2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 MINUTES
SHELTER MONITORING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
25 Van Ness Ave., 8th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
Members Present:
Chair Diana Valentine
Secretary Quintin Mecke
Vice Chair Damian Ochoa
Committee Member Henry Belton
Committee Member Kim Clark
Committee Member Diana Greer
Committee Member Judi Iranyi
Committee Member James Leonard
Committee Member David Nakanishi
Committee Member Liz Olsen
Committee Member Maxine Pauson
Committee Member Hank Wilson
PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE TAKEN FOR EACH AGENDA ITEM.
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL/AGENDA ADJUSTMENTS
Chair Diana Valentine called the meeting to order at 10:06 AM.
I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
m/s/c (Ochoa/Iranyi/Unanimous)
Action: Approved November 7, 2007 Committee Meeting Minutes
No public comment
II. PUBLIC COMMENT
A member of the public staying at Next Door had some complaints to report, these included:
1) water in the showers was too hot. She said this was addressed in the town hall meeting; 2) the shelter temperature in general is too cold, residents break in and turn up the heat; 3) drains in bathrooms are not working well, in the handicap shower there is a little pool of water; 4) meals are not served until 20 minutes after the designated time and people are only allowed 10 minutes to eat then get kicked out of the area; 5) differential treatment of residents; for example when one misses a bed check on a nightly basis but is still allowed to stay at the shelter
Another member of the public staying at the same shelter agreed with the previous member of the public. This member of the public also added that the bathrooms are dirty and without toilet paper the majority of the time. She mentioned a very horrible incident in which a client hit her head and was laying in a puddle of blood. Staff was not helping. They saw one of the members of the public present at the meeting today get a towel and the staff did nothing. Eventually, the medics came. She was shocked at the reaction from staff. Additionally, she said there is favoritism among clients with staff and nothing is done about it. Staff is very rude especially to the elderly ladies. Finally, the lights that are on are extremely bright and she asked if they could somehow be dimmed.
Both of them said they have never heard of the Shelter Monitoring Committee (SMC) and there is no posting about it at Next Door.
Another member of the public thanked the Committee for the opportunity to speak for public comment at the beginning and end of the meeting. He was disappointed that at the last Project Homeless Connect there were no SMC members there all day. He thinks it is important for members of the SMC to attend and get the word out to the public. The next Project Homeless Connect (PHC) is February 27, 2008. Committee Member Greer said she supports our committee being present at PHC and would like to help in the coordination of having a table there.
Another member of the public mentioned his concern for having a staff person covering for Bernice, whose job is equivalent to two people, only 20 hours per week. He wanted to know if complaints were being addressed as thoroughly. He was assured by the Vice Chair that the staff person covering is doing the best they can and that complaints were being handled the same way as if Bernice was still here.
Committee Member Belton mentioned that Next Door has always been a problem. The Director does not know what the staff is doing. When outside professionals come in the Director acts like things are okay. He said there were more complaints at Next Door then at any other shelter. The showers have mildew and nothing ever gets fixed.
III. LOGISTICS AND FOLLOW-UP
Secretary Mecke talked about streamlining the site visit reports in order to most efficiently facilitate information from each team. This way we can have immediate follow up because the issues that need to be addressed will be extremely clear and stand out. Someone can then be sent out right of way to address those issues. He is requesting folks to write a paragraph and/or bullet point the top three immediate concerns and put this information on the front of the report to highlight them.
Committee Member Nakanishi said like a complaint the Shelter Monitoring email and voicemail gets checked every day. He mentioned the physical infrastructure things we can fix. Committee Member Wilson brought up mental health issues related to staff and said we should even follow up with a phone call. If someone is high at work, this feedback should be relayed and addressed immediately.
Committee Member Belton mentioned that he is at a stalemate getting support from his team in turning in reports and follow up on reports. He said people on a team should let you know if they can not make it. Committee Member Iranyi said the Team Captain should take the lead on this.
Committee Member Nakanishi announced if an announced visit does not happen to let the Staff Person know by leaving a message on the hotline.
Secretary Mecke thanked Committee Member Belton for his comment and said especially now make sure you communicate and it gets pro active. It only reflects poorly on us otherwise.
