[00:11] Speaker 1: Good afternoon. Welcome to the May 19, 2026 regular meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll?
[00:19] Speaker 2: Thank you, Mr. President. Supervisor Chan. Chan. Present. Supervisor Chen. Chen. Present. Supervisor Dorsey. Dorsey. Present. Supervisor Fielder? Fielder. Not present. Supervisor Mahmoud. Mahmoud. Present. Supervisor Mandelman?
[00:36] Speaker 1: Present.
[00:37] Speaker 2: Mandelman. Present. Supervisor Melgar. Melgar. Present. Supervisor Sauter. Sauter. Present. Supervisor Cheryl. Cheryl. Present. Supervisor Walton. Walton. Present. And Supervisor Wong. Wong? Present. Mr. President, you have a quorum.
[00:54] Speaker 1: Thank you, Madam Clerk. San Francisco Board of Supervisors acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone, who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula. As the indigenous stewards of this land and in accordance with their traditions, the Ramachush Ohlone have never ceded, lost nor forgotten their responsibilities as the caretakers of this place, as well as for all peoples who reside in their traditional territory. As guests, we recognize that we benefit from living and working on their traditional homeland. We wish to pay our respects by acknowledging the ancestors, elders and relatives of the Ramatush Ohlone community, and by affirming their sovereign rights as first peoples colleagues. Will you join me in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance?
[01:36] Speaker 3: I pledge allegiance to the flag of
[01:39] Speaker 1: the United States of America, to the republic for which it stands.
[01:43] Speaker 4: One.
[01:54] Speaker 1: On behalf of the Board, I want to acknowledge the staff@sfgov TV today, that is, particularly Sue Zeno's. They record each of our meetings and make the transcripts available to the public online. Madam Clerk, do you have any communications?
[02:09] Speaker 2: Yes. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors welcomes your attendance in person here in the Board's Legislative Chamber. And when you're not able to be here, the proceedings are airing Live on SFgov TVs channel 26, or you can view the livestream at sfgovtv.org if you'd like to submit public comment in writing, you can send an email to bossfgov.org or use the Postal Service. Just address the envelope to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the number one, Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, City hall, room 244, San Francisco, CA 94102. If you need to make a reasonable accommodation for a future meeting under the Americans with Disability act, or to request language assistance, contact the Clerk's office at least two business days in advance by calling 415-5545184. And finally, in line with Supervisor Jackie Fielder's April 7 memo requesting to be excused from this meeting until June 30, a motion would be an order to consider the request for today's meeting. Thank you, Mr. President.
[03:21] Speaker 5: Thank you.
[03:21] Speaker 1: Madam Clerk, can I have a motion to excuse Supervisor Fielder from today's meeting? Moved by Chen, seconded by Walton. Colleagues, I think we can take that without objection. Without objection. Supervisor Fielder is excused. Madam Clerk, let's go to our approval of meeting minutes.
[03:38] Speaker 2: Yes. Approval of the April 14, 2026 board meeting minutes.
[03:46] Speaker 1: Can I have a motion to approve the minutes as presented? Moved by Chen, seconded by Dorsey. Madam Clerk, will you please call the
[03:56] Speaker 2: roll on the minutes as presented? Supervisor Chan. Chan, aye. Supervisor Chen. Chen, aye. Supervisor Dorsey, aye. Dorsey, aye. Supervisor Mahmoud. Mahmoud, aye. Supervisor Mandelman.
[04:12] Speaker 1: Aye.
[04:12] Speaker 2: Mandelman, aye. Supervisor Melgar. Melgar, aye. Supervisor Sauter. Sauter, aye. Supervisor Cheryl. Cheryl, I. Supervisor Walton. Walton, aye. And Supervisor Wong Wong, aye. There are 10 ayes.
[04:28] Speaker 1: Without objection. The minutes will be approved after public comment as presented. Madam Clerk, let's go to unfinished business. Please call Item 1.
[04:36] Speaker 2: Item 1. This is an ordinance to appropriate approximately 1.2 million of ambulance billings and approximately 426,000 of fire overtime service fees revenues in the fire department to de appropriate permanent salaries of 500,000 in the department of Emergency Management. Permanent salaries of approximately 6 million and dependent coverage of approximately 990,000 in the fire department and permanent salaries of 1.25 million in the Public Utilities Commission and to appropriate 500,000 to overtime in the Department of Emergency Management. Approximately 8.7 million to overtime in the fire department and 1.25 million in overtime in the Public Utilities Commission. To support the department's projected increases in overtime. This ordinance requires a 2/3 vote of all members of the board for approval of the Fire Department's appropriation of approximately 8 million. Please call the roll on item one. Supervisor Chan. Chan, aye. Supervisor Chen. Chen, aye. Supervisor Dorsey. Dorsey, aye. Supervisor Mahmoud. Mahmoud, aye. Supervisor Mandelman.
[05:51] Speaker 6: Aye.
[05:51] Speaker 2: Mandelman, aye. Supervisor Melgar. Melgar, aye. Supervisor Sauter. Sauter, aye. Supervisor Cheryl. Cheryl, aye. Supervisor Walton. Walton, aye. And Supervisor Wong Wong, aye. There are 10 ayes.
[06:06] Speaker 1: Without objection, the ordinance is finally passed. Madam Clerk, Please call Item 2.
[06:11] Speaker 2: Item 2. This is an ordinance to de appropriate 2.5 million of open space acquisition funding and appropriating 2.5 million in the Recreation and Park Department for a loan to the San Francisco Zoological Society in fiscal year 2025 through 2026.
[06:29] Speaker 1: Let's take this item. Same house, same call. Without objection, the ordinance is finally passed. Madam Clerk, please call item number three.
[06:39] Speaker 2: Item three. This is an ordinance to amend the administrative, business and tax regulations, campaign and Governmental conduct, environment, health, labor and employment. Municipal elections, park planning, police, public works and transportation codes. This pertains to various boards, commissions and advisory bodies. Please call the roll on item three. Supervisor Chan. Chan, no. Supervisor Chen. Chen, no. Supervisor Dorsey. Dorsey, aye. Supervisor Mahmoud. Mahmoud, aye. Supervisor Mandelman.
[07:21] Speaker 7: Aye.
[07:21] Speaker 2: Mandelman, aye. Supervisor Melgar. Melgar, no. Supervisor Sauter. Sauter, aye. Supervisor Sherrill. Aye. Cheryl, aye. Supervisor Walton. Walton, no. And Supervisor Wong. Wong, Aye. There are six ayes and four no's. With Supervisors Chan, Chen, Melgar and Walton voting no.
[07:44] Speaker 1: The ordinance is finally passed. Madam Clerk, please call item number four.
[07:49] Speaker 2: Item four. This is an ordinance to amend the administrative code to create the downtown hospitality zone and to make the appropriate findings. Please call the roll on item four. Supervisor Chan.
[08:04] Speaker 5: Aye.
[08:05] Speaker 2: Chan, aye. Supervisor Chen Chen, aye. Supervisor Dorsey. Dorsey, aye. Supervisor Mahmoud. Mahmoud, aye. Supervisor Mandelman.
[08:15] Speaker 1: Aye.
[08:16] Speaker 2: Mandelman, aye. Supervisor Melgar. Melgar, aye. Supervisor Sauter.
[08:21] Speaker 6: Aye.
[08:21] Speaker 2: Sauter, aye. Supervisor Sherrill.
[08:23] Speaker 6: Aye.
[08:24] Speaker 2: Cheryl, aye. Supervisor Walton, aye. Walton, aye. And Supervisor Wong.
[08:31] Speaker 5: Wong.
[08:31] Speaker 8: Aye.
[08:31] Speaker 2: There are 10 ayes.
[08:32] Speaker 1: Without objection, the ordinance is finally passed. Madam Clerk, please call items five and six together.
[08:40] Speaker 2: Yes. Items five and six together. Item five is a resolution to designate the outreach community based weekly and advertising and outreach neighborhood based monthly advertising for the following newspapers for the outreach community based weekly newspaper. The Bay Area Reporter for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The Wind newspaper for the Chinese community for the outreach neighborhood based monthly newspapers. The Clint Reilly Communications, doing business as the San Francisco examiner for the Eureka Valley, Excelsior, the Financial District, the Forest Hill, Haight, Ashbury Marina, Mission, North Beach, Pacific Heights, Presidio Heights, the Richmond, Russian Hill, south of Market, Some Sunset and the Tenderloin neighborhoods. El Tecolote for the Excelsior, Mission and Potro Hill neighborhoods. The Henry Society Journal for the Bayview, Hunters Point, Visitation, Valley and Western Addition neighborhoods. The Noe Valley Voice for the Diamond Heights and Noe Valley neighborhoods. The Potrero View for the Dog Patch, Eastern, south of Market, Mission Bay and Potrero Hill neighborhoods. San Francisco Bay Times for the Castro, Duboche, Triangle, Mission and the Noe Valley neighborhoods. The San Francisco Chronicle, serving the entire city. The World Journal serving Chinatown, Ingleside, Mission, Richmond and Sunset neighborhoods. The Tsing Tao daily for the Chinatown, Richmond, Sunset, Portolo Valley, Excelsior, Outer Mission, Tenderloin, Ocean View, Ingleside and the Merced Heights neighborhoods and the El Reprotero for the Mission, Bernal Heights, Ben, Bayview and Excelsior neighborhoods for fiscal year 2026 through 27 and for item 6. This resolution designates the Clinton Riley Communications, doing business as the San Francisco examiner, to be the official newspaper of the city and county of San Francisco for all official advertising for fiscal year 2026 through 2027.
[10:43] Speaker 1: And let's take these items. Same house, same call. Without objection, the resolutions are adopted. Madam Clerk, please call item number 7.
[10:51] Speaker 2: Item 7. This resolution authorizes the Recreation and Park Department to enter into an agreement to loan up to 8.5 million to the San Francisco Zoological Society to support the operation and long term financial sustainability of the San Francisco Zoo, effective upon approval of this resolution, to be repaid over 10 years in the form of deductions from the San Francisco Zoos management fee to allow the city to terminate the lease and management agreement in the event the loan is not timely repaid or if the conditions in the loan agreement are otherwise not met.
[11:30] Speaker 1: And again, same house, same call. Without objection, the resolution is adopted. Madam Clerk, please call item number eight.
[11:37] Speaker 2: Item eight. This is a resolution to authorize and approve an agreement with the successor agency to the redevelopment agency acting in its capacity as the legislative body of community facilities district number eight, the Hunters Point Shipyard Maintenance District, for the city to receive funding for its operation and maintenance of the Hunters Point Shipyard. Phase one, parks and open space.
[12:01] Speaker 1: Same house, same call. Without objection, the resolution is adopted. Madam Clerk, please call item number nine.
[12:07] Speaker 2: Item nine. This resolution approves the 2023 lease and use agreement between the city and the Airport Commission and Air Zedda co. Ltd. To conduct flight operations for a term commencing on the first day of the calendar month immediately following the receipt of full city approvals of the lease through June 30, 2033, and to make the appropriate findings.
[12:31] Speaker 1: Same house, same call. Without objection, the resolution is adopted. Madam Clerk, please call item number 10.
[12:37] Speaker 2: Item 10. This is a resolution to authorize a six month waiver of the city's behested payments ordinance for the mayor, members of the mayor's office and the executive director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development in each of their direct reports to solicit donations from nonprofits, private organizations, grant makers, foundations and other persons and entities for the purpose of supporting the continued economic revitalization of San Francisco. Francisco. Supervisor Chan, just requesting for roll call.
[13:09] Speaker 1: Okay, Madam Clerk, please call the roll on item 10.
[13:14] Speaker 2: Supervisor Chan?
[13:15] Speaker 5: No.
[13:16] Speaker 2: Chan? No. Supervisor Chen. Chen, Aye. Supervisor Dorsey. Dorsey, aye. Supervisor Mahmoud. Mahmoud, Aye. Supervisor Mandelman?
[13:27] Speaker 9: Aye.
[13:28] Speaker 2: Mandelman, aye. Supervisor Melgar.
[13:31] Speaker 8: Milgar?
[13:31] Speaker 10: Aye.
[13:32] Speaker 2: Supervisor Sauter. Sauter, aye. Supervisor Cheryl?
[13:36] Speaker 9: Aye.
[13:36] Speaker 2: Cheryl, aye. Supervisor Walton. Walton, aye. And Supervisor Wong. Wong. Aye. There are nine ayes and one no. With Supervisor Chan voting no.
[13:48] Speaker 1: The resolution is adopted. Madam Clerk, please call item 11.
[13:54] Speaker 2: Item 11. This is a resolution to approve the list of projects to be funded by fiscal year 2026 through 2027. The road maintenance and rehabilitation account funds for the local streets and roads program as established by California Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair and 2017 Accountability Act. Please call the roll on item 11. Supervisor Chan. Aye. Chan, aye. Supervisor Chen. Chen, aye. Supervisor Dorsey. Dorsey, aye. Supervisor Mahmoud. Mahmoud, aye. Supervisor Mandelman.
[14:31] Speaker 9: Aye.
[14:32] Speaker 2: Mandelman, aye. Supervisor Melgar. Melgar, aye. Supervisor Sauter.
[14:36] Speaker 6: Aye.
[14:37] Speaker 2: Sauter, aye. Supervisor Cheryl Cheryl. Aye. Supervisor Walton. Walton, aye. And Supervisor Wong.
[14:46] Speaker 10: Wong.
[14:46] Speaker 2: Aye. There are 10 ayes.
[14:47] Speaker 1: Without objection, the resolution is adopted. Madam Clerk, please call item number 12.
[14:52] Speaker 2: Item 12. This is a resolution to declare the intention of the Board of Supervisors to renew and expand the property based business improvement district known as the Downtown Community Benefit District. To approve the Management District plan and engineers report and proposed boundaries map to order and set the time and place for the Board of Supervisors to convene a committee of the whole, which will be July 21, 2026 at 3:00pm to approve the form of the notice of public hearing and assessment ballot proceeding and assessment ballots. To direct environmental findings and to direct the clerk of the Board to provide notice of the public hearing and balloting.
[15:35] Speaker 1: Same house, same call. Without objection, the resolution is adopted. Madam Clerk, please call item number 13.
[15:41] Speaker 2: Item 13. This is an ordinance to amend the administrative code to establish the San Francisco Hate Crime Reward Funds.
[15:50] Speaker 1: Supervisor Dorsey.
[15:51] Speaker 7: Thank you, President Mandelman. Colleagues, as this legislation creating a hate crime reward fund comes before us today on first reading, I think it's appropriate that we remember three victims who lost their lives yesterday in a senseless attack at a San Diego mosque. And to express our condolences to their family members and loved ones, as well as to the communities understandably shaken by this tragedy. This horrific crime by two perpetrators who appear to have taken their own lives is being investigated by authorities as a hate crime. And as the New York Times reported this morning, the attack has called further attention to concerns about increasing Islamophobia in the United States. Hate crimes are uniquely corrosive to a free society. In as much as they intend harm not solely to individual victims, but to instill pervasive fear in vulnerable communities. That is why cities that cherish the blessings of diversity and pluralism, like San Francisco and like San Diego for that matter, must do everything we can to help our diverse communities feel safe regardless of religion, race, sexual orientations, gender identities, or the backgrounds they reflect. This legislation is modeled on the updated Homicide Reward Fund we unanimously enacted a year ago. It's about supporting victims, protecting targeted communities, strengthening accountability, and encouraging members of the public to come forward with information if it can help ensure that justice is done. I want to thank my co sponsors, Supervisors Wong, Sauter and Cheryl. And I hope it will have your support.
[17:17] Speaker 1: Thank you, Supervisor Dorsey. Let's take this item, same house, same call. Without objection, the ordinance is passed on first reading. Madam Clerk, please call item number 14.
[17:27] Speaker 2: Item 14. This is a motion to approve the mayor's nomination for reappointment of Jeanette Howard to the Treasurer Island Development Authority Board of Directors for a term ending February 26, 2029.
[17:41] Speaker 1: And we'll take that. Same house, same call. Without objection. The motion is approved, Madam Clerk.
[17:48] Speaker 7: Let's go to roll call.
[17:51] Speaker 2: Supervisor Chan, your first step to introduce new business. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Today, colleagues, I have two memoriams. First, with great sadness, I would like to adjourn today's meeting in the memory of Mr. Kenneth Leung. Kenneth Kenny, or Mr. Leung, passed away on May 1st at a wonderful age of 96. He lived a long, full life, especially in his later years where he enjoyed every moment connecting with the community through music and playing his favorite instruments at his store on Jackson street in Chinatown. Kenny and his wife Louise were proud owners of ali and Eva Co. A reputable neighborhood music store in Chinatown. First founded in 1970, he was extremely proud of his achievements when Ali and Eva became a San Francisco Legacy business in 2023. The recognition gave his store a second life when his shop was propelled into the international musician scene, he found himself in his retirement years giving interviews to media outlets from Hong Kong, China and Singapore and greeting reputable musicians from across the Pacific. In 2023, his shot was selected to
[19:25] Speaker 8: be a part of the APAC conference in San Francisco where every attendee had
[19:31] Speaker 2: a chance to take home something from his shop. And second in memoriam.
[19:39] Speaker 8: Today, colleagues, that I would like to
[19:41] Speaker 2: offer is to Mr. Gerald Warren Johnson. Born January 28, 1925, Gerald was a
[19:50] Speaker 8: proud son of New Orleans whose life
[19:54] Speaker 2: embodied courage, resilience and steadfast commitment to justice and opportunity. Raised during segregation, he moved to San Francisco in 1946 and became an early advocate for civil rights, bravely challenging discrimination long before the movement gained national attention. In 1984, alongside with his wife Valerie, Gerald co founded the Small business Exchange newspapers, creating opportunities for minority and women owned businesses across the country. Through his leadership and vision. He helped open doors for countless underserved entrepreneurs and became a champion for economic inclusion and community empowerment. He was a devoted father to Sarah Domingo and Kimberly Johnson, as well as grandchildren Sarah and Daniel. Gerald's legacy was rooted not only in his public accomplishments, but also in the love, guidance and strength he shared with his family in the Bay Area and New Orleans. Through his influence reached far beyond New Orleans, Gerald carried the spirit and values
[21:13] Speaker 8: of his hometown throughout his life.
[21:16] Speaker 2: He championed legendary contribution to the San Francisco community through organizing and advocating for social justice and equal employment opportunities. He is remembered for his strength, unwavering integrity and dedication to uplifting others. His legacy continues to inspire future generation
[21:38] Speaker 8: to to pursue fairness, equality and opportunity
[21:41] Speaker 2: for all and the rest I submit thank you thank you, Supervisor Chan. Supervisor Chan.
[21:49] Speaker 8: Thank you, Madam Kerr. I have one Charter amendment introduction, one resolution and one hearing Colleagues over the last few weeks my office has been busy preparing a charter amendment for a new Municipal Finance Corporation and Public Bank. San Francisco has been grappling to advance large scale solutions that can address our housing affordability challenges, assist small business to thrive and to survive, and finance the investment needed to achieve climate sustainability. We need and deserve both solutions to address our most pressing challenges and we must use every tool we can to keep San Francisco affordable to sustain our local communities and lead toward a more just economic recovery for all. A Municipal Finance Corporation and Public bank is tried and tested solution that has proven its impact on local communities. The bank of North Dakota, which has a population the size of San Francisco, has consistently delivered profit supporting economic development in and keeping the local economy stable. Even during the 2008 financial crisis and COVID pandemic, public banks magnify the power of their investments by reinvesting all profits back into lending for the community around the world. More than a quarter of the world's assets are held in public banks. The California Public bank act, which was authorized by City Attorney David Chu, provides a pathway for San Francisco to take this step. This charter amendment codifies the mission principles and business plans that were developed by local experts in collaboration with national consultants and accepted by the Board of Supervisors. It establishes good governance structures appointed by an oversight body selected by the Treasurer, Controller, City Attorney, Mayor and Board of Supervisors, which significantly safeguard oversights and checks and balances to protect the public interests. It ensures that Municipal Finance Corporation and Public bank will be run by skilled banking professionals, bankers who will uphold financial industry best practices and rigorous financial management. The finance of the Municipal Finance Corporation and Public bank will not commingle with the City and county and have no impact on the general fund. The Municipal Financial Corporation will partner with local credit unions and Community development financial institutions to develop specialized lending products based on the gaps and needs analysis identified in the business plan. This landing can serve a wide range of San Francisco's needs from acquisitions of multifamily housing under the City's Small Sites program, community land trust projects, building electrification projects, supporting small business owners to expand and even helping to enable the transition of legacy business to workers ownership and to name a few. I want to really acknowledge my legislative in the office for his stewardship of this charter amendment, Charlie Simonds and I'm also very grateful for the critical leadership of the San Francisco Public Coalitions, Public Bank Coalition and the San Francisco Reinvestment Working Group. I also want to appreciate Kali Samari of the Local Agency Formation Commission, Wiki Vong and Mo Jamel with the City Attorney and Amanda Free of the Treasurer's Office for their partnership. I want to thank all my early co sponsors, Supervisor Fielder, Walton, Melga and Mahmoud. Today I'm also introducing a resolution to declare August 28, 2026 A student Jordan School for Equity Day in San Francisco in recognition of its outstanding contribution to educational equity, youth leadership, education and community empowerment. June Jordan opened in 2003 and was intentionally designed to be a small public school specializing in social justice, restorative practices, youth voice and academic success. The school carries on the legacy of acclaimed Black feminist poet, educators and activists. June Jordan in its steadfast commitment to social justice and liberation. Serving predominantly students from working class and low income, community of color from the southeast side of the city, June Jordan strive to improve access to education and narrow the achievement gap with private school, quality education, attentive support and studies, unpacking oppressions. Teachers, educators, counselors and staff work tirelessly every day to nurture students to become leaders and agents of positive changes in the community. Students build key competences and graduate with strong and thoughtful post secondary plans. They live in power, learning about accountability, the force of marginalization, humility, integrity, courageous respect and community impact. In the face of today's challenging landscape, June Jordan remains a vital community anchor deeply rooted in dignity, belonging, cultural affirmation, collective responsibility and equity for youth. Thank you colleagues and for your support in uplifting June Jordan School for Equity and for their outstanding contribution to educational equity and community empowerment. Lastly, colleagues, today I'm also introducing a hearing request on a $4.7 million contract that was awarded to a single organization without competitive bid by the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing in the Months after the award, there were questions about how the organization receiving the award was chosen and what the goal was, criteria expected, outcome of the contract included. Those questions are still left unanswered. This contract directs new resources to opening new offices in communities where existing similar services are being cut. Given the budget forecast, we owe our community, especially those relying on those services, a transparency from the department about how these decisions are being made. I'm requesting that the mayor's office, Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development and the Department on Homelessness and Supportive Housing report and the rest I submit. Thank you.
[28:50] Speaker 2: Thank you, Supervisor Chen. We'll return to roll call for introductions.
[28:53] Speaker 1: Mr. President, Madam Clerk. Let's go to our 2:30pm Special order.
[28:58] Speaker 2: Yes, it's now time for the recognition of commendations for meritorious service to the City and county of San Francisco.
[29:04] Speaker 1: We will Start with District 3 Supervisor Sar.
