Mayor lays out $446 million Covid-19 budget proposal

San Francisco Mayor London Breed Tuesday laid out a spending proposal specifically related to Covid-19. She also stressed the need for residents to follow local public health guidelines to mitigate the pandemic locally. 

In her proposed budget, The City would spend approximately $446 million toward Covid-19 response, which includes $16.5 million for emergency communications and operations, $184.9 million for The City’s health response, $61.8 million for food distribution programs and another $182.9 million would be allocated for housing and shelter programs.

Breed said at a press conference that the proposed budget spending on Covid-19 assumes there will be no major surge in new cases. 

The mayor said:

“If that happens, we will need to divert even more resources, and that’s why it is so critical that everybody does their part to stop the spread.”

The budget also assumes the Federal Emergency Management Agency will reimburse The City for its Covid-19-related costs. Breed warns that the $446 million response to the virus runs only through July 2021 and more funding will be needed if cases continue to spike.

Supervisors will begin talks on the mayor’s proposed two-year budget this week.

Breed said funding for communications and operations will continue to staff The City’s command center and ensure messaging and announcements are provided in multiple languages.

Communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by the virus — the Latinx community is just 18 percent of the population but they make up 50 percent of all cases, the mayor said.

Breed emphasized the need for residents to stop gathering and to wear masks outdoors. It has been discovered through contact tracing investigations that people are continuing to gather with others from outside of their households for things like birthday parties and family get-togethers.

On her birthday, the mayor said she wishes she could gather with friends and family, but instead will instead be talking to loved ones on Zoom and she encourages other residents to do the same.

Breed said:

“Just imagine if we all did our heart. If we all did our part where we would be today. That’s what this is about.”

Department of Public Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax did have some positive news to report. He said the spread rate has been hovering between 0.95 and 0.98 overthe last few days. The goal rate is below one.

Colfax said The City is averaging about 85 new cases per day — the goal is to be below 50 cases per day.

San Francisco officials Tuesday reported a total of 7,692 confirmed cases and 67 deaths due to the virus.