Meet the District 9 candidates: Name an issue affecting Portola

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Welcome back to our “Meet the Candidates” series, where we ask the District 9 supervisorial hopefuls in the November 2024 election one question each week. Candidates are asked to answer questions on policy, ideology and more in 100 words or fewer.

Answers are being published individually each week, but we are also archiving the weekly series here.

If you know of other political events, let me know and I will add them to the post.

I will be at Clooney’s Pub (1401 Valencia St.) at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3, to say hello and talk about the district, or you can email me at oscar.palma@missionlocal.com.

This week’s question: Name a specific issue affecting Portola residents, and how would you address it?

Roberto Hernandez

• Job: CEO, Cultura y Arte Nativa de Las Americas (CANA).
• Age: 67
• Residency: Homeowner, born in the Mission in June 1956 and has not left
• Transportation: Car and bicycle
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in sociology from University of San Francisco
• Languages: English and Spanish

Portola is a vibrant and historic neighborhood, but in recent years, safety concerns have increased. Portola’s Avenue Theater has been vacant for years, and merchants have shared with me that they’re closing their storefronts early because they don’t feel safe.  

As District 9 supervisor, I’ll work closely to build bridges between residents, the San Francisco Police Department, and City Hall to ensure the neighborhood has proper law enforcement that works in concert with the community. I’ll also invest in initiatives such as neighborhood ambassadors, pop-up markets in vacant spaces, and cultural celebrations to bring people back out onto Portola’s streets and restore its thriving heart.

Endorsed by: Civil Rights Leader Dolores Huerta, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, Supervisor Myrna Melgar, Supervisor Shamann Walton, State Senator Scott Wiener… read more here

Trevor Chandler

• Job: Public school teacher since 2023. Former director of government and public policy at Citizen, a public safety app.
• Age: 37
• Residency: Tenant, living in District 9 since July 2021
• Transportation: Public
• Education: Plymouth State University
• Languages: English

I’ve knocked on over 1,000 doors in Portola and the message is crystal clear: Residents are seriously concerned about safety, and feel they’ve been ignored by City Hall.

According to a San Francisco Chronicle analysis, Portola has the second-highest rate of commercial burglaries in the city, second only to the Tenderloin. Despite this, Portola has not gotten nearly the attention or support that the Tenderloin has.

This is why I support a fully staffed SFPD and having street lights put in along the San Bruno Avenue corridor, as small-business owners have requested. Portola deserves a voice at City Hall.

Endorsed by: Latino LGBTQ political organization HONOR PAC, State Senator Scott Wiener, Assembly Member Rick Chavez Zbur, Brownie Mary Democratic Club, Supreme Court Marriage Equality Lead Plaintiff Jim Obergefell … read more here

Jackie Fielder

• Job: Nonprofit co-director at Stop the Money Pipeline. Former educator at San Francisco State University, co-founder of the San Francisco Public Bank Coalition. Democratic Socialist 
• Age: 29
• Residency: Tenant, lived in District 9 September 2017 to June 2018, October 2019 to August 2020 ,and April 2021 to present
• Transportation: Public
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in public policy and master’s degree in sociology from Stanford University
• Languages: English and Spanish

Public safety is a paramount concern in Portola. Real and enduring safety requires a more effective use of law enforcement resources, culturally competent and multilingual law enforcement outreach, multilingual and accessible small-business grants for security upgrades, stronger crime-prevention programs, staffing up our public-safety system, victim-support services, community-led crime prevention programs and rehabilitation programs that disrupt the cycle of violence. Research confirms that a higher likelihood of being caught acts as a powerful deterrent to crime. We can also triple the presence of community ambassadors and lighting in high-traffic, high-crime areas within Portola to bolster safety. We also need…read more here.

Endorsed by: Former State Representative Tom Ammiano, Former District 9 Supervisor David Campos, Former Mayor Art Agnos, City College Trustee Vick Chung, District 3 Supervisor Aaron Peskin … read more here.

