San Francisco city officials have passed a resolution apologizing to its Black community for decades of “systemic and structural discrimination” and “targeted acts of violence.” The decision was inspired by other U.S. states and cities that have issued similar apologies for their past racist policies.
San Francisco’s resolution was backed by Shamann Walton, the sole Black member of the board, who stated that while the apology was an important first step, there was more work to be done.
The resolution is the first action taken by the city’s African American Reparations Advisory Committee. The city’s proposed reparation initiatives, which were estimated to cost over $100 billion, have faced criticism due to their financial impracticality. Mayor London Breed has since downsized the Office of Reparations due to a projected 2024 fiscal deficit.
Public opinion in California is divided, with almost 60% of voters opposing cash reparation payments, according to a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors had previously considered allocating $5 million each to eligible Black residents as reparations.
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