Board ratifies mayor’s emergency proclamation after intense storms; city highlights sheltering and stormwater projects

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously concurred on January 10 with Mayor London Breed’s proclamation declaring a local emergency from the late-December storms and authorized related expedited procurement and emergency measures. The ratification was taken as an imperative item and approved 11-0.

Mayor Breed told the board she issued the proclamation — retroactive to New Year’s Eve — to make emergency work eligible for federal reimbursement. “This proclamation is primarily about being eligible for federal funding,” Breed said, adding that the declaration is retroactive to New Year’s Eve so “the critical work and the support our city has provided in response to the storms over the last week and a half could potentially be eligible for FEMA reimbursement.” She noted the presidential and gubernatorial emergency declarations and urged residents to follow weather warnings as storms continued.

Supervisor Shamann Walton, who introduced the emergency-preparedness item, described severe local impacts from the storm, including destroyed homes, infrastructure damage, and disruptions affecting people experiencing homelessness. “Keeping everyone safe and protecting all of us from flood damage has to be something we prepare for going forward,” Walton said.

City staff and the mayor reported operational responses: San Francisco Public Works distributed roughly 15,000 sandbags; 311 received about 3,600 calls tied to the storms, including approximately 1,200 tree-maintenance requests; the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing activated a 70-bed walk-up shelter and provided blankets, food, ponchos and hygiene supplies. The city also said it has more than $630,000,000 in active projects to address stormwater and stormwater reuse in neighborhoods prone to flooding, with work underway in areas including Folsom Street and the West Portal area.

The imperative item authorized the board to approve two findings required for emergency action under the city’s rules and to ratify mayoral actions that expedite procurement and allow departments to deviate from standard contracting terms where necessary to respond to the emergency. The board voted to approve those findings and then to ratify the proclamation, taking the actions without opposition.

The board also emphasized resident support resources: residents and businesses seeking assistance were directed to call 311.

Speakers and key details Mayor London Breed (City of San Francisco) described operational responses and the purpose of the proclamation; Supervisor Shamann Walton (District 10) raised constituent impacts and broader preparedness concerns. The board recorded the vote as unanimous (11-0).