support of the program, and the out reach of the program, and to get, information out into the hands of the small business community. and about the program, that is available, through the clinic by the bay. and i have also i am working with the other organizations that just started to work with the council of the district merchants and i am working with the mission of the economic development and working with the mayor's office to do the same thing and again what i am asking for is, support, and out reach, to a small business community of san francisco. >> okay. >> thank you. >> and commissioner dwight? >> well, i was not so well informed about this until recently speaking with scott over the phone and i am just really impressed with what you have dealt and the effort that you have put into it and i hope that we can assist you in the out reach and we have talked about how this might relate to even some of the employees that

we have and that our business even though we offer, the health insurance benefits and so i think that there is some real upside to this and i would like to explore it more and in lieu of making any firm commitment here and at least know that you have our interest, and support in learning more about how we can support you. one of the things that i should tell you is the quality of care that the patients get is primarily on priet mare level. but, it is really phenomenal. and i invite all of you to come out and see the clinic, and just the feel of the clinic and a lot of the people have the mental image of some because we

don't take any insurance there is no forms but they can do the medicine, and they can practice the medicine in the way that they wanted to practice it, about the importance of filling out the bureaucratic forms. and the doctor visits are more, i would contend longer than any or most of which you would get, and the visits that they meet for a half hour and i think that if you going to the doctor and the idea is that we want to practice the wholistic met medicine and be able to get to know the individual and i think that the patients when the doctor was here and he was stopped you right there and say that we don't have patient and

we have friends and neighbors and totally different and the people that are welcome and, they are not patients and they are friends and neighbors. and he would say, i am sorry that you were not feeling well today, what could we do for you? and so the care that they are getting is really extraordinary. >> and commissioner dwight again? >> the nature of the engagement of the doctors themselves seem to self-select and the compassion for those retired in the field and so really fantastic and probably take a lesson. >> when i went to hilton head i had a chance to talk to a doctor back there who is 84 years old and this is unusual, and he worked 30 hours a week. and i asked him, why do you do this? >> and he said, this was my reason for getting up in the morning. and so there was some in the life, and i am maacking it the way that i have wanted to practice it. >> and any other commissioner

comments? >> a lot of them work for the

temp agency and some of them are getting into obama care and that right now. but, some of them have had, you know, they don't meet the certain threshold and can't afford it and even that and they have been using the clinic by bay and the program is an awesome program and anything that the commission can do to help to promote that, i am all for it. so, i do have over here, a hard copy and fliers and i would encourage to you take some and to put them out here and so the customers can. >> and you can give it to the employees too. but for the customers to take with them to plain the program. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> thanks. >> and the public comment. >> any member of the public who would like to make a comment on item 6? >> seeing none, public comment is closed. thank you for this and any time, and anything that this office can do to help to promote this, and i have a couple of friends that actually use this, and if it was not for

this, you know, i don't know what they would do, so, it works, thank you. >> and commissioners if i might add, so for individuals, and who don't qualify for medicaid, and san francisco, residents, and they, their income and it pushes them into the affordable care act and coverage california and scott said that you know, the subsidies for some individuals and it is too much for them to much of them and a monthly payment and they are not eligible, in the san francisco health plan. and healthy san francisco. and so, which is why this is a critical safety net for them. >> just one thing to add, when i talk about the subsidies we are talking about the premium aspects of it. and but don't forget that the deductibles for it, and you kind of put it in the outer pocket but they can't...

