tv Health Commission SFGTV August 27, 2022 12:00am-3:01am PDT
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make with her. it will not happen. >> okay we bought it recognize thanksgiving right and continue to respect this right. >> thank you. >> just to claire nile the tenant currently living there is in a udu. no. >> no. >> no. >> no. >> i think that what nodes to be clarified the udu is unoccupied the tenant that is there in one of the 3 but legalized. >> the udu show you pictures. entertain in a conversation the commissioners ask a question and when you asked that is the conversation you have but nothing in between. why thank you. >> i think there were condition fusion. udu is not being rented or not occupied there was no eviction in the udu. no tenability.
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there was concern the tenability were in the udu and paying rent. okay that clears that up. so -- i mean my main concern, of course is and i irrelevant appreciate. your response and sharing your personal experiences the issue at hand is beyond this project. of because of the housing crisis that we are currently experience nothing san francisco and you know we are sighing many and for years people buy property and flip them and owner move in evictions or relative must have in evictions and vow san francisco a pigy bank to profit. if this is not the case with this project i feel better about it. but again, you know i think it is really up to us as a planning
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department to potential low talk more about the issue because i know we have very ambitious goals to not see housing. how do we actually apply that? to -- some of issues we see before us at planning. i think the prior is ensure we protect the concern tenant. i commends the sponsor for agree to return the concern tenant at a reason controlled process and like to see the commission ensure we include that. in a motion we make today. i will stop there. >> thank you. >> commissioner imperial. i have question in terms.
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udu going to -- you mentioned you will apply for legalize the ad u. have you submitted an application for this? correct when we submitted the plan and talking with the city, they told us that -- you know it needed to be legalized and that but we could not do it through the standard permit set. but we valid to do it i have at state ad u there are block and the [inaudible] i don't know that might be your area. >> yea. >> can that be -- because yes i'm aware we have the local ad u and state. restriction on the local program if there were evictions of any type a 5 to 10 year holding period the option to pursue a
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state ad u to legalize the udu. the state ad u does in the owner move in eviction that happened in the last 5 years. >> correct. or the other wave around. owner move in eviction does not present the pursuant of the state ad u. >> i have to legalize it but you can't through anything butt state ad u we said we are notteen this is now you to. we can leave it as a basement. you node to or ask for cu. that was the upon only avenue the city gave us so we have plans and permits submitted we need to determine that to be able to do anything with temperature it hinges on this greater project. >> thank you. >> the state ad u does not
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protect in terms of the deed restricted. that it is not. the state does it protect deed restricted or also allow for a former tenant to come back. >> i don't think there was a former tenant there. their choices were to ask for a cu to remove the udu and the legal unit. or their path to do it under the state program. it is a bit of those other 2 options.
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if you added the ad u under the local ordinance it would being subject to reason coal the state we can't. but in this case because there was an eviction they can't add it. they can remove it. >> that is the issue that -- the decision you made in terms of apply to a state ad u. this commission is very you know we -- have a preference for our local ad u program -- give reason controlled it does cover reason control for future
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tenants. unfortunately the state will not give that. um -- that is also a concern for mow in terms of -- yes, it is good to legalize this unit but the future tenants. another question, too is this the addition of the officer deck. looks like in this area as many of the buildings around the area has flat officer. is that correct? >> yes. >> yes. >> and this officer deck will be accessible to one unit. >> was not initial low like that. we had a full set of stairs up and down. we had to reduce the building by 2 feet because of the neighbor issue that forced the redesign it was a function of making sure we have enough open pace and
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make sure -- all the codes are met. it was in the initially like that it was not our intention it make it that way but felt with the reduction the fortunate use instead of building a huge stairweland has privacy impact walk down you look in people's unit to credit that open space on each floor. of you know we tried to make it mod evaporated we set it become on all sides 5 feet. you know it is in the going to make anything crazy i live in the top unit and we tried to follow all the rules. >> yea. you can add a roof deck however looking in through we are trying to look in the context of the neighborhood as well. it looks like you are the
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building that has officer deck all 3 of will neighbors including the petitioner have a patriot roof deck and the next door nature and all 3 niches have private officer decks. we are on a slope. even though it is a flat roof each bells is set 8 feet that down it is not like i could walk on someone else's deck. well is staggering that helps. the impact to being right next to each other. aller neighbors have roof of decks. good to know. in terms of the there are questions about and the previous
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landlord, did not actually improve the mid block open space you are trying to improve it. you are trying to improve the roar yard. which is good the fact is that this rear in regard as you do it now you cannot go back to the track of where the attentives had when than i have a different land lord. in terms of officer deck it is something you know you can say there are 3 roof decks but however a majority of this area may not have this roof deck. or the 2 blocks of that. other question in terms of the
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tenant living right now. dushlg kruck hawill help. >> we the work with her and make sure that we secured somewhere it is hard to tell. we may be able to do portions without moving out. we may -- have to work through this if we get through this. it is tough. what we talked to her daughter about we will provide all the required relocation. we can work with her on the time line if we push it a mock or 2 and has time to get her stuff together if we all would have to move out. we have to rip off the back of the building. we are willing to work with her if the relocation is not enough we the community through that.
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whatever works is when we will do. we touchod it but the ad u and the reason control it is not our intention to circumvenn rent control we have not raised her rent since we got the property. we have not raised that we are not doing this to be speck welltive we are doing what is expected by planning. and trying to navigate the complicated water its is not our intent it is our option we were told we had to do. >> in this case, you know i'm more in terms of loning toward taking the dr with condition that relocation agreement. >> sure. depart. >> sure and monitored by planning in terms of what
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commissioner ruiz was saying. >> sure. >> i like to hear had other commissioners say in terms of the roof deck. i like to direct my questions to a different set of people. i will talk about a different subject matter. >> upon i'm sorry i will asking a couple of different questions my first is to have you speaking as an attorney of rebuttal of the application. speaking about the legal issue. 3 units versus 4 and how you saw it relative to what is in 41 of us the project was purchased or had an political for 3 units. the applicant is saying they thought it was a basement they had a 15a and mailbox and gate
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make its electric like a unit. could you spoke to that one more time. it creates a different argument how we look at what is in front of us. >> brian o'neil, so the san francisco recognizes that as a unit. had the original project political was submitted it showed 4 units and showed a kitchen and showed a bathroom enemy that basement unit. recent plan its is now shown as rooms. ad u was pulled out of the project application and submitted separate low. what is proposed now in the project plans show just 3 units
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so the project before you today would you can to approve 3 units the state ad u application is separate. and so it -- there is nothing i guess prevenning the owners from not moving forward with that ad u. because it is a separate permit and not before you today. what the tenant's attorney was explaining was that during the eviction process he was not med aware of that basement unit. and so what he was suggest is that if there was an empty u first and somebody does an omi you are supposed to move in that unit. sxf -- they could have legalized that basement unit as an ad u
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since they were not moving in at that time. and they could have legalized that ad u and moved in this ad u without evicting one of the families. i think them is an important upon points thap is in front of us the additional confusion here is the solutions that ceiling height in this 15 unit is not sufficient to have a legal unit i hear back and forth can you clarify that. mr. winslow? there are often cases they are
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not code compliant in bringing them to compliance is making improve ams that would make them legal. >> that's under the scope of this request. and under this permit 2 feet down to provide ceiling height. >> that's when is under reruin this permit of legalizing the udu2 de feo to provide head room for the unauthorized unit. >> i'm puzzled how that would work the structure is what it is how dig down without altering the building. i will take that. i'm jim houston. >> i did not ask you. >> through the permit
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application to replace foundation and excan have a bilt to provide head room for the udu to legalize it. at this moment in the current state, the unit is not occupiability? period? >> not legally that's why. >> okay. mr. lum still here? if you would not mind raising a number. important questions i look at a project like this in the place too many issues would you about your observations and have him respond it your questions. >> i stated in the hand out i give to you, there are major life safety violations with the way this building has been designed. if you conditional have bedrooms that don't have access for
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escape and also fire rescue. the backyard there it is none of that. so in this is -- [inaudible]. >> r2 and therefore it is when people don't know when they are doing and used to building single fell or history that is they may not know the codes. this is an urban metro life safety issue. being you respond to this buzz we are talking about what form is this would abouting pursuable or does it node to go back to the drawing board and finds a middle grounds where the technical challenges this mr. lum is sum rising in the learning neighborhood concerns are met in some form y. before i get to technical details and limits of my understanding and knowledge of fire interesting codes.
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is that it is not uncommon for them to be pursued under a separate permit that shrilled a separate process. review with the building department, fire department and planning department. original plan that came in under 311 had a review with building department and there were no comments came forth red energies at that point. the reason was they prosecute poseed remove the existing roar wood stair in the rear and provide a flight escape acsesdz the officer deck. of fire escape structure like that is an exception to the rule.
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concern state without a meanings of accessing the fire department. the criteria which mr. lum has correct low assessed is this the fire department needs to access the rear. for 22 foot leader. 3 foot wide is the minimum standard. straight shot through. and that in doing so it might diminish or eliminate the size of the ad u. we don't know that we are not the fire department nor building department we don't know if there is another means to accomplish that.
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if it were so cord to the diagram and if it were it decrease the size of the unauthorized dwelling urning nit by 25% from the original condition would come become through planning as a cu authorization. we would the commission decide or not on whether to grant that authorization. the project sponsor could apply to remove the unauthorized unit through cu authorization with the criteria found it is financial low infeasible to do so. >> one of the other concern system tht ad u or udu -- that has been applied for is not code compliant. bedrooms the front bedroom has
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there is not an understanding of the building code by this applicant. and it is unfortunate a professional was not used in the creation of the design. it does not meet the upon stooshsd of care. but i understand the planning department and staff is in the here to vet building code. but in this case it is more severe issue given the number of units and appalling to me manage that had code issues continues to be resubmitted without correction. this includes the front gate. my occurrence are where we are asked to approve a building that when it ultimate low guess through the sausage factory and dbi it becomes something different. we are struggling with too many issues given the hundreds of comments the minimum i expect
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them what is in front of us is something that meets in a way to minimum expectations. no audio. of an approval of a building why we are not having the details we are not substitute for the building department and fire department to look at the final grain of code compliant building or with air function in building be this is what our responsibility is here we are working hard to have that discussion and me asking architect lum on his person to me relative to the decisions i make. my next question. thank you mr. lum i appreciate it. next question goes to mr. winslow. what would a 45% roar yard not looking at reariard average look
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in this case would you tell mow what that would look like? yield a building 33 feet deep from the front. the concern building is 42 foot 3 inches from the face of its front property lineful 45% roar yard is 27 feet deep on this lot. the block nobody meets 45%. if you electric at the exhibitses severlow contrained
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the shortest building one of the shortest on the block. more open space than any other property on the block. >> let mow say that i appreciate that the rear stair was like a major piece of furniture disappeared. the building has become shorter. but when i look to the building to the west i regret it is over shooting in i american that is too much. i would like to finds a middle grounds in terms of how deep the building can function. in addition to that and this is my personal opinion and i stated that opinion in many other case, i believe that the rear spiral stair case to the roof is
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bulking out too much. i'm not prepared to support it requires a tall fire separating wall from the other building bulking the belling out further. why would you not choose a porch like you did on the other flowers for that floor? could you mrin that, please? >> sure my per in exit w from home we were trying to mechanic myself the interior space. the loss of the 2 de feo that was frommor first we push today back and lost another 2 de feo it is now i want to have kids. it is a littles bit of a space issue for us on there we both work from home. space for an office.
