Land Use and Transportation Committee Meeting – July 27, 2026
Land Use and Transportation Committee Meeting – July 27, 2026
The Land Use and Transportation Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors met on July 27, 2026, at 9:45 AM, chaired by Supervisor Mirna Melgar, with Vice Chair Cheyenne Chen and Supervisor Bilal Mahmood. The committee considered five items: an infrastructure acceptance for Hunters View Hope SF Phase 2, a commemorative street naming for Dr. Carlotta Texador Del Portillo, an initiative to start an undergrounding process on Homestead Street via Rule 20B, an ordinance updating street tree requirements and appeal processes, and a landmark designation for the site of the Compton's Cafeteria Riot. All items except the landmark designation were passed unanimously; the landmark item was continued to the call of the chair. Public comment was heard on items 2, 3, and 4.
Item 1: Hunters View Hope SF Phase 2 Infrastructure Acceptance
- Description: Ordinance to accept public infrastructure (streets, sidewalks, utilities) for Phases 2 and 3 of the Hunters View Hope SF project, including dedicating public improvements, establishing sidewalk widths, and delegating authority to the Director of Public Works. The item was amended to strike a reference to a trailing easement vacation ordinance not yet introduced.
- Staff Presentation: Jason Liu, Hope SF Program Manager, provided an overview of Hope SF's history (created in response to diminishing federal funding for public housing, aiming to achieve reparations for systemic racism). Phase 2 includes 179 affordable housing units, new park, childcare, wellness center. Phase 3 completed earlier in 2026 with 118 affordable units. The project will total up to 400 market-rate units and includes community spaces.
- Public Comment: No speakers.
- Vote: Moved by Chair Melgar to adopt the amendments and send to full board as a committee report. Unanimously passed (3-0).
Item 2: Commemorative Street Name – Dr. Carlotta Texador Del Portillo Way
- Description: Resolution to add the commemorative street name "Carlotta Texador Del Portillo Way" on Bartlett Street between 21st and 22nd Streets, recognizing her leadership in establishing City College of San Francisco's Mission Campus and her civic service. The name was amended to drop "Dr." to fit signage.
- Staff Presentation: Grace Huang from President Mandelman's office described Dr. Del Portillo's accomplishments: first Latina on the Human Rights Commission, Civil Service Commission, Fire Commission; helped integrate the Fire Department; first Latina elected citywide to the School Board; co-founded community organizations.
- Public Comment: Seven speakers spoke in support, including former School Board President Juanita Owens, Dean Gregoria Cejil, community leaders Mary Hernandez and Josepadia. They highlighted her mentorship, advocacy for educational equity, and transformative impact on students' lives. One speaker noted this would be the first commemorative street naming for a Latina in San Francisco.
- Vote: Motion by Chair Melgar to adopt the amendment and send to full board with positive recommendation. Unanimously passed (3-0).
Item 3: Resolution of Intention – Undergrounding on Homestead Street (Rule 20B)
- Description: Resolution to initiate an undergrounding process for Homestead Street between 24th and 25th streets using Rule 20B (property owner-funded undergrounding, with PG&E contributing overhead-equivalent costs). This is a novel process not previously used in San Francisco. The city's role is to provide legislative framework and establish an assessment district.
- Staff Presentation: Reneal Badjoy from President Mandelman's office explained that the traditional Rule 20A (ratepayer-funded credits) is exhausted and in debt. Rule 20B allows property owners to fund undergrounding with assessments. The process is lengthy: this resolution is the first step; later steps include engineering report, public hearing, and ballot for assessment district.
- Public Comment: Three speakers. Ernie Baffle supported the effort and provided guidance from other cities (Newport Beach, Palm Springs). Two speakers (Josh Clip and Catherine Howard) urged consideration of tree placement and green infrastructure in planning undergrounding.
- Vote: Motion by Chair Melgar to send to full board as committee report. Unanimously passed (3-0).
Item 4: Street Tree Planting Requirements, In-Lieu Fees, and Appeal Process Updates
- Description: Ordinance to modernize street tree rules: allow smaller projects to pay in-lieu fees instead of planting; require larger projects (triggered by Better Streets Plan criteria) to plant on-site every 20 feet; exempt ADUs; improve tree removal appeals for city-initiated and hazard trees; establish a separate account in the Adopt-a-Tree Fund for in-lieu fees; require earlier notice of tree obligations.
- Staff Presentation: Ian Schneider (DPW Government Affairs) and David Moore (Bureau of Urban Forestry Superintendent) presented the need to balance canopy expansion with development efficiency. They cited a case at Grove and Hyde Streets where protracted appeals led to tree failures. The committee considered amendments from Supervisor Mahmood (restoring director-level appeal for hazard trees) and Supervisor Dorsey (directing in-lieu funds to environmental justice communities).
- Public Comment: Approximately 15 speakers opposed the ordinance. Key concerns: in-lieu fees may not guarantee replacement trees; the city has $4.5 million in unused in-lieu fees; hazard tree removal appeal elimination undermines community oversight; examples of abuse by DPW (e.g., healthy trees mislabeled as hazards). Several speakers noted San Francisco has the lowest tree canopy of any major U.S. city. The Board of Appeals president argued the change was unnecessary given only two appealed city-initiated removals in 2024.
