Mark Melvin (Operator of Mission Cliffs Climbing Gym) victimized by MEDA's anti-business activism and economic illiteracy

Judy West (Artaud project) MEDA is pushing defacto shutdown of Mission's most important theatre, bankrupt Theatre Artuad

Fred Snyder ( small business incubator as landlord to 40 business)  Mission Housing and MEDA have said this is all about them getting the profit from any Mission development 

Dave Dempsey ( Northeast Mission Residents Association) what they thought was a community based planning process, but what turned out to be a fairly fait accompli

Thomas Chen & Milton Gains Based on 3 years of frustration with City Planning regarding their 18,000 square foot housing project of empty lot they assume this is about a land grab by MAC/MEDA 

 Joe O’Donahue ( Residential Builders Association main builder of the popular new housing know as "indigenous warehouse style" or lofts) Mission Housing is opposed to home ownership opportunities and standing behind claims that the Mission belongs to poor Latin immigrants which is offensive to the American immigrant experience and long great history of the Mission District

 Sonia Melara (Arriba Juntos ) Long-term families in the Mission want home ownership which they cannot now afford and this opportunity to provide it is being lost by an unnecessary fight brought about by politicians giving too much power to self proclaimed Latin representatives with narrow agendas. || TOP ||

For instance, he stated that in the Mission District, which he represents, there were very few people who knew about the first workshop. He said he did not know anybody who knew about the first workshop beforehand, be they residents, property owners or small business owners. He stated that they heard about the second workshop a day before it took place, adding that they heard about it only by a flyer posted on a telephone pole. He stated that the only reason that there was small business interest represented at the next two workshops was because they sounded the alarms in the neighborhood for the hundreds of people that had not heard about it. He stated that the Planning Departments process has been flawed, stating that their data has also been flawed. Unfortunately they were laxed and reluctant to release information and or to meet with him and his group, in fact he stated that they never did get a meeting with long range planning director Amit Gosh. For example, he said that they received GIS data two months after requesting it, which is something that should be available from the Freedom of Information/Public Record. He said that this is the data on which their maps are based, stating that all they asked for was an electronic download, adding that it took them two months to give them the data, which they found a 70% error rate in. Finally he stated that the analysis of the zoning ordinances and the rezoning in the Mission calls for a rezoning of the Northeast Mission, which is now an industrial area to something that is called PDR, which is Production Distribution and Repair. He stated that this ignores everything else, ignoring the possibility of high tech, ignores office, it ignores 8000 of the 19000 jobs in the Mission. He called this push planning, stating that it would make 30% of the property in the Northeast Mission nonconforming against the wishes of many small businesses, adding that the Mission is also saddled with a set of interim controls which expire next July, stating that somebody in this interim planning controls set up a citizen review panel controlled by the Mission Economic Development Association (MEDA), which is funded by the city. He stated that MEDA had been discouraging small businesses not encouraging small businesses. He stated that the Mission had been the subject of four workshops; Showplace Square had been the subject of seven workshops, suggesting that the process ought to be slowed down. He said that they need to slow the process down, look at it much more closely, and that they are not ready to go to Commission because they can not make the appropriate public comments and have the appropriate people at the table in a forum like this were everyone is limited to two minutes. || TOP ||
·          Mark Melvin: A member of the public stated that he was there to express concern specifically with MEDA. He is the President of Touchstone Climbing Incorporated, which started business in the Mission seven years ago. He stated that they are a good partner to the community, stating that they have supported all Mission schools that wish to use their facilities, stating that the same is true for non-profits for kids at risk and adults in need. 

He stated that even MEDA does not disagree with them on this point, however he stated that MEDA does feel that such support is condescending and irrelevant to Mission residents, stating MEDA’s mission of expanding opportunities to low and moderate income residents, help low income residents own and operate businesses, help these residents gain managerial skills, raise economic and social levels of residents in the Mission.

