I call the special meeting of October 9th, 2025 senior commission to order.

The time is now 10.03.

Would everyone please stand that can for the pledge of allegiance?

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nature under odd indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

You may be seated.

Mr.

Secretary, could you please call the roll?

Thank you.

Chair Watchison?

Here.

Vice Chair Comelo?

Commissioner McHenry?

Here.

Commissioner Dillon?

Here.

Commissioner Lopez Nacario?

Here.

Commissioner McMichael Cady.

Yes.

Commissioner Pena.

Commissioner Brennan.

And Commissioner Salini?

Yeah.

Thank you.

We have an excuse absence by Commissioner Brennan.

Also in attendance today is home match county director Rachel Matthews and Senior Commission Secretary Bether Manango.

Thank you.

Announcements.

Please silence any devices that would prove a distraction during the meeting.

And also please remember to ask for a recess if you need to step out of the meeting, as that may impact the commission's ability to maintain a quorum.

Mr.

Secretary, do you have any announcements at this time?

I do not.

Okay, item three, the consent calendar.

I will entertain a motion to bundle 3A and 3B into one motion.

Anyone?

Commissioner McHenry and Commissioner Shalini second.

Roll call, please, Mr.

Mr.

Secretary.

Thank you.

Chair Watchison?

Yes.

Vice Chair Comello?

Yeah.

Commissioner McHenry?

Yes.

Commissioner Dillon.

Aye.

Commissioner Lopez-Acario.

Aye.

Commissioner McMichael Cady.

Yes.

Commissioner Bena.

Yes.

And Commissioner Salini.

Yes.

Motion carries.

Okay.

City staff reports.

I turn the uh this part over to Pedro, please.

Thank you, Chair Watchinson.

I have a few updates that I think will be relevant and interesting to everyone.

Excuse me.

The first update is as a follow-up to the uh meeting that we had in February.

There was a comment made regarding the city's emergency sirens, if you recall.

So I wanted to provide an update about that.

So I learned that the sirens are a tool to notify anyone in San Leandro about an emergency, whether they have access to technology or not.

As mentioned during the last meeting by the member of the public, they are currently not working.

We have about a dozen of those throughout the city.

As you can imagine, it's a costly project that the city is looking into, and it is currently on the list of projects for the city.

Okay.

Related to budget.

Have you been following the city council meetings and if you've been following the status regarding our city budget?

The city is currently in a structural deficit.

As a result of that, we've made some uh reductions to our budget uh for fiscal year 2627 and I'm sorry, 2526 and 2627.

Uh in addition to that, the uh the city has requested that we make additional cuts to our fiscal year 2027 budget.

Okay, um this will be there will there will be more information about this.

There actually is going to be a community engagement and participatory uh process and opportunities.

So as those meetings um are announced to me, I will make sure that you all have that information in case you're interested in participating.

Do we know what area those cuts are gonna take place in?

Uh at this point, every department has been asked to make cuts, or to to look at uh to make reductions or look at cost-saving measures.

Any percentage?

Uh we don't we don't know at this point.

There's a programs or staff or uh or have the have it has it been identified that hasn't been identified yet, yeah.

Um I have an update regarding landscaping.

So this is the so the city.

Uh our uh colleagues who are responsible for maintaining buildings have uh uh done an assessment of the site, and they agree that the landscaping all around the building could use a refresh.

Oh, so as you know, as I just mentioned, uh we don't have a lot of money in our budget, uh so we need to replace the plants in phases as funding permits.

Um but the first step, right?

And the smart step we believe is to um continue to do an assessment of the current uh irrigation system to make sure that it's properly working so that when we go ahead and uh replace plants that they stay alive, yeah, and so um and so our colleagues uh will be will be doing that and they will continue to keep us informed about next steps.

So I'm looking forward.

Yes, we have some fabulous garden clubs here in San Leandro, who've already on their own, been doing some updates very secretly and very beautifully, and I suspect that they would be honored to assist with that.

At no cost.

Okay, thank you.

I think we have some needing plans first.

I think the gentleman was here at last meeting that is one of the guys that yeah is in charge of that.

Yes, yes, we're we are preparing something in that area that I'm not ready to share yet, okay.

It's in the process of being, it's in the process of being baked.

So as soon as it has a little bit more uh uh progress, I'll come here and provide an ex an update.

But yeah, just we're working on um some gardening projects, and we're looking forward to having that um in place soon.

But I'll provide more details in the future.

Um at the last meeting, there was also a question regarding the ambassador program.

I believe Commissioner Commander.

The ambassador program, okay.

Commissioner Comelo, I think asked about the status of the program.

Um, so there haven't been any changes to the scope of the downtown safety ambassadors.

Uh however, they lost some staff and it has been slow to fill those positions.

Um so yeah, so they're they're they lost some people, they're trying to rehire those.

Um but in terms of the structure of the program, nothing has changed.

And um, and then there is information about the downtown ambassadors program on the SLIA uh downtown site.

I'll go ahead and email the link to that page uh to everyone, and so seniors can always call the ambassador line with questions or concerns uh and can even request an escort to their car if they're in the downtown area.

I was wondering if they could put the number of visitor's number on some walls on the downstairs downtown like safety and all that.

So people when they have some problem, they can just look at the number and call it.

Okay.

If that is possible, it would be good.

Yeah, we'll look into that because when they are needed, they're not there, but otherwise we send them sometimes passing by and saying hello, hello.

We don't need hello, hello.

We need someone when there's a problem.

Yeah, yeah.

So um, so I'll send I'll we'll look into that.

They may it may already, I don't know if it's up right, but I think that's a great idea.

And so uh when I send you the link to the website, I'll go ahead and uh the website also has the phone number.

Um so you can you can pull the phone number off of that.

But if you need it right now, I can give it to you.

It's 415.

Q I'm very I have it in the phone.

Let me know when you're ready.

Yeah, I just have them all the time because I will work so it's area code 415.

404.

8463.

Okay.

Um okay, the last announcement regarding city updates.

Uh in case you don't know, there's gonna be a Diwali event.

I'm sorry, what?

Diwali?

Iwali.

Uh Diwali, uh it's called Diwali as told by the the dance of I'm not gonna say this right, but it's I think it's Baratanatara.

Yeah.

So it's uh yeah, so celebrate the festival of lights with a captivating cultural experience and learn about the heritage, symbolism, and spirit of Diwali.

Through this powerful art form.

The event is on October 11th, from 2 to 3 p.m.

at the Manor Branch Library, which is located at on at uh 1241 Manor Boulevard.

Uh Diwali or the Festival of Lights is a five year five-day festival uh celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and good over evil, and it follows the Hindu lunar calendar.

So if you're interested in learning more, uh just being part of a culture celebration in San Leandro, please attend.

Isn't hasn't it just become a state holiday?

It did, yes.

Just recently.

How do I do it?

Please repeat the the time and date.

Yes.

So the date is October 11th, and the time is 2 to 3 p.m.

at the manor branch library.

Okay, thank you.

Okay, those are city updates.

Now I'll go into some department-wide updates.

Um there was a question raised at the last meeting regarding the the demographics of the individuals that are being served by the uh Loaling interim housing and navigation center, specifically regarding um uh utilization or um involvement of older adults.

So based on the data from the first quarter, um a little over half of the uh the interim housing.

So these are the folks that are staying uh on site.

Uh we're in the ages, uh we're in the age group of 45 and up.

Okay.

Uh specifically, there was there's uh seven people between the ages of 45 to 54, uh, three people between the ages of 55 to 61, and four people over the age of 62.

Okay.

Now that's the that those are the folks that are that are living on site.

We have 29 units right there available uh for interim housing.

In addition to that, as you all know, there's a dropping component, and the dropping component is uh available to anyone in the community who's unhoused, who may need some support with some basic needs or may need uh support getting connected to other so other services, shelter, etc.

Yes, and so um so the the demographics uh so far for that component are uh 20 22 people between the ages of 45 to 54, 12 people between the ages of 55 and 61, and 11 people over the age of 62.

Okay, so it's a good, as you can see, it's a good number of folks over the age of 45 over the age of 50 that are currently being served by the uh Louelling interim housing and navigation center.

I also asked about uh possibly doing a tour if you recall when they when the when the center opened, there was a there wasn't tours available, and unfortunately, um I think not everybody was able to make it.

I think maybe a few of you were able to make it.

Um we'll have to revisit this next year.

Um currently there is no capacity or plans to schedule tours.

Um so we'll go ahead and revisit that next year again.

I wanted to ask you, do they have um because you know I went back to work part time and I come across a lot of homeless people.

Do they have uh things that we can like give them a card or something to direct them over there for the drop-in?

Yeah, we have that, and we actually have it here.

Um on our resource wall, there should be a one-page pamphlet that provides information regarding um a variety, not just that, but a variety of uh un-house uh services that we offer through partnership with a nonprofit organizations, and so there are things like what I just spoke about, but then there's also um outreach that's done through building futures.

