July 27, 2022
A Message From The Supervisor:

I also want to thank the advocates and the departments for working collaboratively with us. In addition, I'd like to acknowledge the Mayor’s Budget Office, the Budget and Legislative Analyst, and the Controller for their excellent work.

I wanted to highlight a few key wins in the budget:

We were able to include subsidies for paraeducators to help support kids and families coming back to their classrooms, especially our students with learning differences.

With the cost of living rising and inflation skyrocketing, I fought for cost of living increases and raises for both City employees and our non-profit partners to retain staff and cover cost increases.

Throughout the pandemic, we implemented community hubs, food distribution sites, guaranteed income pilots and more. These items continue in the Board’s spending plan.

The pandemic exposed what many of us have long known—that San Francisco’s middle class is being squeezed and that there is a tale of two cities in San Francisco. So, this budget continues real investments in meaningful ways even as the City lost federal aid that supported many of the investments.

Our neighborhood commercial corridors and downtown core have both suffered greatly in this pandemic with closures and increases in vacant storefronts – this budget provides funding to assist both.

We made critical investments in public safety, and in a big priority for me increased our Park Rangers and preserved SFPD academy classes.

We want people to be seen and respected for who they are. My office worked with transgender advocacy groups to ensure that their priorities stayed in the budget. At a time when attacks on trans people and their rights are on the rise across the country, we have to ensure that San Francisco invests in and uplifts the transgender community.

Since the leak and subsequent egregious decision of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, I’ve worked with my colleagues to do what we can to protect reproductive choice and bodily autonomy. I’m happy to see security for reproductive health and direct services funded.

Our budget shows what our San Francisco values are – at a time of national discord we are committed to ensuring that San Francisco is welcoming place and a safe haven for all.Now, we will get to work implementing this budget and its priorities.

As a reminder, the Board of Supervisors will be on recess starting August 1, 2022 until September 5, 2022. Our office will still remain accessible to the public through telephone, email, virtual meeting or in person via appointment.  We are available by email: safaistaff@sfgov.org or by phone 415-554-6976 (leave a message and we will call you back). You can also check for updates on my  Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. 

Please note - if you miss my weekly newsletter, you may find it later on the Board of Supervisor’s website. Click HERE to read past newsletters.

Sincerely,

San Francisco has a significant number of monkeypox cases and lacks sufficient vaccine supply for the number of people who need the vaccine. Given the rapid increase in cases, and in accordance with guidance being developed at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the strategy of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) is to prioritize first doses for at-risk people until adequate vaccine supply is received.    
 
SFDPH and vaccine partners will prioritize first dose of Jynneos vaccine to as many at-risk people as possible and will defer second dose appointments until sufficient supply is received. Given the rapid increase of cases and very limited number of vaccines, this strategy will allow more people to receive a dose. This approach is endorsed by the CDPH and is consistent with approaches taken by New York City, the United Kingdom and Canada.  This decision is based on the available scientific evidence, the accelerating outbreak, the high number of eligible people and extreme shortage of Jynneos vaccine nationally.   
 
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,  Jynneos is indicated for prevention of smallpox and monkeypox disease in adults. However, since no vaccine is 100 percent effective, it is important for individuals to reduce their risk of potential exposures to monkeypox both before and after being vaccinated.  
 
Demand for vaccine is high and supply extremely limited. This week, San Francisco received just 4,164 doses from the federal stockpile via CDPH. To date, only 7,700 doses have been allotted to San Francisco. SFDPH requested 35,000 doses to begin to meet the need.    
 
SFDPH and vaccine partners will notify the community when vaccine supply is available for second doses to complete the vaccine series.  If a person receives one dose, a second dose can be administered without having to restart the series, even if the second dose is given after the minimum interval of four weeks.   
 
San Francisco has currently identified 141 cases of monkeypox to date but anticipates more cases will occur. SFDPH will continue to keep the public updated on vaccine supplies and other resources, such as testing and treatment, that are essential to curbing the spread of monkeypox and protecting the community.    
 
