and need that's
necessary, unlike the rambling
of many of the supervisors, rambling of the supervisors. That roll call should be
limited to five minutes, just like public comment is limited to two minutes. It used to be three minutes,
and we have ten minutes of rambling going on about the
people who are going to do
interpretation, this, that, and the other.
So again, public comment is
important at the beginning of the board of supervisors meeting. Thank you very much.
>> Clerk: thank you for your comments.
>> Operator: you have 17 questions remaining.
>> Clerk: welcome, caller.
You have two minutes. Hello? Caller?
>> Operator: you have 16 questions remaining.
>> Clerk: okay. Hello, and welcome, caller.
You have two minutes. [Inaudible]
>> -- there was a news blackout
that the torso was the torso of kamala harris.
Everyone on the police department knew exactly where the torso was.
I rang doorbells, I spoke to neighbors.
The torso was the son of an army general.
His neighbor worked in alameda.
She said that someone showed
her a picture of the neighbor's
dog along with the owner's torso. [Inaudible]
>> that got me thinking. Bums in the mission.
It's a scene out of the 1984
feature film star trek iv. You May remember there was an
emergency landing of a
helicopter in golden gate park?
It's where the klingon ship lands down, and you may
remember there was a story of
an injured whale off of the
coast where they rescued Mr. Chekov. It made headlines. If you think back to it, the
headless torso is a scene out
of the 1979 feature film, time after time.
>> Clerk: thank you.
>> Operator: you have 18 questions remaining.
>> Clerk: hello, caller. You have up to two minutes. >> hello.
This is dane johnston, and
there's a bunch of inhumanities and cruelties going on in san francisco, and it's happened
since the -- since everybody got together and get somebody deciding to do something about the homeless people.
Well, all the stories in the newspaper were negative about
the homeless people, and it's become a very negative thing to be a homeless person.
And people have taken it upon themselves to realize that means not to help homeless people out when they're hungry.
And so people are going days
without eating. People on death row eat every day, and farm animals eat every day.
It's okay to ignore people,
including me, and not allow
them to eat every day. I've asked 1,000 people to give me a piece of bread, and they ignore me. It's like escape from new york. You can't escape the city
unless you have money.
And if people won't give you a
job, and they won't give you
food, and it's cruel throughout. if we're suffering and telling
you that we're hungry, it's not okay to ignore us. It's not okay to ignore me when I've done so much work for the
city and I'm a hero, and I'm asking for a piece of bread. It's okay. Hundreds of people do it all
the time, and it also reminds
me of the 1994, when nobody to
this point still has taken
blame for the gay sex drug
users that left all the needles
and the condoms, and it was
blamed on the homeless people.
50,000 gay people in every park.
They were having sex every night.
I am getting -- my name, it's
been trashed, because of the homeless people --
>> Operator: you have 17 questions remaining.
>> Clerk: welcome, caller. >> thank you, supervisors, for your leadership during this pandemic. It's inspiring to see all of
you still advocating for and recognizing the achievements of
your constituents.
As we face unprecedented times,
I believe you all will come to
agree with ccsf executive counsel on the essential nature
of the workforce education and recovery fund.
As the incoming ccsf student trustee, I hope to work with
all of you through a strong economic recovery by investing in ccsf. In yesterday's press
conference, ccsf students
shared how ccsf has positively impacted their lives.
I would like to use part of my public comment time today to
invite all of you in taking two healing deep breaths.
If you would, close your eyes,
and join me in a visualization exercise. Place your feet on the ground.
Imagine the weight of your head
is weightless, floating above
your shoulders. With every outbreath, feel your
body relax, and feel your body
relax, and focus your attention on the physical sensation of
the air entering your body and revitalizing. Now imagine the pictures of
your mentors, and peers that
catalyzed you into civic service. The city of san francisco, the work that you've all done does
not have to unravel because of this pandemic. While few of us have lived through recessions, our city, our state, our nation is resilient.
We've been through this before. We only need to study the actions of our predecessors to
know that investing in public education during an economic downturn ensures job training
and job creation that will restimulate our economy.
>> Clerk: thank you, caller.
>> Operator: you have 16 questions remaining.
>> Clerk: kel owe, hello, and welcome. >> thank you.
This is debbie lerman from the
human services network, and I'm
supporting the item that allows
support of the upcoming budget process. Previous legislation was
designed to enhance transparency and demonstrate trust and value for the public's voice, but that law included specific dates for
each step of the process so it
does not apply to this year delay process for fiscal year
20 to 22, and we are deeply concerned that the departments May be developing their revised budget proposals behind closed doors, with no input from the public. It's not even clear whether departments have to bring their proposals before their
commissions, if they even have one.
And some key departments, like homelessness, do not. And this is all happening in a year where we're going to be facing massive budget cuts for
the first time in a decade with
very painful choices while we
reprioritize services and
programs in the face of devastating human and economic public need.
So this will ensure that the mayor ensures that the public
is included in the dialogue and
keeps a transparent policy as the process moves forward.
We want to ask all of you to support this resolution today.
>> Clerk: thank you, debbie.
>> Operator: you have 15 questions remaining.
>> Clerk: welcome, caller.
>> hello, supervisors.
This is anastasia iovanopolous from district 8. Supervisor peskin and his office's work in putting together a comprehensive package to protect the health
of S.R.O. Residents is commendable.
Social distancing and self-isolation isn't possible
in these congregate settings. item 23 that prohibited
landlords of S.R.O. Units from evicting tenants for nonpayment of rent --
>> Clerk: ma'am, I've just paused your time.
You can speak on items 26
through 33 on the agenda. >> only.
>> Clerk: or generally other issues, just not specifically items 22 or 23. >> okay. Got it.
>> Clerk: I fares, either, I was taken aback that
the board of supervisors passed
a resolution that urged them
not to but didn't offer any alternatives. I totally agree with the stated
goals of the resolution. I think it's great to say that
we're still a transit-first city, that we want to provide
transit services, that we want
to maintain people's access to
muni, that we don't want to price people out of public services. But if the board of supervisors
is going to ask M.T.A. Not to
raise revenue in that matter,
they need to ask what services or items they would like to see cut from that budget. So I'm just really disappointed
that it came to this, and I feel like there are other ways
that the board of supervisors
could make their voice heard
without jettisonning public service. I want to thank the one members of the board of supervisors in particular who spoke out when that resolution was passed,
pointing out the things like
free transit for youth that the budget did include.
so I just -- I want to state my disappointment, but thank you all for your --
>> Clerk: thank you.
>> Operator: you have 12
questions remaining.
>> Clerk: welcome, caller. You have up two to minutes.
>> hello.
I'm a board member and chair
for the league of women voters of san francisco, and I speak to you in support of item 26, the resolution urging the mayor
and city departments to
prioritize access during covid-19.
Now more than ever, sts it's important to protect the
public's right to know. Thank you, board of
supervisors, for your attention on this matter.
>> Clerk: thank you for your comments. Next speaker, please.
>> Operator: you have 11 questions remaining.
>> Clerk: hello, caller, and welcome. >> hi.
My name is robin, and I live in district 8.
Regarding supervisor peskin's introduced charter amendment from item 24, san francisco
voters have faced ballot props
in M.T.A. And its power in '99, '07, and '16. We want robust muni service,
and without a fare hike or replacement revenue stream right now, service kwo need to
be cut to balance the budget. The board of supervisors has not provided alternative suggestions for this revenue,
at least not publicly.
I also want to refer to item 4 from last week.
I'm disappointed in the supervisors who removed
director rubke from the board.
She is a tireless advocate for disability and sustainable transportation. Removing her as part of a power
war with the M.T.A. Is repair reprehensable. It will affect all san franciscans who rely on transit
because the M.T.A. Is in the precarious function of putting their members at risk because
their members only number four. We rely on competent decision making at the M.T.A. Board.
The supervisors who removed director rub key have put that in jeopardy.
I urge you to support san francisco cans instead of holding san franciscans hostage for your power plays. Thank you.
>> Clerk: thank you for your comments. Next speaker, please.