Uh there's also um uh basic knee support that's that's that's provided through Davis Street uh Family Resource Center, and then there's April Showers, you know.

So there's a uh uh menu of things that that a menu of services that are that are available, and so yeah, we can make sure that you get some of those copies.

Yeah, and I I deal with the ambassadors all the time too.

Maybe I'll grab some and give them to their boss and because they come across the homeless, and that would be a good thing for them to give them.

Yeah.

Thank you for asking that because while we do have that 11 uh what is it, 8 by 11 like pamphlet?

Yeah, what one of the things that we've learned is that oftentimes folks don't like something very big, right?

And so they throw it away, or so building futures.

Uh, who does a lot of the the outreach?

They have these little cards like business cards, okay that we can give out, and so what we found is that they're more likely to hold on to those small cards than they are to you know big pamphlets.

So, yeah, we can we'll make sure that you get some.

Okay, last announcement uh is that uh so Halloween is approaching.

I don't know how many of you like Halloween, uh, but we are having a Halloween bingo event on October 31st from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

here at the Senior Community Center.

Uh it is a uh two dollars for folks to join in, and we include treats, costumes are highly recommended.

Uh we will be giving out uh five dollar gift cards to local uh from local businesses, coffee shops, restaurants, etc.

Um, the first hour will consist of bingo games.

Um if you're available, we could use help um calling um calling the numbers, the numbers.

I think you some of you have helped with that in the past.

Um, and then those of you that are really uh interested in helping set up and decorate your skills and talents are always welcome.

So let me know if you're interested in either one of those.

Um the last half an hour we will play music and have a costume parade for everyone that dresses up.

So looks to be a really fun event.

So you're all welcome to come.

What is it, Danny?

Uh so this is gonna be uh October 31st, and it's gonna be from 2 o'clock to 3 30 p.m.

I'm sorry, it's from 2 to 3 30 p.m.

here.

And um that concludes my report, okay.

I have a question.

Uh can you please that uh um monitor and have it working because it's dead or not working for the last three, four years, and now that Claudia is done their duty.

I have to pick up our uh thing of seeing all things that are thinking, take up the thing.

I hope it is be working soon.

Have a new monitor.

Yeah, thank you.

I do cost me.

Uh so we have been monitoring that we have been monitoring the monitor, and I will tell you that the monitor works just fine.

Oh, what doesn't work is uh so in order for us to uh we've we've been wanting to use it to promote you know our programs or show pictures of previous events, of the commission, videos and just you know, uh a variety of different things.

Um it actually requires a system to be installed to the monitor.

If you've been at City Hall, uh recently you know that there's there are monitors there, and there's you know there's videos that are like on a loop or something.

So we want to do something similar to that.

So our IT department is working with us to figure out exactly like what is the system that we use for the needs that we have here at the center.

So they're looking into it right now, you know.

Part of this is really kind of understanding exactly what you want to do, right?

Um, and then figuring out what system needs to be um uh acquired to be able to meet those needs.

And then the next question, of course, beyond that is do we have money to buy that system?

And then it's the question about who will be you know coming and installing the system.

So there's a few steps, but just know that we we're also aware we're also wanting that monitor to be activated.

Okay, so you agree with that since it already exists at City Hall, I'm curious as to why they need to investigate what it is that they need, since they did it at City Hall.

So I would suspect that it is really just a matter of money.

And I would hate to see them waste time on investigating something that they already have.

I would say I would say yes and no.

I mean, I think the NISA city hall may be slightly different from the needs that we have here.

And so part of that is understanding, like getting a uh good understanding from our staff about how we want that system to operate.

I think what Claudia is saying is it's an infrastructure issue.

Infrastructure is copy paste from there.

What you're going to do is very different.

That's okay.

I'm not an IT person, so I have to I have to lean on my IT colleagues.

And I will say that we are, like I said, we we are monitoring the monitor.

At least someone's looking into it.

Yes.

Which is a step forward, I guess.

Yes.

Well, you said something, someone would be viewing some doctor D.

What is it there or not?

So I have an update regarding that when we get to age friendly.

So I will always provide updates regarding our age-friendly activity during that session of the meeting.

Okay.

So I have an update about that, but I will say that they are confirmed to present to this group in November.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you, Pedro.

Yes.

All right, public comments.

We do not have anyone here from the public today.

And so, Secretary, did we have any e-comments?

We did not have any e-comments, and the commission was advised by email uh yesterday, Wednesday, October 8th.

Okay, thank you.

All right, it is now my pleasure to introduce our presenter for today, Rachel Matthews, who is the director of Home Match Alameda County, and she's going to tell us all about Home Match and uh how we can help out.

Thank you.

So thank you very much for having me.

Again, my name is Rachel Matthews, and I'm the program director for the Home Match program here in Alameda County.

Um Home Match is a program that is part of Front Porch.

So a lot of people always wonder who do I work for?

Why does my email say front porch?

Front Porch is an organization that's been around for about 60 years and owns senior residences like St.

Paul's Towers, San Francisco Towers, Oak Center Towers, and about 60 others, most of them are low income based, and a couple of them are market rate, like St.

Paul's Towers and San Francisco Towers.

Obviously, market rate, very expensive.

And they all give a little bit of money to the foundation that is part of uh front porch, which then supports programs that are out in the community.

Most of them are directed to seniors and have to do with uh senior connection programs.

So like senior center without walls is something that we provide to anybody free, and I'm gonna bring that some time and give you catalogs about that, which anybody can use again 24-7 programming that's free online with very simple Zoom-style programming so that anybody can log into it and you can also use it on the phone.

So we have that, and then we also have home match.

So home match is a home sharing program.

We do have some funding right now from the city of San Leandro, so thank you, San Leandro, for that.

I want to appreciate that.

And the way we work is the reason it says here sometimes the smartest move is not moving at all.

What we are is home sharing in terms of the program really starts with people who might have a room available in their home, or it could also be an ADU or in-law unit, but they need to live on site.

It could also be someone who is a renter who has permission from their landlord to rent out a room in their home.

Okay, so what we do is we start by visiting those homes, and we go to the home and we uh I'll I'll get to I'll get to this in a minute.

Um we go to the home, we we check it out with the person and we walk around and we look at it and we talk about what are the shared spaces that you're gonna be comfortable if someone lives here sharing with them?

What spaces do you not want them in?

Obviously, your bedroom, but what else?

And then what is the private space that that person is gonna rent?

What are the amenities of that room?

So does it have furniture or does it come unfurnished?

Does it have a private bathroom?

Is there a private entrance?

What's the stairs?

You know, are there a lot of stairs?

Is it one step up?

Can it accommodate someone with uh you know um needs in terms of of their mobility, right?

So we try to establish all of that information and find out is this house livable?

Is it is it clean enough?

Do they have a lot of um you know, are they maybe hoarding a little bit?

Can we help you get some of that out of there so someone could move in?

So there's all different levels of when people are ready to, in their mind, I'm thinking about allowing someone to move in, but is this is the space actually ready?

So we can sometimes help with that of helping people get it cleaned up a little bit to make it available.

Um, so we do have, like I said, the five community service programs, and those are all kind of within that you know, senior center without walls type of programming.

Ruth's table is also a um a uh gallery that is at Bethany Center, which is one of our low-income facilities in the mission district in San Francisco, it's open to anybody, and it is free art-based programming.

Okay, so that's just an aside information.

Um, okay, so home sharing is again what it is is it helps the person who is interested in renting with some additional income.

Pretty much no one anymore can afford to live comfortably uh without some kind of additional income, and especially if you are older.

Not all the people who provide housing are older, but the majority of them tend to be women that are living alone.

So their family has moved away, their partner has passed away, perhaps, and now they have this home that they would love to stay in, but they really can't afford to stay in it any longer by themselves.

So, what's a way of doing that is to bring in someone to live with them who matches them in compatibility.

So when we go to look at a house and we're talking to them about the space, the other thing we're doing is having them complete an application while we're there and we're asking them these questions about your comfort level with sharing the space, but also you know, are they gonna be able to use the kitchen?

Have you thought about that?

Where are they gonna put their things?

Is there a cupboard that you can let them use?

Can they put extra things in the fridge?

They are gonna need to put their milk somewhere.

So people sometimes haven't thought about that.

So we just try to walk them through the process.

If someone's gonna live here, how are you gonna make it comfortable for them?

You know, if they have a bicycle, is there somewhere that they can put that rather than your living room, right?

Can it go somewhere?

So, what's the yard?

Can they share the yard?

So we talk about all those things and and also do you have you know um quiet hours?

You know, or do you are you a person who stays up really late and you don't really want someone in the home?

We had this recently, a woman who bakes at midnight, right?

Only she didn't really think she did until the person moved in and was like, oh my gosh, she's baking at midnight and clanging around in the kitchen, and I have to get up at six.

