San Francisco City Administrator Naomi Kelly Speaks to BOMA Members

BOMA San Francisco Members:

The BOMA San Francisco Government and Public Affairs Committee (GAPAC) recently welcomed San Francisco City Administrator, Naomi Kelly.

Administrator Kelly spoke about her new role and how she is an advocate for government efficiency. 

Here are a few recent highlights from the City Administrator's website:

• Invest in Neighborhoods:  Co-Chaired the Invest in Neighborhoods program to identify and provide much needed resources to our communities.
• Community Benefits:  Successfully signed a Community Benefits Agreement with Zendesk and convened the Central Market and Tenderloin Area Citizens Advisory Committee.
• Moscone Expansion:  Moved forward the architectural and design phase of Moscone expansion.
• Local Hire:  In addition to implementing the first year of the Local Hire ordinance and surpassing our goal, Naomi's office oversaw the selection of a new CityBuild Director.

It was a great opportunity for BOMA Members to get to know the Administrator.  BOMA San Francisco members appreciated her time.

About Naomi Kelly

On February 7, 2012, Naomi M. Kelly was sworn in by Mayor Edwin M. Lee to serve as the City Administrator for a five year term for the City and County of San Francisco. As City Administrator, Ms. Kelly oversees the City’s General Services Agency consisting of 20 departments, divisions, and programs including the Department of Public Works, Department of Technology, Administrative Services, Office of Contract Administration/Purchasing, Real Estate, County Clerk, 311, Fleet Management, Convention Facilities, Animal Care and Control, Medical Examiner, Treasure Island, and more. The General Services Agency has an annual budget of over $450 million and approximately 2,100 employees. In this capacity, Ms. Kelly’s objective is to ensure responsible fiscal management and accountability to those who pay taxes for our local government to provide essential services.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Kelly was the Deputy City Administrator where she, assisted Mayor Lee in rolling out the City’s new local hiring policy by preparing and working closely with City departments, contractors, and the broader community to ensure compliance with the new legislation. The new policy required contractors performing public works or other capital improvement projects to meet mandatory levels of San Francisco resident participation that support the local economy.

In 2004, Ms. Kelly was appointed the City Purchaser and Director of the Office of Contract Administration by Mayor Gavin Newsom. Ms. Kelly managed the procurement of approximately $250 million in materials and supplies and approved approximately $500 million of professional service contracts that support the operations of city services in a fair and transparent manner. She also improved the department’s performance by enhancing and streamlining the procurement procedures.

Ms. Kelly’s career as a public servant began as Special Assistant in the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, in the Mayor’s Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs under Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr. and served as the City’s Executive Director of the Taxicab Commission. In this leadership capacity, she managed the Department regulating the $150 million taxicab industry.

Ms. Kelly is the first woman and African American to serve as City Administrator of the City and County of San Francisco. Ms. Kelly received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from New York University, and her law degree from the University of San Francisco. She is an attorney admitted to practice in the State of California. She is a native of San Francisco and presently resides in the city with her husband, Harlan Kelly Jr., the General Manager of the Public Utilities Commission, and her two sons.