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.
Have a question for the candidates? Meet me on Thursday, July 11, at 6 p.m. at Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe, 566 Columbus Ave. Email me at yujie@missionlocal.com.
Question this week: For 10 years, the building at Polk and Jackson, formerly the home of Lombardi Sports, has not found a tenant. One issue that came up is the neighborhood’s restrictions on formula retail. Would you support loosening the retail restrictions in your district?
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
Yes, I would support loosening the retail restrictions in District 3.
For the past 10 years, the BOS has been violating the constitutional rights of retailers and workers alike.
The vacant Lombardi store is a perfect example of the unconstitutional nature of the BOS actions.
The BOS deliberately makes starting a business and building housing costly. There is no legal justification for these costs that the BOS has imposed on building owners and workers alike.
If the BOS continues its unconstitutional behavior, I will advise my constituents on how to take proper legal action.
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
With businesses like the CINCH, Cheese Plus, the Jug Shop, the Bell Tower, Bob’s Donuts, Bow Wow Meow and more, Polk Street is not Anytown USA. Beloved local grocer BiRite will open its doors this year. I, through my work with Russian Hill Neighbors, courted BiRite to come to Polk Street for years, a testament to the role neighborhood organizations play to effect change.
Lombardi’s is a perfect site for affordable or workforce housing for families, complemented by neighborhood-serving retail on the ground floor.
Endorsed by: San Francisco Tenants Union, Teamsters Joint Council 7, Retired Assistant Police Chief Garrett Tom, 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
District 3’s vibrancy comes from our small local business community, which I would protect. As a start, we need to create the conditions to make opening a small business easier, and promote an environment where our existing local businesses can thrive.
Filling retail vacancies and economic resilience are priorities to me. However, any discussions of changing retail restrictions would need to center around complementary uses to the existing neighborhoods and where there is community support.
We need to have guardrails in place, so that there is a balance and the existing vitality of small businesses are not undermined.
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)
Retail restrictions function similarly to tariffs, often making commodity prices more expensive for residents. The prolonged vacancy at Polk and Jackson illustrates these unintended consequences.
Our small businesses should be encouraged to further specialize, continue offering unique products that enrich city living by only being available here. A larger grocery store, however, is a commodity, often an extension of the home, a necessity that is not competitive but complementary to our local boutique groceries offering uncommon specialty products.
By thoughtfully adjusting these restrictions, we can effectively harbor neighborhood character while also affording consumer choice, affordability, and dynamic commercial corridors that … read more here
Danny Sauter
- Job: Executive Director, Neighborhood Centers Together
- Age: 35
- Residency: Tenant in District 3 since 2014
- Transportation: Public transportation
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from Miami University
- Languages: English, Cantonese
District 3 is currently the hardest place to open a small business, due to onerous restrictions. This system favors those who are wealthy or win political favors. Consider that it’s currently illegal to open “Flexible Retail” anywhere in D3, meaning a cafe and bookstore under one roof, for example, is not allowed. These outdated rules don’t work, as we can all see with empty storefronts lining Polk and Sutter streets and Union Square.
As Supervisor, I’ll use my experience of starting two small businesses, including the North Beach Farmers Market, to make it easier to open and run small businesses in D3.
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
I support loosening formula retail restrictions in our district. The Lombardi Sports building has been vacant for a decade due to these restrictions, limiting potential tenants like Whole Foods, which the neighborhood overwhelmingly supported (80 percent plus), and contributing to neighborhood blight.
With sales tax revenue in District 3 down over 20 percent since 2019, attracting new businesses is essential for revitalizing our community and boosting our local economy. Easing these restrictions will help fill the 40+ vacant spaces on Polk Street, improve neighborhood safety, and increase foot traffic, benefiting residents and our local businesses.
Money raised and spent in the District 3 supervisor race
Money spent
Money raised
Sharon Lai
$9,493
$86,241
Danny Sauter
$7,904
$74,566
Moe Jamil
$16,015
$71,672
JConr B. Ortega
$0
Matthew Susk
$0
Eduard Navarro
$0
$0
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
Money raised
Money spent
Sharon Lai
$9,493
$86,241
Danny Sauter
$7,904
$74,566
Moe Jamil
$16,015
$71,672
JConr B. Ortega
$0
Matthew Susk
$0
Eduard Navarro
$0
$0
$50K
$100K
$150K
$200K
Source: San Francisco Ethics Commission, as of April 3, 2024. Chart by Junyao Yang.
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.
