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Hearing urges stable funding for San Francisco’s 'Right to Recover' quarantine wage replacement program after repeated pauses
Summary
A Feb. 17 hearing highlighted the public‑health rationale and community demand for the Right to Recover wage‑replacement program, which provides two weeks of income to residents who test positive and lack financial resources; city staff reported nearly 4,000 people served and warned current funding will run out by early June at present service levels unless replenished.
At a public hearing on Feb. 17 the Budget & Finance Committee heard testimony and data supporting permanent or sustained funding for the Right to Recover program, a wage‑replacement fund that provides two weeks of income to San Franciscans who test positive for COVID‑19 and lack paid leave or savings to safely isolate.
Sponsor Supervisor Ronan summarized the program’s origin—based on an April UCSF study showing disproportionate COVID‑19 impact in Latino communities—and its evolution from a Give to SF $2 million initial allocation to subsequent philanthropic support. Supervisor Ronan said the mayor and Board later identified an additional $6 million in flexible funds to keep the program running and urged the committee to ensure the program never pauses again.
Joshua Arce (OEWD) described operations: testing partners refer people who test positive; DPH case investigators confirm need; community partners (Mission Economic Development Agency/META, Young Community Developers/YCD) conduct intake and eligibility calls; successful applicants receive a debit‑card payment representing two weeks’ wages (initially ~$1,285.60). Arce reported that between July 1 and Feb. 11 the program reached nearly 3,966 individuals and, based on recent average service levels (~42 people per day), the available funds would last roughly until June 10, 2021 absent additional funding. He also reported neighborhoods and zip codes making up the majority of referrals and that 55% of card usage was cash withdrawal, with grocery and household purchases comprising a large share of spend categories.
Medical experts from UCSF (Drs. Diane Havlir and Luis Rubio) and San Francisco DPH staff testified on the public‑health rationale: rapid test‑and‑respond combined with wage replacement and supportive services increased effective isolation days (reported as about nine days during the January surge versus two to three days earlier in the pandemic) and allows people who otherwise could not afford to miss work to isolate, reducing onward transmission. Dr. Havlir emphasized speed: the utility of testing and wage replacement depends on getting results and support into people’s hands quickly.
Community partners and callers (Latino Task Force, Faith in Action, Meta, YCD and dozens of callers) gave lived testimony: high percentages of recipients were Latino, many lacked sick leave or bank accounts, and a majority said they would not have been able to quarantine without the funds. Several callers urged the committee and mayor to incorporate Right to Recover funding into the regular city budget and to aim for a $15 million funding target advocated by community groups to ensure capacity against future surges and more transmissible strains.
Chair Haney and Supervisor Ronan agreed the hearing would be filed and that staff would monitor funds closely; Supervisor Ronan indicated a budget supplemental would be brought forward if projections showed funds would fall short before the next budget cycle.
Next steps: The committee filed the hearing record; staff and the mayor’s office will monitor the program and return with budget proposals as needed to prevent future pauses.
