Lurie’s Fentanyl Response Clears San Francisco Board of Supervisors

Mayor Daniel Lurie’s legislative push to speed up city responses to overdoses and drug dealing will move forward after passing its first reading at the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

The legislation — dubbed the “Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance,” although not an official government emergency declaration — allows the mayor’s office and certain city departments to skip over the Board of Supervisors’ approval to issue certain contracts. It would allow the city to solicit private donations to fund things like an emergency drop-in center and shelter beds, a tenant of Lurie’s campaign platform.

“As a candidate for mayor, I promised San Franciscans that I would work in partnership with the Board of Supervisors to take action on the critical issues facing our city,” Lurie said. “As mayor, I am proud to be delivering on that promise today. The Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance gives us the tools to treat this crisis with the urgency it demands. And with our partners on the board, that’s exactly what we will do.”

Lurie’s ordinance arrived after receiving a unanimous vote of support last week from the Budget and Finance Committee. Supervisor Shamann Walton was the only no-vote at Tuesday’s meeting, and the District 10 representative had previously criticized the idea for lacking a substantial plan for how loosening government checks and balances will directly support the city’s overdose and homelessness crises.

Some legislative watchdogs have raised concerns about Lurie’s approach, pointing to past examples of corruption in City Hall, including wrongfully awarding contracts, bribery and other misspending.

In 2022, after a major public scandal involving the city’s Public Works department, San Francisco voters passed a law to make it harder for city officials to solicit donations to limit financial misconduct.

Supervisor Jackie Fielder, who voted yes on the ordinance, expressed similar desires as Walton for a more thorough plan.

“I am putting a great deal of faith in Mayor Lurie’s Administration to utilize these extraordinary powers to carry out the will of the voters, and provide housing, shelter, and treatment to our most vulnerable, and to do so without repeating the corrupt practices that have tainted the public’s trust in city government for years,” Fielder said in a statement. “I also eagerly await comprehensive details about the Mayor’s plans to stand up and staff the hundreds of treatment beds that the City needs to make lasting progress on this issue.”

The ordinance will return to the Board of Supervisors on Feb. 11 for a second and final reading. If it passes, it will head to Lurie’s desk for a signature.

Several supervisors expressed support for the mayor’s approach.

“I’m happy to support the result — a package of sensible reforms to streamline the City’s response to the crisis on our streets that also preserves an oversight role for the Board,” board President Rafael Mandelman, who co-sponsored the legislation, said in a statement. “I look forward to working with Mayor Lurie and his team to advance policies that will support recovery in San Francisco and reclaim our public spaces for use by all members of the public.”

District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, who represents the Tenderloin, where the majority of overdose deaths have taken place in recent years, also co-sponsored the ordinance.

“This initiative helps the city get out of its own way to deliver lifesaving resources to those of our neighbors who need it most. It will streamline the city’s ability to quickly address homelessness, addiction, mental health and public safety,” Mahmood said at Tuesday’s meeting. “Our departments will be able to move faster and establish shelter beds, expand services, and provide critical resources. These are the tool kits we need to get the job done. And now the hard work begins.”