SF Zoo to debut panda next April, dismisses tariff concerns

The escalating trade war between the U.S. and China may threaten to derail the San Francisco Zoo’s deal to import a pair of pandas, but so far it’s proceeding as planned —&nbsp;knock on bamboo.



Zoo CEO Tanya Peterson says she&#8217;s optimistic about the pandas’ arrival despite the mounting geopolitical tensions. She’s less certain whether the arrangement will be subject to tariffs but is prepared to make the case for an exemption.



“Pandas are an endangered species, so obviously, they should be exempt from tariffs,” Peterson told The Standard on Wednesday. “Who’s going to tax the cute animal?”



Peterson is expected to announce the official panda arrival timeline at Thursday’s Recreation and Park Commission meeting. She revealed that the animals will need to undergo a quarantine and acclimation period after their arrival, likely at the end of the year. If everything goes according to plan, the zoo’s panda zone will open to the public next April.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241203-pandahome_0365_40dcec.jpg?w=2500" alt="A person wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a black jacket with a zoo logo stands smiling beside a mesh enclosure and solar panel with foliage around." class="wp-image-339664" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241203-pandahome_0365_40dcec.jpg 5000w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241203-pandahome_0365_40dcec.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241203-pandahome_0365_40dcec.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241203-pandahome_0365_40dcec.jpg?resize=2500,1668 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241203-pandahome_0365_40dcec.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241203-pandahome_0365_40dcec.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Zoo CEO Tanya Peterson says she&#8217;s optimistic about the pandas’ arrival despite the mounting geopolitical tensions.</figcaption></figure>



“So far, no one has told me &#8216;no&#8217; — and in today’s political climate, that’s a very good sign,” Peterson said. “We’re feeling optimistic on all fronts.”



Technically, the pandas will be considered rentals. A <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/16/trump-china-tariff-245-percent-trade-war/83114710007/">245% tariff</a> could more than triple the $1 million annual price tag.



Darlene Chiu-Bryant, head of Global SF, an international trade advocacy group, called it a tricky and extraordinary situation.



“If you look purely at the transaction, there’s the value of the product — and typically, that would incur a tariff,” Chiu-Bryant said. “But in this case, it’s neither a lease nor a sale, but more of a cultural exchange. So how can you put a tariff on a pair of pandas?”



Peterson said she plans to travel to China this fall to meet the selected pandas. She expressed confidence in the zoo’s fundraising efforts to support the initiative but declined to share the numbers.



The panda deal was locked in last year by former Mayor London Breed during a visit to Beijing. The zoo has been designing its <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/12/05/panda-new-home-sf-zoo/">panda habitat</a>, which is under review by the city’s Planning Commission.



Thursday’s commission meeting will also cover operational and management issues at the zoo, which faced accusations of mismanagement last year as the panda negotiations became increasingly politicized. The zoo is <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/12/11/sf-zoo-audit-panda/">undergoing an audit</a> ordered by the Board of Supervisors.

Mayor Breed may lob a political grenade into City Hall on her way out

As she rides off into the sunset, Mayor London Breed may leave behind an appointee who could play spoiler to Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie’s administration.



Conor Johnston, a former Breed chief of staff and notorious political prankster, is in the running for a Board of Supervisors appointment, according to sources close to the mayor. Supervisor Catherine Stefani’s <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/11/05/sf-election-2024-ad19-catherine-stefani-david-lee/">election to the state Assembly</a> leaves a vacancy in District 2.



Johnston is a cannabis store owner who served as Breed’s legislative aide during her time on the Board of Supervisors, and he has remained a political advisor who was active in her mayoral reelection campaign.



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His reputation is best described as the San Francisco version of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Loki#:~:text=Odin%20and%20Thor.-,What%20is%20Loki%20the%20god%20of%3F,Frigg%2C%20Tyr%2C%20and%20Thor.">Norse trickster god Loki</a>.



