be able to be exempted. i think there is good reason to believe based on opinions from the city attorney's that is the case. that is a discussion for another night, although was calendared for tonight. you have to meet -- certain assistance has to come to the developer from the public in return for the continuance of the exemptions for the rent- controlled things. that is satisfied here i think. that is something we will have to discuss at greater length. one other point i want to make briefly is that i have heard talk about concerns about increased density. increased density does not necessarily have to lead to degradation of the quality of life. there are many places that have felt relatively low density and

have a very low quality of life. they have a lot of crime. a lot of areas with more density do not have the problems. if the density is done in the right way, you may have a situation that is improved. a couple of final points on this. a question was brought up about the developer and the entitlements granted to the project. those go with the project and not with the developer. if a developer is not solvent and has to sell the project with its entitlements to another developer, those go with the project and not the developer. those are some things i picked up on the project. the final thing i wanted to add is the fact that i heard a lot of people talk about the housing stock. it is aging. i think if we could craft something where the residents were able to have a similar type of housing as to what they have now in a new, clean, functioning unit, i would think if they were

guaranteed that they would be able to stay here, i think that most of them would opt for that. i like the -- >> [unintelligible] commissioner miguel: excuse me, i am speaking. you had your chance before. that may be a matter of opinion. i think a lot of these units are in need of some upgrading or replacement. ok, thank you. >> thank you all for staying so late. i am looking forward to the staff report and hearing more about that. i will end quickly. i am encouraged by the talking about the executive park area of 101 and the project office 280. i think those are key places coming in to san francisco by car.

your first look at san francisco are these two locations. i am encouraged by that. >> commissioner moore? >> i want to thank everybody. you gave us a lot to think about. i want to express appreciation for what he presented. i think one of the most revealing moments for me was when someone admitted he had not heard anything about the project but all the sudden realized how wide the concerns of the people living here are. >> i wanted to thank everyone for coming out. i am glad that we did end up having the hearing out here. we were able to hear from so many residents were not able to get out to city hall and wait for hours to give testimony on given projects. many of our hearings start at 1:30. with a time certain to hear this

around 5:30. someone mentioned, it is really hard to stick to the time certain items on the calendar. what i did find compelling was the testimony from some many people who have lived in these units for a number of years. i know that there were people who have lived there for a number of years who are in favor of the project. but there were certainly many who have lived there 20 years or more, long-term residents who have resided in these units. i share their concerns about what the future for them will be. we will continue our conversations. there is a development agreement that the city has drafted. we will be hearing more about that. we will be hearing more about some of the transportation and other issues.

i am concerned with even the mental health of the folks living there currently. it is a stressful situation not to know what the future looks like. if you have lived in an area 20, 30, or 40 years, and then to have to live with this kind of cloud of not knowing when and if and how -- it can create a lot of stress for folks. i think a lot of the fears are legitimate that we were hearing today. when i hear that there are some people who came in the speaking in favor of the project, but i am not convinced that we're hearing from people who live in dense developments themselves. i think it is easy to say not to be afraid if you do not live in

that type of development. you may live in a less dense development and advocate for someone else to live in a dense development. it is easy if you do not. there is still a lot that we will work out. there is still a lot we have to look at. i am glad we have extended the hearings beyond the original calendar for them. i think there is still a lot more to figure out here. i am glad that so many members of the public had the courage to come out and state their concerns for the working people's neighborhood. these are people that work. they have been here. they put their heart and soul into this community and this city. i do not think we can ignore the

fears that they have. i think it is important to look at each individual and see and take into consideration each individual that lives there. i look forward to further conversations on this. >> i will reiterate what my fellow commissioners said. thank you all for your time and for being here this evening. i want to pick up on the theme that commissioner sugaya brought about in local and organize. it is very important. we have our meetings. they are televised. you can send e-mail set any time. you can also come and participate in the process. i know there will be several more hearings on parkmerced. it will be very important that we hear from you and your supervisor hear from you. if a tree falls and no one hears it, does it make a sound? it is the classic phrase. people always ask.

