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SoMa West Community Benefit District ballots favor formation; board to consider nonprofit discount and return on March 5
Summary
After a full public hearing with dozens of speakers for and against, the Department of Elections reported 56.17% of returned weighted ballots in favor of the proposed SoMa West Community Benefit District; the board kept the hearing open and continued final action to March 5 to resolve nonprofit/affordable‑housing assessment questions.
The Board of Supervisors convened as a committee of the whole for a public hearing on the proposed Selma (SoMa) West Community Benefit District (CBD) and heard hours of testimony from residents, small businesses, nonprofits and neighborhood organizations.
The Office of Economic and Workforce Development and representatives of the formation steering committee outlined the proposed district boundary and services; proponents described the district as a locally directed funding mechanism for cleaning, safety, outreach, and neighborhood services. Opponents and several nonprofit affordable‑housing providers urged the board to address assessment impacts on small businesses and on nonprofit affordable‑housing owners.
After public testimony the Department of Elections counted returned weighted ballots. The city clerk announced the tabulation: 56.17% of returned weighted ballots were in favor and 43.83% opposed, and election staff indicated there was no majority protest under the formation rules.
Supervisor Matt Haney, the item sponsor, asked to continue the final legislative action to March 5, noting concerns raised during public testimony, particularly requests from Mercy Housing and the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation for discounted rates for nonprofit affordable‑housing properties. The board voted to keep the hearing open, continue the matter to March 5, and asked staff and the steering committee to work with stakeholders on adjustments. That continuance preserves the public hearing record and gives the board time to adopt an amended assessment formula or exemption recommendations before adopting the final resolution.
The hearing drew broad neighborhood engagement: merchants, arts groups, housing advocates, residents, and service providers spoke in favor of a district to fund regular cleaning, safety outreach, and services; others urged caution about assessment rates on small legacy businesses and asked for nonprofit discounts or fee‑streamlining with existing city assessments.
Supervisor Haney said the continuance is intended to give the steering committee and city staff time to craft an equitable solution on nonprofit/affordable‑housing assessments, a step other CBDs in the city have previously taken. The Department of Elections will provide the final certified ballot tabulation and the board will act — either to levy assessments or to not approve the district — after the March 5 return date and any adjustments the board adopts.