Johnston has been accused of <a href="https://engardio.com/blog/2019/9/2/the-man-who-bites-alligators-for-the-mayor">dressing as a hippo in a pink tutu</a> to call out progressive Democrats, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/04/05/connie-chan-clashes-protesters-public-safety/">has flung accusations against political enemies</a> on the Board of Supervisors, and is known for his sharp sense of humor and equally sharp words when berating opponents. He is credited with coining the nickname “Malibu Dan” for Lurie, <a href="https://therealdeal.com/la/2021/12/15/levis-scion-pays-15-5m-in-point-dume/">who purchased a $15 million home in the ritzy community</a> at the tail end of the pandemic.



Johnston frequently <a href="https://x.com/BluebirdRave/status/1550162557901541377">taunts foes on X</a> — though his account was recently shut down, which observers took as evidence that Breed might appoint him to the Board of Supervisors.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1669" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/photo203492-original.jpg?w=2500" alt="Johnston is shirtless and wearing khaki pants as he walks down a street wearing sunglasses." class="wp-image-335330" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/photo203492-original.jpg 6016w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/photo203492-original.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/photo203492-original.jpg?resize=768,513 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/photo203492-original.jpg?resize=2500,1669 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/photo203492-original.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/photo203492-original.jpg?resize=2048,1367 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Conor Johnston, seen in 2018 with state Sen. Scott Wiener, is a former Breed chief of staff who is in the running for a Board of Supervisors seat, sources say.</figcaption></figure>



Those who have been on the receiving end of Johnston’s taunts traded text messages in disbelief that he would be appointed. It’s seen less as a move that would help District 2 and more as a way for Breed to stick it to Lurie, who defeated her in her reelection bid.



District 2 includes the Marina District, Cow Hollow, Pacific Heights, and other neighborhoods.



“Conor, who verbally attacked me during the election cycle when we were out campaigning for Proposition H?” said Floyd Rollins, president of Firefighters Local 798. “Shows a mayor who has always put the interest of herself and her cronies over the interests of the city. Why should now be any different?”



Some in local politics enjoy Johnston’s wit. Supervisor Myrna Melgar told The Standard he is “renowned as the funniest person in SF politics.”



Both Breed and Johnston declined to comment.



Breed’s rumored choices for the supervisor position have circulated for months. In addition to Johnston, they include her manager of state and federal affairs, Eileen Mariano, granddaughter of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein; former Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier; campaign manager Eric Kingsbury; Stephen Sherrill, director of the Mayor’s Office of Innovation; and Recreation and Park Commission President Kat Anderson.



Lynne Newhouse Segal, a member of the Pacific Heights Residents Association, hopes her district is represented by someone with local experience.



“I heard from one person who was hysterical about it. I haven’t met Conor Johnston, so I have no opinion about him myself,” she said. “But it’s got to be someone so well involved in city, local, and district-wide politics that they’re very familiar with our district issues.”



Lurie, for his part, seems hopeful Breed will make a positive pick for District 2.



In a statement, a Lurie spokesperson said, “The mayor-elect remains optimistic that Mayor Breed will make an appointment that ensures the people of District 2 are well represented and who will be focused on bringing San Franciscans together to address our city’s biggest challenges.”



Johnston, with his wealth of experience in City Hall, could be an effective chaos agent against Lurie. He was the lead legislative staffer at the Board of Supervisors, a job granting insight as to which government levers must be pulled to get things done — or grind things to a halt. <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/SF-ethics-complaint-against-former-aide-to-Breed-12738326.php">He was accused of</a> failing to register as a campaign consultant for Breed in 2018. Johnston said he was never contacted by ethics about it, and no finding resulted from it.



In a text message thread with dozens of Breed supporters, from YIMBY allies to former staffers, Johnston responded to the rumors of his appointment.



“I’m a nice person, guys! This reputation is unfair,” Johnston replied in the text, which was seen by The Standard. “I’m sure someone on this thread can cite a nice thing I did once.”



Johnston has long been registered to vote in District 8, records show. The rules around supervisorial appointments may be loose enough to allow him to establish residency in District 2, should he be appointed.



Correction: This story has been updated to note Johnston&#8217;s voter registration.

San Francisco to remove antisemitic name in Golden Gate Park. Here are the renaming options

The process of renaming a lake in Golden Gate Park reached a crucial juncture this week as San Francisco officials conducted community outreach and released a list of the proposed names.



