if that that expectation cannot be met, you have. to let us know beforehand. that doesn't seem like too much to ask to me. i think similarly with respect to the department's case, at least with our you know, frequent customers, it doesn't seem to too much to ask to me for them to be expected to be here in person absent extenuating circumstances. i think their there there's even a distinction that can be drawn as between again the frequent customers of planning, you know, dpa. yeah buff you know the frequent the usual suspects as as compared to the a department that's maybe not you know directly like a

department that represents who's coming in, in, in an analogous, you role is that had by an expert witness but not the direct department in question and that's related to the to the permit or to the underlying permit. but for those parties essentially those frequent frequent fliers that are directly tied to the issued the permit, essentially, i don't think it's too much to ask to have them be here in person. i do think, you know, back to commissioner lundberg's point, we have had a number of times when the department's with the permit in in question before us, they, you know, they're appearing remotely. i do think we lose something when they're not here in the room with us.

and i think that's another one that i would say it's analogous to a direct, you know, appellant or a permit holder who's, you know, presumably in the loop with the with scheduling and would have the opportunity to say, hey, i actually can't do it on on the 13th because i have to be at my daughter's graduation or whatever the situation is. can i dial in or the day before, hey, i tested positive with covid. can i dial in? i don't think it's too much to ask those types of folks. i do think i am convinced that that we have the technology we and we haven't had the issues that the board of supervisors have had and has had with respect to disturbances in public comment. and i am convinced of the i think we have had that situation in the two years that i've been here, two

plus years where, where, where there's someone who's watching us live and says, hey, wait a second, i've got i've got a point of clarification on this matter that you're discussing right now. and it has been valuable in in certain matters before us to have that that live input from someone who suicide has has something to add. so i guess the kind of you know, portrait that i'm starting to see is making a distinction between parties departments that are directly related to the permit. you know, as as opposed to members of the public as opposed to the expert witnesses of the parties who frequently aren't based in san francisco, for example. and i do think. you know, particularly for folks who who for whom even getting counsel to help them out with

with an appeal is not financially viable to them for them to then be expected to pay for the expert to you know fly or drive to san francisco to appear. that starts to become pretty burdensome in my opinion. so i am convinced that even, you know, witnesses as of a party, you know, we can maybe make the default, you know, remote optional for those folks. commissioner trasvina, thank you. president swygert. i agree with many of vice president lopez's good, good ideas. and questions here. i note in the agenda it says the mayor. s office has further directed that all presenters from departments shall attend commission meetings in person. that sounds to me

that that's not a it's not a question for us that the mayor's or the department's employees, as they get to decide that. so that's not something that we have have on our plate the rest of the issues as we continue to talk about different nuance and different experiences, i think and given that this is going to restrict the members of the public in some way, i think it would be appropriate if we say and i would move that the president and staff work together and come back with recommendations on a response to this request. separately delineating, delineating rules for parties which bonuses and members of the public. so. a couple of things caught my

attention, my ears. miss rosenberg, you said that our rules haven't changed for pre-covid that that we accommodated in the context of a pandemic change of procedure. so do you happen to have our rules about showing up or not showing up just so we know what the rules are, even though we may or may not have abided by them just just so we know. i mean, it would that's a good baseline, i think. and by the way, guys, i'm not i'm not using this to advocate a position. i just really would like to know what the rules are. so we all know so i think i can speak to that. i have the board's rules. okay. what about that here? it doesn't say anything about the how parties shall appear. it's silent on that. i think that pre-covid it was assumed that it was in person. that was a given. and when the pandemic hit, it

was changed as a policy or a practice. but the rules were not formally amended. so the rules are silent on this. right. just so we know that's important. all right. so what i've heard from this commission is that i'm hearing that the public should not be restricted and i honor those. i hear i use these things on either side of my head, these ears. and i like to listen. and i'm hearing that the commission feels strongly that the public should be given every opportunity to comment and i would only place that the obvious caveat is that if a member of the public becomes abusive or otherwise inappropriate, that that we have the opportunity of cutting them off. i don't think i'll have an argument there with regard to staff. i'm i'm heeding.

commissioner trevino's reading of the mayor's direction to staff that they have to show up, which is consistent with our practices pre-covid. okay so i think that's that's that's piece number two. piece number three are the parties and i'm hearing that we're a. commissioner. lundberg stated, let me paraphrase commissioner lundberg . if you disagree, yell at me that that commissioner lundberg stated that he he feels it would be he would be more effective with parties in the room a position that i would adamantly take. by the way, i am far more effective and therefore, i serve the public much better when the parties are in the room for a variety of reasons and it was

past practice that parties were in the room. it was just past practice. that's what it was. it wasn't a rule. it was just it was a given that parties show up . so if the commissioners feel that that that that that they are more effective with the parties in the room, that would for me lead to we do our job better with parties in the room and although i'm not sure i would make it a hard and fast rule, i think that i would suggest that it is pass that practice that parties showed up to make their presence nation in in person for the betterment of the ability of the commissioners to do their job and for the betterment of the public to get the best possible hearing. so i, i would like to go in that direction. however under with

the understanding that if a hardship is presented to a party and they are precluded from getting a fair hearing that that hardship hardship be noted to the executive director who who who as as i think suggested by commissioner trevino, would bring it up to the president of the board, whether it be me or or or my successor. and and that the executive director and the president of the board would, as we do with a hearing dates, render an opinion fairly and appropriately so that's that's what i'm hearing that's kind of where i'm standing. and i wouldn't mind if somebody said, okay, can we think about it for a couple of weeks and agendize this again and, and, and come

