Budget analyst’s audit finds performance gaps at San Francisco Department of Public Works; DPW outlines fixes

The Government Audit and Oversight Committee heard a management audit of the San Francisco Department of Public Works on the committee’s agenda, where budget‑analyst staff said the department lacks adequate performance measures, has recurring project delays and opportunities to improve collections and contracting practices. Severin Campbell of the budget analyst’s office said the audit identified about $5.5 million in potential cost savings or additional revenue and found that many projects and contracts run late and over budget.

The audit, prepared by a team that included Christine Martin, Sam Jones and Katherine Rauschubert, said DPW’s core functions — repairing streets, managing capital projects and maintaining city facilities — did not have reliable performance standards. “The department lacks adequate performance standards and measures,” the budget analyst said, adding the team found average project delays of about five and a half months and notable multi‑year delays on major street projects.

Audit staff cited examples: the Cesar Chavez…