Stow Lake, a recreation spot in one of the most famous urban parks in America, was named after former California Assembly Speaker William W. Stow in the 19th century. However, Stow <a href="https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&amp;ID=11973459&amp;GUID=4984E46E-4430-46FD-8201-4BCCB83F683F">held antisemitic views</a> and spoke favorably of laws enshrining discrimination against Jewish people.



Supervisor Myrna Melgar, who is Jewish and whose district encompasses the area of the park where the lake is located, initiated the renaming process earlier this year. Her office confirmed to The Standard that the public submitted 10 potential names, including those of some historical figures. Melgar’s office will continue accepting submissions as well.



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At the final community meeting on Monday night, supporters of “Pleasant Lake” and “Patrick Quigley Lake” showed up to speak. Pleasant nods to the prominent 19th century Black entrepreneur <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/obituaries/mary-ellen-pleasant-overlooked.html">Mary Ellen Pleasant</a>, and Patrick Quigley was considered the <a href="https://sfrichmondreview.com/2023/02/06/letter-to-the-editor-give-gg-parks-patrick-quigley-the-recognition-he-deserves/">“foreman” of Golden Gate Park’s construction</a>.



Other names include <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hammond_Hall">William Hammond Hall</a>, the designer of the park, and <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Joan-Edelstein-Davenny-3133667.php">Joan Davenny</a>, a Jewish school teacher killed in a suicide bomb incident in 1995.



The proposal to name the lake after the late Ho Feng Shan, also known as <a href="https://www.yadvashem.org/righteous/stories/ho.html">Feng-Shan Ho</a> and <a href="https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/a-tale-of-two-diplomats-ho-fengshan-sugihara-chiune-and-jewish-efforts-to-flee-nazi-europe/">Ho Fengshan,</a> refers to the Chinese diplomat hailed as the <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2023/09/03/chinese-schindler-feng-shan-ho/">“Chinese Schindler.”</a>&nbsp; During World II, Ho, who is primarily known by his surname according to Chinese custom, issued thousands of visas to Austrian Jews to help them flee Nazi-occupied territory. Some Asian American groups, including the San Francisco chapter of the Taiwanese American Professionals, are promoting an <a href="https://www.change.org/p/stop-honoring-antisemites-rename-stow-lake-golden-gate-park-sf-to-ho-feng-shan-lake">online campaign</a> for Ho’s name.



Some San Francisco supervisors, including Melgar, have <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2023/09/10/san-francisco-stow-lake-renaming-feng-shan-ho/">expressed interest in renaming the lake after Ho</a>. Ho’s family prefers the spellings Ho Feng Shan or Feng Shan Ho.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="3000" height="2001" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FEATURED_StowLakeRenaming06292023.jpg?w=2500" alt="Stow Lake Bridge in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. " class="wp-image-194940" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FEATURED_StowLakeRenaming06292023.jpg 3000w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FEATURED_StowLakeRenaming06292023.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FEATURED_StowLakeRenaming06292023.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FEATURED_StowLakeRenaming06292023.jpg?resize=2500,1668 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FEATURED_StowLakeRenaming06292023.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FEATURED_StowLakeRenaming06292023.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 3000px) 100vw, 3000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Stow Lake Bridge goes over the lake to Strawberry Hill, and one potential name for the lake is "Strawberry Lake." </figcaption></figure>



However, the final decision-making power belongs to the city’s <a href="https://sfrecpark.org/1743/Meet-the-Commissioners">seven-member Recreation and Park Commission</a>, not the supervisors. And the commission can pick names that are not on Melgar’s list, too.



Commissioner Vanita Louie said in a statement to The Standard that she supports the renaming but would not support renaming the lake after any individuals.



“Instead, a place name should tell something about the location,” Louie said. “I like the name Blue Heron Lake, but the community should vote.”&nbsp;



Louie added there are many <a href="https://sfrichmondreview.com/2023/03/22/great-blue-herons-return-to-nests-at-stow-lake/">blue herons throughout Golden Gate Park and Stow Lake</a>, and the birds “love the park as much as people do.”



