San Francisco Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting (January 13, 2026)

The Board of Supervisors convened the regular meeting on January 13, 2026 (starting at 2:00 p.m.) with all 11 supervisors present. Major actions included: (1) a 2:00 p.m. special order appearance by Mayor Daniel Lurie focused on anti-human trafficking preparations tied to major sporting events, with detailed funding figures for survivor services; (2) passage of multiple consent and new-business items (grants, airport rent relief, health/housing funding, and affordable housing financing); (3) a 3:00 p.m. CEQA exemption appeal hearing regarding the Valancourt (Embarcadero) Fountain, resulting in a 10–1 vote to uphold the statutory emergency exemption; and (4) continuance of a conditional use hearing at 825 Sansom Street to February 3, 2026.

2:00 p.m. Special Order — Mayor’s Appearance (Topic by Supervisor Chen, District 11)

• Mayor Daniel Lurie announced that Vanderbilt University selected San Francisco for a full-time academic campus beginning in 2027, describing it as part of downtown revitalization and long-term investment.
• Topic: “Strategies and funding commitments to address and prevent human trafficking, especially during major large-scale sporting events.”
  • Supervisor Chen stated concern that human trafficking may increase during major events and cited that between 2024 and 2025, human trafficking in San Francisco increased by 163%.
  • Mayor Lurie described a whole-of-city, survivor-centered approach, including:
    • A public awareness campaign (including transit messaging with “if you see something, say something”).
    • Year-round training for frontline staff and industry workers, stating “several thousand” would be trained for February/Super Bowl preparations.
    • Continued support for multilingual community-based organizations (CBOs) providing legal/social services.
  • Funding and capacity (Mayor response to follow-up):
    • City maintained and increased gender-based violence services funding by $902,000, describing a $9.37 million sustained/expanded investment.
    • Noted multiple 24/7 crisis lines.
    • Referenced a housing continuum for survivors including $30 million in Prop A capital funding for long-term stable housing.
    • Introduced a $3.5 million budget supplemental (introduced “last month”) for heightened operations during large events, explicitly including funding for anti-trafficking CBO work.

Consent Calendar

• Meeting minutes approved (pending public comment) for:
  • Regular meetings: Nov 18, 2025; Dec 2, 2025; Dec 9, 2025
  • Special meeting minutes: Nov 17, 2025 (Land Use/Transportation Committee meeting constituting a quorum)
  • Vote: 11–0.
• Street vacation + zoning actions for SFFD training facility (1236 Carroll Ave):
  • Items 2–3 (Hawes/Griffith Streets and Bancroft Ave; zoning map changes including height/bulk changes such as 4-X to 90-X on specified parcels).
  • Final passage: 11–0.
• Planning Code “family as household” ordinance eliminating numeric limits on unrelated household members and related updates.
  • Final passage without objection.
• DOE prizes for home electrification pilots (Department of the Environment):
  • $400,000 prize (received Dec 12, 2023) for plan to upgrade 200 homes with heat pumps/water heaters and efficiency.
  • $400,000 prize (received Mar 17, 2025) to upgrade 20 homes.
  • Adopted without objection.
• SFO concession relief program:
  • Reduced minimum annual guarantees for 18 of 69 food & beverage leases; modified rent terms for 7 pre-security leases.
  • Adopted without objection.
• Public Health grants:
  • Approx. $6.75M (SFGH Foundation) for Jan 1, 2026–Jun 30, 2029 (Epic optimization / CQI program).
  • Approx. $1.1M (CDPH) for Jul 1, 2025–Jun 30, 2026 (Disease Intervention Specialist workforce).
  • Adopted without objection.
• Human Services Agency housing/homelessness incentive grants:
  • $268,000 (Blue Cross of CA Partnership Plan) and approx. $1.0M (SF Health Plan), both for Apr 1, 2026–Mar 31, 2030.
  • Adopted without objection.
• DPH grant agreements (DHCS / Advocates for Human Potential):
  • $21.3M anticipated revenue (includes use at 887 Petraro Ave) with expense recapture retroactive to May 6, 2025, through Jun 30, 2030.
  • $6.3M anticipated revenue (includes use at 333 7th St) with expense recapture retroactive to May 6, 2025, through Jun 30, 2030.
  • Adopted without objection.
• MOHCD operating subsidy for 100% affordable housing (78 H St / 120 Octavia):
  • Approx. $15.3M for a 20-year term; retroactive start Oct 1, 2025.
  • Adopted without objection.
• 967 Mission (100% affordable senior housing, 95 units):
  • Revenue notes totaling approx. $41.7M (notes $21.7M + $20.0M).
  • Ground lease: 75-year term + 124-year option; annual base rent $15,000.
  • Loan agreement: $44.3M, 57-year loan term.
  • Operating subsidy grant: $10.5M, 15-year term.
  • Included unit targeting details noted in the record (e.g., 40 senior operating subsidy units, 24 LOSP units reserved for homeless seniors/seniors at risk, and 5 referral units).
  • Adopted without objection.

