>> yeah. because i know that you go to so much work with these but it would be nice before you would make a presentation on it. >> no problem, i have been talking about this, more than four years. >> yeah. >> the next up is 5122 third, and it is the silo church and another case of blight and notices of violations and director's hearings and orders of abatement and i will bring that one up next month. >> 5122 third street. >> okay. >> item 7. >> could i have a comment? >> sorry commissioner mar? >> so, i know that the commission has been pushing the staff hard on this back logs of nov so i just wanted to thank mr. louy and everyone who has worked on updating this regularly, and that i think this is very helpful. i had a question, because this came up in the previous discussion regarding putting tenants at risk. and i was wondering if we could

look at some novs, where, because i feel that there is a lot of complaints that i have gotten personally involved in because i have gotten calls from the community, and where this is the building, and illegal building going on that does not involve tenants. so usually, it is a deck that has gone up or someone has built something that is attached to everybody else's house or something like that? can we separate novs that do not ininvolve like illegal units or do not involve tenants and so that we can push those a little bit quicker because i think that is one of the concerns that is out there. and is that there is illegal building, that is happening and then, we send out a notice of violation and then either the owner or whoever is involved just chooses to ignore it. >> commissioner? as far as notice of violations

we are looking at complaints right now. we are compiling the notice of violation and trying to get the separation in there for the same issue there. >> that will be great. >> and there is a locality of is a lot of them. and we are going to look at this notice of violation and kind of categorize them. >> right. >> for the staff and help us to go forward for these notice of violations. >> and i think that some of the commissioners we have gotten the good feedback on how to cut back on some of these too and there are policy things that we could talk about in terms of how to accept the different types of complaints whether they are anonymous or not. and it is very difficult. >> and they just stated that, to come to us from all direction and from the phone and the counter and 311. and >> right. >> if we could just get a group together and look at that and see how they can control that and because that is a very tough on the staff. >> right. >> just to do all of the that response and do the

co-compliance and any kind of a discussion that we can have here on a policy level where we can help with that. >> and the other thing, part of the policy, is when do we close the case and when can we keep it open and that is a huge issue just for the numbers here. >> and i kind of tend to follow, you know, inspector's comments about the fact that you know, we are getting very efficient now on getting these forward and there is nothing stopping an inspector from kind of saying, earlier that look, this is coming our way and there is a lot of tenants involved here. and the out come is not going to be good. and you know? and rather than, you know, there is no harm in that being communicated. >> right. >> and so that we do, like commissioner mar says get the heads up here and we can be proactive and not going to read about it in the newspapers. >> i would rely that message to my staff. >> i think that a seasoned inspector can make that judgment call. because they know that this is

something. and i still don't think that we should slow up on getting these moved forward. i mean that is a part of our job and we can never let them down and it is a slippery slope if we start to pick and choose and i think that the seasoned directors can step outside of the box and say you know this is coming our way and going to be a problem, heads up but we need to keep going forward with it and i think that is the approach that you should be taking, and the inspecters should be taking. >> yeah. >> commissioner walker. >> thank you for this and this is helpful in sort of following the process, of the code enforcement. i will be asking for a future meeting to look at how we assess these in response to the input from the public. when do we charge the 9 time fee, when do we not charge it? and you don't have to answer now. but in the future, just if there is a criteria, and sort

of how we determine that. so, that the public understands that we are doing >> and the director as mentioned this, we are going to look at the code enforcement process and nov process and see if you can stream line it and make it more efficient. >> yeah. >> including how we assess the costs and fees and it is helpful and to let the public know what the criteria is. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> item 7. you have something? >> we are still on public comment. and so we asked earlier and 4804 street, and that is referred to staoet attorney and so that is out of our jurisdiction and now the city attorney is working very heavily on that. and so we took the ultimate step in and turned it to the city attorney. >> thank you for that update.

>> mr. davis will be happy with that. >> item 7, commissioner's questions and matters. 7 a, inquiries to staff, at this time, commissioners may make inquiries to staff regarding various documents, policies, practices, procedures, which are of interest to the commission. >> again, just to repeat. >> yeah. >> the review of these for code enforcement. >> yeah. >> and i know that at the last supervisor's committee meeting where the grand jury report was talked about. >> right. >> and it was a little bit unfair and watched it as one of the supervisors was just kind of making the issue out of the money not being directed and it translates into a lot of money like a $900,000 and we all know that but the department has accepted that they found an error, or correct the error

and trying to do the right thing and i am not sure if it adds up as much money and if you really investigated some of those violations i am not sure that some of them will qualify for the 52 dollars. >> it will be good to see. >> but once again, it is splitting hairs and i am not interested in doing it. i think that the important thing is that was then and this is now and we are staffed and we are trying to make everybody keep on top of everything now and i think that is the important thing, the message and hopefully the supervisors understand and the grand jury. >> but we will agendaize the fee issue. >> absolutely. yeah. >> commissioner mar? >> maybe, it is related and at some point, especially that i want a lot of input from the staff on this, we should revisit the whole nov issue as we discussed earlier, and which is you know, how should we look at the reporting system? and how do we break down the type of novs that we want to try to clear on the backlog on

