affordable because we will need to work towards getting subsidies so what we call rental subsidies. we can make a recommendation and a strategy that we can be working towards. >> i think you should. >> thank you. and the second question? >> the second question in terms of making sure our focus groups are diverse? yes. i believe your second question was making sure persons are diverse with disabilities and getting a range -- and allies. >> yes, allies. >> thank you. >> very good. we're raising some important issues here. are there other members of the council -- >> yes, through the chair. >> yes. >> council member orkid sasounni? >> all right.

orkid? >> yes. fantastic with the planning and the presentation. i think there's a few issues that are specific to the deaf community. i work at the public library, for example. there are lots of deaf people in the city living in the city who are hiv positive. there are lots of deaf-blind people in the city. these are people low-income and with s.s.i. there are lots of issues that are challenging dealing with public housing. even going to access public housing, the workshops that are provided, they are provided for the potential residents aren't accessible for people who are deaf and deaf-blind, so they get kicked out of those programs. there's a very large issue with that population. we don't have a voice. we don't have anyone fighting or advocating, and the people who maybe were there in our corner are not there anymore.

so it's quite frustrating. people give up, they live on the street. there are addiction issues that are related to being homeless, and also, when my other council members were talking about -- when helen was talking about those of us who are looking to age in the city, it's challenging to think about what our futures might be here as senior citizens dealing with accessibility to multiple floors, so most of us are forced to move out of the city. the old buildings we live in or the old homes we live in are not accessible. the lapd lords are nndlords ar accessible to our needs. people who are deaf and have physical disabilities, as well, housing is some of the hardest parts. they are not able to afford to

live in san francisco with s.s.i., and affordability is not prioritized. accessibility is not prioritized. they're not even given the opportunity to participate in these programs, yeah. so what's right, yeah? >> all right. that's -- >> yeah, thank you. >> any other comments by council members? >> yes. we have council member sally mcdonald that would like to ask a question? >> all right. yeah, sally? >> yeah, just going back to the difference between what helen said about housing accessibility and housing access, what are the issues are for all san franciscans, all of them exist for people with

disabilities. housing is an important issue, but affordable and accessibility. specifically, the barriers, you asked about the barriers to -- in our own lives, and this is in the past now. i'm also a homeowner in san francisco and had to make our house accessible for my daughter in a wheelchair, as well. and you know with some creative planning, we have an elevator in the back yard -- it worked -- it wasn't perfect, but it worked. one thing i think that could be helpful for people who are trying to make changes on their own is to have the planning department appreciate that and work in concert with families who are -- maybe -- you know, you have the means to make the changes or you found somebody to subsidize them or whatever, and then, you're stopped at the planning department. i suppose it's just

accommodations, but i don't mean accommodations particularly for the disabled, but particularly here's a vertical city. i'm in a row house, i can't go in the side way. i can go in the front or the back, and you know, acknowledging this. this is an issue, and to work with families as opposed to putting up those same walls that everybody else gets -- not necessarily families. in my case, it was families, but whatever the individual is. it's not just people who can't access affordable housing, it's people who have been here 50 years in their house and now need to make it accessible. >> can i clarify your question? i heard you say road blocks being put up by the planning department. are there other city departments we should be aware of? >> i'm not sure. this was a long time ago, so i'm trying to remember. but i mean the biggest problem

is the way the city was built, which we can't undo, obviously, but i would just say in our case, it's just getting things -- incompetent think our architect put it in as voluntary a.d.a. access, and then, doors started opening. but it was that exact same thing until she put it under that title, but once she started playing that i am ga, you shouldn't have to do that to get -- that game, you shouldn't have to do that to get there. okay. oh, kate? >> this past week, one of our students, a blind student, moved to this area from another city and does not have housing. i gave her a list that --

