Mayor London Breed and Supervisor Hillary Ronen announced Wednesday the expected introduction of a bill next week that, if enacted by the Board of Supervisors, would remove one hurdle to the opening of "Overdose Prevention Sites" in the city.
Such sites would allow individuals to use heavy drugs like heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl in a safe and supervised environment where there would have access to wraparound services for addiction.
The new bill is necessary to remedy a problem the city inadvertently created in July 2020 when it passed a local ordinance that created a program to issue permits to operate safe injection sites.
In order to obtain a permit under the 2020 ordinance, an operator would need to offer a hygienic space, supervision by health care professionals, sterile consumption supplies, education about overdose prevention, and access or referrals to "substance use disorder treatment services, medical services, mental health services, and social services."
The problem arose from the fact that the ordinance provided that any permit issued by the city "shall not be operative and shall not authorize the operation of an Overdose Prevention Program unless and until state law authorizes the City to approve" the operation of such programs.
California law has not authorized cities to fund such sites.
