Audit committee forwards development and hotel–fire-station incentive agreements for downtown San Francisco block

The Government Audit and Oversight Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Oct. 6 forwarded two ordinances to the full board that would approve agreements between the city and EQX Jackson, XQ Hold coal LLC related to development on several downtown parcels bounded by Sansom, Washington, Battery and Merchant streets.

Supervisor Jackie Fielder, chair of the Government Audit and Oversight Committee, moved to send items 1 and 2 to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation; the committee recorded a 3-0 vote, with Vice Chair Danny Sauter and Supervisor Steven Sherrill also voting aye.

The first ordinance would approve a development agreement for properties listed in the ordinance, and would accept and appropriate approximately $4,300,000 in an additional affordable housing payment. The committee packet and the ordinance text, as summarized in the meeting, also make findings under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), find conformity with the city’s general plan and the planning code’s priority policies, and refer to compliance with or waivers of provisions of the San Francisco Administrative Code, the planning code, the public works code, the labor and employment code and health codes.

The second ordinance would approve a hotel and Fire Station 13 development incentive agreement for the 530 Sansom mixed‑use tower and related Fire Station 13 project. The ordinance text described financial assistance capped at approximately $86,000,000 in net present value over 25 years, calculated for measurement purposes as a percentage of new transient occupancy taxes generated by the proposed hotel. The ordinance also includes a waiver of certain administrative code provisions as described in the committee materials.

Committee members held no presentation on the items at the Oct. 6 special meeting; staff said the items were continued from the Committee’s Oct. 2 meeting to satisfy the 10‑day noticing requirement for development agreements. Jonathan Cherry of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development was available to answer questions, according to the clerk’s remarks.

Public comment at the committee meeting was limited. Cynthia Gomez, identified in the public record as a research analyst for UnitedHealthcare Local 2, spoke in support of the project and said the developer has signed an agreement guaranteeing that hotel workers “will have a neutral environment in which to organize a union.” Gomez added that building‑trades unions had also indicated support at the prior meeting. Committee Chair Fielder thanked Unite Here for attending the meeting.

The clerk noted that actions taken at the committee are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda of Oct. 21, 2025, and that the committee reports for these items would be referred to the full board for consideration on Oct. 7, 2025, per the meeting record.

Votes at a glance: the committee moved to forward both items as committee reports with a positive recommendation; the roll call recorded Vice Chair Danny Sauter — aye; Supervisor Steven Sherrill — aye; Supervisor Jackie Fielder — aye. The motion passed 3–0.

The full Board of Supervisors will consider the ordinances as committee reports on the dates noted in the committee materials.