Current:Home > NewsLevi Strauss heir Daniel Lurie pledges to make San Francisco safer as mayor-InfoLens
Levi Strauss heir Daniel Lurie pledges to make San Francisco safer as mayor
View Date:2024-12-23 16:23:29
Follow live: Updates from AP’s coverage of the presidential election.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Daniel Lurie, an heir to the Levi Strauss fortune and philanthropist who has never held public office, promised on Friday that as San Francisco’s mayor he will help struggling small businesses and bring an end to the open-air drug markets.
“Your voices and your call for accountable leadership, service and change have been heard,” Lurie said at a park in San Francisco’s Chinatown, delivering his first public remarks since Mayor London Breed called him to concede the race the previous day.
Lurie said he chose Chinatown for Friday’s event to underscore how important the area’s health is to turning San Francisco around. He walked the neighborhood the day after the election and visited again with merchants Friday. Chinese voters are also critical to winning citywide in San Francisco.
The Associated Press has not declared a winner in Tuesday’s election because tens of thousands of ballots have not yet been counted and added to the ranked choice voting calculations.
But on Friday, Lurie held a commanding lead in early election results and Breed called Lurie on Thursday to congratulate him. She posted on the social platform X that she and her staff will work to ensure the political newcomer has a smooth transition when he takes over as mayor.
“I know we are both committed to improving this City we love,” Breed wrote.
Lurie’s ascent was remarkable for a candidate with little name recognition who appears to have bested two San Francisco supervisors and a former interim mayor to unseat.
His deep pockets helped. Lurie spent nearly $9 million of his own money on his first-time campaign for mayor and raised more than $16 million, including $1 million from his mother Mimi Haas. Lurie is the stepson of the late Peter Haas, a great-grandnephew of Levi Strauss and longtime CEO of the iconic clothing company.
Breed’s victory six years ago as the city’s first Black female mayor — who grew up impoverished living in public housing — showed that no dream was impossible in the progressive, compassionate and equitable city. But the honeymoon was short-lived as the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered stores and tech workers retreated to home offices. Tent encampments proliferated, as did public drug use.
Streets did become cleaner and homeless tents much harder to find, but the daytime shooting in September of 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall in a popular central shopping district reignited a debate over public safety. She faced off with multiple opponents who accused her of doing too little too late.
On policy, Lurie does not differ much from Breed. Lurie said he wants to build more housing, crack down on drug dealers, get homeless people off the streets and take a compassionate yet firm approach to drug users who refuse help.
But he said that as a political outsider, he would bring a critical eye to bureaucracy, weed out nonprofits and department heads who fail to deliver, and focus on results.
Lurie plans to beef up the city’s police presence, declare a fentanyl state of emergency, set up 1,500 temporary shelter beds within six months, and drastically streamline the permitting process so small businesses can thrive, he said.
His opponents on the campaign trail trashed Lurie for spending so much money, but his supporters did not seem to mind, nor did they seem bothered by his lack of experience in government. Several people at Friday’s event said they were familiar with the anti-poverty nonprofit he founded in 2005, Tipping Point Community.
What to know about the 2024 election:
- The latest: White evangelical voters showed steadfast support for Donald Trump in the election, and some supporters of Kamala Harris are attributing some of the blame for her loss to President Joe Biden.
- Balance of power: Republicans won control of the U.S. Senate, giving the GOP a major power center in Washington. Control over the House of Representatives is still up for grabs.
- AP VoteCast: Trump slightly expanded his coalition to include several groups that have traditionally been a part of the Democratic base. AP journalists break down the voter data.
- Voto a voto: Sigue la cobertura de AP en español de las elecciones en EEUU.
News outlets globally count on the AP for accurate U.S. election results. Since 1848, the AP has been calling races up and down the ballot. Support us. Donate to the AP.
“I’m so happy to have Daniel here because, you see, special interests is gone. He doesn’t need the money, it’s all about passion for this city,” said Shirletha Holmes-Boxx, 67, a community organizer.
Lurie, 47, said he plans to put his holdings into a blind trust and talk to the city attorney about forgoing the mayor’s $380,000 annual salary.
Paul Yep, a retired San Francisco Police Department commander, said Lurie convinced him early on with his ideas, passion and purpose for running.
“I saw his commitment and his love for San Francisco,” Yep said. “I knew that the outsider point of view was exactly what was needed.”
Lurie planned to visit other parts of the city Friday, including a senior center, lunch at a gumbo social, ice cream with his two children and happy hour at a pub.
“So many people love this city, it’s time for us to start making people feel like the city loves them back,” he said Friday, with his wife Becca Prowda at his side as scores of supporters snapped photos, clapped their hands and hooted with joy.
veryGood! (7)
Related
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a stroke earlier this month, is expected to make full recovery
- Larry Hobbs, who guided AP’s coverage of Florida news for decades, has died at 83
- Stock market today: Asian shares meander, tracking Wall Street’s mixed finish as dollar surges
- Flurry of contract deals come as railroads, unions see Trump’s election looming over talks
- Lou Donaldson, jazz saxophonist who blended many influences, dead at 98
- Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan says next year will be his last in office; mum on his plans afterward
- Artem Chigvintsev Returns to Dancing With the Stars Ballroom Amid Nikki Garcia Divorce
- American arrested in death of another American at luxury hotel in Ireland
- FanDuel Sports Network regional channels will be available as add-on subscription on Prime Video
- The USDA is testing raw milk for the avian flu. Is raw milk safe?
Ranking
- Lou Donaldson, jazz saxophonist who blended many influences, dead at 98
- Secret Service Agent Allegedly Took Ex to Barack Obama’s Beach House
- Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas says he was detained in airport over being ‘disoriented’
- Pedro Pascal's Sister Lux Pascal Debuts Daring Slit on Red Carpet at Gladiator II Premiere
- Arkansas governor unveils $102 million plan to update state employee pay plan
- Review: 'Emilia Pérez' is the most wildly original film you'll see in 2024
- Mississippi governor intent on income tax cut even if states receive less federal money
- Nicole Kidman Reveals the Surprising Reason for Starring in NSFW Movie Babygirl
Recommendation
-
US overdose deaths are down, giving experts hope for an enduring decline
-
Philadelphia mass transit users face fare hikes of more than 20% and possible service cuts
-
DWTS’ Sasha Farber and Jenn Tran Prove They're Closer Than Ever Amid Romance Rumors
-
Amazon Prime Video to stream Diamond Sports' regional networks
-
Former West Virginia jail officer pleads guilty to civil rights violation in fatal assault on inmate
-
A wayward sea turtle wound up in the Netherlands. A rescue brought it thousands of miles back home
-
A $1 billion proposal is the latest plan to refurbish and save the iconic Houston Astrodome
-
Mark Zuckerberg Records NSFW Song Get Low for Priscilla Chan on Anniversary