Here’s the latest in our “Meet the Candidates” series for District 5, in which we ask each candidate to answer one question per week leading up to the election. Four candidates are challenging incumbent Supervisor Dean Preston to represent District 5, which spans from the east end of Golden Gate Park through Haight-Ashbury, Japantown and the Western Addition, the Lower Haight and Hayes Valley, and most of the Tenderloin.
Tech is a big part of San Francisco and its discourse — tech companies weathering the pandemic here, whether Twitter should stay or go, or how technological advances like drones and surveillance cameras and robot dogs can support the police department.
We asked the candidates to weigh in: How can tech and tech companies help the district and the city? How will you work to leverage it as supervisor?
Note: I’ll be at Peet’s Coffee (601 Van Ness) at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11. Come say hi and share your thoughts about the election.
Autumn Looijen
- Job: School board recall co-founder
- Age: 46
- Residency: Tenant in District 5 since December 2020, landowner
- Transportation: Public transit
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from California Institute of Technology
- Languages: English
Many people in tech are working to solve our city’s problems, and as supervisor I will partner with them to get things done for D5 and our city.
Wishlist:
- Make the city’s financial transactions transparent, so anyone can query them, without a sunshine request.
- When we house drug users, they die at higher rates — because they overdose and no one knows. Create devices that alert a friend if your oxygen levels drop, so your friend can come running with Narcan.
- Use tech to assist with emails, so supervisors and their staff can spend more time building deep relationships in our neighborhoods.
Endorsed by: San Francisco police union, Marina Times, Chinese American Democratic Club.
Bilal Mahmood
- Job: Founder of private and philanthropic organizations
- Age: 37
- Residency: Tenant in District 5 since May 2023
- Transportation: Walking
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, master’s degree from University of Cambridge
- Languages: English, Urdu
The division between our technology and public sectors is hurting D5 residents. SF is the tech capital of the world, yet our teachers are not getting paid because of software errors, and Fillmore and Japantown residents are without reliable internet.
Much of my career has focused on bridging the digital divide — from working in the US Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, to helping rebuild a computer lab in Chinatown. As supervisor I will launch an SF Digital Service for tech employees to work on large scale government projects, and advance our outdated software and ensure outcomes for all SF residents.
Endorsed by: Mayor London Breed, TogetherSF Action, San Francisco YIMBY, State Sen. Scott Wiener and DCCC Chair Honey Mahogany … read more.
Dean Preston
- Job: Incumbent, tenant attorney
- Age: 54
- Residency: Homeowner, in District 5 since 1996
- Transportation: Public transit
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College, juris doctor degree from University of California Law, San Francisco
- Languages: English
Technology can improve accessibility, streamline data-sharing, and make city processes more efficient. Like any other profession, tech can help stimulate our local economy by hiring local workers, paying taxes, and even partnering with the city when it makes sense.
As supervisor, I supported efforts to leverage tech for projects that will improve data transparency and information-sharing for our street teams, who are working to address the needs of some of our most vulnerable neighbors.
As tech continues to grow, however, it is important to ensure that new tech is safe and doesn’t gut union jobs.
Endorsed by: Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Public Defender Mano Raju, United Educators of San Francisco, San Francisco Labor Council, San Francisco Tenants Union, National Union of Healthcare Workers … read more.
Scotty Jacobs
- Job: Marketing
- Age: 30
- Residency: Tenant in District 5 since November 2022, homeowner
- Transportation: Public bicycle
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from Washington University
- Languages: English
We should be proud of our place at the forefront of the global technology industry, including the burgeoning AI industry. However, in fostering the recovery of our tax base, we need to build a resilient economy across a variety of industries — not just tech.
To build a diversified corporate tax base, we need to create a downtown where businesses and residents can thrive side-by-side. This looks like:
- converting low-density Class B and Class C office spaces to residential units — including affordable housing
- investing in a 24/7 economy (including more entertainment zones and a 4 a.m. last call)
- investing in a … read more.
Endorsed by: Mark Farrell, Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club, Marina Times and UA Local 38.
Allen Jones
- Job: Activist
- Age: 67
- Residency: Tenant in District 5 since November 2021
- Transportation: Wheelchair
- Education: Teaching Bible studies at juvenile hall
- Languages: English
As supervisor, I will support any and all tech companies in my quest to make San Francisco forget all about Elon Musk, Twitter and or X.
The order of candidates is rotated each week. Answers are capped at 100 words, and may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at eleni@missionlocal.com.
Read all of the District 5 candidates’ answers here, and the entire “Meet the Candidates” series here. Illustrations for the series by Neil Ballard.
You can register to vote via the sf.gov website.
