1. CALL TO ORDER/ AGENDA CHANGES

Vice President Breanna Zwart called the meeting to order at 3:27 pm.

She thanked Department staff for organizing the informational panel and thanked the panel members for joining the presentation.

No Changes to the agenda.

No Public Comment.

Action: To approve agenda.

m/s/c(Soo/Shorter/Unanimous except for Schwab-Pomerantz not yet present, Absent: Mesloh and Harris)

2. NEW BUSINESS
   1. Panel Discussion: Preventing Homelessness Among Domestic Violence Survivors

Dr. Murase moderated the panel that covered issues surrounding housing and domestic violence and what San Francisco is doing to prevent it. The panel was comprised of Kara Duggan, Director of Community Engagement, La Casa de las Madres; Kristen Moore, Program Director, San Francisco SafeHouse; Mei Hung, Program Systems Coordinator, Asian Women’s Shelter; Dion Roberts, Executive Director, Mary Elizabeth Inn; and Shari Wooldridge, Executive Director, St. Vincent de Paul Society. Each of the panelists reviewed the population and services on which their agency is focused. The panel had two group discussions: the first on the economic empowerment of survivors, and the second on emergency shelter and transitional housing options.

Commissioners discussed the importance of knowing the demographic statistics for the current homeless population of San Francisco and asked about the trends that the different organizations are observing among their clients. Dr. Murase spoke about the importance of the domestic violence service organizations connecting to the larger city narrative of homelessness in San Francisco. Commissioners thanked Associate Director Carol Sacco for organizing the presentation and La Casa de las Madres for hosting the meeting in their new office space.

Public Comment:

1. Jeff Kositsky, Director of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (DHSH) stated that the 2017 Homeless Point in Time Count identified approximately 7,400 individuals with 61% male, 33% female, 5% transgender and 1% gender non-conforming. Mr. Kositsky said that in a survey of approximately 1,300 people living on streets, approximately 4 in 5 reported being the victim of violence. Mr. Kositsky also stated that 60% of the families receiving DHSH services are headed by women.
2. Karen Roye, Director, Department of Child Support, thanked the panelists for their work and presentation. She said that she learned a great deal in the presentation, and that it was particularly insightful regrading domestic violence and the homeless, and the range of services within the shelter systems.
3. Gloria Tan, Executive Director of Gum Moon Asian Women’s Resource Center, reported that her transitional housing program lasts for 18-24 months, but said that the reality is many people are unable to move out after 24 months, because they can’t get a job due to their immigration status. Ms. Tan said that the program refers and encourages clients to attend free City College courses to build language capacity and job skills. She identified counseling and legal services as high demand.

3. ADJOURNMENT

Action: To adjourn the meeting.

m/s/c(Shorter/Soo/Unanimous except for Miry left early, Absent: Mesloh and Harris)

Meeting Adjourned at 5:00 pm