SAN FRANCISCO (ANN/VIETNAM NEWS) – The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has unanimously voted to officially declare Vietnamese as one of the city’s languages, mandating the provision of translation services for its speakers.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, this decision is part of broader changes to the city’s language access ordinance, aimed at ensuring residents receive services in their preferred language.
The original ordinance, enacted in 2001, required city departments to offer translations for any language spoken by at least 10,000 residents with limited English proficiency.
The recent amendment has lowered this threshold to 6,000, allowing Vietnamese to join the list of officially supported languages, which previously included only Chinese, Spanish, and Filipino.
San Francisco’s language data dashboard indicates that 6,791 residents primarily speak Vietnamese.
Consequently, the city will now be required to provide telephonic interpretations, website translations, written notices, and other official communications in Vietnamese.
The legislation was introduced last year by District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton. Walton emphasized the importance of expanding language access to ensure that immigrant communities can fully engage with government processes.
“Language should never be a barrier to participation in civic life,” Walton stated.
This move underscores San Francisco’s commitment to inclusivity and its recognition of the city’s diverse linguistic landscape. By lowering the threshold for language translation services, the city aims to better serve its residents and enhance community involvement.