  He asked, what better way to support this mission than to help those in the poorest of situations gain the self-esteem they need to tackle jobs and move on. He stated that he finds MEDA’s position condescending to the Hispanic population, adding that representatives of MEDA have gone so far as stating, “we don’t rock climb”, the global we being Hispanics. He talked about his experience, stating that in late 2000 they started plans to become a tenant of an abandoned theater on Mission Street, further investing in the Mission community. He stated that their plan was to put well over a million dollars into a fitness facility that would cater to the Mission. He stated that the only active opposition was MEDA, stating that supporters included local business owners and those non-profits which they help etc. He stated that they naturally tried to work with MEDA to alleviate their concerns. He stated that Touchstone was very open to many ideas to support the community and stated that he expressed this to MEDA in November 2000. He stated that MEDA let them know immediately that their form of support was irrelevant and not appreciated. In subsequent meetings, he stated that MEDA made it clear that the only way to gain their support was for them to dictate their final product pricing, adding that even his request for a system to provide reduced rates was responded to with quotes such as “we won’t take your welfare”. In his opinion, a group with MEDA’s mission will serve this community well, however MEDA does not serve their mission thus doing a disservice to Mission residents, especially the poor and disadvantaged. He stated that perhaps most importantly for this Commission, he believes that MEDA actively discourages new business development that it can’t control, and that it does not understand business enough to engage in constructive dialogue || TOP ||
·          Judy West: A member of the public and one of the Directors of the Project Artaud Corporation, which is located in the Northeast Mission. She stated that they own and manage a full city block with a diverse assortment of theater, galleries, and individual artist studios. She stated that they are the original non-conforming use around which the controversial live work ordinance was created in 1988 and part of the reason for all of the workshops for rezoning. 

She stated that they have been there for 30 years and she personally has been involved in the land use controversies and rezoning for the neighborhoods for the past 10-12 years, stating that she is really disturbed with the hostile posture that some organizations including Mission Housing and MEDA are taking. She stated that these are the organizations that they have been told they have to deal with in order to get their ideas through. For example she stated that project Arto was invited by MEDA to a forum were a representative of MEDA stated that they had already determined that art and entertainment venues were not rent sensitive and could afford to operate anywhere, and as such should be prohibited from the Northeast Mission Industrial zone. She said that this is serious, stating that their main theater went bankrupt this year, adding that if they become a non-conforming use she understands that new tenants would not be able to move into that space and continue operating as a theater. She stated that MEDA has flat out stated that they do not want the neighborhood to be destination neighborhood; they want it to be dead and cheap. She stated that they are doing everything they can to prevent businesses form locating here, adding that they should not be in anyway coordinating any of the rezoning stuff. She recommended for the Small Business Commission to help them prepare a task force to study some of the implications on the business, stating that the workshops are projected out to the public as if they are rezoning the whole Mission, but they are not, they are only rezoning the commercial areas, stating that the residential areas are not being discussed, yet hundreds of residents of Mission Housing’s projects and SRO hotels are coming to the workshops, trying to sort out what the priorities are for rezoning the commercial areas. She stated that it is totally ridiculous, adding that there is no dialogue and that they must get back to some kind of a forum where people could talk about the issues, stating that it is not happening at the planning forums, with 400 hundred people there. She stated that they did the rezoning effort in 1992 and 1994 in which all stakeholders sat around the table and worked out a pretty consensus plan, stating that 17 competing interests cannot go to the Board of Supervisors and pick a plan. She said that is not going to work. || TOP ||

·          Fred Snyder: A member of the public and a member of the NEMIZ as property owner and small business incubator for over 30 years. He stated that it is truly disturbing what is going on there, adding that the community is very divided. He stated that they really need help bringing the community together. He stated that a wedge has been driven into the community, to the point that they don’t even communicate any more, stating that having to come here to talk about what is going on is ridiculous. He stated his concern with the Planning Departments presentation, stating that he has not

 been present to any of that, on the contrary he feel s that they (the NEMIZ) have been overlooked. He stated that if you divide the Mission into four parts, they are about a quarter of it. He stated that there was no notification of those meeting, stating his belief that they were excluded from those meeting for a purpose, yet it is their neighborhood that will be rezoned. He stated that he represents about 40 small businesses, of which none were notified. He said he saw a notice for the second meeting, which went out to a non-profit, adding that they are stakeholders but have not been involved in the process. His big concern was that in 1992 they all did get together, in what he described as a wonderful process, but when it was all done, people were advocating for each others position. He feels that they have been totally excluded form the process, stating that the Planning Department has not been the representative in the neighborhood. He said that he went to Amit Gosh after the second meeting and asked him if he would pull the community together for them to meet, to which he said he responded no, stating that they would only meet in the big forums. He explained his concern over a meeting which took place two years ago at Horace Mann Middle School where the MAC (Mission Antidisplacement Coalition, made up of a lot of Mission Housing and MEDA people, stated that there would be no development in the Mission unless we get all the profit. He said that this was restated again when the Supervisors passed the second wave of the moratorium. So he questioned this, and said that they need help from the SBC to understand it. He questioned the relationship between Mission Housing and MEDA and the City. He asked the SBC to bring all the stakeholders to the table; otherwise small business will suffer greatly. || TOP ||
·          Dave Dempsey: A member of the public and founder of the Northeast Mission Residents Association, stated that they formed as an ad hoc group in July when they became aware of what they thought was a community based planning process, but what turned out to be a fairly fait accompli (fay-tah-kom-PLEE) political process. 

what they thought was a community based planning process, but what turned out to be a fairly fait accompli he has every faith in city government as long as everyone is involved in the process.

