SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Isabella “Beya” Alcaraz has resigned from her position as District 4 supervisor just one week after Mayor Daniel Lurie appointed her to fill the vacancy left by the recall of former Supervisor Joel Engardio.
Alcaraz, 29, was sworn in last week as the new representative for the Sunset — the neighborhood where she was born and raised. A former pet store owner, art and music teacher, and longtime community volunteer, she became the first Filipina American to serve on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
At the time of her appointment, Lurie praised Alcaraz as a grounded community voice. “As I’ve spent time listening to families, small business owners, and seniors in the Sunset, I’ve heard the same thing: They want a City Hall that does things with them, not to them. The Sunset deserves accountable leadership, someone who knows what this neighborhood is all about and someone who is of the Sunset,” the mayor said.
Mayor Daniel Lurie appointed Isabella “Beya” Alcaraz on Nov. 6, 2025. (Photo courtesy Mayor Lurie’s Office)
He added, “When I talk to Beya, I see someone who is not a career politician but has spent her life in service to this community. She doesn’t owe anything to anyone other than the people who live right here. Beya loves the Sunset the way I love San Francisco.”
But on Thursday, Lurie confirmed he asked for her resignation after “new information” surfaced regarding conduct connected to her former small business operations — information he said would be a “significant distraction” from her ability to serve.
“When I took office, I promised San Franciscans leadership, accountability, and a government that would work every day to make their lives better. If that’s not happening, it’s my job as mayor to be accountable and to fix it,” Lurie said.
“I spoke to Supervisor Alcaraz tonight. She and I agreed, as we always have, that the Sunset deserves a supervisor who is fully focused on serving the community. We also agreed that the new information about her conduct while running her small business, which I learned today, would be a significant distraction from that work. In our conversation, she told me she intends to resign as supervisor,” Lurie continued.
Lurie said he continues to admire her intentions: “In Supervisor Alcaraz, I saw someone with deep roots in the Sunset who cares deeply about healing a divided community. I admire her commitment and willingness to raise her hand to serve, just as much as I respect her decision to step aside in the best interest of her neighborhood. I regret that I didn’t do more to make sure she could succeed.”
The mayor said his office will begin searching immediately for a new District 4 appointee. “My hopes for the Sunset haven’t changed. I’ve heard again and again about the fraught politics that have divided District 4, and I believe the residents of this community deserve better. They should have a supervisor who can be fully dedicated to representing them, advocating for their families, and bringing people together. My team and I will get back to work finding that person right away,” Lurie said.
Alcaraz issued a statement of her own Thursday evening, acknowledging that the controversy surrounding her business history would overshadow her work.
“For months, I’ve seen division take hold in the Sunset. When I raised my hand to serve as supervisor, I told the mayor that it was time for someone who is from the Sunset to represent the Sunset. I believe that my community deserves someone who will work 24/7 to advocate for us. And I understand that today’s news stories would distract me from doing that. As a result, I told Mayor Lurie this evening that I will resign from my position as District 4 supervisor.”
She thanked her supporters and said her commitment to the neighborhood will not change. “Thank you to Mayor Lurie for this opportunity, to my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors for welcoming me, and to all of my neighbors who stood up to support me. I have spent my life serving the Sunset, and I will keep doing exactly that,” Alcarez said in a statement.
Before her appointment, Alcaraz owned and operated two neighborhood pet supply stores — The Animal Connection and Sunset Mercantile Emporium — and volunteered at Holy Name School while coaching youth sports.
Aaron Tolentino and Tor Smith
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