The commission is expected to discuss this issue early next year.

Yachts could block an iconic Marina District view. Residents are not happy

San Francisco just moved one step closer to a controversial redesign of a Marina District harbor that would place yachts in front of one of the city’s most iconic views and clean up only some of the pollution the project was initially funded to deal with.



The San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission voted Thursday to move the project forward after an hourslong, sweltering hearing in front of a standing-room-only crowd that booed city staff as they laid out plans.&nbsp;



The vote came despite an effort by two city leaders to pause the project until more members of the public have a chance to weigh in.



The project would add new, larger boat slips to the harbor, placing parked yachts directly in front of the popular Marina Green promenade. Dozens of people who spoke during public comment at Thursday’s meeting balked at that idea, saying the harbor extension would block the beautiful view of the Marin Headlands and Golden Gate Bridge, transforming one of the city’s most iconic public spaces into an enclave for wealthy yacht owners.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="3000" height="2000" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MarinaFuture101623-0329.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-212205" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MarinaFuture101623-0329.jpg 3000w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MarinaFuture101623-0329.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MarinaFuture101623-0329.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MarinaFuture101623-0329.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MarinaFuture101623-0329.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MarinaFuture101623-0329.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 3000px) 100vw, 3000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A man walks along the San Francisco Bay Trail at Marina Green, which currently offers an open view of the bay.</figcaption></figure>



“It’s not just for the rich people,” 70-year-old Lower Pac Heights resident Sharon Wong said about the Marina Green.&nbsp;



Boaters, meanwhile, mourned the potential loss of a training ground for young sailors, while environmental advocates said the project failed to clean up enough pollution on the site.



Wong, who grew up near the city’s densely populated Chinatown, said those open bay views have offered her a lifelong connection to nature. She lamented the potential loss of one of the best places people can come to escape the hustle and bustle of Downtown, where, Wong said, “we don’t have this big expansive nature.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2500" height="1607" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MarinaFuture101623-1.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-212201" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MarinaFuture101623-1.jpg 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MarinaFuture101623-1.jpg?resize=300,193 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MarinaFuture101623-1.jpg?resize=768,494 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MarinaFuture101623-1.jpg?resize=1536,987 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MarinaFuture101623-1.jpg?resize=2048,1316 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A map outlines the proposed changes to the San Francisco Marina. The project would relocate boat slips from the southeast corner of the Marina to in front of Marina Green.</figcaption></figure>



The marina redesign stems from a decadeslong legal battle between San Francisco and PG&amp;E.&nbsp;



The utility’s former coal gasification plant near the harbor polluted the bay for years, and the city sued in 2001 over chemical compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons discovered in the sediments of the East Harbor, <a href="https://www.sfcityattorney.org/2021/01/15/city-secures-settlement-requiring-pge-to-pay-up-to-190-million-to-clean-up-and-reconstruct-the-marina-harbor/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to the City Attorney’s Office</a>. In 2021, PG&amp;E settled with San Francisco, committing to pay up to $160 million to clean up harbor pollution. The settlement set off a multiyear discussion about how, exactly, to spend the money.



The proposal that came out of the process and went before the commission Thursday would radically change the marina. Many of the boat slips in the East Harbor, also known as Gashouse Cove, would be demolished, leaving a new shallow-water basin open to small boats like kayaks and canoes. Those boat slips would move to an expanded West Harbor, protected by a new breakwater, that would sit directly in front of the Marina Green.



The Recreation and Park Department argues that removing toxic pollutants from the lower East Harbor and rebuilding its boat slips, as many advocates want, would actually increase pollution because there’s natural sediment that covers the toxic material, according to department spokesperson Tamara Aparton.