back and have a review of this or, or i would i would i would accept a request from commissioner trevino that the president and at the recommendation or with the collaboration with the executive director and with the executive director's initiative, actually come up with after hearing this discussion, come up with a direction not rules, not rules, but a suggestion of direction for this commission that we can further discuss and go along with staying away from the word approve. i'm staying away from the word mandate. but just the understanding that that would be the practice. so maybe we want to go in that direction. that's where i'm you know, that's what i'm hearing. that's what i'm feeling. that's my opinion. commissioner lundberg, would you like to comment on on those feelings and direction? first, i

agree with everything you said about characterizing what i said, except that i do. you know , while i do have those strong feelings that it is more effective if people appear in person, i do not think it should be a requirement that is that's the only exception that i take to what you said. i would would would a request and a general practice if we're going to be can it be characterized as a request in a general practice? i mean, i see no issue in in formalizing a policy that says if it is feasible, please show up in person. i have no, no problem with that at all. but as far as you know, the procedure for a party who to which it sounds like is the major sticking point here is what how it applies to parties is as far

as the procedure for what a party wants to do, if they they would like to appear remote. lee i am just in favor of not adding new barriers to that. that's basically the essence of my opinion on this. i, i do agree with what commissioner trasvina said about it. it seeming more like a mandate to the department employees, at least that our city department employees under the purview of the mayor, which is not all departments, i will add, but it is most of them. the planning buff. those are under the purview of the mayor for sure. all the ones that we see here most frequently, but not like, for example, when we had the state agencies. those agencies are not affected by the any mandate that the mayor's office puts down because those are state agencies. et cetera. so what i would like to do is break this down into three

pieces. one is public comment access. one is parties and one is the department chairs. i agree with again, i agree with commissioner trasvina that i don't think we need to speak as to the department heads. i think the mayor has the ability to do that to speak as to that. and i don't think we as a as a commission, need to set policy in regard to that, which leaves public comment and the parties i , i would be supportive of a motion from commissioner savino regarding a kind of a staff report on on the impact of parties and like what the different options are for future consideration. and i would also and i might even do this since i want to the reason i'm breaking this down is because it sounds like there's consensus that we want to maintain in public comment access remotely. and i

would be fine making a motion to do that, to keep that practice or enshrine that that access today. if there's consensus to do so. what what i would like to do what i would like to suggest and do is to ask a favor of the a not a favor, but ask the we're going to ask her to do it anyway. the executive director to take a stab at some language in the spirit of commissioner lundberg, unless there's adamant at this moment, adamant pushback from members of the commission with regard to, again, three buckets, the city departments

have to be here. the public can do it remotely or they can come in in in person at and the third thing i'll let her come up with it but we would that we would encourage large parties or encourage parties to present it in person not mandate not require not put a rule around it but encourage parties for the betterment of the hearing and the public, encourage parties to present in person, and that we leave the rules alone in because miss huber just read the rules and she said it doesn't say anything about what we do. so i'd like to leave the rules alone because they are what they are and just come up with a statement of purpose or a

statement of direction on that. that addresses those three buckets in the way that i just just suggested and that we take a another run at this as an agendized item. so in the world is not going to end if we don't get it in the next time or the time after. but i think we should close the issue, not make it a rule and not make it a mandate. just make it a general direction. it is the general direction of the commission on that and miss rosenberg can fill in the blanks. okay. so we have a general policy and a general direction. is that okay? you just want me to come up based on the conversation with some language for a motion? basically which would allow remote public comment and encourage the parties to participate in person and not address the department,

the department representative of, you know, i think you might acknowledge that that it has been the mayor's position that the that the department heads are required to be here. but that's out of our jurisdiction because she's the boss. the other two issues we can address, we've already addressed those and come up with some language as a direction and advisory, a whatever. we'll figure out the words so that we can communicate. so that you can communicate to the parties what the expectations are. it is it would be our expectation, my view, our expectations that parties show up in person. that's not a mandate. that's not a requirement. that is a an expectation and a preference. right. i think and the parties want to. and if they don't if they don't want to or they think it's a hardship, then let them not show up. and we're we'll be fine with that. but i'd like to

i think it's i think it's the direction of the commission that we do a better job seeing people in person. if i may, i'm fine punting this a little bit and not voting on it tonight. my one concern with with not enshrining a policy, particularly in regard to remote public comment is that the technology could then be pulled from us, pulled out from underneath us and if we don't make a change to the rules, that right disappears by default. but i think that is a possibility. i don't know if that would happen or not, but i think it could happen. i think if we make a motion that is the direction on on the date that we do it is the direction of the board of appeals commission that the public can can have access either remotely or in person to public comment. nobody better pull the plug on us or else

there might be a problem legally. the board is required to allow access for disability, so the technology will remain regardless. okay all right. yeah i don't think we got to go. i don't think we have to go hard and fast. i like direction. so why don't you let with your permission, if we can let miss rosenberg take a stab at it? we can agendize it as necessary as agendizing it. we will take public comment on this remote public comment, for that matter, or in person. then then we will. we'll we'll hone in on this and hear from the public as well. and i think it's fair. in the meantime, no harm, no foul. nothing's changed. and we can just get some clarification and arms around this. okay. so the main point on continuing this is so that we can tighten up the language of the boards position,

which we seem to have arrived at tonight. right. okay. a general policy of the board, the general policy of the board is this direction and i'm not going to fill in the blanks because that's julie's going to help us with that. and when would you or when would you like it to continue to when the agenda is allows? okay. it could be sometime in january. we only have one more hearing left in december and we're going to be busy next week. all right. in january is fine. okay wonderful. all right. so i don't i don't even think we need a motion to continue this or anything. i have one thing i'd like to add. if it's not a too much of a barrier for my fellow commissioners, but i think i would like to with that policy guidance that we expressed, i think i would like to make explicit that the witnesses, the parties, witnesses, you know,

