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Ordinance#251216Passed
In plain English

The ordinance calls for a special election on June 2, 2026, to ask San Francisco voters if the city can borrow up to $535 million for improvements to public safety facilities, including the Emergency Firefighting Water System and police infrastructure. It also allows landlords to pass on 50% of any resulting property tax increase to residential tenants.

Ordinance calling and providing for a special election to be held in the City and County of San Francisco on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, for the purpose of submitting to San Francisco voters a proposition to incur bonded indebtedness of up to $535,000,000 to finance the construction, acquisition, improvement, rehabilitation, renovation, expansion, and seismic retrofitting of the Emergency Firefighting Water System, Firefighting Facilities and Infrastructure, Police Facilities and Infrastructure, transportation facilities for the Municipal Railway Bus Storage and Maintenance Facility at Potrero Yard, and other Public Safety Facilities and Infrastructure for earthquake and public safety and related costs necessary or convenient for the foregoing purposes (collectively, the “ESER Facilities”); authorizing landlords to pass-through 50% of the resulting property tax increase, if any, to residential tenants in accordance with Chapter 37 of the Administrative Code; finding that the estimated cost of such proposed ESER Facilities is and will be too great to be paid out of the ordinary annual income and revenue of the City and County and will require expenditures greater than the amount allowed therefor by the annual tax levy; reciting the estimated cost of such proposed ESER Facilities; fixing the date of election and the manner of holding such election and the procedure for voting for or against the proposition; fixing the maximum rate of interest on such bonds and providing for the levy and collection of taxes to pay both principal and interest; prescribing notice to be given of such election; finding that portions of the bond proposal are not a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and adopting findings under CEQA for the remaining portion of the bond proposal; finding that the bond proposal is in conformity with the eight priority policies of Planning Code, Section 101.1(b) and is consistent with the General Plan; consolidating the special election with the general election; establishing the election precincts, voting places, and officers for the election; waiving the word limitation on ballot propositions imposed by Municipal Elections Code, Section 510; complying with the restrictions on the use of bond proceeds specified in Section 53410 of the California Government Code; incorporating the provisions of the Administrative Code, Sections 5.30-5.36; and waiving the time requirements specified in Section 2.34 of the Administrative Code.

How it got here

The legislation for the Earthquake Safety and Emergency Response Bond originated from the need to enhance San Francisco's emergency response capabilities following previous seismic events.

1
Approval of Capital PlanApril 2025
Board of Supervisors

The Board approved the FY 2026-2035 Capital Plan, which included a schedule for planned debt and capital financing, setting the stage for the proposed bond.

BLA Rpt 011426
2
Amended Capital Plan ApprovalDecember 2025
Capital Planning Committee

The Capital Planning Committee approved an amended FY 2026-2035 Capital Plan, which included the Earthquake Safety and Emergency Response Bond, increasing its amount to $535 million.

BLA Rpt 011426
3
Introduction of Bond LegislationDecember 9, 2025
Mayor Daniel Lurie

Mayor Lurie introduced the ordinance for a special election to incur bonded indebtedness of up to $535 million for the ESER Facilities.

MYR Memo 120925
4
Meet and Confer DeterminationDecember 12, 2025
Department of Human Resources

The Department of Human Resources confirmed that the meet and confer requirement was not applicable for the proposed bond legislation.

DHR MaC Response 121225
5
CEQA DeterminationDecember 18, 2025
Planning Department

The Planning Department issued a CEQA determination, finding that portions of the bond proposal were not a project under CEQA, and adopted findings for the remaining portions.

CEQA Det 121825
6
Committee RecommendationJanuary 14, 2026
Budget and Finance Committee

The Budget and Finance Committee recommended the ordinance for the bond election, moving it forward for Board consideration.

Cmte Pkt 011426
7
Final Passage of OrdinanceFebruary 6, 2026
Board of Supervisors

The Board of Supervisors finally passed the ordinance calling for the special election on June 2, 2026.

Action history

Reconstructed from attached documents & the official record

Document trail
PDF ↗
Leg Dig Ver1
Official legislation text
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PLN Ltr 021324
SF Planning Department
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PLN Memo to File 102524
SF Planning Department
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Referral GO Bond PLN 121225
SF Planning Department
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CEQA Det 121825
Environmental review (CEQA)
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BLA Rpt 011426
Budget and Legislative Analyst
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Transmitted to Elections 021226
Departmental transmittal
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How they voted

Legislative journey

PresidentDec 9, 2025
ASSIGNED UNDER 30 DAY RULE
Clerk of the BoardDec 12, 2025
REFERRED TO DEPARTMENT
Human Resources DepartmentDec 16, 2025
·RESPONSE RECEIVED
Planning DepartmentDec 18, 2025
·RESPONSE RECEIVED
ControllerJan 7, 2026
·RESPONSE RECEIVED
Budget and Finance CommitteeJan 14, 2026
RECOMMENDEDPass
Board of SupervisorsJan 27, 2026 – Feb 3, 2026
PASSED ON FIRST READINGPass
FINALLY PASSEDPass
MayorFeb 6, 2026
APPROVED
Clerk of the BoardFeb 12, 2026
·TRANSMITTED