Transcripts For SFGTV BOS Special Budget And Finance Committee 20240712

Good morning, everyone. This is the october 6th, 2020 special budget and finance committee meeting. Im sandra lee fewer, chair of the budget and finance committee. Today im joined by Committee Members supervisor Rafael Mandelman and supervisor mat haney, substituting today for supervisor walton. Our clerk is miss linda long. Id like to thank sfgov tv for broadcasting this meeting. Id like to put a motion to excuse supervisor shamann walton. Do i please have a roll call vote. Clerk on the supervisor, supervisor haney . Comments are opportunities to speak during Public Comment period, theyre available via phone call by calling 415 6550001. Again 415 655000 415 655000g i. D. 146 407 0690. Again 146 407 0690. Then press pound twice. You will hear the meeting discussion, but you will be in mute and in listeningmode only. When the item of interest comes up, dial star 3 to be added to the speaker line. Best practices to call from a quiet lotion, speak clearly and slowly and turn down the television or radio. Alternatively you may submit Public Comment in the following way, email to myself, the budget and finance committee clerk. If you submit Public Comment via email, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and will be included as part of the file. Finally items acted upon today are expected to be referred to the full board, as Committee Reports, for consideration as todays worried of supervisor board of supervisors meeting today at 2 00 p. M. , unless otherwise [clerk reading items 14 on agenda] [ [clerk reading items 14 on the agenda] members of the public who wish to provide Public Comment on the items should call 415 6550001, meeting i. D. 146 407 0690. Then press point twice. If you have not done so, please dial star three to raise your hand. Chair fewer thank you very much, madam clerk. Today we have with us jonah lee, director of Portfolio Management and preservation at mohcd, the finance manager, the Program Manager for public works and the financial analyst from the office of public finance. The floor is yours. Somebody. Thank you, chair fewer. And good morning. Jonah lee, director of preservation at mocd. Presenting this first item to the preservation and seismic safety program, request for approval for the second issuance 2020 bonds. Im pleased to present the sale resolution related to the issuance of up to chair fewer mr. Lee, so it is not moving. Did you want to go to the next slide . Are we on slide 2 . Chair fewer now were on slide 2. Thank you. Sure. Im pleased to present the sale resolution related to the issuance of up to 102. 6 million in bonds for the committees consideration and positive recommendation to the board, as the Committee Reports. The 2020 sbonds are used to finance loans under the preservation and seismic safety pass program, which is a key component of the citys acquisition, preservation, and antidisplacement strategy. Before we move on to the presentation, id also like to express my gratitude to the committee and clerk for convening this special session today. The expedited timeline allow our continuing team the option to price the bonds before the election, if that is advantageous. Given the volatility in the markets, this flexibility is critical to financing execution that funds the past program and ensure that during these extraordinarily challenging times, san franciscans can remain stablally housed. Next slide, please. The Bond Authority chair fewer excuse me, mr. Lee. Were not seeing the slide . There we go. Thank you very much. The Bond Authority for the past program originated with the seismic safety loan program of 1992, which funded seismic retrofits to unreinforce masonry buildings. They authorized the issuance of 350 million, with suballocations to fund deferred, belowmarket rates and marketrate loans. Over the following 20 plus years, the program was largely underutilized, with 90 million issued. Next slide, please. Past financing is a flexible, nimble and valuable preservation tool for the city and Affordable Housing developers. With limited other tools to facilitate Affordable Housing and especially in the current market, it may be a powe powerfl tool to use in a strategy. Eligible uses include seismic retrofits, acquisition rehabilitation, and preservation of affordable, small and large buildings, including s. R. O. S. Next slide, please. Past, deferred and belowmarket rate loans require permanent affordability. And to maximize affordability and minimize the use of public resources, average rent and income is 80 of a. M. I. And capped at 10020 a. M. I. To date the program is largely serving lowerincome households, learn 660 a. M. Ism. Next slide, please. Most loans, in the past program, are structured as permanent takeout financing. However, the program may also provide direct financing. To achieve the lowest cost of capital for many Affordable Housing Housing Properties as possible, each project receives a blend of belowmarket rate and marketrate funds. And is structured with up to a 40year term. Loans that were funded with the 2019a bond, less than 3. 