Transcripts For SFGTV Mayors 20240704

And San Francisco has been the able to enjoy over the years, so many visitors and people who come from all over the world. But it is also a community. And especially during Lunar New Year, so many people from all over San Francisco they travel on the subway the 30 stockton on various bus and with our verse Ambassadors Program to come to shop, dine and enjoy china town as a whole. And so when that means with the significant influx of people there are things as a city has done and will continue to do to make sure that those experience are amazing i subside i think like oprah issue donta. Amazing for the month of february there is free parking second of all on the day of Lunar New Year parade on february 24th, you will be able to ride the central subway for free and also i want it thank so many of the City Department heads who are here. There were so men of the business this ismentmented to do other activities you know the city can make it difficult. We appreciate the work for the work they have done with the office of economic and Workforce Development to make the permit access easy for the small buildings in china town. We want to thank president li of the chamber for work we did and the china town Merchant Association, they work with businesses in the community so this we can make sure this we are responding to community. This we are supporting the community and we are in the deciding no audio. During Lunar New Year. We than safety is at the top of everyones mind. What im most proud of when we saw a spacecraft antiasian hate in the city 2 years ago we came together we have seen a 90 reduction in antiasian hate in San Francisco because of the work this we did together. I want to thank annie chung and self help and sarah wong and Community Youth center. Police chief scott. Central station and the officers who are out here every day. Da for bringing accountability. It takes a vil knowledge we are starting to see and feel the difference in places like china town where our grand mas can be safe as than i can be and we can take pride in our Ambassador Program and the w we did to come together and make this a reality. But it does not stop there. We got so many great people joining us today buzz it it is about the businesses. Bn about Public Safety and the momentum and the excitement. Of everything that is helping and it is about making sure that people know they are welcomed to come and celebrate the amazing festivities. Left week, we did a nice parade for the new flower mart. Marched down streets, hung out, got together. The china down Merchant Association lead the charge. I knowefaly is here today. We appreciate how people come together and support china town during Lunar New Year and all year round. We also are put nothing a bit extra effort. Inform not only keeping the streets clean, thank you, carla short and the streets safe. We ulcment to appreciate our beat officers from the Police Department and ocea the eyes and ears of the streets. And of them speak cantonese it great for the communities to people in the community to ask questions to. The energy is different now. It is an energy fuelled by excitement. By joy. And the year of the dragon is really about courage and strength and progress. And we are celebrating that progress right here in china town. With so Many Community leaders including pius lee joining us here today as well as the president of the Chinese Company mr. C for your work and bringing your father mr. Llow we appreciate you being here. It is so wonderful to be here with community. Because we are going to make sure that this community in china town d is supported, protected and continues it thrive and blossom the hard work of everyone that is joining me here today. And with that, one of our favorite persons and machine who i know so many people in the community are proud of. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome our city administrator, carmen chu. [applause] thank you so much mayor breed. I think president supervisor peskin thought you might have been tuck burglar him. I was hoping you were. Im carpen chu the city administrator. I could in the put in more better wourds when the mayor already expressed enthusiasm for the new year. And i will personalize how important the time of year is for many people in the Asian American community. Lunar new year is a big time important time where we pull together our families. Celebrate the year that passd and have hope and joy for the year this is to come. And so will the city upon. Dids here are here to celebrate folks here in the community in china town and across the city. There will be Lunar New Year events across San Francisco to celebrate the year of the dragon. We are ready with ambassadors. Ocea out on the streets in the community to provide presence. During the time. I want to thank the mayor for commitments to fund and double the amount we put toward parid this is help to activate our neighborhoods. The choin ease new year parade coming up. Applause [applause] the best we have. And i know you will hear if men of my clothes next about the specific w they are doing. But all to say we as a city have always celebrated the diversity in a way we to that celebrating the cultural activities i hope the bay area come out to San Francisco to enjoy this amazing city. The food all of the activations