Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - July 14, 2022
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Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - July 14, 2022
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee met on July 14, 2022, at approximately 11:00 AM in hybrid format. Chair Gordon Maher presided, joined by Vice Chair Catherine Stefani and Member Myrna Melgar (later excused). Supervisor Matt Dorsey participated remotely for the SOMA Pilipinas item. The agenda included three liquor license transfers, a hearing on the economic recovery of cultural institutions and the Golden Gate Park Access and Safety Program, a hearing on senior housing continuum, and a resolution adopting the SOMA Pilipinas Cultural Heritage District’s strategy report.
Liquor License Transfers (Items 1-3)
- Olive (304 Clement St): Type 21 off-sale beer/wine/distilled spirits license transferred to Golden Stage Consulting LLC. SFPD reported zero protests, high crime/saturation area. Owner Ahmed Tasi described a specialty grocery store. Unanimous vote to send positive recommendation to full board.
- Mili Wine Bar (110 Folsom St): Type 42 on-sale beer/wine public premise license to Unwind SF LLC. Located in low crime, high saturation area. Owner described a neighborhood wine bar. Public comment from East Cut CBD in support. Unanimous approval.
- South End Rowing Club (500 Jefferson St): Type 51 nonprofit club license. Located in high crime, high saturation area. Representative Josh Sale explained the club’s need for a permanent license for member events. Supervisor Stefani recused herself but was cleared to vote. Unanimous approval.
Hearing on Museum Recovery and Golden Gate Park Access (Item 4)
Supervisor Stefani co-sponsored the hearing. Presentations from:
- Fine Arts Museums (Tom Campbell): Pre-COVID attendance 1.5 million; current 600,000. Legion of Honor only 5% down, De Young 40-45% down. Cited loss of 270 free parking spaces on JFK as a factor. Highlighted need for increased security staffing (down from 77 to 65 FTEs), $30 million tower corrosion repair, and higher art insurance valuations (city collection valued at $6-7 billion).
- California Academy of Sciences (Ike Kwan): Reduced budget 27% during pandemic. City charter requires $13M operating for Steinhart Aquarium; current allocation $7.4M. Parking and property crime listed as top visitor inconveniences.
- Asian Art Museum (Jay Xu): Closed 10 months; opened 5 days a week due to frozen security positions (38 to 33). General support cut 37% since pre-pandemic. Emphasized Civic Center safety and parking barriers.
- Gardens of Golden Gate Park (Stephanie Lindler): New entity combining Conservatory of Flowers, Japanese Tea Garden, Botanical Garden. Conservatory visitation at 76% of pre-pandemic; Botanical Garden record highs. Free admission for SF residents increased visitation dramatically.
- Rec & Park (Sarah Madlin) and SFMTA: Reported on 40+ interventions including new ADA parking lot (20 spots near bandshell, 270% more accessible parking), improved shuttle (new low-floor buses by October), taxi stands, and plans for wayfinding signage by late 2023/early 2024. Discussions on reducing parking garage debt (ballot measure in November).
- Public Comment: 13 callers and several in-person spoke. Many supporters praised car-free JFK for safety and equity; critics raised concerns about senior/disabled access and congestion. Speakers thanked Rec & Park for progress on shuttle and ADA parking.
- Key Outcomes: Hearing continued to call of the chair. Committee will receive quarterly reports on progress.
Hearing on Senior Housing Continuum (Item 5)
Chair Maher introduced the hearing, noting follow-up from January and new budget allocations including $4M senior operating subsidy, $10M SRO elevator repairs, and a new planner position. Budget and Legislative Analyst Fred Brusseau presented the “Senior Housing Continuum” report with 39 policy options.
- Demographics: 164,036 seniors (65+) in 2022, projected 243,000 by 2042 (48% growth). 25% of seniors have incomes below 150% poverty. 87,864 San Franciscans with disabilities.
- Existing Programs: 16 aging-in-place programs, many small and siloed. Recommendations to expand home modifications, utility discounts, tenant-based subsidies, and flexible funding like Community Living Fund and PACE.