5 . The blended rate, based on the 2020 bonds, is expected to be even more approximately 3 . Next slide, please. Quick update on the First Issuance pipeline. The strong continued demand for past funding, all of the bond proceeds from the First Issuance have been either closed or committed. Since may of 2019, mocd has closed financing, a little preserved over 200 units. Another roughly 18 million in loans are scheduled to close by the end of this calendar year. And in aggregate, more than 350 units are expected to be preserved with a financing from the First Issuance. At this time additional hunting is critical to the continuation of the citys antidisplacement and preservation initiatives. Next slide, please. Staff is recommending the approval of the second issuance, in a maximum amount not to exceed 102,580,000, based on the Strong Demand and the bond capacity available this year. The bonds would fund over 101 million in loans, with the remaining amounts for cost of issuance and other fees. Next slide, please. The anticipated pipeline for the second issuance, including approximately 34 projects, with over 500 units, including commercial spaces. With california oversubscribes two to one on the volume cap and preservation projects in california structurally disadvantaged by the states competitive scoring criteria, there is a huge need for preservation finance tools. That need is particularly acute, given the acquisition opportunities in the current economic climates. And the recent unlocking upon this funding from prop c. Indeed, past funding is uniquely positioned to lock in historically lowcost, and longterm funding to meet these needs and execute on a countercyclical, antidisplacement acquisition and placement strategy. This pipeline includes appear range of small and large preservation projects, with critical needs and serving priority atrisk populations. Mohcd is also providing over 3 million separately funded through the s. S. P. Capacity building funds to support our nonprofit housers and identify new preservation opportunities aligned with our racial and geographic equity goals. Next slide, please. I want to thank you for this opportunity to present on the past program. The second issuance of past bonds will provide critical funding for the city to continue executing on the antidisplace acquisition and preservation strategy. This concludes my remarks. At this time id be happy to answer any questions. Chair fewer thank you very much, mr. Lee. Any comments or questions from my colleagues . Seeing none, this actually mr. Lee, you actually covered item 1. Do you have a presentation for item 2 . I see you are the speaker for item 2, 3, and 4. Would you like to go through those items now . My colleague raleigh is line up to speak to the next item. Chair fewer lets hear the b. L. A. Report, please, for item number 1. Thank you, chair fewer. Nick menard from the b. L. A. Which have one combined report for all three all four items. Chair fewer yes. Mr. Menard, could we hear you report after we conclude the presentations from items 1, 2, 3 and 4. Yes. Chair fewer thank you very much, mr. Menard. So now we have mr. Katapang . Is that how you pronounce your last name . So sorry if i butchered that. Thats good enough. Chair fewer is that how you pronounce it . Thats pretty good. Chair fewer thank you. So the floor is yours. You are presenting an item. Thank you. Okay. Can we please put our slides up. Clerk the only slides that we showed are the only slides that we received. Is there other slides to be shared . Its a combined slide. So i think the next if you just click on the next one, it would be me. Thanks. Clerk thank you for the clarification. Good morning, supervisors. Finance manager at mocd. Here to request the reproposal of the 2019 Affordable Housing bond. In the amount not to exceed 260 million. Im also joined by our Deputy Director for housing, as well as our c. F. O. Next slide. Next slide, please. Next slide. Thank you. Next slide, please. Thank you. Right. Thank you. The 600 million Affordable Housing bond passed in november 2019. As you may notice, this bond measure is almost double the one passed in 2015. So bond allocates 150 million for Public Housing, 220 million for lowincome housing, 80 million for preservation and middle income, 150 million for Senior Housing, and 20 million for educator housing. Were askin asking approval fort 253 million in Program Funds and the next slide ill go into each of the program categories. My presence will be more high level, but if you need more detail, lydia and the rest of our team are available for questions. This will be the citys biggest issuance of Affordable Housing bonds to date. And this is primarily driven by the increased need to finance the citys growing Affordable Housing pipeline. Next slide. The first spending category is Public Housing. These are typically for householdhouseholds with less t a. M. I. The majority of the funds requested will be spent on vertical and Infrastructure Development at sunnydale block 3, 7 and 9. Were using funds to accelerate rehabilitation, thats been Public Housing stock to meet Housing Quality standards. This 45 Million Investment will produce almost 300 units. Next slide, please. Aside from spending in sunnydale, were budgeting for multifamily units, similar to our