Board approves lease finding that 1200 Van Ness provides up to 20,000 sq. ft. for city law library; 10–1 vote

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 10–1 on April 2 to adopt a resolution finding that a lease at 1200 Van Ness, for no greater than 20,000 net rentable square feet, is "suitable and sufficient" to meet the city’s obligation to provide quarters for the San Francisco Law Library and delegated authority to the Director of Real Estate to negotiate and finalize the lease.

The finding matters because the city faces pending litigation in which the Law Library has challenged whether the proposed space satisfies the City Charter requirement to provide "suitable and sufficient" quarters. Deputy City Attorney John Givner told the board that the department’s consultants and outside experts concluded the proposed space meets the city’s charter and state-law obligations, and recommended the board act before a court hearing later in the week. "The space offered to the Law Library under the proposed lease is sufficient and meets…