we try to -- >> i just want to say goodbye. thank you. >> sometimes that's all it takes. >> i never leave anything in my car. >> we let them know there's been a lot of vehicle break-ins in this area specifically, they target this area, rental cars or vehicles with visible items. >> this is just warning about vehicle break-ins. take a look at it. >> if we can get them to take it with them, take it out of the cars, it helps. . >> neighborhood in san francisco are also diverse and fascist as the people that inhabitable them we're in north beach about supervisor peskin will give us a tour and introduce is to what think of i i his favorite district 5 e 3 is in the

northwest surrounded by the san francisco bay the district is the boosting chinatown oar embarcadero financial district fisherman's wharf exhibit no. north beach telegraph hill and part of union square. >> all of san francisco districts are remarkable i'm honored and delighted to represent really whereas with an the most intact district got chinatown, north beach fisherman's wharf russian hill and knob hill and the northwest waterfront some of the most wealthier and inning e impoverished people in san francisco obgyn siding it is ethically exists a bunch of

tight-knit neighborhoods people know he each other by name a wonderful placed physically and socially to be all of the neighborhoods north beach and chinatown the i try to be out in the community as much as and i think, being a the cafe eating at the neighborhood lunch place people come up and talk to you, you never have time alone but really it is fun hi, i'm one the owners and is ceo of cafe trespassing in north beach many people refer to cafe trees as a the living room of north beach most of the clients are local and living up the hill come and meet with each other just the way the united states been since 1956 opposed by the grandfather a big people person people had people coming since the day we opened. >> it is of is first place on

the west that that exposito 6 years ago but anyone was doing that starbuck's exists and it created a really welcoming pot. it is truly a legacy business but more importantly it really at the take care of their community my father from it was formally italy a fisherman and that town very rich in culture and music was a big part of it guitars and sank and combart in the evening that tradition they brought this to the cafe so many characters around here everything has incredible stories by famous folks last week the cafe that paul carr tennessee take care from the jefferson starship hung out the cafe are the famous poet

lawrence william getty and jack herb man go hung out. >> they work worked at a play with the god fathers and photos he had his typewriter i wish i were here back there it there's a lot of moving parts the meeting spot rich in culture and artists and musicians epic people would talk with you and you'd get

>> this is the regular meeting of the small business commission held on monday, march 12th, 2018. the meeting is being called to

order at 5:35 p.m. small business commission thanks media services and sf govtv for televising the meeting. members of the public, please take this opportunity to silence your phones and other electronic devices. public comment during the meeting is limited to three minutes perspeaker unless otherwise established by the presiding officer of the meeting. speakers are requested but not required to state their names. spelling which is optional will help ensure proper spelling of names in the meeting. speaker cards will be called in the order in which they were placed in the basket. additionally, there is a sign-in sheet at the front table. sfgovtv please show the mall business meeting live. >> okay. welcome, everybody to the small business commission meeting.

it is our custom to begin and end each small business commission meeting with a reminder that the office of small business is the only place to start your new business in san francisco and is the best place to get answers to your questions about doing business in san francisco. the office of small business should be your first step when you have any questions about what to do next. you can find us here on-line, at city hall, and best of all, all our services are free of charge. the small business commission is the office plaforum to voic your opinions about concerns that affect the vitality of small businesses in san francisco. if you have a small business, it starts here at the office of small business. thank you. first, item one. call to order and roll call.

[ roll call. ] >> president, you have a quorum. >> next. >> twiitem 2, please. >> item 2 is public comment. do we have any members of the public who would like to make any comment on any small business matters that are not on today's agenda? seeing none, public comment is closed. next item, please. >> item three, presentation of the small business commission certificate of honor, honoring members of the neighborhood's vests program. discussion item.