rad program. We expect this investment to yield 70 units. Next slide. The next spending income is lowincome housing. These are typically for households with less than 80 a. M. I. Next slide. We will be allocating 15 million for geographic equity family acquisition, which will be used for Land Acquisition for predevelopment of new housing projects in areas with limited production or loss of units with protected status. This investment will produce 75 units. Next slide. Weve also identified five developments which need Construction Financing in 2021. Lowincome gap funding, tolling over 113 million is the biggest component of this First Issuance, and will produce over 550 units. Next slide. Lastly, were allocating 15 million for permanent spode for single adults and people with chronic illness. For permanent housing for single adults, we will most likely use the 10 million allocation to purchase land, although a particular site has yet to be identified. For persons with chronic mental illness, we plan on acquiring several singlefamily units that can each house three to five individuals. Next slide. Moving on to the next spending category, which is preservation and middle income, preservation will serve households with 30 to 120 a. M. I. And middle income will serve households with 80 to 175 a. M. I. Were allocating 29. 4 million for serving rentcontrolled units, similar to the small sites and 7. 5 million as a Gap Financing for knight and howard, which will contain over 100 middleincome units. Next slide. Here you can see the picture on howard. Next slide. Our last Program Category for this First Issuance is Senior Housing. These are typically for households with less than 80 a. M. I. Similar to low income, we are also dedicating 15 million for geographic equity housing, but this time for seniors. Were also funding Senior Housing to be built in laguna honda hospital and Senior Housing in chinatown. We expect to produce almost 250 Senior Housing units. Next slide. The bulk of the funds will be spent in 2021 and 2022. Next slide. We break down the bond sources. Next slide. Thank you very much. And happy to answer questions. Chair fewer any comments or questions from my colleagues . Seeing none, lets go on to item number 3. And who is presenting that . Is that mr. Joe chen that is presenting that . Hi, madam chair. Im presenting item 4, is that up . Chair fewer oh, youre item 4. Yes. The Public Safety bond program. Or 2 and 3 . Chair fewer who is doing item number 3 . Let me just chime in. Im the public finance. Im sorry. The presentations were a little out of order. The first the past presentation for mr. Lee was for item 3. The recent presentation by mr. Catpump ang for items 1 and 2, so now were on to item 4. Items 1 and 2 were together. 1 a master resolution for authorizing the entire 600 million bond program for the 2019 Affordable Housing bond. As well as the First Issuance, separate resolution of not to exceed 260 million for the First Issuance. Kqed okay. Wait a minute. We did hear a presentation about the 260 million. No . That was the presentation just now. Chair fewer yeah. Okay. And then so what item are we hearing now . Were ready for item number 4, which is the Public Health and safety bond issue of 126,000,000. 925000. Okay. We heard item 1 and 2 and 3 already . Chair fewer mr. Chen is shaking his head. Mr. Chen, now you are now presenting item number 4. Thats correct, madam chair. Chair fewer all right. So are we ready to go . Chair fewer the floor is yours. Okay. Thank you. Good morning, madam chair, supervisor haney and mandelman. Im the public works Program Manager for the Public Health and safety program. The approval to proceed with the third bond sale for the Public Health and safety bond program. Okay. Well keep it on this slide. To be more specific, we are requesting the budget and finance committees consideration and positive recommendation to approve the resolution to authorize and direct the sale of 126,925,000 for the 2016 Public Health and safety bond program. The p. H. S. 2016 was approved in june 2016, for a total of 350 million 350 million. The first bond sale was completed in 2016, and the second bond sale was completed in 2018. For a combined total of 223 million. Next slide, please. The p. H. S. 2016 provides funding for six bond components for three client departments. The three client departments include the department of Public Health, the Department Chair fewer mr. Chen, excuse me, could we have the next slide, please. Oh, okay. Sorry. Oh, maybe i think were still i think its on the im still on the previous slide. Chair fewer okay. On the bond Program Overview . I am. I think theres a slight lag maybe. Chair fewer that is great. Now we can we can follow to what youre saying. Okay. Sorry. Maybe ill slow down a little bit to make sure Technology Catches up. The p. H. S. Provides funding for six bond components, three client departments. Background noise. The three client departments include the department of Public Health, San Francisco Fire Department, and the department of homelessness and supportive housing. The six bond components, the first three components in the table are for depp, including building 5, Southeast Health center, and