San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee died from a heart attack early this morning at the age of 65.
As such, Board of Supervisors President London Breed is now the acting mayor and will remain in the role until a special election is held on June 5 of 2018 unless the Board is able to appoint a new mayor by way of a majority vote.
Mayor Lee’s passing comes at a pivotal time for San Francisco as the city’s boom under his tenure has heightened the need for major land use, housing and new infrastructure strategies and laid bare a number of significant challenges, including homelessness and gentrification.
Saddened to wake up to this.
No one is perfect. Let alone a politician. They have to make tough decisions and are scrutinized for them. Especially so in a place like San Francisco. Ed Lee was unfairly blamed for many shortcomings but that is a mayor’s occupational hazard. He embraced those challenges.
I hope that in the wake of his passing we can acknowledge his love for The City even if you found yourself disagreeing with him from time.
Thank you for your decades of public service. May your family find some peace during this difficult time.
Perfect tone.
Agreed. On a site with such passionate readers, empowered by anonymous identity, this comment section can be ruthless at times. I hope this tone continues.
I didn’t always agree with Ed Lee, or any politician, or any person for that matter. But I always felt confident that the man loved San Francisco and acted in good faith with the city’s best interests at heart.
Rest in Peace, Mayor Lee.
RIP Ed Lee.
Very good comment by Sutro Tower
Well said. RIP Mayer Lee
Well said.
From your humble beginnings to graduating from Boalt Hall at a time when you were probably the only Chinese student in the class, and then becoming Mayor of SF. You’ve made your family proud. Thank you.
Ed Lee (SF Mayor) was pals at Boalt with Ed Chen (federal judge) and David Louie (attorney general of Hawaii). Three pretty laid back guys who rose quite high. Agree with the comments – Ed Lee could have done a lot of things but chose to work hard for San Franciscans.
Thanks for the additional information. Nice to know.
I found this to be an interesting overview (obviously celebratory) bio of him that I did not find until now: Everyman Ed Lee
Met him a few times at various functions – Always thanking people for the work they did as paid or as volunteers. Authentic and, maybe the highest compliment to a politician: He seemed genuine.
Peace on you and your family.
I thought [he was] SFs best mayor in the 20 yrs I’ve lived here
I’ve lived in SF since 1969 and I also thought he was one of SF’s best mayors.
Much of the reporting has emphasized Lee’s modesty and “beaucratic” background. While I did not know him, it is clear that he must have had a first rate mind to get into Bowdoin College, among the “little Ivy League.” People here may not realize how fine a school it is. They know of Yale, Duke and Stanford, but Bowdoin is, among small liberal arts colleges, at the same level. It is a great achievement for any high school student, but even greater for one from modest circumstances.