So we had to adjust that that arrangement, but but those are the kind of things that if you haven't really thought about them up front, we're trying to help you think about that so that we don't find someone who, when they complete an application and they talk to us about what they're looking for, that we weren't aware of this situation.

So, what are your quiet hours?

Can they have friends over?

If they have someone come over, do they need to ask permission?

Did they need to tell you in advance?

How long can that person stay?

One night?

No overnight.

You know, all these are questions that we're trying to help people work through.

So, in addition to it being a potential economic support for that person, it's obviously more affordable housing, potentially, not always.

Occasionally, ADUs are just as expensive with our program as with any other.

If they have some beautiful spot that they need to recoup all their investment on.

Um, so affordable housing, though, for the most part is because you're sharing a room in someone's home, it's not going to be the same as renting your own apartment.

Okay.

So it's a kind of a win-win to two persons who could have become homeless if this program wasn't here.

So that's why we call what we do is part of the homeless prevention.

It's kind of what we call an upstream program.

Getting people before it gets to the point where I've I've exhausted all of my resources, now I am living in my car.

Before you get to the car, why don't you call us so that we can help see if we have somewhere that might be a good fit for you before that becomes the situation?

And we have placed people, by the way, who are homeless who happen to be on social security, work their entire lives, and just you know, found themselves living in their car and are quite horrified by that, and are still a great fit for someone to live with.

And we don't necessarily share that information, right?

But but people once they get to know each other, these things tend to come out, but that's between them, right?

So the other thing is social support.

A lot of what's happening is a person might want what we call a task exchange, and that is gee, I sure would like it if someone would have dinner with me once a week, maybe even help me cook now and then, or maybe help take me to the store to go shopping now and then.

So in a task exchange situation, let's say someone had a room they wanted to charge a thousand dollars, it has a private bathroom, has a private entrance, but they also would like someone to spend a little time with them, someone to share a meal with them now and then, give them a ride.

Okay, you know what?

I'll let them have the room for 800 if they'll help me with these things.

So now my pool is a lot bigger of people who can't afford 800 than people who can't afford a thousand.

But the question is who, when we did their application for someone seeking housing, has offered to be available for task exchange.

So those are the types of things where we're trying to match what people are looking for.

Um, so that we're not connecting someone who smokes and has a dog with someone in a house who has asthma and has six cats.

Okay, it's like, oh whoops, wait a minute, we forgot to ask.

So we're trying to ask as many questions as we can.

We interview everyone, we also run everyone's background checks, we verify the income of the person who is seeking housing to make sure that they can pay the rent, and then we also verify everyone's identification.

Um, so that's a lot more than you get with Craigslist.

Um, okay, the risk mitigation piece of it is what I just mentioned.

So we are asking a lot of questions and we are hoping to find people who are a good fit for each other, making the process simple for each other by doing a lot of that information gathering up front for you.

We make what we call our introductions, and those introductions uh consist of here's someone who sounds like they're a good fit for you when we interviewed them, what they're looking for on paper, and what you're looking for.

So let's connect you two and see if you're interested in each other.

When we do that, we only tell people about what is each other's ideal home share, what does that look like, and then what are my what would I like to tell a person about myself?

So those are gonna be I like to read books, I take hikes on the weekend, my uh niece and nephew come and stay once a month, and I love to bake birthday cakes for the community.

And then you have someone who says, Oh my gosh, I'm a retired baker, and you know, whatever, right?

So, oh, these might be a good fit.

Okay, so we share phone number and email only.

We do not ever share the address of that person.

That's up to that person once they have a phone call, once they meet them, they decide.

Do you want to share your address?

Up to you.

If you feel like you know what, this was a bad match.

I don't like this person, they're too loud, I can't take it.

You know, the they talk too fast.

Um, I don't think this is a good fit for me.

That's okay too.

You can tell them, and if you don't want to, we can tell them.

That person didn't feel like you were a good fit.

Let's keep looking for someone for both of you, right?

So, in that case, that person never has your address, right?

So we do leave that to the uh the person providing housing to decide when and if they want to share that address.

So this is creating immediate housing stock.

And the difference with that is if you've ever seen, you know, where someone's trying to raise funding to build housing, it tends to be almost a million dollars a unit, and in in 10 years.

Now they're trying to make those uh timelines a little more realistic now, but they're still, you know, long timeline.

Where's the where's the land?

Where's the who's building it?

Uh, you know, what kind of subsidies do they have, who's moving into it, all those types of things.

In this case, it's like it's available right now today, once your background check comes back.

And I know you aren't a bank robber, you know.

I did have someone that was a double murderer one time who kind of when I was like going through the initial questions on the application, I was like, so you know, before I run your background check, I just want to ask you a couple questions, you know, to save us all the big 75 bucks, you know.

So have you, you know, do you have any uh misdemeanors or or anything?

Oh, yeah, yeah, I do, okay.

So, like, you know, just curious what was it?

Just in case it's gonna come up.

Is it like a eviction or something?

Oh no, no, it's a it's a felony.

Oh, okay.

Well, what was it?

Well, murder.

Oh, okay.

Great.

So, um, I don't think you're gonna be the best fit for our.

Were you exonerated?

No, no.

Oh, okay.

Yeah, anyway, maybe there's some better program for you, but it's not gonna be ours.

Thank you very much.

So we do ask those questions.

Um, in terms of just a little bit of information, again, you just can't build enough and make it affordable enough.

It just costs too much to build things.

We all know this.

Um, 42% of area residents over the age of 65 are cost burdened, meaning they're spending over 30%, and usually it's significantly more than that.

You know, 30% used to be the golden number of how much you spend on housing.

We don't let anybody spend more than 50% because it's more realistic, actually, that it's 50%.

Of course, nobody wants to spend that, but that's our bottom line of someone has to make it make at least two times or or have savings for six months that would pay for two times whatever the rent is they want to pay.

So if they say I'm comfortable paying 1100, I need to see 2200 a month coming in, 2200 a month times at least six months in savings, plus a plan, you know, like how's that gonna happen after that six months?

So we go through that with people to make sure that once they are living together that they actually can afford to stay.

Again, social isolation, big piece of this.

A lot of people want someone moving in because they're just alone.

And it's like, gosh, wouldn't it be nice if when I came home at night there was a light on and someone was there, you know, or said hello to me in the morning when I have breakfast, other than my cat.

So that's a that's a big piece of it.

Um the process again.

I kind of went over this.

So we do a visit, we do an intake with those who are seeking housing.

The the match and the introduction is based on compatibility.

They speak with each other.

We don't, you know, monitor that because we're trying not to like force it or anything like that.

It needs to be a natural, you know, relationship.

You either get along with the person or you don't, but me being there and pushing it isn't probably gonna help you any, right?

You're gonna go, well, you said, okay, I'm not gonna do that part.

You decide amongst yourselves.

The match agreement.

So this is big.

Once we make a match and two uh parties decide, yes, we're interested in moving forward, we really like each other, they visited the space, it works for them, it's a good location, they can afford it, etc.

etc.

Then we come back, meet at the house and help them complete what's called a living together agreement.

That has two parts.

One is a standard lease agreement.

So both know and have it in writing.

How much did you say the rent was?

Is there a security deposit?

How much is it?

What day of the month is it due on?

Um, what does a 30-day notice look like?

If things don't go well, how do I get out of this, right?

Should it be a uh month to month agreement or a termed agreement?

We tell pretty much everybody start with month to month.

You really don't know if you're gonna get along.

Try month to month first.

If things work great, you can always say, you know what, we're having such a great time, let's do a one-year lease.

Great.

We'd happy to help you with that, but don't start there, you just never know.

Harder to get out of.

Um, we also tell them what's a three-day notice.

Should things really go wrong?

The person who was baking is not only baking, but they're never mind, I won't go there.

Something crazy is happening, and it was something that we didn't agree to, and you want to get out of it.

Okay, we do help them walk through a three-day notice, which has never happened so far.

Or actually, no, it did happen once, but both parties agreed, and that was that one I was telling you, where they were baking late at night.

So the baker agreed, oh gosh, I guess I do cook really late, and the other person is like, and I am a light sleeper and I didn't know I was.

Thank you very much.

I'm out.

Okay, that's okay.

What we're trying to do is help everybody avoid what's called, you know, any kind of legal action, and that's what we're helping them work through that by having this living together agreement.

So we have that lease, we know what the um what the legalities are of that lease, and we also have what's called a kind of a house rules and expectations.

So that's like eight or nine pages where we again go over the shared use of space.

Where's my stuff gonna go in the kitchen?

Can you show me that cupboard?

Can I use your washer and dryer?

How does it work?

Does it have any quirks?

Do you have to kick it twice before it turns on or like is there anything weird I need to know about, right?

So we go through all of that, you know, visitors, perfume, uh things that you might be allergic to.

We try to ask all of that stuff in advance so that when that person moves in, both of you know where you're starting at the beginning, and it's a comfortable situation.

And then the ongoing support is that throughout the match we are available.

