A lawsuit has been filed challenging a San Francisco ordinance that establishes a reparations fund for Black residents.
The ordinance, signed in December by Mayor Daniel Lurie, is intended to address systematic harms. The Pacific Legal Foundation said the plan is unconstitutional and unlawful. According to attorney Andrew Quinio of the Pacific Legal Foundation, “The purpose of the lawsuit is to make sure that the city and county of San Francisco is not spending taxpayer dollars on an unconstitutional, unlawful plan, which is the reparations plan. By having the San Francisco Human Rights Commission administer the funds to implement this reparations plan, San Francisco is engaging in steps that will carry out a plan that violates the Constitution.”
The lawsuit was filed pro bono on behalf of San Francisco residents Richard “Richie” Greenberg and Arthur Ritchie, as well as the Californians for Equal Rights Foundation. Greenberg said he has followed the issue closely and raised concerns with city officials. “I’ve been keenly paying attention to this issue of reparations for several years now, watching as city hall officials (and now the mayor) have consistently ignored law and constitutional rights of us taxpayers. I have reached out to the Board of Supervisors, the mayor, the city attorney, and the reparations committee itself to demand they cease wasting taxpayers’ money on this unconstitutional plan, and the time has come to bring them to court,” Greenberg said in a CFER news release.
According to information from Pacific Legal Foundation’s website, San Francisco established an African American Reparations Advisory Committee in 2020 to develop proposals for reparations. In 2023, this committee released suggestions including a one-time payment of $5 million, supplemental income for lower-income households, job and tuition assistance, and elimination of student loan debt. The African American Reparations Advisory Committee did not respond to requests for comment.
Quinio said during a phone interview that “You can’t treat people differently based on race. You can’t advantage or disadvantage people based on race, ethnicity and ancestry as the reparations plan does here. San Francisco is using taxpayer dollars to bring that plan forward and make that plan come to fruition, and they can’t do that.” The case was filed in San Francisco Superior Court.
Jen Kwart, communications director at the Office of City Attorney David Chiu, told The Center Square: “Once we are served, we will review the complaint and respond in court.” Quinio expressed hope that this lawsuit would demonstrate taxpayer concerns about public funds being used for such efforts.