“Rebuilding rather than relocating the harbor would require this natural sediment cover to be removed to accommodate the dredging required for the return of boats to the area,” Aparton told The Standard. “Removing the sediment cover would generate significant sediment pollution during construction.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="3000" height="2000" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/INLINED_MarinaFuture101623-0382.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-212887" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/INLINED_MarinaFuture101623-0382.jpg 3000w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/INLINED_MarinaFuture101623-0382.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/INLINED_MarinaFuture101623-0382.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/INLINED_MarinaFuture101623-0382.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/INLINED_MarinaFuture101623-0382.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/INLINED_MarinaFuture101623-0382.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 3000px) 100vw, 3000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Boats float in the East Harbor at Gashouse Cove in San Francisco.</figcaption></figure>



But critics of the project, including city supervisors Aaron Peskin and Ahsha Safaí, speculate that the decision to leave the toxic material untouched is driven by dollar signs. That’s because the proposed slips in front of the Marina Green would be larger, allowing the department to charge more to park. And the new breakwater would reduce the costly dredging needed to maintain the harbor.



“This can’t be driven by the desire just to make money,” Safaí told The Standard.



Currently, dredging the harbor costs millions, Recreation and Park Department Project Manager Monica Scott said during the meeting. As a result, the department subsidizes the marina with money from its general fund each year, Scott said. That subsidy has totaled $5 million over the last five years, according to Aparton.



“That is truly the goal that we’re trying to move away from when we talk about financial sustainability for the marina,” Scott said.



The project, as proposed, would spend about $68 million cleaning up pollution and $54 million on harbor renovations, Scott said.



Thursday’s commission vote directed city staff to conduct an environmental analysis of the project, which could take up to two years. In an apparent nod to the overwhelming public opposition to the project, commissioners also directed city staff to look into the financial feasibility of minimizing the number of slips in the West Harbor, where they have the potential to block views.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="3000" height="2000" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FEATURED_MarinaFuture101623.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-212886" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FEATURED_MarinaFuture101623.jpg 3000w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FEATURED_MarinaFuture101623.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FEATURED_MarinaFuture101623.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FEATURED_MarinaFuture101623.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FEATURED_MarinaFuture101623.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FEATURED_MarinaFuture101623.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 3000px) 100vw, 3000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A person looks out at boats at the San Francisco Marina.</figcaption></figure>



That consolation, however, didn’t sate Marina District resident Erin Roach, who has led opposition to the project.



“At the end of the day, [the Recreation and Park Department] is still trying to divert funds from this settlement to solve a separate issue with the West Harbor,” Roach said. “And in doing so, San Franciscans stand to lose a beloved landmark.”



Thursday’s vote did not bind the project to the current design, and it will come before the commission again once the environmental review wraps up. If it stays on track, construction would be...

Fourth time’s a charm? San Francisco Chinese American activist makes another run for office

David Lee wants to be a lawmaker. The San Francisco native and political activist, 54, has run unsuccessfully for the Board of Supervisors three times. But now he’s eyeing a higher office.



On Friday afternoon, Lee was surrounded by current and former Chinese American elected officials in the Richmond District to announce his campaign for the 19th state Assembly district, which covers San Francisco’s west side and northwestern San Mateo County.



“This is a chance to have an impact at the state level,” Lee told The Standard. “The state Assembly has an enormous impact on what happens in San Francisco.”



Lee emphasized that the state Legislature has the power to allocate resources and change laws, which can lead to real impacts on his policy priorities: housing and homelessness, education, and improved public safety.



Lee has been active in the city’s Chinese American community for decades by serving as the executive director of the <a href="http://cavec2020.org/">Chinese American Voters Education Committee</a>. He often appears on Chinese-language media at election time to analyze Chinese American voting trends. He’s also an educator who works at Laney College in Oakland.



His political career centers on his bids for supervisor in 2012, 2016 and 2020, all of which he lost. Lee was also a Recreation and Park commissioner in the 2000s and early 2010s.



The Standard published a story in August about <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2023/08/18/chinese-american-politcal-representation-san-francisco/">the history of this particular Assembly seat</a>. Chinese Americans have held it for the last two decades, and 40% of its population are people of Asian descent. Lee said the article inspired him to run, and he counts the current officeholder, Assemblymember Phil Ting—who is termed out—as a supporter.