this are here. Thank you. Happy new year to everybody. With that thank you. Carmen we appreciate you for being here. I wanted to recognize someone who has been an extraordinary advocate for members of Chinese Community all over San Francisco. Thank you so much to lilly lee and the team from b china town. Lilly created an initiative called, china town Lunar New Year shopping, go, go, go go, go, go, and spends all your money in china town for Lunar New Year. Thank you again lilly for the w you do and twhchl, want to intlus our d adoing an amazing job here in San Francisco ladies and gentlemen, welcome brook jenkins. Happy new year this is such an exciting time in San Francisco. I must tell you since becoming da what is felt like to be a part. Celebration amation for me and my children. Who were in the parade left year and look forward again this year. I want to highway light it it is not just that is does for San Francisco i grew up across the bay in the east bay i used to come here for the Chinese New Year parade and march in my marching band. It means to the surrounding areas for the students and experience you get and to be able to celebrate with this community. And so first i want to say im here to talk about safety. And keeping this Community Safer not just during Lunar New Year 365 days a year. And so i want to first thank the Police Department. For their per inship in making sure this we gotten back to a place in San Francisco we are enforcing our lus each day. Each law that is on the books. We are working hard to make sure that were this Community Feels safe. We know that post covid there were many issues with antiasian violence with stores broken into and vandalized in china town we come a way in making leer that we will not tolerate the act in our city. We not not tolerate them in this community. That we are hear to uplift and support and protect this community as we try to do Everything Community in San Francisco. And so, again we made progress. I was proud to see so many seniors as driving up here out shopping. Here in china town. We want to make sure that as they come to and from they feel safe and live their every dpa lives. We will continue to work with per ins to get this work done. Other thing briefly is to warn our most Vulnerable Community members about blessing scams this is a time of year where people try to that i can advantage of numbers of Asian Community knowing is a time when they offer guests to loved ones. I want to encourage everyone to avoid having contact with strangers about the gifts you are giving. We are working hard to per merwith self help for elder low. Chinese new comers and organizations to educate and inform the commune about the dangers of blessing scams and also inform of when than i need to report when something happens. We will be there it make sure we prosecute those arrested for enengaging in the scams. Again, help new year. So q. Ed to be here now i will turn it to david chu. Good afternoon. Upon i think it is entirely appropriate after weeks of Stormy Weather the sun is shining on china town today. My son second grade class is visiting china town the first time this hour. And i was with them an hour agoeng thinking what it would be like to see this municipality the first time through their ice. Someone who representatived china town last 16 years im so grill to everyone standing behind me lead by our mayor. I want to thank our Police Officers and community ambassadors. I want to thank our public works staff for making sure we are cleaning and steaming and painting to make San Francisco beautiful. Thank our leaders for everything than i do to revitalize corridors. Elected officials and supervisors to make sure our Small Businesses are thriving. We can do this together. And im grateful on behalf of modify family for everything we are doing to move forward San Francisco and the greatest china town in america. Thank you very much. Have a wonderful Lunar New Year thank you. Welcome our chief scott. [applause]. Thank you, mayor. Happy new year, everybody. I want it say thanks again to the mayor and our elected officials. Department heads standing upon behind me and among the crowd. Also thank you to the community members. You know this year has started out very good for our city in terms of crime and Public Safety. I want to thank the officers the beat officers behind us here the command staff i gallon to detail about when i mean by that. I was asked this morning the da jenkins and i has a Business Forum how we feel about the state of things. My answer was im feeling better and hopeful. Last year, it was a different narrative. And the whole whole boom picture about the about the city. Being the city we are. We fought back. We fought back mightly. As far as the San Francisco Police Department in this community, we we put more officers on the am baz dorse adding value to our patrols. Plain clothes working now to catch people committing crimes but deter people from committing crimes. Restale theft operation had a tremendous amount impact and success rate in terms doing what is is designed to do arrest people. What this is amounted to for us is this first year of this year started off very niechls homds down by 50 . Burgs down by 40 percent. Larceny yee down by 66 . Here is the bottom line in terms of crimes last year we had a thouz an. First month of january this