A tax on fun? SF charging more for playing in parks

No more free parking in Golden Gate Park. Charges for reserving tennis and pickleball courts. Higher fees at golf courses.



These are just a few of the ways that having fun in San Francisco will get more expensive under a <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/07/16/san-francisco-budget-mayor-daniel-lurie-supervisor-vote/">plan approved by the Board of Supervisors</a> last week, meant to cope with the city&#8217;s budget woes.



The board also approved higher surcharges on outdoor event spaces, picnic areas, and athletic fields. The proposed changes must be approved by Mayor Daniel Lurie.



Perhaps the most drastic change will be the launch of paid parking in Golden Gate Park. Starting in 2027, a spot in the park will cost about $3 per hour from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week. The <a href="https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&amp;ID=14313082&amp;GUID=1222AE7E-397F-4711-9556-4FD0609EF313">Recreation and Parks Department estimates</a> that the park’s 3,100 parking spots will net $4.9 million in six months.



For the first time, there will be a $6 charge to play 18 holes of golf, and it will cost $1 per hour to rent athletic fields. Picnic areas will run $5 to $25, and a 10% surcharge will be levied on the price of outdoor venues. These surcharges — which would take effect 30 days after Lurie signs the ordinance — are expected to bring in about $1.2 million this fiscal year, which will go toward covering 10% of the costs of power, water, and wastewater for these areas.



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Residents are not thrilled.



&#8220;It just doesn&#8217;t make sense to charge everybody more for everything,&#8221; said Oxama Arafeh, 26, who was visiting Golden Gate Park. &#8220;Everybody&#8217;s struggling to begin with to afford rent and afford parking everywhere else. This just seems like a cash grab on people who can&#8217;t afford it.&#8221;



“I feel like most things are cost-prohibitive at this point for an average family,&#8221; said Anne Keller as she returned with her children from a day at the park. “Just going out for little outings, everything, everywhere. You&#8217;re paying for every little thing, and everything is hiking up.&#8221;



The charges don’t stop there. Tennis and pickleball players will pay $5 for reservations at 28 of the city’s 66 locations. (Previously, only the Goldman Tennis Center in Golden Gate Park charged for reservations.) If players make reservations more than a week in advance, the price goes up to $20-$40 per hour.



Greens fees at some city golf courses are going up. A round of 18 holes at Sharp Park on the weekend will cost city residents $60, up from $43. At TPC Harding Park, the marquee course that hosted the 2020 PGA Championship, the weekend price for residents jumps from $91 to $109. Additionally, the more expensive weekend rate will be extended to Fridays at all six city courses. The added charges are expected to generate $4 million over two years for the Recreation and Parks Department.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1667" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_99.jpg?w=2500" alt="A serene pond scene with ducks and seagulls floating. The backdrop features lush greenery and a person standing near two green benches on the grassy shore." class="wp-image-363086" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_99.jpg 7879w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_99.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_99.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_99.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_99.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_99.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Lloyd Lake in Golden Gate Park.</figcaption></figure>



“We understand there is a budget crisis, but the golfers are being hit very hard,” said Richard Harris, president of the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance. “There are real affordability problems.”



The alternative to these fees would have been drastic service cuts, according to the Parks Department. Closing pools, shortening rec-center hours, and reducing park ranger positions have all been on the table.



“These modest, targeted fees are a critical step toward protecting the services San Franciscans love and rely on, Parks Department spokesperson Tamara Barak Aparton said. “They allow us to maintain safe, well-kept parks in every neighborhood, preserve cherished programs like summer camps and senior classes, and continue offering affordable, enriching activities for families across the city.”



All this is particularly painful for residents contending with <a href="https://www.sfmta.com/notices/muni-fare-changes-effective-january-1-2025">higher fares on Muni</a> and <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/recology-garbage-rates-about-to-go-up-20396166.php">higher costs for Recology</a> to pick up the garbage.



The city has previously prioritized eliminating some fees, which are shown to disproportionately hurt low-income and minority communities, through its Financial Justice Project, which is part of the Treasurer &amp; Tax Collector’s office.&nbsp;



San Francisco was the first county to eliminate fees for electronic monitors, probation, and jail bookings. Traffic fines can be reduced based on a person’s ability to pay.&nbsp;



The public library system stopped charging for overdue books, which has correlated with increased usage among lower-income and Black and Latino families, according to Amanda Fried, chief of policy and communications for the Treasurer &amp; Tax Collector’s office.



But to counteract the city’s bleak fiscal situation, significant spending cuts will be likely in future budgets, according to Nicole Neditch, the government and economy policy director for SPUR.



“There are a lot of things that are hitting residents now in terms of increased costs,” said Neditch. “The biggest thing is that they’re going to do permanent cost-cutting, and that is going to be difficult.”

‘A Ponzi scheme’: Lawmakers skewer leaders of disgraced parks nonprofit

San Francisco supervisors on Thursday grilled three former executives of the defunct Parks Alliance during an investigatory hearing into allegations of financial misconduct at the once-influential nonprofit.&nbsp;



The Parks Alliance for more than a decade controlled millions of dollars used for park improvements, art projects, and trail repairs throughout the city, before shuttering last month amid accusations that it had mismanaged donations and used restricted funds to cover its own operating costs.&nbsp;



The scandal involving one of the city&#8217;s most renowned nonprofits has sent shockwaves through San Francisco’s tight-knit philanthropic world and prompted investigations by the city attorney and district attorney.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1334" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9588274961_parksalliance-15.jpg?w=2000" alt="A man in a suit and tie stands at a wooden podium, speaking into a microphone, in a formal setting with ornate wood paneling in the background." class="wp-image-420111" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9588274961_parksalliance-15.jpg 2000w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9588274961_parksalliance-15.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9588274961_parksalliance-15.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9588274961_parksalliance-15.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Former Parks Alliance CEO Drew Becher quietly resigned in February 2025 after financial mismanagement allegations surfaced.</figcaption></figure>



Around 50 people attended the hourslong hearing, which elicited laughs, applause, and grunts of frustration. Supervisors on the Government Audit and Oversight Committee demanded that the nonprofit’s former executives — longtime CEO Drew Becher; his successor, Robert Ogilvie; and board treasurer Rick Hutchinson — respond to the allegations and explain what they knew, and when, about the organization’s finances.&nbsp;



“We&#8217;re here to demand answers from the Parks Alliance,” said Supervisor Shamann Walton, who initiated the hearing in early June after sending <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/04/parks-alliance-nonprofit-subpeona-shamann-walton/">subpoenas</a> to the three executives. “This is about public trust, accountability, and the real consequences of failed oversight.”



The executives largely provided muted answers to the intense lines of questioning, leaving supervisors exasperated.&nbsp;



Hutchinson testified that the nonprofit’s leaders first became aware of possible financial mismanagement in June 2024. But when pressed for details on why or how funds were misused, Hutchinson drew a blank.&nbsp;



“We didn’t know what we didn’t know,” said Hutchinson, whose responsibilities as Parks Alliance board treasurer included managing the nonprofit’s finances.&nbsp;



Becher, who <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/04/23/san-francisco-parks-alliance-drew-becher/">quietly resigned</a> in February after initial allegations of financial impropriety surfaced, offered similarly tepid answers to questions about when donors and city officials were notified about the nonprofit’s crumbling coffers. Becher claimed he was provided incorrect information from his financial team and alleged that he was often in the dark about the nonprofit’s fiscal health.



