Charter

The Youth Commission is responsible, under SEC 4.124 of the City Charter, for advising the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor on "the effects of legislative policies, needs, assessments, priorities, programs, and budgets concerning the children and youth of San Francisco."

The Youth Commission also has the duty to provide the Board and the Mayor with "comment and recommendation" on all proposed laws "that primarily affect the children and youth" of San Francisco.

In particular, the Youth Commission is charged with "identifying the unmet needs" of San Francisco's children and youth through a variety methods.  These include researching existing government and private programs and sources of funding for such programming, holding public forums and cooperating with existing advocacy organizations.

Following the Charter, each year the Youth Commission provides the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor with the following:

• Comments and recommendations on pieces of proposed legislation that would affect San Francisco's young people;
• Resolutions that formally articulate the Youth Commission's positions on various youth-related issues; and
• A set of policy priorities to guide the City's annual budget process as it relates to young people.

Bylaws

The San Francisco Youth Commission bylaws expand and explain the roles, expectations, guidelines, and procedures of the Commission. The bylaws are within the framework of the Charter but are not listed in the Charter. Every year, Commissioners will work with staff to review and edit the bylaws if necessary and will vote on the new bylaws during the first scheduled full Commission meeting. 

Read the San Francisco Youth Commission Bylaws, updated and approved as of 07/07/2025. Link to file.