Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting – January 27, 2022
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Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting – January 27, 2022
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee, chaired by Supervisor Gordon Mar and joined by Supervisors Catherine Stefani and Matt Haney, met on January 27, 2022 to consider two agenda items: an ordinance on domestic violence data reporting and a hearing on the continuum of housing needs for seniors and people with disabilities.
Consent Calendar
- None on this agenda.
Public Comments & Testimony
- On Item 2 (Domestic Violence Data Reporting): No public callers spoke; the line was empty.
- On Item 1 (Senior Housing Hearing): Multiple speakers testified. Eileen Boken criticized MOHCD for not designating the 2550 Irving site as senior housing, calling the decision arbitrary. John Lang, a low-income senior, described vulnerability to eviction due to late rent payments caused by the state COVID-19 rent relief program and stated that the Dahlia housing portal was unhelpful because his income is too low. Francisco de Costa stated that 95% of seniors he helps are frustrated by unaffordable housing options. Ashley Peterson (Open House) urged creation of 100% subsidized senior housing, noting that most clients earn under 20% of AMI and that SROs are dangerous for LGBT seniors. Patrick Lynette Shaw alleged that MOHCD inflates bond-funded housing unit counts and that only four supervisorial districts have received senior housing bond funds. Betty Trainer (Senior and Disability Action) echoed the need for deeply affordable housing for those on Social Security (under $1,000/month). Annie Chung (Self-Help for the Elderly) supported the hearing and emphasized the need for housing affordable to extremely low-income seniors (20-30% AMI) and for residential care facilities. Jessica Lehman (Senior and Disability Action) called for dramatically increased senior operating subsidies and a new disability operating subsidy, plus rental subsidies and in-home supports. Ayle (Institute on Aging, clinical supervisor) noted that seniors ready for discharge from skilled nursing facilities have no housing options. Margaret Graf (Senior Power, D4) shared stories of homeless seniors unable to afford first+last month rent and the lack of affordable skilled nursing for dementia patients. Yessi Kutman (Senior and People with Disability Options) called for housing affordable to people on SSI and for services available in multiple settings. Jen Fuchsioka (Chinatown Community Development Center) summarized a joint letter stating that current affordable housing is unaffordable to most seniors because their median income is below 50% AMI, and that the SOS pilot program needs full funding; she also cited a need for a disability operating subsidy. Sylvia (SDA, age 70) expressed concern about future housing insecurity given her income of just over $1,000/month.
Discussion Items
- Item 2 – Administrative Code: Domestic Violence Data Reporting (Ordinance 211172): Supervisor Stefani, the sponsor, had no further remarks. Nikita Saini from Supervisor Ronen’s office noted that substantive amendments were previously adopted and required re‑hearing. The committee voted 3‑0 to recommend the ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
- Item 1 – Hearing on Senior Housing (Hearing 211158):
- Opening Remarks: Chair Mar called the hearing a first step in understanding the housing and supportive service needs of the aging population. He cited the state’s Master Plan for Aging, the Sunset Forward community planning process, and his personal experience with his mother’s housing journey. He outlined three goals: understand demographic projections, identify housing spectrum needs and gaps, and learn from departmental plans.
- Presentations:
- Planning Department (Maya Small): Seniors are ~16% of the population (expected 19% by 2030); 48% are very low income; over half are homeowners. Disabled population is ~10%, about half are seniors. Housing types include ADUs, co-housing, and affordable senior housing. Planning is updating the Housing Element with equity focus; Policy 27 supports aging in place and housing types. Sunset Forward is piloting an affordable ADU program.
- Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (Emily Cohen): Half of unhoused population nationally is over 50; 65+ is fastest growing cohort. HSH has 780 permanent supportive housing units designated for older adults (143 opening this year); 45% of adults placed in PSH in past 2 years are over 55. HSH recently made 300 flexible housing subsidies available for 60+ exiting shelter-in-place hotels. A pilot with IHSS services and a roving health service model are being expanded.
- Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (Sheila Nicolopoulos): MOHCD has >13,000 affordable units for seniors/disabled (>10,000 senior units). 58% of the portfolio is occupied by seniors/disabled. Programs include rental counseling, legal assistance, emergency home repair, Dreamkeeper senior rehab (forgivable loans up to $50,000), Home Match shared housing. MOHCD produced 510 senior units in FY 19–20; 900 units in 10 projects are in the pipeline. Limitations: loss of HUD Section 202 funding, limited Section 8 vouchers, state bond allocation difficulties, and ineligibility for some state funds (e.g., Cap & Trade).