“I do take responsibility, but I can only make decisions based on the information I’m given,” he said.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1334" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9588274961_parksalliance-19.jpg?w=2000" alt="A man in a suit speaks passionately at a microphone in an ornate room. He gestures with his hands near a laptop and papers on a desk." class="wp-image-420115" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9588274961_parksalliance-19.jpg 2000w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9588274961_parksalliance-19.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9588274961_parksalliance-19.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9588274961_parksalliance-19.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Supervisor Shamann Walton expressed anger Thursday at the former Parks Alliance leaders&#8217; answers to tough questioning.</figcaption></figure>



About an hour and a half into Becher’s testimony, his attorney, David Callaway, walked up to the microphone to shield his client from additional questioning.&nbsp;



“He’s done,” said Callaway, a former federal and state prosecutor.



Before that, Hutchinson and Becher both appeared to push most of the blame on the nonprofit’s former COO, Justin Probert. In a stunning allegation, Becher said Probert had never logged into the organization’s financial software during his tenure at the nonprofit — leaving the group without the critical information needed to catch problems.&nbsp;



Last month, The Standard <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/18/san-francisco-parks-alliance-nonprofit-scandal-justin-probert/">reported on a Parks Alliance Board of Trustees document</a> that alleged Probert had engaged in “financial malfeasance,” an accusation that can prompt criminal charges. Probert was fired from the nonprofit in February 2024.



The executives’ answers drew sharp rebukes from Supervisor Jackie Fielder, who said she was &#8220;disappointed&#8221; that they had failed to provide substantive explanations for the nonprofit&#8217;s downfall.&nbsp;



“This just seems like a bit of a Ponzi scheme,” added Supervisor Stephen Sherrill.&nbsp;



The Parks Alliance was for years considered one of San Francisco’s most prestigious nonprofits, bolstering private funding for green-space projects that couldn’t be covered by city funds from taxpayers. The nonprofit worked closely with the city’s Recreation and Parks Department, and its board members at times included some of the most well-connected names in San Francisco politics.&nbsp;



The Parks Department now faces a city audit over its relationship with the Parks Alliance. Meanwhile, dozens of neighborhood groups are scrambling to recover funding they had parked with the nonprofit, which held donations for the local organizations under <a href="https://nonprofitfinancials.org/resources/fiscal-sponsorship-101/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=20733398801&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAphVTX15CK9LdfL350UZH3Z74H_YR&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwvuLDBhAOEiwAPtF0VtcQk9OEki6ePC4QLQVplRGESp6rLfPLSPRA0idVgnnHOjbdnzYANBoCl-AQAvD_BwE">a fiscal sponsorship model</a>. Some of those groups are out <a href="https://sfstandard.com/author/gabriel-greschler/#:~:text=%E2%80%98Total%20fraud%E2%80%99%3A%20The%20finances%20of%20this%20disgraced%20SF%20nonprofit%20just%20got%20weirder">hundreds of thousands of dollars</a>.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1334" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9588274961_parksalliance-17.jpg?w=2000" alt="A man with white hair and a beard is seated, looking attentively forward. He's wearing a beige jacket and there's a blurred background behind him." class="wp-image-420113" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9588274961_parksalliance-17.jpg 2000w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9588274961_parksalliance-17.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9588274961_parksalliance-17.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9588274961_parksalliance-17.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Rick Hutchinson, the former treasurer, could not answer questions as to why funds were mismanaged.</figcaption></figure>



During public comment on Thursday, community groups lashed out at the Parks Alliance, alleging that they had for years faced financial issues with the nonprofit, including delayed reimbursements.&nbsp;



The Parks Alliance was first enveloped in controversy in 2020, when it was linked to disgraced Public Works chief Mohammed Nuru, who was sentenced to prison in 2022 for what the federal government called a “long-running scheme of bribes and kickbacks.” Nuru was accused of directing donations to Parks Alliance accounts and using that money to influence contracting choices, though nonprofit officials denied unethical activities.&nbsp;



Two months after Becher resigned, the San Francisco Chronicle <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/parks-alliance-20331332.php">reported</a> on a leaked email between a top Parks Alliance donor and a board executive that revealed how $3.8 million in restricted funds set aside for specific projects had instead been used by the nonprofit to cover its operating costs.



The Standard reported in May on records that revealed that Becher <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/20/san-francisco-parks-alliance-nonprofit-scandal-bonuses/">handed out bonuses</a> to top management as the nonprofit’s finances were crumbling. Other documents showed that the nonprofit <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/28/san-francisco-nonprofit-parks-alliance-audit/">had for months failed to complete a financial audit</a> requested by the city but still was able to receive grant funding and avoid being added to a nonprofit “watch list.”



In late May, Mayor Daniel Lurie <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/san-francisco-parks-alliance-20341215.php">cut off city funding</a> to the Parks Alliance. Days later, the nonprofit <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/02/sf-parks-alliance-shut-down-close/">folded</a> through an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors, a mechanism that helps wind down an organization by identifying parties owed money.



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Several community organizations are in discussions on whether to create a new entity like the Parks Alliance. The city, meanwhile, is owed $1.1 million from the Parks Alliance, according to the Parks Department.



The members of the Government Audit and Oversight Committee voted to continue their probe and said they would call on others, including representatives of city departments, to testify about the nonprofit scandal. Walking out of the Board of Supervisors&#8217; chambers, Walton was asked whether he was satisfied with Thursday&#8217;s hearing.



&#8220;Of course not,&#8221; he said.

Leaked doc shows parks nonprofit exec accused of ‘financial malfeasance’

For months, the Parks Alliance’s explanation for its financial turmoil was that donor dollars had been mismanaged.



But records obtained by The Standard suggest that the financial issues at one of San Francisco’s most influential nonprofits, which folded this month, were more severe than previously known.&nbsp;



Days before the nonprofit dissolved, the board of trustees accused former COO Justin Probert of “financial malfeasance,” a charge that can carry criminal penalties, according to a document dated May 29. Probert, who spent more than four years at the Parks Alliance, was fired in February 2024 by Drew Becher, the CEO at the time.



“Malfeasance usually means there is intentional wrongdoing,” Joan Harrington, a nonprofit ethics expert at Santa Clara University, said in an email. “Mismanagement refers to errors in management versus intentional wrongdoing.”&nbsp;



Probert did not respond to a request for comment. The district attorney&#8217;s office is conducting a criminal investigation into the nonprofit.



The May 29 board document also reveals that the problems didn’t stop with Probert.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1535-partyforparks-240921.jpg?w=2500" alt="A man in a pink blazer with a flower on the lapel stands at a podium with a microphone. The background shows a blurred waterfront scene." class="wp-image-392005" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1535-partyforparks-240921.jpg 4000w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1535-partyforparks-240921.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1535-partyforparks-240921.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1535-partyforparks-240921.jpg?resize=2500,1668 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1535-partyforparks-240921.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1535-partyforparks-240921.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Former Parks Alliance CEO Drew Becher resigned in February after questions surfaced about the nonprofit&#8217;s finances. </figcaption></figure>



In May 2024, the board discovered additional financial issues, pinning them on “certain C-suite officers and/or Staff of the Organization,” though no names are provided. Restricted funds meant for certain projects were found to have been used for other purposes, an allegation that initially <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/parks-alliance-20331332.php">came to light last month</a> after the Chronicle reported on leaked emails between board chair Louise Mozingo and a donor over $3.8 million of misused funds.&nbsp;



Mozingo did not respond to a request for comment, and multiple board members declined to comment.



Kevin Wilkins, who leads a national consulting firm that works with nonprofits, said the Parks Alliance’s board members deserve more scrutiny. “Speaking out after the fact and being confused is not a good look. Unless it&#8217;s been fraudulent, if they got reports that are not accurate, shy of the board being misled, they are accountable.”



