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Supervisors hear Japantown CBD annual report; privacy and anonymous donation concerns raised
Summary
The Government Audit & Oversight Committee received the Japantown Community Benefit District FY2018-19 annual report, heard that the CBD installed 90 surveillance cameras funded by an anonymous $750,000 donation, and had questions about compliance with the city's surveillance and facial-recognition prohibitions and the long-term maintenance costs of donated systems.
The Government Audit & Oversight Committee on Nov. 19 received the Japantown Community Benefit District's FY2018-19 annual report and questioned whether the CBD's newly installed security cameras follow San Francisco surveillance rules.
Chris Korgas, senior program manager at the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, told the committee OEWDreviews CBD annual reports to ensure compliance with the Streets and Highways Code (the 1994 Act) and local Article 15 of the Business and Tax Regulations Code, and that Japantown met OEWD's four management benchmarks.
Grace Horikiri, the CBD's executive director, said the district covers roughly six city blocks, operates a community-ambassador program contracted with Block by Block and, during 2018-19, completed the installation of a three-phase security surveillance program, bringing the total to about 90 cameras after an anonymous $750,000 donation funded the project and phases of implementation. Horikiri said the cameras have helped law enforcement investigate thefts and have improved coordination with Northern Station.
Vice Chair Aaron Peskin flagged two policy issues: whether CBD contracts and camera systems must incorporate the City's surveillance and privacy rules (including the facial-recognition ban) and whether anonymous gifts should flow through CBDs in a way that bypasses City-level gift oversight. Peskin said press reporting had connected similar gifts to an individual he named and asked OEWD and the City Attorney's Office to confirm legal compliance.
Deputy City Attorney Anne Pearson said whether the City's surveillance ordinance applies depends on whether the ordinance's requirements are incorporated into CBD contracts; she said she would review the agreements to confirm. Korgas said OEWD has surveyed CBDs and none self-reported activation of facial-recognition technology.
Committee members also heard from the Japantown board president, who said the CBD anticipates annual maintenance and staffing costs tied to the camera system and estimated ongoing upkeep around $60,000 per year in future budgets.
Chair Gordon Marr moved the resolution to transmit the Japantown CBD annual report to the full Board with a positive recommendation; the committee voted in favor (Vice Chair Peskin, Member Haney, Chair Marr). The full Board will consider the report on Dec. 1.
