Hosted by United Playaz – http://unitedplayaz.com
Our meeting on September 6th brought together multiple city departments –
Supervisor Kims office brought a one pager on her offices recent work as requested by some neighbors in Western Soma.
Ben from WSV (Western Soma Voice – www.westernsomavoice.org) talked about an fundraising effort we are spearheading to bring Downtown Streets Team to Western Soma. To donate and/or read more https://www.tilt.com/tilts/bringing-the-downtown-streets-team-to-western-soma
Some neighbors talked about issues with Public Storage on Howard and 10th. They are unresponsive to requests to add lighting to the building. To those neighbors Please add a comments to our discussion group at groups.google.com and we canput you in contact with the city departments to help you ensure some pressure on this business to be a good neighbor.
Thanks to all of the neighbors for attending and contributing to the discussion.
Panel Discussion
Speakers:
* Sgt? Martha Juarez (Southern Station SFPD)
* Supervisor Jane Kim
* Captain Daryl Fong (Southern Station SFPD)
* Sam Dodge – Mayors Office on Homeless
* Tracey Packer – DPH (Director of the Community Health Equity & Promotion Branch)
* Rachel Gordan – DPW
- Captain Ewins (Tenderloin Station SFPD)
Patrick Valentino from WSV moderating:
As the city has grown issues have been pushed into the neighborhood
crime,
211 police calls in 7 days from the 23rd-29th, assaults, sex crimes
Worse than New York on violent crime, property crime, etc.
What are the top 3 issues for supervisors office?
Bobby: Tent encampments, street cleaning, bicycle safety
For the police?
Daryl: Also quality of life issues, as well as vehicle breakins. We have had
some success in focusing on serial auto burglars. Also illegal narcotics activity.
Re encampments?
Sam Dodge: Created a department for homelessness, Jeff Kazinky is the director,
$220M budget, $120M supportive housing, $50M shelters, balance for eviction prevention, etc.
Started navigation center.
Rachel (dpw): Hot spots teams focus on encampment areas, between 70-80 known encampments now
tracked by week. Pit spot public toilet program – 15 locations in 7 neighborhoods.
$200K per location.
Tracy? (health dept): Works on syringes. Health department “to make sure everyone is healthy or has access to health”,
supports navigation center.
Pat: How do we change street culture – e.g. 9th and Mission being seedy, people avoiding it.
Cpt Ewins? (police): We’ve gotten some good arrests. To me it’s better. Do you agree?
Attendees: No
Sgt? Martha Juarez? (police): Small alleys are the problem. They go there to be safe – we are attacking them from all sides.
Health Dept: navigation center navigates to
Jane Kim: We shut down liquor stores in the tenderloin, Bodecker park is now an oasis / safe space. Trying
to replicate that at VMD park. Trying to get a pit stop in VMD park – not safe for kids. I have seen an
uptick in my 6 years. Spent the night in one of our shelters, learned that shelters are not built for the
population they’re serving. Shelters are built for the physically able, but they are older and sicker.
DPH is now staffing with nurses. Medical respite shelter 24hrs with public health coming to Mission & 9th. Fastest growing group is elderly
Question: “I’m in customer service, if I get one call complaining it ruins my week – how do I get a street light where all the activity is happening”
Rachel: Street lights of san francisco public utilities commission – requests are forwarded to the appropriate
ageny. Please contact 311. Have been working on reports of physical assault asking is there anything else we can do,
Jane: Fastest way to get light is to have the property owner do it – they are more focused on pedestrians, there are grants available. Have been working with Community Benefit Districts.
Rachel: I live in Glenn Park and we put up lights.
Jane: 11th st between howard and folsom, green cross put up lights down the street
Daryl: Worked with the mid-market CBD
“It seems as though there are two themes: long term nurturing vs short-term policing. How can neighbors be trained and have something else neighbors can do”
Sam: 311 helps, there are many opportunities, Concrn does a good job of bringing highly trained people in, project homeless connect,
Question: “San Francisco human services building is the greatest source of trash and drugs etc. Minna between 8th and 9th.”
Adding lighting and cleaning
Question: “You need private security”
HSA: You do have private security in the building.
Daryl: We’ve been adding rapid response by car.
Question: “Could you add a pit stop out front”
We have 3 out front, but only 9-5. We don’t have the ability to secure it after-hours.
Question: “So I live at 9th and Minna, problem is not just vendors it is users, we had foot patrol for a few weeks”
We have foot and bike regularly assigned, 4th to 9th street is a long corridor, an arrest will take people off the street for 2-3 hours. Bringing back a plainclothes unit for narcotics and auto burglaries.
Question: “I see trash everywhere, feces everywhere. Why do I have to call, why is the onus on me.”
DPH: We are out there every day cleaning in various ways. But we need the 311 calls to know where to go