other Community Health centers. The next two components include the ambulance deployment facility and a neighborhood fire station. And those are for the San Francisco Fire Department. And last but not least, the Homeless Service site component is for the department of homelessness and supportive housing. Next slide. Since the approval let me just do you see the next slide, which is 29 . Chair fewer not yet. Not yet. There we go. Okay. Im getting the hang of it now. So since the approval of the second bond since 2018, the team has continued to make significant progress across all six components on the building 5 component, the Team Continues to advance the 19 core projects that are part of this component. Of the 19 projects, 16 of them are currently active. And different phases of the project life cycle with one project completed. On the Southeast Health component, public works has successfully awarded the construction contract to clw builders in april of 2020, with construction to be issued in may of 2020. A few activities have commenced. On the slide in front of you, various photos to highlight some of the most recent construction activities. Next slide, please. On the Community Health center component, we are tracking two Health Centers that are undergoing comprehensive seismic upgrade and renovation. Maxine hall Health Center is well under construction with the recent completion of all shared walls. Another is in a bidding phase, with bids received on september 16th. Public works is targeting Start Construction by the end o end oe year. On the a. D. F. Project, construction is also well under way with a target completion date of december or january of 2021. On the component, public works awarded the construction contract to argo construction for the host tower fire station locations. 6, 11, 12, 21, 38. Construction t. P. Was issued in july of this year. And on the homeless component, its completed and closed out. Next slide. The various projects under the p. H. S. Program by component. This table provides a summary of the projects that were in the planning phase, design phase, and construction phase. Let me just take a few minutes to point out a few dates in the table. For example, the Southeast Health Center Project is trac tracking to a completion date toward the end of 2022. And a. D. F. Is also tracking to a completion date of january 2021. Next slide. This slide provides more detailed breakdown of the previous two bond sales and the current bond sale by component. This table shows a breakdown of the 350 million allocation by component. Of the 350 million, 272 million is allocated to d. P. H. 258 million allocated to the San Francisco Fire Department and the other to s. H. S. The second bond sale provided funding for two components. The third and final bond sale provided funding for the remainder of the four components. Totaling 126. 9 million. Next slide. The third bond sale, as i mentioned earlier, provide funding for the six components for the Southeast Health center and Community Health center components. The funds will be used to fund the Construction Contracts, as design has already been completed. For the building 5 and n. S. S. Component, the third bond sale will fund both design and constructionrelated activities. Next slide. This table provides summary of expenditures and encumbrances spent by various components. I wont go through all of the numbers on the table. Let me walk you through how to interpret some of the numbers. The expenditures column highlights the portion of the funds thats been paid or spent to date on construction or designrelated services. Th Construction Contracts or professional service contracts. Next slide. The information on this slide is provided by the office of public finance. The third bond sale amount is 126. 5 million. As a source of a prior amount, the 126. 9 million will be allocated in three categories. The 125. 5 million is project funds, which will be used to deliver projects or projects. The remaining funds will be used to fund city services, auditing fees or expenses related to the geo bond sales or fees. Next slide. And at this point it concludes my presentation for this morning. And im available for any questions anyone may have. Chair fewer thank you very much, mr. Chen. Could we have the b. L. A. Report, please on items 14. Any questions from my colleagues . This is the office of public finance. If you would allow, ave few remarks to make regarding the financial terms of the three bond series that have been proposed . Chair fewer of course, mr. Chiaretti. I will briefly take each of the three different bond issues, presented today, and describe some of them financing parameters and then ill also then cover the sort of sum total of the impact to the property to the debt limit and capital plans for all three series together. Based on the Consumer Market Interest Rate of 3. 51 , we assume an annual Debt Service Cost for the bonds of approximately 4,820,000, based on not to exceed and over the life of the bonds, generate about 87. 