Transcripts For SFGTV Port Commission 20240713

Indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Please be advised the ringing of and use of cell phones and pages are prohibited at this meeting. And be advised the chair may remove anybody using a cell cell phone or Electronic Device and the public has up to three minute to make pertinent comments unless the Port Commissioner dubs a shorter period. The moderator will instruct dialin participants to use touchtone phones to register any desire tor Public Comment. Comments will be taken first from inperson participants and then dialedin participants. Audio prompts will signal to dial in when the input has been enabled for commenting. The comply with the declaration for covid19, that you remain an arms length distance. We are not requiring speakers to fill out a card but speakers can go up to the podium one one at a time or queue up in line but please maintain the social distance. Item 4, declaration of emergency Port Commission meeting. Thank you, everyone, for joining us today whether in person or by phone. The mayor, the state of california and the federal government have declared that the coronavirus pandemic is a Public Health emergency and ask that the people stay at home, which is where i am. The Mayors Office has determined that the Port Commission has an urgent need to take action on the matter before us to ensure Public Health, safety and essential Government Operations and has authorized the Port Commission to meet on this matter. I move that we hold this emergency meeting because of the coronavirus pandemic as an emergency that severely impairs Public Health and safety and the matter before us demands prompt action and is necessary to ensure that there is no disruption or threaten disruption to the public facility. Do i have a second . Second. All in favour . Thank you, commissioner. Item 5a, requests approval of resolution authorizing the executive director to recommend the memorandum between the port and the department of homelessness in support of housing to expand the capacity of embarcadaro centre due to the coronavirus outbreak. So moved. Good morning. I am the director of the communications for the port of San Francisco and i will make brief remarks and i will provide an overview of the proposed amendment to the ports mou with the department of homelessness and support of housing for operations at the embarcadaro centre on sea wall lot 330. The Commission Approved the existing agreement between the port and the department of homelessness in support of housing at the april 23rd, 2019 meeting. In declaring a local emergency in calling for all efforts to protect the health and safety of the public, the Mayors Office is asking the port and hsh, the department of Homeless Housing to revisit the embarcaro centre, the rampup. It calls for one change. The proposal is to change the rampup schedule articulated on page 10, section 11. 1 of the agreement under permanent uses to allow hsh to expand bed capacity beyond the rampup limit to accommodate the citywide coronavirus response. All other terms and conditions originally agreed to on april 23rd, 2019 would remain the same and not change. I have emily cohen here from the Mayors Office who will provide a short presentation articulating the urgent need for the amendment, as well as unupdate on the state Navigation Centre operation. After the proceedings, we will be available to anticipation any questions. Answer any questions. Good morning. This is emily cohen, the mayors policy advisor on homelessness and thank you for convening today and thank you to the members of the public who have joined either in person or via phone. Can everyone hear me all right . Yes. Thank you. Im going to walk you through a brief presentation as randy said and we are proposing an amendment to the mou between the port of San Francisco and the department of homelessness and support of housing and i want to give a little background context to this. As many folks know, the safe Navigation Centre, which is operated by five keys opened the end of december. It is currently operating at a capacity of 130 people each night. During the first two months of operations, all placements into space Navigation Centre were made by the Homeless Team working in the homeless zone in the immediate area of the Navigation Center. San francisco has two, twoperson teams working in the outreach zones fulltime and they have an additional twoperson team working with one shift and one on the weekends and folks are invited into the Navigation Center. Weve had a tremendous amount of success in engaging folks on the street in the area and inviting them indoors. As folks remember from the original mou, we designated both a safety zone and outreach zone within the safety zone which is smaller and immediately surrounds the center. Sfpd has applied beat officers to the zone seven days a week, five keys have been mentioned as the operator and made a phone call available where neighbors can call or text with concerns about the need area, the perimeter of the Navigation Center. As everyone in the room or on the call is well aware, we are facing a Public Health crisis, the covid19 or coronavirus. In response, mayor breed declared a state of month in