“We really need to have someone that understands our community, has been in the community, has served our community,” Ting said. “David has been working in our community for decades behind the scenes.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="4032" height="3024" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_2763.jpeg?w=2500" alt="A group of people smiling, holding political campaign signs for David Lee for California Assembly, on a city street." class="wp-image-206601" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_2763.jpeg 4032w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_2763.jpeg?resize=300,225 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_2763.jpeg?resize=768,576 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_2763.jpeg?resize=2500,1875 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_2763.jpeg?resize=1536,1152 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_2763.jpeg?resize=2048,1536 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 4032px) 100vw, 4032px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">David Lee, center, a longtime Chinese American activist in San Francisco, is surrounded by his supporters as he announces his campaign for State Assembly on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023.</figcaption></figure>



Other early Lee supporters include many of the city’s progressive Chinese American leaders: Supervisor Connie Chan, former Supervisors Norman Yee and Sandra Lee Fewer, and retired Judge Lillian Sing.



Five months from the primary election, Lee faces a strong opponent in Supervisor Catherine Stefani, who is <a href="https://www.votecatherinestefani.com/endorsements">supported by a large group of well-known political leaders</a>.



Stefani campaign team member Mark Mosher issued a statement slamming Lee as a &#8220;political novice&#8221; who has lost every race he’s contested and accusing him of being two-faced by changing his political philosophies often. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAO6EFYPUBo">Based on his previous campaigns,</a> Lee is among the <a href="https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/district-1-challenger-david-lee-says-eric-mar-isn-t-doing-his-job/article_615b5fff-f87f-50d8-bcf8-bbe45dbc4485.html">moderate faction</a> of San Francisco politics.



“Voters should be concerned that David Lee doesn’t have the experience, skills, consistent beliefs or broad support necessary to deliver major change on crime and homelessness in the district,” Mosher said.



Another candidate, Republican Arjun Sodhani, has also filed to run. The primary will be March 5, 2024. The top two winners will then head to the general election in November 2024.&nbsp;

San Francisco lawmakers want to act on reparations plan. But next steps unclear

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors heard another update on the city’s controversial reparations plan Tuesday, and while no vote was taken, the supervisors sketched out the beginnings of a road map for putting the more feasible aspects of it into effect.&nbsp;



The draft plan—a product of the Human Rights Commission and accepted by the supervisors <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2023/03/15/watch-powerful-moments-from-san-franciscos-first-big-reparations-meeting/">in March</a>—includes a broad collection of recommendations providing “material and symbolic redress” to Black San Franciscans deprived of economic opportunities.



When first presented to the board earlier this year, a number of the reparations plan’s <a href="https://sf.gov/sites/default/files/2023-08/Final%20AARAC%20Recommendations%20-%20By%20Subcommittee.pdf?utm_campaign=SF+Standard+Power+Play&amp;utm_content=p-text&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=SF+Standard&amp;utm_campaign=SF+Standard+Power+Play&amp;utm_content=p-text&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=SF+Standard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recommendations</a>, including a <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2023/02/06/will-san-franciscos-case-for-reparations-light-the-match/?utm_campaign=SF+Standard+Power+Play&amp;utm_content=p-text&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=SF+Standard">$5 million payment to eligible residents</a>, generated significant national controversy. That and some other recommendations are seen more as rhetorical anchors in working toward more achievable policies.&nbsp;



The plan is informed by the economic deprivation experienced by Black people in San Francisco—something Board President Aaron Peskin acknowledged in opening the hearing.



READ MORE: <a href="Watch: San Francisco Mayor Talks Reparations for Black Residents">Watch: San Francisco Mayor Talks Reparations for Black Residents</a>



“I think that this board is eager to right historical wrongs manifested by the absence of any apology to Black San Franciscans, who have been harmed by the city’s part in redlining, targeted foreclosures and <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2023/02/17/bill-aims-to-replenish-low-income-housing-destroyed-in-sfs-urban-renewal-period/">injustices from the redevelopment era</a>,” Peskin told those present.&nbsp;