So at any point, if something goes goes awry or goes off the rails, you can call us and say, Oh my gosh, this person is behaving strangely.

I wasn't expecting it, or whatever, and then we can call them and go what the heck's going on according to the agreement.

You know, you were gonna have these hours, and and so why are these hours so so crazy now when you're waking this person up at night or what's going on, right?

So we are not a party to the agreement, but we have a copy of it, so that way we can support both parties.

We're not on anybody's side, we're just helping people work through things.

One of the member of our staff, of which there are two in Alameda County, um, the other person is a trained mediator in California, so we can do we can have mediation.

We also have third-party mediation.

If that isn't enough, and you're like, no, no, we're just not getting along, we need to step it up a level.

Okay, third party mediation.

And then again, anything to try to help them avoid any kind of legal action.

Why not just give a 30-day notice, let us help them find somewhere else to move, and let you find someone else to move in if that's what you want.

If you don't, and you don't want to try this ever again, that's okay too.

No harm, no file.

We don't charge anybody anything for the service on either side at any point.

So you're not out any major thing except for you tried an experiment and did it work for you.

So we check in quarterly if we don't hear from you.

And frequently people will save their complaints until that time, at which then it might be too late to reel it back in.

So we really try to tell people please don't wait until it feels like it's gone past the point of no return.

As soon as you feel like something is is weird.

Let us know.

Call us.

Let us let us help you work through it.

Um, let's see.

What else do I have on here?

Was that the end?

No, here we go.

Oh, whoops.

Well, there is a video.

There's also oh, well, here we go.

It's a miracle.

Gotten contact, but uh, can we make it louder?

And I'll say I was skeptical, but they were can you hear it?

So solid and outreaching to me that I began to believe and become part of it.

Um I really like to felt comfortable and I think I I trusted it to five days the kind of person who would fit in here.

Basically, that was what the homeless is.

But like uh angels lived in the off of the year, uh to go here and to be there for us to get it off.

It was a wonderful thing for me.

Life-saving, actually, the way.

I mean, how much they were able to provide my need, and I was able to provide their need.

And I mean, my whole life's been that way.

You know, jumping off place.

And I think part of me likes to do something new and different.

It just seemed like uh it was too good to be true for me.

Um I didn't really believe until it actually happened.

And the whole match people, Lucy and Jody were the two that I dealt with, and they were pleasant.

I mean, they're just doing their job, and uh what a wonderful job to have uh help with people.

I wouldn't have any way of meeting someone like Anne without a program like Home Match, and the people there they all just to have somebody very compatible, you know.

If I'm home with me knowing that somebody here, it's given my family, you know, feel really good that I'm not here by myself.

The experience with the Anne has just been absolutely wonderful, and I support her 100% for whatever she needs.

It's been absolutely delightful having him immediately.

I you know, felt this is the right thing to do.

So let's see here, move forward.

Whoops, there's a lot more stories in here, you know, it's so wonderful.

Um we are in four counties, and so that's Contra Costa, Marin, Alameda, and San Francisco.

Anyone who is a seeker who signs up with us can look at any of the homes in any of the counties, so it's not just you know, you're you're stuck here.

We have one shared database.

I can look at the Marin County, um, you know, housing situation.

So maybe I have someone here who says, Well, I might be interested in Marin, and I say, you know what?

I saw a really great apartment over there, you might want to consider this one.

So we share our information, we all work together and we do talk about each other's um uh you know persons that we're working with, our clients, if you will, um, participants, to see if anybody can house someone who maybe I I can't, but can someone else and vice versa.

So I'm constantly poaching off of theirs.

Oh, they they already ran the background check and spent it on their county dime.

Great.

I'll take that person.

So, you know, in fact, here in in San Leandro, there was someone who I just placed in San Leandro, and with a person who works in San Francisco but was looking to live over in the East Bay, and the home was sort of near BART, so it was convenient for them.

We do right now have about four rooms coming available in San Leandro, so that's exciting, and um about we've made about 75 matches in the three little less than three years that I've been here in Alameda County, and none of them have ended in anything other than that one three-day notice for the bakers, but you know, a 30-day notice, or they're ongoing.

So, and oftentimes it's people who really intended to make a short-term situation, you know.

Maybe they're here for a program or they came for a job and then they got a raise and they were able to get their own place.

So, not everything is intended to be long-term, so sometimes it looks like oh, these matches don't last that long, but a lot of them weren't intended to, and then some have been going on in other counties in uh San Francisco and Marin, the program's been going for over 12 years, and they have some matches there of six and seven years.

Oh, wow.

So it just really depends on the individual situation.

So that's it.

That's my story.

Yes, I just have a comment actually.

So my best friend, her sister actually is in your program in San Francisco.

Okay, and um, she has been matched.

She's in her late 70s, and the gentleman she lives with is 83, and it has been a blessing.

Yeah, um, they and the whole thing as you explained, how they met, how they talk, and the you know, how is it gonna work, and um they find out that they both love sports and you know uh he drives her around but she doesn't drive and they just have become best friends, yeah.

So and they've been together a couple years now, and um, you know, she was looking at homelessness because you know she just lives on social security, um, and so it's been a blessing.

Yeah, yeah.

And my sister did not my best friend did not have to take her sister in, which is easy, yeah.

So yeah, so your program is next.

Yeah, thank you.

Yes, Commissioner McHenry.

Um, do you ever work with the schools for for young people who are looking to to find a department?

Certainly I'm seeing that.

I have grandchildren now, and looking at their them and their friends and uh getting out of school, not being able to find a job and yet they want to stay in the area, yes.

So we have a pretty good partnership with UC Berkeley.

Um actually we end up having a lot of rooms available from retired um professors, which is sort of interesting, and then we do have it's mostly um it'll it'll end up being graduate students that are the most interested, um, rather than the younger students who really kind of want to live with a bunch of young people, you know, and do whatever they're they're gonna do.

And then um Cal State East Bay also.

So I do some tabling over there sometimes and speak with their outreach people about that as well.

So yes.

That brings up another thought.

Foster children that are aging out.

Um I don't specifically work with them, but there's no reason not to.

So we work with anybody 18 and older as long as you have proof of income where I know you can you can pay the rent, it's kind of open to anybody.

Um, it's not the best program if someone has um, you know, psychological issues, and I'm placing them for the most part with a senior who you know maybe is a little fragile and certainly can't really have a volatile type person.

So sometimes it's not the best for some of those programs, it just really depends on the individual, and the same thing with homeless people.

There's someone right now that I'm working on placing who has been staying at the safe park site on Fairmont.

And um, you know, she's fantastic, but she has been living in her car for a while, but she hasn't gotten to the point where it's like when you're homeless for a while, you start to like forget how to really behave in certain situations.

So once you get past a certain point, sometimes it's pretty difficult for me to be able to work with you, but but when you're recently into that and you're still in the state of shock, horror, and disbelief at your situation, it's a lot easier for me to help you get out of that.

Any other commissioner Lopez Nicario?

Yeah, um, what happens like with these older people?

If the someone becomes deceased and their roommate all of a sudden needs ASAPs of family, then how are you able to so um the you know we go by regular, you know, laws of the state of California?

So you automatically would then be given a 30-day notice, or not automatically, but whoever the home is now in charge of.

Let's so if it goes to the family or to a trust or whatever it is, they can give that 30-day notice, but they do have to give that 30-day notice, and so that's typical of, you know, that's that's the law, and um sometimes people have said, Well, you know what, they can stay in the house until we sell it.

We've had that happen, and then sometimes they do want them out at the end of the 30 days, in which case we try to help them find housing elsewhere.

Um, do you have cases that people can render uh have a room in new uh get giving?

I'm sorry, in what instead of uh being a get giver, you have a roommate.

Is that possible?

So we do not do caretaking.

Um, specifically in the task exchange, it's anything but caretaking, so no getting involved in things to do with the physical body or giving you meds or anything like that.

That's a whole different type of program that we are not, but a lot of people that we have do have caretakers, but then that person goes home at five o'clock, and now there's nobody in the house.

And that person, as long as they don't have dementia where they're gonna lock that person out, you know, and they're not gonna recognize them tomorrow, and it's gonna be a problem.

It's like we do have situations where that where we have somebody staying there and they have caretakers, you know, who come in possibly full time or provide the cooking and bathing and things like that.

So yeah, it's kind of all different scenarios.

I right now have someone who's a hundred, who had a match for the last year, and now that person is moving somewhere else, but we're we're introducing her family to two other people this weekend because she's still you know 100% with it, but but the family would just love it if someone was there.

I mean, if she falls, she has this big giant house in Fremont, and it's just like who would know?

All right, so yeah, it's kind of interesting.

Any other questions?

I have a question, yes.

Uh are there have you ever had so say someone has a uh main unit and then an ADU?

Um, do you guys do like have a contract with somebody to rent a tenant in the ADU and then a tenant in the home as well, or is it one is it one contract per living situation, like one contract and one master tenor?

