Manny Yekutiel built a civic empire. A sexual assault allegation puts it at risk

<p>More than two years ago, in a packed event space in the Mission, Manny Yekutiel was suited up and flexing his political muscle. The owner of one of the West Coast’s most important civic gathering spaces stood at a lectern at The Chapel to introduce Vice President Kamala Harris.  “Are we going to help her win?” Yekutiel asked  the roaring crowd . “Are we going to stand by her side?” The moment capped a remarkable rise for a small-business owner who had arrived in San Francisco more than a decade earlier with few connections to political power. Since then, his popular Mission café, Manny’s, has hosted first lady Jill Biden,  former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and many other major Democratic figures . He has formed close bonds with city politicians,  including Mayor Daniel Lurie , with whom he established a nonprofit during the pandemic.  Now, a sexual assault allegation from 2020 threatens to upend not just his supervisorial campaign but the civic identity he built from the ground up over a decade. The details of the allegation, first reported by The Standard, are described in full  here . The Standard reviewed a police report filed in April describing the allegations. Yekutiel has denied the allegations against him and has not been charged with any crime. “What is being described did not happen,” he told The Standard in a statement. The allegations have led some to distance themselves from Yekutiel’s cafe in recent months, The Standard has learned. State senate candidate Christine Pelosi and San Francisco Building Trades Council Secretary-Treasurer Rudy Gonzalez, a prominent labor leader, both withdrew from appearances at Manny’s. Pelosi had planned to host a March 8 International Women’s Day event at Manny’s as part of her campaign, where she was to detail her work at the nonprofit We Said Enough as a sexual violence survivor. Pelosi said she canceled the event “when I heard there was a public accusation of sexual impropriety against the owner.” She added, “And until that gets addressed, I’m not going back.” (Yekutiel’s main opponent in the District 8 race, Gary McCoy, works as an aide for Pelosi’s mother, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi.) Gonzalez pulled out of an  event  in May on the future of jobs and artificial intelligence, he told The Standard. He said he decided to do so after hearing rumors about allegations against Yekutiel. Born in Los Angeles, Yekutiel arrived in San Francisco in 2012 after serving as a field organizer for President Barack Obama’s second campaign. After President Donald Trump’s 2016 victory, Yekutiel felt the need to create a space in San Francisco for political conversations.  “I noticed that there were a lot of people who wanted to get more involved and engaged in civic life and didn’t have a place to go to do it,” Yekutiel told The Standard in 2023.  Manny’s opened in 2018 at 16th and Valencia streets as a cafe, gathering space, and small bookstore. It has been wildly successful: More than 2,000 events have been hosted there, and Yekutiel has also organized higher-profile off-site gatherings, including a November conversation at the Sydney Goldstein Theater that  he moderated with  Warriors coach Steve Kerr and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Yekutiel has hosted discussions on hyperlocal issues of homelessness and public safety, as well as topics such as  the “Abundance” agenda  featuring national journalists like The New York Times’ Ezra Klein. (The Standard and other news organizations have held events at Manny’s.) In September, Yekutiel, 36,  announced his campaign for the District 8 supervisorial seat , which represents the Castro and Noe Valley. He quickly became the favorite, capitalizing on his renown in the city as a politically connected tour de force known for donning  pumps and pearls . He has secured an impressive list of local endorsements: the current District 8 supervisor, Rafael Mandelman, District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, and former Mayor Willie Brown. Yekutiel is also endorsed by activist and actress Jane Fonda, Sen. Cory Booker, and Rep. Lateefah Simon and has racked up about $540,000 in donations and public financing for the race. His opponent,  McCoy , has pulled in a comparatively small $136,000.  Yekutiel has aligned himself with the city’s moderate political camp, casting himself as a pro-growth candidate who wants more housing, fewer vacant storefronts, and a less Byzantine city bureaucracy.  “We need to make it easier to do stuff, we need to build more things,” Yekutiel told The Standard when interviewed about his candidacy last year. “I would like to be the builder supervisor. … I think for too long we’ve thought of government as an entity that can stop things, and I want to be a part of what I hope is a growing chorus of people in government that want to create things and inspire things.” If elected to the board, Yekutiel would undoubtedly be a close ally of Lurie, likely collaborating on issues such as the mayor’s push to  streamline the city’s permitting system , which has frustrated business owners for decades. Yekutiel’s election would also help retain the moderate majority on the Board of Supervisors, which allows the mayor to pass legislation without much pushback from progressive opponents.  In a  video  released for his campaign announcement, Yekutiel is seen riding his teal-colored Vespa in a disco-ball bedazzled helmet. “I know I don’t look like a typical politician, but it’s time for a new way of doing things,” Yekutiel says as he steps off the scooter in front of City Hall.  Yekutiel, who has served on the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s board of directors, considered running for mayor in 2024  before backing out .  Yekutiel’s cafe has courted controversy among certain pockets of the city’s activists, who accuse him of not being progressive enough on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Manny’s has been defaced and vandalized with antisemitic graffiti, including an incident in June 2025 in which the words “Intifada” and “Die Zionist” were spray-painted on the exterior. Lurie  later visited the cafe  to console Yekutiel, who is an observant Jew.  Yekutiel has asserted that he has tried to be a bridge-builder on the conflict, having hosted conversations about the topic at the cafe. He  was traveling in Israel  when Hamas carried out its Oct. 7, 2023, attack. In November, Yekutiel  denounced anti-Palestinian comments  made by a donor to his District 8 campaign who hosted a fundraiser for him.  In addition to his business ventures, Yekutiel has turned to philanthropy. As the pandemic ravaged the city’s bars and restaurants, Yekutiel cofounded the Civic Joy Fund with Lurie in 2022 to encourage San Franciscans to patronize struggling businesses. The nonprofit, which Yekutiel left upon announcing his candidacy for supervisor, has seen success with its Downtown First Thursdays events, which have attracted tens of thousands.  Lurie, through a spokesperson, declined to comment on the allegations against Yekutiel.</p>

