WEALTH AND DISPARITIES IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY 

The unemployment rate of African-Americans in San Francisco is consistently two to three times that of white residents. 25% of Black San Franciscans live at or below the official poverty line. 50% of Black San Franciscans fit the low to very low income household standard. Black people own only 4% of businesses in the City.

We therefore petition the elected leadership of San Francisco to take the following actions to address these employment disparities:

 

• Expand local hiring mandates to permanent jobs beyond the construction industry, including public sector jobs and jobs created by City contracts. Create specific employment equity programs facilitating the hiring of low income residents under those mandates.

• Expand the Office of Economic Development’s “Jobs Now” program to target long-term unemployed and disadvantaged workers in ZIP codes with a higher proportion of low income workers.

• Hire permanent civil service classifications/workers.