other counties and cities do in terms of providing services in the shelter, i was struck by the time that you have and the hours that you sleep or may not sleep while your there. it is an opportunity that i think we can do more. an early to actually provide services to empower people to come out of homelessness. i think we need to do more to combat homelessness, particularly chronic homelessness. if you want people to have the opportunity to improve their lives. i thought very carefully about the criticisms that our office might have by doing this. maybe that we were kind of venturing into cultural tourism of poverty, but i really wanted to say that i think i could not have learned what i did if i had

just visited a shelter. the experience of sitting there and talking to folks really dramatically shifted the focus that i want to take. really the most poignant part of the experience was amazing to discover, the incredible support network that people provide. the number of women that reached out to me that provided me a vice have support, knowing it was my first night there, just the incredible love that you get to experience when you come in. it is not to overgeneralized the experience. there is anger and frustration, a lot of things that go on, but there is a tremendous about of love and care. some of was really fortunate to be able to participate in.

again, a hearing requested specific. the number of shelter beds unused. how many were turned away at the reservation center on january 18, the current services available, the services available to clients and other jurisdictions that you would want to implement, and what are the health needs? the rest i submit. supervisor wiener: thank you. i would like to co-sponsoring the immemorial -- in memoriam for grace. i joine president chiu to announce the recapitalization of

the revolving loan fund that was established in 2009 at a time not a lot of capital available to small businesses, a terrible economy, businesses failing. it has been a significant success since it started. 27 businesses have received loans from $5,000-$50,000 a total of almost $750,000. it has been a really strong partnership. last year, i was proud to join the mayor, one of the recipients already reaping its loan. this would recapitalize the revolving loan fund with $1 million, the first step in our commitment to provide $5 million in capitalization. the fund ultimately will pay for

itself as money is paid back. the loans will continue to be in the $5,000-$50,000 range. small businesses to create the lion's share of jobs in san francisco. i am calling for several hearings, the first that our last meeting, i introduced with sponsorships, a supplemental appropriation back to the federal agency service to $1.8 million at the end of the fiscal year, and we do have the reserve capacity to cover that to make sure that we don't have an immediate loss of critical, lifesaving services. but we have a much bigger problem next year.

4.2 $5 million or more, we are expected to lose from the federal government's obligation to those living at risk of hiv. i know we will go through the budget process, and this will be a major topic of discussion, but i think that before we get to the heart of that, and we think about how we're going to keep our commitment. it is community-based providers to begin a very public and frank discussion about how we move forward and how we keep our obligation to those living with and that risk of the disease. last year, the board unanimously passed a resolution that i offered him indicating that we have inadequate cab service. and asking to provide a

quarterly report on what it is doing to improve that service. i am requesting a hearing where mta will tell us what it is doing to improve cab service, which in my view is critical to any -- i am calling for a hearing on street lighting. we have a street lighting system designed to eliminate cars. as a result, we have a lot of streets in the city that if there are any trees present, the sidewalks can be quite dark. we have an ongoing problem where street lights and stop working. neighbors repeatedly called 311 to report it, and the lights don't get fixed. it comes to the supervisor's officer, and so i am calling a

hearing and directed to several to talk about the system maintaining the street lights, reporting in responding to problems with street lights. in the long run, how we're going to improve the street lighting to make it more focused on pedestrians at less focused on eliminating roads in cars. finally, i have an extremely sad in-memoriam, rich chicotel who passed away several weeks ago. he he was a very significant civic and business leader. he was truly one of the good ones that consistently gave back to the community and never asked for anything in return. he was 52 and from ohio

originally. he was the chief financial officer since 1998 and was with the company since 1988. the san francisco business times named him ceo of the year. a very involved in the lgbt community. i got to know him almost a decade ago and he has been incredibly generous with his time and support. he called me to talk about some of the issues in dolores park. i said, why don't you get involved? he got involved with the community design process, one of the most dedicated members. i was talking to someone that was really devastated by his death that said to me, he is one of the very few people involved that has worked and worked and

worked and never made any demands. rich was very close with the treasurer and many others. it has just been a true tragedy, so i request that we adjourn in his memory. >> i simply want to talk about the introduction of the service system rates. it is usually not something sexy to talk about, but i wanted to bring this of because i wanted to commend the health service staff, and we started off with rates in double digits in terms of increases to the health care expenses, we really have worked to bring that number down. i wanted to commend the staff for all their hard work.

i also want to introduce an item, a hearing requested to update the city in terms of the plan for the redevelopment agency dissolution. we talked about this in the budget committee last week,, we intended to have a number of hearings to help us with of the budget process. some of the topics we're interested in hearing about include impact to the general fund, staffing of the legacy organization, the impact of the project area. it also includes work force development, so we look forward to those hearings and budget committee. supervisor avalos: i would like to co-sponsoring the hearing on

street lighting. i have actually bend navigating through the labyrinth of streetlight episodes and failures in my district. there have been lights that have got out and i have reported numerous times and have not heard a response. finally i just directly contacted sfpuc. they're not responsible, pg&e is, they say they have fixed them when they have not. i think they are zero key to exploring how we can make sure that we have a problem that works in san francisco. along with supervisor campos i have an in memoriam for s

ylvia moreno. i worked with her, serving the latino community located in the mission district. prior to coming to san francisco, she worked in new york city and got involved in new york city. it was there she developed a lifelong work. the time of supporting people in the community that were affected by hiv. i was able to see what incredible care she provided people. often, the remarks were about her true selflessness in

providing care. i wondered how she was able to do it, she often did not take care of herself the way she could have by how much she was taking care of other people to help them protect themselves. she also worked with the welcome back center, a program that has emigrant health professionals and was the clinic manager at the excelsior? . she got her master's in social work, she passed away on january 14, 2012. she is survived by her son. she will be remembered by other colleagues and friends that she has touched.