>> Operator: you have ten questions remaining.
>> Clerk: hello, and welcome, caller.
You have up to two minutes. >> hello, supervisors.
My name is alicia messer.
I am an english teacher at city
college of san francisco, and I
work with local 2121. I know you know how important city college is for our city
and for our citizens on any
given year, but it has never been more important as it is going to become right now. We talk about essential workers right now. There's a lot of conversation about those essential workers, but we know that essential
workers rely on city college of san francisco to get the training that they need, to get
the retraining that they need,
and when they are unemployed or it's time to make job changes,
this is where they come.
Under a crisis like this -- and
we know that city college has
seen its share of crises over the last years, and you and san francisco have made all the difference, and that's why we still have city college right now.
But under a crisis like covid's
impact on higher education,
it's going to be a national catastrophe that we're looking at.
But in san francisco, I hope, and I expect that we will ban together to ensure that all of our city's essential workers and all of san francisco still has a city college, a community
college to rely on in order to
deal with this recovery. Thank you.
>> Clerk: thank you for your comments. Next speaker, please.
>> Operator: you have nine questions remaining.
>> Clerk: hello, and welcome, caller. >> hi.
My name is mei, whose name was
mentioned a couple of time earlier.
I am a 2020 graduate nursing students at city college of san francisco.
I am one of the best examples
of how ccsf can change someone's life.
I came to this country in 2009,
and I came to this country with
very little english. The only conversation that i could have with immigration
officer was I cannot speak english.
I started my learning journey
in ccsf for level 1 E.S.L.
Class to now as a graduating student. Ccsf helped me to build my english skills and education
that I needed to serve our community.
This city has made education ak
accessible to me and I believe
it's also true for many others.
I was working at a hospital
during my clinical rotation.
I encountered many R.N.S,
L.P.N.S, and practitioners who
said they were ccsf graduates.
Please continue to support city college of san francisco so those starting new lives from
the opportunity to do so. I dream of serving our
community as a registered nurse. I hope that the opportunity
that I got from ccsf can continue to be available to
many others, and thank you for supporting kr
supporting ccsf, and thank you for your time.
>> Clerk: thank you for your comments.
>> Operator: you have eight questions remaining.
>> Clerk: welcome, speaker. You have up to two minutes. >> hello.
My name is lea edwards, and I'm the President Of the league of
women voters of san francisco. I want to thank the board of
supervisors for their leadership during this unprecedented time. I also want to speak in
favor -- in support of item 26, the resolution urging mayor and
city departments to prioritize
city access and transparency during covid-19 emergency.
We believe that's an important step towards protecting the public's right to know during
the pandemic. Publishing information during meetings and public offices
will help ensure that san franciscans can participate in
the democratic process and that transparency and fairness are
maintained during this process.
I'd like to thank supervisor
ronen for introducing this, and for the supervisors for supporting it. Thank you for your time.
>> Clerk: thank you for your comments.
>> Operator: you have eight questions remaining.
>> Clerk: welcome, caller. You have up to two minutes.
>> my name is daina holtz, and
I am a library in san francisco. We serve an incredibly diverse
student population, and as a librarian, we get to interact with students from every background. One night, a student came to me
and asked me to help her use the computer.
She had no one at home, had no
time to see her professor
during office hours, and had no
idea how to research her paper topic.
Over the course of a half hour,
we talked about research, fact checking, and she was on her
way to do research, when she
stopped and said, thank you. I don't think anyone's talked to me that long before. One of my favorite things about city college is how much the individual student is valued,
and I'm proud to work as part of a network of services to support students. Librarians, counselors, tutors, we're committed to helping students with the often difficult process of getting
through school and not giving up. With the funding shortages we're facing, we won't be able to offer students this kind of help. The help that makes it possible
for students to stick with a program, graduate, and go into the workforce.
We're already trimmed and doing
more with less to where we can offer just the basics.
We need to be able to keep students in school so we can prepare for our future.
We will see an influx of students who are new to college
after this pandemic.
As you consider refunding the
workforce training for city
college, please help us help
students by supporting us.
>> Clerk: thank you for doing that important work.
Next speaker, please.
>> Operator: you have six
questions remaining.
>> Clerk: hello, caller. You have up to two minutes.
>> linda chapman.
When I saw supervisor walton's
proposal for an I.G. For the sheriff's department, I thought
oh, that's just what we need for city government in general.
And now, I hear supervisor mar's position, and so I'm wondering whether the public
advocate would be similar to an I.G. In the army where I worked
or other federal agencies, such
as H.H.S., which has finally referred the investigation of
sfpd and the jewish home to the state department to investigate. That would -- you know, I'm wondering if there's going to be a hearing on the subject
because it would be very useful if, besides the citizens who now, at this point -- you know, we can't go to the city
attorney, for example, as you
can, but also, the board of supervisors or potentially somebody in administration
could refer things to the I.G., as well.
For example, at sixth army, I
was on the commander's staff.
I worked with the I.G.
Sometimes with a staff member, really.
Any soldier or any member could
complain to the I.G., but someone could complain to them or the controller. You know, there might be some things that were suitable to the I.G.
The I.G., they came upon things
that were ucmg matters. They continued to investigate, but then, the criminal aspect
went to somebody who did investigate criminal matters, as well. [Please stand by]
. . . . I applaud the supervisors for sending a message that I am
still not sure they got because
they're planning to do more slow streets and when they do something in someone's district, you need to actually communicate with the supervisor who actually
is elected and by the district voters and also here is more from the residents of the
district and the sfmta. So you ought to look at the
early part of the meeting and today's mta board meeting when it comes online. As a representative of taxi
driver, I am still concerned that the supervisors have not taken any action requiring city
departments to tryened a use tax cease and develop some type of
voucher system or use the fly wheel app to call for a cab and
get reimbursed.
Or make the app a vendor. And also, there are food deliveries going on but they are
being handled by these other services that do not take
advantage of taxis.
And soon some of the purchase
medallion holders will have the
loans due, so we need more opportunities to actually get
business to be able to cover
expenses, and cover these loans
when the credit unionened a have
other nonprofits and agencies to
deliver food to use taxis as
part of their program because we are available. There's still a need for tax cease.
>> thank you, sir. Thank you. Hello, caller.
Welcome. >> hi, everyone.
I am a student and aam speaking
on behalf of the workforce
education engineering fund.
And the path for that is
mentally secured as an asian american student I can count on
support services and the centers
that will fund.
With services through asian
pacific american students and be able to get assistance, but unfortunately, funding for that
was cut. And etc. That students are able
to foster in educational paths
to lead to the workforce goals in san francisco.
For me to be working for a center and I was able to get part time position working in the city. It is not just the current employment right now but then also the future careers.
Secondly, when it comes to us being in this covid world and having this anxiety and this
funding secured means also being less anxious when the semester rolls in. The experiences so many cuts, so
many lack of funding for support
programs that getting work is also mental health awareness and
release for us and is
unfortunate to hear things such as esl classes or even our instructors losing the positions. It is harmful for students and even though that is not the exact path, I can recognize it because I know for my parents
they benefitted from esl. I could only imagine all the
students that can and how that will help them in getting jobs
and know about worker's rights, too.
Lastly through focussing on my own career to help support my family and is helping support people that depend on me, too.
It is not only me and my individual path and how --
>> thank you.
>> hello, caller and welcome. >> hi.
There is peter warfield,
executive director of library
user association.
Over 100,000 san francisco residents do not have access to the internet.
That's according to a mayor's
office study called city and
county of san francisco digital
equity strategic plan 2019-2024. And those who are most seriously affected are the poorest folks,
the oldest folks, and of course, minorities.
Unfortunately, when the library closed on practically no notice
on March 13, friday the 13th,
they did not have any provision for services to continue for
those who do not have access to
the computer whether that's a
choice for privacy reasons or financial reasons and all the all the other reasons people don't have access. The only service available to
somebody with only a telephone
is a very much reduced reference
service, only 35 hours a week
instead of 60 as was the case
before monday through friday.
And that is it. And that is fine who are connected to the internet, but those who do not have access are pretty much left out in the cold.
