Welcome back to our weekly “Meet the Candidates” series, in which 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.
Next week, I will be on the mayoral campaign trail. Reach me at junyao@missionlocal.com.
For seniors living in the Richmond, one of San Francisco’s outermost neighborhoods, a dominant concern is transit, especially medical transportation for seniors. Services like paratransit and taxi vouchers can be insufficient when someone has to go to dialysis three times a week, said Christine Ness, programs director at Richmond Senior Center.
We asked the candidates this week: What will you do to make sure seniors have more access to get around the city?
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
We need to make sure seniors know about the different tools that are available to them through outreach. We also need to expand the voucher program to include services like rideshare. We also need to stop foolish projects like closing the Great Highway, which many seniors use to access the VA [San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center].
Endorsed by: San Francisco Republican Party
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
I pushed to expand transit, paratransit and other services for seniors (and everyone in District 1) with the recent sales tax renewal approved by voters in 2022, but we also need to acknowledge that many of our residents rely on cars to get to medical appointments, and we cannot close off one of the main north-south connections without any planning for alternatives. The issues raised here are among the main reasons I’ve been so concerned about proposals to close the Great Highway.
This is also why I requested County Transportation Authority to conduct the District 1 Mobility Study and walk … read more here
Endorsed by: Nancy Pelosi, San Francisco Fire Fighters Local 798, 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
MUNI provides a comprehensive means to navigate to most parts of San Francisco, but I can certainly understand how MUNI can be challenging for seniors. I would support negotiating with rideshare companies to provide transportation to San Francisco residents that are over 65 years old and/or disabled. Increasing the para-transit and taxi voucher system should also be considered.
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
Ensuring seniors on the upper west side of the city have reliable access to transportation is a critical issue that falls squarely within the transportation and health equity components of my platform. My approach focuses on investing in public transit and creating programs that directly link seniors to the transit services they need, particularly for essential trips like medical appointments.
Investing in public transit: I will advocate for targeted investments in our public transit system to enhance accessibility, safety, and convenience for seniors. This includes increasing the frequency and reliability of bus and train services in areas with high senior … read more here
Endorsed by: Everytown For Gun Safety, San Francisco League of Conservation Voters, San Francisco Women’s Political Committee (#2), Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate
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
Transportation is a critical issue for our seniors, especially those in the Richmond District. These services, while helpful, often fall short for those with regular medical needs, like dialysis. Access to robust transit is a core role of a functional city; safety is critical. If buses aren’t safe, people won’t ride. This is why public safety has been at the center of my campaign; it touches every part of our lives.
I would prioritize expanding and improving transportation options for our seniors to ensure they have reliable and accessible means to get around the city. One of my key approaches … read more here
Endorsed by: San Francisco Democratic Party, TogetherSF, San Francisco Police Officers Association … read more here
Money raised by District 1 candidates
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.