this saturday, there will be a memorial service for her. at the rose garden at golden gate park. there will be a celebration of her life starting at 10:30 this saturday. there will be a lot of folks that she worked with, the people whose lives that she touched in the community. supervisor chu: i simply wanted to be added as a co-sponsor for the light issue. we have seen this issue played out in the district, taking many months of the four issues are actually resolved. i am also wondering if we could out on to that with the plan for changing the lights out. they are trying to look to increase the efficiency of the light structures.

i was remiss in mentioning my co-sponsors, so i want to thank supervisor cohen, supervisor kim, and supervisor avalos for that. supervisor campos: not to belabor the point, but i want to be added as a co-sponsor of that hearing as well. we have been working representing the neighboring districts of eight and nine, some of the incidents that have happened. especially in the last few weeks with some of the tragedy involving the attacks that took place against women and clearly the issue of lighting was a very important factor and an important consideration. i want to thank supervisor wiener for bringing that forward. supervisor olague: i also wanted

to add my name to the list of street-lighting. it has been raised the most of the neighborhood meetings. not that concludes roll call for introductions. president chiu: why don't we go to the 3:30 special commendation? we have members of the audience, i want out myself to her comments and welcome the guests. supervisor cohen: think you, members of the public. it is a very exciting day to stand here before you. i am very pleased and privileged to stand before you and present a certificate of honor as well as a mayoral proclamation acknowledging the distinguished gentleman that are most affectionately known as the tuskegee airmen. and to thank them for their

patriotic service. for those that don't know, we are in the presence of greatness. they were the first african american military aviators in the united states armed forces during a time when segregation policies had divided the military and many u.s. states that were still subject to jim crow laws. it should be remembered that the legendary all-african american fighting force originally composed of 16,000 pilots and ground crews fought on behalf of the country that were also actively discriminated against. now we honor the air men because they proudly asserted their african-american heritage in spite of widespread racism. they painted details of their planes and bright red and earned their name red tails.

these veterans returned to fight racism at home and helped develop a new aviation technologies. they set the stage for quality at the military and lead the nation on course and better for all america. i am pleased to be joined by the president of the tuskegee airmen. i would like to thank mr. leroy and j giliad. [applause] mr. james goodwin. [applause]

mr. clyde grimes. [applause] mr. richard harter. [applause] mr. harold hodgkins. [applause] mr. james warren. [applause] and mr. les williams. [applause] i would sincerely like to thank you for attending with us today.

mr. roberts. [applause] there are few more people but also deserve recognition. thank you to mr. david cunningham that as president of the chapter of the tuskegee airmen. all of whom make this possible. i would also like to a knowledge mr. miles perkins. he has joined us on behalf of lucas film, the producer of the red tails film. [applause] on just one final last note, i want to encourage everyone to learn more about the history and the legacy of these gentlemen that are standing here before us.

the tuskegee airmen have their story that has been a new and being told. this past weekend, the george lucas film about the airman was released. it has a g alreadyrossed 18 -- already grossed $18 million, the number two box office hit. when he was shopping around trying to find funding for this film, he was denied. hollywood told him that people would not come out to watch a movie with an all african- american cast. we proved hollywood wrong, people will come out and support and all african american history. why am i doing this now? black history is american history and deserves to be

celebrated every single day of the year. on behalf of the board of supervisors, i am here to say thank you. if it weren't for your work, i would not be here. and so i have a proclamation naming today, january 24, 2011, the tuskegee airmen day. [applause] the mayor sent his regards and could not be here to be personally delivering it to you, but he is very grateful to your dedication and service to our country.

on behalf of his body, i have prepared your certificate of honor and also to publicly of knowledge and welcome you back home, not so much to welcome you but to say thank you for your commitment and dedication and leadership. thank you. [applause] now i would like to invite the airmen who to speak at the podium to share a couple of words with us.

>> i want to thank you for inviting us and bestowing this great honor. often i feel very sad because so many of the tuskegee airmen have passed and are not here to enjoy this. i feel real proud of that we receive this. i feel a little bit sad because some many of my comrades are not here. the movie is a great honor, a great movie, and it surprised that we came in second this week at the box office. i also want that at that there is about half of the airmen. the other half received a distant honor. they were back in the states and

we, along with much of their comrades, we were fighting prejudice and discrimination. we went to jail and we were charged with punishment of death, fighting to make sure that we were recognized as men. we were the best, we were doing our part back here. the 3 thirty second is an outstanding organization, they set records that the world will never be able to a sea. thank you. -- be able to exceed. thank you. [applause]

[laughter] >> gather round so we can take a picture. please join me.

[applause] president chiu: think you for that wonderful commendation and thank you to the mn for inspiring us. can we go to general public comment? dodge the opportunity for the public to address items within the subject matter jurisdiction of the board including items on the adoption without committee reference and excluding items that have already been considered by a board committee.

speakers using translation assistance will be allowed twice the amount of time to testify. if a member of the public would like a document to be displayed on the overhead projector, please indicate as such and remove the document when we are to return to live coverage of the meeting. president chiu: you have two minutes to speak, first speaker, please. >> [foreign language]