political action, elderly groups utilize this space. a reliable venue. they stay as long as they desire without being rushed. those are the words of chris, who is also a part of the community but unable to be here today. thank you so much. i second everything that has been said. it is all true. thank you very much. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> i am robert smith. i live next to caffe sapore. i noticed 40 people were sitting next to elias. if that is not community or legacy i don't know what is. everybody is close to him and supports him. that is legacy. thank you. >> next speaker, please.

dan. native from san francisco. charter legacy business owner in our 72nd year and president of the north beach business association. i rise in support of caffe sapore. i can't be go beyond the personal testimony that has come forward by those who use the cafe. i implore all of you to give them legacy business status to send a message to bad actor landlords. the majority of landlords and commercial landlords are good actors, but we have a handful and some are centered in north beach who fail to put their storefronts up on the market, who throw out businesses that are vital and used by the community and long standing. we need you to send a message. i have a business next to mine

vacant for over 35 years. we have made a comebacklation in north beach. we have 20 new businesses in the last 20 years. 17 in the last few months since they introduced the idea of putting on the ballot the storefront vacancy issue. -- all of these signs started going up. we had people come in to rent the storefronts. i implore you to prevent another business from being vacated because of a landlord's misconduct. thank you. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> good afternoon. i am ben golden. i moved to north beach about 10 years ago, and started going to the cafe. he described it as the third

place. what is a third place? it is another place after your home and your work where you can come and relax and meet people and feel at ease. then i had a kid. she started waking up 5:00 a.m. and screaming. we would rush out of the house and go to the cafe. he would be opening up and making coffee and letting the son roll around on the floor. eventually, he started playing with the toys there and we would donate our toys. then he started playing chess. the pieces are all dirty like this. he is now 8 years old this year and he finally beat me. he has grown up in that cafe. we appreciate it. thanks. >> next speaker, please. >> i am marla knight.

i have lived three blocks east of the cafe sapore. it is not just a cafe. it is really an institution. it is a gathering place for locals and for people from out of town who enjoy going there. san francisco, especially north beach, has been in crisis for several years. we lost many residents to no fault evictions and businesses for many reason was including rising rents. throughout caffe sapore has been thriving. it is like a beacon of hope, actually. it has been thriving for more than two decades. it is loved by locals.

yelp says it is a hidden gem. caffe sapore deserves legacy business status for the major contributions, not just to north beach but to all of san francisco. thank you. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> good afternoon. i am gloria rokin. i lived four blocks from the cafe for 45 year. when you got to my age you have experienced loss, your parents, friends, pets, jobs, health, a lot of things go by the wayside. i didn't know you could have a broken heart over losing a cafe. it is really hard for me to come to grips with this.

caffe sapore, i didn't realize how important it was. i can call and say i am on the way to dog training at 7:00 in the morning or i have an appointment. i am a realtor. i go there with clients to show them how wonderful san francisco is. to realize this is going to be gone is devastating to me personally, and i know to all people sitting here they feel the same way. iit is not easy to come down hee on friday afternoon. we really appreciate you taking the time. i can speak for everyone to have this meeting. thank you. please give caffe sapore the business status they so deserve. thank you again. >> next speaker, please. >> hello. i am dick.

i make pot terry for my living. -- pottery. in japan there is a program to recognize crafts people. they are known as living national treasures. there are only 15 such people in the nation of over 150 million people. what is interesting about this reward is the translation. such people are considered holders of an important intangible cultural property. this is a nice definition of caffe sapore. it holds a cultural property that is labeled mediterranean. the united states navy afforded me the opportunity to visit beirut in the early 1960s before it fell into warfare. it was the paris of the middle east, a center of deep culture

the, a place where people of the three worlds, major religions lived in peace and respect. that has roots in the attitude towards the stranger. from greek times forward it was believed one of the gods would take human form and come as a stranger and we would be judged as to how that stranger was treat the. you didn't try to kill him or instantly regret you hadn't built a wall to keep him out, you fed him. this became a primary civic stir virtue and continues in the way caffe sapore has worked for two decades. it would be a good idea for it to be recognized with the professional and tenacious work. >> next speaker, please.

