Overview
- Mayor Daniel Lurie selected Mike Levine, who runs Massachusetts’ Medicaid program, to lead San Francisco’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing.
- The Homelessness Oversight Commission recommended Levine after a closed-door discussion, positioning him to take over when Shireen McSpadden retires on June 30.
- Levine oversaw a $23 billion Medicaid program serving about 2 million people, including more than 10,000 experiencing homelessness, and he stresses pairing addiction and mental health care with housing.
- He will run a department with roughly a $785 million budget as the city reports a 7% rise in homelessness between 2022 and 2024 and braces for new count results later this year.
- City leaders face a projected budget shortfall, and Levine says he will pursue more state and federal funding, especially through Medi-Cal, while local advocates flag concerns about a limited hiring process and his lack of San Francisco-specific experience.