So I'm not sure I understand the way you're asking the question, but there has to be living on site, either the homeowner or the master tenant.

So if there's a home with an ADU, someone has to be living in one of those who would be the master tenant or the owner of that property, in which case then we could rent out one of those or both.

Yeah, a room in that house, let's say, and the person's living in there, or maybe the homeowner is living in the ADU, which someone just called me about yesterday.

We live in an ADU in our yard.

We have this house that we'd like to rent.

So whether or not that would be to one person to a couple, I don't know yet because I haven't seen it and I don't know how much they want in exchange for rent.

So if it's I don't think I asked my question, that's okay.

I know it's my fault.

Uh so you have you have one contract, you have one person contacting you for somewhere in the house.

Let's say there's no ADU, there's one house, but there's multiple rooms.

Do you guys actually can you have multiple separate contracts like separate tenants?

Or is it one?

It's it's all depends on what the home provider wants.

Okay, so some providers will say, I have two rooms available and I'm willing to rent them to two different people.

I've also had someone who had two rooms available but said I only want to rent out both rooms at a time.

So one person can have both rooms, cost the same, whether they take one or two, or two people, but one's gonna be responsible for the other if if they move.

So I've had that, and oddly enough, nobody was interested in that particular situation, so it was very difficult to rent that one out.

Um, but the one where they allowed separate people with separate agreements, that does work, yeah.

Do you rent on couples too?

Yes, so definitely harder.

It just depends again.

What is that person willing to accept?

If they're sharing their their own home, they can have three preferences, those preferences being the gender of the person who moves in or persons, the whether or not they have an animal including a service animal, and also familial status, meaning I'm gonna rent to you, but you cannot then tell me, oh, I forgot to tell you about my husband.

What?

So they can say one person only.

If they're not living in the house and it's that ADU situation, they can't say that.

They they don't have those preferences.

Like the lady here with the family, exactly.

Yeah, any other questions?

Yes, no questions, but I just wanted to.

I know you know you these faces should be familiar to you, but I want to just acknowledge our two staff members, Richard and Valerie who do amazing wonderful stuff here for us at the Sanders Center.

So I'm thank you for coming in and listening to the presentation.

Always helpful to know so that we could show the information with our patrons.

So thank you for coming in.

I don't know.

Did you have any other questions?

No, no, no.

Great program.

Thank you.

Thank you for coming.

Okay, well, then yes, you don't have to get Commissioner McHenry.

I know it's our last year off, so it's been great working with you.

Same here.

Well, thank you very much.

This has been very, very informative, and we really appreciate your coming to talk to us.

Thank you.

And um, hopefully we can maybe have you come back and give us updates on what's happening with the uh any time, thank you.

Thank you very much.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you for coming.

You're well and I will sneak out if you don't mind.

I'm gonna say you're welcome to stay and have refreshments if you'd like.

I have some business cards here, which I'll just leave.

Okay.

If anybody wants that, you know how to find me.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, thank you.

Thank you, Rachel.

We'll be in we'll be in touch.

Yeah, okay.

And Rachel, you can read the materials here.

Yes.

These um those little we have, but also there's a lot of them out there.

Good.

Yeah.

I bring them here frequently.

Richard and I are in touch.

Oh my god.

Um, okay.

I'll entertain a five five-minute break before we get into the action items if you like.

So you can refresh, get more refreshments.

Do we need an okay or just let's go?

We're okay.

Okay, we're breaking.

All right.

Okay, the commission is reconvening at 10 at 11:05.

And we are now on item seven, action items.

Um, and Pedro, could you please let us know what's happening with the age-friendly initiative?

Yes, thank you, Chair.

Happy to do so.

Uh, so I will be providing an update regarding uh mostly new activity or new developments with our age-friendly work since the last time that we met, which is just three weeks ago, so um might be a little shorter this time.

Um, but we're gonna we're gonna follow the same process where I'll share some uh updates regarding developments.

Uh there will there may be some areas where I need to listen some input, uh, ideas, suggestions, questions, and then um where excuse me where there are places to engage you all um at a deeper level, I'll go ahead and uh uh extend those those uh invitations as well.

So that'll be our process.

And so, uh, again, just to remind you, as part of this uh process, we produced uh uh an age-friendly action plan, an implementation plan, and as part of that process uh we were able to surface uh six priorities.

Uh so you see those six priorities on the screen there, they're in they include plan sustainability, personal protection, housing security, health and wellness, transportation, and social connection.

And so within these six priorities, we have dozens of activities or or projects, and so um uh one thing to kind of to keep in mind for the future, we won't yes, we won't we won't go into uh uh detail necessarily about this, but I do want to encourage you when we um when we send the the these documents, um, take a look at the uh the completed or ongoing column uh which is where I am indicating whether uh there's that activity has been initiated, uh whether that there's uh progress happening within that activity, or whether if it's been completed.

Okay, so um so we have several activities here within each one of those uh priorities, and so we're gonna discuss some of those today that are that are um relevant given where we are right now in our process, and so I'm happy to report um so under the area of plan sustainability, which as you know includes uh implementing the structure and systems uh for this plan, which also includes things like funding, staffing, partnerships, anything necessary for long-term success of this age-friendly initiative.

And so there's uh a few updates there that I want to that I want to share with you.

Um so one update is that um that we continue to participate in the age-friendly uh council, right?

Um Commissioner McMichael Katie and I see each other on screen uh once a month.

Um, so in addition, as I mentioned during the last meeting, the some of the stapled uh agenda items uh include updates from various committees, and some of these committees include legislation, advocacy, housing, embracing aging, digital inclusion committee, and the data committee.

Um this past meeting uh in September, we heard a presentation from the Alameda Alliance regarding Medicaid updates, and we also heard a presentation from the Alameda County Transportation Commission, who is currently in the process of engaging the community and providing feedback regarding transportation needs at a county level.

We also received updates regarding uh measure W and about resources available for immigrants.

Uh lastly, uh the council decided to incorporate what we're calling a council member spotlight section to the agenda.

Uh so this will provide opportunities for members to um provide uh to introduce themselves and to provide um overviews or updates regarding some of the work that we are doing individually.

Okay.

So that was the September meeting.

We made it at the city called meeting.

Uh I'm sorry.

Can you say that again or tell what you say about individual people?

Introducing themselves.

Oh, yes.

So the so there's a the um the there's there's individuals who participate in this age-friendly council uh meetings, and these can be representatives from different cities, uh, there's people there from the council, and there's other other uh nonprofits, I think that are participating, other associations.

Um, so the people that participate in those meetings, many of those being providers, are gonna be given an opportunity to present about their work to the council to that council, just to that to that group.

So that uh I think it's in an effort to ensure that we all know each other and that we all know what we're working on, so that if we're working on something that may require other people's support or other organization support, we can share that information during those meetings.

Um continuing here, um, the with the implementation of the San Leandro comprehensive communication plan.

Um we uh have made some some updates to the age-friendly initiative web page, as I shared during the last meeting.

And while I was really hoping to have more to share with you today, uh so you can give me some feedback.

Um I will continue to do this in the future, but I wanted to just show you a sort of uh an update about where we are with the page.

So uh and I'm open to to any feedback.

Um Commissioner Shellini shared at the last meeting um the possibility of having this uh AI function, right?

Where we'd be like a to be able to chat.

So I am communicating with our communications team about incorporating that into the web page here.

Um but as you can see here, we have our share the screen.

Oh, what happened?

Stop sharing the chair.

I think this happened last time too.

Uh how about if I do this, no, uh, thank you.

Thank you for letting me know.

Um, we have our our beautiful branding here, as you see here with with this that's reflected in a lot of our materials.

Our slogan here making San Leandro a great place to live a long and vibrant life.

And then there's an area here where we plan to um uh upload our plans.

As you know, there's the the action plan, there's an implementation plan, um, and then here toward the bottom, we have um different icons here where I think at the last meeting uh I heard some some positive feedback regarding these uh these icons.

And so um, so we thought that so and there's also gonna be uh opportunities for for folks to submit any any comments or questions.

Um sometimes people want to want to support, right?

And they want to get involved, and so this is gonna be a good way we'd be able to do that so we can have their their contact information and we can uh follow up with them.

Um we decided to include a an about section here um so that uh folks can have a little bit of context regarding what this initiative is is all about and so you see here a description of that um you see our vision our mission and then what we thought would be helpful was to um to incorporate um or uh or connected to broader initiatives right so that it's not just this is just what San Leandro is doing which is great we are our plan is customized for Stanley Andrew but I think it's important for people to understand that there's a Alameda County age friendly council right that that we're a part of it's important for people to understand that this is a even broader than that this is one of AARP's primary initiatives.

