>> testing, testing. there we go. good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the newly renovated maxine hall. [cheers and applause]. i'm san francisco mayor london breed, and i am so glad to be here. and it has been a long time coming. and it has been a trusted location that so many people in this neighborhood would come to time and time again. and there are various challenges with the vaccine, and issues around trust, there's no doubt that when we in this community need maxine hall, maxine hall is there for us.

and this is a trusted place for people of this community. [applause] a friend of mine many years ago -- her mom was struggling. her mom was only in her late 50s. and she went from being a vibrant person and she started losing weight and looking a lot different and looking unhealthy she was a woman almost 60 years old and never went into a hospital. never felt comfortable going into a hospital. and what's interesting is that her daughter was very, very much worried about what might happen to her mom. it was a very scary time for them. and eventually she convinced her to come to maxine hall. and the people here and how she was treated -- she was open to doing the kinds of tests with needles and blood and things of

that nature because there were people here who others had worked with within the community that basically reassured her that she could trust them. and eventually they discovered some things about her health and were able to get her on the right medications to get her back into the way that she did things before. and i see her on a regular basis out and about in the community as if nothing ever happened. she loves maxine hall. she loved coming here when she needs to get her flu shot, or other things. and we know that this location was temporarily moved to elio hutch community center. and i want to start by thanking james -- i'm not sure that he's here, but the eliose hutch community center, because we were concerned that during this project that broke ground in 2019 that this service wouldn't be available to the community, and we were able to open up a temporary location with a number

of trailers and elio hutch community center. want to thank the staff because it was a big thing to work in a way that you have not worked before, and we really preeshed appreciatethat. [applause] this project -- $15 million. new elevator -- elevators are expensive, by the way. i know -- when i was at the african-american culture comflex, that elevator cost us like $300,000, and that was years ago. elevators, accessibility, because a lot of people that get served here are elderly. and they need a different level of support. they can't walk up those stairs and they need this clinic. they need this location. and so accessible -- i know that sometimes food and fruit and other things are given out and counseling sections, having the privacy in a room to have those

discussions. this place means so much to so many people. and i'm so glad that this was prioritized in the 2016 health and safety bond when i served as a member of the board of supervisors and there's no way that i wouldn't make sure that organizations like this that serve the community in such a way would not receive the support that they need. so here with so many folks who are part of this community and here with i think carmen shu, the city administrator -- did she take off? oh, she's on the phone? [laughter] so carmen shu, she is the city administrator and the department of public works and carla short -- i don't think that she is here -- oh, you are? these masks are just throwing me off. so carla short, her department, the department of public works, they managed this project to get it done on time and under

budget. almost. [laughter] you guys sure know how to spend some money, don't you? and i want to thank dr. colfax for being here as well from the department of public health and the work that you do to work with the folks here in order to ensure that there's health in this community and i want to say that it's been a very, very difficult time where the city had to shut down. and we have relied so heavily on our public health folks, our nurses and our folks and our clinicians and our people out there on the field, because of the challenges that existed. and so i know that many of the people who were working at maxine hall, at elio hutch community center, they were the folks who answered all of the questions about covid and dealing with a lot of the concern and the fear from the community. and i want to thank you for continuing to be on the front lines, even when we didn't understand the impacts of covid

and what it would do. and then when we provided the vaccine, that has been a destination. and i sent everybody to maxine hall. i said get your shot at maxine hall. everyone knows what this means -- i can trust this place and i can trust the people who are part of this place, and it has made a world of difference. and now we have this world-class facility that is state-of-the-art and that should be exactly what it should be for the western edition community. and here to talk a little bit about the bond and what it means and all of the specifics who was supposed to be at the beginning of this -- this presentation, groundbreaking or whatever it ir carmen chu. [applause] >> thank you, mayor. you never want to be on the end of the mayor knowing that you're not punctual, right.

