provider or the agency it's the church. it's the faith based institution. it's the community center or the local park, and it takes time and effort to determine where are the best places to go to and a lot of what my team does is try to figure out the networks -- how to build that network connectivity so when a great program is introduced we're not just adding to the website and we have our own california business core we're launching and -- [inaudible] from the san francisco portal but beyond that how do we find the people to get the information out so it's very complicated. >> very similar approach. and i think especially with our assessment program our subsidized assessment or subsidized cass program we have

targeted media that these communities specifically listen to, read, watch, so doing radio interviews, print media articles, things of that sort. we do -- i mean we partner with our chamber but we also partner with the council of district merchants and partner with our business organizations because we want to make sure that it's not just ground floor businesses that are giving consideration to their accessibility requirements, but it also businesses that are in professional services, businesses that maybe accessing the second floor in our neighborhood commercial districts where they're old buildings where an elevator can't be put in but what can they do to achieve as much

access compliance as they possibly can? >> regina you had mentioned that you have a wait list of 74 for the loan program so there is clearly a need for the services. i am curious to know the types of diversity and types of clients or small businesses that have taken advantage? do you have any statistics on that? >> i wasn't able to get that from the non-profit provider, so the 74 businesses that are waiting are waiting -- are on the wait list for subsidized cass inspection and as i said initially when the program first launched we were targeting doing outreach in the chinese business community so business districts that had a high number of chinese owned businesses, latino

owned businesses, and we began doing workshops and outreach to businesses in the tenderloin where there is a lot of vietnamese and tag log business owners so that's some of the primary business communities before we were able to go city wide with the additional money so i am happy to follow up and get you those statistics. >> we know that is a particular area of interest to our commission to find out more about the desire for financial support, and if the loan process is a stronger appeal versus the tax incentive? it's one of the things that was mentioned kind of just openly that in the one

session that if i can't afford it up front i can't wait for it in a tax credit so those are things that we're looking at and would like to develop some more discussion on, and so i know jesse you have a number of programs. i know the regional i think we were having one of our region directors here to share. don't know if he actually made it in that would talk about some of the actual financial incentives that besides the cass program that if you have any knowledge base that you want to share about some of those off hand that would be great. >> just quickly i want to mention the next round of california [inaudible] tax credits, the information about that program should be coming up soon. i believe june 30 is the date. that is $200 million in

tax credits available for california based companies. i don't have many details at this point because the next round is just going to be introduced but i recommend going to the website and you will have california competes page and you will learn more about how the program is structured. is this is essentially a set aside for small businesses and give my contact information out and please contact the website or me directly. >> to add so we did -- we have a partnership with opportunity fund which say micro lender and i think we're a bit disappointed that businesses have not taken up the opportunity to engage with the loan but what we have heard from businesses that haven't done so is because the loan -- the interest rate is at 8%, so i think if we're able to

provide even if it's a loan at a lower -- a loan but at a lower interest rate then we might have more businesses engaging in the request for financial assistance to do not just readily achievable but more substantial improvements. >> very good. this particular topic specifically one of our committees is interested in exploring and bringing in more experts in the financial areas to explore what can we do to help businesses because if it is -- we recognize that one, some of it is attitude and information of understanding that they need to do things that is readily achievable. one of the brochures is an illustration of things that are simple and doesn't cost much at all and

achievable and on the low end medium size so there are things that we know with the attitude of changing and they can do things on their own is a possibility so we appreciate that information, but also financially finding ways for them too. did you have another -- okay. >> quickly. there are loan programs offered through the u.s. small business administration and business owners can go directly to a lender of choice and learn about the programs. every major lending institution has sba loan officers or they go it to their website and find out about specific programs in the district area. >> very good. for those of you participated earlier in our session there was an example from a business inspector that

required a business within the tourist area to make themselves accessible and because he said -- she gave the example that they were resistant initially but wrote letters back to him they were so glad they were because the candy shop became more accessible it became a known and actually advertised that this is an accessible building and that's when they became more prosperous because they were known to be accessible, and actually even on the panel when the discussion was brought up one of the panelists said "let me know because i need to know" and just in that little conversation it prompted more people -- persons they want to use that. i want to go to that facility. and that's what this is about. we have one of our commissioners on the floor and would like to have her come to the floor and

share. >> good afternoon. i one of -- i am one of the commissioners and we sat on a panel for the business association and known in san francisco as the chew and changes to the administrative code regarding landlord tenant relationships around access and i am curious because you mentioned the fact that small businesses tend to feel unjust they're obligated to make capital improvements and they have a five year lease and the owner owns the building. i am wondering if you can describe the changes that the chew code required and whether you seen it has made any difference in anyway, whether it's the relationships between landlords and tenants or improving access or just educating tenants about what the status of their

