Transcripts For SFGTV BOS Land Use Committee 20240712

Chair where are you . I see myself but not on the screen. Thats a background in san pablo bay. Chair i thought your office was getting better. I didnt realize that was my background. Im not speaking from there, but my home office. Im very grateful. The issues raised are important and fair. We cannot supervisor peskin, you brought this up in the very first hearing that is critical for our society. I feel like the department of building inspection and all the other city Agency Agencies willn this. I am committed to working with everyone and excited to get going. Thank you for this opportunity. Chair thank you, ms. Rafael. Do you do that in conjunction with the office of economic and Workforce Development or do you have that function within your department . We work very closely with joaquin tores and the office of development. We will be working with them to get developers ready to comply with this ordinance and to understand the legalities of their compliance, what those issues are. And of course we work very closely with them on labor and Workforce Development as well. One of the benefits of this ordinance is the opportunity for green jobs and to support retraining of folks and new training of folks to benefit from the green economy. Chair ms. Rafael earlier the chief sponsor supervisor mandelman spoke to that exact concept as it relates to recycled water that has proven very successful in other communities. It may or may not be a good fit for San Francisco given how old it is. Any comments on that . That would be speaking out of my expertise range. My colleagues in the p. U. C. Are much more knowledgeable than that. Clearly the concept of recycled water and using as much Water Resources outside of our groundwater is attractive and important. The feasibility of it is. I dont have the expertise to comment on it. Chair thank you, ms. Rafael. Supervisor safai, would you like to make a motion to continue the duplicated file to the call of the chair as you work on the mentioned amendments that you are working on . I would, mr. Chair, but can we make it continued to next week because i believe ill have it continued to then. Chair absolutely. If you make a motion to duplicate the file to november the 2nd. So moved. Chair madam clerk, on that motion, a roll call. [ roll call ] chair then i believe that supervisor preston made a motion to move this file that was amended, which amendments were substantive a week ago, and i will add there may be some amendments at the full board that would not be substantive that sponsor mandelman and cosponsor preston are working on. On that motion made by supervisor preston, send this item as previously amended with recommendation and the understanding that there could be more substantive changes at the full board. On that motion, a roll call. Can we clarify this amendment . There is no amendment. The item was amended a week ago. There were no amendments made or offered today. I was merely saying for the record to all that are listening and i could drill down into this a little bit. Supervisor mandelman and i have significant conversations today about the board of examiners, which appellate body has met two times in the next three years. We may only go to the board appeals. Those things could happen at the full board next week. They are nonsubstantive in nature. I was saying to the public that there may be some amendments that are forthcoming. But your motion to move this to the full board with recommendation is before us on that motion. Madam clerk, a roll call. [ roll call ]]. Chair next item, please clerk item 2 is an ordinance amending the administrative code to require sellers of multifamily residential buildings to provide a new right of first offer and right of first refusal to qualified nonprofit organizations if a multifamily residential building is not under contract or remains unsold after one year and after each year thereafter; require sellers to provide additional disclosures to qualified nonprofit organizations; provide information to current tenants, and assist qualified nonprofits with due diligence; and allow multifamily residential buildings acquired by qualified nonprofit organizations under the Community Opportunity to purchase act. Members of the public should call the number streaming on the screen, 4156550001, and use access code 146 347 8588. Press pound and pound again. Mr. Chair. Chair supervisor fewer, the floor is yours. We continued this as amended to todays meeting. If you have any comments, the floor is yours. Thank you. Supervisor fewer is not able to be here today. I am the legislative aide to supervisor fewer. Good afternoon, supervisors. Thank you for having me. As you just mentioned, chair peskin, at last weeks hearing supervisor fewer spoke about the purpose of this legislation and thanked all of our Community Partners and cosponsors for all of their support on this. As you all know, the Community Opportunity to purchase act has helped our qualified nonprofits purchase Apartment Buildings that are at risk of losing their affordability and preserve them as permanent Affordable Housing. This prevents the displacement of vulnerable tenants. I want to reiterate what this legislation before you today does to enhance copa. This is really based on the experience from our nonprofits on the ground over the past year. This legislation will make it easier for qualified nonprofits to decide whether to make an offer on a building by requiring the seller to provide them with more complete disclosures, provide more engagement with tenants by requiring sellers to provide an information sheet about copa. Add clarifying language to further prevent offmarket sales, will prevent megalandlords from dumping dozens of buildings on the market at the same time and overwhelming qualified nonprofits as a result. This will require sellers to renotify qualified nonprofits and provide them a new opportunity to purchase the building if it remains on the market after one year. Also its going to allow qualified nonprofits the option to convert rental buildings to coops that comply with the restrictions. And thanks for the amendments accepted last week. I will also exempt land dedications made to the city as part of a Development Agreement for the purpose of building new Affordable Housing. Thank you so much for your support of this amendment last week. I would also like to thank the other supervisors for cosponsoring this piece of legislation. Supervisor fewer and i would respectfully ask for this committees positive recommendation to a full board of the Committee Report. Thank you so much, chair peskin. Chair thank you. I would like to be added as a cospons cosponsor. Are there any members of the committee who would like to comment on this item . Seeing none, is there any Public Comment on this item number two . Clerk we are checking to see if we have any callers in the queue. Can you let us know if there are any callers ready to speak. If you have not done so, press star three to be added to the queue and we will unmute your line. Operator there are zero callers in the queue. Chair Public Comment is now closed and i would like to make a motion to send this item as a Committee Report with recommendation. On that, a roll call, please. [ roll call ] clerk you have three ayes. Chair madam clerk, is there any further business before this committee . Clerk no further business. Chair we are adjourned. Thank you. Snl flsh 5, 4, 3, 2 , 1. Cut. We are here to celebrate the opening of this community garden. A place that used to look a lot darker and today is sun is shining and its beautiful and its been completely redone and been a Gathering Place for this community. I have been waiting for this garden for 3 decades. That is not a joke. I live in an Apartment Building three floors up and i have potted plants and have dreamt the whole time i have lived there to have some ability to build this dirt. Let me tell you handout you how to build a community garden. You start with a really good idea and add Community Support from echo media and levis and take management and water and sun and this is what we have. This is great. Its about environment and stewardship. Its also for the we implemented several practices in our successes of the site. That is made up of the pockets like wool but they are made of recycled plastic bottles. I dont know how they do it. There is acres and acres of parkland throughout Golden Gate Park, but not necessarily through Golden Community garden. We have it right in the middle of roughly five years, i was working as a high school teacher, and i decided to take my students on a surfing field trip. The light bulb went off in my head, and i realized i could do much more for my students taking them surfing than i could as their classroom teacher, and that is when the idea for the city surf project was born. Working with kids in the ocean that arent familiar with this space is really special because youre dealing with a lot of fear and apprehension but at the same time, a lot of excitement. When i first did it, i was, like, really scared, but then, i did it again, and i liked it. Well get a group of kids who have just never been to the beach, are terrified of the idea, who dont like the beach. Its too cold out, and its those kid that are impossible to get back out of the water at the end of the day. Over the last few years, i think weve had at least 40 of our students participate in the city surf project. Surfing helped me with, like, how to swim. Weve start off with about two to four sessions in the pool before actually going out and surfing. Swimming at the pool just helps us with, like, being, like, comfortable in the water and being calm and not being all not being anxious. So when we started the city surf project, one of the things we did was to say hey, this is the way to earn your p. E. Credits. Just getting kids to go try it was one of our initial challenges for the first year or two. But now that weve been doing it three or four years, we have a group of kids thats consistent, and the word has spread, that its super fun, that you learn about the ocean. Starting in the morning, you know, i get the vehicles ready, and then, i get all the gear together, and then, i drive and go get the kids, and we take them to a local beach. We usually go to linda mar, and then occasionally ocean beach. We once did a special trip. We were in capitola last year, and it was really fun. We get in a circle and group stretch, and we talk about specific safety for the day, and then, we go down to the water. Once we go to the beach, i dont want to go home. I cant change my circumstances at home, but i can change the way i approach them. Our program has definitely been a way for our students to find community and build friends. I dont really talk to friends, so i guess when i started doing city surf, i started to, like, get to know people more than i did before, and people that i didnt think id like, like, ended up being my best friends. Its a group sport the way we do it, and with, like, close camaraderie, but everybodys doing it for themselves. Its great, surfing around, finding new people and making new friendships with people throughout surfing. It can be highly developmental for students to have this time where they can learn a lot about themselves while negotiating the waves. I feel significantly, like, calmer. It definitely helps if im, like, feeling really stressed or, like, feeling really anxious about surfing, and i go surfing, and then, i just feel, like, im going to be okay. It gives them resiliency skills and helps them build selfconfidence. And with that, they can use that in other parts of their lives. I went to bring amy family o the beach and tell them what i did. I saw kids open up in the ocean, and i got to see them connect with other students, and i got to see them fail, you know, and get up and get back on the board and experience success, and really enjoy themselves and make a connection to nature at the same time. For some kids that are, like, resistant to, like, being in a Mentorship Program like this, its they want to surf, and then later, theyll find out that theyve, like, made this community connection. I think they provided level playing fields for kids to be themselves in an open environment. For kids to feel like i can go for it and take a chance that i might not have been willing to do on my own is really special. We go on 150 surf outings a year. Thats yearround programming. Weve seen a tremendous amount of youth face their fears through surfing, and that has translated to growth in other facets of their lives. I just think the biggest thing is, like, that they feel like that they have something that is really cool, that theyre engaged in, and that we, like, care about them and how theyre doing, like, in general. What i like best is they really care about me, like, im not alone, and i have a group of people that i can go to, and, also, surfing is fun. Were creating surfers, and were changing the face of surfing. The feeling is definitely akin to being on a roller coaster. Its definitely faster than i think you expect it to be, but its definitely fun. It leaves you feeling really, really positive about what that kids going to go out and do. I think its really magical almost. At least it was for me. It was really exciting when i caught my first wave. I felt like i was, like it was, like, magical, really. When they catch that first wave, and their first lights up, you know their face lights up, you know you have them hooked. I was on top of the world. Its amazing. I felt like i was on top of the world even though i was probably going two miles an hour. It was, like, the scariest thing id ever done, and i think it was when i got hooked on surfing after how i really started my advocacy was through my own personal experiences with discrimination as a trans person. And when i came out as trans, you know, i experienced discrimination in the workplace. They refused to let me use the womens bathroom and fired me. There were so many barriers that other trans folks had in the workplace. And so when i finished college, i moved out