Welcome to our weekly “Meet the Candidates” series, in which we ask local candidates who have filed to run for office to respond to a question in 100 words or fewer. Answers will be published each week.
District 4 covers the area from 19th Avenue to Ocean Beach, Golden Gate Park to Lakeshore. It includes the Sunset, Parkside and Lakeshore neighborhoods.
In January, funding challenges shelved the affordable housing project for seniors at 1234 Great Highway, a former motel facing Ocean Beach between Lincoln Way and Irving Street. Technically, it is “an extended hiatus,” according to the developers.
The eight-story project was expected to be completed in 2028, but now, developers say they are reapplying for funding in 2027. If successful, they will begin construction in early 2028. The development cost is approximately $181 million.
The project co-developers, Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation and senior service nonprofit Self-Help for the Elderly, failed to land a key state grant. Jacob Goldstein, TNDC’s project manager, said that without the state funding, the project can’t “advance to the next funding stages.”
The project would provide 199 units for seniors with household incomes between 15 to 60 percent of area median income. It would also provide an on-site adult day-healthcare center, operated by Self-Help for the Elderly.
This week’s question: If you were supervisor, would you do anything to help move the project forward? If so, what specific actions would you take? If not, why not?
Mission Local color codes the answers to yes/no questions. A blue background means the candidate answered yes, an orange background means no, and a yellow background means that the candidate dodged the question.
Jeremy Greco
- Job: Campus coordinator at Presidio Hill School
- Age: 54
- Residency: Renter, living in District 4 since 2001
- Transportation: Driving
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University
- Languages: English
I support moving forward with senior housing at 1234 Great Highway, because many longtime Sunset residents want to age in the neighborhood they helped build. If federal funding has stalled, we should explore creative partnerships rather than let the project sit idle.
I would prioritize housing for low-income seniors while including a small number of affordable units for artists who create intergenerational programming with residents.
We’ve seen projects in San Francisco where arts partnerships attract philanthropic support and help close funding gaps. That kind of model could help seniors age in place while building a vibrant community.
Endorsed by: N/A
David Lee
- Job: Educator at Laney College and San Francisco State University
- Age: 57
- Residency: Homeowner, living in D4 since September 2025
- Transportation: Driving, biking, public transit and walking
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College, master’s and doctorate degree from San Francisco State University
- Languages: English. Can understand Cantonese, Mandarin and Toishanese, but limited fluency.
Senior affordable housing is a priority I take seriously.
I am familiar with the 1234 Great Highway project, a 199-unit affordable senior housing development led by Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation and Self Help for the Elderly, currently on extended hiatus due to financing challenges. The developers plan to reapply for funding in 2027, with a construction start hoped for 2028.
If elected, I would not wait. I would engage directly with the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development to explore whether bridge financing or alternative funding sources could accelerate the timeline, and meet with TNDC and Self Help for … read more here.
Endorsed by: Retired judge Quentin Kopp, Lillian Sing, Julie Tang, Supervisor Chyanne Chen, Former Supervisor Aaron Peskin, Sandra Lee Fewer, Sophie Maxwell, Former SFPD Commander Richard Corriea
Alan Wong
- Job: Current District 4 Supervisor / Commander in California’s National Guard
- Age: 38
- Residency: Renter. Born and raised in District 4, and moved back to District 4 from Inner Sunset in October 2025
- Transportation: Driving, walking and public transit
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego; master’s degree from University of San Francisco
- Languages: English, Cantonese
The 1234 Great Highway project was approved under a state law that allows fast-tracking ministerial approval of qualifying affordable housing developments.
A key concern I’ve heard from residents is the proposal to mix senior housing with housing for seniors who have recently experienced homelessness. Both groups deserve stable housing, but they often have different needs. Those exiting homelessness may require more intensive supportive and wraparound services.
This raises important questions about whether the building and the surrounding neighborhood will have the resources and service model needed to support residents successfully. These concerns must be addressed before the developer moves forward.
Endorsed by: Mayor Daniel Lurie, GrowSF, San Francisco Police Officers Association, San Francisco Democratic Party, Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, State Controller Malia Cohen, Congressmember Kevin Mullin, Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, Former Mayor Willie Brown, Sheriff Paul Miyamoto … read more here.
Albert Chow
- Job: Owner of Great Wall Hardware, president of People of Parkside Sunset
- Age: 59
- Residency: Homeowner, living in District 4 since 1978
- Transportation: Driving and walking
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley
- Languages: English, semi-fluent in Cantonese
My family moved from Chinatown to the Sunset in 1978 when we needed more space. Growing up here, I value the light and space that comes with a neighborhood that is not defined by high rises.