february. When i put this presentation together a few days ago, there were 23 positive cases in the city of San Francisco but the course has continued to evolve. San francisco has taken serious steps to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus on our community, including the most recent shelter inplace ordinance issued by the Health Officer earlier this week, wellspan aaswell as declareing l emergency and one of the big areas has been focusing on, for me and my work focusing on the impact, the potential impact of the coronavirus on people experiencing homelessness or living in other congregate facilities. So weve allocated funding to enhance services at dropin centers, shelters, Navigation Centers and other congregate environments. As you can imagine, the coronavirus epidemic represents a Significant Health risk represents. People experiencings have limited access to preventative measures including hand washing, home isolation, avoiding hightouched surfaces and people experiencing homelessness may have more chronic conditions making them more vulnerable to the virus. As i mentioned before, we are taking proactive steps to protect the vulnerable population within the homelessness population, including expanding cleaning, expanding hours of programs, enhancing Meal Delivery for people in supported housing and occupancy hotels who have been advised to not go out because of their conditions. And were extending a lot of this operation not to the publically funded housing but to private owned sros and increasing or outreach. Weve deployed 30 handwashing stations for people unsheltered and bringing online rvs and hotel rooms, places where people can isolate and selfquarantine if theyve been exposed to the virus but dont have problems. So part of our need and part of our strategy for protecting people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco is to expand our shelter capacity. We want to mechanic sure that people experience homelessness have state places to be, abilit, hygiene, meals and other basic healthcare. As randy mentioned, there are currently 70 empty beds at the Embarcadaro Center due to what as lined up in the mou. As i mentioned earlier, there are 130 beds currently in operation and that was the agreement per month, one through three, of the Navigation Center and were due to expand to 165 beds for months four through six anand 200 beds in july. We feel we cannot wait until jusjuly to have access to the b. So the court is requesting an amendment to the mou to allow hsh to expand the bed capacity beyond that rampup limit, to accommodate the citywide emergency coronavirus response. This is my brief presentation and im happy to take additional questions from commissioners. Thank you very much for your time. Thank you, randy and emily for your presentation. Is there any Public Comment in the room . Yes, commissioner. Please state your name. Im elgin rose and we do outreach with hundreds of Homeless People i in the Tenderloin Community and outreach into tents. So the 70 beds opened that could be filled with people and could get rest and take in information is very important. And i think just making people feel like theyre a part of the population is a key to maybe making it better and taking this covid19 thing serious. So definitely, im here to support just getting more people with those beds and if anything else the tenderloin could be supportive of, we are interested in doing it. Thank you. Thank you. Hi, thank you for having me here today and also the people who are on the telephone. Im the executive director for the tenderloin and since this crisis hit, we have not shut our doors. We have a serious crisis on the streets. People are out there that dont know whats going on. Weve giving them soap and water and Hand Sanitizer and a lot of these people are elder people, grandmothers, grandfathers and these are handicapped people in wheelchairs and they need some place go. I walked through the tenderloin this morning and i saw easily 100 in two blocks living on the streets, who are dirty and being exposed. Im walking here through the Farmers Market and if thats not a lot to say. Like, we need to help these people and we need more beds. We had a young man who came to us, to our popup and said, you know what, ive been on the streets for three years but im scared right now and i want to go somewhere. Where can i go . A 22yearold man who finally had a revelation he wanted to change his life is still on the streets. So im here in support of expanding the beds and i hope we can move this forward. Everyone has that right. Thank you. My name is joseph norez and i work for the cotenderloin and ive lived in San Francisco for 26 years. I think that on monday, i was asked to come to work to get materials so that i could work at home and on the way to work, at the corner of golden gate and hide, which is one block from the federal building, there were tents, there was a shooting gallery right on the street and so, anybody thats gone through the tenderloin in the last few years or along market street, bart stations know that San Francisco has been the site of a National Health crisis for quite some time and in the last couple of weeks, its become exponentially worse. So common sense says