San Francisco Mayor London Breed Tuesday unveiled her budget proposal for fiscal years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. The budget proposal includes new investments to support what they mayor says will aid with San Francisco’s economic recovery, continue the COVID-19 response, ensure public safety, provide behavioral health care, prevent homelessness and transition people into services and housing, create more housing, promote nonprofit sustainability and equity initiatives, and support children, youth and their families.
The budget proposes to spend $13.1 billion for the fiscal year 2021-22 and another $12,8 billion for 2022-23.
“San Francisco demonstrated our values and resilience over the last year, and I have no doubt that we will come back even stronger from COVID-19,” said Mayor Breed. “As we move forward out of the pandemic this budget will ensure that our recovery is equitable and that we are delivering solutions to the most important issues impacting our city. We’re making significant investments to reduce homelessness, expand mental health support, support public safety, and address the social inequities laid bare by this pandemic, while also making responsible choices that maintain our budget reserves so we can continue providing critical City services and support for our most vulnerable residents, no matter what lies ahead.”
Mayor Breed's proposals include "Community Ambassadors" and events and activities to that she says will "enliven San Francisco’s downtown, backfilling the loss of hotel tax revenue for the arts, addressing student learning loss, the Women and Families First Initiative, incentivizing the return of conventions at the Moscone Center, a new Trans Basic Income pilot program, and continuing the JobsNow workforce program and Working Families Credit."
In reacion to the budget proposal, District Six Supervisor Matt Haney, whose district includes the areas of San Francisco hardest hit by the homelessness, the Tenderloin, Financial District, and South of Market, said mental health spending is critical.
"Mental Health SF has already started to transform the response to mental illness and drug addiction with the launch of the Street Crisis Response Teams, Office of Coordinated Care, and expansion of treatment beds," the Haney said. "It is critical that these initiatives are fully funded, quickly expanded, and reach every corner of our city. The drug overdose epidemic is now killing over two people a day in San Francisco. This year’s budget should include a plan and the resources to expand drug treatment and outreach, stop the overdose epidemic, and save lives.
"It is also crucial that the budget includes targeted investments to support communities and residents that have been hit hardest by the pandemic, including Black, Latino, and Asian residents and small businesses. Asian and Latino communities have been the most severely impacted by the pandemic and its economic impacts. Asian residents have also experienced the terrifying scourge of anti-Asian hate and violent attacks. Investing in the needs of our Asian, Latino, and Black residents and neighborhoods, with a focus on public safety, is a top priority."
San Francisco City Superivsors will be debating Mayor Breed's propsed budget and will submit it back to her approval by August 1.