5 million in interest payments, with a total Debt Service Amount of 190 million or so over the life of the bonds, were assuming a 40year term. With the final maturity of june 15th, 2060. The repayment of annual debt service on the bonds, because of the structure of the past program, it will be recovered through increases in the annual project tax rates, but because this the way the program is set up, the debt service is offset by loan repayments. Mr. Lee described three categories of loans made through the bond program. And borrows of blowmarket rate loans are expected to pay at a third of the borrowing cost. Repay the full borrowing cost and an additional 1 for the administrative costs and deferred loans are repaid in full at the end of the loan term. Therefore, we would anticipate that these loans repayments, offsetting the citys borrowing costs would vary over the term of the bonds, as loans are made and then recollected over time. The increase in property tax associated with these bonds is estimated to range from about 3 cents to about 1. 67 per 100,000 of assessed valuation over the expected 40year term of the bonds. So the owner of a residence at 600,000, assuming the homeowners exemption of 700,000, would pay additional property taxes to range from 17 cents cents up to 9. 988 per year, if the bonds are sold. We are pursuing a negotiated transaction for this bond issuance and we selected underwriters. The senior manager for this will be r. B. C. Capital markets l. L. C. And comanagers will be u. B. S. Financial services inc. And b lablock. I can take questions for this or move on to the next, if you would prefer, chair fewer . Chair fewer colleagues, any comments and questions seeing no one in the queue, lets move on. The Affordable Housing bond program, we have an estimated market rate of 3. 39 for the taxable general obligation bonds. That would create an annual Debt Service Cost of 13. 5 million. Were anticipating 255,555,000 and generate Interest Rates, resulting in 405 million as total debt service, about a 30man year term of the bonds as currently estimated. The property tax impact of this bond sale is approximately 4. 54 per 100,000 of assessed value. So the owner of a residence of 600,000, the homeowners exemption, would pay average property tax increases of 26. 91 per year, if the bonds are sold. We are also pursuing a negotiated transaction for this issuance and we have selected underwriters again through an r. F. P. , as with the 2020f bonds. Theyre to be Morgan Stanley and company, as a senior manager. Citigroup will market will be the consenior manager and the comanagers are Raymond James and an anticipated 20year term of the bonds. So the increase of the property tax from these bonds would be about 2. 77 per 100,000 of assessed value of the term of the bond. So the owner of a 600,000 home, with a homeowners exemption, would pay an average of 16. 42 per year, if the bonds are sold. And now ill turn to the anticipated debt limit impact for all of these three issues i issuances together. It allows 3 of the total assessed value of property in San Francisco. Currently for a fiscal year 2021, the certificate the certificate assessed property is worth about 9. 04 billion. So 3 creates a debt limit sorry. The total assessed value is 301. 4, creating a debt limit of approximately 9. 04 billion. But as of september, 2020, the city had an outstanding debt of 2. 15 billion in assessed in aggregate full amount. So we have a total outstanding geo debt of approximately. 71 . Out of the 3 debt limit. If we issued all of these three series of bonds, that total amount of aggregate principle would increase from. 71 , still well within the 3 limit. The capital plan is also imposed a financial constrain on the citys use of general obligation bonds, such as that the any the property tax in any given year would not be over 2006 property tax rate of. 1120 in assessed value and if the board of supervisors approvings this bonds, the property tax rate still maintained within that constraint. So thats all i have on the Financial Impact of these bonds and if there are any questions, id be happy to answer. Chair fewer i just wanted to mention that i think in this instance, it would have been helpful to have a power point, its almost impossible to keep track of all of the numbers in a series of four items. It would be different if it was one item. But because we are discussing four items together, i just just think that the numbers that youre rambling off to us and reading off to us, are very complicated to actually see it in sort of this larger context of what were voting on. I just wanted to mention that. I think that i see no comments from my colleagues in the queue. And so lets move on to our b. L. A. Report for items 14, please. Thank you, chair fewer. And good morning, members of the committee. This is anything menard from the budget and elective analysts office. Authorize 600 million 2019 Affordable Housing bonds, sale of 260 million of the 2019 Affordable Housing bonds. Sale of 102. 6 million of preservation and seismic safety bonds, and sale of 126. 9 million of Public Health and safety bonds. The bond sales totaled 489. 5 million. Around you can see the proposed uses of these bond proceeds on page 5 of our report. As we noted on page 7 of our report, annual debt service for all three bond sales would be approximately 26. 