- Amendments Adopted: (1) Supervisor Mahmood's amendment: retain appeal of hazardous tree removal to the Director of Public Works, but eliminate further appeal to Board of Appeals. (2) Supervisor Dorsey's amendment: add finding that the department intends to prioritize environmental justice communities for in-lieu fund expenditures.
- Vote: Motion by Vice Chair Chen to adopt Supervisor Dorsey's amendment (passed 3-0). Motion by Chair Melgar to adopt Supervisor Mahmood's amendment (passed 3-0). Motion to send amended ordinance to full board with positive recommendation (passed 3-0).
Item 5: Landmark Designation – Site of the Compton's Cafeteria Riot
- Description: Ordinance to amend landmark designation for Landmark #307 (Turk and Taylor Streets) to include the entire building at 101-121 Taylor Street and expand the period of significance.
- Discussion: Supervisor Mahmood requested a continuance to allow further work with the City Attorney and advocates on a more thorough landmarking.
- Public Comment: No speakers.
- Vote: Motion to continue to the call of the chair. Unanimously passed (3-0).
Key Outcomes
- Items 1, 2, 3, and 4 were approved as amended and sent to the full Board of Supervisors for consideration on July 28, 2026 (expected Board agenda September 1, 2026 unless otherwise noted).
- Item 5 was continued indefinitely (to the call of the chair).
- All votes were unanimous (3-0).
- The committee adopted amendments to the tree ordinance that preserve a director-level appeal for hazard trees and direct in-lieu fees to environmental justice communities.
Meeting Transcript
To the July 27, 2026 regular meeting of the Land Use and Transportation Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. I am Supervisor Mirna Melgar, Chair of this committee, joined by Vice Chair, Supervisor Cheyenne Chen, and Supervisor Bilal Mahmoot. The committee clerk is John Carroll, and I would also like to thank Jeanette Eganlauf from SFGup TV for staffing us during this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements to make the question? 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 period, 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 I will 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 September 1st, 2026, unless otherwise stated. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Please call item number one. Agenda item number one is an ordinance accepting irrevocable offers of public infrastructure associated with the Hunters View Hope SF Project Phase 2, including an offer of improvements for infrastructure located within Catalina Street, Fairfax Avenue, Ingall Street, Innes Avenue, Ironwood Way, and Middle Point Road, and an offer of dedication for real property for portions of Fairfax, Ironwood, and Middlepoint. Dedicating said public improvements for public use, designating set of public improvements for public street and roadway purposes, accepting said public infrastructure for city maintenance and liability purposes subject to specified limitations. Establishing official sidewalk widths, grades, and public right of way. Amending ordinance number 1061 entitled Regulating the Width of Sidewalks to establish official sidewalk widths on Catalina, Fairfax, Ingalls, Innes, Ironwood, and Middlepoint, accepting an offer of dedication for phase two easements, delegating authority to the public works director to accept the phase three public infrastructure, including authority to take all of the phase two actions in the ordinance for phase three as well. Authorizing the director of property to execute deeds and easement agreements as specified, accepting the public works order uh regarding various actions in regard to the public infrastructure improvements, adopting findings under CEQA and making other appropriate findings. This item is on our agenda as a potential committee report, and it may be sent to the Board of Supervisors for consideration tomorrow, July 28th, 2026. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. We are joined by Jason Liu at Policy Director for Community Development at Hope SF. Welcome. Thank you, thank you. Good afternoon, Chair Mel Melgar, Vice Chair Chen, and uh member Mahmood. Thank you for your time today as we talk about the acceptance of new streets at Hope SF Huntersview. Uh my name is Jason Liu, uh, the Hope SF program manager with Mo C D. I'm joined by my Mo C D and DPW colleagues as well as the project sponsor, the John Stewart Company, uh here today in Chambers. Um, as a quick refresher, Hope SF was created by then Mayor Gavin Newsom's administration in response to diminishing federal funding for San Francisco's largest and most neglected public housing sites, namely Alice Griffith, Hunters View, Say Dale, and Petrero. Hope SF represents a continuing commitment by the city to achieve reparations for the insidious impacts of past and ongoing trauma, systemic and institutional racism, and deep and persistent poverty. Chronic disinvestment by the city in these sites over many decades resulted in a neighborhood disconnected from the larger city street grid. To restore basic necessities and public benefits to Hope SF communities, we have come before you today to accept these new streets as part of our continuing commitment to the Huntersview community. So the item in front of you today, we're seeking your positive recommendation uh for the city to accept the streets under Hunter's view phase two and delegating authority to DPW to accept the streets under Hunter's view phase three upon completion. Uh the project team and our team at MOCD have had regular meetings with SFMTA to prepare for the upcoming transfer of enforcement responsibility and property management. Well notified residents of the transfer before this ordinance uh becomes effective. Uh I should note uh for um for the supervisors here. Ordinance, the ordinance was amended to strike out the reference to the file number of the trailing easement vacation legislation since the ordinance has not yet been introduced. So just a note uh for committee members here today as well. As an overview of the HopeSF Huntersview community, uh the site has welcomed households previously living on site as well as new households into 267 permanently affordable public housing replacement units and 133 new affordable units in addition. Uh full build out, Huntersview can welcome up to 400 market rate units in addition to those affordable units. Not only that, but the site welcomes residents with newly built neighborhood serving spaces, including a DPH operated wellness center, a child care center, a commercial kitchen, and a new education center to be operated by Bayview YMCA.
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