year 392. That is amazing work and amissing progress. We know not everything is reported. But i would be standing before you saying we are down than up. We are down 600 property crime in this district. Thank you. Thats because of all of our work. And it is in the over. Lunar new year a chance to show case this great city it is and we will work hard to make sure that Lunar New Year is fun and safe. Officers will hand out fliers. And the d ajenkins brought up. We will arrest anyone who seeks to prey on vulnerable residents especially elder low residents. This is unacceptable. We cannot do it alone. We need your help. If somebody is trying to offer you a dheel is too good. It it is too good to be true. Call somebody. Trusted Family Member or us. Dont let this help to you. We he to see it happen top anybody. One thing that the folks came to do who victimize people is they isolate. They make you feel embarrassed. Not reach out for help. Reach out for help. Are make sure that. When you are enjoying yourgz yourself, watch surroundings. Make sure you see if somebody is following you. Using atm watch. If you are shopping. Watch. This is what something we said we said. Dont leave valuables in your car. Car smart. Stay vigilant. We need your eyes and ears to help us do what we do. That is protect the city. Remember, dont give your personal information to anybody on the phone at your door. Dont give it up. If you see something suspicious, please report it. So this year the dragon we want everybody to be healthy, safe and prosperous and want you to engi a great Lunar New Year. On behalf the Police Department [applause]. Now please welcome the president of the board of supervisors supervisor peskin. We are 4 days away from the beginning of the year of the dragon which come around every 12 years. For mow, it will be my fifth time, i was born in the year of the dragon and im once again a would dragon temperature is significant for me. The city administrator and i were sharing cultural stories about jews and chinese and we actually share a tradition in common. Which is that the days leading up to the new year are days for cleaning. Symbolically for sweeping away the old and the troubles of the Previous Year and welcome manage new beginnings. And it it is in that vein i want to thank our public works staff, our new not so new director carla short. Jada who runs operations. Rachel gordon and the staff who work daily who are focusing love and attention and the 25 Million Dollars supplemental we got you last year helped i bit with that. And got some equipment for cloning of china town, thank you public works. Upon to the Police Department, to company a Central Station, yes, we are all created equal. I am lucky because i represent the greatest district in San Francisco that includes the greatest china town outside of china. And i have the greatest Police District in the entire city and county of San Francisco. To our new not new captain of the eric kim thank you for leading Central Station so well. And the officers and beat cop in china town, chu and tang and sang and lauren chu. Thank you for the w this you do daily. This is truly the embodiment of community policing. All the grandmas and grandpas and the kids. Than i know the officers by name. They know the families. That is when makes china town so safe. Thank you San Francisco Police Department. This is we dont just do this during the loo you knowar new year we do it 365 days a year. Good afternoon. Im carla short im the director of San Francisco public works. Thank you president supervisor peskin. Lunar new year is the biggest in San Francisco and china town the heart. Public works has a team of hard working street cloning staff on the ground i dont remember round. We come out in force to ready the neighborhood for the seasonal. I will sthout out to tessa jones the street cleaning supervisor for the district. Ticks pride in preparing the city for the Lunar New Year. In addition to the enhandled steam cleaning on the corridors andalys. We are cleaning the china town gate. Grant and bush. Scrubbing down the broadway tunnel and graffiti abuyment on the roll up gates painters touching up the dragon lamp posts they look beautiful. Prior to the parade later this month our street crews will patching president holes on the parade route. We do this china town is the most loved neighborhoods in the only in San Francisco but in the world. We are so proud and grateful to be pardon of the city and Community Team to prepare china town for the year of the dragon and welcome the crowds of locals and individualors during the holiday season. Thank you again to our hard work public works staff here today and every day. I want to thank mayor breed for leadership and president supervisor peskin and our Community Part ins who work tireless low to keep San Francisco vibrant, safe and welcome. Wish you a joy filled and healthy new year. With this id like to bring up Sarah Phillips from workforce are development. Local chinese owned businesses are critical to San Francisco. What better way to celebrate than the Lunar New Year. Oewd is excited urge all to celebrate year of dragon. Yes in china town but also the city. In the excelsior. Ocean avenue, port ola and the richmond and sunset. We can visit the dragon statutes throughout the city while you shop. Whether you are in union square, lake