San Francisco city officials are moving forward on two major contract initiatives that will shape how the city delivers services. On Wednesday, a Board of Supervisors committee approved a vote to extend the OpenGov permitting system contract, potentially up to 2031 with an additional $33 million investment.
OpenGov contract under scrutiny
OpenGov was awarded a $5.9 million initial contract in February, bypassing staff recommendations for a higher‑scoring vendor. Since its launch, the system has only handled simple permits and has not replaced the traditional paper job cards. Inspectors still rely on handwritten notes, and many report slower turnaround times compared to the old system.
City workers from multiple departments say they must continue using the legacy permitting software alongside OpenGov, highlighting a lack of integration and no virtual job‑card capability. An inspector lamented the “horrible, horrible handwriting” still needed for reviewing prior inspections.
Although the contract includes an option to terminate after one more year, the Board’s vote could keep OpenGov in place until 2031, adding $33 million to the original budget. Critics note the absence of a clear plan for how OpenGov will handle more complex tasks or meet defined deliverables.
Performance‑based contracting for homeless services
In a separate move, the mayor’s office announced a shift to performance‑based contracts for homeless service providers. Under the new framework, nonprofits will need to demonstrate measurable outcomes and will be compensated based on deliverables rather than simply reimbursing expenses.
Chief of Health and Human Services Kunal Modi, working with a team of consultants, emphasized that the goal is to detect problems early and intervene constructively, not to punish providers. The city aims to standardize contracts so that similar services receive consistent funding and to tie payments to tangible results such as permanent housing placements.
While the performance‑based model promises greater accountability, officials acknowledge the challenge of defining success metrics and ensuring that incentives do not simply reward volume over impact.
What’s next?
Both initiatives are still in early stages. The Board of Supervisors will need to establish specific deliverables and timelines for OpenGov, while the homeless services contracts will require detailed metrics to be finalized. City leaders say ongoing monitoring and adjustments will be essential to ensure these programs serve San Franciscans effectively.
Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.
