San Francisco Bureau of Governmental Research, 1915-1931

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Summary

Title:
San Francisco Bureau of Governmental Research scrapbooks
Dates:
1915-1931
Creators:
San Francisco Bureau of Governmental Research, San Francisco Committee on Charter Revision, and San Francisco Real Estate Board
Abstract:
Contains scrapbooks of newspaper clippings documenting the San Francisco Bureau of Governmental Research's work, beginning with its predecessor organization, the San Francisco Tax Committee of the San Francisco Real Estate Board.
Extent:
4 boxes (1 cubic foot)
Language:
Collection materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], San Francisco Bureau of Governmental Research Scrapbooks (SFH 77), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.

Background

Scope and content:

Contains scrapbooks of newspaper clippings documenting the San Francisco Bureau of Governmental Research's (BGR) work, beginning with its predecessor organization, the San Francisco Tax Committee of the San Francisco Real Estate Board, and ending with BGR's work on charter revision.

Biographical / historical:

The San Francisco Real Estate Board, which is currently known as the San Francisco Association of Realtors, created the San Francisco Tax Committee in April of 1916 to study municipal effiency and fight unnecessary taxation. The committee hired the Bureau of Municipal Research of New York City to study the structure of San Francisco's government. This produced a 1200-page report, Report on a Survey of the Government of the City and County of San Francisco. As this was taking place, a group of businessmen incorporated the San Francisco Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR), in October of 1916, to continue the work of the tax committee. It was initially financed for five years.

According to William Issel and Robert W. Cherny in San Francisco, 1865-1932, Politics, Power, and Urban Development, BGR became a fixture in local politics, publishing a journal, The City, devoted to municipal issues. The Real Estate Board remained promininent in the leadership of the BGR, which was largely funded by the Chamber of Commerce. Throughout the 1920s, BGR provided data and analysis on city issues including streetcar and water systems, demand for salary standardization, and low taxes. From its establishment through 1930, its main objective was restructuring government to make it more like a business corporation.

In May of 1930, BGR created a committee to update the charter. The committee favored a city manager plan, which would take some power from the mayor. Opposition by labor and the Hearst newspapers prompted the Board of Supervisors to call for election of a Board of Freeholders to revise the charter. There were fifteen members. This group proposed the "Freeholders Charter" amendment which was approved by the voters in 1931. The resulting charter was subsequently known as the 1932 charter, based on its effective date. The 1932 charter established a chief administrative officer to direct most of the city's departments.

BGR continued to operate at least into 1972, with publication of its Bulletin.

Acquisition information:
Donated by Jack W. Schafer on March 27, 2009. Schafer discovered the scrapbooks while doing Historic American Buildings Survey photographic documentation of the Holbrook Building at 58 Sutter Street. The Holbrook building, a seven-story, 1912 office building, was demolished in 1981 to make way for a new building.
Processing information:

Processed by Tami J. Suzuki in 2021.

Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically.

Physical location:
Open for research. The collection is offsite and advance notice is required for retrieval. Material must be requested at least 4 business days in advance of visit.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Tami J. Suzuki.
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2021-06-30 23:53:17 +0000 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research and available for use during San Francisco History Center hours. Photographs are available during Photo Desk hours. This collection must be requested at least 4 business days in advance of visit.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], San Francisco Bureau of Governmental Research Scrapbooks (SFH 77), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.

Location of this collection:
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102, US
Contact:
(415) 557-4567
sfhistory@sfpl.org
Website