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Crowded field of 29 candidates in race to become San Francisco mayor
The race for mayor became even more crowded on Tuesday when San Francisco native and City Hall outsider, Daniel Lurie, filed his paperwork to enter the race in 2024. Lurie, says the issues the city faces; crime, homelessness and drug addiction are all a "crisis of leadership."
SAN FRANCISCO - The race for San Francisco mayor is heating up and now has 29 candidates vying for the position.
Another challenger, Daniel Lurie, formally announced his candidacy on Tuesday, to lead the city.
Before a packed house in San Francisco's Potrero Hill, Lurie announced that he is officially in the race, running for mayor in 2024.
Lurie said the city has thrown money at homelessness, drug use, and crime, but they seem to be issues current leaders can't resolve. "This is not a crisis of resources, this is a crisis of leadership," said Lurie.
The heir to the Levi's fortune says his experience leading the non-profit Tipping Point, aimed at tackling poverty, has given him the tools to cut through San Francisco's notorious bureaucracy. "I have a track record of diverse teams together, diverse groups together, and getting big things done for the people of San Francisco," said Lurie.
Lurie joins a crowded field, with 29 candidates now having declared their intention to run for mayor.
District 11 Supervisor Asha Safaí announced his candidacy in May. Safety also tops his list of concerns. On the steps of City Hall Tuesday, he proposed an ordinance, calling on San Francisco's police chief to increase foot and bike patrols throughout the city to combat crime. He said the problems start at the top. "Every day San Franciscans talk about the crime that they're experiencing in this city and what we're missing is leadership," said Supervisor Safaí. "What we're missing is leadership from the mayor's office."
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For her part, the city's current Mayor London Breed, Tuesday backed new legislation requiring drug users to seek treatment in order to receive general assistance benefits. Breed said she knows that some won't like the new plan, but she said it's critical the city change things up and that begins with accountability. While more work is needed, she said her administration is making progress.
"We've helped almost 10,000 people exit homelessness," said Mayor Breed. "These are people that would otherwise be on our streets."
San Franciscans will have more than a year to make their decision about who should be mayor; voters approved Proposition H last year, which moved the dates of the city's mayoral election to align with presidential election years. That is expected to boost the number voters selecting the next mayor.