but i wanted to just come and to welcome everybody and to say a big congratulations. i know that this facility in particular has a very special place in this mayor's heart. not only because of the community that it serves, but because this is her center, right. this is the place where she grew up, and where the people in the community were served. the a place where people trusts the services here and the people who are here to take care of the community and to make sure that we continue to provide the public help that is necessary for all of our community members. so we do have a number of folks that we want to be recognizing today. and i have to apologize to the mayor, i was actually in the middle of a board meeting, hence, i could not kick off right away. but, again, i just wanted to say thank you. we have carla short here with the department of public works who has helped to deliver this, the department of public health, grant colfax who is here as well and can speak to this. and our district supervisor right now who is dean preston who has joined us here today as well. without further adieu i would

like to invite supervisor preston to come up and to say a few words of greeting and comments. thank you. [applause] >> supervisor preston: thank you, carmen, and it is really wonderful to be here with you all, thanks to the mayor, dr. colfax, director short. and to carmen chu as well. let me just say that the -- what the mayor has said is so true around not only the importance of this center to the community, but also looking back to how the funds come about, and i just want to remind everyone that when those bond measures come on to the balance, and it looks like a bunch of numbers, what we are celebrating today is when the voters of san francisco give us the green light to do big things to serve our community. and this is all made possible because of that vote in 2016.

i want to really thank all of our health care heroes. the folks who work here. the folks who had to operate. everyone knew that it would be a challenge to operate in a temporary location. like, that's tough enough. and then try doing that in the middle of a global pandemic. everyone knew that this would be a big project for d.p.w. to do. think about doing that project in the midst of a global pandemic. think about all of the work for everyone involved with the department of public health and everything that they -- all of the challenges that they have helped this city to overcome over the last year. i remember my late sister ran a behavioral health clinic in the east bay, in oakland. and i remember the incredible stress in the years before she passed when they were operating

in a trailer, in a temporary location. how difficult it was -- not just for the patients and clients, but for all of the staff to come to work in cramped quarters and for people in the community to not even really know where to go to find them. and i remember when they moved back in with the pride and the excitement that i know that folks feel about this amazing facility. and how much it meant to all of the folks who had worked so hard in these temporary locations to actually be in a permanent office to have the city invest in such a meaningful way financially in making sure that there is a home, not just now, but in the years to come, for decades and forever, for all of you to continue serving the community. and i want to especially thank dr. james who is recently retired for her incredible work

[cheers and applause]. during the pandemic. there you are. and lucia, who i know that is around. [cheers and applause]. thank you for your partnership during the pandemic and thank you for all that you do and the team here. i can't imagine who is going to fill your shoes, dr. james, but i know that some folks will try so we will look forward to continuing to partner with you and i want to introduce next the department of public works, director carla short, with thanks from my office for all of your incredible work since you have assumed the directorship of the department. welcome. [applause] >> thank you. thank you, supervisor preston. thank you, mayor breed. and administrator chu, and dr. colfax for your outstanding leadership. it is really an honor to be here with you today. i'm carla short, the interim director of san francisco public

works. and our team -- project managed this and designed this and delivered this project. the very exciting to be here at the re-opening of maxine hall. as the mayor noted, the building was originally built in 1968, and it was our job to bring this building into the 21st century. so with a very expensive elevator as well as seismic improvements and state-of-the-art facility, new patient rooms, larger exam rooms, we really hope that this facility will continue to provide for the community as it has done. i also really want to acknowledge what we just heard. you know, the staff worked throughout this pandemic. our team worked throughout this pandemic. they came every day to, you know, to carry out their essential duties to get the job done. so i do want to recognize a few folks on our team, led by ron alameda, who is the city architect. and joe chin and charles king of

public works. [applause] and especially our colleague at the department of public health it is partnerships like this that we come together that we can really deliver something magical for community. so i too want to thank the voters who approved the public health and safety bond. when you support those bonds, you support these very important projects that really then goes on to support everyone in the community. so we are very grateful for that. and i think -- we just want to recognize the important role that these types of centers -- as the mayor noted -- play when we have a global pandemic. who knew that was coming? but thank goodness that we had a facility like this to provide for folks a trusted facility. so public works is so proud to have been part of this project and the grand reopening today. and thank you all for your support. and with that i would like to introduce dr. grant colfax. [applause]