>> thank you, and i get to come down here to do this. so on behalf of the small business commission, tonight, we would like to honor the invest in neighbores initiativ, and honor this office. this is when i'm going to talk off the top of my head, and i can probably speak for the other commissioners when i say this, when i go to other neighborhoods in this city, whether it's west portal, the excelsior, noe valley, a lot of people know i'm on the small business commission, and they're all coming up to me saying thank you. diane adid this for us, and amy did this for us, and jorge did this for us, and they all think it's our commission, but it's

all invest in neighborhoods. we are all in the same boat. we have the same clientele, and it's that seamlessness that everybody thinks we're all that one big happy group, which we are. and your office has done some amazing things. like, in the notes. this started under mayor ed lee, and he hired joaquin here to chair it up here, what, how many years ago now? five years ago? i've known her for 19. you know, it's been a big impact on the neighborhood. you know, especially with what chris does with the cbb's. there was never any contact with cbb's prior to this. i'm not saying anything bad about prior administrations, but it's just that things were done differently. now, it's more of a hands-on

approach with businesses and the city hall, whether it's helping businesses relocate, get a restaurant from one side of mission street to the other, you guys are there to help them. half of your guys aren't here tonight because they're at neighborhood meetings tonight, on aymond night. and not one neighborhood meetings, but there's several neighborhood meetings going on tonight. one of the first things i wanted to do as president of the commission this time around is honor your group. because you guys do a fantastic job in representing the city and county in san francisco, especially on the neighborhood level because that's what it's all about folks. each and every one of you should be very proud of what you have done. so with that, i want you to come on up, and you can get your picture on the tv and that, and let's say a little bit about each and every one of you here. so the first one i'm seeing is

amy cohen. and this is a good one because amy helped -- helped us start the cbd's in the castro and noe valley. it was 19 years ago, but when she came into the work for the newsom administration, she was working in a bank branch on sbsan bruno avenue says you are crazy in working in that neighborhood. why are you opening up something on san bruno and portal? and now, it's a busy neighborhood. and that was one of the best things that you did personally to help me out in my business. but right now, so amy, come on up, and for your vision and commitment and investment in economic and neighborhood

workforce. [applause] >> angel's not here, but angel's an angel. no, you've got to say that about him. mr. angel, you know, a lot of businesses that i've referred to angel who have -- need to be -- who are losing their lease, need to move, need help, sbdc, he's amazing, and he's come up with some ways to help small business owners actually buy their building. not many places do that, so he's great. angelique gross. is angelique here? should have just stayed off here. so congratulations, angelique. thank you for everything you've done helping out neighborhood

services. >> next is commissioner adams. >> and then i'm just going to go off -- it's the easy way. [ inaudible ] >> there's a lot of you. i didn't know -- chris. chris corgis. get up here, chris. so chris is your liaison to the cbd's, and that's not an easy job. and you've got to deal with a lot of neighborhoods and a lot of attitude opinions, and you know what? and if streets aren't cleaned and sidewalks aren't steam cleaned, they may go to the cbd's, but then, they'll also go to chris, and then, chris will have to get on them. so chris, thank you. >> thank you. >> and thank you for everything you've done. now you've got to get some of

those renewed. >> absolutely. >> darcy bender. is darcy here today? yea, darcy. [applause]. >> thank you for helping to provide storefront in san francisco. >> you're welcome. thank you. >> francis chin. where's francis? get over here francis. [applause]. >> so the businesses in chinatown, which is not easy, you've got neighborhood meetings now, and council on district merchants. so good job. somebody had to do it. thanks. congratulations. juan carlos? where's juan carlos? [applause]. >> there he is.

central market-tenderloin. he's got an easy one. we should give you, like, five of these. well, good job, because midmarket is changing, and we're a member of that in my other job, midmarket cbd. midmarket is changing, and you've been a big part of that. so thank you, juan carlos. >> thank you, thank you. >> ellen mar. [applause]. >> helping with the neighborhoods, again, cbd's, jumping in there with everything. >> yes. >> congratulations. you just keep doing what we're doing, and help us get these cbd's when they come up to renew. >> thank you. >> thank you. congratulations. >> thank you. >> larry mclendon.

