Transcripts For SFGTV Planning Commission 10616 20161010

Today . All right. So we are here to announce the grand opening and cut the ribbon on duc loi pantry. How about a big round of applause . [ applause ] as you all know, duc loi is a long time San Francisco business that is expanding and opening here on 3rd street in the bay view, filling a vacancy on 3rd street, bringing good local jobs, and providing Fresh Produce to the neighborhood and the community. We have a number of speakers here who want to celebrate this milestone and important occasion and beginning with mayor lee, supervisor cohen, Assembly Member david chiu and howard ngo, the owner of duc loi and anthony page an employee at duc loi and the assessorrecorder carmen chou and without further ado, mayor lee. [phra urt ] [ applause ] come on up, the School District and school board is here as well. Come on up. All right. Congratulations everyone, you now have a local Grocery Store [ applause ] you know, i want to say thank you to you and the staff for working so hard with the Supervisors Office and all of the neighborhoodss and with howard. Let me say this, good things just dont happen. All right . For this community a lot of good things never have happened, but when they happen, its because of good leadership, steady leadership, and im proud to have worked close, shouldertoshoulder with supervisor cohen, with her staff, because she has been passionate about getting passionate and patient. Because we have had stores here before. Weve talked about the dream of having people more healthy in this neighborhood. And we have never forgotten that. So kind of like what were always doing in the bay view, it is new, but its really fulfilling an old promise for people who have lived here for generations. Promised that you will be part of a city and youll be healthier and all have more housing and youll have neighborhood Grocery Stores and, in fact, i kind of think that is why they asked me to come back here early. They wanted to put me right next to the vegetables something was talking to anita too much, put meg putting me right next to the vegetables, with no candy or nothing, but vegetables. [laughter ] no soda that is right, no soda. Im excited for our neighborhood, im excited for San Francisco. Because everybody belongs and Everybody Needs to have a connection to healthy lifestyles. This is part of that promise. You are going to get better parks. You are going to get more housing. You are going to bet a lot of seniors taken care of with the dignity fund and you will get a lot of thing because you are part of the city of San Francisco and i dont want people to say and feel that they feel isolated here. This 3rd street corridor is amazing. It is hot, its really a great part of the city and were going connect up even more when the central subway gets finished in a couple of years. Its exciting to be down here and quite candidly its probably the most affordable place in the city right now. So i want to say congratulations to all the neighborhoods advocates who worked tirelessly to say were going to be patient. Were not just going to invite another liquor store or Something Like that. Were going to get the right kind of food, the right folks, the people who also say and by the way, opening up a business, you have 16 new San Francisco jobs, 7 of which are filled by residents of this neighborhood. How about that . You [ applause ]. That a commitment. Thanks to our workforce people thinking about that as well because we have to do all things right by this neighborhood. We cant make mistakes because mistakes have been made in past and were always trying to recover from something. Lets celebrate this as a good thing from the jobs to howard, the great owner, to the employees who are going to be here, to the fresh vegetables, and the good, healthy life this represents. Congratulations to everybody in the bayview, third on 3rd, that is why its happening. Thank you. [ applause ] thank you, mayor lee. There is no greater firster champion for any distribute in the city than your supervisor, Supervisor Malia Cohen and for my part im going to be relieved now this is open, that to not be getting the call every day of the last month when is duc loi going to happen and im happy to say, supervisor, today. [ applause ] good morning everyone. Good morning i think i just have one word finally [laughter ] right . Finally. And if you think about it, its appropriate. Here we are in the fall time, traditionally when farms begin to harvest. We planted the seeds years ago, and now we are bearing the fruit of a Grocery Store, full service, right here in bayviewhunters point, finally. [ applause ] that is incredible. I want to acknowledge the bayview residents that have worked with me for the last three years on trying to find a Grocery Store, a provider to come in. Thank you for being patient. Thank you for being thoughtful in your feedback. And for those of you overzealous neighbors thanks for reaching out to other Grocery Stores when you didnt think i was doing enough but im here to say also this is really the beginning. This is beautiful. This is a beautiful jewel our community deserves. No other community in San Francisco should go without options to healthy