>> good afternoon, commissioners. i am susie siegel. i am a san francisco teacher. i met elias a year after he opened. i taught two of his children. i feel like the caffe sapore is crossroads elementary, public middle school, college of the arts, children's center. i want to talk about kids, family and community. isn't that what you strife for as a teacher and family to have a place that feels safe, a place that is like second nature. i will meet you at caffe sapore. i will do my homework at caffe sapore. if you are a teacher on 30 minute lunch breaks that is where we as teachers would meet.

i also want to tell you my little friend here, this is mr. bear, mr. bear has been going there longer than i have because he goes home every night with a different kid. most days you would hear a story mr. bear was having coffee or hot chocolate in caffe sapore. if he could talk he would tell you this is the fabric of a neighborhood sadly closing so many places. i am in deep support of community of caffe sapore, a place that is a place for everyone to gather. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> . >> good afternoon, commissioners. i am amy and this is my sonar like. son eric.

i am a working parent. we watch friends and neighbors with children move away to the suburbs and their big living rooms and kitchens. we stay. for us as you have heard mentioned in our small little north beach apartments our living room and sometimes our kitchen is caffe sapore. what does that look like? when eric, now a fifth grader, was in first grade one block up the ill aupthe hill his brothern pre-k two blocks behind two blocks behind caffe sapore. his school started an hour later than his brother's school. i have an hour to kill after i drop off his brother. it is not time to go home. at 8:30 a.m. what does the parent do with a first grader who at the time is 6 years old.

where do you take him? library, pool not open. you don't was presiden want to o the grocery store. where do you go that is safe at 8:30 a.m. we went to caffe sapore a year just about every morning. we could eat off the dollar menu of day old pac pastries. there was elias and his children. it was safe and a wonderful place to bring my son. i asked you to help save the cafe. eric do you want to add anything. >> it has a homey feeling and the food is good. please save caffe sapore. thank you. >> next speaker, please.

>> good afternoon. i am bethany golden, a nurse and mother and community activist in the neighborhood. this is my son. he wants to first say something. >> i was the kid who screamed and rolled on the floor for like every single day. i didn't know what i was doing. , but i think that is the best cafe i have ever been to and i would like you to save it. >> i am going to add to that. if anyone gets to be at the crossing of lombard and columbus we have about a million people dropped off by tour buses. we are on the pedestrian walkway up to the crooked street. the other side of russian hill has the traffic. when you come down the human street there is a human wall that forces you to go right or

left and you don't come down lombard. if you say you were taking down the greats on grant street with no portal to chinatown, there would be an out range. this is the port alto lombard. it is not only for our kids but the million people at lombard need to use the bathroom. guess where they go? caffe sapore. it is critical to understand elias' generosity extends to everybody who comes to san francisco. thank you. >> next speaker, please. i would say our neighbors have spoken. i am theresa flanders, co-founder of north beach

tenants. i have lived on lombard for three and a half decades. for me, caffe sapore is the cornerstone of the community. it is our community and it is the community that many envy bus we are close knit. we have lost many, many of our members. a lot of our shops, a lot of services in this community. what i want to say is caffe sapore is a place when i say to tenants where would you like to meet to talk about this landlord who is harassing you right now frying to get you to take a buyout or threatening you, where would you feel most comfortable? they will say can we meet at caffe sapore. it is a place where i have gone to meet with tenants to organize

to fight for places like places to remain part of our whole community. this is a place where people feel at home, they feel safer, they feel safe in revealing what is going on in a very scary time for them. please, please, legacy is so important for this particular place and for our particular community. thank you. >> next speaker, please. >> i am anita walter, a teacher at city college. our son has grown up going to caffe sapore. we would bring him as a baby because elias got him ice cream and calmed him down. it was a safe plays with toys. as he grew up, we would let him

walk from our garden because caffe sapore is around the corner and it was a big milestone. we knew it was safe, a home for him and he recognized it and we knew elias would greet him. as our our child grows how he recognizes the space in the neighborhood as an important place for him. my husband works there a lot. we have a cozy apartment and we need a third space. he and i walk a lot in the morning. we are there early and guess who is there with a smile, with bob dillon, my husband's favorite musician. it is a place everyone goes to. i know so many people because of caffe sapore. i don't know their names but i know their faces and they know