over in the bayview. >> yep. >> that's where all the good restaurants are going, and brew pubs. >> yep. >> well, thank you for a great job over there, they're opening up. [ inaudible ] >> jorge rivas. jorge's not here, but jorge is -- he's busy in the excelsior with two neighborhood meetings in the excelsior tonight. so jorge, we're on tv, here you go, and we'll get this to you later. tina rose navarro. [applause]. >> okay.

and you're doing the echo system stuff. >> sure. thank you. >> there you go. -- and you' >> thank you very much. >> tricia medina. you do a lot because i see you everywhere. >> i do. [ inaudible ] >> you do all the black ramps for all over the place. you do the ones in the castro. that's where i see your name. >> yes. >> so keep the money flowing. >> i will. >> there you go. congratulations. >> thank you. >> and last but not least, joaquin torres. and this one's special because one of the things that you did,

and i know you were part of it, and it was your idea was the fire mitigation, and we just had a fire just not too long ago. when was the last -- [ inaudible ] >> we had west portal. >> the second one in wewes wewes west portal. [ inaudible ] >> but here, i just want the people to know that when the first -- that first fire in west portal came where squat and impossibgobble, and i reme was watching tv, 7:00 in the morning, and you were there with the mayor. you guys were already there, moving businesses around and taking care of things. you kept your promise. that building got built to looking exactly like it did before the fire. and the other one, too, on ocean -- i was looking at

regina -- was the ocean avenue with the bakery. that caught on fire, and you helped them move, and now they're more successful than before the fire. i've got to sing your praises. everything you're doing for the city, whether it's business or economic development, you're an amazing individual. i'm so proud you're my friend, and these places are a better place because of your leadership, so thank you. [applause]. [ inaudible ] >> yep. let you say something real quick. >> president adams and commissioners, vice chair dwight and small business commission, i just want to thank you for recognizing this group. i want to give out a shout out to rick carillo, very strong member of our team, he kept us

in check in the way that i know he's doing the same for you. but the success of the program is built on the people that you've recognized. everyone who's here right now, whether -- and is based on decades, decades of succeeding and failing and flying and constantly being flexible in the work that we do. if not for the leadership of amy cohen and lisa pagan, we would not be where we are today. if not for the leadership of mayor newsom for beginning this work, we would not be where we are today. if not for the drive and confidence of mayor lee, we would not be where we are today. and to all the people who service the neighborhoods and be responsive to the ideas and critiques that everyone

provides to us or all the diverse stakeholders, whether it's elected officials or otherwise, we can respond because of our passion, our commitment or creativity, and i just want to say thank you for recognizing this team of extraordinary individuals. it's really an honor to be part of this group and to support our neighborhoods, so thank you. >> thank you. and just really quickly i want to give a shout out to the people that aren't here tonight. deanna ponce-de-leon, i want to just give her a shout out. holly hyong, another one. she's out there in the neighborhood, and she's helped me with a lot of business lending. we talk a lot about that, and creative ideas for that.

valley brown, the work that she's done in the western addition. and tabitha tapaya, the work that she's done. and last but not least, lauren slough. the work that you've done is incredible. keep it up, and we're all very proud of you here at the small business commission, so thank you. [applause]. >> yes. let's get a picture of everybody. we want to get everybody in front of the flag.

[ inaudible ] >> one, two, three. one, two, three. let me take one more. okay. thanks.

thanks. [ inaudible ] >> mr. president? before we close out, i just want to extend my great appreciation to joaquin torres and his leadership and the entire staff of the invested neighborhoods program. you're really integral for the office of small business in terms of us being able to deliver our services, and it's always exciting and fun working with a group of people who have that true entrepreneurial spirit, so i just want to extend any appreciation and it's very well deserved, your recognition, so thank you.

