Committee places $150,000 international relief supplemental on reserve, forwards ordinance with conditions

Supervisor Chris Daly sponsored an ordinance to appropriate $150,000 from the general‑fund reserve to provide emergency relief for victims of recent disasters in the Philippines, Samoa and Indonesia.

Daly said San Francisco’s large immigrant communities and prior history of sending targeted aid made the proposal appropriate. “I would submit to this committee that I believe the true test of our resolve and, our nature is when times are tough, for us,” Daly said, urging colleagues to support the supplemental.

Numerous community organizations and residents spoke in favor of the appropriation, describing grassroots relief efforts, diaspora ties and the need to channel funds to accountable, on‑the‑ground partners. Margaret Lehi Carter (Sold Out Productions) and Angelica Cabande (South of Market Community Action Network) asked the committee to coordinate distribution with reliable local partners; community leaders from the Samoan and Filipino neighborhoods described mobilization efforts already underway.

Supervisors discussed fiscal constraints and agreed to an amendment placing the $150,000 on committee reserve pending a plan for disbursement. The committee passed the amendment to place funds on committee reserve (roll call: 3 ayes) and then forwarded the ordinance to the full Board with recommendation (vote on the ordinance as amended: 2 ayes, 1 no). The committee asked that a plan for allocations and partner organizations be returned quickly so funds could be released from reserve with committee oversight.

The ordinance will be considered by the full Board with the committee’s recommended reserve condition and reporting expectations.