Welcome back to the “Meet the Candidates” series for District 11, where we ask each candidate to answer one question every week leading up to the election. They must answer the question in 100 words or less. We will link to longer answers.
With District 11 Supervisor Ahsha Safaí termed out and running for mayor, seven candidates have thrown their hats in the ring to represent the Excelsior, Oceanview and the Outer Mission.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) voted unanimously last month to greenlight a controversial bike lane project near the City College of San Francisco campus, despite the strong opposition from students and leadership on campus who objected because 29 parking spaces would be eliminated.
As part of SFMTA’s Vision Zero quick-build program, the half-mile-long protected bike lane was proposed last spring, and is designed to run along Frida Kahlo Way from Ocean Avenue to Judson Avenue. Even though it is located in District 7, adjacent to District 11, the bike lane is likely to affect the traffic on Ocean Avenue, which extends into District 11. In addition, many of CCSF students live in District 11 and commute to campus.
In week 15, we are asking: Where do you stand on the CCSF bike lane controversy? Do you support the bike lane? Why or why not?
The supervisor contenders do not agree on the issue. Adlah Chisti, Ernest Jones, Michael Lai, and Chyanne Chen said they support the bike lane. Roger Marenco and Jose Morales are against it.
Read their responses below.
I will be on the mayoral campaign next week, but you can reach me with questions at xueer@missionlocal.com.
Adlah Chisti
- Job: Public policy analyst, caregiver
- Age: 40
- Residency: Live with parents and caregive for them, born in District 11 in 1983 and lived there since, moved out in 2013 and back in 2017
- Transportation: Public
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in politics and in environmental science, and master’s degree in education from University of San Francisco, master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy, juris doctorate from University of California Law, San Francisco
- Languages: English, Spanish, Hindi
Support, and need to examine the unintended consequences. As such, we should revisit the impacts of the protected bike lanes on the community, CCSF enrollment and student culture. In a year, we should have proposed project alternatives for public review and commenting, and update the bike lanes as appropriate for both District 11 and District 7 with the input of community members.
It’s important to consider that CCSF is located in District 7, but many of its students are working-class individuals from District 11 who have specific transportation needs, including parking. District 11 residents often juggle multiple jobs, are … read more here
Ernest “E.J.” Jones
- Job: Community advocate
- Age: 38
- Residency: Tenant, living in District 11 since November 1985 and has lived here always, except for time away at college
- Transportation: Public, car
- Education: Bachelor’s degree, Dominican University, master’s degree in public administration from University of San Francisco
- Languages: English, Spanish
I support the CCSF bike lane.
As a person who has witnessed firsthand the reckless driving on Frida Kahlo Way, we have to think about the safety of students first and the traffic calming the lane presents. The lane is an opportunity to expand access options for students who live nearby in District 11 and who commute into school. If we are going to get serious about Vision Zero, we must begin now.
Endorsed by: Supervisors Shamann Walton and Myrna Melgar, Assemblymember Matt Haney, Former SF mayor Willie Brown Jr., Transit Workers Union Local 250A… read more here
Michael Lai
- Job: Early education director, elected to the San Francisco Democratic Party
- Age: 31
- Residency: Tenant, living in District 11 since February 2024
- Transportation: Public
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in government at Harvard College with coursework at Harvard Graduate School of Education
- Languages: English, Mandarin
The Frida Kahlo Way bike lane is in District 7, not District 11, but I understand that it affects traffic on Ocean Avenue. I attended the SFMTA Board Meeting about the bike lane, and the MTA Board voted 7-7 to go ahead on construction of the bike lane.