Meanwhile, former Parks Alliance employees say they had no warning before the nonprofit’s collapse.&nbsp;



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“It is a great example of how greed can corrupt,” said Austin Wasielewski, who spent more than a year as a technical producer and engineer for the Parks Alliance, working on concerts and other events, a job he described as a dream assignment. “It only takes a few people to destroy something.”&nbsp;



“Everybody was kept so much in the dark,” another former employee said. “The wool was pulled over everybody’s eyes.”&nbsp;



After the financial issues were discovered, board members participated in more than 100 meetings to try to rectify the situation, the document states. In 2024, there were multiple rounds of layoffs and event cancellations. Two financial services companies, Metis Partners and BTQ Financials, were recruited to help with the situation.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1688" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sundown-cinema-ghosbusters-mclaren-park_10-20-2023_masaki-omori_23.jpg?w=2500" alt="A group of people in colorful and humorous costumes stand in front of a large outdoor movie screen with the words &quot;Sundown Cinema&quot; displayed." class="wp-image-393470" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sundown-cinema-ghosbusters-mclaren-park_10-20-2023_masaki-omori_23.jpg 5020w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sundown-cinema-ghosbusters-mclaren-park_10-20-2023_masaki-omori_23.jpg?resize=300,203 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sundown-cinema-ghosbusters-mclaren-park_10-20-2023_masaki-omori_23.jpg?resize=768,519 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sundown-cinema-ghosbusters-mclaren-park_10-20-2023_masaki-omori_23.jpg?resize=2500,1688 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sundown-cinema-ghosbusters-mclaren-park_10-20-2023_masaki-omori_23.jpg?resize=1536,1037 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sundown-cinema-ghosbusters-mclaren-park_10-20-2023_masaki-omori_23.jpg?resize=2048,1383 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Parks Alliance sponsored dozens of neighborhood groups to help with trail maintenance and other projects.</figcaption></figure>



By October, board members had “lost confidence” in then-CEO Becher’s ability to get the nonprofit back on track. The board crafted a new financial plan in December after it found that the nonprofit was “substantially deviating” from its budget. Becher <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/04/23/san-francisco-parks-alliance-drew-becher/">quietly resigned</a> in February and was replaced by Robert Ogilvie, who came from the PR firm Lighthouse Public Affairs. Ogilvie recruited Pia Gheen, CFO of the influential think tank SPUR, to help stabilize operations in May. That month, the nonprofit reported $1.6 million in assets, of which $1.2 million was cash. 



Neighborhood groups say the Parks Alliance was holding their funds when it folded. For example, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/06/san-francisco-parks-alliance-accounting-invoices-nonprofit/">Friends of Franklin Square</a> says the nonprofit had $148,000 of its money, which is now lost. At a conversation Tuesday at Manny’s cafe featuring Recreation and Parks General Manager Phil Ginsburg, a Friends of Alta Plaza Park member, Anita Denz, said a $50,000 bequeathment was missing. Recreation and Parks worked closely with the Parks Alliance, even urging residents at times to work with the nonprofit if they wanted to complete neighborhood projects.



When asked if the neighborhood groups would be paid back, Ginsburg replied, “I think that there is an effort to raise some money privately and philanthropically to try to make folks whole.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1875" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/img_6415-1.jpg?w=2500" alt="Two people stand in front of a grand building with columns. One holds a sign reading &quot;SHOW ME MY MONEY,&quot; while the other holds a &quot;Tennis Coalition San Francisco&quot; sign." class="wp-image-411616" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/img_6415-1.jpg 4032w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/img_6415-1.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/img_6415-1.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/img_6415-1.jpg?resize=2500,1875 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/img_6415-1.jpg?resize=1536,1152 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/img_6415-1.jpg?resize=2048,1536 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Neighborhood groups that partnered with the Parks Alliance are wondering whether they will be able to recoup their donor money.</figcaption></figure>



Lawmakers are taking action. Supervisor Shamann Walton has <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/04/parks-alliance-nonprofit-subpeona-shamann-walton/">subpoenaed</a> documents from the Parks Alliance and is calling for Ogilvie, Becher, and board treasurer Rich Hutchinson to testify. Supervisor Jackie Fielder has called for an audit of the nonprofit’s relationship with the Recreation and Parks Department.&nbsp;



According to the May 29 document, board members approved an “Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors” process to wind down the nonprofit through a firm called Jigsaw Advisors. The mechanism assigns an individual who determines how much money is owed to whom.



In an email sent to neighborhood groups June 5, Jigsaw Advisors’ William Brinkman explained that his firm would send a notice to expected creditors detailing how to submit claims within a month.



“As of today, we do not have the ability to answer most questions,” wrote Brinkman. “We will do our best to be responsive as we understand the impact that the failure of SFPA has on organizations and people. We ask for your patience as this is a lengthy process.”



Correction: A previous version of this story contained incorrect details about Pia Gheen.

‘Total fraud’: The finances of this disgraced SF nonprofit just got weirder

Small community groups that relied on the San Francisco Parks Alliance for neighborhood projects are infuriated that they could lose tens of thousands of dollars of their own funding amid the nonprofit&#8217;s <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/02/sf-parks-alliance-shut-down-close/">sudden downfall this week</a>.



Neighborhood organizations that parked their funds with the Parks Alliance say that in the last year, it became difficult to get reimbursed for project payments as small as $100. Getting answers from Parks Alliance staff members, they say, became nearly impossible.&nbsp;



Others told The Standard they were outright misled about payments to their vendors, raising questions about whether the Parks Alliance’s financial issues crossed the line from mismanagement to something more serious.



“It was a total fraud,” said Jolene Yee, a member of Friends of Franklin Square, one of dozens of community partners that relied on the much larger and more established Parks Alliance as a fiscal sponsor. “They’re stealing bake-sale money.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="2500" width="1667" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/1706-operapark-220911.jpg?w=1667" alt="A man in a blue shirt and cap holds a bottle and cups at an outdoor event with people seated and standing on grass, surrounded by trees and a tent." class="wp-image-403914" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/1706-operapark-220911.jpg 3974w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/1706-operapark-220911.jpg?resize=200,300 200w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/1706-operapark-220911.jpg?resize=768,1152 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/1706-operapark-220911.jpg?resize=1667,2500 1667w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/1706-operapark-220911.jpg?resize=1024,1536 1024w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/1706-operapark-220911.jpg?resize=1365,2048 1365w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1667px) 100vw, 1667px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Former Parks Alliance CEO Drew Becher quietly resigned in February after allegations of financial mismanagement surfaced.</figcaption></figure>



The Parks Alliance was one of San Francisco’s most prestigious and politically connected nonprofits before it abruptly shuttered amid allegations of fiscal misconduct that have prompted outrage and a wave of investigations into the reported misuse of funds. 



The nonprofit served as an umbrella organization for a coalition of community partners that raise funds for the city’s parks, funneling millions toward projects such as murals and trail maintenance. At the time of its collapse, the city had more than $1 million in active grants with the nonprofit.



Yee said she became concerned when a vendor alerted her in March that a deposit for a Friends of Franklin Square event had not been paid. When Yee reached out to the Parks Alliance, she was told that the vendor had received the money, she said. Only after prodding the Parks Alliance again did Yee convince its staff of the missing payment.&nbsp;



In the meantime, Yee paid the deposit with her credit card — and she may never get the money back. The Parks Alliance still hasn’t provided Friends of Franklin Square with $2,500 in unpaid reimbursement requests. In total, Yee said, the Parks Alliance is holding $148,000 from donors to Friends of Franklin Square.



