San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie on has signed an executive directive he says will break cycles of homelessness, addiction, and government failure by changing the city’s response.
The “breaking the cycle” order accomplishes both immediate and long-term reforms to tackle the city’s homeless and behavioral health problems, according to a statement from the mayor’s office.
The work started on Lurie’s first day in office, when he announced the fentanyl state of emergency ordinance, then got it passed by city supervisors last month 10-1.
He also announced plans for a 24/7 police-friendly stabilization center that will open at 822 Geary Street this spring.
Earlier this month, Lurie also launched the family homelessness prevention pilot, an 18-month, $11 million program to provide more accessible and coordinated support to families on the brink of homelessness.
“I believe our city must be judged by how we care for our most vulnerable residents, and today, we are outlining immediate actions and long-term reforms to address the crisis on our streets,” Lurie said, in a statement.
An estimated two people die every day from overdosing in the city, according to the mayor’s office.
More than 8,000 people are homeless nightly, according to the 2024 homelessness point in time count, with thousands more at risk.
More than half of those surveyed self-reported behavioral health challenges, either mental health challenges, drug addiction, or both.
And 36% are chronically homelessness, which Lurie’s office said is a clear indicator the city’s approach isn’t working.
The “Breaking the Cycle” directive calls for more coordinated services, better measurement of outcomes, and accountability for government. The idea is to get more people off the street and connected to services, prevent more people from becoming unhoused in the first place, keep public places clean and safe, and better manage taxpayer resources.
“This is a well-sequenced strategy that’s focused on the right priorities: getting people better, reclaiming the public realm, and reversing years of perverse incentives that have done more to exacerbate problems than solve them,” said District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, in a statement. “It’s also bold. Mayor Lurie’s directive is taking aim at some sacred cows here — from harm reduction to homelessness spending — that quite frankly deserve scrutiny for why they’ve failed to achieve better outcomes. This is real accountability, and I support it.”
District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill said the city needs “aggressive measures.”
“The answer to San Francisco’s homelessness and fentanyl crises must be real solutions for those suffering here, not policies that fuel drug tourism,” Sherrill said. “There is no such thing as safe fentanyl use, and taxpayer dollars should never support it. Reassessing fentanyl supply policies is a necessary step to prioritize treatment and recovery. Street teams must focus on breaking the cycle of addiction, not just responding to crises.”
Lurie’s 6-month and 1-year agenda
Lurie’s strategy includes a timeline and deadlines.
Actions in the first 100 days include taking immediate steps to move people from the street into shelter and to permanent housing, including launching a new model for street outreach teams, adding capacity and reforming policies and services to help people move through the system.
Lurie also wants to reform health and homelessness services.
Six-month actions would include adding beds and services, delivering on Lurie’s 1,500-bed commitment. Lurie also wants to recalibrate the city’s relationship with nonprofits to improve services and ensure accountability.
Lurie wants to review funding priorities, prioritizing flexibility and getting people into stable housing.
At one year, Lurie wants to leverage state and federal funding to expand and improve services, He wants to strengthen coordination and evidence-based decision making by reforming key programs and the city’s data and technology systems.
Lurie would bolster workforce development and economic self-sufficiency programs to help more clients achieve stability and self-sufficiency .
He’d also review the organizational structure of city programs to improve accountability, coordination, efficiency, and overall service impact.
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