Committee adopts resolution urging a community‑driven drug market intervention strategy to address fentanyl crisis

The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee adopted a resolution March 13, 2025, urging implementation of a comprehensive, community‑driven drug market intervention (DMI) strategy to address San Francisco’s fentanyl crisis and forwarded the amended resolution with a positive recommendation to the full Board of Supervisors.

Vice Chair Bilal Mahmood introduced the resolution and described the Tenderloin’s drug market conditions, saying the neighborhood’s children face “unimaginable circumstances” from witnessing overdoses to coercion into the drug trade. Mahmood said the DMI framework combines incapacitation, deterrence and prevention and prioritizes interagency collaboration between law enforcement, public health and social services alongside community‑based programs. Mahmood said the Drug Market Agency Coordination Center (DMACC), since its inception in 2023, has seized more than 300 pounds of fentanyl and made more than 2,000 felony drug arrests (remarks attributed to the resolution text as presented).

Mahmood offered an amendment added to the resolution clarifying that enforcement alone cannot eliminate drug markets and “should be minimized whenever possible,” and that the strategy should prioritize direct communication, deterrence, and pathways to employment, education and rehabilitation for nonviolent dealers and individuals struggling with addiction. Supervisors including Chair Matt Dorsey expressed support for tailoring DMI approaches to the community and engaging nonprofit partners.

There was no public comment on the item during the committee hearing. Vice Chair Mahmood moved to adopt the resolution as amended; the committee recorded ayes from Vice Chair Mahmood, Supervisor Danny Sauter and Chair Matt Dorsey. The motion passed and the committee forwarded the amended resolution to the full Board with a positive recommendation.