San Francisco Youth Commission
Minutes
Monday, March 7, 2016
5:15 pm-8:00 pm
City Hall, Room 416
1. Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Pl.
San Francisco, CA 94102

There will be public comment on each item.

Luis Avalos-Nunez (Chair), Jillian Wu (Vice-Chair), Lily Marshall-Fricker, Erica Kong, Stephanie Li, Cris Plunkett, Anna He, Jessica Calderon, Noah David, Giovanna Soto, William Juarez, Cecilia Nicole Galeano, Madeleine Matz, Anna Bernick, Jarrett Mao, Grace Pating, Hatim Mansori

1. Call to Order and Roll Call for Attendance

The meeting was called to order at 5:23 pm. Commissioners present: Galeano, Juarez, Kong, Marshall-Fricker, Plunkett, Avalos, Soto, Li, Bernick, David

Commissioners absent: Mansori, Mao, Wu, Calderon, He, Matz, Pating

Commissioners Wu, Pating, Matz, Calderon, and He had requested advance absence authorization. Commissioner Juarez, seconded by Commissioner Bernick, moved to approve their absences. There was no public comment. The motion was approved by acclamation.

Commissioner Mao was noted present at 5:27pm.

2. Approval of Agenda (Action Item)

Commissioner Galeano, seconded by Commissioner Juarez, moved to approve the agenda. There was no public comment. The motion was approved by acclamation.

3. Approval of Minutes (Action Item)

A. February 16, 2016
(Document A)

Commissioner Li, seconded by Commissioner Kong, moved to approve the minutes. There was no public comment. The motion was approved by acclamation.

4. Public Comment on Items not on Agenda (Discussion Only)

There was no public comment.

5. Consent Calendar (Action Item)

All items hereunder constitute a Consent Calendar. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Commissioner so requests. In that event, the item will be removed from the Consent Calendar and considered as a separate item immediately following the vote on the rest of the items.
A. BOS File No. 160101 – [Business and Tax Regulations Code – Parking Tax Exemptions for Certain Parking Events on School District Property]
Sponsor: Supervisor Mar
(Document B)

Commissioner David, seconded by Commissioner Plunkett moved to approve the consent calendar. There was no public comment. The motion was approved by acclamation.

6. Legislation Referred from the Board of Supervisors (All Items to Follow Discussion and Possible Action)

A. BOS File No. 160100 – [Administrative Code – No-Fault Eviction Protections During School Year]
Sponsors: Supervisors Campos; Kim, Avalos, Mar
Presenter: Carolyn Goossen, Legislative Aide to Supervisor Campos
(Document C)

Chair Avalos welcomed up Carolyn Goossen to present. She noted that this legislation was very relevant for young people, educators, and families. In 2009, Supervisor Mar had legislation that said that families with children under 18 could not be evicted under owner move in evictions during the school year. This was based on research on the impacts of eviction on students’ education performance. This legislation expands that mandate. This includes other types of evictions besides owner move in evictions. This legislation is also about supporting educators and not just students as the displacement of educators also impacts students’ school experience. We are going through a teacher shortage crisis as well as a shortage of substitute teachers. Teachers make less than the cost of the average apartment. The take home salary for a beginning teacher is $3,400 a month and a one bedroom is $3,600 a month. We cannot just stop the evictions of teachers and families but we can mitigate the impact. This is for private and public schools. The summer months would allow evictions, based on the SFUSD calendar. The supervisors worked with SEIU and UESF and Tenants Together. She closed by asking for commissioners’ support.

Commissioner Soto asked if the legislation could be expanded to include transitional age youth in college. Ms. Goossen suggested it should be considered in the future. She explained the more expansive the legislation becomes, the harder it is to justify it legally. For this version, they focused on K-12 students and educators, but that should be considered during the next phase.

Commissioner Bernick asked if people would be displaced during the summer months. Ms. Goosen explained this was only for evictions that are already planned. The city cannot say that landlords cannot evict people at all, but the city can say that you cannot evict during the school year. This provides extra tenant protection. Commissioner Bernick asked if the legislation could be extended until graduation. Ms. Goossen explained that the only people who have long term protection under the law are seniors and people with disabilities because they can die as a result of being evicted. She acknowledged it is a great idea and said she would look into the idea and that the group had considered saying that evictors cannot evict until rents come down.

Commissioner Galeano asked if this applied to student’s in summer school. Ms. Goossen confirmed this would not protect from evictions during summer school terms.

Commissioner Avalos asked if the ordinance would give tenants time to prepare or would they be illegally occupying the unit after the school year ends. Ms. Goossen explained that the process would be the same as any other eviction and would require all of the usual notices. It could not be a surprise and families would have to have the usual notice and time to contest.

Commissioner Bernick asked if this would protect families for non-payment of rent. Ms. Goossen explained it would only apply to no-fault evictions, not non-payment of rent. It covers issues like renovations, condo conversion, owner move in, etc.

Commissioner Avalos asked about previous legislation that redefined what “no-fault” evictions are. Ms. Goossen explained this would only apply to the limited conditions of no-fault evictions.

