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5h ago

San Francisco Tightens Vetting for District 4 Pick After Rapid Resignation

City Hall is using a confidential 13-section questionnaire to screen District 4 applicants following last week’s resignation.

Julia Baran checks in with a customer, left, in her store in San Francisco.
Julia Baran, right, helps customer Randy Levine, left, at her store in San Francisco.
Julia Baran, who took over ownership of the Sunset pet store, The Animal Connection, in May from Beya Alcaraz, feeds a guinea pig named Mumu in her store in San Francisco. 
Alan Wong, who sits on the City College of San Francisco Board of Trustees, is among the candidates being considered by Mayor Daniel Lurie. 

Overview

  • The mayor’s office distributed a five-page, 13-section “District 4 Candidate Questionnaire” that probes taxes, business ties, social media activity, property permit expediters, and policy positions.
  • Applicants were told to submit responses to mayoral liaison Adam Thongsavat by Nov. 17, and Mission Local filed a public records request to learn who received and returned the confidential form.
  • The new screening follows the swift exit of appointee Isabella “Beya” Alcaraz, who resigned after a week following reports of texts about writing off personal expenses and paying workers under the table, as well as videos alleging squalid conditions at her former pet store.
  • Sunset hardware store owner Albert Chow said he received the questionnaire from mayoral staff, completed it, and remains a declared candidate for the June 2026 election despite previously being passed over.
  • The questionnaire asks how applicants would vote on the mayor’s Family Zoning upzoning plan expected before the Board in early December, and separate reporting says Mayor Daniel Lurie faces an investigation tied to an OpenGov contract.