So as you can see here we have links to the county council we have links to ARP uh so that folks can go there if they want additional um additional information and so um so we have that and then um the the dashboard is gonna be an opportunity for us to be able to provide data uh to our community regarding some some key indicators uh relevant to you know to to older adults and so you see here some examples of what that may look like okay and so um and so that's that section and then you will see also these should these should look very familiar to you these are our six priorities right and so under each priority we have um we have some pictures and then we we will indicate uh we will outline each one of the activities that we have under that specific priority and so you see and of course we want to incorporate uh we want to incorporate pictures and videos so what's part of what's being developed here is um we actually created some nice videos um as part of this process right um and so we want to we want to work with our communications team to incorporate uh as much as that uh as much as much as that information or um our media as as we can just to make it you know make it interesting and make it very user friendly um and we have let's see you can see the the health and wellness and um so that is um kind of where we're at I owe our community I owe our communications team some some additional content and some additional information and pictures and links uh related to some of these areas uh that they that they would incorporate um as I say we're working on the AI piece um but I'm happy to just hear any initial comments or thoughts or uh or even suggestions if there's something that you think would be helpful um for us to consider incorporating please feel free to share that right now or call me or email me whatever is easier for you.

Any initial thoughts or reactions yes commission will we be uh will we need to um take another look at target years here based on our issues with the budget that's a good question yeah I think so yeah and and I think that's going to be since this is really sort of a national issue I think we're gonna have to be looking at absolutely every everything so I think that's a great point.

Yeah and I think that's something definitely that we should consider incorporating into one of our upcoming agendas and particularly once we have a better sense of what those those uh those budget cuts are gonna look like for our city but particularly for our department we may need to come back and revisit um you know the the five year timeline.

Yeah thank you for saying that any other thoughts?

Are we does this looking exciting?

Is this looking like we're at least moving in the right direction?

Okay.

Good to see movement.

Yes.

Thank you.

We'll continue to work on it.

I'll continue to bring it here for additional uh input so um and uh and so um uh we continue.

I'm very proud.

Our department has built a lot of capacity around getting out into the community and talking to people.

Um, and so we continue to find opportunities or or identify events where it's helpful for us to be.

And so um, so one recent event that we participated in was actually uh a city event.

Every year the city conducts uh an employee health and wellness fair, and that was on September 25th, and so our department had a table there, and so we go to this event because it's a wonderful opportunity just to promote what we do to our own colleagues.

Everybody's busy, sometimes people get really focused on their own work, right?

So it's a good opportunity to just in general.

This is who we are, this is what we do, right?

And so and and so secondly, I would say is we're probably say that many of our city employees are also city residents, and so this is information that is helpful to them.

If they're not residents, they may have family members who are residents, right?

So they uh our colleagues are a tremendous asset um and can be wonderful champions to promote some of the work that we do within the commission.

So I mean within the department.

So we were there.

Um tomorrow's Friday, right?

Tomorrow's Friday.

So tomorrow, Friday, October 10th.

You're too young.

I can't use that excuse, right?

Not yet.

Um so tomorrow is um spooktober event.

I don't know if you heard about this.

No, so spooktober, actually, and this is gonna be uh an event happening from 4 to 9 p.m.

at 100 West Juana Avenue.

The event is part of San Leandro's second Fridays, and it's hosted by West Coast Makers and downtown San Leandro.

So we have uh a couple of our staff members are going to be there represent promoting our programs, recruiting volunteers, you know, just just uh connecting with with our community so that we know that they know we're here and they know what we do.

So that's happening tomorrow, and then on October 18th, we're gonna be at the uh annual VASIB fall health fair, and that's gonna take place again.

It's gonna be um October 18th from 10 to 3 p.m.

And so here's an opportunity for you all to engage if you're interested in available.

I know uh some of you have helped us table at previous events.

Um, so if you're available and you're interested in joining us that day, um, please feel free to contact me, and I will probably put you in contact with Richard, who is is coordinating this event, um, and he'll he'll give you a uh sort of a walkthrough of like what to expect and what are the messages and what are the things that we you know tend to promote.

Where is it and what what is it again?

So it's uh it's their annual uh fall health fair.

Who for who?

For Vasib, the Vietnamese American Community Center of the Space.

Sorry, yeah, they they conduct this.

The acronyms are yeah, sorry.

They're one of our partners, as you know.

Yeah, we have space for them here at the center, and so again it's it's October 18th from 10 to 3 p.m.

Okay at their site at their at their at their site here in San Leandro.

And that's where.

And that's that's literally if um I don't have the address, but it's literally there's a there's uh it's right at the border of San Leandro and Oakland.

The sign is actually right in front of the building.

Yeah, so if you're interested, if you're interested in in participating and you're available, uh please contact me and then I'll give you the address, I'll reiterate the time, I'll connect you with Richard, and he'll follow up with you to make sure that you're ready for that day.

Yes, and since that relationship is proving itself to be very successful, um, we should I would encourage us to try to develop other relationships that are more than just you know a contact here or there.

This is turning out to be a really good program, yeah.

Yeah, it's been a great partnership with them, and so um so we are excited about uh enhancing the work that we're doing with them here, but we're also excited about connecting people from here to some of the other services that they were that they that they provide.

And then you know, when you have a good partnership, sometimes there's other opportunities that surfaced.

So we're bigging some things, and I will come back with more information in the future.

Um so yeah, so that's that's happening uh in terms of outreach.

And then lastly, under this section, a lot of this has to do with building our capacity, right?

Uh to be able to provide effective and efficient services.

And so I'm I'm happy to report that um on September 29th, we did a round two of CPR first aid training for the staff that weren't able to participate in the first round.

So at this point, every um, believe everybody in our department now.

For sure, everybody that comes into direct contact with the public is now um is now trained in CPR and first aid.

I just I participated in this in the second one.

I just received my certificate yesterday, and so um so super important, right?

Because things happen, and so we we want to make sure that we're prepared to support uh everyone's health and well-being.

Yes.

Is there a relator on site?

Yes, I was just wondering, yeah.

And we practice how to use it during the training.

Shalini, yeah.

Uh thanks, Pedro.

Um, and maybe y'all do this and I don't.

No, do we have um information about us in this centers at the local hospitals?

So that when people come there, they know there's something like this.

We I don't think we have them at hospitals.

That's a good that's a good question.

I know for sure we have the information at some of other city sites.

Uh we have information at various senior living centers.

Um, but I don't know about hospitals.

Something maybe we can look into.

Sure, yes, Commissioner Dillon.

I think if um outreach to hospitals were to happen, there is usually a social uh social worker on site and hospitals, and that would be a good contact, right?

Information for them to have.

Right.

And on but spirit, on buds, yes.

And maybe we start with the one here.

Yes, exactly.

We share a parking lot.

We do.

Yeah.

Um okay.

Moving moving on down to the next uh area.

Uh so this is under personal personal protection priority, which includes protecting the physical, psychological, and financial safety of residents of all ages, whether at home, in public, or across cyber state, cyberspace.

And so you hopefully remember we participated in this program uh in collaboration with UC Berkeley and uh California Walks, where we were trained on how to do uh walking assessments.

Uh, and we actually identified three areas of our city where we actually did uh an audit.

Some of you participated in that, some of you are actually part of our our planning uh committee.

So I'm happy to report that the that the report, the final report is now complete.

We just finalized it.

Um our our planning committee, I believe received a copy of the report.

Uh our partners, UC Berkeley and CalWorks uh are gonna go ahead and schedule a debrief with the planning committee to go ahead and uh debrief just the process to be able to kind of talk briefly about some of the highlights that came out of the the report.

Our department is gonna be coordinating with then with uh UC Berkeley and Cal CalWorks uh Cal Walks to talk about some technical assistance that they're gonna be uh hopefully providing to us that will help us um activate this you know uh or or move move forward on on some of the findings from from the report.

Of course, we'll engage our colleagues from the from the public works departments, but in particular our transportation and engineering colleagues were part of this process, and so um and so um uh what I like to do is once we once we go through this next steps.

Uh what I would like to do is to come back early next year to this commission and provide you all with an update regarding uh the the final report.

Um I want to take a moment to thank uh Chair Watchison, uh Commissioners Brennan, Benya, and Kamelo for their assistance with this project.

Thank you so much, Pedro.

Yes, have we moved beyond the report process into any sort of actual action?

Do we have a and if not, do we have a time frame where action will actually be taken?

That's a good question.

So because the report was just finalized.

Again, part of this process is meeting with them to as part of the technical assistance uh to help us sort of assess you know what uh uh what is feasible, I guess.

You know, and and part of what we're doing, kind of like what you just brought up earlier with the age friendly plan, right?

We need to cross-check and and almost uh ensure that we're doing a cross-checking with what the the whatever implications we're gonna have we're gonna have as a results of the of the budget.

So I'm hoping that when we bring this back to when we bring this to this commission, hopefully early next year, we'll have a better sense of what that can look like.

Um great news.

Uh we have executed our contract with MB transportation, uh effective uh October 1st, and so uh this new contract includes uh uh some design work, some planning, and hopefully some um some uh implementation regarding uh support for seniors and people with disabilities during uh an emergency.

