Category: Update

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New SF economic and workforce head predicts brighter times

By Patrick Hoge : sfexaminer – excerpt (audio)

Anne Taupier, the new executive director of San Francisco’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development: “We want to be a partner with our businesses and with our citizens and with everyone who wants to be doing business in San Francisco.”…

Anne Taupier said she feels fortunate — not just to have been named the new executive director of San Francisco’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, but because she’s been given the job at this moment in history, as she believes The City is heading into a brighter future.

“I really do feel this energy and excitement,” said Taupier, the agency’s former director of development, who was appointed in mid-June to the top job by Mayor Daniel Lurie. “I feel like I’m lucky, because I am stepping into this role when you can feel that change in the air.”

Taupier’s optimism comes despite a decrease of millions of dollars to her agency’s budget in the recently adopted two-year city budget that closed a deficit of about $800 million, and a downtown that among other things has been grappling with high office-vacancy rates since the COVID-19 pandemic that stood at 34.8% in the second quarter, according to the real-estate firm CBRE…

In 2009, Taupier joined the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, where she worked on real estate, and she was appointed director of development in 2020 to oversee large projects, including the Treasure Island, Stonestown Galleria and Potrero Power Station developments, among others. She also worked on housing and development policies on behalf of the Mayor’s Office.

Taupier succeeds Sarah Dennis Phillips, whose appointment to be The City’s planning director was announced at the same time as Taupier’s move within OEWD.

The agency Taupier now leads has 151 budgeted full-time employees in multiple divisions, including a business-development team that works to attract and retain companies, and another that focuses on supporting neighborhood commercial corridors. Its biggest division — the workforce development unit — performs various tasks that include working with organizations that provide job training and placement services.

The agency’s budget declined by $54.9 million in the fiscal-year 2025–26 budget. About $26 million of that decrease is due to the transfer of community-ambassador programs to the Department of Emergency Management, which now provides oversight for certain city-funded community-safety ambassadors in neighborhoods that include Mid-Market, the Tenderloin and the Mission…(more)

RELATED:
SF leaders work to loosen rules to fill vacant storefronts.
Chinatown Muni ambassadors honored as program ends amid budget cuts

Apparently the priority is to build the economy rather than protect the residents and businesses. We suspect there are a few places that $26 million could come from for the neighborhoods who want to keep their ambassadors.  If we believe the AI media, the estimated pay range for a Community Ambassador at City and County of San Francisco is $21–$32 per hour, which includes base salary and additional pay. A lot less than most city employees, yet they are the first to go.

Why does the  government keep piling on improvements that destroy the programs people like and support? Will someone please figure this out and stop the practice?

 

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The looming threat to hundreds of small businesses in San Francisco

By Tim Redmond : 48hills – excerpt

Almost a third of all the small businesses in the city’s neighborhood commercial districts could face displacement under Mayor Daniel Lurie’s plan to allow more and denser housing in neighborhoods, data from the City Planning Department shows.

In some neighborhoods—the Geary corridor, for example—nearly half the small local merchants are endangered, the data shows.

That’s because the so-called “family housing” plan would encourage developers to demolish small buildings to put up larger ones—and many of those small buildings have small commercial tenants.

City planners tell me that they will discourage the demolition of existing rent-controlled housing (although SB 79)  a bill by Sen. Scott Wiener would encourage that practice.)

But 1,769 small businesses are in vulnerable places (sites that are prime for new development where there are no existing residential units)—and 47 are officially recognized “legacy businesses.”

As the planning report notes:.. (more)

The Small Business Commissioners agreed at their meeting on Monday. They took no action, pending plans to talk to neighborhood merchants and consider legislative remedies. They do not fee that any of the current Board of Supervisors are working on anything of substance yet. (July 28, 25 meeting)

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PRESS RELEASE: SAN FRANCISCO HERITAGE PROTESTS PLANNED DEMOLITION OF CITY LANDMARK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 21, 2025 [SAN FRANCISCO]—San Francisco Heritage, the city’s leading preservation nonprofit, protests a planned demolition of 447 Battery Street, one of San Francisco’s 320 designated city landmarks, and calls on the Board of Supervisors to preserve the building.

