(a) Duties and Functions. The Office of Small Business, which shall be a City department under the direction of the Small Business Commission, shall perform the following functions to assist small businesses located in San Francisco with a total workforce of 100 or fewer fulltime employees:
1. Centralize and coordinate the information and advice services to small businesses managed by other City departments.
2. Operate a Small Business Assistance Center, which shall support the full diversity of San Francisco's small businesses with information concerning:
(A) business structure and formation, obtaining necessary licenses, accessing financial resources, and finding appropriate real estate;
(B) obtaining City permits;
(C) bidding on government contracts and participating in the City purchasing process;
(D) complying with government laws and regulations; and
(E) adopting "green" and sustainable business practices.
3. Perform such other duties and functions to benefit small businesses as directed by the Small Business Commission or as assigned by the Mayor under Charter section 4.132; and
4. Report by March 1 and September 1 of each year to the Mayor and Board of Supervisors on the numbers of small businesses served by case managers and the Office of Small Business, types of services provided, numbers of small businesses obtaining City contracts and their dollar amount and on other performance measures as determined by the Small Business Commission.
(b) Assistance and Support from Other Departments. The following City departments shall provide information and staff assistance to the Office of Small Business regarding compliance with the laws and regulations administered by their departments that impact small businesses; Assessor, Building Inspection, Environment, Fire, Human Rights Commission, Mayor's Office of Community Development, Office of Labor Standards Enforcement, Parking and Traffic, Planning, Police, Public Health, Public Works, Purchasing, Treasurer/Tax Collector, and such other departments as directed by the Mayor. Within four months of the initial hiring of any new staff, the Office of Small Business shall issue a report that analyzes the existing laws, regulations, roles, procedures and responsibilities of all city departments that impact small businesses and makes recommendations regarding the streamlining and consolidation of such departmental functions under the Office of Small Business.
(c) Annual Survey. The Office of Small Business, in coordination with the Controller's Office, shall create and administer an annual survey of small businesses that use the Small Business Assistance Center to evaluate the Center's performance in serving small businesses.
(Added by Proposition I, Approved 11/6/2007)
