Legislation

This ordinance extends the waiver of certain first-year fees for permits, licenses, and business registrations for eligible small businesses until June 30, 2026. It applies to businesses that are newly formed or opening a new location in San Francisco.

Ordinance amending the Business and Tax Regulations Code to extend, through June 30, 2026, the waiver of certain first-year permit, license, and business registration fees for specified small businesses that newly form or that open a new location.

The ordinance creates a temporary amnesty program for properties with violations, allowing them to be recognized as noncomplying structures while waiving associated fees and penalties. It also streamlines the application process for these properties and requires certification of their existing conditions.

Ordinance amending the Planning Code to: create a time-limited amnesty program for properties listed on the Department of Building Inspection’s Internal Quality Control Audit and subject to a Notice of Violation; consider those properties as noncomplying structures and nonconforming uses following certification; and waive fees and penalties associated with the Planning Department’s review of requests for amnesty, and refund any fees and penalties already paid by amnesty projects; amending the Building Code to: require certification of existing conditions for amnesty projects; prohibit expansion or intensification of non-complying amnesty structures; create a streamlined process for reviewing amnesty project applications; and waive fees associated with amnesty projects, and refund any fees and penalties already paid by amnesty projects; affirming the Planning Department’s determination under the California Environmental Quality Act; making findings of consistency with the General Plan, and the eight priority policies of Planning Code, Section 101.1; and making findings of necessity and convenience under Planning Code, Section 302.

This ordinance allows for the repair and relocation of certain existing structures that do not comply with current zoning laws, grants noncomplying status to unpermitted residential structures built before 2003, and permits accessory structures up to 10 feet tall and 120 square feet without needing a building permit. It also confirms that these changes align with environmental regulations and the city's planning priorities.

Ordinance amending the Planning Code to provide conditions for repair and relocation of existing noncomplying structures within required yards, grant unpermitted residential structures within yards that were constructed before 2003 noncomplying status, and allow accessory structures up to 10 feet in height and 120 square feet within required yards; amending the Building Code to exempt accessory structures up to 120 square feet from building permits; affirming the Planning Department’s determination under the California Environmental Quality Act; making findings of consistency with the General Plan, and the eight priority policies of Planning Code, Section 101.1; and making findings of public necessity, convenience, and welfare under Planning Code, Section 302.

The ordinance authorizes the City to settle a lawsuit with IBM for approximately $2.66 million, which includes claims for overpaid taxes from 2019 to 2022. This settlement resolves the legal dispute filed by IBM in October 2024.

Ordinance authorizing settlement of the lawsuit filed by International Business Machines Corporation against the City and County of San Francisco for $2,659,826.83 plus interest; the lawsuit was filed on October 28, 2024, in San Francisco Superior Court, Case No. CGC-24-619318; entitled International Business Machines Corporation v. City and County of San Francisco; the lawsuit involves claims for refund of payroll expense, gross receipts, homelessness gross receipts, and overpaid executive gross receipts taxes paid to the City for the 2019 to 2022 tax years, plus interest.

This ordinance changes the reporting requirements for city-funded nonprofit organizations, applying them only to those receiving over $1,000,000 annually. It also reduces the amount of information they must provide and allows for redaction to protect personal information.

Ordinance amending the Administrative Code to change the Annual Economic Statement of City-Funded Organizations requirements to limit the application of nonprofit reporting requirements to organizations receiving more than $1,000,000 annually, reduce required information types, and permit redaction of information to avoid personal harm.

This ordinance allows the Tax Collector to waive certain taxes, penalties, and interest for unregistered taxpayers who voluntarily disclose and pay back taxes until December 31, 2027. It also permits the Tax Collector to charge fees for reviewing applications and providing advance determinations during the same period.

Ordinance amending the Business and Tax Regulations Code to authorize the Tax Collector to waive taxes, penalties, and/or interest under a program ending December 31, 2027, that allows unregistered taxpayers to voluntarily disclose and pay back taxes; and to authorize the Tax Collector to collect fees through December 31, 2027, for reviewing applications for and providing advance determinations to taxpayers.

This resolution allows the Department of Technology to enter a no-cost agreement with InnovateUS, where the City will provide feedback that InnovateUS can use for various purposes, including product development and marketing, for two years. It also permits the Director of the Department of Technology to make minor changes to the agreement as needed without increasing the City's obligations.

Resolution authorizing Department of Technology Chief Information Officer to enter a no cost Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) under which the City will provide feedback to InnovateUS and which will grant to InnovateUS a right to use the City’s feedback for any purpose, including the development, modification, marketing, or publicity of products or services, effective upon approval of this Resolution for a two year term; and to authorize the Director of Department of Technology to enter into amendments or modifications to the MOU that do not materially increase the obligations or liabilities to the City and are necessary to effectuate the purposes of the MOU or this Resolution.

This ordinance allows the Tax Collector to issue refunds for property taxes directly to the property owner if the refund amount is under $10,000 and the property has not changed ownership during the relevant fiscal year. It amends the Administrative Code to streamline this process.

Ordinance amending the Administrative Code to authorize the Tax Collector to refund property taxes to the assessee or latest recorded owner of the property if the amount of the refund is less than $10,000 and there has been no transfer of the property during or since the fiscal year for which the taxes to be refunded were levied.

This ordinance changes certain contract rules for electricity transactions, allowing for binding arbitration and increasing spending limits for energy procurements from $200 million to $300 million and revenue collection from $10 million to $300 million. It aims to streamline processes and enhance the city's energy procurement capabilities.