While I accept that we need to accommodate growth, I don’t believe the best path is allowing buildings of the height and mass of the 1234 Great Highway proposal which assaults the character of the neighborhood we are passionate about maintaining.
We can accomplish the same goals by incentivizing ADUs and building on sites farther from the ocean where the height would not dramatically … read more here.
Endorsed by: Retired SFPD Commander Richard Corriea, Retired SFPD Commander Peter Walsh, President of United Irish Cultural Center Liam Reidy
Natalie Gee
- Job: District 10 legislative aide
- Age: 40
- Residency: Renter, living in District 4 since 2021
- Transportation: Driving, walking and Muni
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University
- Languages: English, Cantonese
Affordable senior housing is the kind of project I will fight for as Supervisor.
The funding gap at 1234 Great Highway falls on [President Donald] Trump, not San Francisco.
HUD cuts have destabilized affordable-housing financing nationwide, but as supervisor I would convene MOHCD, the developer, foundations, and housing partners to pursue every local, regional, and state avenue to unlock funding. If necessary, we could reduce the height and cost of the project.
I would also work with my colleagues to protect and build up resilient sources of funding so that critical projects that address our affordability and homelessness crises don’t stall.
Endorsed by: Former Mayor Art Agnos, Assemblymember Matt Haney, Supervisor Connie Chan, Myrna Melgar, Jackie Fielder, Shamann Walton, Chyanne Chen, Former Supervisor Gordon Mar, IFPTE 21, SEIU 1021, AFT 2121, San Francisco Tenants Union … read more here.
Candidates are rotated alphabetically. Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. Do you have questions you’d like to ask the candidates? Email junyao@missionlocal.com.
You can register to vote here.
Alan Wong’s answer here is frankly disqualifying. He comes across as clueless of the basic problem. The issue isn’t that concerns need to be addressed before the project can move forward. The actual problem is that the project can’t move forward because there’s not enough money: a state grant didn’t come through and the Trump Administration’s cuts to HUD have made lenders unwilling to bet that the federal government will pay rent subsidies as promised (see https://thefrisc.com/trump-not-nimbys-delayed-great-highway-senior-housing-says-developer/ for more details). That’s the problem he needs to be focused on solving: getting the city, Sacramento, and everybody else to work together so we can have this affordable housing for Sunset seniors.
If there’s a problem related to the services to be provided in the building, by all means he should address that; he’s our Supervisor and that’s his job. But instead he takes a vague “some people have concerns” complaint as a reason to not support the entire project, which would provide desperately needed affordable senior housing.
I don’t even get the political strategy here. Why would he vote for the Family Zoning Plan—and so lose the support of voters opposed to building new housing—and then immediately turn around and decline to support completing this already-approved affordable housing? It makes no sense and just gives the appearance that his approach to governance is just waffling around trying to discern who’s yelling at him the loudest at every given moment rather than any actual desire to accomplish anything.
Alan Wong’s answer here represents the typical Sunset attitude: I’ve got mine, so screw you. He’s denying homes to elders because the building doesn’t meet his superficial concerns about looks.
Whether it’s Sunset Dunes or housing for elders, we have to stand up to the Sunset. Tell them: no more gated community for BMW drivers.
Interesting how different the answers are on this one. Each candidate seems to have a unique approach though none are especially ignoring the neighborhood requests. Most are taking an approach that includes the residents of the district. That is a refreshing change.
You’re totally right. My favorite part is how Albert Chow includes the neighborhood’s priorities so clearly. He puts how things look over housing to elders.
It’s refreshing to see someone do such a great job of showing how the neighborhood doesn’t care about elders or anything other than property values and private highways for their cars.
I don’t want to get lambasted by every yimby person on the planet, but …. why there? That’s like one of the most expensive and valuable strips of land in the city, and then you add in the “Hey, let’s make it tall, so every single person who lives a block away from ANY shoreline is like, “HEY! THAT COULD BE DONE IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE!!!”.
Seriously. Build a bunch of luxury condos and make a fortune, then use that to build a big center a few blocks away.
Maybe even near services that old people will require?
It just seems like they either set themselves up for failure or there’s another agenda I’m not seeing, because this makes no sense.
Since none of those who have weighed in on this proposed Public Housing project have all the details, or you would vote differently. There are many who reside Right Here, who know and have disagreed, and have pushed-back for years, and will continue in that direction!
There is also an existing law which can make this Illegal!
We need affordable senior housing, but it should be built in the neighborhood at existing scale. Ocean Beach is a jewel. The aesthetics of the shoreline, it’s views and the local neighborhood character need to be protected. D4 needs a supervisor who gets this.
When people like you get old, I hope someone puts aesthetics over taking care of you. It is only fair.