Building Inspection Commission unanimously recommends DBI budget after public appeals to retain SRO services

The Building Inspection Commission voted unanimously Feb. 14 to recommend submitting the Department of Building Inspection’s proposed two‑year budget to the mayor’s office after a presentation by Deputy Director Alex Koskinen.

Koskinen told commissioners the department is proposing a two‑year budget that reflects a projected revenue decline and operational shifts. “We are projecting a reduction in our revenue of about 18%,” he said, and described an intended $33.8 million use of fund balance in the first year and programmatic de‑appropriations and technical reclassifications to close the gap.

The proposal includes staffing substitutions — upgrading permit technician II roles to permit technician III — and several new positions intended to meet the mayor’s directive to halve permit approval times. Koskinen said some changes are technical reassignments of FTEs between divisions and that DBI is not proposing layoffs.

Why it matters: public commenters pressed the commission to preserve community‑based outreach and tenant‑support programs that rely on DBI funding. A string of speakers from Chinatown, tenants and community organizers urged the commission not to cut the SRO Families United Collaborative, describing cases where organizers helped secure repairs, restore hot water and address safety hazards in single‑room occupancy buildings.

“I hope the Department of Building Inspection will allow SRO Families United Collaborative to stay in DBI’s budget and will not reduce the budget for SRO families,” said Amy Dai of Chinatown Community Development Center. Other speakers gave specific examples — clogged toilets, long waits for repairs, and hazards fixed after organizer intervention — and asked commissioners to keep the program’s funding unchanged.

Commission and staff response: Commissioners repeatedly asked whether community‑based organization grants would be affected. Koskinen said the $5.2 million in CBO grants shown in the presentation remains “untouched” in the proposal and that DBI intends to continue funding those services at the same level. Commissioners also sought and received clarification that certain reductions shown on division line items reflect internal reclassifications rather than cuts to front‑line services.

Action: After public comment and commissioner questions, President Beto moved — and Vice President Tam seconded — a motion to recommend submitting DBI’s proposed budget to the mayor’s office. The motion passed by roll call vote with all commissioners voting yes.

What’s next: Koskinen said DBI will submit the budget to the mayor next week and will continue working with the Controller’s Office and the mayor’s budget staff as the results of an anticipated fee study become available; the fee study, he said, could change revenue assumptions and reduce reliance on fund balance.

The commission’s recommendation does not finalize the city budget; the mayor’s office and other steps in the mayor/Board of Supervisors process remain.