Post AUNNf3futZx7RjEJIO by peter_weyand@libranet.de
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 (DIR) Post #AUNNf3futZx7RjEJIO by peter_weyand@libranet.de
       2023-01-17T18:37:20Z
       
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       I present to you -The Heat At Next Door ShelterAn Epistolary NovelPeter Weyand <peterweyand0@gmail.com>Wed, Jan 4, 12:35 AM (13 days ago)to shelter.monitoringI'm homeless and was recently assigned to Next Door homeless shelter at 1001 Polk Street by General Assistance. I've been at the shelter last week, and as of November 3rd I've been assigned as a resident at the shelter.Here are the current problems at the shelter. This list may not be exhaustive, but it's what I've found after two days of staying here.Currently the heat is off and the building is as cold as the outside. Last week this had not been an issue. One of the residents said it was because of the storm and the insulation from the roof had been damaged, requiring that the heat be turned off. I've heard conflicting things from the night staff, but they've told me they aren't maintenance and have no way of turning the heat on, but have to submit a form.Additionally, the gas for the stove in the kitchen downstairs is off and they're serving Meals On Wheels food to the guests rather than cooking food. One or two of these meals would not be dangerous, but it can't be used as a primary source of nutrition as the food itself does not have the nutrition requirements for an active adult, and much of the food is filled with additives (hydrogenated oils, reconstituted soybean substitute, and the like).Also, one of the elevators is broken, and as it's required to use the elevators as opposed to the stairs (by the staff) people have to ride the elevator up and down to get to their floor. This is new since the third.I'm assigned to the fourth floor where the showers have cold water and at least one of the toilets is broken. Several of the sinks are not working.I will be calling the contact line at 415-255-3642 in the morning. And visiting City Hall. And then looking through the Tenderloin for any organization I can complain to to get this fixed. I don't have anything better to do and I don't like being cold. It's too cold to sleep so I have all night to think of how important it is to me to have this fixed.Peter Weyand.Monitoring, Shelter (DPH)Jan 4, 2023, 12:21 PM (13 days ago)to meAbout the food, we have heard from others in the past that it isn't appetizing and/or cold.  Would you like to file a complaint about the nutritional value or other inadequacy of the meals?  If it's mainly suboptimal oils and other borderline unhealthy ingredients, this might be a stretch, but you have a right to express your view, and there are rules about how long these meals can sit after being heated.  We have a contract with a registered dietician who can try to assess the situation, especially if you offer more details.  My colleague, Angie, is going to see if we can expedite a site inspection, as early as Friday.  Would you like our Members to ask for you while they are there? RobertFrom: Monitoring, Shelter (DPH) <shelter.monitoring@sfgov.org>Sent: Wednesday, January 4, 2023 11:26 AMTo: Peter Weyand <peterweyand0@gmail.com>Subject: Re: Next Door Shelter Has Severe Maintenance Issues Good morning, Peter.  This is bad news.  We've asked HSH if they know anything. Shelters are bound to meet 32 standards of care. Heat is not one of them, though in practice they almost all provide this.  Also, Standard #17 requires that the shelter note "in writing and post in a common areas in the shelter when a maintenance problem will be repaired and note the status of the repairs".  Has the shelter posted anything? We would appreciate it if you would let us know how things progress.Robert HillShelter Monitoring Committee Analyst San Francisco Department of Public Health1380 Howard St., SF 94103(415) 255-3642CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICEThis email and any files or previous email messages transmitted with it may contain confidential information that is privileged or otherwise exempt from disclosure under applicable law.  If you are not the intended addressee, nor authorized to receive for the intended addressee, you are hereby notified that you may not use, copy, disclose or distribute to anyone the information contained in or attached to this message. To do so could violate state and Federal privacy laws. If you received this message in error, please immediately advise by reply email and delete this message, its attachments, and any copies.  Thank you.Peter Weyand <peterweyand0@gmail.com>Wed, Jan 4, 12:56 PM (13 days ago)to MayorLondonBreed, Mayorspressoffice, ShelterRobert and Angie - Someone drank themselves into a stupor yesterday and they had to bring the ambulance and a fire truck. So. Let me ask you. Is it cheaper for the city to send an ambulance and a firetruck because someone is drinking because it's that cold (hey, I'm spitballing here, but drunks tend to drink when it's cold) or is it cheaper to send the maintenance super to fix the furnace?But hey. I was so pissed off that I left the shelter and stood outside St. Anthony's last night and watched someone OD and have to be resuscitated by Narcan at 4 in the morning and then I slept on a church pew. Neither here nor there, but if it was warm in the shelter maybe that guy would have slept in the shelter.So. That's an ambulance and a firetruck for the first guy, and two more ambulances for the second. I mean, if we're just going to go ahead and say that the value of a human life is nothing we could still sit here on principle of what's technically legal and still lose money for the city. Unless, of course, there's some monetary value to having the poor suffer. Or you don't care.So that would cover the furnace.As far as the meals are concerned - have you eaten them? Have you also eaten them while being outside and burning 3000 calories a day? It's not sufficient nutrition for someone who is on the street and it's not healthy to eat factory produced meals as your only source of food. The kitchen