San Francisco Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting – January 14, 2025

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors held a regular meeting on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 10:15 AM. The meeting covered unfinished business, roll call for introductions of new legislation, public comment on a range of community issues, and a special order Committee of the Whole to urgently accept and expend over $132 million in federal grants before a change in federal administration. The board approved minutes from prior meetings, advanced a key housing project at 30 Van Ness Avenue, and processed a large omnibus grant package with several amendments.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Meeting Minutes: Minutes from November 19, 2024, December 3, 2024, and December 10, 2024 were approved unanimously (11-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Safeway Closure (Fillmore): Numerous speakers from the Fillmore, Western Addition, Japan Town, and Hayes Valley neighborhoods described the impending closure of the Fillmore Safeway as a state of emergency. They demanded a hearing, raised concerns about a resulting food desert for seniors and working families, and called for community involvement in any redevelopment of the site. Many speakers invoked the history of the Fillmore redevelopment and asked for reparative action.
• Other Community Issues: Speakers also addressed the need for funding for the Special Police Officers Association (SPOA) training center at 1807 Folsom Street, with several ex-felons describing how the program helped them avoid recidivism. Other comments touched on the Great Highway closure, taxi driver struggles, and general concerns about homelessness and drug use.

Discussion Items

Unfinished Business – 30 Van Ness Avenue Special Use District (Item 1)

• Supervisor Dorsey introduced amendments to align the project with the city’s TAC guidelines for impact fee reductions, including a credit for fees already paid. Supervisor Melgar seconded the motion, noting the project is a stalled “hole in the ground” at Market and Van Ness and that the community benefits should be preserved.
• The amendments were deemed non-substantive and did not require additional public comment. The board voted 11-0 to adopt the amendments and then passed the ordinance on first reading as amended.

Roll Call for Introductions

• Supervisor Chen: Introduced a resolution celebrating 2025 as Year of the Snake for Lunar New Year.
• Supervisor Dorsey: Announced co-sponsorship of Mayor Lurie’s fentanyl emergency legislation, calling fentanyl “deadlier than anything we have seen since the darkest days of the AIDS crisis.”
• Supervisor Fielder: Introduced a resolution reaffirming San Francisco’s sanctuary ordinance, citing community anxiety over promised mass deportations.
• Supervisor Mahmood: Co-sponsored the fentanyl emergency ordinance and called for a hearing on the Fillmore Safeway closure, reporting that produce and meat are no longer being ordered and pharmacy services end February 7.
• Supervisor Melgar: Prioritized housing element compliance, co-op housing legislation, saving Muni service, and universal child care; requested a planning code change to help fill large commercial vacancies after multiple Walgreens closures.
• Supervisor Sauter: Requested a hearing on trash can policy and clean streets, noting the city has 1,500 fewer trash cans than 15 years ago.
• Supervisor Sherrill: Requested a hearing on the “First Year Free” fee waiver program for small businesses (set to expire July 1) to explore making it permanent.
• Supervisor Walton: Expressed caution on the mayor’s fentanyl proposal, stating supporting it without a specific plan is “premature.”

Special Order 3:00 PM – Committee of the Whole (Federal Grant Package)

• The board convened as a Committee of the Whole to consider 15 grants totaling more than $132 million from various federal agencies. Six city departments presented: Environment, Port, Public Works, Public Health, Recreation and Parks, and Human Services.
• Key grants include: $55.3 million for a zero-emission ferry network (Port), $20 million for Bayview Connections road and transit improvements (Public Works), $20 million for building performance standards (Environment), $15 million for EV charging (Environment), $1.6 million for overdose fatality review (Public Health), and $832,804 for refugee support services (Human Services).
• Supervisor Chan moved to send Item 10 (Visitation Avenue safety project, $750,000 state grant) back to the Budget and Finance Committee because it is a state, not federal, grant; the motion was seconded by Fielder and passed without objection.
• All other items were amended to reflect fiscal impact determinations, clarify grant agreements, and ensure any new positions created are subject to future salary ordinance approval. The amendments were approved unanimously, and the resolutions were adopted as amended.

Key Outcomes

• 30 Van Ness Ordinance: Passed on first reading (11-0) after amendments to align impact fees with current guidelines and provide credit for fees already paid.
• Fentanyl Emergency Legislation: Multiple supervisors co-sponsored Mayor Lurie’s ordinance; the board will consider it after committee review.
• SafeWay Closure Hearing: Supervisor Mahmood will hold a hearing in Land Use and Transportation Committee to examine the Fillmore Safeway closure and community impacts.
• Federal Grant Package: 14 of 15 grant resolutions were adopted, with one (Item 10) referred to committee. All adopted grants are placed on Board of Supervisors reserve until Budget and Finance Committee reviews and releases funds, preserving oversight.
• Other Referrals: Hearing requests on trash cans, “First Year Free” program, and commercial vacancy planning code changes were introduced and will be scheduled for committee hearings.
• Meeting Adjourned: The meeting was adjourned in memory of Colonel Pete Glykenhouse.