Massive Code Cleanup, Fair Chance Expansion Headline SF Oversight Committee

The San Francisco Government Audit & Oversight Committee pushed through a packed agenda on June 18, advancing a 357-page ordinance eliminating over 100 obsolete city reporting requirements, expanding employment and housing protections for people fleeing states that criminalize abortion and gender-affirming care, and approving the police department's annual military equipment report. The session's sharpest exchange came during a hearing on citywide vacancies, where supervisors challenged the Department of Human Resources over methodology they said obscures a well-known 480-officer police shortage.

• Code cleanup ordinance eliminates 119+ outdated reporting mandates, freeing staff capacity during a budget crunch — but the Clerk of the Board warns the 357-page format undermines public review
• SF bars employers and housing providers from using out-of-state convictions for abortion care, gender-affirming care, and drag performance
• SFPD's 98-drone fleet deployed 1,122 times at a $5.3M annual cost dominates the department's military equipment report
• Downtown CBD renews and expands eight years early, adding the planned Embarcadero Park to accelerate economic recovery
• Supervisors slam confusing city vacancy data, continuing hearing to July 2 after questioning how the report masks a 480-officer police shortage
• Four lawsuit settlements totaling $3.185M forwarded to the full Board

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City Slashes 119+ Reporting Requirements in Biggest Code Cleanup in Years

Board President Rafael Mandelman brought the Government Audit & Oversight Committee what may be the most sweeping legislative housekeeping effort in recent memory: a single ordinance touching more than 500 city reporting requirements and proposing to eliminate over 100 of them.

Why it matters: Decades of accumulated mandates — many long forgotten — have buried city staff in paperwork that serves no current policy purpose. With San Francisco in the grip of a budget crisis, freeing staff from compiling reports nobody reads is a low-cost way to recover capacity.

Where things stand: Deputy City Attorney Andrea Bress walked the committee through five categories of changes: deletion of roughly 180 pages of obsolete programs and funds, including old MBE/DBE/WBE requirements replaced by the city's Local Business Enterprise program; removal of one-time or expired reports, including a 1981 Upper Market signage report and habitat restoration reports for the red-legged tree frog; deletion of outdated ongoing reports such as a 1939 Redevelopment Agency quarterly expenditure requirement; modifications to reporting frequency and consolidation; and miscellaneous cleanup items.

"It is the natural tendency of legislators to legislate and to add requirements," said Board President Mandelman. "As that happens over time, over years and decades, we make it harder and harder for government to actually deliver services because people are spending more and more time reporting on the things that government is doing and relatively leaving less time to actually do the work of government."

The other side: Not everyone was comfortable with the scale of the package. Clerk of the Board Angela Calvillo raised pointed process concerns about the omnibus format, arguing it prevents adequate public review. "I think there is a detriment to the public when so many items are combined into such a document such as this — a 357-page document with 195 moving pieces amending multiple parts of the municipal code and the Administrative Code," she said. Calvillo announced she would use her Charter authority to create a "holding tank" section for future oversized legislation that doesn't conform to the standard format.

Charlie Escamas, representing Supervisor Connie Chen's office, pushed back on the elimination of several housing-related reports. "Supervisor Chen was concerned about the elimination of several long-standing and vital reporting requirements that are foundational to inform policymaking around land use and housing," Escamas said. The committee adopted amendments reinstating three Planning Department reports — Jobs Housing Fit, Short Term Rentals, and Housing Inventory — plus the Affordable Housing Production and Preservation Fund report.

Decisions: The committee adopted two rounds of amendments — Mandelman's restoring a DHR sexual harassment claims reporting requirement and fixing cross-references, and Chair Sherrill/Chen's reinstating the housing reports — then forwarded the ordinance as amended to the full Board with a positive recommendation (For: 2, Against: 0; Mahmoud aye, Sherrill aye).

"If the public can't trust us to stop doing things that nobody needs, how can they trust us to start doing the important things?" said Chair Stephen Sherrill.

What's next: The full Board of Supervisors will take up the amended ordinance.

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SF Shields Workers and Tenants From Out-of-State Abortion and Trans Care Convictions

Vice Chair Bilal Mahmoud introduced amendments to San Francisco's Fair Chance Ordinance that would bar employers and affordable housing providers from using out-of-state criminal convictions or arrests for conduct that is legal in California — specifically abortion care, gender-affirming care, drag performances, and spontaneous abortion — as grounds for denying employment or housing.

Why it matters: At least 13 states have banned abortion with criminal penalties, and nearly 30 anti-trans bills have passed in the current legislative cycle. San Francisco is positioning itself as a destination city for people fleeing those laws, and this ordinance closes a gap that could allow discriminatory out-of-state records to follow them.

Where things stand: "A recent national survey estimated that more than 400,000 transgender Americans have relocated since the 2024 election due to anti-trans laws and policies in their home states," said Vice Chair Mahmoud. The legislation was developed in partnership with the Human Rights Commission and the Office of Transgender Initiatives, and also increases administrative penalties and liquidated damages.