we know that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. i am not saying that is the right way that things are. if people are not vocal or out there, people do not know really what is going on. it is important your supervisor knows how you feel about this. it is important that you come to a place -- it is really important to figure out what is acceptable. is there anything that is acceptable? i think it is really important to think about. we always look for how we can craft the best opportunity for the city and community. we all know that you live here. you are passionate about it. i cannot imagine a by lived somewhere for 50 years and had faced not being in the same place i had been in my whole life. i cannot imagine how that would feel. i think it is really important

that we bring all this together to figure out how we create the parkmerced of the future that allows the working class people, the people who have boys lived here and enjoy the community for what it is, to also be able to embrace some degree of newness as well to create a community that is best for everyone. that is what it is all about. we have to figure out how we can together kraft the best opportunity that supports your lives and also supports the city overall. none of us have figured out where we are on the project. we're learning about it as it is evolving and unfolding. we are answering and asking the same questions that you are about all the different elements of the plan. that is related to housing, rent control, everything. nothing is on or off the table at this point. everybody is listening to everything as it unfolds and try to figure out how we do the best work we can for you to make this

city the best place it can be. i want to say that it is really important to be active and vocal. being constructive is another important element of things. sometimes that gets lost in the debate of things. we all know that at some level and at some degree, there will always be change and progress. the thing is to be part of that in a way that is positive for all of us. that is the thing i would add. i hope he will check out our planning web site. you can see our calendars. it has the items there. you can also download any sort of agenda items. you can also send something to the secretary. all the information is there. i encourage you to be active participants in making your community better. >> before we adjourn, if i may, there was a side remark earlier

when the material was submitted about whether we read it. yes, we do. we really do. any emails that you send to the commission go to our secretary. she instantly forwards them to all of us. they get an hour in box immediately. all of that material is taken into consideration. we do not just set it aside. it is our obligation as commissioners for san francisco and for u.s. citizens to do that. -- and for you, as citizens, to do that. those who send emails and did not show up at public testimony, we hear from everybody. it is not just the developers whose presentation we hear. it is not only the staff and gives us there learned opinion.

-- their learned opinions based on the codes and what they do. it all comes into consideration. i do not want anyone to think that we ignore it because we do not. >> mr. president, could i have one last word? following up on that comment, i may be accused of not listening to testimony. but i did go through one document handed to us by pauley marshall. she was the person who identified herself as a commissioner from the rent board but was not speaking on behalf of the rent board. she did present a fairly lengthy opinion with respect to the development agreement and her viewpoint coming from the rent board. it is quite compelling. i think we need to have city attorneys take a look at this. i would like to especially have the attorneys who staff the report at a hearing where we can

ask some questions raised in this document. [applause] i frankly do not have the city attorney's offices staffed the various departments of boards. i do not think our land use staff are the same attorneys that staff the rent board. i just found a compelling. i am sorry i did not listen to everybody. we did read the material. i did read the material. >> commissioner moore? >> we do not just listen to people in the neighborhood. you are perfectly able to bring in friends and experts and people whose opinions you trust. the sierra club was speaking tonight. several other people who represent other aspects of

community planning, even other neighborhoods came. this is what to of like to encourage you to do. ultimately, it is a larger voice than just the people who live here to rally around issues of common concern. >> director? >> thank you, commissioners. to cover some logistics, there is a hearing scheduled next week on this item. it was scheduled for your calendar at the end of the day. the initial -- the purpose of next week's hearing had been scheduled for initiation of the project. obviously, you have asked for us to cover the topics today that were not presented today that were the specifics of the housing and transportation. i need to redo the staff needs to know to prepare and we need to get an agenda out tomorrow. i need to know if your preference is to cover those items next week along with initiation or if you want to

cover just one of the items. i just need some direction on how you want to proceed on that. >> it is hard for me to speak for the entire commission. some may disagree with me. i would think we should attempt to cover those two items next week. we may have to put off initiation. we can put it on the calendar, but it may be continued. >> i believe that is a wise direction. i would strongly support you. initiation at this moment with a number of unresolved issues -- i think there will be more questions coming from the commission on particular aspects that i feel have not been touched on. i think that is the perfect lead in into working on the project in more depth. >> as long as it has been scheduled, leave it there with the thought that it may be continued. >> we will be prepared to present the two topics that were on tonight and leave the