Pedestrian safety is critical, and I am supportive of bike lanes and speed cushioning (I personally mostly take Muni and bike around). However, given that more than half of District 11 residents commute using cars to work, removing 29 parking spots is an obstacle. In general, I would like to see SFMTA … read more here
Endorsed by: Attorney General Rob Bonta, Senator Scott Wiener, Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, Supervisors Joel Engardio and Matt Dorsey, NorCal Carpenters Union. read more here
Roger Marenco
- Job: Transit operator
- Age: 42
- Residency: Tenant, living in District 11 since May 2014
- Transportation: Public
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in environmental sustainability and social justice from San Francisco State University. City College San Francisco
- Languages: English, Spanish
I’m against the CCSF bike lane.
We need to protect our endangered species (parking spaces). The SFMTA tentacles have stretched too far, and we need to cut them off before they continue to destroy our streets. Instead of wasting more time, money and resources on unnecessary projects, we should be fixing the streets, repairing potholes, cleaning the buses and improving our public transportation system. We have plenty of problems that need to be fixed and plenty of issues that need to be addressed, so let’s focus on that instead of trying to turn Frida Kahlo Way into the Valencia Street debacle.
Jose Morales
- Job: Sales professional, small business owner
- Age: 28
- Residency: Tenant, born in District 11 in 1995 and has lived there since, except for time away in college from 2014 to 2017 and living in Idaho from 2021 to the end of 2022
- Transportation: Car
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in economics from Sonoma State University
- Languages: English, Spanish
Having spent four years attending Archbishop Riordan High School on Frida Kahlo Way and being an avid cyclist, I don’t support the addition of a bike lane on Frida Kahlo Way.
I don’t see it as a primary biking route, lacking connectivity to significant destinations. The bike lane appears more as a weak move by SFMTA to push their stagnant Vision Zero goals. I’d be interested in examining any bike-rider data on Frida Kahlo Way, although I doubt there is any, and if there is, it would likely support my stance that it’s not a major bike route.
Chyanne Chen
- Job: Worker organizer, community facilitator and educator
- Age: 39
- Residency: Homeowner, landlord, living in District 11 since August 2000
- Transportation: Walk, public transportation, rideshare, and car
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from University of California, Davis, master’s degree from Cornell University, doctoral degree in education in progress at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Languages: English, Mandarin, Cantonese
The devastating tragedy at West Portal made clear we need to do more to support pedestrian and cyclist safety. Protected bike lanes are one way in which we can reduce fatalities and support stronger alternatives to driving.
I’ve been very disappointed, however, in how SFMTA has gone about achieving these laudable goals. Our community has to be active participants in these decisions so they work for all of us, and it’s clear from talking to residents, students and faculty at CCSF that those conversations didn’t happen.
I support efforts to strengthen our bicycle network but this process has not taken … read more here
Endorsed by: Assemblymember Phil Ting, former police commissioner Larry Yee, San Francisco Board of Education commissioner Jenny Lam, former supervisors Norman Yee, Sandy Fewer and Mabel Teng.
District 11 contribution
Money raised and spent in the District 11 supervisor race
Money raised
Money spent
Ernest “E.J.” Jones
$34,342
$70,501
Chyanne Chen
$0
Adlah Chisti
$0
Roger Marenco
$0
$0
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
Money spent
Money raised
Ernest “E.J.” Jones
$70,501
$34,342
Chyanne Chen
$0
Adlah Chisti
$0
Roger Marenco
$0
$0
$50K
$100K
$150K
$200K
Source: San Francisco Ethics Commission, as of April 3, 2024. Chart by Junyao Yang.
Candidates are ordered alphabetically but rotated weekly. Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at xueer@missionlocal.com.
Read the rest of the District 11 questions here, and the entire “Meet the Candidates” series here.
You can register to vote via the sf.gov website. Illustrations for the series by Neil Ballard.
Contrary to the apparent beliefs of some candidates, many of us out here do depend on this route. As someone who goes back and forth with my son by bicycle on this particular route for some of his activities, thanks to Ernest Jones for looking out for us, and for public safety.
I am a retired MUNI worker, City College supporter/lifelong learning student, Sunnyside resident.
I think Roger is the one that is in tune with regular folks. He’s not cowed by politically-correct orthodoxy.