Tue, May 19, 2026·San Francisco, California·Board of Supervisors

San Francisco Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting - May 19, 2026

Discussion Breakdown

Community Engagement22%
Public Comment13%
Procedural12%
Miscellaneous11%
Engineering And Infrastructure11%
Public Health9%
Affordable Housing5%
Budget and Finance3%
Early Childhood Education3%
Charter Amendments3%
Parks and Recreation2%
Public Safety1%
Economic Development1%
Cultural Districts1%
Historic Preservation1%
Fair Chance Ordinance1%
Personnel Matters1%

Summary

San Francisco Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting - May 19, 2026

The Board of Supervisors convened on May 19, 2026, for a regular meeting covering unfinished business, new legislation introductions, public hearings, and commendations. Key actions included passage of a hate crime reward fund (first reading), introduction of major charter amendments and housing reforms, and approval of delinquent code enforcement liens. The meeting also featured extensive public comment on HIV services funding, fire safety infrastructure, and a community center lease.

Consent Calendar

  • Item 1 (Ordinance) – Appropriated ~$8.7M in fire department overtime and other funds; passed 10–0.
  • Item 2 (Ordinance) – Deappropriated $2.5M for zoo loan; adopted without objection.
  • Item 4 (Ordinance) – Created downtown hospitality zone; passed 10–0.
  • Items 5 & 6 (Resolutions) – Designated newspapers for official advertising; adopted without objection.
  • Item 7 (Resolution) – Authorized $8.5M loan to SF Zoological Society; adopted without objection.
  • Item 8 (Resolution) – Approved agreement for Hunters Point Shipyard parks maintenance; adopted without objection.
  • Item 9 (Resolution) – Approved lease with Aresetta Co. for flight operations; adopted without objection.
  • Item 11 (Resolution) – Approved list of road maintenance projects; passed 10–0.
  • Item 12 (Resolution) – Declared intention to renew downtown community benefit district; adopted without objection.
  • Item 13 (Ordinance) – Established hate crime reward fund; passed on first reading without objection.
  • Item 14 (Motion) – Approved reappointment to Treasure Island Development Authority; adopted without objection.
  • Items 19–25 (Resolutions) – Adopted without objection, including recognition of HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day (Item 19) and National Nurses Month (Item 25).

Public Comments & Testimony

DBI Code Enforcement Liens (Items 15–16)

Multiple property owners and representatives testified, citing due process concerns, communication failures, and unfair assessments. Common themes included: DBI errors in computer systems leading to delays, medical hardship, tenant obstruction, and lack of notice. Several speakers requested waiver or reduction of fees. DBI staff later removed 35 properties from the final report.

General Public Comment (after 3 p.m. special order)

  • Auxiliary Water Supply System (AWSS): Deborah Murphy (Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods), Heather Davies, Eileen Boken (SPEAK), and Lisa Argus (Equal Fire Protection for All Committee) urged expansion of the high-pressure saltwater firefighting system to western and southern neighborhoods. They argued the current PUC plan ($5B, potable dual-purpose) is unreliable and that promises from three bonds ($1.44B) have not been kept.
  • HIV/AIDS Services Cuts: Over a dozen speakers, including John Allen, Matt Foreman (AIDS Legal Referral Panel), Paul Aguilar, Jerry Cuffey, Michael Rupey, and others, opposed Mayor Lurie’s proposed budget cuts to HIV prevention ($2.2M from CBOs) and harm reduction. They cited the 2020 San Francisco Principles and urged the board to restore funding.
  • Booker T. Washington / Ella Hill Hutch Community Center Lease: A large number of speakers (both supporters and critics) addressed the proposed 13-month lease for Booker T. to operate the Ella Hill Hutch center. Supporters (e.g., Lakeisha Howard, Shawnee Wyatt, Kevin Brown) emphasized the need to keep services running for youth, seniors, and families. Critics (Rev. Amos Brown, Erica Scott, Shelley) raised concerns about lack of transparency, backroom dealing, and exclusion of community input, urging a co-leadership model before approval.
  • Other: Jonathan Froxwick (SF AIDS Foundation) thanked Supervisor Chan for Item 19 but noted DAS has never funded HIV-aging programs. Dr. Rahil Borgias (Health for All Coalition) urged support for SB 1422 (Medi-Cal eligibility) via Item 23.

