The San Francisco Board of Supervisors met remotely on May 19, 2020, addressing a range of issues including COVID-19 response, budget matters, and community benefit districts. Key actions included approving funds for airport improvements, expanding vote-by-mail for the upcoming election, and establishing protections for SRO residents during the pandemic. Public testimony covered diverse concerns, from college funding to public transparency. The Board also received a briefing from health officials on the ongoing COVID-19 health emergency and discussed strategies for protecting the homeless population. New legislation was introduced regarding settlement of lawsuits. Several measures aimed at urging action from higher levels of government were adopted.
An ordinance sponsored by Supervisor Stefani was passed to amend the Annual Salary Ordinance FYs 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 to add active military service related to the COVID-19 pandemic to the events qualifying for supplementation of military pay.
The board approved the settlement of a lawsuit filed by Henry McKenzie against the City and County of San Francisco for $400,000. The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court Northern District of California, Case No. 4:18-cv-7141 DMR, concerned an employment dispute.
An ordinance was passed to settle a lawsuit filed by The Hertz Corporation, Enterprise Rent-A-Car Co. of San Francisco LLC, Avis Budget Car Rental, LLC, and Sixt Rent A Car LLC, against the City and County of San Francisco for $500,000, with the payment going only to Sixt Rent A Car LLC. The lawsuit, filed in San Mateo Superior Court, Case No. 19-CIV-05663, challenged the City’s application of prevailing wage requirements for City-owned off-street parking lots, garages, and vehicle storage facilities to leases for the use of the Rental Car Center at the San Francisco International Airport.
An ordinance sponsored by Supervisors Mandelman, Peskin, Fewer, and Yee was passed, amending the Planning Code to require conditional use authorization for applications to demolish a single-family residential building on a site zoned as RH-1 or RH-1(D), when the building is demonstrably not affordable or financially accessible housing.
An ordinance sponsored by Supervisor Yee was passed to extend the sunset date for the Balboa Reservoir Community Advisory Committee from May 8, 2020, to July 1, 2021, and to require the Advisory Committee to provide community input after development entitlements have been issued.
The board adopted a resolution approving Modification No. 6 to Airport Contract No. 9254 with SFO Hotel Shuttle, Inc., to increase the contract amount by $20,900,000 for a new not to exceed amount of $116,181,617 and to exercise the final two-year option to extend the term from July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2022.
The board adopted a resolution authorizing the San Francisco Airport Commission to accept and expend a grant of up to $2,746,298 and any additional amounts up to 15% of the original grant from the California Air Resources Board for the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program, to purchase and install electrical ground service equipment charging stations and supporting infrastructure for the project period of June 2020 through June 2021.
The board adopted a resolution retroactively authorizing the Department of Elections to accept and expend funds allocated by the California Secretary of State in an amount not to exceed $1,949,859.50 to fund voting system and election management system replacement for the period of February 1, 2019, through June 30, 2022.
The board adopted an amended resolution authorizing designated City and County officials to execute and file actions necessary for obtaining State and Federal financial assistance under various grant programs, including: the Federal Fiscal Year 2020 Urban Areas Security Initiative Grant, the Federal Fiscal Year 2020 State Homeland Security Grant Program, the 2020 Emergency Management Performance Grant, the 2020 Local Government Oil Spill Contingency Plan Grant, and the 2020 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The resolution was amended to include the 2020 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
The board adopted a resolution approving Modification No. 14 to Airport Contract No. 9185.9 with T1 Partners, a Joint Venture consisting of The Allen Group, LLC, and EPC Consultants, Inc., to increase the Contract amount by $6,000,000 for a new not to exceed amount of $38,000,000 for services, and extending the term through July 7, 2023.