don't have the kind of same level of expectation of being in the room as as the parties themselves. can i ask the logic behind that? i think what we've discussed about experts and. you know, folks who who the parties are asking to speak on their behalf, i think it it can be i think it it can lead. to just less less color being presented. if we're saying that, hey, you and all your friends have to show up, too. but remember, i purposely used it is the expectation that parties. no mandate. so if it's the expectation that that doesn't

mean the parties have to show up in person. we're not mandating anything. we're just expressing our preference. yeah. and so i don't think that if we went into with all due respect, we don't have to do that, which i'm not disagreeing with, you. we just don't have to deal with it because we're really playing softball here by saying it is the expectation an if that indeed turns out to be the word that that julie suggests. yeah yeah. i think it i just don't want to overkill. yeah i, i hear that. i think i think. i think it's worth it in my mind. i would like i would like the party to understand that if they do have of an architect or a member of the public who's informed on it and who they would like to speak and appear on their behalf, that just because that expert is in new

york, that they can't they're not expected to fly somebody out, for example. good feedback. and julie can can work that in. yeah okay. we do we have two public unless there's yes we do have to do public comment but commissioner i just want to i want to thank you for so well encapsulating all of our views and anticipation of julie's work on this. thank you as well. i think this really does meet our obligations to consider it that the mayor sent over a as well as taking into account the interests of public comment in general, but also in individual members of the public and parties who are often just neighbors. and they they don't anticipate ever having to be part of this. but they are. i appreciate your accommodating fully fully addresses the points that i raised earlier. thank you . thank you very much. we need to take public comment on this item. yes okay. so is there any

public comment on this item? please raise your hand. i see some people in zoom if you want to provide public comment on this item, please raise your hand. did anyone in the in the queue? mr. cureton, mr. patterson or mr. carter. okay. i think they just wanted to listen , listen and not provide public comment. so i guess that concludes the hearing. so no vote is required? no, no action is required at this time because we've deferred that action until at the request of the board. ms. rosenberg comes up with suggested language for the for the future hearing. okay. and we'll just put it on an agenda in january. yep with that, i think we're done for the evening. yes, we are. thank you. we're done. thank you very much.

>> >> >> my name is alex sinclair of

willow on the green in san francisco. we are the only british tea shop on the west coast and focused on high quality luxury goods from the u.k. and we have teas and baked goods. we came up with the name because willow is made with baskets and the parklett, a willow green and that is a picnic in the park. i have come up with the idea because i have lived in the neighborhood for a year. seven years ago we had a tea shop. during covid we needed to have a new flavor and rejuvenate the business. we are between two beautiful

businesses. i realized with the shop opening next to the bakery, we had a beautiful tea shop in the area. we started with british teas and want to support local tea makers in the local area. and once you have cheese and biscuits need tea and jam and lemon curd and chocolate and all of these parts basically imported from the u.k. our most popular products come from wales. it's an extra cheddar and next popular product is a jam made with alpine strawberry. so you get a taste of a nice strawberry. this is about supporting cheese

makers and business in the area and women-owned businesses around the world and always want to support the community. we support concerts, we support charities and come to the aid to those in need such as the british society and the san francisco society and the -- >> if you have never had british cheese, i recommend you come in on weekend. all of our staff are highly knowledgeable of all of our products and we are really passionate about what we do here and gives you a chance to explore our culture and food and our values. i encourage you to come to the inner sunset with a beautiful park to be young and academy of sciences here. come to the shop. we have beautiful baskets and blankets

so you can enjoy this wonderful nature and you can support these wonderful businesses out here. >> (clapping). >> like my brother who said we

have 86 thousand 4 hundred seconds every single day. we have to make sure that we use every second critically in our lives to save lives it goes for everybody out there and 86 thousand 4 hundred seconds in each day how will you use your seconds every second what? make it count $86,400 in your pocket i'm going to bring up my brother and my homey and play for us, please. >> good morning, everybody. and good morning. >> lord, we thank you. everything we love you so much

and please take the loved ones and families and kids and please protect our city. and the world always please. we love you and please bless us all always our families and kids. and our friends at the so much love you lord, we thank you. amen. >> thank you. >>. amen. >> that's any brother right there. and having a conversation. >> yes. thirty days out in the community and before the mayor gets here i want to acknowledge several people everett butler did a life sentence in prison and had an outreach when 20 lifers that is doing the outreach for the -

the pieces out here industry the guns this brother everett a phenomenal amazing brother 19 of his brothers and sisters who did a life sentence behind bars out right now that changing lives in the sense to end gun violence give the brother a hand (clapping.) thank you. >> the mayor should be walking in shortly there people here and want to acknowledge the community-based organizations my brother damon front line and ground zero. >> my man and sister alex right there maybe 5 feet tall by 5 feet tall in the gang and matte scott where you at (clapping.) i got to shout out to nancy

pelosi team where you at? >> you need it come over here. >> come on, man part of take place team shout out to governor gavin newsom where you at raise your hand. >> thank you, guys, for showing up and our district supervisor matt dorsey where are you at before (clapping.) also all we got the private sector developers and sfpd and the mayor here we got this is what makes the community. what is is definitive by the enclosure buy back we have law enforcement we need you sold

dart with our partners and all hands on deck this is what it takes for us to end begin violence all of us or none of us and here together in solidarity to industry and eliminate to anility this gun violence we had a gun massive shooting curiodyssey yesterday will not end but one gun off the streets will save not only one life but with that said, i want to bring up our mayor london breed the leader of the city does phenomenal work thank you mayor for showing up. >> first of all, let me express my gratitude to united players and to rudy for all the amazing work this organization does. to

elevate the conversation on a regular basis in terms of what we need to do a community as a city, as a society to end gun violence in the city and in this country. we are here and i come every single time because the impact of gun violence the main reasons i got involved in politics in san francisco in the first place and growing up in the fillmore western edition community with ms. matte scott and other folks in the neighborhood we had a great community. yes, we lived in poverty and yes, there were challenges around hopelessness and despair but a community that was a community of people that port and loved one another. and if modify of that frustration we saw were many of those smiles,

