San Francisco Supervisors Trim OpenGov Deal, Take Aim at Data Centers
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors held its most recent full meeting Tuesday, September 15, 2026. Two items dominated: a scaled-back contract for the city’s new permitting software and a proposed pause on data center construction.
OpenGov contract cut down
Supervisors reduced a request by Mayor Daniel Lurie’s allies for a $33 million extension through 2031. OpenGov will instead get a $22 million extension through 2029. The vote was 10-1, with Jackie Fielder the only no vote.
OpenGov runs PermitSF, Lurie’s effort to overhaul the city’s outdated permitting system. The contract has been controversial because the mayor’s office installed the software without formal bidding, even though a competitor scored higher in evaluations and department staff objected. The software has since missed key deadlines, and city workers say bugs force them to run it alongside the old system.
Supervisor Chyanne Chen proposed the amendments. The total contract was reduced from $38 million to $28 million, and a new provision lets supervisors cancel it without having to prove a breach. Supervisor Bilal Mahmood noted that fire and sprinkler permits that once took two days now take eight to nine. Fielder argued the board shouldn’t extend the deal beyond one year until PermitSF has operations under control.
Data center moratorium introduced
At the same meeting, Supervisor Shamann Walton planned to introduce a 45-day moratorium on new data centers while officials study their environmental impact. Supervisors Connie Chan, Jackie Fielder and Chyanne Chen joined him as co-sponsors. Walton said the city’s rules for data centers haven’t been updated since 2001, well before the AI boom.
The measure targets his Bayview district in particular, where five private data centers already operate in unmarked buildings on Paul Avenue. If approved, the pause could be extended to nearly two years if the Planning Commission finds existing centers threaten residents. Walton says it’s a first step toward a permanent citywide ban.
John is the current Editor-in-Chief for The Bay City Beacon. His experience spans nearly 20 years of political reporting across several publications.
