to you about this particular project and to acknowledge the wonderful people who are contributing to the creation of this housing for formerly homeless veterans. in san francisco, we have tried very hard to provide housing for all those who need housing and provide it not just with bricks and mortar but with wraparound supportive services. this is another example of that. we have on this special occasion a special guest, a person who has been a great supporter of affordable housing, the assistant secretary. before we have heard speak, i would like to ask the mayor for a few remarks at this time. thank you. [applause] >> good morning. we have a very dedicated team.

this is a very special occasion. we get to welcome in our secretary of hud who has been a wonderful partner along with the local hud office. they have been great partners with the city of san francisco. decades. this is a very special project to us. it focuses on our veterans and what we're doing to help our veterans. that has been one of the most important goals and reflections of the values of the city. we want to emphasize every opportunity we can where we say that our veterans deserve all of the help when they come back and are adjusting in life. i know of no greater partnership and with our high offices -- down with our hud offices -- i know of no greater partnership them with our head of block --

hud offices. we had a chance to meet with president obama at the conference of mayors. he had our cabinet members meet with us. we let him know that mayors across the country are struggling with how we deliver services and deliver on the promises made by this country to take care of our struggling families, low income families. he has delivered with the kind of programs that hud has any kind of programs we have with our local talent. i want to thank reverend fong and others. we have a new director of the mayor's office of housing opportunities, partnership, an engagement. that is bevan dufty. the veterans, the contractors, nicole from our local offices.

we have assembled contractors and a marvelous design team. their expertise is to use old buildings that look worn and unusable and recreate them with the highest level of environmental quality we could possibly have. i know the best talent is here working with cahill and our veterans and veterans' offices to make sure that this housing opportunity comes in on time and does its best to reflect our values. i want to thank everyone for assembling together to make sure this promise is delivered. a special thank you to our hud national office, the secretary, donovan. we had a chance to talk about

this system -- specific project. the deputy secretary came out to view the progress. it emanates from the national leadership by an increasing strongly that we are delivering on our promises. this is why we get to announce that we're still the third lowest unemployment rate in the whole state of california. we are delivering on these promises. thank you for all coming today. [applause] >> at this time, i would like to ask the assistant secretary to come up and say a few remarks. as the mayor mentioned, she is a wonderful supporter of affordable housing. her lifelong career as been committed to economic justice and the creation of affordable

housing. she is a personal friend and somebody in the right position at the right time. without further ado, assistant secretary marquez. [applause] >> it is my pleasure to be here. i do not get to come home very often. it is nice to be here. we have been friends a long time. we're both natives. we have watched the city changed over the years for the better. mayor, congratulations on your election. we're also proud. i want to thank you for helping us out and doing such a wonderful job in this area. at hud, we're focused on the issue of ending veteran homelessness. we have made a commitment to the president that we would end veteran homelessness in five years, along with the secretary of the va. we have worked hard to deliver on the promise. in the past year, we have

brought it down by 12% in one year. that is difficult to achieve. it comes from specific focus between the va and different offices in hud to make that happen across the country. this particular project is wonderful. it is serving those who have been on the streets along time. there are folks who have really suffered. we do not want to forget them as young girl men and women are coming home. we do not want to forget the folks who have been on the streets along time -- a long time. they have aged beyond their years. we want to help them. this is the type of program that does it. does it with special plans. the whole program has built over 1 million units in 20 years. it is a fabulous program. it helps extremely low income people all the way to home ownership for people just beginning. this is an incredible example of

that. the couple of days ago, the president made a huge announcement about housing. one thing that does not get as much play in the press is the focus on the very poor. he made a $1 billion commitment to the first affordable housing trust fund. he has said it will be included in his budget in a few weeks to congress. that affordable housing trust fund is focused on rental housing for people at 30% or below the area median income, folks like those that will get the opportunity to call this place home. we're very excited because we're already working on what has been passed but never funded. we're calling on congress to fund it. the president has also made a commitment that included in his budget will be $15 billion program called project for build. it is the neighborhood stabilization program to

rehabilitate foreclosed properties across the country. it will put people back to work. we estimate the $15 billion program will create over 200,000 jobs and treat over 350,000 units. many of them look like this and achieve these goals. today we had encouraging news. the unemployment rate in january dropped to 8.3%, the lowest in three years. over 257,000 jobs were created in the last month. we're moving in the right direction. we have a long way to go. a comprehensive list of programs like the one the president obama announced a couple of days ago, for the struggling poor, those working their way into the middle class, and ultimately a national refinancing program that will help those are current in payments to stay current. it will ease stress and help families save about $3,000 a

year. we're talking about a full complement of programs that takes you from when you need a hand up to those who just need a hand to stay where they are and keep fighting for their families. i am pleased the mayor and staff invited us to witness this. i grew up here. going to school, i was right here every day riding by. i knew exactly where this building is. thank you for to beautiful day to be home. congratulations, mayor, and your entire team on what you are doing. i have had the pleasure of working with the non-profit communities involved in this project for a long time. other members of my family continue to be involved in san francisco. best of luck. i look forward to coming back

and greeting the first tenants calling this place home. congratulations and thank you. [applause] >> thank you, very much. the mayor mentioned the development team managing the construction of the project is ccdc, chinatown community development corporation. the project manager is kim. she gets to the day to day work to shepherd this through. one of the greatest challenges of affordable housing is that it is difficult to finance affordable housing and get it constructed. it is even harder to keep it running. the organization that will be keeping a running -- it running and serving the residence for many years is swords to plowshares.

