financial district. that alone is powerful. [music]. >> thank you, everyone. um, for 32nd we're to grateful you've joined us more to historic mentally ill and in disability and affordable housing i'm already crying and we've not started yet (laughter) today it groundbreaking the kelsey civic center can i get

another rounding. >> (clapping). >> wow. >> my name is ali and i used the pronounce and really proud to lead our policy work at the kelsey before we continue with today's program i'd like to share the beginning the development process for the kelsey civic center we reached out to um, the association of the racism who joined us before we moved in the construction we got to work with them to develop a development i'll share with you today. we recognize the kelsey civic center is on the tribal homeland of ramaytush ohlone people and who are the okay. people the san francisco. we honor the ramaytush ohlone for their non-stop commitment and career care for the plan. >> and as guests we declare

their rights for people and pay our respect to the ann she was and people the ramaytush ohlone community we will do this by having an active relationship with them and with the land. as the housing community road in forget and accessibility and executive session and subsequent we learn from and right the indigenous knowledge of land and in how we care for the land each other and the neighborhood. now i'm going to turn it over to isaac to take us us further

today. >> (clapping). >> my name isized came back and i'm the communication analyst at the cal and san francisco resident and for today's programming thank you to everyone who made this project possible and i'm excited for this project to become a reality. because it gives people who need it access to affordable housing and projects like these are projects like the kelsey civic center is so important to the city of and the united states and california thank you for joining us and celebrating with us i like to welcome our first speaker the mayor the san francisco london breed. >> (clapping). >> yeah.

>> board of governors i'm the first speaker. i thought i had more time here. >> first of all, it really is great to be here a took me a long time to get here from across the street but this area had an old art commission building some of might remember that and the property around here always thought what if we need the something different and the visionary leadership that came as a result what we see happening here today is something that is not only remarkable but a really blessing to a community that is not always made the priority when housing in this particular affordable housing is built i want to express any appreciation to the person who this property

is named for kelsey o'connor we know those who no her personally an advocate fought for opportunity in places like san francisco to make sure that the investments we were making that the work we were doing translated into actual results to preserve the community that need is so much and so one hundred and 12 units two bedroom and studio units, um, community rooms and programming and an opportunity for people to live in dignity. and i want to really acknowledge and thank so many of the folks i have a team of people that work for the city may not be recognized they're the behind the scenes people doing the work to put the money together to make sure the projects move forward to do what

had takes to get state resources and other things and start with the mayor's off the house and community development and the mayors officer of disabilities thank you for your advocacy and the mayor's office homelessness and supportive service and the person in chair of our work around in-home supportive services for the community kelly think i saw here her earlier and as you can see those are people who have worked in the community to deliver for this community in various capacity but this project becomes a special it is something special because it means people will have a safe affordable places our governor

and the amazing i'm happy combes to have it here he worked with the governor's office and here's the thing the governor loves san francisco but unless? something in anyone that is possible for the resources that loves san francisco too i don't know if san francisco would be getting as much money as we've been able to get in the stated as we got because of people like his leadership and at the state so projects like this where this will be about $507 million to support this particular project as well as other affordable housing projects in the bayview hunter point and project homekey is incredible to help us purchase buildings that are are people trying to put san francisco down and talk about what we're not doing and what is

happening in san francisco but this story today paints a different picture that is talks what is great about san francisco. it talks about how we look at where interesting is a need with almost 200,000 people in san francisco who are part of our senior and disabled community we are finally start through the dignity resources investing in housing programs and opportunity to insure we don't just say we want people to live in the city but make it possible. so i'm existed about that project working with our various partners to make that happen and j.p. morgan chase thank you for stepping up the kelsey developers i'm looking forward to more partnerships like this and again, gus staff and the mayor's office of housing and community

development it takes a village a project like this to make that happen this village is strong and impacts the lives of so many people thank you all more joining us here today. >> (clapping.) >> (sirens) >> thank you, mayor. breeding and like to introduce you're next speaker. simple (sirens) gus to have the director of california depth of housing development. yeah. >> thank you good afternoon, everyone buenos dias thank you, ali great to be here with all of

