Mayor Lurie Moves to Establish New Office to Combat Food Insecurity in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today introduced legislation to centralize the city’s efforts to tackle food insecurity, helping families across San Francisco put food on the table as the federal government makes it harder for them to access critical food assistance. The new legislation would establish the Office of Food Security Coordination within the San Francisco Human Services Agency (SFHSA) to coordinate citywide efforts around food insecurity by driving collaboration across city departments, reducing duplication and inefficiencies, and building a cohesive network of supports leveraging government, community organizations, and philanthropy.

The new office to combat food insecurity continues Mayor Lurie’s work to help San Francisco families cover the cost of basic needs like food, housing, and childcare. When the federal government shutdown jeopardized SNAP benefits nationwide, Mayor Lurie brought together public and philanthropic partners to backfill food assistance for 112,000 San Franciscans in just a week. After the federal government cut hundreds of millions of dollars for healthcare and food assistance through the H.R. 1 bill, Mayor Lurie made significant investments to strengthen the city’s social safety net in this year’s budget, including $34 million to help San Franciscans stay enrolled in CalFresh and Medi-Cal benefits. Last week, Mayor Lurie joined a bipartisan group of 210 mayors urging Congress to reverse the harmful and historic cuts to SNAP, known as CalFresh in California, and prevent further erosion of the program. And the work taking place under his Family Opportunity Agenda will make San Francisco the first major city in the U.S. where every family with kids under five has access to childcare while building more housing through the Family Zoning plan and a transformative investment in affordable housing.

“Our administration is working to make sure families can put down roots in San Francisco, and that work starts with putting food on the table,” said Mayor Lurie. “When Washington kicked families off food assistance, the city stepped up for 112,000 San Franciscans who rely on those benefits. Now, we’re taking the next step to strengthen the city’s work around food under our new Office of Food Security so that San Francisco continues to be a city where families can thrive.”

Centralizing food security strategy under the Office of Food Security Coordination will strengthen coordination on an issue that crosses multiple city departments and outside partners. As of 2023, nine different city entities provided food-related programs and services, although over 70% of funds are administered by SFHSA. The new office will drive more strategic collaboration across government, community organizations, and philanthropy, facilitated by a new Food Security Council—focusing on strategies that move beyond emergency relief toward sustainable solutions that would ensure every resident has consistent access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food, regardless of economic or social circumstances.

According to the city's 2023 Biennial Food Security and Equity Report, the city distributed 14 million meals, 1.6 million grocery bags, and 450,000 grocery vouchers in Fiscal Year 2023-23. These efforts had measurable impact: 88% of clients served by SFHSA’s community-based food programs reported that they and their families were less hungry because of those programs, and over 90% of older adults and adults with disabilities reported being less worried about accessing sufficient food due to these meal programs.

“The city has long been committed to addressing food insecurity for low-income San Franciscans. San Franciscans cannot thrive without adequate nourishment,” said Trent Rhorer, San Francisco Human Services Agency Executive Director. “Having access to nutritious food aligned to one’s dietary needs, culture, and preferences is a fundamental human right that this office will continue to preserve.”

“Older adults and individuals with disabilities face heightened risks of food insecurity due to fixed incomes, mobility limitations, and rising healthcare costs, which can limit access to nutritious food and contribute to malnutrition, chronic health conditions, and reduced independence particularly for low-income individuals,” said Kelly Dearman, Department of Disability and Aging Services Executive Director. “Delivered in partnership with community organizations, our programs help reduce hunger and isolation and serve as access points to other home and community supports, which are central to addressing food insecurity and improving quality of life for our clients.”

“Healthy diets lead to healthy hearts. Establishing an Office of Food Security Coordination will strengthen our collective ability to address food insecurity, align programs, and improve outcomes for communities most affected,” said Daniel Tsai, San Franciso Department of Public Health Director. "The Department of Public Health looks forward to continuing close collaboration through the Food Security Council to support a healthier, more equitable San Francisco.”

“We applaud the efforts of the city to engage with community and launch the Office of Food Security Coordination,” said Tanis Crosby, Executive Director, San Francisco-Marin Food Bank. “Real progress will mean centering the people with lived experience of food insecurity in the mandate for this office and addressing both the causes and consequences of food insecurity for real solutions. With hunger in San Francisco at historic levels and SNAP cuts looming, we're hopeful this office will be a step forward with community to translate that insight into meaningful change.