San Francisco Public Safety Committee Meeting June 11, 2020: Overdose Prevention and Tenderloin Plan
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San Francisco Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting – June 11, 2020
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee, chaired by Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, met on June 11, 2020 to consider a liquor license transfer, an ordinance authorizing overdose prevention programs, and a hearing on the Tenderloin COVID-19 plan. The meeting was held remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Consent Calendar
- No consent calendar items were listed.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Liquor License Transfer: No public comment was received.
- Overdose Prevention Programs: Twenty callers spoke overwhelmingly in support. Speakers included representatives from Drug Policy Alliance, St. Anthony's, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Glide, HealthRIGHT 360, Tenderloin community members, and residents. Many stressed lives saved and urged inclusion of crack cocaine and smoked drugs (e.g., Del Seymour, Curtis Redford, Al Green).
- Tenderloin COVID-19 Plan: Twenty callers spoke, almost all critical of the city's response. Residents described unsafe sidewalks, fires, drug activity, and lack of progress. Some called for more safe sleeping sites, spread across the city, and greater urgency.
Discussion Items
- Liquor License Transfer – 4763 Mission Street (Calabria Bros.)
- The committee heard a proposal to transfer a Type 20 off-sale beer and wine license to Michael Biaggio Tufo doing business as Calabria Bros. at 4763 Mission Street.
- Supervisor Ahsha Safai expressed full support, noting the business owner's long history in the community and no prior requests for a license.
- Officer Samlinson from the ABC reported zero protests, low crime area, low saturation, and conditions including hours 8am-10pm and active monitoring.
- The applicant stated the license would help the community by offering specialty beer and wine.
- Ordinance on Overdose Prevention Programs (File 200243)
- Supervisor Matt Haney (co-author with Mayor Breed) introduced an ordinance to permit overdose prevention programs (safe consumption sites) through a permitting process by DPH.
- Eileen Loughran from DPH presented evidence of rising overdose deaths (330 in 2019, from 259 in 2018), 774 naloxone reversals in Q1 2020 (up from 572), and a cost savings of $3.5 million per site per year. She noted 100+ sites operate worldwide with no overdose deaths.
- Supervisor Haney emphasized the need as a multipronged strategy, especially during COVID-19.
- Several callers requested explicit inclusion of crack cocaine and smoked drugs. Supervisor Haney committed to work with the Mayor to clarify that the legislation allows for smoked substances.
- Supervisors Mandelman and Walton expressed support and added as co-sponsors. Mandelman noted the legislation is written broadly.
- Hearing on Tenderloin COVID-19 Plan (File 200536)
- The committee held a hearing to evaluate the city's plan for the Tenderloin neighborhood during the pandemic.
- Supervisor Haney presented opening remarks expressing outrage and disappointment at the city's failure to implement effective solutions. He cited news articles and rising encampments (tents tripled).
- Mary Ellen Carroll, Director of Emergency Management, presented the plan, which includes safe sleeping sites, hotels, testing, hygiene stations, social distancing, sanitation, and food/water.
- Key metrics: 350 individuals moved off streets to hotels; 180 Jones safe sleeping site opened with 16 tents/21 people; Fulton Safe Sleeping Site with 110 individuals; 1,600 tests administered; 18 community ambassadors; 5 new pit stops; 7 handwashing stations.
- Supervisor Haney expressed frustration over lack of timelines, a public dashboard, and clear accountability. He noted many departments pointed to others.
- Discussion: Director Carroll acknowledged failures in communication and committed to improving transparency. Emily Cohen from HSH noted an increase in need due to loss of shelter capacity and slower homeward bound program. Alaric from DPW discussed cleaning and sanitation efforts.
Key Outcomes
- Liquor license transfer: The committee voted unanimously (3-0) to forward a resolution finding public convenience or necessity to the full Board with positive recommendation.
- Overdose prevention ordinance: The committee voted unanimously (3-0) to forward the ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
- Tenderloin COVID-19 hearing: The hearing was continued to the call of the chair (motion passed unanimously 3-0). Supervisor Mandelman was excused from the vote.
- Supervisor Mandelman added as co-sponsor on overdose prevention ordinance.
Meeting Transcript
Meeting will come to order. Welcome to the June 11th, 2020 regular meeting of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee. I am Ratha Landeland, uh chair of the committee. We are joined by our vice chair, Captain Stephanie and Supervisor Shaman Walton. Um we also I believe have uh with us today uh Supervisor McHaney and Supervisor. Um our clerk is John Carroll, and I want to thank folks at SFGTV for staffing this meeting as well as Board of Supervisors Operations in IT for lending their support for this meeting and for everything you all do to keep um keep our supervisors running mostly smoothly most of the time, even in a pandemic. Um Mr. Clerk, do you have any in it? Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. In order to protect board members, city employees, and the public during the COVID-19 health emergency, the Board of Supervisors, legislative chamber chamber and committee room are closed. This precaution is taken pursuant to all various local, state, and federal orders, declarations, and directives. Committee members will attend the meeting through video conference and participate in the meeting to the same extent as if they were physically present. Public comment will be available for each item on this agenda. Both Cable Channel 26 and sfgovtv.org are streaming a public comment call-in number across the screen. Comments or opportunities to speak during the public comment period are available via phone by calling 415 65501. Once connected and prompted, enter the access code. Today's access code is 1451643769. Then press Pound and press pound a second time to be connected to the meeting. When connected, you'll hear the meeting discussions, but your microphone will be muted and you'll be in a listening mode. When your item of interest comes up, dial star, then three to be added to the speaker line. Best practices are to call from a quiet location, speak clearly and slowly, and turn down your television, your radio, or your streaming device. Everyone should account for time delays and speaking discrepancies between live coverage and streaming. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in either of the following ways. You may email me. My name is John Carroll. I'm the clerk of the public safety and neighborhood services committee. My email address is J-O-H-N, period. C-A-R-R-O-L-L at SFGOV.org. If you submit public comment via email, it will be included as part of the legislative file as part of each matter. Your written comments may also be sent via U.S. Postal Service to our office in City Hall. The address is one, Dr. Carlton B. Goodlick Place, room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. Finally, act uh items acted upon today will appear on the Board of Supervisors' agenda of June 23rd, 2020, unless otherwise stated. I muted myself. Sorry. Um, thank you, Mr. Clerk. Uh, could you please call our first item? Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Agenda item number one is a hearing to consider that the transfer of a type 20 off-sale beer and wine liquor license to Michael Biaggio Tufo, doing business as Calabria Brothers, located at 4763 Mission, will serve the public convenience or necessity of the city and county. Members of the public who wish to provide public comment on this hearing should call the public comment number. 415 65501. Enter the access code of 1451643769. Press the pound symbol twice to connect to the meeting, and then press the star key, followed by the number three to enter the queue to speak. For those who may have already entered the queue for a later agenda item, if you wish to remove yourself from the queue, you would also press star three to remove yourself and be added again later for one of our later agenda items. Mr.
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