Supervisors advance commercial rent‑relief fund after extensive small‑business testimony

Chair Matt Haney and Supervisor Asha Safaei pressed the Budget & Finance Committee on Sept. 15 to move legislation creating a commercial rent‑relief grant program to the full Board with a positive recommendation.

The ordinance would establish a framework for a grant program aimed at negotiating back rent between landlords and small businesses, pay unpaid rent directly, and pay third‑party negotiators. Safaei told the committee the city should seed the program with $25 million and offer grants and forgiveness options, with individual grants in the proposed range of $25,000 to $35,000 for qualifying businesses. "We believe the right number is $25,000,000 to put into this fund," Safaei said, framing the proposal as a targeted measure to save corridors and jobs across every district.

Supervisor Safaei and administration staff said the fund would be administered by the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) if money were appropriated. OEWD staff confirmed they are discussing internal implementation plans and that third‑party negotiators are already under contract for related work; the department said it would prepare to scale up administration if the Board and mayor provide funding.

The committee heard more than an hour of public comment from small‑business owners, merchant associations and labor and trade groups who described pandemic losses, high rents and mounting back rent. Speakers included neighborhood merchants, restaurant owners, and representatives of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association and several building trades unions; many urged grant‑based relief rather than loans. Helen Bean of the Tenderloin Community Benefit District said the measure is “completely necessary for our businesses community to survive.”

Budget analysts and supervisors said the request responds to an urgent timeline: the commercial eviction moratorium is scheduled to expire Sept. 30. Committee members thanked Safaei for convening stakeholders and said they would continue discussions with the mayor’s office on funding. The committee voted to forward the item to the full Board with a positive recommendation.

Next steps: The item will be considered by the full Board of Supervisors; funding details were not included in the committee motion and must be resolved before grants can be distributed.