and how long do we let an nov sit out there before we either take it off or pursue it, you know, all of the way and so i would like to have that discussion and i would like to staff input on that and regarding, the comments about whether violations effect the tenant and actually i was referring and i think that it would be great to have the building inspecters but actual i i was directing it towards the housing and non-profit partners because they are out there talking and actually they work for the department. in some ways, and there are partners and so, i feel that while this is great and if they have a question about a permit to go on the web and try to find out on it and i think that if there is any question at all, they should immediately, you know, come in here because i think that they know, their way around. >> yeah. >> commissioner melgar >> i just wanted to give kutos to the department staff to

director heuy and ross mary to have been able to hire new housing inspecters and i think that you have hired some good folks with really good skills and i am looking forward to having that department step it up and do a lot of really good work. and knowing how difficult it is to staff up. and to get through the civil service process and i am glad that you hired who you have hired and i think that you have done a good job, thank you. >> second that. >> is there any more commissioner comments? >> none on this item. >> thank you. >> item 7 b. future meet ands agendas, at this time, the commission may discuss and take action to set the date of a special meeting and or determine those items that could be placed on at again da of the next meeting and other future meetings of the building inspection commission. our next regular meeting is schedule for november 20th. >> is there any public comment on item 7 a b?

>> on to item 8, adjournment, is there a motion to adjourn? >> move to adjourn. >> second. >> second. >> and the motion is second and all commissioners in favor? >> aye. >> any opposed? >> none. >> and we are now ajournd, and it is 10:44 a.m.. and we will take a five-minute recess and reconvene as the abatement appeals board. thank you. >> thank you. >> feel like it really is a community. they are not the same thing, but

it really does feel like there's that kind of a five. everybody is there to enjoy a literary reading. >> the best lit in san francisco. friendly, free, and you might get fed. ♪ [applause] >> this san francisco ryther created the radar reading series in 2003. she was inspired when she first moved to this city in the early 1990's and discover the wild west atmosphere of open mi it's ic in the mission. >> although there were these open mics every night of the week, they were super macho. people writing poems about being jerks. beatty their chest onstage. >> she was energized by the

scene and proved up with other girls who wanted their voices to be heard. touring the country and sharing gen-x 7 as a. her mainstream reputation grew with her novel. theses san francisco public library took notice and asked her if she would begin carrying a monthly reading series based on her community. >> a lot of the raiders that i work with our like underground writers. they're just coming at publishing and at being a writer from this underground way. coming in to the library is awesome. very good for the library to show this writing community that they are welcome. at first, people were like, you want me to read at the library,

really? things like that. >> as a documentary, there are interviews -- [inaudible] >> radar readings are focused on clear culture. strayed all others might write about gay authors. gay authors might write about universal experiences. the host creates a welcoming environment for everybody. there is no cultural barrier to entry. >> the demographic of people who come will match the demographic of the reader. it is very simple. if we want more people of color, you book more people of color. you want more women, your book more women. kind of like that. it gets mixed up a little bit. in general, we kind of have a core group of people who come

every month. their ages and very. we definitely have some folks who are straight. >> the loyal audience has allowed michelle to take more chances with the monthly lineup. established authors bring in an older audience. younker authors bring in their friends from the community who might be bringing in an older author. >> raider has provided a stage for more than 400 writers. it ranges from fiction to academics stories to academic stories this service the underground of queer fell, history, or culture. >> and there are so many different literary circles in san francisco. i have been programming this reading series for nine years. and i still have a huge list on

my computer of people i need to carry into this. >> the supportive audience has allowed michele to try new experiment this year, the radar book club. a deep explorationer of a single work. after the talk, she bounces on stage to jump-start the q&a. less charlie rose and more carson daly. >> san francisco is consistently ranked as one of the most literate cities in the united states. multiple reading events are happening every night of the year, competing against a big names like city arts and lectures. radar was voted the winner of these san francisco contest. after two decades of working for free, michelle is able to make radar her full-time job. >> i am a right to myself, but i

feel like my work in this world is eagerly to bring writers together and to produce literary events. if i was only doing my own work, i would not be happy. it is, like throwing a party or a dinner party. i can match that person with that person. it is really fun for me. it is nerve wracking during the actual readings. i hope everyone is good. i hope the audience likes them. i hope everybody shows up. but everything works out. at the end of the reading, everyone is happy. ♪