food. Aim wrong . Am i wrong . Could you imagine, this community has been living for years without a Grocery Store. Let me tell you a story how i have come to know duc loi. Three years ago when my staff and with my were brainstorm and drafting letters to send to different retailers across the united states, one of my Staff Members came up with the idea about going to visit duc loi. So one day after work, i just went simply into the store in the mission and walked around, upanddown the aisles and i believe i bought in oxtails [laughter ]you remember that . Salt and pepper and howard didnt know who i was at the time. Amanda didnt know who i was at the time, but i interacted with both and i was in the store and amanda said do you need help . No, because at that point i knew that i found what i had come for. Not only did i find great healthy food options at a great price, but a found a phenomenal familyrun business that paid attention to customer service. So when you come into this store, you will be greeted by howard, who is the owner and the operator. And his righthand woman, amanda. Upanddown the aisles, they know the store like the back of their hand and that is a gift. We dont need a cold, corporate entity. We need someone to recognize the uniqueness and the beauty and the charm that is right here in the southeast of San Francisco. There are many people that i want to thank today. Todd, jokingly mentioned my harassing phone calls for about a year. But there are other members of his staff that i have harassed. I want to walk Joakim Torres [ applause ] and to represent a bayview resident and i think she got the brunt of my wrath. I spared you, mr. Mayor. I just went straight to the staff. I didnt even bother you about this. I didnt. I want to recognize michael, are you here from the Produce Market . [ applause ]. Incredible, incredible he is out there in the back. I see your hand mike and to remember the Neighborhood Partners bayview heel zone or southeast food access . [ applause ] and just again in closing the community in general, the neighbors that i see from the various hoas and homeowners, people committed to make not only this corridor thrive, but the entire community. And remember, this is the fall season. And we are harvesting the seeds that we planted years ago. And i want to say thank you. [ applause ] x thank you supervisor. Our next speaker knows a thing or two about Small Business as a Small Business owner himself and a member of the Small Business commissioner and former board president , im proud to announce and welcome Assembly Member david chiu. [ applause ] good morning do we have bayview in the house today . Is the sun shining on the bayview today . Are we believing today . I am so honored to be part of this conversation in part because this is personal. I think many of you know that i have in my hands one of the newest residents in the bayview, my son, who is ready for a game today, but is also ready for this Grocery Store to be opened. When my wife and i moved here, we experienced what we all read about, what we all know about, the reality of a food desert. Of what it takes to have to plan for 45 minutes or an hour for one of us to take a trip halfway up the city to a safeway or trader joes to get fresh food. As the father of a newborn we know how important it is for our kids to have the freshest and healthiest food possible. So i want to just thank all of you for being part of this long journey. When i was president of the San Francisco board of supervisors i remember speaking to mayor lees processor and supervisor cohens press sore predecessor and thank you all for chasing 120 possible groceries before duc loi came here today. This is a long journey, but i know this is going to be an amazing spot of community. This is going to be my neighborhood grocery. I live six minutes away and i look forward to seeing many of you here. I tip my hat to howard and all the workers that are here and i look forward to all of the amazing food were going eat. Have a wonderful day and go giants [ applause ] Small Business owners pour their heart and soul into think business and no person i think exemplifies that better than howard, who this, as i understand, is a 25year culmination of entrepreneurship to this business, howard ngo [ applause ] good morning everyone. Thank you very much for coming by today. I am very honored. [ applause ] to see all of you here. Thank you. As you all know, the community here and neighbors here have been waiting for this for the last three years. When i took over last september, the city supported us, the Community Supported us and the entire year for 12 months and finally today, i am so happy. We are done, and now were going to open it up. Im so grateful, and we are so grateful to the city of San Francisco especially mayor lee and his office. [ applause ] and supervisor cohen and all the staff and Planning Department for helping us, especially the community here. And we will work even harder to bring good food to our neighbors especially at a good price. How about that . [ applause ] i try so hard personally to bring coffee to serve the community, but now that we open might be two more weeks due to the construction. Thank you very much for all of you