San Francisco Budget Committee Meeting: Budget Analysis, Prop I Housing, and HIV/AIDS Funding - May 4, 2022
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San Francisco Budget and Appropriations Committee Meeting - May 4, 2022
The Budget and Appropriations Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, chaired by Supervisor Hilary Ronan, met on May 4, 2022, to hold three hearings: a review of historical city budgets and actual expenditures, recommendations from the Housing Stability Fund Oversight Board for the use of Proposition I revenue in fiscal year 2022–2023, and a report on federal HIV/AIDS funding and city investments. The committee discussed vacancy rates, salary savings, affordable housing strategies, and HIV prevention and care funding.
Public Comments & Testimony
- During the budget hearing, David Pilpel spoke in support of realistic position counts in department budgets with less attrition savings.
- A caller commended Supervisor Ronan for fiscal prudence and requested a retroactive analysis of how unspent dollars from vacant positions were spent.
- On the Prop I hearing, over a dozen members of the public and representatives from labor, tenant, senior, and disability organizations testified in strong support of the Oversight Board's recommendations, emphasizing the need for social housing, educator housing, SRO elevator repairs, and deeply affordable housing for seniors and people with disabilities.
- During the HIV/AIDS hearing, many long-term survivors and advocates spoke passionately about the need to maintain funding for care, housing subsidies, mental health services, and to avoid destabilizing the current safety net through funding shifts.
Discussion Items
- Item 1: Hearing on Historical Budgets vs. Actual Expenditures - Dan Goncher of the Budget Legislative Analyst (BLA) presented findings showing general fund actual revenues were $5.7 billion in FY2020-21 (3% decrease from FY2018-19), while actual expenditures were $5 billion (19% increase). General fund actual expenditures were below budget by an average of 3% over the three fiscal years reviewed. Salary savings citywide were $22 million in FY2020-21. The report included three policy options: requesting the controller to report annually on year-end variances, asking for more information on use of two reserve funds (Federal/State Emergency Grant Disallowance Reserve and Fiscal Cliff Reserve), and requesting departments to report on projected vacancy savings during budget hearings. Committee members expressed frustration over high vacancy rates and the practice of using unfilled positions as a funding source, with Chair Ronan stating she would require detailed vacancy justifications.
- Item 2: Hearing on Recommendations of the Housing Stability Fund Oversight Board - Supervisor Dean Preston introduced the item, noting Prop I passed in November 2020 and is projected to raise $170 million annually. The Oversight Board recommended allocating the available $136 million for FY2022-23 into several buckets: $60 million for land acquisition (geographic equity, educator housing), $12 million for educator housing construction, $15 million for non-tax credit construction, $15 million for accessibility upgrades in co-ops and public housing, $10 million for elevator/accessibility in residential hotels, $11.5 million for preservation, $0.5 million for organizational sustainability, $3 million for city staffing/feasibility of a municipal housing agency, and $6 million for innovation (e.g., land trusts). Community members and labor representatives spoke in favor, emphasizing workforce housing needs and the voter mandate.
- Item 3: Hearing on Federal HIV/AIDS Funding and Investments - Bill Bloom (Director of HIV Health Services) and Tracy Packer (Director of Community Health Education Promotion) presented. Federal HIV care funding has been reduced by 60% over 20 years, to just over $15 million currently. The city has backfilled cuts with general fund, but prevention funding (CDC) was cut significantly in 2018, also backfilled. DPH is shifting to a "Health Access Points" (HAP) model to address persistent disparities among Black/African American and Latinx populations, people who inject drugs, and others. Chair Ronan and Supervisor Walton raised questions about equity and service gaps. Public commenters urged continued backfill of federal cuts and highlighted the needs of long-term survivors, including housing subsidies and mental health support.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1 was filed unanimously on a 5-0 vote (Supervisors Safai, Maher, Chan, Walton, Ronan all aye).
- Item 2 was continued to the call of the chair on a 4-1 vote (Supervisors Ronan, Maher, Chan, Walton aye; Supervisor Safai absent; the motion passed 4-0 with Safai absent).
- Item 3 was filed on a 4-1 vote (Supervisors Ronan, Safai, Chan, Walton aye; Supervisor Maher absent; the motion passed 4-0).
Meeting Transcript
The meeting will come to order. This is the May 4th, 2022 budget and appropriations committee meeting. I am Hilary Ronan, Chair of the Committee. I'm joined by committee members Gordon Maher and President Shaman Walton. We will be joined shortly by Supervisors Asher Safay and Connie Chan. Our clerk is Mr. Brent Halipa, and I would like to thank Matthew Ignau from SFGov TV for broadcasting this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, Madam Chair. With our return to the chamber, just a friendly reminder for those in attendance to please silence all cell phones and electronic devices. Also kindly refrain from any flash photography. The Board of Supervisors and its committees are now convening hybrid meetings that allow in-person attendance and public comment while still providing remote access and public comment via telephone. The board recognizes that equitable public access is essential and will be taking public comment as follows. First, public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda. Those attending in person will be allowed to speak first, and then we will take those waiting on the telephone line for those watching either channels 2678 or 99 and sfgovtv.org. The public comment call in numbers streaming across the screen. That is 415 655001. Again, that's 415-655-0001. Then enter the meeting ID of 2488-607-7768, then pound twice. When connected, you will hear the meeting discussions, but you will be muted and in listening mode only. When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called, those joining us in person should line up to speak. Um and those on the telephone should dial star three to be added to the speaker line. If you are on your telephone, please remember to turn down your TV and all listening devices you may be using. As previously mentioned, we will take public comment from those attending in person first, then go to our telephone line. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. Uh email them to myself, uh the budget and finance committee clerk at Brent Halipa. That's B R E N T dot J A L I P A at SFgov.org. If you submit public comment via email, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and also included as part of the official file. Uh, you may also send your written comments via U.S. Postal Service to our office in City Hall. That's one, Dr. Carlton, B. Goodlick Place, Room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. And uh thank you, Madam Chair. That concludes my announcements. Thank you. Can you please read item number one? Yes, madam chair. Item number one is a hearing on historical department budgets, how they have grown over the years and the analysis of how uh growth compares to actual spending. Uh and members of the public who wish to provide public comment on this item should call 415 655 000 one the meeting ID. His 2487-879-8094. Then oh wait, that is wrong. Uh I should know that's right. They're press pound twice if you haven't already done so. Um please dial star three lineup to speak. Um will indicate you have raised your hand, and please wait until the system indicates you haven't unmuted. And you may begin your comments. And as a correction, I apologize. The meeting ID for today's meeting is 2488-607-7768.
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