San Francisco Board of Supervisors: Defund Baker Places—Now!

Dear Member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors:

Because the Baker Board of Directors on June 15, 2016 at their meeting supported its executive director Jonathan Vernick after hearing public testimony of his constant lying, abuse towards clients and employees, and theft of public funds, I am advocating for the defunding of Baker Places, Incorporated. Below are some supporting points; please note that references to posts can be found at www.defundbakerplaces.blogspot.com.

 

• Jonathan Vernick had 10 clients removed from a Baker-owed property at 54-56 Francis Street (which had been donated to it for housing populations such as those who are HIV+) to pay back taxes to the IRS of $825,000. (Source: IRS 990 form, 2013). Note: This constitutes theft of public funds.

 

• The Baker Board has been informed about Venick’s criminal activities since April 2015 (registered letter sent to Nick Lederer, chair of the board) and has failed to act. In addition, they heard public testimony on June 15, 2016 about his abuse towards clients. Presently, I am charging the following individuals for “crimes against humanity” for supporting Jonathan Vernick’s abuse over the past 25 years: Nick Lederer, Corey Busch, Jonathan Vernick, Jo Ruffin and Michael Harrington.
   

 

• Baker Places lost $3.4 million over the past ten years according to the IRS 990 forms (see: May 7, 2016 post). Also, according to a 2008 audit conducted by Ben Rosenfield of the Controller’s office, Baker has mismanaged funds (see summary of audit at  www.sfcontroller.org, page 3; click on “find a report” and scroll down to the 2008 report).  
   
• According to the audit, page 10, Baker Places had to “sell a parcel of property to alleviate some cash flow problems” This is a comingling of buildings donated to Baker with its estimated $100 million real estate holdings.
   

The Board of Supervisors will need to have an overseer administer the City-donated property (one source which has donated property to Baker is the Mayor’s Office of Housing) since it’s unclear which properties are owned by Baker and which ones are government owned. An example of such a property is Odyssey House which is worth an estimated $2 million to $6 million (which is a government-owned property). In addition, nearly all the rental property is owned by Pablo Tisker of Bernstein Realty and thus the overseer will have to work with him in seeing the rent is paid for these apartments.

Thank you for your kind attention. I will be posting this letter on my blog and in public as readers will be asked to contact you at www.sfbos.org.