On the same day another Democratic challenger announces a 2024 run, San Francisco Mayor London Breed unveils a new welfare initiative
On Tuesday, Democratic San Francisco Mayor London Breed unveiled a plan aimed at solving the city’s homelessness and fentanyl crises. The proposal would require people receiving welfare benefits to undergo drug testing and participate in treatment programs. The announcement is related to the entry of a new primary challenger in next year’s mayoral election.
Mayor Breed, along with Supervisor Matt Dorsey, a former spokesman for the police department in addiction recovery, explained that the new initiative would require people with substance use disorders to enroll in treatment and support services.
Breed stated, “San Francisco is a compassionate city, but a city that demands accountability. We fund a wide variety of services and we want to help people get the care they need, but under current state law, local governments don’t have the tools to force people into treatment. This initiative is more It aims to create accountability and help people access the treatment and services they need.”
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Dorsey added his support, saying, “I strongly support Mayor Breed’s initiative to better promote treatment and recovery for populations at tremendously disproportionate risk for drug addiction and overdose deaths. We are facing an unprecedented loss of life in San Francisco, and we know that stronger interventions can work.”
The mayor faces an uphill battle in getting approval from more progressive members of the City Council for the proposed legislation, which diverges from the city’s once-dominant, staunchly liberal stance against imposing involuntary treatment on people with mental illness.
At the same time, public safety concerns have taken center stage ahead of an election year with issues such as open drug markets, homelessness, and rising crime rates. On the same day as City Hall’s announcement, Daniel Lurie, a veteran nonprofit executive and Levi Strauss & Co. The heir to Fortune has officially announced his Democratic challenge to Breed in the 2024 election.
In his campaign announcement video, Lurie commented, “What we’re seeing on the streets of San Francisco is not consistent with progressive ideals. We have too many people who have stuck to the same policies for too long. All the time. It’s imperative that we muster the courage to explore alternative methods. I want to provide a fresh kind of leadership.” Running for Mayor—The Age of Leadership from an Outsider’s Perspective.”
“We have vast resources, everything within our reach, yet our streets are dangerous. Ending open drug dealing and ensuring housing for all income brackets, especially middle-class families, is imperative. The heart of San Francisco,” he continued.
As part of Mayor Breed’s latest proposal, eligibility for County Adult Assistance Programs (CAAP) would depend on individuals suspected of having a substance use disorder participating in substance abuse screenings or treatment programs funded by the San Francisco Human Services Agency (SFHSA).
The mayor’s office clarified that these treatment programs include a variety of interventions, from residential treatment and medical detox to medically assisted treatment, outpatient options, and abstinence-based treatment, all tailored to the specific needs of the individual client. Individuals who refuse or fail to actively participate in these treatment programs will not be eligible for CAAP cash assistance and their applications will be denied or their current cash assistance will be terminated.
Between 2018 and 2020, nearly 20% of CAAP recipients voluntarily disclosed that they struggled with substance abuse problems during their initial interviews with SFHSA staff. The mayor’s office also indicated that the incidence of substance use disorder among CAAP recipients experiencing homelessness is higher than among the CAAP population as a whole.