OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

San Francisco Land Use & Transportation Committee Meeting - June 8, 2026

Land Use and Transportation Committee — Monday, June 8, 2026
BodySan Francisco, California
SessionLand Use and Transportation Committee
DateMonday, June 8, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 4:08:12
Transcript — Verbatim
0:07

Okay, good afternoon, everyone.

0:09

This meeting will come to order.

0:11

Welcome to the June 8th, 2026 regular meeting of the land use and transportation committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

0:19

I am Supervisor Mirna Melgar, Chair of the Committee, joined by Vice Chair, Cheyenne Chen, and also by Supervisor Bilal Mahmoud.

0:28

The committee clerk today is John Carroll, and I would also like to thank uh Jeanette Eganlauf at SFGov TV for staffing this meeting.

0:38

Mr.

0:38

Clerk, do you have any announcements?

0:40

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair.

0:41

Please ensure that you've silenced your cell phones and other electronic devices you've brought with you into the chamber today.

0:45

If you have any documents to be included as part of any of today's files, you can submit them directly to me.

0:50

Public comment will be taken on each item on today's agenda.

0:53

When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called, please line up to speak along your right-hand side of this room.

0:58

Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways.

1:02

First, you may email your comments to me at J-O-H-N.

1:06

C-A-R-R-O-L-L at SFGOV.org.

1:10

Or you may send your written comments via U.S.

1:12

Postal Service to our office in City Hall.

1:15

The address is one, Dr.

1:17

Carlton B.

1:18

Goodlit Place, Room 244, San Francisco, California 94102.

1:22

If you submit public comment in writing, I will forward your comments to the members of this committee and also include your comments as part of the official file on which you are commenting.

1:30

Items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors' agenda of June 16th, 2026, unless otherwise stated.

1:40

Okay, thank you so much.

1:42

Uh Mr.

1:42

Clerk.

1:43

We have uh members of the public here today, and I just want to make a couple of announcements before we get started because today will be a long meeting.

1:53

Um that I do intend to continue to make a motion to continue items number four and number five to the call of the chair.

2:03

So if you are here to um hear or to get public comment on the uh site of Compton's cafeteria riot, the landmarking uh that is item number four, that will be continued to the call of the chair, and also item number five, the smoke-free places legislation that would also be continued to the call of the chair.

2:24

Of course, they're agenda, so if you want to provide public comment, uh you can uh but we will not be voting on those things today.

2:31

We will be voting on the continuance for both.

2:34

So uh just being mindful of your time.

2:37

Uh so with that, uh Mr.

2:38

Clerk, please uh call item number one.

2:41

Agenda item number one is an ordinance amending division one of the transportation code to make non-substantive organizational changes to the provisions governing the interdepartmental staff council on traffic and transportation and remove outdated provisions concerning the temporary use of streets for school uses.

2:57

The ordinance also amends the administrative and fire codes to update cross-references and affirms the planning department's secret determination.

3:06

Um, thank you so much.

3:09

Um this item was continued uh last week because of substantive amendments.

3:16

We do have staff on standby to answer any questions, uh, but I don't think there's a presentation.

3:23

So with that, um let's go to public comment on this item, Mr.

3:26

Clerk.

3:26

Thank you, Madam Chair, land use and transportation.

3:29

We now hear public comment related to agenda item number one.

3:31

If you have public comment for this item, please come forward to the lectern at this time.

3:36

And Madam Chair, it appears we have no speakers for this item.

3:39

Okay, public comment on this item is now closed.

3:42

Um I would like to uh make a motion to send this item out of committee to the full board with a positive recommendation.

3:49

On the motion offered by the chair that this ordinance be recommended to the board of supervisors.

3:53

Vice Chair Chen.

3:54

Chen I, Member Machmud Mahmoud I, Chair Melgar.

3:58

I.

3:59

Madam Chair, there are three ayes.

4:01

Thank you.

4:02

That uh item passes.

4:03

Let's go to item number two, please.

4:05

Agenda item number two is an ordinance amending the San Francisco fire code to prohibit the sale, offer, and delivery of lithium-ion batteries and replacement lithium-ion batteries that do not meet specified certification requirements to any address within San Francisco.

4:22

Establish enforcement processes and penalties for violations, authorize the city attorney to seek injunctive and monetary relief and attorneys' fees, and authorizing the fire department to implement the restrictions through rules, forms, and other guidance.

4:36

Thank you so much.

4:37

Uh Supervisor Mahmoud, thank you so much for introducing this item.

4:41

Uh the floor is yours.

