Transcripts For SFGTV BOS Public Safety And Neighborhood Services 20240713

Might happen to this property, and it feels difficult to make a decision based on speculation. President melgar commissioner moore. Commissioner moore thank you for expressing it as well as you did, commissioner johnson, because i say it slightly different, although i say the same. And then, i feel resonance in our Environmental Review officer, miss gibson, in stating there is an impact, and the mitigation which has so little teeth to it, that we cant believe that it would work, and that is basically where we are. Its basically i dont know. Ive never found myself in that kind of a situation. President melgar director rahaim. Director rahaim so i think maybe a couple of things that need to be clarified to the board. The boards decision was that they found that there may be and the operative word here is there may be an environmental impact. The language that mr. Drury put up on the screen is there may be an impact, and directed them to do an environmental analysis. And that impact was found that lisa mentioned, and the mitigation is for an extra level of review of the plans. Its not an extra level of review when theres dirt falling on the site, its an extra level of review of the plans. Which as commissioner johnson says is the normal process, and we are saying were adding a level of review to the normal process of reviewing structural plans. So number one. Weve done exactly what the board asked us to do, and i was in discussions with supervisor stefani, and that was clarified. And number two, those plans are the only real way of knowing what happens on the project. There isnt any other act of mitigation that we can give you today that says to Something Different with the structural plans. We are not the ones to do that. That is why when the plans go forward, they are reviewed by d. B. I. The other minor thing i want to clarify, the crown terrace project was mentioned as a problem. The problem with the crown terrace project is the project sponsor did not do exactly what d. B. I. Wanted them to do and specifically did not build the structure underneath that house according to plans. They deliberately and knowingly did something contrary to what was approved. President melgar thank you, director rahaim. Anyone else . Okay. So i think sometimes, you know, things get very complicated, and theyre actually simpler than that, at least, you know, and this does. It seems to me that both the departments mitigated neg dec and the finding of the board was that there may be impact from this project on the neighboring property, and that there may be, you know, an environmental impact. So given that thats the case, you know, i i think that we should review the project. You know, i think that if this project were to come before us without the ceqa issues, without, you know, what happened at the board of supervisors, without the three years of whether or not we should do environmental e. I. R. , you know, neg dec, we would treat it the same as other projects that come before us, you know, as d. R. S that have had multiple violations that have not been able to come to agreement with their neighbors, where there have been these kinds of issues, where youre seeking excavation to add larger garages. All of these things are things that weve seen at this commission, you know, pretty regularly. So i, you know, think that, you know, i would be comfortable with the staff recommendation on the negative declaration. I do think that that is consistent with the finding of the board of supervisors, and that being said, i have lots of issues with this project. If, you know, we if the Commission Wants to look at the project and all of the issues that we have, id be happy to do that. If it came to a vote as the project is proposed, i would vote against it because i think that the risk is it too high, and its a risk thats both in the negative declaration and in the findings to the board of supervisors. So someone needs to act. Commissioner johnson . Commissioner johnson i so i want to clarify a couple things. So i do support actually separating theres a number of things. So its just, like, keeping it straight. I also support staffs recommendation around the neg dec. Around the project itself, i want to clarify the vi like, this idea of of violations because i dont can you come up and say that . And then, ill just say, on top of that, i actually think assist ae sits sad that all of these neighbors are fighting with each other, and everybody is so emotional. And i also think that in this moment that were all in, where everybodys fighting everybody, i hope, could there be an opportunity to review this project and Work Together to figure something out instead of just, you know, leaving everybody the way it is. The neighbors adjacent dont want this house, and i would imagine you probably dont want the house in this condition that its in right now. You know, the project sponsor said that you the bricks i dont even want to figure this out. I would actually be supportive of all parties saying that they wanted to move forward of this, of giving them more time to work on the design, but id like to hear the yeah, about these, you know, violations. Did you have a specific question . Commissioner johnson yeah. Can you just clarify about because theres been so much back and forth. Yeah. The first violation that planning was made aware of was exceeding the scope of the excavation permit. And that did take place, d. B. I. Approved that over the counter without routing that to planning. I cant speak to why that was, but it wasnt until a neighbor filed a notice of violation and d. B. I. Took a second look at that and did determine that in their opinion that it did warrant planning review, so we took a second look at that. We did look at cadx that had been issued before that, and the scope of work for the most part did align with what the cadx described, aside from one wall that was shown on the Foundation Plan as simply a retaining wall in the rear yard, but then, when with you looked at the Building Permit plans that we had that were still under review by the Planning Department for future neighborhood notification, that wall that was shown on the Foundation Plan as a landscaping wall coincided with a wall that was going to be supporting the vertical addition, and so we just felt uncomfortable with that wall, and so thats why we asked that wall to be removed. Commissioner johnson but im not hearing clarification. Just sent to d. B. I. But not to planning. I think the chimney may have been one of them that was referenced. President melgar commissioner fung. Commissioner fung i would be prepared to affirm the staff production of the pmnd as a first step. I dont know that were going to be able to arrive at a decision on the second step of the d. R. , but id like to move that forward because i find that its been done appropriately. President melgar is that a motion . Commissioner johnson second. Clerk if theres nothing further, commissioners, theres a motion thats been seconded to uphold the preliminary mitigated negative declaration. On that motion [roll call] clerk so moved, commissioners. That motion passes, 51, with commissioner moore voting against. You can now deliberate on the discretionary, on the project itself. President melgar commissioner fung, did you want to commissioner fung just one point. I know everybody else will have an opinion on the d. R. Case, but one has to be aware of who in the staff will review structural drawings and calculations, so its basically a process thats highly technical and should be handled by people with that experience in the Building Department. I think the question the commissioner is raising and that may not be the only question here, is what type of oversight do you want over that process . President melgar commissioner koppel . Vice president koppel yeah. I want to bring up an issue that commissioner moore brought u up. She mentioned intentional neglect, and im not going to go there on the chimneys. At the bare minimum, im not going to be supportive of excavating on this project. President melgar okay. Did you want to ask the question to the project sponsor about that . Vice president koppel no. President melgar okay. Commissioner moore . Commissioner moore are we discussing the project as a d. R. . I hear you start with that. Since the project is so neglecting, really understanding where it is, i think that is where my biggest concern starts. This is a neighborhood of varying older vintage, with this building obviously being the crown jewel, which everybody kind of groups around buildings, at a time when there was a larger neighborhood cohesiveness within the neighborhood. This particular building, as far as i observed it, seems to be wiping out not just its own site and the previous citing of something that participated in that kind of arrangement, but it basically claims the presence and a kind of wonderful three dimensional quality of the cox house, and that is completely missing the point. Because if you are a neighbor to that, it could be a Frank Lloyd Wright building, or any building that is special in u. S. History, you would be doing everything to celebrate the privilege of living next to this building, and that is being ignored here. It is not just a building, it is not just a building from the outside as mr. Werner talked about, it is not just from the outside, it is every garden and the Adjoining Garden and everything around it, which is basically being neglected by the proposal thats in front of us. And i do not see any possibility even for this commission to comment on modifying it. I think the thing has to go back to the drawing board. President melgar commissioner diamond . Commissioner diamond so i am in favor of taking d. R. , and there are some conditions that i would want to see. One is the one i mentioned previously in conjunction with our neg dec discussion which the sponsor agreed to, and if the d. R. Requester or anyone else is unhappy, quite frankly, having an opportunity to, whatever the process is at the time, to raise concerns so that the issue is addressed prior to construction. I also am concerned because of the state of the next door house, that no meetings has taken place to see if some design issues couldnt be worked out between the three of them. While it is possible to come up with some rear yard extension, i was taken by someone in Public Comment, youre averaging that the coxhead house goes further back, so that averaging may not be correct, particularly when youre going to be blocking a large number of windows on a historic house. Id like to see that issue addressed on a joint meeting to see if they cant come closer on a design that addresses some of those issues. President melgar commissioner moore . Commissioner moore i believe theres so many points of disjointedness on this project that we take d. R. And disapprove. There will be an opportunity for this project to come back with a completely different attitude. I do not think we have the skills based on whats next to it that we negotiate what needs to be done. So i make a motion that we take d. R. And disapprove the project. President melgar so i second the motion. At this point, i would disapprove the project. I hear you, commissioner johnson, and commissioner diamond, that you we could take d. R. And put parameters around the project that we, you know, could then guide staff to hopefully get the, you know, the two parties or four parties together and come up with they all could live with, but i havent heard that. I would want to not have any excavation, not sinking the whole project by 2 feet. I think thats just too big a risk. I also quite frankly, im not sure that i trust that someone who has demolished the chimneys without a permit and left the structure out to be damaged by the elements will do the right thing if we allow for the expansion in the back and also the excavation, which is a big risk. And so i i would want to have, like, a lot more robust conditions for approval and something that will assure me that were not risking the integrity of this important structure next door but also of this particular project in and of itself, you know, that what we are permitting is whats going to get built, and that its not going to get shortcuted. And if that excavation starts, and something happens, that it will stop properly and people will do what theyre supposed to do. So i havent heard that, and if any commissioners can sway me, youre welcome to do so, but at this point, ill take d. R. And not approve the project. Did you want to Say Something . Commissioner moore yes. I believe that a stronger adherence to the guidelines is really essential, particularly on a steep slope, the stepping of buildings with each other, and i am not here to advocate view protection, im advocating that we say with the urban form that is so compelling particularly in that part of town. Even if the buildings are all different, they all do that with each other, which creates the opportunity, indeed, for more collective form and views a form that speaks to a larger setting. President melgar commissioner johnson. Commissioner johnson thank you. So i just want to caution, i think we i think its really important to be objective. We dont know the story of the state of the house and what and why, and i dont think that should be part of our deliberations. I think that we have we do actually have some things that we in other cases, we have sent a project back to staff to come back to us with directions for us to vote on it, and theres several things that have been said here . I think one is the structural drawings to the neighbors, to, a redesign that is sensitive to the house that it is next to. Ultimately, there is actually a process in place for the the theres oversight by d. B. I. And the Planning Department around the structural pieces, but i also think that the people who are really most at risk are the neighbors. And so giving the project sponsors and the neighbors to come to their own terms instead of us deciding terms for them is worth giving them time to do. So again, i would still argue to send them back with clear direction and have them come back over stopping the project here and having this project continue to fester as it is. President melgar okay. Could you provide more specificity about what clearer direction you would want to see, just so we can make some progress here . Yeah. Youve heard from many commissioners that the excavation in particular is particularly worrying, and so i think a project redesign would have to have less or no excavation. I think it has to respect the historic character of the house next door and try to mitigate impacts. I think there could be a potential redesign there. I think working out agreements with active things you mentioned things, proactive things you would do with the neighbors to help mitigate some of their concerns above and beyond the process that we already have in place for mitigating impacts should there be structural issues, and then providing the the plans to neighbors ahead of hitime. And maybe theres some clause in there if you dont like it, what youll do to work with them. President melgar okay. Commissioner moore . Commissioner moore the think the only way we could send this off without having the department to become the Design Architect is to basically have the project stay within its envelope and within its footprint, and that is obviously not the intent of this particular thing. This is not a remodel, this is something which is as close to a demolition and a completely new building as anything could ever be. Particularly, the floor plates are being lowered. This is excavation. This is basically, for all intents and purposes, a newhouse. And unless the applicants reconciles and wants to stay within the envelope and the footprint, were putting a burden on the department which is impossible to manage. The department unfortunately often has applicants where they the Department Works very hard and still is not seeing eye to eye on the outcome. We all know that, and so why are we pushing the burden of what should be really pushed on the applicant to design a relevant building to what the Situation Requires here and basically say no . President melgar okay. Commissioner diamond . Commissioner diamond i think its unfair at this stage to say they cant expand into their rear yard. I would like to see a process th thats more akin to what i understand is usually done with d. R. When theres disagreement, that the Planning Department brings parties together. So i wouldnt want to rule out some extension. I think i wouldnt be in favor of no extension, stay within the current envelope right now. Clerk so commissioners, theres a motion that has been seconded to take d. R. And disapprove the project with findings for exceptional and extraordinary circumstances articulated by commissioners moore and melgar. On that motion [roll call] clerk that motion fails, 24, with commissioners diamond, fung, johnson, and koppel voting against. Is there an alternate motion . And i will remind you well, go ahead. Clerk okay. Theres no alternative motion. The project is approved because it is a principal project. President melgar commissioner moore . Commissioner moore im trying to ask for a redesign which has a very specific set of encouraging criteria, but that redesign should occur, not negotiated, between the department and the applicant, but it should occur with the applicant really seriously going back and doing some substantial homework and also connecting in a more substantive way with the d. R. Requesters and the neighborhood. President melgar commissioner fung . Commissioner fung i prefer to go that way, but i think we need to provide some parameters there. You know, we havent talked about some of the larger issues about the d. R. Im not so concerned about the blockage of the light and air. That doesnt affect what i would call extraordinary circumstances for the d. R. Similarly, the extent to which the extension goes back, it goes back, but its short of the rear yard set back point. So that doesnt necessarily bother me. What is bothersome, and i think most of us probably share this is the fact that the excavation creates a large part of the issues with the adjacent building. Were not exactly sure, even if the excavation disappeared, whether they have to go through a seismic rehab of that building and put in new foundations, whats that going to do to the adjacent building . But i would say what would be as a starting point would be to redesign this building so that it would minimize the risk to the adjacent, including studying the elimination of that massive excavation. President melgar commissioner moore . Commissioner moore i would add that since very, very defining characteristics are the coxhead house are its location and its windows, including how they were laid to each other in spatial configuration, we do have as in main we do have, as in many old buildings, Property Line windows, that would not block views from the windows from outside. Because as this point, if i got the number correctly, there are 28 windows which are being eliminated, and that for me destroys the house. Commissioner fung i think they said blocking air and light. I dont know to what extent theyre talking about eliminating windows. President melgar okay. Through the chair, commissioners. So someone needs to make an alternate motion. Commissioner johnson . Commissioner johnson okay. Ill try for this. Please chime in, commissioners, if i dont cover your suggestions. Im going to move to continue this project with direction to the project sponsor to redesign this project with sensitivity to the Historic Resource that is next to you, and with exploring removal of the excavation and mitigation of the potential foundational impacts to the house. Direction also to have after that is done to have a meeting at the Planning Department with all concerned parties to try to work out additional mitigation measures. Other things . President melgar commissioner moore . Commissioner moore i would not insist that this building needs a d. R. In order to get approval if its properly designed. That is not, for me, a condition, if spatial expansion and making the envelope that much larger takes an effect on the Historic Resource. I would say lets see what the design of the building in terms of sensitivity delivers and then make a decision as to whether an a. D. U. Is necessary or not. I do not want to use the a. D. U. For a poorly designed building to twist our arm for approval that in the end does more harm than good. President melgar i agree with that. Commissioner diamond . Commissioner diamond i was going to make that point. President melgar i will just chime in, mantha goes for the extra parking space, as well. Commissioner moore, do i have Something Else . Commissioner moore i would just say, you took the words right out of my mouth. I want to really see a Good Building that indeed accommodates a family who is described to live there, but i do not want to have all of these extra excuses to have to bend to something where the respect for the other building is subordinated to what wis really our mission here. President melgar okay. So i will second your motion. Commissioner diamond . Commissioner diamond so are we taking d. R. . Were not taking d. R. , were continuing the request for d. R. President melgar yes. Clerk and are we continuing to a date specific . President melgar for a redesign like this, and meeting with the community, its got to be at least three months, right . Clerk yeah. So that would put us into march 12. Commissioner diamond can i ask president melgar yes, commissioner diamond . Commissioner diamond can i ask the project sponsor how much time he thinks hell need. Two months. President melgar mr. Drury, does that work . Let me talk to may i talk to my client . President melgar yes. Hes going to be in france on a film through the end of march, did you say . Yes. Clerk im sorry. March 12 was only two months away. President melgar april then . Clerk april 16. April work, chris . Clerk april 16. Very good, then, commissioners, excuse me. Theres a motion president melgar commissioner moore. Commissioner moore i would like to ask one condition, and that is that both parties spend more substantive time with each other to really understand what the conditions of the building, the Historic Resource is really all about. From the way of the interaction, i see very much alienation and trains in the night in order to have better results on april 16. We have been talking about this for quite a few hours now. I would encourage that there is a better Common Ground to approach this project. President melgar commissioner diamond . Commissioner diamond and i would like the planning staff to be part of that, ensure that take place clerk clrk. Clerk if theres nothing further, commissioners, theres a motion to continue until april 16 to resign the project with sensitivity to the Historic Resource, eliminating the extra parking and a. D. U. If additional excavation can be avoided and then to meet with one another and talk with staff. On that motion president melgar im sorry, commissioner moore . Commissioner moore we said a stronger adherence to the cohollow guidelines, including stepping the buildings with each other. Clerk very good. And adherence to the cow hollow guidelines. On that motion [roll call] clerk so moved, commissioners. That motion passes unanimously, 60. Commissioners, thatll place us on item 16 was withdrawn, placing us on item 17 at 743 vermont street. This is a discretionary review. Good evening, president melgar, fellow commissioners. David winslow, staff architect. The item before you is a public initiated request for discretionary review of Building Permit application 20171027. 