Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Regular Meeting – April 27, 2023
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Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Regular Meeting – April 27, 2023
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee met on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at 6:15 PM UTC (11:15 AM PT). Chair Catherine Stefani presided, joined by Supervisor Dorsey (Vice Chair Engardio was excused). The committee addressed six agenda items, including two liquor license transfers, amendments to the Health Code on massage permits, a Police Code change for live performance hours in the Polk Street NCD, a hearing on the Recovery Summit Working Group's recommendations and housing needs of justice-involved adults, and a hearing on the 2022 Aging and Disability Affordable Housing Needs Assessment. All votes were unanimous unless noted.
Agenda Item 1 – Liquor License Transfer for Rye Bar (140 10th Street)
- Discussion: Police Department representative reported zero letters of protest and two letters of support. The location is in a low-crime area but a high-saturation census tract. Southern Station had no opposition. ALU recommended approval with conditions: monitoring to prevent loitering and ensuring entertainment noise is inaudible at residences. Applicant Greg Lindgren spoke, expressing intent to be a neighborhood asset. Supervisor Dorsey voiced support, noting he lives nearby.
- Key Outcomes: Motion to prepare a resolution finding the transfer serves public convenience/necessity carried unanimously. Motion to send resolution to full board as a committee report passed without opposition.
Agenda Item 2 – Liquor License Transfer for The Gifted Basket (72 Dorman Avenue)
- Discussion: The Police Department reported the application had been withdrawn. The item was tabled by motion.
- Key Outcomes: Motion to table passed unanimously.
Agenda Item 3 – Health Code Amendments – Massage Permit Requirements (Ordinance 221160)
- Discussion: Adam Tongsfit (Supervisor Mandelman’s office) presented cleanup legislation to reduce red tape for massage businesses while enhancing enforcement against illicit activity. Amendments were introduced to clarify prohibitions on lewd conduct and solicitation, and to allow nuisance enforcement. Deputy City Attorney confirmed amendments were substantive. No public comment.
- Key Outcomes: Motion to adopt amendments passed unanimously. Motion to continue the ordinance as amended to the next meeting passed unanimously.
Agenda Item 4 – Police Code – Limited Live Performance Permit in Polk Street NCD (Ordinance 230309)
- Discussion: Melody Shoe (President Peskin’s office) explained the change from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. performance curfew to align with other districts and support economic recovery. Public comment: Kevin Thomason (patron) and Chris Shulman (Lower Polk Community Benefit District) spoke in favor, citing business and cultural benefits.
- Key Outcomes: Motion to pass the ordinance out of committee with positive recommendation to the full board passed unanimously.
Agenda Item 5 – Hearing – Implementation of Recovery Summit Working Group Recommendations & Housing Needs of Justice-Involved Adults
- Discussion: Steve Adami (Re-entry Division, Adult Probation) introduced four programs launched since a 2021 hearing:
- Her House (women/children, capacity 10 women + 4 children): served 40 participants, 19 completed, with 1% recidivism.
- Positive Directions TRP Academy (abstinence-based therapeutic community, capacity 65): served 208 individuals, 59 completed.
- Billy Holiday Center (stabilization center, capacity 30): served 606 people, 321 completed.
- Minna Project (behavioral health, capacity 75): served 139, 17 moved to permanent housing. All programs at over 90% capacity with waiting lists; combined recidivism rate for three programs was 1%.
- A two-year mixed-methods research project surveyed 284 justice-involved adults and held 12 focus groups. Findings highlighted addiction, financial instability, and re-entry barriers. Recommendations included a citywide goal for housing, expanding beyond housing-first/harm reduction, creating a recovery system of care, building stabilization centers in high-need neighborhoods, increasing financial literacy, expanding transitional housing, and expanding Her House to serve 40 women.
- Public Comment: Over 20 speakers, mostly program participants and graduates, shared powerful personal stories of recovery. Common themes: need for more space (especially for women), lower barriers to entry, and abstinence-based options. Many emphasized that these programs save lives and create taxpayers.
- Supervisor Statements: Chair Stefani and Supervisor Dorsey expressed strong support, noting the programs are evidence-based and deserve robust funding. Supervisor Safai joined to show support and commit to budget advocacy. Supervisor Dorsey called for clarifying that abstinence-based recovery should be the primary aspiration of public policy.
- Key Outcomes: Hearing filed by unanimous motion.
Agenda Item 6 – Hearing – 2022 Aging and Disability Affordable Housing Needs Assessment Report
- Discussion: Cindy Kaufman (Deputy Director, Department of Disability and Aging Services) presented the first comprehensive report, based on over 1,200 survey responses, focus groups, and community forums. Key findings:
- Tenant/project-based subsidies are critical but insufficient.
- Inadequate accessibility features in affordable housing.
- Siloed resources across city departments.
- Recommendations: invest in operating subsidies (including a new disability operating subsidy program), improve the reasonable modification process, and strengthen interdepartmental coordination. The Planning Department has hired a senior and disability housing implementation planner to lead implementation.
- Public Comment: Speakers from Senior and Disability Action (SDA) and community members highlighted:
- Only 27 of 10,000 planned affordable housing units are designated for people with disabilities.
- Broken elevators in SROs trap residents; a $500,000 ask for elevator repairs was noted.
- Need for simplified application processes and expanded rental subsidies.
- Call for prioritizing disability operating subsidies and senior operating subsidies in the upcoming budget.
- Supervisor Questions: Chair Stefani asked about cost of inaction; planning staff acknowledged that some recommendations require significant investment but interagency coordination is underway. Supervisor Dorsey requested a cost estimate for elevator repairs citywide.
- Key Outcomes: Hearing filed by unanimous motion.
Adjournment
- The meeting adjourned after completing all agenda items.
Meeting Transcript
The meeting will come to order. Welcome to the April 27, 2023 regular meeting of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee. I'm Supervisor Catherine Stephanie, Chair of the Committee. And to my left is Supervisor Dorsey, and the clerk is Mr. John Carroll. Also, I'd like to thank James Kawana at SFGov TV for staffing this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. The Board of Supervisors and its committees are convening hybrid meetings that allow in-person attendance and public comment while still providing remote access and public comment via telephone. The board recognizes that equitable public access is essential, and we will be taking public comment today as follows. First, public comment will be taken on each item on today's agenda. Those attending in person will be allowed to speak first. We have a nearly full house today in room 250. And then we will hear from those who are waiting on the telephone line. The public comment call-in number is streaming across the screen if you are watching through SFGov TV. The telephone number is 415-65501. When you're prompted, enter the meeting ID for today's meeting. That meeting ID is 2594 381 358. After you've entered the meeting ID, press the pound symbol twice. You'll be connected to the meeting discussions, but your telephone line 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 along the curtain wall here in room 250. And those who are on the telephone line should dial star followed by three to be added to the speaker queue. If you are on your telephone, please remember to turn down your television, your radio, your streaming device, whatever you may be using to access today's proceedings. Alternatively, you may submit your public comment in writing. You may email your comments to me. I'm the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Clerk. And my name is John Carroll. My email address is J-O-H-N, period C-A-R-R-O-L-L at SFGO V dot or R G. Hang on just one moment. Or you may submit your written comments via U.S. Postal Service to our office in City Hall. That is one Dr. Carlton B. Goodlit Place, room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. If you submit your public comment in writing, I will forward it to the supervisors and I will include it as part of the official file on which you are commenting. And finally, Madam Chair, actually, two things because we do have a uh full house here. I want to remind folks who are here present in the room with us if you can make sure to silence your cell phones, pagers or whatever you may be carrying so that we don't disturb the meeting proceedings. And then secondarily, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors' agenda of May 9th, 2023, unless otherwise stated. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. And before we begin, I would like to make a motion to excuse Vice Chair and Guardio from the meeting. Can you please call the roll? A motion has been offered by Chair Stephanie to excuse Vice Chair and Guardio on that motion, Member Dorsey. Dorsey, I, Chair Stephanie. Aye. Stephanie, I. Madam Chair, there's no opposition. Thank you. And will you please call the first item?
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