(inaudible). >> all right. >> so shall we move on to item 7? >> yes. >> next item? >> 7 is director's report. update on the office of small business and the small business assistance center and the primary program and recent announcements from the mayor and newly introduced policy matters and update on the legislative matters. and announcing small business activities and so, commissioners, last meeting, you the last two meetings, the commissioners, you mentioned the flower market and last meeting you put it on a new business item and i want to provide you with an update and you know, i have had communications with all of of you to let you know that the mayor has publicly stated and has made it very clear that he wants to flower market to remain and to stay.

and in its current location, and this has been clearly communicated to the potential new owners and that is not decided yet and that is still not official. and that this is something that is both a direction to the planning department and oewd as the two department entities who would be working with the perspective developers. and so, and then, also, in response to the commission's interest in having some communication with the business owners, both goyel and i, the job squad will be out reaching to the business and talking to them and letting them know that the mayor is very interested, and you know, is committed to keeping the businesses there, and then to hear the concerns and then to develop a inventory

to what are the concerns to the may and her to oewd and to planning. and so, until we have more information, you know, until any specific deals are done, and right now, that is from the city's side, where we are? i do want you to know that the office of economic development and our office will be conducting out reach to the businesses. >> and this small business development center, and we are moving forward with that, interviews have started for the center's director, and the goal is to have this position on board by the mid october, again, and this is not a civil service possible, so it is able to move faster, and it is a grant, so while the city is doing is the interview panel for this entity, but we are almost like a board, and so,

hopefully, late october, meeting, or early november meeting, we could have the new director come, and introduce themself to you and, to the commission. and then, a new development has happened, so again the city is in discussion about purchasing the building where the good will is. at mission and south van ess and the idea there is to move planning dbi, and dpw and create a permit center, and so, right now, the permit center at dbi does have desks for the puc, and for the department of public health and for the fire department, but, with the ability that with more space, to be able to expand on what permits are facilitated through there and this is all in the very beginning, you know, stages, and so, i am or will be

attending these meetings and representing, the office of small business, and oewd to figure out our role and integration and also, having kind of a customer service perspective, so, i just want to let you know that that is in or is just starting to be discussed. and and what i have attended one meeting and we are touching on some of the larger structural things, right now. and components but, we will soon be getting into kind of the programming of the facility, and with the bottom two floors being the permit what they are calling the permitting center. >> yeah, i just want to say that is so smart. because i know that if you deal with dbi or the permit, you know, i know that you get your older permits on the ground

floor but anything else you are up on the fourth or the fifth floor in the buildings and so i think that having everything on one floor to one center is great and it is tough, coming to you, and in this office, because, we know how to do it. so, i think that that is great. and that is wonderful. >> right. >> i mean there will be a lot of efficiencies and dpw has to have the people go between the different buildings to deal with the permits. >> yes. >> so, so this is a very positive move on behave of the city and as things develop i will be keeping you apprised that, yesterday, the haight street merchants put on the street festival, and i brought it up because what i thought was really fantastic was it was, and there were three stages, and there were the kids alley with the big jumper booth on one of the side streets and

a couple of the skate shops went in and had a demo area but it was just music and dancing, and you could and it was the street was packed and this doors were busy. and in addition, to, you know, the bars and the food establishments and unlike the normal haight street fair can be really crazy and kie chaotic and very messy and this is targeted and what i thought was done very well towards really celebrating the businesses that are in that area. and highlighting the businesss in that area and the one thing that i did as i was walking around and taking a look at it. would this be able to take place, if we had raised and separated bike lanes, along the commercial corridor, from a public safety perspective of, you know, people, that would be the street and then another layer and then another layer, going up to the curb.

and so, you know, it just gave me pause, to think that if those kinds of things that are put and if those kinds of bike lanes are put in our neighborhood commercial corridors will that detour these kinds of really what i think are the community benefit. and merchant benefits for these kinds of activities. from being able to take place, from when we have the discussions about the bike lanes in the past we have not really talked about what does it mean to in terms of street fairs. it was just a thought that i had and so i just wanted to share that with you. >> but it was something really well done. and then, in regards to the americans with disabilities and a lawsuits that are happening i know that henry sent out and was the president of the council of merchants sent out

