booker t. washington what i was a young man and my brothers played there. i support the programs booker t. has been providing. in regards to the gymnasium, it will be fine, but the primary user is not daugherty. -- is not a booker t.. that is an important issue because the gm is a physical part of the community center and this whole project is based on a private motive. the city had some planning, perhaps the community land trust to get some funding. perhaps the gymnasium could have been more primarily used for the use to attend booker t. washington rather than a private high school. that's another point of contention -- the school is going to have primary use of the gymnasium. that is something that should be considered. perhaps with the mayor's office of housing, they could provide more funds to get more housing for transitional use. [tone] supervisor mirkarimi: thank you. next speaker please. >> i'm here today on behalf of the john burton foundation for children without homes to express our support for the booker t. washington community service center project that has been spoken about toda

booker t. has never agreed to that. i would ask this board -- i have nothing more to add to what the people have said, but i would ask the board to consider when it is time to vote, five stories and 50 units, i appreciate your time. supervisor mirkarimi: i have a question -- the proceeding is supervisor had provided support for the original projects, correct? >> that is correct. i went to her office and she was very helpful in showing us ways to shape the project so we could make it agreeable to all, other people in the neighborhood as well. we originally wanted something very large. through the housing department, we set among ourselves and decided we would get something that made sense. from that point, we compromise further. supervisor mirkarimi: thank you. next speaker. i am going to read some more names. [reading names) get >> good afternoon. i have a brief message -- please support the compromise. but there has been much discussion about the original number of this. the original number could be 220, therefore ther

booker t. has faith li served our unit -- faithly served our community for well over 50 years, addressing the needs of all ages. people right out of high school. it's given an array of services, including vocational training. in computers there's an exciting new opportunity in youth radio as well. the housing that's before us is about transitional age youth, foster care. the needs there are very real and have been arctic lated to you. the sbeg active -- integrity of leadership is the second one i'd like you to see this project through. i've spent churnings out of most weeks of those 20 years off and on at booker t. i have to say that the leadership, whether it's the board, the current executive director or the hands-on staff that's there truly are remarkable. they deserve and need the support that they're asking for. this is a group that's proactive with a vix of caring. they're very responsible, very communicative with us as neighbors. it's a very intelligent group and incredibly respectful to the

booker t. washington has been acrimonious to say the least. we want assurances that these issues are properly addressed. the only neighborhood that he cared about was the booker t. washington property. this attitude has prevailed. you are aware of it. our concession request therefore need to be included in the legislation that you approved regarding this project. these concessions cannot be left to booker t. washington to grant or not be granted. this would make life living hell like it has been the last several years. the list of concessions, we believe it may come to the process. we wish for you to include the that these issues that come up need to be dealt with. we cannot go through what we have been through. we understand this is our home and this is our nest egg. this is the retirement money that we're going to have. thank you. >> i am the vice-president of the ice improvement association. which is across from this project. his support the appeal. i like to address both if there is time. it is inaccurate and inadequate. at that time this w

has been a long day. >> i'm the director of the booker t. washington community center. i have heard all these people talk about a compromise. we are the project sponsor. we have never taken part in any discussion about any compromise. any compromise on the table has been a compromise developed without any of booker t.'s and put. thank you. -- booker t.'s input. supervisor mirkarimi: as the director, maybe you could help answer these questions. there was a comment that drew is school would be a majority user of the gymnasium. >> that is not true. they use it mostly during the day when our youth are not there. in the summer, when we have summer camp, and actually started today. drew is not using this gymnasium. the youth from a summer camp are using that jim as they were this morning. any deals i have with druse school is limited by any usage booker t. has. sometimes we of scheduling conflicts and we work out. >> it has -- supervisor mirkarimi: it has been asserted this is a for- profit center. >> it can be. we're working on contracts with potential people to come in to ru