shore. Stones town. And of course here in the heart of china town. There are events throughout the month. Including here on february 10th we are excited about and the Lunar New Year in Golden Gate Park on february 11. You can find the celebrations and all of the places to shop at govern sfgovtvLunar New Year we are working hard with our office of Small Business to market and prosecute mote the great businesses you bring us here today. I want to give a thanks to mayor breed and president supervisor peskin grating legislation and preponder helping to get businesses out where than i touch more visitors and have more impacts. I want it thank our per in i know than i were mentioned already. From oewd the choin ease chamber is partner. Has been critical. Chinese consulate association. The Community Youth center. And ocea keeping streets safe. Now the key partners inferenceis channel and katie fong with me key partners to you here today. I want to give a shout out to office of Small Business. Katie tang. Who are working heard to promote this. And with this i like to introduce the president of the chinese benevolent association. Good afternoon everyone. Before i say anything i want to extend my sincere gratitude to mayor breed for taking time in her busy schedule wo come it china town we cheesht hour support for Public Safety and beautifying the street and supporting Small Business. Support [inaudible] with the efforts with cordination with all the partners in the city. Especially in china tunnel your. This is vielth to our community. So this mayor, thank you. Thank you for your support for our community. We than the mayor in here all the time today is very special. We are for you days from the new year and it is [inaudible] upon new year the [inaudible] chinese families go out shopping. Planning for arrival of the new year and are this year the year of the dragon the wooden dragon. Dragon shows the growth and the practice perity and development of the year. So if i go down to china town to look at the business you see the businesses and activity going on. And hire employees and also new merchandise. The businesses so i have brandt you see that this is almost like before the pandemic. So with the gracious support of the city and all the Government Official helping we see that there will be more visitor this is come to china town. Watch over the parade. Witness the elgages of the beauty pageant and the foods in the area and activities let us chair and celebrate the new year spirit. With joy and embrace the wood dragon to bring good fortune and prosperity to the city of San Francisco and our community. In closing, bring join to the city, bring joy to the leaders and all of us to witness the streetaly in china town area and see the shopping, dining and having fun with the Chinese New Year. Mayor, your leadership appreciated. Im confidence your vision for the safe, clean and vibrant city will resonate as we celebrate. The new year the year of the dragon i wish everybody a happy new year happiness, safety, prosperity and good fortune for all. Thank you. For the next speaker i want to introduce the president of chien these chamber of commerce. Good afternoon. Im residents of the Chinese Chamber of commerce. Ip want to invite everyone we have our parade coming up on february 24. I hope that everyone will come. We also have Community Fair on the 24 and 25th in china town. With this said, i like to express gratitude to our mayor london breed. Our city leader, our elected officials for all their support giving us all the resource and making china town always the best one in the United States. Thank you. [applause] thank you. Thank you. So much president lion and thank you to everyone joining us today there you have it, folks it will be a good time in San Francisco and a good time in china town inform during the month of february i am so excited and people are already sdendzing on this community to support many of the businesses this are here. So when you in to china town on a day you dont know when new surprise you may have. With any of the businesses and i know i saw kevin from the Fortune Cookie place and all of the folks you gotta stand in 39 get those cookies have you a lot of visitors. Woo very well great restaurants and night life lions den is fun. Come any day, any time to enjoy Lunar New Year and also after upon, we are not going anywhere. Please, make sure you come out support china town and this jewel in the center and the heart of San Francisco. We appreciate each one of you for joining us. And lets go, go g china town [applause]. Conduct a field shelter exercise where we open up a number of tents that animal control has they have supplies and equipment and staff and volunteers. We simulate the need for cape ability after a disaster or earthquake. Animal care and control is your citys animal shelter. We care for approximately 10,000 animals a year. We are opinion for San Franciscos animal in thes upon effect of an emergency. We got our tents and practicing how to deal with that. This is the shelter is overwhelmed with animals after a disaster this shelter is full regularly. If we torch have an event that would cause a number of animals to escape or injured or stray or separate friday their people thats where we would respond. Pets are part of the family and need to make sure they are taken care of like people