San Francisco Board of Supervisors Government Audit and Oversight Committee Meeting - March 16, 2023
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San Francisco Board of Supervisors Government Audit and Oversight Committee Meeting - March 16, 2023
The Government Audit and Oversight Committee met on March 16, 2023, at 6:15 PM (scheduled start) under Chair Supervisor Dean Preston, with Vice Chair Supervisor Catherine Stefani and Member Supervisor Connie Chan. The committee heard two substantive items: an ordinance strengthening displaced worker protections for janitorial, security, and building maintenance employees, and a resolution urging internet service providers to provide affordable internet for seniors and people with disabilities. The committee also deliberated on 12 closed session litigation items. All items were forwarded to the full Board with positive recommendations.
Discussion Items
Item 1: Ordinance Amending Police Code – Displaced Worker Protections
- Supervisor Ahsha Safaí, sponsor, presented the ordinance to strengthen Article 33C of the Police Code. The measure requires an awarding authority (e.g., tenant or building owner) to provide the name of a successor contractor within three days of hiring, and if no successor is hired within 10 days, the terminated contractor must provide a list of employees to the awarding authority for transfer. It also authorizes administrative enforcement by the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE) and allows the City Attorney to bring civil action. The ordinance was prompted by the displacement of janitorial workers at 1355 Market Street (Twitter headquarters) in late 2022, where Twitter terminated a contractor and refused to provide successor information, leaving workers unable to retain their jobs.
- Olga Miranda, Secretary-Treasurer of the San Francisco Labor Council and President of SEIU Local 87, expressed full support for the legislation. She reported that approximately 60 union members were affected by the Twitter situation, and that the company had hired and fired two subsequent janitorial companies. She noted the workers' unemployment benefits were running out, their insurance ended in January 2023, and that 32 SEIU members died during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Pat Mulligan (OLSE) and Deputy Director Halle Albert were available for questions.
- Deputy City Attorney Ann Pearson confirmed that the ordinance adds enforcement options without limiting employees' existing private right of action.
- The committee members (Preston, Stefani, Chan) all expressed strong support and added themselves as co-sponsors.
- Supervisor Safaí offered three technical amendments (deleting an extra "and" on page 2 line 16, deleting an incorrect code citation on line 21, and clarifying enforcement timing on page 6 lines 12-14), which were adopted.
- Public comment included two speakers from SEIU Local 87 who thanked the committee.
- Vote: Unanimously (3-0) moved to forward the ordinance as amended to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
Item 2: Resolution Urging Internet Service Providers to Provide Affordable Internet for Seniors and People with Disabilities
- Supervisor Dean Preston, author, introduced the resolution calling on AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, and others to expand affordable internet access. He noted that 1 in 8 San Francisco residents lack home high-speed internet, 1 in 7 public school families lack home computer access, and only about 25% of eligible households (estimated 126,000) are enrolled in the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Specific data: in the Tenderloin, approximately 3,500 eligible households are not enrolled; in the Western Addition, over 2,600 eligible are not enrolled.
- Presentations were made by:
- Senior and Disability Action (SDA): Peter Estes and Dasom Desimna described their Free Wi-Fi Campaign, identifying four main barriers: ACP under-enrollment, inadequate eligibility criteria for San Francisco's high cost of living, digital redlining (uneven infrastructure investment), and lack of language access. They estimated that subsidizing internet access for all San Franciscans up to 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) would cost $2–3 million per month, and universal fiber upgrades could cost around $35 million (based on a 2015 city plan).
- AT&T: Cammy Blackstone highlighted AT&T's $2 billion national digital divide commitment, its Access program (free for ACP-eligible customers), the Visitation Valley Connected Learning Center, and partnerships with community organizations.
- Verizon: Sophia Garcia described Verizon's Forward program (free home internet for ACP enrollees), digital skills training goals (10 million youth by 2030), and over 80 community events in 2022.
- Comcast: Dylan Young detailed the Internet Essentials program ($9.95/month for 50 Mbps, $29.95 for 100 Mbps, both fully covered by ACP), serving over 10 million low-income people nationally, and highlighted partnerships with Self-Help for the Elderly and community hubs.
- Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) and Department of Technology: Ray Lashaux (Digital Equity Manager) and Brian Roberts (Policy Analyst) reported on the Fiber to Housing program, which has connected over 9,000 units in 75 affordable housing complexes and navigation centers. They are planning to add 5,000 more units and secure $5 million in capital funding for FY 2024-25. A Chinatown SRO pilot reached 5 buildings but faced challenges with primitive wiring and negotiations with small landlords.
