What to know about San Francisco's District 9 supervisor race

Seven people are running to represent District 9 on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors after incumbent Hillary Ronen terms out this year.

State of play: District 9 includes Bernal Heights, Excelsior, Portola, McLaren Park and the Mission.

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• It has a large number of Spanish-speaking and Chinese-speaking immigrant communities.

By the numbers: Jackie Fielder currently leads the fundraising race with over $396,000 raised (about $218,000 in public financing ), campaign filings show.

• Trevor Chandler is second with more than $308,000 raised (almost $191,000 in public financing).

Meet the candidates: Axios San Francisco asked each candidate the same question: What is the first policy you'd enact or change if elected and why?

• Here's what they had to say.

Jackie Fielder, climate action nonprofit director

Image: Courtesy of Jackie Fielder

Background: Fielder , a Latina and Native American progressive activist, is a former San Francisco State University educator and co-founded the SF Public Bank Coalition.

• She led a campaign against a San Francisco Police Department use-of-force policy in 2018 and is a longtime climate advocate.

If elected, Fielder said her priority would be establishing housing for essential workers, such as first responders, street cleaners, emergency personnel, child care workers and more.

• "Our city is in a severe staffing crisis in major sectors affecting our quality of life," she said.
• "Nothing will change in SF — street conditions, our school system, our behavioral health system — without workforce housing."

Trevor Chandler, public schoolteacher

Image: Courtesy of Trevor Chandler

Background: Chandler is a public school teacher and was recently elected a member of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee.

• He worked for the LGBTQ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign for over six years.

If elected, Chandler said he'd establish a D9 community safety liaison to "ensure accountable and responsive coordination between SFPD, SFFD and our crisis intervention teams."

• "This person will report directly to me and ensure that D9 residents are getting actual results."

Roberto Hernandez, nonprofit executive director

Image: Courtesy of Roberto Hernandez

Background: Hernandez helped establish the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center, where he served as its first director. He went on to spearhead the Mission Food Hub during the pandemic to provide free groceries to Latino families.

• Hernandez, who volunteered with labor leaders Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta in 1970, also helps produce the city's annual Carnaval celebration.

If elected, Hernandez said he'd launch a safety plan that would include a community ambassador program modeled on the Tenderloin's Urban Alchemy , as well as a senior escort initiative to protect vulnerable older residents.

Jaime Gutierrez, transit supervisor

Image courtesy of Jaime Gutierrez

Background: Gutierrez serves as a transit supervisor for the SFMTA/Muni. He was a bus operator from 2013 to 2019 and previously worked as a substitute teacher for the San Francisco Unified School District.

If elected, Gutierrez said his first move would be to bring the SFPD to full staffing.

• That could include incentives such as assisting officers with debt relief from school loans or down payments for housing.
• "We need to start recruiting either in city high schools or CCSF because locally raised officers know their communities and make for a better city."

Stephen Torres, hospitality worker/journalist

Image: Courtesy of Stephen Torres

Background: Torres recently served as an entertainment commissioner for San Francisco and co-chaired the advisory board for the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District.

• A journalist who has written for publications like Broke-Ass Stuart , he also produces nightlife and cultural events for the city.

If elected, Torres said he'd immediately work to expand rent control to 40% of renters in San Francisco under the Justice for Renters Act , which is currently in discussion in the Legislature.

• He'd also come up with a "cost-neutral public financing model to kickstart development on fully approved affordable housing developments, and ensure expansion of tenant protections."

H. Brown, retired teacher

Image: Courtesy of H. Brown

Background: Brown was a member of the Navy and worked as a teacher for students with special education needs.

If elected, Brown said he'd prioritize staff retainment, the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee and hearings for electing the police chief.

Julian Bermudez, businessman/appliance technician

Image: Courtesy of Julian Bermudez

Background: Bermudez manages his family's business at Rancho Grande Appliance. He served in the Army and is a member of the SF's Fog Rugby Club.

Bermudez did not respond to Axios' question but previously said he wants to enact rent control and incentivize developers to lower taxes on housing for seniors, people with disabilities, first responders, veterans and more.

What's next: The League of Women Voters of San Francisco is hosting a forum for the candidates next Monday.

• The election is Nov. 5, with vote-by-mail ballots expected to arrive by early October.