With Trump in mind, Newsom commits CHP cops to fight crime in Bay Area

<div class="content-grid article-content"><div class="Metadata_container__fxAzw"><div class="Metadata_metadata__W_0LF"><span>By <a class="" href="https://sfstandard.com/author/george-kelly/">George Kelly</a></span><time datetime="2025-08-28T19:42:16.005Z">Published Aug. 28, 2025 • 12:42pm</time></div></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">More officers from the California Highway Patrol will be deployed to the Bay Area and other parts of the state under an initiative Gov. Newsom announced Thursday.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Unlike President Trump, whom Democrats have criticized for taking over Washington D.C.'s police force and <a data-post-id="19dcc08a-e730-461c-946f-4ca85e8178cd" href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/12/trump-national-guard-lawsuit-gavin-newsom/">deploying the National Guard</a> to Los Angeles, Newsom said he's collaborated with local officials on this plan.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The CHP officers will also be sent to Los Angeles, San Diego, the Inland Empire, Central Valley, and Sacramento. </p></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">By Newsom's own admission, crime has dropped across California in the first half of 2025, compared to last year. In San Francisco, crime has fallen 27% through August 24 compared to the same period last year, according to the <a href="https://www.sanfranciscopolice.org/stay-safe/crime-data/crime-dashboard">city's police department</a>. Deploying more officers from the CHP to trouble spots could accelerate that downward trend, officials hope. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">"Good enough never is," Newsom said, emphasizing that despite the overall reduction in crime, more work remains to improve public safety.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Last week, Trump said that <a data-post-id="0153f711-88d4-4dac-ae8b-78070d74d3a3" href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/08/22/trump-send-troops-clean-san-francisco/">he'd "clean up" San Francisco</a> and other cities with Democratic mayors.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">But Newsom pointed to stats showing that violent crime is higher in some states controlled by Republicans.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">"If the president is sincere about the issue of crime and violence, there's no question in my mind that he'd likely be sending the troops into Louisiana, Mississippi, to address the just unconscionable wave of violence that continues to plague those states," Newsom said.</p></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Traditionally, the Highway Patrol's mission has been to enforce traffic laws, but the agency has seen its role expand to fight other crimes.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">In 2023, the CHP saw high-profile deployment in San Francisco’s Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods in an effort to help embattled San Francisco police take on the <a data-post-id="3b30abd3-1b43-42d8-a324-8a070a36692d" href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/04/28/heres-what-chp-will-actually-do-in-downtown-sf-to-battle-fentanyl-crisis/">fentanyl epidemic</a>. CHP and other Bay Area law enforcement agencies also assisted San Francisco during November 2023’s <a data-post-id="46cec506-bd17-45f3-9e23-f5a25ed9743a" href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/11/09/apec-police-staffing-chp-security/">APEC gathering</a> to patrol the Golden Gate and Bay bridges, staff venues and handle <a data-post-id="8c7bc3e6-a428-4092-9f79-c26d3ff1ee3b" href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/11/16/protesters-block-bay-bridge-san-francisco/">protests.</a></p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">In 2024, Newsom <a data-post-id="9e69a83d-0acd-44fb-9a9e-7421aba55bbc" href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/02/06/newsom-to-send-120-chp-officers-to-fight-crime-in-oakland/">announced</a> CHP officers were being sent to Oakland, which has an understaffed police department. Since then, the CHP has recovered more than 4,200 stolen vehicles, seized 247 guns, and made 357 arrests for alleged felonies, according to Newsom. The Highway Patrol has recently been used for similar purposes in Bakersfield and San Bernardino. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">CHP teams have removed approximately 2,500 illegal firearms from California streets this year and seized nearly 1,100 pounds of fentanyl and other illegal drugs, CHP Commisioner Sean Duryee said.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The latest expansion will create teams of at least 15 officers including K-9 units and supervisors, Newsom said during a news conference at the state Capitol. The mobile teams will be deployed based on data-driven targeting of crime hot spots.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The governor cited additional statistics comparing California cities to those in other states, saying St. Louis has a murder rate "190 percent larger than Oakland" and Arkansas ranks among the "top 10 murder states in America" with a rate "two and a half, 2.6 times greater than San Francisco." </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Newsom characterized the comparisons as "stone-cold facts" and suggested Trump's focus on California reflects "an expression of authoritarianism" rather than genuine concern about crime reduction.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Newsom also said the state is awaiting a federal court decision  that could limit President Trump's authority to deploy military forces in California cities. The governor said the ruling, expected from a federal district judge, will be the first in the country "to adjudicate the facts" based on depositions from Trump administration officials, border patrol agents, and military personnel regarding their operations in California.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">"I think its consequences will be profound and far-reaching," Newsom said of the pending decision. "We're not naive about the challenges that continue to plague our communities throughout the state of California."</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin said that Caltrans will be more involved in clearing homeless encampments — another of Newsom's priorities — that sprout near highways. </p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">"The issues related to crime are very much connected to what our streets look like," Omishakin said.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">On Wednesday, Mayor Daniel Lurie announced that Caltrans gave San Francisco officials permission to <a data-post-id="d9920017-c13f-4d75-9995-26cea3a88604" href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/08/27/san-francisco-caltrans-homeless-sweeps/">target encampments beneath freeways</a>.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">"We're not just cleaning up encampments just to distress people, but to make sure that they have long-term housing and care that they need as well," said Omishakin.</p></div></div>

He died near a troubled halfway house. His family and the city want answers


<p>Melvin Bulauan’s son, Anjru Jaezon de Leon, said his father called him July 13 in distress.</p>



<p>“I tried to calm him down,” said de Leon. “He said, ‘Anjru, I’m anxious. I’m scared. I would rather go back to jail than stay here.’”</p>



<p>The &#8220;here&#8221; his father was referring to, according to de Leon, was 111 Taylor St., a halfway house in the Tenderloin run by <a href="https://www.geogroup.com/">GEO Group</a>, a Florida-based company that privately operates 50 correctional facilities nationwide — including a handful of Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing centers. The facility at 111 Taylor St. has long faced allegations of substandard living conditions, including poor medical care. GEO Group has operated the site since 1989.</p>



<p>The call from Bulauan was the last time his family spoke with him. The 45-year-old resident of 111 Taylor St. was found dead July 14, his birthday, after reportedly living at the halfway house for less than a week. His body was found a block away at 225 Taylor St., according to de Leon, who said the parole officer in charge of Bulauan was unaware that he had left the facility. Details of the circumstances or cause of death were unavailable.</p>