2504 to construct an addition to an existing singlefamily house. This was heard as a discretionary review in october of last year and approved 60. The only material changes have been the removal of a side deck off the master bedroom. The issue of the potential unauthorized dwelling unit was raised in that hearing last year, and no change to it has being proposed. The project sponsor is seeking to legalize this unauthorized dwelling unit. The original cadx was rescinded and a new cadx was issued to legalize the unauthorized dwelling unit. Therefore, another chance for this hearing. The building is a category c, no Historic Resource present. And the reason for the d. R. Request is that ryan patterson, on behalf of meg mcknight of 753 vermont, a neighbor to the south, is concerned with three issues. First, the scale of the building at the midblock open space, the loss of light and privacy, and third, the unauthorized dwelling unit. In light of the d. C. Requesters concerns, the department had reviewed the project with respect to the residential Design Guidelines, and to do so, we requested additional graphic information which is included in your packet. The revised drawings confirm that the scale and massing of the proposed addition is compatible with the other adjacent buildings, and that the following issues raised by the d. R. Requester are not exceptional or extraordinary. The scale at the rear is appropriate due to the moderation of the extent and height of the addition and by the incorporation of site set backs. Visual access to the midblock open space has been maintained. Impacts to light and privacy are likewise limited to the stale and relationship of the proposed addition to the existing neighbor. The relevant facts have changed little since last years decision, therefore, staff finds the project still meets residential Design Guidelines and the code and recommends the commission not take the d. R. As it does not present any exceptional or extraordinary conditions. This concludes my presentation. Im happy to answer questions. Thank you. Vice president koppel thank you, mr. Winslow. Can we hear from the d. R. Requester . Thank you, commissioners. Ryan patterson representing the adjacent neighbors at 753 vermont street. Commissioners, this project has been noncompliant from square feet. At the preapplication meeting, the plans do not even include elevations. When they submitted the plans, they lacked the kwierrequired dimensions, making it hard to interpret the project. The elevation in the current plans still are not dimensioned. The owner this is an owner, id note, that received a notice of violation from the Building Department for demolishing and rebuilding the front steps of this property a few years back without permits. And the scope of this project has changed back and forth throughout the process. One thing that has been clear all along, though, is that the project would remove an unauthorized dwelling unit, which is partially depicted on the project plans. If i can have the computer overhead. These are a few photos of the down stairs level of this property i believe taken by a building inspector. The project plans, as youll note, show storage rooms on the ground floor, with a window and full bathroom, a full bathroom, with no permit history. The storage rooms and here, you can see the decorative details of some windows down there. Its storage, but clearly not the intended use of it. Full bathroom. This is painted and detailed. This is not what we normally see when we think of a storage room. You have a sworn declaration in your packet about the woman who used to live in the unit down there, and d. B. I. Issued a notice of violation for the unpermitted bathroom and storage rooms. While the staff report for todays hearing notes the project sponsor is seeking to legalize the unauthorized dwelling unit, the u. D. U. , thats not included in these plans. The unit is being removed without section 317 authorization. Moreover, the project does not comply with the residential Design Guidelines. In numerous respects, the project would add a large mass to the rear of the property that would box in the Neighboring Properties, and thats in large part why were here. The rear yard guideline requires the applicant to articulate the building to minimize impacts on light and privacy to adjacent properties. The project does not even attempt to articulate the rear addition. Rather, the project proposes a massive master bedroom suite. Similarly, the building scale of the midblock open space guideline requires the height of the building to be compatible with the scale at the midblock open space. Even if the project were permitted by the planning code, it is not appropriate because it proposes an addition that is uncharacteristically deep and tall with impacts on the neighbors that are unreasonable. The r. D. G. Goes onto note that an out of scala addition can leave neighbors feeling cutoff, and thats whapg here. And for what . For what purpose . This massive box is for a household of two, and its simply speculation on raw square footage. Id like to introduce the owners of the next door property, owneroccupants, to speak to this further. Yes, thank you. I will be brief, unlike the previous matter. My partner and i, meg mcknight, live at 753 vermont, which is the property immediately adjacent to this property. Our concern is the impact to the property and specifically from our perspective, from our living space, we will see, if no adjustments are made, a t h rectangular wall that goes past the end of our Property Line and above the space of our building. And for us, for the for the north facing side of our property, thats where our windows are. Thats our ak set to lig acc to light and air, and it creates a feeling of being boxed in. Weve had difficulty in addressing our concerns with the sponsors. At the clerk im sorry, sir, but thats your five minutes. You do have a twominute rebuttal. Im done . Youre going to get a Second Chance to speak after we hear from the okay. Ill reserve my comments. Thank you. Clerk so is there any to speak on behalf of the d. R. Requester . Vice president koppel okay. So now, well hear from the project sponsor. Good evening, commissioners. Jeff tong on behalf of the project sponsors. Can i have the overhead turned on . Just wanted to point out that these same arguments were made about a year ago on valentines day when we were last year, and the commissioners found that there was no exceptional or extraordinary circumstances and that the project does and is consistent with the neighborhood character. This is a this is a photograph showing the project sponsors house, which is the blue house, and what were looking to do is the same expansion that the d. R. Requester did with her house, which is the yellow house. With regard to the removal of this dwelling unit thats been alleged, we are only here because the d. R. Requester called d. B. I. , showed up at our house, claimed that there was somebody living in the garage when all that was there was a bathroom that was put in without a permit before my clients bought the property, and at the direction of d. B. I. , were just trying to legalize whats already there. And my clients are here, as are their architect, to answer any questions you may have. Vice president koppel you do have some more time. Would you like to use it now . Okay. Is there any members of the public in support of the project sponsor . Now is your time to speak. My name is kathleen villasenor. Im in the house north to them, and ive been there since 1984. Im fourth generation in this area. My daughters fifth, and i have multiple relatives in the area that have done remodels. Im here in support of them getting their remodel. I feel if they have the ability to do it and make their space bigger, that thats their option to do it, as well as its been for the other neighbors that have had theirs. Thank you. Vice president koppel thank you. Any other members of the public in support of the project sponsor . Okay. Seeing none, d. R. Requester, you have a twominute rebuttal. Yes. Very briefly, the original plan that we were given showed an extension of 3 feet on a second floor and 12 feet back on the third floor. And when we raised our concern about the project, the response wasnt to address our concerns, the response was to expand the size of the horizontal space. So it went from 3 feet to 5 feet in a second set of plans past our house. And 12 feet to 14 feet. So heres our request of the sponsors. That the expansion on the second floor be as presented in the original plan, 3 feet, and the expansion on the third floor be limited to 9 feet back instead of 12 feet. This will significantly address and and reduce the blocked in impact of the size of the rectangular wall thats otherwise going to be built, and thats our request. Thank you. Vice president koppel quick question for you, sir. Yeah. Vice president koppel would that match the rear of your house . It would it would essentially yes, within a foot. And on the second floor, it would set it back to some degree, but that would significantly reduce both the monolithic impact of the wall and also improve the light and air impact, so thats what we request, essentially back to their original plan, with one adjustment to the top. Thank you very much. Vice president koppel you have 40 seconds all right. If we can please have the projector overhead, we might be able to clarify that. Heres a highlighted and dimensioned copy of those plans with our proposal. To be clear, were not opposed to an expansion of the property next door. We support that, but going out beyond cutting off light, boxing it in to the extent theyre proposing with privacy impacts, we would greatly appreciate these minor mitigation measures. Thank you very much. Vice president koppel thank you, project sponsor. You have a twominute rebuttal. Can i get the projector put up. So the d. R. Requester, they are objecting to how far past our expansion is going. This photograph shows the d. R. Requesters out in the yellow going ten, 12 feet past their southern neighbor. What this really is is theyre trying to protect their view which they dont have a right to. Our proposal doesnt have any clerk excuse me, sir, order. Hi. This is terry pickering, the homeowner at 753 753 vermont. After hearing the concerns, we d decided to alter the plans to there would be no impact on her impact. Thank you. This is the Current Space between the two respective homes, and that space remains the same. If i may clarify, im the project architect, im mark brand. Actually, its 5 feet from the Property Line. Its a small increase, but to comply with the requirements for a 12foot bumpout at the rear of the house. Vice president koppel okay. Thats it for the d. R. Requesters and project sponsor. Commissioner moore . Commissioner moore id like to clarify for the commission and perhaps mr. Pelson. Mr. Pelson was showing us a drawing of the previous architect, and that is not the current plans. Mr. Brand is the current architect which specified the dimensional adjustments to the projects, including the small roof deck, and you put drawings up that are long superseded. I can show all three sets. Im happy to show all three sets if the commission would like. Commissioner moore i recognized the title block, and i saw it was the wrong set of drawings. So what is before the commission is the wrong set of drawings, and given the shaping and massaging of the project that the department has very sensitively done, im prepared to suggest that we just approve the project. Commissioner johnson second. Clerk was that a motion, commissioner moore . Commissioner moore that was a motion. Clerk and commissioner johnson, was that a second . Commissioner johnson yes. Vice president koppel commissioner fung . Commissioner fung yes. I would note that the space between the homes is approximately 10 feet. Clerk very good. On that motion, commissioners to not take d. R. And approve the motion as proposed, on that motion [roll call] clerk so moved, commissioners, that motion passes unanimously, 50. Vice president koppel and were adjourned. [gavel]. For the first time in nearly two decades fishers have been granted the legal right to sell fish directly to the package right off their boat to the public right off their boats in San Francisco. Its not only helping local fishers to stay afloat but its evoking the spirit of the wharf by resurfacing the traditional methods of selling fish. But how is it regulated . And what does it take for a boat to be transported into a Floating Fish market . Find out as we hop on board on this episode of whats next sf. Were here with the owner and the captain of the vessel pioneer. Its no coincidence that your boat is called the pioneer because its doing just that. Its the first boat in San Francisco to sell fish directly from the boat. How did you establish your boat into such a Floating Fish market . Well, you know, i always thought that it would be nice to be able to provide fresh fish to the locals because most of the fish markets, you would have to do a large amount of volume in order to bring in enough fish to cover the overhead. When you start selling to the public that volume is much less so it makes it hard to make enough money. So being able to do this is really its a big positive thing i think for the entire community. A very positive thing. As a thirdgeneration fisherman joe as his friends call him has been trawling the california waters for sustainably caught seafood since an early age. Since obtaining a permit to sell fish directly to the public he is able to serve fish at an affordable price. Right now were just selling what a lot of the markets like, flat fish and rock fish and what the public likes. So we have been working for many, many years and putting cameras in them. Theres the ability to short fish and we have panels that we open and close so we target the different species of fish by adjusting the net. And then not only that but then the net sort out the sizes which is really important. Joe brings in a lot of fish, around 20,000 pounds per fishing trip to be exact. We had one day one time that we sold almost 18,000 pounds. Its incredible. I know, its hard to imagine. But this wasnt always the case for joe. The markets that we have left in california, theyre few and far between, and they really are restrictive. Theyll let you fish for a couple months and shut you down. A lot of times its rough weather and if you cant make your delivery you will lose your rotation. Thats why theres hardly any boats left in california because of the market challenges. My boat was often sitting over here at the dock for years and i couldnt do anything with it because we had no market. The ability to go catch fish is fine, i had the permits, but you couldnt take them off your boat. That was until the Port Commission of San Francisco rallied behind them and voted unanimously to approve a Pilot Program to allow the fish to be sold directly to consumers right off their boats. The purpose of the program is to allow commercial fishers to sell their fish directly from their boats to the end consumer in a safe and orderly manner for the benefit of the overall Fishing Community at the port of San Francisco. We have limited the program to certain types of fish such as salmon, halibut, tuna and rock fish. Crab is restricted from this program because we did not want to interfere with the existing crab sales on Taylor Street and jefferson street. So this is not meant to favor one aspect of the fishing industry more than another. Its to basically to lift up the whole industry together. And if joe the program has been doing just that. It was almost breathtaking whenever i woke up one morning and i got my federal receiver, my first receivers license in the mail. And that gave me permission to actually take fish off my boat. Once we started to be able to sell, it opened things up a bit. Because now that we have that federal permit and i was able to ppetition the city council and getting permission from San Francisco to actually use the dock and to sell fish here, it was a big turning point. Because we really didnt think or know that wed get such a positive response from the public. And so were getting thousands of people coming down here buying fish every week and so thats pretty cool. They like the fish so much that they take pictures of it when they cook it and they send us all of these pictures and then they ask us, you know, constantly for certain types of fish now. And when they come down here the one thing that they say is that theyre so amazed that the fish is so fresh they could eat a little bit during the week and its still fresh all week in the refrigerator. So thats really cool. The fish is very fresh and the price is super. I dont think that you can get it anywhere in the bay area. I can see it, and i can stir fry it, wow, you can do anything you want. I just can say this is a good place to shop and you have a good experience. This Program Supports the Strategic Plan in terms of engagement, people being connected to the waterfront, and also economic vitality. Because its helping the fishermen to make ends meet. They have no guarantees in their businesses, not like some people, and we want to do everything that we can to help them to have a good and thriving business. How does it feel to be able to sell your fish locally kind of in the traditional way, like your grandfather probably did . When i was a kid and i used to work in my dads fish market, a lot of the markets that we sell to now are second and third and fourth generation markets. So i remember as a kid putting their tags on the boxes of fish that we shipped out of monterey and ship down to l. A. So its kind of cool that were still dealing with the same families. And this is probably about the only way that anyone can really survive in california is to sell your own fish. One of the advantages of this program is the Department People that pull in the fish, they can find out where they caught it and find out more about the fisherman and that adds to their experience. The feedback from the fishers has been very good and the feedback from the customers have very good. And theres a lot of people coming to the wharf now that might not have done so. In fact, theres people that go through the neighboring restaurants that are going to eat fish inside but before they go in they see the action on the dock and they want to kind of look at whats happening on the boat before they go in and they have a meal. So its generated some conversation down at the wharf and thats a good thing. As you can see by the line forming behind me getting ready to buy fish, the Pilot Program has been a huge success. For more information visit sfsport. Com. Good evening. Welcome to the january 8, 2020 meeting of the board of appeals. President swig willen joined by Vice President lazarus and we expect commissioner santacana. Brad russe will provide the board with needed legal advice. At the controls is the process clerk and the student intern. Im julie rosenberg, the board executive director. We will be joined by the representatives from the City Department with cases before the board. In front is Scott Sanchez representing the Planning Commission. We have joseph duffy, representing the department of building inspection. And we expect nicholas with the Public Works Bureau of street use and mapping and chris, urban forester with the bureau of urban forestry. The board requests that you turn off or silence all phones and other electronic devices. Please carry on conversations in the hallway. The rules of presentation, appellants are given 7 minutes to present the case. People affiliated with the parties must give their comments within the 3 and 7minute period. Members not affiliated have up to three minutes to address the board. For rehearing request, the parties get three minutes each with no rebuttal. To assist the board in the accurate preparation of minutes, youre asked to submit a speaker card. Speaker cards are available on the left side of the podium. Four votes are necessary to grant an appeal. If you have questions about requesting a rehearing, please speak to board staff during a break or after the meeting or call or visit the board office. Were this meeting is broadcast live on sfgovtv and will be broadcast on fridays at 4 00 p. M. The video is available on the website and can be downloaded. Now well swear and affirm all those who intend to testify. Please note that any member of the public may speak without taking an oath. If you intend to testify at any of the proceedings and wish the to have the board give your testimony weight, please say i do after youve been sworn or affirmed. You do you swear or affirm that the testimony you are about to give is the truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth. Please be seated. This is an opportunity for anyone who would like to speak on a matter that is not on tonights calendar. We have a speaker. Hi, im georgia. On june 15, 2019, the board considered two appeals from immediately adjacent neighbors for an alteration project at 463 duncan street. The alteration permit included expansion into the rear yard and 11feet deep full lot. The project was approved at the Planning Commission on december 26, 2018, in part because its a second unit, despite the issue raised by one of the requesters as to the viability and livability of this second subterranean unit. After, when the plans were granted to dbi for further review, it was discovered that second subterranean unit did not comply with the Building Code. There was no legal egress for the sleeping rooms. Two of the three bedrooms were relabelled as nonsleeping rooms making a onebedroom unit with three dens at the new address of 461 duncan. After the testimony at the boards june 15, 2019 hearing, the board voted 50 that this subterranean unit at 461 duncan must include a minimum of two bedrooms. During the june hearing, the staff discussed either passageway or a reconfiguration to create legal bedrooms in that subterranean unit. During deliberation, president swig initiated discussion of a continuance so the board could review the decision, but the consensus was this would delay the project. Heres the revision. May have the overhead . So this is the subterranean unit. And heres the bedroom. And heres the bedroom. And thats the office. This is the other bedrooms are over there. What they did, they put ladders in the light wells. So two metal ladders have been added to the light well. One is eight feet and leads to the narrow roof which leads to the first level deck outside the master bedroom of the upper unit. The second 10foot ladder leads to a landing outside of another bedroom window. The special conditions permit was issued this week, monday, january 6, seven months after the hearing. Because the project is two units, the revision was not reviewed by the Fire Department sector [bell ringing] and there are apparently no sprinkler requirements. These ladders are a poor solution. It would have been good for the board to weigh in on the revision, just as it would have been good if the Planning Commission had been aware of the egress issue when the project was before them. Just so you can see, this is the project sponsors rendering. Heres the roof. There is the window. There is the light well. They come [bell ringing] and thank you. Thank you. We need to keep the doorway clear. There are seats in front here. Or if you can line up on the other side. We have an overflow room in room 421. Any other general Public Comment this evening . Okay. Yes . Ive lived near 24th street maam, youll have an opportunity for comments on 24th street. This is general, for items not on the agenda. Seeing none, we move on to item number 2. First of all, happy new year. Congratulations to the mayor on her swearing in as well as a going friend paul as sheriff. I also wanted to raise commissioners that dr. Sent a reply email regarding the please updated memo and the Health Effect of wireless permits. Just for the record, this is not on the agenda, but i wanted to convey this information to you that theyre still working he said theyre still working on the report and in addition to reviewing the literature, he was given a large volume of documents from concerned persons. Its taking longer than anticipated. He needed peer review from the California Department of Public Health. My response to that is we, at least from my point of view and i dont know if we need to agendaize this, but we appreciate his response and we look forward to the fulfillment of our request for an updated document of the 2010 report from San Francisco Public Health on the impact of all the Telecommunications Equipment that is floating around our world. Thank you. Any other commissioner comments . Any Public Comment on the item . Seeing none. Move on. Okay. Sorry. Good evening. Welcome back. Dear doctor, this weather confirms our telephone conversation regarding at t. I called in pain with my 5g induced pain. The sudden realization that six months had passed for the board of health to assess the safety of 5g further increased by feelings of desperation. It became clearer that you are dawdling when you wanted to take 5g measurements in my house and neighborhood with a meter that cannot measure 5g. I have learned that 5g is intermittent and a probe meter only measures the average, not the highest output. The probe will arrive months from now and serve no purpose. I informed you that an antenna replaced by 5g will further saturate the city with this harmful frequency. I stated you had enough information and the symptoms that are currently being reported, most alarmingly regarding children with nose and ear bleeds, migraines and insomnia. It was a doctor and director from the Health Department. Youre here to protect the public from an emerging Public Health emergency. You expressed a concern stating that 5g was a Health Hazard with any modifications. I responded that president swig did in fact task you as a licensed m. D. Employed by the San Francisco Health Department to make those kinds of decisions if appropriate. The legality of restricting our modifying 5g should be determined by the city attorney. But is not within your scope of practice. I still believe you have integrity to do what is right for the people of San Francisco, but you must not prolong your decision. I now have an ongoing migraine, december 26. Two days after the last one. Life with my symptoms is not sustainable. Im a recent Breast Cancer survive. To the present, i had a migraine yesterday and the day before. The ringing was so loud i could barely hear. It was bad enough i had a fantasy of wanting to be put on an iceberg and float away. And 5g is just the tip of the iceberg. I informed a past client who wanted to resume therapy that she should begin shortly because i do not know how long i will be continuing my practice. Folks, are you hear for the 24th street item . Because we have an overflow room, number 421. If you could move to that area, we have a couple of open seats. We need that doorway open for fire egress. The overflow room is teleize vised. We have a couple of other items before 24th. I recommend we limit standing since were going to get to that item in an hour and a half i would guesstimate. And so for sorry. So are we. Hopefully, there will be less. I understand the parties want to continue it, but they do need to address the board and the board needs to take a vote. Sir, youll have your time to address the item. The agenda was published last friday. Notice was sent out. At this point, i need the doorway clear. If you can move to room 421. President swig for your comfort and those of everyone in the room. I recommend there is no standing room allowed and we clear the doorway. Thats not our law, its the Fire Department law. Well wait until everybody finds a seat or alternative seating. Is there any other general Public Comment . Okay, so were going to move on to item number 3. This is adoption of the minutes. Commissioners . Before you for discussion are the minutes of the december 4, 2019 board meeting. President swig commissioners, comments . Any motion . Move to adopt is submitted. We have a motion from Vice President lazarus to adopt the minutes as submitted. Is there any Public Comment on that motion . Seeing none, on that motion, commissioner santacana . Honda . Tanner . Swig . So that motion carries 50 and the minutes are adopted. Were now moving on to item number 4. This is the rehearing request for appeal number 19110. The subject property at 301 pine street, the empire group is requesting rehearing of appeal number 19110 decided november 20, 2019. At that time upon motion by commissioner tanner, the board voted 311. Commissioner honda dissented and president swig absent to deny the appeal and up hold the permit. The determination holder is San Francisco hometown creamery. Its the sale of ice cream and waffle cones on mondays, wednesday and fridays. This is permit number 18mf f0113. President swig i was not absent, but recused myself on a conflict due to property ownership. As a continuation of that, i will see you after this is resolved. Thank you. Thank you. Well wait for president swig to exit the room. Thank you. You can proceed, please. Commissioners, im on behalf of the empire group. One of the many reasons for challenging this permit is enforcing the facilities from operating within 75 feet of a brickandmortar restaurant. They suggest that the only entrance is not streetfacing. Thats not true. Further, it was stated that earth bar does not qualify for the 75foot exception, that is also not accurate. Today is to request a full rehearing before the board. The rehearing is warranted for three reasons, all of which have not been discussed. For several votes seemed influence by ambiguous regulation. There were significant confusion by the board in all parties on how to measure the 75 feet and its unjust to apply that standard without clarity. D. P. W. Suggested that the front door is not the primary entrance to the restaurant. Again, it is the only entrance to the restaurant. Ill refer to the exhibit here. Overhead, please. Here youll see the door to the 301 pine street door, the area where the restaurant lounge area begins immediately as you walk into the door. Overall, its injustice to allow the permit to move forward without discussion. The hearing could have been continued have that. Second, we have new evidence to present. We provided new measurements in the brief and no one could have expected to have at the time of the hearing through Due Diligence. If you measure 75 feet from the curb, the distance is 36 feet to the door. The distance to the Food Service Area along the curb is 67 feet. To confirm, the measurement diagonally, the distance from the truck to the primary entrance is 51 feet 3 inches. Dpw has not provided any new measurements, but state that our measurements do not accurately reflect. We need more time to discuss and get everyone on the same page and help the board make an informed decision. The board should know weve tried to reach a compromised solution before the november 20th hearing and in active discussions with d. P. W. To pursue a move to the other side of pine street. Also, while advertising and signage requirements are not stated in the regulations or order, we are working to increase the existing signage now we know this is an issue. This is not the same as westfield mall. This is a permit application for a food truck that is 51 feet from the primary entrance to a restaurant. There are no signage requirements. Were working to acquire that. When you walk in the door, the restaurant is right there. It should be as simple as that. The 75foot rule should apply here. We would appreciate a new hearing. We could use the time to settle. You have the power to give us that time. Thank you for your time this evening. Thank you. We will now hear from mr. Hille, the agent for the permitholder. Good evening, speaking on behalf of San Franciscos hometown creamery. The appellant has not satisfied any of the criteria for a rehearing. In the brief, they claim to have been caught off guard by what they needed to present arguing the 75foot provision. However, in our brief we challenged the application of the 75foot provision asserted by the appellant. We interpreted our outline of the interpretation from where the distance rule applied, putting the appellant on notice to provide whatever measurements they felt relevant. Lack of Due Diligence is stated in the rule of the board of appeal to be grounds to deny a rehearing request. No new or different material facts have arisen. All the claims we hashed by the appellant and arguments to support their assertions were available two months leading up to the hearing date. Ice cream served in the public right of way, three days a week, for four hours, does not constitute a case of manifest injustice has occurred. The strategy of big business is and groups with unlimited resources to utilize delay tactics and methods of intimidation, to pressure Small Businesses with less resources is not new. We trust that the board did not condone bullying, intimidation or the due process. I would like to state that due to the fact that the measurements we saw were not accurate provided by the appellant, i went into the building to take pictures and do measurements myself and i was told it was private property and that i had to leave. That is all for us. