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The Financial Justice Project

We assess and reform fines and fees that have an adverse disproportionate impact on low-income people and communities of color.

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About Us

San Francisco is the first city and county in the nation to launch a Financial Justice Project to assess and reform how fees and fines impact our city’s low-income residents and communities of color. Fines, fees, and financial penalties can trap low-income residents in a maze of poverty and punishment and prevent people from succeeding. We work with community groups, city and county departments and the courts to advance reforms that work better for people and for government. Working with our partners, we have eliminated or adjusted dozens of fees and fines to lift a financial burden off of struggling residents. We are housed in the San Francisco Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector.

Working with our partners, we’re making a difference

<50%

Cut cost of tows & booting by more than half for low-income people

$33 Million

In criminal justice debt waived and admin fees eliminated

$1.5 Million

In library overdue related debt waived and fines eliminated

88k

Driver's license holds cleared for people who missed traffic court

Other accomplishments

Reduced boot removal fees by 80% for low-income people

Announced SF would make phone calls from county jail free; stop marking up items in jail store

Launched payment plan & community service options, and discounts for low-income people who receive parking citations

Created new ability to pay process with San Francisco Traffic Court to allow low-income people to apply for discounts

Allow people struggling with homelessness to resolve quality of life citations by receiving social services instead

Launched San Francisco Museums or All - allows free entry to museums to people with a public benefits card

Every single one of us is dealing with this stuff. We know what it looks like to be dealing with these systems that continue to trip us up when we’re trying to get on our feet.
--Amika Mota, Young Women's Freedom Center

Someone tells their story and officials who are drowning in paperwork can better understand the magnitude of the issue.
--Javier Bremond, Community Housing Partnership