you. >> thank you, ma'am mayor and she was talking about a picture how important this picture is i thought about a great, great picture and turn to your left you'll see that big piece of equipment. that what it does it digs in order to set a foundation for who what one hundred and 22 new homes and look to the right of that and further in that is beautiful building symbolize the decision maker of the highest level of the city i want to say you see this very, very symbolic because this is a fact. the last three years if you between 2019 and the 2019-2020 the city of san

francisco has permitted for new construction like permitted one hundred and 22 new homes here though new units. >> (clapping). >> that's how much the housing san francisco has permit i say that because the mayor said a lot of complaints and like to, no. the glass half full of those 13 thousand more than 35 hundred three 200 have bang set up by low income people in san francisco. >> and this is another example of, you know. the city stepping you think and providing the leadership it is the mayor and we have to make sure that we have the entire city leadership behind this tiff things, as you

can see concern about the delay it takes for this new homes for permitted and entitled to be you permitted and built. but that is progress being made the mayor has put toeshth really, really that i have am what the state of california is reviewing and what is made and under the mayors leadership we believe we have made more progress way, way beyond the 13 though homes in san francisco and the kelsey this partnership so unique; right? represents the commission of the project and the stifshg will be to achieve affordability and accessibility and inclusive and a few years back i was

working in d.c. at the u.s. department of housing and urban development and the had the honor to serve to lead the fair housing agenda for this administration and not everyone go knows this but the distribution in housing decision in the housing market a more prevalent against people with disabilities than any other group in in country any other group in the country we are successful to try to use this go out there in the city of los angeles back in the day and partner with the chief but makes the city retrofit more than 3000 unions of housing have been built in violation of the disability arrangements and what

we have here is the last piece of equipment starting for the ground and doing the right thing cross point one from the very start. and that's would have to do i hear i'm aware of the federal law in terms of the - limit for mobility, um, challenges for example, no, no, no this is not like this here. this is about actually much more over what the flow is and that's what we should see in owe project we are building new housing (clapping) i remember back in the day with the city leadership in la and they were like thanks they would say this is going to kill our budget the retrofitting will be costing hundreds of millions and

see that a little bit different we are here reversing injustice and just so that that way massage establishment to be deserve a good place to leave and that continues but here not city of san francisco doing way, way over the project and kelsey and mercy every single partner and contributions it is important for us $6.02 programs the cap and trade that is all about creating housing we are safe compliment goals and that program is important it really what it is the proximity the future residents of the cooling

state will have for everything they need and if 2023 want to get married across the street (laughter). >> i mean all the services they'll need going forward will be here. >> that is what the a hsa affordable housing is all about and $37 million to the cap and trade program like california health net an invention of governor himself so many housing that is done already because of congress has not be able to there for california every other state the availability of tax exempt credits we need to step up and provide normally $2 billion to 7 projects cross the state that is shovel ready and cal is one kelsey is one of them. >> so with that, i want to say

it is privilege to be here celebrating with all the amazing partnerships and i look forward to return to welcome the residents to the better day i'll be here with the mayor. thank you. >> (clapping.) >> thank you, director vascular quiz our next people housing director really federal bank renee dare. >> (clapping). >> wow. >> hi, everyone oh, my goodness look at crowd i'm randy with mercy housing and honored to be representing the partners one half of the partnership kelsey to the center as you can see

fans the kelsey you know that is kelsey is an organization the staff and board and all of the support of la you have an incredible vision mercy housing we're honored you picked us to help us to execute our business i think one of the stories that i think everyone one has a story one of the stories popped up was one is how that vision turned into like an aggregate action. basically, we quota to this point here with that big drill in four years from the time the city said hey we have a site and opportunity to be innovative and to get to hear aftertime for the funding and working with the city through the process and expediting that and the partnership with all the agencies help to make sure this

