If you believe that the City or County of San Francisco has not complied with the Sunshine Ordinance, the Public Records Act or the Ralph M. Brown (Public Meetings) Act, you may file a complaint with the Task Force. We attempt to resolve complaints informally among the parties involved whenever possible. Matters that cannot be resolved informally, or which implicate substantial policy considerations, may be set for hearing at a Task Force meeting. The Task Force meets the first Wednesday of each month at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall, Room 408. The meeting is accessible virtually at call-in phone number: 1-415-906-4659, Meeting ID: 127 497 534#.

• How the Complaint Process Works
   
• Fax / Mail Complaint Form (Pdf)
   
• Submit a Complaint On-Line

 

Summary of the Complaint Process

1. You can access a complaint form at sfgov.org/site/sunshine or send us a letter detailing your complaint. Please see the Sunshine Ordinance Complaint Process, Section A & B, “File a Complaint with the SOTF” for how to present your complaint.  Use of our complaint form, while optional, helps to ensure that you include the information we deem relevant for evaluating complaints.
2. You can email your complaint to sotf@sfgov.org, fax it to 415-554-5163, or deliver it in person to the Administrator of the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, City Hall, Room 244, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102-4683.
3. After you file a complaint, we will review it to determine whether we have jurisdiction over the matter as defined in the Sunshine Ordinance.
4. If we determine that we have jurisdiction, we may schedule a hearing before the full task force. If we determine that we do not have jurisdiction, you can request a reconsideration of this decision before the full task force.
5. Parties to a complaint can submit additional information to the Task Force up to 5 working days before a scheduled hearing. If either party submits material after this deadline, the Task Force may proceed without consideration of these materials.  Alternatively, if new, relevant materials become available after the 5-day deadline, the complainant may incorporate this information into a new complaint or may ask to have the hearing postponed until the next Task Force meeting.
6. After a hearing, the Task Force will issue an Order of Determination stating the outcome of the proceeding and any decisions made regarding violations of public records or public meetings laws.
7. For further information, contact the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force Administrator, at (415) 554-7724.