mine. >> next speaker, please. >> i am lee carter. i want to say a few things. i didn't prepare anything. i met elias at the art institute. he gave me a part-time job. i was amazed and surprised to the love and attention he gave to everybody that came through the door. all the years i have been there i have been trying to do what he does on well. i have been there 18 years. a lot of times i don't know how that time passed. i am blessed that i can go to work and feel good. it is a good place. that is important to me. i appreciate the cafe and the customers. they have given us love and

support. i hate to see this end like something bad. it used to go further. i hope you can grow and be a major part in the neighborhood and community. that is all i want to say. >> next speaker, please. >> good afternoon. my family owns the building at 790 lombard and i am a long time resident in north beach. we understand this is a difficult situation for everyone involved, my family included. a lot of the narrative presented iis untrue, specifically that he just found out 90 days ago. over 2 the years we communicated our intent for the space. three years ago he did not exercise his option to extend the lease. we thought he no longer wanted to continue the lease.

he responded angry and asked for more time. we tried our best to help him and gave him more time. additionally there are items in his application that are erroneous that he is always current on rent. december 2019 rent this month has not been paid. he has been late on rent five times this past year, delinquent in garbage bills and we have been sent 20 lien warning. this is a difficult position for our family. we are still in negotiations. due to this we asked for a continuance so find a solution to help all parties involved. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> good afternoon. i am sarah hoffman.

our firm has been retained to represent the family who own the property who you have just heard from. they are surprised to discover with absolutely no official notice this application had been submitted and that there would be hearings on wednesday december 18th and special hearing today. it is impossible to prepare for or seek adviser participate in today's hearing with so little notice. this is our request. if the commission will continue the hearing by one month, the owner will extend the lease termination date for one month so the parties can negotiate to reach a resolution that works for everyone involved. this can only happen if the hearing is continued without a decision. more over, we believe that this application does not meet the

criteria for registration as a legacy business. the applicant's business has not been in existence for 30 years. the ad ministrative code provides an exception if it would present a risk of displacement. we have a termination notice served, owners have plans for the space and are not willing to extend the lesion. they believe the business didn't want to be they when he chose not to extend the lease to 2022. as stated in the historic presser vision they -- preservation they identified a business nearby. this would not be in compliance with the code. >> thank you. next speaker, please.

>> howard wong architect and nowtive of north beach. the legacy business should be evaluated on the merit of the business that has been there for decades and what it has contributed andment to do, the neighborhood to the community. when all of us travel to other cities around the world we often zero in on famous coffeehouses, small cafes and restaurants that there there for decades. those types of restaurants which are rare in san francisco and also rare in other cities, some of which have been around for 50 or 100 years. they attract social cultural interaction of the comment and the people who visit the city. they are markers what the city

has been and will be over time. we are losing gradually many, many of those institutions. this business has to be given a chance to become the 50 year or 100 year community and cultural magnet we need that gives our city character, or neighborhoods a sense of place and as too many people a place of gathering and participation in the community. thank you. >> thank you. next speaker. i am karen mazoon. i have lived in north beach since 1995. we had a place in lake county

for a while. really, i see this as my home for all of that time. i love going out to coffee in local coffee places everywhere. it is fun, it gives you a chance to get to know the community, it gives you a chance to associator with the locals. caffe sapore represents the highest standards of exactly this. a meeting place where they also have events. i have seen magicians and comic acts and poetry evening. when i come to caffe sapore i write about the birds and the tourists and the people talking because that is something i like to do is comment on the community. caffe sapore is one of the

greatest emblems of our community, a place where everybody will go. the tourists love to go by there because it is close to the crooked street in the area between north beach and fisherman's wharf. i think it should be continued. i would very much miss my neighbored. >> any other members of the public. seeing none, public comment is closed. commissioners, comments or motions? >> commissioner artez. >> thank you all for coming out. i want everybody on tv, policymakers, landlord, this is community. this is what small business is to the community. it is our fabric, it is what makes san francisco san

