San Francisco DAS outlines budget priorities as city faces multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar gap

San Francisco’s Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS) presented a high‑level preview of its proposed two‑year budget to the DAS Commission on Feb. 1, as city officials grapple with a projected $200 million shortfall in fiscal 2023–24 and $527 million in fiscal 2024–25.

Dan Kaplan, deputy director for administration and finance at the Human Services Agency, told commissioners the DAS budget is funded by a mix of federal, state and local dollars — including 1991/2011 realignment funds and local Dignity Fund grants — and that about three‑fifths of DAS spending supports In‑Home Supportive Services (IHSS) programs. “The city is projecting a $200,000,000 deficit in the budget year, fiscal year 23‑24, and a $527,000,000 deficit in the second year of the biennium,” Kaplan said.

Kaplan said the mayor’s budget instructions call for agencies to propose 5% general‑fund reductions in the first year and 8% in the second year. For DAS and related HSA programs, that reduces to roughly $2 million in the first year. He said the agency does not plan to cut core services and will rely primarily on vacancy assumptions and internal adjustments to meet the reduction target: “We are not anticipating service cuts of any sort in order to meet this,” he said.

Kelly Dearman, DAS executive director, outlined program priorities that would shape where resources are directed if the budget is finalized as proposed. Dearman noted efforts to address the home‑care workforce shortage through added public‑authority staff and support for Homebridge, which recently raised wages and launched a digital recruitment campaign. She also highlighted an expanded Home Safe program in Adult Protective Services, which she said “has enrolled 215 older adults and/or adults with disabilities who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.”

Dearman and Kaplan described planning underway for the state’s new Care Court initiative, with San Francisco among seven pilot counties that will begin implementation in October. DAS staff said they are coordinating with the Department of Public Health and evaluating the likely need for increased conservatorship and money‑management capacity.

Commissioners sought detail on how the $2 million reduction would be achieved and how to explain line‑item figures to stakeholders. One commissioner representing veterans expressed concern that the county veteran services line appeared as “0%” in materials and requested clearer documentation of the $1.1 million in staffing costs and the broader benefits veterans receive from other DAS programs; Kaplan said staff will clarify how program benefits are apportioned across budget lines.

Kaplan outlined the timetable for adoption: DAS will return to the commission in two weeks with more detailed proposals, HSA will submit a proposed budget to the mayor on Feb. 21, the mayor will present to the Board of Supervisors on June 1, and the board is expected to vote in early July.

The informational presentation closed with commissioners thanking staff for the level of detail and for emphasizing that the proposed reductions would be managed to avoid service interruptions. The commission did not take an action vote on the budget itself at the meeting; commissioners were scheduled to review specific budget proposals at subsequent sessions.