Peskin also said he was “looking forward to discussing how each of the members of this body can work individually and together on implementing the so-called low-hanging fruit in the reparations plan and move forward initiatives quickly.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-first-step-toward-reckoning">A First Step Toward Reckoning</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2560" height="1708" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-scaled.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-132366" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-300x200.jpg 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-2500x1668.jpg 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-768x512.jpg 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-650x434.jpg 650w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-370x247.jpg 370w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-800x534.jpg 800w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-450x300.jpg 450w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-20x13.jpg 20w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-185x123.jpg 185w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-740x494.jpg 740w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-400x267.jpg 400w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-225x150.jpg 225w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-900x600.jpg 900w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/022723BOSRoundup-67-72x48.jpg 72w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Supervisor Shamann Walton speaks at a Board of Supervisors meeting at the Board of Supervisors Chambers at San Francisco City Hall on Feb. 28, 2023. </figcaption></figure>



Supervisor <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2023/02/06/sf-supervisor-parties-at-colombian-hooters-delays-reparations-hearing/">Shamann Walton</a>, who has shepherded the reparations plan through the board, described the recommendations as “just a first step towards true reckoning,” calling them “not a thing, but a reality that we are making happen right here in San Francisco.”



Those recommendations, ranging from a formal apology for past discrimination to the lump sum payments, housing and business assistance, as well as education and intervention to interrupt the “school-to-prison pipeline” putting Black youth at risk, were outlined by committee Chair and former Recreation and Park Commissioner Eric McDonnell, and Vice Chair Tinisch Hollins, a co-founder of SF Black Wallstreet.&nbsp;



Noting that the median income for Black households in the city is less than a quarter of that of white households, McDonnell called the plan “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to work to close the racial wealth gap” and “account for generations of unpaid debt to San Francisco’s Black communities.”&nbsp;



“We see you every day doing your best, but this is the moment where we’re calling on you to do more than your best,” Hollins told the supervisors. “We are calling on you to be exactly who we know San Francisco is, because right now the media is recording us in a very different way, [as] a place that is unsafe and unwelcoming, specifically to Black people.”



Human Rights Commission Director Sheryl Evans Davis presented to the supervisors on the future implementation plans for the plan, including leasing the Fillmore Heritage Center to Black business operators, creating a fund for other cultural spaces and engaging with the city attorney to ensure programs are “legally sound.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dream-keeper-initiative">Dream Keeper Initiative</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2500" height="1667" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-74870" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1.jpg 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-650x433.jpg 650w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-370x247.jpg 370w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-450x300.jpg 450w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-20x13.jpg 20w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-185x123.jpg 185w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-740x493.jpg 740w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-400x267.jpg 400w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-225x150.jpg 225w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-900x600.jpg 900w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/InTheBlackOpening_INLINED05-1-72x48.jpg 72w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Quan Moore, owner of Quanies apparel company, poses for a portrait in front of her booth at the &#8220;In The Black&#8221; media preview at 1567 Fillmore St. on Sept. 8, 2022. Funded by the Dream Keeper Initiative, the new space doubled the number of Black-owned businesses in the Fillmore. </figcaption></figure>



Davis also presented on the Dream Keeper Initiative, which was launched by Mayor London Breed in 2021 with funding diverted from the police budget in the wake of public outrage over the killing of George Floyd.&nbsp;



The initiative provides <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2022/09/13/with-in-the-black-marketplace-these-entrepreneurs-aim-to-revive-black-owned-businesses-in-the-fillmore/?utm_campaign=SF+Standard+Power+Play&amp;utm_content=p-text&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=SF+Standard">small business support</a> and <a href="https:...

Behold the beauty of SF’s most controversial bathroom: It comes with a catch

San Francisco moved one step closer to putting a lid on its <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/community/sfs-toilet-travails-flush-out-citys-inability-to-just-get-things-done/">most controversial toilet</a>, as the Recreation and Park Commission signed off on a donation that will slash the public bathroom&#8217;s costs to a fraction of the original $1.7 million price tag.