francisco. thank you for supporting your local business. commissioner dwight. >> i own a small business. i would be dealing at pride with a meeting and so many people supported my business and myself. i think it is fantastic. i have been on the commission now for 8 years. this is the best part of the commission meeting is the legacy business proceeding. this is the biggest turnout we have ever had for legacy business. irishiate yoi i appreciate you . i know my landlord is very proud of the fact i am in his building as a small manufacturer, a dying breed in the city and he takes great pride in helping me to stay business and to continue

the tradition of selling in the city which is rare. i would think that any landlord would be proud to have a business like this in their building. it shocks me to even think that if there have been -- i don't know the whole story and all stories have two sides. we know how hard being a small owner is. you miss a payment. maybe you are just overwhelmed with the day-to-day activities of running a business. i have been threatened to have my power turned off not because i couldn't pay but bu because i forgot to pay the bill. the outpouring of emotion you expressed towards the owner and his business. the landlord would have the same level of empaty, don't worry, let's fix it and move forward. i would think this would serve

as a wake-up call even if you were living under a rock the last 23 years. >> the neighbors love it and i am part of the legacy. i am the home to this legacy building. perhaps the proceedings here will shake lose empathy and help resolve this issue at this particular location. if not, so be it. hopefully he will find another location. this is my last commission meeting and most gratifying legacy business consideration i have been to in the history of the this program. thank you all for being here to make my last day a great one.

[applause] >> commissioner duly. >> these are what makes the city. it is not the big companies, it is the small companies that provide for their communities, who provide very special place for neighbors to meet other neighbors, to meet new people, and i fail to understand why a successful business like this should be forced to leave for some unknown business they have never communicated what business they are going to put in. we need to stand up for small businesses. that is the bottom line. we are working hard to say the buck is going to stop here when it comes to getting rid of our long-termness neighborhood businesses.

>> commissioner riley. [applause] >> i also want to thank all of you for coming out. it is very touching to see all of you supporting your community. i hope as commissioner divide says. hopefully you can work something out so the cafe can stay in the same place or find someplace else. >> commissioner dwight. >> can i make a motion as-final act as commissioner. >> one thing. i am touched by this turnout and the people who have come out. elias your story as a immigrant and succeeding in the united states. that is the american dream. you are living the american dream and becoming part of the fabric of what we call san francisco. i am so touched with everybody out here today. it is a little bit emotional.

commissioner dwight. >> i would like to move to approve the resolution to add caffe sapore to the legacy business edge industry. >> i will second it. >> motion by commissioner dwight to approve resolution to add caffe sapore to the legacy business registry. roll call vote. (roll call). >> commissioners this passes 5-0 with two absent. >> congratulations. [applause] >> congratulations.

[cheers and applause.]

>> next item, please. >> item 4. commissioners report. allows president, vice president and commissioners to report on recent small business activities

and make announcements that are of interest to the small business commission. discussion item. >> nothing to report as of today. >> any public comment on th on ? public comment is closed. >> item 5 director's report. update and report on the office of small business and the small business assistance center and department programs and policy and legislative matters. discussion eyesem. >> i want to say it is our last meeting for 2019. thank you. it was a great meeting to end the year with. i also want to acknowledge the mayor's office who has two

proclamations to present today. >> i am with the mayor's office. i am here to thank our outgoing commissioners for your years of service to san francisco in supporting small businesses. i will read probing. the city and council of san francisco recognizes organizations and individuals that made remarkable contributions to the city and the extraordinary work of mark dwight represents the values and sworn to the small business commission january 27, 2012, by may or lee he worked for local businesses and serve our city with honor and distinction. whereas serve on the small business commission for seven years and 21 days with three terms as president and two

tropical storms as vice president he provided recommendations on 200 legislative items with a profound effect on small businesses. whereas environmental protection to the regulatory processes and establishing the food program regulations he demonstrates unwavering commitment to ensuring the city local businesses had the resources and tools necessary to thrive. whereas his leadership and expertise are critical in implementation of legacy business program leaving a lasting positive impact on the signature local businesses. he has been instrumental to the rebirth of the san francisco manufacturing industry and his knowledge and expertise are instrumental to provide direction on policy matters to phosphetotofoster the industry. his leadership and vision are

