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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 15 March 2023

San Francisco reparations idea: $5 million per Black person

By JANIE HAR makers to draft and pass
Associated Press legislation, often a time-
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — consuming process.
Payments of $5 million to The state panel made the
every eligible Black adult, controversial decision in
the elimination of person- March to limit reparations
al debt and tax burdens, to descendants of Black
guaranteed annual in- people who were in the
comes of at least $97,000 country in the 19th century.
for 250 years and homes in Some reparations advo-
San Francisco for just $1 a cates said that approach
family. misses the ongoing harms
These are just some of the that Black immigrants suf-
recommendations made fer.
by a city-appointed repa- Under San Francisco’s draft
rations committee tasked recommendation, a person
with a thorny question: must be at least 18 years
What would it take to atone old and have identified as
for the centuries of U.S. “Black/African American”
slavery and generations of in public documents for at
systemic racism that con- least 10 years. Eligible peo-
tinue to keep Black Ameri- ple must also meet two of
cans on the bottom rungs eight other criteria, though
of health, education and the list may change.
economic prosperity, and San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton delivers remarks during a press Those criteria include be-
overrepresented in prisons conference at Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco on March 22, 2022. ing born in or migrating to
and homeless populations? Associated Press San Francisco between
A first hearing before the 1940 and 1996 and living in
city’s Board of Supervisors would not turn to us and higher rates, deny access San Francisco Republican the city for least 13 years;
on Tuesday could offer a say, ‘Help them figure out to home and business loans Party, does not support being displaced from San
glimpse of the board’s ap- how to make this work.’” and restrict where they reparations although he Francisco by urban re-
petite for advancing a rep- The idea of paying com- could work and live. says he’d support a serious newal between 1954 and
arations plan that would pensation for slavery has “There’s still a veiled per- conversation on the topic. 1973, or the descendant of
be unmatched nationwide gained traction across cit- spective that, candidly, He doesn’t consider the someone who was; attend-
in specificity and breadth. ies and universities. In 2020, Black folks don’t deserve board’s discussion of $5 mil- ing the city’s public schools
Critics have slammed it as California became the first this,” said McDonnell. “The lion payments to be one. before they were fully de-
financially and politically state to form a reparations number itself, $5 million, is “This conversation we’re segregated; or being a de-
impossible. One conserva- task force and is still strug- actually low when you con- having in San Francisco is scendant of an enslaved
tive analyst estimated that gling to put a price tag on sider the harm.” completely unserious. They U.S. person before 1865.
each non-Black family in what is owed. Justin Hansford, professor just threw a number up, The Chicago suburb of
the city would have to pay The idea has not been tak- at Howard University School there’s no analysis,” Dennis Evanston became the first
at least $600,000. en up at the federal level. of Law, says no municipal said. “It seems ridiculous, U.S. city to fund repara-
Some supervisors have said Fewer than 50,000 Black reparations plan will have and it also seems that this is tions. The city gave money
San Francisco can’t afford people still live in San Fran- enough money to right the the one city where it could to qualifying people for
any major reparations pay- cisco, and it’s not clear wrongs of slavery, but he possibly pass.” home repairs, downpay-
ments right now, given the how many would be eli- appreciates any attempts Led by Supervisor Shamann ments and interest or late
city’s deep deficit amid a gible. Possible criteria in- to “genuinely, legitimately, Walton, the board created penalties due on property
tech industry downturn, but clude having lived in the authentically” make things the 15-member reparations in the city. In December,
they still want to discuss the city during certain time pe- right. And that includes committee in late 2020, the Boston City Council
proposals and consider fu- riods and descending from cash, he said. months after California approved of a reparations
ture solutions. The board someone “incarcerated for “If you’re going to try to say Gov. Gavin Newsom ap- study task force.q
can vote to change, adopt the failed War on Drugs.” you’re sorry, you have to proved a statewide task
or reject any or all the rec- Critics say the payouts speak in the language that force amid national turmoil
ommendations. make no sense in a state people understand, and after a white Minneapolis ARUBA
But reparations commit- and city that never en- money is that language,” police officer killed George
tee members consider their slaved Black people. Op- he said. Floyd, a Black man.
results to be an accurate ponents generally say tax- Black residents once made At Tuesday’s hearing, the CLEAN
estimate of what it would payers who were never up more than 13% of San board could direct staff to
take to begin to repair the slave owners should not Francisco’s population, but conduct further research,
enduring damage of slav- have to pay money to more than 50 years later, write legislation or schedule
ery and discrimination, and people who were not en- they account for less than more meetings. The com-

they bristle at the idea that slaved. 6% of the city’s residents mittee’s final report is due
they should figure out how Advocates say that view and 38% of its homeless in June.
to pay for it. ignores a wealth of data population. The Fillmore California’s task force con-
“We are the harmed,” said and historical evidence District once thrived with tinues to deliberate rec-
Eric McDonnell, chair of San showing how long after U.S. Black-owned night clubs ommendations, including
Francisco’s African Ameri- slavery officially ended in and shops until govern- monetary compensation.
can Reparations Advisory 1865, government policies ment redevelopment in the Its report is due to the Leg- IS MORE
Committee. “If the judge and practices worked to 1960s forced out residents. islature on July 1. At that
ruled in our favor, the judge imprison Black people at John Dennis, chair of the point, it will be up to law- DUSHI