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Well now hear from the department. Mr. Persky . Hi, San Francisco public works. No comments, but available if you have questions. Thank you. Is there any Public Comment on this item . Seeing none, commissioners, this matter is submitted. Im sorry. Im sorry, madame chair. At the prior hearing, i was the only vote that was against issuing the permit. In this particular case, manifest injust is a really high bar. I see no reason i see no manifest injustice and the information presented was available at the prior hearing and would personally deny the request for the rehearing. Any other comments. Commissioner tanner i agree. I dont see why the measurements could not have been foreseeably provided. I didnt see the diagonal provided in the brief. Maybe i missed it. So continuing to not provide the information. I dont see how the commission could or should rehear the case. That would be my motion. So we have a motion from commissioner honda to deny the request on the basis that there is no manifest injustice. Okay. On that motion, commissioner santaca santaca santacana. The request is denied 40. We are now moving on to item number 5. Lets get president swig. We are now moving on to item number 5. This is the rehearing request for appeal number 19090. The subject property at 2736 broderick street, Roxanne Stachon is requesting rehearing. Decided november 20, 2019. At that time upon motion by Vice President lazarus, the board voted 50 to deny the appeal based on the basis that the permit was properly issued and because the permit is no longer required for a puc pole. The determination holder is ex tenet systems. This is permit number 19wr0024. Well hear from ms. Stachon first. Good evening, president swig and members of the board. Thank you for having me here again. I was here on november 20th repealing a wireless permit. The focus of my appeal was compliance by the department of Public Health and we had quite a bit of discussion around the Public Health report, the orientation of the proposed antenna and there was much Public Comment on the matter. After that discussion, ultimately, my appeal was unfortunately denied. However, in the next agenda item, there was appeal of another wireless antenna on green street. Coincidently, this location is right around the corner from my house. The appellants presented a similar argument. The item also had extensive Public Comment by the same commenters as my appeal. And one of the appellants referenced the site in front of my residence as part of the concern and confusion. After hearing this discussion on the green street appeal, the board voted to hold the appeal in abay yans, the same memorandum that is mentioned this evening. To deny my appeal is arbitrary and inconsistent. As i outline, i feel it meets the standard of manifest injustice, direct, obvious and very observable unfairness. Im here to correct the unfairness by making a modest request. I am asking that you continue the hearing on my rehearing until the d. P. H. Issues its updated report. Im asking for the benefit of the d. P. H. Work to be considered equally for my appeal as it is for my neighbors appeal. While it is an option, im not asking that the are ereheari erehearing rehearing request to be granted tonight, but to provide my appeal with the same treatment as 2735 green street. It is very important to note that the department of public works in their written brief for tonight does not oppose this request to continue my request. As stated in their brief, public works does not oppose appellants request to continue the hearing until after d. P. H. Issues their updated report. I do appreciate the conclusion drawn in their brief tonight. Thank you for your time and consideration on this matter. President swig thank you. We will now hear from the permitholder. Hi, good evening. Thanks again for the opportunity to speak tonight. As i was preparing for the rehearing request, i found myself going in circles. Its a very semantic argument surrounding what is extraordinary, what is material and what is not. As you just heard at the hearing on november 20th, there were two similar items that resulted in different decisions. The claim has been made that resulted in manifest injustice for the appeal that was denied. Unfortunately, in my opinion, if there is a manifest injustice its the other way around. The appeal that was held in abeyance was done so as a result of the quick that this board made to the department of Public Health granted some time ago that they have yet to respond to. However, Public Health initial memo and any revisions made to it are not prerequisites for finding that it meets the standards. We have demonstrated that time and again. So, i guess my question is, was your decision to do Something Different with the next appeal material . I think its relevant in that they were similar applications. Is it material and germane to this application . Would a new hearing result in Something Different . I dont think so. Because we have demonstrated can compliance with the fcc standards. The department of Public Health has reviewed the site conditions specific to this proposal and determined it would fall well within the fcc limits. So widespread and sweeping statements in 2010, 2020, doesnt have impact on whether or not we demonstrated we will comply. And i believe that the rehearing request should be denied as a result of that. I am happy to answer any questions. President swig thank you. Thank you. Okay, well hear from the department. Good evening. Public works. No comment, but i am available for any questions. President swig question would be, does your department have an issue with continuing the rehearing request . As outlined in the brief, we do not object to this. Thank you. Mr. Sanchez . Any Public Comment on the item . No Public Comment. Okay. So commissioners, this matter is submitted. Ive always said the danger of setting a precedent is that youll be held accountable for it. We did set a precedent immediately thereafter that hearing. There is no doubt about that. And i also feel that continuing this item as requested by the appellant will not cause harm in the community because the community is the appellant and her neighbors. So i would mind continuing this item wouldnt mind continuing this item until we get closer to the same terms and conditions we presented on the other referred to item on that evening. And i dont know what the date might be, but lets call it april 1st. President swig so, somewhat in agreement with the president. I dont believe that it would cause a precedence. I do believe that in order of fairness, that with the similarity in cases, and that the department does not have any issue with continuing the rehearing, i would also go along with that. I have a question. Question permitholder. I believe that under the new regulations, this permit request is actually moot. Is that accurate . Yes. Its accurate. Applications to install facilities on Public Utilities commission poles do not require permits through the department of public works any longer. What is the practical effect of this whole hearing process on your ability to install the unit . Thats a good question. And frankly, its not one that i pushed in my interactions with you or the appellant because i wanted the merits of the case to be heard rather than some technicality. So to be honest, i dont know. We have a license to install something on the puc property. Believe that allows us to install regardless of whether we have a permit, but i have to i might even defer to mr. Russy to answer that question. I believe that is a legal question. I believe we still maintain the right to install a fa silt on that facility on that pole. As i said before, it was removed the permit requirement for puc poles. Thats as much as i can say. So our risk if we continue it doesnt matter anyway. So if we were to continue it, there is really no impact on anything whatsoever . I think the other piece is, for me, again, that while i appreciate asking for the update from dph as was pointed out, thats not going to impact our rulings on those permits which are legitimately before us. So i dont see the point of continuing it. I would disagree with you only in that by continuing it, we maintain the same standard we set for the decision we made on the very next item on that evening. So i would make a motion to continue it. And if that action is ultimately rendered useless, so be it. If it has merit, then weve held to the standard that we set two hearings later, or one hearing later. That would be my only disagreement with you. I would like to make a motion to continue it. Any comments from any other commissioners prior . I tend to agree with Vice President lazarus that the effect of this is there is not really any effect it would seem to our knowledge. And to continue to hold it on the ground that we need this report from the department of Public Health, while i do hope to hear back from the department, its not something we can consider in terms of the fcc and the regulations that govern. It is something we took upon ourselves because we want to be better educated and the members of the public before us are constantly asking that question so we want to be better informed and have the public better informed on that item. So i would not support the rehearing. Not support the continuance that does that. Takes three for a continuance. I would not support a continuance either. I pressure the appellants presentation and i see the point that youre making, but i was uncomfortable with the continuance in the other case in the first place because i think we all agree the law is clear, regardless of what the department of Public Health says we cannot prevent, for several reasons including the fact that there are new rules with licensing, we cannot prevent this from Going Forward so there is no point in dragging this out. It doesnt look we have enough votes to continue it. Is there another motion on the table. The only other motion, its not going to get supported, is to uphold the appeal. I think deny the appeal. Deny the request. Deny the request. On the basis . Your motion. Id rather not. Let someone else make the motion. Go ahead. I move to deny the requested on the grounds that the necessary showing wasnt made and it would not result in manifest injustice. Okay. So we have a motion from commissioner santacana to deny the rehearing request on the basis that there was not the requisite show offing manifest injustice. On that motion, lazarus aye. Honda no. Tanner aye. Swig no. Okay, so that motion carries with three votes. 32. So the request is denied. We are now moving on to item number 6a and 6b. Theyll be heard together. These are appeal numbers 19120, 19129. Pamela denbesten versus department of building inspection. The second permit has Planning Department approval. The 19120, the subject property is 324 peralta avenue. Theyre appealing the issuance on october 15 to Jordan Miller of alteration permit, internal bracing for the underpinning of 326 peralta avenue. This is Reference Number 201996115697. And the permit number at issue is 201907176168. And for appeal number 19en 129, theyre appealing the issuance on november 6, 2019 to Jordan Miller, revision to permit 201712227300, Property Line wall to be relocated one foot to the south. This is permit number 201911056401. I need to disclose im a partner in a project that has hired the law firm. Their appearance before this hearing this body this evening will have no effect on my decision. Thank you. Okay, so well hear from the appellants first. Were combining the time, so you have 14 minutes. Welcome, counselor. Thank you. Good evening president and commissioners on behalf of the appellant pamela denbesten. This is an interesting case. There are issues involved of privacy, noise impacts, but also fundamental concerns regarding where is the Property Line and what exactly has been proposed to fit into the Available Space . As youll see, what has been proposed doesnt actually fit the lot that is available. Id like to first ask my client pamela denbesten to introduce herself and explain what her concerns are and how we got to this point. And then ill explain regarding the Property Line and very serious fire safety concerns. Thank you. Good evening, president swig and board members. My name is pamela denbesten. I live at 303 montcalm street next door to the project. Im here today because my neighbors misled me in discussions of the impact of their project on my property. They have taken advantage of my goodwill and trust with half truths. And it is as it is currently designed, their renovation will impact both my privacy and personal wellbeing. When my neighbors proposed the project, i raised two key concerns. That it not negatively impact my privacy or create additional noise. I told them many times how easily i can hear noise and conversations from their existing first floor balcony and through any open window as the sound is funneled from their uphill property into my downhill property in a sort of sound tunnel from their property to mine. Let me see overhead, please, thank you. So this, i guess its a little thank you. So this is this is my home. And this is the property were talking about. Theyre uphill from me and where the sound travels directly from their property to mine. So they repeatedly assured me they appreciate and shared this concern and told me their plans would not negatively compromise my property or add noise. Our first inperson discussion was when i met with jordan and sasha in their home in 2017. At my request as i was not able to attend the Bernal Heights planning meeting. Jordan has printed out architectural plans. I asked him to explain the plans to me, i said i am not an architect and i emphasized my concerns related to privacy. He walked me to their windows and said they would be keeping the windows and as i could see, my privacy is protected by trees and bamboo from mine and my neighbors yard. I agreed and felt greatly relieved. What he did not tell me, they were adding windows and a balcony on my Property Line. If he had, it would be obvious that the location of that windows and balcony could severely compromise my privacy and noise. They continued to assure me that they would address my concerns. And then in 2018, they emailed me saying they wanted a minor change. I didnt understand the location of the wall or why it was needed, but again it wanted to be supportive so i agreed to the change. I dont see the wall drawn in the plans, and i bring it up now because i no longer trust them and i want to be assured that the plans will be built as drawn without the referenced support wall. In the fall of 2019, sasha let me know they needed to talk with me and asked me to meet them. When we met, jordan informed me they had gotten a survey which showed their planned construction was one foot on the property. He had documents with him that said were an easement agreement and asked me to sign them. I said i wasnt comfortable doing this on the spot and asked if he had told the other neighbors. He said he hadnt as this wouldnt concern them, which further added to my discomfort. Jordan then continued to pressure me by repeated emails over the next week to sign the easement and a red light finally went off that trust in my neighbors might not be founded. I asked an architect to look at the plans and found that contrary to what the neighbors told me, there were windows that would look into my property, including my property and anyone on the deck would the sliding doors open, would project additional noise down to my house. I would have a great loss of privacy in my house or yard. In hearing this, i was shocked and i felt betrayed. What my architect told me went against all of jordan and sashas continued assurances about their project and undermined my trust. So to illustrate what i have said, im going to show you a couple of printouts. So in this first printout, you can see the current outline of the south wall of their house. And then in this second one, you can see the remodel. This is the location of the windows that they had in the first that they had shown me in the first walk through. So then on this third picture, i show a red rectangle demarcating the approximate location of the windows and balcony in relation to the current building. The fourth picture is taken from my bedroom window. And its a view and the view from and the view from these windows and balcony into my bedroom, i have again demarcated this by a red rectangle. This final picture is taken from inside my kitchen, inside one of my double french doors. And shows that, again, previously, where there were no windows here and i had privacy, theyre now putting these windows and balcony directly above looking into my home. So ive expressed these concerns to my neighbors. I reached out repeatedly to propose options. Although my neighbors have filed new plans showing their building being pulled back by a foot. The Property Line is incorrectly depicted which my attorney will speak further about. My neighbors have are ehhed have refused to respond. Therefore, i have no choice but to file these appeals. In regard to the Property Line, which my attorney will speak more to, and secondly in the design which compromises the privacy that my neighbors had promised to maintain. I ask the board of appeals to require my neighbors to redraw the plans with the correct location of the Property Line. Require number two, require that the new windows looking into my property be replaced with frosted windows similar orr smaller than those proposed in 2017 and remove the balcony that is again, overlooking the Property Line. I thank you for listening to and considering these requests. Thank you. Thank you, commissioners. So, as you see, part of the issue here is one of privacy and noise intrusion and what we see is a neighbor having been misled into not voicing this concern to a public forum sooner. The other serious part of this is what are they proposing within a lot of fixed width, that doesnt fit there. So please the project sponsor commissioned a survey with Property Lines. Project here. And my clients property is here. So its adjacent to the appellants property theyre proposing to build here. And if we zoom in, you see this is a fixed width of course. Its the Property Line. Its 25 feet long. They are proposing construction, of course, within that site. And if we look at the size here, thats 23 foot, 10 inch, plus one foot on that side. Two inches shy of 25 feet. Makes sense. But we look back to the survey. Their own survey. There is a onefoot encroachment from the house next door. So on the south side, this house encroaches over the Property Line by. 99 feet. And that means they dont have 25 feet to build in. They have 24 feet. So if we look back at their construction, how did they feet 25 feet in a 24foot envelope . Either theyre going to be shifting it over back toward my client by a foot. Or theyre somehow shrinking the project by a foot in a way that will not match these plans. Or who knows what else . But it certainly didnt going to match what they proposed here. And if we do an overlay, you can see clearly what the problem is. So this is their proposed first floor plan. Line up the overlay, and you can see that encroachment from the other neighbor on the other side is on top of their proposed construction. So why does it matter . Maybe they just pull back a foot, the permits before you today are in large part because they realized there was a Property Line problem. The plans they had filed previously were going to go over and use my clients land so they showed up, and said, why dont you sign this easement so we can use your land . She was at first trusting and then alarmed by the pressure to sign the document. The real impact here is this side fronting on my clients property. You have egress corridor that must be a certain width. You have windows along the egress corridor and along the newly proposed popout. Those windows cant be that close to the Property Line. If theyre moving it over by a foot because of the encroachment of one foot on the other side, theyre suddenly too close to the Property Line. You cant have the windows. And the windows are what my client is concerned about. Your egress corridor is also too narrow. While they might try to get equivalency to use the backyard as area of refuge, that could only theoretically work for the rear bedroom. You have a bedroom here that does not front on the rear yard. It relies on the egress corridor. So this is, think, i charityably to say a big question. I think more accurately, it is a big problem and poses a lifesafety risk. This is a fire safety issue. Thats the reason we dont have windows this close to the Property Line. The reason there is egress corridors that are a certain width. My clients primary concern is the windows are looking into the bedroom, into the house. So wed like the windows not to be added especially this sliding glass door. But its a real problem. Our request to the board is, please remove the windows. I think the Building Department will have something to say about this. And may have real concerns about how theyre proposing this and the fact that the plans dont match reality. But our request to you, please reduce the windows. Frost them, remove the sliding glass door, remove the balcony. Thank you very much. Mr. Patterson. I believe in the brief, how far are you windows . 