toe. Today. Thank you all for being here. [ applause ] mayor lee and supervisor cohens charge to our department is not only to create good jobs, but make maug sure its the residents of the community that get those jobs and im proud to invite up anthony page, who will speak to his role here and his new Employment Opportunity here at duc loi. [ applause ] how is everybody doing today . Good im feeling good. Im feeling excited for the grand opening here in the Bayview District. Im also a native of the Bayview District and i grew up here right up the street. So once i heard about the grand opening i was now i can just walk to work or just get on the little train right there. Its good working for the store. With howard and his family, giving back to his family his family giving to me and helping me with a job and hiring me. I will do whatever i have to do to make sure our store satisfies the customers in the Bayview District community. Come by, shop here, you know were fun we talk. We get personal, too. I do, you know . [laughter ] if the line is long, i wont meet be another time. [laughter ]stuff has to be done, right, howard . [laughter ]. Stuff has to be done. Or i have to deal with him and im just excited as you can see i have a big smile and i hope everybody has a good day today and just enjoy your day. This meeting is reasonable for the grand opening, all the hard work, you know . This is a big accomplishment for them and the Bayview District and now you dont have to go super far to get groceries, just come down the street and shop here and i look forward so seeing everybody and helping you before you walk out our doors. Have a good day [ applause ] now our next speaker is perhaps the most important speaker of the entire lineup because the assessorrecorder is the one responsible for making sure she brings in all the money that were able to invest in great businesses like duc loi and without greater ado our assessorrecorder carmen chiu. I really just have two points that i want to make. First i want to give a very, very big thanks to not only mayor lee and his staff through todd, but to supervisor cohen, having been a District Supervisor in the past, there is no bigger difference than how hard your District Supervisor advocates for you. We have been very fortunate in last month to have two really exciting opportunities that opened up in the bayview. Not only this great super market, but a Senior Center that recently opened up and none of those opportunities this super market, nor the Senior Center would happen if you didnt have such wonderful leadership with supervisor cohen and please join me in a big thank you to supervisor cohen. [ applause ] and the second reason why im here this is something that is deeply personal to me. My parents were Small Business owners and my husbands family shared the same story as howard and amanda, where they were immigrants, refugees from vietnam and they stayed in indonesia and they made it and struggled in San Francisco and eventually create a Bright Future for their families. So to howard to, your family, i want to say thank you for not only taking a chance on San Francisco, but also taking the opportunities you were given to invest back in our communities. This is what happens when we do it right. When we invest in our local merchants, when we support our local merchants, they in turn give back and they in turn hire back in the community and they in turn take a chance on communities that are overlooked by everybody else. So with that i just simply want to say thank you to all of the leadership that was involved in making this great day possible and thank you, thank you, to howard and to your family and amanda for really being part of our community and helping us to be better. Thank you. [ applause ] thank you, assessor. And just finally i did want to go and recognize just a couple of people here, kelly from cdc financing and earl, raise your hand if you are here from Economic Development on 3rd . The hotel Produce Market and i think eddie is here representing them. Sharma, board of education and i saw you earlier. And then just the incredible staff, a quick plug for the oewd staff, Joakim Torres and angel from the Development Center and holly, and louie from the workforce team. Thank you all so much. I think were going to do the ribboncutting now. [ applause ] its very good luck. Im emily executive director of the San Francisco department on the status of women. Welcome to our event to mark Domestic Violence awareness month. So i want to invite the folks with the signs to come on in and walk in closer. Before i introduce our speakers tonight, i want to recognize the Domestic Violence survivors among us, they deserve our continued support and a round of applause for our survivors. [ applause ] next i want to recognize the frontline staff of our Partner Agencies and all of the folks here who work on fighting Domestic Violence every day and lets show them our appreciation [ applause ] Domestic Violence continues to be a huge problem in San Francisco last year there were almost 9,000 911 calls for help, 3,000 Domestic Violence cases reported to the Police Department, and according to official counts we lost four lives in the last two years. Were so fortunate to have a mayor who has made ending violence against women, including Domestic Violence a priority. At the begin thing of mayor lees tenure in 2011 the city was investing 3 million in a year in direct services to survivors of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking and under mayors leadership this funding has increased to 6. 