Human Rights Commission Executive Director Muwili Togbeno testified that the original Fair Chance Ordinance, now over a decade old, has a proven track record. "After a decade of evidence, we have seen that those concerns have not come to fruition. Instead, the Fair Chance Ordinance has expanded access to opportunity, supported successful reentry and reduced recidivism, and helped reduce barriers for folks generally," he said.

Carlo Gomez Arteaga, co-director of the Transgender District, testified in public comment, noting that one in three trans people face employment discrimination and one in three experience homelessness. Chair Sherrill added himself as a co-sponsor during the hearing.

Decisions: Forwarded to the full Board with a positive recommendation (For: 2, Against: 0; Mahmoud aye, Sherrill aye).

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Supervisors Grill HR Department Over Vacancy Numbers That Mask Police Shortage

What was supposed to be a routine compliance hearing on the city's state-mandated vacancy report turned into the meeting's most contentious exchange, as both Chair Stephen Sherrill and Vice Chair Bilal Mahmoud challenged the Department of Human Resources over data they said made it impossible to understand the city's actual staffing gaps.

The basics: Under state law (AB 2561), the city must report on vacancies, recruitment, and retention. Gigi Whitley, DHR's director of policy and external affairs, reported that of 38,372 authorized permanent full-time positions, the city has 1,484 vacant — a 4.5% vacancy rate. For on-budget positions only, the rate drops to 2.1%. Vacancy rates have declined over 60% from their October 2022 pandemic peak of 14.2%.

Why it matters: The numbers looked clean on paper, but both supervisors zeroed in on a glaring disconnect: SFPD is publicly described as 480 sworn officers short, yet the report — after applying "attrition savings" adjustments — showed only 258.9 police vacancies. During a severe budget crisis, the inability to clearly communicate workforce gaps undermines both policymaking and public trust.

"I just don't understand what we're trying to communicate. I don't get why we have this report. And if the law is a stupid state law, I'm okay for that to be the answer," said Chair Sherrill.

"Sorry, I think I agree with Sherrill in our confusion. If you're accounting for attrition, shouldn't the number be even higher?" added Vice Chair Mahmoud.

Whitley defended the methodology, explaining that attrition represents salary savings already built into budget assumptions. "If we were not to report with attrition, the result would be we would have a lot more vacancies that we aren't budgeted to fill," she said, but acknowledged the presentation could be improved. She also noted the police academy class is at 86% capacity, up from 73%.

Decisions: The hearing was continued to July 2, 2026 (For: 2, Against: 0; Mahmoud aye, Sherrill aye), giving supervisors time to prepare more specific questions.

What's next: The July 2 hearing will be a key moment as the city heads into difficult budget negotiations — supervisors signaled they want data they can actually use to evaluate staffing arguments.

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$5.3M Drone Program Leads SFPD Equipment Spending

The committee approved the San Francisco Police Department's annual military equipment report, required by California AB 481, revealing the growing scale of the department's drone program.

Where things stand: SFPD Government Affairs Manager Carl Nicita and Captain Matt Mason reported that the department now has 98 aerial drones that were deployed approximately 1,122 times, at a total annual cost of $5,277,107 — funded through a donation approved by the Board of Supervisors. Other equipment use included: seven throwbot deployments ($1,445 in costs), 42 deployments of the department's 15-year-old Lenco Bearcat armored vehicle ($1,500 in costs), 31 flashbang uses, and one pepper ball use with a pending investigation related to a demonstration. One officer-involved shooting resulted in a suspect death using a short-barreled rifle; the case is under investigation by the district attorney.

Chair Sherrill noted the report appeared to mix operating and capital expenses. "We're kind of mixing a little bit of operating and capital expenses here," he said. SFPD is seeking to replace the aging Bearcat and plans to acquire a new command-and-control vehicle using an organized retail theft grant of approximately $800,000.

Decisions: Forwarded to the full Board with a positive recommendation (For: 2, Against: 0; Mahmoud aye, Sherrill aye).

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Downtown CBD Renews Early, Adds Embarcadero Park

Jackie Hazelwood of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development presented a resolution authorizing the mayor to cast affirmative assessment ballots for 16 city-owned parcels in the Downtown Community Benefit District renewal and expansion. The parcels carry a combined annual assessment of $63,985.01 — 0.58% of total district assessments.

Robbie Silver, executive director of the Downtown CBD, testified that the renewal is eight years ahead of schedule because downtown needs to accelerate economic recovery. The expansion adds the future Embarcadero Park, with a special assessment to fund park programming. The petition drive passed with 43% support (30% required), and the Port Commission gave unanimous approval the prior week.

Decisions: Forwarded to the full Board (For: 2, Against: 0; Mahmoud aye, Sherrill aye). Full Board ballot consideration is scheduled for July 21.

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Minor Items

• Four lawsuit and claim settlements totaling $3.185M forwarded to the full Board: Amaryllis Cruz and Elias Jimenez ($3M), Craig Banks ($100,000), David M. Kennedy-Phelps ($50,000), and Elise and Zachary Williams ($35,000). All approved 2-0.