A former official in San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie’s administration has shared new insights about her abrupt departure from City Hall in an email obtained by the Chronicle.
Lea Suzuki/S.F. Chronicle
A former official in San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie’s administration has shared new insights about her abrupt departure from City Hall in an email obtained by the Chronicle.
Florence Simon, who was director of the Mayor’s Office of Innovation for about one year until her exit this month, told former colleagues in city government Thursday that the office she used to lead was “moving in a different strategic direction focused on a new set of priorities with a new approach focused on research and insights.”
“This represents a shift away from our original model, which centered on delivery and implementation of operational improvements and new technologies,” Simon wrote.
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The innovation office has played an important role in helping advance some of Lurie’s signature goals: bringing City Hall technology into the 21st century and simplifying the local government’s complicated bureaucratic processes. Simon was one of the officials closely involved in steering Lurie’s effort to overhaul the city permit system, including by launching a new online portal in February.
Lurie’s office had previously provided few details about why Simon left, other than noting that the city recently received a grant to expand the office, which helps to modernize City Hall’s technology.
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Simon’s departure has given Lurie a second vacancy to fill in one of his administration’s key leadership roles, coming just after the head of the city homelessness department, Shireen McSpadden, announced she would retire effective June 30.
In her email to former colleagues, Simon said that, in light of what she described as the innovation office’s strategic shift, “it’s the right time for me to leave the City and make room for the next chapter.”
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“I do so with deep appreciation for the opportunity to serve and excitement for the impact that the innovation office will continue to deliver,” Simon wrote. “I believe wholeheartedly in Mayor Lurie, his mission, and his team.”
Lurie spokesperson Charles Lutvak lauded Simon in a statement, saying “it has been a pleasure working with Florence to tell the story of this administration’s work to make government work better for San Franciscans.”
“She comes to her work with a relentless work ethic and deep commitment to public service, and I’m sure she will bring that same spirit to her next challenge,” Lutvak said.
The innovation office is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, which recently provided a $7 million grant to fund and expand its work through the end of 2028. The charitable arm of former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg had previously given the city a $3.4 million four-year grant for the office in 2021. The office was founded in 2012.
In Simon’s email Thursday, she said she had grown the size of her team from three people to 10 with help from Bloomberg Philanthropies. She also said she had helped reduce the amount of time the city takes to hire new police officers, launched a new application to assist street outreach workers, and developed a prototype for a “work and volunteer opportunity portal to help residents maintain access to critical food and healthcare benefits.”
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Additionally, Simon emphasized her role in PermitSF, Lurie’s ambitious effort to transform San Francisco’s notoriously complicated permitting system. The initiative came under some scrutiny last year over the way it selected a vendor to develop the new PermitSF online portal, but Simon said the portal has been successful since its debut last month. Application rates are up and fewer people are making repeat trips to the city’s Permit Center to fix errors with their permit applications, Simon said.
“These outcomes reflect what’s possible when talented, mission-driven people come together with urgency, discipline, and a shared commitment to execution,” Simon said. “I’m deeply proud of what we built together.”
Ned Segal, Lurie’s chief of housing and economic development who worked with Simon on PermitSF, called her “an integral part” of the permit initiative.
“We had an ambitious deadline to launch the PermitSF portal … and she was key to hitting it,” Segal said. “I appreciate her partnership and wish her the best of luck in her next role.”
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