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Rules Committee advances amendments and continues Dignity Fund charter measure after broad provider support
Summary
Supervisor Malia Cohen's Dignity Fund charter amendment — creating a property-tax-based expenditure set-aside to finance services for seniors and adults with disabilities, starting at $6M and growing by $3M annually — received extensive public support from providers and coalitions; the committee adopted circulated amendments and continued the item for further work.
The Rules Committee on June 23 heard extensive testimony on a proposed Dignity Fund charter amendment to support seniors and adults with disabilities. Sponsor Supervisor Malia Cohen framed the draft as establishing a dedicated fund (the 'Dignity Fund') with a baseline appropriation and an expenditure requirement structured to add $6 million in year one and grow by $3 million annually until fiscal year 2026–27, after which the fund would be indexed to discretionary revenue. The draft also creates oversight structures, renames the Commission on Aging to the Aging and Adult Services Commission, and sets an expiration date of June 30, 2037.
Shereen McFadden of the Department of Aging and Adult Services told the committee the fund would add $6 million on top of the department’s existing roughly $35 million annual budget and help address service gaps, reduce wait lists and allow for pilot programs such as a home-care pilot. The presenter said the fund would support in-home care, home modifications, respite, adult day services, transitional housing, eviction and homelessness prevention and other services to keep seniors and adults with disabilities living safely in their communities.
A large coalition of service providers and advocacy groups — including Meals on Wheels, Next Village San Francisco, Kimochi Senior Center, Community Living Campaign and Senior and Disability Action — testified in favor. Speakers described escalating demand, demographic shifts that will increase the senior population, service waiting lists, and the disproportionate impact on low-income and minority seniors. Several providers urged stronger indexing for contract and operating cost inflation and asked whether the 'cost of doing business' increases for contractors are included in the draft allocations.
Supervisor Cohen noted the Mayor and Controller’s offices engaged in negotiations and increased their initial funding commitment; she moved to adopt the amendments circulated in committee and continue the item for further consideration. The motion was seconded and taken without objection.
Committee members acknowledged the Dignity Fund would not address all long-term needs but emphasized it establishes a guaranteed funding stream that 'scratches the surface' of an otherwise unfunded need and creates a basis for future program scaling. The item will return to a future Rules Committee meeting for further refinement before it proceeds to the full Board.