[29:08] Speaker 9: Thank you, President Manelman. Colleagues, today I have the honor of welcoming Chinatown Trip to our chambers for a special recognition trip. Would you all please come on up and join us. As we celebrate AAPI Month. We have a big milestone to mark. Chinatown trip is 50 years old. Trip stands for Transportation Research and Improvement Project. And for five decades, this project has turned into a legacy of fighting for better public transit and improved pedestrian safety in Chinatown. Tripp was born out of the strike of 1976, which left San Francisco without bus, trolley or cable car service for a very long six weeks. A group of Chinese American bus drivers, including Phil Chin, Landy Dong, Mike Yep and Terry Chow, sprung into action after they realized how the strike was leaving thousands of Chinatown seniors stranded. The drivers teamed up with none other than Annie Chung from Self Help for the Elderly to start an impromptu transit service for seniors. They took turns driving their cars, manning dispatch radios and helping seniors get to groceries, medical appointments and to see friends. This ad hoc service was established three years before SFMTA had their own paratransit service and it would help inspire today's much used senior escort program at Self Help for the Elderly. After the strike ended, the organizers shift their focus to improving bus service to better serve Chinatown. Their early fights still shape the lines we know and love today. For example, Chinatown Trip was instrumental in allowing the number 55 Sacramento to evolve into the number one California, bringing service from the Financial District to Chinatown and further into the Richmond. And this very morning, I waited to get on the one for 25 minutes. Four packed buses got on the fifth one at Polk and Clay. And so it's time that we get back together and improve the one Once again, another early campaign resulted in a new bus line, the number 83 Pacific, which we now know as the number 12 Pacific. After higher ups at MTA balked at a bus route running along Pacific Avenue because it was deemed too narrow, Mike and Landy made an impromptu decision to divert another route and drive along Pacific Avenue to prove that it would work out. And today, and to this day, it does work out. Chinatowntrip would soon link up with other grassroots groups focused on their own issues, from parks to housing, and combine efforts into a new organization, Chinatown Resource Center. That group evolved into what we now know today as Chinatown Community Development center, or ccdc. Five decades ago, public transit was at a breaking point. With our city ground to a halt from a strike. Today, the reason may be different, but we are yet again at a pivotal point for the future of public transit. I want to recognize. I saw her here earlier, the director of sfcta, Tilly Chang, who is in the chambers as well. Hi, Tilly. Thank you for joining us. Chinatown trip. I'm very, very grateful for the legacy you have built over these past five decades. I cannot imagine District 3 or Chinatown without your advocacy. Thank you for your past 50 years. Thank you for committing to another 50 years which we so badly need together. And the floor is yours if you want to offer a few remarks.
[33:13] Speaker 6: My name is Landy Dong and I'm here to thank. Supervisor Danny Salter for the recognition of Chinatown trips 50th year of existence. And let me tell you, back then, I never realized that I would be up here still doing this. It's incredible. And we came together as community members to create a grassroots. We came together as a community grassroots group. We were concerned with poor quality transit and transportation issues affecting our growing community over the five decades. Along with our partner ccdc, we've developed cooperative relationships with various cities agencies, most notably with the MTA in accomplishing our goals. Our initial success was the improvement of the scheduling of the number 30 Stockton bus. And even Carl Noti, the the Chronicle Sunday columnist, occasionally writes about the 30 Stockton. In other words, for advocating a traffic light at Powell and Pacific due to a pedestrian fatality. And back then they said, no way. Why? It cost $10,000 per corner, total 40,000. And nowadays, how much does it cost? About a million and a half just to install a simple signal light. So over time, we have truly become enduring civic partners. Thank you very much.
[35:02] Speaker 8: Thank you.
[35:03] Speaker 9: And we have probably the coolest swag I've seen. We have some muni swag for you all. So come around. We'll get you your swag and we'll do a picture. Thanks.
[35:37] Speaker 1: District 4 Supervisor Wong.
[35:41] Speaker 7: Good afternoon, colleagues. Today I'm proud to recognize National Emergency Medical Services Week. I'd like to invite our guests to join us up on the podium.
[36:05] Speaker 4: Hey.
[36:07] Speaker 7: I'm proud to recognize National Emergency Medical Services Week and commend the extraordinary professionals and community partners who make. Who make San Francisco's emergency medical response system. I also want to thank Assistant Deputy Chief Malloy, Chief Brannan, Chief Rabbit, Captain Tom Nurt, Program Coordinator, Prevention Officer Ham, and all the representatives from the San Francisco Fire Department and our broader emergency response committee community. And to those who are not here because they are out there doing the work right now, serving San Franciscans in real time, we thank you as well. National EMS Week is a moment for communities across the country to recognize the people who stand on the front lines of emergency care. That recognition feels especially meaningful this week as just yesterday our city honored outstanding individuals across the full spectrum of San Francisco's EMS system. From emergency communications and first response to field operations, hospital based emergency care, disaster preparedness, community partnership, leadership and the expanding field of community paramedicine. I'm proud to be a nurt trained volunteer myself and have worked for the American Red Cross. Public safety is a promise we make to every San Franciscan. And that promise depends on the professionals who answered the call. Often on someone's most difficult day. Bringing not only technical expertise and decisive action, but calm, compassion and reassurance when it matters most. What makes a strong EMS system is not just individual excellence, but coordination, trust and shared purpose. It is the dispatcher calmly guiding a caller through crisis. The EMTs and paramedics making split second decisions in the field. The hospital teams delivering life saving care. The community partners helping extend support beyond the emergency itself. Together, these professionals work around the clock, often under immense pressure to protect and improve the lives of San Franciscans. Their service reflects the very best of the city. Professionalism, resilience, compassion and an unwavering commitment to others. On behalf of the residents of San Francisco and especially our District 4 communities, thank you for your leadership, dedication and extraordinary service. With that, it's my honor to be able to honor and commend these extraordinary EMS professionals and emergency response partners whose service helps keep San Franciscans safe every single day. And I'd like to invite Assistant Deputy Chief Malloy to say a few words.
[38:53] Speaker 1: Good afternoon and thank you for the recognition during EMS Week. I'm truly honored to accept it. On behalf of the entire emergency medical services community, I want to acknowledge the extraordinary dedication of all our EMS providers, paramedics, community paramedics, EMTs, firefighters, along with dispatchers, nurses, law enforcement partners, and the many support staff who keep the system running every hour of every day. Their commitment, skill and compassion are what make our emergency response system strong. They show up in people's hardest moments and they do it with professionalism, empathy and courage again. Once again, I'd like to humbly thank you and accept on their behalf. Thank you. And before you take your photo, I missed Supervisor Chen in the queue.
[39:49] Speaker 8: Supervisor Chen, thank you, Board President Mandelman. I was just want to echo and express my deep gratitude and appreciation for the entire team and thank you so much for keeping our community safe, especially, you know, we just had our nerd training in District 11, keeping our neighborhood safe. I really, truly appreciate the dedication, the professionalism that you all provide, providing and keeping everyone safe in San Francisco. Thank you.
[40:44] Speaker 10: It.
[41:24] Speaker 1: Supervisor Dorsey, you've got two today.
[41:27] Speaker 7: I do. Thank you, President Mandelman. Colleagues, I have the pleasure of recognizing a valued member of San Francisco's Irish community and an outstanding public servant, the Republic of Ireland's Consul General to the Western United States, Michal Smith. And what makes this recognition especially timely is that Consul General Smith will be departing San Francisco later this month following a distinguished tenure representing Ireland here on the west coast of the United States. Consul General Smith hails from the village of Connlaw in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, a beautiful community nestled near the Ring of Gulyam and known for its deep history, strong sense of identity, and breathtaking landscape. From those roots, he's built an extraordinary international career dedicated to strengthening Ireland's global presence and deepening relationships around the world. Before coming to San Francisco, Consul General Smith served as Director of Global Ireland in Ireland's Department of Foreign affairs, where he helped lead major efforts and expand Ireland's international engagement, promote Ireland as a place to live, work, invest and study and strengthen connections between Ireland and communities across the globe. Over the course of his career, he has served in leadership roles across Asia, the Middle east, and the United States, including helping establish ida, Ireland's first Southeast Asian office in Singapore and leading economic development efforts that strengthen ties between Ireland and major international companies. His work has helped expand Ireland's economic, cultural and diplomatic influence worldwide. Here in San Francisco, Consul General Smith has continued that tradition of leadership while strengthening the deep and historic ties between Ireland and the Bay Area. As someone with Irish roots, on both sides of my own family, the Dorseys of Galway and the Carneys of Roscommon, I am especially appreciative for the important connections and the role that Ireland's diplomatic community plays in keeping them vibrant for future generations. For the past two years, I've also had the pleasure of hosting the Irish Consulate St Patrick's Day Social gathering in my office here in City Hall. That has been a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Irish heritage, friendship, and community alongside Consul General Smith and and members of San Francisco's Irish community. Beyond that, all of us in San Francisco's LGBTQ community are also grateful to Consul General Smith for his leadership to honor Roger Casement, whose bronze plaque was added last year to the Castro's Rainbow Honor Walk. Roger Casement was an Irish patriot and diplomat who exposed human rights abuses in Africa and South America and fought for Ireland's independence. Casement's identity as a gay man was cruelly weaponized against those who pushed for his clemency, and he was executed for treason in 1916. Thanks to many supporters, including the Consul General's office, this intersection of Irish and LGBTQ history will forever endure at Castro's 18th and Castro Street. Beyond Michal's impressive professional and diplomatic accomplishments, he is also someone deeply grounded in faith, family, and community. Together with his wife, Claire and their four children, he has brought warmth, energy, and a strong sense of Irish culture and tradition to our city. On behalf of the City and County of San Francisco, Consul General Smith, I want to thank you for your leadership, your friendship, and your service, and for strengthening the enduring bond between Ireland and San Francisco. And before inviting you to say a few words, I believe I have several, a couple colleagues who want to express their appreciation and gratitude for your friendship and service to our city. So thank you, Consul General Smith.
[45:26] Speaker 1: Supervisor Melgar.
[45:28] Speaker 4: So my birthday is on March 17. As the consul knows that makes me eligible for Irish citizenship. I have to say I have so enjoyed getting to know you, hanging out with your family. You are also wonderful. You have been a stellar representative of your government here in our fair city with the Irish community, especially on the west side. But you also have been so thoughtful and kind and inclusive and collaborative, and I am going to miss you dearly. I know you're going on to bigger and better things on the world stage, but we have been so, so lucky that you have been the one to represent your country here with us and also that you shared your wonderful family with us and your kids went to school here, and I know that they will always have that in their hearts as they go on with their lives. Thank you for having shared yourself and your family with San Francisco, we have so enjoyed having you.
[46:34] Speaker 1: Supervisor Wong.
[46:38] Speaker 7: Good afternoon, everyone. First, I want to thank Supervisor Dorsey for leading this recognition and bringing us together to honor Council General Smith and his family before their departure from San Francisco. Consul General, thank you for your service and for your partnership you've built here in San Francisco. The ties between our city and Ireland are deeply meaningful, shaped not only by history, but by the Irish community that continues to play such an important role in the life of the city. As the supervisor representing the Sunset and as someone working to establish San Francisco's Irish Cultural District, I especially want to thank you for your engagement of the Irish community here in San Francisco and for helping build the connections that will continue well beyond this moment and to your family. Thank you as well. Public service is never done alone, and we know these chapters are shared by the loved ones who support us every step of the way. I'm genuinely excited for the work that will continue ahead and look forward to continuing to collaborate closely with the Irish community as we move forward with establishing the cultural district and deepening those ties even further. Thank you for your leadership and your service to our city. We wish you and your family nothing but the very best in your next chapter.
[47:48] Speaker 1: Thank you very much, Mr. Consul General. My colleagues have said anything that I would think about saying already and said it better. But I just want to say for myself that it has been a true honor and privilege to be able to get to know you and work with you on some things. And you've been great. San Francisco loves you. We're going to miss you a lot. And thank you, Supervisor Dorsey, for bringing the Consul General in here to get a little recognition.
[48:21] Speaker 9: Thank you.
[48:21] Speaker 1: Now the floor is yours. Gurdam Hogarth.
[48:27] Speaker 9: Thank you in Irish. To see the Irish flags around today does my heart proud to receive this. Thank you, Supervisor Dorsey. Thank you, President Mandelman. Thank you all the members of the board, and thank you for the kind words. To receive this today in the city and county of San Francisco, a city that has meant so much and means so much to my family and I, is deeply humbling. Claire, my daughter, Sophie, Senan, Conan and Oisin have thoroughly enjoyed this place. We've built lifelong friends, friendships. This will always be in our hearts. A city with enormous beauty, diversity. It has a creativity, it has resilience, it has a compassion. And it's constantly changing. I've seen how it's changed over the last four years, but changed and reinventing itself, but also still looking after its community and its people. And we have, as you've mentioned several times, a proud Irish community here with an impactful history. But what makes San Francisco so special and what makes that community so special is that the Irish story has been woven into the richness of every other community here. And that's what makes this city remarkable. We're proud. I'm proud the Irish community is proud to be part of that interconnectedness. And you see that incredible interconnectedness with the work of the United Irish Cultural Centre and its vision for the sunset, the support that the Irish Immigration and Pastoral Centre provides, the work of the United Irish societies and the St Patrick's Day parade that comes from that. The vibrant San Francisco Cork sister city relationship. On Treasure island, we have the home of the Gaelic Athletic Association, Gaelic Games. I think it's the best stadium, best land and the vista in the United States. We, the Glenn soccer team, play with diversity of communities. 90 different communities playing football.
[50:27] Speaker 1: Soccer, sorry.
[50:28] Speaker 9: Across the city, San Francisco has been shaped profoundly by the Irish.
[50:35] Speaker 1: If you turn on your water tap
[50:37] Speaker 9: in the kitchen today, it's because of a Limerick man, Michael o', Shaughnessy, who engineered and designed that. If you.
[50:45] Speaker 6: I think so.
[50:50] Speaker 9: If you look, women's rights, women's pay, Kate Kennedy back in the mid-1800s fought for that at a time when very few people did and was successful. We look at the men and women in uniform that we have right across the city serving, and the Irish connections that are there does my heart proud and is proud of by the Irish government. And today we build on those connections. We see that the famine memorial has been agreed and has been planned for Lincoln Park. Supervisor Dorsey, you talked about the Roger Casement plaque, which was a huge honour and very proud to be there that day when it was unveiled. In the Rainbow Honour Walk, we have the original rainbow flag making its way to Cork over the summer for the first time ever, we have the Laurel Tie commemoration by the Irish to the Chinese railway workers to honour them in their construction of the transcontinental railway. And many others, many into culture, economic and technology. These initiatives will continue. So, supervisors, this city, San Francisco, is the greatest city in the world. Outside Ireland. It truly is. It will always have a deep place in our hearts. And I want to thank you, I want to thank the mayor and I want to thank the people of this city for making this such an impactful part of my life. Garamila Mahogat, thank you so much.
[52:27] Speaker 1: Supervisor Dorsey, shall we. Shall we bring the Consul General into the well?
[52:33] Speaker 10: Yeah.
[53:37] Speaker 1: Okay, Round two.
[53:39] Speaker 7: Next. Colleagues, I beg your indulgence. For a rare instance of commendatory double dipping. But as you will soon hear, it's for a truly extraordinary community member, Sister Marguerite Bartling. Sister, You would approach the lectern. Sister Bartling's compassion, faith, and leadership have transformed countless lives in San Francisco. Through her work at Good Shepherd Grace center For the past 17 years, Sister Marguerite has dedicated herself to helping women without resources overcome alcohol and drug addiction and build hopeful, healthy futures. Under her leadership, Grace center has provided not only recovery services, but also dignity, stability, compassion, and a true sense of community for women working to rebuild their lives. As many of you know, recovery is an issue that is deeply personal to me. I know firsthand how transformative recovery from addiction and alcoholism can be. And I also know that no one succeeds alone. Recovery depends on people who are willing to show compassion, provide support, and believe in someone, even when they may struggle to believe in themselves. That is exactly the kind of leadership Sister Marguerite has provided for nearly two decades at Grace Center. Through her faith, kindness, and tireless commitment, she has helped countless women overcome addiction and move toward healthier, more stable futures. She has also strengthened Grace center itself by expanding resources, building community partnerships, and helping ensure the organization can continue its mission for years to come. The work of recovery is often quiet, difficult, and deeply human, but it changes lives, families, and communities every single day. Sister Marguerite has truly led with what her colleagues describe as the heart of a shepherd. And San Francisco is stronger because of your service, Sister. As she prepares her next assignment for the Sisters of Good Shepherd, I want to thank her on behalf of a grateful city and county of San Francisco for her extraordinary leadership, compassion, and lasting impact. Sister Marguerite, congratulations on this well deserved commendation, and thank you for everything you have done for our city and for the women you have helped along the way, and to affirm the enduring promise of recovery. Thank you so much.
[56:11] Speaker 2: I'd like to say thank you very much for this combination for the supervisors, and I accept it on behalf of
[56:17] Speaker 8: the Good Shepherd Sisters who have served
[56:19] Speaker 2: here in San Francisco for 94 years
[56:22] Speaker 8: helping young women in trouble.
[56:29] Speaker 2: But we don't do it alone.
[56:30] Speaker 8: We have our Good Shepherd Guild, we
[56:32] Speaker 2: have our board, we have our staff, our volunteers, and especially the brave women who take those steps for recovery and for helping their families and strengthening their communities. Thank you very much for everything.
[57:02] Speaker 10: It.
[57:52] Speaker 1: Next up, District 5 Supervisor Mahmoud.
[57:56] Speaker 7: Colleagues, today it is my honor in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, to recognize Stephen Nicaggio. Steve, can you come upstairs? Steve is a dedicated community leader, nonprofit executive, and public servant whose decades of work has helped strengthen San Francisco's Japanese American community. Steve has spent more than 50 years serving this city through leadership rooted in care and a deep commitment to community well being. Steve, I first remember when I first met you, years before I even ran for office and you were quite stern and made sure that I knew who was boss. And Steve, as people know, is wholeheartedly the godfather of Japayan Town. And there's a reason for that. His work has spanned decades in the community. Since 1971, he served as co founder and executive director of Kimochi, creating a time when there was very few culturally responsive services for Japanese American seniors in San Francisco. And what started as a grassroots effort grew under his leadership into a nationally recognized senior services organization. Over more than four decades, Steve has helped build Camoche into a trusted institution providing housing, support, nutrition programs, transportation and social services for seniors across the city. His work has ensured that generations of seniors could age with dignity and culturally grounded care. And in a neighborhood which over 20% of the neighborhood is over the age of 80, a service like Kamochi is a public treasure. Steve also co founded the Nihonmachi Street Fair during the Asian American movement and helping create a space where Japanese American and broader Asian American communities could gather through art, music and performance. That tradition continues today as one of San Francisco's most enduring cultural celebrations as well as one of my favorite personal favorite events in the city. Not least of which is because Chief Crispin and I cook burgers almost every year alongside Steve at the fair. Steve has served San Francisco in public safety governance as well for nearly three decades. He has served on the San Francisco Fire Commission and want to acknowledge all of those who are here from our Fire Department as well in recognition. Steve was first appointed in 1996 and he has served continuously through multiple mayoral administrations, including reappointments by Mayor Gavin Newsom, Mayor Ed Lee and Mayor London Breed. He's not retiring if anyone was worried, but he has held that leadership roles as both president and Vice president of the commission across multiple terms, including service as recently as the present. Reflecting a longstanding role in overseeing the city's key public safety institutions. Steve's civic engagement continues today through active roles focused on Japantown. He's currently a member of the Reimagine Japantown Community, a member of the Japantown Community Benefit District, the Steering Committee, and serves as producer of the J Town Consulate, continues to support cultural programming and community events as Grace Harakiri, Executive Director of the Japantown Community Benefits District Shared Steve is not only a community leader, but but a big brother to many of us who grew up in J Town. He has continually helped us J Town kids become leaders of our community. In his earlier leadership as Executive Director of the Japantown Task Force and Japantown cultural district from 2017 to 2021, Steve helped guide major community initiatives, strengthen organizational structure, and support longtime cultural and economic planning for the neighborhood. During that time, he also helped produce and support a range of Japantown cultural programming, including Peace Plaza events and festivals. More recently, he has continued producing and supporting Japantown cultural events, including the Nihonmachi Merchants association programming, the J Town Jazz and Taiko Festival, Peace Plaza programming, and J Town Taiko and Jazz events. Across all these efforts, his focus has remained on sustaining community space and intergenerational connection and celebration. His contributions have been recognized widely, including the KGO Profile and Excellence, the KQED Asian American Heritage Award, the Spur Award, the Foreign Minister's Commendation from Japan in 2016, and the order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays. Steve, thank you so much for your decades of service to San Francisco. We think you have a couple more decades left that we'll get out of you as well, and your continued leadership in Japantown and your lifelong commitment to strengthen communities for future generations. And before you speak, we'd like to have some of the members of the Fire Department speak as well.
[63:31] Speaker 6: Mr. President, members of the Board of Supervisors, Dean Crispin, Fire Chief I would just like to paint a picture for you that I think is one of the more beautiful scenes that I've seen in San Francisco and Supervisor Mahmoud alluded to.
[63:43] Speaker 7: It comes at the end of the Cherry Blossom Parade, and it's at the booth where the Asian Firefighters association conducts
[63:50] Speaker 6: a sale at Teriyaki Burgers. And it really is the beauty of
[63:53] Speaker 7: it is the breadth of ages that participates in this event.
[63:57] Speaker 6: You have children, you have aspiring firefighters, you have firefighters, you have EMTs, you have paramedics, you have retired firefighters, you have retired firefighters friends. You have this amazing group of people
[64:07] Speaker 7: all working to serve the community.
[64:09] Speaker 6: And really, I attribute this to Commissioner Steven Nicagio, and when you watch him witness this and participate, you can see the pride and the happiness in his eyes to see this whole group of people committed to community service. Now, none of us will ever meet the commitment that Commissioner Nicagio has fully
[64:26] Speaker 7: invested in San Francisco, but this group
[64:28] Speaker 6: effort is really led by him, and his stabilizing force on the commission has been an amazing help to us as a new command staff starting last year. And his wisdom and intelligence on the
[64:41] Speaker 7: Commission has been incredibly helpful to us.
[64:43] Speaker 6: So really thank you, Supervisor Mahmood, for honoring him, and thank you to the remainder of the board for participating and supporting him.
[64:49] Speaker 7: He's a real gift to San Francisco.
[64:51] Speaker 6: We are so lucky to have him.
[64:52] Speaker 7: A lifetime of community service.
[64:54] Speaker 6: We are very lucky to have you. Thank you.
[65:04] Speaker 2: Thank you, Supervisors. Thank you for letting me speak. My name is Sayumi Brannan. I'm Deputy Chief of administration for the San Francisco Fire Department. And I just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you to Commissioner Nakago. Not only has he been an inspiring leader in just not just Japantown, but the entire city, but he actually has been a mentor and an aspiration for me.
[65:25] Speaker 5: When I first and was still new
[65:26] Speaker 2: in the fire Department, he did find me, recognized that I was Japanese American and pointed it out that I need to really take that into heart. Something that not very many people said to me growing up, and for someone to recognize my culture and my heritage. And he was shocked to find that I did speak Japanese, that that resonated with me.
[65:53] Speaker 5: And I think I.
[65:54] Speaker 2: And I have him to thank for where I am today. So, Commissioner Nakago, domo arigato gozaimas.
[66:07] Speaker 1: And Commissioner Nakago, before you speak, Supervisor Sherrill has some remarks.
[66:13] Speaker 3: Commissioner Nakago, the first time. Well, the second time we met, but the first time we really met was at Japantown. It was my first significant visit to Japantown. And you laid out an expansive view of the history of the community and your ability to provide the wisdom of the history of San Francisco. So many parts of that, combined with your incisive insight into what our city needs today, is incredibly unique. And your service to Japantown combined with your service to the entire city of San Francisco is unique. So. So I want to thank you for combining the micro and the macro like so few are able to do, and for your continued leadership. Thank you.