7 million, which would be recovered from increases to property tax rates. An ordinance authorizing the Spending Authority has been introduced. It will be considered at a later budget and finance meeting. As was said, the sales are consistent with the city debt policy. We, therefore, recommend approval of all four resolutions. Chair fewer thank you very much, mr. Menard. Madam clerk, can we open up this for Public Comment, items 14, please. Clerk yes, madam chair. Operations is checking to see if callers are in the queue. Operations, please let us know if anybody is ready. Please wait until the system indicates you have been unmuted. Please let us know if any callers wish to comment on items 14. Madam chair, there are no callers in the queue. Chair fewer thank you very much. So, colleagues, any comments or questions for our presenters at all . No. You know, this is pretty commonplace the sale of bonds. So i want to thank our presenters for being here today. And then id like to make a motion to move this as a Committee Report to the full board. Could i please have a roll call vote. Clerk yes. On the motion to recommend items 14 to the full board as a Committee Report. Supervisor haney. Supervisor haney aye. Clerk supervisor mandelman . Supervisor mandelman aye. Clerk chair fewer . Chair fewer aye. Clerk there are three ayes. Chair fewer thank you very much. Any more business before us today . We are adjourned. Thank you very much, colleagues. Thanks. Hell oh everyone. Thank you so much for joining us today. Well, covid has changed our lives. The fact it is has changed how we go to work, how we go to restaurants, how we interact with each other but this year will change how we vote. We want to make sure here in San Francisco, we make it as simple as possible. Im excited to be here to announce that although we cant do what weve done in the past, and provide early voting in city hall, we are going to be doing early voting right outside on grove street in what looks like a Beautiful Party at the present time. I want to thank the department of elections, and he will talk about more about exactly the steps that his team has taken to ensure that we not only make voting accessible, we make it safe. We want to make sure that people feel comfortable if they need to vote early. They can come to this Voting Center and it will be opening on monday. If they want to vote on election day or drop off their ballots on election day, well have 588 locations all over the city. And, what is dont be alarmed if you dont receive your ballot you wont be able to vote. This department of elections has received everything. If you didnt receive it in the mail can you provide replacement ballots. If you are going out of town and you need a ballot mailed to a different location, theres a system in place to do just that. For whatever reason, you are not certain or uncomfortable accessing a paper ballot, theres just a lot of options. Theyve been sending things in the mail, sending things online to say our goal is to make this as easy as possible. In the last president ial election, sa san franciscans tud out in record number. It was a 80 turnout. In 2008, it was 81 . This is a city that prides ourselves on making sure our voices are heard. Were not going to covid stop us from making sure that you have access to vote in San Francisco at your convenience. Im excited and i know that theres a lot of confusion out there but this department of election has done everything it can to make sure that its easy to call the department of elections, call 311, go online if you need information for where to pick up a ballot or a replacement ballot. We thought of everything. So, theres no excuse for anyone in this city who is a registered voter not to vote. And in addition to that, if you are not registered to vote, and you would like to register to vote, you have until october 19th. So, make sure that you take the opportunity to go online and this center is open and you can come here and register to vote and you can vote on the same day. In addition to the dress up locations on election day, and this Voting Center right across the street from city hall, we will have a number of of drop off ballot locations the weekend before election day. Linda brooks Burton Library and the branch library. Because again, were trying to make it easy as possible and its ballots inperson or on election day. If you need more information, please visit the department of elections website at spelections. Org. Call 311 or call 415 5544375. So with that, i just want to again thank everyone for their cooperation, the work they do. I really want to express a special thank you so john arts and the department of elections staff because they have been working very hard to make sure that no question is unanswered. Anything or any scenario that could occur, they wanted to make sure they were prepared to support and address the public. And they work with the number Great Community organizations and to get out the vote and some of those organizations are with us today, including George Chance from the chinese Newcomer Service center, jackie flynn, the ex you director of and these are organizations who make sure that communities all over San Francisco have accessed to vote. And we