SF Budget and Finance Committee Meeting Advances Grants and Continues Housing Bond on September 27, 2023
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SF Budget and Finance Committee Meeting Advances Grants and Continues Housing Bond on September 27, 2023
The Budget and Finance Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors met on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at 18:15 (UTC) to consider a series of grant acceptances, agreements, and bond proposals. The committee, chaired by Supervisor Connie Chan and joined by Vice Chair Rafael Mandelman and Supervisor Asha Safai, voted unanimously to forward most items to the full Board with positive recommendations. Two competing affordable housing bond proposals were continued to the October 25, 2023 committee meeting to allow for further discussion. The meeting included presentations from department heads and budget analyst reports.
Consent Calendar
- All resolutions on the regular agenda were considered as a consent calendar, with each item receiving individual discussion and a roll call vote.
Public Comments & Testimony
- A recurring public commenter, Mr. Phil, spoke on multiple items (1, 2, 3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-11) repeatedly urging all officials to declare any conflicts of interest, stating that transparency is required to avoid "opacity" and achieve positive outcomes. He also expressed a general need to "slow down" on large projects, particularly the housing bond.
Discussion Items
Item 1: Accept Grant – National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Drug Abuse Clinical Trials (Resolution 230931)
- Presenter: Philip Coffin, Director of the Center on Substance Use and Health, Department of Public Health.
- Summary: This resolution retroactively authorized acceptance of an expanded grant from the NIH through Oregon Health & Science University for the Western States Node of the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network. The expansion covers March 1, 2023–February 29, 2024, bringing the total grant award to approximately $109,937 for the full period of June 1, 2020–February 29, 2024. Director Coffin explained the grant supports his participation in clinical trials testing medications for substance use disorders, including the current "Curb 2" trial using two medications to treat cocaine use disorder. He noted the item was retroactive because the cumulative grant amount exceeded the $100,000 threshold requiring Board approval.
- Committee Action: Vice Chair Mandelman added as co-sponsor. Motion to forward with positive recommendation passed 2-0 (Safai absent).
Item 2: Maintenance Agreement with Caltrans – Southern Skyline Boulevard Ridge Trail (Resolution 230909)
- Presenter: Mary Teakin, Project Manager, SFPUC; John Fournay, Water Operations Analyst, SFPUC.
- Summary: This resolution approved a no-cost, project-specific maintenance agreement with Caltrans for SFPUC's ongoing maintenance of improvements at 18 locations within Caltrans right-of-way along a six-mile section of State Route 35 in San Mateo County, as part of the Southern Skyline Boulevard Ridge Trail Extension Project. The project will construct six miles of multi-use trail, a universal access loop, parking, bathrooms, a pedestrian bridge, and security fencing. The agreement is required for an encroachment permit, is for the life of the assets (more than 10 years), and assigns routine maintenance responsibilities to SFPUC while Caltrans retains vegetation management. Supervisor Safai expressed concerns about Caltrans's performance in her district but noted the PUC's positive experience on the Peninsula.
- Committee Action: Motion to forward with positive recommendation passed 3-0.
Item 3: Reauthorize CleanPowerSF Participation in Joint Powers Authority (Resolution 230904)
- Presenter: Mike Himes, Deputy Assistant General Manager for CleanPowerSF, SFPUC; Nick Menard, Budget and Legislative Analyst.
- Summary: This resolution reauthorized CleanPowerSF's participation costs in the California Community Power (CC Power) Joint Powers Authority, a consortium of community choice aggregators, with a not-to-exceed amount of approximately $4,772,710 over 25 years (January 1, 2024–December 31, 2048), including a 5% annual escalator. It would increase annual administrative payments from $50,000 to $100,000 (with escalation). The BLA recommended approval. Himes noted CC Power has nine member organizations representing over 3 million customer accounts, and CleanPowerSF benefits from joint procurement of renewable energy projects. Chair Chan asked about ongoing advocacy for labor and environmental justice principles; Himes confirmed staff will follow SFPUC Commission Resolution 23-0138 in all CC Power discussions. The committee expressed strong support for CleanPowerSF and community choice aggregation.
- Committee Action: Vice Chair Mandelman added as co-sponsor. Motion to forward with positive recommendation passed 3-0.
Items 4–6: District Attorney Grants and Agreements (Resolutions 230930, 230932, 230933)
- Presenter: Tina Nunes (Managing Attorney, Economic Crimes Unit) for Item 4; Monifa Willis (Chief of Victim Services) for Items 5 and 6.
- Summary:
- Item 4 (Resolution 230930) retroactively authorized acceptance of a $1,066,724 grant from the California Department of Insurance for the Workers' Compensation Insurance Fraud Program for July 1, 2023–June 30, 2024. Nunes explained the funds support two DA investigators and partially fund three DA attorneys, plus necessary training. She called insurance fraud a "tax" on consumers and businesses and highlighted its impact on the self-insured city.
- Item 5 (Resolution 230932) authorized renewal of a $75,000 revolving fund agreement with the California Victim Compensation Board to provide emergency payments to crime victims who would suffer hardship, for July 1, 2023–June 30, 2026. Willis noted the program has been held for 20 years and speeds up fund release by about two weeks; about $3,000 was paid out in the current fiscal year.
- Item 6 (Resolution 230933) authorized acceptance of up to $275,391 over three annual periods (FY2023-24 through FY2025-26) for the Criminal Restitution Compact, which funds one FTE staff member dedicated to recovering restitution from offenders to reimburse Cal VCB. Willis noted the staff member has $117,000 in restitution orders in various stages of recovery in 2023.