An ordinance sponsored by Supervisors Ronen, Haney, Preston, Walton, Mar, Yee, Fewer, and Safai was passed on first reading to amend the Municipal Elections Code to require the Department of Elections to expand use of vote-by-mail ballots at the November 3, 2020, Consolidated General Election, to report to the Board of Supervisors regarding planning for that election, and to report to the Board regarding implementation of the Voter’s Choice Act in future San Francisco elections. Supervisors Yee, Fewer, and Safai requested to be added as co-sponsors.
Resolutions approving On-Airport Rental Car Operations Leases with Avis Budget Car Rental, LLC (Lease No. 18-0343), Enterprise Rent-A-Car Co of San Francisco, LLC (Lease No. 18-0342), The Hertz Corporation (Lease No. 18-0341), and Sixt Rent a Car, LLC (Lease No. 18-0344) were all CONTINUED to the Board of Supervisors meeting of June 2, 2020.
A resolution sponsored by Supervisor Mandelman was adopted, declaring the intention of the Board of Supervisors to renew and expand a property-based business improvement district known as the “Castro Community Benefit District” and levy a multi-year assessment on all parcels in the district. The resolution also approved the management district plan and engineer’s report, and proposed boundaries map, set a public hearing for July 14, 2020, approved the form of the Notice of Public Hearing and Assessment Ballot Proceeding, and Assessment Ballot, and directed environmental findings and notice.
A resolution sponsored by Supervisor Peskin was adopted, declaring the intention of the Board of Supervisors to renew and expand a property-based business improvement district known as the “Fisherman’s Wharf Landside Community Benefit District” and levy a multi-year assessment on all parcels in the district. The resolution also approved the management district plan and engineer’s report, and proposed boundaries map, set a public hearing for July 14, 2020, approved the form of the Notice of Public Hearing and Assessment Ballot Proceeding, and Assessment Ballot, and directed environmental findings and notice.
The board approved the appointment of Marke Bieschke and Lorenzo Listana, terms ending December 1, 2023, to the SOMA Community Stabilization Fund Community Advisory Committee.
The board approved the President of the Board of Supervisors Norman Yee’s nomination of Deland Chan to the Planning Commission, for a term ending July 1, 2022.
An ordinance sponsored by the Mayor and Supervisor Walton ordering the summary vacation of a portion of 25th Street to enable extended operation of a temporary Navigation Center for homeless residents was passed on first reading.
An emergency ordinance sponsored by Supervisors Fewer and Mar authorizing the use of park property for temporary shelter and other measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was discussed, directing the Recreation and Park Department to report to the Board of Supervisors with a list of potential locations and waiving contrary provisions in Administrative Code, Chapters 79 and 79A, and Charter, Section 4.113.
An emergency ordinance sponsored by Supervisors Peskin, Haney, Ronen, Safai, Fewer, Preston, Walton, and Yee was finally passed as amended to establish protections for occupants of residential hotels (“SRO Residents”) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The amendments included clarifying the location of suitable quarantine spaces, ensuring face coverings are provided promptly after a COVID-19 case is confirmed, and outlining data reporting requirements. Safai, Fewer, Preston, Walton, and Yee requested to be added as co-sponsors.
An ordinance sponsored by Supervisors Peskin, Safai, Fewer, Walton, and Yee was passed on first reading to amend the Administrative Code to prohibit landlords of residential hotel units (SROs) from evicting tenants for non-payment of rent that was not paid due to the COVID-19 pandemic and from imposing late fees, penalties, or similar charges on such tenants. The ordinance also establishes a COVID-19 SRO Relief Fund to cover such rent payments. Safai, Fewer, Walton, and Yee requested to be added as co-sponsors.
Members of the public commented on various issues, including support for a Charter Amendment establishing a Workforce Education and Recovery Fund for City College, concerns regarding a decapitated body and the circumstances around its discovery, concerns regarding the treatment of the homeless, support for the Resolution urging the Mayor and City Departments to prioritize public access and transparency during the COVID-19 emergency, support of the actions taken to protect SRO tenants, opposition to the Charter Amendment regarding Municipal Railway fare changes, and concerns regarding MTA and the need to use taxis for delivery services during this health emergency.
A resolution sponsored by Supervisors Fewer, Peskin, Mar, Walton, Haney and Yee urging the Mayor and City departments to prioritize implementation of key strategies for public access and transparency during the COVID-19 emergency by publishing information about public meetings and policy decisions and holding public budget meetings for select departments was adopted.
A resolution sponsored by Supervisors Haney, Walton, Safai and Mandelman urging the Governor to waive fees administered to small businesses operating in unserved California Redemption Value (CRV) convenience zones and to forgive the outstanding balances of small businesses unable to pay fees related to operating in unserved CRV convenience zones was adopted. Supervisors Walton, Safai, and Mandelman requested to be added as co-sponsors.
A resolution sponsored by Supervisor Ronen extending by 90 days the prescribed time within which the Planning Commission may render its decision on an Ordinance (File No. 200215) amending the Planning Code to allow Arts Activities and Social Service or Philanthropic Facilities as a temporary use in vacant ground-floor commercial space was adopted.
A resolution sponsored by Supervisors Yee, Safai, Fewer, Peskin, Mandelman, Stefani and Walton urging Congress to support the Federal House of Representatives recommendation supporting $100 billion to aid in the relief, recovery, and revitalization of the child care sector in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, authored by Congresswoman Katherine Clark, and signed by 84 House Congress members, was adopted.
A resolution sponsored by Supervisors Yee, Ronen, Peskin, Mandelman, Stefani, Walton, Fewer, Preston, Haney, Safai and Mar declaring May 18, 2020, as Asian American and Pacific Islander Day Against Bullying and Hate in the City and County of San Francisco was adopted.
A resolution sponsored by Supervisors Mandelman and Safai commending the women and men of San Francisco Public Works and declaring May 18, 2020, through May 22, 2020, as Public Works Week in the City and County of San Francisco was adopted.
A resolution sponsored by Supervisors Safai, Yee and Walton urging Governor Gavin Newsom to immediately release the $350,000,000 received from the CARES Act to provide urgent support to early care providers to prevent permanent closure and to support families negatively impacted by the COVID-19 crisis was adopted.
A motion sponsored by Supervisor Yee concurring in actions taken by the Mayor in the Thirteenth Supplement to the Proclamation of Emergency, released on May 11, 2020, to meet the ongoing local emergency related to the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic was approved.
Ordinance authorizing the service of an Offer to Compromise under Code of Civil Procedure Section 998 in the lawsuit filed by Mohammad Joiyah against the City and County of San Francisco, to include a payment from the City and County of San Francisco of up to $65,000 plus reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs to be determined by the Court; the lawsuit was filed on August 6, 2018, in San Francisco Superior Court, Case No. CGC-18-568689; entitled Mohammad Joiyah v. City and County of San Francisco, et al.; the lawsuit involves an employment dispute.
Ordinance authorizing settlement of the lawsuit filed by Deshaun Roberts, by and through his Guardian ad Litem, Jasmine Robinson against the City and County of San Francisco for $55,000; the lawsuit was filed on August 23, 2019, in United States District Court, Case No. 3:19-cv-5280-SK; entitled Deshaun Roberts, by and through his Guardian ad Litem, Jasmine Robinson v. City of San Francisco, et al.; the lawsuit involves alleged civil rights violations.
Dr. Naveena Bobba, Deputy Director of Health, and Dr. Tomas Aragon, San Francisco County Deputy Health Officer, Director Disease Prevention and Control (Department of Public Health), provided a status update on the City’s response to the COVID-19 health emergency. In order to protect the health of people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic, four strategies are being employed: 1) prevent new COVID-19 infections; 2) contain known COVID-19 infections to prevent outbreaks; 3) test for COVID-19 as needed; and 4) adapt street outreach and behavioral health services. Dr. Bobba and Dr. Aragon then presented additional information, and answered questions previously provided and those raised throughout the discussions.