<p>“My dad was a kind person,” said de Leon. “He really loved us. … He was strong. He was funny.” A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/for-the-dad-who-never-stopped-trying">GoFundMe</a> campaign to pay for Bulauan’s funeral has raised nearly $25,000.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Now the halfway house and its operators are facing scrutiny after a local lawmaker Tuesday called for a hearing into allegedly poor operating conditions at the facility and whether they contributed to Bulauan&#8217;s death. </p>



<p>Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, who represents the Tenderloin, said he would subpoena GEO Group representatives for more information about conditions at 111 Taylor St.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1667" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8685542386_drugmarketkids_025.jpg?w=2500" alt="A man in a suit speaks into a microphone with a serious expression. The background is blurred, focusing on his face." class="wp-image-377628" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8685542386_drugmarketkids_025.jpg 8192w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8685542386_drugmarketkids_025.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8685542386_drugmarketkids_025.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8685542386_drugmarketkids_025.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8685542386_drugmarketkids_025.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8685542386_drugmarketkids_025.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Supervisor Bilal Mahmood wants to investigate the conditions at 111 Taylor St.</figcaption></figure>



<p>“Residents of the Tenderloin deserve answers as to what one of the largest private prison companies is doing in our backyard,” he said.&nbsp;</p>



<p>GEO Group spokesperson Monica Hook said 111 Taylor St. residents have the ability to come and go with permission in order to find work or receive services. </p>



<p>Hook said Bulauan exited July 13 without authorization and was reported to the “supervising agency,” which she did not name. Once he was reported as missing, he was discharged from 111 Taylor St. the same day.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1667" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/opensfhistorytransdayofremembrance112022_004.jpg?w=2500" alt="A blue, ornate, three-story building stands at an intersection. It has &quot;HOTEL WARFIELD&quot; signs, a mural, cars, and people nearby with traffic lights." class="wp-image-421585" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/opensfhistorytransdayofremembrance112022_004.jpg 8192w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/opensfhistorytransdayofremembrance112022_004.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/opensfhistorytransdayofremembrance112022_004.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/opensfhistorytransdayofremembrance112022_004.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/opensfhistorytransdayofremembrance112022_004.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/opensfhistorytransdayofremembrance112022_004.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">GEO Group has overseen 111 Taylor St. since 1989.</figcaption></figure>



<p>“The facility was notified as a courtesy by the supervising agency on July 15, 2025, that Mr. Bulauan was deceased,” said Hook. “We have no additional information.&#8221;</p>



<p>Mahmood said that in addition to details about operation of the halfway house, he plans to question GEO Group about allegations of <a href="https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ninth-circuit-affirms-profit-operator-northwest-ice-processing-center-violated">civil rights violations</a> and its relationship with the federal government as President Donald Trump’s administration ramps up immigration raids.</p>



<p>The publicly traded company <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/GEO/?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAA24Qm2XhmNbrOZSkD-IKRCOqXQQo_2tNBGdlbBgE83z5bQzpxBZUPNxEJVTdvQBy8LwhPapndonk9oQ4rsxpXgRMH3MalVWFcZ72rxkgz7iF83TmmZ6eW77WjqS-73Pko3MwSrOB602iVU0USUt-U7nOQDeWq9yNhc_2ZUNmB-J">is worth more than $3 billion</a> and saw its stock price skyrocket after Trump’s election in November. GEO is one of the country’s largest for-profit prison operators; representatives this year said it was investing tens of millions of dollars in immigration enforcement activities, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/06/04/nx-s1-5417980/private-prisons-and-local-jails-are-ramping-up-as-ice-detention-exceeds-capacity">according to NPR</a>.</p>



<p>San Francisco and other California cities have seen a flurry of protests against ICE in recent months. Local lawmakers <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/01/28/san-francisco-donald-trump-immigration-sanctuary-city-ice/">have responded by affirming San Francisco’s status as a sanctuary city</a>, which limits local law enforcement’s ability to work with federal immigration officials.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1882" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1000007700.jpg?w=2500" alt="Three people in hoodies sit closely near red planters on a city sidewalk, with caution signs visible nearby. One person stands further away by a building entrance." class="wp-image-421667" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1000007700.jpg 4080w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1000007700.jpg?resize=300,226 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1000007700.jpg?resize=768,578 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1000007700.jpg?resize=2500,1882 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1000007700.jpg?resize=1536,1157 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1000007700.jpg?resize=2048,1542 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">People congregate outside 111 Taylor St.</figcaption></figure>



<p>Mahmood said GEO Group’s operations are “antithetical to San Francisco’s values.”</p>



<p>“This is a troubling situation,” he said.</p>



<p>On Tuesday, signs posted in windows at 111 Taylor St. said no audio or video recording was allowed without permission. A guard was posted at the entrance, and anyone entering had to pass through a metal detector.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The facility has a checkered history. In the late 1960s, it was the site of the Compton Cafeteria riot, a protest by members of the LGTBQ community over their treatment by police. <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/tenderloin-zoning-battle-20312869.php">According to reporting in the San Francisco Chronicle</a>, the halfway house has faced scrutiny from city inspectors and was the subject of a <a href="https://wearedefender.com/111-taylor">documentary</a> short by Adachi Project, from the late Public Defender Jeff Adachi, about conditions during the Covid pandemic. </p>



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<p>Dozens of community members protested GEO Group’s operations at the halfway house during a July 15 hearing at the city’s Board of Appeals, which <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/historic-tenderloin-building-halfway-house-20774062.php">voted to approve</a> the company’s continued use of the building.</p>



<p>Santana Tapia, a spokesperson for Compton&#8217;s x Coalition, a group advocating for the removal of GEO Group at the halfway house, said her group would like to see the site reclaimed as “a sacred space for San Francisco’s trans and queer community.”</p>



<p>&#8220;We demand accountability, we demand an end to these inhumane conditions, and we demand the city take action now,” Tapia said. “We say their names — we say Melvin Bulauan’s name — and we will not stop until 111 Taylor is free.”</p>


City Hall’s ‘incredibly hard’ budget is done. Here are the winners and losers


<p>Following months of tough negotiations at City Hall, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved Mayor Daniel Lurie’s <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/30/san-francisco-budget-daniel-lurie-deficit-proposal/">$15.9 billion budget</a>, which required major belt-tightening to close a historic $782 million deficit.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The financial plan reflects <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/30/san-francisco-budget-screwed-lurie/">some of the most significant cuts</a> to San Francisco’s budget in nearly two decades, when the Great Recession decimated City Hall’s coffers. Lurie, a political neophyte who rose to power on promises to curb irresponsible spending, slashed nonprofit contracts, department budgets, and some city jobs.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Board of Supervisors, which added several politically moderate members after last year’s election, navigated tricky waters in an effort to avoid the most painful cuts. Unions and community groups fought back against the austerity measures — to limited success.</p>



<p>Several of the board’s progressive members joined forces with moderates in a 10-1 vote to approve the budget. Lurie has until Aug. 1 to sign it.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/supervisors-fighting-for-presidency-a-black-horse-wins_aar_28.jpg?w=2500" alt="A woman with long dark hair and gold hoop earrings is seated in a formal setting, looking to the side attentively. A gold thermos and sanitizer are visible." class="wp-image-353124" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/supervisors-fighting-for-presidency-a-black-horse-wins_aar_28.jpg 7433w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/supervisors-fighting-for-presidency-a-black-horse-wins_aar_28.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/supervisors-fighting-for-presidency-a-black-horse-wins_aar_28.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/supervisors-fighting-for-presidency-a-black-horse-wins_aar_28.jpg?resize=2500,1668 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/supervisors-fighting-for-presidency-a-black-horse-wins_aar_28.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/supervisors-fighting-for-presidency-a-black-horse-wins_aar_28.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Supervisor Jackie Fielder emerged as a vocal critic of the mayor&#8217;s budget proposal.</figcaption></figure>



<p>Supervisor Connie Chan, who received accolades from the board and Lurie’s office for steering the negotiations as budget chair, said during the vote that the spending plan is not “something we all can fully celebrate.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>“But we must acknowledge how we have come together despite our differences to meet this moment,” Chan said.</p>



<p>Supervisor Jackie Fielder, a freshman lawmaker who has emerged as the board’s progressive leader, cast the sole “no” vote against the budget, saying it&nbsp;included cuts to programs that&nbsp;serve the city’s most vulnerable.</p>



<p>&#8220;For all these reasons, I cannot in good conscience vote in support of this budget,&#8221; Fielder said. &#8220;And I will be voting no — with disappointment, with frustration, but also with clarity about the kind of city we are fighting to become. We owe our residents more than austerity. We owe them dignity.&#8221;</p>



<p>Here’s a look at the winners and losers.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-winner-with-caveats-mayor-daniel-lurie">Winner (with caveats): Mayor Daniel Lurie</h2>



<p>Lurie entered the mayor’s office as budget <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/01/23/daniel-lurie-san-francisco-mayor-budget-cuts/">cutter-in-chief</a>. He didn’t get everything he wanted in the final budget deal, but the reduced spending is undoubtedly a small win for the mayor.</p>



<p>Lurie’s trims mean less funding for the network of <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/05/daniel-lurie-budget-cuts-san-francisco-nonprofit-grants/">nonprofits</a> that provide a variety of services to San Franciscans. In a hard-fought battle, the mayor successfully <a href="https://link.sfstandard.com/view/65c28f2e664d5a5d7e0849a8o1rqy.2h1/aba0897b">diverted some money</a> from a 2018 voter-approved proposition intended for homeless services to instead fund his goal of building shelter beds. Lurie was able to <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/26/san-francisco-mayor-daniel-lurie-layoffs-negotiation-budget/">get some of his requested layoffs into the budget amid pushback</a> from certain supervisors and unions.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1667" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250205_8393232314_budgethearing_asd_1.jpg?w=2500" alt="The image shows two people seated at a conference table with laptops and microphones. The focus is on a woman, appearing attentive, with blurred screens in the foreground." class="wp-image-363859" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250205_8393232314_budgethearing_asd_1.jpg 6414w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250205_8393232314_budgethearing_asd_1.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250205_8393232314_budgethearing_asd_1.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250205_8393232314_budgethearing_asd_1.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250205_8393232314_budgethearing_asd_1.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250205_8393232314_budgethearing_asd_1.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Supervisor Connie Chan helped shuttle City Hall through the budget process this year.</figcaption></figure>



<p>The mayor continues to face difficult budget years ahead. This year’s blueprint addresses only a portion of San Francisco’s long-standing structural deficit.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“So, this budget year was incredibly hard,” Lurie’s planning chief, Sarah Dennis Phillips, said in a hearing last week. “Future budget years, probably for the next two years, will continue to be hard.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>San Francisco’s budget could worsen if President Donald Trump <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/04/10/san-francisco-lurie-budget-trump-2-billion/">follows through on promises to cut billions of dollars in federal funding</a> to sanctuary cities.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-winner-law-enforcement">Winner: Law enforcement </h2>



<p>The biggest winner of this budget season? <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/27/san-francisco-budget-cuts-district-attorney-public-defender/">The cops</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Lurie followed through on his campaign promise to prioritize public safety by bumping the budgets of several agencies. The San Francisco Police Department received a roughly 3% funding boost to $849 million. The San Francisco Sheriff’s Department, which provides security for the city’s courts and runs jails, received a 7% bump to $345 million. The district attorney’s office got a 3% boost to $96 million.</p>



<p>Those increases prompted Fielder to rip into the mayor at Tuesday’s hearing over his decision to keep law enforcement funding intact while cutting community services.&nbsp;</p>



<p>&#8220;While programs serving immigrants, families, BIPOC and LGBTQ communities were gutted, law enforcement walked away with more money,&#8221; Fielder said.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/9334360850_icemissionprotest_053.jpg?w=2500" alt="A line of police officers in riot gear, wearing helmets and face shields, stands against a building. They appear alert, holding batons, with focus on one officer." class="wp-image-408648" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/9334360850_icemissionprotest_053.jpg 6481w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/9334360850_icemissionprotest_053.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/9334360850_icemissionprotest_053.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/9334360850_icemissionprotest_053.jpg?resize=2500,1668 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/9334360850_icemissionprotest_053.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/9334360850_icemissionprotest_053.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Law enforcement saw budget increases under Lurie, who campaigned on prioritizing public safety.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-losers-some-commissions-and-departments">Losers: Some commissions and departments</h2>



<p>Other departments did not fare as well as those related to public safety.</p>



<p>Notably, the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/30/sf-status-of-women-human-rights-commission-budget/">scandal-ridden Human Rights Commission</a> saw its budget hollowed out by more than a third, to $27.9 million. The Department of Police Accountability saw a drop of 5% to $9 million.</p>



<p>Among others that lost significant chunks of their budgets: San Francisco Homelessness and Supportive Housing, the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, and the Ethics Commission.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-partial-losers-unions-and-nonprofits">Partial losers: Unions and nonprofits</h2>



