San Francisco political leaders just got a pay raise. Here’s what they’re making

Amid a <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/05/31/san-francisco-budget-deficit-breed-plan/">tough budget season</a>, San Francisco&#8217;s top elected officials will receive a cost-of-living pay raise soon, based on rising inflation.



The Civil Service Commission, a City Hall governing body that oversees political leaders&#8217; salaries, voted on June 3 to increase wages for seven citywide elected officials by 2.6%. The raises will go to the mayor, city attorney, district attorney, public defender, assessor-recorder, treasurer and sheriff.



Mayor London Breed, who currently makes $374,036 a year, will get a $9,725 raise to $383,760 for the fiscal year starting July 1, according to the <a href="https://www.sf.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/6-3-24%20Item%20%2311%20Annual%20Salary%20Adjustment%203rd%20year%20of%205%20year%20Cycle%20of%20Salary_5.pdf">commission’s report</a>.



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While the commissioners were able to agree on a raise for the seven citywide officials, they failed to reach consensus on a package for the Board of Supervisors. After spending hours discussing the intricacies of a possible five-year plan for supervisors' pay increases, they punted the question to the commission's next meeting. 



Supervisors now earn $163,878 a year. The commission staff's <a href="https://www.sf.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/6-3-24%20Item%20%2310%20Salary%20Setting%20for%20the%20City%20and%20County%20of%20San%20Francisco%20for%20a%205%20year%20Cycle%20_5.pdf">report</a> offered three options for a one-year increase: no change, the same 2.6% increase approved for the seven citywide leaders, or a roughly 1.5% increase that mirrors negotiations with the city employees' labor union.



The Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, Angela Calvillo, appeared before the Civil Service Commissioners to advocate for an increase.



"Board members do not ask me to come and advocate for their salary, I just want the public to know that," Calvillo said. "However, we believe there is some fairness in the equity as you began the next five-year salary setting for the board members."



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1618" height="2031" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/tenderloinpublicsafetymeeting-78.jpg?w=1618" alt="Several people sit at a table during a panel discussion. Two people are visible; one in a police uniform and another wearing a red outfit. A large backdrop displays the word &quot;RENEWAL.&quot;" class="wp-image-282226" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/tenderloinpublicsafetymeeting-78.jpg 1618w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/tenderloinpublicsafetymeeting-78.jpg?resize=239,300 239w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/tenderloinpublicsafetymeeting-78.jpg?resize=768,964 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/tenderloinpublicsafetymeeting-78.jpg?resize=1224,1536 1224w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1618px) 100vw, 1618px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Civil Service Commission agreed on a raise for seven citywide officials including District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, left, and Sheriff Paul Miyamoto.</figcaption></figure>



Calvillo cited the supervisors’ workload with the sprawling city budget and their relatively low salary compared to the other elected officials. The commission's staff report data showed that the San Francisco supervisors are making slightly more than the average pay of the county supervisors of the Bay Area's nine counties.



Jacqueline Minor, the president of the Civil Service Commission, described the process as "really tough work" and expressed appreciation for the staff’s reporting of historical salary data as valuable context for the discussion.



Controversy previously erupted at the commission’s 2019 salary review meeting, where the supervisors' expiring five-year salary increase plan was approved. One commissioner <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/SF-commissioner-who-voted-against-supervisors-13895461.php">voted no</a> on the 12% increase (which was carried in a 3-1 vote), alleging conflicts of interest. Douglas Chan, the commissioner, argued that the commission staff who had recommended the raise served “at the pleasure of the board.” Chan left the board in July 2023.



The commission will meet again on June 17 to further discuss the supervisors' pay plan, and the city’s Controller’s Office will also discuss their study of the impact of the raises on the city’s budget.



Jonah Owen Lamb contributed to this story.

Asian Americans have been on both sides of the affirmative action debate

In the 1980s, esteemed Berkeley professor and self-described unrepentant supporter of affirmative action Ling-Chi Wang was on a mission—one that would be cited in a major Supreme Court case ruled on Thursday.&nbsp;



Wang spent the latter half of the decade trying to prove that Asian American applicants were discriminated against and get the University of California Berkeley to admit it. One example of the unfairness, Wang found, was the lack of credit for Asian languages by the university’s foreign language requirement.



