As San Francisco continues to mourn the death of Mayor Ed Lee, the city is also beginning the political process of figuring out who might succeed him in office.
The field of candidates is starting to take shape, with at least six people already filing paperwork, according to the city's website.
On Wednesday, Supervisor Jane Kim pulled nominating papers for the June election.
“Our city and our next mayor will be confronted with the question of what kind of San Francisco we want to be, not just for the next two years but for the next generation," Kim said in a statement. "Mayor Lee began the process of shepherding us through a period of great transition, and it's important we continue that work and make the needed changes to address income inequality, housing costs, affordable child care and homelessness."
On Monday, Angela Alioto formally announced her candidacy and said she is preparing to file later this week. Many more are sure to follow, possibly including Acting Mayor London Breed.
Breed on Tuesday presided over a groundbreaking in Hayes Valley for 100 affordable housing units. But she didn't reveal any new information regarding her possible mayoral candidacy.
"I have never shied away from a challenge," she said. "So, I’m not deterred by candidates. Again, I’m more focused on doing the job."
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Former Mayor Willie Brown backed Breed as recently as Friday, comparing her responsibility to that of Diane Feinstein’s in 1978. Feinstein, now a U.S senator, became mayor immediately after the assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk.
"It was very clear that the city followed her leadership, and we have the opportunity to do exactly the same thing with London Breed," Brown said.
While Breed holds the office, the intrigue over who else might make a run at the post heightens.
"I would say in the last 5-7 years, the tents around this city are just absolutely unacceptable in such a rich society," said Alioto, a former city supervisor whose father Joe Alioto was the 36th mayor of San Francisco.
Sitting at a desk once used by her father, Alioto said the homeless crisis has spurred her to run.
"Have we ever before had block after block after block of tents?" she continued. "Not in my life here. And I’m acutely aware of the homeless situation."
Former state Sen. Mark Leno already has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for a mayoral run, and while he wasn’t expecting to run so soon, he’s in.
Assemblyman David Chiu is weighing a run, and City Attorney Dennis Herrera is reportedly courting money and support.
As for the Board of Supervisors, several have been rumored as candidates, including Mark Farrell, who calls it a "family decision."
"We have three small children that I care about more than anything else, and so we’re working through that as a family," Farrell said. "So no decisions have been made, but obviously talking about it and thinking through it right now."
Asked if there’s going to be a vote on the acting mayor first, Farrell said there’s a lot of "wood to chop" between now and early January, when the board's next scheduled meeting takes place.
