San Francisco Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting – October 8, 2024
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
San Francisco Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting – October 8, 2024
The Board of Supervisors held a regular meeting on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, commencing at 10:15 AM. The agenda included a special appearance by Mayor London Breed, adoption of consent items, several ordinances and resolutions, a Committee of the Whole hearing on the state of the hotel industry, and public comment. Notable actions included expanding rent control to buildings built through 1994 and urging mediation in the Clean Water Act lawsuit.
Consent Calendar
- Items 1–4 were approved unanimously (11 ayes). These included a retroactive grant acceptance of $14,000,000 from the California Jobs First Catalyst Program, zoning code amendments for the 555 9th Street Special Sign District, building code changes, and an administrative code update for the SFPUC Social Impact Partnership Program.
- Meeting minutes from September 3, 2024 were approved.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Taxi medallion crisis: Numerous taxi drivers and advocates (e.g., Mark Gruberg, Marcelo Fonseca, Renata Vimirkevich) testified about the financial hardship caused by the 2010 medallion sales program, which required drivers to pay $250,000 for medallions while Uber, Lyft, and Waymo operate without similar fees. They urged the city to provide relief or buy back the loans.
- Polyamory discrimination: Dave Dorshaw requested a law prohibiting discrimination against people in polyamorous relationships, noting that Berkeley and Oakland have passed similar protections.
- Hotel workers' strike: During the 3:00 PM special order, dozens of members of Unite Here Local 2 spoke about the ongoing strike at Hilton Union Square, Grand Hyatt Union Square, and Westin St. Francis. Workers cited unsustainable workloads, inadequate wages, and threats to union-sponsored health insurance. The strike, in its 17th day, involved 1,500 workers.
Discussion Items
- Mayor's Appearance (2:00 PM): Mayor Breed addressed the SFUSD budget crisis, announcing a city-led stabilization team to prevent a state takeover. She emphasized the need for community engagement and a balanced budget to avoid a state loan that would require interest payments and additional cuts.
- Item 15 – Rent Control Expansion: Supervisor Peskin introduced an ordinance to expand rent control to buildings constructed before June 13, 1994 (amended from the original 1979 date). After extensive debate, the board rejected a motion to continue the item (4 ayes, 7 noes) and passed the amendment (11-0). The ordinance will take effect if Proposition 33 passes or if state law changes.
- Item 22 – Clean Water Act Lawsuit: Supervisor Melgar proposed a resolution urging the city attorney and SFPUC to resolve litigation with the EPA. Supervisor Preston offered a friendly amendment to also urge the EPA to participate in mediation. The resolution passed 8-2, with Supervisors Mandelman and Dorsey dissenting. Debate centered on the risk of a conservative Supreme Court undermining the Clean Water Act versus respect for the city attorney's legal strategy.
- Item 16 – Office of Victim and Witness Rights: An ordinance to strengthen the Office of Victim and Witness Rights (OVWR) and merge the Office of Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) into it. Passed on first reading (11-0).
- Item 20 – Entertainment Zones: Ordinance establishing two entertainment zones (Mid-Market and Arena). Passed on first reading (11-0).
- Item 21 – Building Code for Gas Infrastructure: Allowed gas infrastructure in new buildings that comply with electric-ready design guidelines. Passed on first reading (11-0).
- Item 31 – Committee of the Whole: Convened a Committee of the Whole to hear about the state of the hotel industry. Approved (9 ayes, with Safai and Chan absent).
Key Outcomes
- Rent control expansion: Ordinance amended to cover buildings built through June 13, 1994, passed on first reading (11-0). Second reading scheduled for the special meeting of October 15, 2024.
- Clean Water Act resolution: Passed with amendment (8-2). The board urges both the city attorney and the EPA to mediate.
- Victim support office: Passed on first reading (11-0).
- Entertainment zones & building code: Both passed on first reading (11-0).
- Subpoenas for SF SAFE: Motion to issue subpoenas to Daniel Lawson and Tom Yeh for failing to appear at a Governmental Audit and Oversight Committee hearing passed unanimously.
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Resolution recognizing October 2024 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month passed unanimously.
- Prop 36 support resolution: Introduced by Supervisor Dorsey (to be considered at a future meeting).
- Hotel industry hearing: Filed after testimony; board members expressed support for striking workers. Supervisor Ronin announced she will introduce legislation to license and inspect hotels.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon and welcome to the Tuesday, October 8th, 2024 meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Madam Clerk, could you please call the roll? Thank you, Mr. President. Supervisor Chan. Chan present, Supervisor Dorsey. Dorsey present, Supervisor Ringardio. Engartio present, Supervisor Mandelman. Mandelman present, Supervisor Melgar. Melgar present, Supervisor Peskin. Present. Peskin present, Supervisor Preston. Preston present, Supervisor Ronin. Ronan present, Supervisor Safai. Safai present, Supervisor Stephanie. Stephanie present and Supervisor Walton. Walton present. Mr. President, all members are present. Thank you. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors acknowledges that 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 Ramatushaloni have never ceded, lost nor forgotten their responsibilities of the caretakers of this place, as well as for all people 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 nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Madam Clerk, do you have any announcements or communications? Yes, thank you, Mr. President. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors welcomes you to attend this meeting and here in the board's legislative chamber in City Hall, second floor, room 250. Or you may watch the proceeding on SFGOV TV's Channel 26 or view the live stream at WWW.sfgovtv.org. You may submit your public comment by submitting an email to BOS at sfgov.org or via U.S. Postal Service to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the number one, Dr. Carlton B. Goodlitt Place, uh City Hall, Room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. Today we are joined by our partners at OSEA and Intergraphics who will provide simultaneous and consecutive interpretation in Chinese and Spanish from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Please there will be individuals outside the doors to help gather those who might be in need of interpretation or in equipment. To make a reasonable accommodation request under the Americans with Disability Act or to request language assistance, please contact the clerk's office at least two business days in advance by calling 415-554-5184. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Madam Clerk and colleagues. And as well, I intend to entertain a motion to continue some of the items on today's agenda that are being passed on first reading to the special meeting of next week, which we will get to uh later on on today's calendar. And with that, we will go to our special order 2 p.m. Mayor's appearance before the Board of Supervisors. Welcome, Mayor Breed. There are no questions from any of the four supervisorial districts that were uh entitled to ask questions, so you have not to exceed five minutes. Thank you for joining us. Thank you, President Peskin.
openpublica.com