clapping. in San Francisco the medical examiner performs the function of investigating medical and legal that occurs with the city and county of San Francisco from a variety of circumstances in San Francisco there is approximately 5 thousand deaths annually im christopher director for the chief mr. Chairman the chief my best testimony a at the hall of justice on 870 drooint street that is dramatically updated and not sufficient for the medical chairman facility ive Charles Program manager public works should a earthquake of a major are proportion occurs well not continue to perform the services or otherwise inhabit the building before the earthquake. Were in a facility that was designs for a department that functions and in the mid 60s and friends scientific has significantly changed weve had significant problems with Storage Capacity for evidence items of property and also personal protective if youre doing a job on a daily basis current little storage for prirjs are frirnlsz were in an aging facility the total project cost forever ever commercial is 65 million the funding was brought by a vote of go bond approved by the voters and the locations is in the neighborhood the awarded contract in 2013 and the im the executive director we broke ground in november 2015 and that started with the demolition of existing facility we moved into the foundation and january so Pile Foundation and then with second construction of the new facility. One of the ways that we keep our project on time on budget and were having quality to have regular meeting and the variety of meetings with construction process meeting as well as cost of control meeting and im a project manager for public works the office of chief commercial we want walk the project site when we sign up and also with a contractor insinuates for a change over we need to verify what or what was instead of. The building is 42 feet tall so it is two stories and 46 thousand square feet roughly were thats a great question to be on time and budget have the roof complete a the exterior moving with the site work. And as you can see weve got a lot of the interior finishes installed. In an effort of an differentiate the facility that designed to work for 72 hours. Not taking into account there was a lot of structural updates made into this building not seen in other construction throughout San Francisco or other barriers we have friday morning examiners from 8 to one Public Comment monday to friday because of air circulation we literally have to shut the doors and so the autopsy is done without staffing being able to come and go or exit the space and literally lock down the autopsy in the new facility we have bio build one door opens and closed behind you you can gown up and go through a second seizures of doors that has its own independent air supply and now in the exterior opt space having that middle space have greater flexibility of staff as they move in and out of the area. In the current facility Investigative Unit has small tiny, tiny place in the area of the new facility is almost doubled in all divisions from the current facility and the new facility. The planning we have here gives them the opportunity to have the pool needs to complete theirs jobs in a much more streamlined fashion. Were looking forward to have secured parking to minimize the egress of you know visiting and the members of the public but really to minimize the investigators remaining remains from our advancing and so the facility. We have a new visitors area were building that is a little bit more friendly to families. One thing you may notice in the room no windows there is no Natural Light not good for most autopsy but in the new facility at new hall we made that an objective they want to insure we were able to look up in the middle of exam and see the sky and see Natural Lights. Thats one of the things the architect did to draw in as much light as possible. We have staff here onsite we insure the design of the new design enables the investigators and other investigators skiefksz to consider to house on site this meant we needed to design and plan for locker room facilities and shower rooms the ability to sleep. Third of the construction going into the building has been by contributions of Small Businesses. Part of the project is also inclusive to the sidewalk have all new sidewalks and new curve cuts and landscaping around the building well have a syrup in front of the building and rain guardian. The medical Examiners Office has been a several if in their contributions of the understanding the exception and needs. Its a building that the chief medical examiner has been looking forward to quite a few of the. It is extremely valuable contribution to the, neighborhood address San Francisco as a whole. The building will allow is to have greater very much and serve the city and county of San Francisco and the neighboring shop dine in the 49 promotes local businesses and challenges resident to do their showing up and dining within the 49 square miles of San Francisco by supporting local Services Within the neighborhood we help San Francisco remain unique successful and vibrant so where will you shop dine in the 49 San Francisco owes must of the charm to the unique characterization of each corridor has a distinction permanent our neighbors are the economic engine of the city. If we could a afford the lot by these well not to have the kind of store in the future the kids will eat from some