probably need a broughtader li but when that person calls each and every services, the response was we're not especially applications. we have -- we're not accepting applications. there's a wait list that's three or four -- we're not accepting applications. she was not able to find one single solitary opening in san francisco. i was shocked. i don't know if there's an answer. and as i said, i'm not complaining, i'm just surprised that calling all the contacts for city housing, not one unit was available nor were they accepting any applications. am i not having them contact the right agencies or is this just how it is in the city right now? >> if i may answer this briefly. >> yeah. >> there are often liftings, and unfortunately -- listings, and unfortunately, it is true,

there are very long wait lists. unfortunately, the vacancy rate, as people are well aware of it very, very low in san francisco, so the likelihood of there not being any listings is -- there's a high possibility but i can't say for certain? >> right. >> the one thing that we would say is to make sure that if -- we're directing people to either -- we do have what's called an on-line application called dalia, and i'm not sure -- did you direct them to that, but it does list all the existing agencies that -- >> what's it -- >> it's dalia. if you go under the website sfhousing.org, that is where you can do an on-line application system. >> so i guess in summation, we do have issues regarding

housing. not just accessibility, but housing, period. i was just surprised. >> are there any other questions by council members? >> yes, we have. the first council member -- i sound like a game show host, no disrespect. >> yes, you would. >> the next council member that would like to speak is helen smolinski, and after that, orkid sasounni. >> yes. just briefly, miss yanga. in addition to the planning department, the assessor's office. there's something within the assessor's office where you can apply and say i'm doing this to make my house accessible for a disabled person. let's just say there was a lot

of back and forth and you know -- to -- to no good end at the end, you know? they just wore us down, but that's something else that should be looked into, considered, etc. because we're making our home accessible. and it was -- and maybe -- and maybe -- and you know, maybe this issue is part of my frustration when i'm talking with you, so i apologize. >> no, right. >> it's just it's government bureaucracy, and you're the face right now. you're a good sport for listening to us. >> no. you clarify what the issue is so we can make sure we note that. as i said, we are talking to other city departments, and if we can make sure that we raise these particular issues with their sister agencies --

>> yeah, it impacts the property values. >> okay. property taxes. >> all right. orkid? >> all right. i just have a few comments. i think the hardest part in this issue of renting is the deposit that's required. landlords say you don't meet what's required for the deposit, and they don't have enough money for the deposit, so that's an issue which is a barrier. and then, there are cultural issues in working with people with disabilities, and it's a barrier for them, and that's something that people confront on a daily basis, so i really think that it's an attitude within government -- or city agencies that need to change, as well. and -- it's the culture of the

city and how it runs that these agencies and the representatives within the agencies don't know how to work with people's disabilities. >> all right. we're going to go to staff in just a moment, but i just want to say to you you've heard all the comments of my colleagues here, and i think we certainly have given you a good amount of things to think about, to be sure. and i want to commend you for coming to speak us to and to hear our concerns. a few years ago, i was involved to some extent in the field of real estate as a realtor, and i quickly found that -- and i wanted to focus to some extent in -- on people with

disabilities. yes, there are some people with disabilities who can afford to purchase homes due to their income, but i quickly found there was a large number of persons who could not afford it, certainly here in san francisco. and it was a real eye opener, if you will, to me. and i knew this could be true, but i guess sometime you's you got to be out there in the middle of it. it's not just the economic aspect, although this's critically important as noted by helen, but it's the accessibility issue. housing can be affordable, but if they're not accessible, people with disabilities can't move there. that's just the reality. so there you have it. i want to go to -- oh, did you

want to respond? >> no, i just wanted to say thank you. >> all right. anyone from the staff want to comment? >> thank you, council members, for being willing to be open and to be put on the spot and for responding so candidly. i appreciate it. we really appreciate hearing this. one of the things that i want to offer is if you're willing to send this set of questions to me, i'd be happy to distribute it to this group so that everybody can have a chance to think through anything that maybe wasn't addressed that was one of your questions. maybe they are he -- make sure they're not on the survey. >> well, even if they are on the survey, i think it's good to get multiple per expespecti even if it's on the survey. one thing i looked up was if

