of blacks and latinos and gays and lesbians and other marginalized groups. i fought for tenets. i fought for senior citizens. i fought for the powerless. i was part of the city's first whistleblower program. i made sure our domestic partners and minority and women-owned business ordinances were successful. i helped establish our recycling program. now the nation's most successful. i ensured equal access to government services for all our citizens, including our immigrants. documented and undocumented. [applause] in other words, i am my own

person. [applause] decades ago, i was about as anti-establishment as one could be. today, like you, i am trying to make the establishment work for all san franciscans. and yes, i am quite aware of the significance of being san francisco's first asian-american mayor. as a chinese american, i'm well aware of my community's long and troubled and proud history in this city. the san francisco of old was directly involved in racism and neglect. the san francisco that i fought as an attorney began to change. and now today, our struggle is here and it's succeeding. [applause]

i am humbled to stand before you today on the shoulders of giants among many flagbearers on the day we moved that history forward. and i'm committed to move all san francisco, all of us, forward. and that is why i've accepted this awesome responsibility. so i hope you will join me. i intend to reach out to you, my colleagues, to my fellow citizens across all political lines and all potential barriers. there are so many talented people in this building and in this city. i know we can move san francisco forward together. and in the coming days, i will reach out to every member of the board of supervisors and meet with you personally to discuss my ideas and my agenda. and yes, president chiu, i will sit down with you, shortly, to work out the details of our

question-and-answer session. i will seek your advice and counsel as we immediately begin to confront the challenges that lay ahead. starting with tackling our budget deficit and finding a new police chief. to the members of the board, i see you as my esteemed colleagues. and i look forward to a relationship based on mutual respect and trust. to our fellow citizens, i'm not going to change. i'm going to open up that room 200 for everybody, daily, and make sure that you know what that is. i present myself to you as a mayor for everyone. a mayor for the neighborhoods, for downtown, for business, for labor, for the powerless, and the powerful. for left, right and everyone in between.

for everyone. i will be a mayor who tackles things head on and moves the bar forward. i will be your mayor. thank you very much. [applause] >> mayors invite each and every one of you to join him and his

family in the south light court for some libations and some enjoyment courtesy of mccall's. so please feel free to wander on over there with your cameras and get your photographs and do whatever you like. but thank you so much for coming. so are you going out tonight? i can't. my parents say i have to be home right after work. ugh. that's so gay. totally gay. ugh. that is so emma and julia. why are you saying, "that's so emma and julia"? well, you know, when something is dumb or stupid, you say, "that's so emma and julia." who says that? everyone.

announcer: imagine if who you are were used as an insult. >> good afternoon, everyone. ok. good afternoon, everyone. welcome to the special meeting of the rules committee. i am chairing that committee this afternoon. to my left, we have supervisor farrell and sean elsbernd. we have staff covering the meeting today. we wanted to take a moment and think the staff. >> the item on our agenda today is the committee report on january 25. supervisor kim: can you call

items one and two? >> the historic preservation commission for a four-year term. he motion rejecting the nomination to the historic preservation commission ending december 31, 2014. supervisor kim: candidates will have an opportunity to come out and introduce themselves and speak about their application and qualifications. think you for your service the past couple of years. >> one of the things that makes san francisco a really special place is our historic neighborhoods and buildings. her hood is one of the things that draws visitors here and is the vital importance to its residents.

i am honored to be part of protecting that heritage for the past year-and-a-half, and i am honored to be nominated for a second term. i leave historic preservation projects. i was the project architect for the renovation of san francisco. my background has given me a detailed understanding of the technical complexities and challenges that must be addressed in carrying out successful preservation projects. from how to achieve structural and seismic upgrades to sustainable principles and sustainability. i have been involved for many years in a nonprofit organization focused on the recognition and preservation of the important works of the modern movement i have been

involved as an advocate as well as recognizing some of the lesser-knowns historic buildings. i think it is important that the historic preservation commission have a balanced approach to preserve important landmarks and recognizing that success will preservation allows for change as well as the city lives in the gross. -- and grows. i have also tried to be very proactive in our approach to preservation. this pro-active approach has included renovations, a planning code, working with the planning department so that when properties are in this city, they understand the history.

developers understand what is important about those properties. it helps the whole process of development in the city. looking for ways to educate the public about the positive role that historic preservation can have. i look forward to continue the pro-active approach to develop educational and interpretation programs that would benefit residents and visitors. i take the role very seriously. supervisor kim: any questions? i would like to open it up for public comment. >> i and the executive director of the san francisco housing

coalition. we are an 85-member organization that speaks for smart growth transit-oriented development. i was here to speak in favor of him the full time of -- the first time up and we've not regretted it. to advance historic preservation but recognize that it is one of many policies that have to be addressed as well. he has a superb background for this position and i hope you would approve it without any delay. supervisor kim: any other public comment? >> howard wong. we support and your for

reappointment. he has worked -- andrew for reappointment. he has been a professional architect for many decades. as well as the past president to preserve the mid century modernist buildings. the professional achievements. thank you. supervisor kim: if you would like to speak for public comment, light up in the aisles so i can get a sense. >> he is a close reader, he pays careful attention and his appreciation for the modern

environment is also important. supervisor kim: i will be closing public comment. this item is closed. there is a motion to recommend iitem 1 and table item 2. these items are closed. thank you for your service and your willingness to serve again. items 3 and 4? >> the appointment to the historic preservation commission ending december 31, 2014.