Lurie’s cousin loses reelection bid in New York

<p>SORRY, CUZ : Mayor  Daniel Lurie  has had a stellar 18 months in office. Voters love him, according to  recent polls , and overwhelmingly approve of his job performance.  It’s been a tougher go for Lurie’s cousin, New York Rep.  Dan Goldman , who  lost his reelection campaign  Tuesday night to progressive former City Comptroller  Brad Lander  in a bitter Democratic primary that revolved around one of the most divisive issues in politics:  Israel’s war in Gaza .  Lander and Goldman, both Jewish and self-described progressives, have criticized Israeli Prime Minister  Benjamin Netanyahu ’s far-right government. But Lander leveraged  Goldman’s ties to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee  as the defining difference, a strategy that appealed to progressive voters who see the lobbying group as a political bogeyman. AIPAC endorsed Goldman and  funneled donations through its website to his campaign . The left-leaning “pro-peace” group J Street also backed Goldman’s reelection bid.  Lander was boosted by New York Mayor  Zohran Mamdani , a Democratic Socialist and outspoken critic of Israel and what he has characterized as its genocidal war in Gaza. In a victory speech Tuesday night, Mamdani said Lander “brings a vision of politics that is more than what we’ve seen for so long” and hailed him as a kind leader who will “always have our back.”  Lurie and Goldman are  cousins by marriage  but grew up together and spent time as roommates as young adults in New York. They come from prominent Jewish families and are both heirs to the Levi Strauss fortune.  Lurie did not respond to a request for comment about Goldman’s loss. In his  concession speech , Goldman warned his supporters that antisemitism is on the rise.  “Jews have been at the forefront of every single civil rights issue in this country for the past century. And Jews have given back so much to this country,” he said. “As history has taught us, antisemitic tropes and stereotypes — some of which I heard personally on this campaign — will ultimately be the undoing of our democracy if we all don’t lean in and speak out, even if it’s not politically expedient.”  The race is relevant in San Francisco for more than its family ties. The Israel-Gaza war has repeatedly come up in the contentious fight over who will succeed retiring Rep.  Nancy Pelosi  in Congress.  Before coming in third in the June 2 primary, tech centimillionaire  Saikat Chakrabarti  flooded mailboxes with campaign materials blasting state Sen.  Scott Wiener ’s position on Israel. Chakrabarti is now supporting Supervisor  Connie Chan  in the November general election, in part, he has said, because they share the same priority of  ending the flow of U.S. weapons to Israel.  Wiener is endorsed by J Street, and his campaign has sought to distance him from AIPAC. Meanwhile, Chan has faced criticism for her  loose ties to a PAC backing her bid that accepted donations from pro-Israel groups .  Wiener’s campaign said it thinks voters are more focused on kitchen-table issues important to San Franciscans — like housing — than on the Israel-Gaza war.  “We have heard from voters that they do not trust Scott Wiener on this issue, and for good reason,” said Chan spokesperson  Julie Edwards . “His deeply cynical  reversal  following the Jan. 7 forum showed that he will take any position to win an election.” — Hannah Wiley THAT’S DEBATABLE : Expect the issue to come up in any of the 15 debates Wiener has proposed. Wiener on Wednesday challenged Chan to go toe-to-toe in each of the 10 supervisorial districts within the congressional district, plus another five debates “dedicated entirely to a single policy area of importance” to the region.  Those topics: foreign policy, housing and affordability, healthcare, domestic policy, and technology and the environment. Wiener’s campaign said it would partner with local media outlets (we call dibs!) and organizations and neighborhood groups to ensure voters across the city have the chance to hear the candidates’ ideas.  “This is the first time in almost 40 years that this congressional seat has been open with no incumbent running,” Wiener said in a  video . “This is so important for San Francisco. And San Franciscans deserve to see up close and personal what the candidates are about, and what we agree on, what we disagree about, what our visions are for the future.” Edwards said Chan is “not interested in satisfying Scott Wiener’s desire to be the center of attention” and has already engaged with community and news organizations that have requested to host forums.  “We all know Scott Wiener loves to hear himself talk, but Connie Chan believes it’s important for a representative to listen,” Edwards said.  As for Power Play, we gladly accept the challenge of covering the marathon of debates.  — H.W.  MASK OFF:  Readers may remember that last year,  Gov. Gavin Newsom  signed into law a bill by Wiener prohibiting federal and local police from wearing masks while on the job. But the policy — put forward in response to groups of masked federal agents rounding up immigrants in California — got tied up in court and was never enforced. In February, Wiener  took another swing . This time, the language specified that the bill would apply to state police as well, in response to what the courts called a discriminatory practice. At a meeting Tuesday of the state Assembly’s Public Safety Committee, Wiener defended his legislation, saying masking by law enforcement is “designed to inflict terror on communities.” “When it comes to fighting authoritarianism, powerful institutions like the state of California need to take every action possible,” he added. Wiener mentioned  Marvin Godoy Calderon , whom The Standard  interviewed  after he was detained by masked ICE agents last month in front of his San Francisco home. Calderon lost a job after missing a shift while detained and is now selling fruit on the street to make ends meet, Wiener said. “They grabbed me by the neck and violently threw me to the pavement,” Calderon wrote in a statement shared with the committee.  But  Shane LaVigne  of the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association and  Jonathan Feldman  of the California Police Chiefs Association argued that the bill’s exemptions for “active undercover operations” and “tactical operations” are too vague, and that the rules would make it even harder to recruit cops. Wiener said he wants to continue talking about the details, but it’s imperative to take action. “If we do nothing, and other states do nothing, we will start seeing normalization of extreme masking by law enforcement not only at the federal level but at other levels as well,” he said. — Max Harrison-Caldwell FULL CIRCLE:  Why has labor leader  Rudy Gonzalez  been tapped as Chan’s congressional campaign director? The secretary-treasurer of the  San Francisco Building & Construction Trades Council  is one of the city’s most prominent union stalwarts. Apparently, there’s precedent.  In 1987, a young Nancy Pelosi ran in a special election to succeed Rep.  Sala Burton . Pelosi was derided in the press as a “party girl” because her experience came largely from hosting political fundraisers for the Democratic Party, and her campaign was flagging. That’s when  Fred Ross Jr ., who cut his teeth with the United Farm Workers, decided he’d organize Pelosi’s campaign  in the mold of grassroots labor organizing . The team would connect with voters in small groups at parties held in their own living rooms. Ross directed Pelosi to hear out residents and persuade them she’d fight for their issues. It sounds normal now but was unusual at the time. When Ross died in 2022, Pelosi credited his campaign “mastery,”  saying , “Without his early support and brilliant leadership organizing the ground operation of my first campaign, I would have never become a member of Congress.” And so it goes — Gonzalez was a protégé of Ross, he told Power Play, and he’ll lean on that same tactic for Chan’s campaign. Helping Chan win is how he’ll help working people, Gonzalez said, but it isn’t the only benefit of joining up. “I believe in Connie in a personal way,” he said, but “this is also a way I get to honor Fred.” —  Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez</p>

Audit sparked by Standard investigation finds tax official steered $10M contract to friend