About the author
Before Implosion, “Titan ”Pilot and CEO Had Panicked Meltdown When He Crashed Into a Shipwreck: Ex-Employee
"It was unprofessional behavior of him, he started to panic," David Lochridge testified of Stockton RushYears before he piloted the Titan submersible more than 2 miles beneath the surface of the Northern Atlantic Ocean on a doomed voyage to see the wreckage of the Titanic, Stockton Rush took another small group of passengers to see another famed ship beneath the waves — but fell into “panic” due to a lack of experience, a former employee claims.David Lochridge, who worked as operations director at OceanGate, which Rush co-founded and ran as CEO, testified on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at an ongoing U.S. Coast Guard hearing about the implosion of Titan while on its way to the Titanic last summer, killing all five people aboard, including Rush.Lochridge did not mince words about his views on Rush or OceanGate.“The whole idea behind the company […]
Vea cómo se postulan: Los demócratas de SF acusan a Mark Farrell de utilizar indebidamente el logotipo de apoyo del partido
Read in EnglishMission Local está publicando artículos de campaña para cada una/uno de los principales contendientes en la carrera por la alcaldía, alternando entre los candidatos semanalmente hasta noviembre. Esta semana: Mark Farrell. Lea los artículos anteriores aquí.El Partido Demócrata de San Francisco ha acusado al candidato a la alcaldía, Mark Farrell, de utilizar indebidamente su logotipo en un folleto sobre la Propuesta D enviado a los votantes la semana pasada. El correo en cuestión, de 20 por 30 centímetros, muestra de forma destacada una foto de Farrell y una cita de su apoyo a la Propuesta D, la medida para limitar las comisiones municipales, junto al logotipo del SF Dems en un círculo azul oscuro, muy similar al sello de apoyo del partido.Aunque el partido ha respaldado la Proposición D, no ha respaldado a Farrell – ese honor fue para […]
Absentee in-person voting starts in early October in Ottawa County
Oct. 7 is the closing date for new voter registrations and changes of address and names for the Nov. 5 general election.Regular office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Board of Elections will be open Oct. 7 until 9 p.m. The Ottawa County office is located at 8444 West Ohio 163, Oak Harbor.More: Ohio Secretary of State highlights election securityNew registrations and changes of address and name may also be made at any public library; any Bureau of Motor Vehicles office; the Ottawa County Health Department; and at the Ottawa County Courthouse at the Clerk of Courts Title Department or the Treasurer’s office. Change of address may be completed at www.VoteOhio.gov.Ohio Issue 1 2024: What is it? Would it stop gerrymandering?Absentee in-person voting starts Oct. 8 at 8 a.m. and ends Nov. 3 at 5 […]
Mayor Breed is deleting texts. Legal experts say that’s a problem.
On June 29, Mayor London Breed texted Carla Short, the director of San Francisco Public Works, asking her to send out a crew to pick up trash in the Tenderloin.“I’m at Azalina’s. Are you around? You should stop by,” read the text from Breed, sent at 5:54 p.m. while the mayor was at a Malaysian restaurant near Ellis and Leavenworth streets. “Can you send someone to clean up across the street please. It [sic] a pile of trash on the south west corner.”Short said she was at a Giants game but promised to “send someone now.” “That would be great,” Breed wrote in response. “I want her to succeed but the tents and trash are a problem,” she added, seemingly referencing a homeless woman on the corner. “We will deal with the tents. Thank you and enjoy the game.” That simple […]
Final messages revealed from the Titan sub before tragic implosion
“All good here.”Those were some of the final words that the doomed Titan submersible crew communicated before the submersible imploded on its mission to the Titanic wreckage site in June 2023.The message, revealed as part of the Coast Guard’s Monday hearing into the circumstances of the failed mission, was sent to support vessel Polar Prince on June 18, 2023, shortly before the submersible imploded, killing all five of its crew members. It was an incident that captivated both sides of the Atlantic as crews made a mad dash to save the crew after the sub lost contact with the surface - with the world unaware that the lives had been lost.The Coast Guard played an animated re-enactment of the Titan’s voyage that captured the submersible’s final, spotty exchange with the Polar Prince, during the Monday hearing that shed new light […]
Wells Fargo sign blows loose; firefighters on scene
Sign up below to get Mission Local’s free newsletter, a daily digest of news you won’t find elsewhere. The corner of Mission and 22nd has been sealed off and firefighters have ascended a ladder to remove a Wells Fargo sign overlooking the intersection, which came loose during a gusty day. Earlier in the evening, pedestrians were asked to avoid the vicinity in the event the large red-and-yellow bank sign fell. Building representatives were also on scene, and the fire department said it was opening to securing or removing the sign. They chose the latter, with the property owner’s permission. “This is an isolated hazard and we ask that you avoid the area,” the fire department added in a statement, advising travelers to plan alternative routes. Want the latest on the Mission and San Francisco? Sign up for our free daily […]
Related
Vea cómo se postulan: Los demócratas de SF acusan a Mark Farrell de utilizar indebidamente el logotipo de apoyo del partido
Read in EnglishMission Local está publicando artículos de campaña para cada una/uno de los principales contendientes en la carrera por la alcaldía, alternando entre los candidatos semanalmente hasta noviembre. Esta semana: Mark Farrell. Lea los artículos anteriores aquí.El Partido Demócrata de San Francisco ha acusado al candidato a la alcaldía, Mark Farrell, de utilizar indebidamente su logotipo en un folleto sobre la Propuesta D enviado a los votantes la semana pasada. El correo en cuestión, de 20 por 30 centímetros, muestra de forma destacada una foto de Farrell y una cita de su apoyo a la Propuesta D, la medida para limitar las comisiones municipales, junto al logotipo del SF Dems en un círculo azul oscuro, muy similar al sello de apoyo del partido.Aunque el partido ha respaldado la Proposición D, no ha respaldado a Farrell – ese honor fue para […]
Mayor Breed is deleting texts. Legal experts say that’s a problem.