Kath Tsakalakis of Friends of Lakeside Village found herself in a similar situation.&nbsp;



She was contacted in March by an artist who had helped with graffiti removal in the neighborhood and had not been paid the promised $800.&nbsp;



Tsakalakis said financial records provided by the Parks Alliance reported that the artist had been paid. Confused, Tsakalakis contacted the nonprofit to resolve the matter. Staff promised to pay Friends of Lakeside Village’s bills through March but never followed through, she said. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1667" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/lincoln-park-steps_jason-corning2.jpg?w=2500" alt="A colorful mosaic staircase with intricate patterns leads upward, flanked by greenery and tall trees, creating a vibrant, artistic pathway." class="wp-image-393469" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/lincoln-park-steps_jason-corning2.jpg 5302w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/lincoln-park-steps_jason-corning2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/lincoln-park-steps_jason-corning2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/lincoln-park-steps_jason-corning2.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/lincoln-park-steps_jason-corning2.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/lincoln-park-steps_jason-corning2.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Parks Alliance helped funnel millions of dollars toward neighborhood projects, including stairs at Lincoln Park.</figcaption></figure>



Like Yee, her organization has not recouped its money.&nbsp;



Tsakalakis said her organization is owed $26,000 from the Parks Alliance — $12,000 of which is her own money.



“They’ve left all of us high and dry,” she said. “I have never seen anything with this lack of integrity.”



While the Parks Alliance may have ceased operations, its problems are far from over.&nbsp;



The organization faces <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/da-launches-criminal-probe-nonprofit-misspending-20335694.php">a criminal investigation</a> by the district attorney, and the city attorney is conducting a probe to determine whether public money was misused. An individual familiar with the criminal inquiry said investigators are trying to determine whether the nonprofit&#8217;s financial troubles were merely mismanagement or amounted to fraud or embezzlement.&nbsp;



The district attorney declined to comment.&nbsp;



Last month, Mayor Daniel Lurie cut off public funding to the Parks Alliance after news broke of the district attorney’s investigation.&nbsp;



In the weeks preceding the organization&#8217;s closure, <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/parks-alliance-20331332.php">allegations surfaced</a> that the Parks Alliance used millions of dollars of restricted donor funds to pay for its own operating expenses.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1667" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_101.jpg?w=2500" alt="The image shows a peaceful forest scene with tall trees and lush green undergrowth. Sunlight filters through, creating a dappled effect on the ground." class="wp-image-363083" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_101.jpg 8029w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_101.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_101.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_101.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_101.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/12162025_ggphomeless_aar_101.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">After a criminal investigation came to light in May, the Parks Alliance shut down on Thursday.</figcaption></figure>



CEO Robert Ogilvie announced that the nonprofit would shut down through a legal mechanism known as an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors process.&nbsp;The arrangement designates an assignee to negotiate with parties that are owed money from the Parks Alliance.



As of May 12, the nonprofit had assets worth $1.6 million, of which $1.2 million is cash, according to Ogilvie. The organization’s website is still online, but the staff and board member pages have been taken down. 



Ogilvie did not respond to a request for comment.



Phil Ginsburg, general manager of the SF Parks and Recreation Department, wrote in a report Thursday that the Parks Alliance owes the city $1.1 million. Of that, $823,652 is from funds the city held with the nonprofit, while the remainder is from grant agreements.&nbsp;The Parks Alliance “must fully reimburse any and all funds owed to the Department,” Ginsburg wrote.



Community groups say they have not received guidance on how, or whether, they can expect their money to be returned.&nbsp;The assignee overseeing the nonprofit’s closure did not respond to a request for comment.&nbsp;



On Thursday, city lawmakers <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/04/parks-alliance-nonprofit-subpeona-shamann-walton/">announced a subpoena</a> of the Parks Alliance in an effort to compel testimony from former leadership and produce financial documents.



“Their funds were held in trust,” said Supervisor Shamann Walton, who is spearheading the subpoena. “And now those funds may be gone.”&nbsp;



Walton plans to compel testimony from former CEOs Ogilvie and Drew Becher, as well as board treasurer Rick Hutchinson. <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/04/23/san-francisco-parks-alliance-drew-becher/">Becher resigned in February</a> as rumors of financial mismanagement spilled into public view.



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Supervisor Jackie Fielder has also called for an audit of the Parks Alliance’s relationship with the parks department, which relied heavily on the nonprofit’s fundraising.



“I will do everything in my power so that the leaders of the Parks Alliance are held responsible,” Fielder said Thursday.&nbsp;



Signs that something was awry with the nonprofit’s finances date back at least one year, when the Parks Alliance <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/28/san-francisco-nonprofit-parks-alliance-audit/">failed to produce</a> a required audit after it was linked to a 2020 corruption scandal involving former Public Works director Mohammed Nuru. As the organization’s finances started to go downhill, the Parks Alliance <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/20/san-francisco-parks-alliance-nonprofit-scandal-bonuses/#">paid bonuses</a> to its top managers.&nbsp;



On Thursday, roughly a dozen volunteers from the Parks Alliance’s former partner organizations gathered at City Hall to demand that lawmakers correct the situation. The volunteers said they want the partnership that the Parks Alliance offered to continue in some form with another fiscal sponsor, and for their funds to be returned.



“The way that the dissolution of our fiscal sponsor, the Parks Alliance, happened has not allowed us to continue our work,” said Ildiko Polony, executive director of Sutro Stewards. “The city needs to show real leadership.”

SF lawmaker to subpoena scandal-ridden parks nonprofit

The investigation surrounding the San Francisco Parks Alliance, a once-influential nonprofit that shuttered this week amid allegations of financial impropriety, ramped up Wednesday when a city supervisor said he plans to subpoena the organization.



Supervisor Shamann Walton announced the investigatory step after the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/02/sf-parks-alliance-shut-down-close/">Parks Alliance abruptly folded Monday</a>, capping off weeks of scandal as allegations surfaced that the nonprofit had misused millions of dollars to cover operating expenses.



The organization acted as a major fundraising body for the city&#8217;s parks, funneling millions toward projects such as murals and trail maintenance. Its former CEO, Drew Becher, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/04/23/san-francisco-parks-alliance-drew-becher/">quietly resigned in February</a> and was replaced by Robert Ogilvie, who lasted just three months. 



The Parks Alliance is working with a firm that will close down the nonprofit through an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors process. 



Walton&#8217;s subpoena request will be introduced Thursday as a motion at the Board of Supervisors&#8217; Government Audit and Oversight Committee and requires approval by its members. It calls for Ogilvie, Becher, and board treasurer Rick Hutchinson to testify. 



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The subpoena can compel the nonprofit to provide testimony and documents. If the summoned party does not comply with the subpoena, the city can go to court.



A hearing about the Parks Alliance&#8217;s alleged misuse of donor money that was set for Thursday will be postponed. However, Supervisor Jackie Fielder will introduce a motion to audit the relationship between the Parks Alliance and the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, a move that will also require approval.



The probe comes as neighborhood organizations that used the Parks Alliance essentially as a bank account to store donations have expressed frustration about how their money was spent and whether they will be able to recoup anything.



In May, Mayor Daniel Lurie cut off the Parks Alliance from city funding after news broke that the district attorney was conducting a criminal investigation into the nonprofit.



For at least a year, the organization saw its finances crumble and failed to produce a <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/28/san-francisco-nonprofit-parks-alliance-audit/">mandatory audit</a> of its finances for the city. Despite the nonprofit&#8217;s bad state of finances, top managers were paid <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/20/san-francisco-parks-alliance-nonprofit-scandal-bonuses/#">bonuses</a>.

Lurie’s $15.9B budget just landed. Here’s what to know

Mayor Daniel Lurie released his nearly <a href="https://media.api.sf.gov/documents/70_CSF_Proposed_Budget_Book_June_2024_Final_REV1_0525v2.pdf">$16 billion budget proposal</a> Friday, showcasing his master plan to close San Francisco’s $782 million deficit.