We would like you to insist that
16: 000-0000 some odd dollars the library's budget contains that you insist that the library provide service to
those who do not have access
such as sending things by mail
or curbside pickup.
Other libraries do do that. And hour libraries should do
that as well. Where do you get newspapers or magazines? The library.
thank you. >> you have two questions remaining.
>> hello and welcome caller.
You have up to two minutes. Hello, caller.
We're ready when you are. Hello? >> can you hear me? >> yes, we can. >> hello. We welcome your comments. Thank you. I think I was muted.
My name is marcos cruz and I am a city college student.
I am calling in support of the
workforce education recovery fund. I have been going to city college for about three years now.
I started at city college at the electronics program and hoping
to get a job at either bart or muni as an electronics technician.
Now I am part of the community health outreach worker program
that the college offers and in this time of crisis of public
health crisis, the public health and growth at city college will be needed more than ever.
And I was sad to see that when I
was joining the program, I learned that the program only
had one cohort instead of two
cohorts of graduates every cycle now.
So even in the last few
semesters we have lost so many resources and could have benefitted from during this crisis that we can't let anymore resources disappear in this difficult time for the city and for the community.
That is why it's so important for us to do a strategic investment in city college to
make sure that the programs and
classes that graduate people and that give people skills and that
give people into jobs are still
there once we are able to reopen our city back and even before then so that people can still continue to train nurses and public health workers that are
going to carry us through this crisis as well as all the other essential workers that we have in the city. I thank supervisor mar for introducing the legislation and I hope that the board will support it.
Thank you so much.
>> thank you for your comments.
Operator: you have one question remaining.
>> hello and welcome, caller.
You have up to two minutes.
>> Caller: I wanted to first of all thank the M.T.A. And board of supervisors for supporting more sloped streets and protected bike lanes during the quarantine time.
We're going to be facing an an precedented challenge and businesses start reopening and
cars start flooding our streets.
And folks feel less and less
whether that is a real or
imagined reason. And now is the best time to do it.
We are doing a good job, but we
could be doing much better and
time is of the essence.
And last week and is a bad time
to be gutting the smta board when the decisions need to be
made with quorum, with qualified
advocates like director rubke
who is a passionate advocate for disabled and the people with
disabilities community.
and last but not least I love
for this making duty free for all. And to come up with funding
structure and build ridership up and those who do not feel
comfortable riding muni, we need to have space to use bikes to get around the city safely
without conflicting with cars so
we don't see a spike in deaths
related to vehicle collisions.
We continue to have vision zero in mind. >> Mr. President, it seems as
though there are no other
callers in the queue. >> oops. Can you hear me? >> yes, we can.
>> okay. All right.
Seeing no other callers, then
public comment is now closed.
Madam Clerk, let's call the for adoption without committee reference agenda items 26
through 33.
>> Clerk: items 26 through 33
were introduced for adoption without reference to committee. A unanimous vote is required for resolutions on first reading today. Alternatively, any supervisor May require a resolution to go
to committee.
>> President: okay.
Would anybody like to sever any items?
Supervisor manleman.
>> Supervisor: 28.
>> President: 28. Okay.
And I would like to sever, Madam
Clerk, number 33.
>> Clerk: thank you.
I don't see anybody else --
Mr. Peskin --
>> no, ma'am.
>> Clerk: all right.
>> President: okay.
So for the remainder of the item -- sorry, President Yee, I wanted to see if I could sever item number 30.
>> President: okay.
Safai for 30.
>> Clerk: Mr. President, that
leaves 26, 27, 29, 31, and 32. Okay. Go ahead and call the roll on those items.
Awe [Calling of roll]
There are 11 aye's.
>> President: okay.
These resolutions pass unanimously. Let's go back to item number 28.
>> Clerk: item 28 is a
resolution to commend the women and men of pedestrian public
works and declaring May 28, 2020
through May 22, 2020 as public works week in the city and
county of san francisco.
>> President: supervisor mandelman.
>> Supervisor: thank you, President Yee. Every year san francisco honors the hardworking employees of the public works department during national public works week. This typically includes an awards ceremony, a pinning ceremony to recognize years work for the city and county and tours of public works projects
to the public. Sadly, the current public health emergency prevents us from celebrating our public works workers in the same way this year, so I would like to take a few minutes of the board meeting today to share our appreciation.
Public works employees have been vital to the city's covid-19 response.
The public works paving crew supported by public works carpen
terse and sheet metal workers grated the lot at the drive through testing center. Crews from the operations yard helped implement the closed streets initiative by closing off traffic lanes. The glass shop added sneeze guards to protect staff and public from the spread of
covid-19 in public works permit center. The pit stop team in the operations yard administration
and deployed 37 covid response
public toilets in the castro,
tenderloin, south of market, bayview, and cathedral
neighborhood. The construction and management architecture teams at building design and construction support
the city's efforts to create
safe sleeping spaces. Many public works employees have
been deployed as factory service workers working with staff from other departments to coordinate the covid-19 response efforts at the emergency operation center.
Those who can work remotely from home, landscape architects, current reviewer, analyst,
finance, and I.T. Staff are keeping many important projects
moving forward including the animal care and control center and ambulance facility. And every day public works employees provide essential services in the field.
Street and sidewalk crews, bureau of staff responding to emergencies and to keep the
green spaces and medians accessible.
And the hardworking folks of public works have always been
essential but are even more so. Colleague, I know you will join
me in expressing heartfelt gratitude to 600 employees of san francisco public works by supporting the resolution before you today.
Thank you.
>> President: okay. Thank you, supervisor mandelman.
Let's call roll on item 28. [Calling of roll]
There are 11 aye's.
>> President: with no objection, the resolution is adopted
unanimously.
Let's go to item 30.
>> Clerk: item 30, resolution to
urge governor newsom to
immediately release the cares act to urgent support to early care provideers to prevent permanent closure and to support
families negatively impacted by
the covid-19 crisis.
>> President: supervisor safai.
>> Supervisor: thank you, Madam Clerk. Thank you, President.
Really appreciate the hard work and effort that President Yee has put into this issue over years. He and I had a conversation the other day and we're going to redouble our efforts and do everything we can here locally to provide some help to some of
these family and early child
care providers working with the
mayor to identify some gap funding. This money won't be released
until July or August and we have
hundred of family child care providers that could potentially go over. Sure folks saw specialties go
out of business and pier one imports go out of business. Businesses are going out permanently. And if we don't have child care
and they don't have family child care we won't have affordable child care options to help workers go back to work. I know this is something that President Yee has dedicated his entire career toward. I am happy to be working with
him and taking on the torch in this regard, so I just wanted to
say we're going to do everything we can to get this money released sooner but we have to find a way to provide funding
for these family child care
providers and early child care providers so they stay in
business as they start to open
up the economy. We thank everyone for their support.
>> thank you, supervisor safai.
Madam Clerk, go ahead and call the roll.
[Roll call on item 30]
There are 11 aye's.
>> President: this resolution passes unanimously.
Madam Clerk, call item number 33.
>> Clerk: item 33 is a motion to
concur in actions taken by the mayor in the 13th supplement to the proclamation of emergency
release and May 11, 2020 to meet
the ongoing local emergency related to the novel coronavirus
covid-19 pandemic.
>> President: okay, colleagues.
I asked ela to do a report on
this particular item because I
felt like it had some budget
implications and since it didn't go to the budget committee, I
thought that we'd just do this report right now. i don't know if Ms. Campbell is on.
>> yes, I am available, President Yee.
>> President: would you give the
report on item number 33?
>> yes, let me pull that up quickly.
This item was -- there's some
main components to it, and some
of the main components we looked
at were this is the second of
the supplements that covered the
city's contracting procedures.
The first supplement had the office of contract administration define the t.
Ing procedures for emergency contracts.
This one actually provides more detail in terms of the contracting procedure.
