San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Thursday outlined her plan for the city's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic during her annual state of the city address, saying, "We aren’t just going to repair. We are going to reinvigorate."
Breed, speaking from Moscone Center in a virtual address, discussed the success and challenges the city has had fighting COVID-19 and what it needs to do for economic recovery, offering an optimistic vision for the near future.
"San Francisco has always been and will continue to be a magnet, a destination, a place that draws people. We are the city of pride," Breed said. "Today, with hard lessons learned, and so much yet to do, I believe we are at the start of an incredible recovery. We aren’t just going to repair. We are going to reinvigorate. To come back even stronger."
Breed acknowledged the efforts of all health care workers in the city but singled out a group of front-line workers at Laguna Honda Hospital, where multiple COVID-19 outbreaks occurred and six residents died from the virus in January. She agreed with other experts who said it could have been much worse.
"The men and women at Laguna Honda, the nurses, doctors, paramedics, and staff there, along with all those taking care of people in need across the City, they are the heroes. They are the best of us," Breed said. "Thanks to our front-line workers, the Department of Public Health, and everyone who did their part, COVID was contained at Laguna Honda."
As of Wednesday, residents of the hospital have received both doses of the vaccine.
Breed said Moscone Center will serve as the city's second mass vaccination site after it opened the first one at City College of San Francisco last week.
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Among her policies for economic recovery, Breed vowed to cut red tape that makes it difficult to open and operate small businesses, direct more than $3.5 billion in public infrastructure investments, and continue her commitment to building 5,000 units of housing per year as well as streamline the housing approval process.
During her speech, Breed also stressed the need to reopen the city's schools, which have been closed since March 2019 due to the pandemic.
"Our city can't fully recover until our students are supported and our schools are open and I will continue to do everything I can to help get our kids back in the classroom," she said.
Find the complete text of Breed's state of the city address on the Mayor's Office website.