to San Francisco in the hopes of finding a safer community. And also, i want to recognize our amazing Trans Advisory Committee who advises our office as well as the mayor, so our transadvisory community members, if they could raise their hands and you could give a little love to them. [applause] thank you so much for your help. My leadership here at the office is engaging the mayor and leadership with our lgbt community. We also get to support, like, local policy and make sure that that is implemented, from allgender bathrooms to making sure that theres lgbt Data Collection across the city. Get to do a lot of great events in trans awareness month. Transgender people really need representation in politics of all kinds, and im so grateful for clair farley because she represents us so intelligently. I would like to take a moment of silence to honor all those folks that nicky mentioned that weve lost this year. I came out when i was 18 as trans and grew up as gay in missoula, montana. So as you can imagine, it wasnt the safest environment for lgbt folks. I had a pretty supportive family. I have an identical twin, and so we really were able to support each other. Once i moved away from home and started college, i was really able to recognize my own value and what i had to offer, and i think that for me was one of the Biggest Challenges is kind of facing so many barriers, even with all the privilege and access that i had. It was how can i make sure that i transform those challenges into really helping other people. Were celebrating transgender awareness month, and within that, we recognize transgender day of remembrance, which is a memorial of those that we have lost due to transgender violence, which within the last year, 2019, weve lost 22 transgender folks. Think all but one are transgender women of color who have been murdered across the country. I think its important because we get to lift up their stories, and bring attention to the attacks and violence that are still taking place. We push back against washington. That kind of impact is starting to impact trans black folks, so its important for our office to advocate and recognize, and come together and really remember our strength and resilience. As the only acting director of a City Department in the country, i feel like theres a lot of pressure, but working through my own challenges and barriers and even my own selfdoubt, i think ive been try to remember that the action is about helping our community, whether thats making sure the community is housed, making sure they have access to health care, and using kind of my access and privilege to make change. I would like to Say Something about clair farley. She has really inspired me. I was a nurse and became disabled. Before i transitioned and after i transitioned, i didnt know what i wanted to do. Im back at college, and clair farley has really impressed on me to have a voice and to have agency, you have to have an education. Mayor breed has led this effort. She made a 2. 3 Million Investment into trans homes, and she spear headed this effort in partnership with my office and tony, and were so proud to have a mayor who continues to commit and really make sure that everyone in this city can thrive. Our community has the most resources, and im very happy to be here and to have a place finally to call home. Thank you. [applause] one, two, three. [applause] even in those moments when i do feel kind of alone or unseen or doubt myself, i take a look at the community and the power of the supportive allies that are at the table that really help me to push past that. Being yourself, its the word of wisdom i would give anyone. Surely be patient with yourself and your dream. Knowing that love, you may not always feel that from your family around you, but you can hi. I am alia, and i am running for San Francisco city college. I never knew that i would one day grow up and oversee the Free City College program at the department of children, youth, and their families, increasing access to Educational Opportunities for our Community Every day. In this role, i also monitoring the entire budget for the program. My passion for education started at a young age. I grew up in a lowincome household and have experienced firsthand the transformative nature of education both as a student and teacher. But over time, i realized how Education Systems failed our most vulnerable students. As a former legislative aide, i worked on legislation to ban the box on private college applications, making San Francisco the first city in the nation to do so. During this time of a Global Pandemic and a social movement to dismantle systemic racism, city College Needs a new voice and a proven leader in education. My lifes mission has been to ensure institutions are accountable to the people they are built to serve. I am running to make sure city college remains the peoples college. If elected, i will fight to invest in a permanent Emergency Grant Program for students, establish a jobs guarantee program, with clear career path days, and grow free city. I will advocate for increased transparency and further education resources. I would be honored to have your support. Please vote alia chifsky. You and are four your time. Hello. We have a choice of two paths. The road ccsf is traveling is one of financial challenges, instability, and a decrease of 18 in enrollment. I see a second healthier path. With strong experienced guidance, ccsf can gain financial stability, and reengage as an important and diverse institution. Ccsf is in danger of closing, creating a crisis in San Francisco. Ccsf must be saved, but electing the same type of candidates, politicians beholden to stakeholders will result in the same outcomes. I have declined all offers of consideration for endorisment by stakeholders so that i can focus on slufl doing what is right to save ccsf, i will not be beholden to interest groups. Im the only candidate who has raised over 40 million for educational and other causes and will bring creative funding ideas and other opportunities to ccsf. Im the only candidate who has served on a finance committee of a fiscally fit company. I believe that ccsf is a gem that must be preserved. I will be your independent and experienced voice on the board. Thank you, and please vote for me. Im juanita martinez, a family poor in money but rich in family history. My family came from northern mexico. My father was especially proud of his indigenous roots, comanche and navajo. We moved to california when my father was forced to retire. That opened up Higher Education for me because Community College was free in california. I studied at delta college, earned an associates agree. I transferred to s. F. State, and i was often the only student of color in any of my classes. My grassroots activism started in the ethnic strike. We didnt win all of our demands, but ethnic studies is now included and growing in area schools. In 2019, i was invited to speak at the city college ethnic studies teachin during black history month. I told the students that as a former student and Community College teacher and administrator, i was passing the baton onto them in the struggle for social justice. As i finished speaking, i should and could go one more lap on the City College Board of trustees. Im running with the support of students, faculty, and trustees that are just as concerned as i am. Too many classes have been cancelled, outcomes for black and brown students need to be improved. My campaign is not me, its about sharing what i learn frd my work experience, being a student, teacher, and vice chancellor at city college. Its about keeping city college a Community College, a college of and for the community. Hi. Im dr. Vic trolgary. Im a former Senior University administrator with 15 years of experience in Higher Education. I i am grated to the United States when i was 12 years old. My parents never even finished high school. I struggled through the e. S. L. System, and we were quite poor. I know just what our students are experiencing because this was my old life. I worked hard to transfer to a fouryear school. I worked hard by earning pell grants, and scholarships, and taking out some student loans. I went onto get a ph. D. In political science. I taught at a university level, and i game the chief of staff at the university of california riverside, and since then, ive helped manage universities, ive guided campus master plans. Ive helped hire some of the diverse faculty members across the state of california and directed budgets in the hundreds of millions of dollars. This is everything that city college desperately needs to be doing right now. Im still a professor of political science, because i will always return to teaching, but i have directed a workforce of companies here in San Francisco. Im currently serving as cochair of the California Democratic party, but i have worked on 600 resolutions to drive some of the best policies in the state. I have endorsements across the Democratic Party in San Francisco. Check out my comprehensive plans at victorforsf. Com. My name is jeremy peter, and im running to represent you on the ccsf board. Many people ask why im running in this years election. I have a great job at an efficiency project manager. I love spending time with my partner, eric, and i love living here in the bayview. Education has afforded me opportunities, and i believe that education is a human right. Advancing tuition Free Education allows our most vulnerable students a chance to make a difference in their lives. The Climate Crisis was my call to action. In march, San Francisco voters approved 845 million bond for ccsf infrastructure improvements. Using this deal, my greparty w put the green plan into action. Environmental, financial, and educational sustainability are intertwined. With students as our guide is principle, we will appoint a Community Oriented chancellor who is committed to implementing a Strategic Plan that is interested in sustained eligibility and the sustainability. Now more than ever we must be laser focused on providing transparency on board matters and education for students that have been displaced by covid19. I will am asking for your support to protect Free Education, upgrade our learning spaces, and camp i dont know the opportunities ccsf offers. As an ally of if a stoplight associations and student organizations, i will fight for you. Im tim chronicle, and im proud to serve as the vice chair of the board of trustees. I know how important it is to have access to quality well funded public education. Community College Classes helped me get back on track when i got sick and had to drop out of high school, allowing me to graduate and enroll at San Francisco state university. This experience inspired me to run for the board of trustees in 2016, when i was elected to a fouryear term. During my last four years serving as your representative on the City College Board, ive worked with students, teachers, and staff to secure important victories for city college. I i ensured that our accreditation was reinstated for the next decade. I worked with if a ultimate to create the cannabis studies program. I helped create the workforce and education fund, and i fought for new resources and policies to support undocumented and lgbtq students. Over the next four years, city college will need to combat severe funding cuts at the state and local level, put in place new support services to help our communities succeed during this challenging covid19 environment, and create workforce programs in areas Like Health Care and technology to meet the needs of our changing economy. I have experience solving challenges like this and hope to continue to bring that experience and leadership to city college. Im alan wong, and im running for College Board to ensure it serves working and immigrant families like my own. Im supported by a. F. T. Local 2121 and seiu 1021. I was born and raised in San Francisco, and my entire family went to city college. When my dad came to this country as an immigrant, he was laid off from his factually job, so i went to city college to improve his english. He learned about the city College Culinary program, and he supported my family as the sole provider for two decades. The training my dad received enabled my dad to afford housing in the sunset and get health care. My mom took e. S. L. Classes that improved herself confidence and talking to family members. As a senior going to s. F. High, i took ccsf classes when i was a junior, helping me to graduate from u. C. San diego when i was just 19 years old. I expanded city college into the sunset by working with city college, sfusd and local nonprofits, and i spent a year writing the city College Workforce and Recovery Fund education legislation to ensure that we provide opportunities for our working families during covid19. Today, my dad has been played off, like many other Service Sector workers. City college is a place of hope and opportunity, where my dad was able to start a new career. Im running so city college can once again be that place where miraculous things can happen for working families like my own. My unanimoname is han so, a running for the board of trustees because it was education that changed my life. I immigranted to the u. S. When i was six years old. My mom was the first person in her family to go to college, where she studied Public Health, and my dad and i and my two grandparents were able to come to this country. The five of us lived in a onebedroom apartment for the first five years. Like a lot of immigrant families here in San Francisco, my grandparents took care of my while my mom worked to pay the rent and my mom focused on her studied. I still remember my mom teaching me the words hello and bathroom before putting me on the bus and sending me on the way to the first day of school. My first job was at asian law caucus where i worked to bring Education Services to asian and a. P. I. Families as well as undocumented immigrants. As executive director of the Democratic Party, i staffed the agenda. City college is hugely important to our community and towel all immigrant and working class families, and