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we tried to maximize the out door space on each floor. that's how our consideration is we can put in a little office. the space requirement we provide 100 square feet of private space per floor we removed the rear stair that took all of the tenabilities down to the shared space the point in the dr's response was that we were not providing enough shared space or open space. in order to meet those requirements we made that bottom yard private and the top unit have the deck. and we had to cut in 100 square feet out of each to provide open space because of getting rid of the exterior stair. >> you are cutting out.
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yoof the net result is incoming the open space of the backyard. we put a picture up the rear yard has a fire exit. would not be required the build suggest sprinklered. it increases the open space of this area. by delete thanksgiving stair. thank you for this. i wanted to say that if one has open space ash joining to one unit i consider this my living pace it is private open pace and understand the covid constravents 2 people work in one smaller unit i'm in the same predicament with my husband we fought for 2-1/2 years. i think that applies to everybody in the room. we are live nothing unit size varying sizes. being you tell me what the
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existing unit sizes you are in and when you are expecting it gainch >> i know it is 736 square feet. and the end it is 14% increase in size. right mou we don't have a kitchen we are trying to design it with wherewe get functional spitz the tenant gets space. 736 now and the be 838. 102 feet. 10 by 10 across a 23 foot wide property. a 14% increase it is minor. and set become a couple times at this point we wanted preserve the 3 bedrooms. i think an important piece to point out is that you know right mou it is 1906 design. the initial it is a box a
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rectangle. 4 rooms and the enclosed porch when i'm in the kitchen there is exterior window there. it is in the functional. that was the bedroom but no window our tenant sleeps there because it does in the touch up to the sidewalk and does not have a window. we are trying to make it functional and safer. nottest 102 square feet. i appreciate your comments i'm on the 3 blocks over.
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space in which families with multiple family members with. at a square footage that was by far smaller than anything you will move into. i don't want to entertain a conversation i'm speaking. and i think we need to understand the measure of scale here. the number of people. for us as commissioners who are in the middle of the most brutal times i experienced in my adult life. people are being disaccompliced and people homeless and no affordable housing available this is a tough project. gi understand. ure might be not to respond. i'm sorry. this is a tough project and i'm trying to find a mitts ground
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and have been basically not been able to come to land of when we mead to do. we need to see it now and if an ad u occupied in 5 years i like to know what i'm approving if i don't get it 5 years from now. it is those things and i have issues with the massing of the building in the rear. i could enlarge am of the building is in the outrageous. the amount of scare footage is doable. the stair case is not a consideration for me. nor is the roof deck.
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a porch would be great and make it a fitting building. and the comments you raised earlier about -- tenant correction specific -- letter of agreement about what the tenant will be protected for. how long and what form. including a protection this i think would deal with it is life span. are extremely important. i see if commissioner diamond i'm looking at the screen would choose to weigh in. commissioner diamond are you able to share. >> thank you very much. am in response it commissioner imperial's commission about the officer deck it does in the bother me given is presently setback and surrounded by others
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as we become denser by necessity begin when we are proposing in the housing element i expect we see many requests for officer decks and think it is present typeset access to light and air. and open pace that would not otherwise be achievable. i'm fine with the officer deck proposal. >> i also this is private backyard space in the shared communal space. as much of the testimony was about light and air and privacy and gained by mid block open space. i agree that mid block open pace is chris cal i don't see exceptional and extraordinary circumstances that justify applying more strict rus to this report property then and there to other property owners. if we think our mid block open space rear yard setback rules are not appropriate we should
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change them by legislation. i don't by dr. i'm in agreement with staff's analysis and i not take dr. >> commissioner diamond if i may ask you were you aware that the stair case is on property line and because it is a stepping situation will require full height fire wall against the adjoining property will by appearance bulk up the building in the roar. >> is it per misted by code? >> yes. however it requires a fire wall. so it is not like an open stair it is a stair that is wall in the on one side sit on the property line with the neighbor going to the west. >> du look at that issue. >> i did and it is worth noting
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the massing that commissioner moore is talking about is -- full height fire wall protecting that stair. it is within the within less massing than the -- 311 notification proposal that was sent out. the blgdz all on that line extended that height to that height. but 2 feet further in the rear yard. and of so -- it is code compliant. does not seem it is proposing undue burden to the building on 51 bernard. but open to upon finer discernment. >> you say code compliant relative to the stair and number of, those are open questions, >> correct >> code compliant with respect to individual access from a
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private unit from officer deck. with respect to the planning envelope. >> mr. lum did you have comment, i would like to move this conversation. >> not code compliant the deck is in the it looks a fire wall at the parapit they miss third degree in the code of the building code. also the bathroom on the top unit does in the comply with code it is 7 foot 3. they don't know the building code on that. there is continues to be a lack of bathrooms like that would be a one bedroom if one was using their plans in the doing the plan check on it. i think that is information is so -- incorrect. i don't know is it a 2 bedroom in the bottom? one bedroom or studio.
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i don't know how this comparris how you can adjudicate manage that is flawed here. onthing we refer to the code compliancey of the building. we heard that the code compliant at the bear minimum with building codes. and i also would like to -- in terms of the context of the neighborhood that is when i'm trying to see here. that the dr requestor is referring to the cultural preservation of this neighborhood. yes had is code compliant the shortest building in this
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in this area there is a chinese community and [inaudible] [bad audio [[that causing the planning [inaudible]. not look into that. and um -- i'm trying to yes this , is a code compliant building. however, context it. the fact of the matter is to me that bothers mow is this these are evictions this helped in 5 years and whether the land lord are did first negotiations in 2019 and directingod to twoent 21. the families are not living
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there and they left during the pandemic. it is conscience which there issue owner move in evictions attentives that the planning departmentmented the units. and coming back owner starting to move out. the recoveried in terms of the -- relocation green light that looks like will happen with the land lord and the tenant. so00 eye think if there is no such changes on the building itself, but i would like to add condition in terms of the when
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the owner moves out. and relocation needs to be on the record. those are dpien is should be included in the action memo as findings opposed to conditions. rescue noising efforts of the code and when not. right? and that will be [inaudible] ticking dr with addition to findings orb not take dr with addition on findings. if you are not changing the physical structure and referencing codes that provide the protections to tenants the attorney's office could choim in
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but making a motion to not take dr and issuing an action memo reflecting those findings. >> i think this sounds right. not clear if there were other conscience this were being proposed or it was simple low to -- reference the rent ordinances requirements. and may be possible low then -- provide information to the tenant about relocation assistance or obligations under the ordinance. i think that being be accomplished. >> can i get a commitment from the director that this project will be monitored. >> yes. >> we discussed and 3 it back to you in 6 months or a year could be a time frame where there would be relocation agreement or an agreement. we are help to include this if you want to.
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6 months in a year report become to give you information on what happened as far as rep location. >> there is a trigger in the department when a belling permit is pulled up that is member needs to monitor and report back. i'm not ready to make a motion and have a question -- [inaudible]. what you are trying to achieve in spacing the 2 block radius what are you trying to ask from planning? >> yes, thank you.
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commissioner imperial. when we are trying to preserve is existing mid block santa fes that exists the block that is north, pacific, taylor and jones the east side of the block is really tinament wagz and further encroach am concerns us. we are okay with they want to not [inaudible] we will give them that. it is just not. they for the benefit of [inaudible] many of whom are -- are in a reason low frill economic situation that [inaudible] the families they will need you heard from -- frank sand about his mom. their caddy concerner to the 45
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street. he is concerned about this. and so are several the other neighbors. they share some of those -- today >> but they ever concerned about the amount -- we have little open space now. they would rather it the commission honor the preservation of the open space that exists. jury rooms that exists. and you don't this means you don't have intention to. you say as of now, there is a 25% of the year yard that is the requirement. that is manage this later on you will [inaudible] [audio break
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up] push for a different what design you are looking for mid block open space but this is as of now [inaudible] requirement. thank you for our -- giving us like enlightenment in terms of the cultural aspect of the open space of china town. if you are saying you are okay with this bulk >> we are okay with not the expansion part of it we are okay with if they want to improve their inside of the house and up grid that inside interior we are fine not expand the envelope. i know this is may be where the tension is. that's they the photograph that
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we showed earlier, they have done had we -- shared with you, is really is tinament situation. on the east side. and most of the neighbors we did not show you the video of mr. wong mother's [inaudible] disabled [inaudible] [inaudible] the thing they have is to look out the backyard. you know and they don't even have a backyard. they sit in the kitchen with the doors open. and our concern is that this is -- this is san francisco. and this is the most progressive cities in the country. why are we not taking care of
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our people? >> thank you. i gathered already enough information from you. this is a very tough decision for me the fact there are evictions that happened and the fact that we have concern lus this allow for this kinds of expansion. it is code compliant but not culturally designed for people who live in this area. not p no not at this point. >> no. no. >> you step down. >> i'm sorry.