has a fully functioning stove and the gas is not turned on. It's illegal for supermarkets to throw away food that's past its' due date. I've worked with the Krishna's before - they'll take out of date food and sort through it and cook it to healthy food. This is not hard. Turn on the gas and go get some out of date bags of potatoes and vegetables, sort through it, and start cooking meals. Buy hamburger meat (which is cheap!) and make stews. You can have the homeless do this - they'd rather do that then have to eat Meals On Wheels. And giving them *snacks* of chips with no nutritional value at all? Isn't treating others like you'd like to be treated what they teach in kindergarten?That the elevators are broken and the toilets and half the faucets don't work is just evidence that no super has been there in a while. One of the people at the shelter told me that the roof has broken insulation because of prior storms, which is why the heat is off. I don't know if this is true - but you don't either, because no super is there. So, what's going to happen when this storm system comes through this week.I've been all over the city today looking at ways to fix this. I've been to - 1155 Market because a cop thought it would be funny to send me to the Lighthouse Building for the blind. Cute.- Everywhere in City Hall. - 123 10th Street- 440 Turk- 280 Turk (after going from 440 to 10 and back again)And finally you're office at 1380 Howard Street.It's also incredibly frustrating that you're routing all your calls for complaints about the shelter system through the behavioral health department located at 1380 Howard Street is insulting to people who have a legitimate complaint about the shelter system. When they answer the phone and someone says they're homeless do they put their information in a behavioral health file? Do they even tell them who answers the phone? I walked over there and called the number that's listed on the website here sf.gov/public-body/shelter-mon… (415-255-3642) and it routed to the behavioral health desk. They didn't want to tell me what the number was and said they'd dial your cell phone number. I insisted on trying the second as well. They're ashamed of what is happening and I'm not sad for them. I'm disgusted. You're standing on "the law" while I'm watching people on the street being carted off in ambulances.Grow up and do your jobs.I'm cc'ing the mayor. Hurting the homeless makes for an easy election campaign, but it sure as hell makes it hard to sleep at night.Peter Weyand.Peter Weyand <peterweyand0@gmail.com>Wed, Jan 4, 1:04 PM (13 days ago)to Shelter, MayorLondonBreed, MayorspressofficeSo, no. Friday is not good enough. I want someone who knows what a crescent wrench is there *today*. It costs you a phone call.Monitoring, Shelter (DPH)Thu, Jan 5, 9:14 AM (12 days ago)to meWe get your point.  At the same time, SMC only monitors—it doesn't oversee—shelters.  HSH is telling us this morning that they're well aware of existing problems, and are working to improve the level of comfort at 1001 Polk.  They have had multiple issues there. The heating system is antiquated.  Parts aren't readily available.  A "complete tear down and service" is  scheduled for Monday January 9th.Robert HillPeter Weyand <peterweyand0@gmail.com>8:38 AM (1 hour ago)to MayorLondonBreed, Mayorspressoffice, ShelterI'd like to know the result of the complete tear down and service that was scheduled for last week.Between the 9th and today the heat in the building has been in excess of 80 degrees in some areas. I've heard that this has happened before - when someone complains the heat is turned on at full blast until the entire building is sweltering. A charitable interpretation is that the building is old and there are only two settings on the heater, on to excess or off completely. This still does not excuse the heater having been broken in this manner for over six months (as I've heard from other residents and staff). An uncharitable interpretation is that the building is kept intentionally cold and when the new guy complains the heat is turned on to scorching until everyone in the building hates him and the problem "fixes" itself. Given that you are routing your phone calls through a behavioural health office and the staff at that office attempted to hide the fact I would not put this past you.It's been a week and the heater has shown signs of being broken in the same way that it has been for over 6 months. I have also not heard back from you on the status of the maintenance. I suspect you have, once again, turned the heat on at full blast and expected the problem to fix itself.Unfortunately I have a memory that lasts longer than a week. An incredibly long and accurate memory which those close to me are overly fond of reminding me.What is the status of the HVAC unit at 1001 Polk Street (Next Door Shelter)?Monitoring, Shelter (DPH)10:12 AM (24 minutes ago)to meThe SMC does not oversee or exercise direct control over the shelter.  But I have asked for an update about the heating/ventilation system and will let you know when a response is received.   We can encourage the shelter to fulfill its obligations by submitting a complaint relative to the standards of care.  If the shelter has not posted information as to the status of the repair, they are in violation of Standard #17.  If you believe staff are intentionally varying the temperature in retaliation for complaints, we can add this allegation, i.e., a violation of Standard #1 (respect and dignity).  Please let me know if I can go ahead and draft a complaint for your review today. Robert HillSMC415-255-3642CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email is intended for the recipient only.  If Protected Health Information (PHI) or other confidential information is contained in this email, unauthorized disclosure may subject the discloser to civil or criminal penalties under state and federal privacy laws.  If you received this email in error, notify the sender by reply email and permanently erase/destroy the email and any attachments immediately.#SanFrancisco #MayorLondon #Homeless #reporting #CityHall