Planning staff seeks commission feedback on completed Racial and Social Equity Action Plan; Equity Advisory Council members testify

The San Francisco Planning Department on Jan. 16 presented a completed Racial and Social Equity Action Plan that moves the department from internal reforms toward externally-focused strategies for equitable planning and community engagement.

Carlo D'Messa of the Community Equity Division told the Planning Commission that the new plan sections complete the department's work and provide a roadmap for implementation, monitoring and community-driven planning. Staff sought commissioner feedback on the proposed equitable planning and community engagement strategies and said it will return to the commission in March for adoption.

Why it matters: The plan is intended to institutionalize equity in planning operations, policies and outreach after a 2020 commission resolution apologized for planning's role in historic harms and committed the department to centering racial and social equity in decision-making. Commissioners and community advisors said the plan must include mechanisms for implementation, tracking and sustained resources.

What the plan covers

Staff emphasized that the department's earlier phase focused on internal operations (hiring, retention, budgeting and staff culture) and that the newly completed sections focus on external outcomes: equitable housing implementation, community self-determination and cultural preservation, policy and regulatory audits, environmental justice and inclusive engagement.

New tools and progress highlighted in the presentation include:

- An equity assessment tool and equity dashboard to help measure project and policy impacts. - A pilot neighborhood data hub targeted for expansion and public access. - A housing-element implementation focus that includes equity metrics. - Equity guidelines for staff outreach and revised mission and vision language.

Equity Advisory Council and community testimony

Members of the Equity Advisory Council and neighborhood leaders praised the department for formalizing equity work and urged sustained resources and deeper community control. Del Seymour and other Tenderloin leaders called the council's work a source of pride that helps correct misperceptions about the Tenderloin. Mary Travis Allen, co-chair of the American Indian Cultural District, urged commissioners to "stand in unity" and make the plan more than performative.

Council members told commissioners the council spent a year meeting before advising staff so members could learn from each other and produce informed recommendations. Council members asked that the plan ensure ongoing funding and staff capacity so neighborhood-driven efforts'including CHESS (Cultural History, Housing, Economic Sustainability Strategy) reports prepared by cultural districts'receive sustained implementation support.

Commissioners' feedback

Commissioners generally supported the new external strategies and urged staff to prioritize actions that build staff capacity, create implementable tracking indicators, and focus on time-sensitive items such as housing-element implementation and tenant protections. Several commissioners raised concerns about resource constraints and asked staff to clarify how equity tools will be applied to small, medium and large projects.

Commissioner Campbell urged the plan to include a clear practice for how community input is summarized and integrated into decisions, noting that meaningful community engagement requires not only outreach but a documented method for how community guidance shapes outcomes.

Next steps

Staff will incorporate commissioner feedback and return to the Planning Commission in March for adoption of the completed Racial and Social Equity Action Plan. Commissioners and council members urged that the department maintain the equity council and protect staffing and funding to sustain implementation.

Quotable

"We envision an equitable San Francisco where everyone thrives, a welcoming city that honors diverse cultures, provides secure housing, strengthens environmental resilience, and drives economic stability for current and future generations," staff said as part of the plan's mission statement.

"Give us a chance to see these things implemented and learn from our mistakes," Equity Advisory Council member Del Seymour said.

Ending

The commission closed public comment and asked staff to return with a revised draft incorporating commissioner and council input ahead of a March adoption hearing.