Under the first supplement, the department requested to try to
obtain three quotes. This language here more
specifically says the
departments are to obtain three quotes before entering into for the emergency contract. And if they cannot, there is to
be the department head is to
determine in writing that that
is feasible to obtain the multiple quotes and clarifies
the role of the city's departments in approving
contracts and it waives the
original first supplement -- it
waived some of the city's standard contracting language and this 13th supplement provides more detail on waiving the supplements.
There is other provisions of the 13th supplement.
It does extend pi another 60
days into July 11, 2020 and cut
off the water and utilities and
the other major areas and this
is the waiver of contacting procedures sand not emergency contracts and contracts in place
on May 11 of this year.
If they are to be extending for
mo later than that area and without the competitive process
and that is for nonemergency contracts. And we make a couple of recommendations based on this
13th supplement.
And one of them is to codify the existing procedures of the board
for hearing supplements that insure they are calendared to the next board of supervisors meeting iffer which no calendar has yet been introduced.
For instance, the 14th and 15th supplements have been introduced this week. They should be calendared at the
June 3 board meeting under our recommendation that will be codified.
The other one is the contracting procedures be more specific about waiving competitive
solicitation to extend contracts
that are intake on May 11 of this year. It is basically more specifically states the controllers should adopt
policies on modifying these agreements to extend them for
six months or no later than June 30, 2021.
And our recommendation that is
that the board of supervisors request of the controller and
more information on what the
departments would be and what
the contracts might be.
And the department now and
between July 11 and the period
and could look at the contracts
and if they believe they could extend them without going to competitive solicitation and that be an end date after that date that normal procedures would resume. I am available for any questions
you May have of our report.
>> President: thank you for your report.
Any questions, colleagues? When you recommend those to
codify, are you saying we should
have language in this?
>> in terms of the scheduling of
the supplements to the emergency
proclamation, right now there is no provision saying creating a deadline for when they need to be considered by the board. The board has the option to concur or reject the action to be taken, but there is no
deadline in terms of when the events should happen.
And we're basically a policy recommendation that the board
could consider an admin code provision or other legislative
act to clarify when these supplements to the proclamation
should be heard at the board. This does not change existing procedure. It merely codifies it in
legislation.
>> President: okay.
Thank you.
All right.
I don't see anybody else.
I will look into some language
on that for some -- maybe to come in the next meeting.
For now let's take the roll on
this particular item number 33.
[Roll call on item 33]
There are 11 # aye's.
>> this resolution passes
unanimously.
>> take care of your grandkid.
Madam Clerk, please read the in memoriams.
>> yes, today's meeting will be adjourned on behalf of
supervisor mandelman, Mr. Kamal
mike omar. And on behalf of supervisor
stephanie and peskin for the
late Miss Elizabeth glass. >> Madam Clerk, this brings us to the end of the agenda. Is there any further business for us today? >> that concludes our business for today.
>> okay.
So meeting adjourned but I want
to also just have a -- there
will be a briefing right after
this meeting, so in which the
public health folks will be
coming to the briefing, Dr.
Aragon, and I believe Dr. Baba will be at the briefing.
So why don't we take a five-minute cause and come back to the meeting.
>> Clerk: Mr. President, for the
public, that briefing will be aired on channel 26 for members of the public who are interested
in watching it.
>> President: okay. Thank you very much. We are back in five minutes.
At the end of the meeting we will have a briefing.
Right now it is 5:06.
I would like to have this briefing continue into the hour,
so speakers, when you speak, use
your time wisely and we will zoom through this to get through in an hour.
Today the director of the
department of public health Dr.
Grant colfax May not be coming
to this one.
Dr. Aragon and deputy director
of health will get started in a
second.
Then the other thing that i would like to say is this is a
continuation of the briefing we had last week. We didn't get to many of the
questions that were provided in writing.
And we get certain questions and
to remind my colleagues that if
you had smithed questions, don't jump ahead of questions being answered because then it becomes random in term of what we are talking about. Let's get started here.
Dr. Baba? >> yes. Thank you, President Yee and thank you to member of the board. There were questions last week about homelessness, so I will be very brief and quick with my comments and I will also answer
some of the questions that were
related to this population that were put to Dr. Aragon and then turn it over to him. So just from a high level
perspective, our approach to the homeless population comes kind
of in three buckets.
The first is the hotel response,
and D.H.P. Has really taken the
lead and isolation and quarantine hotel units so that
people who have symptoms of
covid are covid positive can and safely isolate the quarantine for the period of time that they need to. The second place where we have
been working in partnership with H.S.H. And H.S.A. Is the shelter in place hotels that the city has been running.
That is the party from national, state, and local guidance that really the party there is the people that are most vulnerable to severe disease. so that's people over 60 and
people with chronic medical conditions.
And all of our teams and
multiple other teams touching
people in the street and shelter
rs and getting them into the
shelter in place rooms.
And there have been a lot of
efforts and adequate social
distancing and increased hygiene
happening and increased cleaning and masking. And syndromic screening which is
they are getting screened for symptoms with staff as well as
clients on a regular basis. And people are isolated and
tested right away. And through that we have had a few shelters that have tested positive that I am sure you are aware of. And the other thing with shelters is that we other going
to start testing in the shelters.
And yesterday we started that
out with the bryant street navigation center.
And we tested all the residents
and staff there. And to bayshore and we will work through the shelter system and start testing there. As has been mentioned in the
fast by Dr. Phillip, there is no strategy around congregate settings so this is us taking the best science and looking at
the paper and data and developing a strategy around the shelter population.
Finally the unsheltered population. We have developed guidance on
how to safely shelter in place on the street. That includes the distances between the tents and hygiene and what supplies need to be in
someplace, what kind of bathroom supplies. Our teams have gone out with H.S.A. Team and other street-based teams to give out
masks, to give out sanitation or hand sanitizer as well as harm reduction and there continues to
be huge demand for narcan and needles.
And we are as I think supervisor haney mentioned earlier, we are working with the city on the tenderloin plan, and there
already other parts of the city including the mission to look at a similar type of plan and
really execute that to make the
streets more safe for the people on them as well as people who
have to get into their buildings and interact in the neighborhood. So those are high level and happy to answer any questions around that. I'm going to answer three
specific questions, and I will b very brief on these.
Question 16 was really about
congregate settings and hot spots and what our approach is there. And congregate setting is a range of different settings from
nursing homes and long-term care
facilities to the jail, to
shelters to S.R.O.S and each deserve their own approach because there is a little bit
different way that things flow in and out of those settings. But in general there is a lot of prevention measures and mitigation measures occurring at all the settings.
Screening for symptoms.
Protecting individuals by masking and cleaning and if
there is a case discovered and intense case contact investigation and potentially
testing to go to mass testing if
needed of all those situations. And with the referral to
isolation and quarantine rooms. And the question eluded if there
is a lot of positives in congregate settings it could overwell the system and
completely agree with that, and we need to be very vigilant and much more surveillance around
the congregate such as the sniff testing and shelter testing as
well.
This next question around homelessness was question 23.
And it talked about homelessness and behavior health and the city's plan for addressing this
issue because it was an issue prior to pandemic and it is probably going to be much more
strained given the pandemic.
I think all of us know that
covid-19 and the issues of isolation are going to lead to a lot of mental health issues.
We do expect to see surge in this need. Our behavior health services are open and they are considered essential. And they are actually taking more referrals on.
We're doing a lot of tele health
as another modality, but our services on the street continue.
So all of the outreach services
including crisis and including
harm reduction, street medicine,
behavioral health, are all interacting with those on the street to try to provide services in a timely manner. And we do know that that will be
a place that we need to expand
and improve especially if the pandemic lost much -- lasts if ar long period of time.
And then the final question was question 28. It was what is written public health plan for addressing homeless encampments.
And I think one of the things that we showed through the tenderloin plan is this really does require a whole city wide
effort for encampments.
And so we in public health will provide guidance and the health
aspects but we are working very
closely with H.S.A., H.S.H. And
a lot of partner agencies to
address encampments and including safe sleeping sites
and mentioned as well and working as a city wide team to
bring those online.
I am going to stop there and happy to answer any questions
related to the issues.
>> President: for what Dr. Baba
presented, are there questions?
I see supervisor mandelman is on the list.
