Christina Campodonico

While the rest of California swings into full reopening, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is wading into murky public meeting waters as it plans for a return to in-person legislative meetings. Up in the air is what this means in the long term for remote public comment, though Board of Supervisors’ clerk Angela Calvillo told Here/Say that her team would continue to offer a remote option until further notice.

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<p>While the rest of California swings into full reopening, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is wading into murky public meeting waters as it plans for a return to in-person legislative meetings. Up in the air is what this means in the long term for remote public comment, though Board of Supervisors’ clerk Angela Calvillo told Here/Say that her team would continue to offer a remote option until further notice.</p>

<strong>“</strong>We want people to be safe, and we still want them to provide their input to the board, so we are offering a remote option for the public,” said Calvillo, who noted that in-person meetings by the Board would resume at the direction of the Board President with consideration to <a href="https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cal/OSHA</a> and local health orders.

<p><strong>“</strong>We want people to be safe, and we still want them to provide their input to the board, so we are offering a remote option for the public,” said Calvillo, who noted that in-person meetings by the Board would resume at the direction of the Board President with consideration to <a href="https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cal/OSHA</a> and local health orders.</p>

Meanwhile, her team has been preparing for a world where the Supervisors meet in person but continue to receive public comment from their constituents remotely. In early June, they ran a “stress test” to figure out how to run a hybrid public meeting. According to the office’s IT department, it was successful.

<p>Meanwhile, her team has been preparing for a world where the Supervisors meet in person but continue to receive public comment from their constituents remotely. In early June, they ran a “stress test” to figure out how to run a hybrid public meeting. According to the office’s IT department, it was successful.</p>

“Our technical team confirmed that users were able to connect without issues, and all systems were operational,” wrote the Clerk of the Board’s Deputy Director of Operations, Wilson Ng, in an email to Here/Say.

<p>“Our technical team confirmed that users were able to connect without issues, and all systems were operational,” wrote the Clerk of the Board’s Deputy Director of Operations, Wilson Ng, in an email to Here/Say.</p>

But could remote public comment become a permanent part of public meetings? Some San Franciscans are wondering if it could be done. And if so, how?

<p>But could remote public comment become a permanent part of public meetings? Some San Franciscans are wondering if it could be done. And if so, how?</p>

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The answers to remote public comment’s future lie in how things shake out legislatively at the state level, how COVID-19 public health orders are implemented locally, and how the Board of Supervisors and other committees ultimately choose to respond to the policy matter. But two things are for sure: There is an appetite for this new form of virtual participation in the democratic process, and we may never be able to go back to before.

<p>The answers to remote public comment’s future lie in how things shake out legislatively at the state level, how COVID-19 public health orders are implemented locally, and how the Board of Supervisors and other committees ultimately choose to respond to the policy matter. But two things are for sure: There is an appetite for this new form of virtual participation in the democratic process, and we may never be able to go back to before.</p>

<strong>The Accessibility Factor</strong>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-accessibility-factor"><strong>The Accessibility Factor</strong></h2>


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<h2 id="h-the-accessibility-factor"><strong>The Accessibility Factor</strong></h2>

While the pandemic put a stop to in-person legislative proceedings in San Francisco, it arguably unlocked the floodgates for participation in public comment, making it easier for constituents to weigh in on civic issues even as City Hall shut down. Instead of commuting down to City Hall in the middle of the afternoon to voice their views, the advent of the pandemic has allowed citizens to simply call in from their phones.

<p>While the pandemic put a stop to in-person legislative proceedings in San Francisco, it arguably unlocked the floodgates for participation in public comment, making it easier for constituents to weigh in on civic issues even as City Hall shut down. Instead of commuting down to City Hall in the middle of the afternoon to voice their views, the advent of the pandemic has allowed citizens to simply call in from their phones.</p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">shout out to the young child who keeps calling into SFMTA board meetings asking for the 43 to be returned to the presidio so she can go to the walt disney museum again</p>&mdash; chris arvin (@chrisarvinsf) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrisarvinsf/status/1404907385869639683?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

While the Clerk of the Board’s office has not specifically charted how the length of public meetings has changed over the course of the pandemic due to remote public comment, “anecdotally, the length of the meetings have extended,”<em> </em>observes Ng during the Clerk of the Board’s <a href="https://sfbos.org/virtual-office-hours#:~:text=Virtual%20open%20office%20hours%20are,of%20the%20public%20may%20have.">open virtual office hours</a>, which the office began as a way to keep connected with the public during the pandemic

<p>While the Clerk of the Board’s office has not specifically charted how the length of public meetings has changed over the course of the pandemic due to remote public comment, “anecdotally, the length of the meetings have extended,”<em> </em>observes Ng during the Clerk of the Board’s <a href="https://sfbos.org/virtual-office-hours#:~:text=Virtual%20open%20office%20hours%20are,of%20the%20public%20may%20have.">open virtual office hours</a>, which the office began as a way to keep connected with the public during the pandemic</p>

<strong>“</strong>I think it&#8217;s brought more people into local government,” adds Calvillo.&nbsp;

<p><strong>“</strong>I think it's brought more people into local government,” adds Calvillo.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>“</strong>I think it&#8217;s brought more people into local government,” adds Calvillo.&nbsp;</p>

Our own live-Tweet threads covering public comment periods on hot button issues, like <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/HereSayMedia/status/1362172834882019331">the Ferris Wheel saga</a>, have stretched for <a href="https://twitter.com/heresaymedia/status/1369479203779833856">more than four hours</a>, and some of our reporters have <a href="https://twitter.com/stbearman/status/1359408120682844164">reported</a> sitting in on virtual public meetings as long as eight hours.