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[laughter]. its okay. so -- i'd like to see what others say. the only thing i find in a way out of this for us to get out of this today is editting the findings. to do what? add the reason control little planning department monitor the unit had the owner when the owner moves out the planning department will and the relocation agreement be recorded. >> i would like to innerject a comment that is i would foind this larger middle grounds that deals with the physicality of the building. as i see potential issues, relative to the ability of the building changing what is going
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to come out of this, i want to both make sure that the applicant who brought a building that needs improvements is habitable and gives them more space. but is also compliant with all the other things to [inaudible] [audio breaking up]. issues pointed out by mr. lum are serious. physical implications for when we approve today. yes. we are familiar with that it does. i see you shake your head that is in the the truth. i'm making a comment to the applicant. anyway. um. commissioner ruiz. gi would like to make an attempt at a motion. if this is okay with everybody would anybody else like to make more comments before i prosecute
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seed. i -- want to make a motion that encomp uses from the commissioners if i miss something chime in and i'm open to whatever additional conscience we would like to see. i tried take rigorous notes as possible. i would like to make a motion to take dr. with a condition and include conditions that there is a lifetime guarantee for the life of the tenant who remains not guilty building who is vulnerable allowed live in a reason controlled unit at the same prits they pay now for the rest of their life. that during correction the concern tenant relocated the guarantee the absence the be short and returned it a
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refurbished per minute if the owner or relatives move out they will reach out to the priests tenants and offer them the right of first refusal to rerent the unit the rent piing when evictd and site the lufor this. and if we can find the contact information of them so we don't have an issue we can't get a hold of them. and want to make sure i understood commissioner moore's comments that we include this there will be no stair case. and you are talking to the spiral. no spiral stair case. and third floor [audio breaking up] and then i don't know if this is possible the ad u considering that is under state
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law and no rent control protections can we request the ad u have reason control? deputy city attorney. these are all admirable conditions i'm going to the ad u questions. technically murder to impose reason control urn the act we need an exchange. that's not present in a state program ad u. that would not be a condition we could impose. cannot require that. we cannot. i'm sorry. and the other provisions regarding owner move in and lifetime reason control i believe that these are all existing obligations the continuant if they stay in the unit for her lifetime would have
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rents control. but i would not recommend phrasing it that way. and we can certainly [inaudible] of conscience related trying to track down the prior tenants. that being be helpful in complying with the law. but i would try to frame the obligations in the existing code requirements of the ordinance or the >> state law. >> thank you. >> conscience and we [audio breaking up]. the issue i would like to add is that staff perhaps with some conversation with mr. lum look one more time at the plans so that would in front of us is
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compliant at a level that will not potential low change the building. all the things pointed out by [inaudible] are real and since mr. lum is practice nothing that field building buildings. i think it would be helpful for us to have at least the guarantee this is not turning to something different long the way. of and i believe that for the applicant, asking for the porch will be an equal low positive space addition. and i feel comfortable with the way the commissioner w ruiz stated in her motion. >> is there a seconded. >> seconded. >> very good a motion and seconded to take dr add the
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conditions that there no spiral stair or roof deck. and that the sponsor make every attempt to gain contact information of the previous tenants. in the event the owners move out to provide them with the first right of refusal. and then referencing the reason control ordinance relate to omi evictions. and then were you interested in report back in 6 monthses after the building permit application is issued. >> yes. >> okay. there is one additional condition i would like to add for the time that the state ad u is in the creating an actively occupied space ugsz the roar yard i encourage the applicant to maintain the open space as green a manner and positive a manner as possible because for
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many of the people surrounding your building they don't have anything else but look nothing a space the same in mine i don't have open space i look down and the more positive that pace isseen if it is simple green. we are under water with sections maintained space with green probably good view shed for yourself i encourage that dp make that part of the condition. this will be more work the space is present low. >> the space as to be accessed. not sure we can make that a condition of approval we can encourage the sponsor but i mean not condition they keep their yard in a certain way. >> i would support the secretary's phrasing of that it is an encouragement. >> yes. >> proposed use rather than a requirement. to use it.
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>> i hear you are given the cho? >> present. >> commissioner giraudo? >> present. >> commissioner chung? >> present. >> mr. giraudo? >> present. >> and commissioner green. >> commissioner guillermo? >> here. >> commission -- commissioner guillermo will read the land acknowledgement. >> thank you, commissioner green. the san francisco health commission acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the ramaytush (rah-my-toosh) ohlone (o-lon-ee) who are the original inhabitants of the san francisco peninsula. as the indigenous stewards of this land, and in accordance with their traditions, the ramaytush ohlone have never ceded, lost, nor forgotten their responsibilities as the caretakers of this place, as well as for all peoples who reside in their traditional territory. as guests, we recognize that we benefit from living and working on their traditional homeland. we wish to pay our respects by acknowledging the ancestors, elders, and relatives of the
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ramaytush ohlone community and by affirming their sovereign rights as first peoples. >> thank you. our first item is an employee recognition. well-deserved for dr. hali hammer and roland pickens who is the director of san francisco health network and acting ceo will read the acknowledgement. >> good afternoon, everyone. and thank you, commissioner green and commissioners for allowing me this opportunity to say a few words on behalf of someone i have known for many years and who is well deserving of this award and recognition. dr. hali hammer, what can i say? we met over 20 years ago at the family health center at then, san francisco general hospital, now
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zuckerberg san francisco hospital, i think you were the associate medical director a few years out of residency and i was an associated administrator and your department was one of the departments i have responsibility for and so, it's a pleasure working with you, both 20 years ago and the fact we've been able to work together ever since. and i've seen you progressing your career and all the while helping others along the way both your patients and trainees and colleagues at all levels. you are truly an inspiration for all of us at dph and you inspire you with your leadership and dedication and your diligence towards equity, excellence and achievement. so, it's with a pleasure that we
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acknowledge your many contributions to dph and to the city and county of san francisco. thank you! >> thank you so much. is there any public comment on this item? >> folks on the line, if you would like to make comment on item two, press star three. in general, a tip is if you would like to make public comment on an item when called, this is the best time to press star three and so this is plenty of time to get your hand up so again, star three for this item. i see no hands commissioners and i believe director colfax has something to say. >> i will, thank you, commissioner green and i just wanted to echo, mr. pickens comments about dr. hammer and dr. hammer, i think we have known each other for also about
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two decades or longer since we were in training and the first time i heard about you was -- maybe i was a resident at this time and the work you were doing and the commitment you had and it has been an honor to intersect with you in many ways during your career and to see that commitment and that brilliance expand to a broader leadership work. i had a few comments from other people across the department about dr. hammer's leadership. there's a lot here but i'm going to read a few bullets for the commissioners to hear. dr. hammer is a champion for new and innovative programs and advocate for community based programs, behavior health for our network patients, battling ten years as director at the family health center but deeply
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involved in the rebuilding and restructuring of our primarily care clinics including southeast center and castro center. and very importantly, a great mentor to so many rising leaders in the organization, and individual strengths and corks in all the areas that she works. just the fact that dr. hammer, hali from my own personal perspective, the contributions you make in an area that, in the public don't get the attention it deserves with regard to the incredibly powerful affect on creating the health and wellness in san francisco and the way that you and your team continue to move ahead, not asking for or expecting recognition but really driving forward and improving
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health for the communities. with that improvement, it must be in the city and the fact that you and your team get it done and just to thank you also, most recently for the work you did during covid. that's a good tremendous amount of organization and quite frankly strain on your team with regard to being the deployed to doing so much of the on the groundwork during covid. you also, i think, concurrently were holding so much of behavior health as we look to bring in, expand our behavior health leadership and that took some time so i really want to acknowledge your work in that. and the fact that you are brought in and pulled into many board hearings and policy questions and you just show up with exactly what is needed every time, so grateful for your leadership and thank you for
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your contributions to the department and to the health and well-being of those in san francisco. >> beautifully said. are there any commissioner comments? commissioner chow >> yes, i think everything has been said about dr. hammer. i have followed her career. i know that she is passionate. i've seen here directly in action when we were in china town public health, i think the last time we actually met and prior to that, we had many other actions on the finance committee and her work with the covid-19 response. i had followed and thought that was just remarkable and the entire city should thank you for that. dr. pickens and hammer have said everything
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about a suburb position who is an accent to our department and to the entire city. thank you, dr. hammer. >> thank you, dr. chou. commissioner giraudo? >> i, my comment is also to say thank you. and to add one more part of your description is, as a wonderful teacher. as a new commissioner just before our shutdown, both in person and virtually especially on our committee meetings, i happen to ask a lot of questions and dr. hammer is always very gracious in answering my questions in a way that i don't feel totally incompetent and that i have learned so much from you, dr. hammer and so, you well
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deserve this award but i'll going to add teacher as well as mentor to your accolades so thank you and congratulations and i look forward to continuing to learn from you. >> thank you! commissioner chung? you're muted. >> i think commissioner guillermo was before me? >> oh, i'm sorry. commissioner guillermo. >> go ahead, commissioner young -- commissioner chung, i'll follow up. >> i want to add -- i want to add adjectives. not adjectives and you see you as an anchor on the entire team and i met you 20 years ago and i was working at gph, oh, boy, i feel old again
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and to see your presence, you always have this calmness regardless of what type of, like, stressful situation, so around you, it feels like anybody can concord the road if they're working with you, so and of course, you know, for me, i appreciate that, you know and i've been fortunate with the homeless population and there are so many stressors, you know, in everybody's life and to have your presence to really so calmly, like, particularly, like situations and you provide advice that are phenomenal so i have the most respect for you and interesting that i've -- i guess you know 20 years so i'm still here working with you all. >> thank you. commissioner
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guillermo? >> thank you. so i just wanted to add my comments and my congratulations and my thanks along with my fellow commissioners, to dr. hammer. anybody who has been able to contribute to the city and county of san francisco in your capacity for two decades, plus in all of the things that san francisco has gone through both in terms of its pioneering around public health and healthcare and its values for our residents really shows up, i think, in the kind of leadership that you have and leadership that you have brought through your career and so i want to thank you for that as a native san franciscan, you know, i have full appreciation. i may not have known you for 20 years but i'm sure i have benefited for
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your 20 years and hope to continue to do that in the future. >> thank you. well, i'm on the four-year track but i have to say your service has been exceptional and not only have we watched you pivot the entire primarily care division during this very challenging time with covid but you've maintained that and that had to be unbelievably difficult trying to figure out how you can support the covid effort and keeping basic primary care for residents intact and accessible. all throughout that you were a great moral builder and that was the greatest challenges during this pandemic is maintain people's spirit and morale in the face of these incredible and unanticipated challenges and you were critical in leading that and allowing us to get through the worse of the pandemic and intact and with wonderful results and good strategics in our materials of our response to covid so very much appreciate that. and i want
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to give you the floor to say awe few words, dr. hammer. >> i'm all speechless. thank you so much. mr. pickens, director colfax and all the commissioners. i have to -- i'm speechless. i have to say working for the department of public health and serving the people of san francisco for now over 28 years, so almost three decades has really been the greatest honors of my life. when i decided to become a family physician, i think i was in second grade. i could never have imagined that my career would take me on this path and i would have this great honor of serving with such incredible colleagues with leaders who share the mission to improve the health and well-being of everyone in san francisco. it just has been
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an incredible honor to do that and like many of us who work in public health and especially in san francisco these last now two and a half years have been incredibly challenging. we never could have imagined what we would be asking our colleagues and our friends to do to really dig deeper and do more and more and more and everybody throughout ambulatory care and through the health network and public health have gone above and beyond in terms of public service and i couldn't be happier to be a part of that team. thank you for this recognition and i'm incredibly moved and i really appreciate that. >> well, thank you so much. we're expecting another 20 years by the way. that goes with a recognition just to say. >> no doubt!