as trustee, i want to bring my experience and my background to ensure that post pandemic, the communities that have been most affected by the shutdown can use city college to learn new skills in a new economy. Im proud to be endorsed by the democratic property, and a majority of the City College Board of trustees, and ii woul love to have your support, as well. Thank you. [ ] im kevin duffy, and im proud to have represented district 9 in San Francisco on the b. A. R. T. Board of directors, when i first took office, i was really concerned about the filthy conditions at some of our stations, and you may have read when b. A. R. T. Management wouldnt add any custodians, i started sweeping with supervisor hit reronen, and we swept the stations for four months hillary ronen. We swept the stations for four months. Now, there are two cleaning certifications with quadruple the amount of cleaning staff. Despite being in this pandemic, i think we can say that the b. A. R. T. Trains and stations are much, much cleaner. Ive worked to make civic center a better station, and i think you can visit that station and feel safe much more than previously. Im proud to have stood up for a youth fair. With leticia simon, i pushed to get it through. We have elevators in our system, and we needed to have attendance on there, and the Homeless Outreach team, so ive been a very nuts and bolts b. A. R. T. Director, with a vision how to bring our facility back, and id be grateful to have your support for four more years on the b. A. R. T. Board. Thank you so much. My name is ahsha safai, and im the current district 11 supervisor. Were building housing on a scale weve never done before, almost 600 units, 65 of it being affordable to working families. Weve planted over 2,000 trees, and weve investing in our transportation like weve never done before. Weve done speed cushions, were doing transportation improvements on mission and general geneva, and were making sure we have affordable and accessible transportation. During this time of crisis, we are weve been in constant reaction mode to make sure our citizens have the protection and access to health care that we need. Weve opened up ultimate multiple testing sites in our districts. Weve distributed thousands of masks to families and individuals to make sure that theyre safe. Weve been on constant, constant mode of delivering services during this crisis. One of the largest things thats also happened in our city and our nation is black lives Matter Movement. Weve eninsured, working with our mayor and supervisor walton, that weve invested in the Community Life never been done before. Weve directed over 120 million in black led organizations and in the black community. In my district in particular, its building on the success we started over three years ago where weve been investing in those communities and those leaders and those businesses consistently. I would appreciate your support. Im running for reelection to continue to work aggressively for the residents of San Francisco and the residents of district 11. Thank you. Right before the game starts, if im still on the field, i look around, and i just take a deep breath because it is so exciting and magical, not knowing what the season holds holds is very, very exciting. It was fastpaced, stressful, but the good kind of stressful, high energy. There was a crowd to entertain, it was overwhelming in a good way, and i really, really enjoyed it. I continued working for the grizzlies for the 20122013 season, and out of happenstance, the same job opened up for the San Francisco giants. I applied, not knowing if i would get it, but i would kick myself if i didnt apply. I was so nervous, i never lived anywhere outside of fridays know, andfridays fresno, and i got an interview. And then, i got a second interview, and i got more nervous because know the thought of leaving fresno and my family and friends was scary, but this opportunity was on the other side. But i had to try, and lo and behold, i got the job, and my first day was january 14, 2014. Every game day was a puzzle, and i have to figure out how to put the pieces together. I have two features that are 30 seconds long or a minute and a 30 feature. Its fun to put that altogetl r together and then lay that out in a way that is entertaining for the fans. A lucky seat there and there, and then, some lucky games that include players. And then ill talk to lucille, can you take the shirt gun to the bleachers. I just organize it from top to bottom, and its just fun for me. Something, we dont know how its going to go, and it can be a huge hit, but youve got to try it. Or if it fails, you just wont do it again. Or you tweak it. When that all pans out, you go oh, we did that. We did that as a team. I have a great team. We all gel well together. It keeps the show going. The fans are here to see the teams, but also to be entertained, and thats our job. I have wonderful female role models that i look up to here at the giants, and theyve been great mentors for me, so i aspire to be like them one day. Renelle is the best. Shes all about women in the workforce, shes always in our corner. [applause] i enjoy how progressive the giants are. We have had the longer running until they secure day. Weve been doing lgbt night longer than most teams. I enjoy that i work for an organization who supports that and is all inclusive. That means a lot to me, and i wouldnt have it any other way. I wasnt sure i was going to get this job, but i went for it, and i got it, and my first season, we won a world series even if we hadnt have won or gone all the way, i still would have learned. Ive grown more in the past four years professionally than i think ive grown in my entire adult life, so its been eye opening and a wonderful learning hi, everybody. Welcome. Good evening and welcome to the forum for the 2020 district one San Francisco board of supervisors election. Im the president of the league of women voters of San Francisco. And im also a resident of district 1. Im very excited to be here with my neighbor to hear from more candidates as a voter. The league of women voters of San Francisco is a nonpartisan, nonprofit that encourages informed and active participation in government. The league never supports or opposes candidates, however, we do take stands on issues. This years election presents new and unprecedented challenges for voters and were committed to providing the resources that voters need to exercise the most fundamental rights of our democracy and be assured that the votes will be counted. Please remember that you must be registered to vote by october 19. All registered voters will be mailed a ballot in early october. Options for inperson voting will be available both early and on november 3rd. Please visit our website at lwvsf. Org vote where youll find all of the voter resources we offer. The league of women voters is a nonprofit organization. If youd like to support our work and free events like this one, become a member or donate at our website. Im now pleased to introduce lia edwards, our moderator for tonight. Lia currently serves a treasurer of the league of women voters of the United States. She previously served as president of the league of women voters of San Francisco and has served on the board for almost six years. She believes that participation in government is critical to the success of the nation and is excited in creating a more perfect democracy. Professionally, lia works in the Investment Management industry in San Francisco. Welcome, lia. Thank you, alison. Welcome to the candidates for San Francisco district one board of supervisors. The candidates will have a chance to present their views on issues affecting San Francisco. First, id like to remind you of our ground rules. Responses to questions should be on the issues and policyrelated. Candidates are expected to be respectful of other candidates and asked not to make personal attacks on other individuals. Here are the procedures. The candidates will have the opportunity to make oneminute opening and closing statements. Opening statements will be in alphabet cal order by first name. Closing will be in reverse alphabetical order. Each candidate has one minute to answer the questions. Any rebuttal can be included in the closing statement which is one minute. The first question will be directed to three candidates. The second question to the remaining three candidates. This process will be repeated with rotation of the response order. Each candidate will have the opportunity to answer the same number of questions. There will be a lightning round where all candidates will be asked the same question with the responses being yes, no, or no response. The final question will be directed to all candidates. A countdown timer will be displayed with visual indication of the remaining time of the response. Every aspect of the forum will be equally fair to all candidates. Thank you to the attendees tonight. Youre in listenonly mode. The chat features are not active. Please do not use the raised hand option. This will be made available on the website, our youtube chan and sfgovtv cable channels. You have many important decisions to make on december 3rd. Tonights forum will give you an opportunity to learn before you vote. Lets begin. We will start off with oneminute Opening Statements in alphabetical order. Welcome, candidates, and thank you for participating in the forum. Please introduce yourself, tell us which neighborhood you live in, why youre running and what would be the top three priorities for your first year. Well start with andrew. Id like to thank the league of women voters of San Francisco for holding this forum. And inviting all of us to speak to you this evening. I think its a most critical time for our city and obviously the country with the covid19 pandemic. Im running for district 1. Ive lived in the city for 15 years in the Richmond District. I met my now fiance here in Richmond District. So this neighborhood means a lot to me. Over the last 15 years ive seen the city of San Francisco, but particularly our drk district here, deal with the issues when it comes to trash in the streets. Weve seen increase in unhoused individuals and that is of particular concern to me as a member of the community and obviously for my fellow neighbors, particularly with the covid19 its a Public Health and Public Safety issue that we need to address. Im running to make sure we can restore some type of order in terms of cleaning up our streets, making sure we adequately fund our police, because we do have an increase of property crime in our neighborhoods. And ultimately, you know, helping our elderly, our lowincome families and working families to be able to have a prosperous living environment. So thats why im running for district one. Again, i appreciate you hosting this and i look forward to hearing questions from your committee. Thank you, andrew. Next, connie. Connie, i think youre on mute. Hi, good evening. Im connie chan. Im running for district 1 supervisor. Im a first generation immigrant. I came here when i was 13 years old. Now im 42. Youre welcome to do the math. And my mom still live in the same rent controlled apartment i grew up in chinatown. Today with my partner who is firefighter in the city, were raising our second grader. A 7yearold at lafayette. The last 15 years ive spent my career in Public Service in City Government, aide to board of supervisors, District Attorneys Office when District Attorney was Kamala Harris and city college of San Francisco and rec department. I want to use my experience to fight the gap in the city so everyone can sit here in a house safe and healthy. Thank you. Next, david. Im david lee. I live in the Richmond District. Im a San Francisco native. I lived most my life in the richmond. Went to high school in the neighborhood. And i guess in the mid 90 fz i was on the board of league of women voters and did these debates. So this is a great job youre doing, lia, and the team here, and alison, in getting everybody engaged. I am an educator. I teach at San Francisco state. I also work in the Community Colleges supporting english second language program. And ive worked to register voters through a Civil Rights Organization for many years. Im running to, one, bring bart to the Richmond District. Two, to support Small Business. And three, to help address the homeless crisis in our district. Thank you very much, david. Hi, good evening. I was born here in the richmond. I grew up on the peninsula. 