Many services will keep their funding at the current levels: the San Francisco Police Department, the public defender’s office, the district attorney’s office, street cleaning crews, and homelessness services.&nbsp;Other city agencies will likely lose funding. Lurie wants to cut roughly $185 million in contracts and nonprofit spending over two years, though the specifics of those reductions were not immediately available. He has also proposed eliminating approximately 1,400 positions from the city’s job rolls, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/28/san-francisco-mayor-daniel-lurie-budget-layoffs/">mostly vacancies and retirements</a>. More than 100 of those cuts could come from layoffs.



Under Lurie&#8217;s proposal, the city&#8217;s total budget amounts to $15.9 billion in fiscal 2026 and $16.3 billion in fiscal 2027. 



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In an address Friday morning, Lurie said the cuts are needed to right-size San Francisco’s habit of spending beyond its means, starting with the tech boom in the 2010s and continuing into the pandemic.



“Here’s the bottom line: We have to stop spending more than we can afford,” Lurie said. &#8220;The era of soaring city budgets and deteriorating street conditions is over.”



Despite Lurie’s talk of fiscal austerity, the majority of city departments would receive a budget bump under his proposal. The Department of Emergency Management, home of the 911 dispatch center, gets a 15% increase, the largest in the city. Budgets for the Juvenile Probation Department, the City Treasurer and Tax Collector and the Board of Supervisors would also shoot up by over 10%.&nbsp;



Discounting so-called enterprise departments, or agencies that are largely self-sufficient with independent budget processes, Human Services is set to pull in the largest overall windfall, with an $81 million increase. The police, fire, and sheriff&#8217;s departments would each get a more than $22 million bump.



But 21 departments do lose out in Lurie’s proposal: the Homelessness and Supportive Housing department is set to lose nearly $104 million; the Economic and Workforce Development Department faces a $57 million cut; and the Department of Public Works could lose $26 million trim.



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Other departments that are set to lose large shares of their budget include the Ethics Commission, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/30/sf-status-of-women-human-rights-commission-budget/">Human Rights Commission</a>, and the Arts Commission. Lurie closed the massive two-year deficit in his budget proposal partially through cuts but also by factoring in better-than-expected estimates for revenue in coming years. Despite delivering a balanced budget proposal for the next two years and taking an estimated $300 million chunk out of the long-term deficit, the mayor acknowledged that the structural deficit will persist in the following years. The mayor’s office confirmed that in balancing the budget, it tapped into $40 million in reserve funds to pay for new equipment across city departments. While other departments are facing layoffs, the administrative budget of the mayor&#8217;s office will get a bump due to negotiated wage increases, officials confirmed.



The mayor’s proposal kicks off negotiations with the Board of Supervisors before the final budget deadline of July 31. Public hearings will begin next month, allowing departments to request more funding.&nbsp;



&#8220;As we move through the board’s budget process in the month of June, it is clear that we have no good options,&#8221; said Supervisor Connie Chan. &#8220;As budget chair, I will work with Mayor Lurie and my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors to invest our public dollars in protecting San Franciscans and our values.&#8221;&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uncertain-times">Uncertain times </h2>



The financial threats to the city’s coffers are twofold.



San Francisco has struggled more than many U.S. cities in its economic recovery from the Covid pandemic. Downtown office vacancies skyrocketed at the start of the pandemic, throwing a critical component of the city&#8217;s economy into disarray. Those vacancies remain above 30%.&nbsp;



Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has threatened to withhold billions of dollars in federal funding to San Francisco and other sanctuary cities that don’t comply with his hard-line immigration policies. The president’s budget plans include <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/14/san-francisco-hud-homelessness-housing-trump-budget-cuts/">gutting tens of millions</a> of dollars for low-income housing and homeless-prevention strategies. Republicans in Congress have&nbsp;also proposed cuts to programs for low-income residents, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/political-fight-medicaid-escalates-house-republicans-trump-big-bill-rcna209194">such as Medicaid</a>, which would similarly impact city revenue.



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The <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/04/24/san-francisco-judge-blocks-trump-sanctuary-city-order/">city has responded</a> <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/02/san-francisco-sues-hud-over-illegal-funding-dem/">with federal lawsuits</a> to block those efforts and protect funding streams for critical services.



Also at risk is hundreds of millions of dollars in Federal Emergency Management Agency funding that the city used for emergency shelters for homeless people during the height of the pandemic. City officials now fear they will not be reimbursed for those funds.&nbsp; Lurie confirmed Friday that the federal agency had notified the city of plans to claw back $140 million in funding it has already provided. 



The city also receives $1 billion in federal funding each year for Medicaid and housing, among other services. But there are increasing worries among city leaders that the money will not come through under Trump’s administration. Lurie is therefore proposing a $400 million reserve fund as a way to &#8220;deal with that uncertainty.&#8221;



When asked what will happen if those safety funds are not sufficient, Lurie told reporters at City Hall that he hopes the city&#8217;s economic recovery,&nbsp;predicated on increased tax revenue, will cover for the missing funds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-critics-decry-budget-cuts">Critics decry budget cuts </h2>



Socking that money away, however, has put more pressure on an already buckled budget.



One of Lurie&#8217;s most controversial proposals is to redirect large portions of the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2022/11/08/wanting-more-from-tax-dollars-voters-poised-to-add-oversight-to-homelessness-department/">Our City, Our Home fund</a>, which voters approved via a 2018 ballot measure. The money was intended to boost transitional housing for younger residents, along with mental health services&nbsp;and additional shelter beds. Lurie instead wants to broaden the pool of San Franciscans the fund would help, raising concerns that there will be less money for the youth whom the ballot measure was intended to serve.&nbsp;



The proposal, which is likely to meet fierce opposition from supporters of homelessness nonprofits, would require a supermajority of the Board of Supervisors to approve.



Swift condemnation from local unions came as Lurie was in the middle of his budget address. In addition to criticizing proposed layoffs, labor groups decried tech companies such as Airbnb that have sued the city <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/03/31/san-francisco-budget-deficit-lawsuits-business-taxes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">to recoup tax</a> <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/03/31/san-francisco-budget-deficit-lawsuits-business-taxes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">money</a> they allege was overpaid.



Lurie declined to comment on the Airbnb lawsuit but said he welcomes more businesses to San Francisco.



&#8220;We want businesses here so that we can bring that tax revenue, and we can bring jobs back to San Francisco,&#8221; Lurie said.



&#8220;This is ridiculous. [Lurie] said this is a new era of accountability,&#8221; Anya Worley-Ziegmann of the People&#8217;s Budget Coalition, which advocates for nonprofits, community groups and unions, said Friday at City Hall. &#8220;Where&#8217;s the transparency? Where&#8217;s the budget?&#8221;



Service Employees International Union Local 1021 President Theresa Rutherford, whose union represents many city healthcare workers, said in a statement she was &#8220;deeply disappointed&#8221; in Lurie&#8217;s budget plans.



Rudy Gonzalez of the San Francisco Building &amp; Construction Trades Council said, &#8220;Layoffs are totally unnecessary. We can find the funds to save jobs and uphold San Francisco values.&#8221;



In response to the unions&#8217; criticism, Lurie said, &#8220;I take no joy in this. I was elected to make hard choices.&#8221;



Aside from union leaders,&nbsp;some&nbsp;city officials were dismayed by the proposed budget cuts. Patrick Ford, executive director of the San Francisco Ethics Commission, which monitors campaign finance issues and other matters, said despite <a href="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/press-release_-lurie-takes-on-city-hall-insider-corruption-with-aggressive-ethics-enforcement-proposal-to-restore-trust-integrity-accountability-in-city-government.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lurie&#8217;s promises on the campaign trail</a>&nbsp;to fully fund the department, up to four positions in the 28-person city agency could be affected by the mayor&#8217;s layoff plans. 



