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Committee advances urging resolution on nonprofit frontline pay, continues hotel appropriation and lease items
Summary
Supervisors heard HSH and BLA presentations on flexible contract augmentations (~$511,000/month) to support frontline nonprofit workers, pressed for broader testing and more equitable incentive pay, and voted to continue a $17.8 million hotel appropriation and two lease renewal items for further negotiation.
The Budget and Finance Committee on April 29 considered several related items about homeless services and sheltering during the COVID‑19 emergency: an urging resolution seeking additional support for nonprofit frontline workers, an ordinance to appropriate $17.8 million from the General Reserve for hotel rooms, and two lease renewal items staff asked to continue for further negotiation.
Supervisor Matt Haney introduced the urging resolution calling on city departments to authorize additional funds and support for contracted nonprofit homeless service providers, including guaranteed on‑site testing and incentive pay. Emily Cohen and Gigi Whitley of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing described steps HSH has already taken: a monthly flexible funding augmentation of about $511,000 aimed at direct‑service frontline employees making roughly $24 an hour or less, an approach that multiplies existing salary amounts by 120% and sets $1,000 as the minimum monthly provider payment; expanded testing access through the city’s TestSF effort; increased janitorial services, meals, PPE and alternative housing for staff; and use of current contract savings to provide additional flexibility.
Dan Doncher of the Budget and Legislative Analyst’s Office summarized citywide department responses under Comptroller guidance that allows budget flexibility for nonprofit suppliers; he noted HSH and the Human Services Agency have made the bulk of salary‑related adjustments and provided detail on the BLA’s methodology and findings.
Public commenters (nonprofit providers, labor unions and supportive‑housing advocates) urged broader, needs‑based funding, universal on‑site testing at congregate sites, and a recognition that current augmentations cover only a portion of actual incentive costs. Several providers said the BLA/HSH formula excluded some frontline workers who are not paid from city contract lines (for example, janitors paid from rent revenue) and asked for equitable solutions.
Separately, Supervisor Peskin raised an ordinance to appropriate $17.8 million from the General Reserve to secure about 1,200 additional hotel rooms for two months at an estimated $237 per room per day; BLA presented the funding assumptions and the size of the General Reserve. Supervisors debated using existing vacant first‑responder hotel contracts and other internal reserves; Chair Fewer moved to continue the hotel appropriation and the two lease renewal items (3119/3120 Mission and 2 North/Gulf Street) to allow more negotiation with landlords. The committee also voted to advance the urging resolution to the full Board without recommendation so the full Board can consider requests that could carry fiscal implications.
Next steps: The urging resolution and appropriations will be considered by the full Board; HSH and BLA agreed to continue month‑to‑month tracking of contract augmentations and to report further on gaps and costs.