>> well, good afternoon, everybody. thank you. it's so great to be here on this beautiful day. i want to thank mayor breed, supervisor preston, city administrator chu and dr. short, and the voters, for bringing this project to fruition. it has been a while. most of all i want to thank the dph team, the incredible dph team, who worked on this both here at the clinic and across dph for your resiliency and strength and for getting this work done. this is so amazing. thank you so much. [applause] i also wanted to just say that i have connections with this clinic that goes back some ways i actually trained here as a resident. and i will say that it needed a bit of refurbishing, shall we say, at that point. and i remember talking about the elevators and was recalling getting stuck in an elevator

here at one point and that was a while ago. and really excited to be here. and these renovations are really about ensuring that we provide a caring environment for people to get the care they need, to serve the whole patient. and serving the whole patient means providing an environment that is welcoming for people to get check-ups, for people to get primary care, and women's health care and medical testing and doing that all in one location. you know, in the medical jargon we call this low-barrier access, but that's really just a way of saying that we're flexible, that people can drop in, that we support people and caring for themselves. and it really takes a team in many cases to ensure that people realize their full ability towards health and wellness. it is has been over a year and a half. we've had the pandemic fight and, again, it is amazing what this clinic have done and what the staff have done and most importantly i think what the community has done to ensure that their health and wellness is maintained as well as possible. i also want to call out james

and thank him for his partnership, including elio hutch, especially with the implementation of covid testing and the vaccinations, that took some work and it took partnership. it wasn't always easy. and there were some difficult conversations. but we built those partnerships, and look where we are now. since the start of the panhandle, maxine hall has administered over 17,000 covid tests and almost 10,000 vaccines. [applause] yes, amazing, over 10,000 vaccines. and i just have to say it -- there are some kid over there and i wonder if they're vaccinated yet and they look like they're between 5 and 11, right, and if you are eligible for your booster, get your booster. i also really want to acknowledge westside community services and executive director marianne jones for their important ongoing work. [applause] right. we know how important behavioral health is and this clinic stayed open during construction and during the pandemic to provide

those all-important substance treatments to the community. so we have done well here. part of this is work allows the western edition to have one of the highest rates of vaccination in the city, with 78% of people fully vaccinated. [applause] that's great work. and that is in partnership with the community leaders and people who received their cure here at maxine hall. and in that regard it is my great honor to welcome roslyn fraser with a long-time member of maxine hall advisory committee and has lived in the western addition for a period of time i believe. over 30 plus years. so thank you so much for being here and i appreciate your wisdom and your guidance as we do our work and serve the community. welcome. [applause]

>> welcome, mayor london breed, mr. grant colfax and supervisor dean preston and all of the representatives and the city leaders and also the patient advisors that are here today. thank you, everyone, for coming out to see our new renovated maxine hall clinic. you could have been anywhere else, but you chose to be here with us on this special day to celebrate with us. i know -- i know that mrs. maxine hall is smiling down on us on this special day. she was a big advocate in the western edition and she would have been proud. my name is roslyn fraser and i have been coming to maxine hall health center for more than 13 years. and i have served on patient advisory committees for about five years. and it have been a pleasure to

serve on different projects. such as the hypertension equity group. the city-wide pack. and the subcommittee for the covid vaccine outreach. i thank god for my health and strength for allowing me to serve on these different committees. now that the clinic is remodeled, what i like most about the clinic is that it is very up-to-date, and thank god that we have an elevator. [laughter]. [applause] for the seniors and the disabled. and we have large exam rooms. something we have needed for years. i know all of our patients will really appreciate this. i want -- i personally want to thank the entire staff of maxine hall and the porters and for all of the hard work and dedication that y'all have done -- have

shown during this pandemic. i know that it wasn't easy, but god gave y'all -- each and every one of y'all -- the strength. i know that it was stressful, but you did it. thank you for all that you do. god bless each and every one of you. and thank you. [applause] >> thank you. thank you, roslyn, for your comments and for joining us today. of course i want to say again a big thank you to all of the city departments who helped to deliver this project. i have mentioned the department of public works, the health department, and also the mayor's office of disability with regard to that elevator. so we definitely want to make sure to remember them.