much of that joy, go from that to a lot of death and construction when we saw and a significant influx of guns in our community and we saw a significant loss of life and most of that loss of life was people who grew up with one another and people who were connected in so many different ways, people's families were related and in almost every single instance was a a. man, i went to school them the playground and look at did photos i come here over and over i know everyone in the photos and people who have families, who is where kids are kids, who have loved ones, and the reason why we come here is because

whether we have been impacted directly in our lives or not there is always a group of people who want to see us put an end to sense unless gun violence i can say so much who kids nowadays are going through grouping the schools were our safe zones and now mass shootings at schools and elementary school and universities where our we went right away away from a community that was built with death and destruction go to school it is safe and that is no longer what have very come to people are fighting and developing in gun liberties in the criticize to protect people's right to bear arms over kids rights to live

and survive this is where we are and this is why so many of us are here and grateful to our attorney general for being here because (clapping.) he carries are them the ability to use the law to protect and to save lives against gun violence? the lesson we'll use to make sure that young people are growing up the city in the state and in the country in safe environments and appreciate especially all the mother here and folks on the community who are here, all the (clapping.) people and elected leaders because the people that you see here are the people that how always see here you also don't see what these people go on the ground every single day how they go 80 soovpt to fight against

the laws that are imposed that make it easier for people to get guns on the street we're fighting the fight so many other things are the people who are the ones that show up that show up every single time and they're going to deny to be on the ground whether the councilmember detoy are there or not this is good for the loss of one life to senseless gun violence so too many we'll stand behind and grateful to the cannibis destroy year after year we support we'll not give in and give up go up we can get those guns off the street and i'm looking forward to making sure that we are there the san francisco police department will be there and stand ready to do whatever it takes no questions asked to get guns off the streets of san

francisco. thank you. (clapping.) right on. >> thank you, mayor. london breed. >> now jeer i'm not against the second amendment you have the right to protect your families but with the senseless gun violence going on people are not mentally stable and have issues and guns more weapons because we - that's what we're not going to happen i got to shout out to my brothers to east pd and folks i see you, chris 10 and other brothers back there support the outreach team thanks where you are at. in the pen of our saving lives for the young people and elementary to the penitentiary and ground zero

front line soldier so i want to bring up another part of our who stands with us the police. work with the police the police works with us and i'm a taxpayer and the thursday one to call the police. so bring up our brother the chief (clapping.) (unintelligible). >> i know you guys are safe we're going to make you wait hold own all right. >> i'm being puffed up, up here hey i'm a survivor of gun violence shoot on howard god got me here to know right london those are our people those

pictures photos don't discriminate you're black or white and whatever religion be one one bullet will tear up a whole community having said that i'm going to bring up the attorney general (clapping.) (laughter). >> well, good morning and the say thank you to rudy and united players for bringing us together and the people in the room partnership with the collaboration that representation of the folks in government and advocates and yet again got together and reached out and a testament to the power and possibility of this organization but this coalition so i'll say thank you to mayor breed who shows up and rudy with

united players and chief scott and brady at a governor gavin newsom office and nancy pelosi office i'm proud to stand with all of you and work together that's our path forward in partnership and coalition and fighting for one another as we face our common challenges. we have a shared society and common picture we need to go forward and thank you, to the united players and missed the hope and the transaction and the rotation and the optimism and the rehabilitation and is packet forward to make our community better and doing the work hands counsel and cameras on and off i'm proud of that and thank you

for it and let's move forward (clapping.) and, you know. i know in this room have folks who have experienced tragedy. and of the great sadness and seeing things and experiencing things we hope people will never experience thank you, for the stories they're important and they're hard but necessary. and we all bring our experiences to our work. and part of why i'm passionate about gun safety and addressing gun violence is one, when i was first elected in 2012 had the authority and ability to make a difference and legislated out a month after i was elected to me one of the most

unacceptable heart wrenching gut wrenching tragedies that ever occurred in the united states of happened it was sandy hook elementary school we cannot - what are when i doing? and the fact that the federal government refused to act after president obama made it safer and helped us with the fear of gun violence made me realize we can't wait for the calvary we are the calvary we're the ones that b will get the work done. you see the calvary up here. >> (clapping) and i also want to share that when i was an essential member a

few years ago later i was proud to have the incredible kids with the general manager request general a honor and privilege to have ask that title the most important title to me and father and when i was in high school we shared schedule whether they was doing her homework and chores for my and my wife and lauren tebszed us to school hi was away and dad i'm in the school lock down because of that. and, you know. i thought what parents think thank you, how can i help? who can i call i felt helpless miles a away and stopped by the galleries we waited and i got on the side and texted to see what

we could do and she was able to text back. and it is an all clear i'm safe and a sight of relief one of the lucky ones and no one got hurdle and no child should go to school with a fear (phone ringing n really we're william in guns too many guns too much gun violence we can have power and agencies that have to change the feature. and that's what that movement is doing i'm grateful are you to take guns off the streets we'll never know but that's how prevention worked we don't need

to know but guns off the streets so we're safer thank you for your work at the department doing everything we can we have a office of gun violence prevention programs making sure we're using gun violence and hoping to keep our communities safer and have the gun violence laws it as challenge. that is an organized effort to strike down california gun laws thirty year ago one of the states with the highest mortality is one of the states we're the lowest it is because of our common sense gun laws have gotten us worth any to protect lives and health and futures. our magazine our as a result weapon ban struck down by a federal judge put those

decisions on hold and we'll defend them to keep us safe in the hands of those who own a gun or prohibited under the law with mental illness or a retraining order we'll continue to do our part. and i'm proud of our team can't do it alone we need for example, of collective action of the power that thank you, united players and we'll not stop i know you'll not stop. thank you. (clapping.) we have several more speakers i want to bring up the chief of san francisco police department my brother william scott (clapping.) thank you, rudy. you know. it takes a special type of person