45 feet away, or 54 feet . From from your clients property to the window . Lets look at the survey. Its a significant distance, but the distance at issue here is not i know that. But the question i had how far is the windows from the back of the property, sir . So our lot is 100 feet deep. Im not sure exactly how far into the lot our house extends. But its certainly farther than the couple of feet from the other Property Line that is at issue. Commissioner honda thank you. Thank you. Going to hear from the permitholder. Hi, im Jordan Miller, the permitholder. You can raise the mic, youre kind of tall. You have 14 minutes. Im going to hand over most of the time to mark. But i do want to say that im very hurt by pamelas representation, or misrepresentation of our conversation. The diagram she put up superimposing the existing with the addition was actually one of the diagrams i gave her on our onsite meeting. I made that diagram myself. Im happy to send to it the board after to show you the date on it. We also had that diagram prepared for the neighborhood preapplication. Unfortunately, the neighbor on the Bernal Heights review board couldnt make it tonight. I made every effort to inform pam shared plans in advance of our meeting with her so she could review them. I was explicit about the addition of windows and discussed how raising the sill height would create the privacy she desired. And that desire for privacy is mutual. The yeah, and ill leave it at that. Thank you. Heres mark. Good evening, commissioners, mark loper. On behalf of jordan and sasha and their two kids, one of whom both of them are still here, on behalf of their entire family. I think as everybody can tell from appellants presentation, in our brief, the last few months have been quite difficult. Jordan and sasha moved their family out of their onebedroom house in anticipation of starting construction and have been in limbo after they volunteered a Property Line issue to the appellant. Theyre relieved to have a chance to resolve this. These appeals should be denied for three reasons. First, the project does not cause adverse impacts to the appellants property. Next, appellant was made ware of the project as proposed and jordan and sasha had been constantly open about the development over the years. And finally, appellants issues are unrelated. One of the underpinning on a different property they didnt talk about at all and the other about making the project smaller. Im going to address each in order. If i could have sfgovtv go to the computer, please. The project and more importantly, its 165 square foot deck and threepanelled windows facing north will not cause adverse noise or privacy impacts. The two buildings are 4060 feet from each other based on our best measurements. This is significantly further than those Neighboring Properties in San Francisco. It is more representative of suburban or peedmont than the typical pattern of the properties we see here. The appellants claims about light, noise and privacy are not as pronounced as others in the city. The product has been designed to maximize quiet for other neighbors. Jordan and sashas new home is two stories over basement. Instead of adding three stories, theyre adding one story and converting a basement into a family room. The house fits a kitchen, family room, dining room, into 2100 square feet. A very modest house for a growing family of four. It will not cause undue noise. Single pinned windows and uninflated rolls will be replaced with sheet rock. And fixed double pane fire windows on the first story. It will also raise the deck, kitchen and breakfast areas up one story, orienting noise away from her backyard and ground floor and increasing the distance from jordan and sashas deck to appellants home. The second story of the building, with the kitchen and deck, will be located above the roof line of the appellants property. Noise should disperse before it reaching two levels down. Several design features address the privacy concerns. Starting with the distance between jordan and sasha house and appellants. This is the view looking out straight from the approved second level. You can see the tip of appellants roof in the foreground. These views show the current view sight line from my clients property into appellants ground floor kitchen, compared to the picture on the far right which shows from the approved deck, which is further away and frankly, a lot harder to see into those windows. Other features including existing landscaping. Landscaping proposed on the balcony which based on the height is proposed to be about three feet in height, will further reduce the view into appellants property. Window changes on the first level, which replaced one large window with three smaller windows and a popout that is further reducing the view from the kitchen. Jordan and sashas project was reviewed and approved by the Bernal Heights review board which said they took careful considerations into the guidelines. The neighbor on the other side, whose support letters are included in the packet, and will be most affected by the project, said they made the Design Changes she requested. The project also complies with citywide Design Guidelines on rear yard expansions. It includes setbacks on the second floor. Open railings on the upper deck. Window that break the line of sight into appellants property. Going to the second reason why these appeals should be denied. Jordan and sasha consistently made appellant aware of the deck and northfacing windows. As you heard in november, 2017, jordan and sasha had the appellant over to their house and before that had provided her with an 11 by 17 set of plans. They solicited the appellants feedback and discussed shade, sound and privacy. Jordan showed a diagram of sun angle and discussed how a flat roof on the second story would create just three and a half more shade than the existing roof. Finally, the three of them went out onto sasha back deck to discuss the view from the second story. They offered her a step stool to get a sense of the view, but she declined, saying she understood. Appellant did make a request asking for the first floor windows to be raised. Jordan and sasha accommodated this request on the spot. In may of 2018, jordan and sasha let the appellant know that the review would be coming. The plans are in the packet and they clearly show the deck and northfacing windows. In july of 2018, they reached out talking about a Design Change that show the deck and windows. Appellant wrote that the change looked fine. She appreciated jordan and sashas sensitivity and communication and she was sure the house would be beautiful. To recap, appellant received plans and images of the deck on three occasions. She never asked for the deck to be removed or to eliminate any windows until october of this year. It is too late and not fair to jordan and sasha to demand these changes now. And that takes us to the last reason why this appeal should be denied. The appellant is asking the board take action on something unrelated to the two permits on appeal. For context, here is a photo showing the area between jordan and sashas current house and a fence. On the other side of which is appellants backyard. In practice, and by use, this fence has been the assumed Property Line between the two properties for decades. Jordan, sasha and their architect were diligent about mapping the Property Line to be consistent with the pattern of occupancy throughout the entire block. This included 1905 sanborn map, 1914 map, 1948 aerial photograph, which shows the fence and 1970s photo from the Assessors Office which also shows the fence. The revision permit makes the project smaller. It decreases it increases the distance between the appellants home and the project. It also maintains the current ground floor setback as jordan and sasha told appellant it would. Its hard to understand what pulling the project back by one foot causes. If you want to get into the weeds, though, the survey is preliminary and has not yet been recorded. As we just demonstrated, the pattern of occupancy does not match the survey. Which the surveyor acknowledged in the survey itself. Property lines in San Francisco are not always clear and this is a prime example. I can also just point out that i expect you will hear from mr. Duffy that the door on the second floor, that is proposed to be open, will need to be nonoperable. So i would just point out that door is going to need to be nonoperable, which is something that you heard the appellant ask for. I think thats important to keep in mind. More to the point, my client shares this Property Line issue with the appellant. They did not go out and commission a new survey. They are not pursuing civil remedies. And they did not hide it and move forward with construction. They did the right thing. The neighborly thing. And they told the appellant. Perhaps they were overly optimistic in thinking that the appellant would want to work with them to call spade to spade allow the project to be built. When she didnt want to and further there were no documents distributed or anything like that, no demands to enter into an easement agreement when appellant did not want to enter into any agreement, jordan and sasha made the project smaller so there was no question it wouldnt encroach. And i can show you mr. Patterson did a good job of trying to confuse everybody, but i can show you a diagram that quite clearly shows the project in the revision permit fits within the assumed Property Line or the Property Line depicted on the preliminary survey. So to summarize, the project does not cause undue noise or privacy impacts. Appellant was made aware of it for years and is using jordan and sashas openness to undo it. For a project that does not cross into her property. Each of those alone is grounds for the appeal to be denied. We ask you to let jordan and sasha and their family move forward and build their family home in peace. I want to use the last minute to show you the diagram i was talking about. Im going to switch over. This is the revision permit. This is the first floor which contains the popout. The width of the first floor is 23 feet and 10 centimeters. Or 10 inches, which is less than 24 feet. Take your time and were available for any questions. Commissioner honda i have a question. After reading the brief, i do commend the transparency of the permitholder to the appellant as evident in all the emails that were provided in the brief. But as opposing counsel suggested, how are you fitting you have 23 and 10 and you have another foot, so thats 2410, but your lot because of the encroachment on the neighboring property, you dont have a full 25foot lot. Right, its a 24 you can commissioner honda you can keep a diagram on the overhead so maybe you can explain that. Because right now what youre proposing is near 25, yet you have 24. So im trying to right. So its a very good question. Lets think about it in terms of the uphill Property Lines of the southern Property Line. And then the downhill property. Overhead, please. Thank you. So weve got the north Property Line which goes downhill, southern Property Line which is uphill. Not only did this diagram assume that we would set back a foot, but were using the northern Property Line as the encroachment point. So meaning, this diagram already shows the building starting one foot onto our Property Line. Commissioner honda thank you. To make it simple, we have 24 feet to build in, assuming the Property Line is correct in the survey. We show that we only build 2310 wide. So were two inches inside of the 24foot lot we have. Commissioner honda i thought there was another onefoot setback from the Property Line. Right. Thats what im getting at. This as designed shows the project built already if one foot into our property. Commissioner honda i think there is time in the rebuttal and the department will probably clarify some of that. Sure, thank you. Thank you. Well now hear from the Planning Department. Commissioner honda just a comment, it was good that you caught this prior to construction because it would have been a really big mess after. Thank you, happy new year, president swig and members of the board. I got to say this, fear the beard. Thank you very much. So ill be brief in the presentation. The subject property at 324 peralta is rh1 Bernal Heights. The issue is two separate permits. The first deals with internal bracing or underpinning which i have not heard issues raised on appeal and thats not planning matter anyway. The second is a revision permit that seeks to reduce the size of the building from a previous application, Building Permit application, 201712227300 was submitted in december of 2017, underwent neighborhood notification pursuant to section 311 between may 29 and june 28, 2018 during that time no requests were filed. What you have seen raised in the appeal tonight, the issue is about the deck and the windows, all of those features were present in the plans that underwent the section 311 neighborhood notification. Again, there was no discretionary review filed on that. The permit reduces the encroachment over the Property Line which were identified and raised here. So the building is moving further away from the appellant based on the permit that is before you tonight. The Building Permit was issued on december 6, 2018 and no appeals was brought of that permit. Again, theyve given you the history. They discovered a possible issue with the Property Line to be conservative, they are not extending, theyre bringing it back by one foot. Ive seen the dimensions that they have proposed there and i think, appreciate the appellants arguments, but i think its like the definition of fuzzy math. What theyre proposing actually does fit within their property, even with the worstcase scenario that theyre assuming. So the project is completely code compliant. What we identified today and this is raised i reviewed the plans with one of the staff architects to get feedback on the application of the residential Design Guidelines and they noted that if the Property Line is actually one foot over from what is shown on the plans, because bear in mind, the revision plans that you have before you, dont have what could be argued as the correct Property Lines because theyre using what they had originally assessed as the Property Lines. They dont have a final survey yet. Theyre playing it safe and bringing it back in one foot to spare from what they had always assumed the Property Line to be. So even if the Property Line is one foot over, theyre covered because theyre bringing it in. That said, that reduces the dimension from the potential Property Line, the theoretical Property Line, that is only 30 inches from the Property Line to where their sliding door is. That kind of narrow catwalk along the side facing the appellants property, that is 30 inches. Because of that, that slider, that is along the side of the Property Line facing the appellants property, cant be operable under the Building Code. So that would need to be fixed. And we understand the appellants issues, privacy, potential light pollution, those are concerns that are taken seriously ant reason we have guidelines, Something Like this is a close call. But given the distance, which i measured using some topography, its about 45 feet from the nearest wall on the property. Given that dimension which is wider than many streets we have in San Francisco. It was found to be acceptable. So they do need to make a change which could be addressed through a special conditions permit. Ensuring that all the windows on that side Property Line meet all Building Code requirements for fire safety. Windows that are operable within three feet be changed to be fixed. That is the only change that needs to be made to this permit. But im available for questions. And hopefully, i didnt confuse you more. Nope, that clarified things. The Property Line is a nonissue . Because theyre playing it safe and theyre being conservative and setting it back in, so it does not seem to be an issue. The only issue is the implication on the sliding door which is not a Property Line issue. Thank you very much. Thank you. Well now hear from the department of building inspection. Welcome, Senior Inspector duffy. Happy new year. Joe duffy, dbi. You heard some of the issues raised there. I will just go over briefly the permits again. Just to let you know that they were reviewed by our department. One of them is for internal underpinning for 326 peralta avenue. And really happy to see this, because a lot of times this board, even in my life, we end up having underpinning issues when the construction starts. These guys look to be getting ahead of it here, taking care of the neighbors property. That tells me something good about it. That we have the permit in place before hand, even though its under appeal. There isnt much about this, its more to do with the Property Line issue. But i wanted to mention that. The Property Line issue, we did discuss it in the hall before the hearing with the architect and the owners. The drawings i had some notes here, the Property Line has to be 100 determined before construction starts because if thats not right, were going to be dealing with during construction of, the contractor, whoever is going to be doing the work is going to be dealing with because were going to be getting complaints on it. I ask them to get the accurate Property Line and survey so we know. I think they have acknowledged that the openings on the sidewall and the Property Line wall are within three feet of the Property Line. So the california Building Code tells you that from 03 feet openings are not permitted. San francisco Building Code then, and we deal with this many times, allows you to install minimum 45 openings on the Property Line within three feet if you use our administrative 009, which means you have to document that the windows are being put in. If anyone builds up against them, you lose the right to the windows. On the drawings there are discrepancies on the second floor openings, theyre going to have to be 45openings if they want to keep them. Its not just a matter of having a nonoperable door, its actually a 45 minimum window width with a metal frame. Its got to be documented properly on our administrative bulletin 009. The architect can do that at dbi. So thats really all that i had. Everything else is, as i say, i did check inspection history. I didnt see inspections on the permit. Im available for any questions. President swig so the 45 fire rated window is going to add a significant cost to the project. I know thats three or four times the original stuff. I think you had 11 more minutes if youd like to use them. Well, actually you brought up a point. They could move in the wall six inches. With the new Property Line theyre going to be maybe 30 the wall is going to be 30 inches and the code gets them as well. If you go to if they go to three feet or more, the actual code says you can only have 25 of openings on the wall. So they might want to keep the fixed openings and there is a view. Thatswa we do in what we do in San Francisco. And theyre pretty common. You see them all the time in new buildings. The cost would be a question for them. But i think the architect needs to get the Property Line right on the drawings and at the site and then change the plans to reflect that they meet ab009. One last question, if the permit holders had not done a Property Line survey and proceeded with their permit, would there have been an issue . Yes absolutely. Because if during construction we find that the openings on the second floor had been constructed within three feet of the Property Line, we would have looked for them to be closed up. It would have been a violation of the code. Its really good theyre doing this before they start. Agree. Is there any Public Comment on the item . Oka okay. Senior inspector duffy is correct. The issues is the distance from the Property Line to the windows. Their survey may show 2. 67, which is 2 feet 8 inches, which is 32 inches. You need to be 36 inches. There is some existing windows, but when theyre adding the third floor, theyre going to have to deal with either the windows have to be rated nonoperable, or they have to shift the Building Back three inches. The current drawings show the building is 42 inches. So they need to clean up what that distance is in a revision permit or something with the board to get the drawing right. They can do that on the third floor by shifting the Building Back or making all those windows nonoperable fire rated. Where the bigger challenge is on the first floor bedroom. Thats a rescue window. That has to be operable. And according to their own survey, that window is 28. Theyve done , the Building Department should look at the dimensionses and make sure theyll meet the 25 allowable and solve the 32inch separation from the Property Line to the third floor, second floor. And the key challenge is the rescue window on the Property Line, which is only 32 inches away. That cannot be fixed fire rated. That has to be operable. Question, sir. So you appeared before this body on a regular basis. Youre an expert on windows . Im an expert on the Building Code and fire separation and the requirement of windows on the Property Line, yes. And im a licensed allowed to practice Land Surveying in the state of california. Just verifying it because youre before the body giving expert advice. Yes, practicing for 40 years. I would say im an expert. Windows, okay. Thank you. Is there any other Public Comment . Seeing none, we move on to rebuttal. Mr. Patterson, you have six minutes. Thank you, commissioners. First i want to point out, my client is not opposed to honest expansion of this house. As youve been seen throughout the correspondence, she has supported the project and the space for the growing family. The issue shes concerned about is the privacy impact of the particular features of the proposal. I dont fault them for getting a survey done, or for having a lot line issue. They assumed the fence was the lot line. Happens all the time. I dont fault them for that. But when you have a survey prepared and prepared by a skilled surveyor, what i dont understand is why you wouldnt take the survey and adjust the plans to match . So if the survey shows on the overhead here the survey shows a onefoot encroachment on this side. Why not account for the encroachment . Theyre filing a revision permit to adjust the Property Line on the other side. Theyre adjusting this side over here. And all this discussion has been well theyre pulling it back a foot, but theyre pulling it back from this side . Can you shift it, we cant see . No, out and then perfect. Let me show you the survey again. On the survey, you can see the encroachment is on this side from the building next door by about one foot. The permit is to pull back from the Property Line. But theyre pulling back from this side. Its the wrong side. So they keep saying well they have one foot of wiggle room here in case they ever decide to finalize the survey, which is questionable in itself, but the wiggle room is on the wrong side. So i would also note that under the Building Code, they only get six inches for field adjustment. Theyre talking about a onefoot difference. We have not heard from their design professional. I believe their engineer is here. Maybe they could speak to how theyre moving the building one foot with a sixinch allowable adjustment. This still doesnt add up. I appreciate mr. Sanchez and mr. Duffys comments. Its been acknowledged that the plans are not correct, Property Line is not properly shown in the plans. And the windows as a result cannot be built as proposed. So the concerns that voiced are real. Fix the plans. Are they planning on shifting the building over to my clients property so they dont have sufficient space over here . 30 inches plus 12 . And their egress corridor. If theyre shifting by a foot in that direction, they dont have enough space. That has to be solved. Again, the survey being preliminary, i dont see any reason they wouldnt have had that finalized. I deal in your veies for these type of issues regularly. The only reason i can think of that you dont get the survey finalized and keep it preliminary, you dont want it recorded on title so people know what is going on. Thats not how this process is supposed to work. And i would encourage the board to ensure its fixed. Lastly, to bring it back to the privacy concern. These windows that theyre talking about adding, there are a number of them. And they do create a privacy impact in my clients home. You saw theyre going to be looking from this balcony down into her kitchen, her bedroom, her yard. Throughout her home from a higher vantage point, which is more significant privacy impact. I appreciate theyre talking now about making this fixed window instead of a sliding door, but if thats the case, why do they need a balcony. Its shallow anyway. The brief said they wanted to put plants on it. Lets eliminate the privacy impact. If the sliding door is changed to match the window next to it, its less impact. It would be frosted. Dramatic improvement. They wouldnt be sitting inside looking into her bedroom. I thank you for your time. I think my client may have had something to add as well. I just wanted to make it clear that from the beginning i wanted to support jordan and sasha in their renovations. I saw them as really nice neighbors. Im planning on being in San Francisco for years to come. And i assume they are, so being Good Neighbors is very important. I tried to do everything i felt that there were issues with other neighbors. I wanted to not be that neighbor that caused problems. And so just again, my only request was the you have 30 seconds. Was the privacy and sound. So my simple request is by adjusting these windows as was just mentioned, that will take care of my concerns. Im sorry that all the other issues came up, but that is what happened when we looked further following my issues. I have a question, maam. Were you aware of the discretionary review process that is available to you through the Planning Commission. You werent aware there was a way to make discretionary review to have the project reviewed . And you dispute the testimony that permitholder provided you with information regarding discretionary review . No, i wasnt aware. I probably should have figured all this out, but i wasnt aware. Did you receive the notification that is provided to tell ow d, you of the permit. The only thing i recall getting was the original notice that was going to be presented in the Bernal Heights library and i was out of town. It was after that meeting i requested to go to their house and talk to them. Similar question. Maybe your counselor might want to help. Is there anything different in the 311 notification and what is presented here today, other than the building is shrinking . I would have to go back and check. I think there was a change to one of the windows, if i remember correctly. Im sure theyre designed professionals could correct me. The major change is this permit is adjust the project visavis the Property Line. Thank you, counselor. Same question. Can i have the opposing counselor or permitholder. Im sorry. Can you come to the podium, please. Hi, Jordan Miller. This is our design professional. The architect. Welcome. Im the architect and will be happy to answer your questions. Can you speak into the microphone. And if you could identify yourself. My name is bobby sue hood. Im an architect and principal with hood miller associates. I help write the original Design Review guidelines. And have been dedicated to observing them through my career. So, maam, the question here is, on the 311 notification that went out regarding the project, has what are there there was one minor change. From the 311, we actually reduced the window size. 311 was a fivepanel door and on the revision permit, we have a threepanel door and a window with a 32inch sill. So we did make the windows smaller since the 311. By our own choice. Okay, thank you. Thats it. And thank you. I wanted thank you. Maam, the time is thank you. Is there can you shut the doors, please . Thank you. And so, now we will hear from the permitholder. So the appellant, unfortunately, has the geometry backwards in this. Let me just draw on the plan on the overhead if you could switch that where the lot ambiguity is so we can all be clear on it. So you see does this zoom in . Anyway, there is a onefoot here. That is one foot clear just for the audience, can you depict where the appellants property is located. Its located in that direction about 45 feet. [please stand by] [please stand by] calle amankindra schari. Just a few points about the survey. A lot of haze made over the survey. Jordan reached out to the surveyor before the surveyor reached the preliminary survey, so we didnt know where the Property Line was going to be on the preliminary survey. So the question is why didnt we file another revision permit . Because it would take us another 2. 