San Francisco Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting – April 29, 2025

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors held its regular meeting on April 29, 2025, at 10:15 AM. The meeting began with a roll call (all 11 members present), a land acknowledgement, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The board approved the March 25, 2025 meeting minutes, adopted the consent agenda, and considered a range of routine and high-profile items, including a contentious housing notice ordinance, a massive lease and tenant improvement package, and multiple appeals concerning a proposed project at 1310 Junipero Serra Boulevard. The meeting also featured commendations for community members, public comment, and a closed session.

Consent Calendar

• Items 1–6 (Settlements: Chau Nancy Xiong – $285,000; Jenny Ramirez Valdivia – $75,000; San Francisco Apartment Association et al. – $135,000; Planning Code amendments for 3250 19th Avenue Special Sign District and removal of conditional use for formula retail on Van Ness Avenue; Administrative Code – Content and Data Subscriptions) were adopted unanimously (11–0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• St. Thomas More School representatives (principal, attorney) asked for a continuance of the 1310 Junipero Serra Boulevard appeals to allow more time for negotiations with the golf club. The board later continued those hearings to May 13, 2025.
• Paulette Brown (mother of unsolved homicide victim) spoke in support of Supervisor Dorsey’s proposed Homicide Reward Fund reforms, noting that tipsters fear coming forward and that the current reward structure has never paid out.
• Multiple speakers (including representatives from the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, Walk SF, and community members) urged the board to fully fund Vision Zero and safe street infrastructure, citing 200 traffic deaths over five years and $2.5 billion in costs.
• Dozens of speakers (including representatives from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Muslim community leaders, and youth) spoke in support of recognizing April as American Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month (Item 47), emphasizing the need to combat anti-Muslim bias and highlight contributions.
• Several home care workers (from the Home Bridge program) requested additional funding for wages, stating they are essential yet underpaid.
• Other speakers addressed the Chinese Railroad Workers Day resolution, library privacy, and veterans’ disability issues.