14 years ago my husband and i moved back to the richmond. Made a conscious decision to buy our home in the Outer Richmond where we have three kids and live with my motherinlaw. I run a Small Business here in the neighborhood, but i have 30 Years Experience in government at the federal, state and local level. Ive also run a Strategic Communications firm here in San Francisco. You know, this pandemic wasnt anything any of us expected. I think running a campaign in a pandemic is not anything any of us planned for. I think the backdrop of the pandemic has highlighted where we could do better as a city. Im very concerned about homelessness. About housing. About supporting our local economy, meaning Small Business and the very delicate ecosystem between our small and larger businesses and keeping our streets safe and clean. Thank you. Great, thank you. Next sherman. Good evening. I live in the Richmond District in San Francisco. And i also work at a store in the Richmond District. And im running because the basic things that we all see every day just are not getting taken care of in our neighborhood. That means making sure that the streets are clean. Making sure that the trash cans are emptied. Make sure that our medians are maintained. All these basic functions that government is supposed to take care of are put on the back burner in favor of other issues that elected officials believe are more important. I think there is nothing more important than making sure that the basic functions of government are taken care of. Im running for supervisors because i want to make sure the streets are clean. Make sure that traffic lights are installed on the missing blocks in the neighborhood. And that we have accessibility from the supervisor to its residents. Thank you. Great, thank you, sherman. Next, we have veronica. Good evening. Im a longtime resident of the Richmond District. I went to the public school. And im a graduate of you know, im a single working mom to a 10yearold and a 21yearold who attended city college of San Francisco who benefitted from free city where he played baseball and football. I live in the home with my parents and understand the issues that seniors are having. I own a Family Restaurant in San Francisco, but i have two decades of state and local government experience. I want to San Francisco that works for all, not just the selected and privileged few. Our priorities, economic recovery, Public Safety and housing. Those are the three issues we hear about and we need to start taking it. The first question is, what approaches do you support that encourage the building of new housing in district one . How would you balance housing density with keeping the character of the neighborhood . And the first person is veronica . Thank you for the question. As far as you know, im a huge supporter of senator wieners bill to build housing in unused land, but also huge support of the bill that brings in funding for Affordable Housing. I think we need to hold our elected officials at the state level and the city level to bring in funds to be able to build housing here in San Francisco. We need the state and federal level to come in. Statement at the same time, we need to look at what Affordable Housing means to the average san franciscan. Our teachers and First Responders do not qualify. We need to what below market rate housing is. Im a supporter of all income levels of housing in San Francisco. We need income level of housing in San Francisco in order to build 100 Affordable Housing. So thats where i stand right now with housing. Next we have david. Same question. What approaches do you support that encourage the building of new housing in district one and how would you balance housing density in keeping with the character of the neighborhood . I strongly believe in investing in public transit. I think bringing bart to the richmond will help us create transit hubs that can increase 100 Affordable Housing provided that local community and local control is maintained. I think that is very important that the community and the neighborhood are at the table and consent to density. However, i do believe that transit is really critical and we have to do transit along with building Affordable Housing. Thats why i support bringing bart to the richmond. We passed a 3. 5 billion bart bond in 2016. There is 10 million for a study to bring bart to the richmond. Its time to Start Talking about it. As supervisors, that will be one of my top priorities. Thank you, david. Next up, marchand. Same question. So i dont think creating homes for families and working people and maintaining the amazing character of our neighborhood are mutually exclusive things. I think that we can plan together, which is part of having a supervisor that is engaged and in the neighborhood, and having these conversations even in years that arent election years. I do believe that we absolutely need 100 subsidized Affordable Housing. Where that subsidy will come from, i think, im a realist about that, we dont have the money from the federal or state government. Given the kicking the can down the road mentality on housing, not just in the richmond, but all over San Francisco, we need to ensure that the housing is being built in an environmentally mindful way in transit corridors, in the merchant corridors, while creating housing for working families that dont qualify for 100 Affordable Housing. I think thats a conversation and action plan that a supervisor is very well suited to lead. Thank you. Next well have the second question. That goes to the remaining three candidates. What will you do to provide more Affordable Housing in district one . Do you support programs that encourage the building of more accessory dwelling units, known as granny flats and inlaw units . Andrew . Thats a really good question. So building out more inlaws, again that is something that youre going to have discuss with the Property Owner and i do support that, but again, you have to have buyin from the Property Owners in order to do that. And whether that is something they want to have built into their properties. Again, thats something that needs to be discussed also at the local level with the other board of supervisors and you have to come to some kind of consensus in how we want to approach that. But we definitely need obviously more Affordable Housing in district one and the Richmond District. One of the things as an aside, there are availability in terms of Affordable Housing in our district, but some of those available property spaces are being used as airbnbs, so thats one of the things we probably need to look at and change. Thank you. Thank you, andrew. Next well have sherman. Same question. So i think for housing, i think one of the things we can do is make it easier for the people who want to build in the city to build, is very expensive, and it adds to the cost of building in the city, reducing some of the red tape would, you know, will encourage builders to build in the city. I do think adus are helpful. Anything that adds to the Housing Stock is helpful. The other two aspects that i think that need to be addressed is shortterm like airbnb. Those should not be allowed. Also, our colleges and universities, i think if they are going to bring in people from outside the area, we should require them to build appropriate units to house the people that theyre bringing into the community. Thank you. Thank you, sherman. Finally, connie. Thank you. I definitely support the development of Affordable Housing. When i talk about Affordable Housing and 100 affordable, it is between 0 all the way up to 120 , and that is below poverty rate up to 160,000 annual income for a household of four. And i think that is a solid middle income housing. That can actually house our workforce. And its also the reason why i supported prop a in 2019, which is 600 million Affordable Housing bond and prop e, Affordable Housing for educators and workforce. That allows us to rezone and upzone for any public land and private land. I find they build 100 affordable. The gap is how the incentive for Property Owners to build them, so we need to continue to push forward. Thank you, connie. Well move on to the third question. How will you address the issues a in the richmond of homelessness and crime both shortterm and longterm . Will you prioritize Homeless Services . And if so, which services . If not, why not . This will be answered first by david. I do not support building a Navigation Center in the Richmond District, however, i do support extending a Homeless Services, particularly a Mental Health crisis counselors, reallocating funding from the Police Department to provide and hire more crisis counselors to address the Mental Health crisis that we find on our streets today. I believe that we should provide more Services Rather than police as a response to addressing homelessness. I also believe that we should be moving the Homeless Population into hotel rooms. They should be sheltered. This is a Public Health crisis. We have hotel rooms that are already paid for. And we should be moving the Homeless Population from the richmond into hotel rooms where they can be sheltered and services provided. Thank you. Thank you, david. Next question is answered by connie. I think that we at this point that homelessness is obviously a symptom of a problem and that problem is lack of equity for generations of working people. The lack of equity to health care, education and Food Security and housing security. Lets address those issues first because the best way to stop homelessness is to prevent it. However, for the existing homeless problem, we should make sure our city has coordinated services to provide individualized approach. Lets not just do the count of who the Homeless Population, but also to know who they are so we understand their needs and help them to get their feet back back on their feet. I think that also, that you know, with recently there is a report about the gap, about providing permanent Supportive Housing for homeless and we need to do a better job with that. Great, thank you. Next veronica. I absolutely agree that we need Homeless Services here in the Richmond District, but i am in support of a mobile Navigation Center here in the Richmond District. We have Navigation Centers here in the city. Theyre expensive to build and maintain. So the reality is we need the services, but how do we get them to the Homeless Population . The reality is this is an urgent manner now. It is a Public Health issue. We need to treat them with compassion. One person at a time. My focus has been on the foster youth. We start with our foster youth who are at higher percentage rates of being unhoused when they turn 21. To give them an opportunity to finish college degree. With regard to the Homelessness Services now, hotel, we have to look at Mental Health services and housing these individuals. Thank you. Thank you. Next we move to the next question for the remaining three candidates. What would you do to address Substance Abuse and Mental Health issues with residents . So many of our people who are on the street do have mental and Substance Abuse issues, for that reason i supported that the first thing we have to do before we do anything else, we have to get people off the street. We have to have a safe place for them to go so that we can tell them you cant be out on the street anymore. My suggestion is to use the city garages that we already have that are owned by the city, so they dont cost us more, and put up temporary housing temporary type of housing in there that everybody has their own unit. And while theyre there, we can treat everybody who needs help. Find out what their situation is, what do they need and have all of the resources in one place. I believe that is the best use of the resources. But we cannot get a handle on how to help people when we dont have them in place where we can interact with them and help them. Thank you. Thank you, sherman. Next. So, when we talk about an issue like homelessness, i think we need to recognize the different needs of the unhoused populations because there isnt one single solution. I think weve heard a lot of that in different candidatess responses. Yes, the housing shortage must be addressed. We need to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place. Enforcing the laws on the books about sleeping on the streets, but also being able to offer our unhoused residents a place to stay. We need to increase Government Accountability and transparency so were enforcing metrics to eliminate duplicate programs. With regard to Mental Illness and drug use, i got to tell you, we cannot talk about homelessness without talking about the Opioid Crisis and the fentanyl that has been on the streets for the past two years. You have to look at what is happening in the tenderloin and what is starting to happen in the richmond. We have to prosecute the drug dealers so they can stop killing people and its affecting our Homeless Population. Finally, andrew. Yeah, thats a great question. So it is a twopart problem. We have the issue of homelessness that continues to rise in the Richmond District and its been a problem in the city of San Francisco for several years now. We spent upwards of 300 million on this crisis and we still dont get anywhere. Our approach needs to change. Specifically, when you look at homeless, the answer is not building Navigation Centers in Richmond District, because, one, they cost up to 70,000 per person to house a person in Navigation Center and hundreds of thousands of dollars to build. One of the things we have to do is we do have to we do have to get tough and realistic and we need to first and foremost get the unhoused individuals and again we cant treat them as a monolith, because we have homeless veterans, we have young people within the Lgbtq Community that are, unfortunately, unhoused. And so we have to treat everything on a casebycase basis. Thank you, andrew. Sorry, time is up. Okay, sorry. Thank you for your response. Well move on to the next question. Which is according to San Francisco police statistics, crimes against persons have decreased, burglaries have increased. What actions do you propose the city, the police and administration do to handle the property crime . Well start with connie. From my experience working at both starting as a Community Organizer for the San Francisco and the District Attorneys Office, i think property crime is in terms of the crime pyramid, it really does impact a lot of people. And from my experience, is that there are ways in technology and that is not invasive. And without involving Law Enforcement directly, that our residents can use to either prevent it to prevent the property crime or deter it from happening again. I think that another part of it we can make it more efficient is about crime reporting. That is a lot more convenient for the victims of property crime so that also that data can be provided to our Law Enforcement in realtime when they can track it and hopefully come up with a strategy to either prevent it or be able to reduce in certain area. [please stand by] [please stand by] i believe nonny vase i have surveillance and Technology Say great ally in our efforts to curb the increase in property crime. Were seeing that automobiles are having monitoring, in their parked vehicles. I think that we need Police Resources are scarce. I served on the Richmond Community Police Advisory board for a number of years. We only have so many police and a very large geographical area for them to patrol so, its going to be incumbent on all of us to Work Together to bring down property crime. The reporting is another very important piece. We should report property crimes year and consistent so that information data can be used and shared. I think also that we could be