In addition to vaccine, prevention measures offer some level of protection. These include avoiding close physical contact if sick, especially if there is a new or unexpected rash or sore. For those who choose to have sex while sick, it is best to avoid kissing and other face-to-face contact. Also, sores should be covered with clothing or sealed bandages. This may help reduce — but not eliminate — the risk of transmission. Cleaning hands, sex toys, and bedding before and after sex or other intimate activities is advised. When making plans, people should consider the level of risk. Having sex or other intimate contact with multiple or anonymous people can increase risk of exposure.  
 
For more information on monkeypox in SF, including eligibility for vaccine, case counts, vaccine locations and ways to avoid infection visit: sf.gov/monkeypox. If you are a provider, please visit here for important information for your patients.   

• Click HERE for San Francisco guidance, updates and outreach materials
• Click HERE for Q&A from CDPH
• Click HERE for information on monkeypox from the CDC
• Click HERE for guidance on social gatherings and safer sex from the CDC 

1. Most importantly: stay up to date on your COVID-19 vaccinations (vaccination plus booster, if eligible). This is your first layer of defense against the virus, preventing serious illness and hospitalization. 
2. Keep rapid COVID-19 test kits on hand. There are options to receive free test kits from the federal program, through health systems and community organizations, or be reimbursed by insurance.  
3. Keep masks handy – you may need them during times of high community spread, or when the situation requires. N95s/KN95s or double mask, cloth over surgical, are best.  
4. Plan ahead in case you or a loved one becomes infected. For example, you may need a care plan for a child, or a work plan to cover your work duties.  
5. Know how to reach a doctor. If you are at high risk for serious illness, you may be eligible for COVID-19 medicine, but you must take it within days of onset of symptoms.  
6. Stay informed. Follow COVID news updates and health guidance through reliable and trusted sources of information, such as your local health department (SFDPH) and other government websites 

• Age 65 or older 
• Pregnant 
• Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated
• 12 or older and have these common medical conditions  
  
  Read more about COVID medicines and resources available here. 

• ZSFG (1001 Potrero Ave, Bldg 30)  
• Southeast Health Center (2401 Keith Street) 
• Chinese Hospital (845 Jackson Street)
• Kaiser Clinic (2350 Geary Blvd)
• Mission Wellness Pharmacy (2424 Mission St.)
• HealthRight 360 (Ages 18+, 1563 Mission St.) 
• All DPH neighborhood events and sites

M Oceanview Transit and Safety Project

Muni Service Expansion

• Linking neighborhoods in our Muni Service Equity Strategy to essential destinations like hospitals, food hubs and neighborhood commercial corridors
• Adapting to changing travel patterns
• Getting the most out of the Muni system and system-wide improvements

• The 2 Sutter will come back with a modified route between the Ferry Plaza and the Jewish Community Center food hub. For service to Clement Street, customers can take the 1 California, which travels one block north of Clement Street.
• The 6 Haight-Parnassus will come back with its full pre-pandemic route.
• The 21 Hayes will come back from St. Mary’s Hospital to Grove and Hyde Streets near the Main Library. Customers can take any of the routes serving Market Street for downtown service.
• Other modified or extended bus routes include the 23 Monterey, 28 19th Avenue, 43 Masonic, 49 Van Ness, 52 Excelsior, 57 Parkmerced, 58 Lake Merced and 66 Quintara.
• Due to changing trip patterns, the L Taraval Bus will also be shortened to run between the SF Zoo and West Portal Station with increased frequency every 8 minutes on weekdays and every 10 minutes on weekends. Customers can connect to the Muni Metro for downtown service at West Portal Station. This change comes as a high number of L Bus riders are already choosing to transfer to the Metro for a fast ride downtown. This allows the SFMTA to increase L Bus frequency and redirect some additional resources to reduce crowding on other routes.