September 11, 2026
For information: Michael Canning, Policy and Legislative Affairs Manager (415) 252-3100
At its regular monthly meeting on Friday, September 11, 2026, the San Francisco Ethics Commission approved two separate settlement agreements that levied a total of $2,900 in penalties against two respondents for unrelated violations of ethics and personal financial disclosure laws.
As authorized by the City Charter, a stipulated agreement allows Respondents and the Ethics Commission to resolve enforcement matters without the need of a lengthier and costlier process involving a hearing on the merits. The Commission is authorized to assess a monetary penalty of up to $5,000 for each violation or three times the amount that was previously unreported.
Violations of Ethics and Personal Financial Disclosure (Form 700) Laws
In the Matter of Dena Aslanian-Williams – The Commission unanimously approved a stipulated agreement fining Dena Aslanian Williams, a former Commissioner of the Homelessness Oversight Commission and current Elections Commissioner, $2,300 for failing to fulfill two Statement of Economic Interests (“Form 700”) filing requirements, failing to disclose a total of nine reportable interests on her Form 700 filings, and failing to fulfill two annual Sunshine Ordinance and Ethics training requirements in violation of San Francisco Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code (“SF C&GC Code”) section 3.1-102(a) while she was a Homelessness Oversight Commissioner. The stipulated agreement also resolves violations of SF C&GC Code section 3.1-102.5(c) based on her participating in and acting on matters appearing on Homelessness Oversight Commission meeting agendas while disqualified from doing so.
As detailed in the Stipulation, Commissioner Aslanian-Williams failed to fulfill two Form 700 filing requirements and two annual Sunshine Ordinance and Ethics training requirements in violation of City ethics laws while she was a Homelessness Oversight Commissioner. Consequently, Commissioner Aslanian-Williams was disqualified from participating in and voting on matters appearing on Homelessness Oversight Commission meeting agendas during the period that her filing requirements remained unfulfilled. However, Commissioner Aslanian-Williams participated in matters before the Homelessness Oversight Commission at ten meetings despite being disqualified from doing so. Therefore, Commissioner Aslanian-Williams violated City ethics laws.
After being contacted by investigators, Commissioner Aslanian-Williams, who has no history of ethics violations with the Ethics Commission, acknowledged and took full responsibility for her mistake, fulfilled her outstanding Form 700 filing requirements, amended her previous Form 700 filings to fully disclose her reportable interests, completed the required trainings, and fulfilled the related filing requirements. Investigators did not find any evidence that the decisions in which Commissioner Aslanian-Williams participated had a financial effect on any of the financial interests that she ultimately reported.
In the Matter of Janetta Johnson – The Commission unanimously approved a stipulated agreement fining Janetta Johnson, a member of the SOMA Community Stabilization Fund Advisory Committee, $600 for failing to fulfill three annual Statement of Economic Interests (“Form 700”) filing requirements and two annual Ethics training requirements in violation of San Francisco Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code (“SF C&GC Code”) section 3.1-102(a). The stipulated agreement also resolves violations of SF C&GC Code section 3.1-102.5(c) based on her participating in and acting on matters appearing on a SOMA Community Stabilization Fund Advisory Committee meeting agenda while disqualified from doing so.
As detailed in the Stipulation, Member Johnson failed to fulfill annual Form 700 and Ethics training requirements in violation of City ethics laws. Consequently, Member Johnson was disqualified from participating in and voting on matters appearing on SOMA Community Stabilization Fund Advisory Committee meeting agendas during the period that her filing requirements remained unfulfilled. However, Member Johnson participated in matters before the SOMA Community Stabilization Fund Advisory Committee at one meeting despite being disqualified from doing so. Therefore, Member Johnson violated City ethics laws.
After being contacted by investigators, Member Johnson, who has no history of ethics violations with the Ethics Commission, acknowledged and took full responsibility for her mistake, fulfilled her Form 700 filing requirements, completed the required training, and fulfilled the related filing requirements. Investigators did not find any evidence that the decisions in which Member Johnson participated had a financial effect on any of the financial interests that she ultimately reported.
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The San Francisco Ethics Commission was created directly by the City’s voters with the passage of Proposition K in November 1993 and is responsible for the independent and impartial administration and enforcement of laws related to campaign finance, public financing of candidates, governmental ethics, conflicts of interests, and registration and reporting by lobbyists, campaign consultants, permit consultants, and major developers.
Our mission is to practice and promote the highest standards of integrity in government. We achieve that by delivering impactful programs that promote fair, transparent, and accountable governmental decision making for the benefit of all San Franciscans. Public service is a public trust, and our aim is to ensure that San Franciscans can have confidence that the operations of the City and County and the decisions made by its officials and employees are fair, just, and made without any regard to private or personal gain.