>> Supervisor: thanks for being
their, Dr. Baba. I want to talk about how the department is thinking about the behavior health response over
the next six months, year, whatever this period is.
My understanding is psych emergency is now down to no more than 18.
I am certainly seeing a lot of
folks who need to be with psych assistance on the streets and certainly certainly intoxicated. I don't imagine there would be answers right now, but I would
imagine in the next month or two
it's going to be important to to
thinking through strategies and
intoxication on the street.
and leaving folks outside seems not like the best answer.
How is that -- I know there is
people focused on halfway focused on the covid-19
response, but also seems like behavior health crisis has certainly gotten worse over the
last couple of months.
>> thank you for that, and you are right, supervisor. We know the behavior health crisis has gotten worse on the
streets an we are anticipating there will be in general more behavior health needs across the population.
I think one of the things that
we have to look at is we don't
have access and to stabilize and
to open the gates and more of a neat.
And getting our teams to have a
lot more about overdose and the age of the pandemic.
And we are ruling on tele health. And it will be an ongoing evolution as the science of the
disease gets more clarity.
>> I think it's going to be
urgent. It was bad and it is getting worse.
>> absolutely agree. >> sorry.
I had technical difficulty here.
Are you finished, supervisor mandelman? I'm sorry. I guess you are.
>> an I am finished.
>> supervisor ronen.
>> Supervisor: yes, thank you.
Welcome, Dr. Baba. A few questions.
You know, I am in the middle of
creating a mission plan and this
is after learning about the tenderloin plan and today
supervisor haney introduced a
hearing request on the tenderloin plan because he hasn't noticed a ton of change. It is impossible to have change
unless we have places for people
to go.
I learned today that had
department of health and as a covid positive site and originally I thought that was because you were going to place people there that couldn't self-care and they couldn't go into hotels, but then learned
from abigal that is just going
to be a congregate site for individuals that are positive.
And there is no clear plans for it.
No timeline for it.
So as I develop this mission
plan with the tent encampments
and reopen the division center
in the appropriate socially
distanced way to move people
from the that area and can you
talk about D.P.H.'s position on
reopening and division circle is
close and are refusing to open
hotels and with any sort of haste. What are the purpose of the
plans if we have nowhere to move
people to? >> thank you for that.
I know for the hotels and this is secondhand that they are opening this as fast as possible and more hotels coming online this week.
Congregate settings do need to be considered.
And after what we saw at embassy south, we are being very thoughtful about how these can
be open in a way that really ensures that there is no disease spread.
And to talk about division
circle and what the best use of that to be and happy to have
that discussion.
>> an I guess originally there was some talk about being safer
on the treats than the
congregate living facilities that have bathrooms and showers
and staff run and are socially distanced.
I don't know if you have been around, but it can't get worse than that. There is no water. There is no bathrooms.
There is no social distancing. So it just can't possibly get worse and they are in front of
people's homes and businesses.
And I just -- you are leaving us
all between a rock and a hard
place and not moving at a reasonable space for hotels and
Dr. Aragon has refused to open
any real timeline or present any
real goals.
You won't allow the city to
reopen the congregate living spaces, and so we have over 300 people sleeping under the most
dangerous circumstances you
could possibly imagine with residents unable to walk outside of the house or enter businesses because of it, and no matter what we do and whether we
introduce ordinances that pass
unanimously, partner to make the plan, we were left scratching our heads and growing increasingly frustrated.
Where is the leadership from the department of public health to provide realistic guidance and demand of the city to keep residents safe?
If we're scared another msc south-like outbreak. Well, that's happening on the streets.
there is no way it isn't.
It feels like we lack a plan,
urgency, goals, and even guidance that makes any sense.
And every week I say the same thing.
I don't know why I bother wasting my breath and a new face
and a few person and maybe new
answers. >> sure.
So I do appreciate the frustration and I live in the
city as well and do see what is happening on the street and it
is not fast enough and trying to
get more hotels and to open some
with H.S.A. And putting out
guidance on the safe sleeping on
the street and what is required
around documents and hygiene.
And I know that we haven't
gotten there and this is the
important issue including your
sport and so sitting down with
time to figure hout how to do
this better and to appreciate that as well as working with supervisor haney in the tenderloin and a large group of people in the tenderloin and
frustration there as well.
So this is very difficult in the emergency to figure out the
right thing and protect the
health of people and with the
social issues and we are trying
to do better with your input.
>> Supervisor: I guess that I
would just say that having that
resource and with the l huge, horrible encampments that are right next to them makes no sense to me.
And is like making me want to
pull my hair out, but I will
continue to advocate because I
don't get anywhere.
Another question is about really
glad to hear you are starting to
test in congregate living facilities because when over
half people don't have symptoms when they are covid-19 positive
to use symptoms a z the way to
test and contract trace.
So with that has changed and regular testing in congregate homeless facilities and S.R.O.S.
We just passed a law and the laws have been ignored in the past, I want to make sure that will continue.
>> we are starting to test in
shelters and we will have to work with the shelters and
depend on the testing results,
so yes. Supervisor haney.
>> thank you.
You mentioned the tenderloin
plan a few times and I have trouble understanding that area and I know we have the testing site here.
Is there a broader set of goals
that you have around who is going to be tested in the tenderloin and what levels of priority and we have an increase
of 300% of people living in tents.
Are we going to be going out and testing them?
What is the D.P.H. Strategy for the tenderloin?
>> D.P.H. Has -- we've
contracted to work with the
community and will be involved
in outreach and testing and
large positives will be a
combination and strategy and to
come in as well as other
unsheltered people to with the
role of who will be tested and the focus around that is something that could lose a little more clarity.
And I do just want to pick up on one piece of what supervisor ronen brought up around the
shelters and the navigation centers.
I have continued to be cold that there are districts that are
closing or used as a post covid site.
I asked Dr. Argon this last
meeting and I haven't heard a
strong argument of why to put
them into a congregate setting.
Are we certain they under no circumstance could contract the virus again? Is the immune system more
vulnerable because they just
survived this illness? The shelter guidelines are still
in effect and is social distancing with the precautions to take in any shelter and this
is a way to get people indoors
into a place where they could
stay and not necessarily have to have shelter.
So we're taking all the
precautions and to make sure
they get the screening and this
is based and the C.D.C. Guidance
and how long the disease is
culturalable and it appears after nine to 10 days it
approaches zero.
While that is still needs more research behind it, they have changed the guidance space on that and a lot of the nation is
looking at that as a marker. So people are going from the
hotels to the shelter. >> potentially they could be. Yes.
>> and last question, and
similar to what supervisor mandelman was saying around behavior health if somebody is
wanting to go into detox, into
treatment related to substance
use, to exit a hotel and go into treatment, what sort of opportunities are there for that?
I have come across people who want to go to detox and
treatment and unclear on what we
can offer them.
Because of covid, there's been
limitations in admissions and if
there was room and to the quarantine of the area and get
tested.
And is negative and does not
guarantee and quarantine this
time and join the general detox
population.
And supervisor peskin? Thank you, President Yee. Doctor, thank you for all your
work.
And I am probably frustrated as
expressed and supervisor ronen
and others and I think that the
statement around their lack of a
real strategy and seeing more
broadly on homelessness and
homeless people and the covid
crisis is quite evident to all
of us.
And I want to say the contract
between the way in which the department of health and looked to other cities and other
countries for the best practices
in how to prevent the spread of covid-19. Apparently and maybe I should say this as a question and not a
comment.
It seems as if that exercise has
not been done with respect to
how we are addressing homelessness. I appreciate the efforts you identified, but my question for you, has we done this? Has the department of public health looked at other cities and other countries?
What is the gold standard here?
What is the with the effort that
has comprehensively addressed
the homelessness and homeless people in the context of the
crisis we are following and who is responsible? Is it department of public health? Is it elsewhere? And I am not interested for the
point of assigning blame but
looking forward with who is the
department responsible for
creating that more comprehensive
plan for congregate settings and
within the public health crisis.
And it is a great question and we have absolutely been talking
to our colleagues and not an
easy solution to come to and in close communication and the exper cease around homelessness.
