Economic justice is not a side project. 
It is the foundation of a fair and thriving city.

The San Francisco Economic Justice Center brings together more than 20 years of first-in-the-nation work to strengthen the financial foundations of families and communities. Housed in the Treasurer’s Office, the Center develops and scales practical, people-centered solutions—redesigning systems so families can start saving early for the future, residents can access safe banking and trusted financial guidance, and unfair fines, fees, and debt no longer trap people in poverty.

Working across city departments, we test new ideas, share what works, and change how public systems operate so they support stability, dignity, and opportunity instead of creating barriers. What began as local innovation has helped shape policy across the country—showing how local government can change the odds and expand opportunity for San Franciscans.

Our Mission

The Economic Justice Center turns the powers of the Treasurer’s Office into tools that help San Franciscans build savings, reduce debt, and keep more of what they earn—while eliminating unjust fines and fees and protecting people from predatory financial practices. We work across city departments to help design systems and policies that support financial stability instead of creating barriers, ensuring that every resident has a fair shot at economic security and opportunity.

Our Vision

We envision a San Francisco where every resident—no matter their income, background, or zip code—has the tools and opportunities to achieve lasting financial security. A city in which public systems, across every City department, are designed not to extract, but to support stability and opportunity. And where building savings, avoiding debt, and accessing a fair financial system is not a privilege, but a right.

Building on more than two decades of this work, our vision for the next twenty years is a future where:

• Every kindergartener starts school with a college savings account—and an expectation that college is possible.

• Families have the resources and stability they need to weather setbacks and plan for what’s ahead.

• Fines and fees no longer trap people in poverty, and public institutions actively unlock opportunity.

• Predatory financial products and practices are curbed, and residents are protected from systems that strip wealth from their communities.

• Local government systems are designed to support financial stability—rather than create barriers to getting ahead.
   

Join us in building the next twenty years of economic justice.