and leader to bring together people from all walks of life we have the leader of our city mayor let the record show and our attorney general and rudy and united players keep putting in the work and the attorney general we lost three 2 people in is this state i'm talking about criminal gun violence and many, many oats took their own lives we got to get better we got to stop. if you have a gun, sitting around turn that in bringing it on saturday. because what we find a lot of the guns we recovered that are used in crimes they're stolen from

people's houses and in the dresser drawer guns or night stand guns and they get stolen from cars. we got to get those guns off the street we have to saving lives everyone it effected twice this week on college campuses and lock done people are slaughtered by guns and gun violence it affects us all we all look over our shoulders and puts us on edge we don't want to live like that support in efforts turn in our guns notice questions asked. but more importantly stabilize i want to thank the united player and all supervisors who do this

work today in and out and thank you, firing leadership see you on saturday thank you all (clapping.) i have two more profound speakers you want to hear and the chief talked about mothers this is matte george c scott so matte come up here and share. give her a hand you all (clapping.) thank you, rudy thank you, to our mayor. thank you to our chief and attorney general. our courageous rulers nancy pelosi and our leader governor gavin newsom for all he's done and

each other in support us and eliminating gun violence in our nation and in our city. i love my son i lost my son 28 years ago from gun violence 28 years ago. i wouldn't have made it without my mother who is one hundred and two (clapping.) i wanted to rei can't let and go back and get the person who did it i was urge and full of rage my mother said that's not the way it belongs to god you're going to have to forgive that young man western so ashen in order to move forward and the health of my mother and god can

and prayers prayers prayers. i wanted to say month mother said to me we can stop 23 violence we can stop it night and 35e7 pier 50 open pain and suffering they need to hear the prescription god gave us in second chronicles 417 if any people which are called by any name wearing called pray and seek my face. yeah. >> and turn from our wicked ways. >> turn from the hatred and bigotry against luth and turley, inc., and people of color and turn from our wicked ways including children and turn from hatred and self hatred if we turn in our wicked ways we'll

hear from heaven and he'll heal our land that's the prescription or right there love, love. love. >> because he loved us first we're here because god woke me up this morning he loved you and here today because we are chosen for is this fight and chosen vessels we are connected heart to heart soul to soul, spirit for spirit for justice and merry and grace for ending gun violence in the nation, we can't do it lesson alone we need our elected officers and need moms and brady and thank you, governor gavin newsom for signing the brady bill thank you for that and signing the gun bill mayor london breed and with

the legislation thank you, we're doing the work thank you to attorney general to make our schools safer. and this is about all of us or none of us i don't want another motto go to throw i continue to go there and 140u7b8d be having gun drills but kids should be learning i want to go to congratulations i'm tired of going to few minutes i want to go so congratulations our children need to be safe and teach one that is about all of us or none of us, we have the elected officers and have our mothers and power in the room we are the power. we are the power we can stop that violence together. i know for a fact that we will one

day if our nation be rid of the gun violence epidemic and educating our children will live free without someone shooting them going to church w to a prayer meeting or someone disgruntled shooting everyone my heart goes out to the luth and turley, inc., this is how would you all people are hurting. hurt people hurt people but heal i want to thank each other for healing i couldn't stand here today without you have (clapping.) without all of you. all of you what you do every single day i appreciate 2 my brothers and sisters on the inside it is our r0e7b8d to lift each other up and hold each other because we can break this chain break this chain of violence in our nation

and hatred in our nation yeah california is the leader we want to infect the whole nation that becomes contagious. let's pray you all we can unit with united players thank you, united players thank you. thank you, (clapping.) all for what you're doing god bless i love you. >> give it up for matte scott (clapping.) thank you, we're to name a park after her matte scott what she did i'm going to bring up the last speaker before i do i want to ask everyone raise your hand show those brothers were in prison got a guy that are doing the outreach for the gun buyback and behind the walls that one 87

out after doing 25 and 36 and 45 years straight. og 45 years straight this. 1970 got out in 2013 right here against the gun violence. so don't wait until someone you know and love gets shot or hurt before have to do something. right now you heard me that's i want to thank all the brother and sister on the front line on ground zero and end gun violence bring up my brother did a life sentence has an incredible story he'll share

with you my brother omar hello omar. >> (clapping) thank you, rudy. good afternoon, everybody. i'm here the president of - and thank you, mayor. and - all the public um, officers. all the organizations fighting this big fight of getting rid of senseless gun violence my story that's i acknowledge the younger stare i didn't say any recommendations head on right and ended up in prison and spent years in prison and took a while to lesson to them by the embrace of god i started to change and by the

grars grace god was speaking to governor gavin newsom and from a man that party would never get out of prison boots on the ground fighting the good fight. going to schools and shaping those young minds together we are on the streets every single day and teaching them the right way this is not the right thing to do and it is meaningful fight i truly building as my sister said we came out here to do this fight and a blessing to be part of this so bless as someone would industry a community now we hear from the community and build up the community and i

understand gun violence and show up on saturday so no questions asked we can get the guns off the street and let's get those guns off the streets that is passionate for me and no talk but dead serious 100 percent the kids is our future if we don't get them the needs to reach their potential you're society will be messed up so thank you, everyone in the room that came together and thank you and takes us all to do do work and welcome. >> (clapping) jerry make. >> thank you, guys, for showing up this saturday december is 9 at 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon no questions ask the within homicide dollars for a handgun

and goes up. i have to shout out to felicia for helping this put this together. (clapping.) ; right? >> all of us or none of us you all to end gun violence thank you, guys for showing up end gun violence (clapping.)