that if our most atrisk individuals who already have a compromised immune system, off on or barista, were all vulnerable. We work with the most vulnerable and underserved people in our city and they need beds. Canary in the coal mines at golden gate and hide is taylor and jones and the bart station and they need help. Put to thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning, im an Education Coordinator and im a pastor. Im here to stay i support this for compassionate reasons. Like donna mentioned earlier, walking through the tenderloin in general, having worked in this area for over a year and a half, i see a lot of disparities and a lot of crime and pain and hurt and i see a lot of people who want find a way into a better life and better situation and now with whats happening with covid19, now theyre in even further danger. Every population, every culture and i feel the homeless situation in the tenderloin is a situation in itself and its not just the tenderloin. You have people in the bayview where i grew up. I grew up in San Francisco and people are hurting and right now covid is doin going after the ey and i want to support this effort and say we should move forward with the expansion of the beds and with helping these people as much as possible. We need someone to know how it and how we can help this effort. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thats the last speaker in the conference room. Thank you, amy and thank you everyone from the tenderloin. Any more Public Comment or inperson . No. So the inperson Public Comment is now closed. Now we will open up the phone lines to take Public Comment from members of the public who are joining us on the phone. Thank you, president brandon. At this time, well open the queue for anyone on the phone who would like to make Public Comments. In question is now in question and answer mode. To alert the speaker you have a question, press one and then zero. Please dial 10 on your phone and the system will add you. You will be entered into the system in the order you dialed 10. The system will let you know when its ready and others will wait. Public comments limited to three minutes per person. The queue is now open and please dial 10 if you wish to make a Public Comment. Thank you. Do we have anyone on the phone . There are five Public Comments via telephone. Please open the line to the first caller. Hello, earn. Everyone. Im a Community Member in rinkton hill, and im an immunologieimimmunologist. From a human standpoint, i can be on board but my concern lies from a health standpoint, specifically, if someone tests positive, what is the containment plan . Are all individuals contained to confinement and do they have an appropriate infrastructure . For example, like a pod or some sort of isolation tent . Additionally, if these individuals test positive or have an exposure, how will they be kept inside and liable to say inside of the Navigation Center or whatever facility theyre in. They should not be able come and go as they please, specifically for drug use. This will add to vulnerabilities and put further strain on the immune system and im not aware of any data about how withdrawal would influence the course of the Coronavirus Infection or another respiratory virus infection. With that said, i agree that is a vulnerable population, but it could ultimately turn into more of a risk and potentially an epicenter of a new wave of infections in San Francisco. So my question for the board or just in general is, what is your plan and how are you going to mitigate any risk . Thank you very much. Thank you. Does this new amendment allow the city to put more than 200 people in the Navigation Center or is it just to expand up to 200 . Thank you. Oh, and one more thing, is there a sundown period . I guess it wont matter. If its up to 200, it wont matter because it can stay up until 200, but if it goes over 200, is there a sundown period . In other words, does that end at a particular point in time . Thank you. Please state your name. My name is bruce goldetski. Thank you, bruce. Moving on to the next caller. Hi, commissioner and port. Im florence and i have the same concern that the first caller had about the crowding situation in the Navigation Center. Right now theres a lot of tents on main street, as you can see, and most residents are concerned about the virus spreading if they go into a shelter and im really concerned about their Health Situation if they were to be packed in even more and more beds were to be added. I would like to understand what kind of risk mitigations and procedures will take place if there are beds that will be added. Thank you. Thank you. Well continue to the next caller. My name is judy lynn and im a neighbor of the Navigation Center and i live at the watermark and i wanted to echo with the callers have stated already. I am all for expanding the shelter capability in general to help the homelessness but i think its the department of the homelessness needs a plan to mitigate risk to the Homeless Population while they reside in these shelters, particularly for the Navigation Center. Is it going to be reconfigured to keep the sixfeet distance while theyre sleeping or interacting and what are the Health Checks that will