As part of a proposed development agreement between the city and developer Related California, 447 Battery Street—the former Jones Thierbach Coffee Company warehouse and San Francisco Landmark no. 299—is proposed for demolition to make way for a mixed-use luxury office/hotel tower at 530 Sansome Street and new city fire station.

“This is unprecedented,” said Woody LaBounty, SF Heritage President & CEO. “Since the city’s landmarks program establishment in the late 1960s, only 320 have been designated and none have been intentionally destroyed.”…

“Landmarks are more than old or attractive buildings,” LaBounty said. “From the Mission Cultural Center to the Rainbow Flag in the Castro to City Cemetery in Lincoln Park, they tell our collective story. By establishing that they can be erased for needs of the moment we open the door to losing any of them.”

San Francisco has more than 200,000 parcels, but only 320 designated landmarks under Article 10 of the Planning Code. The purpose of Article 10 is described as necessary to promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the public through, in part, “the enrichment of human life in its educational and cultural dimensions…by fostering knowledge of the living heritage of the past.”… (more)

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A ‘poison pill’ in California’s budget deal ties state spending to construction

By Alexei Koseff : calmatters – excerpt

IN SUMMARY: A state budget is headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his signature, but it won’t take effect unless the Legislature makes changes to housing and infrastructure development rules that he has demanded…

After days of confusion in which a deal with Gov. Gavin Newsom threatened to unravel over his demand to include new housing and infrastructure regulations, the California Legislature passed an updated state budget on Friday.

With the start of a new fiscal year looming on July 1, budget negotiations — already challenged by a $12 billion and growing deficit — dragged on this week as Newsom and legislative leaders struggled to reach an agreement on waiving state environmental reviews for priority projects.

The details of that proposal were only made public Friday morning, hours before the budget vote, despite a poison pill that would invalidate the entire $321 billion spending plan if the Legislature does not also approve the infrastructure proposal, Senate Bill 131. Lawmakers are expected to take it up on Monday, alongside the housing measure Newsom sought, Assembly Bill 130, which was unveiled and then amended this week following fierce blowback from organized labor.

Officials involved in those negotiations have been loath to explain why the budget process staggered to such an odd and protracted conclusion this year, even as California is now set to adopt sweeping changes to how it builds without much public notice. Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas refused to speak with reporters after the vote…

The final budget relies on reserves and internal borrowing … (more)

Internal borrowing?

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New S.F. planning director’s appointment process was illegal, commissioner says

By Queer Lu : missionlocal – excerpt

Commission president wrangled votes for mayor’s pick to lead department, commissioner alleges, in violation of open meeting laws

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Kathrin Moore, Gilbert Williams and Theresa Imperial walk out of a planning commission meeting on June 18, 2025.

A San Francisco planning commissioner is challenging the legality of Mayor Daniel Lurie’s appointment of the city’s new planning director, Sarah Dennis Phillips.

Kathrin Moore, the planning commission’s vice president, emailed the city attorney’s office stating that Lydia So, the president of the commission, has “clearly and unequivocally” violated the law.

Moore recounted that So called her and two other commissioners separately the night before the June 18 vote suggesting that they “act in support of the Mayor’s wish to recommend a particular individual to the Mayor to be the new Planning Director,” according to an email addressed to Deputy City Attorney Austin Yang that was obtained by Mission Local…

Multiple City Hall veterans with varying views on development have told Mission Local that they think Dennis Phillips, who was the director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development and a former city planner, is “fantastic” and “qualified for the job.”…

“The whole purpose of these laws like the Brown Act … is transparency,” Wheaton said. “It’s to try as much as we can to wring the politics out of politics, to try to get people to do things on the merits and to be proud of what they’ve done and not have it be done with secret phone calls.”… (more)

It seems the problem is not with the appointee but with the process. Given the massive number of processes that and being ignored and circumvented, it is heathy to revisit this one that is so bravely contested. We at least have a chance to discuss the importance of our elected and our civil servants following the law. So much is being made of the lack of legal process on the national front which is seemingly difficult to address. There is no reason not to investigate the problem when it is close to home. No one after all is able the law.