with the supplies and equip we are able to provide shelter for pets in addition to the existing shelter. We have formulated a plan so this in the event of a disaster we are hear ready to help and support the city. We are able to use the muni bus to transport the people. Animals and other equip if the shelter. Encourage people there is an Evacuation Order to take your pet with you. Very first thing everyone should do is microchip the pet. And pack a bag shelter cert not a place where you want your animal to end up unless the last resort and like to keep most out of the shelter when we can. Take care of your people and your friend and family. Pets need to be taken [music] San Francisco is known as yerba buena, good herb after a mint that used to grow here. At this time there were 3 settlements one was mission delores. One the presidio and one was yerba buena which was urban center. There were 800 people in 1848 it was small. A lot of Historic Buildings were here including pony express headquarters. Wells fargo. Hudson Bay Trading Company and famous early settlers one of whom william leaderdorph who lived blocks from here a successful business person. Africanamerican decent and the first million airin california. Wilwoman was the founders of San Francisco. Here during the gold rush came in the early 1840s. He spent time stake himself as a merchant seaman and a business person. His father and brother in new orleans. We know him for San Franciscos history. Establishing himself here arnold 18 twoochl he did one of many things the first to do in yerba buena. Was not california yet and was not fully San Francisco yet. Because he was an american citizen but spoke spanish he was able to during the time when america was taking over california from mexico, there was annexations that happened and conflict emerging and war, of course. He was part of the peek deliberations and am bas doorship to create the state of california a vice council to mexico. Mexico granted him citizenship. He loaned the government of San Francisco money. To funds some of the war efforts to establish the city itself and the state, of course. He established the first hotel here the person people turned to often to receive dignitaries or hold large gatherings established the First Public School here and helped start the Public School system. He piloted the first steam ship on the bay. A big event for San Francisco and depict instead state seal the ship was the sitk a. There is a small 4 block long length of street, owned much of that runs essentially where the transamerica building is to it ends at california. I walk today before am a cute side street. At this point t is the center what was all his property. He was the person entrusted to be the citys first treasurer. That is i big deal of itself to have that legacy part of an africanamerican the citys first banker. He was not only a forefather of the establishment of San Francisco and california as a state but a leader in industry. He had a direct hahn in so many things that we look at in San Francisco. Part of our dna. You know you dont hear his anymore in the context of those. Representation matters. You need to uplift this so people know him but people like him like me. Like you. Like anyone who looks like him to be, i can do this, too. To have the citys first banker and a street in the middle of financial district. That alone is powerful. [music] youre watching San Francisco rising with chris manners. Special guest is david chu. Hi im chris manners and youre watching San Francisco rising the show thats about restarting rebuilding and re imagining our city. I guess today is david chiu, the City Attorney for the city and county of San Francisco , and hes here today to talk to us about the opioid crisis, reproductive rights and the non citizen Voting Program. Mr chu, welcome to the show. Thanks for having me on happy to talk about whatever you want me to talk about, so can we start by explaining the difference between the City Attorneys office and the district Attorneys Office . I think it could be slightly confused. That is a very common fusion with members of the public so um, if you get arrested in San Francisco by the San Francisco Police Department, all criminal matters are dealt with by the San Francisco district attorney. We handle all civil matters on behalf of the city and county of San Francisco. What that means is a number of things. We provide advice and counsel to all actors within City Government from our mayor. Every member of the board of supervisors to the 100 plus departments, commissions boards that represent the city and county of San Francisco. We also defend the city against thousands of lawsuits. So if you slip and fall in front of city hall if theres a bus accident if there is an incident involving the San Francisco Police Department, we defend those matters. We also bring lawsuits on behalf of the city and county of San Francisco, where most famous for litigating and obtaining the constitutional right to marry for lgbtq couples have sued gun manufacturers, payday lenders, oil companies, you name it, who are undercutting the rights of san franciscans and the city and county of San Francisco. So now moving on to the opioid crisis. I understand youve had some success in court, um, dealing with manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies. Could you elaborate