Lurie seeks to streamline SF's fentanyl response
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Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks at a press conference in San Francisco on Jan. 15. Photo: Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Mayor Daniel Lurie made a big splash earlier this week with a proposed ordinance to combat the widespread use of fentanyl on San Francisco's streets.
Why it matters: While overdoses have been steadily declining, the city is still grappling with a deadly drug epidemic fueled largely by fentanyl.
- Just 2 milligrams of the synthetic opioid, which can be 50 times more potent than heroin, is considered a lethal dose.
By the numbers: From January to November of last year, 589 people died from overdoses, of which 31 were known to involve fentanyl, according to the most recent report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
How it works: The ordinance seeks to cut some city regulations to speed up its response to the crisis by:
- Expediting hiring and city contracts for mental health, addiction and shelter services by reducing Board of Supervisors oversight.
- Allowing the city to solicit private funding for behavioral health, homelessness and public safety projects.
- Directing more police to downtown near Sixth Street to address drug-dealing.
What they're saying: "The ordinance will allow us to surge resources and overcome the bureaucratic obstacles getting in the way of progress," Lurie said in a statement.
- Co-sponsor Bilal Mahmood, who represents the Tenderloin, in District 5, told Axios that the ordinance would be instrumental in helping Lurie secure funding to add 1,500 shelter beds — a goal he hopes to achieve in the next six months.
Yes, but: Lurie's proclaimed "emergency" ordinance is not an official state of emergency.
- That means the mayor must go through the legislative process to get his ordinance approved because his declaration does not meet specific legal standards, Mission Local reports.
Catch up quick: Lurie's proposal comes amid a challenging time for the city as he contends with solving some of its biggest problems, including a converging homelessness crisis, affordable housing crunch and severe budget deficit.
- While campaigning, Lurie ran on the promise to declare a fentanyl state of emergency, fight corruption in City Hall and streamline the city's bureaucratic processes.
- It's not the first time a mayor has taken a similar approach to combating fentanyl deaths. In 2021, Mayor London Breed tried to issue a state of emergency in the Tenderloin to waive similar bureaucratic hurdles, but the declaration was blocked by the city attorney.
The bottom line: Lurie's ability to work and negotiate with the board to land on a consensus to push his policy agenda forward will be tested in the weeks ahead as the supervisors weigh making changes to the proposal before casting a final vote on its passage.
What's next: Six members of the 11-member board must support the ordinance in order for it to pass. In addition to Mahmood, Lurie has already secured the co-sponsorship of four other supervisors, including Joel Engardio, Stephen Sherrill, Matt Dorsey and Danny Sauter.