Mayor Breed Under Pressure from the Supervisors Agrees to Prop I Funding for Rent Relief

The pandemic and economic recession have left thousands of San Francisco tenants unable to pay their rent, a burden disproportionately carried by black and brown renters. At the same time, corporate landlords have amassed billions of dollars in wealth that they plan to use to buy up more property during a recession.

In November 2020, voters approved Proposition I to tax the largest real estate transactions to fund emergency rent relief and affordable, social housing. The Board of Supervisors also unanimously passed a resolution dedicating the revenues from Prop I for these purposes. Mayor London Breed recently refused to commit to using Prop I funds for rent relief and social housing. This is clearly contrary to the will of both the voters and the Board of Supervisors, and it would leave struggling San Franciscans with mounting rental debts.

Supervisor Preston with the Anti-Displacement Coalition (which includes the SF Tenants Union) convinced eight of the San Francisco Supervisors (enough to override a mayoral veto) to use Prop I funding for rent relief and affordable housing as intended and so Mayor Breed finally agrees.