San Francisco YIMBY is delighted to share our endorsements for the upcoming election cycle. Write-ups for each and every endorsement will be available via the SF YIMBY website very soon.

NOVEMBER 2022 ENDORSEMENTS

Regional and Citywide Candidate Endorsements:

California State Assembly, District 17: Matt Haney
Assessor-Recorder: Joaquin Torres

District Supervisor Endorsements:

Supervisor, District 2: Catherine Stefani

Supervisor Stefani may not be the loudest pro-housing voice, but her pro-housing votes on the Board give her one of the most pro-housing records of any current supervisor. As an example, she was one of only three supervisors in support of the 469 Stevenson project. In the YIMBY endorsement questionnaire, she committed to help dismantle segregated living patterns, and she has taken some steps in this direction in her district. Supervisor Stefani has supported housing projects in her district like CPMC California (3700 California), UCSF Laurel Heights (3333 California), and the Lucky Penny (2670 Geary Blvd).

We encourage Supervisor Stefani to drive the Board of Supervisors towards approving a compliant Housing Element by pushing for streamlining of the permitting process and setting an example in supporting upzonings in her district.

Supervisor, District 4: Joel Engardio

Joel is a long-time supporter of the YIMBY movement and community organizer in the Westside of the city. He has advocated for higher density along transit corridors in the Sunset and missing middle housing throughout the neighborhood. Joel envisions “Paris in the Sunset”: a greener Sunset with vibrant commercial corridors and abundant train service supported by thousands of new families in six-story structures with garden courtyards. His leadership would keep multi-generational families closer together with more housing options across income levels. Joel supports 2550 Irving Street — a 100% affordable housing project in the Sunset — at its full size. He was an early supporter of Proposition D, Affordable Homes Now, and his support for streamlined, by-right approvals for code-complaint housing projects would help remove the politics from housing development and let our elected officials focus on objective rules rather than case-by-case bickering.

Joel’s positions are in contrast with the incumbent in this race, Supervisor Gordon Mar. Mar has stated that he believes that zoning is not a barrier to housing affordability in the Sunset. Instead of rebuffing pressure from NIMBYs who wanted to scale down the size of 2550 Irving, Mar has supported scaling down this affordable housing project. He has publicly criticized YIMBY landmark bill SB 35 and supports Proposition E, a cynical anti-housing measure put onto the ballot to confuse voters and defeat Proposition D.

SF YIMBY is glad that Supervisor Mar is willing to meet with us to discuss housing related issues, however Engardio is clearly bringing a more pro-housing platform to a historically housing-resistant district.

Supervisor, District 6: #1 Matt Dorsey, #2 Honey Mahogany

In District 6, we are lucky to have two pro-housing candidates. After a thorough questionnaire, a spicy candidate forum and much discussion, for this ranked choice race, SF YIMBY endorses Matt Dorsey as first preference and Honey Mahogany as second preference.

Supervisor Matt Dorsey, a city hall veteran with decades of experience in local and national Democratic politics, has publicly touted YIMBY Policy Solutions. Dorsey has worked with SB50 policy staffer Annie Fryman, amongst others, to ensure that he can be the strongest YIMBY ally possible. Matt has staffed his office with pro-housing staffers and advocated for implementation of Senator Scott Wiener’s SB10 and of SB50-like rezonings. During our forum our debate, Matt distinguished himself by declaring that “there is no daylight between me and Scott Wiener on housing.” Matt is so far the only supervisor to endorse this fall’s YIMBY ballot measure, Proposition D, and has steadfastly and consistently opposed Supervisor Connie Chan’s competing anti-housing ballot measure (Prop E). Dorsey has also gone above and beyond in advocating for the Board of Supervisors to have less control over planning and permitting in order to streamline building housing.

As a close second contender, Honey Mahogany has emerged as a pro-housing voice during her campaign for Supervisor. She has been a champion for the opening of more Navigation Centers and other efforts to get unhoused San Franciscans off the streets and into permanent housing, and her experience as a social worker makes her uniquely qualified to build solutions that work for the City’s unhoused population. A practical, pro-housing Progressive, Honey holds promise in expanding the pro-housing message to a wider audience and expanding our coalition.

While both candidates have taken pro-housing stances, our members ultimately chose to recommend Matt Dorsey as our first preference candidate due to the specificity and thoroughness of his housing policies. Matt Dorsey is our first preference candidate for District 6. Honey Mahogany’s movement towards pro-housing positions has been exciting to watch, and we applaud her work to produce housing in District 6 as part of Matt Haney’s staff.

