Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - May 26, 2022
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Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - May 26, 2022
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee, chaired by Supervisor Gordon Maher and joined by Supervisor Catherine Stefani, Supervisor Myrna Melgar, and guest Supervisor Raphael Mandelman, met on May 26, 2022. The committee considered four items: an ordinance requiring community policing plans (Item 1), a resolution supporting state behavioral health legislation (Item 2), an ordinance for a "Place for All" shelter and housing program (Item 3), and an ordinance on hospital patient transfer reporting (Item 4, filed). All items were advanced to the full board or filed.
Consent Calendar
- No items were considered on the consent calendar.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 1 – Community Policing Plans: Bill Barnacle (president, Outer Sunset Merchant Association) expressed full support, citing recent arson, burglaries, and assaults on Irving Street. He thanked Supervisor Maher for the ambassador program but stressed the need for more police officers.
- Item 3 – Place for All Program:
- Yolanda Katsalko, a formerly homeless individual, urged no sweeps and called for housing rather than forced programs. She referenced an article criticizing the mayor’s homelessness spending.
- Mark Nagel (co-founder, Rescue SF) urged support, stating the plan would identify funding and services for shelter/housing.
- Bill Barnacle supported the concept but noted civil rights barriers prevent forced treatment, citing the low number of conservatees.
- Eliana Finder (policy associate, organization not named, but likely from a homeless advocacy group) thanked supervisors for amendments but remained concerned about sweeps and insufficient housing. She called for prevention, rapid acquisition, and direct shelter access.
- Charles Head (president, Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods) urged passage, saying “people are dying.”
- Item 2 – Behavioral Health Resolution:
- Carolyn Kennedy (resident, District 8; core team member, Rescue SF) supported the resolution, citing a poll showing 70% support for expanded conservatorship. She noted the Street Crisis Response Team left 60% of people on the street.
- Patrick Manette Shaw supported the resolution, calling it long overdue.
- Bill Barnacle supported, thanking Supervisor Mandelman and noting the need to help the homeless.
- One unidentified caller opposed SB 1416, calling it “the beginning of fascism” and urging against forced medication.
- Item 4 – Hospital Transfer Reporting:
- Dr. Teresa Palmer (geriatrician, former Laguna Honda employee) supported the ordinance, stating the need to track transfers out of town.
- Patrick Manette Shaw urged against filing the item, asking for immediate expansion of scope, and expressed frustration with Supervisors Safai and Ronen.
Discussion Items
- Item 1 – Community Policing Plans (Ordinance): Supervisor Maher introduced the ordinance, which would require SFPD to create station-level community policing plans including foot and bike patrols, developed with community stakeholders. Deanna Olivar Arroche (SFPD Director of Policy and Public Affairs) voiced support, noting alignment with existing strategic plans but stressing dependency on budget and staffing. Supervisors Melgar and Stefani expressed support and emphasized the need for adequate police staffing. The item was heard a second time due to earlier amendments.
- Item 3 – Place for All Program (Ordinance): Supervisor Mandelman described the program as requiring HSH to submit a plan to ensure every unsheltered person has access to shelter or permanent supportive housing within three years. He thanked Rescue SF and neighborhood groups. Supervisor Melgar supported, noting that people living in cars/RVs (including families) need a continuum of services including safe parking. She thanked Mandelman for accepting amendments. Supervisor Mandelman acknowledged staff work.
- Item 2 – Resolution Supporting State Behavioral Health Bills: Supervisor Mandelman detailed eight bills (SB 929, 965, 970, 1035, 1154, 1227, 1238, 1416) modernizing California’s behavioral health system. He reviewed each bill’s purpose: data collection, conservatorship court procedures, county accountability, court-ordered medication for assisted outpatient treatment, bed capacity dashboard, longer holds, regional needs assessment, and adding “medical care” to the grave disability definition. He argued the state abandoned mental health care and must re-engage. Supervisor Melgar expressed discomfort with SB 1416, citing historical misuse of medical power against women and people of color, but supported the resolution overall due to the ongoing crisis. She stated she is “watchful” about civil rights rollback. Supervisor Mandelman acknowledged historical abuses but argued current protections (judicial oversight, public defenders) make risks lower than the harm of failing to care for people.
