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Mayor urges swift action on fentanyl emergency, pledges support for seniors after St. Anne's announced closure
Summary
Mayor Lurie told the Board that expanding treatment, shelter capacity, behavioral health initiatives and staffing are urgent steps in response to fentanyl and homelessness, and assured supervisors that Laguna Honda has capacity for qualifying residents after St. Anne's announced an April closure.
Mayor Lurie addressed the Board of Supervisors during a scheduled appearance and outlined his first major legislative proposal: a fentanyl state emergency order intended to accelerate treatment, shelter expansion and behavioral-health staffing.
The mayor said the city must —move with the urgency this crisis demands— and that the proposed legislation aims to increase treatment and shelter capacity, implement behavioral and mental-health initiatives, and speed up hiring of public-safety and behavioral-health staff. —People in our city need our help right now, and what we have been doing is not working,— he said.
Supervisor Connie Chan raised a separate District 1 concern about the announced closure of Saint Anne's Home, a longstanding skilled nursing facility in the Richmond, which is expected to close in April. Chan asked what the city's vision is for the site and how offices can partner to support seniors.
Mayor Lurie offered condolences to residents and families affected by the closure and said Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center has space for residents who meet admissions criteria. He said the administration would engage the Little Sisters of the Poor on the site's potential and pledged coordinated work with the Department of Disability and Aging Services, the Department of Public Health, MOHCD and OEWD to vet options for the property and continuing senior services.
The mayor thanked supervisors for collaboration and noted he had granted a 30-day waiver to expedite consideration of the opioid-related legislation through the legislative process. He also acknowledged staff and GovTV for making meeting recordings and transcripts available to the public.
The board filed the mayoral appearance and accepted the District 1 discussion as complete; no formal vote resulted from the exchange on St. Anne's at the meeting, and supervisors indicated continued engagement with the mayor's office on next steps.
