San Francisco Budget and Finance Committee Meeting - November 29, 2023
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San Francisco Budget and Finance Committee Meeting - November 29, 2023
The Budget and Finance Committee, chaired by Supervisor Connie Chan and including Supervisor Asha Safai (later excused) and Board President Aaron Peskin, convened on November 29, 2023, at 6:15 PM UTC to consider 14 agenda items. The committee heard presentations, received Budget and Legislative Analyst (BLA) reports, and voted on funding for violence prevention, police code reform, grants, contracts, affordable housing loans, and a major waterfront park initiative. Public comment was heard on several items, with strong community support for the India Basin Waterfront Park project.
Routine Approvals and Consent Items
- Item 1 (De-Appropriation/Appropriation – District 10 Violence Prevention): Unanimously forwarded to full board with positive recommendation. $270,000 for training and violence prevention in District 10.
- Item 3 (Auto Insurance Fraud Grant): Retroactive resolution accepting $312,297 from California Department of Insurance. Unanimously approved.
- Item 5 (Renewable Diesel Contract Amendment): Approved amendment increasing contract to $86.75 million and extending term to October 31, 2024. Funding primarily from enterprise departments (77% MTA).
- Item 6 (SF Health Plan Grant for Homelessness Consulting): Retroactive grant of $341,000 for CalAIM infrastructure. Approved unanimously.
- Item 7 (Chinese Hospital Contract – Subacute Beds): Amended to increase not-to-exceed amount to $20.64 million due to potential licensure delays. Continued to December 6, 2023, for amendment finalization.
- Item 8 (DPH Overtime Supplement): Budget-neutral $39.5 million transfer from salaries to overtime. Approved unanimously, with committee expressing concerns about high overtime reliance (123% increase).
- Items 9 & 10 (Affordable Housing Acquisition Loans): Amended to state city intent to acquire land. $24 million for 1234 Great Highway (216 senior units) and $15 million for 650 Divisadero (95 family units). Unanimously approved.
Discussion Items
Item 2: Police Code – Entertainment Permits Reform
The committee discussed a comprehensive reform package to simplify entertainment permitting, waive fees for pandemic-era businesses, and eliminate outdated requirements. Supervisors Safai and Chan questioned safety implications of removing criminal history disclosure from applications, but were assured the police department still reviews all applications. The entertainment commission committed to reporting back on outcomes. Unanimously approved to full board with Supervisor Safai as co-sponsor.
Item 4: Mission Bay Parks – Transfer and Maintenance Agreement
The committee approved the transfer of Mission Bay parks from the redevelopment agency to Recreation and Park Department and Port. Funding from Community Facilities District (CFD) #5 supports operations. Supervisor Safai expressed frustration over delays in opening Bayfront Park (now expected in January 2024). The CFD is projected to suffice until about 2030 before potential deficits. Unanimously approved.
Items 11-14: India Basin Waterfront Park – Grants and Behested Payment Waiver
The committee considered four resolutions accepting grants totaling ~$55.8 million from the San Francisco Foundation, Trust for Public Land, A. Philip Randolph Institute, and San Francisco Parks Alliance for a 10-acre waterfront park and equitable development programs. The package also included a six-month waiver from the behested payment ordinance to allow fundraising from private donors. Chair Chan requested the waiver be separated from the accept/expend resolution for clarity. The committee voted to duplicate item 11, creating separate resolutions for the $50 million grant and the behested payment waiver (amended to six months). All items were forwarded to full board with positive recommendation.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Items 2, 4, 5, 9, 10: No public speakers.
- Items 6, 7, 8: No public speakers.
- Items 9, 10: Several speakers supported the affordable housing projects, emphasizing the need for deeply affordable units for formerly homeless seniors and families. Speakers urged inclusion of certificate of preference holders and reparative language.
- Items 11-14: Over 20 community members testified in strong support, highlighting programs like the Baby Safety Swim and Splash program, workforce development, and the importance of safe recreational space for youth. Speakers urged approval without delay, citing long-standing inequities in the Bayview-Hunters Point community.
Key Outcomes
- All items except Item 7 were forwarded to the full Board of Supervisors for the December 5, 2023, meeting with positive recommendation.
- Item 7 was continued to the December 6, 2023, committee meeting to finalize the amended not-to-exceed amount.
- Item 11 was duplicated: one resolution for accepting the $50 million grant, another for the behested payment waiver with a six-month sunset.
- The committee emphasized the need for sustainable overtime management at DPH and realistic budget assumptions in future cycles.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. Um the meeting will come to order. Welcome to November 29, 2023 meeting of the budget and finance committee. I'm Supervisor Connie Chance, Chair of the Committee. Uh, I'm joined by Supervisor Uh Asha Safai. Our clerk, it's Brent Halipa. I'd like to thank um SFGov TV for broadcasting this meeting. Uh Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcement? Thank you, Madam Chair. Just a friendly reminder to those in attendance to please make sure the sounds all cell phones. Hand electronic devices so as to not to interrupt our meetings. Uh, should you have any documents to be included as part of the uh file, they should be submitted to myself, the clerk. Uh public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda. When your item of interest comes up in public comment is called, please line up to speak on the west side of the chamber to your right, my left along those curtains. Uh alternatively, you may submit uh 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 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 to our office in City Hall. That's one. Dr. Carlton B. Goodlock, place room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. And and Madam Chair, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda of December 5th, unless otherwise stated. Madam Chair. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. And before we call item number one, I would like to just remind the public that we have budget and legislative analyst reports uh for items five one, five, and seven through ten on today's agenda. And so for these items, we will have the department presentation first, and we'll follow by the budget and legislative analyst report. Then we will take questions and then public comments. And with that, um Mr. Clerk, I realize we will need to re excuse Vice Chair Mendelman for today's uh meeting. And I don't see any objection. Um Vice Chair Mendelman is excused. And with that, let's call item number one. Yes, madam chair. Item number one has an ordinance deappropriating 250,000 from general city responsibility and 20,000 from children, youth, and families. Henry appropriating 270,000 to the Human Rights Commission for District 10 safe passages. Uh hope SF trainings, violence prevention events, hen to support district 10 neighborhoods most impacted by violence in fiscal year 2023 through 2024. Madam Chair. Thank you. And with that, I believe we have uh Tracy here. Yes, I was like sorry, it took me a while to look for you. And legislative A for Supervisor Shaman Walton. Hi, Tracy Gallardo. Thank you uh for having us today. Um, the funding before you is allocated for district 10 special projects. Um, it is in alignment with the district 10 safety plan that you can find on our website. Um, it was put together by District 10 Supervisor Walton to address the high rates of violence in District 10.
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