doing a lot more as a neighborhood. Thank you, david. Next question for the remaining three candidates. Many residents are concerned about the impact of crime and homelessness on the quality of life in this city. What will you do to ensure that all residents feel safe in their neighborhoods while also addressing Racial Justice and Law Enforcement concerns . Well start with you. I always say that Public Safety and Police Accountability are both core responsibilities of local government. Not only cant you play one off the other but you shouldnt. You can do both. Thats why i support investing in our black community and ensuring the way we look at Law Enforcement and we look atri store tive justice, theres equity. Three hours ago someone was stabbed five blocks away from my house. This morning, a neighbor, who has a public bench and a ferry garden on the corner, it was completely vandalized and thats heartbreaking for our neighborhood. I think that police need to solve crimes and we shouldnt layoff police officers. At the same time, we can invest and. They seemed to have moved from gary. We cant just move our population from corner to corner and district to district. It affects quality of life. The realities our kids shouldnt have to walk to ocean beach and see someone urinating on the corner. Its unacceptable. Statement, we have to see that we have to treat this this issue with compassion and we have to invest in Mental Health services. I do agree. We need more data so we get appropriate funding. We have to reinvest in our communities and shift away from leaving policing. But theres a role for police to play in our community. Property crime is people are saying home and for theres a role for everyone to play in our community. Thank you veronica. Well have sherman. The short answer to your question is we have to enforce the laws. The reason we have laws on the books in San Francisco, is to keep everybody who lives here safe. I want those laws enforced. Not necessarily to punish people but we need to enforce the laws so we get people maybe we can do diverse. Does it mean putting people in jail . It might be some other form of compensation. That being said, Police Department has problems. I understand that. But the solution is not to reduce their budget or to defund them deters crime in the first place and thats what we want. We want the crime to be deterred before it happens. Thank you. Thank you. Now were going to move on to a quick lightening round. So, please answer these questions with only yes, no or no response. The questions will go to all candidates. So for the first question, the lightening round, do you support the San Francisco School Board Decision to remove the murals of George Washington high school from public view . Connie . Yes. Sherman. No. Andrew. Im going to say no. Marshan. No. David . Yes. Veronica. As alumni, i wont answer. Next question. Still the lightening round. So yes, no, or no response answers. Its a current legislatio legisd Short Term Rentals acceptable or should more restrictions be in place . Sherman. No, more restrictions. Andrew . No and there needs to be more restrictions. Marjan . I think there could be more restrictions. Its strict. I guess that is whatever that answer is. David. There could be more restrictions. Investor on veronica. No. Connie. More restrictions. Do you support the expansion of bart or muni to the Outer Richmond . Andrew . No, because the last thing was a disaster on van ness. Just yes or no. Sorry. Sure, if theres money. Yes, no, no response. David. Yes. Veronica. Yes. Connie. Yes. And sherman. No. We dont have the money. Next question. For the lightening round. Do you support prop b split off all public work sidewalk maintenance and sanitation duties into a new agency while the Current Department handles engineering, design, project management and other work tied to San Francisco public infrastructure. Marshan . Could you repeat that . Absolutely. So this is still lightening round no response. Do you support prop b which would split off other street cleaning and sanitation duties into a new agency while the Current Department continues to handle engineering, design, project management and other works tied to San Franciscos public infrastructure. Yes. Andrew . Yes. Ok. Next question in the lightening round. Will you commit to providing your district one constituents with rapid, easy and responsive methods of communicating with you . David. Yes. Ver tonic a. Yes. Connie. Yes. Sherman. Absolutely. Andrew. 100 yes. Marshan. Yes. Sixth question and final question in the light eping rounlighteninground. Are you willing to increase taxes on Tech Companies in order to support infrastructure, environmental and or job training projects . Veronica. Yes. Connie. Sure. But its really about the billion dollars or Million Dollars and what tax category they are. Yes, no, no response please. Sherman. No. Andrew. No. Marshan. No. David. No. Great. Thank you, everyone. Well do three candidates at a time. What will you do to support district 1 businesses, especially minorityowned businesses, as they struggle with the challenges of covid19 both now and in the future . Veronica . This issue is very personal to me as a Small Business owner. If we want to get through this economic pandemic that were going through, we have to invest in Small Business and making sure they survive this pandemic or it will change the dynamics of our community. The reality is Small Businesses are the number one employers for women and undocumented, for students, and if we lose that were going to have a lot of more unemployment individuals here in San Francisco so its crucial to our economic recovery that we invest in supporting Small Businesses, making sure we provide grants, if not low interest loans so that they can survive this pandemic. Were seeing this issue, if you cant tell right now, ter ants are looking like theyre going to get evict and it will change the culture of San Francisco. We want to maintain our Small Business and diversity and we have to reinvest in our Small Businesses, especially those businesses of color. Thank you, veronica. Next well have david. We need to make it easier for Small Businesses to get permits, streamline the process. We need to make language accessibility a priority to make sure that all businesses have opportunities including those owned by immigrants or immigrant owners of Small Businesses that are not aware of the opportunities there are to apply for grants and loans and assistance. We also need to help Small Businesses support them by providing more grants and loans so that they can recover from the crisis. I also believe that the Small Businesses need help with understanding the government regulations and the health codes. It changes every few weeks with the covid19 announcements and as to what is open and what cant open. And that requires out reach from the city, which isnt happening in multi langs. I would make that a priority. Thank you, david. Next well have marshand. Its too hard to started and operate a business in San Francisco. Were losing 10 of our businesses a month and thousands bay area wide. I think that we need to support measures like proposition h, which is on the ballot this november, that will streamline the permitting process so you dont have minorityowned businesses paying rent on a space for four years to open an Indoor Dining establishment, which is happening here in richmond. I think we need to make it more flexible for businesses to kind of reinvent the services they offer so that as they weather this pandemic and move into a new reality where they cant have more people in the business, we cant penalize them for that. I think for the next several years, were going to have to alleviate the fees that were charging our businesses so its not so confusing and not such a gun burden and we need to work with blackled organizations to recruit Business Owners of color to come to our neighborhood. Thank you. Next question. Which are the three candidates. How will you address the looming Economic Situation that may result when the current Eviction Moratorium expires. Well start with andrew. So, regarding the Eviction Moratorium, i believe at the federal level that that is already passed. And people are going to be starting to get eviction notices from their landlords in the beginning of november. The city needs to step in and provide protections for renters and folks and folks that are leasing homes for their families. Again, thats something that is going to take a collective effort from the board of supervisors getting together and figuring out a economic plan where we can protect these people and at the same time we have to consider the fact they have mortgages to pay and it has to be a equitable relationship. Its a very unfortunate situation were all in right now. Unfortunately, i dont know what the supervisor or City Government can do to stop that situation and if the business snow squalls not doing they cant afford the rent and unfortunately, the landlord has a mortgage can pay. What can they do . Its a very catch22. The on thing i can think of would be that if the city chips in and they say, ok, we will allow the occupant to pay half the rent and the Property Owner will get a tax credit for the other portion of the rent on their property taxes, its the only thing i can see City Government can do to help private businesses in the situation. The question doesnt specify and you can answer either way. Definitely. For the crime existing at Eviction Moratorium that was authored by dean preston and approved by the board of supervisors, came in just in time for the San Francisco so i definitely support and we can push forward for that and i also think that its good that we continue funds and free legal representation and free Legal Council for tenants so that in the case in the coming months that they would have to deal with hand lords and they have Legal Assistance and we export the expansion of commercial Eviction Moratorium which expired on september 14th. We need to push forward with that and i think that we need to consider how toen deal with that similarly what we do with residential Eviction Moratorium. Well move on to the next question, which is the Richmond District helping a population of rats following the closure of geary boulevard restaurants and staff productions at Golden Gate Park. How would you deal with this environmental issue and increased trash at ocean beach . Starting with david. Supervisor, we have to hold dpw accountable. And i would make sure our Health Department is held accountable to alleviate pests and garbage pick up, especially. It is a travesty that our Department Head dpw has been implicated in a scandal. I think that the board has not been doing its job by holding the department accountable and thats why scandals have been allow to persist. I think its really time for supervisors to come in and ask questions about the department and what is being done for the Richmond District. The Richmond District has been ignored next well have connie. I have learned this during my time as the staff and San Francisco recreation and Park Department and that is about integrated Pest Management and that is really finding ways to do rodent control without poison and there are messages that we can implement and we need to continue town vest and that is an environmental friendly way to do pest control and Pest Management and that we need to continue extending that program not just for City Departments and also for our everyday residents and for our Small Businesses we just have that and its one of my personal favorite activities to do with my son is beach clean up. Those are the everyday residents can participate and thats what we can do. Then again, it is really about how do we, as legislature, to find policies solutions to do so. Thank you, connie. And finally for those question, well have veronica. Again, these are one of the things Small Businesses and familyowned businesses did until thin thecity. They actually paid for the rooting control and it helped our city stay rodent free. We have to support these Small Businesses and get through this pandemic. The reality is the Richmond District, they took a lot of our trash cans with the campaign of what you bring in you take back home. We need more gosh age cans so people have a place to throw their garbage and we need to hold dpw accountable and make sure they pick up the cityowned trash. We need better relationship with recology so they educate the public of how to use the Free Services of picking up this we need the city cleaned and we need to hold d. P. W. Accountable for that. Full ton street turns into a rice track, what will you do to protect pedestrians and make cycling safer in our district . Starting with sherman . We need timed traffic lights on those streets. Thats how we take care of that problem. If we do that, it makes it safer for pedestrians and we can add a bike lane on full ton. The first thing that needs to be done is we have to have traffic lights at all of the intersections on fullton in the district and gary and california also. Thank you. Thank you, sherman. So, i live eight houses down from fullton so i know what you are talking about and that is our how we get to Golden Gate Park. Who goes to the park, right . Kids, seniors, families, people walking their dogs and its intimidating to cross full ton and when you try to teach kids Traffic Safety you cant really do that on fulton. Not even people running the stop signs. We need to time traffic lights and especially the entrance on 43rd and fulton to the park. You cant tell if its sidewalks, street or dirt. Thats a death trap. We saw a toddler get hit there many years ago. Were seeing it now during the pandemic when the streets are more clear. A lot of speeding, dangerous speeding and i think that time traffic lights are the way to go. Finally for this question, we have andrew. So, obviously all the major corridors in the Richmond District, we need to have more traffic lights. We probably, if were able to do that then we can reduce the amount of pedestrians and bikists in danger of being hit by cars. Just on sixth and balboa, i remember talking to a Small Business owner there and the traffic stop sign is not even visible and its covered by trees. We have to increase the visibility of our stop signs and we have to have time traffic lights in the area on all the major corridors. Thats the answer that were having in our district. Thank you, andrew. Moving on to the next question, considering there may be a large budget shortfall, what will you do to make the San Francisco budget process more transparent . Starting with connie. Just last year, that supervisor sandra lee fewer and norman yee had a legislation mandating there are public and Community Events and gatherings and meetings before the budget goes to before the mayors announce or mayor, any mayor announced their budget. I think that that is the critical piece of it that we actually need to continue to make sure that we have where they think and how we should spend our budget and i think that it is about having the eight i had of City Department and how theyre spending their money before they decide on the budget. While we do at board of supervisors do the hearings except theyre always jammed in one month of june and its very challenging so we need to do it year around. Next well have, andrew. Can you repeat the question. My feed got kind of chopped up there. I didnt catch the question. Considering mr. May be a large budget shortfall, what will you do to make the budget process more transparent . The first thing thing is just, yeah, the idea of transparency is that if im on the bos for district 1, i want to have an understanding from each of the different departments what were spending and why wore spending it and bring that informatio informatio the community so they can understand where their money is going. We can come to an agreement in terms of how we should move forward and on that particular budget because we are facing a 2. 