San Francisco Public Safety Committee Meeting - February 9, 2023
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San Francisco Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - February 9, 2023
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee convened on February 9, 2023, at City Hall, chaired by Supervisor Catherine Stephanie, with Vice Chair Supervisor Engardio and Supervisor Dorsey. The committee heard one agenda item: an ordinance to repeal the city's permitting requirements for overdose prevention programs (safe consumption sites). The ordinance, introduced by Supervisor Ronen, was supported by the mayor's office and several public health advocates. After public testimony and discussion, the committee voted unanimously to send the ordinance to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Tom Paulino (Mayor's liaison to the Board of Supervisors) spoke in support, stating the repeal would accelerate deployment of overdose prevention sites and cited the "New York model" as a novel approach to address legal uncertainty. He emphasized the alarming rate of overdose deaths and urged the committee to support the measure.
- Andy Stone (HIV Advocacy Network, 700 members) expressed full support, describing the overdose crisis as a "moral crisis" and calling for bold action similar to San Francisco's response to the AIDS crisis.
- Curtis Bradford (long-term recovery, former IV drug user) shared personal testimony that harm reduction services saved his life, and urged the committee to be "bold and brave" in taking action.
- Mark Solomon (North Mission resident, Act Up alum) opposed the ordinance, citing concerns about a proposed safe consumption site at St. John's Church at 15th and Julian, adjacent to a senior center, near the American Indian Friendship House Recovery Center, and less than 1,000 feet from Marshall Elementary School (in violation of Health and Safety Code Section 11380.5). He requested a carve-out requiring hearings for sites near schools or recovery centers, and criticized billionaire funding (Soros and Bloomberg).
- Mary Silla (Director of Policy, National Harm Reduction Coalition) supported the amendment, noting overdose prevention centers have operated internationally for decades, in New York for the past year, and have been legalized in Rhode Island. She also noted the U.S. Department of Justice's stance in the Safe House litigation.
- Alliana (Policy Associate, member of Safe Ring Side and Treatment on Demand Coalitions) supported the measure, citing research that overdose prevention centers increase connections to treatment, and noted hundreds of reversals at the Tenderloin Center.
- Sheba Bandiva (District 6 resident, Public Policy Manager at HomeRise, member of Treatment on Demand and other coalitions) supported the ordinance, noting an average of two accidental overdose deaths per day in San Francisco, and urged funding for wellness hubs.
- Lara Thomas (Senior Director of HIV and Harm Reduction Policy, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, District 10 resident) supported the measure as a step toward opening life-saving services, while noting that funding still needs to be addressed.
- Michael Rupe (District 9 resident, co-drafter of San Francisco Principles 2020) supported the ordinance, recalled touring a site in Copenhagen, and noted that two people he knew died on New Year's Day from relapses, stressing urgency.
- Wesley Saver (Senior Policy Manager, Glide) supported the measure, referencing the 2017 Safe Injection Services Task Force report, and emphasized that supervised consumption is evidence-based and cost-effective, and not an alternative to treatment.
- Calder Lorenz (Director of Operations, Guvio Project, Mission district resident) supported the ordinance, citing his experience in Vancouver, BC, when safe injection sites were introduced, and said services would bring people inside safely.
- Carolyn Gooson (Local Policy Director, Public Defender's Office) spoke in support, calling the ordinance an evidence-based public health approach and urging investment in interventions that support people rather than criminalize them.
- Layla (longtime harm reduction advocate) supported the measure, noting the lack of consumption sites and the daily loss of life, and urged acknowledgment of the reality of drug use.
- Mr. Kensler (member of the public) opposed the ordinance, stating he did not see how the sites help people recover, and recommended not moving forward unless there was a pathway to recovery.
Discussion Items
Supervisor Dorsey acknowledged frustrations with the delay, attributing it to legal challenges at the federal level, particularly a case in Philadelphia, and criticized the Biden administration for not providing guidance. He noted his own experience with abstinence-based recovery but stressed that harm reduction is necessary to keep people alive. Supervisor Engardio expressed support, stating "every life saved is worth saving" and emphasized using all tools, including harm reduction and abstinence-based recovery.
Chair Stephanie asked the Department of Public Health about the city's role if a nonprofit group were to operate a safe consumption site. Eileen Lochran (Overdose Prevention and Community Initiatives Manager, DPH) responded that DPH would provide strong oversight, community engagement, and ensure adherence to policies and that programs are "good neighbors." Supervisor Engardio also asked Mayor's office representative Tom Paulino about the mayor's statements on accountability for drug dealers, and Paulino confirmed that enforcement and accountability are part of the mayor's approach.
Key Outcomes
- The committee voted unanimously (3-0) to approve the ordinance and send it to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation. The measure is expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda on February 28, 2023.
Meeting Transcript
This meeting will come to order. Welcome to the February 9th, 2023 regular meeting of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee. I am Supervisor Catherine Stephanie, Chair of the Committee. To my right is Vice Chair, Supervisor Engardio, and to my left is Supervisor Dorsey. The clerk is John Carroll, and I'd like to thank Colina Mendoza and Jeanette Eganloff at SFGTV, GOTV for uh staffing this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. 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 board recognizes that equitable public access is essential, and we will be taking public comment as follows. First, public comment will be taken on each item on today's agenda. There's only one item. Those attending in-person will be allowed to speak first, and then we will hear public comment from those who are waiting on a telephonic public comment call-in line. For those who are watching the meeting on Cable Channel 26, 28, 78, or 99, or on SFgovTV.org. The public comment call-in number is streaming across your screen at this time. That phone number is 415-655-0001. When you're prompted, you should enter the meeting ID for today's meeting. That meeting ID is 2488-137-5865. After you've entered the meeting ID, press the pound symbol twice. You'll be connected to the meeting. You'll hear the meeting discussions, but your line will be muted and in listening mode. When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called on that agenda item. Those joining us in person should line up to speak along the curtain wall, the west wall of this room. We'll hear from them first. Those who are waiting on the telephonic public comment call-in line should dial star three to be added to the speaker queue. If you're on your telephone, please remember to turn down your television, your radio, your listening devices, your streaming devices, whatever you may be using to hear today's proceedings from home or wherever you are. As I said previously, we'll take public comment from those attending in person first, and then we'll hear from the public comment call-in line. Alternatively, you may submit your public comment in writing. You can email your comment to me, the Public Safety Neighborhood Services Committee Clerk. My email address is 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. We are located in the clerk's office, room 244, and City Hall's address is one Dr. Carlton B. Goodlick Place, San Francisco, California 94102. Any comments that I receive in writing, I will forward to the members of the public safety committee, and I will include them in the file on which you are commenting. Of course, all of the contact information that I've listed here is also available for review on the front page of any committee agenda, including today's agenda, if you need to refer to it there. And finally, Madam Chair, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda of February 28th, 2023, unless otherwise stated. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Will you please call the first item? Agenda item number one is an ordinance amending the health code to repeal the city's permitting requirements for the operation of overdose prevention programs. If you want to participate in public comment through your telephone, dial 415-65501. The meeting ID is 2488-137-5865. Press the pound symbol twice and then dial star followed by three to enter the queue to speak, Madam Chair. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. I understand that we do have a representative from Supervisor Ronan's office. And I also know that Tom Paulino from the mayor's office is here, so I don't know if you all have worked out who is going first, but um I'd like to call Mr. Paulino up to the podium.
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