Why next year's Castro supervisor race is already off and running

McCoy has been a leading face of promoting a harm-reduction response to the surging opioid-addiction crisis in San Francisco in recent years. He was previously the vice president of policy and public affairs with HealthRight 360, a provider of mental-health and substance-abuse treatment.

In his career in local and federal government and politics, McCoy said he’s demonstrated "experience, focus and ability to take positions — sometimes strong positions.” He will also look to highlight his personal background as a way to connect with voters: He’s in recovery from addiction and has lived with HIV for more than 20 years.