The head of San Francisco’s Community Challenge grant program formally entered a not guilty plea Thursday to 30 felony corruption charges that include misappropriating public funds, bribery and conflict of interest allegations.

Lanita Henriquez, who is on paid administrative leave from her post, is accused of authorizing $1.4 million in city grant contracts to entities controlled by former city official Dwayne Jones.

Her attorney, a deputy public defender, did not comment about the case Thursday. At a news conference after court, however, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins alleged that firms Jones controlled paid Henriquez, her friends and family kickbacks and bribes totaling nearly $200,000 at the time he got 23 separate grant contracts.

Jenkins stressed it was irrelevant whether Jones a

See Full Page