booker t. washington's proposed project is a very unique model. it has wraparound services for the transitional aged youth and their children and also the school aged youth who have access to the after-school programs. this is unique. it is a unique public-private partnership. as a resident of district two, i support public-private partnerships. this will leverage the public dollars to go long term and work with non-profit community organizations that have a strong track record from party washington to first place for use. i urge you to support the project. >> where is the middle school located questio? -- where is the little school located? you do not see those in competition? it helps to create a vibrant community, but is that competition for a little school? >> it has more applications than available slots. there are child care -- very cute child care options in the city. there are many children on waiting lists for child care in the city. >> there is little school. water the other child care options in the area? >> there is a new center across the st

when booker t. has a huge event going on, it can be heard all over the neighborhood. if that is to come down into the middle of our neighborhood, i can imagine that what i have been told, there is a glass wall at the end? it will be unbelievable as far as noise in the neighborhood. granted, we are not oppose that all to helping the community. and helping kids. this is seemingly way over-the- top for what this neighborhood is. >> next speaker. i am working with the neighbors. this project is way out of scale with the neighborhood, as you have heard. it does not adequately address the problem. each with your facing today is between going from the unit's to either 41 or 50. either way, the project cancelled out. of are equally financially sound. the agreed at half a million dollars to be equally financially viable. it is important when you make your decisions today to recognize that financial viability is not an issue. what is an issue is that the 41-unit project will recognize the concerns of the neighbors, the people you've been listening to this afternoon. there are m

booker t. has been operating since 195 2. here the continuing use to have community snort will not disrupt nor distract in the neighborhood. here are some additional penguinses -- policies that are also from the urban design element and are relevant but not discussed by the am lanlt. policy one. emphasize the characteristic pattern of the city and reinforce that pattern, especially as it relates to topography. building slightly higher on the hills helps emphasize the city's dramatic form. promote harmony and relationships with and shall -- and transition between older and newer buildings. this is key. on the overhead we're going to show an illustration. this building is new and modern but shares architectural elements with neighboring buildings. the massing is broken into several units. glenn, if you could just point to those. let's turn our attention to the urban design policies raised by the appellant. on this other drawing, continuity and representing the character of olding development. some have suggested for a new build

these are the very folks that booker t. has been selected to serve. it will continue to be little more than a basketball court for other private school neighborhoods. we support the idea of maximizing space, but not indefinitely. the city has a goal for any housing that can be added to this project. it doesn't mean we get as many studios into it is possible. families do not live in studios. it is the only way the project can pencil out. that is what we are told. perhaps an entirely new approach is called for. city planning cannot be driven by cost alone. they can and must be balanced. the compromise is far from ideal. it is also the only credible solution that has been offered. we support a compromise, delay the project until a better solution can be reached. >> i live at 850 presidio avenue. it will be 25 feet away from the property line. our community does support the rebuilding. anatomy presented a plan that they're trying to shove down our throats. the problem is not only parking, i did a unit to put more and the units that i own. i've played by t

the world into fast ball crisis and also the kind of thinking that has priced so many people out of the decade since redevelopment. booker t. washington center has been severing this exune community uncommunity's needs for at least 100 years. ironically some of those people have called this project manhattanization. it's the very definition of our fran values. a correctistic of misnaffings the opponents have provide you with is there's not a single supporter of the development who lives within a block and a half. hires a letter from one support irwho lives 68 feet away. i have here letters from supporters in the immediate and surrounding neighbors that i would also like to summit for the record. our opponents' assertion that our gym is just for preschool, that is also worse. it used for recreational activities and activities during our youth during the school well. the agrarningte we reached with drew scool for the use of the jim provided us with funding for amp school and team programs that. arrangement should be applauded, not tremendous rided. great great partnership also provide tutors. the winner of the peabody award

booker t. washington has been unfairly characterized by some because comparing it to other kinds of for-profit development is where i know and i am 100% confident that this project is being put forth by people who want to help these use and they should be applauded for doing that and being passionate about it. i would just encourage everyone to tone down the rhetoric. this is a land use dispute coming to this board and it will be resolved in this is an important project. i certainly believe that and i know a lot of people believe it and i am confident it will come to a good resolution. i move that we for this to the board without recommendation. supervisor mirkarimi: i am more than happy to speak last. supervisor mar: i would like to make sure a supervisor cohen has an opportunity to speak. there are divided sides in this issue and a motions are in flames and people often are talking past each other rather than trying to find a balance and compromise. i don't see the proposal by the neighborhood organizations and others as a compromise if the major stakeholder, in particular, the booker t. was

