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Committee splits 440 Turk actions: sends funding reappropriation forward and continues reserve release
Summary
The committee heard a detailed HSH presentation on 440 Turk Street — proposed as a coordinated access point and HSH headquarters — agreed to send a $4.09M reappropriation to the full Board without recommendation and to continue a $1.7M reserve release pending further work on an emergency declaration and related logistics.
The Budget & Finance Committee on Dec. 12 reviewed plans for 440 Turk Street, a recently purchased site proposed to house the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing headquarters and a coordinated access point for clients.
Gigi Whitley, deputy director for administration and finance at HSH, described the 25,500‑square‑foot building (purchased for about $5 million), existing condition issues and the proposed program: top-floor staff offices for HSH, and a ground-floor coordinated entry and access point with capacity for 30–50 client intakes per day, limited showers, laundry, storage and client meeting space. Whitley presented a total estimated project cost of about $12.86 million, including $6.1M for rehabilitation/tenant improvements and $5M purchase price, and described funding sources (2016 public-health general obligation bond proceeds and general-fund money). She said the ordinance before the committee would allow the department to reallocate $4.09M already appropriated for other leased office space to the 440 Turk project and requested release of $1.7M in reserves for furniture, fixtures and equipment.
BLA recommended the committee approve the reappropriation but reduce the proposed $1.7M reserve release by roughly $390,000 based on updated estimates for computers and furnishing costs. Public comment included fiscal concerns about city revenues and calls for audits of high‑tech tax breaks; budget staff responded that mayoral cut targets are planning suggestions and noted prior and planned investments in permanent supportive housing and navigation centers.
Because the Board had discussed an emergency declaration related to 440 Turk in a prior meeting, Chair Cohen proposed sending Item 4 (reappropriation) forward without recommendation while continuing Item 5 (release of reserves) so the committee and full Board could coordinate on the emergency-declaration logistics. The committee rescinded an earlier motion, took public comment, and ultimately passed a motion without objection to continue Item 5 and send Item 4 forward without recommendation.