<p>One of the fiercest fights to erupt during the budget negotiations was <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/28/san-francisco-mayor-daniel-lurie-budget-layoffs/">over Lurie’s proposed layoffs</a>. The mayor’s initial budget proposal cut roughly 100 filled positions and more than 1,000 unfilled roles from the city’s payroll —&nbsp;<a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/26/san-francisco-budget-government-population-daniel-lurie/">a sliver of the total workforce of 34,800</a>.</p>



<p>The unions came out in force over the last several weeks to defend their workers. Late last month, the board restored funding for 57 filled positions, meaning 40 workers will get pink slips. Roughly 1,300 unfilled positions will be axed.</p>



<p>Nonprofits <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/05/daniel-lurie-budget-cuts-san-francisco-nonprofit-grants/">didn’t fare well</a> in the budget, which reduced city contracts by around $180 million. The cuts will affect numerous departments, including Homelessness and Supportive Housing, Economic and Workforce Development, and the Department on the Status of Women, all responsible for doling out grants to a vast network of local nonprofits.</p>


Newsom touts CEQA reform as his biggest housing win yet, but celebration is premature


<p>Just a year ago, a state bill aimed at rolling back environmental review for new development <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/02/16/san-francisco-downtown-housing-new-law-ceqa/">solely in downtown San Francisco</a> was deemed so politically toxic it never made it to a floor vote in Sacramento.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/30/newsom-new-housing-laws-ceqa/">two bills</a> meant to curtail the California Environmental Quality Act for certain new housing and infrastructure projects.</p>



<p>To hammer home just how much the discourse around CEQA has changed, Newsom called the new laws “the most consequential housing reform that we’ve seen in modern history in the state of California.”</p>



<p>“Go YIMBYs!” he said at a press conference June 30. “Thank you for your <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/03/27/ezra-klein-derek-thompson-abundance-book-tour/">abundant mindset</a>.”&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1667" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20240125_alivetil25_0041.jpg?w=2500" alt="Two construction workers are on a lift at a building site. They're surrounded by orange steel beams and scaffolding under a blue sky." class="wp-image-243232" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20240125_alivetil25_0041.jpg 3000w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20240125_alivetil25_0041.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20240125_alivetil25_0041.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20240125_alivetil25_0041.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20240125_alivetil25_0041.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20240125_alivetil25_0041.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">An affordable housing construction site at 730 Stanyan St.</figcaption></figure>



<p>In the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/08/sanfrancisco-housing-wars/">YIMBY-NIMBY housing war</a> that’s been brewing for more than a decade, CEQA — implemented by Gov. Ronald Reagan in 1970 —&nbsp;had become a whipping boy for the pro-housing coalition, which painted it as a well-intentioned law gone awry. Mechanisms meant to prevent unnecessary pollution or protect endangered species were instead used to stall much-needed housing production.&nbsp;</p>



<p>While Newsom&#8217;s messaging makes it sound as though CEQA has been wiped away, the effects of <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB130">AB 130</a> and <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB131">SB 131</a> are limited to carve-outs for projects in so-called urban infill environments. Any proposal that meets the criteria in the bills would be exempt from environmental review, theoretically cutting down the timeline and cost to get a project approved and built.</p>



<p>The new laws apply to projects that:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Are smaller than 20 acres (five acres in the case of <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/04/02/california-builders-remedy-yimby-housing-law/">Builder’s Remedy projects</a>);</li>



<li>Have previously been developed or have a majority of the footprint adjacent to or nearby urban uses;</li>



<li>Fit with planning guidelines, zoning ordinances, and abide by labor standards.</li>
</ul>



<p>William Fulton, an urban planning policy expert, described the strategy lawmakers have taken to CEQA as a “Swiss cheese” approach, punching holes in the landmark legislation as new needs arise.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1667" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/9445934336_mo-6.jpg?w=2500" alt="A theater room with red curtains, showing a presentation titled &quot;Blanket Upzoning Does NOT Equal Affordability.&quot; People are seated, listening attentively." class="wp-image-413415" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/9445934336_mo-6.jpg 3000w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/9445934336_mo-6.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/9445934336_mo-6.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/9445934336_mo-6.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/9445934336_mo-6.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/9445934336_mo-6.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Cow Hollow residents attend a meeting about potential zoning changes to the neighborhood.</figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1667" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/testing-51.jpg?w=2500" alt="Three rusty barrels sit on a muddy path with scattered vegetation, a wire fence on the left, and distant modern buildings under a clear blue sky." class="wp-image-356490" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/testing-51.jpg 3100w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/testing-51.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/testing-51.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/testing-51.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/testing-51.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/testing-51.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Signs in Hunter’s Point in 2022 indicate the potential presence of hazardous materials.</figcaption></figure>



<p>For example, state lawmakers passed a last-minute exemption last summer to clear the way for <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-06-27/california-lawmakers-ceqa-exemption-environmental-law-capitol-annex-renovation">a renovation of the Capitol building’s annex</a>. Same for the <a href="https://calmatters.org/housing/2024/06/berkeley-peoples-park-ceqa-supreme-court/">People’s Park ruling</a> in Berkeley, which helped unlock a proposed 1,200-unit housing project that had been held up due to concerns from neighbors about the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2022/02/23/the-story-behind-ceqa-breaking-down-the-lefts-love-hate-relationship-with-californias-pioneering-environmental-law/">environmental effects of noise</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“The good part about [AB 130 and SB 131] is that they further the state’s overall policy direction of building as much as we can in dense places,” said Fulton, who publishes the popular urbanist newsletter The Future of Where.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“The downside is that it’s all very reactive,” he said. “Maybe we should take a step back and examine the purpose of CEQA as a whole rather than keep passing more bills.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>One of Fulton’s main critiques is that the law fails to address inefficiencies in the environmental review for “greenfield” developments — projects built on undeveloped areas. This week’s CEQA exemptions, for example, won’t apply to key infrastructure projects like the BART extension into downtown San Jose or the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/06/21/california-forever-east-solano-plan-yimby/">California Forever project</a> in Solano County.&nbsp;</p>



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<p>Still, AB 130 and SB 131 are the latest in a long line of reforms that local governments like San Francisco have <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/09/15/sf-is-cutting-deals-to-unfreeze-housing-but-developers-have-to-do-their-part-too/">undertaken to reduce friction for developers</a>, said Andrew Junius, a land-use attorney at Reuben, Junius &amp; Rose.</p>