critical to enriching the vibrant culture. whereas he is a part of our city andy serves a grand celebration. now therefore be it resolved i on behalf of mayor london breed on the city and county of san francisco do proclaim december 20, 2019 as mark dwight day in san francisco. [applause] >> for commissioner riley. for you as well. whereas the city and county of san francisco traditionally recognizes organizations and individuals that made significant contributions to the vitality of the city and dedicated work of eyevene riley represents the values at their best. sworn in on january 15, 2008 by

the mayor she has worked for advocate for local businesses and serve with honor and distinction. certifying for 11 years and 21 days with one term as of the president and vice president 300 items had a profound effect on small businesses. irene has proven instrumental in providing oversight to the office of small business playing a vital role in the opening and development. she is steadfast to insure businesses are successful and strifed to ensure the chinese community has the necessary resources and support and her expertise in bank landing greatly contributed to the financial needs of the businesses and the small business commission.

whereas irene yee riley's guidance is critical in the legacy business program and left a lasting impact on our city's signature local businesses. whereas local businesses are the cornerstone of the city it has proven critical to preserving the san francisco vibrant culture. she is irreplaceable part of the city andy serves a grand celebration. be it resolved i behalf of the mayor of the city and county of san francisco here by proclaim december 20, 2019 as irene yee riley day in san francisco. thank you, commissioners. >> thank you very much. any commissioner comments? i just want to say and i will start crying.

mark, you have been a rack. >> you can't say i didn't make you cry. >> irene is my rock. she is my car buddy for the last six months, and both of you have just -- what you have done for the commission and small business in san francisco. mark with sf maid. you truly took especially when we were talking about small manufacturing in the eastern part of the city. you stood up for the small manufacturers. we got laws changed to help those people out. that was so vital. and irene, what you have done not only for small business and banking and helping small businesses and reviewing those

small business loans that we have done over the years, and what you have done for the asian-american community especially chinatown and the sunset. every time we talked about programs, you always made sure things were done in chinese and people would understand and you were forceful with that. the city is made of many people. many fabrics. you made sure that fabric was included. i really appreciate that. the two of you, myself over the years have leaned on your for your advice, and i really appreciate everything you have done and you will be missed. thank you. >> thank you very much. >> i would like to make a through comments. i want to express my extreme gratification for the two of you being on the commission.

you have been instrumental with the governance of the offers and i had to quick rereflect on the fact irene and i have been with the office since it opened. i turn to you a lot in the beginning days and years for support and help and in growing and developing the office. also, really as commissioner adams said i want to appreciate your champ uponning the office in the chinese american community with the chinese press and taking every opportunity to promote services as well as the commission. it is going to be, you know, i am going to miss you, and i really appreciate all that you have contributed and the support

you provided me and the staff and our small businesses. for you, mark, our monday morning meetings, it is extraordinarily valuable to get -- for you to be a sounding board on policy issues, being able to understand how they may affect businesses that i don't necessarily know about or fully understand business operations. i am so appreciative of the amount you have given to support as well the offers and especially with the legacy business program. you are incredible eye for design andy tail and pushing us to be sure we have a quality logo to represent the legacy

business program. that is a legacy that every time i look at it, i will think of you. in addition to our legacy businesses. thank you. >> i will say it has been a real honor and privilege to serve on the commission and be associated with you on the commission, and richard you are behind the scenes in front and center activities made it a joy to be here. the legacy business program is really i think the hallmark program here in office and a real honor to be part of its inception. i hope i live long enough and my business is around long enough to be here one day as candidate for the registry myself. you grew up in silicone valley

and i didn't move to san francisco until 2002, 18 years ago to run a small business here. when i was growing up, i didn't know what city hall was. i didn't know what supervisors did. i had no idea about city government. when i moved to the city, i realized i was a city mouse, not a country mouse. i was so compelled to get involved. we are so close together in everything we do whether it is legislation or in private life affects other people. we don't have big borders in the city. we are packed in together. it was just i felt compelled to get involved first with the chamber of commerce then starting founding and starting sf maid then being asked to be on a committee for discussing

how the land use was going to go and the back streets business advisory board and gavin newsome and the honor of being appointed to the commission by late may or lee. his legacy through his support what i did with sf maid and putting me on the commission is gratifying to me and a real highlight of my business and civic career. i appreciate being able to do it and the trust that was put in me to be here, and i will miss it. i am not retiring from small business advocacy. i will be around longer. this is very much appreciated.

