The November election may seem far away, but the campaign for District 9 Supervisor is already heating up.
With Hilary Ronen leaving her post this year — and her aide, Santiago Lerma, opting out of the race to replace her — the field is wide open to challengers from all corners. Eight hopefuls have filed for candidacy, and seven are actively campaigning, making District 9 the most heavily contested in the city.
To help make sense of the race, we are kicking off a series called “Meet the Candidates.” We will be asking the candidates to answer one question each week, with answers capped at 100 words. We will ultimately collate these answers on a single page so that, come the election, you will be able to peruse the potential supervisors’ stances on upwards of 40 topics.
Without further ado, here is our first question: What is your number one issue this election, and what do you plan to do about it?
Julian Bermudez
My number-one issue is traffic and street safety. This is one of the most common issues that comes up when I talk with San Francisco residents, especially in District 9. I believe that investing in infrastructure that increases pedestrian safety and improves traffic flow can improve San Francisco exponentially.
From something as small as fixing potholes, to creating physical bike lane infrastructure and more visible lighting in our neighborhoods, walking, driving or cycling should not be as stressful as it feels today. My plan is to become the most active chair in the Land Use and Transportation Committee and promote more… Read more
Trevor Chandler
Having already knocked on thousands of doors, I know for a fact that safe and clean streets must be the top priority. It’s why I support an accountable, responsive, and fully staffed police department, and why I support arresting fentanyl dealers.
D9 also has some of the most littered streets in the City. As Supervisor, I will hold DPW accountable to ensure District 9 gets the same treatment as Pac Heights and Union Square. I won’t just talk about it, I’ll do it, which is why I volunteer for trash pickups in D9 every month.
Jackie Fielder
Houston curbed their homelessness 63% by following a housing-first model, supported by decades of research. As Supervisor, I will follow the best parts of the Houston model, which involve getting all the city’s homeless departments and nonprofits operating under one strategy, cutting through red tape, and getting people into housing first before worrying about the paperwork.
The same needs to be done to build and staff up our behavioral health system infrastructure. We need more beds and nurses for people with severe mental health and substance abuse issues. We can do this by declaring an emergency on homelessness.
Jaime Gutierrez
The number one issue for me is that the cost of living keeps rising, but the standard of living is plummeting. We are no longer living in a district that is safe, clean and comfortably prosperous.
The city has fallen short of its civic duty to its citizens. Small businesses are being pushed out because of bureaucracy. Property owners are paying high taxes for nothing. In actuality, property value is eroding because of malfeasance. This and other issues need to be thoroughly and thoughtfully probed to provide the greatest good for the community.
District 9 is a working-class district that is … Read more
Roberto Hernandez
One of District 9’s challenges is that we have more than one priority issue. Crime, housing, homelessness, decent wages and clean streets are all concerns that our residents share with me on a daily basis, especially seniors, small business owners, youth and parents.
“Safety” is a holistic term that connects these issues and describes my priority as Supervisor. I was born and raised in District 9, and my lifetime of experience addressing safety issues has taught me that bringing together our residents, businesses, government agencies, community-based organizations and unions is essential to delivering solutions. I’m ready. ¡Sí Se Puede!
Michael Petrelis
My number one issue is a few small concerns. For months, graffiti covering the front of the building at 225 Valencia St. has been a complaint of neighbors.
Locating the name and address of the owner, I mailed him a complaint asking him to remove the graffiti. Records show the Lyon-Martin Clinic was granted a permit changing the status, as a subtenant, from a commercial business to a health facility.
The clinic hasn’t responded, but the property manager has. The City informed the owner that he’s violating laws and action must be taken. This shows how I act to improve the Mission.
Stephen Torres
The most important issue is the wellness, safety and prosperity of our community. I mean that in the most holistic way, however. Nothing exists in a vacuum, and we need to strengthen our community and cultural density in comprehensive and sustainable ways.
When a community is destabilized, it leaves a void of crime and deterioration. We must invest in our District with the same vigor and priority currently being allocated for downtown. We must create legislation that ensures our vulnerable communities are protected in the face of multiple efforts to strip away their current safeguards. In short, my priority is … Read more
Note: Eight candidates have officially declared their candidacy for the District 9 race. However, Rafael Gutierrez told Mission Local that he is withdrawing from the race, so he is not included in these questions.
Candidates are ordered alphabetically. Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at will@missionlocal.com.
Read the rest of the series here. Illustrations for the series by Neil Ballard.
You can register to vote via the sf.gov website.
I’m more than a little sad that this is our choice of candidates.
I’m not sure if Michael “Karen” Petrelis understood the question correctly because that was one weird answer.
I would like to know their stances on housing – specifically, are they for building market rate?
So Jackie Fielder is the one candidate who thinks about our crime situation, “This is fine!” And will try to find ways to give MORE money to out-of-town junkies.
The definition of insanity is …
Nobody prioritized rooting out the corruption that’s hobbling many public sector responses. Did anyone even mention corruption as a lesser problem during the event?
Marcos,
I took a Republican Fed top cop over this part of California to go after SF Politicos.
It’s the remnants of Anderson’s work that is trailing through the courts now.
I don’t believe that under the Democrats there are new investigations.
The City Attorney’s job is actually to defend the City and its agencies and just keeping them current on the best ways to dodge a Records Request from The Sunshine Task Force (don’t know if Chiu does it but under Herrera and Spokesperson, Matt Dorsey they coached departments to bring carts of paperwork when only a sheet of paper would do and stuff like that) …
Gonzo did a show on California Insider about City Contracts and the way winners are determined and tried to get him to run against Chiu and ‘nope’ he’s happy now.
