Between February and the November election, Mission Local is asking each District 3 candidate one question per week, and candidates will get 100 words to respond. We will compile all responses to the 40-odd questions on a “Meet the Candidates” page, so that voters can get a full picture of their stances.
Because Supervisor Aaron Peskin terms out next January, six candidates have filed to run for his seat to lead District 3, which includes North Beach, Chinatown, Union Square, the Financial District, Russian Hill and Nob Hill.
Question this week: Three residential tower proposals along Sansome Street have generated controversy in District 3, because all of them are going to be much taller than most of the buildings in the area. They include 955 Sansome St., a 24-story building; 1088 Sansome St., a 19-story building, and 875 Sansome St., which could be as tall as 14 stories. Are you supportive of these housing projects? What about the 41-story tower with hotel and office space at 530 Sansome St.? Why or why not?
Moe Jamil
- Job: Deputy city attorney, San Francisco City Attorney’s Office
- Age: 46
- Residency: Owner-occupied condo owner, living in District 3 since May 2014
- Transportation: Walking
- Education: University of California, Berkeley, and law school at Santa Clara University, K-12 public school
- Languages: English, Cantonese
I oppose these out-of-scale luxury towers on our beautiful waterfront. As a neighborhood leader, I supported hundreds of units of new, sensible housing along Polk Street and Van Ness Avenue. As District 3 Supervisor, I will give great weight to the voices of long-established neighborhood, community and merchant organizations in shaping my views on individual projects. We should welcome new housing, office and hotel development downtown with appropriate community benefits and commitments to pay prevailing wages to a skilled and trained workforce.
Endorsed by: San Francisco Tenants Union, San Francisco police Officers Association, San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council, Board President Aaron Peskin … read more here
Sharon Lai
- Job: Economic recovery leader at the World Economic Forum, former board member at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
- Age: 41
- Residency: Tenant and owner, living in District 3 since 2023, first moved to SF in 2005
- Transportation: Walk and Muni when solo, drive when with kids
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from University of California, Berkeley, development studies and city and regional planning; master’s degree in public administration, Harvard Kennedy School
- Languages: English, Mandarin, Cantonese
As a trained professional urban planner, I believe that local zoning is the right level of government to manage growth. The three (955, 1088, and 875) Sansome towers are out of scale with the surrounding neighborhood, and are effectively spot-upzoning that does not adequately consider impacts.
I support the project at 530 Sansome, which is exactly where this type of height and density belong and are planned for. The proposed height is still much shorter than the adjacent Transamerica pyramid. Also worth noting that the project’s impact fees are planned to fund a 100% affordable senior housing project.
Endorsed by: Community Tenants Association, Teamsters Joint Council 7, 7 of the current Board of Supervisors … read more here
Eduard Navarro
- Job: Tech startup founder
- Age: 44
- Residency: Tenant in District 3 since December 2021
- Transportation: Walking, public transportation
- Education: CFA Institute: Chartered Financial Analyst, passed level 1. Master’s degree from Columbia University, architecture, concentration in urban design. Master’s degree from Columbia University, real estate development, concentrating in finance. Ecole d’Architecture de La Villette. Bachelor’s degree in architecture from Georgia Institute of Technology.
- Languages: Spanish, French, German, English, Valèncian (Catalan)
No, I do not support 955, 1088, and 875, but I do support development and developers, and a yes, with comments, on 530.
The process is broken and pits San Franciscans against each other. The density bonus strips SF of home rule, and the city’s reliance on capricious zoning fails to design spaces for light, air, and beauty. Conditional-use permit appeals and CEQA lawsuits create a toxic environment for investment, unfairly impacting small local developers.
If today’s rules existed when our city was built, we wouldn’t get to build the San Francisco we know and love. There’s a better way … read more here
Danny Sauter
- Job: Executive Director, Neighborhood Centers Together
- Age: 36
- Residency: Tenant in District 3 since 2014
- Transportation: Public transportation
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from Miami University
- Languages: English, Cantonese
District 3’s northern waterfront needs more housing and activity to be a more complete neighborhood. We can achieve this by turning parking lots and empty buildings into new homes, and I believe we can find a way to do so by embracing mid-rise density that already works across our district.
I support the hotel and office space at 530 Sansome, which is distinctly downtown, while I believe the other projects should better fit their context in height and form. As District 3 Supervisor, I’ll work to make mid-rise density projects the most attractive option to quickly turn empty buildings into new homes.
Endorsed by: Nor Cal Carpenters Union, Senator Scott Wiener, Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, Operating Engineers Local 3 … read more here
Matthew Susk
- Job: Former lead with Divvy Homes
- Age: 32
- Residency: TIC owner, first moved to District 3 in 2007. 2007-2009 while in high school, 2014-2016 after college, 2023-present with his wife.
- Transportation: Walking
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University, master’s in business from Georgetown University
- Languages: English
As the next District 3 Supervisor, I will bring builders and neighbors together for projects like 955 Sansome, 1088 Sansome, and 875 Sansome. We must find a sensible path forward.
530 Sansome is a great project that combines hotel, office and amenities that will create substantial economic benefits and revitalize the surrounding area. Large-scale developments are crucial for attracting new businesses, visitors and services, which will stimulate our local economy. I believe the project will blend well with the neighborhood and contribute positively to San Francisco’s future.
Note: Susk asked to add the following sentence to clarify his stance after the publication of this post. “As the next District 3 Supervisor, I will bring builders and neighbors together for projects like 955 Sansome, 1088 Sansome, and 875 Sansome. I do not support the current plans. We must find a sensible path forward.”
Wendy Ha Chau
- Job: Attorney
- Age: 44
- Residency: Tenant in District 3 since 2009
- Transportation: Walking
- Education: Juris doctor degree from John F. Kennedy University
- Languages: English
I am opposed to any housing projects that will include “affordable” housing mandated by the government.
All affordable housing in San Francisco will be built, owned and operated by San Francisco.
San Francisco will build 100,000 units of affordable housing immediately (thus all proposed private projects will be delayed).
SF owns $19 billion in land and assets. We have a 34,500 unionized labor workforce.
SF employs architechts, welders, pavers, plumbers, sewage specialists, civil engineers and a host of other employees capable of building luxury 55+ story high-rise apartments.
The financial district and downtown areas are where these highrises … read more here
Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at yujie@missionlocal.com.
Illustrations for the series by Neil Ballard.
You can register to vote via the sf.gov website.