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[laughter] thank you! >> thank you!. >> very well. so, i guess the next item on the agenda is the approval of the minutes of the health commission meeting of august 2, 2022. are there any additions or corrections to the minutes? seeing none. is that -- is your hand commissioner guillermo or is that before? >> sorry, that was for before. >> all right. hearing none, is there a motion to approve the minutes? >> i'll move. >> so moved. >> i second. >> all right. is there any public comment? >> i'll check public comment. i want to give a shout-out to the sfgov and there's issues live streaming so please make sure you're checking on that. the webex seems to be working and folks on the line, if you would like to make public comment on item two which is the approval of the minutes of the august 2nd meeting, please press star three
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to raise your hand. star three. and i see no hands, commissioners, so i'll do a roll call. commissioner green? >> yes. >> commissioner guillermo? >> yes. >> commissioner chung? >> yes. >> commissioner giraudo? >> yes >> commissioner chow? >> yes. >> thank you, the item passes. >> great. the next agenda item is the director's report. director colfax. >> thank you, commissioner green and good evening health commissioners and health director. there's a lot in the director's report so i'll go quickly through many things. the first is not actually written down but i just wanted to let the commission know and the public know that dhp is hosting back to school vaccine clinics that are open to all san francisco residents who are children. these clinics will provide all vaccines required for school entry or we're loading -- we're loading the
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first series of clinics august 22nd through the 26th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in building 5 in the san francisco hospital and then 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 august 20th, saturday august 20th and august 27th at south region health center. on bay view hunters point and people can find more information about the back too school vaccine clinics on our website but just to emphasize that we're making vaccines accessible to all children in preparation for back to school. this includes covid vaccines. in terms of monkeypox, just to let the commission know, we are now up to 563 cases of monkeypox in san francisco. over 95% of the cases continue to be among men who have sex with men and trans men.
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our last vaccine was 10,700 vaccines and we're still waiting the announcement about our next supply coming in. the good news is that we have expanded access at our zuckerberg san francisco site. our clinic is now double the hours, open 8:00 to 4. it has 600 to 7030 vaccines a day -- 700 vaccines a day. we have kaiser and usf are open to nonmembers of those healthcare center and sutter is providing vaccines to qualified members. in terms of additional doses, we are providing doses to those who are compromised and people at the zuckerberg clinic need to bring a note from their provider or if they're a network patient, we can access their records to make sure they qualify for an additional dose after the cdc
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recommended period. and just to say from working at weissman-ward 86 which is our hiv clinic, last week, it's e siting to see while the treatment is still cumbersome because of the paperwork, there's better systems in place for people to access treatment and people are accessing treatment, qualifying for treatment onsite and we're getting vaccines into arms in addition to diagnosing monkeypox cases in the urgent care clinic so a lot happening with monkeypox response across our system and across the city overall. and then we are reviewing, we are and will be reviewing upcoming guidance around inter der mall injections of monkeypox and the commissioners know, we will then be able to provide a smaller
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dose of vaccine which will allow what is currently (indiscernible) to be divided up into five doses so once we have the protocols in place and the go ahead, the final go ahead from the state and the cdc, we'll be implementing that as quickly as possible. finally, just to acknowledge and thank speaker pelosi's leadership in this issue and advocating for more monkeypox resources nationally and locally and i will be jumping off this health commission meeting for a brief period of time to join her at a san francisco town hall where i'll introduce our health officer dr. suzanne. that will happen five minutes before the turn of the hour. in other news, exciting news on the, with regard to the opioid epidemic,
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san francisco won a landmark opioids against walgreens. san francisco acting on behalf of the people and the state of california and one of the landmark trial against walgreens pharmacy where judge charles brier for the northern district of california says walgreens is liable for contributing to the opioid. they did it without proper due diligence and this is the first bench trial that decided in favor -- and walgreens liable. so, city attorney led this effort and many staff across dph served as experts in the testimony. the next stage of the trial will determine the amount walgreens must say san francisco to abate the nuance they caused. positive
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news in that regard. next item that san francisco has sued the federal government over (indiscernible) hospital closures. san francisco city attorney david chew and former city attorney louise announced they file a lawsuit to cut off federal government so the facility transfer all patients by september 13, 2022. now, i do have some relatively late breaking news. shortly after filing of this litigation against cms, they agreed to extend the availability of medicare and medicaid payments but lengthening the term of laguna honda closure from november 13, 2022. in addition, transfers and discharges of residents will remain cause for this same duration. although resident who's choose to be discharged may do so. dhp and
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george laguna honda wish to resolve all pending issues so a lot of activity in that legal realm and positive news that just was announced yesterday. on the behavior health side, i was delighted to join the bee hafbor health team and london reed in opening victoria house and new treatment care facility. this is a 12-month rehabilitation center for individuals with serious behavior health conditions and substance use disorders. it's at (indiscernible) in the mission neighborhood and a beautiful residential and treatment bed facility that offers coordinated high-quality and unit care that's deliberate in the least restrictive setting, so really great progress and great work that was done there. in partnership with many other
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stakeholders that you can read in the director's report. i also the commission had questions about covid and the work being there and i want to share with the commission that in collaboration with ucff and the santa mateo county health department, we're partnering with local community partners to learn more about juan covid and achieve this, researchers ran the project, let's figure out covid and tell us a story (indiscernible) and we'll call residents ever all ethnicity's and background. we want to see how prolong covid is in the community. information that all of you know is critical in impacting funding to local funds and -- and learn what causes it and how to prevent it. so this is going to be an extensive project. phase i of the project,
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researcher will call san francisco and san mateo county adult resident who's had covid three months ago and their ex pierce answers will inform researcher was the frequency about covid and all ethnic groups and neighborhoods will be represented and researchers are interested in hearing from black african american, latino, pacific islander and native american community because they experience higher rates ever infections and deaths than other groups. in state two, some people interviewed will join a more detailed study sponsor by the national institute of health. this study (indiscernible) and they will be compen said for their time and there's links for these important projects in our, again, in the written director's report. and then i'm sad to an announce the passing of an employee, very much loved across the department israel rivera.
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>> israel was a policy director with a population health department. and i will refer to the write-up. [crying] >> he was a dear friend for some of us and a (indiscernible) policy and work across the department. thank you, i'm here to answer any questions. >> thank you, director colfax. and we send our great condolences to the dhp family and to the family of israel and it's very sad and we appreciate your report. is there any public comment on this item >> yes, a lot of public comment. let me read something. for each
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agenda item, members of the public will have an opportunity to make comments for up to three minutes and public comment is to provide feedback and input. the process does not allow questions to be answered in the meeting or people to engage in back and forth with the commissioners. they can ask to dph. each individual is allowed one opportunity to speak and individuals may not return more than once on one statement for those unable to attend the meeting. your comment should relate to the item we're on and i'll be a bit original on this for each of the items moving forward just to make sure that everyone has time to make comments on the topic. so, i'm going to go person by person. >> can you clarify something for the public, mr. morewitz >> we have covid-19 and monkeypox update. should comments on that be held until
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item five is completed and just focus on the other aspects. director's report? >> thank you for that, commissioner. because director colfax mentioned both topic in the director's reports, than anything mentioned in the director's report can be commented on so the public is welcomed to comment on the topics here and the next because that was a part of director colfax's report. thank you for the question. >> first person. let us know you're there. caller, are you there? i'm moving along to somebody else. caller, are you there? i'll unmute you. >> hi. this is dr. palmer, can you hear me >> yes, you've got three minutes, dr. palmer. >> yeah. i was just wondering, since the lawsuit by district attorney chiu is questioning the
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recertification and the arbitrariness of, why do you delicense the 120 beds. it seems like by doing that, we're behaving as if the lawsuit means nothing. certainly, the beds are being, can be emptied but why do we have to de-license them? thank you. >> great, thank you. and actually, dr. colfax, i want to clarify, did you mention laguna honda in your -- directors report. i wanted to make sure. next caller, please let us know you're there. caller? okay. caller, i've unmuted you. let us know you're there. >> yes. >> yes, you've got three minutes. >> thank you, commissioners. my name is alisa matrotz and i'm sorry for your loss, dr. colfax.
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i respectfully request that sfdph choose the best protection for the vast majority of san franciscans. that would be an indoor mask mandate. it's easy to cherry pick data giving the messaging coming from the cdc. for every doctor or scientist that would like to use the word inepidemic, there's a doctor or scientist who continues to use the word pandemic and push for indoor mask mandates. please choose indoor masking as your policy. thank you very much. >> thank you for your comment. caller, you're unmuted, please let us now you're there. >> hi there, my name is anemia. i want to say i'm sorry for your loss. many of us felt that pain as our health officials have failed us and our family members
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and students have died. today, i've learned that students with iep are at high risk for covid and those struggling with their mental health. it's up to us to keep our students safe and research shows one way masking is largely effective especially with surgical mask that much of our district has access to. also, regarding monkeypox, i ask you to please come up with some plans for when it hits our schools the next few weeks. let's be more prepared and take care of each other. let's reintroduce an indoor mask mandate, thanks. >> thank you for your comment. next caller, you're unmuted. let us know you're there. >> hi, can you hear me? >> yes. please go. >> okay. hi, my name is jennifer, dr. colfax, i also wanted to say i'm really, really sorry for your loss. i just wanted to call in because you know, we have been, i'm a member
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of senior and disability action and we haven't about calling in for the past few months and i do appreciate that you guys seem to be hearing us about long covid and i do appreciate you guys, i believe you said you're going to study long covid. with that being said, i do worry that this will kind of provide cover for not doing more to prevent long covid, to just say there's so much we don't know and we're just studying it. and the thing is that there is a lot to learn but the things that we do now is that the, you know, it ranges from five to 30% of covid survivors who go on to develop long covid. so, you know, as local long covid advocate, charlie macomb has said, one in one thousand is considered a medically rare event so one in 20 is not rare at all. it's a serious issue and i hope that while you're studying this, you treat this as the crisis that it
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is. i understand that local public health departments are under attack right now. i imagine you guys are under a lot of top from the top and the cdc and state government, from mayors, i can't believe that what you guys are talking about, not requiring masks, i just can't believe thaw guys actually believe in it. i know what the health department has been task with selling and selling this is not infection. i ask you that gather the courage to stand up for what's right because what's right is doing all that we can to prevent cases and that means indoor mask mandate. we've had high transition rates for the past few months in san francisco. and it's going to get worse in the fall as more kids go back to school. so, i ask you to please reinstate the mask mandate and i ask that you engage in a massive public
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health campaign to warn san franciscans about long covid, to educate them on high-quality masks beyond saying you're doing it and i'm sure you're doing other things but we need to do more. and i just, you know, we keep calling into these meetings and then you guys ask questions and we move on and meanwhile people live or die based on your decision. and i know that it's really hard right now, the public health profession, i know your job is probably online. if you lose your job, i think you'll be okay but people will die. so please, please, please do the right thing and engage in a more equitable response and please reinstate indoor mask mandate. >> thank you very much for your comment. next caller, you're unmuted. please let us know you're there. >> i'm here. thanks so much for the opportunity to share remarks today. my name is kristin and i'm a resident of the richmond district where i have lived for
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last ten years and cofounder and coexecutive director of marked by covid where the nation's largest covid justice and remembrance organization founded and led by people living with long covid and people who have been bereaved. reinstate indoor masking while we're in this surge and have clear transparent on rams for reinstating mitigation measures. this goes in line with the heard ship that the city has played over the course of the pandemic and even in the monkeypox epidemic so far. i remember driving over the bay bridge when we declared a state of emergency on february 25, 2020. in that moment i felt a deep sense of pride and relief that we were talking action that would have lasting impacts on the health
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and being of people in my community and since learning about covid in january of that year, i felt safe for the first time. san francisco despite the national politics leisure was leading and doing what was right and no doubt that that decision, the (indiscernible) from disacts and four months later the pandemic would hit my home in arizona on june 30, 2020. i would take a phone call that would forever change my life. my dad would die from covid. he lived in phoenix at the time where his local masking ordinance was illegal despite overwhelming evidence that masked reduced the spread of covid then and now. and as i spent part of my time in phoenix and part of my time in san francisco during the course of this pandemic, it gave me the front row seat of the best and worst and pandemic measures in 2020 and 2021. as the months of
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202 have dragged on, i have started to ask myself, what's happening? what is going on here? -- i'm no longer feeling the sense of security with data. we have transmission levels in mitigation. vaccines and booster was not enough to vulnerable communities who already have lost so much. and as you're talking about earlier, vaccines and boosters also don't really effect long covid which we only have data pointing to 15% decrease in long covid from the covid case. we're we're headed is racist, this type of letting it wrap without mitigation. >> sorry, your time is up.
