San Fran Commissioner Resigns
San Francisco land use commissioner Alex Ludlum has resigned amid a controversy sparked by his controversial “Doom Loop” walking tour of San Francisco.
Ludlum sent a letter of resignation to Democratic Mayor London Breed, expressing regret that his attempt to “bring attention to the deplorable street conditions & rampant criminality” in San Francisco had been misinterpreted. He also affirmed that “Satire is a poor way to address the grave issues we face as a city.”
The “Doom Loop” walking tour was designed to show off the “doom and squalor” of downtown San Francisco. Ludlum’s letter expressed his criticism of city policies that have allowed organized crime to “thrive” in the city.
“As long as the open-air drug markets continue their daily operations, we will continue to witness the misery of suffering addicts, the withdrawal of pedestrians and office workers, the ongoing closures of small businesses, and the stagnation of our rich cultural life,” Ludlum wrote.
Ludlum’s identification was revealed after refunds for the “Doom Loop” tour revealed his email to the public, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
A spokesman for the mayor, Jeff Cretan, issued a statement saying that Ludlum’s decision to organize and publicize the tour was “a mistake and a deep error in judgment.” Cretan added that the city is focused on “doing the work to move this city forward.”
In response to Ludlum’s “Doom Loop” tour, a counter-campaign called “We Love SF” was created in order to fight “negative publicity” about San Francisco. The campaign encourages people to show support for the city by posting photographs and videos of their favorite spots in San Francisco.
Ludlum, who was appointed by Breed to the Commission on Community Investment and Infrastructure, said he would “have [the mayor’s] full support” in tackling San Francisco’s issues. He urged her to “continue to address these dire issues” and “close the markets” in order to restore downtown San Francisco.
Ludlum and Breed have not yet responded to requests for comment. For now, residents of San Francisco, and beyond, can only hope that the city continues to take the necessary steps to address serious problems such as poverty, crime and homelessness.