they will have the heavy lifting over the long time. to really change the lives of those residents of this particular development. they have had a long and successful track record in doing so and deserve all of the support that we can give them going forward in the future. the whole notion of it takes a village, it usually takes a whole district to do a project. in some cases, it takes the delegation in washington, d.c., also to help. there are many people to thank. i would like to thank the leaders office. i see dan and nicole, also the d.c. staff, bob edmonson, i want him to know that we really

appreciate his efforts on behalf of this project. the leaders in helping to finance this particular project also. in addition to the leader's office, we want to thank senator boxer's office. there they are. thank you very much for being here. thank you for all of your assistance. supervisor kim, she is a wonderful supporter of affordable housing. she could not be here because of a scheduling conflict. as we have wonderful leadership at the national level at hud, we also have wonderful leaders about the regional level. this is the regional office that has contributed greatly to the success of affordable housing in san francisco. i would like to acknowledge ophelia. [applause]

rafael, maria. [applause] they are the team that does the implementation. one thing about this project, we have talked about the sponsors, the bottom line is it is about the people who will be here. i wanted to do a shot out -- shout out to cheryl cooke and the county veterans office as well as john from the veterans affairs. they are the folks locally looking after our veterans. they are advocating on their behalf to ensure that they get the services they deserve. lastly, i would like to acknowledge the department heads who are here. mayor mentioned bevan, also

trent. there are awards the will help to fund the operation of this development. the ongoing operating support will probably come through his department. this shows the commitment of the city towards providing wraparound services to our veterans. leslie, i like to acknowledge -- lastly, i like to acknowledge those whose debt financing helped -- gap financing helped. you on the unit contributed to the project. this project is have we done. -- you have all contributed to the project. this project is have we done. it will be even better when we can open the doors. blogging rosenthal -- bobby rosenthal from the veterans department. [applause]

we are going to pass out hard hats. we will see them before. i am sure everybody will be here when we open the doors again for our veterans. they do, everyone. -- thank you, everyone. [applause] >> thank you very much.

captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- supervisor chiu: please call the roll. >> roll-ca[roll-call]

mr. president, there is a quorum. supervisor chiu: ladies and gentlemen, please join me in the pledge of allegiance. >> [inaudible] to the public for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. supervisor chiu: madam clerk, are there any communications? >> no. supervisor chiu: please read the it -- the event agenda. items one through 17. >> it will be decided upon with a single roll call vote. supervisor chiu: would anyone like to sever these items? >> items 1 through 17, supervisor:? aye -- supervisor cohen? aye.

[takes roll call vote] there are 11 ayes. supervisor chiu: item number 18, please. >> item number 18. $75,009,139 of 2008 clean and safe park bond sale proceeds to fund the improvement and construction at various recreation and park facilities, including $61,185,271 in the recreation and park department commission for fy2011-2012. supervisor chiu: this ordinance is passed. item number 19. >> item number 19. ordinance appropriating $4,442,514 consisting of $3,709,630 in fund balance and $732,884 in interest earnings from the sale of the watermark land and condominiums to the port commission in fy2011-2012 to be used for the development of the brannan street wharf and the mixed-use cruise terminal at pier 27 and placing $614,000 on controller's reserve pending receipt of the projected interest earnings. supervisor avalos: -- supervisor chiu: same house, col.

it this item is passed. item number 20. >> item number 20. ordinance amending the san francisco health code by adding article 39, sections 39.01 through 39.13, to license and regulate commercial dog walkers operating on park property. supervisor chiu: same house, same call. item number 21. >> item 21. ordinance re-appropriating $1,574,127 of general fund reserves for state revenue loss to backfill federal funding reductions to hiv-aids programs at the department of public health in fy2011-2012. supervisor chiu: same house, same call. next item -- this item is passed. next item? >> item number 22. ordinance authorizing the san francisco public defender's office to retroactively accept and expend a grant in the amount of $231,147 from the correction standards authority for the purpose of establishing a legal educational advocacy program; and amending ordinance no. 146- 11 -- annual salary ordinance, fy2011-2012 -- to reflect the addition of one class 8177 trial attorney grant-funded position -- 0.50 fte -- at the san francisco public defender's office. supervisor chiu: same house, col. this ordinance is passed. next item? >> item number 23.

ordinance -- approving regulations for jane warner plaza at the intersection of castro and 17th streets and harvey milk plaza adjacent to the intersection of castro and market streets -- and two, authorizing official acts in connection with the regulations. supervisor chiu: i wanted to mention that the technical issues with our monitor system has been ongoing. when your done speaking, it would be great if you could click it off, so that we know you have already spoken. >> we are waiting for amendments from the city attorney's office that have not arrived yet. they are right there. actually, can we move it to after item 29? >> colleagues, let's move, hold on to item 23 so that we can circulate the amendments being provided to us by the city attorney. let's move to item 24. madam clerk, please read item 24.