<p>Our own live-Tweet threads covering public comment periods on hot button issues, like <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/HereSayMedia/status/1362172834882019331">the Ferris Wheel saga</a>, have stretched for <a href="https://twitter.com/heresaymedia/status/1369479203779833856">more than four hours</a>, and some of our reporters have <a href="https://twitter.com/stbearman/status/1359408120682844164">reported</a> sitting in on virtual public meetings as long as eight hours.</p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/thatfeelingwhen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#thatfeelingwhen</a>&#8230; <a href="https://t.co/BJx1pNQnST">pic.twitter.com/BJx1pNQnST</a></p>&mdash; The San Francisco Standard (@sfstandard) <a href="https://twitter.com/sfstandard/status/1402434306711162881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“It&#8217;s just easier to dial into something,” Grow SF Founder and Director <a href="https://twitter.com/agarwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sachin Agarwal</a> told Here/Say. “You know, it doesn&#8217;t interfere as much [with] your day-to-day stuff. And you can take a little break from work or whatever you&#8217;re doing. But also, it just feels more comfortable.”&nbsp;

<p>“It's just easier to dial into something,” Grow SF Founder and Director <a href="https://twitter.com/agarwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sachin Agarwal</a> told Here/Say. “You know, it doesn't interfere as much [with] your day-to-day stuff. And you can take a little break from work or whatever you're doing. But also, it just feels more comfortable.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>“It&#8217;s just easier to dial into something,” Grow SF Founder and Director <a href="https://twitter.com/agarwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sachin Agarwal</a> told Here/Say. “You know, it doesn&#8217;t interfere as much [with] your day-to-day stuff. And you can take a little break from work or whatever you&#8217;re doing. But also, it just feels more comfortable.”&nbsp;</p>

While active in local politics through <a href="https://growsf.org/about">Grow SF</a>, Agarwal had never given public comment before the pandemic and often felt intimidated by the prospect of speaking at public meetings. But the accessibility of remote public comment converted him into a more eager and confident commenter.&nbsp;

<p>While active in local politics through <a href="https://growsf.org/about">Grow SF</a>, Agarwal had never given public comment before the pandemic and often felt intimidated by the prospect of speaking at public meetings. But the accessibility of remote public comment converted him into a more eager and confident commenter.&nbsp;</p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What do we need to do to make sure public comment remains remote forever? This has allowed many people to participate who otherwise couldn’t. We need to hear from all voices, not just those who can go to City Hall in person</p>&mdash; Sachin Agarwal (@agarwal) <a href="https://twitter.com/agarwal/status/1392528213415325700?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“I feel like doing it virtually, I can just talk and just be myself,” says Agarwal, who was among the first to ask how public comment could remain “<a href="https://twitter.com/agarwal/status/1392528213415325700?s=20">remote forever</a>” when Supervisor Matt Haney <a href="https://twitter.com/MattHaneySF/status/1392527356577734657?s=20">tweeted</a> in May that the Board of Supervisors would start reconvening in-person on June 15. <em>“</em>Remote public comment has definitely given me this new channel. I feel like now I can talk directly to Supervisors in a way that&#8217;s much easier than before.<em>”</em>

<p>“I feel like doing it virtually, I can just talk and just be myself,” says Agarwal, who was among the first to ask how public comment could remain “<a href="https://twitter.com/agarwal/status/1392528213415325700?s=20">remote forever</a>” when Supervisor Matt Haney <a href="https://twitter.com/MattHaneySF/status/1392527356577734657?s=20">tweeted</a> in May that the Board of Supervisors would start reconvening in-person on June 15. <em>“</em>Remote public comment has definitely given me this new channel. I feel like now I can talk directly to Supervisors in a way that's much easier than before.<em>”</em></p>

<p>“I feel like doing it virtually, I can just talk and just be myself,” says Agarwal, who was among the first to ask how public comment could remain “<a href="https://twitter.com/agarwal/status/1392528213415325700?s=20">remote forever</a>” when Supervisor Matt Haney <a href="https://twitter.com/MattHaneySF/status/1392527356577734657?s=20">tweeted</a> in May that the Board of Supervisors would start reconvening in-person on June 15. <em>“</em>Remote public comment has definitely given me this new channel. I feel like now I can talk directly to Supervisors in a way that&#8217;s much easier than before.<em>”</em></p>

<strong>The Ghost of Remote Public Comment Past: Prop. E</strong>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-ghost-of-remote-public-comment-past-prop-e"><strong>The Ghost of Remote Public Comment Past: Prop. E</strong></h2>


<h2 id="h-the-ghost-of-remote-public-comment-past-prop-e"><strong>The Ghost of Remote Public Comment Past: Prop. E</strong></h2>

Interestingly enough, this is not the first time San Franciscans have contemplated making remote public comment possible at public meetings. In 2015, San Francisco State University Professor David Lee and his students <a href="https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/prop-e-seeks-to-foster-participation/">authored Prop. E</a>, which would have required public meetings, testimony and comments be made accessible through electronic and pre-recorded means and <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/City_of_San_Francisco_Requirements_For_Public_Meetings_of_Local_Policy_Bodies_Initiative,_Proposition_E_(November_2015)">allowed live, remote public comment during meetings</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<p>Interestingly enough, this is not the first time San Franciscans have contemplated making remote public comment possible at public meetings. In 2015, San Francisco State University Professor David Lee and his students <a href="https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/prop-e-seeks-to-foster-participation/">authored Prop. E</a>, which would have required public meetings, testimony and comments be made accessible through electronic and pre-recorded means and <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/City_of_San_Francisco_Requirements_For_Public_Meetings_of_Local_Policy_Bodies_Initiative,_Proposition_E_(November_2015)">allowed live, remote public comment during meetings</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

The local measure ultimately <a href="https://www.sfelections.org/results/20151103/">failed at the ballot box</a>, with 66.5 percent of San Franciscans voting against it. The proposition was supported by Assemblymember <a href="https://a17.asmdc.org/biography">David Chiu</a> and then-Board of Education commissioner <a href="https://sfbos.org/supervisor-walton-overview">Shamann Walton</a> but faced opposition from the San Francisco Democratic Party and then-Supervisor <a href="https://sfbos.org/former-supervisor-campos-district-9">David Campos</a>.