<p>“It will take some time to sort through the nuances of the laws, but it’s yet another thing to keep the pressure on cities to make sure CEQA is not an impediment,” Junius said. “We’re telling our clients that this is simply good news. We just don’t know how positive this will be.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Multifamily housing developers polled by The Standard struck a more measured tone. Tens of thousands of housing units in the region have been approved but never constructed, since financing and cost barriers are prohibitive. Moreover, even if a developer were able to skip the costly and time-consuming environmental impact review process, the risk of being sued later would remain.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“This will give pro-growth city leaders more cover to throw up their hands and blame Sacramento if NIMBYs get upset,” said a housing developer who requested anonymity to preserve working relations with local governments. “But anti-growth cities will still find ways to create speed bumps and road blocks.”</p>



<p>The laws, which were part of the larger state budget package, have already taken effect. Developers, attorneys, and city officials are still trying to parse the language and gauge the impact.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“The new streamlining provisions are complex, presenting both opportunities and obligations as well as special carve-outs unique to San Francisco,” said Dan Sider, chief of staff at SF Planning. He said the on-the-ground effects likely won’t be felt for months, until the department starts processing applications that invoke the new laws.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In <a href="https://www.theringer.com/podcasts/plain-english-with-derek-thompson/2025/07/03/how-abundance-won-in-california">a podcast interview</a> with Derek Thompson, who cowrote the book “Abundance” with Ezra Klein,&nbsp;state Sen. Scott Wiener was asked how success would be measured given that California has <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/10/16/yimby-winning-san-francisco-housing-war/">passed many pro-housing measures</a>, yet new construction remains scant.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“We’re very aware that the last five years have been rough,” Wiener said of supply-chain disruptions and high interest rates. “My view is that we need to get the rules right and in place so that when the economic stars align again, we can build a ton of housing.”&nbsp;</p>


Newsom signs laws to pave the way for more housing. Is it a win for ‘abundance’ movement?


<p>Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed two housing reform bills to speed up development in California a week after fierce opposition from environmentalists and labor groups nearly tanked the legislation.</p>



<p>The housing measures were folded into the $321 billion state budget last week after Newsom said he would not sign the spending plan without the changes, which proponents say will make it easier to build new homes and infrastructure in some cases by circumventing the California Environmental Quality Act.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The bills will allow developers to bypass the law’s more rigorous environmental review process for certain housing projects in urban areas and will streamline the construction of new infrastructure ranging from clean water projects to health clinics.</p>



<p>&#8220;This is…the most consequential housing reform that we&#8217;ve seen in modern history in the state of California,” Newsom said Monday night <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbsNhNdUzsk">before signing the bills</a>. </p>



<p>Newsom said the changes would end the &#8220;abuses of the CEQA process&#8221; that have beleaguered cities for decades and help advance the &#8220;abundance&#8221; movement in California. </p>



<p>The measures, Assembly and Senate Bills <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB130">130</a> and <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB131">131</a>, still fall short of what many pro-housing and abundance advocates had hoped would be a total overhaul of CEQA.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="800" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/020624_no-place-like-home_cc_cm_31.webp?w=1200" alt="Man in hard hat walks through construction site with wooden structures in the foreground and background" class="wp-image-246736" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/020624_no-place-like-home_cc_cm_31.webp 1200w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/020624_no-place-like-home_cc_cm_31.webp?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/020624_no-place-like-home_cc_cm_31.webp?resize=768,512 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">CEQA lawsuits can add significant costs and several years to a building project’s timeline.</figcaption></figure>



<p>That 1970 law was designed to safeguard residents against environmental harms, but critics often portray it as an overused tool to delay or block much-needed development.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Each of the two bills hit its own roadblock last week, sending lawmakers scrambling to meet a Friday deadline to send the budget to Newsom before the fiscal year starts Tuesday.</p>



<p>In the Assembly, opposition erupted after Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) added minimum-wage requirements to her bill, which eases restrictions on housing in cities and other developed areas.</p>



<p>That change set off a political brawl between <a href="https://calmatters.org/housing/2025/06/prevailing-wage-construction-california-ab130/">already warring construction unions</a>, with one side arguing that the minimum-wage rules would protect workers and the other adamant that they would unleash rampant exploitation at job sites.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The feud left Democrats panicking over which side to take. Wicks decided not to include most of the wage requirements in the final version of the bill, easing its path to Newsom’s desk while leaving the major housing changes intact.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“It is too damn hard to build housing and all the other things that we care about,&#8221; Wicks said. &#8220;We told the world we are ready to be open for business — the business of building housing.&#8221;</p>



<p><a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB131">The Senate bill</a>, which focuses on infrastructure projects, hit similar resistance from a coalition of environmental groups that see CEQA as an important protection against rampant development.&nbsp;</p>



<p>State Sen. Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) initial version of the bill would have tackled some of the most controversial elements of CEQA by making it much harder for opponents of projects to file lawsuits.&nbsp;</p>



<p>CEQA lawsuits can add significant costs and several years to a project’s timeline, a hurdle that makes it nearly impossible for California to add the millions of new homes it needs, critics say.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“It’s not just projects that get blocked,” said Matthew Lewis, communications director for the pro-housing group California YIMBY. “It’s all the projects that never get proposed, because the proponents don’t have legal teams that they can fund and prepare to take on a CEQA challenge.”</p>



<p>Housing advocates —&nbsp;their confidence buoyed by the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/06/30/abundance-democrats-building-shapiro-mamdani/">abundance movement</a> popularized by journalists Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson —&nbsp;saw Wiener’s bill as a chance to kneecap CEQA’s power and pave the way for more housing and infrastructure in California.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Instead, a coalition of environmentalists, backed by sympathetic Senate Democrats, opposed the scope of the bill, and spent much of last week successfully negotiating for incremental changes to CEQA.</p>



<p>They argued the broad overhaul would “poison our air, water, and land across the state,” often pointing to a June poll of 600 likely voters that showed <a href="https://www.neighborhoodsfirstca.org/_files/ugd/c39e23_d6945c6c99e04b3da2bf0cc19d97a2c7.pdf">75% supported CEQA</a>, and 66% opposed changing the law as a way to allow developers to build housing.</p>



<p>“This half-baked policy written behind closed doors will have destructive consequences for environmental justice communities and endangered species across California,” Jakob Evans,&nbsp;senior policy strategist with Sierra Club California, said in a statement. “It is extremely disappointing that California’s leadership is taking notes from the federal administration by ramming through this deregulation via the budget process.”</p>