It would be good for the citizens of San Francisco to be aware of the law and the ramifications for ignoring it where the Brown Act is concerned. People might be more likely to recognize improper actions when they see them and speak up.

We have been investigating other cases involving questionable actions taken by other departments through sunshine requests. It appears that normal protocol for condudcting business that effects the public has been dropped by some departments. 

It will be interesting to see who is responsible for the decision to ignore the legal proceedings in such a public manner. What may the remedy be and how may we get back to legal proceedings?

 

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SF plan to add housing density set to go before lawmakers

: sfexaminer – excerpt (audio)

San Francisco’s yearslong, often-contentious campaign to redraw its zoning map reached a major milestone Tuesday when Mayor Daniel Lurie formally submitted the legislative package for his “family zoning” plan, which aims to add housing density throughout The City’s western and northern neighborhoods.

“For too long, San Francisco made it easier to block homes than to build them,” Lurie said, during a press conference to highlight the legislative advance.

Lurie delivered his remarks in front of a five-story affordable development in San Francisco’s Westwood Park neighborhood that was built in the wake of a previous round of upzoning…

City leaders must approve an up zoning plan that passes muster with California authorities by January 2026 or risk penalties that include state funding cuts as well as the loss of more control over local development decisions.

But even as Lurie’s legislative package moves forward, a number of key companion measures — intended to address widespread unease about the up zoning proposals — remain very much on the drawing board.

Those measures include separate legislative packages that would add additional safeguards for tenants and small businesses. They have been drawn up in collaboration with progressive housing activists who warn that if The City fails to act, the proposed up zoning ordinance could unleash a wave of evictions, as redevelopment projects proliferate and displace longstanding tenants.

“At this point, it seems like everyone’s working diligently” to draft the companion measures, People Power Media cofounder Joseph Smooke, who has been helping to lead the advocacy campaign surrounding the rezoning effort.

Nevertheless, Smooke said, “we’re cautious of course, because the schedules could become out of sync quickly.”

Advocates are also pushing The City to adopt stronger preservation standards for historic buildings and to draw up an inventory of sites that are suitable for the development of publicly-funded affordable housing.

During the Tuesday morning press conference, Planning Department officials said The City is still on track to pass the companion measures alongside the central rezoning legislation.

“We’re ensuring that this plan reflects local voices and local values, and will continue to do that as it moves through the adoption process,” said Sarah Dennis Phillips, who has been leading the Office of Economic and Workforce Development but is now set to replace Planning Director Rich Hillis after he recently announced plans to resign from the role…. (more)

 

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VC billionaire Michael Moritz’s foundation gives $3.4M to S.F. immigrant defense

by JOE RIVANO BARROS : missionlocal – excerpt

Gift is latest of $36 million donated by foundation to San Francisco city departments

The personal foundation of Michael Moritz, the venture capitalist billionaire who has been one of the most active donors in San Francisco politics, has given $3.4 million to the San Francisco Public Defender’s office to hire more immigrant defense attorneys in light of President Donald Trump’s recent crackdown.

The gift by the Crankstart Foundation, Moritz’ vehicle for philanthropy, would pay for three additional attorneys and a paralegal for the next four years. The public defender’s office applied for the funds and was awarded the gift on March 11. It’s set to be approved by the Board of Supervisors in the coming weeks.

The “immigrant defense unit” of the public defender’s office, which currently has six attorneys, is rare: It is one of a few across the country that provides free legal counsel for immigrants in deportation proceedings. It was started in 2017 in response to the anti-immigrant wave during Trump’s first term. .. (more)

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Supervisors debate Over Budget this week

By Tim Redmond : 48hills – excerpt

Dates for budget item considerations by the SF Board of Supervisors this week…

The supes will learn, we hope, more specifics on the mayor’s budget cuts this week as the Budget and Appropriations Committee begins what will be a long series of hearings on the individual departments’ budget proposals.