- During committee questioning, Supervisor Preston pressed the ISPs on whether they would extend discounted or free internet to residents above 200% of federal poverty but still low-income by San Francisco standards (e.g., those qualifying for local benefits). AT&T and Comcast stated they are focused on increasing ACP enrollment and do not adjust pricing locally; Verizon expressed openness to further conversation but no commitment.
- Public comment was extensive (over 20 speakers in person and by phone). Many SDA members and community advocates urged passage, citing the necessity of internet for healthcare, social connection, and civic engagement. Some criticized the ISPs for inadequate language support and digital redlining. Supportive comments also came from Community Tech Network, Asian Pacific Community Center, and others who lauded ISP partnerships.
- Vice Chair Stefani emphasized the need for a comprehensive city-led approach beyond reliance on ISPs, noting that San Francisco has discussed universal internet for 20 years. She urged more city investment and expressed caution about using the term "digital redlining" without proof.
- Chair Preston acknowledged the broader context but stressed the resolution's immediate goal: maximizing use of existing ACP and ISP programs through better outreach and partnership.
- Vote: Unanimously (3-0) moved to forward the resolution to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
Closed Session Items (Items 3–14)
- The committee unanimously voted to recommend to the full Board 12 litigation settlement items, including settlements of lawsuits and unlitigated claims (totaling over $10 million in payments and receipts). The committee voted not to disclose closed session discussions (3-0).
Key Outcomes
- Item 1 (Displaced Worker Protections): Ordinance amended and forwarded to full Board (3-0).
- Item 2 (Affordable Internet Resolution): Resolution forwarded to full Board (3-0).
- Items 3–14 (Litigation Settlements): All recommended to full Board (3-0); closed session discussion not disclosed.
- Next meeting: The committee adjourned. Items acted upon are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda on April 4, 2023.
Meeting Transcript
This meeting will come to order. Welcome to the March 16th, 2023 regular meeting of the Government Audit and Oversight Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. I'm Supervisor Dean Preston, Chair of the Committee. I'm joined by Vice Chair Supervisor Catherine Stephanie and Committee Member Supervisor Connie Chan. Committee clerk today is Stephanie Cabrera, and we want to thank the team at SFGov TV for staffing this meeting. Madam Clerk, any announcements? Yes, thank you. 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. The public recognize or the board recognizes that the equitable access is essential, and we'll be taking public comment as follows. First, public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda. Those attending in person will be allowed to speak first, and then we will take those who are waiting on the telephone line. For those watching either Channel 26, 28, 78, or 99 and SFgovTV.org. The public comment call-in number is streaming across the screen. The phone number is 415 65501. Once again, it is 415 655-0001. When prompted, enter meeting ID 2485 401 2082, 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 should dial star three to be added to the queue. If you are on your telephone, please remember to turn down your TV and all listening devices that you may be using. As already indicated, we will be taking public comment from those attending in person first. Then we will go to our public comment telephone line. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the two following ways. Email them to me, the government audit and oversight committee clerk at Stephanie STEPHANIE. Gabrera, CABSMBay, R E R A at SFgov.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 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlit Place, Room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. Finally, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda of April 4th, unless otherwise stated. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Clerk. And I we were joined by Supervisor Safai, who is uh addressing item one, but I understand there may be a request that we hear uh that we call item to Supervisor Safai. Uh, would you like us to call item one first? You're ready. Okay. Thank you. Uh, and uh so go ahead and call uh item one, Madam Clerk. Thank you. Item number one is an ordinance amending the police code to require an awarding authority following the termination or end of a contract for janitorial security or building maintenance services in San Francisco to provide information to facilitate the successor contractor's retention of the terminated or ending contractors' employees to strengthen enforcement by permitting the city attorney or an aggrieved employee to bring civil action against the awarding authority for injective release for strength enforcement by authorizing the Office of Labor Standards Enforcements to, among other things, promulgate rules, investigate possible violations, and other interim or final relief, including back pay, administrative penalties, cost of investigation, and interest, and to establish procedures for a person subject to an OLSE investigation to appeal to the OLSE's determination of a violation. Members of the public who wish to provide public comment on this item should call 415-655-0001. When prompted, enter meeting ID 2485401-2085, then press pound twice. If you haven't already done so, please dial star three to be added to the speaker queue. The system prompt will indicate that you have raised your hand. Please wait until the system indicates that you have been unmuted, and you may begin your comments when we go to public comment. Thank you, Madam Clerk. And uh this item is sponsored by uh Supervisor Safai. He will be taking the lead on this. Um, I do want to welcome Supervisor Safai to the committee and also welcome uh Olga Miranda from uh SEIU Local 87 and Pat Mulligan from OLSE, who I understand will both be uh presenting today, but before they do, um Supervisor Safai, this floor is yours. Thank you, Chair Preston.
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