4:42

Thank you, Chair Melgar.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing█████████████████████████████████████████████82%
Public Safety███5%
Procedural██4%
Public Health██4%
Finance And Debt██3%
Community Engagement█1%
Water Resource Management█1%
Summary of Proceedings

San Francisco Land Use & Transportation Committee Meeting - June 8, 2026

The Land Use and Transportation Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors met on June 8, 2026, at 9:45 AM. Chaired by Supervisor Mirna Melgar, with Vice Chair Cheyenne Chen and Supervisor Bilal Mahmoud, the committee addressed six agenda items, including a major hearing on affordable housing funding strategies, legislation on lithium-ion battery safety, and continuances for several items.

Consent Calendar

  • Item 1 (Transportation Code Amendments): An ordinance making non-substantive organizational changes to provisions governing the Interdepartmental Staff Council on Traffic and Transportation and removing outdated school street use provisions. The committee voted unanimously (3-0) to recommend it to the full Board with a positive recommendation.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Item 2 (Lithium-ion Battery Safety): Public comment was limited; Joel Coppel from the San Francisco Electrical Contractors Association expressed support, emphasizing life safety and proper installation standards.
  • Item 4 (Affordable Housing Hearing): Extensive public comment was received. Key speakers included:
    • Honest Charlie Bodkin (San Franciscans for Social Housing) urged dedication of Proposition I funds to affordable housing.
    • Sean Auckland (SOMA resident) criticized geographic concentration of affordable housing in Districts 5, 6, and 10, calling it a containment strategy.
    • Rebecca Jackson (Women's Housing Coalition) advocated for including survivors of gender-based violence in housing equity tracking.
    • Quentin Necky (Council of Community Housing Organizations) emphasized that "money matters" and highlighted the need for billions in funding, citing Seattle and Philadelphia as models.
    • Several members of SomCan and the Filipino community shared personal stories of housing insecurity and urged faster action.
    • Kristen Evans (Small Business Forward) supported lowering inclusionary rates and expanding the Housing Trust Fund.
    • Emily Mock (Chinese Progressive Association) read a statement from Moon Huang about a multi-generational family crowded into one home, calling for deeply affordable housing.
  • Item 6 (Smoke-Free Places): Public comment included:
    • Bob Gordon (American Cancer Society) and Brian Davis (SF Tobacco Free Coalition) supported the ordinance, citing successful implementation in other cities like San Jose and Oakland.
    • Alex Marenkov (asthma sufferer) emphasized accessibility issues.
    • Kristen Evans (Small Business Forward) opposed the current version, arguing it lacked collaboration with small businesses and placed enforcement burdens on staff.

Discussion Items

  • Item 2 - Lithium-Ion Battery Safety Ordinance (Supervisor Mahmoud):

    • Fire Chief Dean Crispin testified that over 120 lithium-ion battery fires occurred in San Francisco over the past five years, with a notable December 2025 fire at 50 Golden Gate Avenue displacing over 130 residents. Non-certified batteries can cause thermal runaway, igniting rapidly.
    • Supervisor Mahmoud introduced the ordinance to prohibit sale, offer, or delivery of uncertified batteries and powered mobility devices. A minor amendment (accepted) added the international standard EN 15194 to expand compliance pathways. The ordinance also establishes enforcement by the San Francisco Fire Department and penalties.
    • Supervisor Chen co-sponsored and voiced support.
    • The committee voted unanimously (3-0) to adopt the amendment and send the amended ordinance to the full Board.

  • Item 4 - Hearing on Affordable Housing Funding Strategies (Supervisor Chen):

    • Planning Department (Lisa Chen): Presented on San Francisco's progress toward the 2031 Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) goal of 82,069 units. As of 2025, only 20% of needed units had been authorized. Progress was strongest for low/very low-income units (37-38% of goal) but lagged for moderate and above-moderate income (about 25%). Construction costs increased 30% since 2020; financial feasibility studies found all market-rate prototypes infeasible. The proposed Housing Trust Fund expansion (from $50M to $125M annually) would generate over $3 billion over 30 years.
    • MOHCD (Dan Adams): Detailed the complexity of affordable housing financing. The city's portfolio includes ~35,000 units. Nearly 50% serve seniors. The typical development timeline is 7 years, with most delay due to financing (waiting for state/federal sources). Local subsidy is about $250,000-$300,000 per unit, leveraging state/federal dollars. The city faces a "fiscal cliff" in 2029 as bond funds expire. The Housing Trust Fund expansion is critical. Need for land banking and geographic diversification (especially Westside) was discussed.
    • Budget and Legislative Analyst (Fred Brousseau): Presented findings from a report requested by Supervisor Chen. Key points: The city needs an estimated $17.9 billion to meet RHNA goals. The 2023 temporary fee reductions had a marginal impact (0.44% to 1.83% savings on project costs) and did not significantly boost production. Recommended strategies included:
      • Revolving loan fund (modeled after Montgomery County, MD)
      • Joint powers authority combining MOHCD and Housing Authority
      • Open indenture (like New York City)
      • Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFDs)
      • SB 593 bonding authority for social housing
      • Raising the debt ceiling for general obligation bonds
      • New or enhanced taxes (e.g., transfer tax on properties over $10M)
    • Equity gaps: The report found gaps in tracking and transparency, particularly for extremely low-income households and survivors of domestic violence. The annual progress report (APR) is not easily accessible to the public.
    • Supervisors Melgar and Mahmoud engaged in detailed Q&A on funding adequacy, project selection, operating deficits, land acquisition, and inclusionary housing trade-offs.

