San Francisco Youth Commission
Youth City Services (Transportation, Housing & Recreation) Committee
DRAFT Minutes
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
4:30-6:30pm
City Hall, Room 345

There will be public comment on each item.

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

The meeting was called to order at 4:27pm. Commissioners present: Baer, Brodwin, LaCroix, Marshall-Fricker, Tu Mutch. Commissioners tardy: Liang. Staff present: Yedidia.

2. Approval of Agenda (Action Item)

Commissioner Brodwin, seconded by Commissioner Tu Mutch, moved to approve the agenda. This motion was approved unanimously by acclamation.

3. Approval of Minutes

A. January 18, 2012

Commissioner Brodwin, seconded by Commissioner Tu Mutch, moved to approve the minutes to the meeting of January 18, 2012. This motion was approved unanimously by acclamation.

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

There was none.

5. Business (All Items to Follow Discussion and Possible Action)

A. Preparation and study for upcoming hearing on youth homelessness, housing and shelter

Noted housing advocate, long time San Francisco community organizer and current Community Housing Partnership employee James Tracy addressed the Committee, speaking to the centrality of community organizing in guaranteeing government investments in housing for the most vulnerable populations—including, for example, investments in housing for disconnected Transitional Age Youth (TAY).

Mr. Tracy spoke, in particular, about the recent approvals at the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors of two Mayor’s Office of Housing-financed affordable housing developments with units set aside for TAY: the Booker T. Washington development and the Edward II development. He described his own role as a Community Housing Partnership employee successfully organizing upper-middle class neighbors to the Edward II project—neighbors who ultimately came out to many government meetings and spoke in support of the project.

Mr. Tracy also shared his analysis regarding the roots of what he characterizes as a the housing crisis in San Francisco, which fundamentally concerns San Francisco’s four decade-long transition from an industrial economic power to a place whose economy is rooted in service industries.

Mr. Tracy spoke hopefully about the possibility of Mayor Lee proposing and supporting an affordable housing bond measure in the upcoming November election.

Commissioners asked various questions—including if there were particular City departments and or budget issues that Mr. Tracy thought Youth Commissioners could focus on in their upcoming hearing—and thanked Mr. Tracy for his participation.

Then, Commissioners received an informal presentation from two staff at the City’s Human Services Agency (HSA): Joyce Crum, Director of Housing & Homeless Services, and John Murray, Senior Policy Planner. Ms. Crum and Mr. Murray provided descriptions of the many different housing-related services HSA provides for young people (from children living with their families to foster youth to emancipated TAY); these programs include the Transitional Housing Program Plus, to the Independent Living Skills Program, and the rental assistance program.

Commissioners asked various questions—including if there were particular HSA programs that Mr. Tracy thought the Youth Commissioners could focus on in its upcoming hearing. Before departing, Mr. Murray encouraged Commissioners to keep themselves abreast of the changes in services that will be wrought by the implementation of Assembly Bill 12: The California Fostering Connections Act, which was approved by the state legislature and signed by the Governor in 2010 but took effect beginning in January 2012, and which allows young people in foster care to continue to receive services (and remain in the care of the state) until the age of 20. Commissioners thanked Ms. Crum and Mr. Murray for their time and energy.

After both presentations, Commissioners thought honestly and critically about their idea of holding a hearing regarding youth housing, homelessness and shelter. They expressed uncertainty and tentativeness about the whole project, in particular because of their lack of specific questions or enough concrete policy proposals; they agreed to meet again in the next week and a half to determine whether or not to go ahead with the hearing. By the same token, Commissioners did agree on three important points on which they could push: 1) getting a commitment from the City on when the Mayor’s Office of Housing would find funding to complete the plan to get 400 TAY units into the pipeline by 2015; 2) encouraging the placement of a bond for affordable housing on the November ballot and/or finding a permanent source of funding for affordable housing; and 3) determining some programs for TAY youth that are less critical than housing and/or that are underperforming, and propose that the City reprioritize that housing in favor of TAY programming.

6. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 6:19pm.

Any materials distributed to the members of the Youth Commission within 72 hours of the meeting or after the agenda packet has been delivered to the members are available for inspection—along with minutes of previous Youth Commission meetings and all supplementary information—at the Youth Commission office during regular office hours (9am to 6pm, Monday—Friday). The Youth Commission office is located at:
City Hall, Room 345
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 554-6446, Fax: (415) 554-6140
Email: youthcom@sfgov.org
www.sfgov.org/yc

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE SUNSHINE ORDINANCE
(Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code)
Government’s duty is to serve the public, reaching its decisions in full view of the public. Commissions, boards, councils and other agencies of the City and County exist to conduct the people’s business. This ordinance assures that deliberations are conducted before the people and that City operations are open to the people’s review.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE SUNSHINE ORDINANCE OR TO REPORT A VIOLATION OF THE ORDINANCE, CONTACT THE SUNSHINE ORDINANCE TASK FORCE, please contact:
Sunshine Ordinance Task Force
City Hall, Room 244
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102‐4689
Phone: (415) 554‐7724, Fax: (415) 554‐5784
E‐mail: sotf@sfgov.org
Copies of the Sunshine Ordinance can be obtained from the Clerk of the Sunshine Ordinance
Task Force, at the San Francisco Public Library, and on the City’s website at
http://www.sfgov.org.

The ringing and use of cell phones, pagers, and similar sound‐producing electronic devices are prohibited at this meeting. The Chair may order the removal from the meeting room of any person responsible for the ringing or use of a cell phone, pager, or other similar sound‐producing electronic device.

In order to assist the City’s efforts to accommodate persons with severe allergies, environmental illnesses, multiple chemical sensitivity, or related disabilities, attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various chemical‐based products. Please help the City accommodate these individuals.

To obtain a disability‐related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, to participate in the meeting, please contact Mario Yedidia, Youth Commission Director [phone: 415-554 6254; email: mario.yedidia@sfgov.org] at least 48 hours before the meeting, except for Monday meetings, for which the deadline is 4:00 p.m. the previous Friday.