The supes can’t directly add money to the mayor’s budget, although they can cut. Typically, the Budget and Legislative Analyst finds millions in cuts that the supes can then negotiate with the mayor to fund as “add backs.”…

And what, exactly, is going to be cut?…

On Wednesday/11, the committee will start with these agencies: Assessor/Recorder, Treasurer and Tax Collector, Technology Department, Board of Appeals, City Administrator, Health Service System, Civil Service Commission, Human Resources, Department of Elections, Department of General City Responsibility Controller, Human Services Agency, Building Inspection, Planning Department, Ethics Commission, Public Works, Board of Supervisors

Thursday/12, Asian Arts Museum, Fine Arts Museum, Academy of Sciences, Arts Commission, War Memorial, Child Support Services, Early Childhood, Recreation and Park, Homelessness and Supportive Housing, Public Health, Mayor’s Office/Housing and Community Development, Human Rights Commission/Status of Women, Department on Children, Youth, and Their Families, Office of Economic and Workforce Development.

Friday/13 is when some of the most controversial proposals will come before the panel: City Attorney, Office of the Superior Court, Environment Department, Law Library, Public Library, Retirement System, Rent Board, Emergency Management, Juvenile Probation, Adult Probation, Public Defender, Fire Department, Sheriff’s Department, Police Accountability, Department of Inspector General, District Attorney, Police Department…

Also: Lurie has said he will fund the new Office of the Inspector General, which has funding mandates in the charter, but nobody has been hired yet …(more)

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What did the director of Rec-Park know and when did he know it?

By Tim Redmond : 48hills – excerpt

The Government Audit and Oversight Committee will hold a hearing Thursday/5 on the allegations of financial mismanagement at the San Francisco Parks Alliance and the impact that’s had on city agencies.

Sups. Jackie Fielder and Shamann Walton called for the hearing, and have asked the Recreation and Parks Department, as well as the Parks Alliance, to appear and answer questions.

Among the issues that should, and I suspect will, come up: What role has Rec-Park Director Phil Ginsburg played in the management, direction, financing, and operations of the private alliance? What did he know about the current mess, and when did he know it?… (more)

UPDATE:

S.F. supervisor seeks to subpoena ex-leaders of collapsed parks nonprofit

By Michael Barba : sfchronicle – excerpt (audio)

A city supervisor is seeking to subpoena the former leaders of the collapsed San Francisco Parks Alliance, compelling them to testify about the demise of a prominent and politically connected nonprofit that is the subject of multiple investigations.

Supervisor Shamann Walton plans to subpoena the Parks Alliance’s last CEO, Robert Ogilvie, and his predecessor, Drew Becher, as well as its former treasurer Rick Hutchinson.

His request for a subpoena, which needs approval from his colleagues, comes after the Parks Alliance began to wind down its operations this week ahead of a scheduled hearing on its collapse and outstanding debts to the city at a Board of Supervisors committee.

The hearing was supposed to be held Thursday, but has since been postponed…

The Parks Alliance was in the grips of a deepening financial crisis long before its decision to shutter. Its board chair, Louise Mozingo, admitted in a leaked email obtained by the Chronicle that the organization had misspent $3.8 million in restricted funds on its operating expenses.

The shutdown left small neighborhood groups around San Francisco that entrusted the nonprofit to safeguard their money unsure about the fate of their savings. Before all of its board members resigned and itsremaining staffers were terminated, the Parks Alliance hired an outside firm to liquidate its remaining assets through a process akin to bankruptcy...

“I want to know how the city will collect the outstanding dollars and how the Parks Alliance could get away with using city and organization resources for their own operations,” he said.

Supervisor Jackie Fielder, who joined Walton in his call for a hearing, still plans to introduce a motion Thursday calling for a full audit of the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, including its long-running financial ties to the Parks Alliance, her office said.

The district attorney, controller and city attorney are investigating…(more)