- Chair Chan noted the DA's office served nearly 10,000 victims in 2022 and indicated a future hearing on victims' compensation and restitution for gun violence victims.
- Committee Action: Vice Chair Mandelman added as co-sponsor for all three items. Motion to forward all three with positive recommendation passed 3-0.
Items 7–9: Probation Department Grants (Resolutions 230938, 230836, 230837)
- Presenter: Taris Madison, Deputy Director of Finance and Administration, Department of Adult Probation.
- Summary: These resolutions authorized the Adult Probation Department to accept multiple grants:
- Items 7 and 9 (Resolutions 230937 and 230938): $100,000 each from the California Emergency Management Agency for the Probation Specialized Supervision Program, federally funded through the Violence Against Women Act. Item 9 was retroactive for October 1, 2022–September 30, 2023; Item 7 covers October 1, 2023–September 30, 2024. These funds cover about 30% of a deputy probation officer's salary for enhanced field supervision and outreach to domestic violence victims. The state now requires separate Board resolutions for these grants.
- Item 8 (Resolution 230836): approximately $507,470 from the Board of State and Community Corrections for the Mobile Probation Service Centers Grant Program, funded through the Budget Act of 2022, for May 1, 2023–September 30, 2027. This new program will purchase two vans equipped as mobile probation offices to bring services to probationers, particularly those who are unhoused, in neighborhoods where they live. Chair Chan expressed enthusiasm for the mobile service approach.
- Committee Action: Motion to forward all three with positive recommendation passed 3-0.
Items 10–11: Affordable Housing Bond Proposals (Resolutions 230970, 230972)
- Summary: Two competing resolutions proposed a $300,000,000 general obligation bond for affordable housing, to be placed on the ballot. Item 10 would fund rental affordable housing projects and a down payment assistance loan program for homeownership; Item 11 would fund only rental housing projects. Both would allow landlords to pass through 50% of the property tax increase to tenants. The proposals require independent citizen oversight and regular audits. Chair Chan announced that discussions are ongoing and that she would continue both items to the October 25, 2023 Budget and Finance Committee meeting to allow for further negotiation.
- Committee Action: Motion to continue both items to October 25, 2023 passed 3-0.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1: Forwarded to full Board with positive recommendation (2-0, Safai absent).
- Item 2: Forwarded to full Board with positive recommendation (3-0).
- Item 3: Forwarded to full Board with positive recommendation (3-0).
- Items 4–6: Forwarded to full Board with positive recommendation (3-0).
- Items 7–9: Forwarded to full Board with positive recommendation (3-0).
- Items 10–11: Continued to October 25, 2023, Budget and Finance Committee meeting (3-0).
The meeting adjourned after concluding all business.
Meeting Transcript
You're unmuted. Good morning. The meeting will come to order. Sorry about being a few minutes late. Welcome to the September 27 to 2023 meeting of the Budget and Finance Committee. I'm Supervisor Connie Chan, Chair of the Committee. And I'm joined by Vice Chair Raphael Mendelman, and hopefully shortly by Supervisor Asha Safayi. Our clerk, it's Brent Halipa. And I would like to thank Matthew Eno from SFGO TV for broadcasting this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcement? Thank you, Madam Chair. Just a friendly reminder for those in attendance to please make sure to sell uh silence all cell phones and electronic devices so as to not interrupt our proceedings here in the chamber. Uh the Board of Supervisors and its committees are convening hybrid meetings that allow in-person attendance and public comment while still providing remote access and public comment via telephone. Uh public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda. Those attending in person will be allowed to speak first, and then we'll take those who are waiting on the telephone line. For those watching remotely and streaming through sfgovtv.org, the public comment call in number is streaming across the screen. And then when connected, you will hear the meeting discussions, but you'll be muted and in listening mode only. When your item of interest comes up in public comment is called, those joining us in person should line up to speak. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. Email them to myself, the budget and finance committee clerk at B R E N T dot J A L I P A at S F J Uh G O V dot or 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 to our office in City Hall. That's one Dr. Carlton Beacot 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 October 3rd, unless otherwise stated. Madam Chair. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. And uh before we call item number one, I would like to remind everyone that we have budget and legislative analyst reports for items three, ten, and eleven on today's agenda. For those items, we will have the department presentation first, followed by the budget and legislative analysts report. Then we will take questions, then public comment. So with that, Mr. Clerk, please call item number one. Yes, item number one is a resolution retroactively authorizing the Department of Public Health to accept an expanded grant increase from the National Institutes of Health through Oregon Health and Science University for participation in a program entitled Western States Node of the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network in the amount of approximately 28,000 for the period of March 1st, 2023 through February 29th, 2024 for a total grant award amount of approximately 10,000 for the total period of June 1st, 2020 through February 29th, 2024. Members of the public have joined us remotely and wish to comment, press star three to enter the speaker line. Hey prompt will indicate that you have raised your hand and when the system indicates you have been unmuted. Thank you. And today we have Philip Coffin, um, director uh of the Center on Substance Uh Use and Health. And this is virtual and if it's virtual. And also, Mr. Coffin, please also indicate why this item is retroactive. Thank you. Hi, so uh this is support for my time to participate in clinical trials testing medications for substance use disorders. Uh the focus at this point in time is the medication trial for cocaine use disorder. And it is retroactive because it's been uh because the grant has been continued, so the ultimate amount of the grant has exceeded the 100,000 dollar cutoff. Uh, would you like to just walk us through a little bit about you know what uh the program it's about and participation? Sure.
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