1 billion deficit going into 2021. Next well have david. Look, i talked to hundreds of voters in the last week who have all told me that they dont trust what city hall is saying about our budget and the budget deficit has ballooned. At the same time, the board of supervisor has increased salaries for city workers. At the same time, the board of supervisors have increased their own salaries by 12 . Yet, they want to increase taxes on our voters. Theres taxes that theyre asking voters to pass in order to close the budget deficit and they have not shown city hall has not shown it can be fiscally responsible itself and the leaders at the board of supervisors have not done so so we do need more transparency and i oppose the tax increases i support accountability and i support transparency and i think a supervisor i would call for hearings. Thank you david. Moving on to the next question. San francisco has a significant deficit in the upcoming budget, which due to covid19, will likely persist in the future. What specific policies will you champion to address the likely and current and future issues related to budget decisions. Starting with marchand. So, that question also folds into the last question you asked. I think that we do need more transparency and Community Engagement in how we determine the budget. Its very important to acknowledge there are many folks in our neighborhood who dont have time to go to city hall and to be part of these budget decisions. Its not because they dont want to and they dont love the richmond but theyre working and trying raise families or running a business and we really need to look at how we communicate, right, and how we become more relevant as government leaders to our constituency and as i always say, if were not relevant to the constituents we serve then thats not a failure on their part and thats a failure on our part and 100 applies to the budget and how were reaching neighbors and we need to meet them where they are and be transparent and open about the process and genuine about getting their input and it doesnt Mean Community meetings during working hours. Next, veronica, same question. We need a genuine conversation with our constituency. The fact is, a lot of for those who take the time go to city hall and test the fire regarding the budget or any issue, they do so knowing this decision has been made. That should not happen in a democracy and its happening now. We needed this office here in richmond and of course we need transparency and accountability and we have to hold every elect official and Department Head and department accountable for what is happening at city hall and each department. We have to reevaluate Government Spending and budget cuts and it has to be done without hurting those who are already hurting. Our low wage easterners eastern. To start with, we needed to really make tough decisions an and thank you, very much. Next we have sherman. So, having transparency in budgets or anything in city hall without a way to disseminate that information in our local area doesnt do any good. We need a District Office for the supervisors so that residents can come and we can have on going discussions about what cost there are in the city and what our expenses are in the city. More importantly, what past legislation. I know this is not an easy t. S. X. For a lot of peopltopicbe have passed in the past, legislatively, either through the board of supervisors or us as voters add a lot of cost to government. As supervisors its my responsibility to look at those issues and bring it back to the neighborhood and say, this is costing us ex amount of money, is this what we want to do with the limited resources we have and as supervisors thats the way we would have approached this. Thank you, sherman. We will go into our final question. This is going to be answered by all candidates. So, the final question is, if elected, you will serve for four years. In 2024, what do you want to be able to say was your single most significant accomplishment . Starting with connie. That we have kept our tenants and homeowners on fixed income house. That our Small Businesses are able to stay home and some new ones were able to open too. In that the fact that our 38 geary, hopeful like at some point, brt but probably in 2024 at least run better and more reliable and safer and that Golden Gate Park is able to make it safer for everyone, including the possibility of keeping jfk car free and bringing accessible to everybody all across the city. I think those will be great and they will be really some of my priorities in the coming years when elected as supervisor. Thank you, very much. Next well have sherman. In four years i want to see that the neighborhood is cleaner and safer. I want all the traffic lights and all those corridors in and i want to see the streets clean. When we walk out the door, we dont see trash on the street. A lot of the questions that we have discussed today get back down to the basic thing, you know, are the streets clean. Are the responsibilities that the city hall is supposed to do, are they being done . I would tell you they are not being done. If you go out your dor tomorrow, and you see gash an on the streets and government has failed you and i want to change that in the next four years, thank you. Next well have andrew. In the next four years if im fortunate to be elected as the board of supervisors for district 1, my biggest priority will be making sure that everybody in our community here in the Richmond District is safe in terms of hopefully we have a vaccine by then where we can vaccinate all of the people in the neighborhoods starting with our elderly and those with immuno compromised systems. Secondly, its to make sure that all of our unhoused individuals have a place to stay and were addressing the Mental Health crisis and the Opioid Crisis that is a continuing, growing concern in the Richmond District. Lastly is obvious low to make sure we have Affordable Housing for all of our residents here in the Richmond District. Next well have marchand. So over all, if im elected, i would like to see and i would like our neighbors to see and feel an improvement in their lives in the marries most important to them. It does mean safe, clean streets and with regard to our unhoused residents that weve moved many into treatment and it does mean weve created an environment where opportunities an option for folks to be walking into wall groans and clearing the shelves, which is not safe for anybody. I would like to see more neighborhood engagement and regular input. This is how i can tell because people are talking about these issues. Well i dont think theres a Campaign Season . I think we should talk about these issues all the time with neighbors and coming together like we just did in my neighborhood summit last weekend to tackle these problems tonight. We wont change them overnight but in four years id like to see a marked improvement in those issues. Thank you. Next well have david. First off, the tax increases on a November Ballot that hurt our middleclass and Small Business this is richmond, second, gary brt built and we should be well into our way and were completed as supervisor of shepherd that project and makes sure it happens and hague the groundwork which 10 milliondollar has been allocated for planning and we be fully engage and supportive of that process and build a fort able transit where part is successful such as coliseum connect which has built 114 units of Affordable Housing. Thats what i would focus on as supervisor. And for this question well have veronica. Thank you. Im fortunate enough to be elected, first that no one here in the richmond feels like they were excluded from government process. Their supervisor was held accountable to them and only to them in that special center or corporate america. To make sure that we held every City Department accountable to do their jobs which means making sure our streets are clean and making sure our unhoused population has become an issue during these four years and only during the Campaign Season and making sure streets are safer and slower for our children. Making sure, first of all, making sure our kids Mental Health that theyre going through right now through this pandemic, is in the longterm respect as they go back to school. I think what we want to see is more ethnic businesses here in richmond, safer streets, cleaner streets and you know kids happy and playing in the cities again. In four years, thats what you can see if im elected. Thank you very much. Now we are going to move into candidate closing statements. We are going to do reversal tibet careverse alphabetical ordinary. Order. Thank you to the women voters for in inviting all of us this evening and inviting us to your living rooms today. My name, again is veronica and im a candidate for district 1. This race is personal. I live in a multi generational home with my senior parents and i understand the issues our seniors are having with cuts in their healthcare and issues of Public Safety and i also have a son who has a preexisting condition and has not left home since the pandemic, maybe left four times and understand the struggles of working families and working and paying the rent and educating their kids. I will bring a new voice to city hall for Small Business owners as someone who is dealing with the crisis of Small Business and how we make the tough decisions if im going to close or stay home but i also have 20 years of experience in local and state government. Im a can dat and wont be held accountable to any special center but the voters of San Francisco and the residents of the Richmond District so please visit my website. Thank you. Next well have sherman. Thank you for sharing your evening with us and trying to learn about where we stand on these issues. You know, the most important thing any elected official can do is give you faith that government is working in your interest. So, im going to focus on those things we see everyday when we go out our door. Are the streets clean . Is it safe to cross the street . Do we have those traffic lights in all those intersections. Are the garbage cans empty . Is this trash piling up on the corner. These things should not occur. Theyre a failure of government when they occur. If im elected as supervisor, i will focus on those things. Theres a lot of big things, a lot of big issues that come up every four years that supervisors have to deal with. We need to deal with these first. We need to give our neighbors faith that government is looking out for their supervisors an ini hope to do that as your next supervisor. Next marchand. Thank you for having me tonight. Every four years we have these conversations and you know were running political campaigns and things turn political. I think when it comes to this seat, we forget that San Francisco is a city and county. Were running for supervisor and were City Council Members and they need to focus on the needs of our neighborhoods and delivering those service that are services that are relevant and we talked a lot tonight around homelessness and San Francisco and ensuring that neighbors feel safe and are safe if their neighborhoods and thats really going to require a supervisor who is going to roll up their sleeves and work 24 7 to deliver for all neighbors and not just those who supported him or there in this campaign. Im committed and we will work hard everyday not just in this campaign and beyond to come together as neighbors and ensure that we get through this pandemic as healthy as possible and really rebuild and business and ensure that were keeping families and working people in San Francisco. Next well have david. We have a rare opportunity in district one in the Richmond District to elect a new supervisor. There isnt an incumbent running this year. And were seeing the divisions within our city has led to gridlock either the mayors camp and the progressive camp and they seemed to be fighting and with richmond losing and he has a chance to elect and who has a people and powered campaign and it has kept pace with the front runners through the donations of small donors, small San Francisco donors and through the Public Finance program i am an independent voice for the richmond. Next well have connie. Thank