As SF Voter Participation Act Moves Forward, New Polling Shows 74% of Voters Support Proposed Ballot Measure
After receiving a positive committee recommendation today, a proposed Charter Amendment by Supervisor Dean Preston to maximize voter participation in local elections will head to the full Board of Supervisors for vote on July 12. Along with the unaninimous positive committee referral, polling released today shows overwhelming support for the measure, with 74% of likely voters indicating support after hearing information on the proposal.
With State Barriers Expiring, Supervisor Preston's Ban on COVID-19 Evictions To Take Effect July 1
Starting July 1, San Franciscans who can’t pay rent because of pandemic hardship cannot be evicted for nonpayment of rent, thanks to a law passed earlier this year by Supervisor Dean Preston, which will now take effect with state barriers expiring. The law applies to rent due starting July 1, 2022 through the end of the local state of emergency.
Supervisors Preston, Ronen Strike Late-Night Deal with Mayor on Historic Affordable Housing Package
After extended negotiations, the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor have agreed to a groundbreaking spending package for affordable housing, predicated on the significant windfall from Supervisor Preston’s Prop I ballot measure that has raised hundreds of millions for the city.
Supervisor Preston Calls on City to Adopt a Comprehensive Overdose Prevention Plan
District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston announced today that he will hold a hearing on the City’s overdose prevention plan. Preston chairs the Government Audit and Oversight Committee where the hearing is expected to be held. The announcement comes after the Mayor’s announcement that the Tenderloin Center, a centerpiece of the Administration’s strategy to address overdoses, will be closing at the end of this year, with no plans to replace the services offered.
Board of Supervisors Unanimously Call on San Francisco Housing Authority to Explore Alternative Redevelopment Plans for Plaza East
Supervisor Dean Preston’s Resolution passed unanimously earlier today calling on the San Francisco Housing Authority to present alternatives to the current demolition and redevelopment plans for Plaza East, a public housing site located in the Fillmore. Preston introduced the measure at the request of residents, many of whom gathered earlier in the day at a press conference earlier today demanding increased transparency regarding the future of Plaza East, a site that was demolished and rebuilt by the same developer 21 years ago.
Supervisor Preston Calls for $50 million of Police Budget to be Placed On Reserve Pending Measurable Progress on Racial Disparities and Transparency
As the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) returns to the Budget and Appropriations Committee on Thursday, Supervisor Dean Preston is calling on the committee to place at least $50 million of the SFPD’s budget on reserve pending measurable progress in addressing racial disparities and lack of transparency that have plagued the Department.
Supervisor Preston, Housing Advocates and Labor Leaders Announce Social Housing Budget Package
Supervisor Preston and housing justice advocates announced a plan today to fund social housing based on Prop I revenue, combining long-term debt financing and a request in this year’s city budget.
As Residents of Plaza East Condemn Developer’s Plan to Build Market Rate Housing on Public Housing Site, Supervisor Preston Introduces Resolution Calling for Alternative Development Options
Supervisor Dean Preston introduced a Resolution calling on the San Francisco Housing Authority to present alternatives to the current demolition and redevelopment plans for Plaza East, a public housing site located in the Fillmore. The Resolution responds to an outcry from Plaza East residents who have seen their requests to the Housing Authority and developer McCormack Baron Salazar go unanswered. At the heart of the dispute is the developer’s recent announcement of plans to build hundreds of market rate housing units on this public housing site.
Supervisor Preston Calls for Public Town Halls after Traffic Fatalities
Proposal Would Amend City’s Vision Zero Traffic Fatality Protocol to Require a Public Town Hall Within Two Weeks of Fatality
Neighbors Say Yes in Our Backyard as Board of Supervisors Unanimously Supports Community’s Call for TAY Housing in the Haight Ashbury
Today, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to require that the City activate at least 20 additional transitional housing units for transitional age youth (TAY) experiencing homelessness in the Upper Haight. The Ordinance requires the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing to report to the Board of Supervisors progress within 120 days, and acquire the units no later than March 31, 2023.
