SAN FRANCISCO (AP) 鈥� San Francisco's Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to give newly elected Mayor Daniel Lurie greater powers and flexibility to expedite the city's response to a fentanyl crisis that has turned sidewalks into open-air dens of drug consumption and homelessness.
The board voted 10-1 to eliminate competitive bidding requirements for some contracts and allow the administration to solicit private donations to quickly add 1,500 shelter beds and hire more public safety and behavioral health specialists.
who had never held elective office until he squashed Mayor London Breed's reelection bid last year, celebrated the win. On the campaign trail, he had pledged to work with supervisors to tackle the critical issue.
"As mayor, I am proud to be delivering on that promise today,鈥� Lurie said in a statement. 鈥淭he 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鈥檚 exactly what we will do.鈥�
The board relinquished oversight powers for an effort with no concrete plan or accountability metrics, underscoring how desperate supervisors are for a solution. It also signaled their embrace 鈥� for now 鈥� of a political outsider who pledged to work collaboratively to create common-sense solutions.
鈥淚 want to be clear that this ordinance is an unprecedented transfer of power,鈥� said Supervisor Jackie Fielder, who is more liberal than the moderate Democratic mayor. She added that she's 鈥減utting a great deal of faith鈥� in the mayor's office to "provide housing, shelter and treatment to our most vulnerable.鈥�
Supervisor Shamann Walton, also on the progressive end of the city鈥檚 Democratic politics, was the sole 鈥渘o鈥� vote, citing the lack of details.
鈥淭his is probably the most vivid example of putting the cart before the horse I have seen in my entire six-plus years in office,鈥� he said. Checks and balances exist, he said, 鈥渟o that we don鈥檛 have a dictatorship within San Francisco government.鈥�
Supervisor Connie Chan said last week at the budget and finance committee, which she chairs and advanced the legislation, that board oversight helps ensure taxpayer money is spent judiciously and transparently.
But she also said this is 鈥渢ruly an unprecedented time" that calls for unusual measures, and she appreciated the mayor's willingness to compromise. Breed had a frosty relationship with the board's progressive members, Chan included.
San Francisco has long been known for its liberal politics, generally preferring to give people second chances and social services over police crackdowns. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, and overdose deaths fueled by cheap and potent fentanyl reached a record high in San Francisco of over 800 in 2023.
In response, frustrated residents and backed . They also elected more moderate Democrats to the board.
Lurie's proposal will allow the city to bypass the competitive bidding and procurement process for contracts, grants and leases related to addiction, homelessness and public safety hiring. City departments will be able to sign new leases without board approval. He wants to open a 24-hour drop-off center that would be friendly to police and an alternative to jail.
Supervisors will have a shortened 45 days to vote on contracts up to $25 million 鈥� down from the original $50 million proposed by the mayor 鈥� or relinquish their oversight. Expedited contracting will sunset in one year, down from the original five.
San Francisco AIDS Foundation opposes the proposal because it lacks metrics and details, such as how it would actually reduce fentanyl use, said Laura Thomas, the nonprofit's drug policy expert and senior director of HIV & harm reduction policy.
She applauds the mayor's desire for more housing and treatment services but hopes he will not endorse policies forcing people into treatment, which has shown to be ineffective and often counterproductive.
At Wednesday's budget and finance committee, legislative analyst Nicolas Menard warned that waiving competitive bids would likely increase service costs and 鈥渃reate opportunities for waste, fraud and abuse.鈥� The fiscal impact is unknown, but the grants and contracts budget for the affected city departments totals just over $1 billion.
鈥淚 need to be very clear that you鈥檙e giving up a lot here," he said.
The legislation requires a second 鈥� and often pro forma 鈥� vote next week before it heads to Lurie's desk for his signature.
Janie Har, The Associated Press