piece of land with all it's complications allowed us to get permitted today is incredible and so i said to applaud everyone who worked on that and you have a hand in and many of the city folks the designers and, of course, the team and the want to take a moment to acknowledge some of those folks and quite and list i know i'll not get everybody i want to call out the amazing partners at the kelsey makayla and: >> (calling names). >> kudos for pushing us and picking this site across from city hall a great opportunity and mercy housing team and we have folks who are part of the property management team have been working with the kelsey

staff and will continue to see to really figure out how to make sure this truly is an inclusive community for people as they live here want so kudos to really and sharon and barbara and shawn and others for for all your work. >> (clapping). >> wow. >> and chris is our consultant and helps us to insure we are getting the best housing quality in all the design and scenario permitting and contractors and amazing team there. >> (calling names.) >> and the other teams and, of course, the design team i know i'll not get everyone but have. >> (calling names.) >> shout out to the exploreers

providing the arts i think the artist is here stacey green to (clapping) and you'll be part of building as well and um, the knack land acquisition land spot a team from the reality department so. >> (calling names.) >> and the department of environment. >> (calling names.) >> the mcbain family and help us with the mapping and the subdivision thanks to that team. (clapping) and then over the course we have the mayor's office of housing the amazing team lead by director shaw and for those working on the funding to support the. >> (calling names.) >> and thank you for the help

on permitting and the planning department was really making sure that we could move as quickly as we possibly 0 could to meet the deadline that was talked about with the 35 approvals in 90 days that is great and thank you for your help on that and (clapping) and sb 35 and the successor to make sure that to that and thanks to the amazing team of linda our attorney and financial consultant angel to make sure we got the various sources and j.p. morgan chase as london breed said providing the financing and the mayor office of housing and the acd and others housing trustee of silicon valley hoping they're here and we have

vouchers from the hud and the golden capacity center attributed to the capital improvement and thank you and the other foundation we have a lot of stakeholders involved including public health this together and have to take a moment to depress our gratitude and those of i and mention kudos for your work and making sure that vision came to fruition, thank you. (clapping). >> thank you, director dare and now introduce our next speaker elizabeth a board member for the kelsey. >> (clapping). >> wow.

(sirens). >> (fire truck sirens). >> i everyone. >> hello. >> i want to thank you former (sirens) (laughter). >> i'm a resident i'm on the board of the kelsey. when i

first met makayla came to my workplace i worked at golden gate advocate eric my boss as art and elizabeth and you guys get along to i just happened to go down the hauling they were coming out his officer and we kind of bumped into each other. she - we started talking. and then me and makayla went out for

a couple of drinks later on that week. and she was telling me about our cousin and she asked i was like count me in. i need to be a part of this. (clapping) this vision. do you know why? >> yes. we have a disability. i say have kelly pails. now it

is i have been that people with - people with disabilities needed to be taken care of they need to be safe. they need to someone to look out for them. >> but northbound ever stopped to say these people need to have a life. they need the work. they need the housing and in the community. i'm here to tell you yes, we need the retailers have our own life and we need to be able to be independent. and thrive. and work and have loved

ones that we are part of this and one thing i could show you kelsey will bring that to the table. when this building goes up, that will change so many lives for people. for the better and a lot of people will say but you're going to move the homeless in there. why not why not? >> (clapping.) >> we're all we are all needing to - we all need to be inclusive and together. thank you very much. >> (clapping.) >> wow.

>> okay. >> let's give a a round of applause for the kelsey civic center. >> thank you elizabeth and now i'd like to introduce you're next speaker eric and alec eric is the executive director of the golden regional center at g grc and the eric is the housing expert at the golden gate regional center.