5 or three months to get back here. I think you can hear from my clients that they just want to move forward with their lives and build their home, and they dont want to invite further delay. And filing another revision permit rather than coming to this board and talking through the conditions would involve delay and would involve my clients having to rent a different place and stay away from their family home and prevent it from being constructed for just that much longer. Id also like to point out in terms of the emergency egress, the basement level is the ground level, and there is a passageway on the basement level. The project that jordan and sasha are comfortable with the following, that they follow ab 009, that the survey be recorded and that survey be reflected on the plans. And then finally, that the door that was proposed to be operable be nonprobable. So ab 009 would be complying with all the fire safety issues. Could you repeat that again . Yes. That the project sponsor will follow ab 009 and will work with the department to make sure ab 009 compliant; that as part of that, that jordan and sasha are willing to make a major concession to the appellant, which is that the door, the operable door that looks out west north ward, they will they will get rid of that and have it be a nonoperable window, and that the Property Line, as you heard, will be recorded shortly. Thank you, and were available for any questions. Thank you. Clerk thank you. We will now hear from the Planning Department. Nothing further . How about the department of building inspection . Commissioners, joe duffy, d. B. I. Just to clarify in the Public Comment, they will need a window, and if theres an existing window and its closer to the Property Line, we generally dont make them do anything that. But if theres one created, theres a little bit of confusion with that being brought up. With the other items that need cleaned up with the nick and the opens solid fire billet, and the bedroom issue may need to be addressed. The exit code requirement forr for singlefamily dwellings, we are typically concerned with egress and life safety, and i dont think that is an impact in this case because of the singlefamily dwelling, but again, i would like the architect to address all of the issues with d. B. I. If were moving in that direction. Thank you. Inspector duffy, one question. If we were to condition it, what would you like to see conditions . I mean, to remove the nonoperative door, meet with ab 009. The Property Line be recorded, and normal drawings and survey points at the site, and also to address any egress requirements for bedrooms. Okay. Thank you. It was just good tonight that we have the drawings or the approved plans tonight. I dont know how they got in the appellants brief. If we have that requirement for all the parties, it would make it a lot easier. Easy, mr. Duffy. Mr. Duffy, can i ask you a quick question . Weve talked about surveys here before. You dont typically ask applicants to record a survey before issuing a permit . No. And because of the confusion on this one, ive advised them to do so before they do the drawings because the accurate Property Lines need to be on the site and survey points. We dont normally require that because its supposed to be on there. The Property Line requirements. Yes. Okay. I see it. The Property Lines drawn on the plans must be correct. Theyre not just there yet. My concern, just so you understand, we talked about precedent earlier tonight, i dont want to create a precedence where anybody who raises a Property Line dispute gets a condition of a survey being done. I dont think thats how this work or it should work, and i think that Property Line disputes belong in court and not here, but i guess theyve offered to do it, and for that reason alone, id be okay with it. I agree 100 , because its not something we want either. Thanks for bringing that up. Clerk thank you. Commissioners, these matters are submitted. Well have to hear them separately because theyre two separate appeals. May i ask a question . We dont havent heard a word about the first motion. Im happy to make a motion to deny the permappeal on the bas that the permit was properly issued. Clerk okay. We have a motion from Vice President lazarus to deny the appeal on 19120 on the basis the permit was properly issued. On that motion [roll call] clerk okay. So that appeal is denied, and now were addressing appeal 19129. So understanding that this process is extremely difficult in San Francisco with notification, mailings, deadlines to be to be filed, its hard when people get stuff in the mail and they may or may not understand it. But for the folks out there, when this type of project occurs, theres neighborhood notification. Thats a notification indicating and telling you what your rights are as an adjoining neighbor as well as submitting the plans for the prospective project at which time any of the neighbors or anyone has the ability to go to the Planning Commission and have whats called a discretionary review. At which point, after that discretionary review is done, and youre still not happy, you potentially end up at the board of appeals. In this particular case, that first process was skipped completely, and now that the permit holder is at the nearing portion of their project completion or being able to start construction, its kind of like they want a doover. And unfortunately, thats not really how this system particularly works. Going through the brief, it was kind of difficult because literally, there was two different stories from the appellants side as well as from the permit side, so it was hard to determine what was really what until we got some Public Comment as well as instructions from the department. In this particular case and we see a lot of cases these permit holders, in my opinion, were exemplary whatever. Exemplary. They really reached out and showed clarity in their project with and thats not just their word, it was submitted in the brief. In this particular case, theres an error that they found. I think if they had not found that, this project would have been built, and there would have been litigation or extenuating circumstances thereafter. As my Vice President mentioned and we denied the first one is the first one wasnt even brought up on this particular case. The plans that were set up were the same plans, and if anything, the plans have been reduced, and as per Senior Inspector partner, the plans are moving back from the appellants property. So i see no reason to deny this permit at this point or to accept the appeal. And of course, i would recommend that we would condition the permit as per what the Department Recommends. Thats your motion . Clerk grant the appeal grant the appeal and condition the motion. Sorry. It was a threeweek vacation. Anybody . No further questions no further comment. Clerk in terms of what the Department Recommends from inspector duffy, i didnt hear your terms of the egress requirement ab 009. Clerk well, thats for the windows. Anything within 3 feet of property must comply with ab 009 San Francisco Building Code and any Building Code requirements for bedroom egress must be must. Clerk okay. And then as commissioner san san santacana, should we condition that on that point . We will leave that to their discretion on construction because it would be foolish not to. Thank you for bringing that. Clerk so you would not require the survey to be on the plans or recorded . Correct. Correct. Clerk okay. So we have a motion from commissioner honda to grant the appeal 19129 and issue the permit on the condition that it be revised to require that the windows on the side Property Line comply with ab 009 and that the sliding door is nonoperable, and further that the bedroom egress is code compliant. And this would be on what basis . Sorry. Before that, even though the survey does not need to be recorded prior to the motion, the correct Property Lines do need to be shown. So maybe once they do record it, its part of the revised plans. So i just want to make sure that were requiring that per the survey, they have to have all the Property Lines there. Yeah, i would agree with that. Clerk okay. Thats an additional requirement. How would you prefer that be shown . They submit their plans, as well . They submit plans with the correct Property Lines. Clerk okay. And on what basis are you making this motion, commissioner honda . That the project is code compliant and just to to correct the condition thats presented with the building shrinking. Clerk okay. So on that motion [roll call] [gavel]. Clerk welcome back to the january 8, 2020 meeting of the board of appeals. We are now on item 7 a, b, c, and d. These are appeal numbers 19097, 19099, 19100, and 19101. The appellants are joshan klipp, zach karnazes, calle 24 latino district, and we also have kindra scharich. And they are appealing the issuance on october 26, 2019 to San Francisco department of public urban forestry. The replacement tree size will be both 24 and 36inch boxsize trees, depending on available size and species availability. The replacement trees and necessary sidewalk repairs shall occur within three months after the repairs and removal occur. Addresses range from 2700 through the 3200 blocks of 24 street. This is order 201771, and as a preliminary matter, i understand, although i have not confirmed with the appellant, mr. Karnazes, that the parties have agreed to continue item to march 11, 2020. Is that the case . Are the appellants present . Can they come forward . And mr. Buck, will you come forward, as well, please . Okay. We can just stop. Mr. Klipp, i understand you would like to move this. I agree, but i would like to have an opportunity to make a statement. Clerk okay. Youll have an opportunity, but i just want to get confirm from everyone. Im kindra scharich, and i do agree with the continuance, as well. Good evening. I represent calle 24 and weve agreed to the continuance, as well. Chris buck, department of urban forestry, and the Department Also agrees to the continuance. Clerk okay. And if you could make room for mr. Karnazes, please, so he can address the board. So mr. Karnazes is the appellant for 19099. Hi. I would like to make a statement as mr. Klipp has said, as well. If we can decide and agree on a statement that my statement can be, i have a lot of disabilities, and it was very difficult to prepare the things that i prepared for today, and i would like to share some of them. And if we can agree on a time clerk and you can make a threeminute statement. Do you agree with the continuance or not . Can i share seven minutes . Clerk at this point, no. Were just entertaining the continuance, so the board if its not continued, then we will proceed with the cases as scheduled previously. Okay. I just i apologize. Im new to this process, and so im trying to understand. If i agree to this, can i make a threeminute statement . Does the public get a chance to comment on this item, as well . Clerk they will have an opportunity to comment. It will be limited in time, given the volume well, it depends. First off, the board has to vote on whether to continue it, but there will be an opportunity for Public Comment. I also understand that supervisor ronens aide is present, and supervisor ronen has arranged for a room. If its continued, they urge that discussions continue between the members of the public, members of the department of public works, and the Supervisors Office. But if you would like to make a statement regarding this continuance, you can at this point. Okay. I apologize. Im still trying to understand this process because we have a room full of people that have taken time from their families and their life. I just want to be clear, will they have an opportunity to make a statement to the board in a limited time okay. They will not. Clerk well, there will be Public Comment, but it will be limited in time. I understand the parties may work a settlement. The plan that may be in front of the board may be different at a later date. Depending on how the commissioners vote, if they do vote to continue it, then we will not be having a fullblown hearing, so their statements at this point would likely be premature, but of course they can say what they want. In Public Comment . Clerk right, but we would be limiting it to one minute. So one minute for each person . Clerk yes. Okay. So id like to go after someone because i have to get my papers. Good evening, board. About 50 years ago, somebody chose to plant trees on this street, and they chose ficus because theyre determined, much like the people who live there today. Regardless what you think about ficus, you should realize that what we do today will matter 50 years from now. That we shouldnt just be making decisions whats best for us today, but making decisions based on whats best for us today, tomorrow and after that. We should be thinking about doing right by this Community Today but also our children and our childrens children. Unfortunately thats not whats currently happening because in the same year our county officials declare were in a climate emergency, we lost over 2500 trees. The same year our supervisors declare we must sequester carbon, we fail to plant as many trees as we removed. 50 years ago, the board made a mistake, and theyre asking to make it right. Our own commission on the environment recognized that the region suffers from air pollution and air pollutionrelated illness, and trees are a critical element of the mission communitys health. The problem is even with everything we know, that the environment is collapsing, that the mission is disproportionately affected. Even with all of this information, were still making decisions the same way we did 50 years ago. Were setting up ourselves or disaster and future generations for disaster. To that end, i want to recognize that supervisor ronen has taken a bold step and for the first time i am aware of in San Francisco history, asking the department of urban forestry and department of public works to come together and to come up with Innovative Strategies to mitigate these impacts and how communities across San Francisco can impact the environment to make our city a more beautiful and resilient place. On behalf of myself and my community of tree advocates across San Francisco, i wholeheartedly agree to this proposal and offer myself as a resource to the city, the community, and the Supervisors Office to assist in this effort. [applause] thank you. Clerk thank you. We ask that the audience not respond to any of the presentations, please. Clerk mr. Karnazes, would you like to address three minutes . And we are addressing the continuance at this point. Hi. Thank you. I really want to thank everyone out here today that came out and took time away from their lives to be here. I think its really silly that appellants get more of a say in this process because this is of course a Huge Community effort and a Huge Community issue. However, i would like to point out a couple of things. There are multiple issues here, and one of the things is that disabled people have been completely excluded from the socalled Community Notification of what is happening with these trees. I was here on january 23, 2019 in front of you and in front of chris buck, and i asked for an online database that disabled people could have access to so that we could know what was happening with our city trees. When will we have the public, a public map of which trees in our city of being removed, especially for those with disabilities who cannot just make a perimeter of our neighborhoods when were sick in bed . When will they stop wasting our taxpayer money and our personal time away from our jobs and our families to fight for trees that make the city beautiful . Chris buck that was present ignored all of that, continued to ignore that for months and months and months and months, actually held hearings for these trees in june 2019 and had a meeting apparently at the hospital in march of 2019. None of this was posted online and made accessible to disabled person despite my repeated requests. I made requests over email multiple days, and it was not until i found this appeal, all of a sudden, wow, look at that. We have an online database now of which trees are going to be removed. I find that really problematic. Why does it make disabled people to have to come up and write, you know, what is it . A ninepage appellant brief to try to get the city to comply with the americans with disabilities act . The americans with disabilities act is not vague on this. Title 2, 8. 2000 states a Public Entity must review his policies apolicies its policies and practices to determine if they accommodate people are disabilities. I think this department completely failed to do that, even with the repeated notices that i gave. I am still waiting for notices from half a dozen emails that ive sent to the department that continues to ignore my disability request. I just ask for a response, yes or no. We will do that, we wont do that. Think fail to respond to me, and i think its a tragic way for the department to be responding and interacting with the public. Clerk thank you. Well now hear from mr. Arguello. Good evening, members of the board. Carlos bocanegra on behalf of calle 24. The department failed to take significant steps to determine the cultural significance of these trees, despite the comments they received from the communities of the restoration process that was initiated in the 1970s and 80s. The department of public works attempted to remove these trees diminishes and cu diminishes the community. These trees are an important Material Development of the community. For nearly 40 years, these trees have been an identity marker, rivaling la rambla in barcelona, spain. These trees are part of the community and the identity. They contribute to the districts quality and walk of life, hold up and celebrate our holiday lights, something to walk under and protection from the summer sun. We ask that we provide the Community Ownership in this process a study and review, that they get to participate and decide who is going to be doing the reviewing to make sure that we do have a neutral third party reviewing these trees as we go through and make sure that we give the community the respect that it deserves. [applause] clerk thank you. Please. We will now permit kindra scharich. Thank you. Does the overhead work at all . And just face it as youre facing yourself. Okay. Can i zoom in . Oh, i see. Okay. So i had prepared it on my laptop, but i dont think i can connect it here, so my name is kindra scharich. Im very happy for the opportunity to address you tonight. I am here as a very concerned citizen and also as a resident of the 24 street corridor. I became aware of the war on ficus when i came back from vacation and saw that two trees are been removed. It was one on either end, and i was shocked not only how it changed the entire atmosphere of the block but also, as you can see. This is before the ficus tree on the corner was removed. And that provided tremendous shat to all of t shade to all the residents who lived in the building above. After it was removed, there was direct sun light then that occupies that space every day of the year almost except when we have cloudy days, and the temperature in my apartment increased vastly. This is the direct sun light that now beats into my unit. Its not even the unit where the tree was removed, its the unit to the side of that. So i was shocked by this impact. And then, i started seeing the noticed for at that time, it was 70something trees being removed, and now we have almost 50 trees that are slated to be removed in a fiveblock area. Its essentially destroying the entire canopy of our neighborhood. And i started wondering, why are we even arguing this . Its a funny thing. If somebody came to you and said, were going to come into your neighborhood and remove all the trees . You would say, youre crazy. Why with you doing that . I tell people, theyre going to remove the equivalent of ten ficus trees per block, and they go no, thats outrage. It feels like a direct assault on our community, it feels like a direct assault on our neighborhood. I cant overstate how traumatic this is for us, the prospect of this is for our neighborhood. So i would like to see a continuance on this matter so that we can investigate really innovative ideas to save our trees in San Francisco. Its critical. I would say that i just came from hawaii, and there are many trees that are in disrepair and all kinds of things, and theyve created structures to support those trees. Hawaii has shown what their values are around those trees, like, we are going to work to support the trees, and we need to do the same in San Francisco. Thank you. Thank you. [applause] clerk okay. So we are now moving onto Public Comment, which is limited to one minute, and it is supervisor ronens legislative aide here . I dont want to mispronounce your last name. If youd like to address the Public Comment portion. Yeah. So so briefly, i had the opportunity to speak with a lot of folks here in the community earlier. Im very, very grateful for everyones commitment and ded indication and partnership and continuing to find innovative and Creative Solutions to protect as many of these trees as possible. As you heard, these are valuable Cultural Assets for this community, and on behalf of supervisor ronens office, were committed to facilitate conversation with the community, and with the department of public works to make sure you all make a truly informed decision, but also to make sure that weve exhausted every possible option that we can to protect these trees that are so valuable to the community. Clerk thank you. And so is there a room available after . Yes. We did reserve room 278. Its an a. D. A. Accessible floor. Wed like to continue the conversation there, and also chris buck has committed to being there, as well. I have a question. Do you have a sense of what process you see happening over the next couple of months thats going to try to come to some different decision . Sure, yeah. So one piece that were really excited to continue to push forward is in partnership with d. P. W. And the department on the environment is having some focused study on the environmental impacts of the tree removal, so that is not necessarily a required element of this decision, but we feel that given the importance of this as you can see to the community, given the fact that the Mission District disproportionately feels the effects of pollution and all the effects from that, it is truly necessary to have that to understand the potential Health Impacts and implications on the environment and on the residents that really depends on the trees in this corridor. So thats a key piece of information that we hope to work on and to bring back to this board to have a full breadth of information on which to base this decision. On top of that, there are decisions that weve had the opportunity to talk with duff about. For example, replacement of trees on 24 street, and thats a really exciting opportunity, to make sure theres treeing on 24th street, not just on the corridor. So there are really key elements of this that i think that we can develop a little bit further and bring back before the board, and we think the time allotted in the continuance would really serve that end. So do you see your office sort of continuing to coordinate these meetings, and i assume there will be continued public input after whatever happens tonight . Absolutely. Were wholly committed to facilitating this conversation as best we can and working with the department and working with the community and advocates here to again identify these alternatives to ensure that were presenting you with a Community Comprehensive Plan that has available input and we can all have some consensus on a path forward. And if you got to two months from now, and were not quite there, would you feel comfortable asking for additional time, rather than bringing Something Back that may not have full endorsement . Yeah. We want to take as much time as we have in this process. This is up to you and members of this body, but we want to make sure we make this decision once and make it right. To do so, we need the adequate time to make sure that were turning every stone over and getting all the information that we need to make this really informed decision. So i, too, would like to reiterate my thank you to supervisor ronens staff and to you for participating in this. Absolutely. As we see, there is a lot of concerned people before us this morning. Everyone has a voice, everyone would like to be heard, and we become the dart board, unfortunately, but this board has shown in the past that were the tree stewards, and we care very much about the trees here in San Francisco. And the fact that the supervisor is involved with the community that is going to do some outreach prior to coming before this body, because generally, we hear why are you doing this . And yet, we care, as well. Seeing the trees on 24 street, the one disappeared in front of the church, that block looks complete different. I cant imagine walking down the parade as ive done for many years, down 24 street without any trees. I mean, im already fainting by the time we get to mission. So down 24 is kind of a cool corridor, so again, really appreciate the involvement from supervisor ronen, and thank you. Its our pleasure. May i ask, so that we dont misrepresent what the publics effectiveness is in front of this body, we really are not hearing this case tonight if we choose to delay the proceedings, so it would be my understanding, and i want you to confirm this that when you take this group into room 278, did you say, that really is the preliminary hearing tonight. That is really where the public will have their opportunity to come up with voice their concerns. Their most important concerns on this. No. I wouldnt want to short change a member of the public that feels passionate about this. No. What i want to clarify is if were going in a direction of moving this to another date, that really, any testimony by the public in front of this body, not that its not important, i dont want to diminish it, but were not hearing anything if weve already gotten the consensus from the appellants that were going to move it forward, we dont know what were talking about. Im sorry to interrupt, mr. President , but the comments should be directed to the continuance. As you go into a debate with the public and get into it deeply, which this case, as my director indicated, could come back in a different form, and hopefully, well see some reform that has public involvement that people will be satisfied on, hopefully, both sides, which is i always tell everybody when they come here, everybodys equally mad, both sides. So our job is tasked with things that are very important. I grew up eating roosevelt tamales and all that stuff the original owner, not the ones that are there now. They know. They know. Thank you. All right. So thank you very much. Does the public here understand that the comments really are to be addressed in regards to the continuance and not to the body that we love the trees, we want the trees. That is a forum that were going to hold later. And the reason this is beneficial