Racial and Social Equity

Eliminating social and racial disparities is a key element of resilience. This commitment has been made even more clear in the Plan’s funding principles, principles, (please see Introduction Chapter). The Office of Racial Equity is assisting City departments with the development of Racial Equity Action Plans. These plans will integrate racial equity into the processes and policies of each department, including community engagement, that informs their capital priorities. In addition, this Plan recommends investments to address some of San Francisco’s most severe racial disparities that have been made worse by the COVID-19 crisis, such as public health and mental health, homelessness, employment, and digital connectivity.

Public Health and Mental Health

San Francisco is working to meet persistent and emerging mental health and substance abuse challenges. The Department of Public Health (DPH) is the City’s largest provider of behavioral health services, helping approximately 30,000 individuals annually. The November 2020 Health and Recovery Bond provides a portion of the funding necessary to improve, acquire, and construct facilities that deliver services for people requiring mental health and substance use services. DPH also operates more than a dozen community-based primary care health centers that provide convenient access to health care services in neighborhoods across the city. The Health and Recovery Bond includes funding for improvements to community health centers that serve low-income and vulnerable communities.

Homelessness

San Francisco is working to address the shortage of shelter beds and permanent supportive housing available to homeless, at-risk, and extremely low-income households. Through the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, San Francisco currently offers temporary shelter to approximately 3,400 people every night through shelters, Navigation Centers, stabilization beds and transitional housing. Since October 2018, the City has opened 566 additional beds and 499 are underway. Additional beds are needed to match the waitlist for individuals looking to access shelter. November 2020 Health and Recovery Bond proceeds will be used to stabilize, acquire, construct, expand and/or improve shelters and more investment is called for in this Plan, including a 2024 Affordable Housing Bond.

Permanent Supportive Housing is an important means of ensuring long-term health and stability for low-income San Franciscans and those exiting chronic homelessness. However, the City does not have a sufficient supply to meet the demand. While the State is making some resources available to acquire hotels and other buildings, such as through the Homekey Grant Program, the City will also make investments to purchase buildings with proceeds from the November 2020 Health and Recovery Bond.

Employment

COVID-19 job losses have had a disproportionate impact on low-income communities and people of color. Infrastructure investment is an important piece of local economic stimulus. The Certificates of Participation program has been re-tooled to recommend investing $125 million in recovery stimulus projects that generating an estimated 559 jobs. For more information, see the Sources chapter.

Digital Connectivity

Gaps in access to technology threaten to widen the economic divide, especially as more services and job opportunities are moving online. For the past three years, the Department of Technology (DT) has received funding to install broadband internet connectivity to public housing in collaboration with MonkeyBrains, a local internet service provider. During FY2020, internet service was extended to 2,132 units and serves approximately 8,258 residents. When the COVID-19 emergency started, DT’s focus shifted to support student distance learning and telehealth needs, and in four weeks extended internet connectivity to 525 students and five shelter sites with 545 beds total. DT continues to extend fiber to public housing and affordable housing locations and this plan calls for further investment.