BOS shows no solidarity with Sup Walton resisting mayor turning D10 into dumping ground; Mayor's YES MEN attack Sup Chan, overpower Fielder; SF pays $50,000 to anti-affirmative action group/MAGA
Watching how SF government abandoned and sacrificed our most suffering residents to the MAGA alter informed me how they’d respond to worse threats. Too little, too late, if ever.
The other day my wife and I went to the zoo which surprisingly felt wonderful. Animals in cages don’t appeal to me, a large reason we stopped going to the zoo. But this time our experience felt luxurious: it had so many benches, so many paths to walk, and may be one of the few places where a trans lesbian couple is less eye-catching and exotic than an elephant or giraffe, allowing us to exist with less scrutiny from people nearby. I somehow felt less caged in the zoo than outside it. Maybe I belong in the American Zoo House too?
I’ve also been waging a protest against Supervisor Dorsey from being allowed into and platformed by our building to espouse his “public safety” opinions and policies, to no avail . In the off-chance it would work, I emailed Dorsey asking him to voluntarily move the meeting outside of my building in a show of goodwill (ha!) but got no response. So I made a public comment about the situation during this meeting.
Anywho, watching these Board of Supervisor meetings does not inspire confidence that any local societal improvement will come from their actions. The SF Conservatives reign (white male) supreme in those chambers at the moment. The only Supervisors whose reality seem to overlap mine somewhat are Fielder, Walton and Chen. 3 out of 11 supervisors. Grim.
I share my perspective as an autistic, ADHD, trans, bisexual person of Mexican heritage abolitionist who lives in the heart of severely overpoliced “the open-air drug market.” As of 2025 I now call it the “open-air prison.” Another disclaimer is I have no faith in our government, so I judge without any benefit of the doubt. This is where my experience being a vocal resident of SF targeted by Recovery associates of my D6 Supervisor has led me.
Update: I emailed Supervisor Dorsey’s office asking about Long-Term Disability insurance. Once their sick staffer was back in the office, I got this reply. I’ll leave it at that. Sounds like city employees will still get LTD insurance, and I hope that’s the case.
Effective January 1st, 2026, New York Life will be the provider for the following benefits for eligible employees:
Employer-paid Basic Group Life and Long-term Disability benefits for eligible active and full-time employees regularly working a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week. The level of benefit will be dependent on an eligible employee’s collective bargaining unit (MOU).
Voluntary employee-paid Supplemental Life, Short-Term Disability Insurance, and Accidental Death and Dismemberment benefits for eligible employees and their dependents.
More information on employer-paid and employee-paid benefits provided by New York Life is available in the 2026 City and County of San Francisco Health Benefits Guide (https://sfhss.org/resource/2026-city-and-county-san-francisco-health-benefits-guide) and at https://sfhss.org/voluntary-benefits.
This meeting has men supervisors Sauter and Mahmood bashing woman supervisor Chan over her wanting to protect all rent-controlled homes from mayor Lurie’s Family Upzoning Plan. Apparently later a hit piece in the Chronicle came out about Chan’s justified angry reaction to this, with these men saying she crossed a line. Not them who initiated the personal attack. People suspect Mandelman shared the text messages between Chan and himself which were under scrutiny in the piece. Didn’t Chan compromise to make Mandelman President of the Board? Maybe a lesson in compromising with fascists. Maybe a different fascist (not referring to Chan) was gonna be President of the Board if no compromise was made, who knows? The meeting also had SFPD giving their lackluster reforms update. There’s a lawsuit settlement from the first conservative lawsuit against the GIFT program, among other racial equity income programs, where the shithead’s attorney fees are compensated with SF tax-payer money. And a few other pieces of legislation that caught my attention.
BOS December 2nd, 2025 Meeting Agenda and Video
The mayor’s office was able to cough up $3.5 million for immigration legal services. I wish it was $30 million.
251080 [Appropriation - General Reserve - Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development - Immigration Legal Services - $3,500,000 - FY2025-2026] Sponsors: Chan; Fielder, Mahmood, Chen, Walton, Melgar, Dorsey, Sauter and Mandelman
For this next piece of legislation (a lawsuit settlement), you need to understand Californians for Equal Rights Foundation, the entity that filed this lawsuit. As Mission Local reported, “The Californians for Equal Rights Foundation is an anti-affirmative-action organization.” This piece of legislation has San Francisco paying $50,000 for their attorney’s fees and costs. Why aren’t more people paying attention? Why aren’t more people sick of this shit? San Francisco is sicker than people give it credit.