you. Thank you so much for having us tonight. From my years of experience in city hall, i have learned a lot. I have learned from shutting down the marine power plant and okin organizing theorganizing as and grants and fund in our park system and advocating for Free City College and i hope to bring my experience and skills to the table to really help us to close the income gap that we are experiencing and it is threatening our tenants and homeowners to be evicted and our Small Businesses being displaced and its theyre my priority. I will want to work to make sure that they will be housed and stay in their homes and our Small Business stays open and workers can return work in a safer Work Environment and we have a more bike able and walkable richmond and people can still drive safely. Thank you, connie. And finally we have andrew. Yeah, i want to start by thanking the league of women voters of San Francisco for hosting this forum and allowing to us give our ideas on important topics effecting our district. If im elected for bos, for district 1, im going to be focusing on a couple of things. First and foremost, is making sure that we make it out of this pandemic in a stronger position to be successful. That means making sure that all of our residents have access to a potential vaccine. When that happens, so that people can return to some sense of normalcy. Our elderly community, our working moms and dads, our low income families and secondly, i want to make sure obviously that we keep our streets clean and we continue to strive to help our unhoused populations find housing, find Mental Health, lastly it would be to make sure that were protecting our Small Business owners and helping to keep them in business as they continue to recover from the loss during this covid19 pandemic in the closures. Thank you, andrew. So thank you. On behalf of myself and the league of women voters in San Francisco, our thanks to the candidates for participating this evening and wed like to also thank all of the attends for taking the time to inform yourself about your choices on november 3rd. Please, remember to register to vote if you have not already registered and to urge others to register. Registered. If you changed your name or moved you need to reregister to vote. If you will be voting by mail, please be sure your vote will count by ensuring your ballot is mailed or dropped off at a voting place early. Thank you all for being here this evening. Hi. Im joel. I worry about San Franciscos future because San Francisco has worried about the families for too long. The budget has doubled in a decade and nothing is twice as good. Now were facing massive deficits. City hall has to stop treating residents like a never ending a. T. M. We need to audit every program and only pay for what works. We noticed crimes like burglary and homicide are up, so we still need police to protect the public, and we cant forget about the victims of crime. Ive lived in San Francisco for 22 years. Ive lived in district seven for a decade. I worked for many years as a journalist. I worked hard at city hall to give residents a choice. I was raised by my single mom and grandmother. They didnt have much education, but they taught me how to get things done with the resources i have. Im running for supervisor to be an advocate for parents, Small Businesses, and homeowners. City hall should be treating them like customers, without without them, we dont have a city. An entrepreneur should be able to open a business without road blocks. People should feel safe living here. That means focusing on the basics and getting the basics right clean streets, less crime, and better services. My name is Joel Engardio. Please, vote Joel Engardio on your ballot. Hello. My name is Steven Martin pinto, and i hope to be your next district 7 supervisor. My family has lived here since 1848. I have been involved in local politics ever since i moved back after leaving the military in 2014. Ive served as president of the sunnyside neighborhood association, secretary of the west of twin peaks central council, and commissioner of veterans affairs. Im different from anyone else running in the entire city. Honesty, straight talk, availability, and common sense. When was the last time you hear anyone mention those as themes of their campaign. When i decided to run, i decided to always tell the truth and never hold back. As supervisor, i plan to take a bold stance on the issues. First of all, i will have a see ror tolerance policy for crime, garbage, and drug dealing on our streets, and that position is nonnegotiatable. Second, i will audit all the nonprofits that do business with the city to discover fraud and abuse. Our homeless need real help. I will not defund the police. Instead, i will seek to increase funding while pushing for the construction of a multiacre, fully modern joint policefire training facility. I will aggressively expand muni metro by pushing for the construction of more subways and supported light rail. Finally, i will do whatever it takes to protect Small Business by reducing fees and permits. I humbly ask for your first, second, our third choice votes. Lets bring common sense back to San Francisco polictics. My name is ben matranga. As a new father and a first time homeowner, i know the stakes in this election are high, and i know our city is calling out for leaders that can use common sense, standup for our values, and actually deliver on our promises. As your supervisor, i will focus on helping Small Businesses and local residents recover from covid19. I will work to address homelessness with compassion and accountability. Let me tell you about my background. I was born and raised in district 7. Im a fifth generation san franciscan, and i met my wife in high school at st. Ignatius. Professionally, ive worked with entrepreneurs building hospitals and transportation infrastructure around the world. Ive served on the board of five companies, and ive led multimillion dollar investments alongside the u. S. Government, the world bank, and for tune 500 Companies Fortune 500 companies. Previously, i worked for mayor ed lee and serves as San Francisco served as San Franciscos first ever pedestrian director. We were able to cut red tape, and we delivered more than 13 miles of improvements, on time and under budget. I led our neighborhood Emergency Response to covid19, and weve distributed over 5,000 masks. Ive been endorsed by dianne feinstein, and former district 7 supervisor tony hall. I respectfully ask for your number one vote this election. Thank you. Hi. My name is myrna melgar, and im a candidate for the board of supervisors district 7. I am a mother of three girls and have lived in Ingleside Terrace with my family for the past 2e7 yearten years. I was a legislative aide to two members of the board of supervisors jose medina and eric mar and also worked for mayor good afternoon newsom. I was gavin newsom. I was also the president of the Planning Commission until january of this year. The policy decisions we made today to adapt to changes on housing, employment, land use, transportation services, and the investments we make to our infrastructure can pave the way to our continuing future as a world class city of opportunity. I i mmigrated to San Francisco from el salavador. My Life Experience has given me a unique ability to negotiate through conflict and make progress on the things that i believe in and to understand that income inequality is not a sustainable system, and we need to tackle our homelessness and afford janel Affordable Housing crisis. I will support my d7 community and rebuild a San Francisco of opportunity and compassion, a city where no one gets left behind. Thank you. After serving as a city official for 20 years under five mayor, i was leaving my position of the San Francisco department on the status of women the very week that mayor breed issued the shelter in place order. I had a choice to make. Should i gather up the beautiful bouquets or declare my candidacy in d7 to help my city, my neighbors . Raised in San Francisco, ive lived in district 7 with my spouse for over 15 years and raised our two adult daughters here. Im the only candidate in this race who won elections before. As a City Department head, i was held accountable for every public dollar i spent. With a focus on ending violence against women, i managed my Department Budget through the 2008 downturn and doubled our budget with 10 million in outside funning, by partnering with Law Enforcement and neighborhood advocates, we eliminated Domestic Violence homicide to zero. This race is about what it means to be san franciscans. We all want the safe things to live in a safe neighborhood and to live in a city that treats everyone humanely. I will fight to strengthen our over 40 distinct neighborhoods in district 7. I will fight to expand Public Safety with more Community Policing and foot patrols, and i will fight to sustain our local businesses with new ways of doing business. Im emily murase for district 7 supervisor, and i ask for your number one vote on election day. Hi. I am alia, and i am running for San Francisco city college. I never knew that i would one day grow up and oversee the Free City College program at the department of children, youth, and their families, increasing access to Educational Opportunities for our Community Every day. In this role, i also monitoring the entire budget for the program. My passion for education started at a young age. I grew up in a lowincome household and have experienced firsthand the transformative nature of education both as a student and teacher. But over time, i realized how Education Systems failed our most vulnerable students. As a former legislative aide, i worked on legislation to ban the box on private college applications, making San Francisco the first city in the nation to do so. During this time of a Global Pandemic and a social movement to dismantle systemic racism, city College Needs a new voice and a proven leader in education. My lifes mission has been to ensure institutions are accountable to the people they are built to serve. I am running to make sure city college remains the peoples college. If elected, i will fight to invest in a permanent Emergency Grant Program for students, establish a jobs guarantee program, with clear career path days, and grow free city. I will advocate for increased transparency and further education resources. I would be honored to have your support. Please vote alia chifsky. You and are four your time. Hello. We have a choice of two paths. The road ccsf is traveling is one of financial challenges, instability, and a decrease of 18 in enrollment. I see a second healthier path. With strong experienced guidance, ccsf can gain financial stability, and reengage as an important and diverse institution. Ccsf is in danger of closing, creating a crisis in San Francisco. Ccsf must be saved, but electing the same type of candidates, politicians beholden to stakeholders will result in the same outcomes. I have declined all offers of consideration for endorisment by stakeholders so that i can focus on slufl doing what is right to save ccsf, i will not be beholden to interest groups. Im the only candidate who has raised over 40 million for educational and other causes and will bring creative funding ideas and other opportunities to ccsf. Im the only candidate who has served on a finance committee of a fiscally fit company. I believe that ccsf is a gem that must be preserved. I will be your independent and experienced voice on the board. Thank you, and please vote for me. Im juanita martinez, a family poor in money but rich in family history. My family came from northern mexico. My father was especially proud of his indigenous roots, comanche and navajo. We moved to california when my father was forced to retire. That opened up Higher Education for me because Community College was free in california. I studied at delta college, earned an associates agree. I transferred to s. F. State, and i was often the only student of color in any of my classes. My grassroots activism started in the ethnic strike. We didnt win all of our demands, but ethnic studies is now included and growing in area schools. In 2019, i was invited to speak at the city college ethnic studies teachin during black history month. I told the students that as a former student and Community College teacher and administrator, i was passing the baton onto them in the struggle for social justice. As i finished speaking, i should and could go one more lap on the City College Board of trustees. Im running with the support of students, faculty, and trustees that are just as concerned as i am. Too many classes have been cancelled, outcomes for black and brown students need to be improved. My campaign is not me, its about sharing what i learn frd my work experience, being a student, teacher, and vice chancellor at city college. Its about keeping city college a Community College, a college of and for the community. Hi. Im dr. Vic trolgary. Im a former Senior University administrator with 15 years of experience in Higher Education. I i am grated to the United States when i was 12 years old. My parents never even finished high school. I struggled through the e. S. L. System, and we were quite poor. I know just what our students are experiencing because this was my old life. I worked hard to transfer to a fouryear school. I worked hard by earning pell grants, and scholarships, and taking out some student loans. I went onto get a ph. D. In political science. I taught at a university level, and i game the chief of staff at the university of california riverside, and since then, ive helped manage universities, ive guided campus master plans. Ive helped hire some of the diverse faculty members across the state of california and directed budgets in the hundreds of millions of dollars. This is everything that city college desperately needs to be doing right now. Im still a professor of political science, because i will always return to teaching, but i have directed a workforce of companies here in San Francisco. Im currently serving as cochair of the California Democratic party, but i have