take place to keep the residents and staff safe, to determine if theyre trying to show symptoms. And also to echo the quarantine issue, if they do start to show symptoms, how will they be quarantined and kept separate from the other guests . And i just wanted to echo, what are we going to do about the 50 of the Navigation Center residents that are drug users, if they start exhibiting symptoms or need to be quarantined, does the staff have the kat capability to treat pose withdrawal symptoms . How are the rules in the Navigation Center going to change to comply with our current shelterinplace order . Earlier this week, we were seeing needles and people outside using drugs. And so those are my questions and i hope emily can address them. Thank you. We are moving on to the final phonein of the caller here. Hello, this is katie ladell and i sent a letter in yesterday and i do have some concerns that the previous speakers have, but in the meantime, weve got 130 people over there already, or 135 and we really do need to help these people out. I am also a neighbor. I walk by quite often and its very quiet over there and ive been inside a couple of times because ive taken over some donations. Its been a very good neighbor. Its been well run. I do encourage you to let executive director forbes give her permission to up the ante to 200. Thank you very much. Thank you. President brandon, at this time, there are no more members on the phone wishing to make Public Comment. Thank you. Seeing no more Public Comment, all Public Comment is closed. President brandon, if i may interject, i have an additional letter from wallace lee whom i would like to read into the Public Record with your permission. Ok. The letter is dated march 18th, 2020 and it was presented to presen president b. I am writing on a safe embarcadaro for seawall lot 330 to allow for the accelerated expansion of the center. Please support the actions the city believes to control the transmission of sarscov2 during this Public Health crisis and we do not oppose the accelerated expansion of the Navigation Center given the circumstances. However, we would be remiss not to bring to the commissions attention the many problems the nav center has brought to the neighborhood, even at the current size. An increase in public drug use, frequent use of war for drug sales and new incantments from those who moved as well as they say have a space in the Navigation Center but prefer to sleep indoors. This can be found in the attached. Its www. Safeembarcadaroforall. Sincerely wallace lee. And attached to his letter are several pictures which have been provided to you and can be uploaded to the ports website and that is the end of wallaces letter. Thank you. So randy or emily, do you want to respond to any of the callers comments or any of the Public Comment . Yes, thank you, president bran ton. Thibrandon. Im happy to respond to questions. And i think theres excellent questions around the safety in the Navigation Center and i want to assure folks that the department of homelessness and Supportive Housing is working very closely with our department of Emergency Management and department of Public Health to improve the safety of all of our congregate facilities, including this Navigation Center. So what that looks like is certainly enhanced cleaning of the site, disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces, handwashing stations, encouragement of good hygiene within the facility. Were also working with the department of Public Health to tea emplodeploy a health screenl for people coming into the Navigation Center and as folks come in, they will be asked a series of questions. If they answer question to a sensor numberacertain number, ar yes, they will be isolated in a certain area where they will ask for a Health Worker to come on site and do an assessment of their healthcare. If they distribute symptoms of the covid19, they will not permitted into the facility but in a selfquarantine isolation area unless their symptoms warrant hospitalization. So we have procured some rvs, trailers for this selfquarantine, as well as procuring hotel rooms for people exposed to the virus. And so folks who live in congregate facilities like homeless shelters. So the intent is really follow do everything we can to remove anybody from the Navigation Center displaying symptoms to have quarantine Spaces Available for them should they not warrant hospitalization and if somebody is exposed to the virus, similar precautions will be taken. So we hear that call and we share everybodys concern around the congregate environment. We are working on social distancing within the shelters across our shelter system and that will mean generally, that we could lose capacity in a number of shelters and thats why were working to identify so many more facilities where we can spread people out, too. These are, of course, for folks who are asymptomatic not exposed to somebody with the virus. For those symptomatic or who have tested positive, we will have a positive intervention for them. Again, the department of homelessness and support of housing is taking the lead from the department of Public Health on all of these protocols. Weve issued new policies and protocols to all of our shelter