MINUTES

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

6:00 P.M.

1800 Oakdale Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94124

1.0               Call to Order
Commission President Bobbrie Brown called the Wednesday, March 23, 2005 meeting to order at 6:13 p.m. in the Alex L. Pitcher Community Room at 1800 Oakdale Avenue.

The Commission Secretary read the Sunshine Ordinance aloud.

1.2               Roll Call

Commissioners Present: Brown; Fuentes; Jones; Kennedy; Sampson; Person.

Staff Present: John Roddy, Deputy City Attorney; Toye Moses, Executive Director SECFC; Annette Price, Comm.-Sect

1.3               Consent Calendar

(a)    RESOLUTION (SECFC-2005-30) Be it resolved that the minutes of the Southeast Community Facility Commission meeting of Thursday, March 10, 2005 be approved as submitted (passed unanimously).

2.0               Public Comment
There was no public comment at this time.

3.0               Communications:
Dr. Moses reported that the following correspondence has been sent from Hoops for Christ.

4.0               Presentation:

-           Mr. David Terzian, President of The Point distributed a one-page historical background of his organization, located at the Hunters Point Shipyard on Parcels A and B. The Point has been in business for 20 years and rents workspace to approximately 300 artists. Mr. Terzian reported on outreach efforts, discussed their waiting list, and explained how BVHP artists are fast-tracked into the program.

Comm. Jones asked that a list of current tenants be provided to the Commission. Comm. Person asked whether there was a process in place to file complaints of discrimination? Mr. Terzian stated that there has never been a discrimination claim made against The Point. Comm. Person asked what the cost is for studio space? Mr. Terzian stated all rental includes utilities at the following rates: 200 sq ft. @ $188.00 and 400 sq. ft. @ $344.00 a month. Comm. Kennedy suggested that perhaps The Point and its tenants do more outreach with regard to Bayview Hunters Point artists. Mr. Terzian was in agreement and invited the Commission to work with his organization in coming up with different strategies.



Comm. Fuentes suggested that perhaps the artist/residency program be expanded to a larger room and possibly subdivided to house more than one artist while increasing the residency to a two-year residency. Comm. Brown asked the statistical breakout of BVHP artists who work at The Point. Mr. Terzian answered that there are five tenants from the 94124 area. Comm. Brown stated the Commission would support The Point’s efforts of outreach by sending a letter to the artists requesting that they partner with the SFUSD. She asked that Mr. Terzian follow-up with Commissioners Jones/Fuentes in determining whether the school district would be open to that recommendation.

Dir. Moses asked why the percentage of occupancy for BVHP tenants is so low. Mr. Terzian explained that there is not a great deal of interest in the art program. Comm. Kennedy suggested during negotiations with Lennar, that The Point ask for extra spaces that can be allocated to the BVHP community. Mr. Terzian requested some assistance from the Commission re: quantity of extra spaces that should be requested so that everyone would be in agreement. Comm. Brown stated the Commission would follow-up with that at a later time.

-           Mr. Brian Baker, CEO of Safety Dynamics and manufacturer of the Smart Sensor system, distributed several handouts and explained that the audio-surveillance system is activated by the sound of gunfire, which immediately activates a camera that then rotates in the direction of the gunshot and begins recording while simultaneously alerting the police.

Mr. Baker explained this technology was first used in Chicago (Harrison District) as a pilot program to test the effectiveness of the system at reducing violent crimes.
Mr. Baker reported that this type of system is being set up in Los Angeles and also Tijuana. He explained the benefit of a system such as this is that there is no fear of reprisal. Mr. Baker then showed a short 4-minute movie clip displaying the system and its capabilities.

Comm. Person voiced concern that there was no community input regarding the proposed sensors and questioned whether the Harrison district residents consented to placement of sensors in their community? Mr. Baker stated that particular district was chosen because of an eagerness to try the pilot program. Comm. Person asked what some of the fallacies were with respect to program? Mr. Baker responded once criminals are aware they are under surveillance, they tend to relocate.

Comm. Kennedy asked who would be responsible for handling the various components of the camera? Capt. Bruce interjected that there is a lot of misunderstanding on the part of the community. He explained the SFPD has no contract with Mr. Baker and there is neither plan nor funding to have cameras installed. Capt. Bruce reported this is an issue the community raised. Comm. Kennedy asked whether there were cameras in the BVHP community? Capt. Bruce stated there is one surveillance camera available to SFPD for making arrests. There are no red-light cameras or recording devices along the 3^rd Street corridor, only traffic control devices as part of the new light rail.
 
Comm. Person suggested that perhaps other ways could be looked at as far as policing to reduce crime. Comm. Sampson asked whether there has been a drastic reduction in violent crimes in the cities that this system has been placed and can sounds other than gunshots be detected? Mr. Baker responded those statistics would have to be retrieved from the Chicago police. The system can be triggered to other sounds. Dir. Moses voiced support for the cameras and asked how the SFPD would address the issue of criminals moving from one point to another because of surveillance? Capt. Bruce stated one strategy would be to create a safe zone, a series of 10 cameras in problematic parts of the district.

Ms. Blanchard voiced concern that the community is not being shared information about this new technology. She asked whether the gun locator/camera system were separate units and if so who would be responsible for the camera component? Also what would the bottom-line cost be for each camera installation? Mr. Baker responded that Safety Dynamics would only support the gunshot locator system and someone else would maintain the camera unit. Regarding funding, Mr. Baker stated perhaps some could come from Dept. of Defense for homeland security.

Ms. Blanchard also stated there is concern about police accountability and asked what access will other law enforcement agencies have to victim feed for the camera surveillance system? Capt. Bruce reiterated that this is a proposal. There is neither a contract nor a plan established to install the system. However if it does materialized, there will be many meetings in the BVHP to discuss how they will be used, the protocol, and who has access to them. Since this would be a public contract, they would not go up without a lot of input from the community.
 

5.0               Director’s Report
Dir. Moses reported that: Supv. Sophie Maxwell has sponsored a resolution for Junk Dealers. The Board of Supervisors presented a proclamation to former Commissioner Millard Larkin. The 2005 lease contract for Decorative Plants has been signed. Ms. Shirley Jones, Executive Director of Caheed Childcare Center, has given verbal notification that she will be closing her childcare center and will follow-up with written notification. Letters of request to present were mailed to Dr. Katz, Ms. Gaynell Armstrong, and Gary McIntyre.

MOTION: Acceptance of Director’s Report. Motion passed unanimously to accept report as presented (6-0).
 

6.0               New Business:
Comm. Brown made the following ad hoc committee assignments: Comm. Kennedy -Facilities Committee; Comm. Fuentes - Health, Housing & Safety; Comm. Sampson - Facility Committee; and Comm. Person – Community Advisory Group (CAG) until such time as the vacancy has been filled.

7.0               Old & Ongoing Business:
There was no old & ongoing business at this time.

8.0               Introduction of New Business by Commissioners
Comm. Sampson requested that all repasts be scheduled at Southeast instead of the Earl P. Mills facility since there have been complaints that the children are exposed to unruly behavior. Dir Moses explained that staff routinely schedules all repasts at Southeast when room is available. He also reported that clients are required to have additional monitors/security and that barricades have been placed to prevent guests from wandering into off-limit areas where the children are housed.
Comm. Brown requested an update on the status of the Head start program.
 

9.0               Public Comment
There was no public comment at this time.

10.0               Announcements:
There were no announcements at this time.

11.0               Adjournment
Comm. Brown adjourned the SECF Commission meeting at 8:07 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

         _____________________

Commission Secretary