“The university kept denying that they singled students out for discrimination, but they did,” Wang told The Standard.&nbsp;



Joining Wang’s cause was a group of students who would later become a generation of high-profile Asian American leaders—like <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/13/affirmative-action-asian-americans-us-universities">author Jeff Chang</a> and San Francisco’s Assemblymember Phil Ting—who rallied under the name Student Coalition for Fair Admissions. They eventually notched a victory in 1989 when <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-04-07-mn-1075-story.html">university leaders apologized for the practice</a> and vowed to end it.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/sats/race/summary.html">Decades later</a>, the contours of the debate over affirmative action have changed.



On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that race can’t be a factor in college admissions in higher education, a blow to affirmative action advocates. <a href="https://studentsfor.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/SFFA-v.-Harvard-Complaint.pdf">The case</a> against Harvard—specifically, Harvard College, the university’s undergraduate school—cites arguments Wang made in the 1980s and involves an organization with a name that’s uncannily similar to Student Coalition for Fair Admissions—except this time, <a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/supreme-court-affirmative-action/">Asian Americans are the face of the other side of the debate.</a>



<a href="https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/6/15/affirmative-action-ruling-explainer/">In a case that dates to 2014</a>, Students for Fair Admissions—an anti-affirmative action group led by conservative strategist Edward Blum <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/19/us/affirmative-action-lawsuits.html">behind numerous legal challenges</a>—has argued that Harvard’s consideration of race in admissions discriminates against Asian Americans and violates their civil rights.&nbsp;



&#8220;The opinion issued today by the United States Supreme Court marks the beginning of the restoration of the colorblind legal covenant that binds together our multi-racial, multi-ethnic nation,&#8221; Blum <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/supreme-court-issues-most-popular-ruling-yet-1809720">told Newsweek</a> following Thursday’s decision. &#8220;These discriminatory admission practices undermined the integrity of our country&#8217;s civil rights laws.”



Blum did not respond to requests for further comment in time for publication.



To Asian Americans involved in past battles for affirmative action, cases like Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard adds to divisions in the community over prioritizing merit and tests. Though 53% of Asian American adults agree affirmative action is a good thing, only 21% say that colleges should consider race and ethnicity for college admissions, according to a <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/race-ethnicity/2023/06/08/asian-americans-hold-mixed-views-around-affirmative-action/">June Pew Research Center study</a>.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Is Diversity For Asian Americans?: The College Admissions Crisis | We Gon&#039; Be Alright Ep. 3" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UpqQeS8XA4Q?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Student organizers from the &#8217;80s push for fair admissions reflect in a Indy Lens Storycast episode.</figcaption></figure>



“We won the political battle, but we lost the narrative battle,” said Chang, a journalist and the author of books like We Gon’ Be Alright: Notes on Race and Resegregation. “[Affirmative action opponents] know our history better than a lot of us do.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-berkeley-s-five-year-saga">Berkeley’s Five-Year Saga</h2>



From around 1984, Wang and others began looking at admissions data after hearing frustrations of quotas at top universities, leveling out gains made in Asian American enrollment. He continues to emphasize the distinction that he challenged admissions policies that admitted Asian American students at a lesser rate than white students, not affirmative action efforts that benefited other students of color. 



“It breaks my heart to see this,” Wang said of ongoing divisions. “Minorities pitted against other minorities. There’s no reason for that to happen.”&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2500" height="1668" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-2500x1668.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-176970" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-2500x1668.jpg 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-300x200.jpg 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-768x512.jpg 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-650x434.jpg 650w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-370x247.jpg 370w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-800x534.jpg 800w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-450x300.jpg 450w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-20x13.jpg 20w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-185x123.jpg 185w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-740x494.jpg 740w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-400x267.jpg 400w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-225x150.jpg 225w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-900x600.jpg 900w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_AffirmativeActionCal062923-72x48.jpg 72w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ling-Chi Wang at his home office in San Francisco, on June 28, 2023. | Jeremy Chen/The Standard</figcaption></figure>



All the while, the Student Coalition for Fair Admissions formed to keep the pressure up with protests, press conferences and organizing the student body. After previously adopting a name specifying Asian Americans, the group changed its name to expand the fight for other historically excluded students, Chang said.



