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Saturday, August 19, 2017

CITYBUILD HAS A NEW DIRECTOR - JOSUHA ARCE - IT IS TIME- WE FOCUS ON CAREER JOBS - A DEEP COMMITMENT TO OUR YOUTH, YOUNG ADULTS - OTHERS THAT WANT TO BETTER THEMSELVES.









Josuha Arce 
Director of San Francisco - CityBuild

Way back in the year 2005 - some of us met at the old Library in the Bayview - and created a plan - to address Workforce in our great City - the City and County of San Francisco. 

Maurice Campbell, Lynne Brown, Andrew Bozemen, Michael Boyd, Francisco Da Costa - others.

Some of us use to attend the San Francisco County Transportation Authority meetings - at that time - we fought for some money - to address Career Jobs.

More - having seen the abject failure - how the Third Street Light was built - giving very few opportunities and less accommodating Career Jobs - to those that lived in the Bayview Hunters Point Area.

Plenty of jobs carrying and  hand signs - directing people to cross the road - all day long - while Whites from far and wide - were working little and making big bucks.

Millions of dollars were spent on the Third Street Rail  - as much as $700 million - laying the tracks - from 4th and King - to Middle of no where Visitation Valley.

If the tracks where connected to Balboa Bart Station - it could have drawn - thousands - who could catch the Light Rail and reach their destination Downtown San Francisco - and contributed positively to the Carbon Footprint.

One thing led to another - and $180, 000 was set aside - for Workforce - by the SF County Transportation Authority - the Director at that time Luis Moscowich.

We use to meet outside the Bayview - sometimes - had one meeting at Glide Memorial Church - where our plan was high jacked.

At this meeting our plan was stolen and given to Sophie Maxwell - who ran with it.

 What else would one expect  any House Negro would accomplish - she compromised the community and our workforce - plan.

Shortly after this meeting  - I was attending a meeting at City Hall - and was shocked to hear from Sophie Maxwell the District 10 Supervisor - who Chaired the meeting - that $150, 000 would be given to one Laura Luster - to act as a consultant - on Workforce - and that she had a plan - which was our stolen plan.

I spoke up - and Laura Luster - was given $50, 000 and with the remaining money - CityBuild was created in the year 2006. The rest is history.

In all these years - we have seen corruption of the worst kind - linked to CityBuild.





One CityBuild worker -
offered kudos - which is right - but there is more -
will that lead to a Career Job.


Three years ago someone from the Carpenters Union headed the operation of CityBuild Academy (CBA)  - things improved - only to fall back to the old days - and we HOPE now - that something positive happens.

The Bayview and other parts of the City once had a model for career jobs.

Modelcities offered many career jobs - and hundreds of San Franciscans rose up the ranks - and did well - after being trained by the Modelcities curricula.

Journey men, Superintendents, Managers - I know some of them - and in the Bayview the training took place in a building by Third and Palou - by Mandell Plaza.

Paradoxically now people sit by a palm tree - doing nothing from 8 am to 9 pm - and nest to Pit Stop - and this picture is a disgrace to the human race. Most of those whiling their time - Blacks who once had jobs - but now have fallen prey to alcohol and drugs - and are very angry.

We once had the Human Rights Commission Office and under them the Compliance Officers - did their job - going to the many job sites and reporting.

The Human Rights Commissioners - the policy branch of the Human Rights Commission - were in charge of polices. It worked.

Then some years ago the Contract Monitoring Division was created with the City Administrator and the Mayor having a bigger say - and organizations like CityBuild playing second fiddle - running about with their head in the sand - like an ostrich.

From 2012 to today - we have had a booming construction industry - thousands of units built - in San Francisco.

San Franciscans must vie for menial jobs - the better jobs going to outsiders - some as far as Nevada, Utah, even Texas. Renting motels in South San Francisco - and doing their business in San Francisco. The so called compliance component missing.

The Mayor Edwin M. Lee for sure - wheeling and dealing with Big Developers. The wheeling and dealing must STOP - but more those that have raked in millions - charged under the RICO Act.

California Pacific Medical Center  (CPMC) and HerrroBolt have had umpteen opportunities to help San Franciscans - but any data evaluated will show this is not the case.

I myself have been involved in many cases - when racism of the worst order - ruined the lives of several decent, hard working Blacks - working on the CPMC project .

In cases like this - where workers sent by CityBuild - to work and earn a living and their career cut short by racism and blatant discrimination - CityBuild could have played a role - but they did not.

The Mayor Edwin M. Lee - who is all over the place - could have played a role - but the man does not have the fortitude, absolutely has NO leadership qualities.

He loves appointing folks like Michael Barr - who wore a bow tie - and had little if NO clue about San Francisco - and lacked the ability to offer Career Opportunities. He failed at WorkForce - works at the Mayor's Office of WorkForce and Economic Development - has set us back several years.

Another person that comes to mind is Rhonda Simmons - good for nothing - and she is still around - wasting her time - and the City and County of San Francisco paying her a salary - when she should be fired - and sent away.

