Committee backs temporary waiver of banner fees for neighborhood nonprofits

The Government Audit & Oversight Committee approved a motion to send to the full Board an ordinance that would waive banner and inspection fees for qualifying nonprofit organizations in specified neighborhood commercial and neighborhood commercial transit districts through Dec. 31, 2026.

Supervisor Dean Preston said the narrow measure is in response to requests from small merchants and neighborhood groups whose banner fees — sometimes several hundred dollars — can be cost‑prohibitive. He thanked neighborhood merchant associations and City staff who helped draft technical amendments, which the committee adopted before forwarding the ordinance.

Nicholas Hough, Bureau Manager for the Public Works Bureau of Street Use and Mapping, told the committee that a standard banner permit costs $329 (for approximately 20 banners, prorated for fewer banners) and that the bureau issued 185 permits between 2021 and 2023 (about 60 per year). Public Works reported 33 permits in that period were issued to nonprofits (21 unique nonprofits) and estimated about seven nonprofits would meet the waiver criteria; excluding certain cultural districts the budgetary impact was estimated at about $9,000.

The ordinance was moved to the full Board with a positive recommendation.