The Weekly Digest (July 14, 2024)

Written By Bill Jackson

Happy Sunday, Brionies, 

As our nation prays for the victims of yesterday’s horrific event in Pennsylvania, we hope you take inspiration from President Trump’s triumphant spirit and engage with democracy the right way: through civil discourse, debate, and civic engagement. Indeed, one of the most patriotic things you could do this week would be to attend a community meeting or gather signatures for your preferred candidate. “The people are watching and waiting. They don't demand miracles. They do expect us to act. Let us act together.” – Ronald Reagan

To that end, here’s what you need to know about San Francisco politics this week and beyond:


City Hall

  • Monday, July 15 at 10am: Regular meeting of the Rules Committee (agenda here):

    • Item 4 – Proposal to place a charter amendment on the November ballot to fund rental subsidies for extremely low-income households consisting of seniors, families, and persons with disabilities, and to require the city to appropriate at least $8.25 million to this fund annually starting in Fiscal Year 2026-2027.

    • Items 5-7 – Proposed charter amendments to increase retirement benefits for nurses, firefighters, and police officers. The Chronicle disapproves, and accuses the supervisors of irresponsibly “hand[ing] out new multimillion-dollar pension benefits like they were Tic Tacs.”

  • Tuesday, July 16 at 11am: Special meeting of the Budget and Finance Committee (agenda here):

    • Item 1 – Ordinance proposing a $390 million “Healthy, Safe and Vibrant San Francisco” bond for the November 2024 ballot to improve and expand community medical, mental health, and shelter services to San Franciscans. The spending wish-list includes $205 million for public health (renovations to the Chinatown Public Health Center and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital); $50 million for shelter infrastructure; $64 million for street safety; and $71 million to improve public spaces, including $41 million to enhance downtown and $25 million to renovate Harvey Milk Plaza.

  • Tuesday, July 16 at 2pm: Regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors (agenda here):

    • Items 1 and 2 – Further consideration of Mayor Breed’s proposed budget.

    • Items 32-34 – Ordinances authorizing the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing to amend booking agreements with the Cova, Adante, and Monarch Hotels, which were set up as Shelter-in-Place facilities during Covid. The city has extended agreements with these hotels many times, and the new proposal would extend through March 31, 2025 – five years after the onset of the pandemic. The hotels provide 288 units of non-congregate shelter, and the average cost for each is about $225 per night, including food service.

    • Item 41 – Resolution approving $71,125,575 in financing to purchase and rehabilitate the Granada Hotel, a 214-unit single-room occupancy building at 1000 Sutter Street. The facility will provide permanent supportive housing to homeless households. The total budget for the project is $113 million, which works out to about $530,000 per unit.

Happenings around town

  • Briones Society 101

    • Thursday, July 25, 5-5:30pm

    • What is the Briones Society? Who is involved? What does the Society believe and do?  Where does the name "Briones" come from? How can you get involved? Join us for a half-hour Zoom meeting to learn the answers to these questions and more. Sign up here.

Quick hits


Bill Jackson
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