a little bit on that for us, so the opioid industry and by that i refer to the Legal Industry that prescribes pain pills. Um over years. Uh, deceived americans and resulted in literally thousands upon thousands of deaths and tragedies that we see on our streets every day when it comes to the addictions that folks are experiencing. Many of the addictions really stemmed from what happened over a decade plus period where the prescription pain industry marketed prescription pills in ways that were false. We were one of thousands of jurisdictions around america that brought a lawsuit against the opioid industry. But weve had a particular set of successes that others have not. Ah we initially brought a lawsuit a few years ago against every part of the opioid supply chain, and that included manufacturers, distributors and retailers, including pharmacies over the course of four plus years. A number of these corporate defendants settled with us. Weve as of this moment brought in over 120 million of cash and services. To the city to help address the root causes of what were talking about. But a few months ago, we had a really historic verdict against the pharmacy, walgreens and their role walgreens was responsible for literally over 100 million pills, flooding the streets of San Francisco over a period of years where they flouted federal law that require them to track where theyre pills were going to. They had a what . What we refer to as a phil phil phil. Pharmacy culture where folks would bring in their prescriptions, and the pharmacist would just fill them without checking why someone was coming in multiple times without checking why certain doctors were seen a 100 fold increase in the number of opioid prescriptions that they were prescribing. So we had a historic judgment against walgreens recently, but its been a very intense lawsuit. And we know that will never bring back the lives that we have lost to opioid addictions. But its critical for us that we get the resources that we need. Maybe one other thing ill mention because its often confusion. A large percentage of folks who are addicted to street level drugs say heroin or fentanyl started their addictions. With painkillers, opioid medications that were prescribed through doctors provided through pharmacies and so literally the suffering that were seeing on our streets was caused by the opioid industry over many, many years and has created the significant crisis that we are dealing with right now. Right right now moving on. I understand after the recent Supreme Court ruling, striking down robust as wade that youve put together an organization thats designed to help mm. Provide Free Services to people who are both. Seeking abortions and providing them can you tell us about the organization . Sure so, um, before the Dobbs Decision came down, but after we learned about the leak from the Supreme Court about the draft that suggested the decision would be as bad as it has turned out to be, um, i reached out to leadership from the Bar Association of San Francisco because we knew that if that decision came down there would be tens of thousands of patients around the country as well as providers whose legal situation would be in jeopardy. Women doctors, nurses who could be subjected to lawsuits who could be arrested who could be prosecuted, particularly in red states . 26 states where rights are being rolled back or in the process or have already been rolled back because of the Dobbs Decision. So we put out a call to lawyers all over the bay and frankly, all over the country, and as of this moment there have been over 70 law firms that have answered our call to be part of the Legal Alliance for reproductive rights who have committed to reviewing cases and providing pro bono assistance to patients and providers who are at legal risk. We also are looking at potential cases that these lawyers can bring against various states. In these areas that are looking to deprive women and patients and providers of their of their rights. Um it is a very dark time in america, and im really proud that that barrier attorneys, the Legal Community care have stepped up to answer the call. Its very important thats great. So now the non citizen Voting Program that was passed by voters just for School Boards has faced them Court Challenges recently, but it was in place for the most recent election that weve had. How do you see that situation panning out . In fact, its been in place for now. Five School Board Elections. Um so a little bit of background in our San Francisco schools over one out of three kids. Has a parent who is a non citizen who doesnt have a say in the election of the policy makers that dictate the future of our San Francisco Public Schools, and so over a number of years, there has been a movement to allow immigrant parents to vote in School Board Elections. Few things ill mention about that is our country has a very long history when it comes to allowing immigrants to vote. From 17 76 for 100 and 50 years until after world war. One immigrants were allowed to vote in most states in our country on the theory that we want to assimilate immigrants in American Democratic values and institutions, and it wasnt until an anti immigrant backlash in world war one that that sort of ended. But in recent years, um cities across america have allowed this to happen. In fact, at this