As Pride Month Commences, Sup. Preston Passes Historic Landmark Measure for Turk & Taylor Intersection, Key Site in LGBTQ Civil Rights Struggle
Nearly 60 years ago, a seminal moment in the movement for LGBTQ rights took place at Compton’s Cafeteria, where a confrontation between a police officer and a drag queen exploded into a full fledged riot at the intersection of Turk and Taylor Streets. Now, following a unanimous vote of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the city is honoring the legacy of these activists by initiating the process to designate the intersection as an historic landmark.
"Sunshine on Affordable Housing" -- Preston Proposes Ballot Measure to Create Affordable Housing Oversight Commission
With the City meeting less than half its affordable housing goals, Supervisor Dean Preston is proposing a charter reform measure to overhaul how we create affordable housing and put San Francisco on a path to housing affordability. Preston’s measure would create oversight where there has been none, establishing a Commission over the City Department in charge of affordable housing for San Francisco.
Supervisor Preston Introduces “Voter Participation Act” Charter Amendment
Supervisor Dean Preston introduced a charter amendment today to maximize voter participation in choosing representatives for all local offices by moving odd-year elections to even years. Over the past decade, even-year elections have achieved significantly higher voter turnout than their odd-year counterparts, sometimes doubling the percentage of voters casting their ballots.
Facing Affordable Housing Funding Shortfall in the Billions, Preston Calls on Prop I Funds to be "Starting Point" for Local Action
New analysis revealed today at a Government Audit and Oversight Committee shows a massive shortfall in affordable housing funding – $1.3 billion annually starting in 2023, and growing to $2.4 billion by the end of the decade – putting the need for significant intervention in stark relief. Supervisor Dean Preston, who requested the hearing, called on city leaders to come together around local funding solutions, including making use of revenue from the Prop I transfer tax he passed in 2020 for affordable housing.
Supervisor Preston Calls for Proactive Mental Health Response for Communities Traumatized by Gun Violence
After partnering with the Department of Public Health (DPH) to conduct outreach and offer mental health services to residents following a fatal shooting in the Fillmore, Supervisor Dean Preston on Tuesday called for the City to create and implement a protocol to proactively conduct outreach and provide mental health resources for all communities in the immediate aftermath of gun violence. The City currently has rapid response protocols to support community following traffic fatalities, police shootings, and other specified events, yet there is no protocol or coordinated system to provide counseling and support to witnesses and neighbors following a fatal shooting. The resolution, co-sponsored by President Shamann Walton and Supervisors Hillary Ronen, Connie Chan, and Gordon Mar calls for DPH to develop a draft protocol within 30 days.
Hearing Shows Millions in Taxpayer Dollars Are Spent Promoting What Advocates Call “Copaganda”
This afternoon, Supervisor Dean Preston held a first-of-its-kind hearing on the use of taxpayer funds for police and public safety propaganda. The hearing examined the communications offices within the Mayor’s Office and the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), including their costs and any policies and procedures to ensure accurate information about public safety matters.
Supervisor Dean Preston and Proud Stutter To Recognize National Stuttering Awareness Week in San Francisco, A First For California
San Francisco is expected to become the first city in the state to recognize National Stuttering Awareness Week. District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston partnered with Proud Stutter and the wider Bay Area stuttering community to introduce a resolution today to acknowledge this special week for the stuttering community, May 9, 2022 - May 14, 2022.
Historic Vote: Board of Supervisors Approves Car Free JFK Legislation
Late Tuesday evening, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed legislation to make JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park permanently car-free. Advocates celebrated the major milestone in the years-long battle for car-free space in the heart of Golden Gate Park.
Supervisor Introduces Legislation to House Homeless Youth in the Haight
Supervisor Dean Preston introduced an ordinance at today’s Board of Supervisors meeting calling for the City to activate at least 20 additional transitional housing for homeless transitional age youth (TAY) in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood within a year.
Sup. Preston Calls for Hearing on “Copaganda”
Supervisor Dean Preston on Tuesday called for a hearing on the use of taxpayer funds for propaganda designed to perpetuate a growing policing budget or undermine efforts for police accountability and reform. The hearing will be the first of its kind and will shed light on taxpayer-funded communications, media, and press offices, as well as their costs, policies, and procedures around conveying accurate information about public safety.