Committee Member Leonard mentioned that homeless people approached him at a meeting at the Tenderloin Health Center. They mentioned the need to gain trust in relation to people coming in. The Tenderloin Health Center has approximately 35 - 40 people. Time was short and the homeless people feel they did not get their voices heard. This causes drop off in confiding about issues and concerns.
Chair Valentine said when a shelter resident has a complaint, they still have the responsibility to contact the appropriate complaint line.
Committee Member Belton said all we can do is put these complaints in our reports and take them to a higher source. There is only so much we can do and our job is to inspect and report.
Committee Member Iranyi said as a Committee Member if people are lined up to go on a site visit, even if it takes 2 - 3 hours, you hang around and do outreach. If three members are on a team, all three should go out.
Committee Member Leonard mentioned if there are circumstances where there are more people at a site than can be accommodated with giving their complaint, and the team members can not get to them all, they should give them a card and a way to get a hold of them via email. That way they can get in contact with us.
IV.
A. Human Services Agency
Cindy Ward has been appointed as the HSA Representative to sit on the SMC. She will be added to the email list and attend her first meeting in January.
Scott Walton will be hired for Greg Katz's position. Now that Scott's position is open,
Cindy said she is not quite sure how they will fill Scott's position due to the hiring freeze.
The Shelter Safety Work Group deals with grievance, concerns, violence, health and safety in the shelters. According to Cindy Ward, agendas and minutes are available on the HSA website. The SMC will get a final copy of the report.
HSA will close 150 Otis December 31, 2007 for SFHOT Team. The goal is to get people into stabilization rooms. It will be kept closed for three months after December 31, 2007.
Committee Member Iranyi asked what happens to groups that are not stable. They are working with Margot at DPH, so everyone will have a stabilization room. A group of people not on any type of benefits will get a CAPP bed. If not interested in CAPP or stabilization, they will go get a shelter bed. Committee Member Iranyi was concerned that takes beds away from those that need shelter.
Secretary Mecke said not DBI, it is a funding issue based on a permit to allow150 Otis to open. Due to state aspect of funding they have to close the shelter for a certain period of time. It is a misunderstanding and there should be more communication. He suggested maybe someone from DBI should be invited to come to this meeting to discuss further.
According to Cindy Ward of HSA, the County can declare a state of emergency. This could impact the length of time emergency shelters and temporary shelters can operate.
Committee Member Wilson asked about capacity and capacity report in terms agencies and how we are doing. What is the capacity at Winter Shelters and what is capacity at regular shelters? Cindy Ward recommended he make a written request to HSA. Committee Member Wilson said he would like it every month.
There was an inquiry by the Committee about metal detectors and Ella Hill Hutch. Cindy Ward said there are no plans to install them at this time.
At the last Shelter Director's Meeting, there was discussion on what is working well, what could work better, and the gliches. Committee Member Leonard requested a written document. In a previous quarterly report, the Committee inquired what was going on and about Cypress Security.
Committee Member Wilson said Buster's Place is closing at the end of the month and asked if there is any other capacity that will pick up slack due to this closure? Cindy Ward said just Resource Centers that are currently available.
B. Department of Public Health
Current provider of Buster's Place said they are going to close Buster's, but will keep it open until January. There is a push to get RFP process done. There may be lapse of time for approximately a month with no 24-hour resource center.
C. Standard of Care
Supervisor Ammiano looked at recommendations made by the Standard of Care Work Group and legislation was drafted, which is now at the Office of Budget Analyst. Secretary Mecke will update the Shelter Monitoring Committee at the next meeting.
There is a request for Jennifer Williams to rewrite part of the legislation to better reflect what the SOC Work Group envisioned.
In July 2007, when the first disbursement of funds from the new legislation was released by the Standard of Care Work Group, it was to be implemented for blankets, pillows, and sheets. The funds through DPH and HSA are to be used to replace lost and damaged items. Adam, who has been assisting DPH on this project, is doing phenomenal work at what each shelter needs.
Committee Member Leonard got an email about a nutritionist. Secretary Mecke said because of the type of funding, we may be able to hire a contractor. The City is working with Dr. Borne from the Tom Waddel Clinic to assist with what it is needed at each shelter.
V. COMMMITTEE MEMBERS ANNOUNCEMENTS/COMMENTS ACTION
Secretary Mecke mentioned services and treatments deserve improvements in Standards of Care.
