Imperium

Supervisor Safai, the Board Liaison Team lead, provided an update on the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The city's priorities are moving vulnerable populations into alternative housing, scaling up food security programs, and containing the virus's spread. Mayor Breed is expected to extend the Stay at Home Order to the end of May 2020. As of today, San Francisco has 1,468 confirmed cases and 23 confirmed deaths. 54 first responders and 132 vulnerable individuals have been moved to hotel rooms, with 2,156 rooms available. CityTestSF will provide COVID-19 testing for essential employees and symptomatic residents. The City launched a pilot program with the Salvation Army to deliver meals to people experiencing homelessness. A new "Slow Streets" program will limit traffic on select streets to prioritize walking and biking for essential trips. A portion of John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park and John F. Shelley Drive in John McLaren Park will be closed to vehicles. Supervisor Mar and his staff will be staffing the liaison position next and will provide the next EOC update at the next meeting.

The Board approved the minutes from the March 10, 2020, Board Meeting and the March 10, 2020 Joint Special Board Meeting as presented. Supervisor Mandelman seconded by Supervisor Walton moved to approve the meeting minutes. The motion passed with 11 votes in favor.

President Yee requested File Nos. 200123, 200124, and 200125 be called together. Supervisor Walton, seconded by Supervisor Safai, moved to continue the resolution declaring the results of the special election for the City and County of San Francisco Special Tax District No. 2020-1 (Mission Rock Facilities and Services) to the May 5, 2020 Board of Supervisors meeting. The motion carried. Supervisor Walton, seconded by Supervisor Safai, moved to continue the resolution authorizing and ratifying the issuance and sale of bonded indebtedness for the City and County of San Francisco Special Tax District No. 2020-1 (Mission Rock Facilities and Services) to the May 5, 2020 Board of Supervisors meeting. The motion carried. Supervisor Walton, seconded by Supervisor Safai, moved to continue the ordinance levying special taxes within the City and County of San Francisco Special Tax District No. 2020-1 (Mission Rock Facilities and Services) on FIRST READING to the Board of Supervisors meeting of May 5, 2020. The motion carried.

The Board adopted a resolution retroactively authorizing the Department of Public Health to accept and expend a $900,000 grant from the California Department of Public Health for participation in the "California Injury and Violence Prevention Branch Overdose Data to Action - Academic Detailing" program, for the period of January 1, 2020, through August 31, 2022. The resolution was adopted with 11 votes in favor.

The Board adopted a resolution retroactively authorizing the Department of Public Health to accept and expend a $750,000 grant from the California Department of Public Health for participation in the "California Injury and Violence Prevention Branch Overdose Data to Action - Peer to Peer Opioid Stewardship Alliance" program, for the period of January 1, 2020, through August 31, 2022. The resolution was adopted with 11 votes in favor.

The Board passed on first reading an ordinance authorizing the settlement of lawsuits filed against the City and County of San Francisco and associated related and consolidated litigation (Laura S. Lehman, et al. v. Transbay Joint Powers Authority, et al. - Associated Related and Consolidated Litigation (“Millennium Tower Litigation”)). The City’s contribution to the global settlement is an agreement to convey an easement necessary to construct a seismic upgrade of the Millennium Tower. The ordinance was passed on first reading with 11 votes in favor.

The Board adopted a resolution authorizing the issuance and sale of Special Tax Bonds for City and County of San Francisco Community Facilities District No. 2014-1 (Transbay Transit Center) in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $90,000,000. The resolution was adopted with 11 votes in favor.

The Board adopted a resolution approving the issuance by the Transbay Joint Powers Authority of not to exceed $315,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of Tax Allocation Bonds to finance certain costs relating to the Transbay Terminal Project. The resolution was adopted with 11 votes in favor.

The Board voted to continue a resolution approving the levy on the secured roll of ad valorem and special taxes on possessory interests in Sub-Project Areas G-2 through G-4 and Sub-Project Areas I-1 through I-13 of City and County of San Francisco Infrastructure Financing District No. 2 (Port of San Francisco), City and County of San Francisco Special Tax District No. 2019-2 (Pier 70 Leased Properties), and City and County of San Francisco Special Tax District No. 2020-1 (Mission Rock Facilities and Services) to the Board of Supervisors meeting of May 5, 2020. The motion to continue carried with 10 ayes and 1 no (Stefani).

The Board adopted a resolution declaring the intention to change the street name of Willow Street, between Buchanan Street and Laguna Street to Earl Gage Jr. Street, to honor Earl Gage Jr.’s legacy and impact on the San Francisco firefighting community. Supervisors Mandelman, Mar, Stefani, Fewer, and Haney requested to be added as co-sponsors. The resolution was adopted with 11 votes in favor.

The Board adopted a resolution approving the list of projects to be funded by FY2020-2021 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account funds as established by California Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. The resolution was adopted with 11 votes in favor.