possibility for initiation on there. >> i am agreeable with that. we have had correspondence in regards to and have had presentations on both of the issues in previous hearings. we need to do it in more depth. they will answer many of the questions raised tonight. we sort of got the comments before we have the presentation. i think that would be very good. those of you who have concerns should come next week to hear the presentations with regards to these two issues. >> thank you, everybody. [gavel pounds] ♪

there are so many ways that the

internet provides real access to real people and resources and that's what we're try to go accomplish. >> i was interested in technology like video production. it's interesting, you get to create your own work and it reflects what you feel about saying things so it gives perspective on issues. >> we work really hard to develop very in depth content, but if they don't have a venue, they do not have a way to show us, then this work is only staying here inside and nobody knows the brilliance and the amazing work that the students are doing. >> the term has changed over time from a very basic who has a computer and who doesn't have a computer to now who has access to the internet, especially high speed internet, as well as the skills and the knowledge to use those tools effectively. . >> the city is charged with coming up with digital

inclusion. the department of telecommunications put together a 15 member san francisco tech connect task force. we want the digital inclusion program to make sure we address the needs of underserved vulnerable communities, not communities that are already very tech savvy. we are here to provide a, b and c to the seniors. a stands for access. b stands for basic skills and c stands for content. and unless we have all three, the monolingual chinese seniors are never going to be able to use the computer or the internet. >> a lot of the barrier is knowledge. people don't know that these computers are available to them, plus they don't know what is useful. >> there are so many businesses in the bay area that are constantly retiring their computer equipment that's perfectly good for home use. computers and internet access are helping everybody in the community and people who don't have it can come to us to help

with that. one of the biggest problems we see isn't whether people can get computers through programs like ours, but whether they can understand why they need a computer. really the biggest issue we are facing today is helping people understand the value of having a computer. >> immediately they would say can i afford a computer? i don't speak any english. how do i use it. then they will start to learn how to do email or how to go back to chinese newspaper to read all the chinese newspaper. >> a lot of the barrier still is around lack of knowledge or confusion or intimidation and not having people in their peer network who use computers in their lives. >> the important thing i learned from caminos was to improve myself personally. when i first came to caminos, i didn't know anything about computers. the second thing is i have become -- i have made some great achievements as an individual in my family and in

things of the world. >> it's a real issue of self-empowerment where new immigrant families are able to communicate with their families at home, able to receive news and information in their own home language, really become more and more connected with the world as well as connected even inside their local communities. >> if we value the diversity of our city and we value our diverse neighborhoods in the city, we need to ensure that they remain economically viable. equiping them and equiping residents in those areas with jobs that will enable them to stay in san francisco is critical to that. >> the important thing that i see here at caminos is it helps the low income community, it helps the women who wouldn't have this opportunity otherwise. >> the workers with more education in san francisco are more likely to be able to working that knowledge sector. where they are going to need that familiarity with the internet, they are going to find value with it and use it

and be productive with it every day. and half of the city's population that's in the other boat is disconnected from all that potential prosperity. >> we really need to promote content and provide applications that are really relevant to people's lives here. so a lot of the inspiration, especially among the immigrant community, we see is communications with people from their home country but we as much want to use the internet as a tool for people to connect within the local san francisco community. >> i think it's our job as public educators to give them this access and give them this opportunity to see that their efforts are being appreciated beyond their immediate reach. >> you have to blend this idea of community network with computer equipment with training and with support. we can pull all that together, then we've got it. >> it's as much about social and economic justice -- in fact it's more about social and economic justice than just

>> i work with the department of environment and we are recycling oil. thank you. we can go into a refinery and we can use it again. they do oil changes and sell it anyway, so now they know when a ticket to a. hal>> to you have something you want to get rid of? >> why throw it away when you

can reuse it? >> it can be filtered out and used for other products. >> [speaking spanish] >> it is going to be a good thing for us to take used motor oil from customers. we have a 75-gallon tank that we used and we have someone take it from here to recycle. >> so far, we have 35 people. we have collected 78 gallons, if not more. these are other locations that you can go. it is absolutely free. you just need to have the location open. you are set to go. you are set to go.

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