Mayor Lurie announced Thursday that he appointed Beya Alcaraz to complete Joel Engardio's term as Supervisor of District 4. From the mayor:
A lifelong Sunset resident, small business owner, and teacher, Beya represents the future of the Sunset and Parkside. I’m excited to work with her to deliver results for the West Side and all of San Francisco.
Of course, the question on the mind of advocates is where does Engardio's replacement stand on the beachfront park that was once Great Highway. She declined to say how she voted on Prop. K., but she told the Chronicle that "What is going on right now is not working, and I am dedicated to finding a solution that works for us. That probably means reopening the Great Highway to cars in some capacity."
Friends of Sunset Dunes put out the following response:
Information about her is limited since she’s new to SF politics. Here’s what we know so far:
First, her early statements focused on her long ties to the neighborhood and a desire for “ground-up” governance, starting with listening and focusing on healing the neighborhood.
Second, Supervisor Alcaraz shared with the SF Chronicle that she is considering supporting a ballot measure that would close Sunset Dunes.
Healing the neighborhood and listening to all voices are welcome themes after five years of divisive debate about the future of a road that climate change will ultimately close. If Supervisor Alcaraz is genuine about her desire to start with listening to the whole neighborhood, we’re confident she’ll hear a strong theme: people are liking the park, even if they didn’t vote for it. We hope she hears these voices and focuses on moving the community forward.
Still, we want to be clear: allowing cars on the park in any way is not a “compromise.” It’s a park closure. Closing the park to bring back cars some days would mean tearing out beloved park features like the seating areas, play spaces, and skate park. These features are what’ve already doubled park attendance compared to the weekend road closure, and have brought new customers to local businesses.
Why would we tear out the park to bring back a road that we all know won’t exist in the long term due to climate change? Our community deserves better: a permanent coastal park that San Francisco can be proud of, not a return to a halfway measure that left our neighborhood embroiled in argument for five years
Let’s also be clear about the long-term. Climate change will not wait for local politics to catch up. The question is not if this coastal stretch becomes a park permanently, but when. Reverting to a temporary or partial road would waste money, destroy community amenities, and delay the inevitable transition to a resilient, car-free shoreline that will be a part of our future in one way or another.
We think Supervisor Alcaraz deserves an opportunity to demonstrate how serious she is about grounding her approach in community engagement. If she’s focused on listening and problem-solving together as a community, we are ready and willing to work collaboratively with her office to create the greatest coastal park - and neighborhood - we can. But we’ll continue to stand firm in our mission: protecting Sunset Dunes as a permanent public park that serves everyone, not a road for a few.
Stay tuned for updates — we will let you know when the park needs your voice.
