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Large contingent urges board to cut SFPD budget in half and redirect $400 million to housing and services
Summary
Dozens of public commenters, many representing Lavender Phoenix and allied groups, urged the Board of Supervisors to cut the San Francisco Police Department budget by 50% and redirect roughly $400 million toward housing, food, harm reduction and other community services during general public comment.
A steady stream of public commenters at the April 16 Board of Supervisors meeting pressed elected officials to reduce police spending and reallocate funds to housing, health and human services.
Speakers representing Lavender Phoenix, the Anti-Police Terror Project, DPH Must Divest and other community organizations repeatedly asked the board to reallocate 50% of the SFPD budget—figured by speakers as roughly $400,000,000—toward supportive housing, food programs and other care services. Several speakers cited recent city budget increases for SFPD and alleged that overtime and other police spending have grown while food banks, classrooms and harm-reduction programs face cuts.
Named commenters included Beck Liao (Lavender Phoenix), Leo Hegday (Lavender Phoenix), Raffi Eloyi (Anti-Police Terror Project), Jennica (Lavender Phoenix cultural organizer), Vita (Lavender Phoenix), and multiple other community members who said the city should prioritize housing and non-police responses to crises. Commenters invoked recent incidents—including the killing of Banco Brown by a private security guard—as examples to argue that policing does not keep certain communities safe. Several speakers framed housing and supportive services as direct alternatives to policing for preventing violence and saving lives.
Organizers requested that the board reflect the demands when considering the five-year financial plan and upcoming budget hearings; speakers said they would return until elected officials redirected the funds. Board members did not announce any immediate budget votes during public comment. No formal motion to change the budget was taken during the meeting.
