Beya Alcaraz, recently appointed by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie to represent District 4, has stepped away from the role only a week after being sworn in. The mayor confirmed the resignation on Friday, noting that the decision followed growing questions surrounding Alcaraz’s past financial dealings.
Alcaraz’s departure comes after previously undisclosed text messages drew public attention. In those messages, she spoke about receiving informal payments from Animal Connection, a nonprofit where she had once been involved. She described some of the payments as off-the-record compensation and expressed concerns about potential tax issues. The resurfacing of these exchanges raised doubts about the propriety of her past income and quickly became a political distraction.
The mayor said she requested Alcaraz’s resignation after the details became public, emphasizing that city officials must uphold strong ethical standards. The mayor acknowledged that Alcaraz had mentioned the situation during the appointment process, but said the level of scrutiny intensified once the specifics were widely reported.
Alcaraz, chosen from dozens of applicants, had been tapped to temporarily fill the seat left open when former Supervisor Joel Engardio accepted a state-level position. Her appointment was expected to last until results of a February 2026 special election were finalized. She brought experience from previous work in city government and small-business operations, and her selection marked a milestone as the first Filipino American to represent the Sunset District.
The nonprofit at the center of the controversy, Animal Connection, confirmed that Alcaraz was employed there but did not elaborate on the structure of the payments referenced in the messages. Alcaraz maintained that all income eventually went through standard payroll and that taxes were fully paid.With the seat once again vacant, Mayor Daniel Lurie will begin the process of choosing another interim supervisor. The new appointee will serve until voters select a permanent representative next year. The abrupt resignation has created an unexpected shift in local politics and left residents of District 4 awaiting clarity on their interim leadership.