you wanted to address accessibility in the way that helen was speaking to it in terms of physical accessibility to the space, was write-in answers. i want us to be thoughtful of it how we're weighting how folks answer those questions because of different definitions of what housing access means. so we're happy to work with you more and provide subject matter experts or whatever you need in this iteration. we're very open and thankful for this conversation. i just want us to be mindful of

current definitions. i just wanted to say a few things. one, when we send up the council, i'm also happy to provide information on the dalia portal. the dalia affordable housing team has presented to the mayor's disability council in the past, but it might be time to invite them again. we did try to bring them in today, but they weren't -- they weren't available today. but i would very encourage us to also hear from the portal team so you actually understand how -- when we do have accessible units available, how that information is made available, and you may have suggestions towards that, as well because it's a portal that's in development, so i'd like to encourage that. >> thank you. >> and that's it from me for now. >> thank you very much. >> thank you so much.

>> thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you very much, nicolle. anyone else from staff? >> not at this time. >> not at this time. okay. so let's go to the bridge line. are there folks on the bridge line who would like to comment -- oh, before i do that -- okay. got to back up. first off, i just want to thank you again for making your presentation to us. it was tremendous. i commend you under a bit of fire. we do take your comments seriously and we do want to work with you. i just want to say that and that will conclude your part of the presentation. >> thank you. >> all right. so let's see...first wh -- fir want to do, are there any other people in the room. >> there's public comment. >> and there's someone on the bridge line. >> all right. someone on the bridge line.

we'll get to the bridge line in a moment. >> so you want the public comment first? >> yeah. i think we're supposed to do the public comment first and then the bridge line. >> okay. this is loretta litke, am i saying that right? >> i'm a disabled senior. i have m.s. it took me about ten years to find housing including through the city. i was told that -- i was literally crawling up the stairs and they told me you don't need housing because i had an apartment. i finally found housing, and i want accessible housing that's financially beiaccessible. i have cried so many times because of those -- may they rot in hell.

is there any way i can the city into not using bridge property management? any other groups that will do management? okay. 'cause they're taking over 50 more places in california this month. i've been there three years -- [inaudible] >> there's another comment -- >> okay. is there another comment? >> yes. my name is teresa flandrick and i work at senior and disability action and i try to work with

agencies to get deeply affordable housing especially for seniors and people with disability. so because we believe that there is an affordable crisis, there has been a lot of housing built in market rate which makes a lot of it unaffordable. i live in north beach -- there are many seniors -- as you know, north beach, chinatown, we have the greatest concentration of seniors and people with disabilities. our s.r.o.s, which are last affordable places, which are also being used for high earning young tech workers because you can get more money from them. so we are fighting very hard to keep and preserve the housing we do have, but to make damn

sure it is accessible. there are many ways that things can be done, but we also need to make sure that we are building housing that is from day one accessible, and so senior and housing that accommodates also wheelchairs, right? all sorts of different mobility mechanisms that people need in order to simply enjoy life. so one of the things that we have seen and which is a problem that i forgot to mention in our focus group yesterday with these folks is the idea that there are a lot of people, some who have small children with disabilities who for a long time were carrying their children down the three, four flights of shares but now, the oldest is a teen, and that

just can't happen anymore? the woman can't continue to carry her child down the steps. so asking for a ground-level unit, yes, she could do that, leave her three-bedroom unit for a two-bedroom unit on the ground level, but she would then be required to pay market rate for that one. even though she's in a rent controlled, a much lower -- a much larger unit also with a view, that shouldn't be, and that happens in many different buildings. so to truly keep the housing we need and make it accessible, people need to have the disability to move from a third floor to a ground-level floor without being charged an outrageous amount. >> thank you. >> all right. thank you very much. are there anymore people from the public who wish to speak? >> no more public comment. >> no more public comment?