&#8220;Based on what I know so far,&#8221; Ford said, &#8220;the rhetoric and reality are pretty different when it comes to the mayor’s support for ethics.&#8221;

SF keeps trying to tax away vacancies — but just can’t get it right

For years, San Francisco has had one overarching solution to the problem of vacant storefronts and apartments. Tax them at a high enough rate, and the owners will be pressured to rent them out for less, the thinking goes.&nbsp;



Voters agreed with this logic when they passed the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2022/01/17/new-san-francisco-tax-on-vacant-properties-may-miss-its-intended-target/">retail vacancy tax in 2020</a> and <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2022/11/13/election-update-props-l-and-m-pass-district-4-still-too-close-to-call/">the empty homes tax in 2022</a>. But years later, the former appears to have made little impact, while the latter was struck down by a judge as unconstitutional.



The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday took the added step of burying the empty homes tax further, introducing an ordinance to suspend it for a calendar year while San Francisco appeals the ruling.&nbsp;



The empty homes tax was slated to go into effect in April and would have applied to buildings that have three or more units vacant for more than six months within a year. Owners would be charged between $2,500 and $5,000 per unit, depending on size.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2500" height="1667" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/supervisors-fighting-for-presidency-a-black-horse-wins_aar_37.jpg?w=2500" alt="A woman in a black robe sits beside a man in a suit at a wooden podium, with flags in the background. The scene appears formal and official." class="wp-image-353152" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/supervisors-fighting-for-presidency-a-black-horse-wins_aar_37.jpg 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/supervisors-fighting-for-presidency-a-black-horse-wins_aar_37.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/supervisors-fighting-for-presidency-a-black-horse-wins_aar_37.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/supervisors-fighting-for-presidency-a-black-horse-wins_aar_37.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/supervisors-fighting-for-presidency-a-black-horse-wins_aar_37.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">One of the first orders of business of the new Board of Supervisors was to explore suspending an empty homes tax passed in 2022.</figcaption></figure>



A coalition of property owners quickly challenged the law and <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/01/02/judge-upholds-challenge-to-san-francisco-empty-homes-tax/">sued the city</a>.



An initial court decision from Judge Ronald E. Quidachay found the tax invalid for multiple reasons, but primarily because it violated the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/enrd/natural-resources-section/fifth-amendment-takings-law#:~:text=Also%20known%20as%20the%20%22Takings,the%20payment%20of%20just%20compensation.">Takings Clause of the U.S. Constitution</a>, which prohibits governments from forcing a property owner against their will to share a property on which they reside.



That decision <a href="https://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.gov/search/case/mainCaseScreen.cfm?dist=1&amp;doc_id=3119880&amp;doc_no=A172067&amp;request_token=NiIwLSEnTkw%2BWzBFSCFNWE5IIEw6UVxfJCI%2BRzxSQCAgCg%3D%3D">was appealed</a> by the city attorney’s office, which is scheduled to present opening arguments to the appellate court next month.&nbsp;



To avoid the headache of being legally forced to collect a tax that has an uncertain future, the city is recommending that the board suspend the tax. Should the Court of Appeals rule in the city’s favor, the tax would be reinstated and applied the year after.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2500" height="1667" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012.jpg?w=2500" alt="A person on a bike wearing earbuds rides past a closed store with &quot;DJ Gear &amp; Lighting&quot; signage. In the background, a worker pushes a cart near an orange barrier." class="wp-image-159125" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012.jpg 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-300x200.jpg 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-768x512.jpg 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-650x433.jpg 650w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-370x247.jpg 370w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-800x533.jpg 800w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-450x300.jpg 450w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-20x13.jpg 20w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-185x123.jpg 185w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-740x493.jpg 740w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-400x267.jpg 400w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-225x150.jpg 225w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-900x600.jpg 900w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NordstromBathroom05032023-012-72x48.jpg 72w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A retail vacancy tax passed in 2020 has had mixed results.</figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1761" height="1761" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inline-02-20240628_mossersuccessionbattle_me-49-cropped_39834a.jpg?w=1761" alt="A blue sign attached to a building reads &quot;Mosser Companies&quot; with their web address, phone number, and &quot;Lease Now.&quot; The perspective shows ornate structural details and part of a sign saying &quot;Apartment.&quot;" class="wp-image-286876" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inline-02-20240628_mossersuccessionbattle_me-49-cropped_39834a.jpg 1761w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inline-02-20240628_mossersuccessionbattle_me-49-cropped_39834a.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inline-02-20240628_mossersuccessionbattle_me-49-cropped_39834a.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inline-02-20240628_mossersuccessionbattle_me-49-cropped_39834a.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inline-02-20240628_mossersuccessionbattle_me-49-cropped_39834a.jpg?resize=1536,1536 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/inline-02-20240628_mossersuccessionbattle_me-49-cropped_39834a.jpg?resize=180,180 180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1761px) 100vw, 1761px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The vacant homes tax would have applied to the 2024 tax year but was struck down in court.</figcaption></figure>



Meanwhile, the retail vacancy tax — which initially charged landlords $250 per foot of street frontage that was empty for more than six months — relies on both property and business owners to self-report before they pay.



Penalties for failing to report vacancy status were waived during the first two years of the tax, but if an empty property is found to have been un-reported, there would be penalty fines levied plus 1% interest per month from the time the tax was due.



Even though the law was meant to juice occupancy, critics say it has a detrimental effect on businesses at large, since even during pre-pandemic times, it took at least a year to get occupants into retail space because of the complex process of lease negotiation, remodeling, permitting, and construction.



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Proceeds collected for the commercial vacancy tax program go toward the Small Business Assistance Fund, which has brought in about $3 million, according to <a href="https://sf.gazetteer.co/despite-tons-of-storefronts-standing-empty-across-the-city-hardly-anyone-pays-the-vacant-storefront-tax">a report by Gazetteer SF</a>, despite the ordinance’s authors saying it would generate as much as $5 million annually.&nbsp;



<a href="https://data.sfgov.org/Economy-and-Community/Commercial-Vacancy-Tax-San-Francisco/rzkk-54yv/about_data">Data from the city treasurer&#8217;s office</a> support the notion that the tax has failed to solve the city’s empty storefront problem.&nbsp;



In 2022, there were more than 3,100 submissions and 182 reported vacancies. A year later, the number of submissions went down by 26%, with only 2,350 commercial parcels reporting their vacancy status. Of those, 100 self-reported to be vacant. A brief walk around the city provides a counterpoint to that figure.



Correction Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that there are no penalties for not reporting one’s retail vacancy status.

Lurie’s first law asks rich people to help fix the fentanyl crisis

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie wants to turn out the pockets of members of his wealthy social circles for the public good.



In his first proposed law, Lurie, a centi-millionaire and heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, seeks to loosen city regulations to allow the mayor’s office to solicit donations from “various private entities and organizations” to address the fentanyl crisis, homelessness, and public safety. The loosened laws concerning private donations would be in effect for six months.



The draft legislation, sent to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, also asks the board to voluntarily give up its authority to approve contracts in those areas, in the name of speed.



“The city wants to try innovative solutions to address these crises more effectively and more quickly, but long-established rules often stand in the way of speedy progress,” Lurie’s draft law reads. He intends to “expedite the city’s response to these challenges and expand the city’s capacity to meet these challenges.”