you're watching san francisco rising with chris manners. special guest is david chu. hi i'm chris manners and you're watching san francisco rising the show that's about restarting rebuilding and re imagining our city. i guess today is david chiu, the city attorney for the city and county of san francisco , and he's here today to talk to us about the opioid crisis, reproductive rights and the non citizen voting program. mr chu, welcome to the show. thanks for having me on happy to talk about whatever you want me to talk about, so can we start by explaining the difference between the city attorney's office and the district attorney's office? i think it could be slightly confused. that is a very common fusion with members of the public so um, if you get arrested in san

francisco by the san francisco police department, all criminal matters are dealt with by the san francisco district attorney . we handle all civil matters on behalf of the city and county of san francisco. what that means is a number of things. we provide advice and counsel to all actors within city government from our mayor. every member of the board of supervisors to the 100 plus departments, commissions boards that represent the city and county of san francisco. we also defend the city against thousands of lawsuits. so if you slip and fall in front of city hall if there's a bus accident if there is an incident involving the san francisco police department, we defend those matters. we also bring lawsuits on behalf of the city and county of san francisco, where most famous for litigating and obtaining the constitutional right to marry for lgbtq couples have sued gun manufacturers, payday lenders, oil companies, you name it, who are

undercutting the rights of san franciscans and the city and county of san francisco. so now moving on to the opioid crisis. i understand you've had some success in court, um, dealing with manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies. could you elaborate a little bit on that for us, so the opioid industry and by that i refer to the legal industry that prescribes pain pills. um over years. uh, deceived americans and resulted in literally thousands upon thousands of deaths and tragedies that we see on our streets every day when it comes to the addictions that folks are experiencing. many of the addictions really stemmed from what happened over a decade plus period where the prescription pain industry marketed prescription pills in ways that were false. we were one of thousands of jurisdictions around america that brought a

lawsuit against the opioid industry. but we've had a particular set of successes that others have not. ah we initially brought a lawsuit a few years ago against every part of the opioid supply chain, and that included manufacturers, distributors and retailers, including pharmacies over the course of four plus years. a number of these corporate defendants settled with us. we've as of this moment brought in over $120 million of cash and services. to the city to help address the root causes of what we're talking about. but a few months ago, we had a really historic verdict against the pharmacy, walgreens and their role walgreens was responsible for literally over 100 million pills, flooding the streets of san francisco over a period of years where they flouted federal law that require them to track where they're pills were going to. they had a what? what we refer to as a phil phil phil.

pharmacy culture where folks would bring in their prescriptions, and the pharmacist would just fill them without checking why someone was coming in multiple times without checking why certain doctors were seen a 100 fold increase in the number of opioid prescriptions that they were prescribing. so we had a historic judgment against walgreens recently, but it's been a very intense lawsuit. and we know that will never bring back the lives that we have lost to opioid addictions. but it's critical for us that we get the resources that we need. maybe one other thing i'll mention because it's often confusion. a large percentage of folks who are addicted to street level drugs say heroin or fentanyl started their addictions. with painkillers, opioid medications that were prescribed through doctors provided through pharmacies and so literally the suffering that we're seeing on our streets was caused by the opioid industry over many, many

years and has created the significant crisis that we are dealing with right now. right right now moving on. i understand after the recent supreme court ruling, striking down robust as wade that you've put together an organization that's designed to help mm. provide free services to people who are both. seeking abortions and providing them can you tell us about the organization? sure so, um, before the dobbs decision came down, but after we learned about the leak from the supreme court about the draft that suggested the decision would be as bad as it has turned out to be, um, i reached out to leadership from the bar association of san francisco because we knew that if that decision came down there would be tens of thousands of patients around the country as well as providers whose legal situation would be in jeopardy. women doctors, nurses who could be subjected to lawsuits who could be arrested who could be prosecuted, particularly in red states? 26 states where rights

are being rolled back or in the process or have already been rolled back because of the dobbs decision. so we put out a call to lawyers all over the bay and frankly, all over the country, and as of this moment there have been over 70 law firms that have answered our call to be part of the legal alliance for reproductive rights who have committed to reviewing cases and providing pro bono assistance to patients and providers who are at legal risk. we also are looking at potential cases that these lawyers can bring against various states. in these areas that are looking to deprive women and patients and providers of their of their rights. um it is a very dark time in america, and i'm really proud that that barrier attorneys, the legal community care have stepped up to answer the call. it's very important that's great. so now the non citizen voting program that was passed by voters just for school boards has faced them

court challenges recently, but it was in place for the most recent election that we've had. how do you see that situation panning out? in fact, it's been in place for now. five school board elections. um so a little bit of background in our san francisco schools over one out of three kids. has a parent who is a non citizen who doesn't have a say in the election of the policy makers that dictate the future of our san francisco public schools, and so over a number of years, there has been a movement to allow immigrant parents to vote in school board elections. few things i'll mention about that is our country has a very long history when it comes to allowing immigrants to vote. from 17 76 for 100 and 50 years until after world war. one immigrants were allowed to vote in most states in our country on the theory that we want to assimilate immigrants in american democratic values and institutions, and it wasn't until an anti immigrant backlash

in world war one that that sort of ended. but in recent years, um cities across america have allowed this to happen. in fact, at this moment, believe there are over a dozen cities that have voted to allow non citizens to vote in a number of context. now, this is particularly important in our schools just given how challenge our schools are, and given that we know that when we engage more parents in her school system, regardless of their citizenship it helps to lift up our schools for all parents. and so in 2016 the voters of san francisco past about measure that allowed this to happen. unfortunately earlier this year, there were conservative organizations that came to san francisco to bring a lawsuit to try to overturn this , and i should also mention it is obviously the perspective of our office and our city that this is constitutional. nothing in the constitution prohibits non citizens from voting. and in fact, there's an explicit provision in the constitution that allows chartered cities

