pages: CommissiononPersonswithDisabilities/2018-05-09.pdf, 9
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CommissiononPersonswithDisabilities | 2018-05-09 | 9 | COMMISSION ON DISABILITY MEETING MUTES OF Wednesday May 9, 2018 6:30 p.m. Alex Ghenis: And then also individual and community preparation. We were talking about bands on porches for block parties and things like that. This is actually not related per se, but the fact that during natural disasters and extreme weather, if people are isolated or the city doesn't have and probably doesn't want to have, because of privacy invasion issues, a list of people with disabilities to go after, that having community networks, communication, assistance, responsiveness, and really kind of closeness, so that we don't abandon people in times of strife, is important. So in terms of drought, water shortages, and crop stress, this is something that the entire East Bay is concerned about. In California, we rely on the snowpack for our water, and that is turning more and more into rain. And our reservoirs can't necessarily hold it in the way that it's going to be coming down. Alex Ghenis: Alameda and the entire East Bay Municipal Utilities District are concerned about water shortages. It's something that the city cares about, and it could potentially be a pricing and access issue, especially during extreme times of drought, if some people can afford bottled water and other people can't. Again, that economic issue of people with disabilities comes up. Community food programs, in ensuring that people can afford food is also really important. Alex Ghenis: So sea level rise, Alameda is focused on strengthening and raising levees and sea walls around the island. This is something that encroachment of the ocean isn't really anticipated to happen for another at least probably 20 years or so, but king tide flooding and the rest will be an issue moving forward, especially if emissions go on kind of unabated. And then finally, housing and buildings, either reinforcing them, kind of getting them up on stilts to deal with the really heavy flooding issues or simply relocating communities and doing some managed movement and retreat. And certain parts of the island will get hit more than others or are economically easier to say, this is an area that we're going to deprioritize. So that's something for the commission and certainly long- term city planning is aware of. Alex Ghenis: So there are existing efforts that are very relevant to Alameda. There's the Adapting to Rising Tides Bay Area consortium of different government agencies and non profits that has a good focus on underrepresented and vulnerable populations. I've been a part of that, and they are aware of the needs of people with disabilities, but they're looking at what's going to happen in the bay as oceans rise over time. What parts are vulnerable and then how do we either build up natural or artificial barriers to protect our communities from that. The city of Alameda is doing the climate resilience plan. California Department of Public Health has an Office of Health Equity that is very passionate about climate change in health equity and we've been one of their main partners in terms of including disability into that discussion. And the California Office of Emergency Services also has a Office of Access and Functional Needs. A gentleman, Vance Taylor, is the head of that, and he's incredibly involved all across the state. And there are national partners as well that are really passionate about that issue specifically, especially in the face of the unprecedented number of natural disasters that happen across the US, in Puerto Rico, and other incorporated islands. Alex Ghenis: So what to do in Alameda? I say that this cycle is research, analyze, educate, and implement. So research first is understand, and this can be the commission. I also will say, the World Institute on Disability would love to be a partner with the city in any of these efforts, especially as we've already connected with organizations nationally and state wide and really want to help the city implement these plans. So identify key stakeholders in terms of disability agencies, 05/30/18 Page 9 of 32 | CommissiononPersonswithDisabilities/2018-05-09.pdf |