San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 4

Chow wants to see more housing overall in the city, but says, “Too often, the focus has been on high-end market-rate development that does not meet the needs of working and middle-income families.” Chow wants to focus on putting vacant units on the market, making sure new development does not displace existing residents or small businesses and improving public transit so density does not hurt traffic flow.

Gee promises to “protect rent control units, advocate and require affordability … and prevent displacement.” She supports adding multifamily housing and units to the neighborhood, but has concerns about Mayor Daniel Lurie’s rezoning plan. “After the plan passed, we immediately saw large-scale development proposals move forward without meaningful community input.” She supports the Overpaid CEO Tax as a way to raise funding for affordable housing and other public services.

Greco supports adding more affordable housing through models such as community land trusts. He does not support upzoning two-unit buildings in the neighborhood. “It’s about being smart about where we build. Focus on commercial corridors like Irving, Noriega and Taraval. Look at underused spaces and opportunities for conversion. And make sure we’re prioritizing affordability, especially for families and seniors.”

Lee opposes the mayor’s rezoning plan, saying it invites real estate speculation that will price out lower-income families and businesses. “Before we can add new housing and population, I want to make sure that we have the critical infrastructure in place to accommodate growth.” He believes the Sunset’s next supervisor needs to fight special interests. “Residents are being overcharged by PG&E and Recology monopolies and facing unaddressed traffic safety concerns,” he says.

Wong voted “yes” on the mayor’s rezoning plan, which aims to add more housing to the Sunset. “If we did not take action locally with a proposal, then Sacramento would have imposed their own plan and subjected our city to financial penalties.” His focus on building more housing will be to add units to existing buildings and residential lots, while improving Muni lines so residents have reliable public transportation options.

Chow believes that the Sunset must prepare for sea level rise and other climate change realities, but at a pace that residents and local infrastructure can also adapt to. “State mandates to build more housing are important, but they need to account for local conditions, especially in areas facing environmental risks,” he says.

Gee supports affordable housing projects like the 2550 Irving and 1234 Great Highway developments, but says the city should prioritize increasing density in other areas “before we chip away at our coastal neighborhoods that are unaccustomed to larger buildings.” Gee has been involved in environmental justice efforts during her time working in City Hall, including “efforts to hold the U.S. Navy and EPA responsible parties accountable for the environmental damage they’ve done,” in areas like the Bayview.

Greco says that the sewer system in the Sunset is an overlooked issue in the neighborhood. “It’s old, and when you add storms and sea level rise into the mix, that matters. We shouldn’t ignore that,” he says. Greco supports new housing, but with limits. “Some places just aren’t set up for it,” he says. “We also need to honor the way our neighborhood feels and looks. That matters to people.”

Lee wants to prioritize working with the state Coastal Commission and other agencies that can help the district respond and prepare for further climate change. He says he would particularly push San Francisco Public Works and the Public Utilities Commission to renovate crumbling infrastructure and hold hearings for regular updates on much-needed improvement projects.

Wong sees coastal erosion, aging infrastructure and housing needs as colliding issues for the Sunset. “Meeting our housing obligations does not mean ignoring environmental reality. We should focus growth in places where it can be supported by transit, utilities and existing neighborhood infrastructure, while being honest about where coastal risks make building more complicated,” he says. “Housing planning and climate planning cannot happen in separate silos.”