but we have been throughout all of this project really it has been the community effort and how people came together to continue serving the community. again, i want to thank all of you for doing that. and james, i think that the mayor had mentioned our thanks to you to make sure that we continue to have temporary sites and services. of course, we want to thank mary ann and all of the folks here at maxine hall. so without further adieu we are here to cut a beautiful ribbon. so mayor, come on up. and supervisor preston and roslyn, we would love to have you join us. >> thank you. (♪♪)

[♪♪♪] ♪ homelessness in san francisco is considered the number 1 issue by most people who live here, and it doesn't just affect neighbors without a home, it affects all of us. is real way to combat that is to work together. it will take city departments and nonprofit providers and volunteers and companies and community members all coming together. [♪♪♪] >> the product homeless connect community day of service began about 15 years ago, and we have had 73 of them. what we do is we host and expo-style event, and we were the very force organization to do this but it worked so well that 250 other cities across the globe host their own. there's over 120 service providers at the event today,

and they range anywhere from hygiene kits provided by the basics, 5% -- to prescription glasses and reading glasses, hearing tests, pet sitting, showers, medical services, flu shots, dental care, groceries, so many phenomenal service providers, and what makes it so unique is we ask that they provide that service today here it is an actual, tangible service people can leave with it. >> i am with the hearing and speech center of northern california, and we provide a variety of services including audiology, counselling, outreach, education, today we actually just do screening to see if someone has hearing loss. to follow updates when they come into the speech center and we do a full diagnostic hearing test, and we start the process of taking an impression of their year, deciding on which hearing aid will work best for them. if they have a smart phone, we make sure we get a smart phone that can connect to it, so they can stream phone calls, or use

it for any other services that they need. >> san francisco has phenomenal social services to support people at risk of becoming homeless, are already experience and homelessness, but it is confusing, and there is a lot of waste. bringing everyone into the same space not only saves an average of 20 hours a week in navigating the system and waiting in line for different areas, it helps them talk, so if you need to sign up for medi-cal, what you need identification, you don't have to go to sacramento or wait in line at a d.m.v., you go across the hall to the d.m.v. to get your i.d. ♪ today we will probably see around 30 people, and averaging about 20 of this people coming to cs for follow-up service. >> for a participant to qualify for services, all they need to do is come to the event. we have a lot of people who are at risk of homelessness but not yet experiencing it, that today's event can ensure they stay house. many people coming to the event are here to receive one specific need such as signing up for medi-cal or learning about

d.m.v. services, and then of course, most of the people who are tender people experiencing homelessness today. >> i am the representative for the volunteer central. we are the group that checks and all the volunteers that comment participate each day. on a typical day of service, we have anywhere between 40500 volunteers that we, back in, they get t-shirts, nametags, maps, and all the information they need to have a successful event. our participant escorts are a core part of our group, and they are the ones who help participants flow from the different service areas and help them find the different services that they needs. >> one of the ways we work closely with the department of homelessness and supportive housing is by working with homeless outreach teams. they come here, and these are the people that help you get into navigation centers, help you get into short-term shelter, and talk about housing-1st policies. we also work very closely with the department of public health to provide a lot of our services.

>> we have all types of things that volunteers deal do on a day of service. we have folks that help give out lunches in the café, we have folks who help with the check in, getting people when they arrive, making sure that they find the services that they need to, we have folks who help in the check out process, to make sure they get their food bag, bag of groceries, together hygiene kit, and whatever they need to. volunteers, i think of them as the secret sauce that just makes the whole process works smoothly. >> participants are encouraged and welcomed to come with their pets. we do have a pet daycare, so if they want to have their pets stay in the daycare area while they navigate the event, they are welcome to do that, will we also understand some people are more comfortable having their pets with them. they can bring them into the event as well. we also typically offer veterinary services, and it can be a real detriment to coming into an event like this. we also have a bag check.

