San Francisco’s mayor took full responsibility Friday for what many are calling a very big political mistake.
Beya Alcaraz, the 29-year-old sunset resident Lurie appointed last Thursday as the city’s District 4 supervisor, resigned abruptly Thursday night.
“Yeah, I’m taking responsibility in my office. And we’re going to go through our vetting process, we’re gonna get better. We’re gonna get stronger at it,” Lurie said.
Just a week ago, the mayor introduced Isabella “Beya” Alcaraz as his “unconventional” pick to fill the seat of recently recalled District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio.
Last week, when asked why the mayor would pick a political novice, he noted her six years of experience as the owner of a pet shop and a lifelong resident of the sunset.
But the new owner of that pet shop, who took it over from Alcaraz this summer, started raising red flags almost immediately.
“I’ve worked with her pretty limitedly, like transferring the business over. And I just know she’s not capable of doing what a supervisor needs to do,” said Julia Baran, the new owner of Animal Connection Pet Shop.
Baran also shared a video of what she described as filthy conditions of the store, including dead mice and feces.
“You know, I let the mayor’s office know beforehand, before I gave it all to the media. And they were just like, ‘what do you want us to do about it?” Baran said.
At an event on Thursday, the mayor reiterated his support for Alcaraz.
But Baran then shared texts with Mission Local that suggest Alcaraz had been paying some employees under the table and possibly dodging taxes.
That’s when the mayor’s office called a meeting with Alcaraz and she resigned.
“I think that it was a courageous move on her part to step aside last night,” Lurie said.
With her resignation, and the contentions recall of Engardio in September, District 4 is once again without a supervisor.
The mayor acknowledges both these situations and a stepped-up vetting process will make it even more challenging to fill that seat. But his office is already looking.