EnvironmentalCommittee
2009 2008 2007 2006 San FranciscoAsthma Task Force Environmental Committee Minutes
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
1:30-3:30 pm
Present: Cynthia Knowles, Sraddha Mehta, Raymond Manion, Karen Cohn, Rosemary Bosque, Doug Henderson, Stephanie Manfre (phone)), Krista Ward, Caroline Cox, Tina Cosentino
1) Upcoming Trainings: Ben Heckman - 6 hr training Sept 23 for building inspectors. Infrared cameras, leaks, etc. Flyers sent to affordable housing. 10 people signed up. Oct 16-17 – filling up with diverse group of providers from legal aid to CHWs.
2) Healthy Housing Legislation: Urban infill development. Introduced by Tom Ammiano. Computer modeling (Tom Rivard’s (DPH) work who has come to previous meetings and does real time traffic data, aerial photography, climatology, etc.) Env. Committee supported it before it became an ordinance. Karen will go to commissions. Based on ordinance for noise. P. 3 on WAD CAFA SF Asthma Report.
o Healthy housing ordinance. Review document.
o Part I: changes in ventilation, filters and timing of ventilation compliance (i.e. re- modeling and condo conversion).
o Part II Findings: Talk about climatology. How is the city different than the state? We can add asthma specifics here. Karen added line 16.
o p. 5: Existing code says ok to have fans and not windows. New code – 3 rooms require both windows and fans. P. 4, line 7 exception.
o Fan power regulated by state. Needed: Information on state regulations.
o Note: DBI can’t enforce RICO. Want: Web-based data entry system for realtors
3) Toxics Use Reduction (introduction of Tina & Tracy from Pesticide Reform and Caroline from Center for Env. Health)
o Objective of Pesticide Reform Committee for meeting with SFATF: Exchange info.
o Discussion of previously printed related handouts from DPH and Dept of Env. Note: TV ads received more calls than the cleaners and pests ads in the examiner.
o Karen Cohn’s dept regulates pests and pesticide applicators. Question of how to balance pests control and toxic use reduction. Note: Code is to prevent pests, not to prevent pesticides. New fee to DBI for proactive inspections from health dept. Rental property & hotel owners pay fee. On city’s website (ordinances introduced and adopted). Fees should fund healthy housing inspections for vulnerable children.
o 4,000 complaints to health dept for mice, rats, etc. Screen ordinance did not go through. Difficult to use IPM in SRO units with no food storage and rodents can easily access through windows. HUD grants can not be used to fix SROs. Bed bug epidemic – hard to control without pesticide use and probably the largest cause of pesticide abuse. Apparently canines can be used to detect and get rid of bed bugs. Cockroaches probably largest cause of unneeded pesticide use. Housing authority can charge tenants for cockroach abatement which may influence number of calls for cockroach problems. Any effort for city-subsidized housing related to IPM? They haven’t used Foggers & Bombers for 10 yrs. Gel is used. Cynthia will meet with Danny to learn more. Asthma literature: Pesticides worse than pests for causing asthma under 5 yrs old (find article) Doug will send info on Boston studies.
o Dept of Env – currently undergoing strategic planning. IPM is a high priority because pesticides are a form of poison. City depts. Have converted to IPMs.
o Possible contacts for toxics use reduction: Karen Yu – connections with train the trainer for toxic use reduction. Helen is the vector control officer DPH. PSR & NEEF – trainings for physicians on environmental history. Breast Cancer Fund (supporting AB 1879 & SB 509). SF Medical Society (Steve Ilik). SOMA & Tenderloin Tenant Associations. Reach (European precautionary principal). Tosca – toxics substance waste act. Green Chemistry panel. For previous SFATF clinical network meetings, Karen has spoken to clinicians on housing rights. Difficulty in identifying who to call due to large number of housing advocates in city. New commissioner of dept of env health starting Oct 6.– Migel. Sean & Vanessa (education coordinator) at SF Apartment association
o CAFA narrative: Feb 2010 end of CAFA funding. June 2011 – SFATF sunset date. The advantage of having a legislated task force is the support and ability to advocate for new legislation. Some money is also available for media. Possibly a story on illegal pesticide chalk and the black market for pesticides in Asian communities?
o Discussions at previous environmental committee meetings about starting a new Toxics Use Reduction committee of the SFATF. Advantages: time to discuss toxics use specifics (Env committee will be busy next 6 months on housing ordinances, property owner guide, etc). New Committee may be able to get legislated after SFATF sunsets. Opportunities for new leadership and SFATF engagement. Karen asked Cynthia if she would be interested in chairing. Krista will send out e-mail to current environmental committee and possible new toxics use reduction members for work plan strategic planning meeting later this month.
