District 9 San Francisco County Board of Supervisors candidates participated in bilingual community forum hosted by Mission District non-profit Forum

 

Over 150 community members gathered to hear from all six District 9 candidates for San Francisco County Supervisor during a live forum.

In an effort to provide opportunities with and accessibility to the city’s local political leaders, we as the Mission Economic Development Agency hosted the forum – in both Spanish and English – for members of the local community to learn from, listen  and ask questions to the District 9 candidates running in the November election.  In the final push to the polls, all District 9 candidates were in attendance.

• Jackie Fielder
• Jamie Gutierrez
• Julian Bermudez
• Roberto Hernandez
• Stephen Torres
• Trevor Chandler

The two-hour event included a 45-minute moderated conversation covering affordable housing and displacement, small business and merchants, workforce development, street vendor legislation, and the cultural districts. The event also included a 25 minute open Q&A from the audience. 

The event was moderated in Spanish by Susana Rojas from Calle24 and moderated in English by Sharaya Souza from the American Indian Cultural District. 

 

Where do the candidates stand on pressing matters? We have put together a comprehensive 

Paraphrased responses from the candidates answers during the forum are below. 

 

Question One -Safety and cleanliness: 

Name two specific actions that you plan on taking to improve safety, and the public well being and guaranteeing the cleanliness and regularly scheduled maintenance of the streets in the Mission District and surrounding BART stations?

• Jackie Fielder:
  • “I will prioritize safety and cleanliness in the Mission District. I will do this by increasing patrols and community policing. I will also focus on graffiti cleanup and domestic violence. In my first week, I will contact the Department of Public Works to clean the streets in the Mission District first thing in the morning.”
• Jamie Gutierrez:
  • “I’m concerned about the safety of our streets. I think the first step to improving safety is to ensure that our police force is fully staffed and equipped. Officers should not be allowed to use cell phones while on duty, as this could distract them from their primary responsibility of patrolling the streets. In addition, I think we need to address the issue of dirty streets. With so many people walking their dogs, there are now more dogs than children on our streets. We need to provide more trash cans so that people can dispose of their dog waste.”
• Julian Bermudez:
  • “I have a two-part proposal for improving street cleanliness in our city. First, we should expand the San Francisco cleaning program to include our corridors. Second, we should increase the number of trash cans and police officers on foot patrol, and increase the number of motorcycle cops.”
• Roberto Hernandez:
  • “I’d like to propose that we hire people in our community to become ambassadors. These ambassadors would be responsible for keeping our community safe. I believe we need more police officers in our community, and this would be a way to address that need. In addition, I think we need to provide services to help our seniors get to their appointments. Lastly, I think we should hire parents to work in our schools, as no one is taking care of our children. Finally, I think we need to clean our streets every day.”
• Stephen Torres:
  • “The discussion is about prioritizing the city. Do we need a fully staffed police department? If so, why is it not fully staffed? It is not easy to hire within the community, so the department is contracted out. The department should be staffed by people from the community. The department should have programs for the youth in the community. The department should offer jobs that pay well and develop pride. The department should represent our community.”
• Trevor Chandler:
  • “Someone was shot at 16th and Bart yesterday. Police Ambassadors are not the answer to stop that from happening. Jackie wants to fund public safety. What we need is a supervisor who is serious about safety. While police are not the answer for everything, they are a key component of public safety. It’s not an either/or situation. We can have our values and still be safe.

 

Question Two – Affordable housing and displacement  (English)

D-9 is a top area targeted for streamlined housing in the coming years. With the Mission District having already lost more than 10,000 Latinos since 2000 and Latino homelessness spiking 55% in 2022, [including AI Statistics] what would you do to support affordable housing for low income families and households?

