SF Mayor Daniel Lurie Freezes Hiring on 1st Day in Office

City departments looking to staff up in the new year will have to wait after Mayor Daniel Lurie announced an immediate citywide hiring freeze on Thursday.

It’s Lurie’s first major move after being sworn into office on Wednesday and comes as the city is facing a nearly $900 million budget deficit that could get even worse if the incoming Trump administration withholds any federal funding from San Francisco.

“Our city is facing a major budget deficit, and today, the era of band-aid solutions is over,” Lurie said in a statement. “We are committed to fiscal discipline, giving San Franciscans the accountability they demand, and focusing the government on doing the core things well.”

The hiring freeze also applies to signing new contracts for programs or services that have not already been implemented, according to the mayor’s announcement. It does not affect hiring for law enforcement or public health emergency response services. During his inaugural address, Lurie said he wants to increase staffing for police, 911 operators, nurses and firefighters.

“Our first responders — they need to know we have their back. We will do everything in our power to fully restaff the police department, sheriff’s department, and 911 response team and incentivize them to stay,” Lurie said in his speech. “We must also operate with the understanding that not every issue needs to be solved by someone with a badge and a gun.”

San Francisco’s $15.9 billion annual operating budget faces an approximately $876 million budget shortfall over the next two years. In December, former Mayor London Breed directed departments to identify areas for cuts and savings within their budgets by nearly 15 percent.

Lurie met with the city’s major department heads on Thursday to discuss spending plans and priorities. He will review proposed cuts before submitting a budget proposal to the Board of Supervisors by June 1. The final budget needs Lurie’s signature — and approval from the full Board of Supervisors — by Aug. 1.

“I made it crystal clear that it is a new day in San Francisco,” Lurie said in a post on X after the meeting. “It’s important for us to get our budget under control with nearly a billion-dollar budget safety.”