you don't have to worry about your belongings getting lost, especially when that is all that you have with you. >> we get connected with people who knew they had hearing loss, but they didn't know they could get services to help them with their hearing loss picks and we are getting connected with each other to make sure they are getting supported. >> our next event will be in march, we don't yet have a date set. we typically sap set it six weeks out. the way to volunteer is to follow our newsletter, follow us on social media, or just visit our website. we always announce it right away, and you can register very easily online. >> a lot of people see folks experience a homelessness in the city, and they don't know how they can help, and defence like this gives a whole bunch of people a lot of good opportunities to give back and be supported. [♪♪♪]

as latinos we are unified in some ways and incredibly diverse in others and this exhibit really is an exploration of nuance in how we present those ideas. ♪♪ our debts are not for sale. >> a piece about sanctuary and how his whole family served in the army and it's a long family

tradition and these people that look at us as foreigners, we have been here and we are part of america, you know, and we had to reinforce that. i have been cure rating here for about 18 year. we started with a table top, candle, flowers, and a picture and people reacted to that like it was the monna lisa. >> the most important tradition as it relates to the show is idea of making offering. in traditional mexican alters, you see food, candy, drinks, cigarettes, the things that the person that the offerings where being made to can take with them into the next word, the next life. >> keeps us connects to the

people who have passed and because family is so important to us, that community dynamic makes it stick and makes it visible and it humanizes it and makes it present again. ♪♪ >> when i first started doing it back in '71, i wanted to do something with ritual, ceremony and history and you know i talked to my partner ross about the research and we opened and it hit a cord and people loved it. >> i think the line between engaging everyone with our culture and appropriating it. i think it goes back to asking people to bring their visions of what it means to honor the dead, and so for us it's not asking us to make mexican altars if they

are not mexican, it's really to share and expand our vision of what it means to honor the dead. >> people are very respectful. i can show you this year alone of people who call tol ask is it okay if we come, we are hawaii or asian or we are this. what should we wear? what do you recommend that we do? >> they say oh, you know, we want a four day of the dead and it's all hybrid in this country. what has happened are paper cuts, it's so hybrid. it has spread to mexico from the bay area. we have influence on a lot of people, and i'm proud of it. >> a lot of times they don't

represent we represent a lot of cultures with a lot of different perspectives and beliefs. >> i can see the city changes and it's scary. >> when we first started a lot of people freaked out thinking we were a cult and things like that, but we went out of our way to also make it educational through outreach and that is why we started doing the prosession in 1979. >> as someone who grew up attending the yearly processions and who has seen them change incrementally every year into kind of what they are now, i feel in many ways that the cat is out of the bag and there is no putting the genie back into the bottle in how the wider public accesses the day of the dead. >> i have been through three

different generations of children who were brought to the procession when they were very young that are now bringing their children or grandchildren. >> in the '80s, the processions were just kind of electric. families with their homemade visuals walking down the street in san francisco. service so much more intimate and personal and so much more rooted in kind of a family practice of a very strong cultural practice. it kind of is what it is now and it has gone off in many different directions but i will always love the early days in the '80s where it was so intimate and sofa millial. >> our goal is to rescue a part of the culture that was a part that we could invite others to

join in there there by where we invite the person to come help us rescue it also. that's what makes it unique. >> you have to know how to approach this changing situation, it's exhausting and i have seen how it has affected everybody. >> what's happening in mission and the relationship with the police, well it's relevant and it's relevant that people think about it that day of the dead is not just sugar skulls and paper flowers and candles, but it's become a nondenominational tradition that people celebrate. >> our culture is about color and family and if that is not present in your life, there is just no meaning to it you know? >> we have artists as black and

brown people that are in direct danger of the direct policies of the trump administration and i think how each of the artists has responded so that call is interesting. the common >> he is a real leader that listens and knows how to bring people together. brought this department together like never before. i am so excited to be swearing in the next chief of the san francisco fire department, ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome, jeanine nicholson. (applause).

