Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Speakers urge Board to restore funding for Tenderloin services and DOPE overdose-prevention program
Summary
Dozens of public commenters told the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ budget committee that planned cuts to Tenderloin Health, overdose-prevention programs and senior services would harm vulnerable residents; small programs including the DOPE Project seek restoration of roughly $17,000–$96,000 in targeted funds.
Dozens of residents and service providers told the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ budget committee on the night public comment closed that proposed cuts to health and social services would threaten lives and housing stability.
"We haven't gotten our checks in 10 months," said Drift, a client of Tenderloin Health, who also suggested small-scale arts and music initiatives to help clients generate income. Multiple witnesses described the city’s Tenderloin resource centers as indispensable gateways to shelter, medical care and housing assistance.
Speakers from Tenderloin Health, including Colin Hegarty, said program services reach thousands: "We serve over 16,000 people a year," and estimated an operating cost of about $9.88 per client per day. Hegarty presented signatures from 1,426 recent clients and warned that halving core programs would "cut the heart" out of the organization.
Small harm-reduction programs delivered stark numbers. Paulie Graham and Bob Tholley of the DOPE Project, which supplies naloxone and trains peers in overdose response, told the panel the city-funded program has enabled hundreds of peer rescues. "We've had 315 lives saved," said Lauren Entine, DOPE program manager, and she noted naloxone dosing costs at about $2 per dose. Program leaders said a 22 percent reduction in funding—about $17,000—would sharply reduce jail outreach and training of people leaving incarceration, a group at high risk of fatal overdose.
Other public comments pressed the committee to preserve funding for seniors and people with disabilities. Alice Decker of Planning for Elders urged restoration of IHSS share-of-cost and housing subsidies to keep older residents in the community rather than in institutions; the Community Living Fund was cited as helpful but insufficient by itself.
Supporters of clinical and advocacy programs cited small budget lines that produce measurable outcomes. Gloria Thornton, chair of the Asthma Task Force, said a $96,000 request supports multilingual public-awareness campaigns, thermographic cameras for environmental assessments and training for remediation — work paid through the Department of Public Health. Dara Kennedy of the Hearing and Speech Center said a proposed $60,000 cut from the Department of Aging would disrupt counseling and visual/sensory safety supports used by isolated older adults.
Speakers tied program cuts to broader policy choices. Aaron Buckbinder of the San Francisco Organizing Project noted that overall city revenue has increased even as the mayor proposed deep public-health reductions; he contrasted increases for police and fire with cuts to substance-abuse treatment and shelters.
The committee did not vote on restoration requests during the session; members closed public comment after several hours and turned to agenda items. Several witnesses said they had provided written materials for committee files. The committee recessed with some items continued to later meetings and sent many budget and fee items to the full Board of Supervisors for a July 15 vote.
