San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has signed an ordinance creating a new “Reparations Fund” aimed at addressing past discrimination and displacement of Black residents in the city. The ordinance was quietly signed just two days before Christmas, following approval by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors earlier in December.
While the move sets up the legal structure for the fund, it does not provide any city money at this time and does not guarantee any payments. The fund could allow eligible Black residents to receive up to $5 million each in the future, according to recommendations from the San Francisco African American Reparations Advisory Committee (AARAC).
Currently, the city is facing a $1 billion budget deficit, and Mayor Lurie said that taxpayer funds will not be used to finance the program.
READ ALSO | Zohran Mamdani’s 8 Key Promises To New Yorkers As Mayor
The ordinance outlines how the fund could operate, relying on private donations, foundations, and other non-city sources. Any use of taxpayer money would require separate legislation and approval by the mayor. The fund is designed to provide restitution, compensation, and rehabilitation to Black residents or descendants of people who were enslaved, as well as to those who have suffered proven harm while living in San Francisco.
The AARAC report, which informed the ordinance, highlights long-term harm caused by city policies, including residential displacement and racial discrimination, and suggests financial compensation as one possible remedy. About 46,000 Black residents currently live in San Francisco, according to US Census data.
What Will Reparations Fund Provide?
The AARAC report includes several proposals beyond a one-time $5 million payment. These suggestions include creating a guaranteed annual income based on the area’s median income and setting up a city-run Office of Reparations to oversee the program. The report also recommends housing support, such as rental assistance, help with homeownership, and city-backed funds to purchase property along Black business corridors.
In addition, millions of dollars could be invested into Black-owned businesses across San Francisco. The goal is to address systemic harm and provide long-term economic support for the city’s Black community.
READ ALSO | Who Is Jumaane D Williams? New York City Public Advocate Takes Oath For Another Term
Mayor Lurie stressed that San Francisco’s financial recovery is a priority. “I was elected to drive San Francisco’s recovery, and that’s what I’m focused on every day,” Lurie said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“We are not allocating money to this fund, with a historic $1 billion budget deficit, we are going to spend our money on making the city safer and cleaner.”
While the ordinance allows the legal framework for reparations, it does not promise immediate payments or allocate any city funding, according to Newsweek report.