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>> thank you so much. >> yeah, i'm sorry. when the buzzer goes off, i have to stop everyone so everyone has got time. thank you for your comments. next caller, please let us know you're there. >> yes, i'm here. >> yes, please go ahead. you have three minutes. >> thank you. my name is elizabeth milo and i'm a rank-and-file member of university of professional and technical employeeses, cwa working out of cwf health care. we passed my statewide union on july 30th, and 31 convention, we passed a resolution opposing the closure. we represent 18,000 members who are health care and education workers, public health care and education workers and to tell you the truth, it's concerning that the reduction in beds would occur. and it's
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concerning that city would continue to follow -- to continue reducing the beds at this point and even in calls to transfer, a pause in transfer, knowing full well that of the 57 people, approximately 57 people who have been transferred so far, nine died. that amounts to a 20% death rate. i'm here speaking on my own behalf right now, but at the same time, i would like to inform you that i brought this up at the labor council and the members that i spoken with at the labor council are very concerned about this and very worried what that's going to mean for the vulnerable, elderly and disabled people in san francisco. this is not something to be taken lightly. in fact, anybody else who continues to (indiscernible) could technically be charged
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with manslaughter because they know the transfer trauma is something real and people have died because of that. so, i want to make it very clear that what this -- unfortunately, this makes me think about what is has been happening in -- in privatization in public resources and i saw a report there was some talk about developing some kind of senior living facility on the site campus. there's one field facility that accepts medicare and that's honda care. my grandmother went there, and if not for that service, she wouldn't have gained full function during the time she spent there. she lost her ability to speak and move around
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and she regained full function and good quality-of-life. when she was released from there, she had a good quality-of-life until she was 91 years of age and died of old age. i so i would strongly, strongly urge this health commission to realize that if there is going to be any kind of plan -- planning of development going on, i'm sure the people of san francisco will not happy. >> i feel badly when i cut somebody off. i'm doing it so everyone has time to do it. thank you for your comments again. next caller, let us know you're there. >> hi, can you hear me >> yes, you've got three minutes, thank you. >> all right. thank you. my name is reyes and an organizer at disabilities senior action. i'm calling in with a bunch our members as we have the last couple of months about a mask mandate in san francisco. i appreciated what our member ken
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said earlier. we know that most of you have worked in public health for a long time and know absolutely that masks work to reduce the spread of a respiratory pandemic. that's true across the board and true, you know, for decades and more around the world and the fact that we don't have one right now is absolutely the result of politics that's putting big businesses and the hospitality industry and the interest of democrats trying to get reelected over the lives of san franciscans and that includes our friendlies and family. i have a coworker who lost a good friend to covid. we have people on this call who have lost family members and you know, just thinking about all of you who have lost a coworker, a beloved coworker recently, please do what you can in your power to prevent others from going through that pain. it's unnecessary. we know how covid spreads. we know that masks
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work. we know that one way masking is not sufficient. i don't know if you're all aware that just this week, san francisco unified school district had a waiver asking parents to sign they're aware their kid will be exposed to covid-19 in school and implying they are giving up their right to sue if something, if their kid gets very ill or long covid or god forbid dies which is happen and we have lost over one thousand kids to covid already much san francisco started off the pandemic actually showing a science based approach that was put in public health above business interest and that's just no longer the case. now, it's really the same as anywhere else in the country where there's just rampant covid spread constantly. and it has been the case for here for months and we haven't had low community covid spread since march. if we never bring back an indoor mask mandate, this is the
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new normal and what we're going to be getting from now on and it's going to be five hundred deaths a day or more in the summer and god forbid how many deaths we're going to see in the winter, so please use your power as public health officials and implement an indoor mask mandate even if it makes you unpopular and if the mayor doesn't like it and if you lose your job. thank you. >> thank you for your comment. caller, please let us know you're there. i have unmuted you. >> hi, can you hear me? >> yes. loud and clear and you have three minutes. >> okay. hi, commissioners. my name is naomi and 17 years old. and i'm a supporter of senior and disability action. i'm very disappointed that san francisco has ended the vast majority of the mask mandate requirements and covid is high in the bay area even when cases are being undercounted due to at home
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testings and absence of contract tracing. covid can easily spread on public transit where people are unmasked and as a young people with immune owe compromised family member, my ability to go out and meet with friends and explore the world is severely impaired with our current loss of covid precautions. without a mask mandate and other mitigation efforts and strong ventilation and testifying, school has also become an unsafe place and (indiscernible). as i try to keep myself and my family safe from this virus. i believe every child has the right to safe classroom and mask are a step toward that goal. mask will protect everybody. anyone can potentially get long covid which impacts many including young boosted and formally healthy people. i personally am terrified of developing long
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covid or giving it to my family and friends. we have -- we need to protect everybody. please listen to seniors disabled people and alis and reinstate a broad countywide indoor mask mandate. i'm also very concerned about the monkeypox outbreak in the bay area and beyond. and think san francisco needs to (indiscernible) nonstigma tieing monkeypox. >> thank you for your comment and community involvement. caller, please let us know you're there. >> yes, through receive. with the united committee for labor party. we had a press conference at laguna health department and the sheriff's tried to keep people from attending the press conference but what we're saying is, the reduction of beds to 120 is outrageous. reducing beds to 120 is outrageous. we need more
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beds in sfr. it's only skilled nursing facility for working class poor black and brown people. i want to know why this commission and dan bernal who is a chair of the commission and chief the staff for nancy pelosi will vote to discharge patients knowing there's no place to go? why is this health commission actually voted to send some people to their death, nine people. you know other nursing homes can't take people and you know covid killed ten thousand people in california because the conditions that other healthcare facilities are much worse than laguna honda. why would you do that? why would this commission and the management of health department do this? in my view, it's because of privatization. you want that land. this is a privatization land grab with mercy housing behind it and the mayor given $3 million for them to develop that property. so the people of san francisco have to put a halt to this. we need to expand it. we have to keep the patients and allow more patient to go there. the people voted in
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san francisco hundreds of millions of dollars for that facility to make it a public facility. and what you're doing is harming the future of it, xavier, the secretary of health and human resources is responsible as well and gavin newsom and his department of public health. the people in san francisco are coming in last and the patients are being forced out and discharged under pressure from this commission. you're creating chaos and more people in the streets. when people are angry in san francisco about the conditions in the streets, one of the reasons is people should be getting health care and housing are not getting it. not that laguna honda can be a solution to that but those with serious injurys and health illness should have a place to go and you refuse to defend laguna honda. that's facts and the record and people need to investigate and we're going to investigate why this happened. why did these deaths happened and who is responsible. it's criminal negligence but this
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health department and by the executives and mayor london breed. dan bernal should be fired. he's chief of her staff. we have $80 billion and we can't afford to take care of sick and ill people in san francisco. it's a crime and has to stop. we're going to continue to organize and educate the people of san francisco san francisco, the working people and all people to defend laguna honda and make sure it stays a public institution and adds more beds, to allow the reduction of 120 beds in the mist of this crisis and it's a crisis in the nursing home industry. it's across the line. >> all right. thank you for that comment. >> hi, caller. let us know you're there. >> hi there. my name, hi, you can hear me. my name is brandy and i'm a public school parent
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and you live in the richmond district and i was just heartbroken to hear a 17-year-old child call and beg you to reinstate a mask mandate. my kids start school tomorrow and he'll be in 5th grade and i would be excited. i'm terrified of him getting covid. they have high covid rates. we have principals and teachers in our school that don't mask and most of them do. my family got covid three or four weeks after the mask mandate was removed last year, so this affects me personally and affects all of our communities and you can -- i know you know the right thing to do is reinstate the indoor mask mandate in the city and county of san francisco. and you cannot continue to build your careers on basically maintaining a poll tee that has that, have resulted in people getting sick and
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dying. policy needs to be reinstituted, needs to be instituted again now. the time to do this is now. we need people with courage to serve on this commission. we need people to show courage who are serving on this commission. we need that mask mandate right away and prince george's county mr. mayor land, their schools have reinstated a mask mandate, private schools in san francisco reinstated the mask mandate back in may and many are this fall. it's not fair for our public school students who are more likely to be, much more likely to be low-income and likely to be disabled, why do we have a two-tier track of safety in our schools in san francisco. please, i'm begging you, reinstate the mask mandate today. our kids can't wait. thank you. >> thank you for your comment. caller, please let us know
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you're there. >> yes. my name is brenda. i'm a dph employee. and the reason i'm calling is in support of laguna honda. you need to make sure it stays open. as an employee, i wasn't hearing anything, so yes, i have participated in a rally at laguna honda on saturday because we weren't getting any information about what was happening. i mean, it was rough around the edges but no real information. so i think the general lesson that i hope dph has learned, when you don't tell people what's going on, the assumption is nothing is going on. so, the other thing i wanted to talk about is we were in an equity meeting here at the hospital and one of the workers that works in the library, she noticed something very bazaar about the people that were coming to get the monkeypox. she brought it up in there, why is
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everybody coming to get monkeypox wipes? i know there are many other races of people in san francisco that are subject to that infection and including some employees that have gotten it. i just feel like there's something systemically wrong, with covid the same thing happened and now with monkeypox, the same thing is happening, so whatever it is that is causing this thing where you know, it's not fair, it's not across the board, everybody doesn't get it, i remember with (indiscernible), it was the same thing, so i just hope you really look into all of that. >> okay. our next caller, i have unmuted you. let us know you're there. >> yes, good afternoon. it's patrick shaw. director of public health, grant colfax and the
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entire health commission recognize the unintended irony between his director's report and agenda item 7 about the laguna honda closure update. colfax's report, cms imposed an arbitrary september 13th deadline to discharge or transfer 600 residents there by denying the city due process by requiring laguna honda to close well before the city's administrative appeals can be decided before the department of health and human services administrative law judge at the end of october, which might render the transfers potentially unnecessary. yet, there's a clear unmistakable iron pee with laguna honda continuing its plot
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to reduce laguna honda licenses by 120 beds by september. although the lawsuit and appeal are hear, if truth prevails there's no need to eliminate those beds which would deprive future generations of san franciscans due process access to beds in county by prematurely closing those 120 beds. thank you! >> >> thank you for your comments. commissioners, there's about six other members in the public comment with their hands up. i have to track this manually, so i apologize. it's work inten ten. >> this is joseph urban here. i want to speak about the transfer and relocation process atly fwun
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that honda. to stop the transfers at 1663 signatures. i'm great envelope that cdp have been explicit on november 13th -- we recognize this is testimony praury including my mother-in-law betty. we want to keep it until laguna honda is recertified. regarding transfer trauma, we have 41 skilled nursing residents that have been transferred and we have nine deaths so we're looking at 22 death rate and i believe we have 6 -- we're on track to see an additional 90 residents die. so, in my opinion, we can't propose a solution to mitigation transferred trauma unless we have a definition of the disease that is transfer trauma. and i don't see how any doctor and a social worker provided by cms can mitigate the risk of transfer trauma via any
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scientific found methods unless there's at least an official definition of the disease. now, i also want to say -- one question to ask yourself, how confident that you understand the issues or issue that cms expect you to resolve before laguna honda is recertified. don't be surprised by -- if they say you're continuing to flood laguna honda and flooding them with mentally disabled patients, they're going to hand you a rejection and everyone will be shocked and the department of public health needs to keep it awe skilled nursing facility and only a skilled nursing facility. the city does not solve the challenges with substance abuse -- the city does need to solve the challenges with substance abuse and health issues among
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the -- it's time to build trust with cdph and the commission is committed to the citizens it was originally supposed to support. thank you. >> thank you for your comment. all right. caller, you're unmuted. let you know you're there. >> hello. this is donna. and i'm, i have a brother at laguna honda hospital so i want to speak to that item. although i feel happy that not another person has to die today and the transfers are quote paused that the, the trajectory of this going a little bit more positive is good but we're still under the sum of the threat of patients being transferred. when i first hear about this back in
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april, i thought, is there not going to be a lawsuit? this sounds insane to me and it had no commonsense to it that you would try to create a better environment at laguna honda but at the same time get rid of the patients so it has been a very, very scary, terrifying process to be a family member of a patient and not know what is going to happen and i also know that not only has family and patients been terrified but also staff and so what i see here is that laguna honda is on track to update and come into compliance with their methods but at the same time, this patient transfer needs to be completely permanently taken off the table.