<p>San Francisco’s chief assistant treasurer steered a $10 million contract to manage billions of dollars in business taxes to a technology company led by her friends, according to an audit conducted by the city controller’s office, San Francisco’s fiscal watchdog. The independent investigation verifies  The Standard's reporting last year , which led the office of the treasurer and tax collector to place Tajel Shah, the city’s chief assistant treasurer, on paid leave. Shah left city employment in November. The report describes a staffer who was allowed to put her thumb on the scale to help a family friend benefit from a city contract, buttressed by a lax staffing culture in an obscure office that oversees billions of dollars. Shah’s actions created the appearance of a “pay-to-play” business tax system, auditors wrote. Whistleblowers came forward last year alleging Shah had personal relationships with Roque Versace, then chief revenue officer at Mechanical Orchard, which describes itself as an “AI-native technology company.” Jose Cisneros, head of the city’s treasurer and tax collector’s office, requested the independent audit. In a summary of the report sent as a letter to the treasurer and tax collector’s office, auditor Mark de la Rosa of the city controller’s office described the process of awarding a contract to Mechanical Orchard as “improper,” saying repeated decisions were made to help the company develop the highest-scoring proposal, even though bidding was supposed to be neutral. The office of the treasurer and tax collector’s “solicitation process was compromised by an undisclosed friendship between the former chief assistant treasurer, Tajel Shah, and the former chief revenue officer of Mechanical Orchard,” de la Rosa wrote. “Staff managed both procurements in ways that unfairly benefited Mechanical Orchard.” Mechanical Orchard was in talks to obtain the contract to help manage $2.6 billion in city business taxes for two years, only to abruptly walk away from the process. The city controller’s audit linked Mechanical Orchard’s decision to halt pursuit of the contract to The Standard’s reporting. “It withdrew after The Standard contacted them for comment,” the auditors wrote. De la Rosa said Shah allowed Mechanical Orchard to bid on the business tax system without sharing the results of the company’s work with all proposers, a normal course of business done to ensure equal information. She later developed a scope of work for the bid that closely mirrored Mechanical Orchard’s own project recommendations, nearly guaranteeing its success in pursuing the contract. Shah’s family may have benefited from her actions, the auditor wrote, after a subcontractor for Mechanical Orchard hired her niece. While the report notes that Shah denied any wrongdoing, the auditors found email messages showing she contacted Ratio PBC’s CEO directly to thank him for his firm’s work on the city project before asking if she could connect him with her niece. Seeking a job for a relative from a prospective vendor is “inconsistent with the high standard of conduct” required in public procurement, the auditors wrote. City controller auditors found that Shah “abused her position’s authority,” and while the treasurer’s office could not have prevented all of her actions, “it could improve controls to prevent or detect such actions earlier.” In particular, the auditors said, the treasurer and tax collector’s office has an organizational structure without checks and balances, blocking staff from raising concerns. The office has reorganized its leadership in an effort to prevent further abuses of power. In response to the audit, Treasurer Jose Cisneros wrote a letter to the city controller auditors saying he accepts the findings of the report. “The conduct described, directing staff to manipulate a competitive procurement process to benefit a personal associate while concealing that relationship, was wrong,” he said. “It violated the city’s ethics and procurement policies and the values this office holds.” The treasurer and tax collector’s office declined to comment beyond its response to the city controller’s office.</p>