moment, believe there are over a dozen cities that have voted to allow non citizens to vote in a number of context. Now, this is particularly important in our schools just given how challenge our schools are, and given that we know that when we engage more parents in her school system, regardless of their citizenship it helps to lift up our schools for all parents. And so in 2016 the voters of San Francisco past about measure that allowed this to happen. Unfortunately earlier this year, there were conservative organizations that came to San Francisco to bring a lawsuit to try to overturn this , and i should also mention it is obviously the perspective of our office and our city that this is constitutional. Nothing in the constitution prohibits non citizens from voting. And in fact, theres an explicit provision in the constitution that allows chartered cities like San Francisco when it comes to School Board Elections to be able to dictate the time and manner of those elections. And so, uh, we are involved in litigation on this issue. There was an initial ruling that was not good for us that essentially said at the trial court level. We shouldnt allow this. Um we appealed it up to the appellate level. The Appellate Court made an initial decision to allow this past november election to proceed as it has for the last previous four elections. Were going to be in front of that court soon. Stay tuned. Well see what happens. It was good to hear that the city was able to reach a settlement with the center for medicare and Medicaid Services are meant laguna honda could still operate. How did you manage to reach that agreement . It was not an easy conversation. Just a little bit of background. So laguna honda has been an incredibly Important Institution in San Francisco for 150 years, taking care of our most vulnerable patients are frail, very elderly patients, many of whom are at end of life. And a few years ago, there were some issues in that hospital. Some violations of rules that we very much want to make sure dont get violated. There were folks that werent using proper ppe, who are bringing cigarette lighters into the facility, who might have brought some contraband into the facilities. We have zero tolerance for that and have made that very clear. We self reported some of these violations to the federal authorities. And unfortunately from our perspective, they took the very disproportionate step of ordering the closure. The permanent closure of lugano, honda. Problematic on a number of reasons. First and foremost, there are just no Skilled Nursing facility beds not just in california but around the country. After their order came down. We literally were putting 1000 calls a day to Skilled Nursing facilities around california and around the country and could find nowhere to move the 700 patients that we had had in the gonna honda but just as disturbingly as we were forced to start moving some of these patients, a number of them died. Theres a concept in medicine known as transfer trauma. When you move someone who is that frail and unfortunately, folks folks died and we were at a point where we were five weeks away from the deadline for the federal government. That they had provided to us to close the facility. So uh and we have been trying for months to get the federal government to reconsider their action, so i was compelled to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the city and county of San Francisco and very pleased and appreciate that we were able to come to a settlement whereby transfers will be delayed at least until next year. Were going to have at least a year of funding. To keep the facility open, and hopefully we can get back up on our feet and ensure that no future violations occur because this is an institution that has to stay open for the good of these patients. Quite right, quite right. So finally, congratulations on winning an important public Power Service dispute with pg and e. Um why is it important that the citys rights as a local power provider maintained well, so San Francisco has been a local power provider for decades. We are fortunate to have access through our hedge hetchy hydroelectric system to provide electricity to a number of providers, particularly public recipients of that. And unfortunately, pg any has used its monopoly when it comes to private electricity to try to stop that, and to block that, and from our perspective, they violated federal law in adding literally tens of millions of dollars of expenses to San Francisco and institutions that were trying to ensure um, public power infrastructure. Put years of delays on our ability to do this, and so we had to bring a number of appeals in the federal commission. Ah we were successful in those appeals, and there was a decision recently that basically held the pg and e could not use its monopoly to unfairly delay or add tens of millions of dollars of cost. To the city and county of San Francisco, as we are trying to move forward with our vision of public power. Clearly pgd has not been able to serve not just San Francisco but northern california. Well we all know that with the wildfires with its bankruptcies, with all the issues that theyve had, we think there is a different model to move forward on and we are grateful to the court. And providing a ruling that allows us to move forward. Well thank you so much