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it's not something as we all know, there is no place for people to go. there are no place for people that is with any good standard. so, to think about even the patients transferring out at this point should just completely soften and have nothing to do with recertification whatsoever and just continue for the hospital to, you know, to upgrade itself and come into compliance and this should be for any place. this should for any skilled nursing facility and any health institute where they are supported and encouraged to work on stuff instead of cutting staff and cutting funding. so, i am thankful for the people with the lawsuits. the city -- the city has created lawsuit and this was the only way to get the
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attention of the cns and so i really hope the cns and if there's anything, other actions we can take to get the cns to just wake up and get real, you know and just support laguna honda as well as other skilled nursing facilities in a way that creates a better future for everybody, thank you. >> thanks for your comment. caller, you're unmuted. let us know you're there. >> hi. can you hear me? >> yes, please, you've got three minutes. >> thanks. first of all i want to say sorry for the loss ever why colleague and my college dough lenses to all of you. my name is said are with senior and disability action. i'm high risk and live in a high risk household and i have called into your meeting several times
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before and i will keep calling in until all of you decide to stop advocating your responsibility as public health officials and actually do the right thing for our community. the new cdc covid guidelines drag us further away from actual public health and safety to the point where they have totally lost public trust and have become a laughing stock. one example come from the website where they posted a mocking headline which reads quote, cdc announces people with covid can cough on person of their choosing. is that how you want to be regarding too? there's no reason why you is this hide behind a highly po lit tieden competent cdc whose decisioning making is stocks and prayers. you is can and should lead at a local level and reinstate mask mandate. hospitalizations and deaths while important metrics are not the only negative
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outcome of a cold infection. long covid should be a cause of concern for everyone. it's estimated that between 5 and 35% of people who geico individual will develop it. piling evidence suggest that reinfections increased at likelihood of developing long covid which makes mask mandate more critical to protect our and other each from transmission as the have a variance rant was more vaccine ary vasetive. despite the fact we're in the middle of a covid pandemic, we seem to be replicating the key mistakes and a time to learn from history is now. it's never too late to do the right thing. we instate the indoor mask mandate and actually lead for crying out loud. >> thank you for your comments. i believe we're down to a few
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more. caller, please let you know you're there. >> yes, i'm here. can you hear me? >> yes. >> yes, my name is elizabeth and a member of senior and disability action and i just want to echo too that it's very sad for me to hear a 17-year-old child having to call and advocate for you know, to try and get mask mandates brought back. i'm very concerned about kids going back to school right now. and being put in this really dangerous situation where we have widespread transmission everywhere and there's nothing being done to slow it down. we keep sharing we have the tools and that does not apply to long covid. it doesn't apply to children and children can't even take (indiscernible). with long covid, it's disabling so many people. it's, you know, you have
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a one in eight chance of contracting it every time you geico individual and it's just, if you even just think about the economic impacts of this, it's going to be devastating as more and more people get this and as a result of this mass infection we're forced to live with right now. it's unreasonable and cruel to subject people to this. you're putting us in a position where we are having to put ourselves in real medical danger if we have to do basic things like using shared laundry facilities or taking the bus to the doctors because again, like if your chancing getting long covid, that's an area where we don't have the tools unless we are stopping and producing transmission. that's why we need to bring back the indoor mask mandate. even if you had one where, that was everywhere except for restaurants and bars for instance. that would still help enormously. i really have to ask what is the goal of
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public health? are the days of control disease -- what are the perimeters of public health because this should be talked about openly. there was a lot of discussion at the last meeting about partnering with the community. and i really urge you to partner, not just with ucf but high risk people and people are long covid, with people who have lost loved ones. you know, i don't know if, i want to think that maybe you don't understand or know what we're dealing with but i think more and more that you don't care and we really need to stop transmission and protect our citizens, thank you. >> thank you for your comment. i believe there's two more comments. please let us know you're there and i've just
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unmuted you. >> hi, yes. my name is jordan. my pronounces are she/her. today, i got a letter about monkeypox vaccine. i'm glad to hear -- [audio difficulties] >> jordan, you cut out, we're unable to hear you. i'm trying to help you because you're going in and out. i don't know if you're moving but we're not able to hear you. >> all right. so, basically, i think there's difficulties here, so let me just -- i'm signing off. >> you're coming in right there, you were coming in fine. >> oh, i'm sorry. okay. >> one more person. let's see.
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okay. okay. caller, you're unmuted. plea let us know you're there. >> yes, this is david elliot. >> yes, please begin. >> hi caller. >> this is david elliot lewis. now, i'm unmuted, can you hear me? >> yes, we can hear you. >> yes, okay. thank you. i'm a 40-year san francisco resident. it has been several years since i've called into to the health commission but the -- what has been allowed to happen regarding laguna honda hospital has really appalled me and i understand, my understanding is that the health commission does play a role in oversight as does the health department and you've allowed conditions to get to the point
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where certification is lost and patient have been transferred out and lives have been lost as a result, which is appalling, so there's many who are asking and i'm asking to stop all transfers until you fix these problems. you also have a portion of the residents at laguna honda hospital that are not really skilled facility nursing residents and they should be there. they're using the facility as an alternative to homelessness, they're using it as a shelter and this is not the best use of resources. they should be transferred to a more appropriate facility or shelter. these are hospital beds for people who need skilled nursing. the facility has allowed smoking and drug use on the floors which is -- which is resulting in overdoses. these are fixable problems. not allowing drug use
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and smoking, this is fixable problems and allow this to go on and result in lost of certification is just wrong. these problems can be fixed. and residents who don't need skilled nursing, they should not be there at all. this is all a fixable problem. so, you really need to do your job of oversight of this hospital and get it back on track and get it certified and get the pay and population it needs which are people who need skilled nursing facility beds. not people who need homeless shelters. final point before i run out of time, i want to talk about the issue of mask mandates and covid protections. coronavirus is still with us. people are still ending up in the hospital. people are still dying. and yet you've allowed mask mandates to expire especially in public transportation where it should
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be required. i've been afraid to take buses because not everyone wears masks on buses. that's a no-brainer. that's easy to fix, to require mask in small rooms and public transportation. you could fix that. again, david elliot lewis, tenderloin. >> all right. that's all, commissioners, all the public comment. >> thank you and thank you to members of the public for your input. are there any commissioner comments or questions on the direct are's report? i see commissioner chow's hand? >> i had a brief comment concerning the study on the long covid and i read the description that there was going to be of course, an attempt to reach all the ethnic groups and neighborhoods which is very important, i think. i want to remind us that with
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(indiscernible), several ethnic groups, everyone really needs to be a participant in this and a third of our san francisco and probably at least a third of san mateo are actually asians and the challenge are many of them use english as a second language. this is a very important topic so i hope the researchers will take that into consideration and really outreach to also the asian population. as we know here in the city, the asian death rate have been higher. of course, this is (indiscernible) covid but most will survive but it's important when the study is done, it does include a sufficient representation of the differentiation ethnicity's, so that was just a comment on a very important study that i think is underway now. thank you. >> thank you so much for bringing that up point,
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commissioner chow. i don't see any other commissioner hands, so we've covered, i think, quite a bit, on item five which is the covid-19 and monkeypox update and we is this get the floor back to dr. colfax and director cohen. >> thank you, commissioner green. i -- i have covid slides and if there's questions regarding to monkeypox, dr. cohen is available. they're publicly available for those who would like to review it and it's stated they're publicly available. i think from, just looking at our cases per one hundred thousand residents, this
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does not include home test that's not reported. you see that the good news is we appear to be through the worse of this worst surge where our peak is not hitting the omicron cases. we're almost now behalf half what we were more recently with this latest surge from 62 percent one hundred thousand to 27.3. that's really across the u.s. right now where they are gradual decline in cases being recorded across the country. next slide. in terms of our covid cases and leagues over time, from this slide, we had over 172,000 of covid cases reported. and unfortunately, the 63 san franciscans have died due to covid. this is looking at the
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deaths due to covid per month and again, it's consistent with the fact that when you see surges, you see more deaths because of our very high vaccine rates across the city and because of access to effective treatment to prevent hospitalization. our death was thankfully much lower than they otherwise would be. next slide. our case rate by vaccination status, higher verses those vaccinated verses non-vaccinated and the rate is three times of unvaccinated residents compared to those who have received their series of vaccines. next slide. hospitalization numbers reflected in our case numbers and why this gives us confidence that the worse of our recent surge passed and we see the hospitalization numbers are starting to come down now and those would not be affected by
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home testing numbers so we know hospitalization numbers are delayed, surges in hospital numbers and declines in hospital numbers are delayed by ten days to two weeks after we see a corresponding changes in our case rate. so good news there is our hospitalization numbers are still coming down (indiscernible) is coming down, excuse me. these are people in hospital with covid. they're not necessarily admitted for covid and historically about a third of these hospitalized cases have been from out of jurisdiction. you can see from the box here that our remaining hospital capacity remains relatively robust and at this time, we're at no risk of having covid overwhelming our hospital systems. next slide. vaccine administration continuing to
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make progress in that regard. 75% of all residents are vaccinated. and you can see that for the age groups that are most recently eligible for vaccine, five to 11-year-olds, 77% completed the series, far higher rate than the national rate. zero to four years, consistent with the (indiscernible). it's more slowly in this age group. 25% of it, received at least one doze and nine percent completed an initial series. next slide. so, in terms of boosters, you'll see that our older population for the most part have received, at least 1 booster here and just to emphasize the percent of all residents of all ages with the booster doze, the prior slide with the 75% of boosters are people who are vaccinated who
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are eligible for our booster so a little change in our denominator there. this is looking at the population in san francisco that received at least one booster dose which is 64%. and you can see again that commissariat with when and how vaccine, when vaccine, boosters are recommended and vaccines were rolled out in that regard, the older age groups have a higher rate of boosting than the younger age groups. next slide. i believe that's my last slide with the covid update. we received further news, expecting that an additional booster will probably be recommended in the fall of this -- of this year, so we're continuing to be vigilant in terms of ensuring that people know where to go when the booster becomes available and ensuring our clinics and the public is aware of getting
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another booster dose so i'll stop there and answer any questions about covid and then also we can take additional questions about monkeypox. we don't have formal slides for that. i gave quite a bit of data both verbally in the director's report. >> thank you, director colfax. are there any public comments, additional public comments on these topic. >> >> thank you. folks on the line, if you would like to make a comment on item 5, the covid-19 and monkeypox update, press star three and i see hands. take them as you see them. i'm in here, thank you. let's see. all right. caller, you're unmuted. let us know you're there. >> yes, thank you. first, i'm so sorry for your loss, director colfax. mayor beloved colleagues, memory before blessing and i hope we can remember the people who unnecessarily died of covid when
