SF Mayor Lurie swears in new Sunset District supervisor amid months of political turmoil

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- After months of political turmoil, San Francisco's District 4 has a new supervisor.

On Sunday, Mayor Daniel Lurie announced he is appointing Alan Wong to fill the seat left by Joel Engardio, who was recalled earlier this year.

In a statement, Lurie described Wong as a "true product of the Sunset."

"I'm someone who has called the Sunset home my entire life," said Wong in statement. "I'm stepping up to be District 4 supervisor because I believe the Sunset, and San Francisco, can thrive again."

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This is Lurie's second attempt at filling the seat.

Earlier this month, he tapped political newcomer Beya Alcaraz, who stepped down just one week into the job amid controversy over how she managed her former business.

"The previous appointment he made turned out to be ill-advised, and he's really swung back in the opposite direction. Now he's chosen someone with decades of experience," said Melissa Michelson, dean of Arts & Sciences and professor of Political Science at Menlo College.

In addition to serving on the City College Board of Trustees, Wong also served as legislative aide to former Supervisor Gordon Mar, who was unseated by Joel Engardio.

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"Wong's coming in with a pretty good base of public support," Michelson said. "He's already been elected, he's already been vetted, he's not a new face to the Sunset, he's not a new face to city politics. He's somebody who's actually been around for a while."

That experience could prove valuable in a district still divided over the controversial closing of part of The Great Highway to create Sunset Dunes Park, an issue that fueled the recall of Engardio, who supported the park.

"We've worked with Alan Wong since he was in Supervisor Mar's office, and we're familiar with his work as an elected official," said Lucas Lux, president of Friends of Sunset Dunes . "And generally, he tries to build consensus where possible, so assuming that is his approach to the park, he's going to have his work cut out for him."

Wong's first test will come on Tuesday when the Board of Supervisors is set to vote on Lurie's contentious Family Zoning plan, which would make for more housing and taller buildings in the district.