Committee renews behested-payment waiver for homelessness donations, narrows authorized staff and requires post-waiver report

The government audit and oversight committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on March 20 voted to forward a resolution renewing a behested-payment waiver that authorizes selected Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing leaders to solicit private donations to support temporary shelter and other homelessness services.

The resolution, presented by Shareen McSpadden, executive director of HSH, would extend the department's ability to engage philanthropic partners to support shelter operations and programming. McSpadden said the waiver is the department's fourth such request and that the prior waiver (Resolution 517-24) is set to expire April 17, 2025. "This waiver will continue to support our engagement with the philanthropic and private sectors to support shelter and homelessness services," McSpadden said.

McSpadden told the committee that HSH narrowed the scope of personnel covered by the waiver from all HSH staff to 10 leadership staff: the executive director, two chief deputy directors, four deputy directors and three program directors. She said the waiver applies only to HSH and not to the mayor's office, which she said has its own waiver under a separate ordinance. McSpadden cited recent partnerships with Tipping Point, Schwab and Crankstart and described the Mayor's Fund for the Homeless as a vehicle that receives donations with reporting to the Homelessness Oversight Commission.

McSpadden gave statistics from HSH's 2024 point-in-time count and program inventory: "There were about 8,300 people experiencing homelessness, 52% of whom were unsheltered," and, as of February 2025, the department had "3,613 temporary shelter or crisis intervention slots with a 93% occupancy rate," she said. She also referenced HSH's Home by the Bay strategic plan and its goal for new shelter beds to meet a target that includes a 50% reduction in unsheltered homelessness in five years.

During questions, Supervisor Sauter asked whether the waiver is for specific projects or general fundraising. McSpadden said the department uses philanthropy in multiple ways, including funding for prevention and case-management training, and that conversations are ongoing about how donations would be routed.

Chair Jackie Fielder introduced an amendment to require that HSH report back to the Board of Supervisors 60 days after the waiver's expiration describing the nature of solicitation and alignment with city policy. The amendment was adopted and the committee voted to forward the resolution, as amended, to the full board with a positive recommendation. The roll call recorded three ayes and the motion passed.

The committee record shows the prior waivers and the department's intent to continue public–private fundraising to augment public shelter and program funding, but the resolution as presented does not specify individual donors solicited during the prior six-month waiver beyond the partnering organizations McSpadden named. The committee directed that a post-waiver report be provided as part of the amendment.