San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has signed an ordinance creating a “Reparations Fund” framework that could eventually provide up to $5 million to eligible black residents in reparations for supposed historic discrimination and displacement, based on a 2023 advisory committee report.
The fund relies on private donations, not taxpayer money, as the city is currently in the throes of a $1 billion budget deficit. Lurie emphasized that no city funds will be allocated, as the city is prioritizing safety and cleanliness. The nonbinding report also recommended guaranteed income, new agencies, housing support, and business investments. No payments are guaranteed without separate legislation and funding approval.
For context, the original 2023 San Francisco African American Reparations Advisory Committee (AARAC) report stated, “The City and County of San Francisco and its agencies should issue a formal apology for past harms and commit to making substantial ongoing, systemic and programmatic investments in Black communities to address historical harms. [P]rovide a one-time, lump sum payment of $5 million to each eligible person.”
Announcing the new plan, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie confirmed the details. “I was elected to drive San Francisco’s recovery, and that’s what I’m focused on every day. We are not allocating money to this fund — with a historic $1 billion budget deficit, we are going to spend our money on making the city safer and cleaner,” he said.
Doubling down, Lurie kept going on that wild point, saying, “For several years, communities across the city have been working with the government to acknowledge the decades of harm done to San Francisco’s black community. While that process largely predates my administration, I am signing the legislation to create this fund in recognition of the work of so many San Franciscans and the unanimous support of the Board of Supervisors.”
The ordinance text itself read, “The Reparations Plan outlines a variety of methods to provide restitution, compensation, and rehabilitation to individuals who are Black and/or descendants of a chattel enslaved person and have experienced a proven harm in San Francisco.”
Watch Chicago’s mayor announce a similar reparations plan:
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When the news broke on social media, conservatives were enraged. “🚨 CLOWN WORLD ALERT: San Francisco quietly sets up a REPARATIONS FUND promising up to $5 MILLION per eligible black resident. But with a massive $1 BILLION budget deficit looming, Mayor Lurie admits they’re TOO POOR to put a single taxpayer dime in it,” one popular post read.
Furious, another conservative post laid out the issue in plain language. “RACISM: San Francisco quietly approved $5M checks per black person under a reparations plan. No citywide vote. No debate. Just massive payouts,” a tweet read.
Continuing, the same post noted, “Mayor Daniel Lurie signed a reparations measure allowing individual payments of up to $5 million to qualifying residents. Eligibility targets specific racial & ancestral criteria rather than universal need. The move reignites backlash as the city faces crime, homelessness & budget strain, yet leaders prioritize unprecedented per person payouts.”
In the comments under this post, one user said, “They should take money out of every white liberals social security checks to pay for it.” Agreeing, another joked, “quick, what do i need to identify as a black somali day care owner in san francisco?”