San Francisco Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting - October 31, 2023
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San Francisco Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting - October 31, 2023
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors held its regular meeting on Tuesday, October 31, 2023 (Halloween). The meeting included a consent agenda covering routine settlements and administrative items, several legislative items on the regular agenda, committee reports, and introductions of new business. Notably, the board honored Dr. Gina Fromer for her decades of community service, and debated public safety issues including police staffing and behavioral health workforce vacancies.
Consent Calendar
- Approved minutes of September 26, 2023 board meeting.
- Adopted items 1–8, including settlements: Katy Sullivan ($207,500), Adam Smith et al. ($130,401.66), Macquarie Holdings ($252,526.71), Bank of New York Mellon ($1,355,943.09), PFP Holdings ($1,039,237.26).
- Approved administrative code changes for Library Laureate Programs, Assessment Appeals Board remote hearings, and Graffiti Advisory Board.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Several members of the public spoke on a range of issues:
- Jordan (disabled trans activist) criticized city employees for misgendering, called for firings, and opposed Supervisor Mandelman's charter reform, advocating for a council-manager system and elected controller.
- Leah McGeever (D6 resident) expressed concern about transphobic harassment in San Francisco, noting attacks on trans activists and calling for greater protection.
- Jay Connor B. Ortega (co-president of Iconic D3) criticized the board for unclean streets and homeless encampments, urged treatment over drug dens, and warned of ballot initiatives to restructure city government.
- Dmitry Yakushkin (D8 resident) argued that police force size has no statistically significant effect on crime, citing a systematic review of 62 studies, and urged investment in behavioral health instead.
- Other speakers addressed personal safety, charter reform, and CDC quarantine stations.
Discussion Items
- Item 9 (Nighttime Entertainment in Castro NCD): Ordinance to allow nighttime entertainment with conditional use authorization on second floors in the Castro Street Neighborhood Commercial District. Passed 9–1, with Supervisor Peskin dissenting.
- Item 10 (Cash Revolving Funds): Removed authorization for certain city departments and reduced the Port's fund. Passed 10–0.
- Item 11 (YMCA Truancy Program Grant): Retroactively approved a $5,390,219 not-to-exceed grant increase and one-year extension (July 1, 2013–June 30, 2024). Adopted.
- Item 12 (Water Main Break Emergency): Declared emergency for repairs on Fillmore and Green streets, cost not to exceed $5,000,000. Adopted.
- Item 13 (Harvey Milk Plaza Gift): Accepted design documents valued at approximately $1,275,000 from Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza. Adopted.
- Items 14-15 (Mission Rock Special Tax Bonds): Authorized issuance of up to $58,335,000 in special tax bonds and related pledge agreements for Mission Rock infrastructure. Adopted.
- Item 16 (Japanese Community Youth Council Grant): Supervisor Chan explained the item was voted out of committee without recommendation due to data tracking discrepancies between DCYF, OEWD, and the Human Rights Commission. He noted an audit by the controller and a new RFP for 2024, but urged approval. Adopted same house, same call.
- Item 17 (Twilio Settlement): Authorized $18,000,000 settlement for a tax refund lawsuit covering periods 2009–2018. Passed on first reading.
- Items 18-19 (Charter Amendments): Both items (SFMTA budget mayor approval, Department of Emergency Management) were continued one week.
- Item 22 (Foot and Bike Patrol Strategy): Supervisor Safai presented the ordinance, requiring the police chief to adopt a foot and bike patrol strategy by January 1, 2024, with annual reports. He argued it would build community trust and improve morale. Passed on first reading.
Key Outcomes
- Votes: Item 9 passed 9-1; Items 10, 22, and consent items passed unanimously; Items 11-16 adopted without recorded dissent.
- Police Staffing Debate: Supervisor Dorsey submitted a drafting request for a police full staffing fund and reappropriation of $8.4 million this fiscal year, emphasizing urgency. Supervisor Ronan countered by introducing a resolution for an emergency hiring plan for behavioral health workers, noting 144 vacancies at DPH and zero investment compared to $149 million for SFPD since 2022.
- Charter Reform: Supervisor Mandelman outlined a six-point charter reform package for potential 2024 ballot: repealing deputy mayor prohibition, allowing mayor to fire department heads, giving mayor veto over board appointments to commissions, ending board-initiated ordinances to voters, streamlining commissions, and expanding emergency declaration powers to address homelessness and overdoses.
- Commendation: The board recognized Dr. Gina Fromer for her leadership at Children's Council, prior roles at YMCA ($8.5M raised for Bayview Y), Trust for Public Land, and her new position as CEO of Glide. Multiple supervisors praised her impact on child care and community.
- For Adoption Without Committee: Item 25, urging the Department of Elections to report on implementation of Assembly Bill No. 57 for 2024 elections, was adopted unanimously.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned in memory of Jose Orlando Salazar on behalf of Supervisor Safai.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon and welcome to the Tuesday Halloween October 31, 2023 Board of Supervisors meeting. Madam Clerk, could you please call the roll? Thank you, Mr. President. Supervisor Chan. Chan present, Supervisor Dorsey. Dorsey present, Supervisor Ringardio. Engario present, Supervisor Mandelman. Mandelman present, Supervisor Melgar. Melgar present, Supervisor Peskin. Present. Peskin present, Supervisor Preston. Preston not present, Supervisor Ronan. Ronan present, Supervisor Safayi. Safaye present, Supervisor Stephanie. Stephanie present and Supervisor Walton. Walton present. Mr. President, you have a quorum. Thank you, Madam Clerk. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors acknowledges we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramatushalone, who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula. As the indigenous stewards of this land and in accordance with their traditions, the Ramatush Alone have never ceded, lost, nor forgotten their responsibilities as the caretakers of this place, as well as for all peoples who reside in their traditional territory. As guests, we recognize that we benefit from living and working on their traditional homeland. We wish to pay our respects by acknowledging the ancestors, elders, and relatives of the Ramatushalone community and by affirming their sovereign rights as first peoples. Colleagues, please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One motion under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Seconded by Supervisor Walton, and we will take that without objection. Supervisor Preston is excused. Madam Clerk, do you have any communications? Yes, Mr. President. The Board of Supervisors welcomes the public to attend this meeting in person in the legislative chamber in City Hall. Second floor, room 250. This meeting is airing live on SFGOV TV's Channel 26, or you may view the live stream at WWW.sfgovtv.org. Alternately, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. Email your comments to BOS at SFgov.org. If you do submit public comment via email, it will be forwarded to the members and included as part of the official file. You may also send written comments via the U.S. Postal Service to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the number one, Dr. Carlton, Capital B period, Goodlit Place, City Hall, Room 244 in San Francisco, California, 94102. If you need to request a reasonable accommodation under the ADA, contact the clerk's office at 415-554-5184. Our office did not receive a request for language interpretation, therefore we do not have interpreters at today's meeting. As a reminder, if you do anticipate a future need for language interpretation, please give the clerk's office a phone call at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting, pursuant to the administrative code, section 91.7, and call 415-554-5184. Thank you, members. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Colleagues, can we have a motion to approve the board meeting minutes of September 26th? Motion made by Supervisor Mandelman, seconded by Supervisor Walton.
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