building is? >> so just to reiterate the requirements are that when a property owner is engaging in a prospective lease or just about to sign a lease and/or renewing a lease they need to inform the tenant or prospective tenant as to whether the space or the commercial space they're going into is either compliant in terms of entrances, exits and restrooms, or may not be compliant and then who is responsible and needs to state in the lease who is responsible for ensuring that any non compliant improvements are to be done. the concept of this was to make that clear so that if a tenant could see that a property owner saying i can't guaranteed that my space is compliant, and

that they see there's a step up that they assess as to whether what is going to be the cost of making that entry way accessible? can they afford it? can they negotiate doing the tenant improvements with the property owner? so that was the intent of the legislation, and then for the property owner again to hand them a brochure and understand some of the things they're looking at because a lot of business owners are not necessarily sure what they're looking at. some other things we have seen or we have heard actually what is great from our end is that discussion is happening so we actually had businesses reach out to us and all right we're interested in this space. we don't know if it's fully compliant but how do we navigate this and get this information? so it is --

they're giving more thought about the potential liabilities of the space that they're going into and what that may mean for their business and whether they can make the place accessible or not. we have heard of a few where the property owner has given extended free rent if the tenant improvements for the entry way is not substantial, and but i think the one down side is that we're now seeing that it's written in the lease is that if there is a lawsuit and the property owner is sued that then the business now is liable for paying the property owner for the amount that they were sued for -- the business is required, so that was an unintended consequence that we're now seeing in the lease,

so but we don't have any necessarily metrics in terms of leases and what has taken place in terms of the entrances, exits and restrooms, but it definitely has engaged a conversation, and i think we've prevented some businesses from finding leases and spaces where there's substantial improvements to be made to the entry way and it's clear they don't have the financial means. the property owner has no intention of doing that of making the improvements and so have said okay this is not the right space for us to be going into. >> so are you saying that one of the unintended consequences has been new indemnity clauses in the lease that the tenant is required to endemifiy the landlord -- >> i don't think they can do that because federal law -- i

don't know the legal terms but federal law -- the property owner is still subject to being sued in federal law. what they're saying in the lease whatever they paid being sued in terms of statutory damages and legal fees that the business is required to reimburse them for those -- for that. >> i have another question if there is time and to you again. it's about what you mentioned the historical building commission not necessarily approving ada access improvements and i am wondering if you have any perspective on that? whether you think as far as you can tell that the historical building commission is correctly applying the codes under the ada or if you think that that's an avenue where the ccda could do some education of historical building commissions

or if you can see any other suggestions for ways that we could assist in smoothing out those conflicts? >> so the businesses in terms of the issue if they don't come -- they generally don't come before the commission because the commission is really there for landmarking historical buildings. this is really dealing at the staff level, so and probably probably to be more careful or specific about -- it's not the historic preservation department -- they may not approve a proposed -- like in the example that i provided. that recommendation which meets building code standards doesn't meet their standards so they won't approve it, so what they do want is then for the business to come back and try to work out a different

solution, and so the time the cost, the architectural -- especially for a new business opening up is you have a $3,000 filing fee. you could have six months before you get through the review process even just staff that is not coming before the commission so these are some of the unintended barriers as the department is working to meet its mandates to try to preserve the exterior historical architecture of a building, so that's -- i am pleased that our historic preservation staff were sensitive to the fact that -- you know they're trying to figure out ways to shorten that window and get information out with their checklist to get information out ahead of time of

what considerations need to be considered, so that maybe an architect or a cass inspector is not just looking at the building code but taking a look at what the historic preservation department is considering so the recommendation that they're providing in an accessible interest includes both of those things up front. >> i think that sounds like a great idea and i hear what you're saying about expedited review and i am wondering if you know, and there is a set of standards for historical -- for making access in historical buildings and there is criteria and i don't know if you know whether the historic preservation staff is following those guidelines or has its own set of guidelines that it follows when considering access alterations? >> i can't -- i don't -- i don't know if there are two sets

of guidelines. i can't speak to that. >> all right. thank you very much for your time. >> thank you commissioner mcginnis. we just want to acknowledge real quickly two special guests that entered the room. one is mark quinn the u.s. director of small business administration. thank you for coming. and then also we see tara. >> [inaudible] >> yes thank you. san francisco chamber of commerce director of strategic relations. again we thank you. we also have the honorable tom ammiano in and i think he stepped out for just a moment and we want to acknowledge he was in attendance and hopefully will be back shortly. we thank you all for coming and sharing and if there is anything you wanted to share

too in this setting we appreciate this moment if you could come forward and share things you're doing and what you're working on specifically in the area of small businesses and information on access for them?