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Committee forwards DA's six-month behested-payment waiver request to full Board
Summary
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee voted 3-0 Oct. 23 to send a resolution allowing the District Attorney's Office to solicit private donations for a six-month period notwithstanding the Behested Payment Ordinance to fund technology upgrades and community programs.
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee voted Oct. 23 to forward to the full Board of Supervisors a resolution that would authorize the San Francisco District Attorney's Office to solicit private donations and other contributions for six months notwithstanding the city's Behested Payment Ordinance.
Jen Lowe, speaking on behalf of sponsor Supervisor Matt Haney Melgar, described the request as a response to "budgetary constraints" that have reduced services and said the waiver would let the office raise funds for prevention, diversion and victim services while requiring public reporting of donors and relationships that might be interest-party concerns. "We do request that they provide that reporting," Lowe said.
Monifa Willis, chief of staff to the District Attorney, outlined specific fundraising priorities. She said the office aims to pay for software and systems maintenance — including ongoing upkeep of eProsecutor and expanded storage and capacity for its Everlaw system — plus an electronic subpoena project and a digital evidence management platform to centralize and reliably track video and other discovery. Willis also described community initiatives the office wants to fundraise for, including an "Access to Hope" youth and young-adult unit, a women's acute housing intervention that would provide immediate counseling and wraparound services, and reentry housing with vocational pathways.
Willis said the office is operating with constrained resources and reported roughly 7,800 pending cases and that the office has "served" about 17,000 victims to date. She told supervisors that enhanced technology and program funding would allow existing staff to focus more on face-to-face work and reduce time spent on paperwork and data management.
There was no public comment on the item. Chair Supervisor Matt Dorsey moved to forward the resolution to the full Board as a committee report with a positive recommendation; the clerk recorded Member Danny Sauter, Vice Chair Mahmood, and Chair Dorsey voting aye (3 ayes) and the motion passed.
The item is scheduled for consideration by the full Board on Oct. 28, 2025. If the Board grants the waiver, the District Attorney's Office would be required to provide the public reporting on donations and disclosures described during the committee hearing.
