Recall Effort Against SF Supervisor Joel Engardio Grows Following Measure K Passage
Engardio seen as ‘betraying’ residents over support of Upper Great Highway closure to vehicles
By Evan Symon, November 18, 2024 2:30 pm
A recall effort against San Francisco District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio grew larger over the weekend following the passage of a controversial city measure earlier this month, which he supported, that permanently closes the Upper Great Highway to cars in favor of making a new park.
For years, San Franciscans have been split over what to do about the Upper Great Highway on the Western side of the city, where it runs alongside the beach. While many see it as a vital roadway, it’s closure to vehicle traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic led many to want to see a permanent closure. In 2022, COVID restrictions gave way to a pilot program that bans most vehicle traffic there on weekends, Friday afternoons, and on holidays. And, despite many in the public hating the pilot program, which is expected to run through the end of 2025, Supervisor Engardio helped bring about Measure K this year, which makes the ban permanent.
According to Measure K, it will allow the City to use the Upper Great Highway for public open recreation space, permanently closing it to private motor vehicles seven days a week, with limited exceptions. It would also continue to allow emergency vehicles, official government vehicles, intra-park transit shuttle buses and similar authorized vehicles to access the Upper Great Highway at all times.
For the past several months leading up to the election, the San Francisco public was divided over Measure K, with the majority in his district opposing it. Nonetheless, Engardio moved forward with it and the city vote prevailed, passing with 54.5% of the vote 204,788 to 169,643 votes. While the vote was tight, it was officially announced the day after election day. Supporters, led by Engardio, praised the vote overcoming the threshold.
“People who live out by Ocean Beach, people who live throughout the Sunset came together, came up with this idea to create something, a better use for this road that’s losing its greatest utility,” exclaimed Engardio. “And so they came to me with this idea and I supported it. I believe in it. I think it’s a good thing. I think it’s good for the Sunset and good for San Francisco. Supporting the park was the right decision.”
The San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, which will oversee the closure, said that with the passage of Measure K that traffic will be closed off permanently early next year. Department spokesman Daniel Montes added that “We expect the Great Highway to become a full-time promenade in early 2025.”
A growing recall effort against Engardio
However, the passage of Measure K has kickstarted a recall effort against Engardio as a result, as a majority of Sunset District and Richmond District residents had outright opposed the Measure and see Engardio’s efforts as a major betrayal. Richie Greenberg, the founder of and media spokesman for the recall of DA Chesa Boudin, which ultimately succeeded in 2022, has been amongst those currently building up a recall effort against him.
“Engardio is unequivocally the most politically vulnerable elected official today,” said Greenberg. “Engardio has elevated himself to become the subject of yet another recall effort in San Francisco. Mr. Engardio has betrayed the residents, business owners and community groups of District 4.. I formed the committee to facilitate, coordinate and provide logistics to communities that seek to recall elected officials. And we’re targeting Joel Engardio.”
The effort, so far, has been popular with many residents.
“He betrayed us,” said Mary, a District resident who supported Engardio initially but, like many residents, fell out of favor with him over this issue. “He’s just everything wrong with politics. He promised to do good for our District, but then he pulled this on us. This man deserves to be recalled. He obviously doesn’t care about constituents and only about himself.”
With the recall effort growing, Engardio has responded to the effort and defended himself.
“People have a lot of concerns and valid concerns about traffic and I think once they see the implementation and how traffic goes that maybe people will see the benefit of the park and so that’s the goal,” said Engardio. “We just need people to see the potential and we can address the traffic issues. And once people see that this park is beneficial I think people will come around.
“Attempting to recall an elected official over a single issue isn’t helpful to us moving forward as a city. There’s too much divisiveness in San Francisco. I receive strong support from residents for standing up for what’s right, for our district, for the city, and the environment. I recognize there are people who don’t agree with Prop K. I want to work with them to address their concerns so they can see the benefit of this park. Prop K and the creation of an Ocean Beach Park is going to enhance the environment, the neighborhood, and the Sunset. It’s going to make our district more livable.”
This has done little to assuage district residents however, who still want him recalled.
“It’s not a single issue,” countered Mary. “It’s about him making life for residents in the District he represents harder. About betraying us. That response, it just shows how delusional he is. He needs to be recalled. We need an actual human to be our Supervisor.”
More on the recall effort against Engardio is expected to come out soon.
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