This decision aims to improve access for the Vietnamese community, ensuring all city government communications are available in Vietnamese. Since 2001, San Francisco has mandated translations for languages spoken by at least 10,000 residents. The new regulation lowers this threshold to 6,000, adding Vietnamese to the existing Chinese, Spanish, and Filipino list.
Official statistics show that 6,791 San Francisco residents primarily speak Vietnamese. Consequently, the city will now offer translation services via phone, website, and official notices in Vietnamese.
The ordinance, introduced by Councilman Shamann Walton last year, seeks to enhance language access for immigrant communities. “San Francisco is home to diverse immigrant communities and is a national leader in providing language access services,” Walton stated at a press conference before the vote.
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Source: Vietnam Insider