>> we came to seven straight about 10 years ago. -- 7th street about 10 years ago. the environment is huge. it is stronger than willpower. surrounding yourself with artists, being in a culture where artists are driving, and where a huge amount of them is a healthy environment. >> you are making it safer. push, push.

that is better. when i start thinking, i see it actually -- sometimes, i do not see it, but when i do, it is usually from the inside out. it is like watching something being spawned. you go in, and you begin to work, excavate, play with the dancers, and then things began to emerge. you may have a plan that this is what i want to create. here are the ideas i want to play with, but then, you go into the room, and there maybe some fertile ideas that are becoming manifest that are more interesting than the idea you had initially set out to plan. so there has to be this openness for spontaneity. also, a sense that regardless of the deadline, that you have tons of time so the you can keep your creativity alive and not cut it off and just go into old habits.

it is a lot like listening. really listening to watch what is going to emerge. i like this thing where you put your foot on his back. let's keep it. were your mind is is how you build your life. if you put it in steel or in failure, it works. that works. it is a commitment. for most artists, it is a vacation and a life that they have committed themselves to. there is this notion that artists continue to do their work because of some kind of the external financial support. if that was taken away, artists would still do their art. it is not like there is a prerequisite for these things to happen or i will not do it.

how could that be? it is the relationship that you have committed to. it is the vocation. no matter how difficult it gets, you are going to need to produce your art. whether it is a large scale or very small scale. the need to create is going to happen, and you are going to have to fulfill it because that is your life. >> hi, i'm lawrence corn field. welcome to building san francisco. we have a special series, stay safe. we're looking at earthquake issues. and today we're going to be talking with a residential building owner about what residential building owners and tenants can and should do

before earthquakes and after earthquakes. ♪ ♪ >> we're here at this wonderful spur exhibit on mission street in san francisco and i have with me today my good friend george. thanks for joining me, george. and george has for a long time owned residential property here in san francisco. and we want to talk about apartment buildings and what the owner's responsibilities might be and what they expect their tenants to do. and let's start by talking a little bit about what owners can do before an earthquake and then maybe after an earthquake. >> well, the first thing, lawrence, would be to get together with your tenants and see if they have earthquake insurance or any renters insurance in place because

that's going to be key to protecting them in the event of a quake. >> and renters insurance, there are two kinds of insurance. renters insurance coffers damage to goods and content and so forth. earthquake insurance is a separate policy you get after you get renters insurance through the california earthquake authority, very inexpensive. and it helps owners and it helps tenants because it gives relocation costs and it pays their rent. this is a huge impact on building owners. >> it's huge, it really is. you know, a lot of owners don't realize that, you know, when there is an earthquake, their money flow is going to stop. how are they going to pay their mortgages, how are they going to pay their other bills, how are they going to live? >> what else can property owners do in residential rental housing before an earthquake? >> well, the first thing you want to do is get your property assessed. find out what the geology is at your site. get an expert in to look at structural and nonstructural losses. the structural losses, a lot of

times, aren't going to be that bad if you prepare. an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. get in there and get your property assessed and figure it out. >> so, what is a nonstructural issue that might cause losses? >> well, you know, pipes, for instance. pipes will whip around during an earthquake. and if they're anchored in more numerous locations, that whipping won't cause a breakage that will cause a flood. >> i've heard water damage is a major, major problem after earthquakes actually. >> it is. that's one of the big things. a lot of things falling over, ceilings collapsing. but all of this can be prevented by an expert coming in and assessing where those problem areas and often the fixes are really, really cheap. >> who do you call when you want to have that kind of assessment or evaluation done? >> the structural engineering community is great. we have the structural engineers association of northern california right here

in san francisco. they're a wealth of information and resources. >> what kinds of things might you encourage tenants to do besides simply get tenants renters insurance and earthquake insurance, what else do you think tenants should do? >> i think it's really important to know if they happen to be in the building where is the safest place for them to go when the shaking starts. if they're out of the building, whats' their continuity plan for connecting with family? they should give their emergency contact information to their resident manager so that the resident manager knows how to get in touch. and have emergency supplies on hand. the tenants should be responsible to have their extra water and flashlights and bandages and know how to use a toilet when there's no sewage and water flows down. and the owners of the building should be proactive in that regard as well. >> so, george, thank you so much for joining us.

that was really great. and thanks to spur for hosting us here in this wonderful exhibit. and thank you for joining us so, same time next week? well, of course. so you can't save money? it's easy as pie! brown bag your lunch instead of going out. six dollars saved timed 5 days a week

times ten years is 21,000 bucks! that's a lotta lettuce. small changes today... big bucks tomorrow. feed the pig.org. sfgtv transportation authority >> good morning. today is august 22 and welcome to the transportation authority. i'm john avalos, the chair of the transportation authority. our clerk of today will be vanessa and i want to thank sfgtv staff for broadcasting the meeting. that's charles and thank you for your service. madam clerk will you call the roll. >>