>> these sa accuse to be my boss and alex was my boss at the center and a lot of bosses it hard to follow elizabeth like the academy award thank you, liz before i start, i want to do one shout out to another state person and from the development of service from the community development and they allowed recent golden gate regional center to put in money to others kelsey incredible project. >> (clapping). >> wow. >> and thank you, one of the unsung heroes in housing so many unsung heroes and city hall any worked with hundreds probably thousands of people that are living in the community. and

into a large degree so i want to shout out her. >> i'm going to talk about visions of visibility and incredibly briefly. um, so our vision and golden gate in support of lives of liberty 21 in the state and mostly a bunch of other stuff but serve 10 thousand people in the center in san francisco and marin county and the regional centers were started of years and golden gate were part of two and makayla was determined do have a reputable scale of housing to push forward for the state and country i think that was a pilot project we should support her and been a remark ride our violation to support the lives and liability

and kelsey have a share for people to be leaders and experts to be involved and connect around that but the disability thing the most important in the sense in we have an entitle in california that people with with disables are used to call the facilities act in the nation but 60 years after the funding a certain visibility of all people with disabilities and people with mental disabilities are better but the regional center is over the years to soft a separate equity and not mirror that as a structure we need partners reach out and do a better job we have 4 strategic plans two are here one to more

education and community development and the other community living with the 10 thousand people we serve many want to live in a place or maybe living with their folks or don't want to be a creation of units here for people with disabilities and people with very well disabilities and the between that dome and the maybe symphony hall the system a lot of outskirts of town so this is right in the center of san francisco. so really appreciate being here and to gratitude so groundbreaking and now let alex talk. >> (clapping). >> hi. at golden gate strange

today this is a real start forward for housing and people with disabilities and ability. give kudos to today and i want to say a new start of partnership and that the safety, of course, the vision that is here. more than came forward for people with disabilities and all of the abilities. so thank you and yeah. >> (clapping). >> wow.

>> thank you, guys. so much. >> thank you, both >> now like to introduce our next speaker. >> marin. >> nina the vice president for the community development at j.p. morgan chase and company. >> (clapping). >> thank you, isaac hi, everybody good afternoon it is such a thrill to be here on behalf of chase for the groundbreaking and i didn't underwrite the financing has nothing to do with the closing of financing and when james my colleague asked me to come here to talk about anyone knows that

james couldn't change that conflict of undergrounding and grand opening. well my first thought to change the under writer i don't girlfriend talks but that is impossible not to feel connected to the project i them connected a group in san francisco more than a couple of decades raised our daughter here with the high school district. i go to the parks and the open space on the weekends is a recharger a big part of san francisco and beyond the city's effort more affordable housing and more sustainable and inclusive i like the center center and housing is the center of our lives and affordable housing makes that possible for everyone no matter you how much

money or your abilities to be here where we belong so i really appreciate that and also couldn't pass up an opportunity to come and celebrate and support mercy housing a long time chase partner and a shout out to the project manager (yelling). >> i hear she managed the heck out of project to get it into construction and the project managers have the unsung heirs and they know kelsey for your incredible vision and determination and for the love and resources that you could have - amazing and, you know. parmz are such a real and essential part of the work and kelsey is a great example how

important to share knowledge and the ledge the expertise it is the main thing projects like this. and, you know. in the incredible central and san francisco next to city hall surrounded but all the wonderful civic institution to roll a place that is impressive. we also want to thank all the partners particularly the states housing u.s. department of housing and urban development and the department of development services. and housing for silicon valley and the regional center and wouldn't have done it without all those folks working together and making this happen i think that's all i have i have. personally thank you to everybody who actually was in the trenches and you can be sure chase will be back for the

groundbreaking and thank you very much. >> thank you nina and finally introduce o con kelsey the ceo er co-founder and ceo that brought the show. >> (clapping). >> not the tallist i get to work with the kelsey team you'll talk about in a second on this remarkable project a thank you all for being here today and being part of the community you hear me say that but when you show up to on advocacy day or

join for a fundraising or in a group meeting you're fully a group of our moll e meeting we welcome you and look forward to a long time together to build affordable housing i want to say 6 years ago as graduate student in that building question keep bayview referring to i sat down with two folks in the u.s. department of housing and urban development and the was connected an interview to ask them about what that meant to create - affordable housing and making that more assessable to people with disabilities. we just have i got visioned i was i'med by the different pieces that takes to build housed in the community and then went on my way it is remarkable to be of years later on looking in that

