Mayor Lurie’s handpicked Sunset Dist. supervisor announces she’ll resign after 1 week in office
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Just one week after being sworn in as San Francisco’s District 4 supervisor, Mayor Daniel Lurie announced on Thursday that Beya Alcaraz intends to resign.
Resigning
What we know:
Alcaraz was appointed as supervisor for the Sunset District after former Supervisor Joel Engardio was recalled in a special election in September. He was the subject of voters’ ire who were not pleased with the shutdown of the Great Highway to traffic in order to make way for a park.
Lurie said he selected Alcaraz after listening to what Sunset residents told him they were looking for as a supervisor. He issued a statement Thursday, saying earlier in the day he learned about “her conduct while running a small business” and that that would be a distraction from the work that needs to be done in order to serve the community.
Alcaraz, a lifelong resident of the Sunset, owned and operated The Animal Connection – a pet supply store, according to her bio on the city’s website. The business was sold in May of this year after it had expanded in 2024. She had also been a music and art teacher in the neighborhood.
Disarray & dead animals
The woman who took the business over told the Chronicle, the store was left in disarray and that included dead animals.
“I spoke to Supervisor Alcaraz tonight. She and I agreed, as we always have, that the Sunset deserves a supervisor who is fully focused on serving the community,” Lurie’s statement read. He continued, “I regret that I didn’t do more to make sure she could succeed.”
No prior experience
When she was sworn in, volunteers from the campaign to recall Engardio had concerns of Alcaraz’s appointment since she had no prior political experience and had not been politically tested.
Lurie spoke of the politics that have divided the district and said he and his team are committed to finding a replacement.
Following Lurie’s next appointment, a special election will take place in June to let voters decide who should represent the district, then another next November.
Last week, Alcaraz said she intended to run in both of those elections. That no longer appears to be the case.
What they’re saying:
Alcaraz issued her own statement saying in part: “I believe that my community deserves someone who will work 24/7 to advocate for us. And I understand that today’s news stories would distract me from doing that,” she said. Alcaraz thanked the mayor for the opportunity.
Fellow supervisor Matt Dorsey this evening said he was impressed by Alcaraz seeing her as someone who got involved in politics for the right reasons. “I have every confidence Beya will find other ways to contribute to our City, and I hope we’ll have opportunities to work together in the future,” said Dorsey.
Alcaraz was the first Filipina American to serve on the city’s Board of Supervisors.
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