Perhaps the most telling moment of Tuesday night’s District 9 candidate forum came at the end when moderator, Maria Antonieta Mejia, asked a final question that came from an unnamed woman.
The woman had been evicted and was living in a difficult place, struggling to find somewhere to live. What would the supervisorial candidates say to her?
Roberto Hernandez said to let her know that there were “40,000 vacant units in San Francisco right now,” and Stephen Torres said it “hit really hard” hearing of the woman’s plight, because of his own experiences in which landlords had tried to evict him. Most of the others launched into talking points around the need for more housing.
Only Jackie Fielder directly addressed the questioner. “I’m so sorry to hear about that. I know what it’s like … to sleep in my own van. I know what it’s like to be afraid that someone’s going to knock on my window.”
It was a rare opportunity — missed by most — to illustrate what is often lost on the campaign trail: Humanity.
Nonetheless, the two-hour forum, held at the Mission Neighborhood Centers at 19th and Capp streets and attended by more than 100 residents, offered some surprises. Mejia, a Univision reporter and an expert moderator, was constrained by preset questions from the nonprofit hosts, but pressed for details in her follow-up questions.
Six out of the seven candidates were present: Jaime Gutierrez, a transit supervisor for SFMTA; Julian Bermudez, who has long worked in his family’s Rancho Grande Appliance business; Hernandez, the head of Cultura y Arte Nativa de Las Americas and one of the founders of the Latino Task Force; Fielder, co-founder of the San Francisco Public Bank Coalition; Torres, a bartender at Twin Peaks Tavern and previously on an entertainment commissioner; and H. Brown, a retired special-education teacher.
Of these, Hernandez and Fielder are considered front-runners. Trevor Chandler, another front-runner, skipped the debate after citing issues with the hosts related to allegations of sexual misconduct against Jon Jacobo and Kevin Ortiz.
One of the questions from the Mission Street Vendor Association touched on the city’s inability to regulate street vending in a way that allows for permitted vending, but still keeps the plazas and streets from being overrun with unpermitted vendors, many selling stolen items.
The only measure that has proven somewhat effective has been a full ban on all vending on Mission Street — a ban that works as long as the plazas are staffed by the San Francisco Police Department and the Department of Public Works. However, the designated spots for permitted vendors have failed to attract customers, and the city is already considering a pilot program to allow a limited number of vendors back onto Mission Street; a new state law would also crack down on sales of stolen goods.
All of the candidates were in support of bringing back street vendors; a street-vendors organization was one of the debate’s co-sponsors. But moderator Mejía pushed candidates to discuss, in detail, how they would protect vendors.
Gutierrez and Bermudez both suggested a committee or commission that included vendors, with Bermudez focusing on self-policing and giving more power to those who sell.
Hernandez called for having all residents, merchants, vendors, cultural associations and city departments come together to devise a plan. Torres and Brown both called for creating designated spaces for vendors.
Hernandez recalled helping to create earlier, and successful, efforts. One, also developed by the Mission Economic Development Agency in 2015, lasted for years at the 24th Street Plaza, bringing artisans to the plaza without issue.
Along with other candidates, Fielder advocated for the vendors’ voices in this conversation, and called on protecting them from criminalization. “Vending is the backbone of our economic and cultural legacy here in the Mission and across Latin America,” said Fielder.
John Avalos, a former supervisor in District 11 and a Fielder supporter, said after the debate that no one acknowledged the problems earlier vending initiatives had encountered, including the safety issues of too many vendors, and the impact on small brick-and-mortar businesses.
Fielder was the only one onstage who mentioned the absence of Chandler, a public-school teacher and former director of government and public policy at Citizen, a public-safety app. She also underscored the importance of addressing sexual violence in her closing statement.
“I also want to say, just as a woman, I have serious concerns about sexual violence in this community, and I hope, you know, the organizations that have put on this event are able to address those concerns so that we can, in good conscience, seek your support,” Fielder said.
When one member of the audience asked who each candidate would support for mayor, the candidates stuck with the choices they revealed in Mission Local’s Meet the Candidate series. Three candidates — Fielder, Torres and Brown — support Aaron Peskin; Bermudez supports Daniel Lurie.
Gutierrez and Hernandez are staying out of that debate. “I made a decision not to endorse anybody,” said Hernandez. “I will work with whoever becomes mayor.”
Five of the six candidates on Tuesday night underscored their Latino identity. The Latinx Democratic Club, which will be endorsing one of the candidates, asked, “How are you going to support and build Latino power in a time when Latinos are under attack in San Francisco?” It was unclear what attack the question referred to, but Latinos have long been impacted by rising housing prices and a minimum wage that fails to keep up with cost of living.
Guiterrez proposed strengthening unions to boost workers’ pay. Torres advocated for supporting immigrants and creating accessibility to resources.
Hernandez spoke of getting Latinxs on commissions in San Francisco and city departments, so they would be the decision makers for their community. “We need to have Latinos as department heads,” said Hernandez.
Fielder presented a “ground-up governance” approach, which called to support the most vulnerable populations. “This campaign isn’t about one person,” said Fielder. “Whoever is elected has to bring the entire community with them to City Hall.”
Brown, the only non-Latinx candidate present, said that “the No. 1 thing in the world is organization.” Brown encouraged community members to get organized; ”meet one more person tonight.”
Brown, who is 80, offered the night’s rare moment of levity when someone from the audience asked what each would do after a term as supervisor: “We’re not sure I’m going to be alive, are we?”
