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Rules Committee advances six SoMa Stabilization Fund advisory appointments, leaves one seat vacant
Summary
The Rules Committee advanced six nominees for the South of Market Community Stabilization Fund Citizens Advisory Committee, citing community ties and work on affordable housing and local jobs; one seat was continued after no qualified applicant filed. The committee noted a city-charter requirement that CAC members be U.S. citizens.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Rules Committee on Dec. 6 recommended six appointments to the South of Market Community Stabilization Fund Citizens Advisory Committee and continued one seat because no applicant met eligibility requirements.
The committee heard a brief overview from Claudine Bridal Rosario of the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, who said the fund — established by ordinance in 2005 to mitigate displacement after Rincon Hill rezonings — is financed by fees on new residential development and is entering a third round of grantmaking. “The CAC is really crucial to the work that we’re trying to do and making sure that what we are funding in the neighborhood is really accountable to the needs of the community,” Bridal Rosario said.
Nominees who addressed the committee described long-standing ties to SoMa and neighborhood-focused priorities. Joel Murchan said he was born and raised in SoMa and emphasized youth and employment programs. Bernadette Tsai, executive director of the Filipino American Development Foundation, applied for seats reserved for community-based organizations and family-serving organizations and said her priorities include preserving housing and expanding jobs. Small-business representative Tom Toprano described a revolving loan fund for microloans and a planned youth employment kiosk at 333 Harrison.
Several supporters testified that the nominees have deep community experience. Renaldo Cayetano Jr., a Filipino diaspora resident, urged the board to consider allowing permanent residents to serve on CACs, saying they “embody” neighborhood concerns. Chair Supervisor Kim acknowledged the appeal but said it is the city charter that currently requires U.S. citizenship for CAC membership and noted a prior 2003 ballot effort (Prop C) to change that rule that did not pass.
After public comment, Chair Kim proposed forwarding the slate — Joel Murchan (seat 1), Connie Ford (seat 2), Chris Joy Angoco (seat 4), Alan Manalo (seat 5), Bernadette Tsai (seat 6) and Tom Toprano (seat 7) — and continuing seat 3 (previously held by Jazzy Collins) to the call of the chair. The committee made and seconded the motion and advanced the nominations to the full Board without opposition.
What’s next: The full Board of Supervisors will consider confirmation of the nominees in a subsequent meeting. The committee flagged the citizenship eligibility issue as a separate policy matter for future consideration.
Sources: Committee testimony and public comment at the Rules Committee meeting, Dec. 6.
