The San Francisco Board of Supervisors met on July 9, 2019, covering a range of issues including budget appropriations, housing initiatives, community benefit districts, and legislative updates. The meeting included the approval of settlements, bond elections, and grant agreements. A key discussion was the renewal and expansion of the Union Square Business Improvement District. New legislation was introduced concerning public infrastructure, cannabis regulations, and affordable housing. There was also public discussion on issues such as transportation, and the naming of city landmarks.
The Clerk of the Board informed the Board of Supervisors that Supervisor Catherine Stefani communicated her absence and requested to be excused from today’s meeting. Supervisor Ronen, seconded by Supervisor Safai, moved that Supervisor Stefani be excused from attending the meeting, and the motion carried.
President Yee asked if any Board Member had corrections to the June 4, 2019, Board Meeting Minutes. There were no corrections requested. Supervisor Walton, seconded by Supervisor Fewer, moved to approve the June 4, 2019, Board Meeting Minutes. The motion carried following general public comment.
The Consent Agenda included recommendations from the Government Audit and Oversight Committee regarding settlements for several lawsuits: Joseph Alvarado ($175,000 for alleged personal injuries on a City street), Gwendolyn Woods ($400,000 for alleged civil rights violations), De’Mario Grant ($175,000 for an employment dispute), Emmett Waldrip ($125,000 for alleged medical negligence), and Jarell Washington ($40,000 for an alleged personal injury at San Francisco General Hospital). All items passed on first reading.
The Board considered a recommendation from the Budget and Finance Committee regarding a General Obligation Bond Election for Earthquake Safety and Emergency Response. The ordinance calls for a special election on March 3, 2020, to submit to voters a proposition to incur $628,500,000 in bonded debt for the construction, acquisition, improvement, renovation, and seismic retrofitting of the Emergency Firefighting Water System, firefighting facilities and infrastructure, police facilities and infrastructure, facilities for the Department of Emergency Management’s 911 Call Center, and other disaster response facilities and infrastructure. Landlords are authorized to pass-through 50% of the resulting property tax increase to residential tenants. The ordinance was finally passed.
The Board considered a recommendation from the Budget and Finance Committee regarding appropriations for the Public Utilities Commission ($12,218,229), de-appropriating and re-appropriating funds for the Airport Commission ($2,127,062), and de-appropriating and re-appropriating funds for the Port Commission ($304,443) for FY2019-2020. The ordinance was finally passed.
The Board considered a recommendation from the Government Audit and Oversight Committee regarding the Administrative Code for the Cooperative Living Opportunities for Mental Health Loan Fund and Program. The ordinance aims to finance the acquisition of residential properties to be operated as communal housing for people with chronic mental illness and/or substance use disorders. Supervisor Safai requested to be added as a co-sponsor. The ordinance was amended on Page 5, Line 25, by adding ‘appraisal of the Property’. It then passed on first reading as amended.
The Board considered a recommendation from the Rules Committee regarding the Administrative Code for the Castro Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Cultural District. The ordinance establishes the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District and requires the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development to submit written reports and recommendations to the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor describing the cultural attributes of the District and proposing strategies to acknowledge and preserve the cultural legacy of the District. The ordinance was finally passed.
The Board considered the determination and declaration of the public interest and necessity to build affordable housing by bonded indebtedness not to exceed $600,000,000. This allows landlords to pass-through 50% of the resulting property tax increase to residential tenants. Supervisors Mandelman, Mar, Haney, Peskin, and Fewer requested to be added as co-sponsors. Resolution No. 308-19 was ADOPTED.
The Board considered calling and providing a special election for November 5, 2019 to submit to San Francisco voters a proposition to incur bonded indebtedness of not-to-exceed $600,000,000 to finance affordable housing improvements. Landlords will be authorized to pass-through 50% of the resulting property tax increase to residential tenants. Supervisors Mar, Haney, Peskin, and Fewer requested to be added as co-sponsors. Resolution No. 190495 was PASSED ON FIRST READING.
The Board considered the update of the 2019 General Obligation Affordable Housing Bond Report. The motion urges the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development to update and amend the report to reflect the increase to the Bond amount, updated allocations of proposed funding, and proposed amendments on prioritized uses. Supervisor Mar requested to be added as a co-sponsor. Motion No. M19-107 was APPROVED.
The Board considered the annual report for the Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District for FY2017-2018, submitted as required by the Property and Business Improvement District Law of 1994. Resolution No. 307-19 was ADOPTED.
The Board authorized the General Manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to execute the fourth amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding with the San Francisco Local Agency Formation Commission, extending the term by one year, for a total agreement term of 12 years through FY2019-2020. Resolution No. 310-19 was ADOPTED.
The Board considered resolutions regarding multifamily housing revenue bonds. They considered 500-520 Turk Street and 555 Larkin Street (500 Turk) for an amount not to exceed $48,000,000 (Resolution No. 311-19 ADOPTED). They also considered 1064-1068 Mission Street for an amount not to exceed $103,000,000 (Resolution No. 312-19 ADOPTED).
The Board considered grant agreements for operating subsidies. They considered 275-10th Street Associates, L.P., operating Bishop Swing Community House, with amount not to exceed $5,579,553 (Resolution No. 313-19 ADOPTED) and Mason Street Housing Associates, L.P., operating Mason Street Apartments, with amount not to exceed $18,135,164 (Resolution No. 314-19 ADOPTED).
The Board directed the Budget and Legislative Analyst to conduct four performance audits in FY2019-2020 on (i) the effectiveness of the City departments’ pre-apprenticeship and workforce development and community benefits programs; (ii) the administration by the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing of homeless services; (iii) the policies and procedures of the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development for the acquisition of sites for the development or preservation of affordable housing; and (iv) Public Works’ street resurfacing program and street tree maintenance program. They also removed from the FY2018-2019 audit work plan the performance audit of the City’s workforce development programs for low-income, homeless, and formerly homeless adults. Motion No. M19-108 was APPROVED.
