The San Francisco Board of Supervisors this week approved an ordinance establishing a student loan forgiveness program for first responders in the city, if voters approve the measure during the November election.
The ordinance, sponsored by Supervisors Ahsha Safaí, Matt Dorsey, and Shamann Walton, will allow voters to decide if the city’s administrative code should be amended for the purpose.
The fund would pay outstanding student loans and job-related educational training expenses for first responders employed by the city, according to the proposal.
It would apply to members of the police, fire, and sheriff’s departments. Paramedics, registered nurses, 911 dispatchers, and emergency supervisors and coordinators would also qualify, per the ordinance.
“We need creative incentives to prevent a catastrophic breaking point and ensure that we can attract and retain excellent, qualified candidates to serve our city’s public safety ecosystem,” he said.
Safaí said the ordinance, if passed, would go into effect Jan. 1, 2025.
To qualify, candidates would also have to be employed for at least three years, he said.
“These are all the people we count on every single day, and we must prioritize proper staffing levels,” he said.
According to Safaí, the ordinance’s goal is to build the loan forgiveness and job training fund to $25 million and provide up to $25,000 in loan forgiveness and job training for each qualifying employee.
The ordinance needs more than 50 percent approval from voters to pass.