If you recall the concept here is to partner with MB so that we can utilize those shuttles in the case that there's a an emergency in which the city uh activates a shelter and we have a place to actually transport uh people to, particularly older people and people with disabilities.

Um, so we just executed the contract.

This is part of their their scope of work, and so the next phase is the next step here is for us to actually design and coordinate what this is gonna look like.

But happy to say that now it's official, it's in their contract.

Um, and then the last I'll say the the uh regarding um coordinating emergency services and response workshop at the senior center.

Um, hopefully you've gotten a chance to meet uh Elizabeth Besman.

She is our emergency services specialist.

She has been tabling here several times uh in the last couple months.

So the next one is scheduled for December 9th.

So she'll be here just sharing information with our patrons regarding uh emergency preparedness, and then um uh October 16th, I believe.

No, I don't believe, I know that at 1016 a.m.

is the official Great California shakeout.

So many communities participate in this, they'll be participating at City Hall.

We'll be participating in that this year here, and that we'll be uh practicing stop.

What's this stop?

Drop stop and roll.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

No, no, that's not it.

We'll we'll our emergency specialists will be here to help us and walk us through that.

Um, but it's just you know it's a good opportunity to raise awareness, and just practice, you're right, practice these things so that when they do happen, we're in a better position to be able to support each other's safety.

Can I bring up one thing?

Go ahead, Commissioner Dell.

Yeah, I just wondered if the um the workshops uh and uh emergency response does that include um heat emergencies.

So when the temperature goes up gets above, there's a threshold, and then some cities, yeah.

Good opportunity, yeah.

Good opportunity to ask this question.

I know that Libby is is she does a great job of bringing us bringing several of us in the city together when there is gonna be some concerns around heat.

We did that a several, we did that several times uh this past summer, and so we'll be she does the same thing with cold when it gets really cold.

So yeah, great great opportunity to ask those questions.

And actually having here on my notes.

I just didn't look at my notes.

It's actually stop, drop, and cover.

We just do it in elementary school all the time.

Yeah, yes, for all.

Yes, um, we're also we're also following up with uh uh we call her she said you're into Elizabeth, but we should call her Libby.

So we're we're following up with Libby regarding uh possibly having some uh emergency or safety kits.

Uh I know you brought that up last last time, Commissioner Famelo.

So we're hoping that we can work with her to potentially have some available here on the 16th.

Oh good.

What is the time on the 16th?

10 16.

16.

At 10 16.

At 10 16.

Oh, sorry.

That took me a minute.

Our commission meeting for October seems to always fall on that day.

Um okay.

So the next uh priority is housing security, uh, which includes reducing the physical, psychological, and financial cost of owning, renting, and maintaining one's home so that all residents can stay in the community and aging place if they choose to.

As you just heard, uh, we heard a wonderful presentation by Rachel Matthews from uh from the home match program.

Um, and so uh Rachel will also be presenting to the Human Services Commission uh in two weeks.

So it's a great promotion there with that organization.

Um, under health and wellness, which includes ensuring San Leandro seniors have affordable, equitable access to physical and mental health care, uh especially the basic needs of food, clothing, and hygiene.

Uh so around health care in general, I would say that uh as you as you recall from our age-friendly process, a very important topic that came up was uh uh support for caregivers.

And so um, so as part of that, we have partnered with the Alameda County Public Health Department and particularly with the Alameda County Healthy Brain Initiative.

Um, and so they're gonna be uh providing some trainings uh for us.

And so um, and so the first training is scheduled for Friday, October 17th, and that's gonna cover dementia basics, and then the second training is gonna be a Thursday, October 30th, and that's gonna cover communication strategies for persons with dementia.

Okay, so um I'll go ahead and email the information regarding these uh these uh these trainees.

If you're excuse me, if you're interested in participating or you know someone who um can benefit from this, uh please feel free to share that information with them.

Next, we'll move on to the transportation priority, which includes providing affordable, reliable transportation that takes into account residents' mobility and cognitive differences and personal destination needs.

Um Commissioner Comelo, coming back to your question earlier about uh the ride care program.

Um so as I mentioned before, we have been in communication with uh the organization by the name of Citizer.

Citisur, Citiser operates a program in the Tri-Valley area called Ride Care, uh, in which they utilize the support of volunteers to provide transportation support to uh older people and people with with disabilities.

And so now we're gonna be having this program in San Leandro as a result of our age-friendly work.

I happy to report that the contract has been executed, and so um, so they will be here.

Actually, they'll be here this afternoon to do a a tour of the site uh and to be start to meet with staff to start the core the coordination in the planning process.

Um in addition, they'll be here at the November November meeting so that you can meet them and then you can so you can all learn more about the services that they provide in general, but in particular what we're looking to do here in San Leandro.

Okay, it's a lot of work to get my volunteers for this program.

Yes, it is.

Yes, it is, and then um in that same priority uh in terms of scheduling and coordinating biannual walks, audits, and fixed route bus stops.

I mentioned at the last meeting that we um the last time that we updated that we did an assessment regarding our our shuttle program, um the stops, the design was back in 2020.

So a lot has happened since 2020, and so we feel we believe it's time to do another assessment uh that will help inform what the the future design of the program uh will be.

So we're gonna be uh doing that assessment um um from from now until uh about February.

So it's gonna be opportunities to engage many of you, but in particularly engage users of the program and potential users of the program to provide some feedback regarding the needs uh and what what how we can make the program more relevant and so um so I'm happy to report that we've retained the services of a consultant for this and so there's a uh so we retain the services of Pearish Street consulting and particularly uh Mike King our guy so Mike will support this assessment and help us um with the the redesign of the of this program so will you be he be able to report to us too or is it just gonna be through you no at some point well uh so there's a couple things are going to be happening again uh through the through the assessment process there's gonna be opportunities for many of you to engage if you choose to do so and then um once we finalize the assessment uh I want to bring them I want to invite him to come to the commission to provide a presentation regarding the assessment the findings and potentially what the the program design would look like yeah uh last one here uh social connection priority which includes combating epidemic the epidemic of isolation and loneliness through creative varied opportunities for trust building social interaction and shared learning uh again as part of as part of the exit uh executing the contract with ambient transportation we went ahead and incorporated uh the use of those vehicles to conduct monthly day trips for seniors um so that is gonna be happening soon uh I did hear the the feedback from the last meeting about um a docent led trail walk uh bird watching uh uh tour there's parks we talked about sometimes folks don't know that we have these wonderful parks right um both in San Leandro and in the region there's museums there's activities so staff is is right now working on um on um putting together a schedule so if you have ideas or you have some suggestions regarding some some trips that we can consider um please let me know let me know now or let me know by email or or you can call me um and then lastly here under this section I want to report that um we uh we did participate again in the annual uh senior living festival that's held at the Oakland Zoo and so we had um we had uh 41 I think participants uh that we uh that we uh transported via uh a charter bus and um overall uh you know we have we got some some really good feedback looks like people had uh uh a really good time and so um and so we'll continue to we'll continue to provide that uh that uh opportunity in the future um what days will this uh will there be some flyers to tell us that yeah taking digging this shuttle um just to local club that it would there'd be some notifications yes yes so we'll be we'll be um creating flyers we'll have them here of course I'll share those as updates with this with this commission um we will uh share the information when we do outreach events we'll share that information also um online um we also have a Facebook account for those of you that are active um online uh with social media and so yeah we'll we'll make sure that we that we're doing everything that we can to get the to get the word out um yeah I I think that that concludes my update yeah thank you so much everyone any other questions very quickly no good thank you very much absolutely, thank you.

Very good updates we're those are positive updates, and those are always good.

I'm glad things are progressing and moving along for us.

All right, 7B, the status of the December senior commission meeting.

As you know, you usually uh do not meet in December, but we do have to have a motion not to meet in December and to take a vote.

So uh, is there a motion for us to uh not have our or to yeah not have our December meeting?

I suppose we do that we do not have a meeting in December.

Okay, motion and second, second by, okay.

So motion by Commissioner Comelo and second by um Commissioner Dakario uh roll call, please.

Thank you, Chair Watchison?

Yes, uh Vice Chair Comelo?

Yes, Commissioner McHenry, yes, Commissioner Dillon.

Commissioner Lopez Nicario, Commissioner McMichael Cady, yes, Commissioner Benya.

And Commissioner Cellini.

Yes, motion carries.

Thank you.

All right, and 7C League of Women Voters Forum discussion.

Um Commissioner Shalini had um asked for this, so I'm going to turn the uh this particular item over to Commissioner Shalini.

Thank you, Chair.

Um, so uh I'm on the board of legal women voters for Eden area, and we were discussing um, especially now that Prop 50 is coming, that we should at least give um so I if if you're not familiar with the legal woman voters, it's basically an unbiased um uh group which just gives information on local, we are very very hyperlocal, right?

So high uh on candidates on situations and stuff like that.

So we were wondering whether we can come in and just give a presentation to seniors, or have materials, you know, for voting, when is voting starting, what is happening, and if people need assistance with votings, if we can, you know, give them provide them.