<p>The local measure ultimately <a href="https://www.sfelections.org/results/20151103/">failed at the ballot box</a>, with 66.5 percent of San Franciscans voting against it. The proposition was supported by Assemblymember <a href="https://a17.asmdc.org/biography">David Chiu</a> and then-Board of Education commissioner <a href="https://sfbos.org/supervisor-walton-overview">Shamann Walton</a> but faced opposition from the San Francisco Democratic Party and then-Supervisor <a href="https://sfbos.org/former-supervisor-campos-district-9">David Campos</a>.</p>

The SF Examiner firmly planted its flag in the in-person camp in its “no” endorsement of the proposition.&nbsp;

<p>The SF Examiner firmly planted its flag in the in-person camp in its “no” endorsement of the proposition.&nbsp;</p>

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<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>“We believe being physically present at a meeting, when possible, is integral to the democratic process. Showing up shows that someone truly cares about a particular issue and took the necessary steps to ensure his or her voice was heard. Providing people, especially those who live outside of San Francisco, with the ability to influence and impact The City’s political discussions remotely makes the measure unworkable and unrealistic,” <a href="https://www.sfexaminer.com/opinion/san-francisco-examiners-2015-endorsements/">wrote</a> the paper’s editorial board.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></blockquote>

Yet public attitudes toward remote public comment may be changing in the wake of the pandemic. An <a href="https://twitter.com/HereSayMedia/status/1400164071186468874?s=20">informal Twitter poll</a> by Here/Say Media found that 71.8 percent of those surveyed favored keeping remote public comment. When asked if he would support a ballot measure to make remote public comment a permanent part of local public meetings, Agarwal responded enthusiastically.

<p>Yet public attitudes toward remote public comment may be changing in the wake of the pandemic. An <a href="https://twitter.com/HereSayMedia/status/1400164071186468874?s=20">informal Twitter poll</a> by Here/Say Media found that 71.8 percent of those surveyed favored keeping remote public comment. When asked if he would support a ballot measure to make remote public comment a permanent part of local public meetings, Agarwal responded enthusiastically.</p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So we want to know: Should public comment remain remote even after City Hall reopens and public meetings resume in-person? <br><br>Vote in our poll and/or leave a comment.👇🏾 (3/3) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sanfrancisco?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sanfrancisco</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/localpolitics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#localpolitics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/publiccomment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#publiccomment</a></p>&mdash; The San Francisco Standard (@sfstandard) <a href="https://twitter.com/sfstandard/status/1400164071186468874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“One hundred percent. I think we have to keep remote public comment,” Agarwal says. “That&#8217;s definitely the kind of issue that we would take up and fight for.”

<p>“One hundred percent. I think we have to keep remote public comment,” Agarwal says. “That's definitely the kind of issue that we would take up and fight for.”</p>

<p>“One hundred percent. I think we have to keep remote public comment,” Agarwal says. “That&#8217;s definitely the kind of issue that we would take up and fight for.”</p>

<strong>What Are Legislators Doing About It?</strong>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-legislators-doing-about-it"><strong>What Are Legislators Doing About It?</strong></h2>


<h2 id="h-what-are-legislators-doing-about-it"><strong>What Are Legislators Doing About It?</strong></h2>

But Agarwal and others may not have to put up a fight or even go to the ballot box to make remote public comment a reality. There are already a handful of bills circulating at the state level that would have an impact on remote public comment if passed and reform aspects of the <a href="https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/facs-brown-act-primer/">Brown Act</a>, the state’s open meeting law.&nbsp;

<p>But Agarwal and others may not have to put up a fight or even go to the ballot box to make remote public comment a reality. There are already a handful of bills circulating at the state level that would have an impact on remote public comment if passed and reform aspects of the <a href="https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/facs-brown-act-primer/">Brown Act</a>, the state’s open meeting law.&nbsp;</p>

<a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB703">AB 703</a> would allow virtual meetings indefinitely and remove requirements for public attendance at physical locations nullifying the requirement <a href="https://www.bbklaw.com/news-events/insights/2021/legal-alerts/03/are-virtual-public-meetings-here-to-stay">that public officials disclose their teleconferencing location</a> (such as the address of their home or hotel room). <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB361">AB 361</a> would allow for virtual meetings during declared emergencies or to declare an emergency. South Bay Assemblymember Alex Lee’s <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB339">AB 339</a> would require public meetings in jurisdictions with at least 250,000 people to offer internet-based or telephonic attendance and participation options.

<p><a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB703">AB 703</a> would allow virtual meetings indefinitely and remove requirements for public attendance at physical locations nullifying the requirement <a href="https://www.bbklaw.com/news-events/insights/2021/legal-alerts/03/are-virtual-public-meetings-here-to-stay">that public officials disclose their teleconferencing location</a> (such as the address of their home or hotel room). <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB361">AB 361</a> would allow for virtual meetings during declared emergencies or to declare an emergency. South Bay Assemblymember Alex Lee’s <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB339">AB 339</a> would require public meetings in jurisdictions with at least 250,000 people to offer internet-based or telephonic attendance and participation options.</p>

“When we hopefully return to in-person meetings and people can still come and have a jolly old fun meeting, people who traditionally have been barred out of this process can call in, they can make a public comment that way. That’s why it’s so important,” Lee <a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/02/16/long-live-zoom-new-state-bill-would-require-all-public-meetings-to-have-remote-options/">told The Mercury News</a>.&nbsp;

<p>“When we hopefully return to in-person meetings and people can still come and have a jolly old fun meeting, people who traditionally have been barred out of this process can call in, they can make a public comment that way. That’s why it’s so important,” Lee <a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/02/16/long-live-zoom-new-state-bill-would-require-all-public-meetings-to-have-remote-options/">told The Mercury News</a>.&nbsp;</p>

