CONTENTIOUS NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING AT HOTEL CARLTON

Earlier in the week, a number of flyers announcing the re-location and opening of Hyde Street Behavioral Health Services at 815 Hyde Street were posted around the neighborhood (unfortunately, I did not take any pictures of them).

They were later replaced by the ones below announcing opposition to the proposed re-location.

The meeting, held in a back room at the Hotel Carlton, was extremely crowded

with people from the local community, as well as the directors of Hyde and Tenderloin Clinic and directors from the San Francisco Dept. of Public Health. (Full disclosure: I work part-time as a contractor for SF DPH.)

The questions and comments ranged from the pertinent – “How many times have the police been called to your clinic [Tenderloin MH] in the last year?”

to the ridiculous (“Get [Mayor] Ed Lee to break the lease!” [that’s causing the clinic to re-locate]. For a look at how contentious this subject is, read the comments section to this article:  http://www.sfbg.com/politics/2014/06/25/nob-hill-neighbors-seek-block-mental-health-clinic-relocation

A group of people left around 7:45 and I took advantage to leave with them. By this time, it seemed to me order was breaking down as more people were ignoring the moderator – even those who agreed with him. I don’t know what happened after that, except that the meeting was due to end at 8:00 p.m.

This issue will be further taken up on July 15 at 2:00 p.m. by the Finance Committee and Health Commission at 101 Grove Street.

Copyright © by Chris Enquist 6/30/14