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Supervisors table $225,000 Chinatown relief ordinance as city prepares administrative rollout
Summary
The Budget & Finance Committee heard months of merchant testimony about deep revenue losses tied to Central Subway construction and agreed to table an ordinance to appropriate $225,000 so OEWD can finalize distribution criteria; OEWD said funds and additional project resources will be used to provide direct rent and wage assistance.
Supervisor Mark Peskin urged the Budget & Finance Committee to act after describing roughly 10 months of delays at the Chinatown Central Subway station and sustained losses by merchants, some reporting income down by half. Peskin said the ordinance would be ‘‘a token amount’’ compared with documented losses but would signal the city’s commitment to provide direct assistance for rent and wages.
Joaquin Torres, Deputy Director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, told the committee OEWD had flexibility to support affected merchants and would work with supervisors and merchants on program administration. ‘‘We’ve committed that, as we move forward, if there are any issues related to the administration of this program, we’ll immediately be coming back to sit down and update the supervisor on how well this is working out,’’ Torres said.
Mayor’s Budget Director Melissa Whitehouse clarified the funding picture when Supervisor Norman Yee asked where the money would come from: $1.1 million would come from the project budget, and roughly $350,000 from the MTA operating budget; the $225,000 appropriation sits within those amounts. The Budget Legislative Analyst noted the ordinance would appropriate $225,000 from the General Reserve but does not set criteria or procedures for awarding funds; OEWD is expected to develop the distribution rules.
The committee then took public comment. Chinatown merchants and translators described business losses, layoffs and operating costs: Raymond Hong of 800 Stockton Street said his business lost ‘‘30 to 40%’’ of customers since construction started; other speakers described layoffs, lost parking, dust, noise and estimated damages from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars. One recorded speaker said his business had lost ‘‘50%’’ of revenue since construction began.
Supervisor Peskin told the merchants OEWD and his office hoped to have payments out by the end of the calendar year and asked the committee to table the ordinance so staff could finalize eligibility and administration. Supervisor Tang moved to table the item; the committee agreed without objection. The committee did not adopt eligibility criteria or a disbursement plan at this hearing. The matter will return to committee after OEWD develops procedures and an administrative rollout plan.