[67:02] Speaker 1: I will add my own congratulations and thanks, Commissioner Nakago. I think soon after I joined this board of Supervisors, you helped reintroduce me to Japantown. And you have been a happy presence to see in all of our civic events. And your stewardship of our Fire Department is something for which we are all incredibly grateful. So thank you, Commissioner Nicajo, and thank you, Supervisor Mahmoud, for honoring our commissioner.
[67:40] Speaker 6: Thank you very much. As a Japanese American, in terms of all of the cultural traits we inherit from our grandparents and our community, being humble is part of that attribute, and service is the other part of that attribute. Supervisor Mahmoud, thank you so much for this recognition, particularly because you're a District 5 supervisor, but also with the diversity of District 5, Japantown is part of that as well. So we thank you for that, but we also thank you for the advocacy and the work. I have to remark how important this event is, not just for myself as an Asian American Pacific Islander, but the fact that we're in San Francisco. When I taught at San Francisco State in Asian American Studies, I used to talk about San Francisco being the Asian American capital of the United States. And I know my friends in New York and Los Angeles maybe weren't particularly keen on that. But if you do the research, you find out that the historical basis all came from here. Part of that is Japantown. I have to tell you that once upon a time, back when Asian American heritage was a coined phrase and when it was first implemented here in San Francisco, I vaguely remember being under that dome with about six of us. And it was the proclamation of Asian American Heritage Month. And then Governor Mayor Newsom was presiding, and I was hanging out with a couple of my colleagues, the late Sula Palega. There was also Ted Fang and many of us. And as this proclamation occurred, I looked at Sulu and Ted Fang, and I basically said, we gotta do better than this. And part of that was that we come from San Francisco, which, again, has such rich history. All of these accolades and discussions in terms of San Francisco points to what we have best, our culture, our community, and all of our pioneers who made San Francisco what it is today. That's something that we should never lose sight of. And with the changing dynamics of San Francisco, with the buildings, with all of the discussion, don't devalue the biggest commodity, the biggest treasure that we have, which is our members, our community. And this Asian American Heritage Award is just not for myself. It's for everybody else that's in the room. All of them in the past and in the future. And that's what's really important. Talking about the future, if you talk about Japantown supervisor, as you know, we always lament and talk about the history of Japantown. Believe it or not, San Franciscans used to be 44 blocks before the war, during 46, 1946, 1947, we know where we were. We Japanese American. 120,000 Japanese Americans in 10 different concentration camps. Call it what you want. No due process, no reimbursement, no reparation. But we, our community, our pioneers, adapted to that. How do you think folks felt in camp trying to figure out a future for San Francisco and the Japanese American community? And then to come back and rebuild our Issei generation, our Nisei generation. And then to have the city and county in this chamber emanate and execute eminent domain. Eminent domain for us in the Fillmore Japantown area means the total destruction of. Of everything that we grew up with. And part of that is to try to maintain that in today's standards. That's really, really important. We talk about four blocks of Japantown, but we know it goes beyond that. It takes a village to do the work that I have. And brothers and sisters and supervisors, respectfully, the village is here in this chamber representing our community and something that we should never forget as well. Those sins of our forefathers still affect us today. We're trying to still maintain a community that has residents that have changed with their dynamics. We're dealing with issues like certificate of preference. What the heck was that? These were certificates given to members of our community, the Fillmore and Japanese community, that guaranteed you a place back in our community. And after 60 years, that still hasn't been quite implemented. But the work is being done now. So talk about those effects and where we are now. I'm glad you talked about Japanese community Benefit District. The village is part of all of the nonprofits that are here as well. And part of that village, for myself and the love of San Francisco and Japantown is the love and honor of being a member of the San Francisco Fire Department. This department, in terms of the love of community, helped me define for myself the love of San Francisco that a young man from J town can come out of the West Indies, from Fillmore, participate within public services, and begin to understand fully the beauty of San Francisco. Members of the board, Supervisor Mahu, thank you so much for everything that you've done. I appreciate it. Thank you.
[73:07] Speaker 10: It.
[74:08] Speaker 1: All right, Next up, District 10. Supervisor Walton.
[74:15] Speaker 6: Thank you so much. President Mandelman. Colleagues, today it is my honor to rise this American Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month to recognize a young leader whose life and work embodies service, culture, and community. Augustino Tino Felice. Born and raised in San Francisco, Tino's roots in this city run deep. And his commitment to uplifting our communities has already left a lasting impact on countless lives. For nearly two decades, Tino has dedicated himself to serving through the Samoan Community Development center, where he has become a trusted mentor, advocate, and bridge builder. From youth services and family programming to supporting transitional age youth, Tino has consistently created pathways for young people and families to thrive. His work is not simply about programs. It is about relationships, trust, and making every person feel seen, valued and empowered. What makes Tino especially remarkable is the pride and love he carries for his culture. At a time when so many young people are searching for identity and belonging, Tino stands tall in who he is and encourages the next generation to do the same. Through his work across Pacifica community. Every connection he builds strengthens the fabric of our city. As he continues his studies and social work at San Francisco State University and carries forward his service to the people of San Francisco, Tino reminds us all. Leadership rooted in humility, culture and love, what it truly looks like today. We thank Tino Felice for his unwavering commitment to the Pacifica community, to the youth and families of San Francisco, and to building a future grounded in culture, dignity and collective care. Congratulations, Tino, and thank you for all that you do.
[76:47] Speaker 9: Sorry, you know, when you call one of us, you call the whole village. So thank you again. Again, Talo Falava. To president, supervisors, departments and community members gathered here today. First and foremost, I give all the honor and glory to God for granting me the strength, the faith and the purpose to continue to show up for my community. I always say, you may be smarter than me, you may be stronger than me, or you might speak more eloquently than me, but you're not going to out serve me for my community and my God. Sorry I didn't. This is the fire that keeps me going and the motivation I carry with me each and every day. You know, when waking up. And again, thank you, Supervisor Walton and D10, and also your office, for your continued support, your partnership, and just the love that you showed to our Pacific community within San Francisco. I want to give honor to our ancestors who paved the way, my grandparents, parents, Nate, who paved the way to sacrifice and who carried us to this moment. To our elders, thank you for your continued guidance, wisdom and love. I would not be standing here without you and especially the ones that are watching over us. Queen Aisha, Anna. Auntie Nani. Sorry. And Auntie aso, Eva. So my SCDC family back there, thank you for always showing up, for supporting me and for doing this work alongside me to uplift community. I know it's not easy. I know you know, but we make it happen and we make it fun, though. So again, thank you, SCDC family, to our SVI teams, everybody that's here today, even DCYS, DCYF, Director Charisse and all her team and, you know, IFR, YCD, CYC, SCDC, UCSF, Wraparound, and TaylorMade. And if I miss you, I apologize. Y' all could get me after I Leave here. But just wanted to say thank you guys for just a continued commitment to continue to show up every single day. This recognition belongs to all of us. All of you. I simply. I'm just, simply honored to accept it on behalf of community that is being recognized today. That is not just about. This is not just about me. This is about all of us and the work we continue to build together for the next generations to come to our future and emerging leaders in our Pasfequa community. Keep pushing forward. Keep finding your purpose. Keep building in every space you enter as I stand here today. Our Executive Director, Dr. Patsy Tito is speaking to 12 NHPI graduates at USF today. So that you know, again, this is who we are. We show up wherever our Pasafika people are and we want them to know that there are no limits. Someone brown like me can do this. You can do this too. Let's continue to encourage the next generation to dream without boundaries and to always keep God first. To my family, that's always here too. My village, the community village as well. Thank you for being my backbone. I know there are moments I miss, but know that the spirit is always. My spirit is always with you. To my wife, Dre, and my son, Tiyamalu, you are my purpose. Every early morning, every long night is who drives me to go out and serve. Having my son, you know, by my side during program at work is the greatest blessing to me of my life. Thank you for giving me the grace. Thank you for giving me the time. And thank you for believing in this work as much as I do. And I'd like to leave you guys with a Samoan proverb. Ole ali le pule ole Tautua. The pathway to leadership is through service. This proverb is something that we live by at scdc. It is the foundation we stand on and is the heartbeat behind everything we do. We are committed to continue to serve our Pasafika community and our broader community with the same passion, dedication and love for our people that has always carried us forward. This is for our community. This is for our future. Pafatai Tela Lava. Thank you.
[80:40] Speaker 6: We're going to reset.
[80:40] Speaker 1: We'll just recess for a few minutes. We're going to recess for about five minutes and try to drum up some supervisors. So we'll be in recess till 3:30.
[81:29] Speaker 8: Sfgov tv
[81:33] Speaker 4: san francisco government television.
[87:16] Speaker 1: All right, we are back in session. If you are standing, find yourself a seat or leave. All right, District 11, Supervisor Chen.
[87:31] Speaker 8: Thank you. Board President Mandelman. May I have Noel come to the podium? Happy API Heritage Month. I'm so proud to honor Noel Orario, Executive director of the Excelsior Awards. For a decade, Excelsior Awards has been a vital District 11 institutions. It began as a community driven effort to provide workforce development and equitable employment pathways for the neighborhoods.
[88:03] Speaker 1: Supervisor Chen. Hold on. Okay, take it away. Supervisor Chen.
[88:15] Speaker 8: For API Heritage Month, I am very proud to honor Noel Orario, Executive director of Excelsior Awards. For a decade, Excelsior Awards has been a vital District 11 institution. It began as a community driven effort to provide workforce development and equitable employment pathways for the neighborhood's historically immigrant and working class population. During the pandemic, the center pivot to serve as the crucial hub distributing groceries, helping residents, navigating unemployment benefits and co founding the Excelsior Strong collaborative to coordinate public health outreach and vaccination sites. Post pandemic, Excelsior Works returned to its workforce development roots, offering intensive employment coaching, case management and workforce and workshops in English, Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin. True to its origin, the center also serves as a vibrant community hub and co working space for key partners including the Chinese Progressive association, poder, the Filipino Community center and UCSF Kanika Matin Barrel. Noel has led Excelsior work with a commitment to long term community resilience with over a decade of nonprofit management spending from public benefit access, food security and health advocacy. As the Executive Director, Noel has stirred the organization back to its core workforce development missions, building a network of community partnerships and coalitions, and has committed to building a sustainable foundation to ensure Excelsior Works remains a permanent resource for the community. Thank you, Noel, for your outstanding work of serving our immigrant community. Thank you, Supervisor Chen and members of the board. My name is Noel Horario. I'm the Executive Director of Excelsior Works. And on behalf of our team, our community members and our organizational partners at our beloved 5K mission office, I want to extend our deepest gratitude to Supervisor Chen for this commendation. Since its founding, Excelsior Works has been a sanctuary and a stepping stone for the immigrant and working class families of District 11. Most of our clients, they come to us through word of mouth, seeking the comfort of navigating complex systems in their own language. At Excelsior Works, cultural competency is the very fabric of our success. We reduce isolation by being the trusted faces our community turns to first for accurate information. At our office, those friendly faces belong to Linda, Sergio and Pedro. They are the essential guides and a formal part of supporting our neighbors to build their lives here in San Francisco. But our office is more than just a service center. It is a center for gathering. It's where a neighborhood comes together for know your rights workshops, community action teams, you, healing clinics, legal support, and art builds.
[91:42] Speaker 2: It's a place of joy where our
[91:44] Speaker 8: annual Lunar New Year gatherings bring together a full house to celebrate our Asian community.
[91:50] Speaker 2: And it is a place of frontline
[91:52] Speaker 8: solidarity, most recently demonstrated when we opened our doors to host the Hummingbird farm and Filipino Community Center Community schools during the educator strike earlier this year. Receiving this honor during AAPI Heritage Month is incredibly meaningful.
[92:09] Speaker 2: It serves as a powerful reminder of
[92:11] Speaker 8: our deep intercultural solidarity. True community resilience isn't built in isolation. It lives in the partnership shared between our Asian, Latino and diverse immigrant communities
[92:23] Speaker 2: who show up for one another.
[92:26] Speaker 8: And while we celebrate this collective strength, we know that true resilience thrives when it is backed by proactive and systemic investment. So thank you again, Supervisor Chen, for meeting this moment, for partnering with us,
[92:42] Speaker 2: and for championing the vision to build
[92:44] Speaker 8: a foundation where all working class and immigrant families in District 11 can thrive.
[94:22] Speaker 1: All right, District 2 Supervisor Sherrill colleagues,
[94:27] Speaker 3: today it is my honor to recognize Jacques Grillo. Jacques, would you please come up to the. Today I get to recognize Jacque, the Executive director and a teacher at the Lone Mountain Children's center for his 49 years of dedication to the families of San Francisco. Over the last five decades, Jacques has become synonymous not only with Lone Mountain, but with independent early childhood education. Today we honor an icon, a staunch advocate for education and a cherished leader. Jacques's originally from the North Shore of Boston. He holds a bachelor's in Human development with a specialty in early childhood from the University of Massachusetts, a master's in Counseling psychology from John F. Kennedy University, and his very first teaching job was in a laboratory preschool at Harvard. But Jacques has called San Francisco home since 1977, the same year he joined Lone Mountain as a teacher. Founded in 1974, Lone Mountain Children's center is an independent, non profit, non denominational preschool located in the presidio in District 2. Now, Jacques is a unicorn because he is also a licensed marriage and family therapist and for over 25 years he maintained a private counseling and psychotherapy practice alongside his work at Lone Mountain. So of course the question really is whether parents choose Lone Mountain for the children or do they really choose it for themselves. Now, for the past 30 years as executive director of Lone Mountain, you have shaped the school into the beloved institution it is today. You have helped rear well over 2,000 preschoolers, shaping not just young children, but the persons they may become. You built a cherished community where childhood is honored, joy is prioritized. And long tenured, devoted teachers. I see some of you back here build meaningful relationships with every child they teach. And those teachers are a testament to Jacques leadership. The extraordinary educators he recruits, recruited and trained over the years didn't end up at Lone Mountain by accident. They were drawn by his vision and they stayed because of the culture he built. Your retirement is a perfect example of your leadership. Now Jacques is at the height of his powers, yet he chose proactively to step down in order to ensure the school's future and to support his successor through the transition. That takes foresight. That takes sacrifice. Now today is an honor for me because Sarah and I, like all the other parents, know that the students who learn the most from you are not the children. They are us, the parents. And I'll admit, and I know I'm not alone in this, that when I first met you, my reaction was one of intimidation. But it worked. Your quiet confidence, your innate leadership gave us the clearest message. I know what I'm doing. I. I'm very good at this. And by the way, do you see how much fun the children are having now? I'm going to steal for Lauren Gross here because she said it best. We trusted you with the most sacred slice of ourselves, our kids, year after year. You enjoyed and loved each of them, even when perhaps you felt less compelled by their adult counterparts. We came to you some as first time parents or experienced parents, Definitely worried parents, and sometimes less than graceful parents. You always met us in your direct, poignant way. You never shied from the truth, ever. Blunt, often humorous, rarely incorrect. Because Jockey Baby, and yes, that is what the kids call him. The fact that he wears that nickname with pride tells you everything you need to know about the man. Jockey Baby knows that kids with type A San Francisco parents sometimes need a dose of humbling. Take one boy's drawing, for instance. Do you like it, Jacques? I think it needs a little work. Or the lovely young lady who asked if he liked her dress. It's not my favorite. You are a straight shooter and the children love you. They love you, Jacques. You always said that kids find the fun and they always find you. And you. Well, with teaching, you found your calling. And thank God you did. In April, you shared a poem by Father Pedro Arrupe with us. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning. What you do with your Evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, whom you know, what breaks your heart and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love. Stay in love, and it will decide everything. Jacques, your last wish for us was
[99:08] Speaker 6: to fall in love.
[99:10] Speaker 3: But Jacques, we are already in love with you. You inspire me. You show that love and firmness go hand in hand. That there is right and there is wrong. That expectations are good because we are capable. That you can take your work incredibly seriously without taking yourself too seriously. And that humor belongs in everything. Because at the end of the day, if we're not having fun, fun, what's the point? Your retirement in just a few weeks will bring a close to an extraordinary 49 year teaching career. And to those of you in the audience who joined us to honor JOC today, thank you so much for being here. Jacques, nearly 100 people RSVP'd to come here for you today. And that's a drop in the bucket of the lives that you've touched. So please, look behind you, look at the children, the parents, the alums. On behalf of the Board of Supervisors of the city of county of San Francisco, but more importantly, from me, from Sarah, from all the families here, thank you for your love, for your warmth, for your wisdom, and for being you. Thank you.
[100:28] Speaker 6: Thank you.
[100:38] Speaker 1: Hold on, Supervisor Mahmoud.
[100:41] Speaker 7: Jacques, I don't know you, but I know you through Supervisor Cheryl and heard so many good things. But I wouldn't let up this opportunity to ask a question which is in service of all these kids. It is amazing, the profound impact clearly, that you've had on generations of San Franciscans. And they're going to remember you for years and decades to come. But I always like to tease my colleague. So what grade would you give, Supervisor Cheryl, as one of the parents that come to your facility?
[101:15] Speaker 6: Oh, as a parent, yeah. B, but improving.
[101:27] Speaker 1: Keep them on their toes. The floor is yours.
[101:38] Speaker 6: I was only told about 10 minutes ago that I'd have an opportunity to
[101:42] Speaker 7: talk here today and was told that
[101:46] Speaker 6: I had two minutes. So those of you who know me, so many here in this room, know that once I get in front of a microphone, it's a little hard for me to limit myself to two minutes.
[101:57] Speaker 7: So I'll ask your indulgence before I even begin.
[102:01] Speaker 6: Thank you so much to the Board of Supervisors, especially to Supervisor Sherrill and his wife Sarah for this honor. I am deeply, deeply touched by the
[102:15] Speaker 7: presence of all of you who are here today.
[102:20] Speaker 6: What can I say?
[102:24] Speaker 7: I arrived from Boston to San Francisco
[102:27] Speaker 6: in the summer of 1977, and very quickly felt that I was at home. And I felt welcomed and embraced and a deep sense of being at home in this beautiful city.
[102:44] Speaker 7: And I was fortunate just a few
[102:45] Speaker 6: weeks after arriving to come to Lone Mountain Children's center and very quickly felt this was home as well. So home is where your heart is. Home is what you invest in. Home is where you love and are loved. And all of you represent home to me. And it's hard to leave home. So I'm not leaving.
[103:23] Speaker 7: I carry all of you with me in my heart.
[103:28] Speaker 9: Thank you so much for the privilege
[103:30] Speaker 6: of associating with you over these 49 years.
[103:37] Speaker 7: Thank you for sharing that which is
[103:40] Speaker 6: most beloved to you with me. It's those children and my experience of being with them each day over these last 49 years that I'm going to
[103:55] Speaker 7: miss the most because truly, that's where
[104:00] Speaker 6: I touch into my heart.
[104:03] Speaker 7: So again, thank you for this wonderful honor.
[104:06] Speaker 6: Thank you, Steven. Thank you, Sarah. Thank you to the entire board.
[104:11] Speaker 9: Thank you to all of you who are here today.
[104:14] Speaker 6: And let's stay in touch. Thank you,
[104:26] Speaker 10: Sam.
[104:56] Speaker 1: Supervisor Cheryl is encouraging folks to go outside for a photograph.
[105:17] Speaker 5: Them for 49.
[105:18] Speaker 2: I thought it was a branch.
[106:04] Speaker 1: If anyone wants to sit down, we do have seats and we are nowhere near general public comment. I would like to invite Dennis and Annie Wong and their kids, Bianca and Candace to come up.
[106:33] Speaker 9: All right.
[106:33] Speaker 1: We got the Wong family today for this. And thank you for your patience. For this 2026 AAPI Heritage Month, it is my great privilege to present a special commendation to Le Soleil and the Wong family. For more than three decades, since Dennis and Annie opened it, Le Soleil has been a fixture in San Francisco's food scene, serving San Franciscans, the flavors Dennis carried with him from Vietnam. Dennis was 19 when the Vietnamese government seized his family's noodle business in Ho Chi Minh City. Their livelihood disappeared overnight. He and his brother bribed officials, boarded a boat and fled. Pirates ambushed them in open water and took everything, including the gold bars that his mother had pressed into his hands as he escaped. He spent two years in a refugee camp in Malaysia before arriving in San Francisco in 1981. Here, he took English classes by day and washed dishes at night, sending what money he could back to Vietnam for his parents, whom he would not see again for more than a decade. Eventually, he was promoted to line cook and developed his culinary skills. In 1993, he and Annie, a Hong Kong native and former interior design student, opened le Soleil at 133 Clement Street. There, Dennis ran the kitchen, while Annie designed the space and manage the front of the house. Their daughters, Bianca and Candace, grew up at the restaurant. And although they did initially go their own ways, Bianca to professional kitchens and Candice to art and design, they would return when the family opened a second location. Congratulations, Supervisor Melgar. At Stonestown Galleria last summer to a full house with Mayor Lurie there as well. At Stonestown, Annie was able to realize a more expansive, creative vision. 88 seats with a space featuring live trees and flowers. Bianca worked with Dennis to create new menu items, blending classics with contemporary dishes, including a pho risotto that became one of the restaurant's most popular items. Candice, drawing on the Chinese brush painting she practiced growing up, designed the menus and uniforms. And together, the Stonestown location reflects the whole family. But Le Soleil's reach extends beyond San Francisco. In 2007, representatives of a Hong Kong real estate developer dined at Le Soleil and were so impressed, they asked Dennis to license the concept for a restaurant in Hong Kong. Dennis agreed, and the Hong Kong location is now celebrating 19 years of success. And then on June 25, a second international location is scheduled to open in China's Yunnan Province. It was my great privilege traveling with Supervisor Chen back in November to actually see the site where the resort that's being built that this restaurant is going to be part of. And I'm so excited for that to happen for you all and for all the future successes. So. And other supervisors are going to want to speak, but Dennis, Annie, Bianca, and Candice, and to the whole Le Soleil team, on behalf of the Board of Supervisors and the City of County, the city and county of San Francisco, I want to extend many, many congratulations on all your successes and best wishes for many, many more. And now, Supervisor Chen.
[110:13] Speaker 8: Thank you, Board President Mendelman. I think I just want to uplift that dentist. And Annie's journey is truly an American stories. Learning from Dennis. From learning how to cook, to working tirelessly day and night, to eventually building a restaurant of their own, their journey was filled with struggles, uncertainties, and countless sacrifices that many may never seen. At the same time, they were raising three beautiful kids, building not just a business in San Francisco, but a family and a future. Through hard work, perseverance, perseverance, and a commitment to excellence, La Soleil grew from beloved San Francisco restaurant into an international presence, expanding from San Francisco to Hong Kong and now in mainland Kuanming, Yunnan, China. That is something that our entire community can be very proud of. And your story Reminds us that immigrant stories are not small stories. And they help shape our cities, our culture and our future generations. And congratulations Leslie. Congratulations Annie and Dennis. And may your story continue to inspire generation to come. Congratulations Candice and Bianca.
[111:28] Speaker 5: Thank you.
[111:35] Speaker 1: And now the floor is yours.