for everyone, because now that the public has some involvement, the department is here. Hes here voluntarily, theres no handcuffs or chains on him at this point, hes going to hear everybodys, everyones input, and hopefully, well be able to address this in a better way two months down the road. And i love the trees, as well. Sorry to interrupt you, mr. President. No, thank you for your clarification. Anything else . Thats all i have. Thank you. Thank you very much. I want to reiterate, we very much appreciate the supervisors involvement. We appreciate the forum that youre providing on this matter. We look forward to hearing the hearing on the subject, but hopefully, youll resolve the issue on the forth coming public hearings that you have. Clerk is there any Public Comment on the continuance issue . Okay. Please come forward. If everybody would like to clerk its addressing the continuance. [inaudible] clerk okay. At this point, were having with regard to the continuance, does this will the continuance also affect the hayes street and other decisions . Can there be a moratorium on any tree removals on these fields would this apply to all those or just 24 street . Just this particular purpose. Even if that process were to reveal certain fundamental flaws in the ficus tree removal in general . Correct. We hear them all. Even though theres been such debate over the removal of ficuses, and theres been such a slow down of the removal of ficuses, is because of this body. We are asking for an overall clerk okay. You can talk to them about that. What the board is focused on is the 24 street trees. Okay. Thank you very much for your time. To any others, it is purely focused on the 24 street trees, i would hope that somehow there would be some consideration for other neighborhoods, if possible. Otherwise, tree sitters organize. And to the gentleman in the back, you can speak to anyone thats here. You can speak to whatever you want. If you want to sing the star spangled banner if you want. If you can fit it in one minute. But the thing is that this is basically on the continuance, and youre going to have another opportunity. I apologize to everyone thats those of 120yearold granite curbs that have been destroyed all together. Next speaker. Can you put your name on a speaker card. My name is sandra and im born and raised in San Francisco. The comment you made about the real work being done after this, i have a sick son at home. Im not going to be at that meeting after this so im going to say now hopefully goes to everybody in this room. Being born and raised in the Mission District and those trees are everything. For us in the mission, its those fake a trees. We love those trees. Those trees watch me grow up. My grandma died and d. J. Document inowe got killed in front of one of those trees and last but not least, my brother who was homeless just pass we had on the streets of San Francisco last year and he was sleeping under one of those fica trees. We hold value and sentiment for those trees. Let me let new on our culture. When you go back to our country in latin america, its all about the trees. Every single town has trees that are central to that town. Its not even plants. Its the trees. So please, do everything you can to save these trees. No compromise. Thank you, next speaker, please. If we have continue outbursts. You filed the appeal on behalf this is time for Public Comment. I can give it up to other folks, thats fine. Next speaker, please. I was hoping he was going to Say Something i wanted to say. My name is louise and weve been residents from the Mission District since 1971 and weve lived around 24th street. Before in 71 there was no trees and now theres trees. We live on the third floor above all the trees. Our rooftop has a beautiful line of trees going all the way to st. Peters church. Just saying thank you again for hearing this and not, you know, giving a blind ear or a deaf ear to this. Its very important for all of us, im here, i dont represent only myself but maybe other people, we own a business in 24th and follow so man folsom f4 years and i speak with people who see the ribbons around the trees and they say how does this madness even get attention. Why would anybody think of cutting these beautiful trees down. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Welcome. Matthew, president of San Francisco Forest Alliance and we intervene and all types of mastery removal projects in the city. Whether through recreation park district, department of public works or m. T. A. Where theres street improvement projects. We support this continuous and the hope that this coming process will come to a resolution and that this board can accept the recommendation 0 so thank you very much for listening to everyone. Thank you. Next person, please. Welcome, michael or john . John. Good evening, commissioners. My name is john nolte. San Francisco International city and how does this hearing on trees look internationally . We have Climate Change and in australia is in fire and china used drilling instead of fireworks to celebrate the new years this year. The annual risk for individual killing of being killed by a tree is 1 10 million and so, lastly, so, theres over 7,000 signatures online on these trees and i think we should continue a plan for the 24th street corridor and also to plant trees in the immediate vicinity to elected other years. Thank you say hi to your twin brother. Is there any other Public Comment. I realize i didnt give mr. Buck an opportunity. Did you want to . I wanted to ask if i could make a one minute general related comment not related to the trees . People can say what they want but you are wasting your time in terms of the opportunity to speak with supervisor ronens office. That room is available. I dont know how long if everyone speaks here on the substance of the appeal which they are entitled to but then that takes away from the process. For myself to make one minute general Public Comment unrelated to the trees, could i have one minute of your time is all im asking. We dont do this and you are asking us to make exceptions. You are an appellant so you cannot make general Public Comment. Thank you. So mr. Buck, did you want to address good evening, commissioners and the Community Chris buck. Just be very brief. Public works agrees to the request for a continuance. We do so reluctantly. These trees were identified based on their Structural Condition and many cases over all decline. We must reiterate our concern for Public Safety based on our assessment of these trees. We do not take the removal of any street trees lightly. While we did significant outreach with Supervisors Office and the community before even starting the formal removal notification process, we also understand and do appreciate the supervisors eady sire to work further with the community and public works. So again thank you for the opportunity to continue. Thank you mr. Buck. Commissioners, the matter of the continuance is submitted. Commissioners. I would support a continuance so that there is more public involvement to march 11th. March 11th. So you make a motion . Thats my motion. Ok. We have a motion from commissioner honda to continue these appeals to march 112,020th. So that the public has an opportunity to participate in the process. On that motion. [roll call] so that motion carries 50. Thank you. And so this concludes the hearing and i encourage you all to go to room 278. Thank you, very much for your patients. I really appreciate it and our board appreciates it. The fact that not all 100 people got up to speak and then to meet somewhere else. So thank you very much. So thank you very much. Still a lot of people wonder since the trees have a lot of issues, why did we plant them in the first place . Trees are widely planted in San Francisco. With good reason. They are workhorses when it comes to urban forestry. We have begun to see our ficustrees are too big and dangerous in San Francisco. We have a lot of tree failures with this species in particular. This is a perfect example of the challenges with the structure of the ficustrees. You can see four very large stems that are all coming from the same main truck. You can see the two branches attached to one another at a really sharp angle. In between you cant it is a lot of strong wood. They are attached so sharply together. This is a much weaker union of a branch than if you had a wide angel. This is what it looks like after the fi c. U. Resolution s limb. We see decline. You can see the patches where there arent any leaves at all. That is a sign the tree is in decline. The other big challenge is the root system of the tree are aggressive and can impact nearby utilities, and we can fix the sidewalk around the tree in many cases. We dont want to cuts the roots too severely because we can destabilize the tree. In a city like San Francisco our walks are not that wide. We have had to clear the branches away from the properties. Most of th the can canopy is one street side and that is heavyweight on those branches out over the street. That can be a factor in tree limb failures. A lot of people wonder since these trees have a lot of issues. Why did we plant them in the first place . They provided the city with benefits for decades. They are big and provide storage for carbon which is important to fight Climate Change and they provide shade and really i think many people think they are a beautiful asset. When we identify trees like this for removal and people protest our decision, we really understand where they are coming from. I got into this job because i love trees. It just breaks my heart to cut down trees, particularly if they are healthy and the issue is a structural flaw. I have also seen first hand what happens when we have failures. We have had a couple of injuries due to tree failures. That is something we cant live with either. It is a challenging situation. We hate to lose mature trees, but Public Safety has to always good morning and welcome to lacasa. We are so honored to have so Many Community members here today. I am the Deputy Director here. This has been a very long journey to this moment today. I thank you all. We would not be here with each and every one of you. I have a lot of wonderful people speaking today and the amazing work that the organization does in the community. I would like to start by introducing our board president. Michelle is the board president of casa d casa de las madres. As a member of the board for over 10 years she has helped guide us through the unprecedented growth. As chair of finance committee she helped strengthen the position to creativity and passion for ending Domestic Violence in San Francisco. I will hand it over to michelle. [applause] thank you for that lovely introduction. We are just thrilled today. This is such an exciting and special moment. I started volunteering about 15 years ago and joined the board 10 years ago. In year i was honored to be made the board president when our previous president retired. During my time with lacasa i have seen the Organization Grow and some impressive milestones. One thing that made me proud is the unparalleled ability for our organization to partner with Service Providers in San Francisco. Today we stand together it is important to remember the work to end Domestic Violence is not done yet and not done alone. La casa spent many years to build relationships to ensure no survivor feels like that is nowhere to turn. Many Community Partners are here today. We are proud to stand next to other Amazing Community Service Providers like the San Francisco General Hospital and u. C. S. F. , the San Francisco Police Department special victims unit, housing authority, Human Services authority, hamilton families th the count less other programs. Your work is live saving. Looking to the future on behalf of the board, we look forward to continuing to innovate and evolve the Expert Network of systems to ensure no woman or child is forced to choose between safety and their health or home. Now for the moment you are waiting for. I am introducing our mayor, mayor london breed. She is the first africanamerican woman mayor in the citys history. Her priorities include the homelessness crisis, new shelter beds, expanding Mental Health, more housing and keeping the city streets clean and safe. Please join me in welcoming the 45th mayor of the city and county of San Francisco, mayor london breed. [applause] mayor breed thank you. Thank you for your work and all members of the board and the staff and the people dedicated to this work. We appreciate everything that you do every day to provide a safety net for those who often times feeling hopeless in the midst of the trauma and everything that they are dealing with. We know that this organization supports and welcomes people with open arms. We are so grateful for the work that you do every single day. What an incredible day it is today. I want to take this opportunity to recognize our interim attorney who has been at the forefront of supporting women and children for decades, dealing with challenges around Domestic Violence. We know the city handles over 3,000 cases every single year. 3,000 families or people that are impacted by Domestic Violence. We know that we want to make sure that not only are people held accountable who are victimizing people but the survivors get support and resources they need. It is not just one department versus another. It is a partnership. Working with the victims unit and the San Francisco Police Department, the District Attorneys Office and so many amazing Nonprofit Organizations, including la casa is important. The work they do to help raise the money to support the organizations. I am proud of the work they have done to work with San Francisco to allocate more resources because we know that this is hard work. We also know that often times many of the survivors end up working in this arena themselves from their experiences. We know that it can be so helpful to helping to change peoples lives. You know, it is just i am looking at this building and just this is your permanents home, cathy. I know this organization has moved around quite a bit, but has never lost the essence of who they are, a hot line to provide support to people, a drop in center, place of comfort and care for so many years, and now a permanent home. It means so much because when people are dealing with a situation and in the middle of the night or any other case, working with San Francisco general and others, they will have this organization to depend on for years to come. We have this Incredible Program in San Francisco. Some of you know that i used to be the executive director of a Nonprofit Organization africanamerican art and culture complex, for someone who has run a nonprofit, they know how difficult it is to raise money and to make sure that you have a permanent home, to care of the home to buy the toilet paper and keep the lights on. There is a lot of work and resources that go to places like this, and the nonprofit sustainabilitynishsive is a resource that the city now provides to Nonprofit Organizations to help with support to purchase buildings like this so that some of our important nonprofits have a permanent home. They dont necessarily have to worry about the space that they are in and whether or not the lease is going to expire or the costs are going up for the space because there are so many other things that they are going to continue to need to raise money for. This nonprofit sustainabilities fund provided 1 million towards the purchase of the building. I couldnt think of a better way to use this kind of fund than to support lacasa. I am grateful to be here today. I know so many of you here are people who have been working in this arena for so long, and this although it is challenging and it can be sad and emotional to see what we have done here today and to see how this is going to help turn lives around and to change lives for the better, it is absolutely amazing. You should feel good about the work you do and the role you played to making this possible. I am here to just see the place, of course, and to thank all of you for the work you continue to do and to especially commend cathy black and your team for just cathy is standing over here to the side. Come up here. Today i want to do Something Special because of the work that you all do and you do it, you know, in such an amazing way every day without a desire to be recognized but you want the results, and i want the results. It makes for a better city for each and every one of us. It is casa d cass de la madres n San Francisco. I want to thank the folks at the office of economic and work force development. Thank you so much for your work in organizing and helping with the loan documents. We know how challenging it is to get the city to move quickly and the people that we have in this offers really care about this work and they worked hand and hand to make this happen as quickly as we could. I am grateful to be here. Ladies and gentlemen, the executive director of la casa, cathy black. Next up we have our District Attorney here to speak with us. She is a leading authority on crime prevention, experienced executive and led the Police Commission and served add general counsel of the California Department of justice, also served as prosecutor and advocate for survivors of Domestic Violence. We are honored to have her here today. She is a Community Advocate coo of center of youth wellness and in 2014 honored for her work to found and center, the nonprofit to heal children suffering from impact of violence. She served as president of Police Department from 2012 to 2017. The Police Commission provides the use of force policy and instituted body cameras to increase transparent and incommunity relations. She has improved Police Response to violence against women and children to make the streets safe. Our work isnt possible without the work of people like susie loftus. Thank you. That was very kind. Thank you, mayor breed for being here. What i want to offer to you is a story from my time as a courtroom prosecutor when i was prosecuting Domestic Violence because i think when we talk about what la casa means. I want to ground it in what this looks like. To Law Enforcement i can speak to today, it occurred to me when i got my first Domestic Violence cases they were not like other crimes i had prosecuted. What i was asking someone to do was picking up the phone and i was asking them to come in and testify against someone who they either loved at that moment or at one point loved or thought they loved, and my job was to encourage them to come and testify against that person, to encourage them to come in and be crossexamined. We know what that looks like, right . What i needed most was to have someone who could addvo indicate for that survivor through advocate for the survivor. That is cathy black. That is all of you. It is not always the answer to Domestic Violence there is a prosecution. Sometimes it is the answer. Sometimes it leads to the stay away order to save a life, sometimes it leads to a program that an offender does that can change his life or future, let him reclaim his life and future. The partnership Law Enforcement has with lacasa is i often say safety is a team sport. We have learned lessons in San Francisco about how we actually build safety. It is in partnership and in service of shush fivesors and their strengths and resilience and we serve them. Everything i know about Domestic Violence i learned from someone probably in this rumor cathy black. Let us continue to learn from each other in service of this idea. There is an irish proverb that says it is in the shelter of each other that the people live. This is a shelter, this building, it is also a reminder that we are the shelter for survivors and people escaping violence and that when we lean into each other and solve problems in the way lacasa has modeled we build safety for the people that need it the most. I couldnt be more delighted to be here today and to congratulate the city and City Partners for coming together. This is a reminder of the best of who we are and the work that we have to do. Congratulations to lacasa. [applause] we often say that we are only as strong as the community that supports us. We talk about bringing community into our work. Often times our work is in confidential spaces. Comemestic violence is challenge domestic challenge is scary and bat. We only solve this when we bring it out to the light. The next speaker is cassandra pogie. Show brings this to the light every day. She is an employee at black rock and one of the strongest allies in the community. She addvo indicates for survivors advocates for survivors. We are lucky to have her with us today. [applause] thank you. I am cassandra pogie. I am a survivor of Domestic Violence. I was in a relationship for two years. She was charming and created the illusion and he was good to me and i started to fall for him. As things became more serious he was jealous. He introduced intimidation and isolation. I was trapped with someone who used manipulation and violence to control my life every day. I became a shell of myself. I was his captive. The abuse was constant happening all hours. I lost count of the slaps and the punches. There are nights that he would abuse me sexually. Those were the darkest and loneliest days of my life. I was able to leave after one extremely bad beating. I dont remember how many times he punched me because i started to blackout. When he finally stopped, i was able to stagger to my bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror and i knew if i did not leave he would kill me. So i ran out the door. As i was running down the street i didnt be know where i could be safe, but the la casa image popped in my head. A few weeks earlier a colleague was doing a presentation. I looked for a second. I was running down the street. I stopped and hid in a dark corner of a garage and googled them. I found the emergency hot line number and gave them a call. Not knowing what to say, all i was able to tell the woman on the other line was that i was just beat up, feared for my life and i needed somewhere safe to stay. She gave me instructions to an indisclosed shel shelter where e would not be able to find me for the night. The comfort and security that night is invaluable i will nerve be able to put it in word. I will never forget the feeling i had laying in a bed that night. A feeling that i havent had in over the past year. The feeling of safety. But what they did for me did not end that night. They provided Legal Council to file for a civil restraining order, made sure to keep in contact with me as i got on my feet. One of the advo cats attended every court date to make sure i was not alone. I faced my abusers. In each trial the following year. I cannot change my past. I can only learn and share my experiences and hope to just save one other person from a similar story. Abuse thrives in silence. I could not be more proud that we are here today to bring a voice to the social injustice that holds so many in darkness. Fortunately for us in San Francisco bay area, lacasa is a bright light in the darkness. This beautiful new home is a bright light. Thank you la casa for saving lives and thank you for saving my life. [applause] next up we have a woman who needs no introduction. Here we go. Cathy is the executive director and she joined la casa in i is. She has met the needs as they have evolved and globe. Grown. Three increased number of services by 300 . She is on oversight panels and worked to bring the gaps and service and champion Domestic Violence with policymaking bodies throughout the city. She brings a wealth of program and strategic experience to la casa. Each day hundreds are made safer because of her leadership. As someone who has been here through the process of the moving into this building, we really cathy did it almost entirely herself. It was amazing to watch and wish i could be more helpful. We are lucky to have your leadership at this organization. I think you touched the lives not only the survivors in the city but the people in the room individually. Without further ado, kathy black. [applause] thanthank you, mayor breed, d welcome everybody here with us today. I was telling somebody earlier that i was nervous and fearful. Then i listened to cas cassandrd realized the real fear. It puts it in perspective. It is easy to stand in front of you now. I get the best part of this event today. Everybody said such wonderful things about la casa and how it has touched so many people. I get to say thank you. Almost without well maybe not media but some of the media people have played a role in bringing la casa to where we are today. When i joined la casa in i in 1e are omission street. On the mission street. We werent offered the opportunity to stay. We moved to a loading dock that was in the back of the old electrical workers apprenticeship building. We were hidden in the back on the loading dock. We fixed it up and were there for a period of time until they moved in next door. They werent the ideal neighbor. They thought they were. We definitely sudden lie a light was shown in a way that made it scary for the employees and the victims and survivors to get help. We moved to the old ben davis factory at 1663 mission street. Our lease was coming up and they didnt want to renew the lease. We knew we needed more space because we were providing more and more services, and there seemed to be an unending demand for what we had to offer. You know, there was a crazy journey to end up with this building. We ended up getting the second time i applied to the nonprofit sustainability fund. First time i couldnt get the owner to sign the purchase agreement, but i submitted the application in hopes i could convince him before the decision was made. Luckily, after a little bit of time he came around and he was offering it for lease. A payment we would not be able to afford. 