Locally, District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar <a href="https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/sf-measure-would-provide-maternity-leave-protections-for-elected-officials-and-appointees/">has proposed legislation</a> that would establish a citywide parental leave policy for elected officials and appointees and allow a teleconferencing option for those on leave who are taking care of a recently born or adopted child or a child taken in through foster care. The Supervisor is also working with legislators at the state level to reform the Brown Act to allow teleconferencing options for elected officials and appointees on medical or parental leave.&nbsp;

<p>Locally, District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar <a href="https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/sf-measure-would-provide-maternity-leave-protections-for-elected-officials-and-appointees/">has proposed legislation</a> that would establish a citywide parental leave policy for elected officials and appointees and allow a teleconferencing option for those on leave who are taking care of a recently born or adopted child or a child taken in through foster care. The Supervisor is also working with legislators at the state level to reform the Brown Act to allow teleconferencing options for elected officials and appointees on medical or parental leave.&nbsp;</p>

New San Francisco supervisor Myrna Melgar on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020, in San Francisco, Calif. (Photo By Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/GettyImages-1321761304-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4771"/><figcaption>Supervisor Myrna Melgar is proposing a local measure to make teleconferencing possible for elected officials and appointees on parental leave. | <em>Getty Images</em></figcaption></figure>


<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>“[Board]<strong> </strong>members will be able to take formal parental leave for 16 weeks without the fear of discrimination or the fear of having to relinquish their seats,” said Melgar when she introduced her legislation at a Board of Supervisors meeting in early June. “The Brown Act teleconference policy did not have pregnancy or childbirth in mind, nor Zoom, nor any of the things that we have today. … This issue is nothing new, and yet the progress moves so slowly because of systemic gender inequity. ….<em> </em>I look forward to more opportunities to completely transform and shift our culture for good. We cannot go back to the way things were.”</p></blockquote>

District 3 Supervisor Aaron Peskin meanwhile is partial to in-person public comment—“it&#8217;s very, very different when you&#8217;re there in person and you can actually see somebody who is crying or angry,” he says—but thinks a hybrid option would be the way to go as long as certain “guard rails” can be put around the process to prevent deceptive political practices such as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/feb/08/what-is-astroturfing">astroturfing</a>.

<p>District 3 Supervisor Aaron Peskin meanwhile is partial to in-person public comment—“it's very, very different when you're there in person and you can actually see somebody who is crying or angry,” he says—but thinks a hybrid option would be the way to go as long as certain “guard rails” can be put around the process to prevent deceptive political practices such as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/feb/08/what-is-astroturfing">astroturfing</a>.</p>

<p>District 3 Supervisor Aaron Peskin meanwhile is partial to in-person public comment—“it&#8217;s very, very different when you&#8217;re there in person and you can actually see somebody who is crying or angry,” he says—but thinks a hybrid option would be the way to go as long as certain “guard rails” can be put around the process to prevent deceptive political practices such as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/feb/08/what-is-astroturfing">astroturfing</a>.</p>

“As we find our way to the new normal, the hybrid idea is appetizing to me,” he said. “You can call in from your car, your bicycle, your bathroom, and it&#8217;s super convenient. … We also don&#8217;t want it to be exploited by multinational companies who can have somebody call in from the other side of the country.” &nbsp;

<p>“As we find our way to the new normal, the hybrid idea is appetizing to me,” he said. “You can call in from your car, your bicycle, your bathroom, and it's super convenient. … We also don't want it to be exploited by multinational companies who can have somebody call in from the other side of the country.” &nbsp;</p>

<p>“As we find our way to the new normal, the hybrid idea is appetizing to me,” he said. “You can call in from your car, your bicycle, your bathroom, and it&#8217;s super convenient. … We also don&#8217;t want it to be exploited by multinational companies who can have somebody call in from the other side of the country.” &nbsp;</p>

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<strong>Legally, How Could It Be Done?</strong>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-legally-how-could-it-be-done"><strong>Legally, How Could It Be Done?</strong></h2>


<h2 id="h-legally-how-could-it-be-done"><strong>Legally, How Could It Be Done?</strong></h2>

So what would it take to make public comment permanent in San Francisco?

<p>So what would it take to make public comment permanent in San Francisco?</p>

According to the city attorney’s office, San Francisco will no longer be required to offer remote public comment once the <a href="https://www.bbklaw.com/getmedia/9dcf0fb9-ca22-4ffe-b666-77f952bc3761/3-17-20-N-29-20-EO.pdf">Governor’s order</a> regarding remote public meetings terminates.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<p>According to the city attorney’s office, San Francisco will no longer be required to offer remote public comment once the <a href="https://www.bbklaw.com/getmedia/9dcf0fb9-ca22-4ffe-b666-77f952bc3761/3-17-20-N-29-20-EO.pdf">Governor’s order</a> regarding remote public meetings terminates.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>“However, the state legislature or the San Francisco Board of Supervisors could enact legislation to require city commissions to offer remote public comment options in public meetings,” wrote the city attorney’s Deputy Press Secretary Meiling Bedard in an email.</p></blockquote>

“The Board of Supervisors could also adopt ordinances that require remote public comment to be offered in public meetings” and “make remote public comment a requirement for some or all meetings, depending on the contents of the ordinance,” added Bedard.