Workforce and all that it entails - is something  - I specialized in at a Federal Agency.

 We gave the apprentice - several months to learn and rotate - in many fields - carpentry, electrician, warehouse, landscape, water treat plan operator, cement mason, ironworks, housing and engineering - and so on.

After 6 months or 8 months - the apprentice could choose - a career and they did. Many did well for themselves - and even today when they meet me - they have tears of joy.

It is such a job to have a Career Jobs that you love - work hard and keep it - raise a family - and put bread and butter on the table.

Besides we had a huge hospital  were several fields - offered high paying jobs - you started as an  apprentice and applied yourself - and went on to make oneself proud.

The famous Letterman Army Research Center and the Letterman Army Medical Center and there was more.

Over the years - thousands of people - got myself into the system - had Career Jobs - and all that is good happened - and all of us that had something to do with this goods - rejoice in humanity.

Missing in the discussion linked to CityBuild is the discussion of the seed that was planted - that original seed by corrupt folks like Sophie Maxwell - and using our stolen plan.

 Laura Luster  who lives in Marin County - was paid for nothing - a stolen plan that she used.

Laura Luster is no where to be seen - one corrupt individual aiding and abetting another - both House Negros who should be ashamed of themselves.

Karma shows us again and again - the blatant corruption prevailing at the Mayor's Office - past Mayors and the present Mayor office is the worst.

Again and again apprentices are trained and sent to some workplaces - and they do not last long.

Most last a few months - and CityBuild takes credit - for the original placement - but not for the worthiness of the apprentice - for the long run - leading to a Career Job.

I have attended meetings - where CityBuild personnel have to attend - discuss and  review reporting processes - often time these personnel come late - and do not have the ability to adhere to standards.

The Elation Software is defective - but no one wants to overhaul this system - that must be tweaked at best - so that it is friendly to those that input the data - and more the Contractors and others - who often have to hire some outside party - to do the input.

We cannot look at CityBuild as a holistic place for the apprentices - if there is corruption - the UNIONS - must be held accountable - and we do not see this at the moment.

We have just to evaluate the Plumbers Union in San Francisco.
After squandering the Union dues of the plumbers - they borrowed money from other UNIONS - to build a brand new Plumbers Union next the the Bayview Hunters Point Police Station.

We the people want to know - how many Plumbers - people of color are offered Career Jobs. The SF Plumbers Union has operated for the longest time - and is known for its blatant Racism.

It is the same with the SF Electricians Union - the SF Elevators Union - and I could name a few more - you get the picture.

In the Bayview we have hot spots - with over 40% unemployment - recently - I met  Mr. Lim - former contractor who is mentoring some Local Contractors - who shocked me by saying the Mayor Edwin M. Lee had asked him to talk to me. 

Well I am not about talking - I am about action and have offered my wisdom - and helped thousands to get good jobs - more when I worked for the Presidio of San Francisco.

Lennar Urban aka 5 Points Holdings LLP - has NOT contributed to the community since 2013 - the bring fake reports before the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure - and the Commission rubber stamps the nonsense.

I explained to Mr Kim - the process I want through the many Disposition and Development Agreements (DDA) - the many other meetings where the DDA was amended - the rogue developer that Lennar is - and that Mr. Lim should be careful dealing with the devil.

The nepotism and the favoritism prevailing in the work place today - is disgusting to say the least - makes one puke - our UNIONS are corrupt.

The Unions have been contribution millions to the politicians - that never used to be the case - today it is - and CityBuild and others involved with WorkForce - get caught up in the mix.

I worked with the SF Public Utilities Commission - created the SF Public Utilities Commission Contractors Center - truly speaking the original idea - was to address Workforce. 

The insiders decided otherwise - and chose to call it the Contractors Center and it is under utilized - time will tell.




Signs like this - got tattered and torn -
no opportunities provided -
some one has BLOOD  on their hands.

It took me four years - to bring about the fruition of the Contractors Center - at 5 Thomas Mellon Circle - now 150 Executive Park - with the help of Scott Hanks and Jae Ryu. 

At the Federal Agency - I could put in place any such center - within a month.

It is the same with the Riparian Program that we started - that has trained four or five cohorts - with the head of the Laborers' Union in San Francisco - giving us a difficult time for NO reason - putting hurdles in our way.

Harlan Kelly of the SF Public Utilities Commission - Mitch Salazar who now works for the SF Department of Works - others - had to wait for years for the first cohort to be put in place. Why?

Some of that waiting - went away when a leader - more Management - Vince Courtney from the Laborers' Union - stepped in took our idea - but made it work.

More - because he had the ear of our very corrupt Mayor Edwin M. Lee. I am NOT going to whisper sweet nothings in the ear of the Mayor Edwin M. Lee - he knows me and I know him. We even once played ping pong - right there by the Cable Car Turn Around - 5th and Powell.

Mr Lim who has worked with Contractors - been involved in the formulation of language to better Contracting Opportunities - is looking at providing small Contractors with Opportunities.

