Infighting Erupts Over San Francisco's Reparations Fund

Lawsuit filed to challenge city's plan to pay Black residents from taxpayer money

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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San Francisco recently passed a resolution to create a reparations fund that would pay Black residents, despite the fact that California never had slavery. The divisive policy is now driving infighting among various groups in the city, with some residents banding together to sue the city over the plan, claiming it is discriminatory and dividing the community.

Why it matters

The reparations fund has sparked intense debate in San Francisco, with advocates arguing it is needed to address past discrimination, while critics call it "empty virtue-signaling" that unfairly favors one group over others. The lawsuit aims to permanently end the reparations plan, raising questions about the legality and fairness of such race-based policies.

The details

Several San Francisco residents and the Californians for Equal Rights Foundation have sued the city, challenging an ordinance that establishes a reparations fund for Black residents. The plaintiffs argue the fund discriminates on the basis of race by using taxpayer money to benefit one group. They say a win would protect taxpayers from supporting a "government-based racially motivated program" and set boundaries for other cities implementing similar policies.

  • San Francisco passed the reparations resolution right before Christmas 2025.
  • The lawsuit was filed on Thursday, February 13, 2026.

The players

Richie Greenberg

One of the plaintiffs suing San Francisco over its reparations fund, who claims the measure is divisive because it solely favors Black residents.

Andrew Quinio

An attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation, which is representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against San Francisco's reparations fund.

Thomas Sowell

A conservative scholar who has long argued against the concept of reparations, noting that more whites were enslaved by the Barbary pirates than Africans enslaved in the United States.

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What they’re saying

“It is dividing the city rather than trying to unite. So, what we really need is to be focusing on how to uplift everybody rather than focusing on one group giving everything to that one group. And then everyone else is then responsible for paying for that one group.”

— Richie Greenberg, Plaintiff (Fox News)

“Acknowledging past injustice does not give the government license to spend public resources on programs that sort people by race and ancestry today.”

— Andrew Quinio, Attorney, Pacific Legal Foundation (Pacific Legal Foundation)

What’s next

The lawsuit asks the city to permanently end the reparations plan, and the judge will decide on the case in the coming months.

The takeaway

San Francisco's reparations fund has become a divisive issue, pitting advocates who argue it is needed to address past discrimination against critics who claim it is unfair and discriminatory. The legal challenge raises questions about the legality of such race-based policies and the broader debate over the merits of reparations.