Plaza East, where I was born and raised

I grew up in public housing, and served as a San Francisco Redevelopment Agency Commissioner. Affordable housing is not a buzzword for me; it is something I have needed personally, and something I have dedicated my career to creating.

As your Supervisor, I will make sure that our city government pursues all credible avenues toward more varied housing opportunities for all our citizens – affordable home-ownership, senior and workforce housing, etc.

1.  I support rent control. 
As a renter, I will work to ensure tenants know their rights and that those rights are enforced.

2.  I support fairness in housing policies.
We need to increase the availability and affordability of housing in San Francisco, and should encourage more housing providers to make rental units available in the city.

3.  I support the construction of affordable housing.
I want San Francisco to remain a diverse city, not just ethnically, but economically. We cannot let housing prices create a city of extremes – the very wealthy and the struggling.

The Redevelopment Agency was the chief generator of affordable housing in the city. I know because as a Commissioner I helped bring hundreds of below-market-rate rental and affordable home ownership opportunities to the citizens who need them.

4.  I support increased availability of workforce housing.
High prices force city employees like police, fire fighters, artist and teachers, and even private citizens to move outside of San Francisco and away from the population they serve. It is hard to afford housing and childcare when rent consumes 40-50% of your income. I want to see more workforce housing so our workers can remain in our neighborhoods.

5.  We have to do more for those who don’t have homes at all.
Homelessness remains San Francisco’s most vexing issue. We have to find more caring and creative ways to assist the most vulnerable among us. The city needs more services: mental health, counseling, substance abuse treatment, etc., and we need more effective service referrals.