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Meeting Information



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                                          APPROVED                                   

MINUTES

OF THE

SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY FACILITY COMMISSION

MEETNG THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2007 – 6:00 PM

ALEX L. PITCHER, JR. COMMUNITY ROOM, 1800 OAKDALE AVENUE

SAN FRANCISCO, CA  94124

 

 

1.0        CALL TO ORDER AND SUNSHINE ORDINANCE ANNOUNCEMENT:

 

Commission President Bobbrie Brown called the Thursday, September 13, 2007 meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. in the Alex L. Pitcher Community Room at 1800 Oakdale Avenue and announced the Sunshine Ordinance.

 

1.2       ROLL CALL

           

            6:09 p.m.                                 Commission Secretary – Carla Vaughn

           

Commissioners Present:          Brown, Churchwell, Fuentes, Jones, Kennedy, Parker (seated in audience), and Sampson

 

Staff Present:                             Toye Moses, Executive Director

                                                Joseph Singh, Management Assistant

                                                Carla Vaughn, Commission Secretary

                                                John Roddy, Deputy City Attorney

 

Commissioner Brown acknowledged that Commissioner Parker was seated in the audience and invited him to join the roster.  He declined.

 

Commissioner Fuentes moved to accept the Consent Calendar and Agenda. It was unanimously accepted.

 

2.0              PUBLIC COMMENT

 

Liza Sibley addressed the Commission and stated that the tattered flag atop the Southeast Community Facility Center was causing great distress to her business and life partners because they were veterans and viewed the raggedy flag as a sign of disrespect.  Ms. Sibley requested that the flag be removed.  She indicated that having just gone through the anniversary of 9/11.

 

Ms. Sibley stated it was difficult to contact the commissioners. Commissioner Brown invited Ms. Sibley to leave a message at the commission office.

 

 

 

3.0              COMMUNICATIONS

 

Toye Moses, Executive Director acknowledged the September 10, 2007 correspondence from the Mayor to all department heads and commissioners.

He invited any commissioners with questions to see him.

 

Commissioner Brown stated that the letter was self-explanatory.

 

Deputy Attorney Roddy reminded the Commissioners that when they complied with the request they needed to be clear that their offer of resignation would become operative only if the Mayor accepted it.

 

4.0              PRESENTATIONS

 

Scott Falcone – Development Director of the Citizens Housing Corporation stated that he appreciated very much the opportunity to come and discuss with the commission some of their activities and the housing opportunities that the corporation offers to all San Franciscans.  Mr. Falcone stated that CHC would like to work more with the commissioners to do the appropriate outreach so that housing opportunities are available to all people throughout San Francisco.

 

Mr. Falcone introduced Nina Berkson as the Lease-Up specialist for all of the affordable housing owned, operated, and managed long term by CHC.

 

Mr. Falcone gave a brief overview of what Citizens Housing Corporation does and advised that a question/answer period would follow with Ms. Berkson and himself.

 

Mr. Falcone stated, ”The Citizens Housing Corporation is a non-profit affordable housing developer.  We own or manage 2500 units of affordable housing for seniors, families, individuals, people with special needs.  Half of those are in San Francisco and the other half are outside of San Francisco.  We have right now four projects under construction in San Francisco, totaling approximately 500 units of affordable housing coming on-line right now, or will be available within the next two years.  Of these specific opportunities I have one in particular at 18th and Alabama Streets in the northeast Mission.  This development has something for everyone literally at the lower income levels.  We have 93 units of family housing, 20 of which are set aside for formerly homeless families.  We have 24 units for senior housing, and 11 of those are set aside for homeless seniors.  We have 34 condominiums, 21 of which would be for sale at below market rate.”

 

Mr. Falcone advised there was space for small business owners, people who are just coming out of either technical training schools or small businesses just starting out.  He said CHC had a long history of doing development in San Francisco according to Fair Housing requirements that they are required to abide by the federal, state, and local governments. 

He stated currently CHC receives public assistance for the jobs they bid on but at the same time they do have lists of agencies throughout San Francisco that they do outreach.  Mr. Falcone said that they would work with specific communities to make sure that the outreach would carry over to the education and application process.  Mr. Falcone advised that part of the reason they were there was to discuss those sorts of opportunities.

 

Commissioner Brown thanked Mr. Falcone and Ms. Berkson for coming and asked how the information was currently being shared with the communities.

 

Commissioner Kennedy wanted to know if there were any plans for the Southeast Section. 

 

Ms. Vincent had questions regarding housing for emancipated youth. 

 

Mr. Falcone acknowledged CHC did not have knowledge in developing housing for that community and funding was not as readily available as it might be for families.

 

Sam Murray had questions regarding the application process and where the funding comes from for the developments.  Mr. Murray noted that he never sees people of color involved with the outreach process and he’d like to see that along with some pictures of the housing developments in progress.

 

Mr. Falcone of CHC stated that with regard to the question of funding this reminded him of another community organization in San Francisco that organized a project primarily in the Mission district, but they are a big organizing group that found out about CHC when they first opened a property at the corner of 8th and Howard Streets about 5 years ago.  He stated CHC was doing outreach to them and they got very excited about the property of 162 units, a lot of SRO units, and then they were disappointed when they saw some of the units that were at the higher end of the scale.  He advised that since then CHC has worked with the group very purposefully on tailoring at least part of the units that are now being offered at 18th and Alabama Streets to a segment of the underserved population.

