March 21,2012
Draft Minutes
SHELTER MONITORING COMMITTEE
March 21, 2012
10:00 AM
City Hall, Room 408
San Francisco, CA 94102
Members Present:
Chair Elizabeth Ancker
Vice Chair Matt Luton
Secretary Ramon Lacayo III
Committee Member Will Daley
Committee Member Ken Dotson
Committee Member Debi Muise-late
Committee Member David Nakanishi
Committee Member Kandi Patterson
Committee Member Maxine Pauson-late
Committee Member Reginald Upshaw
Committee Member Cindy Ward
Members Unexcused:
Committee Member Simon Martinez
I. MINUTES
The Committee reviewed the draft February 15, 2012 Minutes and made edits.
m/s/c (Luton/Ancker/Unanimous)
Approved: February 15, 2012 Minutes
No public comment.
II. REPORTS
A. Department of Public Health Report
Committee Member David Nakanishi requested additional time to provide the Committee with complete and/or draft Shelter Policies on Pest and Parasite Determination. Committee Member Nakanishi said that he would alert the Committee when there were materials to present. Committee Member Nakanishi circulated information on the budget process with the Health Commission to the Committee.
No public comment.
B. Shelter Status Report
Committee Member Cindy Ward reviewed the vacancy information for the Single Adult Shelters. Ms. Ward said that Bethel Family shelter would be closing on March 31, 2012 and stated English signage had been placed at the site regarding closure and said the signage was being translated into Spanish and Chinese. Ms. Ward reviewed the data for the emergency Interfatih winter shelter for single adult men and stated that a full report would be out next month. Ms. Ward reviewed the numbers for the family turn aways and the family shelter wait list.
Shelter Advocates
Shelter Advocate Nicholas Kimura reviewed the Denial of Service Comparison Report for the past quarter.
Public Comment
Lisa, a member of the public, stated that she had been attempting to access long-temr shelter reservations and/or housing for the past 12 months and has put her life at risk by waiting in line for a shelter reservation.
Cynthia Lee, a member of the public, said that she has received write ups on her bed and that they had not been handed to her. In addition, she stated that the shelter she is residing at said they issued her a warning but she was never provided a copy of said warning.
George, a member of the public, said that he sleeps on the street because he cannot get a shelter bed. He said that 65% of the staff at MSC sells drugs. He said that he has been denied services at Next Door when he wasn’t even a client at the site.
C. Standard of Care Report
Bernice Casey reviewed the Standard of Care complaints for February 2012.
Committee Ward asked for a breakdown of the type of complaints by shelter. Committee Member Will Daley asked for a breakdown of the complaints by those generated by the Committee and those generated by clients.
Ms. Casey stated that information was provided quarterly and she would report back to the Committee if she could do that on a monthly basis.
Public Comment
Lisa said that there was no tissue, soap, or hand sanitizer at Next Door. She said that the windows do not open so that there is no ventilation. She said
III. PUBLIC COMMENT
George stated that he only gets a reservation one attempt out of 30. He said that he was in the Air Force and is used to making do on his own. He said that Oprah
Winfey took her money out of Glide. He said that people are sleeping on the streets instead of the City using money to helping people. He said that the blankets are raggedy and 85% of places won’t let you use the bathroom. He asked the Committee to make sure the shelter money was not going to shelter staff who were ex-cons and those working there because they need the government check.
Raul Morales said that he submitted a complaint to the Shelter Monitoring Committee. He said that the county pays for shelters but clients are getting services. He said that there was poor air quality in the shelters because of the lack of ventilation.
Cynthia Lee said that there have been several threats at sites and four staff were assaulted. She said that there have been reliable studies done on diet and behaviors with reducing violence. She said that sites could start a vitamin cooperative. She said that when she brings suggestions up at Next Door she is met with resistance. She said there is not enough ventilation at Next Door.