<p>“The Board of Supervisors could also adopt ordinances that require remote public comment to be offered in public meetings” and “make remote public comment a requirement for some or all meetings, depending on the contents of the ordinance,” added Bedard.</p>

Or as Supervisor Peskin told Here/Say: “I think we can just do it.<em>”</em>

<p>Or as Supervisor Peskin told Here/Say: “I think we can just do it.<em>”</em></p>

<strong>What’s Next? Public Comment 2.0</strong>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-public-comment-2-0"><strong>What’s Next? Public Comment 2.0</strong></h2>


<h2 id="h-what-s-next-public-comment-2-0"><strong>What’s Next? Public Comment 2.0</strong></h2>

Still, some regular public commenters are not quite as bullish on the idea.&nbsp;

<p>Still, some regular public commenters are not quite as bullish on the idea.&nbsp;</p>

San Francisco civil rights activist <a href="https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/san-francisco-civil-rights-icon-rev-amos-brown-turns-80/">Rev. Amos Brown</a> gave his first public comment not long after the brutal murder of Emmett Till in 1955. He’s not opposed to having a remote public comment option—“It&#8217;s not an either-or. It takes two wings on birds to fly,” he says—but believes an emphasis should be placed on in-person public comment once things return to normal.&nbsp;

<p>San Francisco civil rights activist <a href="https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/san-francisco-civil-rights-icon-rev-amos-brown-turns-80/">Rev. Amos Brown</a> gave his first public comment not long after the brutal murder of Emmett Till in 1955. He’s not opposed to having a remote public comment option—“It's not an either-or. It takes two wings on birds to fly,” he says—but believes an emphasis should be placed on in-person public comment once things return to normal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>San Francisco civil rights activist <a href="https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/san-francisco-civil-rights-icon-rev-amos-brown-turns-80/">Rev. Amos Brown</a> gave his first public comment not long after the brutal murder of Emmett Till in 1955. He’s not opposed to having a remote public comment option—“It&#8217;s not an either-or. It takes two wings on birds to fly,” he says—but believes an emphasis should be placed on in-person public comment once things return to normal.&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>“We need to be engaged as a society, and too much technology is too much,” says Brown. “That's part of the reason why we have the problems that we have because we don't have empathy. We don't connect and communicate with each other.<em> </em>We need to come out of our silos.”</p></blockquote>

<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>“We need to be engaged as a society, and too much technology is too much,” says Brown. “That&#8217;s part of the reason why we have the problems that we have because we don&#8217;t have empathy. We don&#8217;t connect and communicate with each other.<em> </em>We need to come out of our silos.”</p></blockquote>

Local organizer, LGBTQ+ activist and <a href="https://twitter.com/wafoli">regular public commentator</a> Jane Natoli worries that a hybrid option would preference in-person comments over remote ones and adds that remote public comment is not as accessible as it might appear. She still hears the same people speaking up at virtual public meetings, typically “richer, whiter, older homeowners,” she observes.&nbsp;

<p>Local organizer, LGBTQ+ activist and <a href="https://twitter.com/wafoli">regular public commentator</a> Jane Natoli worries that a hybrid option would preference in-person comments over remote ones and adds that remote public comment is not as accessible as it might appear. She still hears the same people speaking up at virtual public meetings, typically “richer, whiter, older homeowners,” she observes.&nbsp;</p>

A study by three Boston University political science professors <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/perspectives-on-politics/article/abs/who-participates-in-local-government-evidence-from-meeting-minutes/C6505940E607B6392C4A8F53A9363DB1">found that</a> “individuals who are older, male, longtime residents, voters in local elections, and homeowners are significantly more likely to participate in [public] meetings.”

<p>A study by three Boston University political science professors <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/perspectives-on-politics/article/abs/who-participates-in-local-government-evidence-from-meeting-minutes/C6505940E607B6392C4A8F53A9363DB1">found that</a> “individuals who are older, male, longtime residents, voters in local elections, and homeowners are significantly more likely to participate in [public] meetings.”</p>

“Who is present, who can be there, who isn&#8217;t there—a phone doesn&#8217;t change that much, unfortunately,”<strong><em> </em></strong>says Natoli. “There&#8217;s still a lot of access and privilege that goes along with being able to dial in to a meeting that not necessarily everyone is accorded. So let&#8217;s not see this as some sort of panacea that&#8217;s going to solve our problems with public comment.”&nbsp;

<p>“Who is present, who can be there, who isn't there—a phone doesn't change that much, unfortunately,”<strong><em> </em></strong>says Natoli. “There's still a lot of access and privilege that goes along with being able to dial in to a meeting that not necessarily everyone is accorded. So let's not see this as some sort of panacea that's going to solve our problems with public comment.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Who is present, who can be there, who isn&#8217;t there—a phone doesn&#8217;t change that much, unfortunately,”<strong><em> </em></strong>says Natoli. “There&#8217;s still a lot of access and privilege that goes along with being able to dial in to a meeting that not necessarily everyone is accorded. So let&#8217;s not see this as some sort of panacea that&#8217;s going to solve our problems with public comment.”&nbsp;</p>

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://twitter.com/wafoli/status/1403040321370394630?s=20
</div></figure>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Setting up a participatory system where the same few hundred people show up and shout at each other, in ways that likely have little impact on decisions, in a city the size of San Francisco may not be the best way of doing things, idk…</p>&mdash; Jane Natoli 🥑🚲🍍 (@wafoli) <a href="https://twitter.com/wafoli/status/1403040321370394630?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Instead, she’d like to see public comment 2.0.&nbsp;

<p>Instead, she’d like to see public comment 2.0.&nbsp;</p>

“If we&#8217;re going to keep [remote] public comment as an enterprise&#8230; then we need to do a better job of actually making it more representative and getting more voices there,” she says.

<p>“If we're going to keep [remote] public comment as an enterprise... then we need to do a better job of actually making it more representative and getting more voices there,” she says.</p>

<p>“If we&#8217;re going to keep [remote] public comment as an enterprise&#8230; then we need to do a better job of actually making it more representative and getting more voices there,” she says.</p>

Others like Agarwal would like to see the user experience for public comment be radically improved for the future.