restaurants chinatown has phobia one of the best the most unique neighborhood shopping areas of San Francisco. Chinatown is one of the oldest chinatown in the state we need to be able allergies the people and thats the reason chinatown is showing more of the people will the traditional thepg. North beach is i know one of the last little italian community. One of the last neighborhood that hadnt changed a whole lot and San Francisco community so strong and the sense of partnership with businesses as well and i just love north Beach CommunityOld School Italian comfort and love that is what italians are all about we need people to come here and shop here so we can keep this going not only us but, of course, Everything Else in the community i think local businesses the small ones and coffee shops are unique in their own way that is the characteristic of the neighborhood i peace officer prefer it is local character you have to support them. Really notice the port this community we really need to kind of really shop locally and support the communityly live in it is more economic for people to survive here. I came down to Treasure Island to look for a weve got a long ways to go. Ring i just got married and didnt want something on line ive met artists and local Business Owners they need money to go out and shop this is important to short them i think you get better things. Definitely supporting the local community always good is it interesting to find things i never knew existed or see that that way. I think that is really great that San Francisco seize the vails of Small Business and creates the shop dine in the 49 to support businesses make people all the residents and visitors realize had cool things are made and produced in san good morning everyone. Thank you for being here today. I just want to thank all of you for coming and give a special thanks to the va who is here joining us, theyre important partners in this project. The owners of the site, there they are. Thank you for making this site available and for being partners with the city on this and other sites to help address homelessness. We want to thank the nonprofit providers running the site, everybody from dish, if you can raise your hand. Many dish staff are here and providing services on site. Everybody from the Mayors Office and their staff. Thank you very much. This is an important day for sorry and dell seymour. I forgot my other boss, the local chair of the coordinating homeless board along with ralph peyton who couldnt join us today. This is the opening of a new Supportive Housing site in San Francisco to serve chronically homeless veterans, that adds to the 70 units we have, and this is important in mayor lees desire and hope to get i shouldnt say desire and hope, his initiative and order for us to get 1,000 people off the streets during the winter and this is 70 more units of housing to help achieve that goal. We have a few people who are going to give remarks today. First i want to invite beth stokes, the director of community services, beth as many of you know has been long time activist and leader in homelessness and used to be the executive director of Hamilton Family center that i used to be the director of back in the day and has done work in Southern California and here in San Francisco. She is new to her job and were happy and blessed to have beth stokes here. Beth, thank you. applause thank you jeff. As jeff indicated, im new to my position and im here to express my gratitude for all of you who have helped us get where we are today. Welcome to the auburn, the new home for 70 u. S. Veterans. applause cheering it is truly an exciting day as jeff indicated. Were deeply grateful for mayor breed for being here, we know its been a challenging time for the city and the city family. So thank you. I want to thank all our partners in the room this morning, there are many. To those who are not with us, to get us where we are. Where we are today in addition to the 70 homes is closer to ending chronic homelessness to veterans in San Francisco. We have 11 veterans who have moved in and one moving in today. Thats great progress. I wanted to loosely quote something i heard from mayor edwin lee that i heard not long ago that was u. S. Veterans fought for our country, they shouldnt have to fight for homes. I was very moved by that and its something i wanted to share. I wanted to acs is proud to be part of the team effort to provide solutions to homelessness in the form of Supportive Housing and ecs will continue to partner in Supportive Housing in San Francisco. For this project, the Master Tenant and lead Service Provider and proud to be part of what is a collaborative effort. With the finish line in sight, in all of our collective efforts to end chronic homelessness for u. S. Veterans and moving closer to a functional zero number is a remarkable accomplishment that requires Great Partnership and the auburn has many. I would like to begin, you know, the planning actually to thank a variety of people, i wanted to start with mayor edwin lees former office of hope and acknowledge that effort and how that started. That has been carried forward with great determination by the department of homelessness and Supportive Housing. I say new but i know its been over a year and a half. Ecs would like to thank the Numerous Community members that helped to make it happen, many in our city family, our city supervisors for support and great effort, veterans