Yesterday the Harvard Kennedy School announced that the San Francisco Financial Justice Project is one of seven finalists for the Innovation in American Government Award. We are honored and humbled.
For over thirty years, the Innovations Award has recognized public-sector programs worthy of replication that make American government, at all levels, more efficient, creative, and effective at addressing social problems and providing services to the public. Since its inception, the Program has received over 27,000 applications and recognized nearly 500 government initiatives.
“We know that fines, fees and tickets disproportionately impact low-income people throughout the country” said San Francisco Treasurer José Cisneros. “These fines and fees can push low-income people deeper into poverty. Through the Financial Justice Project, we work with government partners and community organizations to develop solutions that work better both for people and for government.”
San Francisco is the first city in the nation to launch an effort within government to assess and reform how fines and fees impact our city’s most vulnerable residents. In November of 2016, The San Francisco Financial Justice Project was started in the Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector to respond to a troubling phenomenon. A growing number of government programs levy fines and fees that exceed people’s ability to pay them. There is often an insidious unintended impact of this practice-to push people into poverty. Since the launch, we have advanced and implemented reforms that ease the burden of fines and fees on low-income individuals, people struggling with homeless, at-risk youth and people re-entering their communities after exiting jail or prison. We hope to lead by example, and inspire other localities to adopt similar reforms.
This honor would not be possible without our collaboration with many community groups, legal service organizations, city and county departments, elected officials, philanthropic foundations, and the courts. We are grateful to all of you.
To learn more about the award, see the full press release here.
Yours in Financial Justice,
Anne and Christa