- Affordable Housing: 5,595 deed-restricted senior units; need 2,708 more by 2042 just to maintain current ratio (135/year vs current 81/year). Need 1,718 more assisted living beds and 1,096 more skilled nursing beds.
- Funding Sources: Consider increasing GO bond cap, use of certificates of participation, modular construction, collaboration with Bay Area Housing Finance Agency.
- Public Comment: Speakers emphasized geographic disparities (e.g., District 4 lack of senior housing), need for portable rental subsidies, and disability operating subsidies.
- Key Outcomes: Hearing continued to call of the chair. Planning department will develop integrated strategy using new planner position.
SOMA Pilipinas Cultural Heritage District Strategy Report (Item 6)
Presentation by Julia Sabori (Planning) and Raquel Redondiez (SOMA Pilipinas). The Chess Report (Cultural History, Housing, and Economic Sustainability Strategy) is the first such report from a cultural district. It contains 22 strategies in 6 areas: cultural preservation, tenant protections, arts & culture, economic development, land use, and cultural competency.
- Key initiatives: Filipino community archives, tenant stabilization, small site acquisition, cultural gateway, mutual aid merchant association, language access barangay center, and community health report.
- Public comment: Overwhelming support from over a dozen speakers representing SOMCAN, other cultural districts (Japantown, Leather & LGBTQ, Sunset Chinese, Calle 24, Transgender District), artists, and community workers. Many highlighted the need to address displacement, language barriers, and health disparities.
- Key Outcomes: Unanimous vote (3-0) to send resolution to full board with positive recommendation.
Note: All action items requiring roll call votes were recorded and will appear on the July 26, 2022 Board of Supervisors agenda unless otherwise stated.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. The meeting will come to order. Welcome to the Thursday, July 14th, 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 committee members Catherine Stephanie and Myrna Melgar. And I want to thank uh committee uh committee clerk Jessica Perkinson for staffing this meeting and also um Jim Smith and Jeanette Engel New at SFGov TV. 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 via um while still providing providing remote access to via telephone. The board recognizes that equitable public access is essential and will be taking public comment as follows. First, public comment will take be taken on each item of this agenda. Those attending in person will be allowed to speak first, and then we will take those waiting on the telephone line. For those watching either channel 26, 28, 78, or 99 on SFGovTV.org. The public call in number is streaming across the screen. The number is 415-655-0001. Once connected, enter the meeting ID of 2489-661-8089 and then pound and 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 and public comment is called, those joining us in person should line up to speak, and those on the telephone line should dial star three to be added to the speaker line. If you are on the telephone, please remember to turn down your TV and all listening devices you may be using. Alternatively, you may be you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. Email them to the public safety neighborhood services committee clerk at alisa.gov.org. That's A L I S A dot S O M E R A at SFGO V dot ORG. If you submit public comment via email, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and will be added as part of the official file. You may also send your written comments to us via U.S. Postal Service to our office in City Hall at one Dr. Carlton B. Goodlit Place room 2244, San Francisco, California, 94102. Items acted upon today are expected to appear on July 26, 2022, Board of Supervisors Agenda, unless otherwise stated. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Uh colleagues, we have three important hearings on the agenda today, but we're going to start with three um liquor license transfer items. Uh Madam Clerk, can you please call item number one? Yes. Item number one today is a hearing to consider that the transfer of a 20 type 21 off-sale general beer, wine, and distilled spirits liquor license to Golden Stage Consulting LLC, doing business as Olive, located at 304 Clement Street in District 1, will serve as public at the public convenience or necessity necessity of the city and county of San Francisco. Sorry. Members of the public who wish to provide public comment on the hearing may line up to speak once we call for public comment. Or if you're joining us remotely, please call the public call in number 415-655-0001. Enter the meeting ID 2489 661 808989. Then press pound twice. Once connected the meet to the meeting, you will press star three to enter the speaker line. A system prompt will indicate 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. Mr. Chair. Thank you. So first we're going to hear from Officer Salmondson from the SFPD ABC liaison unit on this item for the liquor license transfer for Olive in the inner Richmond district. Morning, members of the board. I have uh zero letters of protest, zero letters of support.
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