On the steps of Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco, advocates from over 150 community-based organizations rallied this week to deliver a message to city leaders: budget decisions must be transparent, inclusive, and equitable.
At the center of the action was the People’s Budget Coalition (PBC), a cross-sector alliance of unions, nonprofits, and advocacy groups demanding meaningful community participation in a city budget process they say increasingly excludes the voices of those most impacted by economic instability.
In an interview following the event, Nyree Monroe of Hunters Point Family, a core member of the coalition, emphasized the stakes of the moment. “We understand there’s a budget crisis,” she said. “But it can’t be used to justify shutting out the very people whose lives will be most affected by these decisions.”
San Francisco faces a deepening fiscal emergency, with departments across the city bracing for sweeping cuts—up to 25% in some cases. While the Mayor’s Office has acknowledged the scale of the crisis, Monroe and others say that the process for deciding what gets cut has veered dangerously away from public accountability.
“We understand there’s a budget crisis,” she said. “But it can’t be used to justify shutting out the very people whose lives will be most affected by these decisions.” – Nyree Monroe, Hunters Point Family
“Usually, there’s an add-back process,” Monroe explained, referring to the traditional mechanism where community advocates work with the Board of Supervisors to restore funding for critical services. “This time, we’re being told the decisions have already been made. There’s no time to prepare, no way to respond. It’s like having a ton of bricks dropped on you.”
Monroe was careful not to suggest the Mayor’s Office has been entirely unresponsive. “We’ve had conversations. They’ve agreed to further meetings,” she said. “But we’ve received nothing concrete—no assurance that we’ll actually be at the table when these decisions are made.”
According to the PBC’s official press release, the rally was organized to coincide with the Board of Supervisors’ introduction of their own budget priorities. Advocates from organizations serving low-income families, immigrants, youth, tenants in single-room occupancy housing, and the unhoused gathered to demand that any budget balancing reflect the values of care and community.
“The city budget reflects our city priorities and values,” said Sanika Mahajan, Director of Community Engagement at Mission Action. “It determines whether working-class residents have a roof over their heads, a bus to take them to work, or access to care.”
In her remarks, Monroe pointed to housing and mental health services as particularly vulnerable areas, noting how cuts to the Department of Public Health and the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development would disproportionately harm those already living on the margins.
“If you think about who gets hurt—undocumented families, people living in poverty, people struggling with mental health issues—these are the programs at risk,” she said. “This isn’t just about policy; it’s about survival.”
The rally followed a companion action outside 400 McAllister, where PBC members joined the Labor Council to protest Airbnb’s lawsuit against the city over tax obligations. Monroe explained that corporate resistance to paying fair taxes only deepens the fiscal pain felt by everyday San Franciscans.
“Airbnb is tying up resources in court,” she said. “That money could be going to community services. They’re not just avoiding their obligations—they’re actively undermining our ability to care for one another.”
Monroe described the day’s actions as deeply collaborative. “We had Hunter’s Point Family, Hospitality House, Poder, Homies, Soul Cam, HRC—so many groups showed up,” she said. “Even people from other rallies joined us. It really showed the power of community.”
While turnout was strong, Monroe noted that visibility alone isn’t enough. The coalition wants a structural commitment from the city: one that guarantees not just symbolic access but actual influence over how budget decisions are made.
“Transparency in a democracy shouldn’t be radical,” she said. “When you have over 150 organizations representing tens of thousands of San Franciscans saying, ‘We need a seat at the table,’ that should be honored.”
The coalition is particularly concerned that the compressed timeline—Mayor Lurie’s budget proposal is due in just over a month—will limit opportunities for community input.
“Time is of the essence,” Monroe warned. “One meeting that leads to another meeting doesn’t help us when we’re running out of time.”
Supervisor Connie Chan has introduced a resolution signaling support for community-centered budget priorities, which PBC sees as a step in the right direction. But advocates insist it must be followed by concrete guarantees of engagement—not just lip service.
“Budgets are about choices,” said Jose Luis Pavon of HOMEY. “And too often, those choices are made without the voices of the people they impact the most.”
Monroe also highlighted the coalition’s realism.
“We’re not asking for a utopia. We’re not saying fund everything fully and pretend there’s no crisis,” she said. “We’re saying: don’t cut us out of the process. Don’t shut the door on the people who have always stepped up to support this city.”
With the city facing a convergence of economic downturn, growing inequality, and increasing demands on social services, the People’s Budget Coalition is betting that democratic engagement—not top-down austerity—is the only way to steer San Francisco through the storm.
As Monroe put it, “If we’re going to call ourselves a sanctuary city, we need to act like one.”
The real news here is “advocates from over 150 community-based organizations”.
The new burgeoning cottage industry, a community organization here and a liberal think tank there. Everyone these days has one.
“Equity” exited San Francisco a long time ago, starting with redevelopment of the Fillmore district, through the tech bro invasion.
At this point, it’s got to be one of the most-white/Asian cities in the United States. I’m not even sure if Seattle is as white/Asian, at this point.
Also, sexist (regarding the technology industry).
Though there are the foreign (e.g., Indian) recruitments that the tech industry engages in, so maybe that “counts” for diversity and equity. Not quite white, but not quite black either. (Probably closer to white.) (In regard to the “accountants/bean-counters” of the equity world.