In what many are calling a significant stride toward addressing the fentanyl epidemic in San Francisco, Mayor Daniel Lurie and the Board of Supervisors ushered in a near-unanimous decision in favor of the Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance. The ordinance passed with a 10-1 vote, signaling the dawn of a cooperative chapter between the Mayor’s Office and Board of Supervisors, as reported by the City and County of San Francisco.
The ordinance, which met with unanimous support from the Budget and Finance Committee just last week, is designed to expedite funding and resource allocation for drug rehabilitation and public safety enhancements. This aims to address the city's deepening crisis with fentanyl, an opioid that has been linked to a surge in overdose deaths. In a statement on social media, Mayor Daniel Lurie noted, "As mayor, I am proud to be delivering on that promise today." The next steps for the legislation involve a second and final reading by the full Board of Supervisors set for next Tuesday.
Today, the Board of Supervisors voted 10-1 in support of our Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance, marking a new era of cooperation in City Hall.
— Daniel Lurie 丹尼爾·羅偉 (@DanielLurie) February 5, 2025
As a candidate for mayor, I promised San Franciscans that I would work in partnership with the Board of Supervisors to take action… pic.twitter.com/YZA9S2jiYk
Leaders across the board expressed relief and optimism about the measure's potential impact. "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," Mayor Lurie told the City and County of San Francisco. Reflecting the gravity of the situation, Supervisor Mahmood, representing the Tenderloin neighborhood, which has been heavily impacted by drug use, stated, "We’re tackling an evolving crisis that has gone on for too long — this is a first step to providing our government the tools we need to improve public safety, bring meaningful change to our communities, and begin to restore hope for our residents."