The endorsement battle begins in the Chan vs. Wiener fight for Pelosi’s seat

<p>The November congressional contest between  Scott Wiener  and  Connie Chan  is expected to highlight the warring factions in San Francisco, largely between the state senator’s moderate YIMBY supporters and the supervisor’s progressive NIMBY coalition.  That division is already playing out on the Board of Supervisors, whose 11 members have split their support between Chan, their current colleague, and Wiener, who got his start on the panel.  The support is quite lopsided. Wiener shared exclusively with The Standard that Supervisors  Bilal Mahmood  and  Stephen Sherrill  have endorsed his campaign, giving him majority support. Board President  Rafael Mandelman  and  Matt Dorsey ,  Myrna Melgar , and  Danny Sauter  had already backed Wiener’s bid. “I greatly appreciate the support of Supervisors Mahmood and Sherrill,” Wiener said in a statement. “Their endorsements bolster our campaign in parts of San Francisco where we performed strongly last week. I look forward to getting out in the community with Stephen and Bilal to campaign and meet with San Franciscans, and hear how we can improve their lives and make the city more affordable.” The board’s more liberal members —  Jackie Fielder ,  Shamann Walton , and  Chyanne Chen  — are supporting Chan. It’s no surprise that Wiener has racked up endorsements on the moderate-majority board, despite Chan’s current role. The six Team Wiener supervisors are all considered pro-housing, centrist Democrats (for San Francisco, of course!), and several dominated in recent election cycles, when concerns about public safety, homelessness, and the city’s slow progress on development pulled voters away from more progressive candidates.  “We need a champion for housing and transit in Congress, and there is no one better positioned to carry that torch than Scott,” Sherrill said in a statement.  Outside of the board, each candidate has an impressive roster of San Francisco heavy-hitters.  For Wiener , there are Assemblymembers  Matt Haney  and  Catherine Stefani , City Attorney  David Chiu , Attorney General  Rob Bonta , state Treasurer  Fiona Ma , four members of the Board of Education, and a long list of other state lawmakers.  Chan’s supporters  include former mayors  Willie Brown  and  Art Agnos , former Board President  Aaron Peskin , and several former progressive supervisors, including  Jane Kim  and  Dean Preston . Perhaps her most consequential endorsement came from retiring Rep.  Nancy Pelosi , whose imprimatur, as Power Play has noted before, was  worth more than the $10 million  Saikat Chakrabarti  poured into his congressional campaign.  — Hannah Wiley UNDER THE RADAR:  Speaking of   Chakrabarti’s   $10 million, largely self-funded campaign, the centimillionaire who made his money from Stripe has been quietly spending elsewhere, Power Play has learned.  Chakrabarti has donated $11 million to local nonprofits since 2020, of which only $1.8 million was during his congressional run, he confirmed.  The cynical journalist in us first assumed that the donations were a play to drum up favor among community groups for his campaign. That didn’t pan out: While insiders tell us his donations would’ve gained him goodwill once in office, they likely wouldn’t have helped him get there, since he kept them quiet. Chakrabarti disclosed about two dozen recipient organizations, including the Chinese Hospital, Bayview Opera House, Roxie Theater, SF-Marin Food Bank, and the Transgender District. Darin Ow-Wing , executive director of Livable City, which runs the Sunday Streets program, said Chakrabarti donated about $50,000 to the organization this year, and there was no peep of it on the campaign trail. Chakrabarti also donated $10,000 to the Chinatown Community Development Center, which manages a portfolio of low-income housing, including the  Ping Yuen buildings  in Chinatown. CCDC Executive Director  Malcolm Yeung  appreciated the donation, which funded operations, accounting, human resources, and the back office — areas politicians usually don’t want to fund because there’s no ribbon to cut.  “There were no strings attached to this in any shape or form,” Yeung said. Chakrabarti said, “I got into politics because I saw the cost of living crushing my neighbors in this city. While I believe the real solution is fixing our broken politics — taxing the ultra-rich, including people like me, to fund housing, healthcare, and childcare for all — I try to do what I can philanthropically to support the nonprofits here that work incredibly hard to help those who need it most.”  And for what it’s worth, he didn’t volunteer this information, either. Power Play heard about it from a tipster who has no reason to glaze Chakrabarti, and we dogged the candidate about it for months until he finally answered.  — Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez DEALS, DELAYS, DEFICITS:  After last week’s election, it looked like Mayor  Daniel Lurie  and the moderates had all the juice in the world. So why, just one week later, did he and District 5 Supervisor Mahmood hit the brakes on their effort to roll back the real estate transfer tax? Their vehicle was the BUILD Act, which would have reduced or eliminated the fee the city collects when real estate changes hands, with supporters arguing that lower costs would unlock development. Insiders say there were two factors: budget math and a conversation with labor. On the first item: Proposition D, the Overpaid CEO Tax, failed. Lurie opposed the tax, and Mahmood supported it, but both now have to contend with the $200 million hole its failure leaves in the city’s budget. This only exacerbated fears of a deficit and prompted city leaders to focus on raising revenue rather than cutting it.  Then there was a closed-door meeting with the Building Trades where labor put its foot down, according to sources. Amid rumors that Mahmood may run for state Assembly if Wiener wins his congressional race and moves to Washington, D.C., some in the progressive housing world see Mahmood’s acquiescence to labor as an effort to curry favor with unions before launching his campaign. (Other sources said the final decision to pause the effort was the mayor’s, not Mahmood’s.) There’s also the matter of the mayor’s reputation and the likelihood of a strike if he decides to lay off city workers — a scenario that is more likely with less money in the budget. “He’s trying to be Danny Deals,” said progressive housing advocate  Shanti Singh . “I don’t think he wants a bunch of angry city workers.” In any case, the pullback on the BUILD Act was news to  Kyle Smeallie  of the San Francisco Community Land Trust, who was instrumental in an   effort to save the transfer tax  this spring.  “We’re surprised by the decision to abruptly pull repeal efforts, but we’re even more encouraged by what it says about the power of organized communities,” Smeallie said. “The housing crisis demands more investment in affordability, not less, and this outcome shows what can happen when people organize around that principle.”  — Max Harrison-Caldwell STILL PENDING : One week after  Alan Wong ’s victory in the District 4 supervisor election, Sunset politics remain unsettled. Albert Chow , the merchant leader and advocate for reopening the Great Highway and recalling former Supervisor  Joel Engardio , has qualified for the November ballot, setting up the possibility of another challenge to Wong. “I will be watching Mr. Wong,” Chow said. “I’m keeping myself in the running for now.” Chow can withdraw from the race by June 30. He said he may decide not to run if Wong proves he is truly working for the Sunset. The other candidate who has qualified for the ballot is  Jeremy Greco , a supporter of Sunset Dunes. Progressive candidate  Natalie Gee  has  said she will not run . Wong  won decisively  this month, capturing 46% of first-choice votes. Gee and Chow finished a distant second and third, with 24% and 17%, respectively.  — Han Li PAID SUPPORTERS : Failed gubernatorial candidate  Tom Steyer  caught heat for dumping more than $210 million of his own fortune into his race. He received some  1.9 million votes , placing third behind  Xavier Becerra  and  Steve Hilton  — which comes out to about $110 per vote.  That’s still less than the roughly $127 per vote that San Jose Mayor  Matt Mahan ’s campaign and independent expenditures supporting his bid spent for his nearly 309,000 votes. That might be a big hit to the budget for anyone else, but it’s no secret that Steyer and Mahan’s supporters have the cash to burn.  — H.W.</p>

Trained in fierce local politics, SF women lead statewide contests

<p>Early results from this week’s primary show four women from San Francisco leading races for statewide positions in Sacramento. Former San Francisco supervisors Fiona Ma, Jane Kim, and Malia Cohen are the front-runners in the races for, respectively, lieutenant governor,  insurance commissioner , and state controller. Additionally, incumbent Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, a San Francisco resident and former diplomat, is the top vote-getter in the race for state treasurer, the position currently held by Ma, who is term-limited. The women are poised to dominate California’s statewide ballot in November — a milestone that would cement the city’s outsized role in shaping state politics and push women’s representation in Sacramento to a historic high. “I think it’s great. I’m always up for having women lead,” said Betty Yee, a former California controller and San Francisco native. “For women, there’s still quite a difficult path to get elected.” Yee was running for governor this year but dropped out after struggling to gain traction in the polls. Susannah Delano, executive director of the California-based nonprofit Close the Gap, which recruits and supports women running for office, said women’s representation in statewide offices is at a historic high. “Thanks to these San Francisco women, we’re definitely in a position to maintain [that representation] after November and maybe even build on it,” Delano said. San Francisco has long served as a launch pad for statewide or national roles. Gov. Gavin Newsom was the city’s mayor before becoming lieutenant governor,then governor; former SF District Attorney Kamala Harris went on to serve as California attorney general, U.S. senator, and vice president. “San Francisco is a very competitive political environment,” said Mary Jung, former chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party. “These candidates have to have it all: intelligence, diligence, and a commitment to public service.” Kounalakis, Ma, and Cohen occupy the top two spots in their respective races, alongside Republican challengers. If the results hold, all three Democrats will enter the November election with a clear advantage in heavily Democratic California. Kounalakis, who has never held local elected office, won the lieutenant governor’s race in 2018. Widely viewed as a potential gubernatorial candidate, she opted to run for treasurer this year instead. Ma, a former Sunset supervisor, later served in the state Assembly and on the California Board of Equalization before being elected as state treasurer in 2018. Cohen, a former supervisor representing Bayview, also served on the Board of Equalization before being elected state controller in 2022. Kim, a progressive Democrat who used to represent SoMa on the Board of Supervisors, lost elections for state Senate in 2016 and mayor in 2018. She then worked for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign and the Working Families Party. She could face a more competitive race against state Sen. Ben Allen, a fellow Democrat, in the contest for insurance commissioner. “I’m deeply grateful to have come out on top in a field of 11 candidates,” Kim said in a statement. “California made clear they want an insurance commissioner who will take on the corporations that have abandoned California and driven up the cost of living.” SF talents are ‘quite high’ Yee said San Francisco’s unusually active political culture prepares local leaders for higher office. Despite its small size, the city is home to a dense network of advocacy groups, political organizations, and engaged donors. “You’re going to see a lot of that in play, and I think that really prepares a lot of people to serve in state office,” Yee said. “I think the talent from San Francisco is always quite high.” Jung attended Ma’s election-night party in Japantown. “People were in good spirits. We were anxious to make sure she’s the winner,” Jung said. Ma faces strong competition from fellow Democrats, including California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday, who was endorsed by Newsom, and former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs. Both trailed Ma in the latest returns. Jung and Yee said the city’s tradition of political mentorship has developed generations of leaders who have gone on to succeed statewide. Yee, who served on the California Board of Equalization before becoming controller, said prominent San Francisco political figures — including Willie Brown, John Burton, Carole Migden, Harris, and Aaron Peskin — provided guidance throughout her career. “These are people who really care a lot about leadership and what that looks like going forward,” Yee said.</p>

