Committee backs $1.5M supplemental for immigrant legal services, rapid response and citizenship assistance

The Budget & Finance Committee on Jan. 11 recommended a $1.5 million supplemental appropriation to expand legal and social services for immigrant families.

Diana Oliva Arroche, senior adviser to Mayor Ed Lee, presented the mayor’s proposal: $1.2 million for expanded legal representation, $200,000 for citizenship-pathway services, and $100,000 for outreach and public education. The mayor’s office said the appropriation will build on existing contracts with community collaboratives and aims to hire about 15 additional attorneys, provide full-scope representation for detained and non-detained clients where possible, and establish rapid-response social services including a multilingual 24/7 hotline.

Melissa Whitehouse, the mayor’s budget director, said the supplemental is part of a rebalancing plan and that the mayor plans to annualize and increase the funding to $3 million per year in the mayor’s June budget proposal, with a longer‑term commitment of $3 million annually in subsequent years. She said the full two‑year commitment would total $6 million and will require an RFP for the larger award.

Matt Gonzales of the Public Defender’s Office applauded the initiative but urged additional resources for detained clients, noting that representation could prevent deportation in many cases: “If those individuals had representation, we would be successful in a third of those cases.” Community providers including Larissa Duganquar (Central American Resource Center) and Wendy Phillips (Dolores Street Community Services) described capacity, partner networks and plans to scale services. The committee’s budget analyst confirmed the source of funds as real property transfer tax and outlined allocations; the committee moved the item out with a positive recommendation and the motion passed unanimously.