Budget committee forwards $10 million COVID-19 family relief fund to full board

On April 22, 2020 the Budget and Finance Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to file two emergency ordinances and an ordinance appropriating $10,000,000 from the general reserve to create a COVID-19 Disaster Family Relief Fund aimed at undocumented and extremely low-income families with children.

Supervisor Walton, the sponsor of the items, told the committee the mayor’s office and the Human Rights Commission have been working on a near-final plan to provide relief without using the full legislative process. "We have been working closely with the leadership of the Human Rights Commission, as well as with the mayor's office," Supervisor Walton said during the meeting.

Madam Clerk explained the proposed fund would serve undocumented and extremely low-income families with children ages 0–18 who do not qualify for federal stimulus payments. The committee recorded no public callers on the matter and approved a motion to file the items and forward them to the full Board for consideration on April 28; the roll-call vote recorded three ayes.

The committee’s action to file the ordinances means the full Board will next consider the measures; staff indicated written comments submitted to Linda.Wong@sfgov.org would be included in the legislative file. The committee did not take a final appropriation vote on the ordinance itself beyond the filing and referral to the full Board.

Next procedural steps: items 1–3 will be placed on the Board agenda for April 28 for further consideration.