an e-mail just to remind, you know, all businesses, that right now, and i don't think that any particular lawyer is necessarily going away, and i mean, that there is something and the practice that i see and there is more than one particular lawyer, filing suits, is they, often file a bunch of suits at one time and then, they may step back a little bit while they are dealing with those suits when they start coming to an end and then they are out again and so, it is always a good reminder, and for our businesses to always be ever present, thinking about it. and we are using the funds to

be able to expand the cast assessment to the businesses outside of the invest in the neighbors area. >> the soft story mandatory retrofit program that, the property owners are going to need to start submitting their plans. and while, property owners who have commercial spaces in their buildings, have a little bit longer to do so, we are seeing a discussion with a property owners, who have owned, the property with commercial space, having discussions with their tenants needing to vacate while they are doing their improvements and so this is coming a little bit sooner, and so i just wanted to bring to your attention that i am walking towards, and mica hill who is running part of the team that is running the soft story, retrofit program, we are going to be coming together, to kind

of put together a tool kit for the businesses for land lords and what are the best practices for communications and then also for the commercial tenants and what resources we can pull together, to let them know, we are there to assist them through this process. >> i also this is not on your or in your notes, and i also wanted to acknowledge supervisor weiner and dpw with the idea and the castro merchants brought up the lightning, and which was a brilliant idea and so you know, this is an expression of appreciation and again, a stream lining concept, and the dpw is actually going to set up a little shot, or a little area, so that the merchants can go, or don't have to come down to you know, city government, and if they want to do sidewalk tables and chairs or they want to do the permanent display of

the commerce dies up front of the store and so they are going to set up the satellite place for be able to apply for the permits which was just a great idea. and the point of sale registration i started to reach out to supervisors, and on this. formula retail, the two pieces of legislation are out there and they have not come before the board of supervisor land use committee yet. that, and the likelihood within the next maybe, month, we might be seeing some movement. the california redemption policy is what we call the crb and i met with debbie who is the new director for the department of the environment and we are renewing our efforts to work at the state to improve the regs and so that as we

have, recycling center, closures to find some creative ways to deal with that so that the default for not having recycling centers does not end up on the small businesses and so that is definitely on the forefront on what they wants to work on and so i want to provide you an update on that and then there is a host of the follow up for legislation and wanting to let you know that i am working with the department of technology and both mark and i to update and revise our office's website and so, it will be the revision of our website, will compliment the business portal when it is ready to go live. >> and then in your director's report there is a small business expo that will take place on september 18th. and entity out of new york is coordinating the expos, in different cities, throughout the u.s..

>> i never heard of these people before. >> yes. nso we contacted them and they are nicely, in exchange for promotion they are providing a table for us and i am interested to see it. >> so we will have a table there >> yes. >> it is a good way to out reach and network to new businesses. and also in the binders is the summit which is hosting that you might be interested in attending but, to bring together the asian and pacific islander, business, owners, and along with the corporate and business and government, to help and that will be taking place on the 19th and i think that the former mayor, currently tenant governor will be attending and then i also attended the prolocal, event on august, 27th, along with

commissioner adams and commissioner dwight, which was a really great event and then i have a list of items and programs and i realized that i probably also, and i should not say probably, i would like to include that we or to also get an update from olse on how they will be handling that and if there is anything that you would like to see in the meetings let me know. and with that, i will... that concludes my director's report unless you have any questions. >> do you have any questions

for director? >> it has been busy. >> next item. next item is item number 8. and that is our president's report. >> okay, i actually have a few things today. >> first, i want to thank director and commissioner dwight for attending the prolocal event. , >> the beer was free and it was easy. >> i know. >> well, what we are doing and i know that you mentored karin and i want to thank commissioners dwight for that because you know, for the first time i know that we have the counselor district of merchants but he has brought a lot of the other associations together and kind of like everything that is on the same page. >> and yeah, it is happening at a local level which is really good. >> and i like the vibe on that and everybody gets along and the food was great. >> and it was great.