Discussion Items

  • Hate Crime Reward Fund (Item 13): Supervisor Dorsey introduced the ordinance, referencing a recent San Diego mosque attack. He stressed the need to support victims and encourage public cooperation. Passed on first reading.
  • Expanded Fair Chance Ordinance (Supervisor Mahmood): Introduced legislation to bar employers and affordable housing providers from using out-of-state convictions for reproductive health care, gender-affirming care, or drag performance (when lawful in CA). Co-sponsored by Supervisor Dorsey.
  • CEQA Reform – “SHADE Act” (Supervisor Mahmood): Introduced proposal to bring SF’s CEQA process in line with state law, including removing shadow analysis from environmental review to reduce appeals. Cited 2,195 housing units delayed by shadow appeals since 2017.
  • Charter Amendment – 110 Reforms (Supervisor Mandelman): Introduced a charter amendment with technical updates, department-specific improvements (e.g., Muni on-time performance metrics), and commission streamlining (e.g., eliminating Streets and Sanitation Commission, moving advisory bodies to code).
  • Housing Trust Fund Renewal (Supervisor Melgar): Introduced a charter amendment to gradually expand the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to $125M annually, funded by a portion of future property tax growth, with fiscal safeguards. Includes new uses for limited equity co-ops and social housing. Co-sponsored by Supervisors Walton, Sauter, Cheryl, Dorsey, Wong.
  • Construction Cost Reduction (Supervisor Sauter): Introduced legislation to reduce city-related costs for housing on corner lots under the family zoning plan.
  • Fireworks Enforcement & Code Repeals (Supervisor Wong): Introduced an ordinance to enforce the 1938 fireworks ban with fines and misdemeanor penalties, and two ordinances to repeal outdated health code provisions (bread transport, rag sterilization) and police code (circulating library law).
  • DBI Lien Hearing (Item 15–16): After public testimony, the board accepted DBI’s amended report removing 35 properties. Resolution adopted 10–0.

Key Outcomes

  • Item 3 (Boards/Commissions Code Amendments): Passed 6–4 (Supervisors Chan, Chen, Melgar, Walton voting no).
  • Item 10 (Behested Payments Waiver): Passed 9–1 (Supervisor Chan voting no).
  • Item 16 (Code Enforcement Liens): Adopted with amendments, 10–0.
  • Items 19–25: Adopted unanimously on first reading without committee reference.
  • Legislation Introduced: The fair chance ordinance, SHADE Act, charter amendment (110 reforms), housing trust fund renewal, construction cost reduction, fireworks enforcement, and code repeals were all introduced (first reading) and will proceed to committee.
  • In-Memoriums: Meeting adjourned in memory of Kenneth Leong, Gerald W. Johnson, Jack Davis, Rita Semmel, and Magnus Mark Marshall.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon. Welcome to the May 19th, 2026 regular meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll? Thank you, Mr. President. Supervisor Chan. Chan present, Supervisor Chen. Chen present, Supervisor Dorsey. Dorsey present, Supervisor Fielder, Fielder not present, Supervisor Mahmud, Mahmoud present, Supervisor Mandelman. Present. Mandelman present, Supervisor Melgar. Melgar present, Supervisor Sauter. Sauter present, Supervisor Cheryl, Cheryl present, Supervisor Walton, Walton present, and Supervisor Wong. Wong present. Mr. President, you have a quorum. Thank you, Madam Clerk. San Francisco Board of Supervisors acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramatusha Loney, 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 as the caretakers of this place, as well as for all peoples 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, will you join me in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance? I pledge allegiance to fly the United States of America. On behalf of the board, I want to acknowledge the staff at SFG Gov TV today. That is particularly Suzinos. They record each of our meetings and make the transcripts available to the public online. Madam Clerk, do you have any communications? Yes, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors welcomes your attendance in person here in the board's legislative chamber. And when you're not able to be here, the proceedings are airing live on SFGOV TV's Channel 26, or you can view the live stream at SFGOVTV.org. If you'd like to submit public comment in writing, you can send an email to BOS at sfgov.org or use the postal service, just address the envelope to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the number one, Dr. Carlton B. Goodlitt Place, City Hall, Room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. If you need to make a reasonable accommodation for a future meeting under the Americans with Disability Act, or to request language assistance, contact the clerk's office at least two business days in advance by calling. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Can I have a motion to excuse Supervisor Fielder from today's meeting? Moved by Chen, seconded by Walton. Colleagues, I think we can take that without objection, without objection. Supervisor Fielder is excused. Madam Clerk, let's go to our approval of meeting minutes. Yes, approval of the April 14th, 2026 board meeting minutes. Can I have a motion to approve the minutes as presented? Moved by Chen, seconded by Dorsey. Madam Clerk, will you please call uh the roll? On the minutes as presented, Supervisor Chan. Chan I, Supervisor Chen, Chen I, Supervisor Dorsey. Dorsey, I, Supervisor Mahmoud, Mahmoud I, Supervisor Mandelman, I. Mandelman, I, Supervisor Melgar, Melgar I, Supervisor Sauter. Sauter, I, Supervisor Cheryl. Cheryl I, Supervisor Walton, Walton, I, and Supervisor Wong. Wong I.