Then, how many millions of the 700 million going to Homelessness went for ‘No Bid Emergency’ contracts approved by London.
She paid for entire hotels during Covid and left em vacant.
Why don’t you run, man ?
I’m serious about it this time.
An Anonymous Donor paid the entry and, most importantly …
Bullshit is Free.
Go Niners !
h.
Were I to somehow manage to get elected, the machine would whack me so hard I’d probably end up dying in prison.
Everyone gets who elected without being invited gets whacked. Anyone who’s out there all alone gets whacked.
Imagine trying to be a D9 supervisor with a funded opposition coming at you from the city funded patronage nonprofits, cops, the Mayor and a majority conservative Board.
No thanks, life is too short for that.
Harvey Milk Club is hosting a debate for District 9 candidates tonight, Wednesday January 17 at 7:00pm at El Rio. 2868 Mission Street, south of Cesar Chavez. You can meet everyone there.
Zrants,
I entered Race two days ago.
How’d you find out about the Milk debate ?
I’m a writer who runs for material and this time, to win.
sfbulldgoblog.com
tks,
h.
nice review of candidates. Any chance you could do that for District 8?
Dawn —
District 8 is not up for election this year.
Yours,
JE
I am sure they meant when it is up for election.
Looking forward to the debate this week to hear from our candidates.
Zrants,
What debate and where please ?
h.
This is a great way to learn about the candidates! Thank you for helping voters make a learned decision.
Thanks for presenting these candidates and their views. Very helpful. I might suggest a Mission Local hosted D9 candidate debate as well.
I think the candidates might want to respond to the idea of eliminating district supervisor elections and replacing it with city wide supervisor elections.
I prefer that people vote for their district leader and the leader needs to live on that district.
Spur has a good history of district supervisors here:
https://www.spur.org/publications/urbanist-article/2000-02-01/district-elections-san-francisco
So far Jackie Fielder has a real programmatic approach that will deliver to D9 residents.
Hoping that one of your future questions for candidates concerns their climate action priorities. While climate impacts may not be the most immediate concern of D9 residents, over the next decade they will certainly start to impact D9 residents in more significant ways thru storm flooding, drought, heat waves in a largely unairconditioned district, and wildfire smoke. D9 building owners and small businesses will also be REQUIRED to do their part to mitigate carbon emissions starting later this decade when they have to replace burned out water heaters and furnaces with electric heat pump equipment, the installation of which will be more costly and will require public subsidies to be affordable to many. What do the candidates have in mind about this most existential threat?
Michael,
Like your idea of showing how much you’re able to get done with one building.
I bartended a Chris Isaac Concert there 40 years ago when it was the ‘Indian Center’.
Lived in same block for 9 years and never seen anyone go in or out of place nowadays.
Lyon-Martin, isn’t that the outfit that buried research on a natural cancer cure ?
At least they aren’t blocking the sidewalks and gathering trash and worse with a grotesque fence like the Armory people at 1800 Mission. Been cleaning the trash around it for several months now with help of few people from Manny’s Sunday crews.
Maybe you can use your influence and research to get the owner to clear the sidewalks ?
Here’s my info and where I hit brick wall …
Owner is guy named Ben Weprinis office is (312) 267-4185 and Allison will answer
email is ajcpt.com
My 311 complaint is #17615886
They assigned to DBI which gave it #52078 and sent Nieka Butler to look.
Their number is (628) 652-3400
DBI sent it to DPW
DPW listed it as 2023-16729 and determined fencing was on Private Property and thus referred it to the Planning Department.
Planning Department assigned it Planning Enforcement Case No. 2023-011562ENF
Not hearing back I dug further and use what you want …
Principal is young guy (not yet 50 I’m guessing) named Ben Weprin
He controls around 5 billion in property like the Armory around the World.
He owns, for instance, a place overlooking a Trump golf course in Scotland.
He’s from Tennessee where he’s big fan of the University’s football program.
He calls his business AJ Capital Partners and his CEO is Don Peebles
The building is used seldom and one tenant is:
Armory Center for the Arts
Armory Arts.org
CEO there is Alice Fung who is Principal at Fung and Blatt
Events are hosted by ‘Skylight’
I’ve contacted all of these people, some multiple times and just get runaround.
Since you’ve framed this kind of problem as your specialty will you help ?
Welprin is close to his Business School at Northwestern and proud of the MBA he got there from their Kellogg School of MGgmt.
He bought the Armory from Peter Ackworth’s Kink.com in 2018 for 167 million.
Comments ?
Want my 311 Complaints asking for sidewalk from SFHA to bus stop on Egbert ?
How about the one for paving Clarion Alley ?
So, I showed you my 311’s, now show me yours.
And …
Do you think the Packers will go for it one 4th and one ??
@ H Brown
You’ve got some mad skills there! Most impressive.
Wendy,
Thanks.
I’m a retired Reform School teacher at Middle School Level.
You learn to keep good paperwork and how to break up fights.
On the Armory problem City agencies (as you see) just play ‘hot potatoe’.
Been letting this ripen in a desk at Planning for 3 weeks and will go back at them tomorrow.
h. brown
(lower case is tribute to fellow St. Louisan, e.e. cummings)
h.