San Francisco’s District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio was recalled on Tuesday due to policies that neighborhood residents believe didn’t benefit the entire community. Some speculated Engardio to have more interest in other districts, which was an idea mainly influenced by the passing of Proposition K. The proposition was a citywide ballot measure in November 2024 that “permanently closed the upper Great Highway to private vehicles to establish a public open recreation space.”
The supervisor, who was seated in 2023, has been criticized due to his stance for the closure of the highway and the opening of Sunset Dunes. Some who opposed Engardio accused him of neglecting issues such as public safety, housing affordability and fostering community unity within the neighborhood, which encompasses the west side of the Sunset District.
Those in favor of Engardio claimed his actions in office were in the best interest of the district.
Cece Baldwin, a resident of Outer Richmond, said she likes to come down to Ocean Beach a couple of times a month to enjoy the beach and surrounding areas.
“I prefer it to be a park,” Baldwin said. “As someone who is not invested in cars whatsoever, I don’t like them. I’m happy with a park.”
Baldwin has been living in San Francisco for four years now without a car and enjoys the ability to walk along and watch the once-busy highway turn into an area without cars whizzing past.
Another resident of San Francisco, Elsa Carpenter, who lives outside of District 4, comes to Ocean Beach every so often and doesn’t feel like the closure of the Great Highway holds as much importance as other issues in San Francisco.
“As someone who’s lived in the city and lived without a car for so long, I’ve worked in every neighborhood and gotten around perfectly fine on foot or by bus or train,” Carpenter said. “I think this should be less of a focus.”
Engardio had a few reasons why he believed Proposition K should be passed to fully close the Great Highway. Previously, before the entire highway was shut down, the southern section of the highway was often closed due to “coastal erosion.”
In addition to erosion, Engardio believed that turning the Great Highway into a park would make it more accessible for joggers, cyclists and pedestrians.
“Creating this space will help the environment, boost local merchants and bring people joy,” said Engardio in a blog he wrote in July 2024. “I also believe it’s a once-in-a-century opportunity to create a catalyst for a renaissance in the Sunset and San Francisco.”
Some who live on the west side of San Francisco found it unfair that Proposition K was a citywide vote, and those who didn’t reside on the west side wouldn’t deal with the disadvantages of the highway closure.
Nicole Portillo, a resident of the west side, commutes to parts of South San Francisco two to three times a week to visit family.
“It’s a longer commute,” Portillo said. “I’ve had friends and family now complain about the traffic on 19th Avenue and how it has seemed to have gotten worse at certain times during rush hour, even on weekends.”
Resident of District 4, Gabriela Sanchez, said she didn’t see the need for the highway to become a park.
“You were always able to walk it. You were always able to drive it. There was no issue,” Sanchez said. “I don’t find the installations all that appealing, and I think most residents here were not only using it for commuting but also for biking and walking before it was closed off.”
A notable person who was on Engardio’s campaign, Selena Chu, a social worker and vice chair of the Chinese American Democratic Club, broke ties with the supervisor once he supported Proposition K.
“Joel, you had endless chances to do right by D4, but you chose to betray us,” said Chu in a X post made after his recall. “You backstabbed the Sunset, and even then we gave you chances, invited you in, and offered our hand, only for you to lie to our faces over and over again. This recall is on you. Don’t blame anyone else. Don’t point fingers. It was your decision to abandon Sunset.”
Engardio was involved in other initiatives in San Francisco during his time as supervisor. He had donated to the upgraded tree house-themed playground in Stern Grove, an estimated $4.1 million upgrade. This was a part of San Francisco’s new initiative “Let’sPlaySF,” meant to revitalize 13 parks in San Francisco.
Engardio also created the Sunset Night Market, which gathered the community and drew over 10,000 people to support Asian American Pacific Islander vendors. In addition, Engardio set up a $1 million relief fund for businesses along Taraval Street with the help of District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar and former San Francisco Mayor London Breed.
Mayor Daniel Lurie released a statement on Wednesday in response to the recall.
“I want to thank Supervisor Joel Engardio for his years of service and commitment to San Francisco. And I want to thank all the District Four residents who made their voices heard and participated in today’s special election,” Lurie said. “As I campaigned for mayor last year, I heard countless west side families say what San Franciscans have been feeling for years: that their government is doing things to them, not with them, and that government is not working to make their lives better.”
Once Engardio’s recall is officially declared, he will have 10 remaining days in office. Lurie is then left to appoint someone for the rest of Engardio’s term, which runs until January 2027.