Discussion Items

• A&A Health Service, Inc. contract amendment (rehabilitative board and care residential services):
  • Extended term by 3 years through Jun 30, 2029 (overall term stated as Jul 1, 2024–Jun 30, 2029).
  • Increased funding by approx. $23M to a new total of $32.6M.
  • Vote: 11–0.
• Inclusionary Housing Technical Advisory Committee appointments:
  • Appointed Sakai Bailey (residency requirement waived) and Tiffany Bohi for unlimited terms.
  • Approved without objection.
• Committee Report (Rules Committee) — City Administrator confirmation:
  • Confirmed mayoral reappointment of Carmen Chu as City Administrator for a five-year term.
  • Approved without objection.

2:30 p.m. Special Order — Recognitions & Commendations

• Supervisor Sauter (District 3) honored Denise Fielder, San Francisco artist and creator of the U.S. Postal Service “Holiday Cheer” stamp series.
  • Denise Fielder stated her stamps were inspired by San Francisco farmers markets and expressed appreciation for the city’s influence on artists.
• Supervisor Mahmoud (District 5) honored Olivia Scanlon for over two decades of city service (began 2003), including work at the Board of Supervisors, SFFD (Chief of Staff 2015–2023), and Department of Emergency Management (DEM).
  • Multiple supervisors emphasized her role in crisis communications and emergency response.
  • DEM Director Mary Ellen Carroll described sustained holiday-period emergency work (including working from the Saturday before Christmas through Christmas Day) and highlighted the burden on working families.
  • Olivia Scanlon stated she was “still here” and “not going anywhere.”
• President Mandelman (District 8) honored Moses Corrett on retirement after 26 years of service (Planning Department and Board of Supervisors), including historic preservation work and LGBTQ historic documentation.
  • Noted he reviewed more than 10,000 applications with an aggregated estimated permit value of more than $855 million.

3:00 p.m. Special Order — CEQA Appeal Hearing: Valancourt (Embarcadero) Fountain Removal to Storage

