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Rules Committee advances several Our City, Our Home oversight appointments amid heated public comment
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Summary
After lengthy public comment, the Rules Committee forwarded Chanel Williams, Billy Lemon and Julia D'Antonio to the Board of Supervisors for seats on the Our City, Our Home Oversight Committee; public speakers both praised and criticized incumbents, and speakers disputed claims about Prop C funding.
The Rules Committee considered multiple applicants for four seats on the Our City, Our Home (OCO) Oversight Committee, the body created to oversee funds from Proposition C (‘‘Our City, Our Home’’), the 2018 ballot measure to tax large corporations to fund housing and behavioral health services.
Applicants: Chanel Williams (executive director, Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness) described racial disparities in homelessness and urged centering children and families. Billy Lemon (executive director, Castro Country Club) described lived experience in recovery and nonprofit leadership and argued oversight needs members with both lived experience and operational credibility. Julia D'Antonio emphasized a preference for permanent acquisitions over short-term fixes. Jennifer Friedenbach, identified in the record as the principal architect of Proposition C, outlined the ballot measure's origins, OCO's design and a policy focus on shelter, behavioral health and long-term supports; she said, "We promised voters 1,000 people would be sheltered. We've sheltered more than 4,000."
Public comment: More than two dozen speakers participated. Many service providers, providers' networks and community residents urged reappointment of Jennifer Friedenbach, citing her role drafting Prop C and long experience overseeing shelter and behavioral-health expansions. Others supported Billy Lemon and Chanel Williams for their lived experience and operational roles. A speaker identified with Connected SF urged against reappointing Friedenbach, criticizing transparency and results. Forrest Liu asserted the Coalition on Homelessness had ‘‘defrauded taxpayers out of millions, if not billions of dollars’’; Bevan Dufty later clarified on the record that the Coalition on Homelessness "has never received money from Prop C," directly disputing that claim.
Motions and outcomes: President Madelmann moved to forward Chanel Williams (seat 2) and Billy Lemon (seat 8) and to continue consideration of two other seats to the call of the chair; the committee voted aye (Vice Chair Supervisor Cheryl, Member Madelmann, Chair Walton) and the motion passed without objection. President Madelmann later moved to forward Julia D'Antonio to seat 6; the motion passed with aye votes and will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors. One seat (seat 4) was continued to the call of the chair for further consideration.
Next steps: The committee's recommendations for Chanel Williams, Billy Lemon and Julia D'Antonio will be placed on the Board of Supervisors agenda for final action; one seat remains continued for later consideration.