3 Million Dollars today. [applause] [applause] without further ado, please help me welcome our mayor, edwin lee a true leader in ending violence against women. Please give him a warm welcome [ applause ]. Thank you emily and everyone, welcome to city hall. As you all know, october marks Domestic Violence awareness month, and i want to say thank you to members of on or our board of supervisors, supervisors campos and weiner are here and they agree with me that funding for more doors to safety is really important for this city. And you know, i think Domestic Violence and abuse of loved ones most of the time happens behind doors. So were trying to open more doors. So it doesnt happen. And that is why we have resources to spend to make sure our prosecutors and our da and Police Department are working together to make sure that we hold individuals accountable. That is, of course, our criminal Justice System. But we also know, given the great work that our department, our status of women, our great, wonderful communitybased nonprofits that are working every day, have seen other doors close, and we have opened them up. Because we need a School System that educates our youth. Violence is not acceptable. It may be good for certain types of sports to hit a ball, but its never good to hit another person. That is what education door is opened with this funding. We need our Health Care Centers to have their doors opened so we can treat and find those that are abused and help them out of that misery and Housing Authority to make sure Public Housing residents dont feel any less than anybody to get treatment and support. We open up the workplace to make sure that we can talk about it, and that reports can be made around Domestic Violence. Our schools, our youth, are there to help us prevent and to support those who are victims. All of these systems, we are opening more doors with this resource. So i have been proud to work with the board to increase funding. Its not so much about the dollar amount, we actually all have to feel that we have completed every single door opening to make sure we prevent violence. Because every time we hear of that fatality, we look upon ourselves and say what did we not do to try to prevent that from happening . That is why were going to be even more successful. Finally, were in the process of creating a brandnew program. Again to connect survivors of Domestic Violence, who call the police. We want to connect them immediately to an advocate to make sure all of the things are done properly at the very time that person that victim is in need. And were going to do that with this additional funding. Were using data from the Family Violence Council Report to start this program, and were starting it right in the bayview, because the bayview and the Bayview District has the highest call volume of 911 calls related to Domestic Violence. So let us all keep focused. Let us make sure that not only are we making awareness, but were actually investing in the very programs that will end Domestic Violence. With that, im happy again, tonight, to announce for the fourth time with everybodys support, but especially with the support maybe its 6 million times support from our San Francisco giants tonight, city hall will be lit in purple for the support that we have for awareness of Domestic Violence. Let us all celebrate that and continue with the giants. Thank you [ applause ] thank you so much, mr. Mayor. Next please help me welcome someone who represents the heart of the community, my dear friend, woman warrior, Beverly Upton with a very special presentation to make to the mayor. [ applause ]. If you know me you heard me say before i have the best job in the world and now i have the best job in the best city in the world. Thank you so much. Were really here today with this letter signed by so many of you that are ending violence against women, violence against children, violence against transgender womens, violence against the lgbt community. We are here to say that we stand together to end Domestic Violence. We want to take a moment to thank mayor ed lee for his continuing support for raising those dollars for us, for the board of supervisors, for really making this a priority, and really raising the issue that this hurts everybody who lives in San Francisco. So we just want to take a moment to thank you for your continued support, mayor lee. Your continued support, and also, may the purple on city hall be a beacon to everyone in San Francisco and beyond for safety, justice and healing. Thank you so much. [ applause ] thank you very much. Thank you so much, beverly. That is such an important acknowledgment of the citys support. Next i want to welcome Supervisor Scott Wiener who stands with us today in the fight to end violence against women. Please welcome Supervisor Scott Wiener. [ applause ] good evening. And welcome everyone to San Francisco city hall