Commissioner Galeano asked if this would protect families that are separated. Ms. Goossen explained that this only protects those that are providing the residence for a child.

Commissioner Avalos asked how tenants prove tenancy. Ms. Goossen explained the same standards as other evictions apply to landlord-tenant relationships. The rent board has those rules all clearly laid out.

Chair Avalos thanked the presenter. Commissioner Juarez expressed strong support for the measure and suggested that evictions should be prevented until graduation and if it were extended to college students. Commissioner Bernick suggested bringing disability categories in for students. Commissioner

Commissioner Juarez motioned to support the legislation, seconded by Commissioner David.

Commissioner Juarez motioned to include considerations for waiting until graduation, extending it to include TAY students, and students with disabilities. Commissioner Soto seconded.

Commissioner Avalos asked what the outreach effort would be, if passed.

Ms. Goossen suggested that UESF, SEIU, and tenant organizations would do outreach to their members.

There was no public comment.

Commissioner Juarez’ motion to attach the comments was approved by acclamation.

Commissioner Juarez’ motion to support the legislation was approved by acclamation.

7. Presentations (All Items to Follow Discussion and Possible Action)

8. Youth Commission Business (All Items to Follow Discussion and Possible Action)

A. Youth Commission Resolution 1516-RC-02 [Resolution Commending Lowell High School Black Student Union]
Authors: Commissioners Li, Soto, Avalos, and Plunkett
(Document D)

Commissioners Soto and Li indicated they would be asking for two readings of this resolution. They read the resolution into the public record.

Commissioner Marshall-Fricker suggested that the training should be district-wide. Commissioner Bernick asked what else the BSU was working on. Commissioner Li explained that the BSU had brought the issue up to the principal and board of education and met with Norman Yee about the issues. Commissioner Li offered an overview of the students’ demands.

B. Youth Commission Resolution 1516-AL-04 [Resolution Declaring 2016 as the Year of San Francisco Homeless Youth]
Authors: Commissioner Plunkett
(Document E)

Commissioner Plunkett read the resolution into the public record. There was no public comment. Chair Avalos explained the resolution would be voted on at the next meeting.

Commissioner Galeano asked if there is information regarding unhoused undocumented youth. She explained that a lot of undocumented youth she knows are homeless.

Chair Avalos explained that a large number of homeless youth are LGBT and suggested calling attention to that. Commissioner Plunkett explained the committee had considered including that information.

Commissioner Bernick suggested support for the resolution.

Staff member Adele Failes-Carpenter suggested reaching out for a presentation from the HOPE office and explained that staff could help schedule a presentation.

Chair Avalos suggested that a second draft could include more information on homeless children and collaboration with the school district.

9. Committee Reports (Discussion Only)

A. Executive Committee

Vice chair Wu was absent so Chair Avalos gave a report for the executive committee. The committee had discussed budget and policy priorities. He suggested that committees dedicate time to reviewing budget and policy priority updates and suggested to start planning ahead for any new budget and policy priorities.

B. Housing, Environment, and City Services Committee

Commissioner Soto explained the committee is working on two resolutions including the year of homeless youth and Commissioner Kong is working on a Free MUNI for youth resolution. The committee had a presentation from Hilary Liang, a former youth commissioner.

C. Economic Justice and Immigration Committee

Commissioner Juarez explained that the EJI committee will be meeting with Angelina Romano to talk about support for unaccompanied minor students, particularly mental health services.

D. Youth Justice Committee

Commissioner Galeano explained that the last meeting was cancelled but at the previous meeting the committee met with the Center for Youth Wellness who are training SFPD. The committee had a recommendation regarding considering the needs of youth in different neighborhoods. The committee is working on two resolutions.

E. Civic Engagement Committee

Commissioner Bernick explained that the Board of Education unanimously supported Vote16 and David Chiu endorsed the effort. The Youth Empowerment Academy held its second retreat.

F. Our Children Our Family Council

This item was tabled until Commissioner Wu’s return.

10. Staff Report (Discussion Only)

Leah LaCroix informed commissioners about the Latinx Youth Summit. She announced returning youth commission applications. Ms. LaCroix asked commissioners to please not use their phones during meetings and give presenters full attention. She reminded commissioners of upcoming youth advocacy day on March 17th.

Adele Failes Carpenter invited commissioners to Board of Education for the CIP, voting rights, and black student achievement items. She explained Project WHAT and GC were hiring. She invited commissioners to participate in interviews for incoming YC staff. She asked for help getting the YC applications out. She invited commissioners to the eviction legislation hearing at land use on March 21st. She reminded commissioners to ask for support during the period that the YC is short staffed and invited commissioners from youth justice and economic justice and immigration to schedule meetings with staff.

11. Announcements (This Includes Community Events)

Commissioner Avalos explained he had been hired as a DACA/DAPA outreach worker for APILO. Commissioners Bernick and Soto invited commissioners to school performances.

12. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 6:39 pm.