And a lot of places seattle,
L.A., boston, new york, atlanta, baltimore, and been discussing
with all of them the strategies.
And is talking about this as public health experts coming together and really talk about what has worked and what hasn't
and what our experiences have been. So what we have noticed on the west coast is we have moved
towards hoteling and that hasn't happened in other parts of the country. And that is the nature of how they house the homeless given the winters. And so taking some of the
learnings that they have
experienced from congregate settings and boston has had
multiple positives and multiple
shelters when they started testing.
To figure out a safe way for
congregate settings and H.S.H. And H.S.A.
In term of who is responsible,
it is a city wide response, but we most closely work with H.S.H.
And H.S.A. To provide them
guidance and working as a team to get that guidance implemented.
>> Supervisor: if I could follow up on the first part and I appreciate that you are in toech
with a lot of different cities
and whether nationally or
internationally, is there a city
or multiple cities that you would point to and adopting best
practices or is it a matter of piecing together the different
strategys?
>> right now it is piecing
together and on the west coast we have been in close touch with seattle on the forefront and a lot of lessons learned from
their shelter experience as well
as their nursing home experience and we are in deep touch with them to learn what they had
learned after testing and contract tracing in the
populations but we are all struggling with the same thing
how to make congregate settings
safe and to get the unsheltered homeless in this period of
covid.
This last question and for asking multiple questions, be u this discussion in happening now
to figure this out, I assume
this is not just started.
Has the discussion evolved?
We knew there was a homeless
population and that covid-19
would likely spread here and I realize that it is not that you
are wasting time, but it does
not appear other than moving
forward to get additional hotel rooms and launching safe
sleeping sites in terms of a comprehensive stage, I am understanding how we are in the early stages months in and what is the barrier to a development
of a strategy, not implementation but the development of a strategy. That is the last question.
Thank you.
>> I think one of the big things as testing has come online and thinking about how we implement
testing to ensure that we are
providing a safe space and a
safe area to people in congregate settings, it hasn't come online enough to test everybody and we are having to
roll it out based on risk of
death. And that is why we started with the nursing homes because that is where we definitely see the most death, but we are moving
quickly as quickly as we can to
the shelter system because we know that is another place where there is a huge need. But there is also been some
incredible cases of a lot of spread.
And so using testing as a tool
to potentially ensure that we can have safe congregate
settings and part of this will be learning because there is some point testing happening
across the nation, but it is spotty. And a lot of this will be data
that we're collecting with our colleagues across the nation to
figure out the best strategy.
>> President: okay.
Thank you.
Supervisor peskin.
>> Supervisor: thank you, President Yee, and thank you,
doctor, for joining us this afternoon.
As we actually just unanimously
passed a piece of legislation
with regard to one typology of
congregate settings and singles
and occupancy hotels.
So there was a little bit of a struggle I referenced over the
weekend with your colleagues at D.P.H. Which didn't come from a
bad place but I think really
came from a fundamental concern
about supply train constraints
as it relates to the ever
evolving loosening amount of testing that is available in this and other cities.
And one of the things that as we
all want to do as much isolation
and hoteling as you call it as
possible in congregate settings,
and as speaker pelosi said
testing, testing, testing in congregate settings.
I know as a city employee and we all see as city employees that any city employee can go down
and get tested at any time, and
I know of several city employees
personally that have been tested multiple times.
Is there relative to -- and
maybe we can drill down into numbers a reason why city employee cans be tested repeatedly -- and I understand they are front line workers. I am not saying they shouldn't
be tested repeatedly, but we
don't or have not spread out that testing resource for
individuals in S.R.O.S where
there have been hot spots to be tested once.
Can you help me understand that? >> I think part of it, supervisor peskin, is figuring out the resource and matching it.
So we are trying to expand our testing capacity as supervisor haney mentioned, there is going
to be a testing resource in the tenderloin, and it will
hopefully be a mobile resource. But part of it is we have these stand alone entities and how do
we then figure out how we can
get better access to testing in certain community where is we know people are potentially understood served and don't have great access to testing. I think the other thing I really
want to point out here is we need the health care system to
come along with us and for any
of you that belong to any other health care system, it is much
harder actually to get a test
compared to what D.P.H. Is doing.
And so we need to figure out because we as a city cannot bear
the burden of trying to test almost a million people on a regular basis. That would be untenable.
So really the strategy of what our mission has always been is
to the people that we know have
poor access to medical care. We know because of cultural
language, other barriers, have poor health outcomes.
How do we match these upcoming resources to those places?
And I will say for the essential workforce, one of the reasons
that that has been pushed is we
saw in the mission study that actually essential workers that
are having to go to work are turning positive. And a lot of them don't have the
ability to say no to their jobs
because that would be a lost paycheck.
So we really do want to try to
make testing very accessible to that work force because they are taking on more risk than the general population sheltering in
place.
>> Supervisor: and one follow-up
question and I will relinquish the floor.
But in so far as the chief
health officer has truly extraordinary powers, has there
been any talk of mandating the
testing behavior of private,
non-city, non-D.P.H. Entities to
harness them towards the congregate, vulnerable
population that we all agree should be -- should have access
to the most amount of testing? Those people whether they are the folks from the mission study
or folks who live in S.R.O.S or shelters. Is there any -- I'm sorry to use
the word, but discussion about
commandeering private testing resources? >> we haven't gone down that road yet. I think we're still looking into discussing with the health care
system how they can open up their testing supplies. I think one of the things that
we all know is with the shelter in place starts to lift and we will need testing not just in san francisco and across the bay because it is such an interconnected area. If we really do want to protect
our workerses and the people living here. We also need to make sure that the surrounding counties have
the same capacity and capability
as us because once that starts
happening if we are not in sync it really doesn't actually matter what we do in san francisco. Disease will continue to be introduced. especially with the regional partners and the regional health
care systems, it is a discussion
that we really need to push as a region. And as you are saying some of
the most essential workers.
>> supervisor peskin? >> I'm done.
>> President: thank you.
Dr. Baba, what I would like to
do now is maybe turn it over to
Dr. Aragon and Dr. Aragon, you
have approximately 20 minutes.
If you could maybe revise your
discussion and where you are answering for maybe 10 minutes -- less than 10 minutes of whatever you can answer.
And leave the other 10 minutes where my colleagues could ask you questions. Okay? >> okay. Can everyone hear me? >> yes. >> fantastic.
I am going to go ahead briefly
and in just cover some of the key questions.
The first question 14 was on asymptomatic testing.
And when you look at the state guidelines we have actually made progress on most of the them,
and as the discussions just
shows, we still have room to go.
I am going to skip question 15
at this point because we already talked about the testing sites. But I think what you will find
is that if you go online, the
testing is increasing.
Question 17 asked about what was
the rationale behind requiring health order for the skilled nursing facilities.
And really the key there and the
key concept there that we're applying is that because there
is such a high risk of transmission and high vulnerability and is also an area we know that across -- actually, across the world
almost half the cases are due to
persons in skilled nursing facilities, so we knew that was an area that we could have the
big benefit in terms of prevents deaths.
That is one of the reasons with
the skilled nursing facilities.
And mandatory orders and
basically core public health activities and things that we would mandate and we already do that across a lot of other different communicable diseases.
I am going to jump to -- the
questions near the end that ask
asked about my health officer authority because -- sorry, theres a lot of questions. Question 29, what is the plan
for reallocating public health resources that were being warehoused or surged in case of the public department of health
nonessential employees.
Right now the city and the city through the E.O.C. Is going
through a planning process because we realize right now at
the E.O.C. We have over 500
staff that are on site with the
amount of work to do all this
work around covid is very, very
large and we have to go back to
that work and figure out how to back fill those positions and scale up in those areas that
will be really, really important. And the areas that you have
already mentioned some of the areas and that is testing is really key.
The testing capacity has to increase even beyond what the goal is for the region.
