this is a tragic and shameful. and the veterans administration, partnering with the salvation army and so many others, are doing specifically the right thing. there are many causes, of course, for homelessness. one loses a job. they are at risk of homelessness. it increases exponentially. of course, with three-quarters of our veterans dealing with issues of alcohol abuse, substance abuse, and mental health issues, keeping a job and stabilizing in one s life is merely becomes impossible. it is only by working together that we are going to get this done. and i have a little love from the california state senate. yes, we re busted, but we put this together to be able to bring you this recognition today and in thanking the san francisco s veteran administration medical center, and of course our great friends of the salvation army here at the harbor light centered for joining forces, for the check presentation, which will be made in a moment, in support of this expansion. of cou
veterans by 2015. no doubt here. no doubt here. [applause] i am here in ottawa celebrate the additional beds, which are absolutely needed, but they re also want to make sure i say this people who have served in our armed forces, thank you very much. to wipe everything you have done but you have been there for us. it is a return to be here for you. thank you for everything you have done. thank you for your service to our country. [applause] our work at the local level, as dr. jesse mentioned, is in coordination with our regional partners, our federal partners, and we all, as mentioned earlier, have to do this together. that is why we have had great partnerships with our social service teams, our state are salvation army, and our chinese community development corporation, our hud, which expressed to sean donovan some time ago that there were making great strides and efforts to make sure that there was going to be more housing targeted for our veterans. we have been doing
today and in thanking the san francisco s veteran administration medical center, and of course our great friends of the salvation army here at the harbor light centered for joining forces, for the check presentation, which will be made in a moment, in support of this expansion. of course, this does not solve the problem. as we say in jewish tradition, we re taught that ours is not to complete the task. neither is it for us not to begin in it. today we begin the task. if i may present this to you. [applause] thank you. [applause] our next speaker is edwin lee, mayor of san francisco. he first began working for the city and county of san francisco in 1989 as the investigator for the city s first whistleblowing ordinance and has since served as executive director of the human rights commission, director of the city purchasing, and director of the department of public works before he was first appointed as the city administrator in 2005. please join me in welcoming mayor lee.
and there are posters in the back. so please take those pedometer read one from this that really struck me. the words homelessness and veterans should never be used together. our next speaker is mark leno, california state senator, representing california s third senate district in the marin county democrats of sonoma, and san francisco cantu. he chairs the senate budget and fiscal review committee is, and he has been a longtime friend and advocate of the va and veterans. please welcome senator leno. [applause] thank you for the introduction. i am sure i am not alone when i say that there are many who sleep better at night knowing that you re doing your good work at the va administration. it is a real pleasure to be here for this auspicious occasion, here with major league and leader pelosi with mayor lee and a leader pelosi and all of our veterans. as it is said, it takes a village, in the village has come together today to support the work of the veterans administration
our next speaker is edwin lee, mayor of san francisco. he first began working for the city and county of san francisco in 1989 as the investigator for the city s first whistleblowing ordinance and has since served as executive director of the human rights commission, director of the city purchasing, and director of the department of public works before he was first appointed as the city administrator in 2005. please join me in welcoming mayor lee. [applause] that is good. she said the microphone was already set for me. [laughter] it is my honor to be here. certainly my honor to joint leader policy and senator leno, the veterans administration, the doctor, chief suhr, and are homeless coordinator for the city. bobbi, i wanted to make sure that you knew this city and county of san francisco, my administration, we re absolutely not firmly committed to ending homelessness for our veterans by 2015. no doubt here. no doubt here. [applause] i am here in ottawa celebrate the addi