Julian Bermudez

• Job: Works in and directs his family business, Rancho Grande Appliance
• Age: 27 
• Residency: Born San Francisco in 1996, raised on and off in District 9 until he left for college in 2015, then the army in 2019 and now back, living in the Mission
• Transportation: Carpool/catch a ride
• Education: City College of San Francisco, Chico State University
• Languages: English and Spanish

Portola, like the rest of the city, is dealing with the effects of post-covid, street maintenance, crime and violence, congested bus lines, and homelessness. One issue that stood out to me was the lack of representation, attention, and recognition that this neighborhood brings to District 9 and San Francisco as a whole. I intend to address this issue by promoting events, funding projects, and exposing this community to its full potential. I always leave Portola with a full belly and an empty wallet, and I want others to have the same experience.

Endorsed by: No endorsements listed … read more here

Stephen Torres

• Job: Bartender at Twin Peaks Tavern, customer service at Flowercraft Nursery and freelance writer  
• Age: 46
• Residency: Tenant, lived in District 9 summer 2001 to fall 2003, and returned in the summer 2010
• Transportation: Public
• Education: Moorpark Community College and San Francisco City College as work has permitted
• Languages: English and Spanish 

There’s good reason that Portola is known as “San Francisco’s Garden District” — it’s beautifully verdant (the Green Between!) with flower and vegetable gardens, amazing small businesses and close knit communities; it’s a special place for residents. 

However, like a lot of District 9, there are major concerns about safety with recurrent thefts, assaults, and hate crimes. Unfortunately, often residents feel like these concerns and their needs are neglected.  As supervisor, I commit to being a partner in City Hall for the community. I want all residents to have an easy pathway through my office to City Hall. It’s important that the City invests…read more here.

Endorsed by: Mark Leno, Former State Senator, Aaron Peskin, President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Hillary Ronen, Supervisor, District 9 … read more here

h brown

• Job: Retired special education teacher
• Age: 80
• Residency: Tenant, at current address for nine years, redistricted into District 9 in April 2022
• Transportation: Walking
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in education and master’s degree in special education from Clemson University 
• Languages: English

Chain Saw Man sighting awakens sleeping dawg …

A man named Jake Sigg wants to cut down 800 mature trees in McLaren Park and has the connections to do it.

I propose our District 9 candidates collaborative rent Jerry Garcia Amphitheater for $800 as a community event dedicated to saving the 800 trees.

Each candidate can bring their own band.

No fundraising, just community smiles and hugs.

I’ve contacted the other 6 candidates yesterday for a Saturday meet to form candidates collaborative.

So far, only Trevor has responded, and loves us, but too short notice, but he’s positive energy and waiting for rest. 

Endorsed by: No endorsements listed.

Jaime Gutierrez

• Job: Transit supervisor for SFMTA/Muni
• Age: 57
• Residency: Tenant, born in District 9 in 1967 and, except for three years spent in the Army, has resided here ever since
• Transportation: Bike
• Education: U.S. Army, City College of San Francisco, University of California, Berkeley
• Languages: English and Spanish

Crime is the specific issue that I feel is most important for the Portola neighborhood.  There have been home invasions on Silliman Street [editor’s note: we were not able to confirm this incident], and homicides on Dwight Street [editor’s note: the incident was ruled as murder-suicide at the time by SFPD]. There have also been robberies day and night on San Bruno Avenue. This is the result of an understaffed police department, and a lack of lawful enforcement that was mandatory in the business of policing. I propose bringing back foot and biking patrols.  Also, a staffed substation on the San Bruno corridor. Furthermore, combining the police department and sheriff’s department to cover those missing jobs until the SFPD is fully staffed.

Endorsed by: Transportation Workers Union Local 200 … read more here

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District 9 contributions

Money raised and spent in the District 9 supervisor race

Money raised

Money spent

Jackie Fielder

$31,954

$112,742

Roberto Hernandez

$11,443

$100,577

Trevor Chandler

$72,682

$90,840

Stephen Torres

$13,848

$5,949

Julian Bermudez

$740

Michael Petrelis

$0

Jamie Gutierrez

$0

h Brown

$0

$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

Money raised

Money spent

Jackie Fielder

$31,954

$112,742

Roberto Hernandez

$11,443

$100,577

Trevor Chandler

$72,682

$90,840

Stephen Torres

$13,848

$5,949

Julian Bermudez

$740

Michael Petrelis

$0

Jamie Gutierrez

$0

h Brown

$0

$0

$50K

$100K

$150K

$200K

Source: San Francisco Ethics Commission, as of April 3, 2024. Chart by Junyao Yang.

Candidates are rotated alphabetically. Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at oscar.palma@missionlocal.com

Read the rest of the District 9 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.