 

Mr. Falcone advised that CHC had worked with the Mayor’s Office of Housing, and Tom Ammiano from the Board of Supervisors.  Mr. Falcone noted that pictures of the units would not be available until after construction and would be available in a year.  He stated that typically outreach is not done this early on and they had come specifically to establish communication channels.

 

Mr. Murray had comments with regard to establishing a working relationship with the community.

 

Commissioner Churchwell had a question with regard to providing architectural sketches to the commission.

Mr. Falcone responded that outreach materials were being developed and would be available in November.

 

Commissioner Parker stated that it is known that Afro-Americans and Latinos have very low incomes, around $35,000 yearly.  Commissioner Parker asked if there were any assistance programs available to people, such as low interest loans.

 

Commissioner Churchwell asked if the properties were new.

 

Mr. Falcone responded that the properties were all new construction, except for one senior facility that was renovated.

 

Commissioner Kennedy asked if this was a private company, not connected to the city at all.

 

Mr. Falcone stated that CHC is a private non-profit that receives loans from the Mayors Office of Housing.

 

Commissioner Kennedy stated, “public funds?”

 

            Mr. Falcone replied, “Correct, but we’re a private company.”

 

Commissioner Kennedy stated, “They talk about affordable housing and I’ve always wondered exactly what do you mean by affordable housing, because I’ve always wanted to know affordable for whom, because it never seems to reach the people that actually need it.  So to me when they talk about affordable housing I’d rather call it low income housing rather than affordable housing and that would let me know what it is.  Most people who are low income cannot afford affordable housing.  That’s just how it works in this city.  I’d like to see a little bit more of what you’re doing”.

 

Commissioner Kennedy had a question regarding the Rosa Parks building.

 

Mr. Falcone’s response was that the existing building would stay and 100 new units would be built on the existing parking lot.

 

Commissioner Kennedy asked if all the properties/land(s) were purchased through the Redevelopment Agency, and Mr. Falcone said no the Housing Authority.  He advised the Commissioner that only the Rosa Parks property was through the Housing Authority, the other property purchases were through private sources.

 

Commissioner Kennedy requested more information on the next visit.

 

Ms. Berkson stated that more information would be available in the future.

 

Commissioner Brown suggested CHC work directly with Commissioner Fuentes.

 

4.1            Commissioner Parker provided a report from the Community Advisory Group.  He reported that a meeting was held with Supervisor Maxwell and it was suggested that the group maintain a low profile to avoid a possible backlash from other sections of the city.  He stated that Supervisor Maxwell suggested that there be a dialogue with PUC, and once all of the CAG ducks are in line, she would be willing to meet again and continue the process.  He reported that the CAG committee has decided to meet in October, November, and December in order to provide a more details to the Commission by January.

 

The Commission voted to receive the report with any additional instructions.

 

4.2              Commissioner Kennedy provided a report from the Facility & Economic Ad-Hoc     

Committee which met on September 10, 2007.  Commissioner Kennedy suggested that with regard to the removal of the snake from the Headstart play area it be noted that the snake is being removed due to the lead contamination of the snake.

 

The Commission voted to receive the report.

 

5.0              The Director reported on the activities and operations of the Southeast Community Facility Center.  Director Moses provided an update on the Headstart playground snake sculpture lead issue, and an update on parking lot safety issues and the installation of security cameras

 

The report was approved unanimously.

 

6.0              A lively discussion was held with regard to the mural dedication, which is tentatively scheduled to be presented to the public on October 25. 

 

Commissioner Fuentes noted all of the intricate work that has gone into the mural thus far.  Commissioner Fuentes explained many intricacies of the painting to the Commission and advised the Commission that some small changes might or might not be possible.

 

Director Moses recommended that any further suggestions be directed to Heidi Hardin and Commissioner Fuentes stated that the October 25 deadline was fast approaching. 

 

Commissioner Fuentes moved to accept the mural as is, and if there was time to put in a child or young women then so be it.

 

The Commission approved the motion.  There were two no votes.

 

 

 

 

7.0              ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Commissioner Fuentes announced his resignation from the Star Board at the Shipyard.  He also announced that Newcomb Street would be closed for a block party.

 

Commissioner Kennedy announced the opening of the African Market Place at the Bay View Opera House and encouraged everyone to participate.  Commissioner Kennedy extended an invitation to the National Council of Negro Women Awards Breakfast to be held on the 15th of  September, 2007 at 9:00 am

in the Alex L. Pitcher, Jr. Community Room.

 

Director Moses announced that Superintendent Garcia would speak at the October 24th, 2007 Commission meeting.

 

Commission President Brown suggested that any presenters invited to address the Commission should provide the necessary materials that might be helpful to their presentation.

 

Director Moses invited the Commissioners to attend the 2007 Immigrant Rights Summit to be held on Saturday, September15th from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the Bill Graham Civic Plaza.  As a Commissioner of the event he reminded us that we are all immigrants.

 

8.0              ADJOURNMENT

 

Commission President Brown adjourned the meeting at 7:35 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

___________________

Carla Vaughn

Southeast Community Facility

Commission Secretary