Brief

The Bureau of Sanitation submitted a funding request to allocate unappropriated balance dollars toward the CARE (Community Alternative Resources for the Environment) and Coastal CARE+ programs for fiscal year 2026-27. The file was referred to the Budget and Finance Committee on September 17, 2026, where it currently awaits review and action.

Full summary

This file originates from a Budget and Finance Committee instruction tied to the FY 2026-27 budget process, which directed the Bureau of Sanitation to report on whether funds slated for the Clean Corridors Program could instead be redirected to CARE or CARE+ teams — including the Coastal CARE+ team — before any Clean Corridors expenditures were transferred. The Bureau's September 16 report, authored by Executive Director and General Manager Joone Kim-Lopez, responds to that directive with an informational overview and recommends the Council note and file it. The CARE and CARE+ programs deploy field crews to address trash, litter, debris, health and safety hazards, encampment-related violations, and ADA compliance issues in the public right-of-way. There are currently 16 CARE+ teams — one per Council District plus a dedicated Skid Row team under Operation Healthy Streets. Each team provides a minimum of two days of service per week, with Council Offices paying discretionary funds for any service above that floor. The Bureau reports that the annual cost of a single CARE+ team at minimum service levels is $1,842,155, and that the program requires significant funding beyond staffing, including hazardous waste disposal and contractual services. The Bureau's Livability Services Division has seen its budget fall sharply in recent years, dropping from roughly $78.9 million in FY 2023-24 to $49.4 million in FY 2026-27. The report notes that budget reductions have significantly strained CARE+ operations, with the Bureau trying to preserve position authorities while absorbing cuts. Critically, the Bureau cautions that redirecting Clean Corridors funds to CARE+ is not a straightforward swap: the Clean Corridors Program funds distinct services including street sweeping, illegal dumping enforcement, trash receptacles, and graffiti removal, and a separate report on those specifics was described as forthcoming. The file was referred to the Budget and Finance Committee on September 17, 2026, one day after submission. It remains pending in committee with no vote recorded and no further action taken. The Bureau's own recommendation is simply that the Council note and file the report, framing it as informational input for the committee's broader funding and service priority deliberations.

Activity (2)

• 2026-09-17 Bureau of Sanitation document(s) referred to Budget and Finance Committee.
• 2026-09-16 Document submitted by Bureau of Sanitation, dated September 16, 2026.

Documents (1)

• 2026-09-16 Report from Bureau of Sanitation · report