PARTICIPATING IN SUPERVISOR HEARINGS

 

Thank you for giving public comment.  Your voice matters!

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WATCH ONLINE

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To watch online, go to SFGovTV.

 

PUBLIC COMMENT 

 

IN-PERSON: If you are in the Supervisors’ Chambers or Committee Meeting Room, when the Clerk opens public comment, join the line to give comment.  The “live” speakers in the chambers will go first.  See below the public comment template.

 

REMOTE: If you are watching the live stream of the hearing on SFGovTV, give public comment over the phone:

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• Dial 415-655-0001 

• At the prompt enter this Meeting ID: 2597 675 7544, then press # # to join the conference line.  

• When the Clerk opens Public Comment, press * 3 on your keypad to join the queue to give public comment (see sample comments below).

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PUBLIC COMMENT TEMPLATE

 

Shorter is better.  Public comment will be limited to one to two minutes (depending on the number of commenters).

 

“Good afternoon Chair Chan and Supervisors - 

 

My name is [your name].  I am a [resident, business owner, etc] in District [# or just give your neighborhood].

 

I urge you to fund 1,000 new shelter beds and 1,000 leased apartments in next year’s budget.  With more than 4,000 unsheltered people living on our streets, adding 1,000 shelter beds and 1,000 apartments would make an immediate impact on bringing people inside.  I personally witness the effects of unsheltered homelessness on my neighborhood, [my business -- give example] and our City.  Too many people are dying.  Many more are suffering while they wait for housing that's so expensive, we can only afford a fraction of what's needed.  

There are more affordable models to provide shelter and housing.  RescueSF has documented that leased buildings are much less expensive than purchased or constructed shelter or housing.   For example, 711 Post -- a hotel that was converted into a homeless shelter -- shows that the City can provide non-congregate shelter that is appealing to unsheltered people and also cost-effective for the City’s budget.  With more people in our shelters, we will need cost-effective housing solutions to move people into housing and open shelter beds for the people still on our streets.  Instead of spending vast sums on building or buying expensive housing that will serve relatively few people, the City should use proven methods to subsidize apartment rentals for people leaving homelessness.  

Everyone -- both housed and unhoused -- have waited too long.  We do not want more business as usual.  Treat homelessness like a natural disaster.  After living with homelessness for more than four decades, the residents of San Francisco are demanding action on ending this crisis.  Thank you."
 

After you complete your statement, please hang up your phone.  You can continue watching the hearing via SFGovTV.

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