Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Regular Meeting – April 24, 2025
Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Regular Meeting – April 24, 2025
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors met on April 24, 2025, chaired by Supervisor Matt Dorsey with Vice Chair Bill Mahmood and Supervisor Danny Sauter. The committee considered three items: a routine liquor license transfer, a proposed ordinance to establish a "Recovery First" substance use disorder treatment policy, and a required hearing on the Tenderloin Retail Hours Restriction Pilot Program. All items were advanced or continued unanimously after extensive public testimony.
Consent Calendar
- Liquor License Transfer – Far East Cafe Social Club (627 Grant Avenue): The committee approved the transfer of a Type 48 on‑sale general liquor license to Far East Cafe Inc. for the space next door, which has been vacant for several years. SFPD reported zero calls for service and no letters of protest. Standard conditions were attached. Supervisor Sauter noted community and planning support. The committee voted unanimously to prepare a resolution finding public convenience or necessity and forward it to the full Board.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Recovery First Ordinance (Item 2): Over 70 members of the public spoke, reflecting deep division. Supporters, including former Supervisor Bill Maher, recovery program clients (from Positive Direction, Harbor Light, Salvation Army), and community groups (Connected SF, the Joseph McPhee Center), argued that abstinence and long‑term recovery must be the city’s primary goal. They cited personal stories of successful sobriety and criticized harm reduction as enabling. Opponents, including physicians, harm‑reduction providers (SF AIDS Foundation, Harm Reduction Therapy Center, Glide, Skywatchers), and individuals with lived experience, stressed that recovery is non‑linear and that harm reduction keeps people alive long enough to seek treatment. They warned that an abstinence‑only focus would increase stigma, push people into risky behaviors, and lead to more deaths. Several speakers called for housing first and more treatment capacity. The San Francisco Marin Medical Society voiced conditional support after amendments incorporating a broader definition of recovery.
- Tenderloin Retail Hours Pilot (Item 3): More than 20 speakers, mostly Tenderloin residents, community organizers (Chinatown CDC, Central City SRO Collaborative, Tenderloin Community Benefit District), and business representatives, emphatically supported continuing the pilot. They described dramatic improvements in noise, trash, drug activity, and safety. A few speakers requested the program be expanded to other problem areas such as 6th Street. No opposition was voiced during the hearing.
Discussion Items
- Recovery First Substance Use Disorder Treatment Policy (Ordinance 250190): Supervisor Dorsey introduced amendments crafted with the San Francisco Marin Medical Society to broaden definitions of “remission” and “recovery,” explicitly including medication‑assisted treatment, contingency management, and other evidence‑based approaches. The amendments changed the title and long title to “Recovery First Substance Use Disorder Treatment Policy” and set “long‑term remission of substance use disorders for individuals” as the primary goal. Dorsey read a support letter from Chief Health, Homelessness, and Family Services Kunal Modi. After public comment, the committee voted unanimously to accept the amendments and then to forward the amended ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
- Status Update – Tenderloin Retail Hours Restriction Pilot Program (Hearing 250272): Commander Derek Liu and Dr. Diana Arroche of SFPD presented data showing a 13 % reduction in overall reported crime in the Tenderloin district and an 18 % drop in total calls for service (dispatched plus on‑view) within the pilot zone between midnight and 5 a.m. Heat maps illustrated reduced crime intensity. Photos showed cleared sidewalks at formerly problematic corners. The Department of Public Health reported eight violations at five businesses, with fines and referrals to the City Attorney. Commander Liu recommended maintaining the pilot because lifting it would risk a return to previous conditions. Vice Chair Mahmood and Supervisor Sauter asked about displacement (noted on 6th Street) and the feasibility of expanding the program. No action was taken beyond receiving the report.
Key Outcomes
- Liquor License Transfer: Motion to prepare a resolution of public convenience/necessity and forward it to the full Board passed 3‑0 (Dorsey, Mahmood, Sauter).
- Recovery First Ordinance: Motion to accept amendments passed 3‑0; motion to forward amended ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation passed 3‑0.
