San Francisco Mayor's Fentanyl Ordinance Delivered Fast Results, But Challenges Remain

Lurie's law allowed the city to bypass red tape and quickly open addiction treatment, homeless shelters, and other services, but overdose deaths have yet to decline.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 3:07pm by Ben Kaplan

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In his first year in office, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie pushed through an ordinance that gave his administration more power to quickly address the city's fentanyl crisis and homelessness issues. The law allowed the city to bypass the usual competitive bidding process for contracts under $25 million, leading to the rapid opening of new addiction treatment beds, homeless shelters, and other services. However, drug scenes and homelessness remain prevalent in parts of the city, and overdose deaths have not yet declined despite the new initiatives.

Why it matters

San Francisco has long struggled with drug addiction and homelessness, and the fentanyl crisis has exacerbated these problems in recent years. Mayor Lurie's ordinance was an attempt to treat the crisis "with the urgency it demands," but the lasting impact of the law remains to be seen as the city continues to grapple with these deep-seated challenges.

The details

Lurie's ordinance allowed the city to skip the typical monthslong competitive bidding process for contracts under $25 million related to addiction, homelessness, mental health, and public safety. It also allowed the mayor and his aides to solicit private donations to support the city's efforts. This led to the rapid opening of new facilities, including the Salvation Army's "Hope House" sober shelter, a 70-bed residential addiction treatment center, and two new crisis stabilization centers. However, the contracting rules and fundraising provisions are set to expire in the coming months, raising questions about the sustainability of these initiatives.

  • In January 2025, Mayor Lurie introduced the "Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance."
  • Over the past year, the city used the ordinance's expedited contracting rules around 50 times.
  • The contracting rules will phase out at the end of January 2026, while the fundraising provisions are set to expire in April 2026.

The players

Daniel Lurie

The mayor of San Francisco who pushed through the "Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance" in an effort to quickly address the city's drug addiction and homelessness crises.

Shamann Walton

A San Francisco Supervisor who cast the sole vote against Lurie's ordinance, arguing that he has not seen evidence of it benefiting the city.

Steve Adami

An advocate for the law who runs programs for the Salvation Army in San Francisco, and credits the ordinance with the rapid opening of the organization's "Hope House" sober shelter.

Colin LeClair

The CEO of Connections Health Solutions, the contractor tapped to operate a new "police-friendly" stabilization center that opened in the Tenderloin last April.

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What they’re saying

“The Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance is delivering real, immediate results — moving faster than our traditional systems allow, expanding care and housing and strengthening public safety. It has given the city the flexibility it needed to respond to a crisis with urgency, coordination and accountability, and it continues to be a critical tool in our efforts to save lives and restore safety to our streets.”

— Daniel Lurie, Mayor of San Francisco (San Francisco Chronicle)

“I've been running programs in San Francisco for years, and getting anything stood up is always a drawn-out process. The fentanyl ordinance made it possible to really contract the services needed to tackle the crisis.”

— Steve Adami, Salvation Army advocate (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The mayor's office may seek an extension of the fundraising provisions in the ordinance, which are set to expire in April 2026. The contracting rules will phase out at the end of January 2026, raising questions about the sustainability of the initiatives launched under the law.

The takeaway

While Mayor Lurie's ordinance allowed the city to quickly open new addiction treatment, homeless, and crisis services, the long-term impact remains uncertain as the city continues to grapple with the persistent challenges of drug addiction and homelessness. The expiration of the law's key provisions in the coming months will test whether these initiatives can be maintained without the expedited contracting and fundraising authorities.