Public Defender secures classification upgrades to support reentry and grant writing after committee debate

The committee approved the Public Defender’s request to upgrade two existing director‑level positions to reflect expanded responsibilities for reentry and neighborhood‑based programs — a move the office said will replace contracted grant writing and enable pursuit of larger grants.

Public Defender Jeff Adachi told the committee that his office had cut roughly $350,000 in personnel and non‑salary costs but needed two classification upgrades (from an 84‑46 to 84‑52) so directors could take on substantial grant‑writing and partnership responsibilities for the city’s reentry work and the MAGIC neighborhood programs. Adachi said the offices had together pursued and submitted more than $5 million in reentry grants in collaboration with Public Health and Human Services; he argued that without upgrading incumbents the office would lose in‑house capacity to pursue such opportunities and would have to contract out those services.

Budget analyst staff recommended approving one of the two substitutions but not the other; supervisors questioned whether the mayor’s central grant office (Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice / community investment staff) could provide the work instead. The mayor’s budget director said those central offices are understaffed and had not been able to provide the capacity the Public Defender sought. After debate, the committee agreed to retain both upgrades to preserve program capacity.

What’s next: The Public Defender will assume added grant writing functions in‑house; budget staff will track the fiscal impact and the committee asked departments to coordinate to avoid duplicative grant efforts.