[111:39] Speaker 5: I'm a nervous and I speak in public. Okay. Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for having us. First of all, thank you so much to President Mendelman
[112:00] Speaker 2: and the Board of
[112:01] Speaker 5: Supervisors for this incredible honor. Receiving these accommodations means a lot to us. Our restaurant, La Salle has been serviced by community for 33 years. We just restaurants years probably means about 100 years. Somehow we survived. Trenting neighborhoods, rising prices, long hours and customers who still ask why does food takes time to cook. But honestly, we would not still be here without our amazing staff, loyal customers, fans and families. The recognition that belongs to all of them too. Over the past 33 years, we have watching families grow up, kids become adults and some customers practically become part of our own family. That is the most rewarding part of what we do. Winning a veterans is hard work. But being able to serve this community has always made it worthwhile. We are deeply grateful for all the support, kindness and love we received throughout the years. Thank you again for this recognition. And thank you everyone for continuing to support small local business. Local business like us. And of course, please keep coming back hungry. Thank you very much.
[113:45] Speaker 10: Thank you.
[113:46] Speaker 2: Thank you.
[113:46] Speaker 8: Thank you.
[114:37] Speaker 10: Generation.
[114:38] Speaker 2: More models than other generations.
[114:51] Speaker 1: Okay, Madam Clerk, let's go to our 3pm spot. Special order, please call items 15 and 16.
[115:05] Speaker 2: Items 15 and 16 are comprised of a public hearing and resolution to consider objections to a report contained in item 16. Delinquent charges for code enforcement cases with delinquent assessment of costs and fees. Submitted by the Director of the Department of Building Inspection for services rendered. This special order was scheduled pursuant to any a motion approved on April 7, 2026.
[115:35] Speaker 1: Thank you, madam Clerk. Colleagues, we're now sitting as a committee of the whole to hold a hearing on the report of assessment costs for building code enforcement violations. And the hearing is now open. And we're going to start with the Department of Building Inspection. Welcome.
[115:50] Speaker 9: Thank you.
[115:50] Speaker 7: President Mendelman, Members of the board, good afternoon. My name is Matt Luton. I'm a senior housing inspector. This is the 29th year the Department of Building Inspection is before this board requesting the imposition of special assessment liens.
[116:14] Speaker 9: So this is the 29th year the Department of Building Inspection is before this board requesting the imposition of special assessment liens on properties for code enforcement cases previously transmitted to you is the report of delinquent charges dated April 20, 2026.
[116:34] Speaker 7: Prior to today's hearing, DBI has noticed
[116:38] Speaker 9: the listed property owners on two separate
[116:40] Speaker 7: occasions and held two in House hearings
[116:43] Speaker 9: for owners to discuss their outstanding fees.
[116:47] Speaker 7: The Department appreciates your support in approving
[116:50] Speaker 9: the report of delinquent charges as this
[116:53] Speaker 7: is a very important and effective tool for cost recovery for time spent. Additionally, I'd like to thank the Clerk of the Board's office for your assistance.
[117:02] Speaker 9: Thank you.
[117:04] Speaker 1: All right, thank you. We're now going to open this up to public comment. If you're a member of the public who would like to speak on items 15 and 16, the lean matter, you can come up to the podium or line up over to your right. Our left, my left. If you're here today for these items but you do not want to provide public testimony, you will have the opportunity to speak with DBI staff outside the chamber to resolve your issue. Public comment is now open. All speakers are going to be allotted two minutes to provide their comments. Madam Clerk, will you please call the first speaker?
[117:38] Speaker 2: Let's welcome our first speaker. Please, please come on up to the podium.
[117:46] Speaker 5: I'm mahal emberton. I own 201 ashton avenue. In 2017 we repaired our dilapidated fence. We added safety lighting to enhance nighttime pedestrian safety along the sidewalk. The style of the fence was chosen to prevent nuisance vegetable matter, grass, weeds and vegetation overgrowth from impinging the sidewalk and the increased visibility and safety of the repaired fence also protects the Ingleside Terrace's landmark pillars during the final stages of the fence repair. While we were staining the fence, a Neighbor filed a 311 complaint. The resident at this address has been consistently doing construction and playing loud music from 10am to 6 to 7pm Most days of the week. I would like to request the music volume be lowered or turned off. I can hear it in my apartment all day. DBI used this music complaint to conduct an unconstitutional search of our property and filed a notice of violation requiring a permit to to repair the fence. We submitted the mandated fence repair permit, but a variance was then mandated to allow the four foot height of the historically four foot fence. After the variance was approved, DBI and Planning approved the permit. But DPW placed a hold on the permit claiming our public utility easement was instead an unpaved city sidewalk. In order to mandate 1aminor sidewalk encroachment permit 2 a building, plumbing and excavation permit to remove the permanent permitted fire table and 3 an excavation permit to remove our arbor. While building code requires Unsafe property to justify a notice of violation. DBI filed a notice of violation for safe property and then issued an order of abatement for DPW's illegal hold on the fence repair permit based on DPW's claim of a non existent.
[119:54] Speaker 2: And to the members at the department of building inspection has reported to us that that address has been removed from the list. Welcome to our next speaker.
[120:08] Speaker 5: Thank you.
[120:09] Speaker 9: My name is Noel Carrasco. I'm the property owner of 336.
[120:13] Speaker 2: Can you lift that the microphone and just speak into it clearly? Thank you.
[120:18] Speaker 9: My property is 336.338Parnassus Avenue.
[120:21] Speaker 10: Thank you.
[120:22] Speaker 9: I'm here because my case, I believe there is a clear violation of due process. I have been assessed fees for something that is not on my property. I have provided surveyors report to the city. I have a signed motion by a judge saying that it's not on my property. And still after four years, I'm still getting assessment fees I always get from the building department. They say it's in the property line. Despite me showing them a surveyor's report and despite of me having a judge ruling that is not on my property. It's been four years. I don't know what to make of this. There's no evidence that can convince anybody. And I'm here to know why am I here? If not, I shouldn't be here to defend my innocence. The assessment fees should be given when there is enough evidence to assess them. Otherwise, we might as well just. I mean, I don't want to think of a scenario where that doesn't happen. If I didn't commit a violation on my property, I cannot abate it. I cannot ask for a permit for a violation that is not on my property because it's not on my property. It's really getting a little bit repetitive, but that has been my situation for the last four years.
[121:51] Speaker 6: Thank you.
[121:51] Speaker 2: Sir, can you just put tell us your address on the record one more time? Was that Hyde Street?
[121:57] Speaker 9: 336-338-Parnassus Avenue?
[122:02] Speaker 2: Parnassus. Okay. Thank you. And so, sir, you're welcome to go into the hallway and speak with the building inspector as they will address your issues there. Welcome to our next speaker.
[122:20] Speaker 6: Well, good afternoon.
[122:21] Speaker 7: My name is Darren Winkie. I'm here on behalf of my mother, Shelly Winkey, the Property owner of 2929 24th Ave. She is unable to attend today due to a medical appointment outside the country. I have her written authorization to represent her. My mother respectfully requests waiver or suspension of the assessment costs. The circumstances leading to the violations were outside her control. She was medically incapacitated during the compliance period, undergoing multiple eye surgeries. The downstairs tenant obstructed access, demanded payment for entry, and filed false complaints, which DBI later confirmed were unfounded. The management company terminated its contract after a false PGE accusation, leaving her without representation while she was incapacitating. All tenants have now vacated and she is pursuing legal possession of the property to complete corrective work. Given these circumstances, we ask that the board waive or suspend the assessment and confirm that no lien will be recorded until lawful possession is restored and repairs can be completed. My mother is committed to bringing the property into full compliance once access is available.
[123:34] Speaker 6: Yeah.
[123:35] Speaker 7: Thank you for your time.
[123:36] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome to the next speaker.
[123:48] Speaker 7: Hi, my name is Gene Catania.
[123:50] Speaker 6: I'm here on behalf of Gerard Goetz.
[123:52] Speaker 7: He's the owner of 883 Sutter Street.
[123:59] Speaker 5: I'm here to.
[123:59] Speaker 7: To kind of protest the way
[124:04] Speaker 6: this. The notice of violations and the whole
[124:07] Speaker 7: dealing with the building department has transpired. I, I have documentation where there was. There was a notice of violations for plumbing, the work without a permit, which was done by another contractor.
[124:20] Speaker 6: And, and I.
[124:21] Speaker 7: It was done in the notice of
[124:22] Speaker 6: violations to go back to December of.
[124:25] Speaker 7: Prior to December of 2024. So in an attempt to rectify this problem, the. The owner hired me, which I attempted to pull permits. I have documentation that I tried since December of 2024 to pull permits. However, when I went through the whole process of every station at the building department and I get to where time to pay for the permit, I was told that the usage was not correct.
[124:54] Speaker 6: It was in the computer from the
[124:56] Speaker 7: building department as a residential.
[124:58] Speaker 6: But when I got to pay, they
[125:00] Speaker 7: said, no, the usage is for office retail. So I had to go back and have an architect change the plans come back, which takes time. There was a total of five times where I had to have an architect change plans because of errors within the computers in the building department. They assessed these penalties, which I feel that are not fair because there was proactive. We were proactive in trying to rectify this problem. However, because of errors within the computer of the building department, it just prolonged everything to where the assessments are. Now we have like, there's three different assessments, notable violations. One's for plumbing, one's for, yeah, up to $10,000. One is for plumbing without a permit, electrical without a permit, and then.
[125:53] Speaker 2: Thank you, sir. Thank you both for your comments today. You're welcome to go out into the hallway and speak to the building inspector, Matt Luton. Welcome to the next speaker.
[126:10] Speaker 9: Yes, good afternoon.
[126:11] Speaker 1: My name is Demetra Goopoulos and I'm here on behalf of Salvatore La Torre, owner of 1700 Lombard Street.
[126:17] Speaker 7: There were some permit violations which have been corrected for the most part. We got sign offs on all of them minus health, which has been corrected and they're coming back on Thursday to sign off on that and we'll have completion.
[126:29] Speaker 6: So I just wanted to bring that to attention.
[126:34] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comment.
[126:35] Speaker 9: Thank you.
[126:40] Speaker 2: Welcome to the next speakers.
[126:45] Speaker 7: Hello, my name is Louis Vaughn.
[126:47] Speaker 6: I'm here on behalf of San Tandoc.
[126:50] Speaker 7: Regarding file number 260231. Mr. Tanak owns a property in San Francisco.
[126:58] Speaker 6: There's an issue regarding the legality of
[127:02] Speaker 7: a ADU unit in this property.
[127:04] Speaker 6: This started I believe a year and
[127:06] Speaker 7: a half or two years ago regarding
[127:10] Speaker 6: the need either to demolish a unit or to make it legal. And Mr. Cannock has been working with
[127:17] Speaker 7: the building department since that time originally.
[127:21] Speaker 6: He's understanding that the unit's supposed to
[127:23] Speaker 7: be demolished and he's applied for a permit to get the property demolished and he has got that permit.
[127:29] Speaker 6: Now they're saying that it should be
[127:31] Speaker 7: not demolished and saying they should legalize
[127:34] Speaker 6: the unit and they're assessing penalties and
[127:37] Speaker 7: fees and costs because he's not able to comply with that.
[127:42] Speaker 6: So I believe he received this latest letter saying that they're gonna put a lien on this property. But I believe that he himself did
[127:51] Speaker 7: not receive or prior to notice of
[127:54] Speaker 6: what this, these costs, how they generate these costs. I would like to, if possible continues
[128:02] Speaker 7: maybe 60 days to work with the
[128:04] Speaker 5: building department, see whether we can resolve
[128:07] Speaker 6: this lean issue and hopefully whether either
[128:13] Speaker 5: get it amended or vacated or paid off.
[128:18] Speaker 2: Can you tell us the address, sir?
[128:20] Speaker 6: 9:30 Brussels.
[128:22] Speaker 2: 9:30. Into the microphone please.
[128:25] Speaker 6: 9:30 Brussels Street San Francisco 94134.
[128:31] Speaker 2: Great, thank you. And if you can go out into the hallway and speak to the building inspector, Matt Lutone.
[128:36] Speaker 9: Thank you.
[128:37] Speaker 6: Should we come back or after we talk?
[128:39] Speaker 2: Matt will return. The building inspector will return with a. With a report that the board will consider.
[128:44] Speaker 6: Thank you.
[128:45] Speaker 2: Thank you. Welcome to the next speaker.
[128:52] Speaker 7: Hello, my name is Abdullah Abdul Mihdar. I'm here behavior 26 and 28 6th Street I'm the business owner for the place and I'm here for the inspection. They want to lay in the building
[129:12] Speaker 6: and I believe
[129:15] Speaker 7: so very fast. The old tunnel, he start working and then he shut down the business and then I get the Business when I start, I did everything perfect, everything with permit.
[129:28] Speaker 6: I have everything done, but I just
[129:30] Speaker 7: received the violation and I hope I just take it away.
[129:38] Speaker 2: Apologies, sir. Can you give us that address again?
[129:41] Speaker 6: It's 26 and 28 Station Street, 6th Street.
[129:46] Speaker 7: So it's two address spots, one building.
[130:01] Speaker 2: Thank you, sir. We're going to come to you and try to get a little clarity on that address. So we'll speak to you at the. At the. Okay, here she comes right now. Hi there. Welcome.
[130:22] Speaker 6: Hello.
[130:22] Speaker 7: I'm Frederick Cardenas.
[130:23] Speaker 9: I'm here representing Bell Properties.
[130:25] Speaker 7: We have to.
[130:27] Speaker 6: We have quite a bit of fees and fines on some properties that there
[130:31] Speaker 7: was no PTO permits to operate, but we do have the permits to operate,
[130:35] Speaker 9: so we like, see if we could get those fees reduced.
[130:38] Speaker 7: Also, there's a second property saying there
[130:41] Speaker 6: was no demo permit, also fees and fines. But we do have the demo permits there on file.
[130:46] Speaker 2: Can you give us the address?
[130:47] Speaker 6: Yeah.
[130:48] Speaker 7: One of them is 1949 Sunnydale Avenue.
[130:54] Speaker 9: Second one is 1250 Buchanan Street.
[130:57] Speaker 2: Thank you so much. Welcome to the next speaker.
[131:07] Speaker 6: Hello. Good afternoon. My name is Willie Sanchez representing Maria
[131:10] Speaker 7: beltran for property 426 Edinburgh street here
[131:15] Speaker 6: to see if we can go ahead and waive the assessment. We've been going through this whole thing with our contractors. First time for experience, our house being burnt down.
[131:26] Speaker 7: Want to make sure that we get everything under control.
[131:28] Speaker 6: I've been going through a lot of loopholes, failures, and finally I got somebody and contractor to help us out based on our family recommendations. So I would like to see if we can proceed with that and get our assessment waived at the moment. I know we've been going through this for months, but I think at this point we're at the right point to keep going now.
[131:52] Speaker 9: And like I said, I would like
[131:53] Speaker 6: to go ahead and hopefully we can get that waved out.
[131:57] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. All right. Welcome to the next speaker. Welcome.
[132:13] Speaker 9: My name is Owen Smith and this is regards to my mother, Lorraine Smith.
[132:18] Speaker 7: The address is 960 Key Avenue, San Francisco, California, 94124. We had a meeting at 49 South Van Ness. There was some work done by a
[132:30] Speaker 9: plumber, but the inspector didn't, you know,
[132:33] Speaker 7: get a chance to look at it. I had the concrete opened up.
[132:37] Speaker 9: The inspector came out and inspected it.
[132:40] Speaker 7: At the time, I had diabetes.
[132:41] Speaker 9: I wasn't there, but the inspector was
[132:43] Speaker 7: there and the plumber. The work was actually done, but I still have an assessment fee of $4,900.
[132:52] Speaker 2: And you said 966 it was.
[132:55] Speaker 6: Excuse me.
[132:56] Speaker 7: This was at 970 Key Avenue.
[132:58] Speaker 9: I'm sorry.
[132:59] Speaker 2: Okay.
[133:01] Speaker 7: 970 Key Avenue, San Francisco, California, 94124. And the work is completed. And the inspector was there last week. Last Tuesday.
[133:11] Speaker 2: Okay, great. Thank you. We have your address and so if you'll go into the hallway and speak to the inspectors there.
[133:17] Speaker 9: Thank you very much.
[133:18] Speaker 2: Thank you, sir. Welcome to the next speaker.
[133:23] Speaker 7: Good afternoon.
[133:25] Speaker 6: My name is Kwang Lee. I'm the owner of Choo Choo Nai Lee Avenue. The reason I come is they access me with the 6700 for the property. But I was there to try to fix it. They won't let me in.
[133:41] Speaker 5: And then the last six years, I
[133:43] Speaker 6: didn't collect any rent. The tenant keeps staying there and they don't pay any rent. And I could not get them out.
[133:50] Speaker 7: And then they finally left about a
[133:53] Speaker 6: year and a half ago.
[133:53] Speaker 7: And they still leave the dog and
[133:55] Speaker 6: other car in front of my house. And then finally I got them out about four months ago.
[134:01] Speaker 7: So I would appreciate if you guys
[134:02] Speaker 6: can help me to. We do the assessment of the cost. Thank you, Sir.
[134:08] Speaker 2: You indicated 2390.
[134:11] Speaker 6: No, 229 Lee Avenue.
[134:13] Speaker 2: 229 Lee Avenue.
[134:15] Speaker 10: Yes.
[134:17] Speaker 2: Thank you. And we have your address. If you can go into the hallway and speak to the gentleman out there. Thank you. Welcome, sir.
[134:30] Speaker 3: Good afternoon.
[134:30] Speaker 6: My name is Armand Pantaleon and I'm here with regards to 525 O'.
[134:35] Speaker 7: Farrell.
[134:36] Speaker 6: And this is a request to waive penalties that we incurred. Just to explain, way back in October,
[134:45] Speaker 7: we were working with the state
[134:48] Speaker 6: to get an operator operating permit for our elevator. And during that time, the state. State shut down our loan elevator.
[135:00] Speaker 9: But it was working before.
[135:01] Speaker 6: It's just for safety reason. They've asked us to stop using it until we conduct the necessary test, which we did by November. But there was an inspector from DBI that showed up sometime in December through. I think through a complaint submitted by one of our tenants. But he didn't test the elevator. The elevator was working. Was already working during that time. And I think it's just a communication thing that. Yeah, I. Until now, like, I'm still waiting up for a response to the email request I've sent like more than five weeks ago.
[135:49] Speaker 2: Okay, well, thank you for coming down today. Can you go into the hallway and work with the building inspector there?
[135:55] Speaker 3: Thank you.
[135:56] Speaker 2: You're welcome. Are there any other members of the public who'd like to address the Department of Building Inspection? Delinquent charges for code enforcement violations or any associated fees. Okay, Mr. President.
[136:10] Speaker 1: Thank you, Madam Clerk. Public comment is now closed, and item number 15 has been heard and is now filed. So if there are people who wish to speak with DBI staff regarding the assessment on their property, I'd ask you to go out into the hallway now and staff is there to speak with you. And we will come back to item number 16 later in the meeting. And with that, Madam Clerk, I think we go back to roll call. And Supervisor Dorsey.
[136:48] Speaker 2: Yes, Mr. President. Excuse me, Supervisor Dorsey.
[136:52] Speaker 7: Thank you, Madam Clerk. Colleagues, I have an in memoriam today for Jack Davis. Jack was many things to many people in this city. Feared, admired, loathed, loved. Sometimes all four in the same person. Sometimes all four in the same week. He arrived in San Francisco in 1972 the way many of us do, with not much money, a complicated family story, and the sense that this was one city in the world where he could become exactly who he was. His car was stolen his first night here outside of the stud on Folsom Street. He stayed anyway. And that perhaps tells you something. He came to the city as a gay rights activist and an idealist. And he never fully shed either of those things, even as he became something much harder to categorize. A legendary, bare knuckled political brawler. He worked for conservatives and liberals, for landlords and labor, for Frank Jordan and Willie Brown. Sometimes sequentially, always strategically. Some people called that opportunism. Jack called it understanding how the city, city actually works. And he did understand it better than almost anyone. He was also, by all accounts, a handful. He knew it, he said, so he named his boat Election night. That's night with a K. And as he said in 2000 to San Francisco Chronicle reporter Susan Sward, those were the words he'd put on his tombstone. Not because he was modest, but because he was honest. Winning was the thing, and he wanted credit for it. I met Jack Davis only on a few occasions during my own early years in San Francisco politics. And I had a lot more familiarity with his reputation than I did with him personally. But what consistently emerges from the remembrances I have heard of him is that Jack Davis always showed up. He showed up for Willie Brown when it was a risk. He showed up for Gavin Newsom when the math didn't look good. He showed up for causes he believed in, in the anti discrimination fight and Florida, in the stadium campaigns, in the early coalitions that helped to make San Francisco a city where a man like Jack Davis could live openly and build something remarkable. He was not a saint. And he would have been the first to tell you that, probably with some relish. But he was ours. A genuine San Francisco original, a kind our city doesn't seem to produce many of these days. And perhaps that's not an entirely bad thing. When he passed away last week, Jack Davis had just turned 79 years old. He spent the majority of those years shaping our city, directly or indirectly. And however one may feel about his methods, the results of his political efforts are written indelibly in the streets, neighborhoods and skyline of the city we love. Rest in peace election night, and may your memory be a blessing, and the rest I submit.
[139:35] Speaker 2: Thank you, Supervisor Dorsey. Please hold your applause. We do have a board rule that when we're conducting routine business, we do not applause. That only happens during commendations. Thank you, Supervisor Magmode.