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there could have been better public health protections on a state, federal and local level to protect us. let's do the right thing and prevent more unnecessary deaths. so, i first wanted to say i tried calling in both for the minutes where there's serious problems with and i listened to the recording and the last item because i wasn't able to dial it soon enough for the first one. i wasn't able to get through because i dialed star three, just before the last comment i wasn't called on so i hope i can get extra time since i tried to give public comment and i couldn't say everything i wanted to in the three minutes so i would greatly appreciate that. i'm alice. i'm an active member of senior and disability action and support all the testimony by
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senior disability action members and by others advocating for safety and equity around covid and pox, often called monkeypox. i i given that we are two pandemics, two serious pandemics. levels of both are certificatory underestimated. monkeypox and the materials before hand, actually the materials before hand, scott wiener was talking about how drastically insufficient testing for m-pox and i'm saying m-pox to avoid the stigma for african american -- for africa and in
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africa. it happens at the same time as -- often usually transmissed infections and people won't be tested for m-pox especially in groups where the spread is not recognized like outside of gay, bi and queer men and many women have trouble getting testing and there needs to be widespread testing and there's an underestimate in the gay men, bi population and other men who have sex with men and who knows how much it is for those sexual and social network and even beyond. you might have seen all the people's -- there's a story in people and other sources -- >> allison, i'm sorry your time is up. [no audio]
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>> hi again. i heard you use moicron as a marker so i wanted to remind you how bad that peak was and not starting with a mask mandate is going to be worse. this time around we don't have a remote option for our students. so, those students i mentioned with the iep who are at risk for long covid don't have an option to access public schooling safely. in january, our worst day was 392 positive cases. those sections will lead to long covid. we know that. and we also know that people will get reinfected. so many teachers have left because of the failures to keep us safe. and our teachers on special
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assignment, tsa who came to our schools last year when our teachers were out in the hundreds, they've already been reassigned so our students, when our teachers are out sick are going to be in mixed classrooms without required masking. this will lead to immense spread. you need to come up with a better plan for our students because our students go home to their families and their families go to work and they take public transit like i do and so many people on this call do and like you do too. it's not safe. be better. thank you. >> thank you. and i apologize. you was muted before. i'm going to speak to alice, please feel free to submit written comment. i'm not able to take everyone's word that they tried to call in. otherwise, we'll have people double commenting today and we have lots of people so feel free to e-mail public comment. next
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caller. caller, you're unmuted. let us know you're there. >> yes, hi. my name is pante and i'm calling in support of an endure mask mandate as well. -- indoor mask mandate and we need it during a double public health emergency and nationally declare, two nationally declared public health emergencies and i am, first and foremost, a mother of a school-aged child in the bay area and a very concerned parent going into the new school. i'm also faculty at stanford at the school of medicine and human rights and trauma mental health so i'm extremely concerned about neurological damage from long covid. i take long covid very seriously. i researched long covid as part of my professional duties and i am also a member of senior and disability action. i
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just want to comment specifically about the fact that we're experiencing a lot of back and forth between leadership that we're looking to for guidance but the cdc has disappointed many people in public health with its recent avocatino and they have standard bearing for public health and they leave it to state and county and local agencies to be the sealing and california and especially the bay area have been a ceiling, a stand tarred -- for high standard for public health during the pandemic. we're in a state of high transmission and we have been for a long time and we have no metrics for on or off-ramps for masking and certainly during
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moments of low transmission, is an opportunity to maintain low transmission and continue being a high standard bearing. with school starting, we're seeing 40 to 50,000 people in hospital in the united states. 400 to five hundred deaths a day. that's a -- it's a 9/11 attack every week. it makes no sense lowering standards at this time and the message the public is receiving and the statements about strong recommendations about masking are thinking not effective. we are, public is behaving in such a way that they've received a message that they no longer need protections from covid-19. that we're not at risk anymore and that's not true. mask show that communities care for each other and san francisco's identity is intact and -- and we're
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experiencing this after from public life. there's a (indiscernible) to understand the science and who don't want to put our children and families at risk. and i really strongly encourage -- >> that's your time >> seriously -- >> thank you. again, i apologize for interrupting you. your time is up. we can go on to the next caller. caller, you're unmuted. let us know you're there. >> francisco. yeah, i would like to stress to the commission that we need qualified commanders for emergency management. and if we did have them, we would not be doing the stuff they are doing today. the mask must be mandatory. our children must be helped, not put in harms way.
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and with the monkeypox, not once have i heard y'all talk about who is for manufacturing this vaccine. we are the super power and not manufacturing the vaccine. we have to bag it from denmark and stand in line for the vaccine. and representatives will be told not to scare their people. you do not have the ability to manufacture the vaccine. and that's what we should do especially here in san francisco. with all our labs in the bay area. and you, commissioners, have to be forthright and listen to the people. don't have the people beg of you about this mask. it's
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the first fair wall we have, the mask. people are dying and if people die at home, you don't get the stats, you know that. only the people who die in the hospital get the stats, thank you very much. >> great, thank you commissioners, that's the last comment or hand up. >> thank you. thank you so much. are there any questions or comments from the commissioners on the covid monkeypox update? commissioner chow? >> yes. while, i saw from an a letter transmitted to us from muni that they actually gave an explanation which is similar to what dr. philip said. the last
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time they saw that 80% of the public are complying with the suggestion. and also, i thought it was important to let us know that parts of their fleet because i don't think it includes cable cars do have hvac systems that turn over the air once every minute and so that's almost at the same rate as airplanes are doing. however, they talk about the fact that they have asked the public to -- display signs strongly recommended, but in my -- i haven't been on -- muni hasn't been out in any public setting in a long time in that way but from what i can see, i don't see that on the buses that i see go through that it becomes very prominent as you're getting on
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the bus and when they say we are exploring posting additional messaging within our vehicles and on social media, i don't think that this is just a matter of additional messaging. it seems to me we should be doing that messaging at this point so i'm not sure what relationships dr. philip is still, you know, working with muni to put up a better things, whether as you're entering the buses. i saw that on a stanford medical center box where it says ride as you're entering. it says, mask required. now, if they insist on continuing mask strongly recommended, at least a sign like that might be just as helpful as having it on the back of the bus, which you don't really see when you get on the bus. so, i think there's still a lot more muni can do, which i would hope that the department
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is working with them on if they are not willing to create a mandate on public transportation. >> thank you, dr. chow and as we know, a decision to have a mask mandate on public transit is not within the purview of that commission as well as that director. as bart has done. and i believe director colfax accident was there further communication from director tumland from the mta especially the mask on muni and i don't know if you can clarify from a firsthand perspective what commissioner chow is referring to? >> so, i can ask director tumland to provide a more formal written explanation about the stuff they're continuing to take. i think the -- the key
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points include that mask remain recommended on muni transportation and they're monitoring mask mandate at 80% as communicated through dr. tumland to me, that's higher than the mask wearing rate at bart. and they do make mask available at certain sites for riders and that you are continuing to do education and supporting people in wearing mask and believe that's being successful in resolving in its 80% of wearing. >> thank you. it appears they're planning and i don't know timeframe, but having mask distributed by -- everyone in the department of public
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-- health encourage, them to do as much as they can as soon as possible and make it available to the ridership. thank you very much. are there any other commissioner questions or comments? >> i would like to follow up on that because i think the way i read the note from the director, it was that it would be a valuable -- it sounded like it could be in station h and the office rather than really having it available so that as the public is coming through, if they don't have a mask, they can pick one up. i know there's ex -- we're encouraging masking and make availability for the mask much easier than going up to the station h and asking for a mask. and that seems to be the way that the letter that he transmitted to dph is reading,
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so i think a clarification would be helpful that i think the way that vice-president green described it, that agents would be able to, well, i mean that muni would be handing out mask, it would be a lot better than just saying, in a passionate fashion, you can come by and pick one up. >> commissioners, if i may. can you quote so we're clear so there's not a question of this? this is from director tumland and we plan to distribute high-quality masks to transit and operators so they can offer them to the member of the public who make a request. those who train everyday will have mask they can distribute. we're exploring posting messaging within our vehicle asks social media. just to be clear so that the message was exactly that. >> thank you, thank you so much
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for that clarification. if there's no other questions or comments on this item, we'll move to general public comment. >> vice-president green, i just have a comment. >> i'm sorry. all the named are scared on this panelists list. please. >> just want to get more detail or information if possible on the coordination or collaboration between the health department and the school district with regard to education on protocols and potential masking recommendations and so on, both for the faculty and the workers at the schools on the facilities and for the students. if you could just elaborate a little bit on the continued coordination between the
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department and the district? >> i can provide some broad information, commissioner and then we can certainly follow up either in writing or at the next meeting with more details. our team has been working very closely with the schools since the beginning of the pandemic. that work has continued under dr. phillips, with dr. phillips team ensure that guidance is update and the understanding of covid and the risk and how it's transmitted and especially with school starting now, our school team has been working very closely with the school district and continuing to work with private schools and per roque cal schools to make sure they have the information and as much support we can provide. dr. bala, i don't know if you have much more to provide in details but we can come back to
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the commission with the right -- we'll probably working on this right now but we're available for commission at this time. dr. bala, do you have more information? >> i can say we have a school liaison that works closely with the school and childcare and the guidance we have is follow the state's guidance in terms of masking and other ways to deal with covid in schools and so, if there is questions, there's a point person for that and as the school year has started, it seems that sfusd and other school districts are well supported. we haven't gotten a lot of questions about covid at this time. but obviously, we have a dedicated team member to schools if there's more questions otherwise. >> thank you. i would imagine that as schools is actually
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starting, we might then get additional questions and comments and concerns raised and so, it would be helpful to have some detail about how that guidance is responding to those questions, concerns and recommendations that might come through, so some follow up would be appreciated as things merge and evolve over the next couple of weeks when school starts. thank you. >> thank you for bringing that up, commissioner guillermo. now, i for sure don't see any other commissioner hands so we can go to general public comment. >> i'll read a statement before i check to see if anyone is on the line. at this time, members of the public may address the commission on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the commission that are not on this meeting agenda. with respect to agenda items, your
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opportunity to address the commission will be afforded when the item is reached in the meeting. each member of the public may address the commission for up to three minutes. the brown act forbids a commission from taking action or discussing any item not appearing on the posted agenda, including those items raised at public comment. >> each individual is allowed to speak for one item and each individual is not allowed to speak again. this is your time to make comment about something not on the agenda. so if it's about covid or monkeypox or laguna honda, i will cut you off. hi caller, unmuted. >> my name is francisco. what i want to speak about is we, san franciscans, if you look at higher education, we have a very high percentage of educated professionals in the bay area.