Fire chief’s top aide accused of mishandling union cash

<p>The San Francisco firefighters union is accusing a top Fire Department official, Adrienne Sims, of mishandling funds and plans to report the activity to the authorities, The Standard has learned. Sims, 54, who serves as chief of staff to SFFD Chief Dean Crispen, has been with the department since 2001. She was a board member of  SF Firefighters Local 798 for eight years from 2014 to 2022, serving as treasurer for the last two.  How Sims allegedly misused money from Local 798, one of the city’s most powerful labor groups, or how much was involved, is not known. It appears the allegations involve expenses Sims charged to the union in 2023. Local 798 President Sam Gebler said the union “recently identified potential irregularities involving union finances.” “This matter involves union funds — not taxpayer dollars,” he said in a statement. “As Local 798 is a private entity, this is being addressed through appropriate internal processes and, where necessary, outside authorities. Local 798 is committed to accountability and safeguarding the finances and integrity of our union. While we are limited in what we can discuss during an active review, we are taking this matter seriously and will ensure it is handled properly.” Sims, in a call with The Standard, denied any wrongdoing. Crispen and the district attorney’s office did not respond to a request for comment.  The Standard obtained a video of a Zoom meeting, recorded Friday, in which Sims addresses the accusations with union officials. In the roughly four-and-a-half-minute clip, Sims denies the allegations, saying that in certain cases, there are no records of charges she made to the union. She says she intends to pay back some of her expenses. “The BFA gala that happened three years ago, I paid for because it was going to sell out,” she says in the clip, likely referring to the Black Firefighters Association. “It’s in the minutes, and it is reimbursable. I don’t have a receipt for that BFA gala, so I am having to pay the $2,500 back. There is also a golf tournament that never made it into the minutes. I was not the [union’s] treasurer at the time, and it didn’t make it into the minutes, so that’s $3,500.” In the video, Sims says she had refused to sign a letter Gebler drafted stating that she “participated in misconduct.”  “I have hired my own legal counsel to represent me, because dragging my reputation through the mud is unnecessary,” she says.  Sims told The Standard she has not yet hired a lawyer and did not know how much money she was accused of mishandling. Gebler declined to comment on the video.  When asked if Sims has been put on leave by the SFFD, a spokesperson declined to comment. In the Zoom video and in the call with The Standard, Sims said she has been taking time off since April 1 because of “anxiety and PTSD.” She said her absence was unrelated to the allegations.  “As a previous treasurer of Local 798, I do understand the responsibility of President Gebler to be transparent to the members,” Sims said. “It is really not as salacious as people would like it to be.”  An SFFD spokesperson said the agency “has not been notified of any criminal or civil charges toward any employee by San Francisco Firefighters Local 798. As information becomes available, the SFFD will work with the city attorney’s office.” Local 798 represents 1,600 firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs. It’s considered one of the most influential labor groups in the city, along with the police union, and politicians eagerly seek out its endorsement.  Sims is a native of San Francisco, according to an online biography from the  California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee . In a March 2025  interview  with KRON4, she said she was recruited to the department via a female firefighter from Station 18 in the Sunset.  Sims said she had faced challenges being a female firefighter in a field dominated by men.  “I’m a woman. I’m a Black woman,” she said in the interview. “There’s not a lot of us. Sometimes you do feel, and maybe it’s more self-pressure that you put on yourself, to give 110%, 120%, 200% on this job. It’s not a job that’s necessarily catered toward women.”  In 2022, Mayor London Breed  posted an online tribute  to  Sims, whom she described as a “San Francisco native and a woman of many firsts.”  “Sims helps recruit the next generation of first responders through her work with the San Francisco Black Firefighters and by teaching classes nationwide as a certified firefighting instructor. She continues to be a leader and inspiration for so many of our young people,” Breed wrote.</p>

The fallout from Cesar Chavez bombshell. Plus: Wiener’s China views lost in translation