<p>The bills still include some limits on CEQA lawsuits. But the major differences now add a variety of CEQA exemptions for infrastructure projects such as clean water and broadband, child-care centers, food banks, and health clinics, among others that meet certain criteria.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The bill also allows projects that narrowly miss a CEQA exemption to fast-track development by focusing the environmental review process more specifically on the disqualifying factors. And it aims to make it easier for cities such as San Francisco that have submitted state-approved housing plans to meet those goals by shielding them from duplicative CEQA reviews.</p>



<p>UC Davis law professor Chris Elmendorf said, taken together, the two bills could make it far easier to build housing in a state that needs millions more units.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But, he added, CEQA is only “one piece” of the problem. Restrictive zoning rules, high development fees, and other requirements “will continue to be significant barriers” to construction even with the changes Newsom signed into law.</p>



<p>Even so, the new laws ignited a wave of celebrations among YIMBY advocates in California. </p>



<p>&#8220;It is so critically important for California to show that we can get things done, to make people&#8217;s lives better and more affordable,&#8221; Wiener said. &#8220;And that&#8217;s what these bills are about.&#8221; </p>


Lurie’s layoff plans partially avoided after 2 a.m. negotiations


<p>One of the more contentious elements of this year’s City Hall budget was resolved early Thursday after a day’s worth of negotiations that ended at 2 a.m.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Supervisors on the Budget and Appropriations Committee approved $15 million to prevent layoffs Mayor Daniel Lurie <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/28/san-francisco-mayor-daniel-lurie-budget-layoffs/">had proposed to plug a historic deficit</a> of roughly $800 million.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The money will restore funding for about 57 positions, according to the mayor’s office, leaving approximately 40 jobs still on the chopping block. Lurie’s plan to slash 1,300 unfilled positions is still on the table, and the number may rise slightly.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1667" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8756394269_sfcta_007.jpg?w=2500" alt="A person in a gray jacket is standing in a richly carved wooden doorway, holding a black item, looking forward with a neutral expression." class="wp-image-381515" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8756394269_sfcta_007.jpg 7930w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8756394269_sfcta_007.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8756394269_sfcta_007.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8756394269_sfcta_007.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8756394269_sfcta_007.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8756394269_sfcta_007.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Budget and Appropriations Committee, chaired by Supervisor Connie Chan, preserved some jobs Lurie had planned to cut.</figcaption></figure>



<p>“Passing this budget also required painful decisions that were, unfortunately, necessary to set up our entire city for success,” Lurie said in a statement Thursday, adding that his austerity measures will save the city around $300 million in successive budget years.</p>



<p>Thursday’s early-morning negotiations also preserved certain services:&nbsp;</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>$6 million for a code enforcement program for SRO hotels&nbsp;</li>



<li>$4.2 million for legal services</li>



<li>$2.1 million for immigrant case management, and tenants rights education and counseling</li>



<li>$1.5 million for Opportunities for All, a workforce program for youth and young adults</li>



<li>$400,000 for worker rights enforcement and case referral</li>



<li>$250,000 for senior services and food</li>
</ul>



<p>If the remaining layoffs are approved, it will be the first time since the Great Recession that the city is forced to hand out pink slips. <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/26/san-francisco-budget-government-population-daniel-lurie/">About 34,800 employees work for the city</a>; the layoffs would represent less than half a percent of the total. Lurie’s plan to cut jobs faced pushback from unions, as well as from <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/13/sf-layoffs-daniel-lurie-budget-connie-chan/">Supervisor Connie Chan</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In a statement, Chan said, “It is the Board of Supervisors’ intent to restore all the proposed layoffs and we provided necessary funding to do so, but we know the Executive Branch holds the spending authority and makes personnel decisions.”</p>



<p>Many of the reductions<a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/30/san-francisco-budget-daniel-lurie-deficit-proposal/"> within Lurie’s $15.9 billion budget</a> will come through a $185 million decrease in funding for <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/05/daniel-lurie-budget-cuts-san-francisco-nonprofit-grants/">contracts and nonprofits</a>.&nbsp;The mayor has also set aside an emergency fund of $400 million in case President Donald Trump withholds federal money.</p>



<p>The Budget and Appropriations Committee also approved paid parking in Golden Gate Park, starting in 2027, in an effort to raise revenue.&nbsp;</p>



<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/gettyimages-2152792934.jpg?w=2500" alt="SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES - MAY 16: Homeless people are seen as the City fighting with fentanyl problems in San Francisco, California, United States on May 16, 2024. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)" class="wp-image-394708" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/gettyimages-2152792934.jpg 7643w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/gettyimages-2152792934.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/gettyimages-2152792934.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/gettyimages-2152792934.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/gettyimages-2152792934.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/gettyimages-2152792934.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Lurie was able to divert some tax revenue meant for homelessness services toward his shelter expansion plans.</figcaption></figure>



<p>Aside from the agreement over layoffs, the other controversial aspect of Thursday’s negotiations came during a debate over funds related to Our City, Our Home, also known as Proposition C. The money generated by the measure, aimed at tackling homelessness, comes from a tax imposed on businesses.</p>



<p>As part of his budget proposal, Lurie proposed diverting $88 million meant for housing and transitional-aged youth toward an expansion of shelter infrastructure. Lurie <a href="https://link.sfstandard.com/view/65c28f2e664d5a5d7e0849a8o1rqy.2h1/aba0897b">partially succeeded in this endeavor</a> by diverting some Prop. C money toward his shelter effort.&nbsp;</p>



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<p>During the negotiations, however, Supervisor Jackie Fielder criticized Lurie’s attempt to remove the Board of Supervisors’ supermajority protection on reallocating Prop. C funds.</p>



<p>The lawmakers ultimately agreed to allow Lurie to peel away up to $19 million of the homelessness funds without a supermajority vote, as long as it exceeds the projected revenue from the business tax, according to Chan, who chairs the Budget and Appropriations Committee.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The full Board of Supervisors will vote on the budget July 15.</p>


How SF government became a hulking, 34,800-person behemoth


<p>It’s a perennial complaint: San Francisco’s government is just too damn big.&nbsp;</p>



<p>That concern has come to the forefront in recent weeks after Mayor Daniel Lurie <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/28/san-francisco-mayor-daniel-lurie-budget-layoffs/">proposed layoffs</a> in an effort to resolve a <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/30/san-francisco-budget-daniel-lurie-deficit-proposal/">historic budget deficit</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Salaries and employee benefits account for the largest chunk of city spending: 43% of the current budget. A <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2025/sf-city-employees/">recent analysis</a> found that San Francisco has the most public employees in core functions of any U.S. metropolis, even after detangling its unusual status as both a city and county.</p>