space and seeing that vision that we knew on that day come to life and look around and see so many people are contributed to the vision made this a rezoning map amendment we we talk about housing for people with disabilities we talk about the independent housing one of the first ones i learned as i got engaged in the justice movement independence is a joke our goal and reality how we create community is all about entering dependence none of us live dependent lives and all of us desire to have enter dependence it is we are capable and have value and dignity about finding to be in other surroundings us to supporting us and there when we need them in the happy and sad moment to an example of enter dependence what it took to

create if and randy does a beautiful job showing people who were our amazing team fearless lead by karen and lead the stage and the reason we got this done it is because of carolyn remarkable what she's done and ice cream came back and: >> (calling names). >> and who else with us i think i got the group here and our team members not here but cross the country doing the work for assembly housing. >> thank you. the mercy team wouldn't have done it without without mercy i saw doug about 4 years ago and he'll speak in a second and i think we can do this together with mercy and he said that's what mercy does and

in partnership with new organizations to affordable housing space so we couldn't have done it without a better partner to carry this through to make a reality and she's been shout outed out she's a dream to have leading this project and sometimes kelsey we're not going to take mercy but a remarkable steward and wouldn't have done it without her and kate and: >> (calling names). >> can you stand up for me j.d. green right here the remarkable artist and j.d. created the alternate you see on the wrapping the construction site and most existing the wrapping was not temporary will be permanent in on the grove street entrance of our community and j.d. will be part of the

kelsey civic center so thank you for the art you created (clapping) and where j dvd art the people with disabilities currently center and in addition to providing affordable and inclusive homes one hundred and 12 in san francisco this community be home to the d d cp a vision by the department of aging and this vision for the culture center it salient the community and connects people with disables and on the identity and culture that is valuable not something can be fixed by celebrated and included so we were so proud when we were able to have to site be the place where that currently center last year built and now for who will operate that so check our website we love to see

more involved in the partnerships and the person that did the legal work a long list of people and i want to call out the kelsey as an organization one of our approaches to ledge into those projects we put as early risk capital to be get it up and coming and this anchors on the piece of inclusion with the residents services and other things are inclusion conspiracies and that funding made this project possible and the accessibility and disability forward features a reminder those are co-chair the community

and what exciting for where we'll be two years from now what is about the residents for disabilities and say that too of kelsey you heard kelsey mention was my cousin she's our co-founder you see her picture blown away by the community and kelsey has to favorite signs the first is thank you all for being part of this with us and our community and making this project possible and few were a part if you of whether you're a kelsey board member and emergency team you're a designer only single call organizing or part of making this community

advisory group look around if you're involved. it (clapping) it it takes a village as mayor said earlier and really remarkable all the people that contributed to the little parks so thank you for being here. and thank you, especially to all the folks to contributed to bring to light and as isaac said kelsey other favorite was more i think that we want to lead this to admonish and take this in san francisco a city that leads the way so many times around access and inclusion and innovation how we take this stand with all the partners not just one but a lead into more and more opportunity across the city and across this country for housing with people with disabilities a chance to live lives in communities and will with dignity and live lives of joy they can in the cities

they love with the neighbors they love and thank you for being part of this and chores to the kelsey civic center we're glad you're here with >> who doesn't love cable cars? charging emissions and we're free which we're proud of you know, it's not much free left in the world anymore so we managed to do that through donations and through our gift shops. you got a real look and real appreciation of what early transit systems are like. this was the transit of the day from about 1875 to about 1893 or

later, you know. cable car museum is free, come on in. take a day. come down. rediscover the city. you can spend as time you want and you don't have to make reservations and it's important to be free because we want them to develop a love for cable cars so they do continue to support whether they live here or other places and people come in and say, yes, i have passed by and heard of this and never come in and they always enjoy themselves. people love cable cars and there's none left in the world so if you want to ride a cable car, you've got to come to san francisco. that what makes the city. without the cable cars, you lose part of that, you know, because people who come here and they love it and they love the history ask they can ride a cable car that has been running since 1888 or 1889. wow! that's something. can't do that with other historical museums. rarely, have i run into anybody from outside who didn't come in and didn't feel better from knowing

something about the city. it's a true experience you'll remember. i hope they walk away with a greater appreciation for the history, with the mechanics with people are fascinated by the winding machine and i hope the appreciation, which is a part of our mission and these young kids will appreciate cable cars and the ones who live here and other places, they can make sure there will always be cable cars in san francisco because once they are gone, they are gone. it's the heartbeat of san francisco that founded the cable and the slot and without the cable cars, yeah, we would lose something in san francisco. we would lose part of its heart and soul. it wouldn't be san francisco without cable cars. [bell ringing]