<p>This article is from Power Play, a twice-weekly newsletter rounding up the latest City Hall and local politics gossip. To sign up, visit The Standard’s  newsletter page . In a city where 95-year-old labor legend  Dolores Huerta  isn’t just an inspirational figure who appears in children’s books and sidewalk murals but an active force of nature who regularly walks arm-in-arm with striking workers — Wednesday’s report in  The New York Times  of her allegations of rape at the hands of the late Cesar Chavez shook the labor movement to its core.  Already, Chavez’s alleged sexual abuse of girls and women connected to the farmworkers movement is spurring whispers of a reckoning for other labor leaders who have long been suspected of exploiting their power over members. As several organizers told Power Play, difficult discussions are already taking place. Olga Miranda , president of SEIU Local 87, said the movement needs time to heal before any discussion of next steps — but in the end, abusers will be outed. “Is there any other motherfucker who hasn’t been named?” she said. “I’m sure there are many jumping at an opportunity [to accuse abusers]. But I’m saying, give us time to process this.” Miranda called women a “force” who have long powered the labor movement. “I have the privilege of having chosen the kind of job where the strength of my personality and the veracity of my voice carries to make company supervisors, business owners, regret the moment they fuck with any of our janitors in this industry,” she said. “Not a lot of people get to say they get to fight back.” While it’s too early to tell if there will be a “me too”-style reckoning within the labor movement,  the reverberations  are being felt, especially considering Chavez’s local ties.  Rudy Gonzalez , secretary-treasurer of the San Francisco Building & Construction Trades Council, said he remains proud of his Mexican American family’s legacy in the agricultural industry — but he worries about the darker story that Chavez now represents.  “We’ve found inspiration in a small number of very significant Mexican American leaders,” he said. “But that’s harder right now. I want young Mexican American leaders, I want my son, to have people to look up to. It was never Cesar’s union; it was a workers’ union. That doesn’t erase the legacy, or the ongoing struggle, of the people who literally feed us every day.” In addition to Chavez’s name being plastered across San Francisco institutions, his son-in-law,  Richard Ybarra , is CEO of a Mission-based community organization, MNC Inspiring Success. The Times’ reporting states that Ybarra, who married Chavez’s daughter, was one of the labor leader’s bodyguards in the 1970s after federal authorities discovered an assassination plot.  The Times reported that a different bodyguard drove Chavez and one of his underage victims,  Debra Rojas , to a motel, where the 15-year-old was allegedly raped. Ybarra declined to comment for the Times article. Power Play emailed Ybarra and was referred to a comment from the Chavez family that said, “This is deeply painful for our family.” As for Huerta’s legacy, it’s still being forged in real time. Her name is on a school and a parade in San Francisco. In January, she stood with LiUNA! Local 261 street cleaning workers on the steps of City Hall to fight for fair wages. Last year, she advocated for Proposition 50, Gov.  Gavin Newsom ’s redistricting measure. For that reason and many others, the local labor movement is  coalescing  around Huerta as the new icon of the 60-year fight for farmworkers’ and immigrants’ rights. As one labor insider told Power Play, “My hot take: Soon everything  with Cesar Chavez’s name on it  in San Francisco will have Huerta’s instead.” —  Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez and Gabriel Greschler Got tips? Send to us at  powerplay@sfstandard.com . DON’T GET ME WRONG : State Sen.  Scott Wiener , who you may have heard is running for Congress, obviously does not want to get caught in any geopolitical snafu after his  viral Gaza genocide moment  from a candidate forum in January. But Saturday’s Chinatown congressional forum appeared to briefly send him into panic mode — this time over Taiwan. The moderator of the forum, hosted by Asian community groups and conducted in Chinese and English, asked whether the candidates agree with Rep.  Nancy Pelosi ’s  high-profile and controversial 2022 trip  to the democratic island, a region claimed by China as part of its territory. Wiener voiced his support while carefully avoiding overreach. “I do not think Taiwan should be conquered,” Wiener said. “But we also have to make sure we don’t get to the point where there is any kind of war.” However, the interpreter hired by the organizers to provide live translation twice misstated Wiener’s position, saying the candidate supported Taiwan’s independence. Wiener, who does not speak Chinese, was unaware of the gaffe, which would fly in the face of his and other Democrats’ longtime endorsement of a “One China” policy. But soon,  Wiener was seen  looking at his phone and becoming upset, glancing around, then grabbing the microphone. “Apparently, I was misinterpreted saying that I support Taiwanese independence,” Wiener said. “I did not say that.” The event’s organizer, Ed Lee Democratic Club president  Thomas Li , immediately apologized and had a member of Wiener’s team correct the interpretation. Li said organizers had hired a professional interpreter and regretted the slip-up. Wiener’s campaign told Power Play that a Chinese campaign staffer alerted Wiener that his answer was inaccurately interpreted, and Wiener immediately corrected the record. “He supports Taiwan’s democracy, not Taiwanese independence,” Wiener’s spokesperson  Joe Arellano  said. “We appreciate the organizers allowing for the correction. It’s not easy to translate an entire debate, and it was an honest mistake.” Taiwan remains a sensitive geopolitical topic and could be a vote-decider for some in the Chinese community. Among the candidates, Wiener struck the most hawkish tone on China, expressing support for Tibet and Uyghurs. According to Mission Local, Wiener  got booed  when he stated that he supported Pelosi’s trip.  Saikat Chakrabarti , a former tech founder, said he opposed Pelosi’s visit. Supervisor  Connie Chan , a Chinese immigrant who grew up in Taiwan, is arguably the most qualified to weigh in but chose to sidestep the question — an apparent move to avoid triggering controversy or inflaming partisans. The fourth candidate on the dais, political activist  Marie Hurabiell,  said she supported Pelosi’s trip but remains largely neutral on the issue.  — Han Li CHOPPING COMMISSIONS : After a year of endless deliberations, the effort to streamline San Francisco’s complex board and commission system has reached the part of the process when things get really feisty: Yes, it’s the Board of Supervisors’ turn to weigh in.  The Commission Streamlining Task Force, mandated by 2024’s Proposition E, has  presented its final report  to the board. The plan would reduce the city’s 152 advisory bodies to 87 by eliminating some and merging others. At the meeting Tuesday, a nearly three-hour discussion over the task force’s recommendations turned contentious. While many of the report’s diagnoses for eliminating repetitive or inactive bodies are considered noncontroversial, some speakers still voiced opposition, warning of weakened public oversight. At least one supervisor expressed strong dissatisfaction. “You exceeded the mandate and inserted opinions and politics into the process,” Supervisor  Shamann Walton  told task force chair  Ed Harrington . Walton is especially concerned that changes to the Police Commission  would strip some of its authority . Walton also criticized the task force for a lack of diversity. “The task force was about as diverse as a stack of $1 bills,” he quipped.  Harrington said he understands the criticisms and expects the board to modify the recommendations. He noted that some of the loudest opposition is not about eliminating commissions but about proposals to move them from the city charter to the administrative code — a shift that critics believe to be a downgrade and would give the mayor and supervisors more power to remove the boards. Those include the Status of Women, Human Rights, Environment, and Youth commissions. There is also opposition to proposals involving the merging or elimination of advisory bodies focused on homelessness, aging and disability, and children and families. If the process moves forward, charter-related changes must go before voters, with a final version potentially appearing on the November ballot. Expect plenty more fireworks before Election Day.  — H.L.</p>

Ready to rumble: The 37 most powerful labor leaders in San Francisco

Remember the $1.7 million toilet? Lurie seeks to fix rules that led to SF embarrassment

