Board affirms environmental finding for proposed 850 Bryant jail and authorizes state grant application amid protest

San Francisco—00—2�s Board of Supervisors on July 21 affirmed the Planning Department—00—2�s mitigated negative declaration (MND) for a proposed replacement facility adjacent to the Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant Street and authorized the sheriff—00—2�s office to apply for up to $80 million in state funding under Senate Bill 863. The board voted 7-3 on a motion to affirm the MND and, after amendments, approved the funding-application resolution 7-3.

The action follows a three-hour public hearing in which community groups, tenants—00—2� organizations and prison reform advocates urged the board to require a full environmental impact report and to explore noncarceral alternatives. Lisa Marie Alatorre of California—00—2�s United for a Responsible Budget (CURB) and other appellants argued the MND understates air-quality and wind impacts and fails to analyze outdoor exercise areas that the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) might require. Planning Department environmental-review officer Sarah Jones and project staff said the MND analyzed the project as proposed, which does not include unenclosed outdoor exercise areas, and that additional environmental review would be required if the project description changes.

Why it matters: The Hall of Justice site currently contains aging, seismically deficient County Jails 3 and 4. Supervisors and department officials said the city must replace or remove the unsafe facilities and that achieving state funding would materially reduce local capital costs. Opponents called the state funding program a driver for a project they view as costly and punitive; supporters said state funds would free local…