>> public comment? >> and before we move on, any other commissioner comments? >> i just also want to say thank you and congratulations. you guys have done a tremendous job. >> okay. and public comment, because we have to have public comment. we have public comment on this item? seeing none, public comment is closed. thank you all. [applause]. >> next item, please. >> encore performance. >> item four, presentation of the report office of workforce development state of the sector. presentser is joaquin torres, office of economic and

workforce development. >> commissioners, before you start, in your binder, so in case you want to pull it out under number four is the powerpoint for the executive summary. >> oh, but our screens are so clear now. we can see it digitally. >> good evening, commissioners. commission president adams, vice president dwight, and other small business commissioners. joaquin torres, deputy director here at the office of economic and workforce development. thank you for the commendation for all of the team. we're here to thank you very much for having us. tonight we're here to talk to you about an overview of our recently completed state of the retail sector, challenges and opportunities for san francisco retail neighborhood commercial districts, and that will be presented by amy cohen, our director of neighborhood programs and invested neighborhoods. she's going to review some of the data and implications for

the retail study, highlight some policy items, and then we'll also discuss some of our economic development programs in addition to some of the recommendations that have come out of the study so far. our public meetings so far have been at the land use committee, the board of supervisors, in addition to the planning commission, and so you'll be the third body that we're speaking to today. and we can discuss during the q&a session about what some of your recommendations are or your considerations that you're asking us to make are. but for now, i would like to invite up amy cohen to begin her presentation. >> thank you, joaquin and commissioners, and i just did the math, commissioner adams. it's been not quite 19 years since i've been doing this work, but i have been doing it about 13 years. that's when i think about when we might have met, so i was pleased to be given the opportunity to work on this study, we actually had an add

back in the budget from then supervisor mark farrell who was interested in what changes were happening in the retail sector and how that was affecting the city's commercial retail district, so we convened an interagency team to figure out what we should study and how to study it. we decided to work with strategic economics, the company that has done a lot of work in san francisco, especially a really deep dive in retail when we were looking at formula retail in 2017. so when we landed on with them is actually a series of three issue briefs, and you can find them on our website in what is called the full report or the final report. the first one was a national brief on national industry retail trends and implications for san francisco. the second is what makes a successful san francisco commercial district, and the third is costs and challenges of doing businesses in san francisco. and we merged the findings from

those three studies into an executive summary, which you have, and an even shorter presentation, which i'll give today. but the idea was really to look at what's happening nationally and in the sector, but also, figure out how are those changes applying to san francisco and how are they playing out, and what do we need to do differently. and i think having been around, as you guys have, for the last 13 to 19 years doing this work, we -- i think it was really helpful to finally have something on paper that says things are changing. this is not a -- a very quantitative study. it's more a literature view, and it's interviews with brokers, and some sales tactics that we have and looking at information that they had access to. i think it's a very useful and

kind of high level scan of what's happening generally in retail and how it affects san francisco and it should prompt and has already started to prompt some thinking about what changes we need to have in terms of our expectations of what does make a successful commercial district and what do businesses need to survive. so we're not going to get deep into the implications but we're going to try to highlight some of the findings and some of the implications here. and we have made ourselves sab available to go and do other presentations and do more. so i'm just going to start. this part of the presentation has been given by the strategic economic folks at the last two hearings. so the -- the major finding is that there is a lot of restructuring going on in the retail industry. not surprising to you. when amazon started, it was just a book seller, and it was

competing with book stores, and now it's competing with everything. and nonstore sales accounted for 12% of the total national retail sales in 2016, but more than 40% of recent retail growth is on-line. that's really, really substantial. when we -- by the way, when i say retail, a lot of the terminology is kind of lumping everything together, but if you go into the executive summary and the study, you'll see we do have some ways of looking at distinct things that go in storefronts, so retail is one category. restaurants can be another category. services are another category. you'll see in the executive summary it kind of defines them, but i'm going to lump some of them together tonight. as you know, there are a lot of retailers closing nationally. there's different reasons for them, but you know who they are. and while there are a lot of closures, there are some