appreciate the work that theyve done for many, many years. I also want to thank martha cohen, the director of special events, for taking such time and care with creating a warm and inviting space. Thank you, martha for your work. And with that, i want to turn it over to our special guest, joining us here today, you probably recognize him because the tallest person here. Our state senator, scott wiener. Thank you, madam mayor. And i also want to thank martha and also our department of elections and john arts for once again really stepping up to make sure that san franciscans can vote and vote easily. Thats one of our core values in San Francisco that we want people to vote and we want to make it easier for people to vote so i have complete confidence in our department of elections that we will run a beautiful election here and that we will it will just be a really strong showing and a really difficult period of time. This is a partnership between the state and our counties including San Francisco we took action at the state level to people being able to vote during a pandemic and we authorized global vote by mail o so everyone gets a ballot even if you are not signed up as a permanent absentee and not put barriers in order to get an absentee ballot and normally, it has to be post marked byelection day and i do want to ask people please, try not to rely on post marking on election day and sometimes you can mail it after whatever the pick up is at that particular box and there are unfortunately thousands of ballots each time where people just mail it too late in the day. It doesnt get post marked. Make sure you are going to mail it, please, troy t try to mail tractortrailer dait theday bef. Even if theres a problem with the post office, which i dont think there will be. You have plenty of time if you mail it right up to election day. It has 17 days to a arrive instead of three and that is a huge change in stay law that weve made to just make sure that every ballot can be counted. What this is really about is auctions. We want people to make choices that work for them and people can drop it off in different locations and of course, we have absolutely amazing voting facility here which will respond to our health needs in terms of allowing people to show up and vote safely. And to be able to do it efficiently. The capacity here, as you can see, is huge. Its going to start on monday and also be opening two weekends before the election. Were making it so easy for people to vote in a way that works for them and their family and their own health situation. I have a digital town hall last week with our secretary of state, alex padilla and with con on cause and a representative of the American Postal Workers Union and she was very, very clear that she has confidence that the mail is going to work well for this election. Despite some of the turbulence we were saying, theyve been able to move through that and she assured us our postal workers, who are some of our front line essential workers, who are putting themselves out there during this pandemic so we can do what we need to do as eye society theyre going to work incredibly hard and they will deliver the mail and people can have confidence in the mail. So, again, thank you, madam mayor, thank you to our department of elections and lets just run a great election as always. Thank you. And now, i want to invite up our director of elections, john arts. Thank you, senator werent. Thank you mayor breed and also for organizing this event. This is a great timing for an event like this, just before early voting begins. Early voting will begin october 5th here at the Voting Center located outside bill graham auditorium. This is an example of the mayor and the senator wiener have indicated and the department and city have take ep steps to make sure that voting is safe and healthy experience for all voters in San Francisco. The ballots we mailed actually tomorrow and voters will start receiving ballots on saturday and then theyll most will receive ballots on monday going through the election week. We have a full compliment of polling polic Police Station ple want to drop off or they dont want to mail their ballot back, just before elections day, is they are outside the voting area so voters dont have to go mud the voting area. They decrease the amount of traffic that voters would experience at election day. And everything that weve done since really the end of the march election going through the cycle for november, has been to plan in relation to conduct an election, while trying to respond to a pandemic. So everything that is happening here at bill graham auditorium, is organized so that people can maintain social distancing and theres ppes that our personnel are wearing and useing and the public has provided ppe and hand sanitizers and sanitizing wipes, face shields and things like that and the same for the polling places. The voters and coworkers can maintain social distancing as they go through the election process on election day. Weve had p. P. E. S available for the voters and the poll workers on election day. And the inperson votototototott for september 22, 2020, is called to order. Roll call, please. Clerk thank you. [roll call]