ADOPTED MINUTES

SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY FACILITY COMMISSION

Wednesday, December 12, 2018 6:00 P.M.

1800 Oakdale Avenue, Alex Pitcher Jr. Community Room

San Francisco, CA  94124

 

 

 

 

Chairperson Steve Good called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tracy   Zhu, SFPUC   External   Affairs   announced   the   7th     Annual   WINTER WONDERLAND presented by Bayview Opera House and 3rd on Third.   The event offers free admission for Ice Skating ($1 for kids), Snow Land, Santa’s Village, Holiday Gift Making, Food and Craft Market, Live Music and S’Mores.  The event is sponsored by the SFPUC, AECOM/Parsons, and Invest in Neighborhoods.  The event is modeled after German holiday markets, featuring hot spiced wine, sausages and other holiday favorites from abroad and from Bayview.

 

Commissioner Chung announced the completion of the annual bike giveaway which is co-sponsored by Bayview Police Department.    This year the joint sponsorship provided 26 bicycles to the Bayview community.

 

 

 

 

a)   Steve Good welcomed new Commissioners Gina Fromer and Amerika Sanchez to the body.  Commissioner Gina Fromer is a former long-time resident, community activist and former Executive Director of the Bayview YMCA.   She is now the CEO of the San Francisco Education Fund.   Amerika Sanchez is currently a Bayview resident and a Principal at 5 Keys which is a non-profit that serves exclusively high school dropouts and those that are incarcerated.

 

 

b)  Steve Good provided an update regarding the hiring process for the Executive Director and assured the community members present that everything was being done to make sure the right candidate was chosen.   He reported 77 individuals applied and 64 met the minimum qualification.   Approximately 38 individuals were invited to interview.

 

 

 

Derrick Toliver, community member and applicant for the Executive Director position expressed his concern regarding the hiring process for a new Executive Director and especially the interview process.

 

 

 

Co-Chairperson Diane Gray announced the Annual Toy Giveaway Kickoff Holiday

Party Center on Friday, December 14th at the Joseph Lee Recreation Center located at

1395 Mendell Street.  The event is for boys and girls 12 & under.

 

 

 

a)   Karen Cohn, Industrial Hygienist, San Francisco Department of Public Health provided the following update on the Hunters Point Shipyard clean-up:

 

Ms. Cohn began with an overview of the mission of the Department of Public Health which is “Our mission is, and has always been, to protect and promote health and well-being for all in San Francisco.  Our vision is making San Francisco the healthiest place on earth.”

 

Ms. Cohn noted that public health is more than healthcare.   It’s about public health equity and environmental health.   “In the field of Public Health, we are beginning to understand just how important proper health education, access to good quality food, and wellness support are to health.”

 

Health Care treats people who are sick or injured, helps people to prevent injury and illness, and promotes wellness.   The SF Health Network is a community of clinics, hospitals   and   programs   that   connects   San   Franciscans   to   quality   health   care, regardless of immigration status or lack of insurance. 

 

Population Health works to protect and promote the health of the whole city, and everyone in it.   The focus is on improving health through bolstering and addressing healthy behaviors, community safety, built environment, social/environmental factors and environmental exposures.

 

Environmental Health is a core function of the population health branch.   But this branch does more than monitor and control environmental hazards to public health (pollution, toxic substances, etc.)    Environmental health promotes, protects and creates healthy environments.  From healthy housing to childhood lead prevention, air quality to hazardous waste and materials.   Environmental health works to improve environments and protect the health of all San Franciscans.

 

Ms.  Cohn reported that through the Children’s Environmental Health Promotion Program, which   she   supervises, Bayview   Hunters   Point   families   can   receive comprehensive home screenings that help families prevent lead exposure and reduce asthma flare-ups caused by in-home pollutants.

 

Ms. Cohn provided a health and equity assessment of the population and advised that while San Francisco is one of the healthiest cities in the U.S., Black/African Americans are less so.  Some of the disparities can partially be attributed to unevenly distributed obstacles to health.    With a focus on nutrition, housing, and physical health, SFDPH, in partnership with other entities in the city of San Francisco, has introduced many programs to support the community.

 

Ms.  Cohn reported community support is provided through increased access to nutritious foods through the SFDPH Healthy Retail program, healthy housing through the Alice Griffith and Hunters View housing rebuild program, and the improved quality of life for residents by replacing the Southeast Treatment Plant and moving it

800 feet from the nearest residence.     They plan to reduce preterm birth and uncontrolled blood pressure and heart disease.   There is a Black African American health initiative and a major expansion of the Southeast Health Center.     The expansion is a $30 million investment in renovating the primary care clinic that serves the Bayview Hunters Point.

 

Regarding the clean-up and restoration of the Navy Shipyard, Ms. Cohn advised the Department of Public Health is here to ensure that the public receives clear and timely information on the progress of the Navy’s cleanup and restoration of the land.  There are 3 regulatory oversight agencies: United States Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Toxic Substances Control, and Water Boards.

 

The cleanup is being paid by federal funds.    Following are the protections and benefits of the project: 

 

The City must use the land in a way that improves the public’s health and quality of life.

 

The Navy must bring soil and water back to its natural state.

 

Once all cleanup, restoration, and development are completed, most of  the  site  is inspected  every  year,  and  the  entire  site  is  reviewed  every  five  (5)  years  to  ensure public health is being maintained.

 

Ms. Cohn advised that the purpose of the cleanup and restoration of the Hunters Point Shipyard is to bring soil and water back to its natural state.   To do this, she advised we must understand that radiation is naturally present everywhere.

 

Prior to 1970 protective remedies did not exist, and there was no formal monitoring of public exposure to radiation, lead and asbestos.

