Welcome back to our weekly “Meet the Candidates” series, where District 1 supervisorial candidates who have filed to run respond to a question in 100 words or fewer.
Answers are published each week, but we are also archiving each answer on this page for District 1, to make it easier for voters to browse.
On Wednesday, June 12 at 5 p.m, I will be at Blue Danube Coffee House at 306 Clement St. Drop by and share your thoughts. Can’t make that meeting? I’ll be somewhere in the district every week. Check back here to find out where.
District 1, which includes the Richmond District, is well-known for its main business corridors of Geary Boulevard, Balboa and Clement streets. All are filled with restaurants, Asian grocery markets and neighborhood cafes.
Here too, however, storefront vacancy is an issue. Neighbors say they are worried about long-time family-owned businesses having to shut down, like the 35-year-old pasta spot Mescolanza, which closed permanently last August.
The city’s empty storefront tax, which should discourage vacancies, has not been effective because it depends on the owners reporting the storefront vacant. In the 2022 tax year, of the 380 parcels potentially subject to the tax in District 1, only 17 were reported as vacant, according to data from the San Francisco Treasurer-Tax Collector. This number is likely underreported and could be higher pending tax enforcement.
This week, we asked District 1 candidates: What’s your plan to fill the empty storefronts in District 1?
Connie Chan
- Job: Incumbent District 1 Supervisor
- Age: 45
- Residency: Homeowner, living in District 1 since 2011
- Transportation: Driving and walking
- Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of California, Davis
- Languages: English, Cantonese, Mandarin
Empty storefronts were a problem before the pandemic, when commercial property landlords preferred to leave properties empty rather than leasing out. To combat this, I supported the Legacy Business Program and Commercial Property Vacancy Tax ballot measures approved by San Francisco voters.
But when the pandemic hit, things got worse.
As supervisor, I have worked with the Office of Small Business (OSB) to establish a Neighborhood Anchoring Business Program, prioritizing businesses 15 years and older for Covid-19 relief to help them stay open. I worked with OSB to amend commercial zoning, allowing for flexible and multi-use of small business spaces … read more here
Endorsed by: San Francisco Labor Council, Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, Local 21, Service Employees International Union 1021 … read more here
Sherman D’Silva
- Job: Owner of a laundromat on Geary Boulevard
- Age: 51
- Residency: Homeowner, living in District 1 since 1973
- Transportation: Driving
- Education: Bachelor’s degrees from San Francisco State University
- Languages: English
We will begin by improving the quality of our neighborhood. We will clean the streets by bringing back weekly street cleaning, ensuring that trash and graffiti is removed immediately, and that city trash cans are consistently emptied and maintained. We will improve our business corridors by maintaining neighborhood trees and ensuring that medians are free from trash and weeds.
Last, we must let businesses feel that they can operate safely without worrying about crime impacting their business. Tripling the number of officers available in the district and enforcing all applicable laws will aid in attaining this objective.
Jen Nossokoff
- Job: Vice president of a healthcare company and physician assistant
- Age: 38
- Residency: Homeowner, living in District 1 since 2020
- Transportation: Walking, biking, public transportation, driving
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University and master’s degree from Samuel Merritt University
- Languages: English
Vacant storefronts in District 1, especially near my home, have been an eyesore and a missed opportunity for years. While respecting property ownership, we must empower neighbors and advocate for vibrant local commerce.
My plan: incentivize leasing with tax breaks, and impose penalties for prolonged vacancies. We’ll activate spaces quickly with pop-up shops and temporary permits, and simplify the permitting process for new businesses. By partnering with landlords, business associations, and the community, we’ll match tenants with available spaces and support local entrepreneurs with grants and loans. Together, we will transform these empty storefronts into thriving community hubs.
Marjan Philhour
- Job: Business owner, former advisor and fundraiser to London Breed
- Age: 50
- Residency: Homeowner, born in District 1 and moved back in 2006
- Transportation: Biking, walking, driving and public transportation
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley
- Languages: English
The Richmond District has seen a disproportionate share of empty storefronts in recent years. I owned a brick-and-mortar business with my sister on Balboa Street and, as co-founder of the Balboa Village Merchants Association, I hear from business owners every day about the challenges they face operating their businesses in the Richmond District. Merchants love what they do, and they love being in our community. However, it is the responsibility of our local supervisor to ensure that the neighborhood is one that is both safe and clean so that local businesses can operate effectively. Last January, six merchants … read more here
Endorsed by: San Francisco Police Officers Association … read more here
Jeremiah Boehner
- Job: Marketing specialist and U.S. Army veteran
- Age: 39
- Residency: Tenant, living in District 1 since 2006
- Transportation: Driving
- Education: University of San Francisco
- Languages: English
Once our streets are clean and safe, business will start to return, especially if we remove a lot of the red tape, fees and excessive taxes. This is something our mayor and Connie Chan don’t seem to get. I’ll work with landlords to get tenants in the empty storefronts and make sure my staff is on hand to help these businesses navigate any necessary permits.
Money raised and spent in District 1 supervisor race
For
Money spent
Against
Marjan Philhour
$63,735
$136,064
Connie Chan
$11,806
$101,585
$5,360
$72,021
Jen Nossokoff
$11,653
$3,573
Jeremiah Boehner
$0
Sherman D’Silva
$0
$0
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
For
Money spent
Against
Marjan Philhour
$63,735
$136,064
Connie Chan
$11,806
$101,585
$5,360
$72,021
Jen Nossokoff
$11,653
$3,573
Jeremiah Boehner
$0
Sherman D’Silva
$0
$0
$50K
$100K
$150K
$200K
Source: San Francisco Ethics Commission, as of April 3, 2024. Chart by Junyao Yang.
Candidates are ordered alphabetically and rotated each week. Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at junyao@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.
It would be a nice addition if you had a map of the districts that you linked into these per-district stories.