>> but i just want to acknowledge, karin, and is that how you pronounce? >> on how he has what he has done on the prolocal and how he has been helping out the different neighborhood merchant associations. also, i like to bring up to my fellow commissioners, i got and i received a memo from the mayor, and on the commissioner attendance, and i am just asking everybody, you know, that we tried to get 100 experience turn out at every meeting and miems it does not happen. if you cannot make it to a meeting for whatever reason, please let us know ahead of time, so that we can prepare for it. this commissioner is pretty good actually. and so, and when the people do miss they let us know ahead of time and i know that we have vacation and things happening, and things that come up. and so... >> it was just a global winner to all commissioners. >> yes. >> a global to all commissionerers. >> those are good.

>> this commission is just pretty good and we want to keep it out there as a reminder. i also want to along with the director to thank the dpw and supervisor weiner for setting up the permits for the sidewalks on castro street because our sidewalks are not widened and are opened for the most part and it is not finished and we still have tweaking and they are double the size and we have a lot of merchants that would like to take advantage of that. >> right. >> and finally, when we adjourn tonight, i would like to adjourn for nancy rodric and she is the wife of bob rodric and bob is the president of the valley merchants and also on the board of the district merchants and nancy and bob together, founded the law, center 30 years ago and so i

would like to adjourn the meeting tonight, and in honor of nancy, and that is all that i have tonight. >> thank you. >> and thank you, mr. president. item number 9, vice president's report. >> nothing to report other than i will be attending the chamber meeting coming up on september 18th. because it will be helped at 1300. >> nice. >> and thank you, madam vice president. >> next item please? >> item number 1 0 is commissioner reports. >> any commissioner report? s >> none? >> i am commenting on the flower market which it is not early in the process and it is very late, and the developers have promised only that they will make sure that the market is there, and after they bull doze the entire complex down and several years later, they

will be able to return however my experience in the meantime, and will put a minimum of 30 to 40,000 living wage workers out of work. and i consider it an enormous crisis, threatening a successful industry. and it is an emergency situation. it will put most everyone out of business and it will destroy the reputation of san francisco as the number one flower market in the u.s.. and so, i have spoken to todd at length about this at oewd and the only thing that i want to say is that i don't feel that i have communicated enough that this is an unusual industry and in that you can't it operates on a daily basis and so it can't be closed down. because we are dealing with

growing, living things. and so, it is of the utmost importance for our city to understand that everyone would have to be relocated in the down time when i have spoken to every single vendor, the flower market could be no more than two to three days without a major financial loss across the board of growers, wholesalers and florists and so i want to put it out there that what more time that this is an unusual industry in terms of it is not like you could put your restaurant somewhere else and it is all of the vendors work together, and it is one kind of living organism, and if it is separated, it is going to destroy the flower industry in san francisco. >> i have a question and what are the deadline that we are facing. >> september 11th is when the

developer signs, to buy the property and they have not said a single word to any of the tenant as of the flower market and now, they are in negotiations to buy the other half of the flower market. >> if i might add, generally these projects are anywhere from 12 to 24 months, looking through just approval process as well. so,... >> yeah, at least i have to go through the planning. >> most of the leases for the tenants are up, to the 31st of this year and so everyone and, no one knows if they have a new owner or how that is going to effect them in terms of their leases. and so it is extremely unstable situation. next item please.

>> item 12 11 is general public comment, on items that are not before the commission. >> and do we have any members of the public that would like to make a comment on items that are not before the commission today? >> seeing none, public comment is closed, next item please? >> next item is new business. >> do we have any new business? >> seeing none, next item please. >> item 13 is adjournment. >> move to adjourn. >> second. >> all in favor. >> aye. >> we adjourn the meeting at 6:36. see you later.

>> good afternoon. welcome to the board of supervisors land use & economic development committee my name is answering i the chairman to my right is supervisor kim the vice chair and to my left is malia cowen also a member of the committee