Ordinance amending the Administrative Code to modify the waivers of specified contract-related requirements in the Administrative, Labor and Employment, and Environment Codes for electricity and related product transactions, authorizing binding arbitration, and increasing the annual expenditure limit for energy procurements from $200 million to $300 million and the revenue collection limit from $10 million to $300 million.

This ordinance requires certain airport employers to make guaranteed health care payments for their workers based on household size, starting January 1, 2027. The payments will be tiered, meaning larger households will receive higher contributions.

Ordinance amending the Labor and Employment Code to revise the Healthy Airport Ordinance to require, beginning on January 1, 2027, that Contracting Parties employing certain airport workers make Irrevocable Health Care Expenditures on behalf of their employees at tiered rates reflecting the employee’s household size.

This resolution approves a contract for the purchase of 49 electric transit buses over four years, totaling up to $69,417,759.56, and allows for minor changes to the contract before it is finalized.

Resolution approving Contract No. 71100 between the City, acting by and through the Office of Contract Administration, and Gillig, LLC for the purchase of 49 40-foot low-floor electric transit buses, for a term of four years starting from December 1, 2024, through November 30, 2028, for a total not to exceed amount of $69,417,759.56; and to authorize the Purchaser to make necessary, non-material changes to the Contract before its execution.

This resolution allows the Recreation and Park Department to accept and use a $1,000,000 grant from the California State Coastal Conservancy for planning the Great Highway Promenade Project, covering the period from December 2024 to March 2027. It also gives the RPD General Manager the authority to make minor changes to the grant contract as needed without increasing the city's obligations.

Resolution retroactively authorizing the Recreation and Park Department (RPD) to accept and expend grant funds in the amount of $1,000,000 from the California State Coastal Conservancy for the Great Highway Promenade Planning Project, for a grant performance period from December 4, 2024, through March 31, 2027; retroactively approve the Grant contract with the Conservancy, pursuant to Charter, Section 9.118(b), and authorize the RPD General Manager to enter into amendments or modifications to the Grant contract that do not materially increase the obligations or liabilities to the City and are necessary to effectuate the purposes of the Grant contract or this Resolution.

This resolution allows the Recreation and Park Department to partner with BXP Embarcadero Plaza LP and other organizations to improve Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park, with funding of approximately $2.5 million for design and project management, and potential additional grants of up to $10 million for construction services. It also permits the department to make necessary adjustments to the agreement without increasing the city's obligations.

Resolution authorizing the Recreation and Park Department (RPD) to enter into an agreement with BXP Embarcadero Plaza LP (BXPE), the Downtown San Francisco Partnership, and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development regarding potential improvements and renovations at Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park; and to accept cash and in-kind grants from BXPE of approximately $2,500,000 for design and RPD project management services; and to accept potential additional grants of approximately $10,000,000 that could include cash grants from Downtown Community Benefit District (known as the Downtown San Francisco Partnership) or in-kind grants of construction services from BXPE, for the period starting on the execution date of the agreement through December 2028; and authorizing the RPD to enter into amendments or modifications to the agreement provided they do not materially increase the obligations or liabilities of the City and are necessary to effectuate the purposes of the Project or this Resolution.

This resolution allows certain affordable housing projects to access tax-exempt bond financing and tax credits if they provide more affordable units than required, while also exempting them from specific water use regulations. It also mandates the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development to report on these projects.

Ordinance amending the Planning Code to permit the use of California Debt Limit Allocation Committee tax-exempt bond financing and tax credits under the Tax Credit Allocation Committee for certain affordable housing projects that provide additional affordable units or deeper affordability levels than required by the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, and require the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development to report on such projects; amending the Health Code to exempt such affordable housing projects from compliance with the requirement that new buildings be constructed, operated, and maintained using alternate water sources for non-potable uses; affirming the Planning Department’s determination under the California Environmental Quality Act; making public necessity, convenience, and welfare findings under Planning Code, Section 302; and making findings of consistency with the General Plan and the eight priority policies of Planning Code, Section 101.1.

The ordinance updates various procurement and labor regulations for the City, including creating a new analysis authority, revising contract requirements, and repealing outdated provisions related to business with Burma and hiring practices. It also sets new thresholds for certain contract applications and includes sunset clauses for some regulations.

Ordinance amending the Administrative Code to 1) create a procurement legislative analysis authority for the City Administrator; 2) revise or create threshold dollar amounts for application of various contract requirements tied to the statutory Minimum Competitive Amount or statutory federal Single Audit Standard; 3) reorganize, standardize, and narrow Chapter 12F (relating to the MacBride Principles concerning Northern Ireland; including sunset of ordinance in 2036); 4) repeal Chapter 12J (relating to City business with Burma); and 5) narrow coverage of, and reduce meeting requirements in, Chapter 12L (relating to certain non-profit organizations receiving funds from the City); and amending the Labor and Employment Code to 6) reorganize, standardize, revise exemptions and waivers narrowing coverage, create threshold dollar amount for application tied to the statutorily based Minimum Competitive Amount, and update Article 131 (relating to nondiscrimination under City contracts; including sunset of ordinance in 2036) and repeal Article 132 (relating to nondiscrimination under City property contracts), while incorporating some of its provisions under Article 131; 7) reorganize, standardize, revise exemptions and waivers narrowing coverage, create a threshold dollar amount for application tied to the statutorily based Minimum Competitive Amount and update Article 151 (relating to City procurement of sweatfree goods); 8) repeal Article 141 (relating to salary history in the hiring process of City contractors), Article 142 (relating to criminal history in the hiring and employment process of City contractors), and Article 161 (relating to earned income credit forms for employees of City contractors).