Meet the District 9 candidates: Name an issue affecting Bernal

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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 .

This week's question: Name a specific issue affecting Bernal Heights residents. How would you address it?

While no community is a monolith, when I talk to Bernal residents, they tell me they want proactive solutions for the homeless, mitigations and protections for one the city's last open spaces, and smart planning that creates affordable housing without undermining what makes their community special. As supervisor, it is my duty to uplift sensible and affordable housing projects, actively pursue habitat restoration projects to protect our environment and homes, and hold state agencies accountable to the impacts of the Bayshore Freeway which have caused health impacts and home and habitat loss.

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

One specific issue that Bernal Heights residents face is speeding cars and a lack of street safety. Most locals focus on Cortland Ave., Cesar Chavez St., Crescent Ave., and Mission Street needing the most improvement, but they also name a variety of other areas. I would solve this problem by improving street infrastructure. This involves more speed bumps, flashing crossing lights, distinctly marked physical infrastructure for bike lanes, adjusting the timing of the lights, utilizing physical infrastructure to discourage illegal U-turns, and improving the street and sidewalk conditions.

Endorsed by: No endorsements listed ... read more here

Bernal residents like keeping things neighborly, safe and community-focused. Affordable housing helps preserve the historic diversity of Bernal that originally drew so many to the neighborhood. One thing people bring up when we door knock is the abandoned gas station on 30th & Mission St. Word on the street is it will come back online again, but with the Shell just south of that location, it seems that this would be a prime place for 100% affordable housing. San Francisco has thousands of units that have the permits, but don't have the funding. I would continue my work on a public... 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 .

Growing up, I lived in three homes across Bernal Heights with my family, and I remember a vibrant neighborhood with charming buildings and locally-owned businesses. Today, I've spoken to many Bernal residents to hear their concerns, and the foremost aligns with the rest of our district: safety.

As supervisor, I'll prioritize safety measures that help restore Bernal to its full potential and ensure problems like break-ins, reckless driving, and the recent tragic shooting at Precita Park [editor's note: the shooting happened in June 2023] are tackled head-on. I'll work collaboratively with the SFPD, constituents, and City Hall to implement appropriate, community-based solutions that address Bernal's own unique needs.

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

From the thousands of conversations I've had knocking doors in Bernal Heights it's clear an increase in property crimes is a top concern. Only a few years ago it was rare to be the victim or know someone who was the victim of crime in Bernal, now almost every voter I talk to either has firsthand experience of a burglary or knows someone who does.

This is why I'm calling for an accountable, responsive and fully staffed police department. D9 residents shouldn't have to sit by for hours for SFPD to respond to a traumatizing break-in.

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

Bernal needs Protected from their own Electeds !!

Our District State Assemblyperson got their job by selling out to Developers and is living high on the hog in Sacramento on their dime.

Our State Senator is the #1 Enemy of Tenants Statewide.

Our Governor and U.S. Congressperson are in the pockets of the rich.

Last I looked Bernal was home to 'Pissed-Off Voters' and Rebecca Solnit and Tim Redmond and lately, David Talbot not to mention Kalish and Pirate Radio and others.

Bernal should play to that and form a D-9 Writers Guild Collaborative with Publication and Artist-in-Residence gig.

Manny, where's your Talbot Benefit ?

Endorsed by: No endorsements listed.

Money raised and spent in the District 9 supervisor race

, 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

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.