<p>Our workforce wasn’t always such a behemoth. The Standard analyzed City Hall’s growth over the past 20 years, revealing that it has far outpaced San Francisco’s population.</p>



<p>In 2005, the city employed 26,900 people, according to the Department of Human Resources. Twenty years later, it had 34,800, a 29% increase. During that time, the city’s population grew by 8%, from 780,000 in 2005 to 842,000 in 2025, according to the <a href="https://dof.ca.gov/forecasting/demographics/estimates/">California Department of Finance</a>.&nbsp;</p>



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<p>The mayor’s push to cut around 100 jobs would represent a thin slice of the city’s ballooning bureaucracy — just 0.29% of City Hall’s workforce. Lurie’s office, which also proposed slashing 1,000 unfilled roles, says the mayor is not focused on the number of employees but on prudent spending practices.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“It is really about, ‘How do we not spend money we don&#8217;t have?’&#8221; Sophia Kittler, the mayor’s budget director, said. On Thursday, a Board of Supervisors committee <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/26/san-francisco-mayor-daniel-lurie-layoffs-negotiation-budget/">approved $15 million to avoid some</a> of Lurie&#8217;s layoffs. </p>



<p>The Standard contacted three dozen city departments to discuss why they have grown over the past two decades. Four major themes emerged: voter-approved ballot measures, new state and federal laws, and expanded city responsibilities and projects; additionally, as these factors swelled the ranks, more support personnel were needed to bolster the larger workforce.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-that-long-long-list-of-ballot-measures">That long, long list of ballot measures</h2>



<p>Successful ballot propositions have forced the city to beef up its staffing.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Take the <a href="https://www.sf.gov/reports--december-2024--about-our-city-our-home-fund">Our City, Our Home initiative</a>, which passed with 61% of the vote in 2018. The measure, also called Proposition C, imposed taxes on businesses to raise money for homelessness services. But raking in all that money requires more staff to administer it. From 2020 to 2025, the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing nearly doubled in size, from 124 to 232 workers; a spokesperson attributed this in part to Prop. C. The additional personnel were needed to acquire city-owned housing sites and oversee grants, among other responsibilities.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Or consider the library system. In 2022, San Franciscans overwhelmingly voted to mandate that city libraries be open systemwide at least 1,400 hours per week. Today, San Francisco remains the only big city in California with all its library sites open seven days a week. To keep the lights on, library staffing grew by 23% from 2005 to 2025.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1600" height="1600" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sfstandard_spot_001b.png" alt="The image is a chaotic office scene with scattered papers, a desk, chair, keyboard, telephone, and various office supplies in pastel colors, creating a cluttered atmosphere." class="wp-image-413675" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sfstandard_spot_001b.png 1600w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sfstandard_spot_001b.png?resize=150,150 150w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sfstandard_spot_001b.png?resize=300,300 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sfstandard_spot_001b.png?resize=768,768 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sfstandard_spot_001b.png?resize=1536,1536 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sfstandard_spot_001b.png?resize=180,180 180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-outside-pressures">Outside pressures</h2>



<p>It isn’t just local lawmaking that has inflated San Francisco’s government. State and federal legislation also play a role in dictating City Hall’s size.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Just look at the Department of Public Health. A driver of its addition of around 1,800 employees in the past 20 years — the most of any city department —&nbsp;was the federal Affordable Care Act. Obamacare vastly expanded the number of people eligible for Medi-Cal, whose healthcare is <a href="https://www.ppic.org/blog/counties-are-key-partners-in-the-medi-cal-program/">provided by the department</a>. Since 2013, the number of San Franciscans enrolled in Medi-Cal has grown by more than 100,000, forcing the health department to add staff.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8216;It is really about, &#8220;How do we not spend money we don&#8217;t have?&#8221;&#8216;</p><cite>Sophia Kittler, the mayor’s budget director</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>“As the primary safety-net health care system for the city, SFDPH has become the primary health home and has provided care to many of these new Medi-Cal recipients,” the department wrote in a statement.</p>



<p>That’s just the tip of the iceberg regarding staffing up to comply with outside regulations and programs. The Public Utilities Commission has brought on more staff due to new state water regulations, the city attorney’s office expanded to deal with updates to California’s conservatorship laws, and the Environment Department swelled as it absorbed Obama-era stimulus funding and California Energy Commission grants.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1600" height="1600" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sfstandard_spot_002b.png" alt="The image features an abstract, colorful illustration of multiple interconnected faces and figures, merging together with a playful, surreal style with pastel colors." class="wp-image-413676" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sfstandard_spot_002b.png 1600w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sfstandard_spot_002b.png?resize=150,150 150w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sfstandard_spot_002b.png?resize=300,300 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sfstandard_spot_002b.png?resize=768,768 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sfstandard_spot_002b.png?resize=1536,1536 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sfstandard_spot_002b.png?resize=180,180 180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-services-more-staffers">More services, more staffers</h2>



<p>Many departments said they’re simply doing more to serve San Franciscans today than they were in years past.</p>



<p>The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency grew its staff by 11% in the past decade to improve service on city buses and trains, according to spokesperson Erica Kato. “Prior to 2019, we under-invested in transit maintenance, training, and supervision,” Kato said. “Muni reliability suffered.”&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8216;We are just constantly growing. And not necessarily subtracting.&#8217;</p><cite>Nicole Neditch, a policy director at SF think tank SPUR</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>Other government agencies have simply taken on more responsibilities.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Department of Emergency Management, which has grown by 44% to 308 employees since 2005, became a sponsor for a <a href="https://www.bayareauasi.org/about-us">regional security program</a>, created a <a href="https://www.sf.gov/coordinated-street-response-program">coordinated street response division</a>, and is receiving 15.5% more 911 calls than it did in fiscal 2011-12, the earliest available data.</p>



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<p>The Fire Department has also been impacted by that 911 surge; it has staffed up to handle a near doubling of emergency services calls in the past 20 years, according to Chief of Staff Adrienne Sims.</p>



<p>The Recreation and Parks Department has also shouldered more responsibility as it has grown 11% to 952 workers from 856 two decades ago. During that period, the department added more parks to its purview, which required more staff to maintain. The department said the public has also asked for more staff to address vandalism and after-hours calls. That required hiring more park rangers: from 12 in 2005 to 55 today.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">More employees means … more employees</h2>



<p>As the workforce grows, so do the responsibilities of supporting agencies like the Ethics Department, which oversees financial disclosures and ethics enforcement of city employees. The department has 26 employees, representing a 160% increase since 2005.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The same goes for the Human Resources Department, which has grown by 53% (89 employees) since 2005.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Once you introduce new legislation, once you add a new department, once you add staff to a particular program, it is very difficult to take those pieces away,” said Nicole Neditch, a governance and economy policy director at the SF-based think tank SPUR. “We are just constantly growing. And not necessarily subtracting.”</p>