for coming on the show. I really appreciate the time youve given us here today. I appreciate and thanks for your thanks for your questions. Thank you. Well thats it. For this episode, well be back with another one shortly for sf gov t v. Im chris manners. Thanks for watching. Yeah. I dont want to be involved in the process after it happens. I want to be there at the front end to help people with something in my mind from a very early age. Our community is the important way to look at things, even now. George floyd was huge. It opened up wounds and a discussion on something festering for a long time. Before rodney king. You can look at all the instances where there are calls for change. I think we are involved in change right now in this moment that is going to be long lasting. It is very challenging. I was the victim of a crime when i was in middle school. Some kids at recess came around at pe class and came to the locker room and tried to steal my watch and physically assaulted me. The officer that helped afterwards went out of his way to check the time to see how i was. That is the kind of work, the kind of perspective i like to have in our Sheriffs Office regardless of circumstance. That influenced me a lot. Some of the storefronts have changed. What is mys is that i still see some things that trigger memories. The barbershop and the shoe store is another one that i remember buying shoestrings and getting my dads old army boots fixed. We would see movies after the first run. My brother and i would go there. It is nice. If you keep walking down sacramento. The nice think about the city it takes you to japan town. That is where my grandparents were brought up. That is the traditional foods or movies. They were able to celebrate the culture in that community. My family also had a drycleaning business. Very hard work. The family grew up with apartments above the business. We have a builtin work force. 19 had 1 as 1941 as soon as that happened the entire community was fixed. Determined to do the job as democracy should with real consideration for the people involved. The decision to take every one of japan niece american o japanese from their homes. My family went to the mountains and experienced winter and summer and springs. They tried to make their home a home. The Community Came together to share. They tried to infuse each home are little things. They created things. I remember my grand mother saying they were very scared. They were worried. They also felt the great sense of pride. Japanese americans. My granduncle joined the 442nd. When the opportunity came when the time that was not right. They were in the campaign in italy. They were there every step of the way. President truman pays tribute. That was the most decorated unit in the history of the United States army. Commitment and loyal to to the country despite that their families were in the camp at that time. They chose to come back to San Francisco even after all of that. My father was a Civil Servant as well and served the state of California Workers compensation attorney and judge and appellate board. My parents influenced me to look at Civil Service s. I applied to police, and Sheriffs Department at the same time. The Sheriffs Department grabbed me first. It was unique. It was not just me in that moment it was everyone. It wasnt me looking at the crowd. It was all of us being together. I was standing there alone. I felt everyone standing next to me. The only way to describe it. It is not about me. It is from my father. My father couldnt be there. He was sick. The first person i saw was him. I still sometimes am surprised by the fact i see my name as the sheriff. I am happy to be in the position i am in to honor their memory doing what i am doing now to help the larger comment. When i say that we want to be especially focused on marginalized communities that have been wronged. Coming from my background and my family experienced what they did. That didnt happen in a vacuum. It was a decision made by the government. Nobody raised their voice. Now, i think we are in a better place as country and community. When we see something wrong we have change agents step up to help the community affected. That is a important thing to continue to do. You talk about change and being a leader in change and not knowing whether you have successes or results. The fact of the matter is by choosing to push for change you have already changed things. Through inspiration for others, take up the matter or whether it is through actual functional change as a result of your voice being heard. I think you have already started on a path to change by choosing that path. In doing that in april of itself creates change. I continue in that type of service for my family. Something i hope to see in my children. I have a pretty good chance with five children one will go into some sort of Civil Service. I hope that happens to continue that legacy. I am paul, sheriff of San Francisco. [ music ] february 20, 2024 regular meeting of the municipal transportation board of directors and parking commission. Item 2, roll call. Henderson, present. Hinze, present. Tarlov, present. Eaken, present. Director so is not expected today but we are expecting places on item 3, the ringing and use of cell phones and Electronic Devices are prohibited at the meeting. The chair may removal from the room