Daly City Small Business Commission hears laundromat owner's plea over three‑year closure; staff to follow up

A Daly City laundromat owner told the Small Business Commission on Nov. 13 that construction at Saint Francis Square has kept her business closed for nearly three years and asked the city for help securing lease relief or compensation.

"We have been closed for almost 3 years now," Dodi Tito said, adding that her lease runs through 2026 and that she has been unable to remove or service machines inside the property. Tito said attempts to get keys and clear the space have been unsuccessful and that she is concerned about damage and sanitation, including rodents inside the closed premises.

City staff recommended the owner review the specific protections in her lease and referred Tito to staff for follow-up. "I would definitely recommend, like, referring to the lease agreement specifically around the protections that are there for that," a staff member said during the exchange. The commission asked staff to capture follow-ups and return with a summary and recommended next steps.

The meeting, framed as the commission's second annual Small Business Engagement Day, also included brief business spotlights. Nate Ortiz and a colleague from 13 Gallons described building a screen‑printing and embroidery business over the past five years with support from city contracts and local events. Ortiz said the firm's main constraints are space and access to grant funding. "We need more space," Ortiz said, noting the business has grown and would benefit from warehouse or larger work space and easier access to grant opportunities other nearby jurisdictions seem to obtain.

Katrina Gray and Hans Keller announced they recently took over management of a City Heights facility and said seven commercial spaces were available for rent; the largest unit is about 5,000 square feet and others are in the 1,600–1,800 square‑foot range. "We have 7 spots available for rent," Gray said, inviting interested businesses to follow up.

Dr. Elaine Stagascia, who identified her practice as LECA Acupuncture and Wellness, introduced herself as a new Daly City business and announced a free Veterans Day community acupuncture event this Saturday at Shift Movement in Westlake. "The event is free," she said, and encouraged veterans and active‑duty service members to attend.

Commissioners closed public comment after the scheduled speakers and said staff would better communicate available grant programs and consolidate the night's input. The commission approved the previous meeting's minutes by voice vote earlier in the meeting. Commissioners adjourned after a brief announcement about a Thanksgiving morning wellness walk and food drive organized by the Everyday People Movement Club to benefit a new pantry effort associated with Kapa Community Cafe.

Maybelle (staff) was assigned to follow up with Tito and other business owners who raised space or lease issues; commissioners said they expected staff to return with a summary of findings and recommended next steps at a future meeting.