- Item 4 – Hospital Transfer Reporting (Ordinance): Supervisor Maher explained the board previously passed a version requiring acute-care hospitals to report out-of-county transfers for subacute/skilled nursing care. He introduced amendments to broaden the scope but moved to file the item, intending to revisit after receiving initial reports in fall. He noted the Laguna Honda crisis may reveal gaps. Supervisor Melgar clarified Laguna Honda’s issue is federal funding certification, not license revocation.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1 – Community Policing Plans: Motion to forward to full board with positive recommendation passed 3-0 (Stefani aye, Melgar aye, Maher aye).
- Item 3 – Place for All Program: Motion to forward to full board with positive recommendation passed 3-0 (Stefani aye, Melgar aye, Maher aye).
- Item 2 – Behavioral Health Resolution: Motion to forward to full board with positive recommendation passed 3-0 (Stefani aye, Melgar aye, Maher aye).
- Item 4 – Hospital Transfer Reporting: Motion to table and file the item passed 3-0 (Stefani aye, Melgar aye, Maher aye).
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. The meeting will come to order. Welcome to the Thursday, May 26, 2022 meeting of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee. I'm Supervisor Gordon Maher, the chair of this committee, and I'm joined by community members Catherine Stephanie and Myrna Malgar. And we also have our guest, Supervisor Raphael Mandelman joining us for a few items. And I'd like to thank Clerk Jessica Parkinson for staffing the meeting and also Matthew Ignow from SFGov TB. Madam Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, I do. The Board of Supervisors and its committees are now convening hybrid meetings that allow in-person attendance and public comment while still providing remote access and public comments via telephone. The board recognizes that equitable public access is essential and will be taking public comment as follows. First, public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda. Those attending in person will be allowed to speak first, and then we will take those who are waiting on the telephone line. For those watching either Channel 26, 78 or 99 on sfgovtv.org. The public comment call number is streaming across your screen. The number is 415-655-0001. Once connected, enter the meeting ID of 2493084663. Then pound twice. When you 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 and public comment is called, those joining us in person should line up to speak. And those on the telephone should dial a star three to also be added to the speaker line. If you are on the telephone, please remember to turn down your TB and all listening devices you may be using. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. Email them to the public safety and neighborhood services committee clerk at Elisa Samara dot at SFgov.org. That's A L I S A dot S O M E R A at SFgov.org. If you submit public comment via email, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and also included as part of the official file. You may also send your written comments via PUS Postal Service to our office in City Hall, one Dr. Carlton B. But Goodlit Place, Room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. Items acted on to upon today are expected to appear on the June 7th, 2022 Board of Supervisors Agenda unless otherwise stated. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Colleagues, we we heard this item at our last uh PSNS uh committee meeting, and there were some amendments made, so I appreciate the opportunity to consider the amended um ordinance today. And I just wanted to briefly summarize that this um ordinance would um require the SFPD to create a community policing plan, including foot and bike patrols uh for each district station, and these plans would would be developed um in partnership with community stakeholders, including merchant association, neighborhood groups, um, and and other community organizations. Um and and the goal of this um ordinance is really to um to um to really move our our department and our city's efforts uh to forward towards crime prevention through community policing and strengthening of relationships between between SFPD officers. Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry, we did not read the uh the first item just yet. I just read the communications apology. Please call item number one. I'm sorry. Yes. So item number one is an ordinance amending the administrative code to require the police department to create a community policing plan at each district police station that incorporates a foot and bike patrol deployment and also includes a community process for a license input and require the public postings of CPPs with a yearly update. Members of the public who wish to provide public comment on this ordinance may line up to speak. If you are joining us remotely, please call the public comment line 41565501. Enter the meeting ID 2493 308 4663, then press pound twice. Once connected to the meeting, you will you will press star three to enter the speaking line. Assistant prompt will indicate that you have raised your hand. Please wait until we we take public comment on this item and the system indicates you have been unmuted. That will be your cue to begin your comments. There you go, Mr. Chair.
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