On June 29, Mayor London Breed texted Carla Short, the director of San Francisco Public Works, asking her to send out a crew to pick up trash in the Tenderloin.“I’m at Azalina’s. Are you around? You should stop by,” read the text from Breed, sent at 5:54 p.m. while the mayor was at a Malaysian restaurant near Ellis and Leavenworth streets. “Can you send someone to clean up across the street please. It [sic] a pile of trash on the south west corner.”Short said she was at a Giants game but promised to “send someone now.” “That would be great,” Breed wrote in response. “I want her to succeed but the tents and trash are a problem,” she added, seemingly referencing a homeless woman on the corner. “We will deal with the tents. Thank you and enjoy the game.” That simple […]
Wells Fargo sign blows loose; firefighters on scene
Sign up below to get Mission Local’s free newsletter, a daily digest of news you won’t find elsewhere. The corner of Mission and 22nd has been sealed off and firefighters have ascended a ladder to remove a Wells Fargo sign overlooking the intersection, which came loose during a gusty day. Earlier in the evening, pedestrians were asked to avoid the vicinity in the event the large red-and-yellow bank sign fell. Building representatives were also on scene, and the fire department said it was opening to securing or removing the sign. They chose the latter, with the property owner’s permission. “This is an isolated hazard and we ask that you avoid the area,” the fire department added in a statement, advising travelers to plan alternative routes. Want the latest on the Mission and San Francisco? Sign up for our free daily […]
United Dumplings: A Bernal Heights delight
The original United Dumplings has been on Cortland in Bernal since late 2020, but my first time trying their food was just last year at their Oakland location. Women-owned, United Dumplings offers a mix of tradition and innovation, and it all tastes authentically great. I was blown away by the quality of the dumplings and the variety of offerings — of not just dumplings but the myriad noodles, rice, veggie, and tofu options. I was overjoyed to learn (very belatedly) that we had one so close to the Mission. The original is a bit more casual and spare than its East Bay cousin, but the menus seem to be identical. (There’s also another outpost in the Marina.)Pea shoots I tried in Oakland were a favorite, so I had to have them here.Pea ShootsThey were so abundantly garlicky, and so lusciously creamy, they almost seemed […]
Controller assumes de facto control of Human Rights Commission
In a Friday afternoon letter to San Francisco officials, city controller Greg Wagner announced his office would essentially assume control of the scandal-plagued Human Rights Commission, with his “accounting staff immediately to oversee accounting operations at HRC, including approvals of payments and other financial transactions.”The Human Rights Commission’s director, Sheryl Davis, resigned at Mayor London Breed’s behest yesterday and hired a defense attorney after a slew of news articles alleging cavalier or even potentially illegal spending.The San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday revealed that Davis spent some $10,000 renting a home for city interns on Martha’s Vineyard, allegedly splitting the invoice to evade city reporting requirements for purchases of $10,000 or more. On the same day, the San Francisco Standard noted that Davis had directed some $1.5 million in funding to the nonprofit Collective Impact, which is overseen by James Spignola. […]
San Francisco District 3 debate filled by conservative voices
Residents who listened to Friday night’s District 3 forum witnessed a supervisor race speeding toward a conservative endpoint, with five candidates poised to replace Supervisor Aaron Peskin often collectively supporting tough-on-crime measures and police commission reforms while opposing reparations for Black Americans. The sixth candidate, Wendy Ha Chau, didn’t attend the forum.The direction was led by candidate Matt Susk, who previously worked in private real estate and who is endorsed by organizations like the big-money groups Neighbors for a Better San Francisco and ConnectedSF, which is largely funded by Neighbors; San Francisco Association of Realtors; and the San Francisco Police Officers Association. Among the three leading candidates, Sen. Scott Wiener’s pick, Danny Sauter, occasionally emerged as the more progressive voice on stage, surpassing his two Peskin-endorsed competitors. He was the strongest pro-reparations voice, for example, among the candidates. The latter includes Moe […]
Be the first to leave a comment