managers organizations so theyre aware of all of the resources that are available to them, how to interact somebody who demonstrates symptoms and how to get them the care that they need. Of course, access to supplies remains a challenge. Were all moving as quickly as possible, but we have deployed handwashing stations on the streets, as well as to some of the shelters that dont have as many sinks and showers as we would like and were trying to bring in supplemental services. I think that answers some of the questions. If commissioners have additional questions, i am happy to respond. One additional point to clarify some of the questions about the amendment and what it means. I wanted to rei reiterate the proposed amendment calls for only one change to the existing agreement and thats to change the rampup schedule as ar take articulated in 11. 1. In the presentation, emily eluded to what that rampup schedule would look like, existing agreement calls for 130 beds from months one through three and from months four through six, up to 165 and beginning in month seven, up to 200. The proposed amendment would change that rampup schedule so additional beds could be used now. No other terms or provisions of the existing mou would change. Just to clarify, there would be no more than 200 beds. Thank you, emily and randy. Is there any other information that the staff would like to share before i open it up to the commissioners . One other point is as weve been moving quickly to put together huge thank you to the port staff for the emergency meetings, i had the opportunity to talk with the vast majority of the states Navigation Center Advisory Group members, letting them know about this amendment and everyone i spoke to was largely supportive of this work. I will open it up to the commissioners and for the record, i would like to state that commissioner wuho had a conflict and she would like to express her support for more rampups in the capacity of a Navigation Center given the dire need to help the Homeless Community in this crisis. So i just want to make sure that is a part of the record. Commissioner gilman . Thank you, commissioner brandon. First of all, i want to thank all of our frontline nonprofit workers who are continuing to go to work everyday, particularly our Emergency Services staff. Too often nonprofit workers are not thought of by the public as first responders, but theyre the ones keeping our shelters and Navigation Centers and Supportive Housing everyday. I want to thank emily for your work. I am fully supportive of the item. But i have one question for emily. They want to procure hotels and for people who need to selfquarantine or symptomatic but he called for the priorization for people vulnerable to the illness or folks over 60 in the Homeless Population to be sheltered first. My question is, are you looking at that population first for priorization into the Navigation Center or will you use coordinated entry . Thats a great question. Thank you, commissioner gillman. We are looking at the governors guidance that came out yesterday and working with the department of Public Health to put together our priorization tool, but people with preexisting conditions, people over 65 are our priority to serve. Thank you. That concludes my questions. Can you please speak into the microphone. I support this Navigation Center. Vice president adams. I want to thank the community for coming out. I want to thank mayor breed for leadership and this is a situation we must act swiftly. We saw that this is coronavirus and the federal government removed in a swift manner and thats why were behind the 8ball. There was a lot of good questions and a lot of good concerns. But this coronavirus is an enemy, an enm enemy and we cane it. This is a life and death matter. Its a National Crisis and a world crisis. Were talking about our community. We must act swiftly and i live a block from the Navigation Center and we must provide for the beds and we must move. If we dont, i think there will be a price to pay. So i support it and i would ask my fellow commissioners to support it unanimously. Thank you. Emily and randy, thank you again for this presentation and thank you for all of the the work youve done to bring it to this point. I would like to thank mayor breed for having the foresight to having this facility available for our very vulnerable population and to show the need for so many more beds. This is a crisis and hopefully, we can get out in front of this and make sure this population is taken care of along with all of our other City Residents and its a small part that we can play and i want to thank the community. I want to thank our Advisory Group and i want to thank everyone supporting this item, because we really need it. So with that, all in favour . Commissioner, we need to have a role call vote for resolution number 2016. role call all in favour, thank you, commissioners. So resolution 2016 has passed. Thank you. Thank you, commissioners. Thank you. Can i have a motion to ajourn . Motion to ajourn. Is there a second . Yes, second. All in favour . The meeting is adjourned at 10 40 a. M. Thank you, commissioners. Thank you, everyone. Welcome, everyone. Press mute if you come on to the phone. The first item on the