booker t. washington. that has never been an issue. we think the community is great. there's nothing but community support. the neighborhood wants to say we feel like this would be more in line with our values as well. [tone!] >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> my name is sam. i have been the head of a school. for blocks from the site. -- four blocks from the side. i live about seven blocks from the site. drew school and booker t. have actively engaged in partnerships during my 20 years there. my students and faculty have been able to engage with community members. they have grown a lot from our side of it. our kids and families have grown enormously from the partnership. i believe this project, which i support in many members of the school community support, is really about to the fundamental things. one is the very real needs that have been articulated. the other is the leadership for this project for the greater good of san francisco. we're all aware of the huge number of young people transitioning out of foster care on an annual basis. this project will help a

has had an enormous impact on activists. >> what was his relationship, professor, with bush -- booker t. washington. >> that, of course, is an important thing in the book and something that has been talked about at great lengths in the literature and also is important. when one thinks about the history, activism and african-american political thought, john mearsheimer devotes an entire chapter to washington. so washington, of course, was the most prominent and influential african american political force at the time. and he really did, which is why john mearsheimer thought he had to take washington on. so i mean, to summarize, washington got that african american social progress really required that african americans developed virtues appropriate and that they could put aside this struggle. the response by du bois, you cannot put aside the struggle. and in essence -- in essence he argued against washington. there will be no success if african-americans, you cannot separate these agendas. there is a deeper issue which is often ignored which is the issue related to the struggle over lead. w

booker t. washington addition, the community center, affordable housing, and youth housing. i am on the record for that. i do support a compromise. contrary to what has been stated, there is an impact. i live in a house right behind the community center. the building props are around us. it takes away light. i have announced for mitigation -- asked for mitigation having to do with the colors of the walt or cutting down a tree on our neighbor's property. the neighbor has approved it. there are also certain issues of whether printing. the building wrapping around our property devalues our property. i never asked for any financial consideration or remuneration. i have announced that the building be built in context with the neighborhood -- asked that the building be built in context with the neighborhood. i ask that you support the compromise with supervisor farrell. >> next speaker, please. >> my name is john kaufman. i am representing the neighbors of this project. we support wholeheartedly the mission of the booker t. washington center and the need for a transitional housing. that is not the subject before us today. the subject before us today is sim

has shown preschool does provide. this is especially true for underserved young children that may be a part of this new booker t. washington childcare center. many over, a core component is is creating a core community that values different life experiences and we believe it would bring important diversity to the neighborhood. thus we urge your support of the project. president chiu: thank you. next speaker. >> hello, board. i'm john chapman. i'm here to approve -- got nervous. i'm sorry. i'm going to speak from my heart, honest limit i was homeless for about a year and y'all should approve this because it gives children and people my age a chance to honestly better themselves. if you do not approve this puts more people on the street and more foster child children just like out back without a chance or a fighting chance. so you should approve this four stories, six stories, or five stories. to be honest. y'all should do it. regardless. that's all i have to say. >> mr. president, members of the board. i'm brad paul and speaking today as a father and individual with over 30 years of experience in housing and land

this block has been identified as some sort of transitional area, some sort of area in flocks which is completely untrue. one of the newest buildings on the block is booker t. and it was built in 1952. there are very few new buildings on this block. almost all of them date from the 1800's and some of them date from the 1920's. so, hand in glove with the bureaucratic and financial momentum behind this project has been a fudging of facts and mischaracterization of the neighborhoods and conclusions which is still makes sense -- which just don't make sense. this action measures more than six stories which is taken from the east and would only be slightly taller or similar in height to other residential and nonresidential buildings in the project area. that is an insert statement -- an absurd statement. they've reached so far that they started talking about the hospital. they started talking about of buildings in different the surrounding areas blocks and blocks away. those are not fair comparisons and the information is not correct. the project makes little or no attempt to fit in. after going away for six or eight months, and these are the kind of setbacks th