San Francisco Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting - June 18, 2024

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors held its regular meeting on June 18, 2024, at 9:45 AM. Eleven supervisors were present (Supervisor Mandelman absent). The meeting included approval of the consent calendar, adoption of routine ordinances, special commendations, introduction of new legislation, and a debate on a resolution supporting the Justice for Renters Act, which was continued to the following week. The meeting adjourned in memory of two individuals.

Consent Calendar

• Items 1 through 29: Routine labor agreements and memoranda of understanding with multiple unions (e.g., Teamsters, Carpenters, SEIU, etc.) were approved unanimously.
• Item 30: Ordinance to waive fees for neighborhood outdoor events organized by community-serving nonprofits, small businesses, and merchant associations – finally passed.
• Item 31: Authorization for SFPUC to issue up to $1,040,007,350 in water revenue bonds for capital projects – finally passed.
• Items 32-34: Interim budget ordinances for FY 2024-2025 and 2025-2026, and the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure budget – passed on first reading (32-33) and adopted (34).
• Item 35: Resolution authorizing a MOU with U.S. Capitol Police for supplemental law enforcement services – adopted.
• Items 36-40: Ordinances amending Administrative, Municipal Elections, Public Works, Police, and Transportation codes (cooperative purchasing, Chinese character names on ballots, ballot measure supporters/opponents, vending regulations, and entertainment zones) – passed on first reading.
• Items 41-42: Appointments to the San Francisco Health Authority (7 members) and the Children, Youth and Their Families Oversight and Advisory Committee (Aaron Yen) – approved.
• Item 43: Tenderloin retail hours restriction pilot program (2-year pilot, prohibiting retail food/tobacco sales in high crime areas from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. or 2 a.m. to 5 a.m.) – passed on first reading.
• Item 44: Downtown University Attraction and Retention Fund (financial incentives for public colleges in SoMa, Union Square, Financial District) – passed on first reading.
• Item 45: Not before the board.

Public Comments & Testimony

• A speaker criticized the censorship of a prior budget meeting and called for responsibility from the mayor.
• Chris Ward Klein urged the board to review a PowerPoint on AI and surveillance, asking for revocation of unauthorized access to systems.
• Jim Nakfey raised concerns about the whistleblower program's confidentiality, citing 192 reports in the latest quarter, and questioned whether investigations at Laguna Honda Hospital would be disclosed.

Discussion Items

• Commendations (Special Order 2:30 PM):
  • Supervisor Dorsey honored Bob Goldfarb, executive director of the Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District, for his leadership in establishing the district, producing Folsom Street Fair, and enhancing LGBTQ visibility.
  • Supervisor Mandelman recognized Imani Rupert-Gordon, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, for leading the fight against anti-LGBTQ bills and securing an injunction against Florida’s ban on transgender medical care.
  • Supervisor Ronan celebrated Esperanza Bernal, retiring director at Instituto Familiar de la Raza, for 14 years of service and her embodiment of the principles “Eres Mi Otro Yo” and “La Cultura Cura.”
  • Supervisor Walton honored Dr. Mose Thornton, a podiatric surgeon who served the Bayview Hunters Point community for 34 years at Southeast Community Health Center.
  • Supervisor Preston recognized the OCEIA Community Ambassadors Program, noting that this year ambassadors logged over 270,000 interactions, with over 20% in languages other than English, and 60% of the team being bilingual/multilingual.
• Legislation Introduced:
  • Supervisor Dorsey and Mandelman introduced “Recovery Housing First,” aiming to make at least 25% of permanent supportive housing (PSH) drug-free recovery-oriented housing, referencing that PSH residents account for 16% of overdose deaths citywide.
  • Supervisor Safai introduced a first responder student loan forgiveness fund, targeted at police, fire, sheriffs, paramedics, nurses, and 911 operators. The goal is to raise $25 million to forgive up to $25,000 per person for at least 1,000 employees.
  • Supervisor Stephanie and Ronan introduced an ordinance to establish the Office of Victim and Witness Rights (OVWR), integrating the SHARP office, following voter approval of Proposition D in June 2022.
  • Supervisor Chan reported on budget hearings, warning of a fiscal cliff in January 2025 if spending continues as proposed. She noted a $67 million savings from the Health Service Board’s decision on Medicare services and proposed that all city elected officials put 10% of their salary on reserve.
  • Supervisor Walton introduced an ordinance establishing a Reparations Fund to receive donations for implementing the San Francisco Reparations Plan, and a resolution urging the state legislature to reconsider the State Reparations Committee’s proposals (only 3 of 14 bills passed in May).
• Item 49 – Justice for Renters Act Resolution:
  • The resolution supports the California ballot measure to repeal the Costa Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which restricts local rent control. Supervisor Preston argued the measure simply allows cities to expand rent control. Supervisor Stephanie and Dorsey opposed, citing concerns that the measure’s language (preventing the state from limiting local rent control) could be used by anti-housing localities like Huntington Beach to block state housing mandates. They noted opposition from state legislators Senator Atkins and Assemblymember Wicks. Supervisor Melgar and Ronan defended the resolution, with Ronan sharing a personal story of growing up in rent control. Supervisor Walton stated that repealing Costa Hawkins has long been a priority for rent control advocates. After debate, the item was continued one week on a motion by Supervisor Preston.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes approved: May 14, 2024 board meeting minutes approved 11-0.
• Consent calendar and routine items: All passed unanimously with no objections.
• Ordinances passed on first reading: Items 32, 33, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 43, 44.
• Resolutions and motions adopted: Items 34, 35, 41, 42, and items 48-52 (except 49) adopted without committee reference.
• Item 49 continued: The resolution supporting the Justice for Renters Act was continued to the June 25, 2024 meeting.
• In Memoriam: The meeting was adjourned in memory of Wayne Williams (SFMTA employee) and Bernard Burke (lifelong San Franciscan).