Mayor Lurie urges urgent fentanyl response, assures support after St. Anne’s nursing home closure

Mayor Daniel Lurie told the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Jan. 28 that he has introduced a fentanyl state emergency order and urged a fast, coordinated expansion of treatment, shelter and behavioral-health staffing to address overdoses and street-based addiction.

The mayor also responded to a question from Supervisor Connie Chan about the announced April closure of St. Anne’s Home, a long‑standing skilled nursing facility in the Richmond District. Lurie said Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center has space for residents who meet its admissions criteria and that his office will work with the Department of Public Health and the Department of Disability and Aging Services on next steps.

Why it matters: Lurie framed his comments as part of an early legislative push and as the basis for accelerated executive action. He asked supervisors to work “line by line” on amendments to reach unity on his fentanyl emergency proposal; at the same time supervisors signaled concern about continuity of care for seniors and the city’s overall capacity to serve older adults after St. Anne’s announced its closure.

Lurie said the city needs to “move with the urgency this crisis demands” and described several strands of action under consideration: expanding treatment and shelter capacity, accelerating hiring for public‑safety and behavioral‑health positions, and implementing targeted behavioral‑health initiatives. “People in our city need our help right now, and what we have been doing is not working,” he told the board.

Supervisor Connie Chan (D1) opened a short district item about St. Anne’s Home and asked the mayor how the city plans to support the site’s residents and the neighborhood after the owner announced the facility would close in April. Chan said many District 1 constituents had contacted her office seeking clarity about the site and the fate of residents.

Lurie said he shared “sympathy with the residents and families affected” and pledged the city would support the transition. “Laguna Honda has also stepped up proactively to support St. Anne’s families through this transition,” Lurie said, adding that residents who meet Laguna Honda’s admissions criteria can be accommodated. He named the Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS), the Department of Public Health (DPH), the Mayor’s Office of Housing & Community Development (MOHCD) and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) as agencies that will participate in discussions about the site’s future.

About services and scale: Lurie said DAS serves more than 70,000 older and disabled adults annually and that roughly one in four seniors in District 1 uses DAS programs. He noted the city’s in‑home support services help more than 1,500 District 1 seniors remain in their homes by offering assistance with daily living tasks.

On process and next steps: Lurie said it was too early to announce a final plan for the St. Anne’s site and that the city would engage with the Little Sisters of the Poor, the organization that operates the property, to evaluate options for keeping a care resource on the site or converting it for other senior services. He also said he would continue to work with supervisors and department heads in a “line‑by‑line” process on his fentanyl legislation.

The board did not vote on any new legislation during the mayoral appearance; the discussion was recorded as a mayoral presentation and the matter was filed for the record.

Local context and limits: The mayor’s remarks described policy objectives and commitments of his office. He did not announce a finalized ordinance at the Jan. 28 hearing; several supervisors noted the item would proceed through committee (the mayor thanked Supervisor Chan for scheduling a separate committee discussion). Lurie asked for cooperative amendment work and for the board to consider a 30‑day waiver he said had been granted earlier to accelerate the measure through the legislative process.

Ending note: Supervisors thanked the mayor for appearing. The board recorded the mayoral presentation as discussed and filed, and moved on to the consent calendar and other regular business.

Quotes in this article are drawn from the official meeting transcript of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Jan. 28, 2025.