thank you. >> you covered everything. anyway. it is hard to say good-bye, but it is not good-bye. maybe moving on to something else. i want to take this opportunity to thank the director. we started 11 years ago. i didn't realize it was 11 years. time flies when you are having fun. i thank the staff and the rest of the staff for your support for the past 11 years, and i thank my fellow commissioners. we work very well together. usually we agree or come to a decision that we all are comfortable with. i think commissioner we started around the same time.

steve you have been very good president so keep up the good work and so were you, mark. we are going to do something else. i remember you, william, when you first started. you would never say a word at the meetings. now we can't shut you up. it is a good time. i learned a lot and met a lot of good people so thank you for the proclamation and thank you for being here. i think that is all i have to say. >> any other comments? we are going to public comment. would anybody from the public like to comment on item 5? >> i didn't prepare anything. i am not good at these types of things. i am afraid i might get upset.

i want to thank commissioner riley and commissioner wright for everything you have done for the legacy program. it would not have happened without your help. we had complicated grant rules and regulations to write bringing on a backlog of applications and you just always have been there for the program and i really appreciate that more than you know and more than i can say. i will definitely miss both of you. thank you so much. >> thank you. any other members of the public? >> commissioners i didn't have anything prepared. i have hit a year of working with the commission, with the office of small business. i remember when i got my official offer letter looking up. when i was interviewed looking

up your bois. i was in such awe of your accomplishments and all that you have done for san francisco and for your communities and when i was hired i just felt so privileged to work among all of you, but in particular you commissioner wright and commissioner rightly. this has been incredible. i have learned a lot from the commission and from the both of you. i want to thank you for your service. i know you will continue that when you depart from here. >> thank you. any other members of the public? seeing none, public comment is closed. any other comments? director? >> we are going to take a photo

between this and the next item. >> okay.

we will take a photo. (applause).

>> okay, next item. >> that concludes the director's report. >> next item. >> please show the office of small business slide. >> can i read it? >> go ahead. >> all right. it is our custom to begin and end each small business commission meeting with a reminder that the office of small business is if only place to start a new business in san francisco and the best place to get answers to your questions about doing business in san francisco. the office of small business should be your first stop when you have a question about what to do next. find us online or in person at city hall. best of all, all services are

free of charge. the small business commission is the official public forum to voice opinions and concerns about policies that affect the economic vitality about business in san francisco. start here at the office of small business. >> i would like to adjourn tonight's meeting in honor of mark dwight and irene riley. do i have a second. >> second. >> all in favor. aye. meeting adjourned. thank you everyone. .

>> shop and dine the 49 challenges residents to do they're shopping with the 49ers of san francisco by supporting the services within the feigned we help san francisco remain unique and successful and rib rant where will you shop the shop and dine the 49 i'm e jonl i provide sweets square feet potpie and peach cobbler and i started my business this is my baby i started out of high home and he would back for friends and coworkers they'll tell you hoa you need to open up a shop at the time he move forward book to the bayview and i thinks the t

line was up i need have a shop on third street i live in bayview and i wanted to have my shop here in bayview a quality dessert shot shop in my neighborhood in any business is different everybody is in small banishes there are homemade recess pesz and ingredients from scratch we shop local because we have someone that is here in your city or your neighborhood that is provide you with is service with quality ingredients and quality products and need to be know that person the person behind the products it is not like okay. who

>> clerk: i would like to remind members of the public to please silence your mobile devices that may sound off during these proceedings, and when speaking before the commission, do state your name for the record. i'd like to take roll at this time. [roll call] >> clerk: commissioners, first on your agenda is general public comment. i have no speaker cards. >> would any member of the public wish to address the commission on items not on our agenda? close public comment. >> clerk: very good. general matters. item one, director's announcements. >> thank you. commissioners, simply want to wish you a happy