The law focuses on contracts addressing homelessness, drug overdoses and substance use disorders, mental health needs, and public safety. It would likely cover a wide swath of contracts; for example, approving funds to buy property for a new homeless shelter, hiring a nonprofit health contractor to provide free checkups, or paying <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/11/19/urban-alchemy-san-francisco-tenderloin-layoffs/">unarmed ambassadors like Urban Alchemy</a> to patrol the Tenderloin.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20240211_unplazayouth-0369.jpg?w=2500" alt="A group of people is gathered at night on a city sidewalk, with a police car parked nearby. Many are wearing coats and appear to be outdoors in cold weather." class="wp-image-354771" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20240211_unplazayouth-0369.jpg 3000w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20240211_unplazayouth-0369.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20240211_unplazayouth-0369.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20240211_unplazayouth-0369.jpg?resize=2500,1668 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20240211_unplazayouth-0369.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20240211_unplazayouth-0369.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The area outside the Asian Art Museum near UN Plaza has been a hot spot for drug activity.</figcaption></figure>



Negotiations with the Board of Supervisors could change the draft law. The first version is as an opening salvo — and an early test of the “new era of cooperation” between the mayor and the board that Lurie promised in his inauguration speech.



Already, members of the Board of Supervisors are sounding skeptical notes. 



&#8220;I’m open to providing Mayor Lurie the necessary legislative tools to tackle the fentanyl crisis, but not at the expense of checks and balances of the legislative branch,&#8221; Supervisor Connie Chan told The Standard. 



But publicly at the Board of Supervisors regular meeting Tuesday, and speaking to The Standard, a few noted their support: Supervisors Bilal Mahmood, Joel Engardio, Danny Sauter, and Matt Dorsey.



&#8220;There’s a part of this that&#8217;s personal for me as someone struggling with addiction, but also in my time in the city attorney’s office,&#8221; Dorsey said. He said he&#8217;s seen how stymied the government can get: &#8220;Sometimes we have to declare an emergency to get out of our own way internally.&#8221;



Others are reserving judgment before they hear more, like Supervisor Shamann Walton, who told the board, &#8220;I&#8217;m not sure how the current plan reflects action.&#8221;



On the campaign trail, Lurie promised to declare a fentanyl state of emergency on “Day One,” which would help him cut red tape in addressing the crisis. That didn’t happen.



As The Standard <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/03/27/fentanyl-state-of-emergency-mayoral-san-francisco/">has noted</a>, a legal “state of emergency” must be unforeseen and sudden to hold up to legal scrutiny. Lurie’s draft law aims to achieve similar goals without the legal mechanism of an emergency declaration.



Some provisions may be welcome: allowing quicker hiring, for instance, and allowing departments to more easily move money around where it&#8217;s needed, without red tape. 



From the Board of Supervisors’ perspective, other parts of the legislation may be a hard sell.



The draft says the provision around board authority will sunset in 2029, a long period for the supervisors to give up the ability to provide checks and balances to Lurie’s administration. The draft also notes that some departments may award contracts without a competitive bidding process — the same lack of oversight that enabled Mohammed Nuru, the convicted former director of the SF Department of Public Works, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/08/04/players-in-san-francisco-corruption-scandal-mohammed-nuru/">to award contracts in exchange for bribes</a>.



Giving up board authority may also raise the eyebrows of the various unions who work with the board on labor practices. Rudy Gonzalez, secretary-treasurer of the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council, said he was guaranteed by Lurie&#8217;s administration that prevailing wages would be protected — calming his fears the legislation would cut out working-class people.



&#8220;I’m going to be supportive of the administration treating the fentanyl crisis as a true emergency,&#8221; Gonzalez said.



A source familiar with negotiations said that conversations are now focused on what would be a 45-day window for the board to reject contracts if they wanted to, which is the same for the process of commission appointments.



A similar concern may arise in granting Lurie the ability to solicit funds from private donors. Government staff are legally barred from soliciting donations from parties with business before their departments, a practice legally known as “behested payments.” The city at times has waived behested payment laws for specific projects. That may prove relevant as the city tries to plug its two-year $876 million budget deficit.



That may be why in his <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/01/08/daniel-lurie-inauguration-speech-san-francisco/">inauguration day speech</a>, Lurie described private funds as a “critical requirement” for his policy initiatives.

OpenAI’s Altman is lobbying City Hall — and advising its new boss

OpenAI’s revenue <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/27/technology/openai-chatgpt-investors-funding.html">has almost tripled</a> over the last year. Its valuation is ballooning by billions.&nbsp;



At the same time, it repeatedly lobbied the city for a tax break, records reviewed by The Standard show. Mayor London Breed’s administration didn’t give the company what it wanted.



That was then. Now, it doesn’t take advanced artificial intelligence to compute the golden opportunity gift-wrapped for OpenAI by San Francisco’s mayor-elect.



OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is the star addition to Daniel Lurie’s transition team, even as his company lobbies the city to tweak its taxes. OpenAI’s lobbyist, longtime City Hall insider Alex Tourk, is still on the payroll.&nbsp;



Altman will not only have Lurie’s ear on policy issues germane to San Francisco and its business climate, but the arrangement puts him in a position to recommend mayoral staffers who may agree to a more tech-friendly tax environment.&nbsp;



Breed said no to Altman’s company. Will Lurie?&nbsp;



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“We have not discussed any tax breaks,” Lurie told The Standard in an interview Tuesday. “We talked about their investment in arts and culture, investing in the city. He’s all in on our city, just like every co-chair on the transition team.”



Former San Francisco Ethics Commission president Paul Melbostad said Altman’s presence in Lurie’s transition team is a red flag.&nbsp;



“I think it would be wise not to include him on the transition team if the company is currently lobbying for a tax break,” Melbostad said. “It creates an appearance of undue influence and special access, even if Mayor Lurie and Sam Altman have the best of intentions.”



OpenAI is a San Francisco darling. Artificial intelligence is one of the few glimmering stars in the city’s otherwise dim economic outlook, and OpenAI signed a lease for 350,000 square feet in the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/09/20/open-ai-expands-in-mission-bay/">former Old Navy site in September</a>. That brings the company&#8217;s office presence in San Francisco to nearly 1 million square feet, a sorely needed anchor as businesses exit the city.



That star power didn’t bring OpenAI a sweeter tax deal, however.&nbsp;



Instead, voters may take more blood from OpenAI and similar companies with the approval of <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/10/31/sf-election-2024-prop-m/">Proposition M</a>. The measure reforms business taxes to lessen the burden on the city’s largest and smallest companies, in hopes of stimulating the economy.&nbsp;But someone’s got to make up the lost revenue: Midsize companies, which may pay more under Prop. M. The overhaul may also reduce how much taxes are calculated on business payrolls, and weigh them far more toward sales.



So if a middle-size company is about to skyrocket — say, a tech firm expecting a boost in revenue — it will pay higher tax rates than under the previous scheme.



Enter Tourk, OpenAI’s San Francisco lobbyist. In March, he met with the city’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development and chief fiscal officer to discuss tax reforms, lobbyist filings at the Ethics Commission show. He came into City Hall for the first meeting with Breed, then hopped on Microsoft Teams with her staffers in April, May, and September to discuss tax reform. In October, he met with the Office of Economic and Workforce Development yet again.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241108_mayorlurieannouncement_jason_-0852_ea68c1.jpg?w=2500" alt="A man in a suit is shaking hands in a crowd outdoors. He is surrounded by people taking photos and smiling, with tall buildings in the background." class="wp-image-331522" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241108_mayorlurieannouncement_jason_-0852_ea68c1.jpg 3000w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241108_mayorlurieannouncement_jason_-0852_ea68c1.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241108_mayorlurieannouncement_jason_-0852_ea68c1.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241108_mayorlurieannouncement_jason_-0852_ea68c1.jpg?resize=2500,1668 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241108_mayorlurieannouncement_jason_-0852_ea68c1.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241108_mayorlurieannouncement_jason_-0852_ea68c1.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie pledged to build a &#8220;world-class&#8221; team, starting with his transition advisors. </figcaption></figure>



Prop. M is done. Why are they still lobbying? Still in question is how to figure out what a San Francisco sale means for a company that sells something intangible, like software. It’s a complicated rule-making process going through the Treasurer &amp; Tax Collector’s office.&nbsp;



The tax office is less easily lobbied. Treasurer Jose Cisneros was reelected breezily, and it&#8217;s well-known that lobbyists have little sway in the department.