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and so, they are not talking about some simple type of outreach that does not benefit the experts. right now in the uk, you all are aware that the research over there and the outreach over there takes us to the latest technology, the latest boosters that are available to the public in the uk. if that information is not given to us we wonder when we're going to get the boosters. there's no mention made of it. you read about it in the
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newspaper but you don't have the ability to get the right type of information, the right timelines and the short-term goals and long-term goals and all this comes with having commenders who have certified -- who can do a -- who can do a needs assessment and if they can't do needs assessment, they're not good on issues and not good at logistics and then you can't do anything much. there's a time in san francisco, not long ago, that link were sent that couldn't be opened. thousands of people who needed to be housed couldn't be housed. i was told about this. i
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found a solution. and i have the san francisco -- i have the san francisco health department and that's because i was trained to do a needs assessment in the military. they are not going to be taking some you know, some comments, general statements. we need good data and we need good leadership, good leaders that know the way, show the way and go the way, again and again, the san francisco health department has failed us miserably. thank you. >> all right. thanks for your comment. commission, there's a handful of folks, just so you know. caller, let us know you're there. >> i am, it's patrick. >> please go, you have three minutes. >> i have called for health commissioner ed shuder resign
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because he served for 23 years and it's past time we get new commissioners. but i want to commend dr. chow for his comments during the ohh jcc committee a week ago at laguna honda august 9th when acting ceo roland pickens announced last tuesday that laguna honda was 66% in completing its 120 bed reduction and completed by august 19th much commissioner chow thoughtfully spoke up saying reducing the license now is premature and should itself be paused until city attorney david chow chew appeals before
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the law judge appeals or heard in late october and take it and the license change be taken up at a later time. pickens said he would circle back and check with chew if the license change could be postponed. why is that back for discussion today in agenda item 7? the commissions word on this should be final and not be brought back for reconsideration again. thank you. >> next caller, you're unmuted. please let us know you're there. >> hi there. my name is brandy markman. i am a parent and a public school parent and i would like to tell you about what is happening in our public schools in terms of communication with
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parents. we received basically an 8 page newsletter from dr. wayne, our student superintendent. there was a half a page devoted to emphasizing the importance of covid vaccines which are very much appreciated. there was no mention at all of masks. what i received as a public school parent -- in a moment. >> i'm sorry, that's covid related. and we already had a covid item and i apologize but this is general public comment so items not on the agenda is what this item is for, and that's what we have to do. sorry about that. next caller, you're unmuted and let you know you're there. >> yes, can you hear me? >> yes, you have three minutes. >> wonderful. thank you. so the first comment i was making is just a general one about the importance of following the (indiscernible) principal. it's important health principle and i hope you can follow it in all of
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the policy and fortunately in important ways which i can't discuss because of limitations you're not but i won't discuss the specifics. i will go on to talk about the importance of being able to have sufficient time to make public comment. i tried two times and the first time i just couldn't dial the access code quickly enough to be able to be called on. there are some, i will not mention it but there are problems with misspelling of names and key concepts, so i suggest that the process for minutes is that the person preparing the minutes -- listen to the recording carefully and be sure they are, as summarized in the key points accurately. the other thing is that this should be double check by somebody else because it's so important to have an accurate
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record of this crucial public testimony. you need to hear from those who are most impacted by the public health policy some of which harm us. and on that topic, one available, viv -- that's not his gender and not his name. they need, that's one example. jen's name was spelled gena. alisa's name is spelled elisa, and spelled a-l-is-a- this is a huge problem and we need to be accurate. i hope there's a procedure and wait to give -- you know, at least give a minute or two. some are disabled and aren't so fast with our fingers because of mobility in his hands like rule tori agent right this and we need a chance to call in so we have to give written testimony and not just public testimony and not lose out. i was hoping to give
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testimony on all items and i'll not able to and i'm limited because of that. so, just more broadly, i hope that people who are most marginalized who face the most type of systemic oppressions are affected by the policies are consulted with and policy is made in, with that mind that people who have serious, disabilities and those immune owe compromised and people who have hiv and aids, that in a way that impacts them seriously epi sen shlly workers, we should be consulted with and public health policy should reflect our needs. it should reflect the needs of people who are most -- >> thank you. your time is up. that's all the public comment we have in general public comment. thank you. >> thank you. the next item on the agenda is laguna honda
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hospital and rehabilitation center closure plan and cms recertification update and we'll give it to mr. pickens, director of san francisco health network and acting ceo. >> thank you, commissioners. interim ceo at laguna and it's my privilege to deliver this update acknowledging that the update was provided in advance both to the commission and also to the public via the website. i will not go over each and every aspect of each slide, but instead will focus on high lates and key areas. and of course, at the end, we'll be open to questions and comments. next slide. so, as director colfax, he shared with you the update regarding the pause and transfers in the agreement
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reached between cms and the city. so you're aware that that pause extends transfers not happening or discharges until november 13th. next slide. since our last meeting, we, cms actually dispatched a transmission facilitator who arrived at laguna july 26th and been onsite and has been acting as a resource to both residents, families, staff and anyone else who has concerned about the cms closure plan and how it is and was being implemented at laguna prior to the pause. next slide. just briefly, our views was is it an and tucks through july --
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statistics ever july 28th in terms of discharges that occurred. and where those discharges and transfers went when they left laguna. next slide. so in terms of a closure plan itself, transfers and discharges are on pause. and we are looking forward to being able to refocus many of our closure plan resources and efforts towards our primary focus of recertification and cms and medical. next slide. so, again, as we focus on proux marry goal which is recertification, the next slide is a brief overview of where we have been and where we stand in that regard. next slide. so
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again, from the very beginning on april 14th when the initial decertification occurred, we made it clear, our number one priority then and continues to be recertification, coming back into compliance with all cms, federal and state regulations. to that extent, we brought onboard experts who been on the ground with us since early may and continue to help and direct our activities towards recertification. next slide. you recall in previous presentations, we presented our one-page roadmap. it gaze the timeline for our path owe certification. we had two different mock surveys and the mock surveyors are -- surveys
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are to simulate the kms process by identifying any areas of noncompliance and helping to the organize to the plans of areas of noncompliance. it follows the same process that cms will use when they come out to do the certification so it's a good trial run for us. we concluded the first mock survey a few weeks ago. as a result, plans of correction were drafted by staff at all levels of the organization including staff, and management. those plans of direction have been shared with the commission and it will be shared with others, other key stakeholders and others as requested. next slide. a mock survey, the first one conducted in two phases and the first
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phase focused on core skilled nursing operations, nursing unit and themselves and the second phase of the mock survey focused on facilities and buildings, life safety related issues, pharmacy and infection control. in terms of some of the findings from phase ii, some of them mr.ity the findings from phase i. continued findings in terms of challenges with meeting infection control policies and procedures, keeping the environment of carefree of hazards at laguna. they were deficiencies in bio medical and medical maintenance and? citations in terms of pharmacy services. very much like the first phase of mock survey number one, disciplinary teams representing facilities, engineering, environmental
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services, pharmacy, food -- they came together in a two-day summit and looked at the deficiencies and had plans of correction that was submitted and approved to the mock survey team. next slide. in terms of mock survey two, there were three key areas of noncompliance that were noted. again, similar to the first phase and section control areas. specifically, continued challenges with staff effect ifshly -- effectively doing hand hygiene and washing application of gel in between patients when coming out of
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patient rooms and dawn and giving have personal protective equipment. as a result, there were immediate interventions taken including particularly in terms of infection control, we immediately implemented an enhanced rounding unit and facility rounding process where we actually target looking for opportunities where staff are not appropriately engaging in hand hygiene and pp application, giving them on the spot, on the spot just if time training but then also beginning to share that information with supervisors and managers so they can take the appropriate follow up action with staff to make sure everyone is being held accountable to our regulations. next slide. in terms of citations related to the
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environment of care, survey variances identified inconsistent oversight of environmental safety as evidence for example, there were unlocked evf, environmental carts and this is what janitors and staff use. the carts have chemicals and being unlocked means they were unattended and they pose a threat to residents or visitors who may try and access those carts and so we immediately made corrections to include more audits with the ebs staff to ensure the carts are kept throbbed so people cannot gain access, or who don't require access. next slide. and in the area of food safety, the surveyors identified that food sanitation, particularly in the
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nursing unit gallis food was not being stored appropriately which prevented the potential of contamination so correct ifshg actions were taken and there were differ cleaning of the galli and the kitchen the hospital. next slide. as you can imagine, as a result of the mock survey, we use that information to really help inform what are the areas where we still need to be providing education, training and coaching with our staff. so, from that perspective, we have developed a framework for our recertification, staff engagement and education and the next few slides will
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