all right. i'm going to the bridge line. last, but certainly not least, by any means, is the bridge line. is there anyone on the bridge line who would like to comment? >> yes, there is. >> all right. who do we have? >> this is helen walsh. i'm going to speak again on information and communications. i kind of echo what the commission has been saying in regards to inclusion of -- on surveys of the disability community. both we are community as individuals with diverse disabilities that are low-income that are having issues finding housing. and if our data is not included in the surveys, general surveys, we're missing out. children grow up with disabilities and there are

children that need accessibility as they're growing up. as able bodied people age, we need accessible housing. so i think it's really important on the survey to find a way. i appreciate that there'll be a focus group, but i also think on surveys, because the data is missing in all our departments in cities and this municipality, that i can see, it's important to start raising these questions to the low-income housing and disability issues. i'm hoping the survey is included in an accessible format. i think it's great that it has different languages. i'm hoping that this survey also, if it does have a printout or is accessible to

people that are deaf-blind, i think it's important that we get our data in some sort of form in our city so that our planning and our strategic planning is a lot better so that we can serve more people, and we can ensure that housing is accessible for the citizens of san francisco or any other place. that's my comment. >> fantastic. thank you very much. is there anyone else from the bridge line who would like to speak? going once, twice, three times. all right. so i think -- boy, someone's phone's going off. i'd like to conclude this presentation. it certainly has generated a lot of discussion and collaboration. we want to be -- i should say have a voice in the issue of

affordable housing and -- and accessible housing going forward, and so we'll be looking at this very carefully as we go forward. all right. so we have concluded two very important presentations today. running a bit behind schedule, but it's okay. i think we've got plenty of time. now we're going to go to something that is going to be really good, i have to say. before i was on this council, i've been to ceremonial situations before, and i've heard discussions take place. this is the first time i get to be involved with it. but we're going to have a ceremonial item here. we're going to honor donna

adkins. and donna is the former programatic access. she's moved on, but she's certainly made an outstanding contribution to the work that she's done over the years. i just wanted to give an opportunity for minute who wants to say something, but i just wanted to kick it off by saying that i think it was a couple years ago when i first came onto the council, donna was one of the first people that i spoke to, and i went to my interview back in -- i think it was january -- well, it was a couple years ago, and saw donna in the office on disability. i've seen donna at other

meetings. she's active in the community. she's been to meeting with the california council of the blind in san francisco. she's very thoughtful, and that's the thing that i'll always remember about her. left the meeting at the end, and she assisted me, you know, down stairs to get a cab out on market street. could have done all that on my own, but donna was there in the moment of need and gave me some direction on how to do it in that place. so i really want to thank you, donna, for all the work you've done and for being as thoughtful and understanding as -- as you've been. and that's what i have to say. >> jim, do you want to invite donna up? >> oh, yes, donna, i do want to invite you up.

>> hi, donna. >> hey, donna. >> hi. >> first of all, i want to thank the cochairs and council and staff for having me on a sunny friday afternoon. it's very lovely for you to honor me for doing something that for four years, i just really enjoyed doing as part of my job. i've seen many iterations of staff over that time. carleton, nicolle, and nate and nicolle are still over there, running the ship. and i've seen many iterations of council, including star and harry and roland and chip and denise, who was still with us. but one thing i will say about this particular group of council members, i'm excited because i've seen this group for almost two years together, i think, and you each represent a different lens on a

particular disability. and i think that's really important to the city and county of san francisco. i think that this particular group really does represent people with disabilities in the city and county of san francisco quite well. i was chuckling while helen was talking because that is the type of dialogue i expect this council to engage in regarding some of the pit falls around accessibility in the city and council. so i appreciate you having me here. it's lovely to be here. i'm looking forward to seeing all of you in lots of different places in my new role as the disaster prep person, because as you all know, disaster preparedness means persons with disabilities, too. regardless of my position in the city, this is my commitment to you.