Correction: An earlier version of this piece stated that none of the candidates mentioned the absence of Trevor Chandler from the debate. Jackie Fielder did mention his absence without referring to him by name.
Nah man, Roberto Hernandez always evades questions and tries to somehow make it about himself and beating his chest, his “golpes de pecho” technique is old. He only care about himself and his image. Ask anyone who worked with him during the pandemic and those food drives, he only showed up on press day and made sure he was front and center of the cameras. He is a clown.
Hilarious to read avowed socialist Jackie essentially try to claim the Mayan’s invested capitalism and somehow selling garbage, much of it stolen, is an essential part of the Latino identity.
Not the first time she’s painted “her” people as nothing more than a collection of cleaning ladies, day laborers, nanny’s, and now, apparently, fences.
Good grief. When is someone FROM here, with real roots in the Mission or ANYWHERE in D9 going to call the Long Beach princess out on her bullshit?
Frank,
Trust me, no one watches this race closer than I do.
From the inside to get different perspectives.
I was the only candidate on stage who had already done the work to Qualify for the Ballot and I taught the toughest kids in the Mission and Potrero Hill and Treasure Island and gave first $1,000 of the $1,200 Covid check to my immigrant neighbors who lost jobs and $500 of $600 second check I received and these 9 Latino groups did not invite me to the event.
They invited Chandler instead and ignored me and wept because he did not attend.
And, the ML reporter mentioned nothing of my revolutionary proposals to revitalize the Mission and City at Large by creating a Red Light District Zeitgeist and the highway overpass at 14th street under my window to 30th street at Safeway.
Hey, when I ran for Supe against Newsom in D-2 in 2002 a plank in my platform was Gay Marriage which Gavin refused to support.
At least he and the Pacific Heights crowd invited me to all of the candidate meets.
Crazy World but I, “bought the ticket” so I’ll take the ride.
lol
h.
Let’s be real the supervisors of San Francisco just want El Hueso. Period when times right now are tough they hide. Awwwww but when camaras and press and events are there to boost their ego front row center stage.
Harold, when some residents petitioned for a hose-less Mission, they weren’t referring to socks, but your compliance is noted nonetheless.
two beers,
Somewhat sensitive topic you bring up.
The men in my family have very high sex drives which makes the feet from our feet and other areas quite pungent after working at things like picking up trash or doing the deed.
Mom used to make pop soak his feet in Lysol when he came home from a hard day on the docks.
I just wear sandals and my dog never complains as he has his own odor issues.
lol
h.
two beers,
Since you brought the subject up, I wear the sandals because the men in my family have very high sex drives which makes the sweat from our feet and other areas quite pungent.
Pop used to come home from the docks and soak his feet in Lysol before mom would let him come to bed.
I just wear sandals.
You have a problem like that you’d care to share ?
lol
h.
Paul,
I’d comment, but your comment makes no sense.
Wait, I’ll comment and try to be equally vague.
Peskin for Mayor on a Mountain in the Sun and in the Dark.
“The Voice of the Mind is not your voice.
You are the one who hears it.”
“Will make you go blind.”
They are saying these things as we speak in churches and synagogues all over San Francisco.
h.
My name is Rafael Gutierrez I am running for supervisor district 9 as well and let me tell you Robert Hernandez or any other running for district 9 had every opportunity but yet chose not to do anything for the mission I walked a mission every single day and I post drug use cells are stolen items everyday on Twitter I try to help as much as I can these so-called want to be supervisors will not do a damn thing only give out false promises
Still invisible ?
I made the Armory the center of my responses as I’ve labored over it from shoveling the unspeakables into trash bags to banging 311 requests for clearing the 2,000 foot strip surrounding the structure of trash and junkie attracting chain link fencing base and storage from long finished paint job.
And, I succeeded in a confirmed judgement from the Planning Commission that both charged the owner (AJ Partners outta Chicago) 2 grand for the inspection and a grand a day if the fencing wasn’t gone in 2 weeks.
It was gone in 3 days !
All of the Vendors could work there and weekends they’d be just a continuation of the Flea Market in the parking lot.
Also, after listening to the opening speakers praise the Native Indian tribes who once lived here, I challenged them to support giving the land back to the Ohlone in the form of gambling licenses for casinos in the Armory and along Mission and on Treasure Island.
I challenged the crowd to make a Mission Street stroll equivalent to a walk in Amsterdam’s Red Light District.
Somehow, your reporter missed every bit of that.
I was the only candidate offering real and new solutions and they were ignored.
For an alternative coverage visit my site at …
SFBulldogblog.com
thank you,
h.
HUGE MISTAKE to skip this important candidates form by carpet bagger candidate Trevor Chandler. What is he hiding? If he doesn’t want to answer voters’ questions then why the eERF is he running for elected office? What a weasel and a coward! Vote for anyone but cringeworthy Trevor Chandler, Garry Tan’s and Michael Moritz’s donkey.
Greeny,
Chandler’s nice guy as is his hubby, Adrian.
Billionaires made really poor choice tho to run him in D-9.
And, to have him claim to be a teacher.
Peel first layer of the onion and he’s a decade with AIPAC , an Israeli intel outreach.
He has no teaching credentials and has passed no Subject Accreditation.
Billionaire Research shows voters often vote for the occupation and teaching ranks high in that category.
I challenge them to give him another hundred grand but they won’t.
Again, he’s a nice guy.
h.