San Francisco Supervisor Beya Alcaraz was sworn into office by Mayor Daniel Lurie on Thursday to represent District 4 on the west side of the city after the former supervisor, Joel Engardio, was recalled by voters in a decisive election in September.
“I looked for someone who embodies these qualities: a lifelong resident who intimately knows the district and the people who live here, a bridge builder, a problem solver, and someone who cares deeply about their neighborhood and this city as a whole,” Lurie said in a speech. “That is what ultimately led to Beya Alcaraz.”
Alcaraz, 29, was born and raised in the Sunset neighborhood, which is in District 4. She is of Filipino and Chinese heritage and attended St. Ignatius College Preparatory school.
She currently works as a music and art teacher for children after running a small pet store for 10 years.
Alcaraz first met Lurie at a night market in the Sunset after Engardio was recalled. She introduced herself and pitched to him why she would make a good choice for supervisor.
“Over the past few months, I talked to people about the anger and intense division in the Sunset and what might happen with the District 4 supervisor,” Alcaraz said in a speech. “Business owners, friends, old customers and neighbors said, ‘Beya, you have to try.'”
Her roots in the Sunset and experience as a small business owner were characteristics that drew Lurie to appoint her, he said.
Although she has no political background, Alcaraz said that District 4 residents care more about feeling represented at City Hall.
“Our neighborhood isn’t impressed by who worked on what campaign or how long you’ve been in politics,” she said. “We want to be represented by real, down to earth people with community ties, people who experience life in the same way we do in a unique neighborhood full of working class, monolingual, and multi-generational families.”
Alcaraz said she’d be willing to reconsider the closure of the Great Highway, an issue that kicked off the recall campaign against Engardio. Engardio was a staunch supporter of permanently closing the Great Highway and transforming it into a park, a move that District 4 voters mostly opposed in the November 2024 election.
She also said she is open to introducing an amendment to Lurie’s Family Zoning Plan, which would allow more housing to be built throughout the city, including in District 4 where housing development has stalled compared to other districts.
“I don’t want people to just feel included. I want to actually include them as your supervisor,” Alcaraz said in a speech. “If that means working towards a compromise on the Great Highway, then that’s what we’ll do. If that means making an amendment to the Family Zoning Plan to strengthen it and help us maintain local control, I’m prepared to take that action.”
Alcaraz will serve until District 4 voters return to the ballot box in June 2026 to vote on their next supervisor.