Mayor Breed urges use of SB 1045, says $40 million in homelessness funding restored after Prop D loss

Mayor London Breed appeared before the Board of Supervisors on July 17 and used her allotted time to press for expanded tools to address street homelessness and severe mental illness, and to announce a restoration of $40 million in city homelessness and housing investments following the failure of Proposition D.

Breed told supervisors she and Supervisor Rafael Mandelmann traveled to Sacramento to testify in support of a bill she identified as "SB 1045," which she said would expand conservatorship programs and give the city additional tools to help people with severe mental illness and substance use disorders. "What we see happening on our streets every single day is unacceptable," Breed said. "It is not compassion to just allow people to die on our streets, or cycle in and out of our jails because our current laws don't allow people to get the help that we know they need." She said SB 1045 is "an important step" to help people obtain long‑term housing and services.

Breed also said that after the defeat of Proposition D in June her office, working with Board President Cohen, acted quickly to restore $40,000,000 in homelessness and housing investments that had been left unfunded. The mayor described visiting tent encampments and working with city staff including Jeff Kosinski, Mohammed Nuru and Chief Bill Scott to move people into navigation centers and services.

Supervisor Mandelmann and others welcomed Breed's appearance and several supervisors later said they welcomed the opportunity for a fuller Q&A session at a future meeting. Breed closed by saying she looked forward to working with supervisors to "make the right investments and build more housing and build more housing faster."