San Francisco Youth Commission
Housing, Environment, & City Services
Minutes
Thursday, January 8, 2015
5:00-7:00 PM
City Hall, Room 278
1. Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Pl.
San Francisco, CA 94102

There will be public comment on each item.

Members: Rosa Chen, Anna Bernick, Noah David, Lily Marshall-Fricker, Precious Listana, E’mani Davis

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

Committee Vice Chair Bernick called the meeting to order at 5:03 pm. Commissioners present: David, Davis, Bernick, Marshall-Fricker, Listana; Absent: Chen; Staff present: Adele Failes-Carpenter; There was quorum.

2. Approval of Agenda (Action Item)

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

3. Approval of Minutes (Action Item)

A. December 17, 2014
(Document A)

Commissioner Listana, seconded by Commissioner Marshall-Fricker, moved to approve the minutes from the last meeting. 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. Legislation Referred from the Board of Supervisors (All Items to Follow Discussion and Possible Action)

There was none.

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

A. Presentation on the TAY Housing System Assessment by the Harder+Company (H+C) and Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)
Presenters: Steven Shum, Senior Program Manager at CSH; Aimee Fribourg, Research Associate at H+C

Claire Nolan and Aimee Freibourg from H + C, Steven Shum from the Corporations for Support Housing, and Ali Schlageter from Human Services Agency introduced themselves.

Ali Schlageter discussed the 400 unit TAY housing goal. The need is bigger than what is available. We therefore need to know how to invest our funds wisely, which is where the evaluation comes in. In addition to supportive housing (permanent) and transitional housing units for TAY which are run by housing providers like Larkin and Comm. Housing Partnership, the city works with TAY providers to refer them to housing (LYRIC, HYA, At the Crossroads).

Steven Shum explained the Corp. for Supportive Housing has a TA contract with MOHCD.

Aimee Freiburg explained that the evaluation would use three methods: focus groups, provider interviews and program data. The focus groups will have 8-12 people who participate in services. Youth will receive a stipend and CTAB will co-facilitate. Ms. Freiburg asked who the top target populations to include might be. Committee members shared the importance of including LGBT TAY and provided general feedback about the use of peer-to-peer outreach to help garner participation and create a safe space. They suggested making sure youth know their housing will not be affected by what they say. They suggested doing outreach through social media, and also suggested doing confidential surveys to include youth who might not want to speak. Committee members also shared the importance of including youth from different geographic areas in the city. They advised that 8-10 people may be too large a group to get some people to open up.

The provider interviews will work with a range of providers and experiences and include housing providers, referring organizations, funders, and case managers. The program data will consist of entry information (how youth got into housing), program descriptions, and outcomes for youth.

Staff shared the evaluation feedback/planning that was done by the 2012-13 YC TAY, Housing, and LGBT committee. Their top concerns were around awareness of grievance procedures, ensuring habitability standards, making youth aware of their tenant rights, and talking to front-line providers in the eval to discuss the issue of staff turnover and how it impacts services and outcomes.

Commissioner Bernick asked the presenters to please return to present to the full youth commission once the evaluation was complete. Presenters confirmed the evaluation would be complete in May or June 2015. There was no public comment.

Committee members requested that staff agendize the 400 unit TAY housing goal YC policy priority for review at their next meeting.

B. Updates from Larkin Street YAB & Homeless Youth Next Steps

Committee members discussed having some members meet with Larkin YAB on the 26th to practice writing a resolution on the year of the homeless youth.

There was no public comment.

C. Review Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights & Next Steps

Committee members discussed public comment from the January 5th full youth commission meeting.

Commissioner Bernick shared her research on the provisions of the parks bond and open space fund approved in 2012.

Commissioner David said he thought a top issue was the need for more organized drop-in sporting games, like in other cities.

Commissioner Davis shared her research into community concerns raised at the October Recreation and Parks commission meeting: Park staffing and security were the biggest issues raised; Needing more play time; leaving lights on until 10:00 pm; needing bathrooms and to look after cleanliness; bilingual signage; dedicated and well-known parks staff; wheelchair access and issues at the park at 17th and Folsom.

Commissioner Listana shared that the newly opened Tenderloin Park is so great because of parks staff stationed there.

Committee members requested that staff invite community members to a February committee meeting to discuss.

There was no public comment.

7. Executive Committee Report

Commissioner Listana reminded her colleagues of the upcoming mid-year retreat and explained that the EC would work on a briefing document on the lowering the voting age resolution passed at the last full YC meeting.

8. Staff Report

Staff invited commissioners to participate in an upcoming anti-human-trafficking poster contest judging panel. Commissioners Davis and Listana were interested.

9. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 6:56 pm.