A Guide to Measures on the February-March 2020 San Francisco Ballot

There are five measures on the ballot for a San Francisco election to be held in February-March 2020. 

Measures can be placed on the ballot in three ways:

  • By a vote by the Board of Supervisors or another agency, such as the Board of Education or Community College Board

  • Submitted by the Mayor or four Supervisors

  • By the initiative process with a sufficient number of voter signatures

Of the current measures, one was proposed by the City College Board of Trustees, three by the Mayor or Board of Supervisors, and one by a signature-gathering initiative.

Proposition A: City College Job Training, Repair and Earthquake Safety Measure

Summary: 

  • Allows San Francisco Community College District to issue $845,000,000 in bonds.

  • The funds will be used, among other uses, to:

    • Repair, make seismic upgrades, and increase the energy efficiency of City College facilities.

    • Update facilities that provide vocational training in science, technology, and engineering. 

    • Replace current child-care facilities at CCSF.

  • Principal and interest payments will total $1.5B. This will be paid for by a property tax of 1.1¢ per $100 of assessed value, ending in 2053.

  • Requires 55% majority support to pass. 

Details:

Proposition B: Earthquake Safety and Emergency Response Bond

Summary:

  • Allows San Francisco to issue $628,500,000 in bonds, with funds used to improve fire, earthquake, and emergency response facilities.

  • Will be paid for by a property tax of 1.5¢ per $100 of assessed value. Landlords can pass the cost of ½ of the tax onto tenants.

  • Requires a two-thirds majority to pass.

Comment:

  • Property tax is a deductible business expense for landlords, so landlords will be paying a net smaller share of this tax than tenants, whose rent is not a deductible expense.

Details:

Proposition C: Retiree Health Care Benefits for Former Employees of the San Francisco Housing Authority

Summary:

  • Provides retiree health benefits to former employees and surviving spouses of the now defunct Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco. Although this is a straightforward issue, it is a Charter amendment and therefore has to go before the voters.

  • Requires simple majority to pass.

Details:

Proposition D: Vacancy Tax

Summary:

  • Imposes a tax on ground floor commercial properties that are vacant for more than 182 days in a year, other than those that are being actively renovated. 

  • Applies only to properties in Named Commercial Districts and Named Transit Districts, as shown in The City’s Zoning Use District Maps. (Supervisor Hillary Ronen has introduced an ordinance that will create additional commercial districts that will be covered by the vacancy tax.) 

  • Tax starts at $250 per year per foot of property width and increases to $1000 per foot for properties vacant for three or more years.

  • Non-profit organizations with 501(c)(3) status are exempt, but The City itself is not exempt. 

  • Funds collected will be used to assist in the maintenance and operation of small businesses in the City. The City Controller estimates that the tax would raise between $300,000 and $5M annually.

  • Requires a two-thirds majority support to pass.

  • Placed on the ballot by an 8-0 vote of the Board of Supervisors. The ordinance was sponsored by Supervisors Peskin, Ronen, Walton, and Haney.

Details: 

Further reading: 

Proposition E: Limits on Office Development

Summary:

  • San Francisco limits the amount of new office space that can be built each year.

  • Based on California law, the Association of Bay Area Governments determines the number of units of affordable housing for very-low, low and middle income families that each community must build.

  • San Francisco, like most of California, has failed to meet its goals for affordable housing.

  • This measure would reduce the limits for new office space by the percentage amount that The City fails to meet its affordable housing goals.

  • Does not affect 5.5M square feet of new offices that have already been approved under the Central SoMa Plan. Prohibits additional new office space in SoMa until at least 15,000 new homes (both market rate and affordable) have been built in SoMa.

  • Requires a simple majority to pass.

  • Placed on the ballot by a voter initiative funded by Tenants and Owners Development Corporation (TODCO).

Details:

Further reading: