Brief

Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez moved to approve staffing for the Bureau of Sanitation's Citywide Brownfield Program, which addresses contaminated land remediation and environmental cleanup across the city. The motion was referred to the Budget and Finance Committee and Energy and Environment Committee in March, then advanced by Budget and Finance in April. Council adopted the item on April 22, 2026, by a 12-0 vote with 3 abstentions.

Full summary

This motion, introduced by Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez and seconded by Tim McOsker, instructs the Bureau of Sanitation (LASAN) to report back within 30 days on the staffing and resources needed to keep the Citywide Brownfield Program running effectively. The program provides technical assistance and funding for the remediation, reuse, and redevelopment of properties contaminated by hazardous materials, with the goal of reducing public health risks and enabling community revitalization. It maintains a site inventory, conducts environmental assessments, finances cleanups, and is meant to align with the city's environmental justice and climate resiliency goals. The immediate concern driving the motion is a staffing reduction made in the FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget, which eliminated two positions from the program: one Management Assistant and one Environmental Specialist II. According to the motion, those cuts have hampered the city's ability to provide technical support for a growing and increasingly complex portfolio of remediation projects, including those funded by federal and state grants. The motion frames restoring adequate staffing as necessary for the city to meet its existing obligations. The motion was referred on March 13, 2026, to both the Budget and Finance Committee and the Energy and Environment Committee. On March 25, the Council President corrected the referral to route it through Budget and Finance as the lead committee. The Budget and Finance Committee unanimously approved the motion at a special meeting on April 13, 2026, with members Yaroslavsky, Blumenfield, Hutt, and McOsker voting yes and Hernandez absent. The full Council adopted the item on April 22, 2026, by a vote of 12-0-3, and the action was finalized on May 5, 2026. The file is now closed, with LASAN directed to deliver its staffing report within 30 days of adoption.

Activity (7)

• 2026-05-05 Council action final.
• 2026-04-22 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
• 2026-04-17 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on April 22, 2026.
• 2026-04-13 Budget and Finance Committee approved item(s) .
• 2026-04-10 Budget and Finance Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on April 13, 2026.
• 2026-03-25 Corrected Referral per Council President to change referral to Budget and Finance Committee.
• 2026-03-13 Motion referred to Budget and Finance Committee; Energy and Environment Committee.

Documents (3)

• 2026-05-05 Council Action · council_action
• 2026-04-13 Report from Budget and Finance Committee · report
• 2026-03-13 Motion · motion