May 5, 2022 Regular Meeting of the Government Audit and Oversight Committee, San Francisco Board of Supervisors
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The meeting was called to order by Chair Dean Preston (Presiding for most items, with Vice Chair Connie Chan and Supervisor Raphael Mandelman). Supervisor Aaron Peskin temporarily joined as a voting member for Item 1.
Historical Property Contract (Item 1)
Supervisor Peskin recused himself due to proximity to the property (714 Steiner Street) but later acted as voting member after motion. The resolution approved a historical property contract (Mills Act) with a 20-year term and tax savings over $500,000 to recoup public investment. The committee previously amended the item on April 21. With no public comment, the committee voted unanimously to forward the resolution to the full board with positive recommendation.
Community Benefit District Annual Reports (Items 2–5)
The committee heard presentations on annual reports for the East Cut (FY 2019-20), Central Market (CY 2019-20), North of Market Tenderloin (FY 2018-19 and 2019-20), and Civic Center (CY 2020) Community Benefit Districts. OEWD reported that all four CBDs met their benchmarks. The North of Market Tenderloin CBD had delayed reporting due to bookkeeping changes exacerbated by the pandemic but had since addressed issues. Each director highlighted pandemic response services (e.g., sanitizing, meal delivery by East Cut, encampment cleanup by Mid-Market). One public commenter called in but did not speak. The committee voted unanimously to send the resolutions to the full board with positive recommendation.
Hearing on Taxpayer-Funded Communications and Policing (Item 6)
Chair Preston opened the hearing citing concerns about orchestrated narratives favoring increased police funding. Presentations:
- Mayor’s Office (Tom Paulino): Described coordination with public safety departments, a $1.3M communications budget (8 staff), and no written policies or external PR contracts. One-third of press releases mentioning SFPD called for more staffing; another third touted police reform. No press release acknowledged racial disparities.
- SFPD (Assistant Chief Bob Moser): Presented the Strategic Communications & Media Relations Unit, budgeted at $1.6M (9 positions, currently 8). The unit handles ~300 media emails/month, press passes, and social media. A request to add a videographer was noted. No external PR contracts except for recruitment. Policies exist for media relations but not for overall strategic communications.
- Alec Karakatsanis (Civil Rights Corps): Testified nationally about “copaganda,” criticizing SFPD for focusing on certain crimes (e.g., retail theft) while ignoring wage theft, downplaying persistent racial disparities, and using reform rhetoric without substantive change. He argued the department’s claims of success are unsupported.
- Discussion: Chair Preston questioned SFPD about the term “strategic communications” and the omission of disparities from press materials. Supervisor Mandelman defended the department’s reform efforts and called Karakatsanis’s testimony “gaslighting.”
- Public Comment: 13 speakers; many supported the hearing and criticized police propaganda and overpolicing, calling for reallocation of funds. A few defended SFPD. Chair Preston concluded that the city’s communications shape public perception and called for transparency and policies.
- Outcome: The hearing was filed (2-0, Supervisor Mandelman not voting).
Hearing on City Electric Vehicle Fleet (Item 7)
Called by Supervisor Myrna Melgar to assess progress on the 2017 zero-emission mandate (100% light-duty fleet by end of 2022). Presentations:
- Department of Environment (Lowell Chu): Noted the worsening air pollution in the city and the need to reduce traffic emissions.
- SFPUC (Catherine Spaulding): PG&E interconnection delays (requiring costly primary service equipment) are a major barrier. PUC is working on new rates and incentive programs (EV Charge SF) but faces federal regulatory challenges.
- City Administrator's Office (Douglas Legg): Only 13% of light-duty sedans (about 800) are zero-emission; 65% of waivers are due to lack of charging infrastructure. Progress includes moving 64 vehicles to the 49 South Van Ness Garage and converting them to plug-in hybrids/battery EVs. A comprehensive inventory and roadmap are lacking. Telematics data will inform rightsizing.
- Discussion: Supervisor Melgar urged a roadmap, interdepartmental pooling, and equity (prioritizing neighborhoods with higher pollution). Supervisor Mandelman expressed concern about falling short of the 2022 goal.
- Public Comment: Four speakers (including a UC Berkeley lecturer) urged immediate action, noted available electric pickup trucks, and called for transparent planning.
- Outcome: The hearing was continued to the call of the chair (unanimous).
Key Actions
- Approved (unanimous) forwarding of Items 1, 2-5 to the full board with positive recommendation.
- Filed Item 6 (hearing on communications) on a 2-0 vote.
- Continued Item 7 (hearing on EV fleet) to the call of the chair.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. This meeting will come to order. Welcome to the May 5th, 2022 regular meeting of the Government Audit and Oversight Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. I am Supervisor Dean Preston, Chair of the Committee, joined by Vice Chair Connie Chan and Supervisor Raphael Mandelman. The committee clerk today is Jessica Perkinson. I want to welcome our new clerk to the GAO committee and also extend our thanks to the team at SFGov TV for staffing this meeting. Madam Clerk, welcome. And do you have any announcements? Yes, I do. 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 pup equitable public asset access is essential and will be taking public comment as follows. First, public comment will be taken on each item of this agenda. Those attending in person will be allowed to speak in per speak first, and then we will take those waiting on the telephone line. For those watching either Channel 26, 78 or 99 on sfgov.tv.org, the public call in calling public call comment call in number is streaming across the screen. The number is 415 65501. Once connected, enter the meeting ID of 2488 79494, then pound and pound again. 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. And those on the telephone telephone should dial star three to also be added to the speaker line. If you are on the telephone, please remember to turn down your TV and listening devices you may be using. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing, either of the following ways. Email them to the GAO Committee Clerk at Jessica.perkinson at SFgov.org. That's J E S S I C A, P E dot P-E-R-K-I-N-S-O-N at S O S F G O V dot ORG. If you submit public comment via email, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and will also be 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 B. Goodlit Place, room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. Finally, items acted on today's agenda will appear are expected to appear at the Board of Supervisors Agenda May 17th, 2022, unless otherwise stated. And there are no changes of the agenda at this time. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Please call the first item. The first item on the agenda is a resolution approving a historical property property contract between Leah Colver Revocable Trust, the owner of 714 Steiner Street, assessors parcel block number 803, lot number 019, and the city and county of San Francisco under Administrative Code Chapter 71, electing not to renew the historical property contract as of the first day after the 10th anniversary date of the contract, authorizing the planning director and the assessor recorder to execute and record the historical property contract and authorizing planning director to cause a notice of the non-renewal of the historical property contract to be recorded in the city assessors recorder's office on December 31st, 2032. Thank you. And we have Supervisor Aaron Peskin joining the committee for this item today. Welcome, Supervisor Peskin. Um colleagues, as I've noted, when this item has previously before been before the committee, uh the subject property is within 500 feet of uh my personal residence. Uh therefore I am seeking to recuse myself and ask that one of my colleagues make a motion to excuse me from this item and will ask uh Vice Chair Chan to chair in my absence. So move. Okay. Thank you. Um on that motion, uh Chair Preston. Oh, just oh on the motion. Sorry, sorry. Um Victor Jen. Aye. Uh um member Mandelman. Mandelman aye, and Supervisor Peskin. Aye. Thank you.
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