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Yerba Buena CBD highlights cleanup and services; supervisors press Recology billing issue
Summary
The committee received the Yerba Buena Community Benefit District FY2018-19 report, praised its Clean & Safe work (trash removal, syringe pickup) and questioned Recology billing practices that in some cases charge CBDs for public-right-of-way trash they pick up. OEWD, CBD staff and supervisors asked for coordinated solution with Recology and Public Works.
The Government Audit & Oversight Committee heard the Yerba Buena Community Benefit District(FY2018-19) report on Nov. 19 and took up a persistent operational concern: whether Recology is charging CBDs for trash collected from the public right-of-way.
Chris Korgas of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development summarized program benchmarks and figures: upon renewal, Yerba Buena's assessment budget is roughly $2.9 million and the assessment roll reported just over $3 million for FY2018-19. OEWD confirmed the district met budget and reporting benchmarks.
Kathy Maupin, Yerba Buena's executive director, described services the CBD provides in 2018-19, including removing nearly 400,000 pounds of trash, abating roughly 2,700 graffiti tags and picking up about 17,000 syringes with a clean team that operates seven days a week. She also described a social-service specialist who works with the unhoused population and neighborhood activation events.
Supervisor Matt Haney pressed staff on reports that Recology bills some CBDs for trash the CBD team collects from the public realm or overflowing public bins. Maupin said Yerba Buena has been fortunate to avoid direct bills because of long-standing arrangements (for example, storing collected trash behind a Marriott dumpster), but she said other, more recently formed CBDs have told OEWD they've received monthly bills that can run into thousands of dollars. OEWD and the CBD directors said those charges are a top issue citywide and requested supervisor support to coordinate discussions with Recology and Public Works to create a uniform solution.
A public caller urged supervisors to "reconsider" the city's contract with Recology and criticized privatization of waste services. The committee recommended the Yerba Buena report to the Board with a positive recommendation; the Board will consider the resolution Dec. 1.