[139:57] Speaker 7: Colleagues. Across the country, we are watching politicians turn health care identity and self expression into grounds for punishment. In at least 13 states, abortion is now banned entirely and enforced with criminal penalties. Across the country, people are being investigated, prosecuted and criminalized for seeking reproductive health care, experiencing miscarriage, or simply helping someone access care. At the same time, more than 28 anti trans bills have already been passed in 2026 alone targeting gender affirming care, drag performance, and LGBTQIA expression. And when people are criminalized under these discriminatory laws, those convictions can follow them long after they leave those states. They can follow someone into a job interview, into an affordable housing application, into every attempt to rebuild their life safely and with dignity. San Francisco has long been a refuge for people seeking freedom, safety and opportunity, and we must ensure that discriminatory laws from other states do not continue harming people once they arrive here. That's why today I am introducing legislation to strengthen and expand San Francisco's Fair Chance Ordinance. The current Fair Chance Ordinance limits how employers and affordable housing providers can use criminal history in employment and housing decisions. This legislation updates that framework to respond to to the changing legal landscape that we see across the country. Specifically, this legislation makes clear that employers and affordable housing providers in San Francisco cannot use out of state convictions related to reproductive health care, gender affirming care, drag performance, or gender expression as a basis to deny someone employment or affordable housing when that conduct is lawful. In California, this legislation strengthens due process protections for applicants, clarifies timelines for reconsideration when background checks are inaccurate or improperly used, and strengthens penalties for violations. And it should be noted that we are already seeing more transgender people, LGBTQIA people, and women relocate to cities like San Francisco because of escalating attacks on their rights in other states. A recent national survey estimated that more than 400,000 transgender Americans have relocated since the 2024 election due to anti trans laws and policies in their home states that discrimination should not follow people here. At its core, this legislation is about dignity. It is about making sure that people are not permanently punished for who they are, how they identify, or the health care that gave or sought, or the way they express themselves. This legislation was developed in close partnership with the Human Rights Commission and the Office of Transgender Initiatives. I want to especially thank Honey Mahogany for her leadership and advocacy and continued work fighting for transgender San Franciscans in the broader LGBTQIA community during this incredibly difficult moment nationally. I also want to thank Maouli and the Human Rights Commission for their collaboration in shaping this legislation and for their continued commitment to advancing civil rights protections in San Francisco, as well as our drafting attorney, Deputy City Attorney Brianna Voss. A very special thank you to Jude Diebold for being the primary drafter of this legislation and for the tremendous amount of legal and policy work that they dedicated leading up to today for several years. Thank you as well to our community partners and advocates who helped inform this effort, including Planned Parenthood, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, the Trans Law center and the Transgender District. I also want to acknowledge the Department on the Status of Women and all of the organizers, advocates, legal experts and impacted community members who have pushed the city to modernize and strengthen the Fair Chance Ordinance. And I want to recognize former Supervisor Jane Kim and her office for their leadership in helping establish the original Fair Chance Ordinance framework years ago. Thank you to my colleague Supervisor Dorsey for your early co sponsorship and I want to thank my staff while MacPhee and Cassandra Mater from my office for their work on this legislation because San Francisco should be a place where people can rebuild their lives with dignity and opportunity, not continue to face discrimination because of extremist laws somewhere else in the country. Colleagues, I urge your support not just for this legislation, but to ensure that San Francisco remains a city where everyone can live openly, safely and free from discrimination. Second, colleagues, I want to turn to housing because here in San Francisco, unfortunately, it seems we often like to do things a little bit different. We took normal bread and made it sour. We used mile long cables to drag cars over the hills and over the weekend we even turned a normal road race across the city into a mobile costume party. And we couldn't just implement, unfortunately, the CEA act as it was written. No, we had to put our own San Francisco Flourish onto it. While the state says projects have to be have a hearing for final environmental impact reports, San Francisco said that draft reports should need a hearing too. In San Francisco, mailings and online postings apparently are not enough notification. The city needs to run ads in the newspaper every time the planning department determines that a project needs to file an eir. And the state says that shadows aren't part of the environment. But here in San Francisco, projects have to treat the shade a building creates, just like we would have to treat toxic soil or any other serious environmental hazard. And those who wish to slow or stop a project have legitimate grounds for appeal if they're not sufficiently addressed. These special rules and procedures make San Francisco stand out in all the wrong ways and contribute to a building environment that is allergic to new housing. The slashing housing appeals and delays everywhere act or shade act for short, brings appeal timelines, hearing frequency and notification requirements in line with state law. Projects can take a few steps out of their approval timelines while not sacrificing the bedrock principles that underline ceqa. Perhaps most importantly, it also takes shade out of the environmental review process, thus reducing the efficacy and therefore likelihood of lengthy appeals. Since 2017, CEQA appeals involving shadow analysis have led to delaying or stalling 2,195 units of housing citywide, over a dozen projects. When projects have to navigate these extra layers of process and are invited to be appealed over how much shade they create, we lose. As a city, housing that can help tackle our affordability crisis gets stopped or faces costly delays. What's more is that when we contribute to making San Francisco a harder city to build in, we're pushing development onto the unspoiled California green space that CECA was designed to protect. Our own housing element and guidance from the California Department of Housing and Community Development agree it's time to peel back the layers of local process in our local implementation of ceqa. I want to thank Lisa Gibson and the rest of the environmental planning team and Lisa Griffith Gluckstein from the Government affairs at the Planning Department, as well as our drafting attorney, Deputy City Attorney Andrea Ruiz Esquida. I also want to thank Reynold Cooper from my office for his work on this and Supervisors Dorsey and Sauder for their early co sponsorship. Colleagues, I asked for your support in helping San Francisco get over the fear of its own shadow and process. The rest I submit.
[147:38] Speaker 2: Thank you Supervisor Mahmoud, Supervisor Mandelman.
[147:43] Speaker 1: Thank you Madam Clerk and colleagues today along with co sponsors. Well, actually before I do that, I
[147:50] Speaker 7: would like to be added if Supervisor
[147:52] Speaker 1: Dorsey does not mind to his in memoriam for Jack Davis. But also today, along with co sponsors Bilal Mahmoud and Myrna Melgar, I am introducing a charter amendment to make approximately 110 discrete technical and practical reforms to our city charter. Some of these changes came directly from the city departments, which, after all, are made up of the people who do the work of delivering for our public every day and know better than anyone where the charter is creating friction and where it can be changed for better operations. Some recommendations came from the Proposition E Commission Streamlining Task Force, which, as you know, spent a lot of time and concentrated effort evaluating the city's boards and commissions and making recommendations about which of them belong in the charter, which belong in the administrative code, and which should be eliminated altogether. We did not accept all of their recommendations, but we are grateful for their work. I want to thank Supervisors Mahmoud and Chen for their participation in the Charter Reform Working Group, which brought together stakeholders from across the city to consider a number of challenges in our charter and possible responses to those challenges. And that work has also informed the measure we're introducing today. I want to recognize Supervisor Mahmoud in particular for his partnership in thinking through some of the possibilities for departmental reform we've evaluated through this process. And I want to thank Supervisor Melgar in particular for her leadership around a set of changes focused on how departments and commissions serving children and youth can do so better. The measure is better for their work and their team's work on it. The changes we are proposing fall into three broader, broad categories. The first, I would say, is modernization and cleanup. These amendments are truly cleanup. Updating the charter to reflect current conditions, incorrect references, and many out of date provisions. Here's an example. The charter currently includes a section that mandates that there be a bookbinder position in the law library. That does not make sense in 2026, and it although it does make sense perhaps to have language for something more evergreen like a technical services manager. So that's what we've done. A second category of changes addresses department specific pain points. And as I said, these are based on feedback from departments on their specific sections in the charter. We have worked with them to determine where we could make some operational improvements requested that they'd requested to better enable service delivery. And that could, in one example, looks like updating Muni's charter mandated service standards to reflect how modern transit agencies measure performance. The current on time performance metric in the charter has been increasingly recognized as an incomplete measure of rider experience. The amendment included in this charter reform measure allows MTA to adopt other other standards, such as weight assessments, which measure how long riders wait between vehicles, providing a more accurate picture of service quality. Third, and finally, we did draw from the work of the Commission streamlining Task Force, which, as I said, spent months conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the structure, performance and effectiveness of the city's boards and commissions. And in this category, as examples are the elimination of the Streets and Sanitation Commission, the Public Works Commission. We're also proposing moving bodies like the Public Utilities Commission, Citizen Advisory Committee, and the Parks and Recreation Open Space Advisory Committee out of the charter and into the administrative code, where they could be updated and changed by the Board of Supervisors through the legislative process in the future instead of having to go back to the voters every time you want to make a change, even a small change, to any of these bodies. Many operational rules, procedures and commissions are embedded in the charter, not because they have to be there, but because that's where they ended up as a relic of previous voter approved charter amendments. And I think it is worth remembering that the administrative code exists for a reason, and provisions that live there can be updated to the normal legislative process as conditions change and as priorities evolve. That flexibility is not possible when these procedures are locked into the charter. So where we can, where there's a consensus that it may make sense, I do strongly support moving them out of the charter and believe that that does not, you know, certainly does not eliminate them, but does enable elected officials to adapt, adapt them over time. There are lots of people to thank for the contributions they've made to the charter measure I'm introducing today. That includes the members of the Charter Reform Working Group, the members of the commission's Streamlining Task force Chair Ed Harrington, and members Sophie Hayward, Andrea Bruss, Natasha Mihal, Sophia Kittler and Gene Frazier, the excellent city staff who supported these efforts in our work over the past year. And that includes, of course, our controller, Greg Wagner, Henry o', Connell, Joanna Bell, Janice Levy in his office, our city Administrator Carmen Chu, and Sophie Hayward and Rachel Alonso in her office. I want to thank the mayor's team, that's especially Alicia, John Baptiste and Amar Bhardwaj, for their partnership. And then we've given our attorneys a ton of work. Not just Brad Rusi, but in particular Andrea Bruss, Sarah Crowley, Heather Goodman and John Givener has been there throughout offering wise counsel and help. They have been very patient with us through a process that I know has at times been frustrating. And I do want to thank the many stakeholders who've cared enough over this last year to make themselves heard, often loudly but and persistently we've heard them. And I think this measure reflects a lot of that feedback. Finally, I want to thank Melanie Mathewson, formerly of my office, Maeve Scott Kelly, currently of my office, for all of their work on this as well. Secondly, colleagues, I'm asking that we adjourn today's meeting in memory of Rita Semmel, longtime civic leader, described the San Francisco Interfaith Council as the matriarch of interfaith relationships who died on May 13, 2026 at the age of 104. Rita was born Nov. 15, 1921, into a secular Jewish family in New York City City. She attended Barnard College, majoring in political science. In 1941, following the outbreak of World War II, she and her husband, Max Semmel, relocated to a military base in Mississippi, where her husband was serving as an army officer. While living in Mississippi, Rita witnessed the evils of segregation firsthand, experiences that helped inspire her lifelong pursuit of social justice. But it was also during this time that Rita recalled experiencing one of her earliest moments of interfaith connection. While searching for housing in Mississippi, she met with a Methodist minister who had a room available to rent. When she cautiously told him that she and her husband were Jewish, he replied, I'm so glad I see enough Methodists on Sunday. When her husband went overseas to fight in the war, Rita landed a job at the San Francisco Chronicle as what was then called a copy boy. She later became associate editor for the Jewish Community Bulletin and began doing public relations work for the San Francisco based Jewish Community Federation. After taking time off to care for her two young daughters, Jane and Elizabeth, Rita dove right back into her work. In 1964, she helped organize the San Francisco Conference on Religion and Race. Out of that conference came a new interfaith task force, the San Francisco Council on Religion and Race, and Rita represented the Jewish community on the council. That same year, she became associate director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, which represents synagogues, Jewish organizations and Jewish individuals and families across the Bay Area, combating anti Semitism and advocating on issues of concern to the Jewish community. In 1987, she became the executive director of JCRC, and she served in that role for two years. After the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the relief agency Church World Service formed an interfaith committee to aid those affairs. She was a member of that committee and saw the potential in a permanent interfaith organization that could address issues of shared concern and expand its scope. So she helped found the San Francisco Interfaith Council and the work of the Interfaith Council, especially its expansive network of homeless shelters, would become one of her proudest achievements. Among her many other accomplishments, Rita chaired the Global Council for the United Religions initiative and served on the boards of Catholic Charities, Family Services America, Friends of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, Jewish Family and Children's Services, San Francisco Children's Rights Coalition, the Interfaith center at the Presidio, and the San Francisco homelessness board. In 1995, she served as a delegate to the fourth UN World Conference on Women in China. Rita earned well deserved recognition of her work, including the Judith Chapman award from the San Francisco based Jewish Community Federation Women's Alliance, a Woman of the Year award from the California State assembly, and the Rosa Parks Award for Women in community service. In 2008, the Islamic Society of San Francisco and United Muslims of America honored Rita as an interfaith pioneer. Rita told Jay Weekley, the successor to the Jewish bulletin she once edited, that she believed there's no such thing as retirement. In 2009, a mass shooting in Texas by a Muslim American sparked backlash, widespread fear of backlash against Muslim communities. The next day, Rita, nearly 90 years old, drove out to a Bay Area United Muslims of America meeting in Fremont and read aloud a statement of support for the Muslim community signed by the Northern California Board of Rabbis and other religious leaders. Rita's death is a loss for the world. She was truly an extraordinary woman. Rest in peace and power, Rita Semmel. May your memory be a blessing and the rest I submit.
[157:45] Speaker 2: Thank you, Mr. President. Next is Supervisor Melgar.
[157:50] Speaker 4: Thank you. I'd like to be added to Reed Assembles a Memoriam. Also, please. Thank you, colleagues. We are in the middle of May, which is Affordable Housing Month. So I am excited to introduce today a charter amendment along with supervisors Walton, Sauter, Cheryl Dorsey and Wong to extend and to renew the Housing Trust Fund. The Affordable Housing Trust Fund was originally passed in 2012 to support creating, acquiring, preserving and rehabilitating housing, affordable housing and promoting affordable homeownership programs. The last several years have been difficult for everyone from the pandemic to the ailing economy to the slashing of federal and state funds for housing. And the consequences are dire. At the same time, as we're seeing funds dry out, rents are only rising in. Evictions right now are at an all time high. We are in an affordable housing crisis and that will only get worse as there is a known cliff by 2029, there will be no funding left to fulfill any of the production of units in the pipeline. Right now, we all Know how important it is for someone to have a dry place, typically their head down at night. We know that nothing else works if people have no housing. We have always needed a lifeline, a dedicated stable source of funding for affordable housing that is not dependent on the whims of the market. That is stable that doesn't fluctuate. It is also a stark reality that the Inclusionary Housing Technical Advisory Committee unanimously supported a recommendation to update the inclusionary rates because market rate housing is also at a standstill. No housing is being produced and no fees are being paid. They have also recommended the need for a separate source of funding for affordable housing. I'm co sponsoring the introduction of the Mayor's ordinance today to support those recommendations. Today we are energized more than ever to meet the moment. Over the course of the last few months we converged a diverse coalition of affordable housing organizations, nonprofit organizations, housing finance experts, labor, along with the Mayor's office to craft this charter amendment that will gradually expand the Housing Trust Fund over the course of the time to reach 125 million annually. There will also be the opportunity to issue revenue bonds to maximize these funds to unlock thousands of new affordable housing units, preserve existing sites and support programs for the first time for first time home buyers. We also included new possible uses of this fund for supporting limited equity, co ops and social housing. We designed this charter amendment so that the Housing Trust Fund grows by allocating a portion of future property tax growth every year. Last year we just rezoned a lot of the west side and north of the city. This is a value capture that invests back into much needed affordable housing. We also made sure that we are expanding the Housing Trust Fund into a fiscally responsible way. The gradual growth of the fund will not start until 2029 and we included fiscal safeguards to freeze the growth of the fund during a budget deficit and to decrease the baseline funding during a recession. I want to thank along with the co sponsors I, Mayor Lurie for his support and his team. Ned Siegel, Ali Bondi, Ben White, Lee Latinsky and Jacob Bindliff. Director Dan Adams, Controller Greg Wagner and his team at the Controller's office for the late nights and number crunching accessory corridor. Joaquin Torres and his team, Victoria Wong and the City Attorney's team and of course all of our community partners, the Council of Community Housing Organizations, Quentin Mecki, Caroline Feng, the Community Land Trust, Saki Bailey, Kyle Smealey, Nonprofit Housing Association Northern California, especially the incomparable Bill Barnes Housing Accelerator Fund, Rebecca Foster and Kate Hartley, the Mission Economic Development Agency, Chinatown Community Development Center, Malcolm Young especially, and so many others. I look forward to further discussion on getting your support to send this to the voters for approval in November. Today, I'm also proud to introduce a resolution commemorating the San Francisco Youth Commission for its 30 years of service to the youth of the city and county of San Francisco. Thirty years ago, the voters of San Francisco approved a charter amendment that established a commission to advise the mayor and the Board of Supervisors on issues that primarily affected children and youth. And since then, hundreds of youth commissioners have dedicated their time and provided important feedback on city issues. The Youth Commission has advocated for the expansion of funding and programming for SFUSD Wellness center across the city, led on the creation of Youth Lifeline Pass and current Free Muni for All Youth programs. And they have collaborated with community organizations across San Francisco to ensure community of breakfast representation in City hall and to align collective youth advocacy efforts. Also, it has provided a wonderful leadership opportunity for generations of youth who have gone on to do bigger and better things and been leaders in our community. They take their role as allies seriously and never turn away the opportunity to support youth leadership and also lend support to the creation of local district youth councils like our District 7 Youth Council. I want to acknowledge current Youth Commission Interim Director Joy Zahn and Community Partnership Specialist Joshua Ochoa. I see them back there for their tireless dedication in mentoring and nurturing the professional development of our youth commissioners. And I also want to thank my early co sponsor and this resolution. Supervisors Dorsey, Chen, Walton, Mahmoud and Sar. Congratulations. You commission the rest I submit.
[164:08] Speaker 2: Thank you, Supervisor Melgar. Supervisor Sauter. Submit. Thank you, Supervisor Sherrill.
[164:17] Speaker 3: Colleagues, today there has been significant housing legislation introduced this meeting, especially from Supervisor Melgar and the Merrill administration. I'm very proud to be an early co sponsor of these significant reforms to address our housing crisis by lowering construction costs and and truly delivering funding for needed affordable housing. San Franciscans continue to be clear. The cost of living is too high for our working class, our young families, our seniors and our youth to thrive here. Today, the cost of a home is 12.4 times the median income here in San Francisco. That is stupidly and insanely and ridiculously out of whack. And while as a board we've taken big strides to expand housing opportunities citywide, it's clear that more needs to be done to get shovels in the ground and that we need to be more ambitious in order to effectively build more homes. That's why I'm also introducing legislation that will further bring down city related Costs on housing construction, specifically for housing projects on corner lots that use the family zoning plan passed by the board last December. This board passed the family zoning plan because we needed a roadmap for the future, a future of housing that is built the San Francisco way. But zoning alone is not the solution. If we are going to build any type of housing, market rate or below market rate housing, we need to do all that we can to bring down the construction costs per unit, making housing production financially feasible to get done. If we do not, we risk all of our work being a mere paper exercise. I am committed to ensuring we are being ambitious to meet our housing goals. Because when we build more housing, we make it easier. Easier for all San Franciscans to stay here, grow here, age here, and thrive here. This legislation will take us another step forward toward building this needed housing. And I hope to earn your support as this ordinance works away through the legislative process. Thank you, colleagues, and the rest I submit.
[166:06] Speaker 2: Thank you, Supervisor Cheryl. Supervisor Wong. Supervisor Walton.
[166:10] Speaker 6: Thank you, Madam Clerk. Colleagues, today I have an in memoriam
[166:13] Speaker 7: for Magnus Mark Marthall.
[166:16] Speaker 6: A San Francisco native, a dedicated public servant, and a man who gave more than three decades of his life to the young people of this city. Mark was born on December 13, 1953, right here in San Francisco. He passed away on May 3, 2026, at the age of 72. In January 1977, Mark walked through the doors of the San Francisco Juvenile Probation
[166:42] Speaker 7: Department as a counselor.
[166:44] Speaker 6: And from that first day, he was exactly where he was meant to be. Over the years, he grew into every role he took on. He served as a Boys Ranch counselor, then as a deputy probation officer, a senior deputy probation officer, and finally, beginning in May 1998, as a supervising probation officer. He retired on December 31, 2011, after more than 34 years of service. But the titles don't tell the real story. What set Mark apart was he did beyond the job description. He invested in people, youth, families, interns, colleagues. Not just during business hours, but on his own time, because that's who he was. He believed in his youth before they
[167:31] Speaker 7: would believe in themselves.
[167:32] Speaker 6: And for countless young San Franciscans, that belief changed everything. Mark leaves behind a legacy that will ripple through generations and the lives he
[167:41] Speaker 7: touched, the careers he shaped, and the
[167:44] Speaker 6: community he served with such quiet, steady dedication. He is survived by his partner, Leticia, his brother John, his sisters, Mary, Barbara and Lynn, and by many beloved nieces and nephews.
[167:57] Speaker 7: The rest I submit.
[167:58] Speaker 2: Thank you, Supervisor Walton. Supervisor Wong.
[168:03] Speaker 7: Colleagues, San Francisco has banned the private discharge of fireworks since 1938. For nearly 90 years, that ban has carried no enforcement mechanism. Section 1290 of the Police code tells people they cannot discharge fireworks, then says nothing about what happens if they do. An ordinance that I'm working on changes that. Right now, when an officer responds to a fireworks call, there is no citation to write. State law covers very dangerous fireworks, but does not touch lesser but still dangerous fireworks which are legal in San Francisco. The fire department can issue administrative violations, but that tool is not available to police officers on patrol. That's why I've worked with SFPD to draft this proposal. The penalties here are proportionate. The first offense carries a fine comparable to a parking ticket. The second offense escalates to misdemeanor capped well below what state law already imposes for more dangerous fireworks. Tens of thousands of San Francisco households have a pet affected by fireworks. Thousands of residents of autism, dementia and PTSD are impacted every year. The 20232024 Civil Grand Jury investigated this issue and said it plainly, San Francisco is not a place where anyone should be able to discharge fireworks without consequence. They recommended additional legal tools for law enforcement and better tracking of citations and fines. This ordinance delivers both. I ask for your support. Secondly, I'm introducing two ordinances to repeal three provisions from San Francisco's municipal code that have outlived any purpose they once served. The first ordinance amends health code to repeal two provisions. The first prohibits transporting bread cakes or pastry through city streets in open baskets or or exposed containers, a plague era public health measure that modern state and federal food safety standards have long since superseded. The second requires that rags furnished to industrial workers be sterilized by boiling in caustic soda solution. Cal, OSHA and federal occupational health standards now govern this area comprehensively. The second ordinance amends the police code to repeal the city's circulating library law which requires any for profit book rental property business to obtain written parental consent signed in person before a librarian before lending a book to anyone under the age of 21. Circulating libraries ceased to exist in 1950s. The law has no living subjects for 70 years. None of these repeals necessarily create an enforcement gap. Each was enacted in response to a genuine problem. Each outlived the problem it was designed to address. They remain in the code simply because removing obsolete laws require that we seek to act. This is the first series out of a larger series of absolutely outdated and unnecessary laws that my office is seeking to repeal. The rest I submit.
[170:55] Speaker 2: Thank you Supervisor Wong and Supervisor Chan. You asked to be re referred Indeed just wanted to be added to the Memoriam to Jack Davis. Thank you. Noted. Thank you, Mr. President. Seeing no names on the roster, that concludes the introduction of new business.
[171:10] Speaker 1: All right then. I think we'll go to public comment.
[171:12] Speaker 2: Okay. At this time, the board welcomes your general public comment. You can line up on your right hand side of the chamber along the curtains and you may speak to the minutes as presented. Items 19 through 25 on the adoption without committee reference, calendar and other general matters that are not on the agenda today. This is not an opportunity to to discuss the liens. That hearing will come up after general public comment. We're setting the timer for two minutes. Welcome to our first speaker.
[171:50] Speaker 5: My name is Salah Chandler, abolitionist and a social justice fighter for my people, for my nation. For almost over 38 years, I have metamorphosed into my position. I am known as Salahquiya, Warrior Queen. Queen Califia, named after the black Amazon Hebrew queen that California was named after. I constantly hear that we as a black nation have no culture. Well, I am carrying the staff of Judah to symbolize. The staff of Judah would not be taken from my feet. The royal lineage. We are here according to the transatlantic slave trade. And as Moses said in Yahweh Elohim, the ancient Hebrew creator Tetragrammaton. Show them my staff and tell them who sent you. I am.
[172:50] Speaker 2: That I am.
[172:51] Speaker 5: Yahweh has sent sent a woman this time when you wasn't expecting a male. A woman is the carrier of life. And we have noticed all of the decades and generation that our black children, Hebrew boys, have been murdered. And no one has called in for a state of emergency. I am introducing the staff to you today. The enforcer of justice. Thank you for your comments.
[173:36] Speaker 4: Next Speaker.