The group fostered a generation of Asian American political leaders in California, including Assemblymembers Phil Ting and Al Muratsuchi, and Cecillia Wang, the deputy legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union. Charles Huang, co-creator of the popular game Guitar Hero, is another notable name.&nbsp;



Organized pressure led to the creation of an Asian American task force on admissions and a <a href="https://www.auditor.ca.gov/pdfs/oag/p-722.pdf">California state audit on admissions</a> of white and Asian American students at UC Berkeley. The audit found that the university&#8217;s admission rates for Asian Americans decreased from 1981 to 1987, and that they were admitted at lesser rates than white students as the total number of applicants increased.



In 1989, Berkeley’s chancellor <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-04-07-mn-1075-story.html">publicly apologized for the university’s admission process</a> having a disproportionate impact on Asian American applicants and vowed to fix it.&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What’s Changed?</h2>



Because of the “life-changing experience” for the student organizers, Ting went from studying business to pursuing civil rights advocacy, particularly for Asian Americans. Today, Ting and his co-organizers from the 1980s have an increasingly tougher time convincing fellow Asian Americans of why they were fighting for affirmative action.



“Asian Americans were trumpeted as a reason to get rid of affirmative action,” Ting told The Standard. “You have a number of right-wing operatives who’ve really organized—in particular, Chinese Americans and recent immigrants—into really believing that affirmative action does not benefit them.”&nbsp;



Doug Chan, an attorney and member of the San Francisco Civil Service Commission, is critical of Harvard, agreeing the case is simply about discrimination against Asian American studen...

San Francisco is understaffed by thousands. It takes 8 months to hire one worker

San Francisco City Hall’s open job rate has more than doubled since the pandemic. It takes the city eight months on average to hire someone.



San Francisco is short more than 4,000 workers to run its Muni transit system, 911 call center, police department, hospitals and other critical agencies. But the city is taking an average of 255 days to fill each job, according to a San Francisco Civil Grand Jury report released Wednesday.



The report says the effects of understaffed critical city services are everywhere:&nbsp;



● <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/public-health/san-francisco-911-dispatchers-warn-burnout-makes-citys-system-unprepared-for-next-emergency/">Answering time at the 911 call center has increased</a> and <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/criminal-justice/as-san-franciscans-make-fewer-911-calls-sfpd-takes-longer-to-respond/">police response time has slowed</a>, jeopardizing San Franciscans’ safety.&nbsp;



● <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/community/lack-of-inpatient-beds-in-sfs-public-hospitals-forces-families-to-go-outside-the-city-for-care/">Hospital capacity consistently exceeds staffing limits</a>, resulting in <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/public-health/san-francisco-ambulance-emergency-response-time/">diverted ambulances</a> and reduced levels of care.



● <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/transportation/thousands-of-muni-riders-face-chaos-under-line-change-plan/">Muni</a> is running <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/lawmaker-appeals-to-gov-newsom-for-5b-in-transit-funding/">fewer buses</a>, increasing <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/transportation/new-express-bus-to-downtown-san-francisco-coming-soon/">passenger wait times</a>.&nbsp;



“Critical city services are suffering,” said Karen Kennard, jury foreperson. “The city’s highest priority should be to fill vacant positions in departments such as Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and the San Francisco Police Department.”



A San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency spokesperson said the mention of increased passenger wait times is outdated and references an the Omicron Covid outbreak in February 2022.



&#8220;We do still have a lot of vacant positions, but they’re not causing Muni delays,&#8221; said SFMTA spokesperson Stephen Chun. &#8220;In fact, our service is faster and more reliable than it has been in decades.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2500" height="1667" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-142431" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-2500x1667.jpg 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-300x200.jpg 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-768x512.jpg 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-650x433.jpg 650w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-370x247.jpg 370w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-800x533.jpg 800w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-450x300.jpg 450w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-20x13.jpg 20w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-185x123.jpg 185w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-740x493.jpg 740w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-400x267.jpg 400w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-225x150.jpg 225w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-900x600.jpg 900w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/INLINED2_HospitalizedNurses032423-72x48.jpg 72w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital in San Francisco is among the city agencies short on staff, a grand jury report found. | Justin Katigbak for The Standard</figcaption></figure>



Before the pandemic in 2019, the city listed 2,230 vacant jobs out of a total 32,855 budgeted jobs—a vacancy rate of 6.8%. By 2023, the vacant jobs rate has more than doubled to 13.7% with 4,793 vacancies out of 35,088 budgeted positions.&nbsp;



Drawing on a <a href="https://missionlocal.org/2022/03/city-employees-march-against-low-staffing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mission Local article</a>, the grand jury said it was stirred by media reports to investigate the city’s slow turnaround at filling positions in an average time of 255 days—three times as long as it takes neighboring San Mateo County to fill a government job vacancy. The jury recommends a new hiring timelines goal of 60 days to make a conditional offer of employment.