like san francisco when it comes to school board elections to be able to dictate the time and manner of those elections. and so, uh, we are involved in litigation on this issue. there was an initial ruling that was not good for us that essentially said at the trial court level. we shouldn't allow this. um we appealed it up to the appellate level. the appellate court made an initial decision to allow this past november election to proceed as it has for the last previous four elections. we're going to be in front of that court soon. stay tuned. we'll see what happens. it was good to hear that the city was able to reach a settlement with the center for medicare and medicaid services are meant laguna honda could still operate. how did you manage to reach that agreement? it was not an easy conversation . just a little bit of background. so laguna honda has been an incredibly important institution in san francisco for 150 years, taking care of our most vulnerable patients are

frail, very elderly patients, many of whom are at end of life. and a few years ago, there were some issues in that hospital. some violations of rules that we very much want to make sure don't get violated. there were folks that weren't using proper ppe, who are bringing cigarette lighters into the facility, who might have brought some contraband into the facilities. we have zero tolerance for that and have made that very clear. we self reported some of these violations to the federal authorities. and unfortunately from our perspective, they took the very disproportionate step of ordering the closure. the permanent closure of lugano, honda. problematic on a number of reasons. first and foremost, there are just no skilled nursing facility beds not just in california but around the country. after their order came down. we literally were putting 1000 calls a day to skilled nursing facilities around california and around the country and could find nowhere to move the 700 patients that we had had in the gonna honda but

just as disturbingly as we were forced to start moving some of these patients, a number of them died. there's a concept in medicine known as transfer trauma. when you move someone who is that frail and unfortunately, folks folks died and we were at a point where we were five weeks away from the deadline for the federal government. that they had provided to us to close the facility. so uh and we have been trying for months to get the federal government to reconsider their action, so i was compelled to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the city and county of san francisco and very pleased and appreciate that we were able to come to a settlement whereby transfers will be delayed at least until next year. we're going to have at least a year of funding. to keep the facility open, and hopefully we can get back up on our feet and ensure that no future violations occur because this is an institution that has to stay open for the good of these patients. quite right, quite right. so finally,

congratulations on winning an important public power service dispute with pg and e. um why is it important that the city's rights as a local power provider maintained well, so san francisco has been a local power provider for decades. we are fortunate to have access through our hedge hetchy hydroelectric system to provide electricity to a number of providers, particularly public recipients of that. and unfortunately, pg any has used its monopoly when it comes to private electricity to try to stop that, and to block that, and from our perspective, they violated federal law in adding literally tens of millions of dollars of expenses to san francisco and institutions that we're trying to ensure um, public power infrastructure. put years of delays on our ability to do this, and so we had to bring a number of appeals in the federal commission. ah we were successful in those appeals, and

there was a decision recently that basically held the pg and e could not use its monopoly to unfairly delay or add tens of millions of dollars of cost. to the city and county of san francisco, as we are trying to move forward with our vision of public power. clearly pgd has not been able to serve not just san francisco but northern california. well we all know that with the wildfires with its bankruptcies, with all the issues that they've had, we think there is a different model to move forward on and we are grateful to the court. and providing a ruling that allows us to move forward. well thank you so much for coming on the show. i really appreciate the time you've given us here today. i appreciate and thanks for your thanks for your questions. thank you. well that's it. for this episode, we'll be back with another one shortly for sf gov t v. i'm chris manners. thanks for watching. yeah.

[music] san francisco has a fascinate and complex network of governmental and community organizations. this often over limited partner in their missions and collaborate rit on solving today's challenges. often used for good, there are insubstances the relationships have created conflict. unduly influenced city policies or services or circumvented procedures. torous issue policies restricting officials ability to solicit behested payments were created. but what is i behested payment?

a behested payment made to a nonprofit at the request, suggestion or direction of a city officer or employee. a payment can be cash, goods and/or services. these rules have no impact on your ability to donate to a charity or other organizations. the rules only apply to officers or designated employees on the city and county of san francisco. these city officers and designate nited employees make considerations with some limited exception. this vo will explain who interested parties are and the types of solicitations not allowed and what exceptions allow for certain solicitations.

fortunately, no actual partying is restricted boy these rules. simple low put an interested per can be anyone with an interest in your department's work. including, anyone seek to influence your department. lobbying. over the past 12 months. permit consultants registered with the ethic's commission and reported contacts with the officers or employees department during the past 12 months. or anyone speak enforcement i license, permit or other entitlement from your department. considering this, if someone is seeking a favorable decision from you or your office and you ask them to do nit to a charity, they might think if they do donate they will get better treatment. this is when we want to avoid.

the real or perceived conflict of interest. there are some exceptions to these rules to help city agency and programs collaborate with nonprofits and donation. solicitations made urn authorized city programs for donations to nonprofits or public schools through competitive procured contracts are allowed by an ordinance. in connection with the negotiation or administration of i city contract, which are directly related to the terms of or perform under the contract; public appeals med through television, radio, bill board, a public message on an online platform. the distribution of 200 or more identical pieces of printed

material, the distribution of a single e mill to 200 or more recipients or a speech to a group. 20 or more people. these exceptions work. because these solicitations are broad enough to not target a narrow audience. let's look at examples. an elected official in san francisco. know this is a food bank operating in her district is in need of in kind donations to make holiday meals for families in need. abc inc. is a client of a registers will be lobbyist can she accept i donation from abc inc. on behalf of the food bank in her district. >> in she can cannot ask for a do nigz to the food bank because likely an interested per for

her. she cannot ask a lobbyist for a donation either. she may however make a public appeal for donations through mass media or a garthing of 20 or more people. let's try another. jordan is a receive who volunteers for a nonprofit. acme inc. is a contractor with their department. can jordan asked ceo to make a corporate donation to the nonprofit? no. this request is prohibited buzz acme inc. is contractor with their department interested party. let's try one more. city employee madison, received i noticer in the mail soliciting do nigz for the local animal shelter can immediate son donate to the shelter? now this we got the green light

there is nothing in the behested rowel that restrict their choice to make a personal charity donation from their personal funds. hopeful low you now have a clearer 70's behested payment rules. but every situation is unique. we encourage to you build upon when you learned and roach out to the ethic's commission any time for advice. for specific questions condition tact the ethic's commission at 415-252-3100. or ethics. commission @sfgov.org thank you for your service and ticking the time to learn more about behested payments. in case there is is a discrepancy with this sum row and the lawlocals.