Due to technical difficulties during the roll call vote for File No. 200387, the Board rescinded a partial vote taken and moved to continue the Motion approving the Mayor's nomination for reappointment of Cristina Rubke to the Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors to the Board of Supervisors meeting of May 5, 2020. The motion carried with 11 votes in favor.

During the public comment period, speakers addressed a range of issues. Concerns were raised about media coverage of the COVID-19 emergency, the placement of public comment on the agenda, the need for expertise during the emergency, and the efficient usage of hotels for the homeless. Several speakers supported the Resolution urging the establishment of safe sleeping sites (File No. 200406) and the newly introduced Resolution urging virtual visits for incarcerated individuals. Other topics included the need for COVID-19 testing in the Tenderloin, the impact of animal agriculture on the spread of viruses, the burden of the eviction moratorium on tenants, and the situation of disabled seniors in nursing homes. Additionally, one speaker called for certain Members to resign from the DCCC and urged Speaker Pelosi to move forward with remote voting in Congress.

The Board adopted a resolution designating agencies qualified to participate in the 2020 Annual Joint Fundraising Drive for officers and employees of the City and County of San Francisco. This was done without Committee reference.

The Board adopted a resolution urging Congress to support a new stimulus package that includes increased relief funding for small businesses and local governments, with greater guidance for banks regarding fund disbursement, and to support the development of local and regional public banks through making federal funding available for capitalization. Supervisors Preston and Mandelman requested to be added as co-sponsors.

The Board adopted a resolution recognizing and affirming April 2020 as “National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month” in the City and County of San Francisco in order to raise awareness, affirm support, and deter sexual violence. Supervisors Preston and Mandelman requested to be added as co-sponsors.

The Board adopted a resolution urging Immigration and Customs Enforcement to grant parole to Kelly Gonzalez Aguilar, a transgender woman from Honduras currently detained in New Mexico, and release her into the custody of her sponsors citing her status as an asylum seeker. Supervisors Preston, Mandelman, and Safai requested to be added as co-sponsors.

The Board adopted a resolution urging the United States Congress to guarantee protections for immigrants and to ensure the inclusion of immigrant communities during the next federal relief package developed in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Supervisors Preston, Mandelman, Safai, and Walton requested to be added as co-sponsors.

The Board adopted a resolution urging the federal government to increase funding to the Paycheck Protection Program, institute stricter controls and oversight to ensure that small businesses in fact have access to the program, and take steps to ensure that financial institutions of all sizes work with small businesses to facilitate this. Supervisors Mandelman and Safai requested to be added as co-sponsors.

The Board adopted a resolution urging the disclosure of additional data sets related to the well-being of homeless San Franciscans and residents of Single Room Occupancy hotels, the number and occupancy of available hotel rooms, the geographic origin of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases, the zip code of residences for each COVID-19 death, and the date of COVID-19 test specimen collection; and commending the interdepartmental collaboration which resulted in the publication of the San Francisco COVID-19 Data Tracker. Supervisor Safai requested to be added as a co-sponsor.

The Board adopted a resolution urging the City and County of San Francisco to establish Safe Sleeping Sites for unsheltered people, to encourage social distancing, improve sanitation, and slow the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Supervisors Safai and Mar requested to be added as co-sponsors.

The Board adopted a resolution urging Governor Gavin Newsom to pardon Aylaliya “Liyah" Birru and stop her deportation. Supervisors Mandelman and Mar requested to be added as co-sponsors.

A resolution was proposed approving an amendment to an agreement between the Department of Public Health and the San Francisco Public Health Foundation for program administration and support services for the San Francisco Sugary Drinks Distributor Project; to increase the contract amount by $11,003,367 for a total amount not to exceed $20,993,039; and to extend the contract term by four years for a total agreement term of April 1, 2019, through June 30, 2026. It has been referred to the Budget and Finance Committee.

The Board of Supervisors received a briefing from Dr. Susan Philip, San Francisco County Deputy Health Officer, on COVID-19 testing in San Francisco. Dr. Philip presented information on testing technologies, capacity, sites, access, and strategy. There are at least 26 locations collecting samples throughout the City. Between March 2, 2020, and April 26, 2020, 15,610 residents tested positive with an 11% overall positivity rate. The Department of Public Health has the ability to analyze up to 4,300 samples per day with an average of 500 tests being completed daily. Top goals for testing are to protect vulnerable populations and essential workers, mitigate outbreaks, test people as a result of contact investigations, test people with symptoms, and understand how much infection is in each area. San Francisco has been conducting mass testing in congregate settings and developing strategies to meet specific needs in various congregate settings. The City's response and strategy will continue to evolve with advances in testing science and technology. Dr. Philip presented additional information and answered questions raised throughout the discussions.