[173:39] Speaker 2: I'm Deborah Murphy and I'm the president of the Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods. And I'm here to speak about auxiliary water supply system for all San Francisco neighborhoods. San Francisco has to make some tough financial choices about our future. We are in this mess because previous elected officials and policymakers have made poor decisions in the past. Our only hope is for our current and future leaders to start making smart fiscal choices for our city. When he was mayor, Gavin Newsom removed control of the funds from our fire department to the Public utilities Commission. In 2010, 2014 and 2020, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission promised San Francisco voters that the PUC would expand the awss, the high pressure emergency firefighting water system that has protected the east side of San Francisco since 1913. Voters approved these bonds and were told that the 15 neighborhoods on the western and southern sides, which is 2/3 of San Francisco, we get the same same AWSS protection. The AWSS hydrants in the east side have an unlimited supply of saltwater from the Pacific Ocean and the entire city needs the same protection. Over the last 16 years the PUC has asked San Franciscans for three ESR bonds, received and spent 1.44 billion and promised us they would spend 312 million to expand the AWSS emergency firefighting water system. However, the PUC has placed zero high pressure AWSS hydrants and zero miles of water pipe anywhere in the city and they cannot tell us where our 312 million MET went. To this day, the PUC still does not have an emergency firefighting water plan to protect the western and southern sides of the city. Former Supervisor Quentin Cobb wrote an article about this issue stating in August 2021, Frank Blackburn and 61 other retired chiefs signed an open letter to the Mayor and Board of Supervisors stating that the state city's unlimited and ready available supply of salt water was the only viable solution to firefighting for post earthquake conflagrations. Mayor Lurie has said that public safety is his number one priority. This means AWSS for the entire. Thank you for your comments. Apologies. If we're cutting anyone off, we're setting the timer for two minutes. If you look at the tall podium there, we do have a clock and you can see that the soft bell will occur when there's 3:30 seconds left. You'll wrap up your statement and then the final bell will ring after two minutes. Welcome Chair and supervisors. I'm Heather Davies.
[176:06] Speaker 8: I'm going to speak on the same topic.
[176:10] Speaker 2: 67 former fire chiefs and captains have bravely stand together opposed to the proposed
[176:15] Speaker 8: west side potable emergency firefighting system.
[176:18] Speaker 2: It's not the resilient and timing timely
[176:21] Speaker 8: solution we need to address the critical lack of firefighting response capacity in the Sunset and Richmond districts. These seasoned leaders know that the auxiliary water supply system, the system that saved the marina in 1989 is the only
[176:37] Speaker 2: solution we can afford to build in
[176:39] Speaker 8: time to address the outbreak of fires associated with the 7.8 earthquake that the
[176:45] Speaker 2: USGS has forecasts will hit us in
[176:47] Speaker 8: the next 30 years. The proposed project is an unhappy marriage between two distinctly different utility projects projects.
[176:55] Speaker 2: One is a large volume low pressure
[176:57] Speaker 8: drinking water pipe upgrade that would increase
[177:01] Speaker 2: the volume of low pressure water distributed throughout the neighborhoods.
[177:07] Speaker 8: The second is a decades long delayed
[177:11] Speaker 2: critical fire response system that requires high pressure capacity. And combining these two purposes, one project
[177:18] Speaker 8: requires costly technology to flip between high and low pressure in the event of a major fire, adding complexity, reducing resilience and reliability in the firefighting function.
[177:31] Speaker 2: This dual purpose project will cost $5 billion. First cost and the pump stations are not scheduled to be built until the end. If we can only bond $250 million every three years, as can the combined
[177:55] Speaker 8: ENSER and SFPUC money would allow, it will take us 20 more Esser bonds or Gears to complete this project and only then we will have fire.
[178:07] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome Eileen Boken, SFgov TV I'll be using the overhead Eileen Boken with SPEAK Sunset Parkside Education and Action Committee Even though it's been more than 100 years since the 1906 earthquake, we still live in its shadow. What did the survivors of the 1906 earthquake learn about saving lives, protecting property and persuading the insurance companies not to abandon the San Francisco market? And do we still remember those lessons? Or have we abandoned those lessons of 1906 in order to chase the shiny new toys so that a city department can grasp at the title of being the utility of the future? An official report recently stated that the city is at an inflection. This begs the question, will the city continue to abandon the painful lessons of 1906 for a marketing strategy and bragging rights instead of sound science and tested engineering? If so, will San Francisco be the next Pacific Palisades where over oceanfront homes burned to the ground because the Los Angeles Fire Department didn't have the infrastructure to use ocean water to fight catastrophic fires? On the overhead is the aftermath. Thank you. Thank you Eileen Boken, for your comments. Welcome the next speaker.
[179:56] Speaker 6: Good afternoon folks.
[179:57] Speaker 9: I'm
[180:00] Speaker 6: fit within the two minutes, but I have submitted my complete comments to be included in the meeting minutes, as well as a special copy for Supervisor Chan in a role as chair of the of the Budget and Appreciation Committee. My name is John Allen and I'm a member of the HIV Advocacy Network. I'm here to speak about the disease prevention. I must say that I'm very angry and frustrated about how our HIV programs are being gutted in the Mayor's prevention proposed budget. I've given public comments at several Health Commission meetings along with many of my colleagues who are here today, but most of the time I felt like I was sweeping into a void. Here's an example of why I'm so frustrated. In the current proposed budget, HIV prevention programs have been completely gutted, which means that no funding will be made available for San Francisco AIDS Foundation's PREP and harm reduction programs nor their the automatic opt out HIV testing at emergency room.
[180:50] Speaker 2: If you let these programs lapse for
[180:52] Speaker 6: even a short period of time then the cost to the city will be much much greater down the road. These programs have been proven very successful and have succeeded in preventing, detecting and treating HIV cases in newly infected people. This is the stage of the disease where new cases can be treated with the greatest success. To quote candidate Laurie's campaign promises, one of his campaign promises, quote access to culturally competent health care. Care is a fundamental right.
[181:17] Speaker 2: This includes robust funding for HIV AIDS prevention and treatment.
[181:21] Speaker 6: As as mayor I will continue to
[181:23] Speaker 3: backfill any federal budget cuts.
[181:25] Speaker 6: Any federal budget cuts. To reuse analogy that I made at a health commission meeting. I'm sure that Mayor Lori gets his regular prostate exams and colonoscopies to avoid getting cancer. Does not wait till he's diagnosed before goes through treatments. In conclusion, I wish PrEP was available
[181:42] Speaker 7: before I was diagnosed with HIV 25 years ago.
[181:44] Speaker 6: Having HIV has caused me to have
[181:46] Speaker 2: many HIV related health issues and has
[181:48] Speaker 6: caused me to make major, unchanged, undesired changes in my lifestyle. We must end this epidemic of radioactivity cases in San Francisco from exploding in the coming years. All because prevention programs are being eliminated. Thank you.
[182:00] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. All right. Welcome Mr. Gambrell.
[182:04] Speaker 6: Speaker. I've been here a long time ago and I come to find out I'm living District 6 and Dorsey is my the supervisor over my district. Just a couple of days ago I came into Dorsey's office to discuss something with him was very important. I live in Bringer's Corner. They cut my in person visits off. When they cut my visits off, I came in and gave Darcy him some paperwork and instead of he acknowledged what I was trying to say to him about my injuries and asking him why could he go and have a conversation about my services. And they violated me on three different occasions and they got inside of hsh. Is they ready to put me out of the program now? I remind you now I have a head injury where these people is trying to put needles in the back of my head. And when I went to the supervisor in my district, instead of he's trying to help me, he called the sheriff department to come to the office. I come in here today to find out is you planning to interfere with this investigation? Are you trying to address the board as a whole?
[183:21] Speaker 2: Please.
[183:22] Speaker 6: Are you trying to destroy me? Because the last time I was in here, this is what you ignored on the last time I was here, y' all See this. This is what he ignored on me. The last time this was done by a city employee, I let that go. But right now, I'm getting ready to get meters on my head, and I want you to tell these people, no.
[183:42] Speaker 2: Mr. Gambler, address your comments to the board as a whole.
[183:46] Speaker 6: Okay, I just want to make sure that you want to get a document and more. Furthermore, your. Your employee was standing behind me when I caught her, and she was doing that. I want to know what that was all about.
[183:59] Speaker 2: Mr. Gambrel, address your comments to the board as a whole.
[184:03] Speaker 6: I want to get it directed to him in front of the board.
[184:05] Speaker 2: This is not a meeting between you and one supervisor.
[184:09] Speaker 6: I'll be back next week.
[184:10] Speaker 2: Thank you, Mr. Gambrel. Welcome to the next speaker.
[184:14] Speaker 9: Good evening, board.
[184:17] Speaker 6: My name is Michael White, and I am here in support of Booker T's stabilization of Ella Hill Hutch Community Center. I worked at Ella Hill where I was a cohort leader for the third, fourth, fifth grade for seven years. We are asking the board of Supervisors to stand in solidarity with us in securing this facility as a dedicated youth development center. A safe space, A safe, structured environment designed to keep young people engaged, protected and empowered. This space will provide after school programming, mentorship, mental health support, tutoring, career readiness, music and arts development, leadership training, conflict resolution resources, and recreational activities for youth who need positive outlets and guidance. My verbal outreach is imperative in a time where many young people face increasing violence, isolation, instability, and lack of opportunity. Please allow Ella Hill Community center to remain a cornerstone for prevention, healing and growth, rather than allowing another community space to disappear.
[185:46] Speaker 7: Thank you.
[185:47] Speaker 4: Thank you for your comments. Next speaker.
[185:52] Speaker 5: Good evening, supervisors. My name is Jada Kyrie, and I am here in support of Booker T. I was in third grade when my mom signed me up to attend LA Hill, and for years, this space was all I knew. Some of my most important memories were made in that center. It gave me and my peers a safe. Excuse me. Place to learn, grow, and build relationships within our community. I did not fully understand the impact this space had on me until I've had the privilege to work in the same. In the same building that once served me as an adolescent. I'm 24 now, by the way. Not every young person has access to stability, mentorship, or safe environments outside of school. School and home communities like ours need more investment, more support, and more safe spaces for young people, not fewer. And. And I am a living testimony as to why Ella Hill was and still is important. As I close out, I ask that you guys Consider this notion with an open mind because it's not about any of us. It's solely about furthering this establishment for the sake of the children of our community. Thank you. Thank you for your comments.
[186:54] Speaker 8: Next speaker.
[187:02] Speaker 9: Good afternoon, Board of Supervisors. I am also here in support of Booker T. Stabilizing La Hill Hutch Community Center. My name is Kenneth Carrigan. I worked at Ella Hill Hutch Community center as a middle school lead for four years. In those four years, I've seen the students flourish into amazing students, athletes and upstanding members of the community. They've explored colleges and different career opportunities and learned about themselves in and each other in fun and engaging ways. And this all happened because the doors at Ella Hill were open and they need to stay open. Last summer I told my students, I'll see you next summer. I don't want to break my promise and leave them. It'll break their heart when they found out that their summer has been taken away. I want to see my students again. Programs like Booker T. Can change lives. By keeping the doors of Ella Hill, we can continue supporting youth and inspire them to be the best versions of themselves. Ella Hitchcoming center isn't just a building. It's a beacon of hope and safety to the community. We need programs at Ella Hill to keep the spirit of Ella Hill Hutch alive. Please allow Booker T. Washington to activate the space and continue programming at Ellis Hutch Community Center.
[188:12] Speaker 3: Thank you.
[188:12] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome to our next speaker. Hi, my name is Jessica. Don't start my time yet. Can we please. Here we go. Let me start it when I upload this. Jessica, our IT employee is coming around to assist you.
[188:34] Speaker 8: Okay, perfect.
[188:35] Speaker 2: Thank you. Thank you, Billy. Thank you, Billy. Yeah. Yes, please. I'm starting your time now, Jessica. Okay. Hi, my name is Jessica Pesico. Here are my credentials. Last time we talked about fixing overlapping bus routes to guarantee direct one seat rides to essential places including San Francisco General Hospital clinics and major community events. Public health and sanitation. By implementing measures such as securing lids to all public garbage cans, we'll be able to prevent littering and pests. We also want to expand restroom access. For example, on Larkin and Grove, the restroom is only open till 7am until 7pm that's pretty limited hours of operation. We also want to expand health care services. We know that mental health care crisis can help it at any time of the day past our business hours. We want to ensure insurance flexibility. We know that Silver Avenue Healthcare Clinic and SF General only accept accepts medi cal insurance. By accepting more types of insurance, we'll be able to get more funding. We also want to talk next about lowering the cost of health care services and improving our vision care which we'll
[190:12] Speaker 8: get into next time.
[190:14] Speaker 2: Housing Stability One important way to ensure this is by having our Housing Stability Oversight Committee still meet. Right now it's of kind Cancelled. We also want to advertise different events and options for affordable housing such as the one you see here to to ensure competition. Next week we'll talk about or next time we'll talk about opposing the SF drug free housing mandate, strengthening consumer protections, lowering the cost for small businesses, reducing red tape and investing in District 10 infrastructure like Jackson Playground park, securing a 5 million million investment for pools like Martin Luther King Jr. And creating a sound barrier wall on 18th in Vermont and more.
[190:56] Speaker 8: Thank you.
[190:58] Speaker 2: Thank you Jessica. Welcome to our next speaker.
[191:02] Speaker 5: Hello, my name is Lakeisha Howard. I am the CEO of Kiche Cares nonprofit.
[191:09] Speaker 8: I am based in San Francisco so
[191:11] Speaker 5: I go to all districts. I am urging you to support Booker T. Community Service Center Center's 13 month
[191:19] Speaker 8: lease to the historical Ella Hill Hutch
[191:22] Speaker 5: Community center open more than 150 vulnerable families, youth and teens who are relying
[191:28] Speaker 8: on services to start on time on June 15.
[191:33] Speaker 5: Without an approved lease or if the process is even more delayed, Ella Hill Hutchins Services will end without a clear path for care continuity that will leave
[191:45] Speaker 8: families and seniors without essential support and
[191:47] Speaker 5: put others historically Black community institutions at risk. We know that when the doors of
[191:54] Speaker 8: black institutions, businesses and organizations in the
[191:57] Speaker 5: Fillmore closed, they rarely reopen.
[192:00] Speaker 8: We can't let that happen again.
[192:02] Speaker 5: Booker T. Has served Fillmore and Western
[192:04] Speaker 8: Edition for more than 107 years. I support this transition because I worked
[192:10] Speaker 5: at Booker T. For 1920 years. I was a youth at Booker T.
[192:15] Speaker 8: And I did every job that you can name.
[192:18] Speaker 5: I grew there and I became a good citizen and a leader and my
[192:23] Speaker 8: mission is to give a little hope and help to those that may need
[192:26] Speaker 3: it in the community.
[192:27] Speaker 8: So I go to different events and
[192:28] Speaker 5: I table and I give away essential things and items and information that is essential to the residents and without Booker T. Help, guidance and support, I would
[192:37] Speaker 8: not be here today.
[192:38] Speaker 5: Please give them that lease.
[192:41] Speaker 8: Thank you.
[192:41] Speaker 2: Thank you Lakeisha Howard for your comments. Welcome to our next speaker.
[192:47] Speaker 5: Good evening Supervisors.
[192:48] Speaker 4: My name is Sasha Earl and I'm here in support of Booker T. Strengthening Ella Hill Hutch Community Center.
[192:53] Speaker 5: I'm from the neighborhood and I also
[192:54] Speaker 4: worked at ellie Hill for three years as a K2 teacher. Ella Hill is more than A program to us.
[193:00] Speaker 5: It's a village for myself and our
[193:01] Speaker 4: children growing up and being a product of Ellie Hill.
[193:04] Speaker 5: Ellie Hill has been there for my family.
[193:06] Speaker 4: Elihill has put myself and my siblings in internships. They placed us in housings, they provided food and they provided supplies. Ellie Hill has partnered with many programs throughout San Francisco helping connect students and families to resources, mentorships and opportunities to enter the workforce. Starting at the age of 13 years old, many families depend on these resources and looking forward to the new opportunities. Ellie Hill gives children a sense of belonging, confidence, friendship and a safe place to express themselves. Ellie Hill is a safety net for a lot of people that do not have that access.
[193:37] Speaker 5: Take a look around.
[193:38] Speaker 4: Not every child grows up with stability or safety at home.
[193:42] Speaker 10: Excuse me.
[193:45] Speaker 4: In places like Ellie Hill helps fill that gap. Losing this program would deeply impact children and families who depend on it. And without spaces like this, many youth can become misguided or or disconnected from positive role models, support systems and opportunities that help them grow.
[193:59] Speaker 5: We need programs like Ellie Hill to
[194:01] Speaker 4: protect our black children and our and our black families.
[194:04] Speaker 8: Thank you.
[194:04] Speaker 2: Thank you Sasha Earl for your comments. Welcome to our next speaker. Good evening Board of Supervisors. My name is Marva Austin. I'm support here at Booker T's backing of La Hill Center Community Center. I'm asking to keep La Hill open. We need programs like this, especially in the Fillmore district. My children have been attending Booker T. For several years and they love it. Every time they go between after school programs, summer camp programs. I honestly don't know what to do without Booker T or La Hill Community Center Center. These programs help my children feel more confident in schools with their reading and math which encouraged them to succeed. Throughout their educational journey, Booker T&LA Hill have been a huge part of the community by helping families, seniors, residents and most of all, children. Families depend on these centers for support, food resources, mental health services, supportive housing services, guidance for children and youth and most of all, a safe place for children. Booker T's leader. With Booker T's great leadership, I believe La Hill can just be as successful as Booker T. And continue to make in making a positive impact in our black communities. Please keep La Hill open.
[195:40] Speaker 10: Please.
[195:40] Speaker 2: Thank you for your time. Thank you for your comments. Welcome to our next speaker. Hello, I am Gladys Wong, a proud Chinese with family friends of different racial backgrounds. It is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander meant. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843 and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid those tracks were Chinese immigrants. My mother's grandfather worked on the railroad. I walked the last 10 miles at the 150th anniversary. My mother at angel island called it a prison. Auntie Mary Tsukamoto wrote We the people a story of the American internment. Steve Nakato said concentration camps the Japanese were patriotic loyal citizens wrongly accused. The US government did apologize giving reparations, but racism still exists. I have been here 20 plus years in beautiful San Francisco which I love. I am also a good citizen having done nothing wrong. But I am tracked, intimidated, harassed. My mission home has been broken into many times. Invasion of privacy keys, cars, papers, phone give information access to my private property accounts, whereabouts the city has damaged my property yet to be repaired. Americans of all ages, classes have different values, priorities, futures. San Francisco is also very tough. I need help.
[197:48] Speaker 5: Thank you. Thank you for your comments.
[197:51] Speaker 8: Next Speaker.
[198:01] Speaker 7: Good afternoon supervisors. I'm Jonathan Froxwyk with San Francisco AIDS Foundation. I'm testifying regarding item 19, the resolution
[198:09] Speaker 6: recognizing HIV Long Term Survivors Awareness Day.
[198:13] Speaker 7: I'd like to thank Supervisor Chan and
[198:15] Speaker 6: the other sponsors of this resolution for bringing much appreciated attention to the needs
[198:21] Speaker 7: of long term HIV survivors and other older adults living with hiv. At the same time, I would be remiss if I didn't highlight that those needs are not currently being met by San Francisco's aging agency. As the resolution states, the Department of Disability and Aging Services has actually never dedicated funding toward programs that are specific, specifically tailored to people aging with hiv. The Department has declined requests from advocates to allocate new funding for HIV and aging services, to set aside existing funding for these services, to identify long term HIV survivors as a priority population, or even to collect data on how many long term HIV survivors they serve. Again, we are truly grateful for your
[199:10] Speaker 6: recognition of HIV Long Term Survivors Aware Awareness Day.
[199:14] Speaker 7: And we encourage the board to follow
[199:16] Speaker 6: up on this wonderful recognition by supporting
[199:19] Speaker 7: advocates request for DOS to fund the programs caring for San Francisco's HIV elders.
[199:25] Speaker 2: Thank you, thank you for your comments. We welcome the next speaker. Good evening, supervisors. I don't want to repeat everything the
[199:36] Speaker 5: last speaker said, so I'll just make this personal. My name is Vince Christ. I've been living with HIV since 1986
[199:44] Speaker 7: and part of the reason why I'm
[199:45] Speaker 2: alive today is because I got the
[199:47] Speaker 7: treatment, I got the services, I got
[199:49] Speaker 1: everything that I needed.
[199:50] Speaker 2: And most of that I got in San Francisco. Wherever I Went in the world.
[199:55] Speaker 7: San Francisco provided me a home.
[199:58] Speaker 5: And I want to thank Supervisor Chen for this resolution.
[200:03] Speaker 3: We are over 11,500 people living with
[200:07] Speaker 5: HIV in this city, and there are about 15,000.
[200:10] Speaker 6: We have many friends, loved ones.
[200:13] Speaker 5: We are a voting block.
[200:14] Speaker 3: And I want to just thank Supervisor
[200:19] Speaker 7: Chan and all the supervisors who are
[200:22] Speaker 2: endorsing this, who have come forward to
[200:24] Speaker 7: support this initiative because it's important. Last year, I lost 25 friends to HIV people.
[200:32] Speaker 5: People will say it's old age, but,
[200:33] Speaker 7: you know, I was told I wouldn't live to see 30. I turned 65 in February, and now I'm looking toward retirement.
[200:42] Speaker 5: And San Francisco made that possible. So I want to thank you again.
[200:49] Speaker 7: Long Term Survivor hiv.
[200:50] Speaker 2: Long Term Survivor Awareness Day is important
[200:52] Speaker 7: to us as a community.
[200:54] Speaker 5: I also want to say that while
[200:57] Speaker 2: it's great that I get all these
[200:58] Speaker 7: services, the most important thing about HIV
[201:00] Speaker 2: is preventing people from getting it.
[201:02] Speaker 7: So, as you know, there is a budget coming up. So I hope you will think about
[201:05] Speaker 1: that because it's much more expensive to
[201:08] Speaker 2: treat HIV than it is to prevent it. Thank you. Thank you, Vince Crisostomo, for your comments. Welcome to the next speaker.
[201:17] Speaker 9: Good afternoon.
[201:18] Speaker 6: Good afternoon. My name is Matt Foreman.
[201:20] Speaker 9: I'm executive Director of AIDS Legal Referral Panel.
[201:23] Speaker 7: We provide free legal services to people
[201:25] Speaker 9: living with HIV and AIDS, and we've handled 100,000 cases since our founding 43 years ago. I'm here to speak in support of the resolution concerning longtime survivors. I really want to appreciate all of you for being here tonight and during these meetings and for supporting this resolution. This is something we never thought would happen, that we would see people living with HIV living into their 60s, 60s, 70s, and beyond.
[201:51] Speaker 6: That was unimaginable 30 years ago.
[201:55] Speaker 9: Back then, of course, HIV was a death sentence. The people we are talking about with this recognition resolution are people that largely contracted the virus before there were effective antivirals that meant HIV wreaked havoc on their bodies. They watched their friends and entire social networks die around them.
[202:22] Speaker 6: Many lost their ability to work.
[202:25] Speaker 9: Many fell into poverty. Many fell into lifelong depression. I don't want to say, however, these people are victims. They are incredibly resilient, and that's what
[202:34] Speaker 6: this resolution would lift up.
[202:37] Speaker 9: And contrary to what a lot of
[202:39] Speaker 7: people think, this population is not going away anytime.
[202:43] Speaker 9: In fact, it is rapidly increasing. This chart I have here shows that over the next 10 years, the number of people living with HIV over 70
[202:53] Speaker 6: is going to double in San Francisco. And the city, as stated earlier, is just not ready for it.
[203:00] Speaker 9: Thank you for your attention.
[203:01] Speaker 2: Thank you, Matt Foreman for your comments. We welcome the next speaker.
[203:13] Speaker 6: Good afternoon supervisors.
[203:15] Speaker 7: My name is Justice Dumla with the HIV Advocacy Network. A huge shout out to Calvin and Supervisor Chan's office for supporting this resolution. I'm here in support of IDA 19, the long term honoring long term survivors.
[203:28] Speaker 1: It is important to honor those who
[203:32] Speaker 7: have been living with HIV in every conceivable way.