The San Francisco lawyer rewriting civil rights in Trump’s America

SF nonprofits brace for bloodbath as Lurie slashes grant funding


<p>When she first came to San Francisco roughly a decade ago, Ermei Wu landed a job in a Chinatown restaurant to support her three kids. Like many monolingual immigrants, she didn’t have anyone explaining wage laws to her in the language she speaks, Cantonese.&nbsp;</p>



<p>She never knew to challenge her boss for what she later discovered was wage theft, until she joined the Chinese Progressive Association’s program, the Workers Rights Community Collaborative. </p>



<p>“I knew I had rights as a worker, that I had paid sick leave, that there was minimum wage, that there was overtime,” Wu said through a translator. She pays it forward: “I tell all the people around me about what rights they have as a worker.”</p>



<p>In her next restaurant job, Wu was paid what she was owed. Last year, however, the Office of Labor and Standards Enforcement scaled back the workers&#8217; rights program by nearly $400,000, roughly half its budget. This year, the program is set to lose the other half and shutter entirely.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s not the only one. The pot of money funding San Francisco’s legion of do-good organizations is about to shrink.</p>



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<p>Mayor Daniel Lurie’s <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/30/san-francisco-budget-daniel-lurie-deficit-proposal/">budget would cut</a> roughly $154 million, or 9%, from the city’s grant programming next year, according to an analysis by The Standard.</p>



<p>Nonprofits are waiting in the dark to find out what will happen to their finances, as the mayor’s budget doesn’t contain line-item details to easily discern contract cuts. The Standard’s analysis offers a first view at just how devastating those trims will be.</p>



<p>Joe Wilson, executive director of the nonprofit Hospitality House, said Lurie’s proposal to gut grant funding may have disturbing consequences. Lurie has repeatedly pressed on the need for public safety, but when nonprofits providing food, shelter, and jobs are cut, people get desperate.</p>



<p>In Lurie’s budget proposal, Hospitality House lost funding from the Office of Economic and Workforce Development that pays for a program on Treasure Island to help 500 job seekers, Wilson said.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“When there are fewer community-based health options, fewer community-based employment options, fewer community-based housing options, the city pays that cost, and it&#8217;s much more costly than the investments we&#8217;re already making,” Wilson said.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20240126_homelesscountwewent_-2399_28da2458-c16a-11ee-bc93-fad3dbc5ec97.jpg?w=2500" alt="Three people stand on a dimly lit street corner at night. One person has a bicycle. They are next to a blue building with bags and a bucket nearby." class="wp-image-406800" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20240126_homelesscountwewent_-2399_28da2458-c16a-11ee-bc93-fad3dbc5ec97.jpg 3000w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20240126_homelesscountwewent_-2399_28da2458-c16a-11ee-bc93-fad3dbc5ec97.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20240126_homelesscountwewent_-2399_28da2458-c16a-11ee-bc93-fad3dbc5ec97.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20240126_homelesscountwewent_-2399_28da2458-c16a-11ee-bc93-fad3dbc5ec97.jpg?resize=2500,1668 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20240126_homelesscountwewent_-2399_28da2458-c16a-11ee-bc93-fad3dbc5ec97.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20240126_homelesscountwewent_-2399_28da2458-c16a-11ee-bc93-fad3dbc5ec97.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Grant funding for nonprofit work, including from the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, will drop next year.</figcaption></figure>



<p>Lurie has repeatedly characterized the city’s spending as excessive, saying San Francisco must make structural cuts to resolve a staggering $782 million deficit. In his budget plan, public safety agencies like the San Francisco Police Department and district attorney’s office maintained their budgets.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Standard’s analysis found:&nbsp;</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Funding to the City Grant Program, a primary funding pool for nonprofits, will decrease next year for 17 of the 24 departments that have that as a budget line item.</li>



<li>Three departments are losing all grant program funding: the Department on the Status of Women, Building Inspection, and Elections.</li>



<li>The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing is facing the biggest reduction to its grant program, $83.5 million, though a portion of that is due to Our City, Our Home funding, which will be spent over five years, but was only reflected in last year’s budget.&nbsp;</li>



<li>At No. 2 is Economic and Workforce Development, which will lose $58.6 million. A portion of that is the movement of some major contracts to another department.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



<p>Some of the department-level reductions are straight-up cuts by Lurie. But in some cases, grants moved from one department to another. In others, the grant reductions are because federal or state funds dried up. During previous years, the city elected to shore up the loss of some state funding with local funding, but in this climate, that generosity is hard to find.</p>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Some nonprofit contracts fall under &#8220;non-personnel services,&#8221; a spending category for facilities management, insurance fees, and other expenditures. Non-personnel services spending will increase next year by 2%, or $69 million.&nbsp;</li>



<li>Twenty-five departments will get reductions in non-personnel services. Those include Juvenile Probation (a 75% cut), Ethics Commission (46%), Sheriff’s Department (24%), Public Works (36%), and Human Rights Commission (40%).</li>
</ul>



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<p>In <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/01/23/daniel-lurie-san-francisco-mayor-budget-cuts/">a January memo</a> to city department heads, Lurie directed them to cut grants from the “least effective” organizations. But Sarah Wan, director of the Community Youth Center, said even outcomes that are difficult to measure can have real impacts.&nbsp;</p>



<p>CYC started its Bayview Services program in 2011. It provides connections to city and neighborhood services for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in the Bayview but also offers bridge-building programs between Black and Asian neighbors, such as joint Lunar New Year and Black History Month celebrations, local history bus tours, and translators to help bridge the divide.&nbsp;</p>



<p>CYC is facing a $1.5 million budget reduction. The Bayview CYC location may shutter.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“It took us like 15 years to do that, to build that partnership,” she said. “I think we definitely helped build bridges across communities. It&#8217;s how to ensure everyone feels safe.”</p>



<p>A full accounting of how many organizations would be affected by the mayor’s budget is not available, as it contains only top-line numbers, not the line-item detail necessary to discern what programs may be axed. The People’s Budget coalition, a collective of more than 150 organizations, rallied Wednesday at City Hall to protest the coming cuts.</p>



<p>Despite the unknowns, one thing is certain: Nonprofits are expecting a bloodbath.</p>


Ideology or education? New ethnic studies class has parents mad

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

Department of Police Accountability

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

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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

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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

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