But another way a lobbyist can negotiate a tax benefit is by going to the Board of Supervisors or mayor’s office to seek a carveout. One carveout that may ring bells is the “Twitter Tax Break,” which was seen as a sweetheart deal for tech companies in mid-Market that failed to improve the area in the long term.&nbsp;



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Lurie tried to dispel any whiffs of impropriety, circulating a code of ethical conduct for all members of the transition team to sign, which notes, “I will take all steps reasonably necessary to avoid abusing or misusing my position with the Transition Team for personal gain.”



In a statement, an OpenAI spokesperson said, “Sam has not discussed tax reform with Mayor-elect Lurie and will comply with the ethics pledge required by the transition team. San Francisco is where OpenAI got started and we’ll continue to advocate for policies that ensure the city remains a hub for innovation.”



Melbostad called that ethical pledge “meaningless” in a legal sense. He served on a transition team for Mayor Art Agnos in 1988 and knows how influential the position can be. The shape of the new administration flows from such a team, he said.&nbsp;



“The people appointed to the transition team know people who have skills that would be helpful to the incoming mayor,” Melbostad said. “The purpose of the transition committee is not to allow persons or entities seeking influence to obtain tax breaks to have an inside track.”

San Francisco election 2024: Your guide to registration and how to vote

With summer drawing to a close, election season is rapidly approaching. November’s ballot will be stuffed to an unprecedented degree due to a 2022 voter-approved charter amendment that combines odd- and even-year contests.&nbsp;&nbsp;



That means in addition to presidential and congressional races, San Franciscans will be choosing the mayor, district attorney, treasurer, school board commissioners, and more. There will also be more than two dozen state and <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/08/12/san-francisco-ballot-november-2024/">local ballot measures</a>. Here&#8217;s what you need to know.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ballots-arrive-in-october">Ballots arrive in October</h2>



All registered voters will receive mail-in ballots in early October, about a month prior to Nov. 5, Election Day. The package will include a prepaid return envelope; ballots can also be placed in more than 30 drop boxes <a href="https://voterguide.sfelections.org/general-information/official-ballot-drop-boxes-san-francisco">across the city</a>.&nbsp;



For those who prefer to cast a ballot in person, early voting at City Hall starts <a href="https://sfelections.org/tools/cscal_nov24/">Oct. 7</a>. To find your assigned Election Day in-person polling place, use the <a href="https://sfelections.org/tools/portal/">voter portal</a>. (You can vote in polling locations that are not assigned for your precinct on Election Day, but your ballot will become “provisional” and require extra review.)



You’ll be able to check on the status of your ballot via the <a href="https://sfelections.org/tools/portal/">voter portal</a> or the <a href="https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/">state tracking website</a>. If your ballot has not arrived by Oct. 11, or if it arrives damaged, phone the San Francisco Department of Elections at 415-554-4375 or visit the voter portal to request a replacement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-register-to-vote">How to register to vote</h2>



U.S. citizens who are 18 and older can register at the <a href="https://registertovote.ca.gov/">California Online Voter Registration website</a>. To receive mail-in ballots, you must register by Oct. 21. After that, you can get your ballot at City Hall or your assigned polling place.



The state website can also update personal information and your address. For local ballot language changes, use the local department&#8217;s voter portal.



Non-U.S. citizens who are San Francisco parents, legal guardians, or caregivers of children under 19 can vote in the school board elections. The slightly different registration process can be found on the <a href="https://www.sf.gov/non-citizen-voting-rights-local-board-education-elections">city government’s website</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-on-the-ballot">What&#8217;s on the ballot?</h2>



While national politics dominate headlines, myriad local issues warrant your attention. Donors seem to think so too, as <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/08/01/daniel-lurie-campaign-finance-believe-in-sf/">tens of millions of dollars are flowing into local races</a> to influence voter opinions on candidates and policy measures.



San Francisco is having its first competitive mayoral race in six years. Incumbent Mayor London Breed won the special election by less than 3,000 votes in June 2018 and faced no major challenge in 2019, when she won a full four-year term. The scheduled 2023 mayoral race was moved to November due to the charter amendment combining odd- and even-year elections.



Breed faces serious challenges from Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin, former interim mayor Mark Farrell, nonprofit founder and Levi’s heir Daniel Lurie, and Supervisor Ahsha Safaí.



Six supervisor seats are up for election, which could shape city politics for the next decade. The ballot will also feature <a href="https://www.kqed.org/news/11992997/here-are-the-state-ballot-measures-californians-will-vote-on-in-november">10 state propositions</a> and <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/08/12/san-francisco-ballot-november-2024/">15 local measures</a>, including the contentious Great Highway closure and city commission reform.



If you’re feeling overwhelmed or confused, the city’s vibrant political and civic community, including dozens of <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/08/20/grow-sf-mayoral-endorsement/">advocacy groups</a>, <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/08/22/sfpoa-endorsement-london-breed/">unions</a>, and <a href="https://www.sfdemocrats.org/clubs">democratic clubs</a>, can provide you with information.



Happy voting!

Asian Art Museum

Office of the City Administrator

Adult Probation Department

Airport

Arts Commission

Office of the Assessor-Recorder

Board of Appeals

Office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors

Office of the City Attorney

Department of Children, Youth and Their Families

Controller's Office

Planning Department

Civil Service Commission

District Attorney's Office

Department of Building Inspection

Department of Early Childhood

Department of Emergency Management

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Department of Public Health

Department of Public Works

Office of Economic and Workforce Development

Environment Department

Ethics Commission

Fine Arts Museums

Fire Department

Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing

Human Rights Commission

Department of Human Resources

Human Services Agency

Health Service System

Juvenile Probation Department

Public Library

Municipal Transportation Agency

Office of the Mayor

Public Defender's Office

Police Department

Port

Public Utilities Commission

Recreation and Park Department

Department of Elections

Retirement System

Rent Board

Sheriff's Department Office of Inspector General

Sheriff's Department

Department of Technology

Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector

War Memorial

Department on the Status of Women

General City Responsibilities

General Administration & Finance

Culture & Recreation

Community Health

Human Welfare & Neighborhood Development

Public Works, Transportation & Commerce

Public Protection

SF Civil Grand Jury

The Abatement Appeals Board provides a final review process for City permitting decisions. It ensures fair and efficient adjudication of permit-related disputes before an impartial panel. The board holds authority to make binding decisions on appeals concerning notices of abatement.

Abatement Appeals Board

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 1

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 2

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 3

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 4

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 5

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 6

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 7

The Access Appeals Commission provides final reviews for a wide range of City permitting decisions. It ensures an efficient, fair, and expeditious permit issuance process through an impartial panel. The commission holds authority to make binding decisions on appeals related to City permits.

Access Appeals Commission

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 1

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 2

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 3

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 4

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 5

The Adult Day Health Care Planning Council advises on the development and improvement of adult day health care services. It provides expertise in healthcare planning, policy recommendations, and program evaluation. Key responsibilities include assessing community needs and advising on service delivery enhancements.

Adult Day Health Care Planning Council

Adult Probation Department supervises individuals on probation and facilitates their reintegration into the community. It provides reentry and rehabilitative services, including victim restitution and financial assistance for crime victims. The department values public safety, offender rehabilitation, and community partnerships.

Cristel Tullock

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

Assessment Appeals Board #1 Commissioner 1

Assessment Appeals Board #1 Commissioner 2

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

Assessment Appeals Board #2 Commissioner 1

Assessment Appeals Board #2 Commissioner 2

Assessment Appeals Board #2 Commissioner 3

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

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 1

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 2

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 3

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