California Construction News staff writer
Capital repairs at San Francisco’s Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG) and Laguna Honda Hospital (LHH) will be fully funded, Mayor London Breed has announced.
Through the legislative process, the Mayor will reprioritize $10 million within the Healthy, Safe and Vibrant San Francisco Bond proposal to allocate a total of $66 million towards critical infrastructure repairs at these two hospitals.
“Addressing long-deferred public health and safety capital infrastructure work has long been my top priority as an engaged member of the Capital Planning Committee, particularly coming out of the teachable moment of the pandemic,” said Board of Supervisors president Aaron Peskin. “Solving for adult psych facilities at S.F. General, a new Chinatown Public Health Center and City Clinic, and Laguna Honda Hospital renovations are not only equally critical but a testament to what the City can accomplish when we work collaboratively to creatively solve funding problems.
“I’m proud to move this package forward to the voters for consideration.”
As well, an additional $38.56 million investment for these two hospitals is included in Mayor Breed’s proposed budget.
The bond and budget will fund more than $104.5 million in capital improvements to ensure the safety and continuity of services and mitigate critical facility infrastructure issues that could impact ZSFG and Laguna Honda’s ability to maintain licensing, certification, and regulatory compliance as well as provide safe, efficient, and top-level care for thousands of individuals annually.
Deferring repairs would escalate costs and can lead to failures in our public health infrastructure.
“We know how important healthcare facilities like Laguna Honda Hospital are for San Francisco and the many patients and families it serves. The City has worked too hard to ensure continuity of services across our system of care, and we cannot let up on the significant progress we are making,” Breed said.
“This is a difficult budget cycle we are again facing, so it is critical that we utilize every resource available to us to invest in the necessary healthcare infrastructure improvements to protect our public health safety net – thousands of patients rely on it for top-tier care.”
In April, Breed proposed the Healthy, Safe and Vibrant San Francisco bond measure that will invest $205 million in ensuring safe, resilient, and accessible public health infrastructure. This includes renovating and expanding the Chinatown Health Clinic, which has more than 10,000 patient visits annually being served in a culturally competent manner, 80% of whom speak Cantonese, Mandarin, or Toishanese as a primary language.
The bond will also invest in San Francisco City Clinic, which has served the community for over 100 years, including providing sexual-health services and support for LGTBQ+ individuals and women.
As proposed by Mayor Breed, the $390 million bond funding would be spread across four main categories:
- Strengthening public health infrastructure projects like Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Laguna Honda Hospital, Chinatown Health Clinic and San Francisco City Clinic
- Investing in shelter and housing for homeless families
- Delivering street safety improvements and road repaving citywide
- Supporting public space and park improvements projects, like Harvey Milk Plaza, Hallidie Plaza, and more
Additionally, the Mayor’s proposed two-year budget for Fiscal Years 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 continues to prioritize funding to improve and expand medical services, including mental and behavioral health services, expanded funding for street response, navigation services, medication-assisted treatment, piloting new, culturally congruent substance use treatment initiatives, and sober living housing.
The Bond has been formally introduced at the Board of Supervisors, where it would need eight votes for approval. It was approved by the Capital Planning Committee. If ultimately passed by the full Board of Supervisors with the necessary eight votes, it will go on the November ballot where it will need the approval of two-thirds of the voters.
Beginning next week, the Board of Supervisors Budget and Appropriations Committee will hold hearings and review the City’s two-year budget, before ultimately forwarding it to the full Board for approval.
The deadline for the Mayor to sign the fully approved budget is by Aug. 1.
