Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - February 8, 2024
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Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - February 8, 2024
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee held a regular meeting on Thursday, February 8, 2024, chaired by Supervisor Catherine Stefani. The committee considered four agenda items: a liquor license issuance for Bruno's, a hearing on crime and violence targeting Asian-American seniors, a hearing on working conditions for women in the San Francisco Police Department, and a hearing on the 2021 Human Trafficking report. All items were acted upon with unanimous votes.
Consent Calendar
- No items were placed on the consent calendar.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 1 (Liquor License – Bruno's): No public comment was offered.
- Item 2 (Asian-American Seniors): Numerous community members and organization representatives spoke. Carl Takay (Asian Law Caucus) expressed support for sanctuary city values and holistic safety approaches. Annette Wong (CAA) emphasized language access and community solutions. Youth speakers (Nalie Liang, Kathy Zhao, Laura Huang, and others) advocated for restorative justice programs and community-based safety. Kimberly Zito (Asian Inc.) relayed small business owners' fear. David Wu (SOMA Filipinas) read a statement calling for education and land ownership. Ken Lomba (Deputy Sheriff's Association) urged restoring law enforcement funding. Other speakers included Rodney Mitchell (CCDC), Diana Pang, So Abdo, and Demi Barroso, who shared personal experiences of violence and called for community-centered solutions.
- Item 3 (Women in SFPD): Tracy McCray (POA president) thanked the committee and stressed the need for child care and lactation accommodations. Ken Lomba (Deputy Sheriffs) supported housing and wellness initiatives. Amy Hurwitz (SFPD Women's Leadership Committee) highlighted retaliation fears and called for concrete action. Captains Alexa O'Brien and Trina Wearing shared personal struggles and the need for culture change. Commissioner Deborah Walker advocated for 50% women by 2025 and housing for first responders.
- Item 4 (Human Trafficking): Daniela Diaz (SF Safe House) provided statistics: 63 severe human trafficking survivors, 24% increase, 76% Black/brown, 31% LGBTQ+. Ken Lomba suggested a cyber crimes unit.
Discussion Items
- Item 1: Liquor License Issuance – Bruno’s (2389 Mission Street): The committee heard from SFPD ABC liaison Officer Salmuson, who reported zero letters of protest or support, and recommended approval with conditions (noise control, loitering prevention, security guard). The applicant's representative David Villalobos noted that Bruno's was a legacy business that would have closed without a type 90 license. Chair Stefani moved to prepare a resolution finding public convenience or necessity. The motion passed unanimously (3-0).
- Item 2: Hearing – Crime and Violence Targeting Asian-American Seniors: Supervisor Chan, the original sponsor, made opening remarks noting a 567% rise in hate crimes in 2021 and an 80% reduction by early 2024, but continued fear. SFPD's Commander Perra and Sergeant Hyung explained hate crime definitions and presented hate crime data: 60 API-related hate crimes in 2021, dropping to 14 in 2023, with single perpetrators responsible for a majority. They highlighted the Community Liaison Unit's language services and victim support. District Attorney Nancy Tung reported that of 21 hate crime cases presented in 2023, 12 were filed (9 felonies, 3 misdemeanors), and 41 hate crime cases are currently pending (25 based on race, 13 Asian). An audit of 2020-2021 cases resulted in no changes. The Coalition for Community Safety and Justice (CCSJ) presented: Eddie Zhang, Sarah Wan, Annie Lee, and Joyce Lamb described their victim services, restorative justice training, and cross-racial solidarity events. Statistics: 225 API victims served since 2020, 83 in 2023; $35,000 in financial assistance. Public testimony emphasized community-based solutions, language access, and funding for restorative justice. Supervisor Chan moved to continue the hearing to the call of the chair, passed unanimously.
- Item 3: Hearing – Working Conditions for Women in SFPD: Chair Melgar noted SFPD's low female representation (15% sworn, while NYPD 20%, LAPD 18%). DHR's Mawuli Tugbenio outlined citywide lactation policy (96 rooms, 90 accessible to all). SFPD Deputy Chief Walsh discussed the 30x30 initiative (goal of 30% women by 2030), current demographics (280 women sworn, 37% of command staff), and recruitment challenges. Penny C (ADA coordinator) reported 24 work sites, 13 with dedicated lactation rooms, and 11 using multi-purpose spaces; modular walls received for upgrades. Director Ellis (Department on the Status of Women) recommended mandated lactation pods, expanded child care, a female recruitment task force, and annual reporting. She cited data: women use less force, fewer complaints. Public comment included Tracy McCray, Ken Lomba, Amy Hurwitz, Alexa O'Brien, Trina Wearing, and Deborah Walker, all stressing need for child care, housing, and culture change. Chair Melgar moved to file the hearing, passed unanimously.
