Supervisors weigh $2M–$3.5M relief package for businesses hit by APEC and MTA construction

The Budget and Finance Committee on Feb. 7 heard extensive public testimony from merchants and cultural organizations seeking city relief after APEC and recent SFMTA construction disrupted customer traffic.

Supervisor Dorsey and Chair Chan described outreach that documented business losses in SoMa, Chinatown and along Taraval, and proposed using unspent APEC reserve funds to create a one‑time relief grant program. OEWD staff (Sarah Dennis Phillips and Diana Ponce de Leon) recommended a straightforward grant that could deliver quick payments — roughly $8,000–$10,000 per impacted business — and suggested using an existing grant provider contract to expedite distribution.

Rob Malone of SFMTA said the agency implemented two‑hour free parking at Portsmouth Square Garage for February and planned to track usage; he estimated foregone revenue for the proposed waivers would be roughly in the low‑hundreds of thousands. Nick Menard of the Budget Analyst’s Office calculated the packet’s original cost estimate for transit and parking waivers at about $336,000 (slightly higher than the $250,000 placed in the ordinance) and recommended OEWD report back on grant rules and recipient counts.

Dozens of small business owners from Terravel (Taraval) and SoMa described sharp declines in sales, lost payroll and rent struggles. After discussion the chair proposed amendments that increased the proposed total — including raising MTA’s allocation and expanding OEWD’s relief pool — and moved to continue the item for one week so the city attorney can finalize amended language. The committee voted to continue the item to Feb. 14.