251044 [Settlement of Lawsuit - Californians For Equal Rights Foundation - $50,000]
Ordinance authorizing settlement of the lawsuit filed by Californians For Equal Rights Foundation, Ruth Parker, and Ellen Lee Zhou [former MAGA SF mayor candidate] against the City and County of San Francisco for $50,000 and non-monetary terms; the lawsuit was filed on May 31, 2023, in San Francisco Superior Court, Case No. CGC-23-606796; entitled Californians For Equal Rights Foundation et al. v. City and County of San Francisco et al.; the lawsuit involves Plaintiffs’ allegation that the City participated in one or more guaranteed income program the terms of which violated the Equal Protection Cause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the equal protection guarantee in Article I, section 7 of the California Constitution, and/or Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. (City Attorney)
Here is an overview of the programs this lawsuit attacked and that San Francisco shut down.
One of four basic income programs this lawsuit attacked was the GIFT program.
GIFT was intended to address trans poverty which, at 33 percent, is much higher than the state average of 15 percent. “The GIFT program is a historic program that will build economic stability and self-sufficiency for San Francisco’s most impacted trans residents,” said Aria Sa’id, president of the Transgender District, when the program was first announced.
The Transgender District, in conjunction with Lyon-Martin Community Health Services and the city, helped develop and implement GIFT. Recipients also received gender-affirming medical and mental care, financial coaching, and other services. [source]
The other three programs that were shut down due to this lawsuit were:
The San Francisco Guaranteed Income Plan for Artists, run in collaboration with Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, was launched in 2022, providing $1,000 to 60 eligible artists. According to the complaint, “YCBA and Mayor Breed largely achieved their ‘intended’ discriminatory goals” because Native American, Native Alaskan, LGBTQ, Black, and Hispanic artists were chosen more than their rates in the city’s population “all while choosing Asian artists at a rate less than half their share of the city’s population; and omitting any indication that any of the program’s beneficiaries are White heterosexuals.”
The Abundant Birth Project, which started in 2021, seeks to improve maternal health among Black and Pacific Islander pregnant women in San Francisco – communities that face significantly higher rates of infant mortality – by providing $1,000-$1,500 per month for the duration of the pregnancy. This was the program that allegedly involved a volunteer who’d concurrently worked at the school district, but does no longer.
and
the Black Economic Equity Movement, or BEEM, is run in coordination with UCSF and UC Berkeley and funded through the National Institutes of Health, according to its website. It seeks to provide $500 a month to Black young adults “in certain areas in San Francisco and Oakland” for up to a year “so they have a little breathing room, can take care of immediate needs, and plan for the future,” according to its website.
Can you tell me if any non-profits serving these people raised a ruckus? Did San Francisco, its mayor, city attorney or BOS fight back when this lawsuit hit the most vulnerable in San Francisco? No. With the settlement of the second lawsuit, it was on track to smoothy pass the BOS until I brought it up last year, convincing former supervisor Dean Preston to vote NO on that settlement, which was specifically against the GIFT program. He swayed former president of the board Aaron Peskin and supervisor Shamann Walton to vote NO as well. This is the only legal resistance that I am aware of from the BOS on record against these conservative lawsuits.
Watching how SF government abandoned and sacrificed our most suffering residents to the MAGA alter informed me how they’d respond to worse threats. Too little, too late, if ever. What will it take to reverse this cruel course?
Moving on…
251048 [Settlement of Unlitigated Claims - Ript Labs, Inc. - $435,014.22]
Resolution approving the settlement of the unlitigated claims filed by Ript Labs, Inc. against the City and County of San Francisco for $435,014.22; the claims were filed on July 22, 2025; the claims involve a refund of gross receipts and homelessness gross receipts taxes. (City Attorney)
Another company getting a refund from San Francisco for paying taxes directed towards helping the homeless. $435,014.22. Gross, indeed.
