Board approves 2022–23 budget and $112 million certificates-of-participation housing package

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on July 19 approved the city’s annual budget and a $112 million certificates-of-participation (COP) appropriation that the board and mayor’s office said will finance land acquisition and other investments to produce and preserve affordable housing.

The budget passed after extended committee work and unanimous votes on multiple ordinance readings. Supervisor Ronan, chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, and committee vice chair Supervisor Safa Yi framed the package as a compromise that restores prior proposed cuts and provides investments in community infrastructure, nonprofit pay increases and housing programs. The COP appropriation, introduced by Supervisor Preston, dedicates money for 100% affordable land acquisition, public housing life-safety repairs, educator housing construction, SRO elevator improvements and funds for API community preservation projects.

Why it matters: Officials said the COP funding creates a dedicated revenue source to buy land for permanently affordable projects — a step they characterized as “historic.” Supporters argued the budget preserves core services, funds public-employee cost-of-living adjustments and directs dollars to neighborhoods impacted by the pandemic. Opponents and some board members said concerns remain about policing budget increases and long-term tradeoffs.

Key details - Budget leadership: Supervisor Ronan (Budget & Appropriations chair) led negotiations with Vice Chair Supervisor Safa Yi and committee members; Mayor London Breed’s budget office participated in the agreement. - COP appropriation: $112,000,000 in certificates of participation proceeds to MOHCD: $40M for land acquisition (100% affordable), $20M for life-safety repairs for public housing and co-ops, $12M for educator housing construction, $10M for SRO elevator work, $30M for nonprofit acquisitions tied to API community priorities. The board also confirmed $64M already allocated from Prop I would move forward for small-sites acquisitions. - Reporting and oversight: Supporters said the package relies on the Housing Stability Fund Oversight Board recommendations. The controller’s office provided fiscal analyses to support debt service assumptions.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in the transcript) - Item 1 (2022 transportation expenditure plan): finally passed unanimously (11 ayes). - Items 2–13 and 15–19 (first-reading budget and related ordinances, as amended): adopted by roll call 10–1 (Supervisor Preston recorded as voting no) on the first-reading vote reported in the meeting. - Item 14 (park-code surcharge item severed and voted separately): recorded 9 ayes, 1 no (Supervisor Preston voting no) on first reading after excusal and roll call. - Item 41 (COP appropriation to MOHCD): passed on first reading unanimously (11 ayes).

Discussion highlights - Supervisor Ronan said the budget “reflects the collective values of this board,” noting investments in community infrastructure and nonprofit pay; she thanked staff and the mayor’s office for collaboration. - Supervisor Safa Yi emphasized restoration of prior cuts, stipends for paraeducators and investments for API community stability. - Supervisor Preston described the COP as a mechanism to deliver long-term affordable housing and thanked the controller’s office for structuring the financing. - Supervisor Preston and Supervisor Dorsey repeatedly raised concerns about the large increase in policing budgets, with Supervisor Preston saying the board was put in a difficult position by the mayor’s proposed police increases.

Implementation notes and next steps - The COP is a debt instrument whose sale and specific projects will be subject to subsequent contracting and project-level approvals by MOHCD, the controller and, where required, the board. - Supporters said MOHCD and the Housing Stability Fund Oversight Board will provide program updates; the board asked for monitoring and timely reporting on acquisitions and repairs.

Ending Board members and mayoral staff said they would proceed with implementation and monitoring. The budget and the COP appropriation move the city’s proposed housing investments into an execution phase; board members signaled they will continue oversight through committee hearings and controller reports.