San Francisco BOS Budget and Appropriations Committee Meeting - May 3, 2023
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San Francisco BOS Budget and Appropriations Committee Meeting - May 3, 2023
The Budget and Appropriations Committee, chaired by Supervisor Connie Chan, met on May 3, 2023, to consider two items: the Ten-Year Capital Expenditure Plan for FY 2024-2033 and a resolution calling on the Mayor to fund 2,000 new shelter or temporary housing placements. Both items were forwarded to the full Board with positive recommendations after public testimony and committee discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- On Item 1 (Capital Plan): Multiple speakers from climate and housing advocacy groups expressed support for including climate-focused actions and using funds to retrofit existing affordable housing. Speakers urged the committee to allocate newly identified $150 million capacity for decarbonization and preservation of existing buildings. Representatives from housing development organizations (e.g., Chinatown Community Development Center, Mission Economic Development Agency, Young Community Developers) voiced strong support for the March 2024 affordable housing bond, noting the enormous local funding gap of $1.3–$2.4 billion per year and the need to complement potential regional bonds.
- On Item 2 (Shelter/Housing Placements): Many speakers representing Rescue SF, neighborhood associations, and business districts urged rapid expansion of shelter and housing. They highlighted the urgency of the crisis, with over 4,000 unsheltered people, hundreds of overdose deaths, and the inadequacy of current approaches. Rescue SF presented a detailed proposal to lease hotels and apartments at lower cost. A formerly homeless speaker shared personal experience and supported the resolution. Some speakers criticized the city's lack of urgency and called on the mayor to act.
Discussion Items
Item 1: Resolution adopting the Ten-Year Capital Expenditure Plan for FY 2024-2033 The committee heard the item for the third time. Chair Chan noted previous amendments: rescheduling general obligation bonds so that the affordable housing and shelter bond would be on the March 2024 ballot ($340 million) and the public health and shelter bond on November 2024 ($320 million). An additional $150 million in capacity was identified.
Committee discussion included:
- President Peskin endorsed the plan, emphasizing the importance of adaptive reuse of existing buildings for climate goals and noting that delaying the public health bond made policy sense. He also linked this to the work of the Technical Advisory Committee on inclusionary housing.
- Supervisor Ronan, who had previously dissented, stated she would now support the plan but emphasized the need for more information about the regional bond and expressed excitement about using bond funds to decarbonize homes.
- Vice Chair Mandelman supported the delay of the public health bond and urged exploring a transportation/climate bond. He called for MOHCD to study the cost of retrofitting all city affordable units to all-electric, noting evidence of asthma impacts from gas stoves. Lydia Ely of MOHCD responded that they recently received overwhelming demand for a $20 million NOFA for repairs, far exceeding available funds, and that IRA guidelines are not yet clear.
- Supervisor Safai highlighted the opportunity to combine affordable housing rehabilitation with climate goals and to address homelessness through renovation of existing buildings (citing ~$500,000 per bed at one Polk Street project).
The committee voted unanimously (5-0) to forward the resolution to the full board with a positive recommendation.
Item 2: Resolution calling on the Mayor to fund 2,000 new shelter or temporary housing placements over the next two fiscal years Vice Chair Mandelman introduced the resolution, stating that the city desperately needs more immediate exits from the street for unsheltered people. He noted that the Department of Emergency Management confirmed that the main barrier to encampment resolution is lack of placements. He cited examples of vacant beds and units (e.g., 80 empty beds at Embarcadero Safe Navigation Center due to missing mattresses).
Committee discussion:
- Supervisor Safai strongly supported the resolution, pointing out hundreds of vacant permanent supportive housing units and below-market-rate units. He called for better management of existing resources and expansion of options like leased hotels, tiny homes, and triage spaces. He noted a successful Homekey project in his district. Emily Cohen of HSH reported that mattresses for the Embarcadero beds are arriving that week.
- Chair Chan noted the need for honest conversation about resources, including the $600 million annual HSH budget (62% for housing) and leveraging state/federal funds, given the city's $190 million deficit.
Vice Chair Mandelman moved to forward the resolution to the full board. The motion passed 4-0-1 (Supervisor Ronan absent).
Key Outcomes
- Item 1 (Capital Plan): Resolution adopted amended capital expenditure schedule with March 2024 affordable housing bond ($340M) and November 2024 public health bond ($320M). Forwarded to full board on a 5-0 vote.
- Item 2 (Shelter/Housing Placements): Resolution calling on Mayor to fund 2,000 new shelter or temporary housing placements over two fiscal years forwarded to full board on a 4-0-1 vote (Ronan absent).
- Next steps: Both items expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda on May 9, 2023.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. The meeting will come to order. Welcome to the May 3rd, 2023 meeting of the budget and appropriation committee. I'm Supervisor Connie Chan, Chair of the Committee. I'm joined by Vice Chair Raphael Mendelman and Supervisor Asha Safai, Hilary Ronin, and Shaman Walton. Our clerk is Brent Halipa. I would like to thank uh Matthew Innow from SFGov TV for broadcasting this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcement? Thank you, Madam Chair, with our return to the chamber. Just a friendly remainder, uh reminder for those in attendance to please make sure to sound called cell phones and electronic devices. Uh 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 we'll be taking public comment as follows. Uh public comment will be taken on uh both of the items on the agenda. Those attending in person will be allowed to speak first, and we will take those uh waiting on the telephone line. And for those who are watching remotely and uh streaming through sfgovtv.org. The public comment call and number is streaming across the screen, and when connected, you will hear the meeting discussions, but you'll be muted and in listing mode only. When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called, those joining us in person should like to speak, and those on the telephone should dial star three to be added to the speaker line. If you're on your telephone, please remember to turn down your TV and all listening devices you may be using, and each speaker will be allowed up to two minutes to speak unless otherwise stated. And alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. Email them to myself, the budget and appropriations committee clerk at B R E N T dot J A L I P A Hat S F G O V dot O R G. If you submit public comment via email, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and also included as part of the official file. You may also send your written comments via U.S. Postal Service or Office Hin City Hall. That's one Dr. Carlton B. Goodlick Place, Room 244. San Francisco, California, 94102. And finally, Madam Chair, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors' agenda of May 9th, unless otherwise stated. Madam Chair. Thank you so much, Mr. Clerk. Um, colleagues, this item has been uh before us. This is the third time already, and that we have uh presentation and it's really been heard. We have made the the reason is because uh we the first time when it was heard, we make the amendment to switch um the schedule of the bond um, which is now the uh affordable housing in Shelter Bond will be on March 2024, and the public health and shelter bond will be November 2024. I'm sorry, Madam Chair. Can I read the item uh before discussion? I have not called item. Please, item number one. Thank you, Madam Chair. Item number one is a resolution adopting the city's tenure capital expenditure plan for fiscal years twenty twenty-four to twenty twenty th uh twenty thirty-three. Uh pursuant to the administrative code and members of the public house should call 415-655-0001 with the meeting ID of 2592-192-7055 and press bound twice if you're interested in speaking on this item. Madam Chair. My apologies. Thank you so much, Mr. Clerk. Thank you so much for calling the item number one, which is a 10-year capital expenditure plan. Um, picked up where I left off. Colleagues, we heard this uh this is the third time hearing this item. We switched the schedule from um uh now is read as uh having the general obligation bond schedule for 2024 that we have revised the calendar and the schedule.
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