One of the heirs to Levi Strauss’ blue jeans fortune is reportedly considering a campaign for mayor of San Francisco, challenging the incumbent London Breed.
Daniel Lurie, 45, has not yet announced his candidacy or submitted an application, but his intention to run for mayor is an “open secret” in the city’s political circles, the San Francisco Standard reported, citing a half dozen sources.
“I don’t think there’s a lot of stealth happening right now,” a source told Lurie, who championed a campaign.
A native of San Francisco, Lurie is the Founder and Chair of the non-profit, anti-poverty Tipping Point Community, a charity focused on providing early childhood, education, housing and employment services in the Bay Area.
Earlier this month, he tweeted a story about San Francisco’s drug problem, calling it a “must read” to understand “the chaotic/violent outdoor drug trade that has exploded here.”
Daniel Lurie is reportedly considering a campaign for mayor of San Francisco by challenging incumbent London Breed
Acting Mayor of San Francisco London Breed took office in 2018 after winning a special election to fill the post following the death of Mayor Ed Lee
Lurie and his nonprofit did not immediately respond to requests for comment from on Tuesday.
Lurie has been vocal about his philanthropic efforts to help fight poverty and homelessness in San Francisco, but it’s unclear what his message or program would be if he ran for mayor.
His stepfather was Peter Haas, great-grandnephew of Levi Strauss, who died childless in 1902, leaving his fortune to four nephews and other relatives.
Total family wealth was estimated at $5.6 billion by Bloomberg in 2019, although that fortune is divided among many heirs and Lurie’s personal fortune is unclear.
However, in 2021, Lurie bought a mansion in Malibu’s coveted Point Dume area for $15.5 million, real estate news outlet The Dirt reported.
Incumbent San Francisco Mayor London Breed took office in 2018 after winning a special election to fill the post following the death of Mayor Ed Lee, and will seek another four-year term next year.
Breed, a Democrat, is considered moderate in the context of San Francisco’s left-leaning local politics and has clashed with more progressive opponents.
As the city’s top official, Breed faced backlash over crime and quality of life issues that plagued San Francisco in the wake of the pandemic.
Last month, people took drugs outside an abandoned DSW shoe warehouse in San Francisco. As the city’s top official, Breed faced backlash over crime and quality of life issues
Lurie is seen with Breed in 2019. A native of San Francisco, Lurie is the Founder and Chair of the non-profit Tipping Point Community for poverty alleviation
A number of retailers have closed their stores in downtown San Francisco in the wake of the pandemic, citing reduced foot traffic and safety concerns.
Of the 203 retailers that opened in the city’s Union Square area in 2019, only 107 are still operating — a 47 percent drop in just a few years battered by the pandemic.
Data shows that downtown San Francisco is having a harder time than most. In a study of 63 North American inner cities conducted by the University of Toronto, the city was ranked last in returning to pre-pandemic activity, recording just 32 percent of its traffic volume in 2019.
According to a recent city economic report, hotel revenues remain at 73 percent of pre-pandemic levels, weekly office attendance remains below 50 percent, and commuter train service to downtown is at 33 percent.
According to CBRE, a commercial real estate services company, San Francisco’s office vacancy rate was 24.8 percent in the first quarter, more than five times higher than before the pandemic and well above the 18.5 percent average rate for the top 10 cities of the country .
A map shows the major companies that have left or plan to leave San Francisco
As a result, the City of San Francisco’s tax revenues suffer.
According to modeling released in November by the San Francisco Controller’s Office, the city’s revenue loss from property tax cuts could reach $196 million a year by 2028.
The modeling best-case scenario assumes the cost will be around $100 million per year.
This will contribute in part to a budget deficit of $1.3 billion by 2028, according to projections by the Controller’s Office. A report published in March cites “lower sales forecasts” as a factor.