 

During the active years of the shipyard, naval radiological defense laboratory scientists seeking to understand the effects of radiation did research.   Most of the waste from the lab was removed and disposed of in a specific manner –  some was poured down the drain.   Also, during World War II, all U.S.  Navy ships had deck markers, dials, and gauges with glow-in-the-dark pain that contained radium.  Once it was understood that the radium in these objects posed a health risk, the Navy removed the radium containing objects and buried them at the shipyard in the 1950s. Starting in the 1990s they were dug up  and  shipped  to  landfills  during  the  Navy restoration.  The result is the public was regularly exposed to substances that we now know are toxic.

 

Asbestos was used to insulate homes, schools and offices across the U.S.  Lead was a common ingredient in paint.  Military personnel and civilians employed at shipyards may have been at greater risk because formal occupational health standards were not in place until 1971.

 

In closing, Ms.  Cohn noted the cleanup of the Hunters Point Shipyard is still in progress and the Department of Public Health wants to ensure the community is kept well-informed.

 

Twenty-eight miles of drain pipes, over 100,000 truckloads of contaminated soil have been removed to offsite approved landfills for chemical waste.  Hundreds of train car loads of soil have been disposed of as radioactive waste – hauled away out of state.

 

Chemical vapor has been captured and sent offsite for  disposal.    Chemicals in groundwater   have   been   treated   and   broken   down   into   harmless   substances. Shorelines have been protected with rocks to keep soil from entering the bay. 

 

Dust is monitored for radiation and other hazardous chemicals via monitors on workers and required washing and minoring of trucks to ensure contamination does not go off-site.

 

Tetra Tech was hired by the Navy to perform soil testing at Hunters Point Shipyard. They were found guilty of committing fraud and two (2) employees were sent to jail. A deck marker was discovered during the retest of Parcel A.  The item was safely removed and disposed of.  The Tetra Tech areas will be retested.

 

Chairperson Good thanked Ms. Cohn for the presentation and opened the floor to questions from the Commissioners.

 

Commissioner Zheng said the community is still skeptical and he wanted to know how that would be addressed?

 

Ms. Cohn said air quality activist and an environmental justice program would be available to address the skepticism.

 

Commissioner Zheng noted the Department of Public Health had experts at their disposal and he encouraged her to push hard.

 

Vice-Chairperson Gray thanked Ms. Cohen for the presentation and asked what specifically was being done, now.

 

Ms. Cohn responded Parcel A was being built out.

 

Commissioner Chung asked if there was a completion date.

 

Ms. Cohn responded that with the legal matters at hand a completion date was not available at this time.

 

Chairperson Good asked who was ultimately responsible for the cleaning of the shipyard and the surrounding area?

 

Ms. Cohn advised the Navy is the responsible party and the site is over 500 acres.

 

Commissioner Zheng inquired as to whether there was any other kind of fraud.

 

Ms. Cohn indicated that she did not know of any other accusations of fraudulent activity.

 

Chairperson Good thanked Ms. Cohn for the presentation. 

 

 

b)  Kimberly Jones, Program Director and Eric Chen, Enrollment Manager for Wu- Yee Children’s Services provided a presentation regarding the admission and enrollment process.

 

Ms. Jones reported Wu-Yee Children’s Services has over 40 years of experience and during the last five (5) years it has expanded its grant to include a research and referral subsidies program.    There are three (3) centers in the Bayview and low- income families are given priority treatment.  Ms. Jones introduced Eric Chen.

 

Mr.  Chen advised 70% of those enrolled at the Southeast facility were from the Bayview.

 

Ms. Jones advised there is an electronic database that is used in the selection process and work is also being done to address homelessness issues.

 

After the brief presentation Chairperson Good opened the floor to questions from the Commissioners.

 

Vice-Chairperson Gray asked if there was a preapplication process?

 

Ms. Jones responded the process is explained and 3rd party verification is required.

 

Vice-Chairperson Gray asked for an example of the criteria.

 

Ms. Jones responded they try to substantiate the needs of the child.

 

Mr. Chen said during the application process there is a meeting with the family and the center helps the family complete the application process.

 

Ms. Jones added they troubleshoot with the homeless issue.

 

Commissioner Sanchez inquired regarding the grievance process if a parent feels they did not receive a fair process.

 

Ms. Jones responded the application would be revisited if something in their situation changed.  Also, periodically the waiting list is revisited.

 

Vice-Chairperson Gray asked how long do families stay on the wait list?

 

Mr. Chen advised there is a licensing requirement.

 

Ms. Jones added enrollment is constantly ongoing. 

 

Commissioner Chung had a question regarding the maximum income level.

 

Ms. Jones responded they adhere to the Federal Government guidelines.

 

Vice-Chairperson Diane Gray asked if statistics on ethnicity were available and are bilingual services provided?

 

Chairperson Steve Good said income levels should also be provided. 

 

Ms. Jones offered to provide more information when it was available. Chairperson Good thanked Ms. Jones and Mr. Chen for their presentation.

 

 

 

a)  Yolanda Manzone, SFPUC External Affairs advised an overview of the hiring process for the SECFC Executive Director would be provided in full at the January regular       Commission meeting.

b)  Yolanda Manzone provided a brief update on the 1550 Evans project advising the request to rezone had received approval from the Planning Department.

c)   Yolanda Manzone provided a recap of the 2018 Health and Harvest Fair and advised it was a success.

 

 

 

Chairperson Steve Good invited the public to comment.

 

Tonie Brock, community member stated the health fair flyer provided incomplete information and she noted there were too many people with utility jackets making it hard to determine who was  helping  with  the  event.    She also said there was an elaborate labyrinth that was not used.

 

 

 

None.

 

 

 

The meeting adjourned at 7:43 pm 

 

Respectfully submitted

Carla Vaughn, Commission Secretary