rejecting the nomination for appointment of richard johnson. supervisor kim: i would like to call forward the candidates. thank you. >> i am the immediate past president of the san francisco museum and historical society. i was a director of the predecessor organization. i like to be of board of directors of the current organization. at the last hearing, before a differently constituted committee, i describe the number

of my activities including the participation of about five years of programs devoted to the history of san francisco and the bay area both as a speaker and an organizer and as a facilitator. i said at that time that as a result of those activities, it would be between 50 and 75 people that had become interested in history. i had meant to say that i had introduced to between 50 and 75 people. the meeting last time focused on the question of whether or not i was qualified under the charter provision 4.135. an historian meeting the

secretary of interior's professional qualifications with specialized training and or a demonstrable experience of bay history. the 3 supervisors that were on the committee, each candle said that i was qualified. supervisor mar said i met the qualifications. and supervisor alioto-pier said i was, in her opinion, qualified. the discussion focused on who is an historian. webster's says a student writer of history. the american heritage

dictionary, a writer, student, horse color of history -- or scholar of history. because i have spent 20 years studying history, presenting programs, facilitating it, being in charge of the organization. they raised approximately $28 million to save and preserve it. it is an organization that has put on innumerable programs about the community and about history. i am involved with programs now in anticipation of the seventy fifth anniversary of the golden

gate international exposition. i think i have demonstrated my interest and ability and capacity. i look forward to being approved for this position. i hope you will prove me. i will keep the seat warm. i will be very happy to answer questions. supervisor kim: questions? i have a few questions. thank you for your willingness to serve in your enthusiasm for the hpc. since you will be one of the new members, about your vision for affordable housing?

>> there is a gentleman here last time that seemed to focus on that. there are a couple of concepts that have to be balanced. one is that san francisco is made up of lots of different groups of people with lots of different backgrounds have lots of different aspirations. whatever we do, we are trying to preserve the culture and the past that has brought us to where we are. part of the past has been the ability to grow and the ability for people to come here frequently without very much and make something of themselves. preservationists have not only have to keep the architectural details in mind, but the heart

and soul of the city. it is a difficult concept to do things that, and the name of preserving things as they are now, keeps people from participating fully in the city. you can't participate fully if [unintelligible] it is not always considered, but it is vitally important. supervisor kim: at this time, i will open up for public comment. it will be held full of those who are in support speak first and those in opposition speak after word if you can organize yourselves that way.

three minutes. >> i speak to you today in my capacity as the executive director of the san francisco museum and historical society. thank you for this opportunity to speak to you. i have worked with rich johns for 4 years. i speak to you in support of his nomination. he has had a passion and commitment to the preservation of san francisco. starting with his own family story dating back to 1843 when his four other -- forefather immigrated.

she sheered and inspired them with his knowledge of san francisco, major events, cultural parks, architecture. his contributions are significant. it enables many people to get together. one was the transformation of the panorama of. it was a newsletter we comnvertd highlighted, and shared stories. he oversaw the significant transformation of our programming.

in 2009, our theme was about neighborhoods. and not just having lectures, but combining them with hawks -- walks. the other was a recognition of people and organizations. finally and most importantly, he is an inhaler of history. he transformed the historical society. he looked at the needs of the building but also preserving that as a national historic landmark. through of the time i have worked with him, he actively familiarize themselves with

history and gets involved. he does not rely solely on his knowledge, the creative processes. [chime] let me say it is my opinion that you will get an historian who is not focused his efforts on documenting and publishing history, but as a developer of history making san francisco history relevant, and gauging, and tangible. -- engaging and tangible. >> i want to speak in favor of the nomination. i spent a bowl of my life dealing with san francisco history. i was on the historic preservation commission back in the 1960's.

i am the founder of the easy a historical society. i want to say that in the 20 years that i have known rich john's, i placed him in the pantheon of individuals who are not academic historians but have tremendous knowledge and passion for san francisco history. his involvement with the san francisco or historical society has been extraordinarily important. he has also delved into various aspects of the city. he stands very much in the great tradition of non-academic historians. people like oscar lewis and so

forth. i feel very strongly that he is not only qualified, but fulfills the criteria mentioned in the charter. >> welcome to our two new members of the board. i'm ellen schumer, i'm chair of the city hall preservation advisory commission. richard and i have known each other a very long time. when i was sitting at my desk, i started to go through a copy of the dictionary. it said, scholar. with richard johns, we have a scholar with an incredible

passion for san francisco. it is very hard to work in the city of san francisco and look at what truly needs to be preserved in an ongoing manner. he has had years of experience, and adjust the amount of time he has spent would truly make you a scholar of san francisco history. >> it is great to see you. i have known richard for 15 years. i have worked with him with the first husband of the brown administration. richard was everywhere and i

think he had the true reached to a lot of different communities. it will make him a very accessible member of the historic preservation commission. he has made himself accessible and i think she is a living historian ha, someone looking to make the history and county of san francisco and other aspects of our history more accessible. he is qualified to do this. i sat in on the hearing when this nomination was previously considered. chair campos acknowledged that the ultimate experience he brings is qualifying period and those who are objecting really need -- brains is qualifyiings .

those who are objecting really need to change the statute. >> we are architect specializing in historic preservation. i am here to support the nomination of richard johns. i have known him since i school and particularly as president of the san francisco museum and historical society. our firm has been part of the design team working for the city of san francisco that is to be housed in the old united states meanint. i know his interest and commitment go back