- Tenderloin Retail Hours Pilot: Motion to continue the hearing to the call of the chair passed 3‑0. No further action was taken on the pilot itself.
Meeting Transcript
This meeting will come to order. Welcome to the Thursday, April 24th, 2025 regular meeting of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. I'm San Francisco Supervisor Matt Dorsey, Chair of this committee, and I am joined today by Vice Chair Bill Makmoon and Supervisor Danny Sauter. Our ever capable clerk today is Ms. Moni Clayton, and together we'd like to express our gratitude to Kalina Mendoza and the entire team at SFGov TV for facilitating and broadcasting today's meeting. Madam Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes. Please make sure to silence all cell phones and electronic devices documents to be included as part of the file should be submitted to the clerk. Public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda. When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called, please want to speak on your right. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. First, you may either email them to myself, the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Clerk at M O N IQ E dot C R A Y T O N at SFGOV.org. Or you may send your written comments via U.S. Purst Postal Service to our office in City Hall number one, Dr. Carlton. Be goodly place, room 244, San Francisco, California 94102. If you submit public comment in writing, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and also included as part of the official file on which you are commenting. Finally, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the board of supervisors' agenda of May 6, 2025, unless otherwise stated. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Will you please call the first item? Yes, uh, the first item is a hearing to consider that the person-to-person, premise-to-premise transfer of a type 48 on sale general beer, wine, and distilled spirits liquor license to Far East Cafe INC, doing business as far east cafe social club, located at 627 Grant Avenue, will serve the public convenience or necessity of the city and county of San Francisco. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Before we begin, I want to acknowledge Officer Andrew Freunds, who typically presents liquor license items before this committee. Um he is currently out on medical leave, and we want him to know that we are all wishing him a full and speedy recovery. In the meantime, I'd like to welcome Officer David Goff from the San Francisco Police Department's ABC liaison unit. Thank you for being here today. Officer Goff, uh floor is yours. Good morning, uh board uh supervisors. Uh my name is uh Lieutenant David Goff with the Alcohol Liaison Unit with the San Francisco Police Department. Luke's Local Inc., operating at uh Far East as the Far East Cafe has filed an application with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, seeking a type 48 on-sale general public premises license to be located at 627 Grant Avenue, located between Sacramento Sacramento Street and California Street. The Far East Cafe would like to operate an on-sale general public premise to be located at 627 Grant if approved. This license will allow them to sell wine, beer, and distilled spirits. There have been zero calls for service and zero police supports from the time period of March 11th, 2024 to March 11th, 2025. This premise is located on Plot 148 D. And this uh establishment will be located in the central police district. Uh this uh applicant premise is located in a high crime area, and the applicant premise is located in a high concentration area. There have been zero letters of protests and zero letters of support. ALU recommendation approval with the condition. Petitioners shall actively monitor the area under their control in an effort to prevent the loitering of persons or any property adjacent to the license premise as depicted on ABC 253. Number two, the petitioner shall be responsible for maintaining free of litter the adjacent or the area adjacent to the premise over which they have control as depicted on two ABC 253. Number three, except as provided in condition two below. No noise shall be audible beyond the area under the control of the licensee. Any noise caused by the entertainment or amplified sound that is subject to the provisions of an active entertainment permit issued by the San Francisco Entertainment Commission shall be authorized in accordance with the limits established by that entertainment permit, including any limitation on hours during which entertainment or amplified sound is permitted. A violation of the entertainment or amplified sound noise conditions of the entertainment permit as determined by the San Francisco Entertainment Commission shall be deemed a violation of this condition. Any noise that is not subject to or is beyond the scope of the entertainment permit shall be subject to condition one above. Entertainment permit means any of the following. A just music permit, a just ad music permit, a limited live performance permit, a place of entertainment permit, a fixed amplified sound permit, or any similar such permit issued by the San Francisco Entertainment Commission. Number four, at any time, the premise is providing live entertainment. The petitioners shall have two uniform security guards on the premise and shall maintain order therein to prevent any activity that would interfere with the quiet environment or enjoyment of their nearby residence or the surrounding community. The uniform security guards must be licensed by the State of California of consumer affairs.
openpublica.com