retailers that are growing. most of those are discount, they're general merchandise, they're formula retail, and grocery stores are growing. and the one that's not listed here but also has shown growth although it's starting to evening out is actually restaurants and bars. so a big part of the job is to look and see if these closures that were happening nationally were also affecting us locally, and you know examples of where they are. there are some advantages that san francisco has compared to other places. we like to eat out, we like to shop local, we have a lot of tourism, so in some ways, we are insulated compared to a place where all of the retail economy is mall driven. but what our consultants concluded is our retail sector is softening. it was clear from the sales tax revenues that have started to

even out between 2015 and now, it was clear from rents. we don't have a quantitative study on rents, but the brokers have said that rents have started often, and there's been more interest in retail space from nontraditional retail uses, more like services, whether it's accountants, whether it's salons, gyms, and you guys have seen all of this. so medical services, the big one. so this is all happening while we are on -- while we've been having all sorts of challenges relates to retail, small businesses, and our commercial districts that are not necessarily related to the changes that are happening to the retail economy, so i'm not going to go deeply into these, but employee recruitment and retention and labor cost issues, you know, these are related to our affordablity challenges in san francisco. this has been going on for sometime. it's not necessarily related to the structuring of retail.

high rents is a constant exactly for small businesses and storefronts. land use and mer mying requirements. in some place they are put in use with the intention to prevent something, but in other cases, it wasn't put in place with the intention of preventing it or slowing it down, but they do slow it down. the demographic shift in san francisco have been a challenge for certain kinds of businesses, and the public realm challenges, like, cleanliness, safety, the presence of homeless encampments. so what are businesses doing? the consultants found, you know, a lot of evidence that businesses are already adjusting, that businesses are working really hard to adjust to those changes, and they're

doing a lot of things that you've seen to decrease labor, fast, casual, sort of over the counter. they're doing a lot of things to increase revenue streams. they're doing a lot of delivery. you can see more examples when you get into the report, but there's a lot of effort. that said, not everybody business is going to be able to adjust or is able to adjust fast enough. i always give the example of video stores, and there are still a few video stores, but they had to get really creative to stick around, but it's not unheard of. so therefore, main conclusion that came out of these -- these studies, and i'm going to go through them, both the conclusions and the potential implications. first, to thrive in a more challenging business environment, retailers need to embrace new technologies. so we do need to think through, what does this mean in terms of

the technical support that businesses need. basically, if you're a restaurant, any but the very high end, you need to have a delivery app. i mean, that's just becoming a reality that that is a main, you know, source of income or of revenue for a business. or using a reservation program. you know, these are things that not all businesses do, but if you're a restaurant, it's really important. there's lots of examples of that, so what do we need to do help businesses with becoming better at betting on-line and getting apps? the other implications is really around the curb, and we need to start thinking through a coexistence even more about, you know, the arrival of delivery vehicles or vehicles that are transporting shoppers needs to coexist with people walking, biking, and taking the bus and all of those things and

parking. so it just poses a little more conflict than we already had around who uses the sidewalk, and we need to be smart about that. number two, retailers really need to be flexible and creative to provide a more engaging and interesting experience. so this is already happening. you see lots of examples. book stores have become event spaces. you know, the main way they get people in the door is for a lecture or some kind of community meeting and oh, by the way, there's books here. a lot of look stores are doing food and beverage on top of whatever they're selling before. so you went in to get a beer, and you're getting t-shirts. they're going in all over the place. i'll talk later about some of the policies that may need to be adjusted to allow that

flexiblity. because really what's fundamental because people are shopping at a store not so much to buy something but for the experience of being in that store. number three, we need to start looking at a district level and thinking about, do we need more flexiblity in terms of the uses that go in at the ground floor? there are a lot of different factors that make a successful commercial district, but businesses and institutions support each other, so the retailers that are there are reliant on foot traffic, and we already know that, you know, if there's a hospital nearby or some other large employer, you know, or offices, that those, you know, generate foot traffic to support retail, but generally, we've said we want to keep, you know, the nonretail uses out of the ground floor. well, you know, we'll