251083 [Behested Payment Waiver - Economic Revitalization Efforts] Sponsors: Mayor; Sherrill
Resolution authorizing a six-month waiver of the City’s Behested Payments Ordinance for the Mayor, members of the Mayor’s Office, and the Executive Director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development to solicit donations from nonprofits, private organizations, grantmakers, foundations, and other persons and entities for the purpose of supporting the continued economic revitalization of San Francisco, pursuant to Section 3.620(f) of the Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code. (Supervisor Fielder dissented in committee.)
In the preceding Government Audit & Oversight Committee meeting where this was discussed, due to how non-cooperative and cagey the mayor’s office was acting over questions regarding renewal of their behested payment waiver privilege, Chair Fielder voted NO, not wanting to send this to the full BOS. However two of the mayor’s YES MEN, Sauter and Sherill, voted YES, overpowering her sole NO vote.
In the full BOS meeting here, Supervisor Fielder continued the fight. Fielder outlined how she asked representatives of the mayor for transparency on who they had been soliciting for this economic revitalization, among other reasonable questions to hold the people wielding this power accountable. The mayor’s office was not cooperative at all and did not answer her questions. They just wanted her YES vote, though didn’t need it. It turns out the mayor’s office had already put out publicly that billionaires Chris Larsen and Ron Conway are just two of the people that the mayor has reach out to for this cause. Yet, again, the mayor’s office refused to relay that information to Supervisor Fielder. Supervisors Walton and Melgar voted NO alongside Fielder. The other eight supervisors voted YES, and so the mayor continues to wield this power without expectation of accountability nor transparency.
251107 [Behested Payment Waiver - Temporary Shelter and Homeless Services] Sponsors: Mayor; Mandelman
However, there was little resistance to renewing behested payment waivers for the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. Fielder found the department cooperative so she voted YES. Supervisor Walton had strong criticism of the department and how the mayor was treating his district:
Supervisor Walton: As we all know the mayor has a horrible track record with his king making policies to oversaturate District 10 and other districts with all issues around homelessness. So there’s no way I would support him soliciting resources to continue to steamroll my district. So I definitely will not be supporting this king making decision surprise, surprise.
It’s extremely disheartening to see no other supervisor stand up with Walton on this issue. Why don’t they fucking care about Black communities too? Why don’t they show some god damn solidarity with him? Shame on these 10 supervisors for not having some integrity and solidarity with D10.
These next few pieces of legislation further criminalize and punish BIPOC people and vulnerable people, all passing unanimously.
250983 [Police Code - Vehicle Sideshows] Sponsors: Sauter; Mandelman, Sherrill and Dorsey
Ordinance amending the Police Code to increase the fine for misdemeanor convictions for sideshow offenses from a maximum of $500 to a maximum of $1,000
251051 [Public Works, Port Codes - Enhanced Enforcement for Vending Targeted Merchandise Without a Permit] Sponsors: Mayor; Dorsey, Mandelman, Sauter and Sherrill
Ordinance amending the Public Works Code in accordance with California Senate Bill 276 (2025) to authorize the enforcement of vending permit requirements through warnings, infractions, misdemeanors, and fines up to $1,000 for vending certain types of merchandise that are common targets of retail theft…
250991 [Prioritize Public Safety Response to Drug Activity Near Parks, Playgrounds, and Schools] Sponsors: Sherrill; Dorsey and Sauter
Resolution urging the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) to develop and implement a comprehensive enforcement and intervention plan to address drug use or suspected drug activity especially within 250 feet of parks, playgrounds, schools, and youth centers including issuing citations, conducting assessments, and removing individuals for processing or detoxification services.
SPECIAL ORDER 3:00 P.M.
200777 [Hearing - Committee of the Whole - Update on Findings and Recommendations Regarding Law Enforcement Practices - December 2, 2025, at 3:00 p.m.]
SFPD gave an update on their 272 reforms requested by the Department of Justice in 2016. So mind you the current state of SFPD is after 9 years of them trying their darndest to be better. Personally nothing the police do will change my stance on them, except for ceasing to exist. I’ll applaud their abolishment and that’s the only time I’ll applaud for anything police-related. We’ve heard again and again the history of modern police, how they originated in slave catching. I now tell people to imagine if the future police spring from today’s ICE. That may help people understand how this bigotry and violence cannot be reformed.
