My fellow San Franciscans,
At the beginning of June, I introduced my proposed two-year budget to the Board of Supervisors, and this past Wednesday, after weeks of hearings and deliberations, we reached an agreement on a final budget.
Even with a significant deficit to close, this budget agreement maintains the key priorities I proposed for our residents, including delivering a clean and safe City, revitalizing Downtown and our economy, addressing homelessness, mental health and addiction, and strengthening coordination and efficiency of government.
I want to thank everyone who showed to support our City\u30fbs priorities and to send a message that delivering on the basics matters. Thank you to everyone who called their Supervisor, who shared their support, and who made sure their voices were heard at City Hall. We have our challenges ahead of us, but with this budget in place we have opportunities to lift this City up and make it shine.
Budget Highlights
A Safer San Francisco for All
Delivering public safety is essential for our neighborhoods and for our economy. It\u30fbs what I hear about the most from residents, and this budget responds to their concerns. This agreement funds my proposal to:
Build back police staffing to meet long-term hiring goals, including hiring 220 more officers over the next two years and adding new civilian positions at SFPD
Continue ambassadors in neighborhoods across the city, including our retired police officers
Fund our coordinated efforts to shut down open-air drug markets with a focus on open drug sales, public drug use, and illegal fencing of stolen goods
Hire more prosecutors in our District Attorney\u30fbs Office to address drug trafficking, organized retail theft, hates crimes, and gun violence
Add more park rangers to support safety in our parks and plaza
With this funding, we can provide the comprehensive public safety solutions to make all residents, workers, and visitors feel safe.
A Thriving Economy that Supports our Entire City
San Francisco took a significant step forward with changes to our taxes in this budget. In order to support our economy and revitalize Downtown, we need to fill empty spaces by recruiting and retaining business. Downtown businesses provide the essential revenue we need to deliver the critical services that our residents deserve and fund initiatives that help us address some of our biggest challenges.
This budget agreement includes key tax changes to:
Stabilize existing business by delaying tax increases for certain businesses for two years
Attract new businesses through office attraction tax credits for any new offices locating in San Francisco for three years
Waive fees for small businesses to help fill empty storefronts and activate Downtown
The budget also funds street ambassadors to make people feel welcome, lifts up small businesses, and supports revitalization efforts Downtown, like investing in the Powell Street corridor in Union Square.
Being More Effective and Efficient on Homelessness
My budget expands shelter, housing, and prevention efforts. The budget also prioritizes accountability and efficiency so the City can more quickly distribute resources for those on the streets and to make an impact in our neighborhoods.
This budget agreement delivers on my proposal to fund:
600 new shelter beds
1,055 new permanent housing placements
1,650 new prevention and problem-solving placements to help rapidly re-house individuals who do fall into homelessness
With this new funding, we will be making a significant first investment in our new five-year strategic plan on homelessness, which builds on the progress we\u30fbve made to reduce unsheltered homelessness by 15% since 2019.
Ramping Up Behavioral Health Efforts
This budget delivers help for those struggling with homelessness and mental illness, with an increased focus on abstinence-based programs to work alongside expanded harm reduction efforts for those most at risk of overdose.
The Budget will continue efforts launched more recently, including the expansion of 400 new treatment beds, implementation of Mental Health SF, funding for overdose prevention services in high-risk settings such as single-room occupancy hotels (SRO), addiction care specialists in the emergency room at Zuckerberg General Hospital, and street outreach work.
We are also expanding services with new sober housing programs, launching CARE Court implementation, and opening Wellness Hubs.
Please add me on WeChat for updates and resources: londonbreed.
Sincerely,
London N. Breed
Mayor