>> (music). >> the work go ahead offered i didn't the rec and park friday's local young people between 14 and 17 to be part 6 the workforce and eastern responsibility and professionalism and gain job skills and assignments in neighborhoods parking and recreation centers and includes art and crafts, sport, cooking, gardening and facility support and so many more. >> (multiple voices). >> i think we're part of the this is the fact we're outdoors and it is really great to be in nature and workreation is great

first step to figure out what you would like to do workreation covers real life working skills and expansion can be allowed (unintelligible) it is a really great program because um, students get placed all the time for what they like. join us in the experience and opportunity and i really like the workreation program it is fun to workout at the summer camp with all the kids each is different and the staff is really nice. >> why? is because i used to go to the local park often when i was a little kid. with my mom i often had to translate for my mom i applied in the hope to provide assistance for other

people with first language was for the english. >> i like this job we have fun and working and i feel welcome. >> hi. >> like how a job actually works like maybe before then i didn't know like all the jobs i don't know any of that now i do. >> it has to be self aware of things and independence of value of this taught me how to be progressiveal but still learning as i go on. >> i learned a lot like a got to adapt and challenges and obstacles come up everyday and . >> i like that we're able to really work with other people

and gaining experience like how in the real world hoe how he work with other people. >> if you're looking to develop your live skills as well as cash and working in the parks, and meeting great people and working with great staff i definitely recommend the corporation. >> it is fun. >> i definitely do the scombrifrm again that the workreation and park and i'll do that again. >> i will chinatown. >> (music).

>> welcome to san francisco japantown. >> san francisco japantown is the oddity downtown in the united states. >> it was founded in the late 1800s by japanese immigrants for construction over the jars japantown has become a home to a japanese community with restaurants and shops and a popular tourism decision in the heart of san francisco. and san francisco and japantown is quite unique it is one of the three remaining chung's by the states and how i explain japantown we're a city within a city to taste and experience the japanese culture but really be a community what is all about and

one of the best things about japantown is the food. there are dozens of shops in the neighborhood serving from modern deserts and go with friends. >> (speaking foreign language.) >> my name is t a leader of the japantown to we try to provide something they creates like savory yummy favors we try to provide like japanese flavor as well as for the japanese customers. >> if you're foodie or looking for a quick and delicious meal you're sure to find something.

>> it is a authentic japanese deter and drink shop special lists in we also offer a roasted green tea and we have flares and other flavors we're known for ice cream and sun disingenuous. >> japantown is a variety of culture contributions with the community center the eight amendment association of north california. >> (speaking foreign language.) >> this tearoom is designed by the tearoom art (unintelligible) and then they built everything in jpa that is a a he ship it to the united states. with the

carpenter and this is one of the public only two in the united states and the japantown takes you on journey sdlts neighborhoods and the history was a self guided tour you start by japantown center west mall and work your way and learn about the history what made japantown had say is today. >> what as young people; right? what to make sure this stays here for the future. speaking of future you can enter the world of augmented reality created we adobe in a phone stand under which of the store we call that the tree ar experience a great opportunity to do something completely different that will

take you to the future with a immersion of an experience? incredible. in addition to the culture and ar contribution japantown hosted festivities and events throughout the year some are the cheri blossom festival. and after dark japantown comes life with night clubs and or joy serene moments through the illuminated part and san francisco is japantown an engaging community that likewise people to experience japanese culture with food and exciting events and japantown is a must see for any visitor to san

[music] san francisco developing programs specific low to increase the amount of affordable housing throughout the city. >> the affordable housing bonus program provides developers to include more housing for i have low, low, moderate and middle income households. this program does not rely on public subsidies but private developers who include it part of their project. under california density bonus law. housing prejudices that include affordable on site may be request a density bonus. it is an increase in the number of housing units allowed under

zoning laws and based on affordable units being provided. >> however, the state law does not address all of san francisco needs does not incentivize middle income housing. associating the city is proposing an affordable housing bonus program for higher levels of development including middle income u firsts providing a stream lined application review and approval process. >> how does the program work in it applies to mixed use corridors in san francisco. and offers incentives to developers who provide 30% of affordable in projects. to reach 30%, 12% of the units must be affordable to low income household and 18% per minute nap to middle income households. >> in exchange developers will will build more and up to

additional 2 stories beyond current zoning regulations. >> 1 huh human % affordable will be offered up to 3 additional stories beyond current regulations. each building will be required conform to guidelines ensuring meets with the character of the area and commercial corridors. this program is an opportunity to double the amount of affordable housing and directly address the goals established by twenty 14 hosing element and prospect k paddled by voters last year. pacificly, prop circumstance established a goal that 33% of all new housing permanent to low and moderate incomes this program will be the first to prosecute void permanent affordable projects that include middle income households. to learn more about the program visit

good afternoon and welcome to the san francisco planning commission hearing for thursday, december 7th, 2023. to enable public participation sf govtv is broadcasting and streaming this hearing live and we will receive public comment for discussion and action items on today's agenda. each speaker will be allowed up to three minutes and when you have 30s remaining you will hear a chime indicating your time is almost up. when your allotted time is reached, i will announce that your time is up and take the next person queued to speak. we will take public comment from persons in city hall first and then open up the remote access lines for those persons calling in to submit their testimony. you need to call area. code (415) 655-0001 and enter access