San Francisco’s latest political drama is heating up faster than a Blue Bottle coffee, and it’s all about Mayor Daniel Lurie’s controversial budget cuts that could leave hundreds of vulnerable residents out in the cold.

When Budget Cuts Hit Hard

Adrian Tirtanadi, founder of Open Door Legal, isn’t just sitting back and watching his organization get slashed from the city’s funding roster. He’s taking radical action by launching a hunger strike to protest budget cuts that could potentially leave 900 additional people at risk of homelessness.

The Budget Battle

With San Francisco facing an $800 million budget deficit, Lurie claims he’s prioritizing “clean and safe streets” - but nonprofit leaders aren’t buying it. Open Door Legal, which currently serves 3,000 clients annually, stands to lose $2.2 million in city funding, potentially forcing them to turn away nearly a third of their clients.

A City Divided

While some city supervisors like Joel Engardio, Bilal Mahmood, Danny Sauter, and Stephen Sherrill have voiced support for maintaining funding, their historical loyalty to Lurie suggests real change might be unlikely. Tirtanadi’s hunger strike represents a desperate plea for attention in a city increasingly struggling with its homeless crisis.

As the budget battle continues, one thing remains clear: San Francisco’s approach to addressing homelessness hangs in a precarious balance.