Supervisor, District 8: No Endorsement

After much discussion, SF YIMBY has declined to endorse in District 8. While Supervisor Mandelman can be a thoughtful legislator and has supported some pro-housing measures, his record of anti-housing votes means he has not earned our endorsement.

Despite endorsing Supervisor Mandelman in previous elections, we have watched with mounting disappointment the Supervisor’s housing record at the Board. He denied a 495-unit housing project next to BART and MUNI on transparently specious grounds, inviting a state investigation. And his actions triggered yet another state investigation when he demanded a small apartment building in his district be downsized, saying it would ‘blow through’ a wealthy neighborhood. He collaborated with local opposition to downsize new homes in wealthy Diamond Heights. He opposed SF’s state housing goals (or RHNA) allocation. He has failed to endorse Prop D. And after his laudable attempt at increasing density via fourplexes was amended into an attempt to circumvent state housing law, he voted for it anyway.

We appreciate Supervisor Mandelman’s leadership on homelessness and his efforts to incrementally increase density. We are also encouraged by his statements of support for building more of both subsidized affordable and market-rate housing on our questionnaire this year. Yet Supervisor Mandelman has more work to do to earn our endorsement for this race, or for any future race. The greatest opportunity for improvement would be by showing leadership by pushing the Board of Supervisors to approve a compliant Housing Element, a plan to build 82k+ units over the next 8 years. We hope he forces tough conversations with his colleagues and constituents on why and how we build housing at all income levels and in all neighborhoods.

Supervisor, District 10: No Endorsement

Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton, facing no serious opponents, looks poised to serve another term as District 10 Supervisor. While he has led on some challenges facing the City, the Supervisor is unfortunately a reliable member of the board’s anti-housing bloc.

To his credit, the Supervisor has supported some large projects in District 10, like the Potrero Power Station, but his pro-housing votes have been few and far between. Along with his colleagues, he invited two state investigations by voting to illegally deny a 495-unit housing project next to BART and MUNI. He supports Prop E, his colleagues’ dishonest attempt to confuse voters with a ballot measure that would block permit streamlining proposed by Prop D.

In an odd twist, President Walton actually did agree with us on one recent vote at the Board: to sustain the Mayor’s veto of a “fourplex” rezoning that was so badly watered down that it would have actually represented a step back relative to state law. Yet, President Walton supported the veto not because the legislation the Board had passed was useless, but instead because the mere possibility that it might enable some new housing went too far for him. We decline to endorse in District 10.

San Francisco Ballot Measures:

Proposition C, Homelessness Oversight Commission: NO
Proposition D, YIMBY – Affordable Homes Now: YES
Proposition E: Board of Supervisors – Affordable Housing: NO
Proposition H, City Election in Even-Numbered Years: YES
Proposition I: Uses of JFK Drive and Great Highway: NO
Proposition J: Golden Gate Park Access & Safety Program: YES
Proposition K, Business Tax for Guaranteed Income etc.: NO
Proposition L: Transportation Tax Renewal: YES
Proposition N: Golden Gate Park Concourse Garage: YES
Proposition M, Residential Vacancy Tax: YES

SATURDAY: YES ON D OFFICE KICK-OFF

Join SF YIMBY this Saturday 10AM at 1161 Mission Street for the Yes On D Campaign Office Opening! The office will be filled with campaign signs, canvassing materials, and phone banking opportunities. We need your help in getting the word out for the only pro-housing measure on the November 2022 ballot! RSVP now>>

Proposition D - Affordable Homes Now is a pro-housing measure to fast-track the building of new affordable homes. Supported by housing advocates and unions, the measure creates a practical process to streamline and accelerate housing construction and removes the Board of Supervisors and petty politics from decision-making. It requires projects to be approved within 3 - 6 months, and it provides prevailing wages for all construction workers, ensuring they receive fair pay and benefits for their work. It was put on the ballot by voters in a coalition led by SF YIMBY and other pro-housing organizations.

The campaign will sharing the office with the campaign for our #1 endorsed candidate in the District 6 race, Supervisor Matt Dorsey, the only sitting member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to endorse Affordable Homes Now. The kick-off event will be a co-opening of the office space.

Join SF YIMBY at the event on Saturday! RSVP now >>