[203:36] Speaker 1: The fight for living for those living
[203:38] Speaker 7: with HIV and at risk for HIV and AIDS is not only embedded into the fabric of this city, but in
[203:43] Speaker 6: this country and the world.
[203:45] Speaker 7: Advocates in this room and beyond have greatly improved not only our own systems of care, but systems of care across the world.
[203:54] Speaker 1: I stand before you as somebody living
[203:55] Speaker 9: with HIV for 8 years and I
[203:57] Speaker 7: am so unbelievably grateful for for the work for those that have come before me so that I can healthily live
[204:05] Speaker 6: in this beautiful city.
[204:07] Speaker 7: And part of honoring this work is
[204:09] Speaker 1: also continuing to speak truth to the
[204:11] Speaker 7: unmet needs that this community has. The proposed budget cuts aim to take away money from HIV prevention and harm reduction and it is an affront to the legacy of these long term survivors.
[204:24] Speaker 1: I hope that along with your support
[204:25] Speaker 7: for this resolution, we can count on
[204:28] Speaker 1: your advocacy in the city budget process to also honor these long term survivors
[204:33] Speaker 7: by fully funding HIV prevention, harm reduction and LGBTQ services. Or at the very least, prevent these cuts from happening by the end of June.
[204:41] Speaker 6: Not only are these services important for
[204:43] Speaker 1: our community, but also to be dedicated
[204:45] Speaker 7: specifically to people of color and black
[204:48] Speaker 1: and brown communities who have often been
[204:49] Speaker 7: left out of this conversation. Once again, thank you all supervisors for
[204:53] Speaker 6: your time and I look forward to
[204:54] Speaker 1: working with you throughout the rest of the city budget process and in support of this resolution.
[204:59] Speaker 5: Thank you.
[204:59] Speaker 2: Thank you justice for your comments. Welcome to the next speaker.
[205:04] Speaker 6: Hello. Good evening, Board of Supervisors. My name is Joel Ogren. I'm 69 years old. I'm a retired registered nurse from St. Mary's Hospital. I worked there for 40 years. I'm also a public health nurse. In 1985, when I graduated from USF with my bachelor's of Nursing Science, I found out I was HIV positive. I am a long term survivor of HIV disease. I urge you to consider the budget cuts to HIV services. To what end will you be making those cuts? So thank you so much for all of your recognition for the HIV people out here in San Francisco. Thank you.
[205:59] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. We welcome to the next speaker.
[206:06] Speaker 9: Hello Board. My name is Trey Turner. I'm here because I stand on the
[206:11] Speaker 1: shoulders of of the brave elders who
[206:13] Speaker 9: came before me, who fought, bled and
[206:15] Speaker 1: suffered so that I could have the
[206:16] Speaker 9: ability to stand here today as a proud, healthy black gay man in the city. I'm able to do the work that I do as a manager of clinical assistants at San Francisco AIDS foundation because of the gay, lesbian, trans and genderqueer people who paved the way, who created the HIV infrastructure, program, services and institutions that shaped the healthcare and public health landscape in San Francisco as it exists today. I'm currently HIV negative. I've never lost a friend or loved one to HIV and aids. And I attribute that directly to the sacrifices and efforts of our long term survivors and HIV advocates. I would be remiss if I didn't fight for the older generations that were knocked down and got back up time and time again so that those of us in this room could dream of any kind of future as LGBT people. I know that I would not be where I am without my LGBT elders, mentors and friends, all of whom who have persevered.
[207:05] Speaker 1: Many are now gone and many themselves have lost dearly.
[207:08] Speaker 9: To every person in this room. It is no understatement to say that we owe great debt to those long
[207:14] Speaker 1: term survivors now in their latter years.
[207:16] Speaker 9: To suggest that we pull vital HIV
[207:18] Speaker 1: resources and public health funding away from
[207:21] Speaker 9: them is outlined in Mayor Lurie's proposed
[207:23] Speaker 1: budget is a disgrace.
[207:25] Speaker 9: Many need that funding now more than ever. The city owes a tremendous debt to
[207:29] Speaker 1: our long term survivors.
[207:31] Speaker 9: And I implore the board to reverse its cuts to HIV funding that directly and indirectly impact our LGB elders and long term survivors of HIV and aids. Also shout out to Booker T. Please
[207:45] Speaker 1: save that as well.
[207:46] Speaker 9: Thank you.
[207:47] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome to the next Speaker.
[207:55] Speaker 7: Good afternoon, President Mandelman, members of the board. My name is Paul.
[207:58] Speaker 5: Paul Aguilar.
[207:59] Speaker 7: I am a long term survivor of
[208:01] Speaker 3: AIDS having been diagnosed in 1988.
[208:04] Speaker 6: I want to thank you for recognizing
[208:06] Speaker 7: Long Term Survivors Awareness Day. It happens to fall on the anniversary
[208:10] Speaker 6: of those first reports from the CDC
[208:13] Speaker 3: from June 5, 1981, which also happened
[208:15] Speaker 7: to be two weeks before my 18th birthday.
[208:18] Speaker 2: But commemorative resolutions ring hollow when our
[208:21] Speaker 7: actual lifelines are being severed.
[208:24] Speaker 2: On May 17, 2022, every single person
[208:28] Speaker 7: on this board made a unanimous promise
[208:30] Speaker 6: to the people of San Francisco.
[208:32] Speaker 7: You voted to honor the San Francisco Principles 2020 and protect our HIV safety net.
[208:38] Speaker 3: But now the SFDPH and the mayor are proposing a $37 million in cuts
[208:43] Speaker 7: and contract reductions cutting 2.2 million from
[208:46] Speaker 3: HIV community based organizations.
[208:48] Speaker 2: And slashing funding from black, Latino and
[208:50] Speaker 6: trans led health access points.
[208:52] Speaker 2: It is a direct violation of that 2022 commitment. We didn't survive decades of this epidemic just to be abandoned to balance a short term deficit.
[209:02] Speaker 6: Moving forward with these cuts willfully dismantles
[209:06] Speaker 7: the framework that you swore to uphold. We aren't asking for a new priority.
[209:11] Speaker 6: We're asking for you to keep the
[209:13] Speaker 7: exact promises that you made to us.
[209:15] Speaker 3: Do what you can to prevent these cuts. Thank you.
[209:20] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome to the next speaker.
[209:26] Speaker 6: Good evening.
[209:28] Speaker 9: My name is Jerry Cuffy and first of all I want to thank the board for the resolution 19. I'm a 74 year old, 38 year
[209:40] Speaker 6: old long term survivor. I've lived more than half my life
[209:45] Speaker 9: as an HIV survivor.
[209:52] Speaker 6: I don't know how I got here, to be honest with you. But without the help of the San Francisco AIDS foundation and other services in San Francisco, I'd be dead. Fortunately, I didn't go that route. I went through
[210:17] Speaker 9: Stonewall Rehabilitation program. I went through the clinical Assistance Internship program which Trey just spoke of and became a health educator with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. And that is my purpose. Pardon me, sorry about that. That is my purpose. To help folks like me who have survived this amount of time. There are comorbidities that we have to deal with. Heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis that occur in us much worse than it occurs in
[210:58] Speaker 6: someone who is not HIV positive.
[211:03] Speaker 9: I urge the board and the mayor to uphold the San Francisco principles that were established in September 2020. You told us you would have our back. You told us that you would help keep us alive. Honor that promise.
[211:25] Speaker 6: It's a moral contract.
[211:29] Speaker 9: Thank you.
[211:30] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome to the next speaker.
[211:36] Speaker 6: Hi.
[211:36] Speaker 7: Good afternoon. President Metelman and members of the board. My name is Michael Rupe. I'm a co author of the San Francisco Principles, a Long term survivor and District 9 president. I want to thank Supervisor Chan and the sponsors of the board for introducing item 19 and recognizing June 5th as HIV long term survivors Awareness Day. But let's be entirely clear here. A resolution of appreciation means nothing if the city guts the actual infrastructure keeping those same survivors alive by the numbers alone. This executive budget directly threatens our aging populations with with deep rollbacks. $850,000 cut to slashes community health access points by 6.6% and strips clinical resources from strut hitting the exact generation that built our safety net. 1.5 million cut to harm reduction, defund, substance abuse, substance use navigators and vital narcan distribution. When lives are on the line, millions more threatens the lifelines like Lion, Martin, Lyric and Care for Homeless Youth Queer Youth. In May 2020, this board officially adopted our principles binding this city to a commitment of meaningful community involvement and stakeholder led public health safety policy. Nearly 75% of San Franciscans living with HIV are over 50 50. We survived the worst of the epidemic. Our community explicitly demands that you protect the vulnerable, not balance the budget on our backs. Thank you for the awareness day and please vote yes on item 19 but hold the line on your own commitments. Reject these budget cuts and fully restore the funding. Thank you.
[213:30] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome next Speaker. Good afternoon supervisors.
[213:37] Speaker 5: And thank you Supervisor Chan for introducing
[213:39] Speaker 7: this resolution and to all the other co sponsors who are co sponsoring this
[213:42] Speaker 5: resolution recognizing our long term survivor community and the needs of those aging with HIV as an epicenter when the HIV
[213:51] Speaker 1: crisis first started emerging.
[213:52] Speaker 2: San Francisco is always led on serving our community.
[213:56] Speaker 5: Many long term survivors face complex ptsd,
[213:59] Speaker 2: increased isolation, complex comorbidities that require specialized care.
[214:04] Speaker 5: As the community continues to age, it's more critical than ever that we ensure
[214:08] Speaker 7: that these specialized services are protected.
[214:11] Speaker 1: We must continue to listen to long
[214:12] Speaker 2: term survivors ensure that they have the support that they need. We are deeply indebted to the work
[214:17] Speaker 5: this generation has accomplished in transforming public
[214:20] Speaker 2: health and how it's delivered.
[214:22] Speaker 5: We are within striking distance of ending
[214:24] Speaker 2: HIV transmissions in San Francisco.
[214:27] Speaker 5: And this is one of the most incredible legacies of our long term survivor
[214:30] Speaker 2: community and the public health system that they help bring into being. Here in San Francisco we have learned sexual health is a human right, not a line item to be cut. The Mayor's budget cuts to HIV prevention risk critical infrastructure that prop up a crown jewel in our public health system.
[214:48] Speaker 5: We are looking to this board for
[214:50] Speaker 2: leadership and pushing back against these cuts. We must honor the legacy of public health our long term survivors have fought for and continue that fight by ensuring that the prevention systems they've brought into existence and continue that HIV transmission rates drop.
[215:05] Speaker 5: And that we ensure that they as
[215:07] Speaker 1: our long term survivor community get the
[215:09] Speaker 5: services and support they need to age with dignity here in the city they
[215:13] Speaker 7: love and call home.
[215:14] Speaker 5: Thank you.
[215:15] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome to the next Speaker.
[215:20] Speaker 8: Good evening supervisors. Thanks for hearing all of us out.
[215:23] Speaker 2: I'm Raheel Borges.
[215:24] Speaker 8: I'm a physician at San Francisco General Hospital Hospital and I'm here to provide public comment on item number 23. I'm not speaking on behalf of UCSF, but rather as an individual and Also, on behalf of the Health for All Coalition, I'm here to ask for your Support for item 23, which is the resolution supporting California State Senate Bill 1422 on Medi Cal eligibility. Thank you Supervisor Mahmoud for sponsoring this bill or this resolution and Supervisors Sauter, Chen and Walton for being co sponsors. Sorry if I'm missing anyone else. We really appreciate all of your support. Currently, because of the HR1 and state MEDI Cal cuts, San Francisco could potentially see thousands of residents lose access to full scope medi cal. In January 2025, a medi cal enrollment freeze was imposed such that adults over 19 with unsatisfactory immigration status could no longer enroll in Medi California. We are already seeing patients fall through the cracks. Recently, I tried to follow up with a patient with liver disease. After his hospital discharge, he couldn't come to clinic because his coverage had lapsed and as an undocumented adult, he could not re enroll. My team helped him apply for Healthy San Francisco, but his care was delayed and delays like this increase the risk that patients end up back in the hospital sicker. Unfortunately, Governor Newsom's May budget revision continues to advance cuts to health care for our state's most vulnerable immigrant communities. In contrast, SB 1422 would sunset the enrollment restrictions and it has passed the Senate Appropriations Committee. But we've been told that county level support could really help push this through. So in order to preserve preventative health care for all San Franciscans and in order to not overburden our Healthy San Francisco plan, I hope that you will support this resolution. Thanks so much.
[217:17] Speaker 5: Thank you for your comments.
[217:19] Speaker 4: Next Speaker.
[217:28] Speaker 7: Good evening, Supervisors. My name is Brett Martinez. I am Both a District 5 resident
[217:32] Speaker 6: of 20 years and the Senior Wellness
[217:34] Speaker 7: Broker Manager at Booker T. Washington. Ensuring our older adults have a place to come that is culturally responsive, keeps them out of social isolation and most importantly, offers an intergenerational space, space especially for those without family in San Francisco. We need the Board of Supervisors to schedule the lease agreement for Ella Hill Hutch on time and stop the delay. Our community wants and depends on these important summer programs for youth to start on time. Your delay and decision will cost vulnerable working families to lose their child care and force more than 60 teens to
[218:05] Speaker 6: lose their summer jobs as well as
[218:07] Speaker 7: the educators who support them all. History has shown that when the doors of black led institutions and local businesses in the Fillmore close, they do not return. We simply cannot allow that pattern to repeat itself.
[218:20] Speaker 6: Please support this agreement. Not only does the community need it,
[218:23] Speaker 7: our city does too.
[218:25] Speaker 6: I would Also like to add that
[218:26] Speaker 7: I am support of all the programs here advocating against, facing against and facing the mayor's proposed budget cuts, including our
[218:33] Speaker 9: own senior Wellness program.
[218:35] Speaker 7: Thank you for your time and consideration.
[218:37] Speaker 4: Thank you for your comments. Next speaker.
[218:44] Speaker 5: Good evening. My name is Jeannie Hagler and I am here in support of Booker T. Stabilization of Ella Hill Hutch Community Center. I'm asking you to keep Ella Hill open. We need all services to to continue to support the community for the families. A place where the kids can get summer jobs as well as learning center needs, provide structure in their lives and learning important skills to help further their education. Again, I ask that we keep Ella Hill Community center open.
[219:25] Speaker 9: Thank you.
[219:28] Speaker 5: Thank you for your comments. Next Speaker Good afternoon, everyone.
[219:32] Speaker 2: My name is Elaine Samuels. I'm from District 5.
[219:36] Speaker 5: I'm a retired public health nurse at the foot of county and city of San Francisco and I'm here and representing Booker T. Washington.
[219:46] Speaker 2: Booker T. Washington provide us with a human connection. It bonds community together. It has an integrational story to tell to our community to keep our community together, forming a relationship, shared human experiences and unification.
[220:06] Speaker 5: I am in agreement to keep Booker T. Washington in connection with the Ella Hill Hutch program because that program provide me stability. It provided me with connection and I'm also in the Senior wellness program. I'm 74 years old and I am alive and well and going to my next journey through Booker T. Washington. So please help us and make that happen. Thank you. Thank you for your comments.
[220:40] Speaker 2: Welcome the next speaker.
[220:43] Speaker 5: My name is Tori Sprague and I'm a District 5 resident. I was raised in Fillmore and I'm encouraging the transition at Booker T. Washington into Elliott Hill Hutch Community Center. Ella Hill Hutch was the first African American Board of Supervisor. The hub in the Fillmore needs to stay open. It's a place that I grew up in and I have the privilege that my children not only went there for summer programs, but also they are old enough to now work there. Ellie Hill Hutch Community center needs to remain open. The Fillmore has already lost so much. We cannot continue to have these Fillmore action planning meetings and the voices of the community not being heard also. Growing up in San Francisco, I have witnessed that programs in certain communities are not available to youth unless you get in trouble. I work for San Francisco Unified School District. I've came through the foster care system, I've came through the juvenile justice system. And it is imperative that we keep Ella Hill Hutch Community center open so that our children have a place to go. And not only our children, our seniors as well. It needs to be a community hub as it was before. And I believe that that Booker T. Washington taking over the lease of Ellie Hill Hutch Community center can fulfill what we need in our community.
[222:17] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome to the next speaker, Reverend Brown. Welcome,
[222:31] Speaker 6: Mr. President, Madam Clerk, members of the board, please hear me, each of you. I sat in those seats where you are sitting now when I served on this board. I rise simply to say in Mississippi, where I came from, there's an old adage that says you can't chunk straight with a crooked stick. You can't chunk straight with a crooked stick. Let me say respectfully, as we consider the matter, what is to happen at Booker T. Or what's happened to happen at Eliel Hutch, I beg you to understand that all the truth is not being told. And I rise as a pastor of the historic Third Baptist Church for over nearly 50 years to speak the truth. The Good Book says, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. And the truth is, there's been some inside dealing on this measure. There's been a good talk about community, but everybody was not included. We were excluded. And let the speakers who came previously understand, please. I am not saying you not receive good measures at Booker T. That's not the issue. But the leadership of Booker T. Has refused to meet with the black community, including the black faith leadership. And the question becomes, why?
[224:56] Speaker 5: What's the motive?
[224:59] Speaker 6: That has happened. And there are individuals who are shaking their heads to say it's strange that the leadership refused a plan that was advanced. What was that plan? That there would be joint leadership. And there's one person of integrity, a person of skill who was recommended. And the leadership knows about it. But that leadership said, no,
[225:40] Speaker 10: no.
[225:42] Speaker 6: And the question becomes, why?
[225:45] Speaker 9: Why?
[225:47] Speaker 6: The African proverb says, if you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together. And members of the board, don't adopt this measure until you send the message to the leadership of Booker T. That you must go together on the plan that the community recommended in the first place. That's what it's all about. We've had too much division by intent and by accident in our black community. That's why our population is down from 15% now down to 4% in this town.
[226:37] Speaker 1: And we say, Reverend Brown, you're getting me in trouble.
[226:42] Speaker 6: As a former member of the Board of supervisors, I get three minutes. Now, you know that. Mr. Chairman, we're well past but maybe
[226:48] Speaker 1: wrap it up,
[226:57] Speaker 6: Mr. President. Don't divide this community. We can have Elihua's hut stay over open. I was there when there was a groundbreaking. I was around Dianne Feinstein, former mayor of this city, work with Arnold Townsend and others. And we went to Washington D.C. and that is a fact and nothing made up. All we're saying, let's be driven by the truth and not inside dealing. Thank you very much.
[227:42] Speaker 2: Thank you, Reverend Brown. Hold your applause, please. The Board of Supervisors has a board rule which allows privilege of the floor floor to be granted and the board gave it to former member of this Board of Supervisors, Reverend Amos Brown. Can we hear from the next speaker, please? We are setting the timer for two minutes. Thank you. I'm going to want to submit a couple of documents for record, please. And I've got copies for the members of the board as well. Thank you. Thank you. That's a hard act. Tough act to follow. I'm going to speak a little truth here as well. My name is Lisa Arges. I'm a resident of District 4, community leader and activist and a principal officer of the Equal Fire Protection for All committee. I'd like to submit into the record writings from two public servants who have done more for the city of San Francisco than anyone in this chamber. No disrespect, but I call it like I see it. The first is from Frank Blackburn, Assistant Chief, San Francisco Fire Department, retired. Written shortly before his death last September, the title of which is Lessons from Los Angeles. Are we capable of learning from their lack of planning? Frank served as a firefighter and in command staff at SFFD for 35 years. After his retirement, Frank continued to advocate for the expansion of the auxiliary water supply system. The second piece is from former supervisor, state senator and retired Judge Quentin Kopp, a personal friend of Frank Blackburn. Judge Kopp's piece was published in the examiner, the Local 798 newsletter and in the Wind. Now for my comments. There are two things that are necessary to fight fire, water and firefighters. Nowhere is more true than with fighting post earthquake conflagrations and firestorms. I believe it's a good thing to protect our firefighters, police officers and first responders. Everyone does. But if they are forced to watch the city burn, to watch our homes, businesses and our very lives perish in the great conflagrations and firestorms, we what will be the point of any of it when the next massive earthquake hits San Francisco? The firestorm will come. And if we are not prepared, make no mistake, we are not prepared. Nor are we getting prepared every day we don't have the big one is one day closer to the big one. How many firefighters will pay for the city's hubris with their lives? How many residents? Residents of more than 15 unprotected neighborhoods and Southern neighborhoods. 16 years broken promises. 3 bonds 1.44 billion borrowed and spent. 0 high pressure hydrants. 0 miles of firefighting main placed in the almost 2/3 of the city that's unprotected. We need a reset.
[230:15] Speaker 5: It must be happen now.
[230:17] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. We welcome the next speaker. Oh, thank you. Thanks for looking up for me.
[230:27] Speaker 5: Good evening everyone. My name is Shani Wyatt and I am part of Kiche Cares as well as sfhdc. I am here on behalf of myself and both of the organizations to support Booker T. Washington and the 13 month lease to obtain a space at Ella Hill Hutch. This is very vital for the community. It is not to divide the community. It is to continue to let the community prosperity through the resources to make sure that the families and the children who have been a part of Ella Hill for all of these years continue to obtain this space. That they continue to thrive without this. In summer approaching, summer jobs will be lost for the teens. Summer jobs will be lost for the adults. And on a personal note, two years ago when my son passed away of asthma which led to him having a heart attack, Shakira and her team pulled up to my house, to my living room with one of the worst times of my life and helped me to plan arrange the home going for my 22 year old son who was a San Francisco native. That was one of the worst times in my life. And without them, without the support of them, I don't know where I would be. I would probably, probably be in the casket with him. Because losing a child is something that I don't wish upon anyone. But once again with their support, I was able to make it through that tough time. And I am standing here in front of you to
[232:35] Speaker 2: thank you for your comments. Thank you for your comments. Thank you. Welcome to the next speaker.
[232:59] Speaker 5: Good evening, Board of Supervisors. This is new for me. I'm not going to go into the speech that I was supposed to say. I think a lot of us from Booker T. We said this speech. So I'm just going to say standing here looking out, I remember I am a, you know, I'm part of the senior club that's going on there.
[233:26] Speaker 8: And I happened to be looking out
[233:28] Speaker 5: the window one day and I saw all these little bitty children, children playing out in the back. And you see the children running through there, you see the teenagers. We have the most fun in the senior club, especially when we do bingo. And so this is, I want to say this is personal for me and I can't think of anything else to say except for I look out and I look into the you guys sitting there and I think about the little children that were running around. And not only that, we help so many people from different backgrounds and different nationalities and, you know, with food and
[234:21] Speaker 2: the help with daycare and the schooling
[234:27] Speaker 5: that goes on and the summertime jobs, you know. So I'm looking forward to I don't know much about politics and things, but I'm looking forward to the conversion of Booker T. Ella Hill Hutch. And I just think that we just need to move forward. And I think you can't really know about the cutting of anything unless you come and you experience.
[234:52] Speaker 2: It would be such a great thing
[234:53] Speaker 5: if some of you could come sometimes and be bingoing with us or eat dinner with us and to know really what goes on there. That's my spiel.
[235:05] Speaker 4: Thank you.
[235:05] Speaker 2: Well, thank you for your comments. Welcome to the next speaker.
[235:10] Speaker 9: Hi, my name is Ryan Babbitt.