• Jackie Fielder:
  • Supports affordable housing for low income households. Advocating for affordable housing. Because she is not in debt to private landlords she can ensure to advocate for affordable housing. 
• Jamie Gutierrez:
  • It is 2 issues – 1. Temporary housing for newly evicted or out on the streets, need housing right away. Looking to open the possibility of opening single family homes to 2 levels. To create community through tenants. To deter corporate landlords. Touching on construction costs. 
• Julian Bermudez:
  • Its rent control – plain and simple – works with landlords and tenants. Its not a housing crisis, it’s a housing affordability crisis. A lot of landlords go fishing for a price. Yes on prop 33. Knows tenants who have received a 3% rent increase and received a subpar appliance. 
• Roberto Hernandez:
  • Has worked with a lot of “Our Mission not eviction” members who are present. Part of the work was coming up with a plan – to be completed by 2020. For building 2000 AH units in the mission for all 10,000 people evicted. Fast Forward to today – not enough units yet. Advocating for holding city reps accountable and “has figured it out that we can do it in 2 years” 
• Stephen Torres:
  • Does not think that AH is an ideological conundrum – thinks everyone deserves this. Thinks it is misrepresented through a housing crisis when really it’s an AH crisis. We need someone who will have a role in balancing. Yes on prop 33 – encouraging advocacy and support for community retention. 
• Trevor Chandler:
  • We need a Supervisor — supports rent control, right for council – we do not have enough housing. Homelessness is the result. We need an advocate in city hall. We need someone who can advocate for neighborhood preference. To ensure we can fight gentrification. We’ve been told theirs only two ways out 100% aff or Market Rate. We need someone pragmatic to ensure their is a place for everyone to live. 

 

Question Three: Small business and Merchants 

Given the economic challenges after Covid, what specific proposals do you have to support small businesses and community organizations and help the Mission’s economy grow?

• Jackie Fielder:
  • I’ve spoken to a lot of small business owners in the community and no one is ok. As a sup – I will work to establish a city based bank to provide financing at low costs to support small business. Holding commercial owners accountable to get them leased up. Will address real plans to solve drug problems in the streets which should be the best in the city. 
• Jamie Gutierrez:
  • Small businesses are hurting – we need to get more people to the businesses. 24th Street is ok because parking is available. Having parking can bring business to these areas. Street vendors along missions have not gotten a fair shape. They need to be brought back. The policy and DPW needs to step up to bring them back. 
• Julian Bermudez:
  • Has been working in a small business his whole life – grandpa started business about 30 years ago. Still bouncing back from COVID. Rent prices are up to 10K, small businesses can’t get that due to lack of exposure. Commercial spaces are expensive because there is no rent control on them. 
• Roberto Hernandez:
  • 56 vacant storefronts. People can’t open businesses because rent is too high. We need to buy buildings, start incubators and mercados. And help people get into ownership. We need programs to help people develop business plans (5 year plans) to develop successful businesses. City needs to fund grants to get people back to work here in the Mission.
• Stephen Torres:
  • Has worked in the sector all his life – on one hand, we need to protect legacy businesses through grants and broken window repairs and adequate security. Need to be realistic about opening businesses – thinks we should open public markets/mercados etc. 
• Trevor Chandler:
  • It all goes back to safety. El faro just robbed 20k, sisters cafe – has talked to every single small business owner. Tax credits are necessary but doesn’t matter if safety is lacking in the city. Incubators won’t matter if people don’t feel safe in coming to the community and walking down the street. No one will come if they are afraid to get robbed. 

 

Question Four: Workforce

Youth need access to well paying jobs and career advancement opportunities. What plans do you have to invest in job training, apprenticeships, and education programs that specifically target Latinx and Native American communities in San Francisco?

