Supervisors hear case to extend First Year Free program after city reports 9,400 enrollments

San Francisco supervisors on the Budget and Finance Committee heard testimony March 5 on whether to extend First Year Free, a city program that waives initial registration, permit and license fees for qualifying new small businesses and for existing businesses opening new storefronts.

Treasurer's Office officials told the committee the program has enrolled about 9,400 businesses since it launched in November 2021 and that the city has waived nearly $5 million in fees during that period. The program is set to sunset this July unless the Board of Supervisors acts to extend it.

Amanda Fried, chief of policy and communications in the Treasurer and Tax Collector’s Office, and Katie Tang, director of the Office of Small Business, described how First Year Free enrolls businesses automatically during new business registration, notifies them by email and mail, and provides a citywide lookup so departments can confirm waiver eligibility at point of service. Fried said the waiver applies to initial registration fees, first-year permits and application fees and…