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Politics & Policy

San Francisco asks voters for $1B in bonds to fund schools, hospitals, and shelters 

Two people are partially visible in front of a glass door with an SFUSD logo, featuring a bridge, book, and sun design.
Prop. A would provide up to $790 million to fix aging schools, but dysfunction at the district could be a spoiler for its chances. | Source: Benjamin Fanjoy for The Standard

Bond measures tend to make an appearance in nearly every local election, and this November’s overstuffed ballot is no exception. 

San Francisco voters are set to decide on both Prop. A and Prop. B, which are meant to fund improvements for public schools, homeless shelters, and hospitals.

These measures provide upfront funding for projects, which are paid off over time—with interest—through limited property tax increases.

Proponents of these bond measures often argue that they can generate new funds without increasing taxes due to a city policy that keeps property taxes consistent by issuing new bonds only as older ones are retired.

Prop. A would raise up to $790 million in bonds to fund improvements at San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) sites, including seismic upgrades and modernization of outdated electrical, heating, and security systems. The measure requires 55% voter approval for passage.

Supporters highlight the poor condition of many school buildings, some over 50 years old or housed in temporary portables, as a key reason the district needs this influx of capital.

Prop. A was placed on the ballot through a unanimous vote of the San Francisco Board of Education. A coalition of SFUSD stakeholders supports the measure, including the San Francisco Parent Coalition, the district’s teachers’ union, and construction labor groups that would benefit from new school improvement funds.

Failing to pass Prop. A, they argue, would leave tens of thousands of students attending schools in worsening disrepair.

One notable segment of Prop. A allocates funds for constructing a new central food hub to organize and improve food service quality in elementary schools.

This is the fifth school bond measure presented to San Francisco voters in the past 20 years, with the last one passing in 2016. All previous measures have been approved.

However, this year’s measure comes amid rising concerns over SFUSD’s management, including the recent resignation of its superintendent and a scrapped plan to close or merge about a dozen schools due to significant political and public pushback.

Opponents of Prop. A, including anti-spending advocates like the Libertarian Party of San Francisco, argue that the proposition lacks transparency regarding specific fund allocations and point to the district’s major deficit as evidence of financial mismanagement.

Phil Halperin, co-chair of the Prop. A campaign, acknowledges the “noise and challenges” surrounding the district, but he remains confident in San Francisco voters’ support.

“These buildings are just like your home; they need to be modernized and refurbished,” Halperin said. “Even if we close a handful of schools, dozens more still need improvements.”

Prop. B would raise up to $390 million for upgrades at a variety of facilities, including shelters for homeless families, San Francisco General Hospital, and the Chinatown Public Health Center.

Typically, this measure would require two-thirds voter support to pass. However, if a separate state measure on the ballot, Prop. 5, passes, it would lower that threshold to 55%.

San Francisco’s political leadership is nearly unanimous in support of Prop. B, which was proposed by Mayor London Breed and placed on the ballot by a unanimous Board of Supervisors vote.

Opponents of Prop. B include the usual anti-spending hawks, but supporters contend the measure secures essential funding for issues critical to San Francisco residents.

If approved, Prop. B would allocate nearly $100 million to acquiring or renovating community health centers, including renovating the Chinatown Public Health Center and moving the City Clinic, which provides testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, from its current SoMa location to the Mission District.

The measure would also fund seismic upgrades at San Francisco General Hospital and double capital for its psychiatric emergency services wing.

Prop. B further allocates around $100 million for street and sidewalk safety projects and downtown public space modernization. This includes $25 million for improvements to Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro and up to $50 million to provide shelter or temporary housing for homeless families.