• Jackie Fielder:
  • Addressing  Trevor Chandler – she has described her take on public safety and you can refer to her website. He doesnt support cultural districts. Thats why I am attacking him. In general, we have a lot of job vacancies in different sectors – education, etc. 
• Jamie Gutierrez:
  • Begun working at the age of nine – had paper routes. They went away. When I needed money, I was a grocery bag boy. These are the types of things people need throughout their life. Went to the military. Not advisable for everyone. MEDA has programs to teach on writing a job app. Need to open that up to everyone. 
• Julian Bermudez:
  • The #1 regret – going directly to 4YR and not a Junior College. Wants to emphasize City college and pathways to programs for healthcare/public safety, Etc. Path Way programs for public works and transfer programs. 
• Roberto Hernandez:
  • Has worked with youth orgs and started programs. Would start a summer youth employment program for 14-18 YOs and place them in the public/private sector and let them decide the type of exp they want. Youth get to gain experience and get paid to spend back in the NH. It’s an investment. 
• Stephen Torres:
  • In order to provide this – believes we need to listen to orgs who have been doing the work and work with them. Needs someone who will advocate for the funding that funds this work/organizations. Need supervisors who will hold exec admins accountable. 
• Trevor Chandler:
  • So many basic things at city hall that are broken. It should not take a year to hire a cop. If anyone here wants a job in city hall – it should take a month. Its because we elect the same ppl and follow the same policies. Everyone here agrees the mission is worse than it has been in the past eight years. 

 

Question Five: Street Vending 

Describe your specific plans to support street vendors with respect to allowing them to return to the streets and ending the prohibition/ban on street selling. 

• Jackie Fielder:
  • She got together with the vendors, and she said she would bring the permitted vendors back to the mission in an organized manner where people can walk and safety of vendors is prioritized. Safety for them is a priority. That’s why she advocated to not cut funding of community vendors. Advocating for support services.
• Jamie Gutierrez:
  • People on the streets are trying their best and the city is not doing anything for them. They are selling illegal goods. Its crazy, from 5-9. The city needs to step up. Department of Public Works needs to step up and do what they said they would. 
• Julian Bermudez:
  • The CA law says that street vending is illegal – need to define it as a cit/county jurisdiction to streamline permits to allow for street vendors to get permits quickly. Need to establish laws and regulations. 
• Roberto Hernandez:
  • Over 30 years ago we had the same problem. Community came together and established la cocina. 15 years ago – again. MISPA was created. Negotiated with bart to develop an agreement. What happened to that? Let the new association decide how they want to do business. Not allowing them to sell is criminal. 
• Stephen Torres:
  • These have all been blanket implementations – need to think of it comprehensively. In other major cities, kiosks are a norm at metro stations. Puestos can be a thing without chaos. Need to develop trust with the vendors. Sometimes they are being persecuted by document officials.
• Trevor Chandler:
  • We need to celebrate and respect our vendors. Last month’s murder was related to a gang tax. Copy NY: streamline vendor services and enforcement. Talked to DPW folks – about taking care of this, is it working? should they be doing this? no? This is why we need a fully staffed PD. 

 

Question Six: Cultural Districts 

As a supervisor, how do you envision your administration prioritizing the needs and supporting the policies, programs, and initiatives of the cultural districts in District 9?

What has your experience been?

• Jackie Fielder:
  • Has been a beneficiary of these programs, conducted regularly. Fully supports cultural districts – trauma of displacement and gentrification is real going back to settler colonialism. Need to ensure that affordable housing does not exacerbate the trauma. Will advocate for attention and resources that the community deserves and is looking forward to working with the cultural districts.
• Jamie Gutierrez:
  • CDs place is for job placement, housing, and advocacy. People need a voice. Experience is with American Indian District – friendship house, Has helped a lot of people there. Its a way to help himself and practices that everyday.
• Julian Bermudez:
  • Is a product of all the help and support the CDs give out. Would not be here if it wasn’t for the CDs. These organizations help, and is an example that it works. CD programs can create leaders.
• Roberto Hernandez:
  • Proud to be one of the cofounders of Mission CD. Did it because they were trying to get rid of us (10yrs ago). Supported the American Indian CD. CD districts have never been fully funded and commits to advocating to fund.
• Stephen Torres:
  • Worked alongside CDs. Agrees that these are legislated into existence to empower our communities. Advocating to vote no on D. Commits to empowering CDs. Supervisors can be obstructionist, but commit to supporting. 
• Trevor Chandler:
  • CDs are essential voices. Need to be empowered and voices need to be empowered. Self aware of being a white guy running for a seat. Can commit to being an active voice who isn’t afraid to hold accountability. SA accusations? but willing to have those tough conversations.