>> item number 24. motion appointing supervisor eric mar, term ending november 28, 2012, to the california state association of counties. supervisor chiu: without objection, he shall be reduced. can we take a roll call vote? >> [roll-call vote] there are 10 ayes. supervisor chiu: the motion is approved. item number 25? >> item number 25. motion approving the mayor's appointment of richard hillis to the board of appeals, for the term ending july 1, 2012. supervisor chiu: roll-call vote,

please. >> [roll-call vote] there are 11 ayes. supervisor chiu: the motion is approved. item number 26? >> item number 26. motion appointing supervisor carmen chu, term ending june 30, 2013, to the association of bay area governments executive board. supervisor chiu: without objection, she shall be excused. roll-call vote? >> [roll-call vote]

there are ten ayes. supervisor chiu: the motion is approved. let's skip over the 3:00 p.m. special order in go to item 29. >> it was considered at the regular meeting, monday, january 30, and is recommended -- approved as recommended. ordinance amending the san francisco planning code section 249.42 to: 1) allow outpatient medical care clinics; 2) amend zoning map sheet 8 su of the san francisco planning code to add parcels in assessor's block no. 5211, lot nos. 29 through 54 to the india basin special use district and remove the parcel in assessor's block no. 5211, lot no. 28 from the design and development special use district and add it to the india basin special use district; and 3) make environmental findings and findings of consistency with general plan. supervisor chiu: if we could take a roll-call vote on this item? >> [0 call vote] -- roll-call vote]

there are 11 ayes. supervisor chiu: passed on the first reading. madam clerk, let's go back to item 23, regulations on harvey milk plaza. at this time, let's call on supervisor wiener. supervisor wiener: thank you, mr. president. i want to make some brief opening remarks. then i will be offering several amendments. so, today, colleagues, we are considering it modest and basic legislation to fill a gap in the law, putting ltd. and needed rules in place in two of the most important public spaces in the castro. the castro has very, very limited public space. while there are great parts on

the periphery of the neighborhood, in the castro itself there is very little public space. jane warner and harvey milk plaza is not large. those are small and they've restrain space. there is a very diverse array of people using these spaces and it is important that everyone be able to use them. most public spaces in san francisco, while freely available to the diversity of the community, they have roles. we have a very extensive parts code governing the parts system. none of these roles have undermined the freedom of the enjoyed community. rather, these rules make sure that these spaces are usable by everyone. through a quirk in the law, the jane warner and harvey milk plaza is not covered by any of the rules typically applied to

public spaces. recently san francisco has added a significant number of public spaces, with jane mourner being the first such space. we have turned parking spots. it has been expanding and i know it will continue to expand in the future. now is the time to make sure that these new spaces, which are not parks or sidewalks, have basic rules in place to make sure they are expendable by everyone. this legislation is basic and limited. contrary to the claims that have been made, the legislation is not even close to draconian and it does not even remotely affect the community's right to assemble. that is why this legislation has received such broad support in the neighborhood from many individuals that often do not agree with each other. this legislation has been

endorsed by the castro eureka valley neighborhood association, the dubose neighborhood association, the point of this that neighbor association, -- buana vista neighborhood association, and the market castro of mumsy. briefly, this is what the legislation does. the possibility open 24 hours per day. but it prohibits camping and sleeping in the plaza. camping is already prohibited in city parks. it requires that people selling merchandise maintain a city permit consistent with other public spaces. printed material is excluded from this requirement. land-use is excluded further in the exemption. it prohibits smoking in the plaza, similar to other public

spaces. it prohibits large, we'll but conveyances, such as shopping carts -- wield -- wheeled conveyances, such as shopping carts. it codifies what has always existed there, that the community benefit district puts out its own shares and tables in the morning, taking them back at night so that they are not stolen. there has been a fair amount of misunderstanding about this legislation. the plazas are not closed. there will continue to remain open, 365 days per year. it does not forbid sitting or lying in the plazas. benches will still be available 24 hours per day. the chief of police requested that i insert a sit lie

provision. i denied that request. there have been claims about this legislation being covered by other laws. i believe that that is not the case. penal code 647 e seems to apply to buildings and not outdoor plazas. the law is vague at best. there is no other provision on which to rely to enforce camping in outdoor plazas. it is not uncommon for the city to have its own specific provisions and the explicit about but is allowed in and not allowed. we have a state trespassing ordinance and a local trespassing ordinance. smoking, the outdoor smoking ban in public spaces does not mention plazas.