2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 Minutes
SHELTER MONITORING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, September 6, 2006
10:00 AM to 12:15 PM
25 Van Ness Ave., Basement, Suite 70
San Francisco, CA 94102
Members Present:
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:
Chair Diana Valentine
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 10:12 AM. Based on time, the agenda was adjusted to hear the Quarterly Report first.
I. NEW BUSINESS
A. Quarterly Report
Vice Chair Ochoa asked that Committee to review the September 15, 2006 draft Quarterly Report.
Committee Member Joyce Crum suggested that talking points [the presentation before the Rules Committee] be approved by the Committee.
Staff person Bernice Casey explained that the talking points were taken from the approved report and therefore should there should not be another item for the Committee to approve.
Committee Member David Nakanishi said that there seemed to be a rush to approve each quarterly report.
Ms. Casey said that she was requesting finalized inspection reports 3 weeks before the January 3, 2006 Committee Meeting. Ms. Casey said she hoped to get a final draft January 11, 2006 Quarterly Report to the Committee at least 2 weeks before the January 3rd meeting.
Committee Member Hank Wilson suggested that the presenter [before the Rules Committee] focus on the Recommendations and the Requests for Information within the report and trust each other.
Committee Member Judi Iranyi said that some of the issues come right before the report is due and therefore cannot always be included in the [quarterly] report.
Committee Member Maxine Pauson said that some issues are seasonal.
Committee Member Mecke said he agreed with Committee Member Wilson's point and the presentation [before the Rules Committee] should be very clear on what the Committee is asking and what it has tracked [information collected during site visits].
Committee Member Nakanishi said that the Committee should highlight which sites were uncooperative.
Committee Member Wilson asked that the transportation of clients [how they are transported from site to site] be included in the report.
Committee Member Iranyi reviewed the individual cases of seniors, e.g. 92 year old woman, in the shelters and said that the Committee should request a hearing.
The Committee discussed this and asked Ms. Casey to include a request to the Mayor in the report asking for a meeting to discuss senior issues in the shelters.
Committee Member Iranyi and Nakanishi discussed the impact of evictions [in permanent housing] on the population using the shelter system. Committee Member Nakanishi suggested highlighting the issues of evictions and transportation at the September 13, 2006 joint meeting with the Ten Year Plan Implementation Council, the Local Homeless Coordinating Board, and the Committee.
Committee Member Mecke encouraged each Committee Member to provide their input at the [Rules Committee] meeting.
Committee Member Nakanishi asked that a piece of the report also discuss the accomplishments of the Committee.
Action: Approved Quarterly Report
m/s/c (Wilson/Mecke/Unanimous)
Public Comment
Pat Harrison from Episcopal Sanctuary thanked Committee Member Iranyi for her work and for brining attention to the placement of seniors in homeless shelters.
A member of the public said that the for-profit hotels who evict clients are part of the cycle of homelessness. The individual suggested the Committee work with the Mayor and let him know what is happening.
B. Mission Statement
This item was postponed until the October 4, 2006 meeting.
C. Questions for Quarterly Report
Reginald Smith, Director of the Ten Year Plan Implementation Council, provided the Committee with an overview of the September 13, 2006 joint meeting in which the Committee will join the Local Homeless Coordinating Board (LHCB) and the Ten Year Planning Council at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Ten Year Planning Council to discuss questions to pose to the City agencies at the Quarterly Reporting meeting of the Ten Year Planning Council, where City agencies respond to questions posed by the Council on homeless and housing programs and services as outlined in the Ten Year Plan.
Public Comment
Ali Schalgeter from the LHCB said that the three policy bodies could take positions on policies in a coordinated effort [through meeting together].
Committee Member Mecke said that the [original] intent of the Committee was to make recommendations to policy makers not to make policy.
II. REPORTS
A. Shelter Status
Greg Kats from the Human Services Agency said that he was still working with the Office of Contract Management to finalize a contract with a contractor to do the renovations needed at Women's World [Multi Service South Center]. He said he hoped to establish a timeline by next week. Mr. Kats said that he was negotiating with two separate providers to provide CHANGES services once 39 Fell [McMillan] closed. Mr. Kats said he would provide the hours and locations once they were established.
No public comment
III. NEW BUSINESS
D. Review Policies & Procedures
Ms. Casey reviewed current policies and procedures and made suggested policy changes, including outlining procedures on how follow-up is done when a complaint is logged about a shelter or resource center with the Committee.
Action: Approved polices and procedures
m/s/c (Nakanishi/Iranyi/Unanimous)
No public comment
E. McMillan Closure
Committee Member Wilson provided an overview of the meeting with Department of Public Health Deputy Director Barbara Garcia. Committee Member Wilson said the question that needs to be answered for clients, service providers, and the community is "where do people go in a crisis?"
Vice Chair Ochoa said that there was not a model 24-hour resource center [in San Francisco].
Committee Member Wilson said that the City needs to track turn-aways, answer the transportation issue, and inform the community and the Committee of where people in crisis can get care.
Vice Chair Ochoa said it was important to get a clear idea of what was the role of the Department of Public Health and what was the role of the Human Services Agency in locating another resource center. Vice Chair Ochoa reviewed the letters that had been sent to Trent Rhorer.
Committee Member Pauson asked what [resource center] was open in the Bayview.
Committee Member Wilson said that there were a large number of people who used the resource center. He said that when Providence [shelter] closes at
5:30 AM there is no where for the clients to go until the Bayview Resource Center opens at 7:00 AM.
Public Comment
Mr. Kats said that City can track the vacancy rates in each shelter
Kim Clark, said that she has been in shelters where 5 beds were available but could not be filled because of reservations. She said that she had been talking to people who were worried about the closure of McMillan and are asking where they are going to sleep.
Committee Member Wilson said he was concerned about the closure as winter was approaching.
Mr. Kats said that emergency shelter sites were different but that Interfaith and winter shelters would be opening and he would provide the names of the sites when they opened.
A member of the public asked when McMillan would be closed.
Committee Member Nakanishi said that it would be closed to new clients as of September 22nd and that case managers would be working with existing clients until October 20th to find alternate placement [for clients who were using McMillan as a shelter].
F. Nomination of Secretary
This item was postponed until October 4, 2006.
IV. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
The Committee discussed excused and unexcused absences [as it related to the listing of Committee Members as present and absent within the Minutes].
Committee Member Wilson asked that the August 2, 2006 minutes be corrected. Action: Approved Amended August 2, 2006 Committee Meeting Minutes
m/s/c (Wilson/Iranyi/Unanimous)
No public comment.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:54 AM.
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.
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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1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102-4689
Phone 415.554.7584
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