<p>Others like Agarwal would like to see the user experience for public comment be radically improved for the future.</p>

<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>“Now you call in, and you hit star three to put yourself into the queue, and you have no idea where you are in the queue or how long it's going to take,” says Agarwal, applying an engineer’s mind to the problem. “Can you somehow ping me and connect me? How do we, like, radically change the idea of giving public comment?”</p></blockquote>

<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>“Now you call in, and you hit star three to put yourself into the queue, and you have no idea where you are in the queue or how long it&#8217;s going to take,” says Agarwal, applying an engineer’s mind to the problem. “Can you somehow ping me and connect me? How do we, like, radically change the idea of giving public comment?”</p></blockquote>

Calvillo acknowledges that the current system has certain limitations, like not knowing where you are in the queue, but takes pride in the knowledge that her team was able <a href="https://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=10&amp;clip_id=35497">to pull together a fully functional remote public meeting</a> system within a week of the city shutting down last March. Since the start of the pandemic, her IT team has delivered hot spots and aided Supervisors in need when their internet has cut out. Another time, when the power went out at one staffer’s house, the remote public comment system was seamlessly able to roll over to another staffer’s home in a completely different county, thanks to the savvy planning and resourcefulness of the IT department, “and nobody knew the difference<em>,” </em>says Calvillo.&nbsp;

<p>Calvillo acknowledges that the current system has certain limitations, like not knowing where you are in the queue, but takes pride in the knowledge that her team was able <a href="https://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=10&amp;clip_id=35497">to pull together a fully functional remote public meeting</a> system within a week of the city shutting down last March. Since the start of the pandemic, her IT team has delivered hot spots and aided Supervisors in need when their internet has cut out. Another time, when the power went out at one staffer’s house, the remote public comment system was seamlessly able to roll over to another staffer’s home in a completely different county, thanks to the savvy planning and resourcefulness of the IT department, “and nobody knew the difference<em>,” </em>says Calvillo.&nbsp;</p>

“We didn&#8217;t skip a beat,&#8221; says Calvillo, whose office coordinated with the <a href="https://tech.sfgov.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">San Francisco Department of Technology</a>, <a href="https://sfgovtv.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SFGovTV</a>, City Hall Media Services and the Board of Supervisors to put &#8220;together this system that works I would almost say beautifully, because we actually got the public to call in.”

<p>“We didn't skip a beat," says Calvillo, whose office coordinated with the <a href="https://tech.sfgov.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">San Francisco Department of Technology</a>, <a href="https://sfgovtv.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SFGovTV</a>, City Hall Media Services and the Board of Supervisors to put "together this system that works I would almost say beautifully, because we actually got the public to call in.” </p>

<p>“We didn&#8217;t skip a beat,&#8221; says Calvillo, whose office coordinated with the <a href="https://tech.sfgov.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">San Francisco Department of Technology</a>, <a href="https://sfgovtv.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SFGovTV</a>, City Hall Media Services and the Board of Supervisors to put &#8220;together this system that works I would almost say beautifully, because we actually got the public to call in.” </p>

“Rather than shut down, we always stayed open. We always remained accessible,” she says.

<p>“Rather than shut down, we always stayed open. We always remained accessible,” she says.</p>

As her office awaits more direction from the state, Cal/OSHA and San Francisco’s public health department on what’s possible for public meetings in the near term, Calvillo’s team is already thinking through how remote public comment could be improved—“We want to field the calls like we&#8217;re fielding the call from our family members,<em>” </em>says Calvillo—and considering a couple of different public comment scenarios.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<p>As her office awaits more direction from the state, Cal/OSHA and San Francisco’s public health department on what’s possible for public meetings in the near term, Calvillo’s team is already thinking through how remote public comment could be improved—“We want to field the calls like we're fielding the call from our family members,<em>” </em>says Calvillo—and considering a couple of different public comment scenarios.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>As her office awaits more direction from the state, Cal/OSHA and San Francisco’s public health department on what’s possible for public meetings in the near term, Calvillo’s team is already thinking through how remote public comment could be improved—“We want to field the calls like we&#8217;re fielding the call from our family members,<em>” </em>says Calvillo—and considering a couple of different public comment scenarios.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

For example, how to field in person and remote public comments simultaneously, how to make sure someone doesn’t game the system by giving public comment twice—once remotely and once in person—and finessing the logistics of running a hybrid public meeting.&nbsp;

<p>For example, how to field in person and remote public comments simultaneously, how to make sure someone doesn’t game the system by giving public comment twice—once remotely and once in person—and finessing the logistics of running a hybrid public meeting.&nbsp;</p>

&nbsp;“It&#8217;s going to be a balancing act to have an in-person meeting in the chamber and run this system,” says Calvillo, who notes that such a meeting will likely require even more staffing to run telecommunications behind the scenes.&nbsp;

<p>&nbsp;“It's going to be a balancing act to have an in-person meeting in the chamber and run this system,” says Calvillo, who notes that such a meeting will likely require even more staffing to run telecommunications behind the scenes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;“It&#8217;s going to be a balancing act to have an in-person meeting in the chamber and run this system,” says Calvillo, who notes that such a meeting will likely require even more staffing to run telecommunications behind the scenes.&nbsp;</p>

Ultimately, she says, “the devil&#8217;s in the details.”

<p>Ultimately, she says, “the devil's in the details.”</p>

<p>Ultimately, she says, “the devil&#8217;s in the details.”</p>

City Hall is reopening: What happens to remote public comment?

Carrie Sisto

Last month, Mayor London Breed issued <a href="https://sfmayor.org/article/mayor-london-breed-announces-mid-market-vibrancy-and-safety-plan#:~:text=Breed%20today%20announced%20the%20Mid,Mid%2DMarket%20and%20Tenderloin%20area.&amp;text=However%2C%20key%20aspects%20of%20this,begin%20immediately%20using%20existing%20funding.">a sweeping announcement </a>about the city’s commitment to a Mid-Market Vibrancy and Safety Plan. In a press release, Breed promised up to $8.8 million in city funding and another $3 million in state funding, over a three-year period, to support a major effort to improve public safety in the Mid-Market, Civic Center, and Tenderloin neighborhoods.

