This resolution urges state agencies to improve the CalEnviroScreen framework so that low-income urban neighborhoods in San Francisco can still qualify for important state grants. It also calls for a pause on any updates to the framework until there is meaningful consultation with local residents and advocacy groups.
Resolution urging the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) and Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) to refine the CalEnviroScreen framework to ensure dense, low-income urban neighborhoods in San Francisco retain their eligibility for essential State grants; and suspend any proposed updates on CalEnvrioScreen until robust consultation occurs with residents, community advocates, and environmental justice organizations in San Francisco.
How it got here
This legislation originated from concerns about the CalEnviroScreen framework's impact on San Francisco's low-income neighborhoods and their access to state funding.
The latest version of CalEnviroScreen altered scoring thresholds, potentially disqualifying certain low-income neighborhoods in San Francisco from being designated as 'disadvantaged communities'.
Supervisors Chan, Fielder, Dorsey, Mandelman, and Sauter introduced a resolution urging CalEPA and OEHHA to refine the CalEnviroScreen framework and suspend updates until community consultation occurs.
The resolution was prepared for the Board of Supervisors meeting scheduled for September 15, 2026, with supporting documents including the Environmental Justice Framework and the Climate Action Plan.
The resolution was referred for adoption without committee reference at the next Board meeting, indicating urgency in addressing the issue.
The resolution is currently pending adoption by the Board of Supervisors, highlighting ongoing efforts to ensure environmental justice for San Francisco's vulnerable communities.
Reconstructed from attached documents & the official record