• Subject: Appeal of Planning Department’s statutory emergency exemption (CEQA Guidelines §15269) issued Oct 31, 2025 for Recreation and Park Department (RPD) project to disassemble and remove Armand Vaillancourt’s Embarcadero Fountain to storage.
• Appellants / Support for appeal:
  • Jack McCarthy (with Docomomo Northern California) argued there was no true emergency, describing the condition as the result of long-term deferred maintenance and urging full CEQA review.
  • Susan Brandt-Hawley (CEQA attorney) argued the exemption must be narrowly construed; claimed removal is part of the broader Embarcadero Plaza/Sue Bierman Park renovation (arguing impermissible “segmentation”/piecemealing and pre-commitment).
  • Public commenters supporting the appeal (including San Francisco Heritage) argued the “emergency” was pretextual and advocated for preservation and public process.
• Planning Department presentation:
  • Senior Planner Kay Zushi stated the removal to storage was to address an immediate public safety risk and enable further investigation of structural integrity and hazardous materials.
  • Cited reports/letters including: DCI report (May 19, 2025), DBI letter (Oct 27, 2025), Page & Turnbull report (Jun 2, 2025).
  • Described severe structural deficiencies including cracked concrete, corrosion of embedded steel, failed/missing structural elements, and a partial failure condition involving an approx. 10-ton arm bearing on another.
  • Planning argued exemption was properly supported by substantial evidence; origin of hazard was “immaterial” to exemption; and removal had “independent utility” (not impermissible piecemealing).
• Project sponsor (Arts Commission + RPD):
  • Mary Chu (SF Arts Commission) stated the Arts Commission approved removal/storage on Nov 3, 2025 as an emergency safety measure, with storage enabling later options (restore/repair/relocate/repurpose, etc.).
  • RPD Project Manager Ioana Harrison Goodwin described the fountain’s scale and risks:
    • Arms designed to pump approx. 30,000 gallons per minute.
    • Arms weigh roughly 10 tons each; total structure about 710 tons.
    • Non-destructive testing indicated as-built conditions differ from drawings (missing rebar; at least one missing post-tensioning rod), with one arm’s capacity reduced by approx. 25%.
    • Location on unconsolidated fill/bay mud increases seismic/liquefaction risk.
    • Public intrusion continued despite fencing (including reports of people entering/sleeping inside).
  • Cost/time details (in Q&A):
    • Planned removal timeframe: mid-February (after a stated 90-day notification requirement to the artist).
    • Removal/disassembly/storage process: approx. 2 months.
    • Storage duration: up to 3 years.
    • Estimated disassembly/removal/storage cost: approx. $4.4 million.
    • RPD stated project funds would come from the broader Embarcadero Plaza project funding (including 2024 bond dollars and private partnership funding with the Downtown Partnership and BXP).
    • RPD estimated historic annual maintenance costs (rec park side) roughly $50,000–$100,000 (varying by year).
    • RPD stated restoration to original function was estimated at approx. $29 million.
• Public comment opposing the appeal (supporting removal/storage):
  • Speakers including residents/representatives of the Barbary Coast Neighborhood Association and Gateway Tenants Association supported removal due to safety concerns, cost, and facilitating park renovation.
  • BXP security representative described nearly 500 incident reports over ~15 years involving safety/security issues near the fountain.
• Board deliberation and vote:
  • Motion by Supervisor Sauter to affirm Planning’s exemption determination (Item 21) and table reversal-related motions (Items 22–23).
  • Vote: 10–1 (No: Supervisor Fielder).

3:00 p.m. Special Order (Second) — 825 Sansom Street Conditional Use (Items 24–27)

• Proposed change of use for a parking garage to include private fleet charging, public EV charging, and modified parking uses.
• Action: Continued by motion to February 3, 2026 (with parties’ agreement). Public comment taken on continuance; continued without objection.

Public Comments & Testimony (General)

• Speakers addressed:
  • Mayor’s human trafficking discussion (including a commenter disputing framing and raising other allegations).
  • Immigration enforcement concerns, sanctuary policy, and opposition to ICE actions.
  • Great Highway/Upper Great Highway issues (multiple speakers urged support for Supervisor Wong’s ballot measure; one cited traffic increases since March 2025: Sunset Blvd +31%, Lincoln Way +49%, MLK Drive westbound +20%, and cited spending of approx. $1.98 million on the park conversion).
  • Tree removal and the importance of appeal rights (Rincon Point Neighbors referenced an email about proposed removal of seven trees on eastern Howard Street).
  • A housing/landlord-tenant dispute complaint.

Key Outcomes

• Mayor’s appearance: Board heard anti-trafficking strategies and funding levels tied to major events; no vote.
• Minutes: Approved 11–0.
• Legislation/Resolutions adopted largely without objection, including significant grant acceptances and housing financing.
• Valancourt Fountain CEQA appeal: Planning Department’s emergency statutory exemption upheld; Item 21 approved and Items 22–23 tabled by 10–1 vote.
• 825 Sansom conditional use hearing: Continued to Feb 3, 2026.
• In memoriam adjournments: Meeting adjourned in memory of Renee Nicole Good (killed Jan 7, 2026, age 37) and Bob Weir (died Jan 10, age 78), on behalf of the full Board.