We have multiple languages, right?

So it's Chinese or Spanish or English.

Just give them that.

So the one option is we come in and do a presentation, the second option is need material here, so that people can at least know that.

Pedro, is there any um process to have the league of women voters come and talk about and talk about any of any anything in you know at all?

Yeah, you uh because it's around the corner, right?

Yeah, it can be it's continuous, it doesn't have to be only for the November.

Oh, okay.

It can be any time, right?

They do all year.

Yeah, we do it all for it, and we also do a lot of candidate forums.

So let's say somebody signing for school board for San Diego.

So who are the ones that standing to actually have debates, right?

And people can do it online or you know, even in person.

But here the idea was just to get the even the vote, the older voters engaged, right?

And especially like now with things, you know, if you want everyone coming out and voting and understanding both those situations, otherwise social media has so much stuff which is happening, which is biased.

So we have a hundred-year history of being we are not politically affiliated with anybody.

Yeah, I think in terms of materials, I think it's I I can check, I can to confirm, but I think it's okay to have materials available for folks in terms of a presentation.

I think it depends on the timing of when when we want that to happen.

Um it needs to be it would need to be sort of built into the programming.

Another option is to have a legal women voters just um rent the facility or if it's something that is gonna happen, especially if it's gonna happen after like in the late afternoon hours or the early evening hours, or even like on a weekend.

Um so that request would need to go through our recreation and parks department who oversees uh building use in the afternoons and on the weekends.

Got it okay.

Thank you.

The other time would be a good time would be when we have a resource fair and we have a booth there.

That's a good yeah.

That's a great idea.

Cool, yeah.

Resource fair is good.

Yeah, yes.

Sorry, so no, no, go on.

Just because we're here.

So we have uh we have a our annual senior expo.

Coming up.

So if you if you recall, there's two big fairs that we do here.

One of them in a senior research fair that happens usually at the end of June.

And then there's a fall, sorry, a senior expo.

Um that is scheduled for the first week in uh I can't, I don't have the exact date right now, but it's scheduled for the first week in December.

So coming back to Commissioner Comelo's uh suggestion is potentially having you know having a table at that event.

That's a great idea.

Okay.

I'm sorry, the senior expo, what and then you said something right after that.

Senior expo, what?

The senior expo in December.

It's gonna be happening early December.

Okay, I thought I thought I heard something about a ball or something, so that's why I was December the fourth.

I actually put that on my capital.

That sounds right.

That sounds right.

It's gonna be here, yeah.

Okay, okay.

Yeah, right, yes, Commissioner McHenry.

I would really encourage this so that people can become more uh have more of an understanding of what is happening happening uh on the ballot, uh particularly as it affects a number of the things that uh are going to be affecting us uh over the next several years, uh particularly budget-wise, uh it's good for the um electorate to be informed, right?

And so many of those programs that will be affected involve the needs of seniors.

So I really really encourage finding some way to uh to make that happen.

Thank you.

Okay, I think the idea was originally to have them come and speak directly to like us, maybe that was originally what your thought was.

Am I correct?

No, okay.

That was just that offered to the seniors here.

Okay, okay.

I guess I had a misunderstanding because I thought that you were asking them to come here, give the commission a short presentation, and then okay, all right.

Well then um I think those are pretty good ideas about having them having them come, and you can take that back.

Yeah, perfect.

Okay, thank you.

Okay, we are now at the commission reports and announcements, um, and I have one thing I would very much like to share with you, and that is that let me see.

Sorry, on Facebook, there was a very interesting article about um it takes place in Denmark, and they have a compassionate innovation to bring fresh food closer to those who need it most, and they transform discommissioned decommissioned buses into um mobile grocery stores, right?

So that they uh they for the elderly, and they convert the buses that travel through rural towns and urban neighborhoods where the elderly residents who may struggle with mobility or access to full service supermarkets, instead of asking the seniors to journey far for groceries, the grocery store comes to them.

And I thought that that was a very interesting concept.

Uh they have fresh fruits and vegetables from the region.

They even have sometimes uh they sometimes have little spaces where actually the seniors can sit in the bus and and uh enjoy coffee or something like that.

Um there are uh friendly accessible ramps and for easy access and handrails for support, and the shelves are at the senior level to be able to reach things rather than the tall person level, which is one of my problems.

So anyway, I just thought it was a very interesting um concept and uh so I just thought I'd bring that up, and um now I'd like to go to Commissioner Comments.

Uh Commissioner Lopez Nicario.

Um, so busy.

I attended the Slippy with the cops and handed out some of the surfing certificates, and other than that, I've just been busy with my mother and other home things.

So, is that it?

Yes, Commissioner Penyan?

No comment, okay.

Uh Commissioner Brennan is not here.

Uh Commissioner Camello.

Um, you know, we have to study in right, uh Nina Dan, because we used to have um very much and come to our meetings at the net meetings to eat with uh the seniors.

Okay, the luncheon.

So we do have to invite her one day as part of the of what we used to do before.

Just to see the quality of the food that the seniors are getting.

And for us to mingle with the other seniors who are eating food here.

So that would I would like to see if this can be done.

Can we put that on our meeting agenda either for next month or at the beginning of the year perhaps?

Sure.

Okay.

Is that it?

Yes.

Thank you.

Commissioner Dillon.

Well, I just wondered if there's going to be a luncheon, or did I miss the announcement of it for the Thanksgiving luncheon?

Yes, I'm sorry.

That was part of my update.

And I forgot to mention that.

So yes, there are plans to have a talk about the Thanksgiving.

Last year went very well.

We think we heard we heard a lot of good really good feedback.

So we're looking to partner again with Spectrum.

And so and so I think registr I think right we're gonna have a uh flyer ready by the end of this week, if not early next week, and then um as part of that we'll announce when registration will open.

As you know, that fills up pretty quick.

So we'll see.

Yeah, so yes, sorry, thank thank you so much for reminding me.

That was actually part of my update, but I forgot.

Anything else?

Okay, Commissioner McMichael Katie.

I'm glad to hear we're going to have a rise program.

It's next month they're gonna speak to us.

Uh they're gonna come next month, yeah.

That's all okay.

Commissioner Shalini.

Um I have a thing.

America turns 250 years next year.

What is America?

Oh, um, and the commission has actually uh created this website where you can go and upload your stories.

They want all 330 million Americans to upload their story.

Wow.

So I was wondering if we can have a maybe like in our college, we're doing it every month, once a month.

We just get people to come to the computer room, tell let them tell their stories because I think all our stories, especially all the seniors come, would be so valuable to keep in the Library of Congress forever.

So if we can do that maybe once or twice before July 4th, 2026, I think that would be just amazing.

Wow, that's a good idea.

Actually, just to add something to her, the the immigration stories which uh which we could do to the uh story story story caller, yeah, story caller.

And I've done it and uh they send it mine to the uh.

But mine was the immigration story.

Thank you.

Great idea, thank you.

Commissioner McHenry.

Well, it's no surprise, but this is my last meeting.

Um I've been on the commission nine years, I think, and I I have enjoyed uh every every minute of it.

Um I was telling Pedro yesterday that um although I'm leaving, I can certainly sit in the peanut gallery if I'm you know uh if I have if I have the time.

I'm telling you, I'm really busy.

I'm enjoying uh Baywood.

Uh that's a whole different style of living, but um I have moved into it like a duck and water.

It's just uh it's the right time for me, and I know that you will find someone to uh to come to the commission to bring bright new ideas.

Uh, I mean we take a look at at the commission as it stands now a year ago, two years ago, it was entirely different, and we still bring a vibrancy.

Uh so I am quite sure that we will find somebody uh that brings uh all of the things that the commission needs.

And thank you very much for being my partners in this uh experience.

Yeah, and I wish you all well.

Thank you.

You're gonna be greatly missed.

Oh definitely, yes.

Thank you.

Good idea.

I'd be missing you very much.

So do come and be with the this yeah, and we need somebody to keep reminding us.

Definitely don't don't leave yet.

We haven't we haven't clocked out.

Yeah, so what's that?

I have to go for the desk.

Okay, all right.

We're clocking out, okay.

Okay, all right.

Um sorry.

Um there being no further business to come before the senior commission.

I will entertain a motion to adjourn the meeting of October 9th, 2025.

So move to adjourn.

Uh moved by Commissioner McHenry, seconded by Commissioner Lopez Nicario.

Roll call, please.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh Chair Washington?

Yes.

Vice Chair Comello?

Yes.

Commissioner Dillon.

Aye.

Commissioner Lopez Nicario.

Aye.

Commissioner McMahakady.

Yes.

Commissioner Benya.

Yes.

Commissioner Shalini?

Yes.

And Commissioner McHenry.

Yes.

The motion carries.

Thank you.

I declare the meeting of October the 9th, 2025, uh closed as of the 12.

I'm sorry, 11 55 a.m.