i will always have a lens of accessibility and thoughtfulness and inclusion because at the end of the day, we are all going to be a person with a disability, so the more we have people like you with that advocacy, the more work we're going to get done in the city. so thank you for having me, i'm happy to be here, and thanks. >> all right, donna, thank you. [applause] >> no, i'm glad you spoke. i was going to give you an opportunity to do that. and we do want to hear from you. so now, is there anyone from the council who would like to make any comments? >> yes. through the chair, i would like to announce myself, denis.

jim touched upon your thoughtfulness. you know, there's so many things i could say and i don't want to embarrass you so i think i'm just going to focus on a couple of points. you know how much you mean to me and the council. one of the things that stood out the most besides your compassion and understanding on disability issues how you respected and understood and worked with each member of the council through the years that i've known you. not just through commendation but sensitivity and understanding what they need in order for them to sit up here and do their job. of course you were great on all staff here on administrative work, you know, to support the council and to assist us, but a lot of times beside. you know, you're a colleague, a

friend, an educator. you taught us a lot. whatever we asked you to do, even if it wasn't in your job description, you always did it. i want to thank you for that. i mean, we know that we always have colleagues and friends at m.o.d. that we work well and all treat us with respect, and like i said speak to the individuals that work there and the leadership, of course, but everyone is amazing that we work with, but i want to thank you for never getting impatient, never getting upset. i don't know what you were thinking, maybe, but you were really -- you were really great, and it was a pleasure. and i learned -- i learned a lot from you, so i thank you. and since you mentioned a little bit about what you'll be doing in your job, i'm going to open that up as a presentation opportunity in the future to come. >> absolutely. >> so i think you'll be stuck

one way or another in coming back and seeing us. but thank you for all that you've done and the support in accommodating what i need to sit on the council here and making it, you know, very pleasant. so -- >> thank you, cochair. >> thank you. i will quit talking now. >> no, no, no, stay right there for just a few minutes. i just want to make sure in case anyone else wants to -- >> election will be after you. >> okay, alex, you're on. >> oh, kay. >> i started it off, we had denise, alex, kate, maybe more. so -- >> i just want to say thank you so much for helping us out. and i'm not sure if you

remember, i remember you saying you'd always come back, so once you got back, you helped me and retrained me. so thank you, and i'm sure that you're going to sit as soon -- sooner or later, so thank you. >> thank you, alex. and i'm glad you were able to make it work for you to come back and be on the council. you're a good fit. >> all right, kate. >> yes. donna, you're one of the first people i met once sitting on the council. you expect something from people that are on the council. i remember when i don't do something i think oh, i don't

want donna to know but that's good because you have high expectations of the people that serve here. i appreciate that because it makes me feel that i'm valued as a member and i'm honored to be on this council. you're one of the reasons that i feel this way. >> thank you, kate. >> yes, you do set high standards. so i've -- i've learned from and benefits, as well. anyone else? >> through the chair, myself. i'd like to present her with an award. this is here by granted to donna donna adkins for excellence on

the mayor's disability council. i'll walk it down with a little gift from the council. >> thank you, and i will, on monday, the first thing i will do is find a place in my office to put that. >> okay. >> do i see a giants flag? >> oh, yes. >> i think tickets would fit in there just fine. >> yes, thank you, sally. you will be missed, donna, that is for sure. >> okay. and i have one request for the council before i go. thank you. this really means a lot to me. if someone would be kind enough to reach out to council member kostanian, that would be the

best. she's been on the council longer than i've been on the council, and she couldn't be here today. that would mean a lot to me. >> i will do that. >> both of the cochairs will reach out to her. >> thank you. >> thank you. so i think that's all. staff? would anyone from staff like to -- >> i don't think anyone from staff can say good-bye to donna. on behalf of our department, we miss you and we're so proud and privileged to have had the chance to work with you, and your spirit will always be engrained in the walls of what you're doing, so thank you very much. >> all right. anyone else from staff? let's go to the general public. there might be some folks out

there who might want to make a comment or two. we'll go to the bridge. all right. what about the bridge line? they're not going to let me forget about the bridge line. anyone from the bridge line? no? all right. anyone from the public? >> not at this time. >> not at this time. okay. well, then, this has been a very meaningful ceremony to me, and to everyone on the council and the staff. and we're just so grateful to donna, again, gratitude and thanks. we can't express that enough. all right. so the next information item is number ten -- oh, no, wait a minute. let's go back to nine, public comment. items not on today's agenda but within the jurisdiction of the m.d.c., is there -- do we have any speakers cards? >> no, i don't have any -- oh, sorry.

