Bay Area

Supes Introduce Resolution to Keep Port Shelter Site Open for Unhoused Residents

At Tuesday’s meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton called a plan to close 118 shelter beds at the Port of San Francisco a “travesty.” Walton, with the support of four other supervisors, introduced a resolution calling on the port and the city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) and its oversight commission to keep the facility known as “Site F” open and operating.

Published

2 years ago

May 12, 2023

Oakland Post

Trailers located at “Site F” on property of the San Francisco Port Commission in San Francisco, Calif. on Feb 22, 2023. Site F provides shelter for 118 people experiencing homelessness.

By Joe Dworetzky
Bay City News

At Tuesday’s meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton called a plan to close 118 shelter beds at the Port of San Francisco a “travesty.”

Walton, with the support of four other supervisors, introduced a resolution calling on the port and the city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) and its oversight commission to keep the facility known as “Site F” open and operating.

Walton said that the agreement between the port and HSH to wind down and close the site amounted to “forcing homelessness by our very own city departments.”

He noted angrily that the closure would mean that “over 100 people, mostly black, mostly minorities, will be put out on the street with no alternative placement and be evicted by the Port and the [HSH] and sent right back to the street.”

The resolution is a response to an agreement negotiated between staff members of the port and HSH that ends new intake at the site by October 2 and commits to a full closure by the end of the year.

The agreement was previewed for the Port Commission at a meeting on April 11. At that time, port staff said they would return to the commission with the agreement for final voting on April 25, although the agreement was not discussed when the commission met on that date.

Port staff said it would be considered May 9.

Site F was originally set up during the pandemic and was to close at the end of the public health emergency. Although the emergency declaration ended on February 28, the site has continued in operation while the port and HSH negotiated over what would happen with the site.

HSH sought a two-year extension, but the port pushed HSH to present a detailed wind-down plan with specific milestones that would assure that the site was being closed to the port’s satisfaction.

The agreement comes at a time when the city is facing an acute shortage of shelter beds. A federal judge has enjoined the city from clearing tent encampments because there are not enough shelter beds available for the city’s unsheltered population. Testimony in that litigation showed that the city-wide shortfall of shelter beds exceeds 4,000.

Walton’s resolution was co-sponsored by Supervisors Hillary Ronen, Dean Preston, Aaron Peskin and Ahsha Safai.

Walton’s office said they expected the resolution to be considered on May 9th. There are a total of 11 supervisors, so with one more vote in addition to the co-sponsors, the resolution would likely pass.

HSH declined to say whether it would support further discussions to keep the site in operation beyond the wind-down period.

However, Deborah Bouck, a spokesperson for HSH said on Tuesday in response to an email request for comment that the department “is already working to assess everyone at the site for housing and will be matching people to the most appropriate available housing in our system and in the community. For anyone who may not be eligible for housing placement we will ensure they have a placement into other temporary shelters in the district.”

Justin Berton, a spokesperson for the Port said, “The temporary site is located in the heart of a busy industrial area and is not suitable as a long-term place to live…. We will continue to work with all stakeholders for a coordinated wind-down that puts the well-being of the residents first and eventually returns industrial land for industrial use.”

While the port is run separately from the city, Mayor London Breed appoints- and the Board of Supervisors confirms- the members of the commission.

Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

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U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries Speaks on Democracy at Commonwealth Club

Based on his first speech as House minority leader, “The ABCs of Democracy” by Grand Central Publishing is an illustrated children’s book for people of all ages. Each letter contrasts what democracy is and isn’t, as in: “American Values over Autocracy”, “Benevolence over Bigotry” and “The Constitution over the Cult.”

Published

5 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Oakland Post

: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries at the Commonwealth Club World Affairs Council on Dec. 2. Photo by Johnnie Burrell. Book cover: "The ABCs of Democracy" by Hakeem Jeffries.

By Linda Parker Pennington
Special to The Post

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries addressed an enthusiastic overflow audience on Monday at San Francisco’s Commonwealth Club, launching his first book, “The ABCs of Democracy.”

Based on his first speech as House minority leader, “The ABCs of Democracy” by Grand Central Publishing is an illustrated children’s book for people of all ages.

Each letter contrasts what democracy is and isn’t, as in: “American Values over Autocracy”, “Benevolence over Bigotry” and “The Constitution over the Cult.”

Less than a month after the election that will return Donald Trump to the White House, Rep. Jeffries also gave a sobering assessment of what the Democrats learned.

“Our message just wasn’t connecting with the real struggles of the American people,” Jeffries said. “The party in power is the one that will always pay the price.”

On dealing with Trump, Jeffries warned, “We can’t fall into the trap of being outraged every day at what Trump does. That’s just part of his strategy. Remaining calm in the face of turmoil is a choice.”

He pointed out that the razor-thin margin that Republicans now hold in the House is the lowest since the Civil War.

Asked what the public can do, Jeffries spoke about the importance of being “appropriately engaged. Democracy is not on autopilot. It takes a citizenry to hold politicians accountable and a new generation of young people to come forward and serve in public office.”

With a Republican-led White House, Senate, House and Supreme Court, Democrats must “work to find bi-partisan common ground and push back against far-right extremism.”

He also described how he is shaping his own leadership style while his mentor, Speaker-Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, continues to represent San Francisco in Congress. “She says she is not hanging around to be like the mother-in-law in the kitchen, saying ‘my son likes his spaghetti sauce this way, not that way.’”

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Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Oakland Post

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City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org