San Francisco voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition B, a $682.5 million emergency preparedness bond, according to the latest election results released on Wednesday afternoon.
Prop B, also known as the Earthquake Safety and Emergency Response bond, asked voters whether the city should sell the bonds to finance infrastructure improvements at the city's emergency response facilities, like fire and police stations.
The measure garnered 81 percent of the vote, well above the two-thirds needed to pass.
Mayor London Breed, who first introduced the bond back in May 2019, applauded the proposition's passage Wednesday.
"We know we need to act now to ensure that we're as resilient as possible for the next major disaster," Breed said in statement. "We know that it's not a matter of 'if,' but a matter of 'when' the next major earthquake will strike. This ESER Bond will help our city make critical infrastructure investments so that we're prepared for the next earthquake or other natural disaster, and so our first responders can take care of our residents when it matters most."
According to Breed's office, of the $682.5 million, $275 million will go toward seismic retrofitting and resiliency projects for fire stations and support-related facilities; $153.5 million will help expand the city's Emergency Firefighting Water System; $121 million will fund seismic retrofitting and resiliency projects for the city's police stations and support facilities; $70 million will fund disaster response facilities; and $9 million will go toward the Department of Emergency Management's 911 call center.
San Francisco voters first approved a $412 million ESER bond in 2010 and then a second $400 million ESER Bond in 2014. The bonds are administered by the city's Department of Public Works, which designs and implements most infrastructure improvement projects the bond funds.
Local
Police Chief William Scott said of the measure, "These much-needed seismic safety and infrastructure resiliency resources will enable San Francisco first responders to protect our city and residents during a major disaster."
Fire Chief Jeanine Nicholson said, "When a disaster strikes, our firefighters need to be able to respond immediately. From my experience as a firefighter and a paramedic, I know first hand how important it is to have the infrastructure and facilities that allow our first responders to do their jobs."
