Ella Hill Hutch Community Center Facing Closure, as City Cuts Off Funding After Nonprofit Spending Scandal

The Ella Hill Hutch Community Center in San Francisco may permanently close as City Attorney David Chiu seeks to debar its parent nonprofit, Collective Impact, following a bribery scandal. Without city grants, Collective Impact warns it will shut down by October, halting essential services in the Western Addition. Chiu accused the nonprofit of diverting public funds for personal use, including expenses related to former SF Human Rights Commission director Sheryl Davis. During her tenure, Davis directed $6 million to Collective Impact while allegedly benefiting personally from those funds. Collective Impact received $27 million in city grants between 2021 and 2024, or about $8 million annually.

Chiu emphasized that such funds should support vulnerable children, not serve as a personal public relations tool for Davis. The nonprofit's legal filings highlight a potential rise in poverty-related issues without its support programs. Debarment hearings for Collective Impact are scheduled to commence shortly, marking a significant step in addressing concerns over nonprofit funding and accountability.