2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 RETREAT MINUTES
SHELTER MONITORING COMMITTEE
Friday, August 25, 2006
10:00 AM-4:00 PM
City Hall, 1. Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Suite 34
San Francisco, CA 94102
Members Present:
Chair Diana Valentine
Vice Chair Damian Ochoa
Committee Member Joyce Crum
Committee Member Judi Iranyi
Committee Member Keith W. Kemp
Committee Member Quintin Mecke
Committee Member David Nakanishi
Committee Member Maxine Pauson
Committee Member Hank Wilson
Members Absent:
Committee Member Bianca Henry
PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE TAKEN FOR EACH AGENDA ITEM.
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL/AGENDA ADJUSTMENTS
The meeting was called to order at 10:47 AM. Before quorum, Dr. Lynae Darbes provided an overview on how to keep confidentiality and techniques on interviewing clients.
I. RETREAT
A. Staff Report
Staff person Bernice Casey reviewed the list of Action Items taken by the Committee from April to August 2006.
Committee Member Hank Wilson asked Ms. Casey to work with him about developing a clearer list of actions taken by the Committee and a check list of pending items.
Committee Chair Diana Valentine asked if the Committee had learned what the hours of operation were for the Bayview Resource Center and asked the staff person to contact the director to get the hours of operation of the site.
Public Comment
Kim Clark, a member of the public, suggested that the Committee circulate flyers [about the work of the Committee and location of shelters].
C. Working Lunch & Staff Report
Ms. Casey reviewed the number of inspections in the last fiscal year and the number of inspections completed this year.
Committee Member Quintin Mecke asked if the Committee knew how many beds [in the shelters] were available. Committee Member Mecke said that the Committee should have a solid count from 2004 to present which would provide a snapshot of any [bed] losses.
Committee Member Hank Smith said that the Committee should also request a list of the type of beds [e.g. 90-day beds, case management beds, 7-day beds, etc].
Ms. Casey suggested the Committee also ask for a bed count for winter shelters and Interfaith shelters.
Committee Member Mecke suggested that these questions also be asked at the September 13, 2006 joint meeting of the Ten Year Implementation Council, Local Homeless Coordinating Board, and the Committee.
Chair Valentine said the committee needed an exact number of beds, cots, and mats.
Public Comment
Ali Schlageter from the Local Homeless Coordinating Board said that the Board uses [the information being discussed] as part of its federal application for McKinney funds.
Greg Kats, Deputy Director of Housing and Homeless Programs, asked the Committee to be careful about using terms like the "loss of beds" as it may not be the most apt term particularly when discussing winter shelters. Mr. Kats said that he would work with Ms. Casey to get the Committee the information they are requesting.
Ms. Casey said that Mr. Kats had been aiding her in collecting similar data.
D. PUBLIC COMMENT
No public comment.
E. Americans with Disability Act (ADA)
Mayor's Office on Disability Director Susan Mizner introduced Deputy Director Joanna Firaguli. Ms. Mizner reviewed the questions submitted to her office by the Committee and provided the Committee with written answers to all questions. Ms. Mizner said that the City must comply with requests for reasonable accommodations. If a request for an accommodation is made at shelter, the shelter should provide the accommodation or refer the client to another shelter, which provides the equivalent or better services. All shelters and resource centers should allow service animals. Ms. Mizner explained that clients may have a companion or a support animal and that animal should have a higher standard of behavior than a pet. Ms. Mizner said that staff should provide a tour of the site for those clients who are visibly impaired. For clients who need an elevator, an elevator should be keyed off and available without staff assistance. For more information about elevators, Ms. Mizner suggested contacting the Department of Building Inspection. Ms. Mizner stated that shelters should arrange for a translator when a deaf client needed [or requested] case management services or to participate in community forums on site.
Public Comment
Ms. Schlageter said that there might need to be more sensitivity training around [translation services and] sign language access.
Ms. Mizner said line staff should never refuse a reasonable accommodation and that the request should be directed to management.
F. Brainstorming Session
Facilitator Alissa Pines asked each Committee Member to fill out three cards and place biographical information, one goal, and a mission statement on one of the cards. Ms. Pines went around and asked each Committee Member to go over their cards. The Committee discussed each area.
Public Comment
Kim Clark, member of the public, said the Committee should look at what needs to be addressed [in the shelter system] and focus on those things.
G. Building Goals and a Mission Statement
Ms. Pines worked with the Committee to format three short term goals:
1. The Committee will conduct 100% of the required site visits in the reporting quarter between September and December 2006, approximately 32 visits of which 2/3 will be unannounced.
" Building client rapport
" Report back to the clients
" Request that agencies post the site inspection reports
2. The Committee will work with its appointing bodies, the Mayor's Office, the Board of Supervisors, and the Local Homeless Coordinating Board to fill the three vacant seats on the Committee reflective of the homeless community.
" Training module incorporating an orientation for new members
" On-going support to Committee members through both mentoring and administrative assistance from Committee staff
3. The Committee will increase visibility.
" Advertising about the Committee
" Committee members will participate in three community meetings
" Distribute complaint/comment forms
" Drop-in hours
" Web-site
" Committee staff will gauge calls after Committee members do an inspection
" Outreach to union representatives to incorporate shelter staff
" Work with the San Francisco Unified School District
" Media
The Committee decided to finalize its Mission Statement at the September 2, 2006 meeting. Chair Valentine asked Ms. Casey to type up the ideas circulated at the retreat and provide a copy to each Committee Member. Chair Valentine asked Committee Members to think about ideas for a Mission Statement and bring those to the September 2, 2006 Community Meeting.
Action: Approved FY 06-07 short-term goals
m/s/c (Nakanishi/Kemp/Unanimous)
H. Review Policies & Procedures
This item was postponed until the September 2, 2006 meeting.
II. OLD BUSINESS
A. Changes to the Legislation
This items was postponed until the September 2, 2006 meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
Quorum was lost at 3:56 PM.
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 415.255.3653 or Bernice.casey@sfdph.org at least two business days before the meeting.
City Hall 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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Frank Darby, Administrator
Sunshine Ordinance Task Force
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1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102-4689
Phone 415.554.7584
Fax 415.554.5784
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