The San Francisco chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has publicly come out against San Francisco's groundbreaking reparations proposal — with a reported maximum payout of $5 million for those eligible.
The NAACP said it favors a long-term investment that helps the black community overall, compared to simply sending direct payments to black residents.
This would include investments in the realms of education, health care, affordable housing, "economic empowerment," and also a "black center of town" in the Fillmore Heritage Center, the Washington Examiner reported.
"We strongly believe that creating and funding programs that can improve the lives of those who have been impacted by racism and discrimination is the best path forward toward equality and justice," San Francisco NAACP President Amos Brown said in a statement.
The proposed $5 million figure has been deemed "arbitrary" by some of its detractors.
Speaking to The Washington Post, Eric McDonnell, chairman of the African American Reparations Advisory Committee, said "there wasn't a math formula" behind the number.
"It was a journey for the committee towards what could represent a significant enough investment in families to put them on this path to economic well-being, growth, and vitality that chattel slavery and all the policies that flowed from it destroyed," said McDonnell.
In addition to debates about the $5 million payout, San Francisco's Board of Supervisors has weighed the merits of potentially eliminating personal debt and tax burdens for black residents, along with guaranteed annual incomes of at least $97,000 for the next 250 years.
There could even be opportunities for black residents to purchase homes in the city for $1 per family, according to the Examiner.
Former San Francisco mayoral candidate Richie Greenberg blasted the reparations plan as illegal under five state and federal laws.
Greenberg also argued the proposal violates California Proposition 209, Article 34 of the state constitution, Title VI and VII of the federal Civil Rights Act, and the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
There's also a website, rejecttheplan.com, devoted to promoting Greenberg's hopes of halting San Francisco's reparations plan.
Former California gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder, who is black, also criticized the plan.
On social media, Elder tweeted out: "Let me get this straight. A black college educated San Franciscan, with money in the Silicon Valley Bank, gets full reimbursement though his deposit exceeds FDIC's $250K limit, receives $5mil in reparations AND gets student debt loan forgiveness. Is this a great country or what."
The reparations committee will meet again in June, and the city's Board of Supervisors will next discuss potential reparations on Sept. 19.
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