SAN FRANCISCO – Efforts to recall San Francisco District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio shifted into a new gear as organizers officially launched the campaign on Saturday. 

At the United Irish Cultural Center in the Sunset District, dozens of community members gathered to sign the recall petition. Some people even volunteered to collect signatures from District 4 voters. Among them was Frances Misenas, a District 4 resident who actually voted in favor of Proposition K. 

“I’m for a park, I actually love the idea of a park,” Misenas said. “But the process was not transparent, and it wasn’t clear, and it doesn’t represent our neighborhood’s concerns.” 

Proposition K permanently closes a stretch of the Great Highway near Ocean Beach to transform it into a park. Residents of San Francisco’s west side, particularly from the Sunset District, expressed frustration and anger over the supervisor’s role in helping to pass the controversial measure. 

“I have concerns about safety because there’s increased traffic in our neighborhoods. My neighbor just last week had a car run into his home,” Misenas said. 

Critics, including Misenas, argue that Engardio failed to adequately engage with constituents before pushing Proposition K to a citywide vote. They contend that closing the two-mile stretch of the Great Highway has created significant traffic problems, diverting cars into residential streets and compromising the safety and convenience of local residents. 

Nancy, a District 4 resident living near the Great Highway, expressed her frustrations, saying, “When (traffic) gets heavy there, I can’t get in and out of my garage and cars won’t stop.” 

Marc Duffett, owner of Ocean Park Motel, echoed similar sentiments, calling the situation “very offensive, and I think a lot of people are very angry about having it shoved down our throats.” 

Organizers of the recall effort argued that Engardio’s actions hurt public safety and claimed his failure to adequately consider the concerns of his constituents was a key reason for the recall. Richard Corriea, a recall organizer, said, “He’s made us less safe on the west side. He’s ignored his constituents.” 

Proposition K passed by about five percentage points. The November results showed voters living near the Great Highway overwhelmingly rejected Proposition K, while those living farther away supported it. 

In response, Supervisor Engardio has defended his support for Proposition K, stating that the coast “belongs to everyone” and that erosion along the southern part of the highway made the decision inevitable. 

“The southern part has literally fallen into the ocean because of the severe coastal erosion,” Engardio said. “I respect that people are going to disagree about what to do with the Great Highway, but you can’t beat Mother Nature. She’s already decided that this road has lost its greatest utility.” 

The supervisor also pointed to his broader contributions to the district, including improvements to education, public safety, and the popular night markets. 

“Don’t think we should recall someone based on one policy issue,” Engardio added. 

However, recall organizers remain steadfast, with Corriea arguing that the issue goes beyond a single issue: “He’d like to say it’s one thing. It’s betrayal and he’s made us less safe on the west side.” 

As of now, recall organizers have until late May to gather 9,400 valid signatures. They report having already collected 1,000 signatures since launching their campaign just five days ago. Misenas, for her part, is ready to continue her efforts, emphasizing that the issue at hand is about safety. 

“I’m just going to talk to my neighbors first, my neighbors on my block,” she said, highlighting the real-world consequences of the road closures. 

If the recall effort proves successful and enough signatures are gathered, organizers said a special recall election would take place likely in October.