Tentative Budget Deal Saves Essential Community Ambassador Program
In a major victory for public safety and community engagement, funding for San Francisco’s Community Ambassador Program (CAP), run through the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA), has been restored in a tentative budget deal announced yesterday evening. The funding will allow the only City-operated community ambassador program – consisting of 60 ambassadors – to continue to operate. The popular program was defunded in the Mayor’s proposed budget and would have been forced to shut down in the upcoming fiscal year if not for the Board’s action.
“OCEIA’s Community Ambassadors are essential for community safety. These skilled ambassadors assist residents, merchants, and visitors, helping to bridge gaps and build trust within our communities. I am incredibly thankful to the advocates for keeping the pressure on, and to my colleagues for making this a priority in the budget negotiations,” said Supervisor Dean Preston, who has brought CAP ambassadors to every neighborhood in his district, and who led efforts at the Board of Supervisors to restore funding for the CAP program.
The Community Ambassador Program was established in 2010 to address cultural and linguistic tensions, increased violence, and the need for better community safety options in the Bayview and Visitacion Valley, and has since gained national recognition as a gold standard of community safety. In San Francisco, the ambassadors, half of whom are bilingual, provide critical support to community programming, support neighborhood revitalization activities and special events, and ensure that our neighborhoods are vibrant, safe and connected. In 2020, Supervisor Preston led efforts at the Board of Supervisors to expand the program, bringing OCEIA ambassadors to District 5 and other parts of the city where they have been warmly received and made a huge difference.
In the lead up to the budget deadline, supporters of the program wrote letters, launched a social media “Don't Cut CAP” campaign, and held a rally at City Hall, where nearly a hundred people, including residents, union members, city officials, and local organizations, gathered to voice their support to maintaining this vital program. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors also unanimously passed a resolution authored by Supervisor Preston in support of OCEIA’s program, and the ambassadors were honored with official commendations at the Board of Supervisors last week for their service.
“As Community Ambassadors, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Supervisor Dean Preston and all San Francisco Supervisors for passing the resolution to keep the OCEIA Community Ambassadors Program funded and operational,” said Daniel Abera, Lead for the District 5 Community Ambassadors Program. “This resolution is not only important for us as Ambassadors and City workers, but for the entire community we serve. Preserving CAP helps us achieve the community and City's goals and values of a safer and more welcoming San Francisco.”
The funding will allow the program to continue its essential services without interruption, providing stability and support to the ambassadors who serve the city. The budget and related appropriations ordinance passed the Budget committee on June 26, 2024