and i especially want to welcome our students from school of the arts and the district that i represent. Welcome to city hall. [ applause ] thank you. So Domestic Violence, its one of those things that it is always present, and its often just underneath the surface. And i think a lot of times people dont talk about it, and its very silent, and its secret, and its hidden. But it is always, always there, and it is deep and broad and toxic in its impact on our community. And once in a while something happens that brings it to the surface and people finally start talking. That happened four years ago this month in this building when sadly the board of supervisors, a minority of the board of supervisors made the wrong decision in allowing our sheriff to keep serving. I will just call it out. That was one of those moments when people started to talk, and i remember in the days and weeks after that unfortunate decision, a tragic decision, i really was reminded how broad and deep this problem is. The people that would talk to me about their experience in a relationship, about their experience as a child, observing or seeing one parent abusing another parent, or the experience that they had with a college roommate, or a friend who had been abused. People who havent been abused, but it has impacted their lives and how many people in this city, in this society have been deeply, deeply affected . Yeah have been deeply affected by Domestic Violence . And so it is so important to talk about it. And not just to sweep it under the rug, or quietly take care of it. We need to be talking about this problem, because that is the only way that were going to put an end to it once and for all. So lets keep fighting thank you. [ applause ] thank you, so much, scott i want to acknowledge a few senior officials Assessorrecorder Carmen Chu is with us today [ applause ] and if you might hold your applause, we also have list liz and jackie and Police Commander greg and adult probation chief karen fletcher, if we could give them all a big round of applause. [ applause ] i also want to thank mayors deputy chief of staff Paul Henderson and our budget analyst laura bush who joined us today and chief fletcher asked me to make one quick announcement to save the date for friday october 28th, 9 00 a. M. To 2 00 p. M. The Adult Probation Department is supporting veterans and survivors of Family Violence from trauma to healing from 9 00 a. M. To 2 00 p. M. And please join us there. I would like to if any introduce the Deputy Health director at department of Public Health and please help me welcome dr. Chan. [ applause ] thank you emily. I just want to spend my five minutes just giving a little bit of the data that reflects supervisor wieners and the mayors sentiments about us coming together. The mayors sentiment and also the underlying prevalence that we all know is in San Francisco and most of us know that the prevalence one in three women have been victims of intimate Partner Violence and in San Francisco we know among our most vulnerable women, those in ninemonths of pregnancy, there is a wide disparity in ethnicity, as well as socioeconomic class. So amongst those who are most stressed, those in poverty. The prevalence is 11 . That is about three times higher than those who are not in poverty. So that really speaks to the increasing gap between the haves and have nots in San Francisco and what that does to all of us. Im in Public Health and im a pediatrician and tell you this issue profoundly affects women and children. This prevalence of Domestic Violence experienced by lowincome women and women of all classes, causes an increase in coping and reactive behaviors and that is why we have this link in intimate Partner Violence causing a fourfold risk increased risk in drug use, fivefold risk in depression and of course, increased risk of suicidality and it affects babies too. Women who are experiencing intimate Partner Violence are three times more likely to have a baby born preterm or lowbirth weight. So this all attributes to life course of consequences in child abuse and neglect and drug addiction. But there is hope in the Health Community and research we now recognize and understand that your interventions are aeffective. Primary care intervence and communitybased interventions are effective and its more and more important that we come together, integrate our Community Programs and health services. So that we can better address this issue as an entire community. One great example is that our county hospital led by many of you advocates, and internal medicine physicians, dr. Lee kimberg, who has received a federal grant, the arise grant. That really builds upon the partnership of San Francisco General Hospital, ucsf, bay area legal aid, la casa, against violence and Trauma Recovery center to provide integrated screening, counseling, quality counseling, and effective referrals to all of the women who go through our county health system. So this type of integration we feel is very promising. Its a National Leader and its becoming a National Model of how we in San Francisco can integrate our Services Better to serve our most vulnerable population at their most vulnerable times. Thank you very much for all you have your