He stated that their experience in engaging in the process was one of feeling marginalized. For example, at a recent last planning meeting where the adoption of Plan B happened, he explained that at his table there was Hans Art that runs a small car repair place and himself, a resident. He stated that everyone else was a political activist, a planner in training, but for the most part exclusively MAC and MEDA activists. However at the MCEJJ sponsored Planning session,  the ratio was much better, in that only two people at my table were outsider activists versus only 2 being actual community members at the Planning Department session. 
He requested that the Commission continue in being open to the process as it moves forward and help the larger government in San Francisco get visibility into how that process is affecting the people live, work and own businesses and property in the Northeast Mission. He stated that he has every faith in city government as long as everyone is involved in the process. || TOP ||
·          Richard Parker: A member of the Public and owner of 450 Architects stated that his business is in one of the neighborhoods that are being rezoned. He said that it is wonderful that the city is finally taking a long-term approach to city planning, however he had not been able to attend any of the meetings. He is on the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and said he would like to have a presentation to the Board so that they could take a position on the proposed plan.

·          Thomas Chen: A member of the public and co-owner of the 2690 Harrison Street. He stated that they have owned the business for over 18 years, but due to the technology situation it is not viable for them to operate the business in the same location anymore. He stated that they decided to develop the property into housing, which San Francisco really needs, however he stated that by being a small business owner they had no experience to develop housing in San Francisco. 

Today, two years later they are finally scheduled for a hearing, however he said that they received a phone call stating that MEDA requests that you delay your hearing until they have approved the planning, they assume that any property over 15,000 feet is a land grab by MEDA & MAC and the non-profits. He stated that his project is 18,375 square feet.

He stated that they applied to the Planning Department and were immediately asked if they had talked to MEDA. He said they did not know who MEDA was. Today, two years later they are finally scheduled for a hearing, however he said that they received a phone call stating that MEDA requests that you delay your hearing until they have approved the planning, adding that there should be no development until MEDA has approved the planning. He stated that he did not understand the politics behind it and said that if this is the city’s position, who will invest in the Mission?
·          Milton Gains: A member of the public and Mr. Chen’s partner at 2690 Harrison. He stated that he had a wallpaper printing plant for 33 years and started to buy in ownership over 30 years ago and then Mr. Chen and he bought out the primary shareholder 16 years ago. He stated that they are at the southern end of the NEMIZ, stating that they decided to do housing three years ago. He stated that he appreciates what the Planning Department is trying to do and said that it is an extremely difficult process. He stated his belief that the business community was not organized, starting that he was traveling 50% of the time. He said that it wasn’t until Curtis Eisenberger got the Mission Coalition going, which came about the third neighborhood meeting, that any voice started to be heard. He said that he thinks what’s happened is that MEDA and MAC have gotten so well organized and so well infiltrated to the Planning Department and how it works and how to communicate with them, that someone like them is at a real disadvantage. He stated that he was the only businessperson at his table in the planning session, all else were activists. He stated that it wasn’t until the fourth meeting that there was a much better representation of businesses. He stated that it was his observation that MEDA & MAC were more or less in charge of the meetings. He stated that they have found that MEDA and MAC have opposed them at every single turn, that MEDA and MAC do not want any private funding of any development in the Mission, they assume that any property over 15,000 feet is a land grab by MEDA & MAC and the non-profits. He stated that his project is 18,375 square feet. He stated that they said that they are more or less opposed to any property owners, any business owner, which he said did not make sense because on the other side they say they want jobs and they don’t want any PDR demolition. He stated that business has not come into the Mission, nor will it. || TOP ||

