Committee delays several hearings citing local COVID‑19 emergency; small businesses urge action on on‑demand delivery

The San Francisco County Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee on March 12, 2020 continued several items because of the local declaration of emergency and a related health order intended to limit public gatherings.

Chair Supervisor Rafael Mandelmann said Board President London N. Breed's office (referred to in the transcript as President Yi) requested that members postpone nonessential legislation or hearings that anticipate large public turnout, particularly where vulnerable populations might attend. Mandelmann said the committee would take public comment on certain items before continuing them to a future date or "to the call of the chair." "I know that lots of members of the public want to come out and speak on behalf of this legislation ... including people from vulnerable populations who are being encouraged to stay home," Mandelmann said as he moved to continue multiple items.

Item 1 (a type 57 license application for 706 Mission Residences Owners Association) was continued to the March 26 regular meeting to allow the applicant and the supervisor's office to meet. Item 3 (an ordinance amending the Health Code to require minimum health and safety standards for commercial adult venues) and Item 4 (a hearing on the effects of on‑demand delivery on small businesses) were continued to the call of the chair.

Public comment on Item 4 included small‑business owners and residents pressing the committee to act on on‑demand delivery. An unidentified public commenter said delivery services are "really killing ... small restaurants" and "hurting our bottom lines" and urged the city to regulate the companies and address viral‑spread concerns. Victor Escobedo, owner of Papa Lote, told the committee delivery platforms were changing San Francisco's culinary culture and risking small businesses: "... it's really killing, you know, small restaurants and ... it's hurting our bottom lines," Escobedo said.

Vice Chair Catherine Stephanie urged constituents who could not attend in person to submit written statements to the clerk so their comments can be added to the official file and said she would like to be added as a cosponsor to the hearing. Clerk John Carroll gave a contact phone number ((415) 554‑4445) and said constituents can contact the sponsor's office for information about whether an item will be heard.

Next steps: Items 3 and 4 will be rescheduled at the call of the chair; Item 1 was continued to March 26. The clerk and sponsor offices will continue to coordinate notice to constituents and accept written statements for the official file.