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Supervisors press DCYF director for clarity after $24 million in cuts; Mayor restores $11.2M in year‑one funding
Summary
Supervisors sought detailed accounting of a roughly $24 million DCYF funding reduction and how the Mayor’s announced restoration of $11.2 million (year one) and $10.4 million (year two) will be allocated. Director Hsu said the cuts reflect expiration of one‑time COVID and add‑back funds, noted the FY24–29 RFP funded $92 million of requests, and committed to provide award spreadsheets and decisions next week; multiple community organizations said the cuts eliminated key summer and after‑school programs.
Supervisors used a June 6 Government Audit and Oversight Committee hearing to press Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families Director Sue Hsu for detailed accounting after the department’s RFP process left many community organizations without funding.
Supervisor Safaie introduced a resolution urging the Mayor and DCYF to solicit private donations to offset a roughly $24 million reduction in program funding over two years and to accept donations consistent with the behested payment ordinance. Safaie criticized what she described as an apparent mismatch between the administration’s eagerness to fund panda preparations and the reduction of funds for children and family services.
Director Hsu said the majority of reductions reflect the expiration of one‑time funds that had supported programs during the COVID era and other temporary add‑backs. She said DCYF ran a competitive FY24–29 RFP that received 700 proposals from 285 agencies seeking $415 million; the department funded 142 agencies and allocated $92 million for that grant cycle. Hsu said the Mayor subsequently restored $11.2 million in the first year and $10.4 million in the second year and that DCYF was consulting with the City Attorney on how best to allocate those dollars — whether through the existing RFP, an additional competitive process, or targeted enhancements.
Supervisors pressed for clarity about the remaining shortfall and the mechanics of distributing any additional funds. Hsu said DCYF received 131 formal appeals (protests) from the RFP and that the department reversed funding decisions for four appeals after review — three technical or partnership issues and one involving juvenile probation — while the rest were denied. She committed to provide detailed award spreadsheets and reviewer comments and to report back to the committee with clearer allocation and timing next week.
The public comment period featured leaders of community organizations describing the immediate impacts of lost funding: Louis Kalenda of YouthSF said his group received 26% of what it requested and has a waiting list of 400 students for after‑school slots; Melody Daniel of Hunters Point Family said the organization received no funding and will be unable to run longstanding summer programs in Bayview Hunters Point; Marco Montenegro of Mission Neighborhood Health Center said his Adelante program lost $255,000 of support. Speakers urged urgent philanthropic outreach or Board action to prevent layoffs and service gaps.
Chair Preston and other supervisors expressed frustration about the timing and communication around the decisions and said the Budget Committee will continue detailed review. The Government Audit and Oversight Committee voted unanimously to forward Supervisor Safaie’s resolution as a committee report to the Board of Supervisors.