worked on 600 resolutions to drive some of the best policies in the state. I have endorsements across the Democratic Party in San Francisco. Check out my comprehensive plans at victorforsf. Com. My name is jeremy peter, and im running to represent you on the ccsf board. Many people ask why im running in this years election. I have a great job at an efficiency project manager. I love spending time with my partner, eric, and i love living here in the bayview. Education has afforded me opportunities, and i believe that education is a human right. Advancing tuition Free Education allows our most vulnerable students a chance to make a difference in their lives. The Climate Crisis was my call to action. In march, San Francisco voters approved 845 million bond for ccsf infrastructure improvements. Using this deal, my greparty w put the green plan into action. Environmental, financial, and educational sustainability are intertwined. With students as our guide is principle, we will appoint a Community Oriented chancellor who is committed to implementing a Strategic Plan that is interested in sustained eligibility and the sustainability. Now more than ever we must be laser focused on providing transparency on board matters and education for students that have been displaced by covid19. I will am asking for your support to protect Free Education, upgrade our learning spaces, and camp i dont know the opportunities ccsf offers. As an ally of if a stoplight associations and student organizations, i will fight for you. Im tim chronicle, and im proud to serve as the vice chair of the board of trustees. I know how important it is to have access to quality well funded public education. Community College Classes helped me get back on track when i got sick and had to drop out of high school, allowing me to graduate and enroll at San Francisco state university. This experience inspired me to run for the board of trustees in 2016, when i was elected to a fouryear term. During my last four years serving as your representative on the City College Board, ive worked with students, teachers, and staff to secure important victories for city college. I i ensured that our accreditation was reinstated for the next decade. I worked with if a ultimate to create the cannabis studies program. I helped create the workforce and education fund, and i fought for new resources and policies to support undocumented and lgbtq students. Over the next four years, city college will need to combat severe funding cuts at the state and local level, put in place new support services to help our communities succeed during this challenging covid19 environment, and create workforce programs in areas Like Health Care and technology to meet the needs of our changing economy. I have experience solving challenges like this and hope to continue to bring that experience and leadership to city college. Im alan wong, and im running for College Board to ensure it serves working and immigrant families like my own. Im supported by a. F. T. Local 2121 and seiu 1021. I was born and raised in San Francisco, and my entire family went to city college. When my dad came to this country as an immigrant, he was laid off from his factually job, so i went to city college to improve his english. He learned about the city College Culinary program, and he supported my family as the sole provider for two decades. The training my dad received enabled my dad to afford housing in the sunset and get health care. My mom took e. S. L. Classes that improved herself confidence and talking to family members. As a senior going to s. F. High, i took ccsf classes when i was a junior, helping me to graduate from u. C. San diego when i was just 19 years old. I expanded city college into the sunset by working with city college, sfusd and local nonprofits, and i spent a year writing the city College Workforce and Recovery Fund education legislation to ensure that we provide opportunities for our working families during covid19. Today, my dad has been played off, like many other Service Sector workers. City college is a place of hope and opportunity, where my dad was able to start a new career. Im running so city college can once again be that place where miraculous things can happen for working families like my own. My unanimoname is han so, a running for the board of trustees because it was education that changed my life. I immigranted to the u. S. When i was six years old. My mom was the first person in her family to go to college, where she studied Public Health, and my dad and i and my two grandparents were able to come to this country. The five of us lived in a onebedroom apartment for the first five years. Like a lot of immigrant families here in San Francisco, my grandparents took care of my while my mom worked to pay the rent and my mom focused on her studied. I still remember my mom teaching me the words hello and bathroom before putting me on the bus and sending me on the way to the first day of school. My first job was at asian law caucus where i worked to bring Education Services to asian and a. P. I. Families as well as undocumented immigrants. As executive director of the Democratic Party, i staffed the agenda. City college is hugely important to our community and towel all immigrant and working class families, and as trustee, i want to bring my experience and my background to ensure that post pandemic, the communities that have been most affected by the shutdown can use city college to learn new skills in a new economy. Im proud to be endorsed by the democratic property, and a majority of the City College Board of trustees, and ii woul love to have your support, as well. Thank you. [ ] San Francisco voters may vote for local and state candidates and ballot measures, as well as federal candidates. Proposition g is a Charter Amendment that would allow San Francisco residents to vote for locate the candidates and local ballot measures if those residents are u. S. Citizens at least 16 years old and registered to vote. Local candidates include candidates for city offices, the board of education, and the Community College board of trustees. If you vote yes, you want to amend the charter to allow San Francisco residents to vote for local candidates and ballot measures if they are at least 16 years old and registered to vote. If you vote no, you do not want to make this change. Im here with chair achung, a proponent of the measure. Well also joined by ricky green burg. A political commentator who is an opponent of the measure. Thank you for being here. When you are a16, this is a much better age to start the lifelong habit of voting, and you can make the informed decision with the support of teachers, peers, and families. Allowing 16 and 17yearolds to vote will make it more likely that they will continue voting as older adults. Additionally, 16 and 17 year olds care and will use their vote. 16 and 17 year olds are the ones organizing major protests throughout the city such as the Mission High School and Golden Gate Bridge protests, and they continue to carry this momentum, organizing and Holding Elected Officials accountable. In cities, such as tacoma park in maryland, the voter turn out rate of 16 and 17yearolds is double the rate of the general electorate. Thank you, sarah. Were going to move to ritchie for our Opening Statements. Thank you so much for having me. Prop g is asking the questions, should 16 and 17 year olds be allowed to vote in city elections . Voters should reject this as being a nonserious question this election day. There are three real factors in what we need to consider legality, the maturity, and the effects of social indoctrinatetion in school and social media. 16 and 17 year olds are still children in the eyes of the law and incapable of performing many tasks that we can do as adults. Children cannot sign contracts. They cannot purchase a rent a car, own a house, own a business. How can we let teens vote on such important issues such as property taxes, changes to City Government operations . The concept of teen voting is absurd. The second idea of maturity, that often, we see through research and reports from psychologists, that cognitive functions, functions rational Decision Making are not developed until the mid20s, and the third is social justice indoctrination in schools are being pushed by the curriculum, so for those issues, we should vote no. Thank you, ritchie. I think both of you touched on this, but well start with you, ritchie. 16 and 18 are just two years apart, so why do you believe that these two years do or dont make a difference . Well, theres two ways to look at it. In a maturity way, theres some 16 year olds i know someone or my nextdoor neighbor or my brother or my sister is so much more mature, but i already touched on this in my introduction is legality. 18 years old is the age of the majority. Its the age that society and the laws have been written to say that this is the point that now, you can function as an adult. We trust you at this point. There has to be some time, some age that we start. You cant keep getting lower and lower and lower, and 18 has been what has been the established for all the legality for signing contracts, joining the army, and more. Same question to you, sarah. Why 16 . Like i mentioned in my opening statement, when youre 18, youre in a time transition, youre going off to college, youre moving away, and this becomes very difficult to figure out how to register to vote or registration to vote or going to vote can become on the back burner. When youre 16, youre learning about civics and u. S. History, and this makes an ideal time to learn about voting for the first time, and youre supported by peers and family and teachers to make that decision. Actually, 16 year olds have the same political knowledge as 21 year olds. When youre 16, you have something called cold could cognition, and this is the thinking process necessary for voting. Hot cognition is the more spur of the moment thinking, which is not fully developed when youre 16. Voting is more on the cold cognition. Thank you. Yeah, of course. And were going to do the second question, and its going to go to you, sarah, first. So a second message was put before the voters in 2016 and did not pass. Four years later, however, San Francisco faces new challenges, and we are revisiting the idea of youth voting, why do you believe now is the time for this measure to pass . Well, i think that especially whats been going on politically in the past four years has made it so that young people feel very spurred to take action. Like i mentioned, youth are at the action of so many social Justice Movements that have arisen the last few years, such as the black lives Matter Movement or climate justice. Young people are continuing to fight and hold elected officials account. But we see that young people are continuing to demand action from elected officials for years on and for years on because as cliche as it sounds, it is most definitely our future, so 16 and 17 year olds are taking action in a way that we havent seen them taking action in the past. We can see that 16 and 17yearolds care about issues and how they affect us. Same question to you, ritchie. This was voted down fairly recently, so why do you think that its not the time to take this up . Its time to put this to rest and never bring it up again. Holding officials accountable has nothing to do with teen voting, has nothing to do with climate action, has nothing to do with black lives matter. What we really need to look at is the indoctrination of children in school. Social justice is not the way to run elections. We have students in school, including that teachers that bring their kids out of class to participate in protests and marches is not a way to teach civics. Its not a way to rationally show both sides or more than one side to an argument. We see over and over again that theres the indoctrination. The children dont know what their protesting, and we dont need this. Currently, the 16 and 17yearold population in San Francisco is did he dominantly people of color. Allowing 16 and 17 years old to vote will help ensure that young people of color are represented in our democracy. Additionally, 16 and 17 years old should get a say about issues that affect us. Under covid19, 16 and 17 years old are the most impacted as they have many responsibilities. On top of education, they also take care of household duties and can get a job and pay taxes, some even taking on jobs of essential workers. 13 of Grocery Store workers are groce 16 and 17 years old. Also, this is not a new idea. There are 14 cities in the u. S. That allow 16 and 17 years oy to vote. [please stand by] we cant have that. Right now the children should be working on doing good in school, their studies, and preparing for college. We should not be allowing them to vote. Please vote no on proposition g. Thank you for your comments and for your time. We have we hope this discussion has been informative. For more information on this and other measures in this years election, please visit the San Francisco elections website. This year, all registered voters in california will be mailed a vote by mail ballot starting on october 5th. If you plan to return your ballot by mail, your ballot return envelope must be postmarked byelection day, tuesday, november 3rd. Alternatively, you may drop off your ballot in person starting october 5th at the City Hall Voting Center located outside of the auditorium monday through friday, 8 00 a. M. Through 5 00 p. M. You can also drop off your ballot at the Voting Center on the two weekends before election day from 10 00 a. M. Until 4 00 p. M. Make sure to vote in person at one of the 588 locations across the city or at city hall on tuesday, november 3rd. Thank you. [ ] fosda. Clerk regular meeting of the Small Business Commission Held on monday, october 5, 2020. The meeting is being called to order at 5 30 p. M. The Small Business commission thanks Media Services and sfgovtv for televising the meeting, which can be viewed on sfgovtv 2, channel 78, or sfgov. Org. Members of the public who will be calling in, the number is 4156550001. Again, the number is