Lisa said that she called for help to all the City agencies and departments and only one person called her back, a lieutenant with the Sherriff’s Department at City Hall. She said that he was the only one who bothered to check on her. She said that she had her baby kicked out of her. She said the system is broken and begged the Committee to build apartments. She said that when she was assaulted, physically and sexually, while waiting in line for a shelter reservation that it took four hours for the police to show up.
Committee Member Daley stated that he was speaking as a private citizen. He said that we lived in the richest country in the world and we cannot provide the most basic human right. He said he wished he could love his city and still love justice.
IV. NEW BUSINESS
A. Budget Priorities
Ms. Casey reviewed the community budget process and circulated the information regarding funding requests. The Committee requested that the staff hold meetings in the shelters to get more information from staff and clients on what they see as budget priorities.
No public comment.
V. OLD BUSINESS
A. Safety Protocols
The Committee reviewed information provided back from DPH and HSA regarding safety protocols. Committee Member Ward said she would see if there was final report with recommendations regarding the February 6, 2012 death. The Committee wanted to know what the process was for maintenance checks on the metal detectors; the safety policies for all shelters, including family shelters, including those without metal detectors; what the policy was on checking work tools in at shelters; and how this information is provided to clients. The Committee decided to continue having this item on the agenda for future meetings.
Public Comment
Ron Merritt said that for years sites safety protocols have been on and off. People who carry weapons have found a way to slip them into the shelters. Policies need to be revisited. He said that there was security favoritism at sites.
Lisa said she was at MSC South Drop In Center when the stabbing occurred on February 6 and she said it was avoidable but that staff did not react when they should have. She wanted to know how many times people were going to have b traumatized by the system. She said that each shelter staff lied to the police.
George said that a supervisor at Next Door is using women and getting them pregnant. He said that he has been denied services at that site when he was not even there. He said that the supervisor needs to be fired because he has sex with at least four women.
Committee Member Debi Muise said that she has been repeatedly told that staff sells drugs and she wants to know what the Committee should do with this information.
Raul said that the next time the Committee goes to MSC South that they should check to make sure the lockers work. He said that some staff to not have manners and are not trained in safety.
B. Tokens
Committee Member Ken Dotson reviewed the information he had received about
free transportation provided to homeless clients in Santa Clara. He said that providing transportation to clients who have shelter reservations is a no cost proposal.
Committee Member Daley read information from the Mayor’s Office on Disability regarding program access and reminded the Committee that the last homeless count recorded 55% of all homeless individuals were disabled.
Committee Member Maxine Pauson said that San Rafael has a Red Ticket program for homeless clients who utilize public transportation and asked Committee staff to look into the program and report back.
The Committee discussed asking a representative from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority to attend an upcoming Committee meeting.
Public Comment
Cynthia Lee said that the MAP van is not always available and that Next Door staff have to call EMS to provide basic transport for clients who have medical needs.
Mr. Merritt said that tokens are used to buy alcohol and drugs and that the Committee needs to figure out a better way to use the technology to provide transportation.
George said he failed to understand why the Committee had not figured out the staff are using the tokens. He said that the MAP drivers use the vans for personal business. He said that if the Committee would him a video camera he could prove it.
Lisa said that there should be a better and safer system to get a shelter reservation. She said that she does not receive tokens when she gets a reservation.
Kim Armbruster from Glide said that there should be a policy instituted that would eliminate lines for shelter beds. He said there should be an audit on MAP regarding the response times.
VI. INFORMATION REQUESTS
A. Staff Report
Ms. Casey reviewed the March 2012 staff report.
Public Comment
Deputy City Attorney Sherri Kaiser introduced herself to the Committee and explained that she now served as advice counsel.
Mr. Merrit asked what the process of submitting complaints to the Committee.
Lisa asked who is truly available to file a complaint with and what number should she call.
B. Information Requests
The Committee requested staff re-submit the Token Information Request with better phrased questions to the Human Services Agency.
Public Comment
Mr. Merritt said that the shelter lines are dangerous and disabled clients are not accommodated.
Adjournment
m/s/c (Ancker/Upshaw/Unanimous)
Action: Adjourned the meeting.
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.
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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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