The Mayor’s Office takes an average of 22 days to fill a position due to a review process. The jury recommends the mayor work to reduce this to five business days.&nbsp;



“Applicants cannot wait months to be hired,” the report said. “They often accept other positions before they can receive an offer from the city.”



“Current hiring initiatives aren’t doing enough to fill critical vacant jobs,” Kennard said. “Further action must be taken to address the root causes of this crisis.”



The jury found the following reasons that the number of vacant jobs is increasing:



1. The city takes too long to hire.



2. City recruiting and retention is difficult.



3. Demand for critical city services outpaces city hiring.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2378" height="1586" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-172206" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1.jpg 2378w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-650x434.jpg 650w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-370x247.jpg 370w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-450x300.jpg 450w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-20x13.jpg 20w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-185x123.jpg 185w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-740x494.jpg 740w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-400x267.jpg 400w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-225x150.jpg 225w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-900x600.jpg 900w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedExcellenceScholarship_06052023_004-1-72x48.jpg 72w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2378px) 100vw, 2378px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Mayor London Breed | Isaac Ceja/The Standard</figcaption></figure>



The Mayor’s Office said it has already taken steps to slash hiring times by 40% in a new plan approved by the <a href="https://sf.gov/news/civil-service-commission-approves-proposal-expedite-city-hiring-san-francisco" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Civil Service Commission in January</a>.



The San Francisco Police Department and Department of Emergency Management did not respond to requests for comment by publication time.



Relying on Overtime



The city has handled more vacancies by increasing overtime spending and hiring temporary workers.&nbsp;



The report notes San Francisco’s general hospital, run by the Department of Public Health, relied heavily on this tactic during the height of the pandemic. The police department was also recently granted a <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/politics/watch-how-the-25-million-sfpd-overtime-debate-went-down/">$25 million overtime allowance after a heated debate at the Board of Supervisors (which you can...

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The Advisory Committee of Street Artists and Crafts Examiners evaluates arts and crafts applicants and monitors program compliance. It conducts studio visits and public screenings to ensure adherence to established criteria. Members also revise program criteria and undertake additional tasks as needed.

Advisory Committee of Street Artists and Crafts Examiners

The Advisory Council on Human Rights advises on anti-discrimination laws and racial equity initiatives. It provides expertise on reparations and public policy impacts on Black communities. It guides efforts to establish partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities in San Francisco.

Advisory Council on Human Rights

San Francisco Airport manages air traffic operations and ensures safe aircraft movement. It provides parking facilities and maintains airport infrastructure to accommodate travelers and staff. The department oversees ground transportation and coordinates with airlines for efficient passenger services.

Mike Nakornkhet

The Airport Commission oversees policy and strategic planning for San Francisco International Airport. It makes key decisions on airport development projects and financial management. It ensures compliance with regulations and collaborates on initiatives like terminal naming.

Airport Commission

Airport Commission Commissioner 1

Malcolm Yeung

Jose F. Almanza

Mark Buell

Susan Leal

Airport Director

Animal Care and Control Department manages animal sheltering, adoption, and emergency response services. It enforces animal-related laws and regulations, ensuring the humane treatment and safety of animals. The department also provides public education on responsible pet ownership and animal welfare.

Animal Care and Control Department

Virginia Donohue

Animal Care and Control Department, Director

The San Francisco Arts Commission oversees the integration of arts into city life and ensures public access to cultural experiences. It makes decisions on public art programs and allocates grants to support local artists and performances. The commission actively shapes policies affecting the arts ecosystem in San Francisco.

