Supervisors press HSH to speed release of $10M SRO elevator fund after repeated delays

San Francisco supervisors on April 18 pushed the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) to accelerate distribution of a $10 million capital fund set aside to modernize elevators in privately owned supportive housing SROs.

Chair Dean Preston opened Item 2 by recounting a string of missed deadlines: HSH had earlier told the Board a NOFA would issue in February 2023, then in summer 2023, then by year-end 2023. The notice was ultimately posted on Feb. 16, 2024, only after media inquiries, supervisors said.

Deputy Director Emily Cohen (HSH) said the NOFA is targeted to privately owned buildings leased to nonprofit operators; eligibility requires a 50% owner match, at least five years remaining on a lease or an extension, and physical readiness so a $500,000 city award will be durable. HSH said 38 SROs in its supportive-housing portfolio are eligible and the $10M will likely fund 1020 projects. HSH described necessary legal review, owner commitments, lease renegotiations and staffing shortages as primary causes of delay. Cohen said proposals will be due May 16, 2024, awards announced in summer 2024 and contracts entered in the fall of 2024.

Supervisors pressed HSH on whether the agency could use emergency procurement, contracting waivers or direct awards to start urgent work immediately. Supervisor Connie Chan argued the city could have used other tools to speed repairs in buildings with acute safety concerns and urged HSH to require deadlines in award agreements so work begins promptly.

HSH officials agreed to review internal review timelines and to provide the Board with more specific contracting milestones. Tom Paulino from the Mayor's Office said the mayor supports expediting work and asked HSH to tighten deadlines where possible.

Public commenters, including SRO residents, tenant advocates and the Elevator Constructors Union, described daily harms from prolonged elevator outages: disabled residents carried up and down stairs, repeated firefighter rescues, missed medical care, and mental-health impacts. Elevator mechanics said local capacity exists to perform the work and called on the city to release funds and create ready-to-work contracts.

Committee action: The committee voted to continue Item 2 to the call of the chair and asked HSH to return with a tightened timeline and clearer contract milestones, including suggested contractual start-date requirements and prioritization for projects able to begin work most quickly.

What to watch: HSH's promised follow-up should include an updated schedule for awards and contracting, a plan for obligating money more quickly where elevators present immediate safety risks, and written commitments from landlords whose lease extensions are relied on by applicants.