>> i grew up total tomboy, athlete. i loved a good crisis, a good challenge. i grew up across the street from the fire station. my dad used to take me there to vote. i never saw any female firefighters because there weren't any in the 1970s. i didn't know i could be a fire fighter. when i moved to san francisco in 1990, some things opened up. i saw women doing things they hadn't been doing when i was growing up. one thing was firefighting. a woman recruited me at the gay-pride parade in 1991. it was a perfect fit. i liked using my brain, body, working as a team, figuring things out, troubleshooting and coming up with different ways to solve a problem. in terms of coming in after

another female chief, i don't think anybody says that about men. you are coming in after another man, chief, what is that like. i understand why it is asked. it is unusual to have a woman in this position. i think san francisco is a trailblazer in that way in terms of showing the world what can happen and what other people who may not look like what you think the fire chief should look like how they can be successful. be asked me about being the first lbgq i have an understands because there are little queer kids that see me. i worked my way up. i came in january of 1994. i built relationships over the years, and i spent 24 years in the field, as we call it. working out of firehouses.

the fire department is a family. we live together, eat together, sleep in the same dorm together, go to crazy calls together, dangerous calls and we have to look out for one another. when i was burned in a fire years ago and i felt responsible, i felt awful. i didn't want to talk to any of my civilian friends. they couldn't understand what i was going through. the firefighters knew, they understood. they had been there. it is a different relationship. we have to rely on one another. in terms of me being the chief of the department, i am really trying to maintain an open relationship with all of our members in the field so myself and my deputy chiefs, one of the priorities i had was for each of us to go around to different fire stations to make sure we hit all within the first three

or four months to start a conversation. that hasn't been there for a while. part of the reason that i am getting along well with the field now is because i was there. i worked there. people know me and because i know what we need. i know what they need to be successful. >> i have known jeanine nicholson since we worked together at station 15. i have always held her in the highest regard. since she is the chief she has infused the department with optimism. she is easy to approach and is concerned with the firefighters and paramedics. i appreciate that she is concerned with the issues relevant to the fire department today. >> there is a retired captain who started the cancer prevention foundation 10 years

ago because he had cancer and he noticed fellow firefighters were getting cancer. he started looking into it. in 2012 i was diagnosed with breast canner, and some of my fellow firefighters noticed there are a lot of women in the san francisco fire department, premenopausal in their 40s getting breast cancer. it was a higher rate than the general population. we were working with workers comp to make it flow more easily for our members so they didn't have to worry about the paper work when they go through chemo. the turnout gear was covered with suit. it was a badge to have that all over your coat and face and helmet. the dirtier you were the harder you worked.

that is a cancer causeser. it -- casser. it is not -- cancer causer. there islassic everywhere. we had to reduce our exposure. we washed our gear more often, we didn't take gear where we were eating or sleeping. we started decontaminating ourselves at the fire scene after the fire was out. going back to the fire station and then taking a shower. i have taught, worked on the decontamination policy to be sure that gets through. it is not if or when. it is who is the next person. it is like a cancer sniper out there. who is going to get it next. one of the things i love about the fire department. it is always a team effort. you are my family.

i love the city and department and i love being of service. i vow to work hard -- to work hard to carry out the vision of the san francisco fire department and to move us forward in a positive way. if i were to give a little advice to women and queer kids, find people to support you. keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep trying. you never know what door is going to open next. you really don't. [cheers andgo. >> shop and dine the 49 promotes local businesses and changes san franciscans to do their shopping and dooipg within the 49 square

miles by supporting local services within the neighborhood we help san francisco remain unique, successful and vibrant so where will you shop and dine the 49 hi in my mind a ms. medina

>> president honda will be the presiding officer tonight and he is joined by commissioner anne lass russ ex chang and lopez. rick swig is absent and zachary will provide the board with any needed legal advice for items 7 and 8 and deputy city attorney brad russ' will provide the board with the agenda. at the control is the board's legal assistant and i'm julie rosenberg, the executive director. you will be joined by representatives from the city departments thall