Supervisors raise performance concerns but approve extension of Brilliant Corners housing services contract

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on March 4 voted to approve an extension of a contract supporting scattered‑site permanent supportive housing, while several supervisors urged closer oversight and changes to performance metrics.

Why it matters: the contract funds services—housing location coordination, subsidy administration and landlord liaison—to place vulnerable adults into private rental units. Supervisors said placement targets and underspending have made it difficult to judge contractor performance, and they signaled a forthcoming reprocurement to clarify expectations and timelines.

What the board heard: Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who chairs the Budget and Finance Committee, explained that Brilliant Corners provides services for up to 500 adults but has struggled to meet a 75‑day placement target, averaging about 140 days instead. Dorsey said the contractor has also materially underspent funds in recent fiscal years because of staffing shortages and slower placements, though he added that some shortfalls may result from unrealistic contract goals set by the department. Dorsey said HSH is reprocuring these services this spring and that the department has been standardizing agreements across providers.

Supervisor Connie Chan and Supervisor Cheryl (recorded as “Cheryl” in the transcript) echoed Dorsey’s concerns, saying that performance metrics need to be realistic and that clearer accountability is required. Cheryl said: "These contractors require adequate resources and support to be successful, but there must also be clear accountability when agreed upon performance metrics are not met or when agreed upon performance metrics are not realistic." She noted that averages can be driven up by people who never get placed and that the metrics therefore may not fairly reflect contractor performance.

Board action and next steps: the item had been referred out of committee without recommendation, but supervisors voted to adopt the contract extension at the full board meeting. Dorsey said he would vote to approve the extension now because a procurement process is underway and because near‑term progress had been reported to the committee. HSH staff were directed (on the record) to proceed with the upcoming reprocurement and standardization of agreements to align placement timelines and performance expectations.

Ending: Supervisors asked for more data and for clearer, realistic contract metrics in future procurement documents. The board’s decision preserves continuity of services while the department prepares a standardized, citywide approach to these housing-placement contracts.