administration, thank you. We would like to thank the department of housing and urban development. Hudd has truly been a partner, particularly with the obamas administration, the efforts of the president s wife and call to action to end veterans homelessness. And we would like to thank our local San FranciscoHousing Authority and of course San Francisco local home for efforts collaborative. And their work to hold us accountable to get to the zero number. So thank you. And the San Francisco association of realtors. In these partnerships new people step forward and step to the table and were grateful for their efforts and they help us turn a building into a home with their welcome home project so thank you to them. Last but not least, ecs would like to thank dish and their codirectors and their team. The operations of the auburn is a Collaborative Partnership with dish. And with dish, were excited to have the opportunity to work with them. This is our first effort in working with them. Were very excited, we thank them for their continued excellence and continued effort to get us where we are today. Thank you. Our board of directors and the remarkable team at ecs. Along with dish who rolled up their sleeves and worked hard to ensure u. S. Veterans had keys in their hand before the start of the new year. This includes our director of Housing Development and Asset Management and her team. Liz is here in the front row. Anna cooper, and i would like to thank scott ecker, and others leading the Supportive Housing team and i want to invite everyone afterwards, we invite you up stairs to room 302 to look at the accommodations at the auburn. With that, i want to turn it back over. Thank you. applause thank you beth and thank you for acknowledging this is sort of a bitter sweet moment. Many of us are mourning the loss of mayor lee but were grateful and lucky to have the leadership of london breed who is currently our acting mayor and mayor breed has picken up the tradition that mayor lee had of calling me at least once a day laughter when theres a homeless person on the street and needs help. That gives me great comfort, because like mayor lee, mayor breed is leading our city and has so many things to deal with, i cant even imagine but takes the time every day not saying move this person out of here, but hey, i see someone suffering, i see someone struggling, could you please get your team out to help that person. Please join me in welcoming and thanking acting mayor london breed. applause thank you. Thank you jeff so much. Im so excited about being here today. I was with mayor lee when he made the announcement after our First Lady Michelle Obama basically challenged cities all over the country to end homelessness for our veterans. And mayor lee took that challenge very seriously and has really stepped up and pushed aggressively to make sure we as a city not only end homelessness for our veterans, but we do everything we could to provide the Wraparound Services they need to be able to live with dignity. And thats whats so amazing about this incredible place here. 70 homes with supportive services. I know theres been support for veterans for so many years and mr. Simpson, im excited to welcome you today to your home. You served our country and we are now here to serve you. Its the least we can do for people who have put their lives on the line time and time again. And im just really proud of San Francisco for stepping up to the plate and providing the services. Over 150 homes already provided for veterans in the city. We are well on our way to making sure that we end homelessness for veterans. But we cant stop there. We have to make sure that we stick to mayor lees pledge of getting 1,000 Homeless People off the street. Its cold outside. Just imagine what its like to have no place to go. Just imagine what its like to have no bathroom to use on a regular basis. The struggle that we see on our streets are struggles that so many people deal with every day. Its why we have expanded our shelter system and adding 75 new beds to our system so we can accommodate more residents. The creative ways we have to provide more creative ways to get more people off the streets and part of what im so excited about in the work that jeff is doing and the Mayors Office, yes, we have to have shelters, yes, we have to work with different organizations and Navigation Centers and all the options we have but our goal ultimately is to make sure we find people affordable, stable, permanent housing so they can live in our city in dignity. That is really the end applause of where we want to get to. So ill tell you what im really most excited about. Our emergency Navigation Centers, our Behavioral Health sites, the Interfaith Council winter shelter, our heading home campaign, which specifically i have worked closely with with park police station. They have done an amazing job in helping us work with people and connecting them with loved ones and returning them home to other places throughout the u. S. We will utilize every resource possible to work with the folks in the streets to make sure theyre cared for. Just this past week we cut the ribbon on the respite center, people who are out on our streets who are maybe dealing with Health Related issues, where they go to the hospital and then put back on the street and they cant get healthy, when you think about even our own personal lives and you think about when we get sick, we have a home t