Arts Commission Commissioner 1

Arts Commission Commissioner 2

Arts Commission Commissioner 3

Arts Commission Commissioner 4

Debra Walker

Suzanne Ferras

Jessica Rothschild

Seth Brenzel

JD Beltran

Marcus Shelby

J Riccardo Benavides

Nabiel Musleh

Charles (Chuck) Collins

Lydia So

Arts Commission Commissioner 15

San Francisco Arts Commission invests in a vibrant arts community and shapes cultural policy. It enlivens the urban environment through public art programs and supports diverse artistic expressions. The commission facilitates meetings and discussions to engage the community in cultural development.

Ralph Remington

Arts Commission, Director of Cultural Affairs

The Asian Art Commission determines policy and administers the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. It oversees museum operations and collaborates with the Asian Art Museum Foundation on fundraising efforts. Commissioners ensure the museum's strategic direction and financial sustainability.

Asian Art Commission

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 1

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 2

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 3

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 4

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 5

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 6

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 7

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 8

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 9

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 10

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 11

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 12

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 13

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 14

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 15

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 16

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 17

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 18

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 19

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 20

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 21

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 22

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 23

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 24

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 25

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 26

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 27

Asian Art Museum showcases Asian art and culture through exhibitions and educational programs. It offers diverse collections and hosts special events to engage the community. The museum fosters cultural appreciation and understanding by providing access to its extensive art collections.

Dr. Soyoung Lee

Asian Art Museum, Director

The Assessment Appeals Board #1 hears property tax assessment appeals in San Francisco. It evaluates evidence presented by taxpayers and the Assessor to determine property values. The Board has the authority to make final decisions on assessments regardless of property type or value.

Assessment Appeals Board #1

Jeffrey Morris

Kristy Nelson

Richard Lee

Stephen Wasserman

Adena Gilbert

Paul Bellar

Quirina Mitchell

Hilary Winslow

The Assessment Appeals Board #2 adjudicates property tax assessment appeals for San Francisco taxpayers. It evaluates evidence presented by taxpayers and the Assessor to determine accurate property values. The Board exercises authority to render final decisions on residential properties and specific real estate assessments.

Assessment Appeals Board #2

S. Elizabeth Miller

John Lee

Mervin Conlan

Claire Ervin Lee

Louisa Mendoza

Joyce Lewis

Nicholas Goldman

Michelle Domingo

The Assessment Appeals Board #3 provides a platform for San Francisco taxpayers to contest property tax assessments. It conducts hearings where evidence from both taxpayers and the Assessor is evaluated. The Board makes binding decisions on property assessments based on presented evidence.

Assessment Appeals Board #3

John Su

James Reynolds

Shawn Ridgell

Marc Dickow

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 5

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 6

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 7

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 8

Assesses property, applies exemptions, collects transfer taxes, and records official documents.

Assessor-Recorder

Joaquín Torres

The Ballot Simplification Committee ensures voter materials are clear and understandable. It reviews and revises ballot language to accurately reflect propositions and measures. The committee advises on simplifying complex legal and technical terms for voter comprehension.

Ballot Simplification Committee

The Bayview Hunters Point Citizens Advisory Committee provides policy advice on planning and land use matters in Zone 2 of Bayview Hunter's Point. It offers expertise in land use policies, zoning issues, and urban development. The committee advises the Board of Supervisors, City Boards, and commissions on relevant projects and initiatives.

Bayview Hunters Point Citizens Advisory Committee

The Behavioral Health Commission advises on mental health policy implementation and quality service delivery. It reviews and advocates for effective mental health services, ensuring policies meet community needs. It educates stakeholders to integrate mental health considerations into broader health strategies.

Behavioral Health Commission

The Bicycle Advisory Committee advises on making bicycling safer and more accessible in San Francisco. It provides recommendations to city agencies to address traffic violence and climate change. The committee advocates for cyclists and addresses biking-related complaints.

Bicycle Advisory Committee

The Board of Appeals provides final review for a wide range of City permitting decisions. It ensures an efficient and fair permit issuance process through an impartial panel. The Board exercises authority to make binding decisions on appeals.

Jefferson Robert Eppler

John Trasviña

Jose Lopez

Rick Swig

Board of Appeals Commissioner 5

Board of Appeals conducts final reviews of City permitting decisions through an impartial panel. It ensures an efficient and fair permit issuance process. The department operates under rules established by the City Charter of 1932.

Julie Rosenberg

Board of Appeals, Executive Director