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SHELTER MONITORING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
25 Van Ness Ave., 8th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
Members present:
Chair Quintin Mecke
Vice Chair Damian Ochoa
Secretary Liz Olsen
Committee Member Henry Belton
Committee Member Chris Callandrillo
Committee Member Kim Clark
Committee Member Diana Greer
Committee Member Judi Iranyi
Committee Member James Leonard
Committee Member Maxine Pauson
Committee Member Cindy Ward
Members absent:
Committee Member David Nakanishi
PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE TAKEN FOR EACH AGENDA ITEM AS INDICATED.
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL/AGENDA ADJUSTMENTS
The meeting was called to order at 10:01 AM.
I. MINUTES
The Committee asked that former Committee Member Hank Wilson's name be removed from the Members Present column.
m/s/c (Ward/Ochoa/Unanimous)
Action: Approve Amended Minutes
II. CONFIDENTIALITY OVERVIEW
Confidentiality Overview
Deputy City Attorney Jennifer Williams reviewed confidentiality, state and federal statutes, and as they pertain to the Committee's policies. Ms. Williams stated that a client's benefit status, i.e. General Assistance, substance abuse status, HIV status, and if children were removed by a government agency was confidential. In addition, she stated that the July 2007 amendment to the Shelter Monitoring Committee legislation stated that the identify of clients should be kept confidential in written reports of the Committee.
III. REPORTS
A. Human Services Agency
Committee Member Cindy Ward reviewed the vacancy report of Single Adult Shelters and Family Shelters. Ms. Ward said that 34 families were turned away from the emergency shelter, with 8 families being turned away in one day. Ms. Ward said that there were 125 families on the Connecting Point waiting list. Ms. Wards said that Ella Hill Hutch would be closing at the end of June and that there would be a community meeting to alert the clients [approximately 78 a day] of the closure. She said that St. Joseph's Family Shelter would be closing its Howard Street address and relocating to Guerrero Street at the end of June, the capacity would go from 17 families to 10. She said that the HSA investigation unit had 3 people stay at shelters and that she would be providing copies of their reports at a later date. Ms. Ward said that there were 9 resource center cots, 18 Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) cots, and 5 PE pending cots available at the newly opened 150 Otis shelter.
Committee Member Kim Clark asked when Ella Hill Hutch would be closing.
Committee Member Ward said it would be closing on June 30, 2008.
B. Standard of Care (SOC)
Chair Quintin Mecke review the SOC memorandums and discussed the Committee's role in responding to complaints.
Committee Member Clark asked how many complaints the Committee has received.
Chair Mecke said that Committee would be tracking complaints at each site as well as track the types of overall SOC complaints received.
Committee Member James Leonard asked how complaints regarding security guards would be addressed.
Committee Member Chris Callandrillo stated that as [SOC] reports were available the Committee would be able to redefine the SOC processes.
Chair Mecke said that the Committee would be joining DPH and HAS at the May 19, 2008 Shelter Director's meeting to review the SOC, including the complaint process.
Committee Member Ward said that training [on the SOC] was important and should happen at each site as well.
IV. PUBLIC COMMENT
Pat Harrison said that complaints about security guards would be forwarded to HSA and the security company stating that security guards were not site staff.
Ali Schlagetter asked who would do the SOC training at sites.
Andre Williams asked how long the SOC training for staff would be.
Tomas Picarillo said that there should be a DPH representative participating in the SOC discussions. He said there was too much optimism that sites would comply with the SOC. He said the legislation was passed 30 days ago and all training should have happened before that time.
Marlon Mendeita said that there should be information about the SOC in Spanish.
Hank Williams said that Oshun Center was within the purview of the Committee and the Committee should be conducting site visits.
Ali Schlageter said there was Local Homeless Coordinating Board (LHCB) vacant seat on the Committee and asked people to contact her for more information.
Mr. Jones said that he was not receiving care at 39 Fell and had complaints about the respite center.
V. OLD BUSINESS
A. Shelter Enrichment
Chair Mecke thanked Committee staff Bernice Casey and LHCB staff Ali Schlageter for their efforts on holding a community process for the Shelter Enrichment process. Mr. Mecke said that he had attended all the meetings and felt that the general comments throughout the process were captured on page 2 of the report. The Committee members also discussed including staff education, staff accountability, and a family focus in the letter.
Committee Member Diana Greer said that she was not comfortable approving the report.
Committee Staff Bernice Casey explained that the purpose of the agenda item was to approve a cover letter to accompany the report.
m/s/c (Ward/Clark/Belton/Callandrillo/Iranyi/Leonard/Mecke/Ochoa/Olsen/Pauson/Ward)
Opposed (Greer)
Action: Approved cover letter for Shelter Enrichment Report.
Public Comment
Dar Kayhan from the Mayor's Office thanked the Committee for its efforts throughout the Shelter Enrichment process and made the following suggestions: pull out any language of "no-cost" items, focus on a shelter not the shelter system, that the Project Homeless Connect model was more than the services in one-place.
Marlon Mendieta suggested that the letter talk about the need for a longer, more inclusive process in the future.
Tomas Picarillo acknowledged the efforts of Lessy Benedith in holding a community meeting at MSC South.
VI. INFORMATION REQUESTS
A. Staff Report
Ms. Casey provided the Committee with a written staff report.
B. Information Requests
The Committee will review the Information Request responses and requested that an Information Request be submitted to the Controller's Office on its Care Not Cash report and to the Human Services Agency on the sleeping units available from 2003 to the end of June 2008.
C. Announcements
Committee Member Ward introduced new HSA staff including the return of Greg Kats.
Public Comment
Holy Old Man Bull from the Human Rights Commission distributed information on transgenders in the Shelter System, including client rights.
ADJOURNMENT
To obtain copies of the agenda, minutes, or any explanatory documents, please contact Bernice Casey at 415.255.3653 or Bernice.casey@sfdph.org 72 hours before the meeting.
To obtain a disability-related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services to participate in the meeting, please contact Bernice Casey at 415.255.3642 or Bernice.casey@sfdph.org at least two business days before the meeting.
25 Van Ness Avenue is accessible to persons using wheelchairs and others with disabilities. Assistive listening devices are available and meetings are open-captioned. Agendas are available in large print. Materials in alternative formats, American Sign Language interpreters, and other format accommodations will be made available upon request. Please make your request for alternative forma or other accommodations to the Shelter Monitoring Committee at 415.255.3642. Providing at least 72 hours notice prior to the meeting will help ensure availability.
The nearest BART station is Civic Center Plaza at the intersection of Market, Grove, and Hyde Streets. The MUNI Metro lines are the F, J, K, L, M, and N (Civic Center Station or Van Ness Avenue Station). MUNI bus lines serving the area are the 47 Van Ness, 9 San Bruno, and the 6, 7, 71 Haight/Noreiga. Accessible curbside parking is available on Oak and Hickory Streets.
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