He tells me there is no money for such work - millions have been expanded and wasted by those that purport to know about Workforce but know nothing at all - YCD is one of them - Girls 2000 is another - the Western Addition have one to two - none provided opportunities for Career Jobs.

Southeast Sector Community Development Corporation - created hubs for small Contractors - got them certified - Local Business Certification - Non-Profit Certification - and got those entities that were certified - jobs - we succeeded. 

The City did not give us one single dollar for this work.

Right now workers are fired on the Hill - that is Bayview Hunters Point - Cahill Brothers who works - for the John Stewart Company - has told the Black workers - there is no more work.

CityBuild is involved in this matter - but there is NO accountability and less transparency.

CityBuild must now be transparent - its role in providing jobs - but also its role - is mediation and bringing about solutions -  at the work site.

More -where the lack of  - cultural competency and implicit bias prevalent.

It  has created situations - where Supervisors to direct the work on the job sites - have been assaulted for discriminating against  the workers - again and again - reminiscent of the Chinese Worker who built our railways and are forgotten.

The mostly Black and Latinos workers are right - why should they be  insulted again and again - by those who are White and order people around but cannot bend down and work - long hours.

At many work sites - the workers are angry - that anger has reached  saturation point -  our City and County sides with the John Stewart Company and Cahill Brother and others - why?

At the Lennar sites - sub contractor are not paid - even large companies Maguire and Hester - others - have refused to work for Lennar Urban - aka 5 Point Holdings LLP.   Who is fooling whom - time for the Mayor, Edwin M. Lee to step in and find out - why the many change orders - why the back and forth on Scope of Work that has been agreed upon.

In order to restore order on many Job Sites linked to the John Stewart Company - our SF Police Department is hired on the Job Sites - and paid - to monitor and address Safety Issues - always side with corrupt forces like the John Stewart Company - this  is NOT the right way to conduct oneself - where is the City and County of this - why allow the workers - more workers of color - to be compromised.





San Francisco Police Chief -

William Scott - it will take him some years -
to figure out those that talk the talk -
and who really can walk the walk - with the Lord.



Let the SF Police Department do their work - which they fail to do again and again - and stay away from sites filled with problems the John Stewart Company, Lennar Urban and Obayashi, and so on.

 I have met the Chief of Police one on one and told him that I will support him - as long as the the community is respected.

Now I see the SF Police Chief - with Mayor Edwin M. Lee announcing Safety Measures - against the White Supremacy Folks.

Now tell me today is August 19, 2017 and already we have had 18 killings in San Francisco - why?

Who is compromising Quality of Life issues in San Francisco.

Why so many poor people living in tents. Why so many Seniors dying on the streets of San Francisco.

Why is the Carbon Footprint on the rise - adversely impacting the health of the workers - it is about Health and Safety  - when it comes to the workers - and no one is paying attention to both - in a realistic and practical manner - why?

Few remember when Apartment Investment Management Company - in 2004 - created a mess on the Hill - that is Hunters Point. I stoped the killings and shootings.

Workers were pitied one against the other - the Blacks against the Latinos - the Latinos taken advantage off - their checks taken from them and cashed - by a rouge Carpenter Steward - Wong.

 A detail report available - but the City and County of San Francisco looked the other way - the City Attorney the then District Attorney Kamala Harris looked the other way.

I brought in the Pro Bono Lawyers - to take statements from the Latino workers - who told their stories - and all was and is happening in San Francisco.

One particular Chinese Steward Wong - belonging to the  SF Carpenters Union - taking the checks only from the Latino workers - cashing the checks - and giving back to each Latino worker - what is deemed he wanted to give.

When I heard it first - I could not believe what I was hearing - worst than the Mafia - but is was true - and we about about some solutions to the situation - thanks to the lawyers Saucedo, Hillary Ronnen, Robert Salinas - advocates Dr. Espanola Jackson and I.
Blacks were told the Latino were no good - but had the decency to listen to me - when I told them - this nonsense must STOP.

 The Mayor at that time Mayor Gavin Newsom - did not give a hoot - and CityBuild has a representative - Jessie Mason - who has since passed away - who was paid - but failed to do his job.

Josuha Arce has an opportunity to address the " rip tides " that are prevalent in this work of sorts - mixed with the worst politics -  seen in decades - many ploys, machinations, and shenanigans - disgusting to say the least.

In the final analysis - the apprentices suffer - I have taken some of them under my wing and given them jobs.

It does not help that organizations like Young Community Developers receive huge amounts of money - pretending to do Workforce - but do nothing at all. 

This sordid legacy started with Dwayne Jones - who has a desk at SF Public Utilities Commission - 550 Golden Gate - getting a fat salary -  selling out the community.

All we have to do - provided the details - that can be got - under the Freedom of Information Act  -  the millions given to  the  corrupt organizations - we want to know - how many Career Jobs have been created - not one.

These short term training - do not lead to true Career Jobs.



The people united - will never, ever be defeated.


Well Joshua Arce has his job cut out for him - we the people must be respected - we want full transparency and accountability - but most of all - we want RESPECT.

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