So right now the goal and if
first goal is with the scale up
to two per 1,000 and will meet
that relatively easily based on the current activity and when you look at the amount of testing that has to be done across all the areas of
vulnerable, it's going to be
much more than that. And so you will be hearing more
about that and we're also
working with state health
department and ucsf around case
investigation and contact
tracing and the other areas is
with the better surveillance
system with Dr. Coal fax that we
need to have an early warning system to see whether the
activities puts us at risk for a
large outbreak and we don't move backwards.
Question 30 asked a question
about future emergency such as
poor air quality and heat wave
with issues of cloudy sky t ma
change and we have activated a
unit that is focussing on the --
I am hearing an echo. Okay.
So we did develop a unit to
focus on the specific types of threats. And I think the fact that we are
activated is going to make it easier for us to do deal with
that and just because we have more resources that are activated across the city for
those types of activities.
And okay, question 33 and gets specifically to issues of the health officer authority. It says here how many times have you been contacted by a
representative of the mayor's office?
I am actually rarely contacted by the mayor's office directly. They usually go through the director of health and director of policy and planning.
Dr. Baban is the deputy director
of health and the policy and planning is under her, so if
they need to contact me, they go
to them. How many sometimes have you been contacted by a supervisor? Rarely contacted by boards and supervisors, although that has
changed more since the covid outbreak.
In general they go through the
director of health and policy and planning.
On January 21, I operated the
departmental center for covid and was the incident commander and briefed the boardover supervisors and the staff three times a week. When the role shifted to regional health orders, I stopped providing the briefings to the board of supervisors and
the briefings were taken over by the E.O.C.. I report to the director of
health and take policy direction from the san francisco health
commission and the director of health.
Question 34, how do you make determinations to what is essential and what is nonessential.
I am assuming meant the
businesses. Those started with published guidelines on where to consider essential infrastructure and
critical services so when we initially started meeting with primarily it was led by santa clara and their council.
They had already done a lot of
background work on identifies what is considered critical infrastructure, and they started
with that list in terms of identifying what would be essential. The state had a similar list
that was broader than ours, but
that's how we started. I am not an expertise in that
area and I are elied on the council across the region to consider whatevers considered essential. What is the process that you understood take with the city attorney -- undertake with the
city attorney's office to define what is in the best interest of public health? That really varies depending on
what the public health issue is.
With respect to communicable diseases, that's actually an
area of expertise for me.
I started my residency in 1988 and 1993 is where I first started working in communicable
diseases with the H.I.V.-aids epidemic at san francisco general hospital.
In 1996 I became the communicable disease controller, and I was -- since my health
officer role in 2011 I had been involved and early on I was
involved in sars, h1n1 pandemic,
and mers and ebola preparation
here in the city and also zika. So a lot of it really comes with the expertise that I have and the expertise at the health department and where we're deep in term of people who have a lot of experience in communicable diseases.
So really that's really, I would
say that's really what is driven most of our activities.
And I can provide more detailed information.
we have published documents and
guide sheets on how we approach
communicable diseases. So basically I just want to make sure I cover this.
So when we meet with the city attorney, we basically the way that we have been working with
the city attorney and for me this has been a the last time I
work this in depth with the city
attorney was with ebola preparation.
During ebola we updated all our
health orders around isolation
and quarantine and so this is the next opportunity that I had to work closely with them. Basically what we do is we
describe to them what we want to
achieve, which is really basically interrupting transmission and saving lives. Those are the two key things that we try to figure out what to do. And how we want to achieve it
and what are the different interventions, so we had moved
and we had moved to sheltering
in place as really a big public health strategy to interrupt transmission by shutting down
and shutting everything down.
And then why, the rationale, so core intervention for control
and communicable diseases and
other interventions are failing.
And with the intentions and is a back and forth.
And it is an iterative process and what we think is going to
work. And the work criteria, what are the criteria and how are they weighed against greater good or through the equity lens? And that is actually a really good question from the equity perspective and I can tell you
how I approached it and so I would say in general and this is in general what we know from
large disasters, large disasters will amplify existing racial and social inequities.
And so what we have focused on
was how can we, the first focus is on how can we interrupt
transmission broadly and avert a large catastrophe. At that time we were seeing what
was happening in italy, and we
felt that we had to do something
big to prevent italy because we
knew that if we started to
become like italy, it was going to make everything worse for everybody including those who
are most marginalized.
And then the second one is to work with racial and ethnic groups that would be more impacted.
Er early on in the pandemic I worked extensively with the department of emergency management to conduct outreach to the chinese community including working with supervisor fewer and yee.
I worked with the latinix community including primarily
doing media interviews and work with supervisor ronen in the mission doing a town hall. And there's others here that I
won't have time to mention. A couple of days ago we -- actually, yesterday, we met with the latino task force.
I am going to go ahead and stop there and realize the amount of time.
And I am happy to provide these in writing to you, but I wanted
to leave time for questions.
>> President: thank you, Dr. Aragon.
Any follow-up questions? supervisor preston. >> thank you.
Dr. Aragon, I wanted to ask you
about where we left the meeting last week.
I think last one to ask you question.
I think I was noting that in contrast to the very detailed
orders that you have issued on so many aspect of life,
everything from what kind of construction can happen in san francisco, what kind of business
can be open or not, what kind of
sport can be played, you name
it, in a range of very
appropriate orders for the most
part, we have not had your orders around anything
addressing the unhoused population. And my question last week and my question again this week was,
why have there been no orders specifically around unhoused people?
And do you have a plan to issue
any orders?
Last week you wanted to confer
with folks and come back with an answer. We are almost out of time here.
And I think we need to answer to those questions. >> you are asking a really good question.
And I would say in general the
way that I think about this is
that generally we do orders when
we're -- and actually, I did and I remember I did cover some of the concepts last time.
We usually do orders when we're requiring assets and people that we do not control, so generally
the general population when we are restricting movement.
So isolation and quarantine, for example. that is different than, for example, us, me giving orders to the health department which is an asset which is under the mayor and I work for the mayor.
I work for the department of public health.
And so it seems to me that I
would -- to me those are policy decisions, strategic policy decisions how that department and other departments and the
mayor and the board of supervisors work together to
make policy and to implement policy. To me that is very different than requiring activity across a whole city where we're asking and taking away individual
person's rights and asking them to shelter in place.
So the orders are focused on
broad things that impact the whole population. But not specifically directing
policy choices and strategic
choices by departments that I work for.
I think these are really good questions. So somebody show me an example where a health official has issued an orreder to require their department to do something.
I think that's a policy choice.
And I think that is where the decisions lie. >> I don't want to belabor it, but I respectively disagree. I think there May be aspects that are policies and that are left to the political realm.
There is a range of things that
are core health issues and that
because homelessness issues can
be politicized and are a bit of
a hot potato in san francisco, it appears that you have categorically avoided them. Let me contrast. Your health orders make clear to a business that opens up how
they operate, how close, how many employees, how close can they operate. What they have to wear. And yet you say nothing about let's say, tents on the street.
You just leave it to the C.D.C. Guidelines about how far things need to be apart. There seems to be my impression
and I will close with my impression is that you have put anything related to homelessness into a category that you have
decided is a policy matter for someone else to deal with rather than a public health issue.
And I am telling as a district supervisor and shared by some others on this board that that
is creating, that lack of guidance is creating enormous confusion in the streets.
It is creating confusion among the police department who are not sure what they are enforcing out there in the district. It is created really complete chaos in the streets. We are all trying to deal with it, but we're not the folks who have the power to issue public
health orders tomorrow like you do.
So I would just urge you, in
fact, beg you, to not categorically leave all this to the political realm and to take aspects of how we are dealing with homelessness in san
francisco that aspects that are clearly public health issues and
show the leadership and issue
orders we need to let what roles
are playing by. And I know my colleagues are happy to work with you to develop the orders as quickly as
possible. >> thank you, supervisor pressson. By the way, there is -- thank you, supervisor preston. There are three more supervisors
that are on the roster to ask questions.
But I just want to -- this is
probably not even a question.
I don't remember the specific question that we had last -- at
the end of last week's session briefing.
And you didn't have to answer at the time. It was about plan and that you
would two back and ask H.S.H.
