Rules Committee appoints Mary Kate Bacalow and Jimmy Loyce to Local Homeless Coordinating Board

The Rules Committee voted unanimously April 4 to appoint Mary Kate Bacalow to seat 8 of the Local Homeless Coordinating Board and to confirm Jimmy Loyce for seat 9 (a controller nomination), following interviews and public comment emphasizing both lived experience and service-provider knowledge.

Bacalow, director of external affairs and policy at Compass Family Services and co-chair of HESPA, described deep experience managing public funding, HUD regulations and a focus on racial equity in homeless services. “I would consistently show up. I’d be prepared. I’d be thoughtful and collaborative,” she told the committee.

Why it matters: The Local Homeless Coordinating Board (LHCB) plays a role in strategic planning and advising the mayor and board about the local response to homelessness; committee members debated representation on the body (service providers and people with lived experience versus small-business and neighborhood voices) and how bylaws constrain appointments to certain categories.

Key applicants and public comment: Several applicants addressed their qualifications—Raymond (Gary) McCoy stressed lived experience and state-level homelessness council work; Mark Nagel (Rescue SF) emphasized resident representation and data-driven accountability; multiple providers and neighborhood advocates called in support of Bacalow and McCoy for different seats.

Committee action and votes: Chair Peskin proposed appointing Bacalow to seat 8 and confirming Loyce to seat 9 (Controller Rosenfield’s nomination); Supervisors Mandelmann and Chan supported the motion, which passed unanimously without objection. The chair said he would consult the mayor’s office about accommodating additional qualified candidates on mayoral seats when vacancies permit.

What’s next: Appointees will assume their roles on the LHCB as seats are formalized by the board and mayoral appointments where applicable; the chair will follow up with the mayor’s office about an additional vacancy that may be filled to broaden representation.