service. [ applause ] thank you very much, dr. Chan and i want to acknowledge kathy, who is here representing sheriff Vicky Hennessey and our Assessorrecorder Carmen Chu would like to say a few words. Thank you, i serve as San Franciscos elected asesor and im so honored to stand with beverly and with you, emily and all of our Community Partners to bring awareness to Domestic Violence. My comments will be short. When i stand here today i see how wonderful it is to see over the 100 people here all behind us, but also in front of us. Who came out because they understand just how important this cause is, to bring awareness. And i know that here we have 100 people already who know that they can each play a role when they see Domestic Violence happening, or they are worried that Domestic Violence might be happening, that they are going to do something. That we all take a pledge to do something about it and to make sure that our loved ones arent suffering alone. Emily was just telling me there are a ton of resources that are available and listed on the department on the status of womens website and encourage everyone who cares about this issue to please take a look at it and if you know anybody of your friends or any of your family who is going through something and not ready to take about it, please be a shoulder and please share with them all the ways that we might we able to help them. I think that is the only way were going to end Domestic Violence with that, congratulations emily on your tireless leadership year in and year out [ applause ]. Thank you carmen and i want to next introduce carmen chung and gabby, High School Seniors who participate in the young asian women against Violence Project of the Community Youth center. Lets give it up for carmen and gabby. [ applause ] hi my name is gabby. Hi, my name is karlen and were from the Leadership Program called young asian against violence. We dedicate its a program dedicated to positive empowerment and development of api High School Youth young asian women in San Francisco and to strengthen resilience, pride, healing and knowledge of young asian women to advocate for the end of Domestic Violence in our community. We educate about violence against women through creating and for thiating workshops and education creates longterm effect rather than a bandaid solution and enable using to create a foundation of change. Together we stand in solidarity with the 15yearold meadows who was incarcerated for defending herself and her family from her abusivefather and today is the day of her Court Hearing and instead of being given a safe space to heal she is being isolated from her community and loved one as she faced prosecution. It angers us to see one of our own peers for being punished for defending herself. Why are systems that are supposed to protect us harming us . As youth, our experiences are often invalidated. We have few opportunities to speak up for ourselves. We are disempowered. There are limited resources and space for healing and safety. And its really rare for us to find the resources. It} n a society where youth hold less power than adults we need spaces to be heard and four survivors to be visible and validated and providing a space for young women to share their ideas and experiences and create and opportunity to heal and grow from trauma. Youth are capable, but we need a community willing to stand with us in times of need, rather than turning away. The end of the violence starts with us. We urge you to keep your ears open to the voices of youth. To keep your mind open, to learn. To keep your heart open to our experiences. We urge you to stand in solidarity to stand with survivors of violence. [ applause ] thank you carmen and gabby, we have a whole crew here from Community Youth camp center. If you want to wave, i want to invite the Sheriffs Department to talk about the positive reapered of sheriff hennessey, please welcome dahlia [ applause ]. Good afternoon everyone. Again im davila the survivor restoration director for the San Francisco Sheriffs Department and as i look out at all of you, im reminded once again how important it is for our community to come together to support survivors of Domestic Violence. I have had the honor in working in our Sheriffs Department for over 20 years, and proud to be in the position that i am as the director of our program for the survivors. I would just like to take a moment to share how the Sheriffs Department has supported innovative programs for Domestic Violence survivors over the years and continues under our new sheriff Vicki Hennessey to not only provide those same services, but also we have enhanced them. Many of you in the audience, i know, know about our resolve to stop the violence program, our rsvp program that was started in 1997. Yes, its been 20 years. And its still here, going strong. But it was the first Justice Program that specifically worked with male offenders who have violence documented in their criminal history. Particularly Domestic Violence and again, that program is still going strong today. In fact, with our Court Collaborations in 2015 rsvp participants that were in custody for Domestic Violence increased 93 , which was a substantial increase from 2014, which was only 20 . The Sheriffs Department also has our out of custody Community Programs utilizing the Violence Prevention Program man alive, which is used in both our Community Programs and in custody programs. While we do need programs to hold offenders accountable and to give opportunities for them to change their behavior, we need to equally and more so provide services for our survivors of Domestic Violence. The San Francisco Survivor Restoration Program which i have been honored to be with over 20 years, provides services for survivors through their own process of restoration, empowerment and providing opportunities for them to contribute to the development, implementation, and evaluation of all the key components of the program. As we know, as we all know the importance of having Survivor Voices at all of our takes. Tables and we offer with our Sister Community agencies many of whom are here today direct Crisis Services through the Response Program along with our empowerment groups which is under our Survivor Empowerment Program and i would like to give special acknowledgment to my staff here and my team, that together with their fierce advocacy in 2015 as we supported 65 survivors who obtained their visas and six granted political asylum and permanent residency and db survivors graduating from our empowerment program. Our Newest Program in the Sheriffs Department is our survivor in custody program. A Reentry Program that we make contact with incarcerated survivors of Domestic Violence, and provide resources which are traumainformed and culturallyresponsive to the many challenges that they face. These services are also provided for our incarcerated db transwomen, stalk and trafficking victims. I will just end with this quote, one of my favorites from helen keller, that i love and its just simple as to say, alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much. And when i look around with all of the agencies here, and the hard work in changing our systems together we can definitely make a change. Thank you. [ applause ] thank you so much, dahlia. I just want to acknowledge a couple of staff people who are here, alden from Assembly Member tings office and i want to acknowledge the Family Violence counsel chair Katy Albright who here as well. Next up is the Community Education at las casa delas madras that opened as the first Domestic Violence shelter in the state of california and only the second in the nation. Please welcome cara. [ applause ] im going to put this down, but i was holding the door to shelter. Good evening, its wonderful to be here with all of you standing in support of Domestic Violence survivors. Over 40 years ago we began as a small shelter for battered women in San Francisco and today la casa is still providing Emergency Services to women and children in need through confidential shelter and 24hour crisis line. We also provide counseling, case management, support groups, a teen program and Legal Services at our jobs center on Mission Street four of our advocates work as the only two womenspecific Supportive Housing sites in San Francisco, providing emotional and practical support to over 150 female residents. This partnership is entering its 18th year. La casa also had the opportunity to extend our support services in San Francisco by providing targeted programming to specific populations alongside amazing Community Partners. I would like to highlight four of these programs today first were pard to be pard of zuckerberg San Francisco gener hospital and la casa advocate is onsite to meet with patients that dispose instances of intimate partnership violence to their physician and providing danger and risk assessment, safety planning, grief counseling and resources and referrals. This individual will also provide training on intimate Partner Violence to health care professionals. Second, funded by the department on the status of women, colocated at San Francisco Housing Authority. As many of us know survivor safety challenge is navigating the Public Housing system in San Francisco. We work to ensure they have safe places to life and raise their families. Our advocates at the Housing Authority also educate Property Management and support staff at housing sites across the bay area and to incidents of Domestic Violence onsite. Third, there is say la casa advocate at 850 bryant street and follows up on Police Reports of Domestic Violence to provide the survivor with resources, referrals and support. And finally, as mentioned earlier, in partnership with the department, glide, will have a advocate responding to all Domestic Violence situations. These four programs allow our staff colocated at the hospital, sros, the Housing Authority, hall of justice and bayview to provide advocacy, support, resources and referrals to survivors. Survivors that are navigating complex processes made even more challenging by experiences of trauma. Were proud at la casa to be part of the first line of response to survivors of Domestic Violence and proud to serve as a continued support system to survivors on their path to healing. And of course, were proud to be part of a community of organizations, many of whom are here today, working tirelessly to end Domestic Violence in San Francisco. Thank you. [ applause ] thanks so much, cara. I want to acknowledge the executive director of la casa, kathy black is in the audience and we have another cochair of the council is here and our last speaker is commissioner on the status of women, olgareyerson, our newest commissioner who joined us after retiring after a oyear career much of working as mayor lees invaluable aassistant and please women the commissioner on the status of women, olgareyerson. Thank you [ applause ]. Good evening everyone. Thank you so much for coming to this important event. We gather annually in october to recognize Domestic Violence awareness month, to celebrate how far we have come and to renew our efforts on what we still need to do to end intimate partner velocity. Violence in 2015 the department of Emergency Management received 18917 calls related to Domestic Violence. One in 13 Violent Crimes calls are Family Violence related and in 2015 Domestic Violence was the second most Violent Crime to which the Police Department responds. During that same time our Community Partners received over 21,000 calls to their Domestic Violence hotline, nearly three times as many as 911. This shows the importance of having multifaceted response to Domestic Violence. Many survivors may not want to involve the criminal Justice System and so we must ensure that we open many doors to safety so that different systems can assist survivors of Domestic Violence to be safe. Today we have heard from our health care system, and the wonderful work at the department of Public Health and San Francisco General Hospital and we heard from our communitybased Service Providers who provide counseling, shelter, Legal Services and advocacy and we heard from our peer educators who provide Intervention Services by working with youth to help teach healthy relationship skills and heard from our colleagues at the Sheriffs Department, who do not just house Domestic Violence offenders, but provide programs to victims and perpetrators of abuse in our jails and of course we heard from our city leaders who help ensure that we fund our public agencies and the commission on the status of women is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year from our earliest years we have focused on responding to Domestic Violence. The First Program we funded was la casa delas mad res. As you heard earlier it was the first Domestic Violence shelter in california and the second in the united states. How amazing is it that we have gone from one 75,000 grant for one program to our now over 6 million in funds to 27 different agencies . But our work is going on. In the past two years there are been four Domestic Violencerelated homicides each year, two out of those four Domestic Violence homicides in 2015 involved guns. We cannot stop our work until no one is killed by an intimate partner. Thank you for joining us. Together we will one day end Domestic Violence. [ applause ] thank you so much olga. I want to acknowledge jeff the head of the department of homelessness and Supportive Housing, who has joined us. To close our event today, i want to introduce the ensemable that will sing a piece that fits to music a text by the famous africanamerican poet audrey. Please give up for the ana cruces travel ensemble. [ applause ] [ music ] [ applause ] i want to bring up deputy chief of staff for Public Safety Paul Hendrickson for a very special unanticipated special announcement. Paul. Thank you, emily. How is everybody doing this evening . Great [ applause ] im a little disappointed i wasnt asked to sing [laughter ] but i think there is a reason for it. That is okay. I just wanted to thank you guys, all for coming out here tonight. Its really important to do the work that we all do, and there are so many different agencies and individuals out here, representing the work that we do with Family Violence from the Police Department to the District Attorneys Office to the Mayors Office, to the nonprofit agencies, and really it all begins and it ends with community and the fact that you are all here tonight is a big deal. You all saw earlier when the mayor was out here and he was presented with the big letter signed from all of the agencies that are funded through the city services. And whether when we went back into the building he wanted to make sure that i presented to you and you know that letter will be on the display in the Mayors Office in room 200 for the next few weeks and this is something that i havent seen done in past, but he was really touched by the fact that so many of the agencies came together to thank him and thank the city for its collaborative work to end Domestic Violence. So people that will be coming into this beautiful building and into room 200 for the next few weeks will see that letter, that many of you that are here tonight signed. And it will be on display inside the Mayors Office. So thank you all so much for coming and being here. I would encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity that you are here tonight to make sure that you make a record for yourselves. This would be a great thing if you stick around in about oh, i would say about an hour or so, youll see the building lit up in purple to take a picture of that, to take a picture of some of