  • Item 5 - Compton's Cafeteria Riot Landmark Designation: The committee continued this item to the call of the chair without public comment or debate.

  • Item 6 - Smoke-Free Places Ordinance (Supervisor Melgar): The ordinance would prohibit smoking on bar patios to protect workers and patrons from secondhand smoke. Supervisor Melgar moved to continue it to the call of the chair for further stakeholder engagement. Public comment was heard, with supporters citing public health benefits and opponents citing enforcement concerns for small businesses. Continued unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Item 1 (Transportation Code): Passed out of committee (3-0) with positive recommendation to full Board.
  • Item 2 (Lithium-Ion Batteries): Ordinance amended (3-0) and recommended to full Board (3-0). Supervisor Chen added as co-sponsor.
  • Item 3 (Non-Residential Conditions of Approval): Continued to call of chair (3-0).
  • Item 4 (Affordable Housing Hearing): Heard and filed (3-0). The BLA report will inform future policy discussions and ballot measures, including the expanded Housing Trust Fund (November 2026 ballot) and potential municipal bank legislation.
  • Item 5 (Compton's Cafeteria Riot Landmark): Continued to call of chair (3-0).
  • Item 6 (Smoke-Free Places): Continued to call of chair (3-0) for further stakeholder collaboration.

Next Steps: Items 1 and 2 will appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda on June 16, 2026. The committee will continue to work on affordable housing funding strategies, including potential ballot measures and implementation of BLA recommendations.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, good afternoon, everyone. This meeting will come to order. Welcome to the June 8th, 2026 regular meeting of the land use and transportation committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. I am Supervisor Mirna Melgar, Chair of the Committee, joined by Vice Chair, Cheyenne Chen, and also by Supervisor Bilal Mahmoud. The committee clerk today is John Carroll, and I would also like to thank uh Jeanette Eganlauf at SFGov TV for staffing this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. Please ensure that you've silenced your cell phones and other electronic devices you've brought with you into the chamber today. If you have any documents to be included as part of any of today's files, you can submit them directly to me. Public comment will be taken on each item on today's agenda. When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called, please line up to speak along your right-hand side of this room. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. First, you may email your comments to me at J-O-H-N. C-A-R-R-O-L-L at SFGOV.org. Or you may send your written comments via U.S. Postal Service to our office in City Hall. The address is one, Dr. Carlton B. Goodlit Place, Room 244, San Francisco, California 94102. If you submit public comment in writing, I will forward your comments to the members of this committee and also include your comments as part of the official file on which you are commenting. Items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors' agenda of June 16th, 2026, unless otherwise stated. Okay, thank you so much. Uh Mr. Clerk. We have uh members of the public here today, and I just want to make a couple of announcements before we get started because today will be a long meeting. Um that I do intend to continue to make a motion to continue items number four and number five to the call of the chair. So if you are here to um hear or to get public comment on the uh site of Compton's cafeteria riot, the landmarking uh that is item number four, that will be continued to the call of the chair, and also item number five, the smoke-free places legislation that would also be continued to the call of the chair. Of course, they're agenda, so if you want to provide public comment, uh you can uh but we will not be voting on those things today. We will be voting on the continuance for both. So uh just being mindful of your time. Uh so with that, uh Mr. Clerk, please uh call item number one. Agenda item number one is an ordinance amending division one of the transportation code to make non-substantive organizational changes to the provisions governing the interdepartmental staff council on traffic and transportation and remove outdated provisions concerning the temporary use of streets for school uses. The ordinance also amends the administrative and fire codes to update cross-references and affirms the planning department's secret determination. Um, thank you so much. Um this item was continued uh last week because of substantive amendments. We do have staff on standby to answer any questions, uh, but I don't think there's a presentation. So with that, um let's go to public comment on this item, Mr. Clerk. Thank you, Madam Chair, land use and transportation. We now hear public comment related to agenda item number one. If you have public comment for this item, please come forward to the lectern at this time. And Madam Chair, it appears we have no speakers for this item. Okay, public comment on this item is now closed. Um I would like to uh make a motion to send this item out of committee to the full board with a positive recommendation. On the motion offered by the chair that this ordinance be recommended to the board of supervisors. Vice Chair Chen. Chen I, Member Machmud Mahmoud I, Chair Melgar. I.

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