<p>Last month, Mayor London Breed issued <a href="https://sfmayor.org/article/mayor-london-breed-announces-mid-market-vibrancy-and-safety-plan#:~:text=Breed%20today%20announced%20the%20Mid,Mid%2DMarket%20and%20Tenderloin%20area.&amp;text=However%2C%20key%20aspects%20of%20this,begin%20immediately%20using%20existing%20funding.">a sweeping announcement </a>about the city’s commitment to a Mid-Market Vibrancy and Safety Plan. In a press release, Breed promised up to $8.8 million in city funding and another $3 million in state funding, over a three-year period, to support a major effort to improve public safety in the Mid-Market, Civic Center, and Tenderloin neighborhoods.</p>

So far, the San Francisco Police Department has increased its presence in the area to address the ongoing and growing safety concerns in the neighborhood. But the crux of the plan is an influx of additional, non-police community ambassadors. These new eyes on the ground will be largely unarmed, nonprofit employees who have been trained to assist with drug overdoses and act as helpful stewards that de-escalate conflict and connect people in the neighborhood to city resources.

<p>So far, the San Francisco Police Department has increased its presence in the area to address the ongoing and growing safety concerns in the neighborhood. But the crux of the plan is an influx of additional, non-police community ambassadors. These new eyes on the ground will be largely unarmed, nonprofit employees who have been trained to assist with drug overdoses and act as helpful stewards that de-escalate conflict and connect people in the neighborhood to city resources.</p>

Leaders with the city and neighborhood organizations are optimistic that a slow, collaborative rollout of this new model for public safety could create long-term change in the Tenderloin, while others remain skeptical that the ambitious plan will be much more than a band-aid.

<p>Leaders with the city and neighborhood organizations are optimistic that a slow, collaborative rollout of this new model for public safety could create long-term change in the Tenderloin, while others remain skeptical that the ambitious plan will be much more than a band-aid.</p>

Both Police and Urban Alchemy members monitor the intersection of Turk and Hyde St. on July 10, 2021.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/TL-HereSay-Cohen-47-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4950"/><figcaption>Police and Urban Alchemy ambassadors monitor the intersection of Turk and Hyde Streets I&nbsp;<em>Camille Cohen</em></figcaption></figure>


The new Mid-Market plan builds on past efforts, including a <a href="https://www.midmarketbusinessassociation.com/programs-and-news/mid-market-tenderloin-joint-operations-program">collaborative pilot program</a> between the Mid-Market, Tenderloin, and Civic Center community benefit districts (CBD) that was focused on improving the efficiency of neighborhood cleaning, according to Steve Gibson, interim executive director of the <a href="https://www.midmarketbusinessassociation.com/">Mid-Market Business Association</a> (MMBA).

<p>The new Mid-Market plan builds on past efforts, including a <a href="https://www.midmarketbusinessassociation.com/programs-and-news/mid-market-tenderloin-joint-operations-program">collaborative pilot program</a> between the Mid-Market, Tenderloin, and Civic Center community benefit districts (CBD) that was focused on improving the efficiency of neighborhood cleaning, according to Steve Gibson, interim executive director of the <a href="https://www.midmarketbusinessassociation.com/">Mid-Market Business Association</a> (MMBA).</p>

Gibson said the pilot aimed to improve cleaning without any additional funding, and “started to seem successful before the pandemic hit.”&nbsp;

<p>Gibson said the pilot aimed to improve cleaning without any additional funding, and “started to seem successful before the pandemic hit.”&nbsp;</p>

As COVID and associated city-wide shutdowns threw a wrench in the operations of the pilot, the CBDs continued to work together.&nbsp;

<p>As COVID and associated city-wide shutdowns threw a wrench in the operations of the pilot, the CBDs continued to work together.&nbsp;</p>

“We started to think about post-pandemic times,” Gibson said. The focus of their planning shifted to understanding what would be necessary to attract businesses and workers back after more than a year away, and to attract students back to University of California Hastings College of Law. UC Hastings is also partnering on the new Tenderloin plan, having helped to secure state funding as well as offering pro bono legal services to <a href="https://www.urban-alchemy.us/">Urban Alchemy</a>, a nonprofit that provides community ambassadors in San Francisco.&nbsp;

<p>“We started to think about post-pandemic times,” Gibson said. The focus of their planning shifted to understanding what would be necessary to attract businesses and workers back after more than a year away, and to attract students back to University of California Hastings College of Law. UC Hastings is also partnering on the new Tenderloin plan, having helped to secure state funding as well as offering pro bono legal services to <a href="https://www.urban-alchemy.us/">Urban Alchemy</a>, a nonprofit that provides community ambassadors in San Francisco.&nbsp;</p>

A police line is set up on O’Farrell Street after a robbery and shooting on June 10, 2021.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/TL-HereSay-Cohen-03-1667x2500.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4959"/><figcaption>A police line is set up on O’Farrell Street after a robbery and shooting on June 10, 2021 I <em>Camille Cohen </em></figcaption></figure>


“Safety is the top concern for addressing all of these three, and is at the heart of the new plan,” Gibson said. MMBA, which is <a href="https://www.midmarketbusinessassociation.com/programs-and-news/mmba-press-release-5-20-21">taking the lead in implementing the plan</a>, aims to coordinate not only with neighboring CBDs but also with the city’s own <a href="https://sfmayor.org/article/san-franciscos-new-street-crisis-response-team-launches-today">Street Response Teams</a>, which assist with behavioral health-related calls in lieu of police. Mayor Breed hopes to increase the number of teams from seven to 14 as part of the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/mayor-breed-unveils-13-billion-budget-aimed-at-equitable-recovery/">budget for next year.&nbsp;</a>

<p>“Safety is the top concern for addressing all of these three, and is at the heart of the new plan,” Gibson said. MMBA, which is <a href="https://www.midmarketbusinessassociation.com/programs-and-news/mmba-press-release-5-20-21">taking the lead in implementing the plan</a>, aims to coordinate not only with neighboring CBDs but also with the city’s own <a href="https://sfmayor.org/article/san-franciscos-new-street-crisis-response-team-launches-today">Street Response Teams</a>, which assist with behavioral health-related calls in lieu of police. Mayor Breed hopes to increase the number of teams from seven to 14 as part of the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/mayor-breed-unveils-13-billion-budget-aimed-at-equitable-recovery/">budget for next year.&nbsp;</a></p>

The overarching goal of the Mid-Market plan is to reduce the need for policing and community safety patrols after two or three years, according to Fernando Pujals, Senior Director of Communications and Clean Operations at the <a href="https://tlcbd.org/">Tenderloin Community Benefit District</a> (TLCBD).

