Rules Committee Fills One Veterans Council Seat, Holds Two for More Debate
Rules Committee • San FranciscoOctober 19, 2026
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San Francisco's Rules Committee spent its longest stretch on Oct. 19, 2026, weighing who should advise the city on veterans' needs. It filled one of three open Veterans Affairs Council seats and held the other two for more deliberation, despite having more applicants than seats. In the same session, supervisors also advanced a stricter vetting law for city gun suppliers, a state-mandated title-fraud alert system and three commission picks, all on 3-0 votes.
- Stephen Lee appointed to Veterans Affairs Council seat 8; seats 4 and 6 remain open.
- Gun supplier ordinance advances 3-0, barring dealers with recent ATF warning letters or state fines.
- Architect Ryan Jiang recommended for the Building Inspection Commission as DBI and Planning merge.
- Free mailed title-fraud alerts move forward to meet a Jan. 1, 2027, state deadline.
Veterans Council: One Seat Filled, Two on Hold
Why it matters: Commenters said the Veterans Affairs Council recently won below-market-rate (BMR) housing access for veterans and has more goals in the pipeline. Who sits on the council will shape what comes next.
Where things stand: Five candidates made their case for three seats with terms ending March 17, 2027. The candidates were Craig Northrup, George Tuning, Michael Ramos, Shervin Shenazi and Stephen Lee. Lee pitched his active-duty status as an asset.
"I would also be one of the few members of the council still serving," said Stephen Lee, candidate.
Sitting council leaders lined up behind different candidates, turning the hearing into a public preview of the council's internal priorities:
- Bill Barnacle, President, Veterans Affairs Council, backed Ramos and Greg Thorpe, along with a candidate named George whom he described as a West Point graduate. He cited the council's BMR housing legislation.
- Hanley Chan, Vice Chair, Veterans Affairs Council, supported Lee for his legislative experience and George for his institutional knowledge. Chan said the council needs an attorney.
- Nicholas Rusinoff, council member, urged supervisors to weigh what appointees will actually accomplish. He pointed to BMR housing for about 30 veterans and the hiring of a veterans service officer. He also cited pending goals on veteran home loans and discharge upgrades.
- The council's Seat 1 member, who represents spouses and families, asked the committee to prioritize demonstrated experience and attendance. She noted she had seen Craig, Michael and Shervin at council meetings.
- John Ellis, a member of the Supportive Housing Providers Network Resident Advisory Board speaking for himself, stressed veterans' importance to permanent supportive housing.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Shamann Walton, Supervisor, District 10, who chairs the committee, said certain seats needed further deliberation.
"I want to make a motion to appoint Stephen Lee to seat number 8, and we will continue seats 4 and 6 to the call of the chair," said Walton.
The motion passed. For: 3 (Walton, Supervisor Stephen Sherrill, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman), Against: 0, Absent: 0.
Lee drew explicit support from the vice chair, which may have eased his path. The split endorsements from council leadership on the remaining seats suggest supervisors are navigating competing factions on the council. Veterans and families served by the council will have two vacancies until the committee acts.
What's next: Seats 4 and 6 return at the call of the chair. No date was set.
Gun Supplier Rules Get Tighter
The basics: Chapter 21H of the city's administrative code sets standards for companies that sell firearms and ammunition to the city. Stephen Sherrill, Supervisor, District 2, described his ordinance as building on former Supervisor Catherine Stefani's 2024 law.
"This legislation is about good government changes to the city's rules for purchasing firearms and ammunition," said Sherrill.
Why it matters: The current rules have proven hard to apply. Staff testimony showed the city often cannot find a supplier that meets its own standards.
"Since last year, a quarter of new firearms and ammunition solicitations that the city conducted required waivers because no suppliers could meet the minimum qualifications," said Molly Peterson, representing the Office of Contract Administration.
Where things stand: Under the ordinance, the city could not buy from suppliers that meet either of these conditions within the last five years:
- Received a federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) warning letter or a more serious action.
- Paid fines to the California Department of Justice.
The bill also aligns the city's waiver language with other purchasing law. The result is a clearer bar on bad actors and a more consistent exception process.
Sherrill acknowledged the measure is incremental but argued it still matters. "Across every neighborhood in San Francisco, even though the numbers say that homicides are down, gun violence claims lives and it claims kids' lives," said Sherrill.
