Rules Committee sends revised nonprofit performing-arts loan rules to full board after staff report and public support

The Rules Committee reviewed a resolution to transfer administration of the city's nonprofit performing-arts loan program from the Mayor's Office of Housing to Grants for the Arts and to adopt new rules and regulations governing the program.

Carrie Shulman, director of Grants for the Arts, told the committee the office had renegotiated loans, accepted partial repayments, forgiven some debt and worked to preserve performance-space seats citywide. She said roughly $2.2 million had been invested over 23 years, yielding an estimated 3,266 seats in small performance spaces, and that about $500,000 remained in the fund to be managed under the revised program. Shulman said the office would disseminate application information widely, consult with the Arts Commission and likely issue an RFP for a loan servicer as the program is revitalized.

Adeen Barra of the City Attorney's Office asked for clerical corrections to the draft regulations and proposed adding language in Section 1.3 to reference facilities management, capital improvement and acquisition loans to nonprofit performing-arts groups; Barra said she would submit the corrected text to the clerk. Theater leaders including Sarah Schwartz of Traveling Jewish Theater and Tony Kelly of Thick Description urged the committee to approve the transfer and said the revised program better matches the needs of small arts organizations.

After questions about past defaults and safeguards, committee members moved the item, as amended, to the full Board of Supervisors with a recommendation.

The action does not itself allocate additional funds but changes administration and oversight of a program that local theater leaders said is critical to preserving nonprofit performance space in the city.