i don't have any speakers cards. >> okay. now we can -- any -- any public comment from the bridge? all right. information item -- let's see -- where am i at? yeah, correspondence. do we have any correspondence at this time? >> hang on. we're having a technical moment. one second. are we -- all is well? >> there's no correspondence. >> no correspondence? okay. let's go to item number 11. are there any council members have comments or announcements? >> none. >> hearing none, okay, very good -- well, no.

if there's none at this time, maybe the next one. so that brings us to the final item, which is number 12, adjournment. do i hear any call for adjournment? >> i'll move to adjourn. >> all right. second? >> second. >> all right. moved and seconded, so i declare this meeting to be adjourned. [gavel]

. >> my name is dave, and i play defense. >> my name is mustafa, and i am a midfielder, but right now, i am trying to play as a goalkeeper, because they need a goalkeeper. >> soccer u.s.a. is a nonprofessional organization. we use sports, soccer in particular to engage communities that can benefit from quality programs in order to lift people up, helping to regain a sense of control in one's life. >> the san francisco recreation and park department and street soccer u.s.a. have been partners now for nearly a decade. street soccer shares our mission in using sport as a vehicle for youth development

and for reaching people of all ages. rec and park has a team. >> i'm been playing soccer all my life. soccer is my life. >> i played in the streets when i was a kid. and i loved soccer back home. i joined street soccer here. it was the best club to join. it helps me out. >> the tenderloin soccer club started in the summer of 2016. we put one of our mini soccer pitches in one of our facilities there. the kids who kpriez the club team came out to utilize that space, and it was beautiful because they used it as an opportunity to express themselves in a place where they were free to do so, and it was a safe space, in a neighborhood that really isn't the most hospitalable to youth -- hospitable to youth

playing in the streets. >> one day, i saw the coach and my friends because they went there to join the team before me. so i went up to the coach and asked, and they said oh, i've got a soccer team, and i joined, and they said yeah, it was he for everybody, and i joined, and it was the best experience ever. >> a lot of our programs, the kids are in the process of achieving citizenship. it's a pretty lengthy process. >> here, i am the only one with my dad. we were in the housing program, and we are trying to find housing. my sister, she's in my country, so i realize that i have a lot of opportunities here for getting good education to help her, you know? yeah.

that's the -- one of the most important things that challenge me. >> my dad was over here, making some money because there was not a lot of jobs back home. i came here, finish elementary in san francisco. after that, i used to go back to my country, go to yemen, my country, and then back here. last time i went back was a couple years ago. >> i came here six months, i know nobody. now i have the team has a family, the coaches. amazing. >> i'm hoping for lifelong friendships, and i'm super inspired by what they've been able to achieve and want to continue to grow alongside them. >> i love my family, i love my team. they're just like a family. it's really nice. >> street soccer just received a five year grant from the department of children, youth and family, and this is an

important inreflection point for street soccer u.s.a. because their work in our most important communities is now known beyond just san francisco recreation and park department, and together, we're going to continue to work with our city's most vulnerable kids and teach them to love the beautiful game. >> i want to tell everybody back home, i hope you all make it over here and join teams like this like street soccer u.s.a., and live your life. get a better life. >> right away, just be patient, and then, everything will be okay.

>> we can't hear you, is your microphone on? >> again, welcome to the commission on ageing and adult services. we have a new commissioner, and i would like her to introduce herself and just give us a few comments about her background. >> good morning, and i'm very happy to be here. i've always introduced my name is i am felicia