Guide to S.F. District 3 Race: Board Majority in the Balance

With Mayor Ed Lee’s November re-election considered all but guaranteed, the big political showdown in San Francisco is in District 3.

The top two candidates in the race represent opposite camps in the liberal city’s political landscape. And there’s a third candidate, who’s unlikely to win but who could sway enough votes to decide whether the city’s legislative body maintains a moderate majority or goes to the progressives.

Located in the northeast corner of the city, District 3 is where you find the famous cable cars and iconic San Francisco neighborhoods, such as Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf and Telegraph Hill.

Julie Christensen’s role on the Board of Supervisors is particularly important to the mayor. So far, Christensen has been a loyal supporter of his moderate agenda, and she helps keep the 11-member board’s balance of power tilted in his favor.

But Christensen faces a tough opponent in Aaron Peskin, an eight-year veteran of the Board of Supervisors who wants his old seat back.  He also wants to push for causes championed by the board's progressive wing, such as enacting a moratorium on new market-rate housing development in the city's Mission District.

The outcome of the race may come down to voters in Chinatown, where both campaigns have been working hard to woo supporters. Christensen benefits from the backing of the first Chinese-American mayor and the endorsement of the Sing Tao Daily, a prominent Chinese-language newspaper. Meantime, Peskin is well liked by many of his former constituents here, and he has the support of Rose Pak, the powerful head of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Political analysts say this race is a nail-biter, for those who are paying attention. Despite all the hard campaigning, it's still an off-year election.

Below Christensen, Peskin and Wilma Pang discuss their track records and their thoughts on housing and controversial measures on the November ballot.

Candidate: Julie Christensen

Mayor Ed Lee appointed Christensen, a longtime North Beach neighborhood activist and businesswoman, to replace David Chiu, a Democrat who was elected to the California Assembly.

On Housing

"With the economy picking up again and with the efforts of the mayor and others to bring jobs to the city, we've succeeded in creating a very nice employment opportunity here. What we needed to be doing ... is making sure we had enough housing for the jobs that the city has. And we have not ... done a very good job."

On Proposition F, Regulating Short-term Rentals

"I absolutely agree that we need to regulate short-term rentals.  I'm concerned about doing it with a ballot measure, which requires us to go back to the citizenry every time we want to change it."

On Proposition I, the Mission Moratorium

"I have absolute concern and sympathy for the people in the Mission and the changes that they're experiencing ... but I don't think that stopping construction for 45 days or 18 months is going to lower rents or save artists from being kicked out or preserve small businesses."

On Her Personal Track Record

“The mayor and I don’t agree 100 percent of the time, but I think the things that we both care about -- housing, transportation, pedestrian safety, taking care of our families and seniors -- these are areas where we are closely aligned ..."

"I'm more of a collaborative and cooperative person, and I think city government works better when, as much as possible, people are working together."

On the Importance of This Race Beyond the Boundaries of District 3

"People want to make sure that our country's on the right track ... at the same time, on a day-to-day basis, people are concerned about what affects them every day. While we are debating these big, long-term issues, we're also very focused on making sure that our districts are good places to live."

Candidate: Aaron Peskin

Peskin previously served as president of the Board of Supervisors, advancing progressive causes and overseeing a notoriously combative group that frequently clashed with then-Mayor Gavin Newsom. Seven years later, he says he does work collaboratively with his colleagues and has matured and changed since leaving office.

On Housing

"Right now, with the housing crisis, with rents going through the roof and with some bad players who are evicting tenants left and right, housing and affordability are amongst the top issues."

"Fundamentally, the issue is requiring developers of large, market-rate developments to have a much higher percentage of affordable housing on site. ... The very large developers are very powerful at City Hall and we don't have enough independent leadership."

On Proposition F, Regulating Short-term Rentals

"District 3 is a very historic district, and a lot of that housing has turned into illegal hotels ..."

"I have no problem if people want to rent their dwellings when they leave town, go on vacation ... but when unscrupulous players come along and buy up hundreds of units and evict people to turn them into illegal hotels -- and the city turns a blind eye -- that's where we need F."

On Proposition I, the Mission Moratorium

"City Hall failed to deal with the tide of evictions and market-rate development in the Mission District, where some 8,000 Latinos have been forced out or priced out over the last decade. ... Far be it for an elected official to tell the people [who petitioned to put I on the ballot] that they're wrong."

On His Personal Track Record

"I think I have a track record of being independent and being willing to ask the tough questions ..."

"It's no surprise that a handful of billionaires like Ron Conway want to have total control over the executive and legislative branches of our government, and it's not shocking that he has dropped $128,000 into defeating my candidacy. But I think  voters are very interested in seeing independent leadership who's going to be effective."

On the Importance of This Race Beyond the Boundaries of District 3

"The reason this race is being watched is to see whether there is going to be a return to San Francisco being a progressive legislative leader again."

Candidate: Wilma Pang

Pang has lived in Chinatown for over 40 years and sees her role in the race as a voice for that community and the arts in the city as a whole. She isn’t new to politics -- she laughs at, but accepts, the title of “perennial runner,” having launched two unsuccessful bids for the District 3 seat in 2008 and 2012, as well as two failed campaigns for mayor in 2007 and 2011. Pang is a part-time music instructor at City College of San Francisco, and an organizer of cultural events in Chinatown. She’s fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese, and while she doesn’t expect to win, she sees her candidacy as a way to advocate for Chinatown residents, especially non-English-speaking seniors who she encourages to perform music.

On Housing

“Right now renters really are feeling very uneasy. I am a renter for the last 40 years. ... Every renter feels this pressure or uneasiness about being evicted. That is something I personally experience, and I know what it’s like to be a renter in San Francisco.”

On Proposition F, Regulating Short-term Rentals

“I say no to that one, because that is kind of extreme. Right now there is a limited law about Airbnb. They say if that [Proposition F] passes, that your neighbor will be watching you and making sure who is in and out of the building. The court is full of cases already. I think that’s kind of frivolous. …We have a tendency when something is wrong to say, 'Let’s throw the baby out with the bathwater.' ”

On Proposition I, the Mission Moratorium

“The Mission District has been, I wouldn’t use the word occupied, but I would say infiltrated by high tech, and people are being chased out, but I say no on that and let it be. Historically, because we put so many restrictions and were never able to build, now everything is skyrocketing. I wouldn’t put a moratorium on it.”

On Her Personal Track Record

“I’m the third candidate, and so, I’m probably voted as No. 2. I’m not doing any campaigning, and I’m just speaking up for the community. I don’t care whether I win or not. The Chinese community really respects my position, and they really respect my position to be able to speak up for them. That’s all I am saying and I’m not asking for any more. ... I’m an artist. I’m not really a political animal.”

On the Importance of This Race Beyond the Boundaries of District 3

“Mayor Lee appointed Julie Christensen, and that guarantees six votes versus five progressives. If Julie wins, that is 6/5, maintaining the status quo, and Mayor Lee probably has more say politically. But if Peskin wins, the picture turns around.”

On who she’d prefer to represent the district if she doesn’t win

“Of course, you know the Chinese community. Culturally, we are very quiet people. We’re not politically rah, rah, rah ... I don’t know what to say about the second choice. Historically, I do have quite a few first votes. Who’s my second choice? I really leave it up to the voters to decide.”

Alex Emslie and Rebecca Bowe contributed to this report.