- Department of Public Health (Hallie Hammer): DPH serves many older adults; ~46,000 are Medi‑Cal eligible. Programs: Acute Care for the Elderly at ZSFG (1,800 patients), Curry Senior Center (1,200 patients). Behavioral health: 50% of residential treatment residents are over 60. 27 board‑and‑care facilities (163 beds) lost in 5 years, 67 were RCFEs for older adults. COVID‑19 lessons: need to bring services to people. Future: expanding board‑and‑care by 73 beds (Mental Health SF), enhancing dementia care.
- Department of Disability and Aging Services (Kelly Dearman): DOS administers two rental subsidy programs serving ~430 people/year, funds supportive services at public housing and veteran sites, and provides community living fund and IHSS. Challenges: limited resources, lack of affordable facility‑based care, coordination across departments. DOS is conducting the Dignity Fund Needs Assessment and co‑leading the Age‑ and Disability‑Friendly Action Plan (2022–2025). DOS coordinates annual senior/disability affordable housing reports (first released Oct 2021).
- Committee Questions and Discussion:
- Chair Mar asked Planning about demographic discrepancies (19% vs. 27% senior by 2030) – Maya Small attributed to different age cutoffs (65+ vs. 62+). MOHCD has no specific senior housing production goal; pipeline is opportunistic based on sites and funding. Chair Mar inquired about RCFE and assisted living needs – DPH noted that Mental Health SF RCFE beds are for those with behavioral health conditions, not general dementia. Chair Mar called for a quantified needs assessment across departments. He also raised the issue of senior homeowners wanting to downsize; Planning noted ongoing work to diversify housing types (ADUs, SB9).
- Supervisor Stefani expressed appreciation for the hearing and shared her personal experience with her father’s Lewy body dementia, stressing the importance of caring for seniors.
Key Outcomes
- Item 2 was recommended to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation on a 3‑0 vote (Supervisors Mar, Stefani, Haney). It is expected to appear on the February 8, 2022 Board agenda.
- Item 1 was continued to the call of the Chair on a 2‑0 vote (Supervisor Haney was absent). Chair Mar announced that the Budget and Legislative Analyst’s Office will conduct an analysis of gaps in senior/disabled housing and review promising practices from other cities. He stated his intent to hold a follow‑up hearing after the analysis is complete and to prioritize funding for senior housing (including full funding of the SOS program and creation of a disability operating subsidy) during the upcoming budget process.
Meeting Transcript
There you go. Good, we're live. Good morning. The meeting will come to order. Welcome to the Thursday, January 27, 2022, meeting of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee. Supervisor Gordon Maher, the chair of this committee, and I'm joined by committee members Catherine Stephanie and Matt Haney. Thank you to the this committee's clerk Alisa Samara. And I'd also like to thank SFGov TV for staffing this meeting. Madam Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, I do, Mr. Chair. The minutes will reflect that committee members participated in this meeting remotely through video conference to the same extent as though they were physically present. The board recognizes that public access to city services is essential and invites public participation in the following ways. First, public comment will be available on each item on this agenda. Either cable channel 2678 or 99 and sfgovtv.org are streaming the public comment call-in number across the screen. Comments or opportunities to speak during the public comment period are available via phone by calling 415-655-0001. Again, 415 655 0001. The meeting ID is 248175861. Then press pound and then press pound again. When connected, you will hear the meeting discussions, but you will be muted and in listening mode only. When your item of interest comes up, please dial star three to be added to the speaker line. Best practices are to call from a quiet quiet location. Speak clearly and slowly and turn down your television or radio. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. You can email them to myself, the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Clerk at Elisa A L Isa.org. If you submit public comment via email, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and be included as part of the official file. You may also want to send your written comments via US Postal Service to our office at one. Dr. Carlton B. Goodlick Place, Room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. Finally, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda of February 8th, 2022, unless otherwise stated. Mr. Chair. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Colleagues, I'm gonna call item two out of order at the request of Deputy City Attorney Pearson. Madam Clerk, can you please call item two? Yes. Agenda item number two is an ordinance amending the administrative code to require the police department and the district attorney to submit quarterly reports regarding the number of the cases of domestic violence and cases involving certain types of abuse against minors and to require the district attorney to submit quarterly reports regarding the total number of crime victims to whom the district attorney has provided or made documented efforts to provide services. Members of the public who wish to provide public comment on this ordinance should call the public comment number 415 65501. Enter the meeting ID of 2481 775861. Press pound and then pound again to connect to the meeting and then press star three to enter the queue to speak. Assistant prompt will indicate that you have raised your hand. Please wait until we call for public comment on this item, and the system indicates that you have been unmuted, and that will be your cue to begin your comments. Mr. Chair. Thank you. Um so yeah, we have um Nikita Saini from uh Supervisor Ronan's office here. And this item was um amended um at the last at our last committee meeting and then continued because the amendments were substantive. So um, but I want Supervisor Stephanie as the sponsor of the original legislation. I just wanted to see if you had any opening remarks.
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