Supervisors forward retroactive $7 million CDSS grant for ‘SF Soul’ youth program

The Budget & Finance Committee on March 1 voted to forward to the full Board of Supervisors a retroactive resolution authorizing the Department on the Status of Women (DOSW) to accept a $7,000,000, three‑year grant from the California Department of Social Services for the SF Soul program.

DOSW program manager Nazini Bridal Foster told the committee the grant funds a suite of services — a home‑based care model called Family & Me, a coordinated response team to follow youth across placements, independent evaluation, and low‑barrier access through a multi‑service drop‑in site known as the Hype Center in Potrero. DOSW said the program builds on an earlier CDSS award and is designed to operate across all nine Bay Area counties.

Bridal Foster described the resolution as retroactive, attributing the timing to internal interagency delays. She estimated the program would serve roughly 36 to 50 youth in total identified as commercially exploited, with up to 300 participants accessing low‑barrier services at the Hype Center.

Public comment included Francesca Gonzales, executive director of Freedom Forward, a collaborative partner, who said her organization served roughly 20–25 young people in the Hype Center prevention model in the prior six months and urged committee approval.

The committee recorded three votes in favor — Vice Chair Rafael Mendelmann, Supervisor Asha Safaie and Chair Connie Chan — and moved the resolution to the full Board with a positive recommendation. The full Board will consider final approval on the March 7 agenda unless otherwise stated.

Next steps: the item will be scheduled for the Board of Supervisors on March 7 for final action.