San Francisco Budget and Finance Committee Meeting – May 21, 2025
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San Francisco Budget and Finance Committee Meeting – May 21, 2025
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee, chaired by Supervisor Connie Chang and joined by Supervisor Joel Engardio and Supervisor Cheyenne Chen (substituting for Vice Chair Matt Dorsey), met on May 21, 2025, to consider fifteen items. The committee heard presentations, accepted public testimony, and voted on contracts, grants, fee adjustments, a downtown revitalization district, and other fiscal matters. Most items were forwarded to the full Board with positive recommendations; one item was continued.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Downtown Revitalization District (Item 6): Six speakers expressed support. Jim Chapel, a 45-year resident, urged passage, citing successful similar measures in other cities. A resident encouraged more housing to reduce costs. Mark Babson (Emerald Fund) stated the property tax incentive is the "last piece of the puzzle" for conversions. Brianna Morales (Housing Action Coalition) highlighted potential for up to 5,000 new homes. Clerk Angela Calvio raised concerns about administrative costs and requested reimbursement language.
- Homelessness and Supportive Housing Grants (Items 10-12): Lauren Hall (DISH SF) shared resident success stories. Steve Good (Five Keys) reported 242 placements into permanent housing and 51 overdose reversals. Chris Calandrillo (ECS) thanked the city and emphasized voluntary case management.
Discussion Items
1. Downtown Revitalization and Economic Recovery Financing District (Item 6) Supervisor Engardio presented a resolution of intent to establish a district under AB 2488, allowing commercial-to-residential conversions in downtown, Union Square, Financial District, Civic Center, and eastern SoMa. Jacob Bentleff (OEWD) explained that the district would divert incremental property tax increases (up to 30 years) to projects. Preliminary analysis identified 49 eligible buildings that could yield ~4,400 units, generating ~$15.2 million in annual incremental property tax. The district board must form within 90 days; a financing plan returns to the Board in fall 2025. Discussion included concerns about layering tax districts, short-term revitalization, and administrative costs. The committee forwarded the resolution to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
2. Assessment Appeals Board Fees (Item 13) Clerk Calvio proposed increasing application filing fees from $60 to $120, doubling hearing fees, and raising written findings fees from $215/hour to $430/hour. Fees were last updated in 2010; even after increases, San Francisco’s fees remain lower than some other counties. The committee approved two amendments: adding "and hearing fees" to the use of filing fee revenue, and inserting "actual" before "expenses" for findings. The amended ordinance was forwarded.
3. Legislative Management System Software Licenses (Item 14) The clerk requested authorization to sell licenses for a new system to other government entities. The controller’s office requested a two-week continuance to finalize fund accounting. The committee voted to continue the item to the June 4, 2025 meeting.
4. Other Routine Approvals and Amendments (Items 1-5, 7-12, 15) These items were presented and approved with minimal discussion or amendments:
- Item 1: Airport contract with T.Y. Lin International – increase by $32 million to $40 million, extended to 2029.
- Item 2: CIIS bond issuance – up to $15 million for refinancing.
- Item 3: CalAIM grant acceptance – $1.5 million for reentry planning.
- Item 4: Chinatown SROS grant amendment – $6.78 million corrected to full 15.5-year term.
- Item 5: Farmers’ market stall fee increase from $50 to $60 (20%).
- Item 7: Overtime appropriations – Fire Department ($7.9 million from ambulance revenue), DEM ($1.5 million), PUC (reduced from $1.04 million to ~$500,000 as amended). Approved as amended.
- Items 8-9: Refunding COPs for Moscone Center – authorization to issue up to $350 million in refunding bonds, appropriating $379 million.
- Item 10: ECS grant amendment – $72.3 million for five supportive housing sites (464 units). Amended to correct a citation.
- Item 11: Five Keys shelter grant – $59.2 million for Next Door Shelter (334 beds).
- Item 12: DISH assignment – transfer of lease from Tides Center to DISH SF.
- Item 15: BLA COLA – 4.5% increase, contract extended to 2031.
Key Outcomes
All votes were unanimous (3-0). The following were forwarded to the full Board with positive recommendations: Items 1-6, 7 (as amended), 8-9, 10 (as amended), 11, 12, 13 (as amended), and 15. Item 14 was continued to the June 4, 2025 meeting.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. The meeting will come to order. Welcome to the May 21st, 2025 meeting of the Budget and Finance Committee. I am Supervisor Connie Chang, Chair of the Committee. I'm joined by Supervisor Joan Guardio. Uh and I will have to excuse our Vice Chair Matt Dorsey shortly. And substituting for his seats today is Supervisor Cheyenne Chin. And I would like to thank Eugene Libidia Labadia from SFGov TV for broadcasting this meeting. Mr. Clark, do you have any announcement? Yes, Madam Chair. Just a friendly reminder to those in attendance to please make sure to silence all cell phones and electronic devices to prevent interruptions to our proceedings. Should you have any documents to be included as part of the file, they should be submitted to myself, the clerk. 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. And while not required to provide public comment, we do invite you to fill out a comment card and leave them on the trade by the television to your left by those doors. If you wish to be accurately recorded for the minutes, 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 Hat S F G O V dot ORG. 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 at one. Dr. Carlton become the place. Room 244, San Francisco, California 94102. And finally, due to the Memorial Day holiday, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors Agenda of June 3rd, unless otherwise stated. Madam Chair. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Um I actually excuse uh Supervisor Dorsey, Vice Chair Dorsey without objection. Seeing that, Supervisor Dorsey excuse. And with that, um Mr. Clark, please call item number one. Yes, item number one is a resolution approving modification number two to an airport contract for a capital support, uh sorry, capital program support services for the capital improvement plan for the San Francisco International Airport with TY Lin International to increase the contract amount by 32 million for a new not to exceed contract amount of 40 million and extend the contract for services for an additional four years of services from September 30th, 2025 for a total term of September 30th, 2024 through September 29th, 2029, pursuant to the charter. Madam Chair. Thank you and good morning. We have uh SFO here. Good morning, Chair Chan, members of the committee. I'm Kathy Wybner with the San Francisco International Airport. The item before you seeks your approval for modification number two to the airport's capital program support service services contract with TY Lin International. The modification will increase the contract amount by $32 million and extend the contact contract term for an additional four years through September 29th, 2029. The contract is the result of a 2024 competitive request for qualifications proposal process with TY Lin selected as the highest scoring proposer. The airport's 11 billion dollar capital improvement plan consists of two programs: the Ascent program and the infrastructure projects plan. TY Lin supports airport staff with managing capital program data and provides controls, manages project costs, schedules inform schedule information, and prepares monthly and quarterly project status reports. Contract costs are funded by the airport revenue bonds, and there is a local business enterprise subcontract sub-consulting participation requirement of 20%. Although TY Lin International exceeds that requirement, they are at a 51% participation level. The airport conducted a formal performance evaluation of the contractor for the period of September 2024 through February 2025. The contractor has met or exceeded expectations in all applicable performance categories. Thank you. And colleagues and also for the public, just a reminder that we typically have department presentation, and then for those item that has BLA report, we will directly go to the BLA. And then what can follow by the committee comments and then public comments.
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