[235:12] Speaker 5: I'm the associate director of Expanded Learning Enrichment at Booker T. I've been there for six years and I singly hadn't seen the impact that Booker T. Has done in community. I've seen the leadership that Shakira has brought over the last six years. When I started there, we only had seven staff. Now we sit at 57. Booker T. Has been doing this work for 107 years. And even though this is new to community about us going over and taking over lease at Ellie Hill 40 years ago when LA Hill started their Ed Lefty was a case manager at Booker T. For 20 years. And so we shared it board with them. And so this is just us doing full circle and stepping in to making sure that we can support our families, our seniors and our youth to make sure they have a safe third space to go to. I'm just tired of burying our babies and I just want to make sure that our babies have a safe place to go to during the summer and for after school as well. So again I please encourage y', all, the board of supervisors please pass the lease so that way we can make sure we start services for 95k through 8 and 60 teams on June 15th.
[236:20] Speaker 1: Thank you.
[236:21] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome. Next speaker.
[236:25] Speaker 6: Hello, my name is Marvelous Lucas. I work with Booker T. Washington Community service Center. I am utmost four. Booker T. Washington stewarding Eli Hill Hutch. And look, let's just take the blinds down. It's for one year. In six months, these people get to bid for it like everyone else. Right now they're deadlocked on. If they don't come to the table, then nothing happens. Who would say that about the community and what's at risk? We're talking about, they're ready to say stop the program. We're talking 60 children to all kinds of families. Who would take that position? It's not a good position to take when they talk about backdoor deals. Hold on, brother. I'm stirring it up. Let me stir it up now. I'm gonna stir it up, brother. When you talk about the person, I won't put the person's name out there. When you talk about the person who wants to co executive direct with Shakira, that guy had an opportunity. That backroom door deal, if you want to call those dealings. I was there. Other people were there. He said these words, I don't have the capacity. Shakira has the team. And frankly, it's something I don't want now. Now they're uplifting their champion, the guy who didn't even want to take the fight because the fight is looking like it could be saved and everyone wants to come in on the win. That's not cool. And people the reason. And you guys probably don't like when people come in. Who really wants to meet with people who are in fighting all the time. You will never get anything done. But she meets these people. Plans on meeting these people, but that's it. They'll come up with another reason. I will say this. I came by a study from Harvard University and it said that black organizations that were closed doors were 6,800 times possible of never opening again. Thank you for your time.
[238:16] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome to the next speaker
[238:22] Speaker 5: or go behind that. Hello, my name is Kat Swire. I am the senior wellness coordinator at Booker T. And yet I don't come here today as an employee. I come here today as a mother, an aunt and a former educator. Had I not had quality childcare for my 16 year old twins, I might not be employed or be gainfully employed. Today I am in support of Ella Hill Stabilization project because not only will it provide quality care for babies, it will provide a safety net for working families and single mothers like myself. Some of you guys are parents, some of you guys are grandparents, some of you guys are aunts. Think about those babies. And what would they do if you couldn't go to work or you didn't know what you were going to do or you had to bring your baby to work because you didn't have somewhere for you, your babies to go? I really, really consider moving forward with the lease because it would not only provide quality care and service for our babies, it would just provide safety net for those who look like me, talk like me, walk like me, and maybe like you.
[239:33] Speaker 8: Thank you.
[239:34] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome to the next speaker.
[239:38] Speaker 5: Good evening. First giving honor to God, who's the head of my life, Makia Wat Watkins from District District 5. First, I want to say to my community that we do not disagree much on what's going on. We want Ellie Hill Hutch to stay open as well. We want the babies to be fed. We do not, I repeat, do not want anyone to lose their job. But we're here because the process wasn't done right. There were back door agreements. And we've talked, Erica and I, we've talked to Bilal and other supervisors and people on the Human Source Committee. And what they don't know is that you, you guys have offered a co leadership and we have you first, who is an, who is a black ran nonprofit who can co direct with her. And I don't understand why that is a hard situation. Hold each other, they can hold each other accountable. So I'm saying please don't vote on this until we could come to some kind of collaboration and get a co director in there. And if you guys are more transparent with how you run things in the city, our community wouldn't be like this. But this is what you guys do as a city. You guys come in, you spew all these, this rhetoric to one side, street things to the other side, and here we go. We're divided, but we're not going to be divided. I love all my community, but we just have a difference of agreement. So once again we, I support a co director. And if you can't vote on that, I say don't vote until you can. Thank you.
[241:24] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome to the next speaker. Good evening, Board of Supervisors.
[241:33] Speaker 5: I also want to give honor to
[241:34] Speaker 2: the Lord who's ahead of my life.
[241:36] Speaker 5: And I'm Erica Scott.
[241:39] Speaker 2: I am here again to share the
[241:43] Speaker 5: concern as to why we are even here.
[241:46] Speaker 4: And it was because of the previous leadership.
[241:50] Speaker 2: And we can't just look at six
[241:52] Speaker 5: months or 13 months. We have to look at the longevity of our community.
[241:57] Speaker 8: We have lost 10 years of operation
[242:00] Speaker 2: Regular operation at Ella Hill Hutch Community center because of the previous leadership. And we want to make sure that
[242:06] Speaker 5: that just doesn't happen again.
[242:08] Speaker 2: We need serious accountability.
[242:11] Speaker 8: We need transparency.
[242:12] Speaker 5: And the way that this process has
[242:14] Speaker 8: happened has been totally behind closed doors
[242:18] Speaker 5: just recently has it been brought to the public. But so much has been done that
[242:24] Speaker 8: I was actually told from someone who
[242:26] Speaker 5: works in the mayor's office not to
[242:28] Speaker 2: say anything, not to say anything to
[242:30] Speaker 5: my community about an institution that means so much to us, which is Elliott
[242:34] Speaker 2: Hill Hutch Community Center.
[242:36] Speaker 5: So we all want the same thing,
[242:38] Speaker 8: but we don't want to face what
[242:40] Speaker 2: we're going through right now, court proceedings that are about to take place because of misguided leadership. We need to make sure that everyone is held accountable.
[242:49] Speaker 8: And there were some very close dealings
[242:52] Speaker 2: with the leadership at Booker T. With Ellie Hill Hutch.
[242:56] Speaker 5: So we want accountability. We want to make sure that there's checks and balances.
[243:02] Speaker 8: We want to make sure that our
[243:03] Speaker 2: children and families don't have to face this again.
[243:06] Speaker 5: Thank you.
[243:08] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome to the next speaker. Good afternoon.
[243:15] Speaker 8: My name is Derby Vellos.
[243:16] Speaker 5: I'm here in support of Booker T's
[243:19] Speaker 4: lead for Ella Hutch Hill. I worked with K2 for about two
[243:26] Speaker 5: years, and I just feel like it's
[243:28] Speaker 2: not fair to the kids that I
[243:30] Speaker 5: worked with because even so that I'm currently working with Booker T. I got lucky.
[243:37] Speaker 2: My mom was unemployed and I didn't
[243:40] Speaker 8: have a job, so we were both unemployed.
[243:44] Speaker 2: I got lucky and got hired at
[243:46] Speaker 5: Eliha Chill and got the opportunity to work with kids before that. I did work with them under the high school program, and I was lucky enough to do a lot of internships with them with ucsf. And I just think that I. With the little time that I've been
[244:06] Speaker 8: working with Booker T. I feel like
[244:10] Speaker 5: they can do so much more than what we had at Ella Hachio and they can help surpass then what we
[244:17] Speaker 2: had and make it way better than what.
[244:20] Speaker 8: What it was.
[244:22] Speaker 4: So please help us out.
[244:25] Speaker 5: I don't want to close the building I grew up in. Maybe not for too long, but I
[244:31] Speaker 2: did grow up there for a good amount of time. So please help us keep Ella Hutch Hill Community center open.
[244:39] Speaker 8: Thank you.
[244:40] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome to the next speaker.
[244:46] Speaker 5: Hello. My name is Frederic Claremont and I oversee programming at Booker T. Washington. And I am going to try to keep this short and sweet in that this is a daunting task that is about to be undertaken. There will be an RFP process. So if anybody wants to apply, they can. But more importantly, it's almost insulting to even imply or do innuendos that the previous administration or the previous collective impact there was any association. We have been going through contract monitoring after contract monitoring, program audits, and we are stellar in that sense, and so do not insult us. And we will look forward to this continued partnership. And the idea. The idea that someone can actually be a co leader at the same level of Booker T. Is also insulting. We're absorbing so much cost. And I look forward to this continued discussion. Thank you.
[246:03] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. We just ask that there's no interruption from the public gallery while someone is speaking. Please. Thank you. Welcome, sir.
[246:20] Speaker 9: Well, I'm kind of your gadfly.
[246:25] Speaker 7: I'm not here to support Booker T. Or not support it. My son, who's now in his 50s,
[246:35] Speaker 9: was bussed around San Francisco.
[246:37] Speaker 7: And I know how important schools around the city are important to students growing up. But on my Gadfi thing, I noticed
[246:50] Speaker 6: that the supervisor from District 9 is once again absent. And we talk about transparency. I'm really
[247:01] Speaker 7: kind of perplexed on what kind of legal basis we have for allowing a supervisor not to represent her district, district and actually sign on to
[247:15] Speaker 6: certain
[247:18] Speaker 7: endorse, certain rules that come up. I think that's wrong. And I think that the legal department
[247:24] Speaker 6: of the city ought to start investigating this district.
[247:29] Speaker 7: District 9 is not represented.
[247:31] Speaker 6: What's going to happen when she comes back suddenly? Is there going to be a month
[247:37] Speaker 7: or three months of nothing but District 9? Congratulations for service to District 9. She's missing out on a lot of things. So I've got 30 seconds to wind up. I saw just Joe Eskenazi address the Commonwealth Club.
[247:58] Speaker 6: And essentially it was.
[248:02] Speaker 7: Everybody was getting along.
[248:04] Speaker 6: The Board of Supervisors were getting along
[248:07] Speaker 7: with the mayor, and the mayor was doing real well.
[248:10] Speaker 6: But no mention was made except the
[248:14] Speaker 7: acknowledgement that District 9 had a supervisor once. So let's get a new district Supervisor for District 9.
[248:25] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome to the next speaker.
[248:32] Speaker 6: My name is Shelley and I represent the Western Addition community.
[248:38] Speaker 2: Sir, we want to hear you best. Can you speak directly into that microphone, please? Haven't started your time yet.
[248:46] Speaker 6: I said, my name is Shelly. I represent the Western Addition community and I'm here speaking on behalf of Elliot Hutch. And, you know, y' all keep talking about the children of Elliot Hutch. What about myself? You know, I remember Elliot Hutch used to help all people. It wasn't just no children, children. I was able to run there at 20. 20 years old, 23 years old, and get help, you know, get a job, whatever, you know what I mean? So it's. It's not about who about to take over the ownership of Ellie Hill. It's about how y' all doing in the process that it took to be done. You know what I mean? So we're just trying to. We just trying to get some transparency and some. Some clarity on who actually finna come in LA Hill and what's actually gonna happen, because it can't just be for no children. Now, I might want to go play basketball. I might want to go do something as I once did before, you know, I mean, because we just saw the program. We didn't see no. We didn't see no Booker T's and all them other things trying to get collected down to Ellie Hill and make it open to where they're trying to do now. And we just watched. We just watched Ella Hill failed with all these programs around here. That was in close quarters. They just watched it.
[249:48] Speaker 4: We didn't.
[249:49] Speaker 6: We didn't see no. We didn't see no thriving boogie, no thriving Ellie Hill, no thriving nothing. And Lahu was for guys that didn't grow up in the. In the good areas like the Presidio. That's where the guys at Presidio go to Booker T. The guys that come from the projects. We go to LA Hutch. It's a different environment. It's a different type of environment. Was a different type of structure down there for us that. That was there, you know, And. And I don't understand how y' all gonna just turn it for the kids. How are we gonna bring Bookie the. With just dealing with kids and not know the whole community? Because I want to go in LA Hill myself and play basketball and do something sometime.
[250:29] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comment, sir. Welcome to our next speaker.
[250:36] Speaker 6: Good evening. Good evening. Thank you. You have a immense decision to make. Booker T. Washington, stabilizing Ella Hill Hutch. We're prepared for that. First of all, my name is Kevin Brown. I'm the director of operations and facilities for Booker T. Washington. And we have a heavy lift. As well as you have a heavy lift. We are prepared to step in and do the work. It was a number that was thrown out there a few minutes ago by the Steam Brother, and He stated that 15% of it used to be 15% of black population in San Francisco, now down to 3%. And I just wanted to state I was on your watch and we need to do better There was a time where certain things were successful, but now there's a time things need to change and evolve, and we are prepared to make that change and help with that evolution. The Fillmore needs to be stabilized, not just Lo Hutch and our presence. Stepping into that space and activating that space will improve the community immensely. Also stating our. Our work, I mean, audits just the growth of our young people, the growth of our programs in the community extended into Ella Hill Hutch will improve Ellis Hill Hutch as well as to Fillmore, which is something I believe every person who sits behind these desks want for San Francisco. Thank you.
[252:28] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. Welcome to the next speaker. Hi, my name is Arlene Edwards. I'm a native of San Francisco, grew up in Golden Gate Heights, Forest Hill. My family came to San Francisco in
[252:43] Speaker 5: the late 20s and have supported this community as I've seen it in my lifetime, about turn 65 next month.
[252:52] Speaker 2: I've seen the black community kind of
[252:54] Speaker 5: wither and fly off, mostly to the
[252:57] Speaker 2: East Bay and other places. But anything you can do to support the children, the adults, all the people of color in this community that have done many things to support in their hard work. You know, I heard one of the people mention that there's a lot of services for children who are having troubles, but if you want to build a healthy child, you need to start with
[253:18] Speaker 5: them young and support them and all the time, good things and let them
[253:21] Speaker 2: know that that is a path in life for them.
[253:23] Speaker 5: And I believe Ella Hutch center is
[253:27] Speaker 2: one of those places, along with Booker T. Who has done that in this community.
[253:30] Speaker 5: And we need to find any way
[253:32] Speaker 2: we can to keep it open, support
[253:35] Speaker 5: it, and not allow the strong
[253:40] Speaker 2: history
[253:41] Speaker 5: to be lost by not supporting the
[253:44] Speaker 2: new, the young, and make that so people know what's gone on in this
[253:51] Speaker 5: city and in this country with black people that there's been trying to be erased all over.
[253:56] Speaker 2: So not just in this country, but every country. So we need to think about that.
[254:00] Speaker 5: And please, my uncle, who is 101just
[254:04] Speaker 2: passed, is going to be honored at
[254:06] Speaker 7: the end of this.
[254:06] Speaker 2: Gerald Johnson and my mother, Wilhelmina Edwards,
[254:09] Speaker 5: and my grandmother Anna, who supported when the Japanese were put into internment. She took care of their businesses and
[254:18] Speaker 2: returned them to them for the price
[254:20] Speaker 5: that she bought them from them so
[254:21] Speaker 2: they could have money while they were in camp. And that's the kind of support we need to have.
[254:24] Speaker 5: We need people lifting up all of
[254:27] Speaker 2: these communities, not trying to tear them
[254:29] Speaker 5: down and shut them out.
[254:30] Speaker 2: Thank you for your Comments before the next speaker speaks. I'll just. This is the last call. Last call for general public comment. After this individual, after this speaker will then go to the next hearing. All right. Welcome.
[254:49] Speaker 5: Thank you. Hello, Board of Supervisors. My name is Lamonica Hopkins. I am the Be Safe Associate Director at Booker T. Washington, which stands for Belonging, Safety, Access, Freedom and Equity. I think I just want to highlight a couple of things because we talked a lot about the children and the seniors, but Booker T. Is stepping in to steward Ella Hill Hutch to save community. My program in particularly does serve adults, ensuring that there is community stabilization for the entire community, not just children. So I just want to echo that. This is about saving community as a whole and not splitting two black agencies apart who actually have history together. Previously in the 107 years that Booker T. Washington has existed. Thank you.
[255:43] Speaker 2: Thank you for your comments. All right, Mr. President.
[255:47] Speaker 1: All right. Public comment is now closed. And Madam Clerk, I think we have DBI staff ready to return back on item 16.
[256:04] Speaker 9: Thank you.
[256:07] Speaker 7: So should I just read in the lines that have been removed?
[256:10] Speaker 9: Okay, so I will remove or read in the lines that we removed while
[256:14] Speaker 7: we were in sidebar, line 6, line 30, line 37 and 38 and 46, 75, 88, 89, 90, 100, 102, 1031-041181-19133, 1341-351502-24233, 2412-422432-73308, 3163-173223-39379, 380.
[257:19] Speaker 9: And that's the ones we're removing.
[257:22] Speaker 1: Okay, so, colleagues, can we accept the amendments to the report contained in item 16 and remove the properties that were just identified by department staff? Without objection. I don't see any objection. So without objection, the changes are accepted. And then, Madam Clerk, can you please call the roll on Resolution Item 16 with the amended report?
[257:45] Speaker 2: Report on Item 16 with the amended report. Supervisor Chan. Chan, aye. Supervisor Chen. Chen, aye. Supervisor Dorsey. Dorsey, aye. Supervisor Mahmoud. Mahmoud, aye. Supervisor Mandelman. Aye. Mandelman, aye. Supervisor Melgar. Melgar I. Supervisor Sauter. Sauter, I. Supervisor Cheryl. Cheryl. I. Supervisor Walton.
[258:09] Speaker 6: Aye.
[258:10] Speaker 2: Walton, aye. And Supervisor Wong Wong. Aye.
[258:14] Speaker 1: There are 10 ayes without objection. Item 16 is adopted with the amended report. Madam Clerk, let's go to the For Adoption without committee reference. Agenda items 19 through 25.
[258:26] Speaker 2: Items 19 through 25 were introduced for adoption without committee reference. A unanimous vote is required for adoption of a resolution on first reading. Today, any member may require a resolution on first reading to go to committee.
[258:41] Speaker 1: Supervisor Melgar.
[258:42] Speaker 4: Thank you. I'd just like to be added as a co sponsor for items 19 and 23. Thank you.
[258:49] Speaker 1: Madam Clerk, you have that noted. Thank you, Walton.
[258:53] Speaker 6: Thank you, President Mandelman.
[258:55] Speaker 7: I just want to make sure that
[258:56] Speaker 6: I'm added as a co sponsor to item 19 noted.
[259:00] Speaker 2: Oh, you're already on there from your staff. They just provided it to us today.
[259:08] Speaker 6: Thank you.
[259:08] Speaker 2: Thank you. Supervisor Chan, please suffer items 19 and 25.
[259:15] Speaker 1: Okay. Supervisor Chen.
[259:19] Speaker 8: Hi. Would like to add as a co sponsor for item number 25
[259:26] Speaker 1: then. Madam Clerk, can you call the roll on items 20 through 24?
[259:34] Speaker 2: On items 23 and 24?
[259:38] Speaker 1: 20 through 24. Sorry? 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24.
[259:44] Speaker 2: Got it. 21, 22, 23 and 24 and 20. Pardon me, Mr. President. I have lost my hearing a couple of years ago, so I appreciate just indicating what the numbers were. 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24. Supervisor Chan.
[260:06] Speaker 5: Aye.
[260:07] Speaker 2: Chan, aye. Supervisor Chen. Chen, aye. Supervisor Dorsey. Dorsey, aye. Supervisor Mahmoud. Mahmoud. Aye. Supervisor Mandelman.
[260:17] Speaker 7: Aye.
[260:17] Speaker 2: Mandelman, aye. Supervisor Melgar. Melgar, aye. Supervisor Sauter. Schotter. Aye. Supervisor Cheryl. Cheryl, aye. Supervisor Walton. Walton, aye. And Supervisor Wong. Wong. Aye. There are 10 ayes.
[260:32] Speaker 1: Without objection, the resolutions are adopted. Madam Clerk, please call item 19.
[260:37] Speaker 2: Item 19, resolution recognizing June 5, 2026, as HIV long term survivors Awareness Day in the city and county of San Francisco. Supervisor Chan, thank you and colleagues. You already have heard from many of those who came today for public comment. So I just want to highlight that thanks to decades of resilience and scientific advancement, the first generation of people living with HIV is reaching old age in San Francisco. These long term survivors are not a small outlier. They represent 75% of all people living with HIV in our city. But aging with HIV brings unique, heavy challenges. These survivors, as they have indicated particularly today during public comments, face chronic physical illness, neurocognitive challenges, and sometimes severe social isolation from losing entire networks during the height of the epidemic, local data shows they experience disproportionately high rates of PTSD and financial instability. By proclaiming today, June 5, by proclaiming today that June 5, 2026, as HIV long term survivors Awareness Day, we are not just offering symbolic support. We are recognizing that their distinct challenges require a distinct, fully Funded city response. We owe it to our elders to ensure they do not just survive, but thrive. Thank you,
[262:12] Speaker 1: Madam Clerk. Well, I think we can take this. Oh, yeah, I think we can take this item. Same house, same call. Without objection, the resolution is adopted. Madam Clerk, Please call Item 25.
[262:25] Speaker 2: Item 25. This is a resolution recognizing the month of May 2026 as National Nurses Month and May 6 through May 12, 2026 as National Nurses Week in the city and county. Supervisor Chan, thank you President Mendelman and colleagues, and thank you so much for this. There were nurses that actually wanted to attend and join us during public comment today. But they're nurses and they actually are truly busy with their shift. And these nurses particularly are actually from San Francisco Veteran Affairs Medical center, located in the Outer Richmond. In addition to all the celebration this month, May is National nurses month and
[263:07] Speaker 8: May 6th through 12th is National Nurses Week.
[263:11] Speaker 2: Nurses are the backbone, the heartbeat and the soul of healthcare. Every single day, nurses step into their
[263:16] Speaker 8: shift not knowing what challenges await them.
[263:19] Speaker 2: They are clinical experts, quick thinking problem solvers and fierce patient advocates. But just as importantly, they are attentive listeners and keepers of hope for family and friends at the face of challenging news. So specifically today, I do want to
[263:33] Speaker 8: take this opportunity to congratulate the entire
[263:37] Speaker 2: team of nurses at the San Francisco Veteran Affairs Health Care System who recently was awarded the prestigious Pathway to Excellence destination by American Nurses Credentialing Center. This destination makes the San Francisco VA Medical center one of only 16 VA hospitals in the entire nation VA network to have received this distinguished recognition. Thank you to the team of extraordinary
[264:09] Speaker 8: nurses at the San Francisco VA Hospital
[264:12] Speaker 2: and the visionary leadership of Terry Sharp, Associated Director, Associate Director of Patient Care Service and Nurse Executive for the SF VA Care System whose commitment to nurse empowerment and compassionate veteran care make their this recognition possible. And thank you.
[264:33] Speaker 1: And I think we can take that same house, same call. Without objection, the resolution is adopted. Madam Clerk, do we have any imperative agenda items?
[264:43] Speaker 2: I have none to report. Mr. President.
[264:44] Speaker 1: Could you please read the in memoriams?
[264:46] Speaker 2: Yes. Today's meeting will be adjourned. In memory of the following beloved individuals. On behalf of Supervisor Chan, for the late Mr. Kenneth Leong and Mr. Gerald W. Johnson on behalf of Supervisor Dorsey and Supervisor Mandelman for the late Mr. Jack Davis. On behalf of Supervisor Mandelman and Supervisor Melgar for the late Ms. Rita Semmel and on behalf of Supervisor Wolton for the late Mr. Magnus Mark Mardel.
[265:20] Speaker 5: Thank you.
[265:20] Speaker 1: Madam Clerk. Do we have any further business before us today?
[265:24] Speaker 2: That concludes our business for today.
[265:26] Speaker 1: And we are adjourned.
[265:37] Speaker 6: Sam.