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Office of the Controller
As part of the Controller’s Office, CSA is charged with promoting efficiency and effectiveness of City government. This includes auditing the performance and financial integrity of City departments, leading performance management and measurement efforts citywide, and promoting efficient government through a variety of special projects and initiatives. CSA is also responsible for the City’s Whistleblower hotline, which receives and tracks complaints about the quality and delivery of government services, wasteful and inefficient City government practices, misuse of government funds, and improper activities by City government officials, employees and contractors.
Background, Strategic Focus and Workplan for FY 2009-2010City Charter Section 3.105:
- Establishes the Controller as the City Services Auditor for the City and County;
- Gives the Controller the authority to audit the accounts and operations of all boards, commissions, officers, and departments; and
- Grants access and authority to examine all boards’, commissions’, officers’, and departments’ documents, records, books, and other property.
A November 2003 ballot measure (Proposition C) established Appendix F in the City Charter and created the City Services Auditor within the Controller's Office. It combined the existing Audits, City Projects, and Performance Management functions of the Controller’s Office into one division and expanded the division’s roles and responsibilities. Under the City Charter Appendix F, the City Services Auditor has broad authority for:
- Reporting on the level and effectiveness of San Francisco's public services and benchmarking the City to other public agencies and jurisdictions;
- Conducting financial and performance audits of City departments, contractors, and functions to assess efficiency and effectiveness of processes and services;
- Running a whistleblower complaints hotline and website and investigating reports of waste, fraud and abuse of City resources;
- Ensuring the financial integrity and improving the overall performance and efficiency of City government.
With an annual budget of more than $5 billion a year, the citizens and elected leaders of the City and County of San Francisco need the objective and independent analysis provided by the City Services Auditor. Findings and recommendations from our audit and performance management programs help ensure accountability, save tax dollars and improve public services.
For a searchable archive of our reports, click here.
The Audits unit includes both financial and performance audits. Financial audits address the financial integrity of both City departments and contractors. Performance audits focus primarily on assessment of City services and processes, providing recommendations for improvement to enhance department performance.
CSA’s Performance Management unit works with City departments to develop meaningful performance information to help guide department- and City-level decision making. Departments report data to CSA for the citywide performance database, and more frequently for other performance initiatives.
The City Projects unit works with City departments to research and develop processes and programs to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of City services. Recent projects include development of standards to evaluate City parks and streets; the Transit Effectiveness Project (TEP) to assess the City’s public transportation system; and an in-depth assessment of the City’s public health system.
For a searchable archive of audits and other reports, click here.
One of our recent accomplishments:
2005 Knighton Award for Best Audit
Our 2005 Health Services System Audit was awarded the Knighton Award for best audit issued by a large audit shop. The award is issued by the Association of Local Government Auditors (ALGA) and is meant to recognize the best performance audit reports each year using criteria such as the report’s potential for significant impact, clarity, and focus on effective and efficient government.
To contact us please email CSA.ProjectManager@sfgov.org or contact the Controller’s main office number 415-554-7500
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