Committee Member Greer wants to continue to participate more in site visits. If a team is lacking they can contact her. Committee Member Leonard also would like to be called more frequently to go on site visits.
Committee Member Clark said 50% of what we are talking about is shelter staff and that the metal detectors are distressing. She shared an experience at the shelter where there was a security breach in part of the shelter where women change.
Committee Member Olsen said during the site visit at Tenderloin Health, 40 people wanted to talk with her. She was by herself and could not reach her team mates by phone. From this visit she had 7 pages of comments/complaints. At Tenderloin Health, not one woman spoke to her. She suggested maybe using a survey would be useful and thinks we are not serving this population well.
Perhaps work groups for women, seniors, and disabled can be formed and a plan devised for each of these groups to identify needs and make a plan to make improvements.
Secretary Mecke said beginning 2008 they want to push forward in talks about the Changes System. The time spent in line to get a shelter reservation needs to be addressed. Also, people are not able to get a full 8 hours sleep before having to get up and leave the shelter.
Committee Member Belton said he is in this to fight for the rights of people to have a more dignified life. Serious conversation must happen to move forward with these reoccurring issues surrounding homelessness. Unless people at a higher decision making level do something we are still in the same situation.
Committee Member Greer posed the question of why can we not propose solutions and submit them to get this working. Vice Chair Ochoa said we are dealing with a bureaucracy.
Metal detectors and people by passing metal detectors was brought up as a major issue. There is a false sense of security and gaping holes. Staff monitoring metal detectors let people go by if their pockets are too full, or if they know the person well and have a good rapport with them. At the back gate smoking area of one of the shelters, they can get into the shelter that way without getting checked.
Committee Member Nakanishi said we can send an immediate dispatch if necessary. It is important to make sure all complaints get to the Shelter Monitoring Committee and are documented.
Committee Member Pauson said there should be more consistent shelter announcements and postings. Shelter residents do not know about visits and often about the Shelter Monitoring Committee.
There should be Interfaith Shelters for solely women, and couples without children should also be considered.
VI. NEW BUSINESS
A. REVIEW OF TASKS AND FOLLOW UP
Tabled to the January 9, 2007 meeting.
B. NOMINATION OF OFFICERS
Chair Valentine is not accepting any nominations. Secretary Mecke and Vice Chair
Ochoa are accepting nominations.
Committee Member Olsen was nominated for Secretary/Officer (nominated by Committee Member Wilson)
Vice Chair Ochoa was nominated for Chair (nominated by Committee Member Greer)
Secretary Mecke was nominated for Chair and Vice Chair Ochoa for Vice Chair (nominated by Committee Member Iranyi)
Committee Member Greer was nominated for Secretary (nominated by Committee Member Leonard)
Committee Leonard was nominated for Vice Chair (nominated by Committee Member Greer). Committee Member Leonard requested time to think about the nomination.
Elections for these seats will take place on January 9, 2007.
D. CALENDAR/GOALS FOR 2008
The Calendar for 2008 was discussed and dates corrected. The policy issues to tackle in the retreat need to be discussed in greater depth. The Committee needs to agree on what happened or needs to be addressed.
Committee Member Nakanishi said he likes the consistency of going to the same site visits over and over.
VII. PUBLIC COMMENT DISCUSSION 3 min per person
A member of the public said there should be a homeless or formerly homeless person represented on the committee. This will give a different perspective then those not homeless. In addition, he thinks it is best to rotate and have completely new people every two years to get a different perspective.
Another member of the public commented that between 8:00PM and 10PM at night fights are happening. She suggested visiting sites at night would be better.
A different member of the public said they were amazed about the hiring standards at some of the shelters. In particular, that staff is not being tested for drugs. Also, there are problems with staff that are dealing drugs. They sometimes bribe clients for $100 and say they will give them a bed right of way.
Briana of HSA commented on reports coming out and things not getting to her. She requested if those issues were witnessed to give her a call.
Shelter Director's meeting was formerly the responsibility of Greg. HSA will be looking at what worked well and what to work towards improving in 2008.
ADJOURNMENT
1: 02PM
To obtain copies of the agenda, minutes, or any explanatory documents, please contact the Shelter Monitoring Committee at 415.255.3642 or shelter.monitoring@sfgov.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 the Shelter Monitoring Committee at 415.255.3642 or shelter.monitoring@sfgov.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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