Props L and M Would Shift Authority from Mayor to Board of Supervisors

By Dan Gershwin on November 7, 2016

Members of the Board of Supervisors have proposed two important Propositions for the November ballot that would amend the City Charter and shift authority over certain City agencies and Departments from the Mayor’s Office to the Board of Supervisors.

Prop L

Currently, the Mayor appoints all seven directors of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), subject to Board of Supervisors confirmation. Under Prop L, the Mayor would appoint four directors, and the Board would appoint the remaining three. In addition, a simple six-vote majority of the Board would be required to reject the SFMTA’s budget, which is presented to the Board every two years. Under current law, seven votes are required to reject the budget.

Prop M

Prop M would take two offices that are under the Mayor’s control—the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) and the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD)—and turn them into City departments under the oversight of a new Housing and Development Commission. That Commission would be made up of seven members, three appointed by the Mayor, three appointed by the Board, and one appointed by the City Controller. The Commission would have appointment and removal power over the heads of the two new departments.

The Commission would additionally provide recommendations to the Board of Supervisors regarding:

Surplus real property conveyances;
Development agreements where the Department of Economic and Workforce Development participated in negotiations; and
Ordinances setting or changing affordable housing requirements.

The Controller’s analysis predicts that Prop L would have a minimal cost impact, while Prop M would cost the City approximately $210,000 per year. Supervisor Yee is listed on the City’s Department of Elections website as the proponent argument author for Prop L, and Supervisor Weiner is listed as the opponent argument author. For Prop M, Supervisor Peskin is listed as the proponent argument author, and Senator Feinstein is listed as the opponent argument author.