The board reviewed and determined that the premise-to-premise transfer of a Type-21 off-sale general beer, wine, and distilled spirits liquor license to Bebidas Bananas Operations, LLC, doing business as CloudKitchens, at 475-6th Street (District 6), will not serve the public convenience or necessity. The board requested that the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control deny the issuance of the license. Resolution No. 315-19 was ADOPTED.
The Board recognized Lisa O’Malley (Department of Public Health) on her retirement after 38 years of civil service, Elizabeth Murray (War Memorial and Performing Arts Center) on her retirement after 38 years with the War Memorial Department, and Ina Dearman in recognition of her lifetime of advocacy and service, including her time on the Planning Commission and Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board.
The Board held a hearing regarding an appeal of a Tentative Map approval for 2146-2150 Union Street. All associated items (File Nos. 190698, 190699, 190700, and 190701) were CONTINUED to the Board of Supervisors meeting of July 16, 2019.
The Board of Supervisors sat as a Committee of the Whole to consider the renewal and expansion of the Union Square Business Improvement District. Chris Corgas (Mayor's Office of Economic and Workforce Development) and Karin Flood, Executive Director (Union Square Business Improvement District), provided an overview. A number of speakers spoke both in support and opposition to the BID. The Committee adjourned and reported.
The board voted on the resolution to establish, renew and expand the property-based business improvement district known as the “Union Square Business Improvement District.” The resolution passed, ordering the levy and collection of assessments against property located in that district for ten years commencing with FY2019-2020, subject to conditions as specified and making environmental findings. The returned weighted ballots voting for the Union Square Business Improvement District was 84.87%, and the returned weighted ballots voting against the Union Square Business Improvement District was 15.13%. Resolution No. 309-19 was ADOPTED.
The Board received Committee Reports. One such Committee Report was regarding the Administrative Code of the City College Financial Assistance Fund and Free City College Oversight Committee (File No. 190730) and the Withdrawing Charter Amendment for the Free City College Fund (File No. 190586).
The Board heard public comment on various issues, including concerns about a dangerous individual, police-involved shootings, support for “person first” language, the plight of taxi medallion holders, opposition to naming the Chinatown Station after Rose Pak, and support for a Navigation Center at 888 Post Street. Susana provided additional information regarding her opposition to the naming of the Chinatown Station after Rose Pak, citing concerns about community division and the potential perception of supporting actions that may have harmed certain communities.
The Board considered a resolution supporting California State Senate Bill No. 285 (Wiener) - Public Social Services, authored by Senator Scott Wiener, to reduce the prevalence of food insecurity and poverty by increasing participation in the CalFresh program, and support the upcoming expansion of CalFresh to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients for the first time. Supervisors Ronen, Mandelman, and Walton requested to be added as co-sponsors. Resolution No. 316-19 was ADOPTED.
The Board approved Final Map 9725 - 127 Buchanan Street (Motion No. M19-109 APPROVED), Final Map 9367 - 301-303-305-307-309-311 Lake Street (Motion No. M19-110 APPROVED), and Final Map 9607 - 228-230 Clayton Street (Motion No. M19-111 APPROVED). These maps were adopted without committee reference.
The Board severed a few items from the agenda for further discussion. They continued the discussion on accessory dwelling units (File No. 190726) to July 16, 2019. They adopted a resolution urging the Department of Real Estate to pursue an option to lease or purchase the parcel at 888 Post Street for a Navigation Center (Resolution No. 317-19 ADOPTED). And they also moved the discussion on Final Map 9837 for Treasure Island (File No. 190748) to the next meeting.
The Board made serious injury and Brown Act findings, allowing them to consider a resolution supporting Assembly Bill (AB) 1054 only if amended to remove language unrelated to the goal of stabilizing state utilities that would effectively undermine San Francisco’s ongoing efforts to assess and acquire Pacific, Gas & Electric (PG&E) assets. Resolution No. 318-19 was ADOPTED.
Several ordinances were introduced. These included Mission Bay South Storm Water Pump Station No. 5 Public Infrastructure Improvements (File No. 190754 ASSIGNED to Land Use and Transportation Committee), Mission Bay South - Parks P2 Parking Lot, P11-11A, P23, and P24 Acceptance (File No. 190755 ASSIGNED to Land Use and Transportation Committee), Police Code - Cannabis Retailers at Permitted Cannabis Events (File No. 190756 ASSIGNED to Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee), and Planning Code - Exemption from Density Limits for Affordable and Unauthorized Units; Residential Care Facilities (File No. 190757 ASSIGNED to Land Use and Transportation Committee).
Several resolutions were introduced. These included accepting and expending grants, supporting state bills, approving annual reports, and authorizing the use of gift funding. The bills ranged from accepting a grant for mental health support in public housing (190758) to urging the use of person-first language when referring to people with a criminal record (190769)
Motions were introduced concerning the Mayor's nominations for various appointments including the Entertainment Commission, Board of Appeals and Treasure Island Development Authority Board of Directors. Each motion was assigned to the Rules Committee.
Proposed resolutions were introduced regarding a contract amendment for jail commissary services (File No. 190743 ASSIGNED to Budget and Finance Sub-Committee) and a settlement of an unlitigated claim (File No. 190744 ASSIGNED to Government Audit and Oversight Committee).
The Board offered in memoriams for Ildefonso Vigil Anguiano, Neil Malloch, and Caeser Cornelius Young, honoring their lives and contributions.