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Committee approves release of $9.9M to consolidate and expand Community Safety Ambassador program starting Jan. 1, 2026
Summary
DEM requested release of $9.9M in reserve funds to consolidate street ambassador programs into a standardized city procurement covering 12 service areas; the Budget & Finance Committee voted to release the reserve while BLA cautioned about longer‑term funding gaps.
The Department of Emergency Management asked the committee to release $9,900,000 that is currently in reserve to fund a consolidated Community Safety Ambassador program beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Deputy Director Adrienne Bekele said the department intends to standardize service delivery across 12 service areas, expand coverage (including SOMA and the Mission), and add deployable morning/afternoon/evening teams and corridor teams serving commercial corridors.
DEM described the current program as a consolidation of three bridge contracts focused on Tenderloin, Mid‑Market and parts of the 16th & Mission area and reported roughly $11M in existing grants across those contracts. The proposed annualized program budget across 12 service areas is roughly $25.8M; DEM requested $9.9M from reserves to cover the program start and ramp costs while coordinating additional funding with other departments.
DEM told the committee that the RFP attracted ten proposals and nine met minimum qualifications; an evaluation panel is reviewing proposals and notices of intent to award were expected by Nov. 7. DEM identified performance metrics that will be included in contracts, including a stated target of approximately a 20% reduction in both 311 and 911 calls in deployed areas, and emphasized training on de‑escalation and protocols for working with law enforcement.
The Budget and Legislative Analyst supported releasing the reserve but warned that the program as procured exceeds the City’s current budgeted level and will require additional funding sources to be sustainable. Nick Menard (BLA) summarized fiscal impacts and projected the multi‑year cost of the procurement if fully exercised: the RFP’s maximum budget is roughly $25.77M per year and, depending on options, contract costs to December 2030 could reach the figures cited in the BLA analysis.
Public commenters from the Tenderloin — including Eric Rozelle and park steward manager Robert Singer — urged immediate release, describing ambassadors’ impacts on de‑escalation, connecting residents to services and maintaining parks and commercial corridors. Chair Chan moved and the committee voted to release the reserve funds.