While the tab has been greatly reduced—now down to just $300,000 in city funds, thanks to an out-of-state offer for a modular bathroom—the donation does come with a catch.&nbsp;



But first things first, just look at this beauty.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ueT_xS2AvwNJuqFt0-URH2zf8Zw_TLgH1zAyBlRh1SXJXVRTP0-9kPYJAc43Tveg3AS-SGoJF99PbzWIfpYUheV4iInonht6TbysKS0i5Rw5DnEH_7kbxhVH_JlHZ0UN4KmkJoI3Ruu-857i_kOVCF8" alt=""/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This $425,000 modular bathroom is being offered as a donation for the Noe Valley Town Square. | Courtesy Rec and Park Department</figcaption></figure>



The modular bathroom is valued at $425,000 and is being donated by Public Restroom Company, which is headquartered in Nevada.&nbsp;



Normally, doing business with the company would be a violation of city rules, as San Francisco’s “12X” policy bars the city from spending money in states that &#8220;perpetuate unequal treatment of the LGBTQ+ community.” Thirty states across the country are now on the 12X list, and many officials in San Francisco believe the ordinance has put the city at a competitive disadvantage in the procurement process for goods and services. 



Legislation from Supervisor Ahsha Safaí will be considered Tuesday to <a href="https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&amp;ID=11444385&amp;GUID=A9706006-43D8-48E1-B6FE-29111107436C">limit the ban to just commodities and services</a>, while Supervisor Rafael Mandelman plans to introduce legislation that would <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/bayarea/heatherknight/article/s-f-toiletgate-noe-valley-get-cheaper-bathroom-17747381.php">repeal the ban</a>.



Regardless, since the soon-to-be dirty john is a donation, the City Attorney&#8217;s Office said it does not violate the letter of the law.&nbsp;



Larry Mazzola, a Rec and Parks commissioner who was joined by colleague Laurence Griffin in opposing the project, vehemently disagrees.



He argued during a Feb. 16 commission meeting that the project not only sets a precedent for San Francisco to ignore its own values, but also sets a path for the city’s skilled laborers to be overlooked for future work.



“All this developer cares about is free advertising,” said Mazzola, who is president of the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council. “This is a publicity stunt for them. Nothing is free.”



He added that the construction looks lousy—noting that the sink on the exterior will likely triple as a toilet and shower—and said the donation is part of a larger push for Public Restroom Company to put its signage up all over town. That would go against the spirit of 12X and hurt local workers, Mazzola said.



“One small bathroom, then it’s a big one, then it’s a kitchen, then it’s a big structure,” Mazzola said. “Where does it stop? You know what we’re doing by approving stuff like this? We’re shipping out local jobs.”



Phil Ginsburg, the general manager of the Rec and Park Department, acknowledged Mazzola&#8217;s point on corporate branding.



“I don’t disagree with Commissioner Mazzola on the point; it’s good marketing and public relations for them,” Ginsburg said. “They jumped on this when all the national stories broke and they reached out to us.”



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Yvv0qaLQ4MFb7ycTiVw2tfwpvrTOhdZRmq3Bm6NQ7vGSFH9g2WPoLafLqWnUMxN6u5Gh2ZTTZnay4zlI2d7KySCSg3n32JdiwhUMx5KBjshfNHo6jOXpdJE5hugLU4GJwI15yxIWARKiGera-B8C7Vs" alt=""/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A breakdown of projected costs to the city for a public bathroom at Noe Valley Town Square | Screenshot</figcaption></figure>



The city will be on the hook for $300,000 in soft costs for project management, which includes $2,000 in taxpayer money for the donor plaque and signage, and the remaining $1.4 million in state grants will now go toward efforts to install a public bathroom at Precita Park in the Mission and elsewhere, according to city officials.



Kat Anderson was among a few Rec and Parks commissioners who sympathized with Mazzola but noted that the city “can’t’ really afford to build $1.7 and $2 million bathrooms all over the system.”



Mazzola said that it’s not his workers’ fault the city’s Department of Public Works and the Public Utilities Commission <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/housing-development/building-tiny-homes-a-gigantic-task-in-broken-san-francisco/">“inflate their prices on us.”</a>&nbsp;



“The city is inept at managing projects,” he said. “That’s not the workers’ fault.”



The Board of Supervisors is expected to take a final vote on accepting the donated bathroom in the coming weeks.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Recreation and Park Commission establishes policies for the Recreation and Park Department. It oversees more than 220 parks, playgrounds, and open spaces in and around San Francisco. The Commission makes decisions on major projects and initiatives affecting these public spaces.

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