<p>It was slated to be the country’s most expensive way to relieve yourself. The estimated $1.7 million to build a public commode  in Noe Valley  drew  national headlines,  producing an embarrassing pants-down moment that drew eyeballs to San Francisco’s long, convoluted purchasing processes.  Now, Mayor Daniel Lurie is trying to flush the rules that produced the exorbitant potty in the first place. The mayor will propose giving the city administrator’s office sole authority over San Francisco’s purchasing laws as part of his charter reform package heading to the ballot in November, The Standard has learned. Last year,  Lurie announced an effort  alongside Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman, and the release of an analysis by the urbanist think tank SPUR, to craft a 2026 ballot measure that would reform the maze of rules in the city charter — the 500-plus-page tome that essentially serves as the city’s constitution.  A working group composed of labor and business leaders is considering other wonky yet impactful recommendations to change the charter, including allowing the mayor more authority over commissions. The group’s next meeting is Wednesday. While the ballot measure’s passage wouldn’t change San Francisco’s purchasing laws overnight, it would give authority to City Administrator Carmen Chu to begin hacking away at the red tape that has led the city to pay inordinately higher prices than others do for many goods.  If voters approve Lurie’s measure, the city administrator’s proposals could be rejected by the mayor or the majority of the Board of Supervisors. According to sources familiar with the matter, the board would retain authority over setting wages, crafting rules to help minority and women-owned businesses, and setting labor standards for projects.  Rudy Gonzalez, secretary-treasurer of the San Francisco Building & Construction Trades Council, said the proposal initially didn’t retain the board’s ability to protect labor by setting worker benefits, apprenticeship opportunities, or pay standards. Lurie changed that, Gonzalez said. “With that, we saw no downside with how the mayor is packaging things,” Gonzalez said. “We’re ready to offer our full-throated support.” Ed Harrington, a retired city controller and former director of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, has firsthand experience of the difficulty of contracting in the city.  He recalled when the PUC wanted to build a pump house for power and had to go to his own commission three separate times “because they didn’t like the roof.” His staff went back and forth between their architects and the commission until they hit the sweet spot. “I remember my staff going crazy about it,” he said. “It took an extra six months to do it.” Sometimes, the time and costs balloon just because a contractor has to figure out who in city government they need to talk to. There are more than 9,000 references to the word “contracts” or “procurement” scattered across more than 100 sections of San Francisco’s administrative code, according to a 2026 report from SPUR. The report, called “ Charter for Change ,” urged the mayor to empower the city administrator to streamline those laws.  The proposal would also increase the dollar threshold for city contracts requiring approval from the Board of Supervisors. Any contract over $10 million triggers a Board of Supervisors review; the new threshold would be $25 million and would keep rising alongside the consumer price index, sources said. While there may be little opposition to the contracting changes, Lurie may propose other charter reforms alongside this one. Other parts of that package — including raising the number of voter signatures, or number of supervisors, required to place propositions on the ballot — have drawn criticism.  “We feel it’s an equity issue for working people,” said Kim Tavaglione, executive director of the San Francisco Labor Council, of the proposed changes to the ballot measure threshold. “It becomes harder to help the citizens band [together] to do what they want.” On Monday, the San Francisco Labor Council voted to oppose the mayor’s charter proposal around ballot measures, which could put the rest of his reforms in the crosshairs as well.</p>

State Treasurer Fiona Ma files for divorce from firefighter husband

<div class="content-grid article-content"><div class="Metadata_container__fxAzw"><div class="flex flex-row gap-x-md"></div><div class="Metadata_metadata__W_0LF"><span>By <a class="" href="https://sfstandard.com/author/han-li/">Han Li</a></span><time datetime="2026-01-06T22:14:09.325Z">Published Jan. 06, 2026 • 2:14pm</time></div></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Amid her campaign for lieutenant governor, State Treasurer Fiona Ma has filed for divorce, according to San Francisco Superior Court records.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">In a text message, Ma confirmed the split from Jason Hodge, a former firefighter, and described it as amicable.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“After 15 years, we have grown apart but remain good friends,” said Ma, 59. She filed the position Monday.</p></div><div class="!p-0 !m-0"></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">The couple have no children. Ma’s <a href="https://fionama.com/about/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">campaign website<span class="sr-only"> (opens in new tab)</span></a> stated that she and Hodge “are the proud parents of three adopted rescues,” with a photo of three dogs.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Ma <u><a data-post-id="8501c6ee-d937-4e18-8295-312478d72857" href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/10/10/sunset-supervisor-gender-appointment/">began her elected career</a></u> as a member of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors in the early 2000s, representing the Sunset. She later served in the state Assembly and on the Board of Equalization before winning statewide office as treasurer in 2018.</p></div><div class="floats"><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">In 2021, Ma was sued by a former staffer, Judith Blackwell, who alleged sexual harassment, racial discrimination, and wrongful termination. Chief among the allegations were that Ma exposed herself and crawled into bed with Blackwell when they shared a hotel room while on a business trip. Ma denied the allegations, and a court dismissed some of the claims. Blackwell dropped the lawsuit in 2024. The state later <u><a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/08/29/fiona-ma-sexual-harassment-drop-00176784" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reached a separate settlement<span class="sr-only"> (opens in new tab)</span></a></u> with Blackwell for $350,000.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Ma is considered a front-runner in the race for lieutenant governor. If elected, she will be the first Asian American to hold the position.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Ma and Hodge, an elected member of the Oxnard Harbor Commission, met in 2010 and were married the following year, according <u><a href="https://www.sfgate.com/style/article/It-only-takes-a-spark-for-Fiona-Ma-Jason-Hodge-2288821.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">to a Chronicle story<span class="sr-only"> (opens in new tab)</span></a></u>.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“He is a 6-foot-5 American Indian. She is a 5-foot-4 Chinese American,” <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/author/carolyne-zinko/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Carolyne Zinko<span class="sr-only"> (opens in new tab)</span></a> wrote. “He is a firefighter. She is a politician. He lives in Southern California. She spends most of the week in Sacramento. And they have not spent more than three days together during the 1 1/2 years they’ve dated except for one vacation shortly after they met.”</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">“We never argue, we agree on the same things, and we have the same passions — and passionate debates without attacks,” Hodge was quoted as saying.</p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">Ma and Hodge were married at her home on Nov. 11, 2011, in a private ceremony officiated by California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton, who <a data-post-id="18f03522-abba-486f-a816-144ef85d7f15" href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/09/07/john-burton-san-francisco-dies-92/">died in September.</a></p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">It’s been a rough several months for Ma, who <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CA.Fiona/posts/pfbid0ziz6smAYZXL97zCAwe2WKkv6X3a4F2Jm7fqmp9VDtHzJ7JnscBp7AuvKomne9Hgtl" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mourned her father’s death in October.<span class="sr-only"> (opens in new tab)</span></a></p><p class="paragraph-block article-body undefined text-left">In her text to The Standard, Ma expressed excitement for her political prospects, in spite of the personal setbacks. “It’s my Fire Horse Year!” she wrote. “I was born in the year of the horse and won my first race in 2002 (year of the horse), state board of equalization (2014 another horse year), and this year is Fire Horse Year.”</p></div></div>

Asian Art Museum

Office of the City Administrator

Adult Probation Department

Airport

Arts Commission

Office of the Assessor-Recorder

Board of Appeals

Office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors

Office of the City Attorney

Department of Children, Youth and Their Families

Controller's Office

Planning Department

Civil Service Commission

District Attorney's Office

Department of Building Inspection

Department of Early Childhood

Department of Emergency Management

Department of Police Accountability

Department of Public Health

Department of Public Works

Office of Economic and Workforce Development

Environment Department

Ethics Commission

Fine Arts Museums

Fire Department

Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing

Human Rights Commission

Department of Human Resources

Human Services Agency

Health Service System

Juvenile Probation Department

Public Library

Municipal Transportation Agency

Office of the Mayor

Public Defender's Office

Police Department

Port

Public Utilities Commission

Recreation and Park Department

Department of Elections

Retirement System

Rent Board

Sheriff's Department Office of Inspector General

Sheriff's Department

Department of Technology

Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector

War Memorial

Department on the Status of Women

General City Responsibilities

General Administration & Finance

Culture & Recreation

Community Health

Human Welfare & Neighborhood Development

Public Works, Transportation & Commerce

Public Protection

SF Civil Grand Jury

SF Superior Court

SF Superior Court Presiding Judge

judicial assignments; court administration (CRC 10.603); CEO direction

The Abatement Appeals Board provides a final review process for City permitting decisions. It ensures fair and efficient adjudication of permit-related disputes before an impartial panel. The board holds authority to make binding decisions on appeals concerning notices of abatement.