And the relevant departments and you said that you would come up
and give us a sense of a plan. I am not getting any sense at
all.
Supervisor fewer.
>> Supervisor: thank you very much. Hello, Dr. Aragon. Thank you for being here.
I want to echo and my question mirrors very much what
supervisor preston said because actually we were made to believe that every policy complements or
in accordance with a public health issue, order.
So when we are telling the
constituents also we are saying really the department of public
health and that public health orders take precedence over
everything because we do agree that this is -- public health
takes precedence over everything now.
Over people's right to go outside and socialize, like we
are monitoring all those things. But there is a lack of policy
around homelessness, and actually if I could just politely correct you, you actually work, I think, for the
board of supervisors. And so I am wondering if we were
to bring a health order to you
that we think should be implemented and should be
actually addressed, so do you think this is somebody that you would be open to that the
supervisors would say that because I actually think there needs to be a health order around homelessness.
I said last week that everything that we are doing is through
this middle class paradigm. It is not addressing the real
issues that are on the street. And actually I think as I said
last week, it was a little disingenuous that we come to a
meeting months ago and the first
thing you say is, homelessness
is the first priority and yet we see no orders around homelessness. It is frustrating and I think actually it is causing confusion.
But more than that, quite frank
linn this is putting lives at risk.
We are floundering here and we
don't know what is the best
situation for them and we are
trying to give defense to them and we have a conversation planned for thursday.
So I put this question out to you. When the feds stop reimbursing
for hotel rooms and we can only fit 50% or 30% of the capacity
of unhoused people into our congregate shelters again
because it could be a public
health issue, what is the plan?
what is the plan? What are we working towards?
We will still be dealing with
this deadly disease for a year,
year and a half and what is the plan and the health order to
guide this plan around the unhoused population? President President go ahead,
doctor aragon. >> thank you.
And of course, I am always
willing to talk and meet and to discuss and to take ideas.
And the way the process works for me, me as an individual really have to work with a team
of experts to sort of really understand what is the best thing and what is the best
action that we're going to take next.
And so I am willing to and absolutely willing to listen and talk about that. But I will have to work with the folks here at the department of public health because that is
the resources that I depend on
to try to make the best decisions in cooperation with all the departments here in the
city as well as the board of supervisors. And to give me ideas and
something to make progress on and consistent with our
departmental policies, I do try
to make sure we are clear about that. >> I was weighed down about this thing and predicted for years
and I said to you, do we have enough sites. You said to me, yes, we do. I said, well, where are they? And how many do you have?
And you said to me we are confident we have enough
quarantine sites for everyone
that would need it. You told me that yourself.
I'm sorry, Dr. Aragon.
I think it's a little disingenuous.
I think what we want are real answers. I look forward to our conversation on thursday.
Thank you.
>> President: supervisor peskin.
>> Supervisor: thank you, President Yee.
I think supervisors fewer and preston touched on everything I was going to ask. I do want to clarify one thing
which is the law.
The law is every board of supervisors and we talked a thbt last week in the 58 counties of
the state of california appoint the chief health officer.
It is also true that Dr. Aragon is an employee of the department of public health in his capacity as a doctor.
So both of these things are true. I'm not suggesting anything. I just want my colleagues and
anybody who is watching and the
good doctor to actually be very clear.
The designation as this very extraordinarily powerful
position is done by and serves
at the pleasure of the 58 boards of supervisors in the state of california.
I just want to state that on the record. Everything else has been asked
and not really answered.
>> President: supervisor ronen, you are the last one on the
roster and we will end with yours. Go ahead.
>> Supervisor: I would also say
that supervisors preston and fewer mostly made the comments I was going to make.
I wanted to clarify, though, slightly.
So Dr. Aragon, what happens for
your position when this board of supervisors pass adieu nan mouse ordinance requiring that the
city immediately open 8,250 hotels and the mayor responds
that she won't do it. Don't you need to intervene from
a public health perspective?
And do something?
>> I have not thought about that specific question. I don't have an answer for that
question right now.
>> Supervisor: okay. That is often the case.
I will say that we asked a lot of questions last week you didn't have the answers to and were going to come back this
week and we haven't gotten those answers. I guess this will be another one we add to the list. And then correct me if I'm
wrong, but one of your earliest
orders was not to prevent gatherings of over a certain
amount of people on city property. >> that was correct.
>> Supervisor: there is an
example of you making a health
decision for something that is
completely under our control, is it not?
>> that is true.
>> Supervisor: so why won't you
do that when it comes to the
most important population that is most at risk in our city other than the nursing homes that I really appreciate the work you have done there, but for the homeless population that you and I have been talking about on the phone several times
and in these public hearings for eight weeks now. And you just won't budge on it.
I really, really don't understand it.
And the answers. >> so let me explain how that worked out.
We were doing orders for the city, and we had decided the more rigorous we actually
applied to our properties, but that wasn't me in isolation
telling the city what to do. It was -- just like we are having now, it was a collaborative process of everyone coming together and saying what's the right thing that we can do to also set an
example to the rest of the city
about restricting gathering. And that is also true for the big issues.
And not like I can in isolation tell all the departments to do something. It has to be something that is going to be achievable and doable and that there's consensus that this is the way we need to move forward, and
that is the way that one moved forward. Every time we do one of the principals we apply in public
health is we try to do the least restrictive option because we
also realize that people don't
always comply and we try to sort
of figure out what can people
actually accomplish. So that was an example where the
city came together and decided
with the broader strategy and
town stricter and we didn't build that common vision and
making sure that happens. the challenges that I faced in
the position that I have. And I think something like that
to need all of us have to
develop a consensus and is the consensus and provision and
strategy that gets enacted if
the order would not be required.
>> Supervisor: I would just second supervisor fewer's request.
We passed a unanimous ordinance
requiring that hotel rooms be
made available for every
homeless individual who was able
to self-care.
And I would ask or second
supervisor fewer's request that
you draft a health order reflecting that unanimous
legislation.
>> President: any response? >> can you put that to me in writing. Again, I think that it is really hard to get that kind of request
and to have an answer right on
the spot. Like I said, for any of these big decisions I really need to consult with a lot of folks and sort of make sure that this is
the right thing to do.
And I will -- please put in writing and I will take it under
consideration.
>> Supervisor: I will do that.
>> President: supervisor peskin is only going to take 30 seconds.
>> Supervisor: yes. This is really more of a comment.
Dr. Aragon, I think all 11 of us
and if I May say the mayor are
united in not wanting to second
guess or micromanage our health
experts in a pandemic or any
other medical situation, and I
was a little disappointed when you said that you are rarely
contacted pre-covid-19 by members of the board or during covid-19 by members of the board.
I have contacted you over
everything from 5g cell emissions to during the pandemic
I know that supervisor ronen has personally spoken with you, I have spoke within you on many occasions.
I really hope that you would say to me and my colleagues in the
public that yes, you do receive
calls from us precisely over the
issues that we are talking about, which by way of -- I don't want to talk tales out of
school, be u you agreed with the
supervisor as a doctor over
issues of reducing transmission
in congregate settings, with
they shelters, S.O.R.S or on the street. You agreed with this supervisor.
You agree with supervisor ronen. You actually expressed to us
your concerns that if you made
those decisions, your job might be jeopardized. And I actually said to you, that
we would protect your job because you serve as the board of supervisors appointee. And we want the best medical
advice that you can give and given your powers under state law as the health officer, we
want you to implement those.
As I said in earlier meeting,
doctor, we've got your back.
That's the end of my 30 seconds, Mr. President.
>> President: thank you.
Time is up.
Thank you, Dr. Aragon, for being
here, but I am a little
disappointed that we had general
question about the same issues that we talked about and my colleagues just talked about,
and there was some commitment by
you to come back with some overall idea of how you would
get to a plan if not a plan.
So I will talk to you or contact you in the future to see if we
need anymore briefings. But today I am going to go ahead
and end today's briefing. Again, thank you, colleagues, for hanging in there.
And thank you, Dr. Aragon and thank you, Dr. Baba for being
here today with us. Good night, everybody.