The San Francisco Board of Supervisors appears ready to grant new Mayor Daniel Lurie broad powers to deal with the city’s fentanyl epidemic.
The San Francisco Examiner reported under an agreement reached yesterday by the Budget and Finance committee, the board will grant Lurie broad “administrative flexibility in addressing the city’s opioid and homelessness crises.
The compromise, which stops short of all Lurie requested, will give the new city administration broad discretion on how the city spends millions of dollars. If approved, a new ordinance would reduce multiple bureaucratic hurdles as Lurie seeks to reduce fentanyl overdoses and homelessness.
Lurie told the Supervisors that “our city needs to move with the urgency this crisis demands.”Board of Supervisors president Rafael Mandelman became the sixth co-sponsor to support the legislation, which now has the support to pass the full board.
City Budget legislative Analyst Nicolas Menard warned the budget committee they would cede significant power, if the ordinance is approved.Under the proposed legislation, city projects related to homelessness, fentanyl and behavioral health would not be subject to a competitive bidding process.
And it would allow departments to sign new leases without the approval of the Supervisors.