- Item 4: Hearing – Human Trafficking in San Francisco 2021 Report: Director Ellis presented key findings: one third of survivors born outside U.S., 94% women, 91% sex trafficking cases. Tony Eby (SF Safe House) noted increased capacity by 300% since 2019 but persistent wait lists, and highlighted the need for permanent housing, especially for women with children, and a new 22-unit facility at 101 Gough Street. Antonia Levine (SF Collaborative) stressed regional coordination and lack of funding for the collaborative. Public comment from Daniela Diaz (Safe House) provided stark statistics. Ken Lomba suggested a cyber crimes unit. Chair Stefani moved to file the hearing, passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1: Unanimous vote to recommend approval of the type 90 liquor license for Bruno's to the full Board of Supervisors (3-0).
- Item 2: Unanimous vote to continue the hearing on anti-Asian hate crimes to the call of the chair (3-0).
- Item 3: Unanimous vote to file the hearing on working conditions for women in SFPD (3-0).
- Item 4: Unanimous vote to file the hearing on the 2021 Human Trafficking report (3-0). Chair Stefani indicated a BLA request to examine regional coordination and funding.
Meeting Transcript
This meeting will come to order. Welcome to the February 8th, 2024 regular meeting of the public safety and neighborhood services committee. I am Supervisor Catherine Stephanie, Chair of the Committee. To my right is Vice Chair Engardio, and to my left is Supervisor Dorsey. The clerk is Mr. John Carroll. And also I'd like to thank Colina Mendoza at SFGov TV for staffing this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. Please ensure that you silenced your cell phones and other electronic devices you may have brought with you into the chamber today. If you have any documents to include as part of any of the files on today's agenda, you should submit them to me. You can do so by bringing them forward to the rail and I'll meet you there. Public comment will be taken on each of the four items on today's agenda. When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called, please line up to speak along your right-hand side of the room, my left-hand side. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing. You may email your written public comment to me at J-O-H-N, period C-A-R-R-O-L-L at SFGO V dot or G. Or you may send your written comments to the clerk's office. The clerk's office is room 244 in City Hall and City Hall's address is one Dr. Carlton B. Goodlick Place, San Francisco, California 94102. If you submit public comment in writing, I will forward your comment to the supervisors on this panel, and I'll also include your comment as part of the official file upon which you are commenting. And items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda of February 27th, 2024, unless otherwise stated. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Will you please call the first item? Agenda item number one is a hearing to consider that the issuance of a type 90 on-sale general music venue liquor license to Bruno's Management LLC to do business as Bruno's located at 2389 mission will serve the public convenience for necessity of the city and county. Thank you. And I'd like to uh um welcome up Officer Salmuson from the SFPD ABC liaison unit. Good morning, members of the board. You have a PCM for Bruno's management LLC. They've applied for a type 90 license, and if approved, this would uh allow them to operate an on-sale general music venue. I have zero letters of protest, zero letters of support. They're located in plot four thirty-three, which is considered high criteria. They are in census track two zero eight zero one, which is considered high saturation. Uh mission station has no opposition, and ALU recommends uh approval with following conditions. Uh number one, I accept as provided and condition two below, no noise shall be audible beyond the area under the control of the licensee. Uh petitioners shall actively monitor the area under their control in ever to prevent the loitering of persons on any property adjacent uh adjacent to the licensed premise as depicted on ABC 253, and that between the hours of 4 p.m. and 2 a.m. or at any time the premise are providing entertainment, the petitioner shall provide at least one uniform security guard on the premise and shall maintain order therein and prevent any activity which would interfere with the quiet enjoyment of their property by nearby residents or the surrounding community. The licensed uniform security guard must be licensed by the state of California Department of Consumer Affairs uh consumer affairs sorry. Thank you. And seeing uh no names on the roster for questions. Are there any representatives of the applicant presentation? Good morning, supervisors, David Villalobos. Um Bruno's uh has been an entertainment uh uh destination for decades out in the mission. However, several years ago, ABC determined that Bruno's was operating with an inappropriate liquor license and recommended that they apply for a type uh 48. Uh not realize that uh that's a restricted use district, so a 48 was not an option. Um so uh Bruno's was slated to shutter its doors forever. However, um uh the district supervisor, Supervisor Ronan and the mayor's office of economic workforce development came to the rescue and recommended a type 90.
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