14,000 more than our Mortgage Loan for this. Keeping good financial, being frugal, i said, no, buys is better. We were able to convince the owner to sell it to us, and we applied to the nonprofit sustainability fund. It is an awesome opportunity, and i tell other nonprofits when they say we dont have any office space, i tell them, you have to check out this program because it is a great deal. You know, it keeps nonprofits like la casa from moving further out of the hub of where we are needed most, right . We are in a neighborhood where we are accessible, people can come here, get services in a safe way, and we are able to we call it hub and spoke model in the center of the partnership with the Police Department, with the General Hospital and the rise program, rally family visitation program, one of our founders, we are close to hsa for the program, the Mary Elizabeth inn which provides 157 housing units. We do Case Management there. It is unending amount of work that we are able to provide. This is the most amazing spot to do it. I didnt write any of these words down. This is me talking. There are some, you know, one of the things that happen is we rallied a community of al lies, and a lot of them are here today, including the Mayors Office, oewd. And every time i see them at something it makes me smile. I feel good about it. They were supportive of me. I sent many times weeping thinking this would not happen and the lease was coming up. The department on status of women, emily and carol and Staff Members are here. Without support we wouldnt be doing what we are doing. The Giants Community fund, 49ers foundation, georgia sandy and cameron foundations, businesses like back rock are just awesome. Cb os, prc across the street is collaborating and helping us move in and get situated. Then the individuals that have shown up and supported our work is amazing. It is because you are with us on the mission. Receiving this 1 million grant gave us a boost that we needed and inspired other people in a way that has just been such a surprise. I mean people just call up and say can i come over . We want to make a donation. Not that we i mean it is hard to raise money for programs like this. This year has been a change. I think people see us as a force to be reckoned with. I am not going to read this gigantic printed words but i feel my message today is that we are here and we are available and if you know anybody who needs our help, please send them to us or collaborate with us. We want to be good partners. I owe everyone here a debt of gratitude, board members, employees, volunteers, and it all comes together to make this happen. With that we are looking forward to 2020 and thank you all very much. applause . I am going to invite everybody up for the ribboncutting. This is most excite being. They have these awesome scisso scissors. laughter . Five, four, three, two, one. There we go. [applause] shop and dine in the 49 promotes local businesses and challenges residents to do their shopping and dining within the 49 square miles of San Francisco. By supporting local Services Within our neighborhoods, we help San Francisco remain unique, successful, and vibrant. So where will you shop and dine in the 49 . My name is ray behr. I am the owner of chief plus. Its a destination Specialty Foods store, and its also a Corner Grocery store, as well. We call it cheese plus because theres a lot of additions in addition to cheese here. From fresh flowers, to wine, past a, chocolate, our dining area and espresso bar. You can have a casual meeting if you want to. Its a Real Community gathering place. What makes little polk unique, i think, first of all, its a great pedestrian street. Theres people out and about all day, meeting this neighbor and coming out and supporting the businesses. The businesses here are almost all exclusively independent owned Small Businesses. It harkens back to supporting local. Polk street doesnt look like anywhere u. S. A. It has its own businesses and personality. We have Clothing Stores to gallerys, to personal service stores, where you can get your hsus repaired, luggage repaired. Theres a music studio across the street. Its raily a diverse and unique offering on this really great street. I think san franciscans should shop local as much as they can because they can discover things that they may not be familiar with. Again, the marketplace is changing, and, you know, you look at a screen, and you click a mouse, and you order something, and it shows up, but to have a tangible experience, to be able to come in to taste things, to see things, to smell things, all those things, its very important that you do so. [applause] [cheering] all right. Now i would like to invite supervisor hilary roane into the microphone. [cheers and applause] Hillary Ronen to the microphone. [cheers and applause] [cheering] it feels good to be in this room tonight. [cheering] so one year ago today, he was not a politician, lucky him. He had never run for office and he wasnt someone you would usually see at political events. What he was doing a year ago was getting up every day to go to a job to work in a system that can only be described as broken. And broken in a way that destroys families and ruins lives. So chesa boudin decided to do something about it. Not just complain or post on facebook, he put himself on the line and he ran for office. And after a year, together with the people in this room, donating their time, our time, and our money, and then more of our time and more of our money, something absolutely amazing happened. We won. [cheers and applause] San Francisco, we are about to inaugurate a District Attorney the likes of bernie sanders, elizabeth warren, alexandria steel cortez, and others. [cheers and applause] like them, chesa boudin is a big thinker. He believes the worst and the most entrenched problems in our city must be solved by taking action on ideas that match the size and the scope of these problems. And like them, he loves people. When he asked, he acts from a place of deep love and he asked with the ultimate goal of making life not only bearable for our residents, but to create the conditions where we can all thrive. At the same time, chesa boudin is practical. While his ambitions are large, he doesnt spend his time with his head in the clouds or pontificating endlessly. He wants results always. He wants everyone to see and feel the fruits of the labor of our collective movement. This is why i placed chesa boudin in a category of leaders like bernie and elizabeth and the squad. Yes, he is unabashedly progressive, but he will never be content just talking about dreams. He will turn ideas into a reality. [applause] klopfer that one, absolutely. [laughter] clap for that one, absolutely this is why i believe we are a major part in San Francisco of one of the most important political moments in not only the history of this age, but in this country as a whole. This last election just proves the Progressive Movement is moving full steam ahead in San Francisco and in the United States. [cheers and applause] my people, we can do this. I often hear so much fear and so much selfdoubt from within our movement. Things like, i love bernie, but he cant win, so we should just hold our nose and choose biden. No, no. Absolutely not. We win when we believe in ourselves, when we share our ideas for changing the world and when we all Work Together to implement those ideas. That is what chesa boudin did. That is why, against all the odds, and believe me, it was against all the odds, he one, we won. [applause] so lets do this right now. Lets promise ourselves that we are no longer going to bargain against ourselves ever again. [applause] we are going to demand the type of worlds that we want to see and refuse to take no for an answer. We know that in response they will always throw every excuse in the book at us. Sometimes they try to undermine our ideas, its too expensive, or the flip side of the same tired argument, great idea, we dont have enough money, no, no, no. We are used to hearing no. Sometimes they try to attack our character. On, do i know this one well. They describe us as too emotional or too difficult when we refuse to be quiet about the injustices in our broken system that cause havoc and terror in the lives of residents in San Francisco. [applause] and heres my one note, slumber note for the night. They are going to do this to chase us. Here is what i want to tell you, chesa boudin. I want to tell you that they will try to undermine your ideas in any way that they can and they will attack to attack you brutally and personally in brutal ways. But they will only have the power to succeed if we let them. And we will not let them. [cheers and applause] so please, as you sit here today so excited about the inauguration of chesa boudin as our next District Attorney of San Francisco, dont ever let them let us get off track. We are with you, chesa boudin. We will work by your side and we will defend you when they try to tear you down. We are proud to be the status quos worst nightmare. [cheers and applause] and we, the collective we, will make this city a place that takes action and implements big, bold, exciting change. Weve got this. [cheers and applause] thank you, hillary. I couldnt have said it better myself. [laughter] we have a real treat to today. We have youth speaks. It is a local San Francisco organization that empowers Young Artists to use poetry in the spoken word to express themselves and their struggles authentically. Please join me in welcoming two young poets to the stage. [cheers and applause] good evening, everyone. My name is jamie and i may spoken word poet. For those of you who do not know what spoken word poetry is, allow me to introduce you. We are all in this room together this is not netflix, this is not hulu, this is not youtube. If i Say Something you like, you can snap, you can let me know. The more love you give me, the more love i will give you. [cheers and applause] before i hop into the poem, i want to invite you all to raise your voice is with me. When i say move, you say forward move. Forward. When i say make you say change. Make. Change. Make. Change. Here we go. They say you cant judge a book by its cover. I say you have never been black. Never been categorized by the color of your complexion, never been stigmatized because of your skin to be black in america is to be another author in a never ending anthology about oppression. It is to be a chapter. Standing under the loveliness of sons, thinking negro spirituals and songs about freedom, a chapter in chains and carried to the table of contents known as this country. Isnt it ironic that they call this the land of the free . To be black in america is to know that you could have been a commodity had you been born 200 years before. 200 years before today, i would have been born a slave, my hands would have been drenched in burgundy blood from picking cotton and fights and the rights to run away and sometimes, i said sometimes being black feels like being the prequel to the road revolution. Or a ceqa titled retaliation. I am tired. I said, i am tired of being a walking publication of pain. Im tired of being a footnote where no bootstrap to pull myself up, but isnt it heritage for africanamericans to turn sugar and fear more like a home, to be seen as a home. One must exist in a mobile or something. To be black in america is to know that you can we target practice to at any white mans will. It is to keep your will on standby, it is to standby injustice and say nothing. If only we could speak every time we were traumatized. So please, remind me how you dont judge books by their cover my bad, how you dont see color. Remind me again how you can blatantly skim over all of this magnificent black skin. [cheers and applause] my name is zou. I have a poem for you all today. [cheers and applause] home is missed all jetway listen to miracle. Or oncall rides with my mother. And i briefly understand anything was possible. Home is the nostalgia i said when i listened to. [indiscernible] it made me move my feet to the beat of my ancestral roots. 500 miles away from where my grandparents are buried. Searching for a home or stumbling the home that would serve through my feet as a dance my life away to the rhythm of the deluca sitting in my mother s lap, the beat of her hands cruising across the animal hide that sits on this african drum. Every thump returns my body to them. The woman that birthed me [indiscernible] my lips belong to the wind. I speak two languages. [applause] i see little brother. A language created by roughhousing now out of line with my cousins. [indiscernible] the second language i speak is to donnie arabic. [applause] [speaking foreign language] the some of a battle between adopted language and native tongue, the product of care down the mile. Running down the streets with my cousins as the sand hugged our feet. From 1956 to 2019, the crowds of my people died and stretch from the mountains to sit down, history doesnt repeat itself, it never ends. Every stray bullet it in eaten up by cracks in the road hits my chest. Every dead body flushes my heart with pain. It stings my blood. Every piece of underwear termed rape trophy picks apart my soul. My mama tells me my cousin and them aint safe. She says they must any movement can trigger the government to send 100 rounds their way. My cousin tells me its impossible to stay safe with fear running down her spine. I said moving targets are harder to catch. I am always hooping to the sound of gunshots trying to escape the bullets into my back. I have learned to sleep only with commotion. The noise eases my anxiety. [indiscernible] im caught in a revolving door. Any day the trigger can be set on dodge. As a child, people would walk up to me and apologize for my home being wartorn. I waited to see if they meant to down or oakland. I come from two origin stories of residential warfare. I only hope to find a home lies within memories of music of the earth hugging my feet, serving familial love regardless of how tori was. My only hope to find a home lies within memories of a broken lineage that doesnt repeat itself. It never ends. Thank you. [cheers and applause] now i invite emily lead to the podium. She is the director of one second. Thank you, thank you. One second. Emily is the director of s. F. Rising where she works with the Broad Coalition to build the political power of San Francisco s workingclass communities of color. [cheers and applause] good evening, everybody. Thank you for the perfect introduction. Im also the director at of s. F. Rising action fund and we worked to build the political power of our folks, our communities of color, or workingclass communities in San Francisco. I know theres over 1,000 of us in this room today who helped to elect chesa boudin as District Attorney. Lets give ourselves some noise. Thank you. [cheers and applause] so im very honored and humbled to stand on the stage was so many inspiring leaders. I dont take it for granted. As hillary said, when i was telling folks that, you know, we will be throwing down for chesa boudin at the Rising Action Fund , we are throwing down. Many people said, its impossible to win. This isnt the critics, these are the supporters of chesa boudin who were saying this. Sure, but, you know, you know you will not win, right . You are up against too much money, no name recognition, not enough endorsements, starting too late. And all those things were true. The odds were not in our favor, but where i work we have a belief. We believe in throwing down, for fights that build peoples power over the longterm. [cheers and applause] and we believe in worthy fights. And the fight to elect chesa boudin was both of those things. So while our volunteers and our canvassers were out doorknocking , shout out to the daily team. [cheers and applause] folks working hard every night on the weekends, in the mission, the o. M. I. , the excelsior, chinatown, the bayview, we heard a lot of stories from folks. There was the grandmother whose son spent years in and out of the system after a small mistake he made. That experience led him down a path where he thought was even worse. She heard about Chesa Boudins commitment to find alternatives to incarceration and to promote reability. She pledged to vote for him and she promised that all four of her kids would do the same. There was the mother who went into debt because her suns bail was set so high that their whole family was trying to dig themselves out of that debt. After learning about Chesa Boudins fight for many years to and cash bail, she pledged to vote for him. [applause] there was a man we talked to who had been assaulted on the same block three different times in one year. And he learned about Chesa Boudins commitment to disrupt the status quo and truly think about how do we help victims . How do we support them . He agreed to vote for chesa boudin. [applause] i have the great honor to meet and walk with some people and he took me to the site of alexs murder. And told me every morning at 7 00 a. M. , he walks to the place where his son died after being shot by police over 50 times. He told me the story that he told hundreds of times too many people and the hopes he had for his son, where the bullets tore through his body, and there is no words. Theres no words for us who are just bearing witness to that pain. And witnessing the deep suffering and the injustice that those families face there is no words to comfort this, but it is a privilege to bear witness and it is a promise that we can make , a promise we will keep fighting and that all of us, including chesa boudin is not going to allow such a justice to be the norm. [applause] so, after hearing about Chesa Boudins commitment to and police brutality, he endorsed chesa boudin. For that same reason, when woods , the mother of my awards, also endorsed chesa boudin. For these folks, these families, that is who we are holding this promise for. For now, here we all are, even those who didnt think it was possible. We are here, and the real work lies ahead. Winning is hard, governing is harder. All of the folks in the front row know that. For us, as the movement that elected chesa boudin, our work is not done. As our movements win, we have to grapple with how to govern, not just come to the Victory Party on Election Night or in Chesa Boudins case four days after Election Night, but if we truly want to end mass incarceration, then our job continues, too. We have to keep organizing on the grounds. We have to keep organizing in our community. We have to keep pushing and advancing an agenda that results in real, concrete changes for black and brown folks, for immigrant communities, for homeless folks, Trans Community and youth of color. [applause] we have a long way to go in San Francisco before all of us feel safe. But there is someone in the d. A. s office who week in advance that agenda with together. Someone who was put in that office by a movement who is now accountable to that movement. [cheers and applause] we are all in this together. From the thousands of folks we talked to on the doors, to chesa boudin. And none of us here are naive. We know that no one person can make systems change alone. It will take chesa boudin, his whole team, the folks working inside and the folks working outside the system and you can see this is not just Chesa Boudins inauguration. This is an inauguration of the people on the Freedom Fighters of San Francisco. Right . [cheers and applause] that is right. As folks have said, though many will be watching and waiting to see chesa boudin fail and try to pit our communities against each other at the same time, for the grandmothers, the sons, when woods and others, they have not currently taking all of us into account. All of a sudden put him into office. We will not forget the promise that we made to folks when we campaigned for chesa boudin, when we sat on the doors that he will serve. He will serve the community, we will not forget that promise. And chesa boudin will not forget that promise. For all of us, we have to make his vision the new reality for San Francisco and the real work begins now. Congratulations to our new District Attorney. [cheers and applause] folks, almost there. Good news, you all agree. Please direct your attention where we will hear from sonya my Court Sessions resume next week so i am unable to join your inauguration ceremony. I send you this message to tell you how much i admire you and wish you well in your new endeavours. A little over 10 years ago, i was visiting the Public Housing project where i grew up in the bronx. The film crew was following me around. As i left the building in which i have lived, i stood next to a young child about 10 years old whose mother was looking down to one of the apartments above us. The child asked me why all the people surrounding us or making such a fuss about me. I paused to think and finally said, i grew up in this building where you live now and there are many people who think that kids like us can never be something important in life. They think because we maybe poor in money, we are poor in spirit, too. You are not, and i have not been we can make something of ourselves and and my becoming the first letting a justice of the United States Supreme Court gives hope that People Like Us have a chance in life. You too are an example that gives hope to so many. It is uncommon for a former public defender to become a District Attorney of a major city like San Francisco, but more uncommon is a District Attorney who spent his childhood visiting parents incarcerated for committing serious felonies. As you described it today, the difficulties you faced as a child, including that you did not read until age nine, are common among children of prisoners. You have lived the stigma of anger, shame, and guilt that so many such children in the criminal Justice System experience. By your own admission, you are fortunate that friends of your parents have the means to help you get back on track, but your parents friends could not supply you with the strength of character and moral compulsion that ultimately led you to graduate from yale college with high honors, become a rhodes scholar, clerk for two respected federal judges, the get a fellowship, and publish scholarly and important social justice pieces. Your personal strength and commitment to reforming and improving the criminal Justice System is a testament to the person you are in the role model you will continue to be for so many. Chesa boudin, you have undertaken a remarkable challenge today. The hope you reflect is a great beacon too many and the road to accomplishing when you have set out to do will be daunting. Nevertheless, the city of San Francisco will be so very well served by a man whose life creed is believing, as you told me quote we are all safer when we uplifted that come victims, hold everyone accountable for their actions and to do so with empathy and compassion. I wish you much success in all you will do. Thank you for giving us hope. [applause] now it is my pleasure to introduce a 40 for the mayor, london breed, who herself was sworn in earlier today. Thank you for being here. [cheers and applause] thank you. It is an honor to be here to swear in the next District Attorney for the city and county of San Francisco, chesa boudin. [cheers and applause] i grew up in this city, and a community that was devastated by crimes and violence. Sadly, i have seen people go to jail and get prosecuted for crimes they never committed to, people get ridiculous sentences, but i also have experienced a lot of the violence and the challenges that have existed with people who were never held accountable in our community. We know that there is a balance between justice and fairness and i appreciate that chesa boudin understands that balance. He knows that we need, so desperately, to reform our criminal Justice System, but we dont have to do so at the expense of keeping our communities safe. We can strike that balance. We can hold people accountable and we can make sure that there is fairness in our criminal Justice System and i am looking forward, over the next four years of working with him, to do just that. Ladies and gentlemen [applause] without further ado, it is time to swear in the next District Attorney for San Francisco. [cheers and applause] all right. Are you ready . Give me one second. [laughter] now im ready. All right. Please your right hand and repeat after me. I, chesa boudin do solemnly swear that i will support and defend the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of california. Against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that i bear true faith and allegiance to the constitution of the United States, and the constitution of the state of california. That i take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion and i will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which i am about to enter and during such time as i serve as District Attorney for the city and county of San Francisco [cheers and applause] [cheers and applause] [cheers and applause] i have to say, i think mayor breed has the entire oath memorized. [laughter] but seriously, thank you for your kind words, thank you for swearing me in today after your own swearingen just a few hours ago. Im so excited to work with you and the rest of the leadership. Many of whom are here in the audience of this great city. We will go further together. [cheers and applause] i am so honored to stand here tonight. I have to start by thanking a few people who have been working so unbelievably hard these last two months to get us ready for the very serious job ahead. Thank you two and irwin, kate, christine, james, and emily. [cheers and applause] i also want to thank dylan, kelsey, lara, donna, becky, and the real justice team and sciu 1021. Thank you for all of the judges and elected officials that i see here, for all the members of Law Enforcement and city leaders who are here sharing in this moment. So many of you are here in the audience and many others sent your regrets for not being able to be here, but you are here in spirit with us. Henry ronen, thank you for your generous words, for being the very first elected official to support my campaign before it was even a campaign. [cheers and applause] and thank you, of course, to justice for your leadership and the example you set for all of. For your presence here with us via video and for your words of encouragement and support. Im also so grateful to all of you that i did not name. So many of you here in this auditorium and across the city and country contributed to this movement for justice. Not because you expect personal recognition, but because you understand that the fight against injustice is so much greater than any one person. It is a stage upon which individual victories are victories for all of us. To all of you here today, thank you. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for believing in change. Thank you for believing inhumanity. Thank you, most of all, for believing in our movement to make this great city safer and more just for oliver. [cheers and applause] finally, i want to mention a few more people, without him i would certainly not be here today. My wife, valerie. [cheers and applause] you are not done yet, keep clapping. [laughter] thank you for your intelligence, for your support, for your patience, which seems infinite, though i hope not to test that limit, and for being my best friend. You are our secret weapon during the campaign. As an immigrant, youre not even allowed to vote. [laughter] my mother, kathy. [applause] my mother is here today with us. Thank you. [applause] your incarceration lasted 22 years, but your love and support are endless. To my father, david. [applause] he cant be here today because he sits in a cage in a prison, thousands of miles away. Thank you, both. Your lives instilled with me lessons that continue to guide me and to give me clarity. You taught me that we are all more than our worst mistakes. That taking responsibility for our lowest moments requires dignity and courage. The familial bonds can be stronger than steel gates. [applause] even in maximumsecurity prison, both of you found ways to save lives, to aids education, and antiviolence trainings. The crime you both participated in when i was an infant cost three innocent men and families, their lives. It did not matter to the d. A. Or the judge in your case that neither one of you was armed, nor that neither one of you personally hurt anyone. Those details, they matter to me [applause] what matters even more is that since that terrible day, you and my father have lived your lives focused on love. Thank you for teaching me about forgiveness and redemption. [applause] this is really not the day that i ever could have imagined for myself as a child. As the son of children, and the son of incarcerated parents, the odds were definitely not in my favor. Like so many children with incarcerated parents, i struggled with guilt, anger, and shame. I fell behind in school and i demonstrated a range of behavioral issues and challenges i met my childhood friend, lorenzo, on a prison visit. They were incarcerated together. Lorenzos mom was a casualty of the war on drugs. She served nearly two decades in prison. We came from different worlds. He was poor, black, and an immigrant while i was uppermiddleclass, white, and usborn. Lorenzo was every bit as intelligent as i was. He was a role model for me. What i didnt learn to read until i was nine, my mother urged me to be more like lorenzo who was excelling in school. What i would throw a temper tantrum on a prison visit, lorenzo would gently calm me down. Parental incarceration meant we both had a significant risk factor for incarceration ourselves, but i was adopted by friends of my parents who had the means to provide me with the help i needed. A vast network of family and friends who afforded me the endless Second Chances that i needed to overcome the odds. My freshman year at yale i received a letter from my biological father. He had a new neighbor on his cell block in maximumsecurity prison. It was lorenzo. I had privilege and lorenzo did not. A few years later, lorenzo was deported to a country he had never even known as i was on my way to oxford. Four lorenzo, the odds played out. Anyone who sets foot inside a criminal court room will see these odds play out time and time and time again in endless parades of predominate black and brown faces, nearly all of whom lock the opportunities that i was granted. Until we distribute opportunities with more equity, until the institutionalization of punishment and retaliation is replaced with the institutionalization of restoration and redemption. [applause] until them, we will continue to fail those harmed by crime. Our criminal Justice System is failing all of us. It is not keeping us safe. It is contributing to a vicious cycle of crime and punishment. More than any country in the history of the world, we have the longest sentences, the largest prison populations, the most bloated Law Enforcement budgets, and the highest recidivism rates. We consistently fail to address the needs of survivors of Sexual Assault. To offer meaningful restitution to victims of property crime, to include nonEnglish Speakers. To heal the trauma caused by violent crime. These failures have led us as a community, as a nation, to accept the unacceptable. Join me, join this movement, join us in rejecting the notion that to be free we must cage others. [cheers and applause] [cheers and applause] join us in rejecting the notion that to seek justice we must abandon forgiveness. [cheers and applause] that to empower a requires Excessive Force them to be safe we should with the mentally ill and addicted in cages that jails and prisons should be the primary responses to all of our social problems. [applause] over the course of the last few months, we have often seen my name in the press besides the word radical. [laughter] but consider this. My friend, angela davis [cheers and applause] i will say it again, my friend, angela davis [cheers and applause] who is here with us today, along with her partner gina [cheers and applause] refers to the latin root of the word radical to explain the simple thing. Radical simply means grasping things at the root. [laughter] for far too long, criminal Justice Policy has been shaking the tree when the plant itself has rotted out. The solution lies beneath the surface. [applause] in november, the people of San Francisco joined the course of voices around the country and jurisdictions from philadelphia, chicago, baltimore to st. Louis, virginia to vermont, to say enough. I begin fulfilling my promises to you today. [applause] today we prioritize giving victims of crime a path to closure and restoration. [applause] there are over 1,000 cases in San Francisco were a member of our community has been harmed. Someone who has waited over two years for their case to conclude we have already begun working to clear that backlog of two year plus old cases. [applause] accountability must be swift, certain, and consistent and predictable. By finding resolutions for old cases we can address the needs of crime survivors and we can heal as a city. Today we end cash bail. [cheers and applause] we end a system by which innocent people can be kept in jail simply because they are poor. While wealthy people who are guilty and dangerous go free. [applause] today we end racist, punitive sentencing enhancements that punish people for who they are, where they live, or something in the distant past, rather than the harm they caused. Three strikes ms now in San Francisco. [cheers and applause] these enhancements warned of an age where children are referred to as super predators, have added years and decades to prison sentences and there is no evidence to deter crime. They do not rehabilitate those convicted and they certainly do not heal victims. There will be no baseball in the courtroom on my watch. [cheers and applause] and today, we begin implementing a new and improved Sexual Assault response policy. [cheers and applause] thank you for the policy. Thank you for moving this Initiative Forward over the last two months. [applause] today we will stop filing cases that arise from illegal searches following a minor traffic violation. [cheers and applause] for decades, people have deprived describe the perils of driving while black. Finally we act. Stopped and frisked while walking down the street or driving the car is a civil rights violation. [cheers and applause] today we create a program for primary caregiver parents. One of the first in california under a new law authored by the bay area areas on senator nancy skinner. Children should not grow up the way lorenzo did. These reforms are what we can implement immediately. Here are a few of my priorities for the months and years ahead. Auto burglaries, unprecedented, extreme wealth inequality in our city has contributed to an epidemic of car breakins. The cost of repairing a single broken window can destabilize an entire working family. Few victims ever see a penny of restitution. We will be rolling out a threepronged response partnering with s. F. Safe to deter and map the flow of stolen goods from car breakins and auto burglaries from a Public Awareness campaign, and together with supervisor dean preston, sponsoring legislation to better meet the needs of victims. [cheers and applause] immigration. We will launch an immigration unit, one that builds trust between our immigrant communities and the Justice System. [cheers and applause] when immigrants are fearful of deportation and illegal acts and are refusing to cooperate with Law Enforcement, we are all less safe. [applause] victims rights. Our work will yield the most comprehensive, Restorative Justice program in the country. [cheers and applause] Restorative Justice saves lives. I know this because it has saved mine. Victims services, especially for limited English Speakers and marginalized communities is a critical and under resourced part of the criminal Justice System. Every victim of every crime will have a right to participate dramatically expanding the options of those harmed by crime to heal, while also holding those who cause the harm accountable. [applause] in San Francisco, we are getting started. Thank you so much. [cheers and applause] [cheers and applause] [ ] working for the city and county of San Francisco will immerse you in a vibrant and dynamic city thats on the forefront of Economic Growth, the arts, and social change. Our city has always been on the edge of progress and innovation. After all, were at the meeting of land and sea. Our city is famous for its iconic scenery, historic designs, and world class style. Its the birthplace of blue jeans, and where the rock holds court over the largest natural harbor on the west coast. The citys Information Technology professionals work on revolutionary projects, like providing free wifi to residents and visitors, developing new programs to keep sfo humming, and ensuring Patient Safety at San Francisco general. Our it professionals make government accessible through awardwinning mobile apps, and support vital Infrastructure Projects like the hetch hetchy Regional Water system. Our employees enjoy competitive salaries, as well as generous benefits programs. But most importantly, working for the city and county of San Francisco gives employees an opportunity to contribute their ideas, energy, and commitment to shape the citys future. Thank you for considering a career with the city and county of San Francisco. Watching. Ever wonder about programs the city is working on to make San Francisco the best place to live and work we bring shine won our City Department and the people making them happy what happened next sf oh, San Francisco known for its looks at and history and beauty this place arts has it all but its City Government is pretty unique in fact, San Francisco City Departments are filled with truly Initiative Programming that turns this way our goal is to create programs that are easily digestable and easy to follow so that our resident can participate in healing the planet with the new take dial initiative theyre getting close to zero waste we 2020 and today San Francisco is diverting land filled and while those numbers are imperfect not enough. Were sending over 4 hundred thousand tons of waste to the landfill and over the 4 hundred tons 10 thousands are textile and unwanted listen ones doesnt have to be find in the trash. I could has are the ones creating the partnerships with the rail kwloth stores putting an in store collection box near the checks stand so customers can bring their used clothes to the store and deposit off. Textile will be accessible in buildings thought the city and we have goodwill a grant for them to design a textile box especially for families. Goodwill the wellknown store has been making great strides. We grateful to give the items to goodwill it comes from us selling those items in our stores with you that process helps to divert things it from local landfills if the San Francisco area. And the textile box will take it one step further helping 1230 get to zero waste. It brings the donation opportunity to the donor making that as convenient as possible it is one of the solutions to make sure were capturing all the value in the textiles. With the help of good will and other businesses San Francisco will eliminate 39 millions tons of landfill next year and 70 is confident our acts can and will make a great difference. We believe that Government Matters and cities matter what we side in San Francisco, california serve as a model phenomenal in our the rest of the country by the world. Whether you do not to goodwill those unwanted text told us or are sufficient value and the Greater Community will benefit. Thanks to sf environment San Francisco has over one hundred drop off locations visit recycle damn and thanks for watching join us George Washington High School Marching band. [applause] please welcome kayla smith. [applause] good morning, everyone. Hows everybody doing today . Thank you. Thank you for joining us today for this historical occasion. My name is kayla smith, and i will be your mistress of ceremonies for the evening. Growing up in San Francisco d5, hayes valley, to be exact, since the age of four, i have been privileged to receive mentorship from my community. I went from running departments at project level to now earning my internship at nbc this upcoming summer. [applause] ive always been ambitious, but i was lucky to have women in my life that looked like me and achieved great things, and one of those great women that i looked up to the most, our current mayor, my godmother, london breed. She wasnt changed much, by the way. To this day, she is still the same wise, inspiring, and supportive person that she was when i was a child. I know all too well the impact that mayor breed has had on myself, and i am extremely excited to see all the wonderful things that she will do for the city, and for that, i say thank you. [applause] and now, please join me in welcoming father paul fitzgerald, president of the university of San Francisco, to deliver todays invocation. [applause] thank you, kayla, and thank you all for being here today as we honor and congratulate and thank our mayor, london breed. Mayor breed completed a masters in Public Education Public Administration at the university of San Francisco back in 2012, and i offer the following blessing on her behalf and on behalf of her fellow professors who loved her, her fellow students at San Francisco who loved her, and for all of us who love her and are praying for her continued success. But even more so, we are continuing to pray that mayor breed will continue the goals of the Degree Program that she so ably completed. In it our masters in Public Education program, we prepare our graduates, people like london breed, for public leadership by advancing a challenging curriculum while pursuing complimentary research, transforming learning into actions that serve our communities, especially the most vulnerable among us. Our diverse graduates become outstanding leaders who provide ethical, Workable Solutions, societial needs, and who advance justice. So in london, we see all of the learning outcomes of this Degree Program. Social justice for all people of the city and county of San Francisco and beyond. Diversity in all its forms. Integrity in all that we do. Accountability to all whom we serve. Excellence. Educating students like london breed to become compassionate and effective leaders who humanely manage organizations. Providing and facilitating interactions between government, forprofit and nonprofit sectors to provide ethical and Workable Solutions to societial needs. I join with her many fellow usf alumni of the city and county of San Francisco on asking blessing for mayor london breed this day and every day as she brilliantly fulfills her leadership of justice and hope into a future of inclusiveness, peace, and prosperity for all. So i ask you to join me in raising a hand of blessing. We ask god to bless london breed with the seven gifts of the holy spirit. Wisdom, understanding, council, piety, and fear of the loving god. And please bring her great satisfaction as she joins to lead all of us, and i ask all of you to join me in saying amen. [applause] thank you, father paul fitzgerald, for that beautiful invocation. And now for the posting of the colors of todays inauguration is the color guard from George Washington high, where london breed attended. Please rise and join me for the posting of the colors and singing of our national anthem. O say, can you see by the dawns early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming . Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight oer the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming . And the rockets red glare the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there oh, say, does that starspangled banner yet wave oer the land of the free and the home of the brave . [applause] thank you, katie. It is truly an honor to introduce our next speaker who will administer the oath of office. As our first female African American to be appointed at the San Francisco superior court, she has paved the way for women and people of color to succeed in law and has been a role model and mentor to lawyers who are people of color. Please join me in honoring judge teri l. Jackson. [applause] i have to guess dresset dre in front of you. Welcome. Just as a little aside, when i see this many people in a room, im ready to swear you in as jurors and you just report in across the street, so watch with a me. But on behalf of the superior court for the state of california, all 1600 strong trial judges throughout this state, it is such an honor and such as pleasure to be here. As my last official duty as a superior court judge, it is such an honor to be able to administer of oath of office to our mayor, london breed. [applause] ive also been told to explain why this is my last duty as a superior court judge. As of january 21, 2020, at 11 00, i will be elevated to the california Supreme Court, as the first African American woman. So with that being said, madam mayor, could you please come forward. [applause] are you ready . The hon. London breed yes. Okay. Raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, london n. Breed, do solemnly swear that i will support and defend the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of california against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That i will bear true faith and allegiance to the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of california. I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. That i will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which im about to enter, and during such time as i hold the office of mayor of the city and county of San Francisco. Congratulations. [cheers and applause] the hon. London breed thank you. Thank you. Thank you all so much forum here today, and thank you to the people of San Francisco for trusting me to continue to serve as mayor of such an incredible city. As we welcome a new decade, its really worth taking a moment to reflect on how far weve come in this decade. In 2010, San Francisco was deep in the great recession, and our workforce was in trouble. Our Unemployment Rate had more quadrupled since 2000 and was at a 20year high. Ten years later, we are riding the longest period of Economic Growth in our history with one of the most the lowest Unemployment Rates in our citys history. [applause] the hon. London breed the homicide rate has dropped to its lowest in more than 55 years. [applause] the hon. London breed in the last decade, San Franciscos stance on Marriage Equality and medical cannabis became the laws of the land. We made a record investment in our parks and our libraries. We modernized our muni fleet and made it free for those in need. We launched our clean energy program, dramatically reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions. We even got our hands dirty, replacing our sewer system. We passed paid family leave, a 15 minimum wage and made city colle college free for all. We paved our streets and remodell remodelled the moscone center. We welcomed the warriors home. We watched the giants win it, and win it again, and our Congress Woman gave up the gavel and won it back. [applause] the hon. London breed and we became the capital of the resistance. [applause] the hon. London breed over the past decade, weve made great progress, but through it all, weve grappled with the twin troubles of homelessness and housing availability. I was an intern in the Mayors Office right here a quarter of a century ago. I had the privilege to walk up these stairs every day as a member of the board of supervisors. This buildings beauty is timeless, its spirit and inspiration. Earthquake and fire destroyed San Franciscos first city hall, but we built another even more magnificent than the first. Why . Why do we build these monuments . What do these marble stairs and golden dome what does it mean to us . It isnt excess or vanity, its a reminder. We swing the doors open for everyone because it reminds us that our government welcomes everyone. Our successes are shared, our potential unbound, and that none of us would be left out in the cold. I take the oath of office today remembering that not too long ago, my ancestors were in chains. Ive never found out exactly where they lived, but i know a bit about how they lived. I know their masters sat at tables eating generous meals that they didnt prepared. I know they hudled outside. They ate mush not with wooden spoons but with hands in a trough. The civil war ended the bondage, but the inequity had only begun. The slave owners kept their lands, and the former slaves kept the nothing they already had. So with that nothing, most went back to work at the farm. They rented their labor as share croppers, or if they were lucky, tenant farmers. Generations of poor African Americans scraped by, living in fear that if they protested too loudly, men in hoods would come. When the depression hit, two of those share croppers, a young couple with 11 children moved from louisiana to texas. Sometime later, their daughter, miss camellia brown came to San Francisco. She came in search of work. She came in search of something better. She came to raise her children in a place where they might be equal. My grandmother came here to believe in a city of hope, a city where a young black girl can go from Public Housing to the Mayors Office. [applause] the hon. London breed and she was right. San francisco is so much more than our home. Its a refuge for the gay, lesbian, and transgender brothers and sisters from all over the country. Its a new start for immigrants from guatemala and guangzhou and everywhere in between. It is my promise that everyone has a place in this city, that no one should be left out in the cold. So when we come to this hall or walk down Market Street and see the suffering of thousands of people outside our doors, it hurts. It hurts not because we are callous but because we care. The suffering on our streets, it offends our civic souls, and it should. But if were going to do something about the conditions on the streets, we need to level with each other. Homelessness isnt new, it isnt easy. We are not the only city struggling with it, and quite frankly, we are not going to solve it in 100 days, a year, or even entirely in this term. And im not sure solve is the right word any way. While the city has helped thousands of people out of homelessness, thousands more took their place. And sadly, sadly, there will always be people whose addiction or Mental Illness or poverty leads them down a dark path or puts them in need of help. Los angeles has more than 36,000 homeless residents and a skid row that is its own tragic city within a city. Three years ago, san diego had a hepatitis outbreak among its Homeless Population that killed 20 people. They had to spray their sidewalks with bleach to fight the infection. I point this out not to criticize those cities. I know how hard they are fighting to address these problems. Cities up and down the west coast, seattle, santa rosa, portland, los angeles, san diego are launching this fight. Too many people are grappling with drug addictions and insufficient resources and insufficient housing. [applause] the hon. London breed now we havent stopped sending our taxes to washington, d. C. , but they stopped sending back anywhere near enough for homelessness and affordable housing. So each year, san franciscans write bigger and bigger checks, and we ask ourselves, why doesnt it keep Getting Better . Why do we keep sending money, yet the Homeless Count keeps going up . First, lets dispel some of the inaccurate conversations that we hear. Its not because we arent funding solutions. Its not because we are indifferent. No one in my office, no one at the board of supervisors, no one in any City Department, no one who works here is kicking back and throwing their hands up and pretending like weve been able to do something great. We are all working on it every day, frustrated by it every single day. Homelessness is so severe, so acute up and down the west coast for a few simple reasons. Housing is too expensive. Working class jobs are too uncertain, and their wages too outpaced by the cost of living. Drugs, opioids and meth in particular are too common. And two decades after the state closed its mental hospitals, california still hasnt come to grips for how were going to care for people who are severely mentally ill. [applause] the hon. London breed homelessness isnt just a problem, its a symptom. The symptom of unaffordable housing, of income inequality, of institutional racism, of addiction, of untreated illnesses, of decades of disinvestment. These are the problems, and if we want to fight homelessness, weve got to fight them all. [applause] the hon. London breed and in San Francisco, we are. We will meet our goal of opening 1,000 new shelter beds by the end of this year. We just opened a new Navigation Center along the embarcadero center, and our bayview shelters break ground shortly. [applause] the hon. London breed we just opened our first state Parking Facility to help people who live in their vehicles. Were adding more than 200 new Mental Health beds, expanding outreach, and we are transforming how we deliver Mental Health and Substance Use treatment in our city. We have more permanent Supportive Housing units per ca capi capita than any major city in the country. Weve expanded rental assistance and emergency problem solving funds to help people avoid homelessness in the first place. We are expanding our conservetorship program to help people on the streets and get them the support that they need. [applause] the hon. London breed we are working to open meth sobering centers, safe injection sites, and managed alcohol facilities so we can stop walking by addictions spilling out on our streets and start treating it like the Health Care Issue that we know it is. [applause] the hon. London breed ive directed our City Departments to reprioritize spending towards making our streets safer and cleaner for all of us. We are riding ballot measures to housing shortage. [applause] and if we want to relieve the pa pain on the streets and stop seeing our family members and friends moving away in moving vans, we need to build more housing, build more homes a lot more and set policies that make this possible. [applause] the hon. London breed over the next decade, in addition to our work on preserving thousands of permanently affordable homes, we need to build at least 50,000 new homes, at least 50,000 new homes. [applause] the hon. London breed and at least 17,000 need to be affordable. And to get to 50,000, we cant let disingenuous warnings of shadows and heights get in the way of badly needed housing. [applause] the hon. London breed to get to 50,000, we need to reiz