<p>The overarching goal of the Mid-Market plan is to reduce the need for policing and community safety patrols after two or three years, according to Fernando Pujals, Senior Director of Communications and Clean Operations at the <a href="https://tlcbd.org/">Tenderloin Community Benefit District</a> (TLCBD).</p>

“But it is extremely difficult work,” Pujals told Here/Say. “It requires a transformative lift of the whole neighborhood.”

<p>“But it is extremely difficult work,” Pujals told Here/Say. “It requires a transformative lift of the whole neighborhood.”</p>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learning-from-the-past">Learning from the past</h2>


<h2 id="h-learning-from-the-past">Learning from the past</h2>

“In the past, I’d look at programming to improve safety” in the neighborhood, Pujals said. The TLCBD has worked with other neighborhood organizations to provide outdoor recreation, physical education, and other forms of positive community engagement for all ages throughout the neighborhood—from performance and tactile arts classes to trick-and-treat events—but the COVID situation and ongoing health and safety issues have made offering these programs a challenge.&nbsp;

<p>“In the past, I’d look at programming to improve safety” in the neighborhood, Pujals said. The TLCBD has worked with other neighborhood organizations to provide outdoor recreation, physical education, and other forms of positive community engagement for all ages throughout the neighborhood—from performance and tactile arts classes to trick-and-treat events—but the COVID situation and ongoing health and safety issues have made offering these programs a challenge.&nbsp;</p>

“Now I think we need safety to be able to support and bring back programming,” Pujals said.

<p>“Now I think we need safety to be able to support and bring back programming,” Pujals said.</p>

Gibson told us that historically, targeted efforts to improve various safety concerns or problem areas have been viewed as successful in the short term, but often the issues the programs attempted to address would just move to a new location in the neighborhood.&nbsp;

<p>Gibson told us that historically, targeted efforts to improve various safety concerns or problem areas have been viewed as successful in the short term, but often the issues the programs attempted to address would just move to a new location in the neighborhood.&nbsp;</p>

Without a consistent, sustained effort, it is basically like whack-a-mole, Gibson said: The big problems move from one corner to another, but are never actually resolved.&nbsp;

<p>Without a consistent, sustained effort, it is basically like whack-a-mole, Gibson said: The big problems move from one corner to another, but are never actually resolved.&nbsp;</p>

“We’re seeing that past interventions don’t work anymore,” said Urban Alchemy chief executive and founder Lina Miller during a virtual panel on the new Tenderloin plan on June 14. Miller <a href="https://www.urban-alchemy.us/our-impact">launched Urban Alchemy in 2018</a> after leaving Hunters’ Point Family, a nonprofit supporting at-risk youth and young adults in San Francisco.&nbsp;

<p>“We’re seeing that past interventions don’t work anymore,” said Urban Alchemy chief executive and founder Lina Miller during a virtual panel on the new Tenderloin plan on June 14. Miller <a href="https://www.urban-alchemy.us/our-impact">launched Urban Alchemy in 2018</a> after leaving Hunters’ Point Family, a nonprofit supporting at-risk youth and young adults in San Francisco.&nbsp;</p>

A Street Plus employee walks the civic center grounds whole an unhoused neighbor dozes on the grass and the city celebrates Pride month on July 10, 2021.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/TL-HereSay-Cohen-53-2500x1407.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4968"/><figcaption>A worker walks the Civic Center grounds as an unhoused neighbor dozes on the grass I <em>Camille Cohen</em></figcaption></figure>


District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney reiterated this overarching concern.&nbsp;

<p>District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney reiterated this overarching concern.&nbsp;</p>

“The main challenge has been that, in the past, the interventions have been only temporary,” Haney said. “We have seen patchwork efforts isolated to one block that improve conditions in one small area, only to make another one much, much worse.”&nbsp;

<p>“The main challenge has been that, in the past, the interventions have been only temporary,” Haney said. “We have seen patchwork efforts isolated to one block that improve conditions in one small area, only to make another one much, much worse.”&nbsp;</p>

Unlike prior efforts to address safety in the area, the new Mid-Market plan offers two years of committed funding and broader collaboration across neighborhood groups and the city.&nbsp;

<p>Unlike prior efforts to address safety in the area, the new Mid-Market plan offers two years of committed funding and broader collaboration across neighborhood groups and the city.&nbsp;</p>

“It is the first time ever we have funding for a long enough term to be successful,” Gibson said. &#8220;Now we can be consistent and strategic.”&nbsp;

<p>“It is the first time ever we have funding for a long enough term to be successful,” Gibson said. "Now we can be consistent and strategic.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>“It is the first time ever we have funding for a long enough term to be successful,” Gibson said. &#8220;Now we can be consistent and strategic.”&nbsp;</p>

City Hall is reopening: What happens to remote public comment?

Tenderloin and Mid-Market improvement plan met with high hopes, and some skepticism

San Francisco's tireless defender of late-night fun

Helps San Francisco's Elders Keep the Spark Alive

Battles Burnout and Apathy in Pursuit of Equitable, Healthy Communities

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City Hall is reopening: What happens to remote public comment?

Tenderloin and Mid-Market improvement plan met with high hopes, and some skepticism

San Francisco's tireless defender of late-night fun

Helps San Francisco's Elders Keep the Spark Alive

Battles Burnout and Apathy in Pursuit of Equitable, Healthy Communities