>> i don't want to be involved in the process after it happens. i want to be there at the front end to help people with something in my mind from a very early age. our community is the important way to look at things, even now. george floyd was huge. it opened up wounds and a discussion on something festering for a long time. before rodney king. you can look at all the instances where there are calls

for change. i think we are involved in change right now in this moment that is going to be long lasting. it is very challenging. i was the victim of a crime when i was in middle school. some kids at recess came around at pe class and came to the locker room and tried to steal my watch and physically assaulted me. the officer that helped afterwards went out of his way to check the time to see how i was. that is the kind of work, the kind of perspective i like to have in our sheriff's office regardless of circumstance. that influenced me a lot. some of the storefronts have changed. what is mys is that i still see some things that trigger memories. the barbershop and the shoe store is another one that i remember buying shoestrings and

getting my dad's old army boots fixed. we would see movies after the first run. my brother and i would go there. it is nice. if you keep walking down sacramento. the nice think about the city it takes you to japan town. that is where my grandparents were brought up. that is the traditional foods or movies. they were able to celebrate the culture in that community. my family also had a dry-cleaning business. very hard work. the family grew up with apartments above the business. we have a built-in work force. 19 had 1 as -- 1941 as soon as that happened the entire community was fixed. >> determined to do the job as

democracy should with real consideration for the people involved. >> the decision to take every one of japan niece american o japanese from their homes. my family went to the mountains and experienced winter and summer and springs. they tried to make their home a home. the community came together to share. they tried to infuse each home are little things. they created things. i remember my grand mother saying they were very scared. they were worried. they also felt the great sense of pride. >> japanese americans. >> my granduncle joined the

442nd. when the opportunity came when the time that was not right. they were in the campaign in italy. they were there every step of the way. >> president truman pays tribute. >> that was the most decorated unit in the history of the united states army. commitment and loyal to to the country despite that their families were in the camp at that time. they chose to come back to san francisco even after all of that. my father was a civil servant as well and served the state of california workers' compensation attorney and judge and appellate board. my parents influenced me to look at civil service s.i applied to

police, and sheriff's department at the same time. the sheriff's department grabbed me first. it was unique. it was not just me in that moment it was everyone. it wasn't me looking at the crowd. it was all of us being together. i was standing there alone. i felt everyone standing next to me. the only way to describe it. it is not about me. it is from my father. my father couldn't be there. he was sick. the first person i saw was him. i still sometimes am surprised by the fact i see my name as the sheriff. i am happy to be in the position i am in to honor their memory doing what i am doing now to help the larger comment. when i say that we want to be

especially focused on marginalized communities that have been wronged. coming from my background and my family experienced what they did. that didn't happen in a vacuum. it was a decision made by the government. nobody raised their voice. now, i think we are in a better place as country and community. when we see something wrong we have change agents step up to help the community affected. that is a important thing to continue to do. you talk about change and being a leader in change and not knowing whether you have successes or results. the fact of the matter is by choosing to push for change you have already changed things. through inspiration for others, take up the matter or whether it is through actual functional change as a result of your voice being heard.

i think you have already started on a path to change by choosing that path. in doing that in april of itself creates change. i continue in that type of service for my family. something i hope to see in my children. i have a pretty good chance with five children one will go into some sort of civil service. i hope that happens to continue that legacy. >> i am paul, sheriff of san francisco. [ music ]

>> bring up person that [laughter]. for me it was we had neighbors growing up that were fold