In my neighborhood police shoot people and their dogs. In my neighborhood the federal agencies teams up with ICE to capture people and deport people.
In my neighborhood the police drive on the literal sidewalks with their SUVs, lights flashing just after the sun sets, multiple street corners within view flashing those red and blue lights.
In my neighborhood one night, a Spanish-speaking man of color delivering food to me was pulled over by the police. I ran out to cop watch, regretting my splurge.
Supervisors Walton and Fielder asked SFPD some questions regarding how SFPD improved or rectified racial misreporting on certain arrest records. Their answers did not convince me that the issue had been fixed, and did not seem to satisfy the supervisors. We were assured the officer caught do that was dealt with, though details on how were not shared. The end.
240637, 250966, 250700 Family Zoning Plan—A Fascist YIMBY Misogynist Shitshow
Why did I add “fascist” here? Because of the personal attack supervisors Sauter and Mahmood launched against Supervisor Chan, a Chinese woman who has been resisting this plan since before the papers were reporting on it. She is also running for Congress against state senator Scott Wiener of whom Sauter and Mahmood are strong allies. A key element of fascism is ditching open dialogue and free exchange of ideas, instead employing doubling down and attacks instead. I say this in conjunction with the toxic, dangerous local environment of technofascist billionaire, pro-police, white male-supremacist, anti-science, anti-trans, anti-queer, ableist folks who’ve BEEN attacking folks in SF (ahem) who don’t agree with their ideologies. That’s what I witnessed in these legislative chambers. 48 Hills has a nice summary here. The attack on Chan continued throughout the week with President of the Board Mandelman, another Wiener ally, jumping in. The SF Chronicle reported on that here. Bottom line: mayor Lurie got the fantastical YIMBY Family Zoning Plan through the BOS.
While this plan was being debated, an old man sat next to me. I learned he lives outside SF but has two SF properties. He wanted this plan passed so he could develop his properties into multi-story properties. Did I mention one property is rent-controlled so he hasn’t rented it out in 10 years, preferring it to stay empty than let tenants with rights in? The other is an AirBNB. I asked if the neighbors would mind the changes to the properties. “It doesn’t matter. They can’t do anything about it.” How neighborly. Don’t set your sights on on day owning his properties. He’s going to put them in a trust for his grandkids. Make of this what you will. I see it as an example of the enabled greed holding SF back from being a caring, healthy society.
Public Comment
I have been vociferous in my various protests and condemnations because sometimes the only recourse left for the disempowered is our voice. That’s why I started this Substack to begin with. I felt no one in the media or City Hall or elsewhere would listen to me or take me seriously. This public comment was for me but one day maybe the government or SF Democrats will come into your home to spread their rhetoric and push their agenda. Will you be able to say no?
[I distributed the AI Researched Report on District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey: From Police Spokesperson to Supervisor to the BOS]
“You know, San Francisco loves AI and someone I know created this report using AI so I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know if there is any, you know, any untrue stuff as we know AI makes factual errors.
So I don’t know how you feel about the sanctity of your home being allowed to control who enters your home. For many people, especially BIPOC LGBTQ+ people, your home is literally your only sanctuary from society. My home is in a building complex and the front doors to the lobby are where I control to allow access— including access to the government—in general. They need a warrant for me—to force their way past those two doors, and many times those doors have been the only safety I get from men stalking my wife and myself down Market Street, repeatedly. Because if you’re a lesbian or trans or trans lesbians, guess what? That’s a part of everyday life, being stalked by men. Scary stuff. So, you know, through no fault of the board, of the board of supervisors, this one here who represents me [pointing to Supervisor Dorsey] will be entering my building without my personnel consent. But these are decisions made beyond my control. I am just here to express myself as a resident of San Francisco, a homeowner of San Francisco who pays a lot of money for that one little piece of sanctuary expressing my displeasure at having my government and also an elected SF DCCC person enter my sanctuary against my will, and that’s all I really have to say about that.”
*I have been trying to all week to get this post finished. Life has been extra trying so I’m glad to finally wrap this up. Sending y’all warm, cozy holiday cheer.*