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 oscar.palma@missionlocal.com.
This week’s question: Name a specific issue affecting Bernal Heights residents. How would you address it?
Jaime Gutierrez
- Job: Transit supervisor for SFMTA/Muni
- Age: 57
- Residency: Tenant, born in District 9 in 1967 and, except for three years spent in the Army, has resided here ever since
- Transportation: Bike
- Education: U.S. Army, City College of San Francisco, University of California, Berkeley
- Languages: English and Spanish
One-third of Bernal residents are older than sixty. They are going to need help, if or when they are alone. Whether this help takes the form of assistance with groceries or, regrettably, a response to a fall, being alone when elderly has hazards. City must provide nonprofit assistance when needed.
Another third of Bernal residents are Millennials living in older homes that need renovation. With the costs of construction rising, the least the City can do is reduce fees and accelerate permit approvals so people can update their homes.
The final third are Gen X, and they would benefit from both.
Endorsed by: Transportation Workers Union Local 200 … read more here
Stephen Torres
- Job: Bartender at Twin Peaks Tavern, customer service at Flowercraft Nursery and freelance writer
- Age: 46
- Residency: Tenant, lived in District 9 summer 2001 to fall 2003, and returned in the summer 2010
- Transportation: Public
- Education: Moorpark Community College and San Francisco City College as work has permitted
- Languages: English and Spanish
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 of 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
Julian Bermudez
- Job: Works in and directs his family business, Rancho Grande Appliance
- Age: 27
- Residency: Born San Francisco in 1996, raised on and off in District 9 until he left for college in 2015, then the army in 2019 and now back, living in the Mission
- Transportation: Carpool/catch a ride
- Education: City College of San Francisco, Chico State University
- Languages: English and Spanish
One specific issue that Bernal Heights residents face is speeding cars and a lack of street safety. Most locals focus on Cortland Avenue, Cesar Chavez Street, Crescent Avenue, 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
Jackie Fielder
- Job: Nonprofit co-director at Stop the Money Pipeline. Former educator at San Francisco State University, co-founder of the San Francisco Public Bank Coalition. Democratic Socialist
- Age: 29
- Residency: Tenant, lived in District 9 September 2017 to June 2018, October 2019 to August 2020 ,and April 2021 to present
- Transportation: Public
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in public policy and master’s degree in sociology from Stanford University
- Languages: English and Spanish
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 and Mission streets. 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 percent 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.
Roberto Hernandez
- Job: CEO, Cultura y Arte Nativa de Las Americas (CANA).
- Age: 67
- Residency: Homeowner, born in the Mission in June 1956 and has not left
- Transportation: Car and bicycle
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in sociology from University of San Francisco
- Languages: English and Spanish
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
Trevor Chandler
- Job: Public school teacher since 2023. Former director of government and public policy at Citizen, a public safety app.
- Age: 37
- Residency: Tenant, living in District 9 since July 2021
- Transportation: Public
- Education: Plymouth State University
- Languages: English
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. District 9 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
h brown
- Job: Retired special education teacher
- Age: 80
- Residency: Tenant, at current address for nine years, redistricted into District 9 in April 2022
- Transportation: Walking
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in education and master’s degree in special education from Clemson University
- Languages: English
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 District 9 writers guild collaborative with publication and artist-in-residence gig.
Manny, where’s your Talbot benefit ?
Endorsed by: No endorsements listed.
District 9 contributions
Money raised and spent in the District 9 supervisor race
Money raised
Money spent
Jackie Fielder
$31,954
$112,742
Roberto Hernandez
$11,443
$100,577
Trevor Chandler
$72,682
$90,840
Stephen Torres
$13,848
$5,949
Julian Bermudez
$740
Michael Petrelis
$0
Jamie Gutierrez
$0
h Brown
$0
$0
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
Money raised
Money spent
Jackie Fielder
$31,954
$112,742
Roberto Hernandez
$11,443
$100,577
Trevor Chandler
$72,682
$90,840
Stephen Torres
$13,848
$5,949
Julian Bermudez
$740
Michael Petrelis
$0
Jamie Gutierrez
$0
h Brown
$0
$0
$50K
$100K
$150K
$200K
Source: San Francisco Ethics Commission, 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 oscar.palma@missionlocal.com
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.
Chandler definitely didn’t knock on my door or any of my neighbor’s doors in Bernal Heights. Property crimes are down across the board (to historic lows) and certainly in our neighborhood. He keeps spouting this neighborhood to try to scare voters into choosing him. I think Jaime Gutierrez was spot on in his assessment for this question! He obviously actually pays attention to what impacts our communities. And of course, like every neighborhood in SF: AFFORDABLE HOUSING.