The other side: No opposition was voiced. Two gun-safety groups spoke in support:
- Kath Sakalakis, National Board member, Brady United Against Gun Violence, said law enforcement is the biggest buyer of guns. She argued taxpayer money should go only to responsible dealers.
- Samantha Zinneber, Co-lead, Moms Demand Action San Francisco, urged a yes vote. She said complying with federal, state and local law is the minimum suppliers should meet.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: "I would like to be added as a co-sponsor," said Rafael Mandelman, Supervisor, District 8. Walton also signed on as a co-sponsor.
The committee sent the ordinance to the full board with a positive recommendation. For: 3 (Sherrill, Mandelman, Walton), Against: 0, Absent: 0. Dealers with recent regulatory trouble would lose access to city contracts. Purchasing staff gain clearer waiver rules.
What's next: The ordinance heads to the full Board of Supervisors.
Architect Tapped for Permitting Watchdog
Why it matters: The Building Inspection Commission oversees permitting and code enforcement. Its work comes as the city merges the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) with Planning and pushes for faster housing approvals.
Where things stand: Ryan Jiang, Principal, Letty Matam Stacy Architects, is Mayor Lurie's nominee for a term ending July 1, 2028. Jiang has worked as a San Francisco architect for 22 years.
He said DBI could improve coordination across departments and better align its rules with state codes. He cited a dispute over whether ceiling heights should be 7 feet or 7 feet 6 inches as an example.
"It's that efficiency, I believe, that can help the permitting process do its part in restoring affordability," said Jiang.
Asked about the DBI-Planning merger, Jiang said he has much to learn. He said he wants review steps to happen simultaneously rather than one after another. "Having the planning department and the building department work hand in hand is super important," he said.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Two speakers supported the nomination:
- Armando Vasquez, a licensed architect and former commission member, cited 10 years of affordable housing collaboration with Jiang.
- Annemarie Jeanette, Vice President and Project Executive, Suffolk Construction, praised Jiang's attention to detail on the UCSF Parnassus and 249 Pennsylvania projects.
Walton moved to amend the resolution, replacing "rejecting" with "approving," and to send it to the full board with a recommendation. The motion passed. For: 3 (Walton, Sherrill, Mandelman), Against: 0, Absent: 0.
Developers and design professionals gain a practitioner's voice on the commission as permitting reform unfolds.
What's next: The nomination goes to the full board.
Free Title-Fraud Alerts Move Toward Approval
Why it matters: Under state Senate Bill 255, every county recorder must run an owner notification program by Jan. 1, 2027. The goal is to help property owners catch title fraud early.
Where things stand: Frances Shea, staff for Supervisor Connie Chan, said File 26-1014 is necessary to comply with state requirements. Shea asked that the item move as a committee report, which lets the full board take it up sooner.
Holly Leung of the Office of the Assessor-Recorder explained how the program would work. Covered documents include quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust and mortgages, and each recording would trigger an automatic letter to the owner.
"Mailed within 30 days of recording, the notice includes a copy of the document's first recorded page," said Leung. She added, "there's no charge to the public or the residents."
Leung said her office is on track for the deadline. Staff are working on language access compliance and exploring digital opt-ins.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: There was no committee discussion or public comment. The committee forwarded the ordinance as a committee report. For: 3 (Walton, Sherrill, Mandelman), Against: 0, Absent: 0. Every property owner in the city would receive a free alert when a covered document is recorded against their property.
What's next: The ordinance goes to the full board ahead of the Jan. 1, 2027, deadline.
Minor Items
- Treasure Island board: The committee recommended Nabiha Azim's reappointment to the Treasure Island Development Authority Board, with a term ending April 28, 2030, by a 3-0 vote. Azim developed Starview Court, 138 affordable homes on the island, and Authority President Linda Fedike Richardson praised her work on "developing a city within a city."
- Entertainment Commission: Nominee Clayton Shevin III was absent, so the committee voted 3-0 to continue his nomination to the call of the chair. Clerk Victor Young warned the nomination faces a 60-day deadline and is deemed approved if the committee does not act in time.
Looking ahead: Watch for the full board to take up the gun supplier ordinance, the title-fraud notice program and the Jiang and Azim picks. The committee still has two open Veterans Council seats to fill. The clock is also running on the Entertainment Commission nomination, which will take effect automatically if the committee does not act within 60 days.