Discussion Items

• Unfinished Business – Item 7 (Planning Code – Notice for Housing Element Rezoning): Passed 8–3 (Supervisors Dorsey, Mahmoud, and Melgar voting no) after a roll call vote. The ordinance requires notice of rezoning intended to comply with housing element law.
• New Business Items 8–42: Most were adopted without objection or on a single roll call. Key items included:
  • Item 8: Appropriation of $8.5 million from revenue surplus and $11.8 million for tenant improvements at 1455 Market Street for the Human Services Agency (passed 11–0).
  • Item 9: Lease amendment with Hudson 1455 Market LLC for 226,000 rentable square feet, initial year base rent ~$1.9 million, not to exceed $15.5 million for tenant improvements (adopted).
  • Item 10: Retroactive lease of Adante Hotel (610 Geary Street) for non-congregate shelter (93 units, $1.48 million annual base rent, one-year term with option) (adopted).
  • Items 12–24: Various grants, contracts, and designations (e.g., $7 million PRO Housing grant, $66.2 million FAA airport grant, $1.07 million scrap metal contract, $30 million and $85 million insurance brokerage contracts, acceptance of a Rivian R1S from Mayor Daniel Lurie valued at $134,106, and HUD grants for ESG, CDBG, HOPWA, and HOME programs) – all adopted.
  • Item 25: Planning Code amendment eliminating 200-foot buffer for nighttime entertainment in Western SoMa (passed on first reading).
  • Item 26: Existing Building Code amendment requiring inventory of seismically vulnerable concrete buildings and voluntary retrofit standards (passed on first reading).
  • Item 27: Sunset Chinese Cultural District’s Cultural, History, Housing, and Economic Sustainability Strategy Report (adopted).
  • Item 28: Declaration of 772 Pacific Avenue as exempt surplus land for 100% affordable housing (adopted).
  • Item 29: Administrative Code amendment creating Valencia Street, Ellis Street, and Yerba Buena Lane entertainment zones (passed on first reading).
  • Item 30: Annual Surveillance Report from 23 city departments (adopted).
  • Item 31: Appointments to Commission of Animal Control and Welfare (6 members, approved).
  • Items 32–33: Reappointments of Supervisors Mandelman and Dorsey to the Association of Bay Area Governments Executive Board (approved after excusing the members).
• Committee Report – Item 42 (Mission Rock Housing Plan Amendments): Approved reduction of minimum inclusionary affordable housing percentage per phase at Seawall Lot 337 (passed 11–0).
• Special Order 2:30 PM – Commendations: The board recognized multiple individuals and groups:
  • Mark Selby and Angelica Medina Selby (District 7) for 15+ years of volunteer litter cleanup in parks and streets.
  • La Mea (owner of Temos Cafe, District 9) for creating a community space bridging Palestinian and Latino cultures.
  • Late Lt. Col. Robert Powell (posthumous, District 4) for 28 years as JROTC instructor at Lincoln High School.
  • Lincoln High School Mock Trial Team (city champions) and Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team (fourth consecutive section championship).
  • Ghazi Shami (CEO of Empire, District 5) for building a global independent record label in San Francisco, honoring Arab American Heritage Month.
  • Saeed and Hisham Basisu (owners of Buffalo Whole Foods and Noe Hill Market, District 8) for operating neighborhood corner stores and continuing their father’s legacy.
• Special Order 3:00 PM – Appeals (Items 34–41): The board held hearings on the categorical exemption and conditional use authorization for the 1310 Junipero Serra Boulevard project (demolition of nine structures and construction of a 20,000 sq. ft. maintenance building). After public comment, the board voted to continue both hearings to May 13, 2025, without objection.
• Roll Call for Introductions: Supervisors introduced new business:
  • Supervisor Dorsey: Legislation to reform the Homicide Reward Fund (allow rewards upon filing charges, not just conviction; enable anonymous tipsters; end automatic disqualification for prior criminal history).
  • Supervisor Fielder: Resolution supporting Assembly Bill 670 (counting preservation of affordable housing toward regional housing targets).
  • Supervisor Mandelman: Hearing request on SFMTA’s EV curbside charging feasibility study and public charging path.
  • Supervisor Melgar: Hearing request on the BLA report on traffic crash costs and Vision Zero funding.
  • Supervisor Sauter: Resolution approving port commission lease for 340 Jefferson Street (future Salvadorian restaurant Chasca Rio).
  • Supervisor Cheryl: Resolution supporting Assembly Bill 1181 (banning PFAS in firefighter turnout gear by 2027).
  • Supervisor Walton: Added as co-sponsor to Item 49.
  • Supervisor Chan: Resolution declaring Public Works Week in San Francisco.
  • Supervisor Chen: Adjourned meeting in memory of Antoinette Jamil.

Key Outcomes

• Approved (unanimous unless noted):
  • Consent Agenda items 1–6 (11–0).
  • Item 7 (Housing Element Rezoning Notice) passed 8–3 (Dorsey, Mahmoud, Melgar opposed).
  • All new business items 8–42 (most on voice vote or 11–0).
  • Committee report Item 42 (Mission Rock housing plan) 11–0.
  • Commendations and appointments (Items 31–33) approved.
  • Items 46, 48, 49, 51, 52 (for adoption without committee) adopted 11–0.
  • Item 47 (American Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month) adopted after being severed, with Supervisor Melgar added as co-sponsor.
  • Item 50 (Parkinson’s Awareness Month) adopted with an amendment (added “not” to diagnosis clause).
• Continued: Appeals at 1310 Junipero Serra Boulevard (Items 34–41) were continued to May 13, 2025, after public comment and a motion by Supervisor Melgar (seconded by Walton).
• Closed Session: Board convened for existing litigation; no action taken; public disclosure of deliberations was declined.
• Next Steps: The May 13, 2025 meeting will reconvene the 1310 Junipero Serra Boulevard hearings. The Board will also hold hearings on EV curbside charging (June 2, 2025) and street safety (date TBD).