San Francisco supervisors approve $9.1 million to backfill CalFresh benefits

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Nov. 10 approved an ordinance appropriating $9.1 million from the state and federal revenue risk reserve to the Human Services Agency for a CalFresh benefits backfill in fiscal year 2025–2026, in a unanimous 11-0 roll-call vote at a special meeting.

The ordinance, introduced by the clerk as an item of unfinished business, directs $9,100,000 to the city’s Human Services Agency to cover CalFresh (the state name for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program administered locally) benefit shortfalls for FY2025–2026. The clerk read a communication noting the source of the funds as “state and federal revenue risk reserve.”

Supervisor Bea Alcaraz, newly appointed to fill the District 4 vacancy, was recorded as a cosponsor: “I did as a cosponsor on this item.” The clerk also read a communication from Mayor Daniel Lurie announcing Alcaraz’s appointment and confirming she had taken the oath of office on Nov. 6, 2025.

There were no members of the public in the gallery to comment on the item; the clerk stated, “I don't see any members of the public in the public gallery,” and public comment on the ordinance was closed. The clerk then called the roll for the ordinance vote; each supervisor recorded an affirmative response (Chen, Dorsey, Fielder, Mahmut, Mandelmann, Melgar, Sautter, Cheryl, Walton, Alcaraz, Chan), yielding 11 ayes. The Board President declared, “Without objection, the ordinance is finally passed.”

With the ordinance adopted and no further business, the Board adjourned the special meeting.