   Joe O’Donahue: A member of the public and of the Residential Builders Association. He stated that in 1978 the City undertook a massive rezoning of the city, and we are feeling the in effects if it today. He said that it was an economic disaster that created a housing crisis, which is still being experienced, and the forces behind that proposal are similar forces behind the moratoriums, which now exist in the Mission and in the South of Market today, with the same negative impact, a fiscal crisis, a housing crisis that is expanding and mounting deficits with disastrous consequences for small businesses. He stated that the reality is that the forces today, many of whom existed in 1978, come as immigrants like I did to this country, but when I came from Ireland, I left the socialism of Ireland, which forced me to immigrate behind in Ireland, and I left the war in the North of Ireland behind in the North of Ireland, and I came here for the free enterprise alternative opportunities. He stated that the people in the Mission of the MEDA and Mission Housing need to leave their revolutionary principals and their socialism in the borders form the countries which they had to flee like we fled in order to get economic justice and economic opportunity. He stated that like many immigrants, he came penniless, stating that he had to pay back his fair, adding that in the Irish community they had a structure, one in which their

when leaders like Carlos Ramirez  ( Executive Director of Mission Housing ) could stand up representing an organization and say that homeownership is bad and should be banned, and then of course we have the disaster, which is happening in the Mission today. He said that the leadership in the Hispanic community, in the Mission, which is now dictating to the rest of the city, who say to you unless you are Hispanic you have no right in the Mission, unless you speak Spanish you have no say in the Mission and we don’t want gentrification, stating that when he lived in the Mission in the 60’s, it was an immigrant Irish neighborhood Finally he said that the Planning Department is divided, but when you have people like Dr. Amit Gosh, with an agenda that will conk up the figures wherever he wants.

 leaders left that socialism behind and showed them that when you get your money you buy your home, economic homeownership. He stated that when leaders like Carlos Ramirez could stand up representing an organization and say that homeownership is bad and should be banned, and then of course we have the disaster, which is happening in the Mission today. He stated that this is the problem that is going on today, stating that planning takes it’s direction form the Board of Supervisors who took it form people who feed to the public truff. He stated that what needs to be done is to pull the tax returns and see how MEDA and Mission Housing being financed, and look at if they are serving their people as well as the leaders in the Irish community served their people, which is showing them the way to prosperity through homeownership. He stated that when he looked at the tax returns of Mission Housing two years ago, they had approximately 22 hundred units under their control, all of which had no equity homeownership. He stated that having come from poverty in Ireland, where they were born in pubic housing, but they ended up owning that public housing and from that they moved into prosperity as soon as they got their actions together. He said that the leadership in the Hispanic community, in the Mission, which is now dictating to the rest of the city, who say to you unless you are Hispanic you have no right in the Mission, unless you speak Spanish you have no say in the Mission and we don’t want gentrification, stating that when he lived in the Mission in the 60’s, it was an immigrant Irish neighborhood. He stated that in fact there were only three Mexican restaurants on Mission Street. He stated that one really needs to look at the effect of the moratorium, stating that it has been an economic disaster, stating that businesses are moving out they are not moving in, adding that zero businesses have moved in since the moratorium and hundreds have been lost. He stated that Dr. Gosh’s figures are pipe dreams, making them up as he goes along. Finally he said that the Planning Department is divided, but when you have people like Dr. Gosh, with an agenda that will conk up the figures wherever he wants.
·          Margery Bear: A member of the public and a business owner at 2660 Harrison Street, next door to Thomas and Milton. She said that she is also a resident of the Mission and she is also concerned about the rezoning. 
·          Commissioner Nick Aiello: Expressed his concern with the moratorium in the Mission, stating that it should be removed. || TOP ||
·          Sonia Melara: A member of the public and executive director Arriba Juntos, stated that there is a perception that there are certain organizations or individuals that speak for the Mission community, adding that she would like to ask the Planning Commission and other members of government to begin to search out for other leaders in the community to

Long-term families in the Mission want homeownership, but many cannot afford to buy it. She said that it would be great to develop a dialogue between the two sides, because all that they are looking for is a great quality of life, which she feels has gone down hill in the Mission in the last 15-20 years.  She stated her awareness of the political game, adding that one of the members of the Board of Supervisors actually founded MAC

 speak a different tune. She said that part of what is happening is that there is no dialogue, adding that there are people who speak on one side and those that speak on the other side. She said that long-term families in the Mission want homeownership, but many cannot afford to buy it. She said that it would be great to develop a dialogue between the two sides, because all that they are looking for is a great quality of life, which she feels has gone down hill in the Mission in the last 15-20 years. She stated her awareness of the political game, adding that one of the members of the Board of Supervisors actually founded MAC and said that this is something that needs to be looked into, stating that politics should be kept out of what needs to happen in the neighborhoods for the good of the communities, including businesses, non-profits, and residents. || TOP ||