Abatement Appeals Board

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 1

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 2

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 3

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 4

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 5

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 6

Abatement Appeals Board Commissioner 7

The Access Appeals Commission provides final reviews for a wide range of City permitting decisions. It ensures an efficient, fair, and expeditious permit issuance process through an impartial panel. The commission holds authority to make binding decisions on appeals related to City permits.

Access Appeals Commission

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 1

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 2

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 3

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 4

Access Appeals Commission Commissioner 5

The Adult Day Health Care Planning Council advises on the development and improvement of adult day health care services. It provides expertise in healthcare planning, policy recommendations, and program evaluation. Key responsibilities include assessing community needs and advising on service delivery enhancements.

Adult Day Health Care Planning Council

Adult Probation Department supervises individuals on probation and facilitates their reintegration into the community. It provides reentry and rehabilitative services, including victim restitution and financial assistance for crime victims. The department values public safety, offender rehabilitation, and community partnerships.

Cristel Tullock

The Advisory Committee of Street Artists and Crafts Examiners evaluates arts and crafts applicants and monitors program compliance. It conducts studio visits and public screenings to ensure adherence to established criteria. Members also revise program criteria and undertake additional tasks as needed.

Advisory Committee of Street Artists and Crafts Examiners

The Advisory Council on Human Rights advises on anti-discrimination laws and racial equity initiatives. It provides expertise on reparations and public policy impacts on Black communities. It guides efforts to establish partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities in San Francisco.

Advisory Council on Human Rights

San Francisco Airport manages air traffic operations and ensures safe aircraft movement. It provides parking facilities and maintains airport infrastructure to accommodate travelers and staff. The department oversees ground transportation and coordinates with airlines for efficient passenger services.

Mike Nakornkhet

The Airport Commission oversees policy and strategic planning for San Francisco International Airport. It makes key decisions on airport development projects and financial management. It ensures compliance with regulations and collaborates on initiatives like terminal naming.

Airport Commission

Airport Commission Commissioner 1

Malcolm Yeung

Jose F. Almanza

Mark Buell

Susan Leal

Airport Director

Animal Care and Control Department manages animal sheltering, adoption, and emergency response services. It enforces animal-related laws and regulations, ensuring the humane treatment and safety of animals. The department also provides public education on responsible pet ownership and animal welfare.

Animal Care and Control Department

Virginia Donohue

Animal Care and Control Department, Director

The San Francisco Arts Commission oversees the integration of arts into city life and ensures public access to cultural experiences. It makes decisions on public art programs and allocates grants to support local artists and performances. The commission actively shapes policies affecting the arts ecosystem in San Francisco.

Arts Commission Commissioner 1

Arts Commission Commissioner 2

Arts Commission Commissioner 3

Arts Commission Commissioner 4

Debra Walker

Suzanne Ferras

Jessica Rothschild

Seth Brenzel

JD Beltran

Marcus Shelby

J Riccardo Benavides

Nabiel Musleh

Charles (Chuck) Collins

Lydia So

Arts Commission Commissioner 15

San Francisco Arts Commission invests in a vibrant arts community and shapes cultural policy. It enlivens the urban environment through public art programs and supports diverse artistic expressions. The commission facilitates meetings and discussions to engage the community in cultural development.

Ralph Remington

Arts Commission, Director of Cultural Affairs

The Asian Art Commission determines policy and administers the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. It oversees museum operations and collaborates with the Asian Art Museum Foundation on fundraising efforts. Commissioners ensure the museum's strategic direction and financial sustainability.

Asian Art Commission

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 1

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 2

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 3

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 4

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 5

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 6

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Asian Art Commission Commissioner 12

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Asian Art Commission Commissioner 16

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 17

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 18

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 19

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 20

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 21

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 22

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 23

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 24

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 25

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 26

Asian Art Commission Commissioner 27

Asian Art Museum showcases Asian art and culture through exhibitions and educational programs. It offers diverse collections and hosts special events to engage the community. The museum fosters cultural appreciation and understanding by providing access to its extensive art collections.

Dr. Soyoung Lee

Asian Art Museum, Director

The Assessment Appeals Board #1 hears property tax assessment appeals in San Francisco. It evaluates evidence presented by taxpayers and the Assessor to determine property values. The Board has the authority to make final decisions on assessments regardless of property type or value.

Assessment Appeals Board #1

Assessment Appeals Board #1 Commissioner 1

Assessment Appeals Board #1 Commissioner 2

Richard Lee

Stephen Wasserman

Adena Gilbert

Paul Bellar

Quirina Mitchell

Hilary Winslow

The Assessment Appeals Board #2 adjudicates property tax assessment appeals for San Francisco taxpayers. It evaluates evidence presented by taxpayers and the Assessor to determine accurate property values. The Board exercises authority to render final decisions on residential properties and specific real estate assessments.

Assessment Appeals Board #2

Assessment Appeals Board #2 Commissioner 1

Assessment Appeals Board #2 Commissioner 2

Assessment Appeals Board #2 Commissioner 3

Claire Ervin Lee

Louisa Mendoza

Joyce Lewis

Nicholas Goldman

Michelle Domingo

The Assessment Appeals Board #3 provides a platform for San Francisco taxpayers to contest property tax assessments. It conducts hearings where evidence from both taxpayers and the Assessor is evaluated. The Board makes binding decisions on property assessments based on presented evidence.

Assessment Appeals Board #3

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 1

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 2

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 3

Marc Dickow

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 5

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 6

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 7

Assessment Appeals Board #3 Commissioner 8

Assesses property, applies exemptions, collects transfer taxes, and records official documents.

Assessor-Recorder

Joaquín Torres

The Ballot Simplification Committee ensures voter materials are clear and understandable. It reviews and revises ballot language to accurately reflect propositions and measures. The committee advises on simplifying complex legal and technical terms for voter comprehension.

Ballot Simplification Council