Priorities | Dylan For Mayor 2024

A Bold Vision for a Better San Francisco

San Francisco deserves more than the same tired, incremental policies being offered by career politicians and conventional thinkers. We need bold, innovative solutions to tackle the complex challenges we face.

My campaign is about building a brighter future for all San Franciscans, and the policies laid out below will pave the way for a more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous city. These ideas have garnered support from prominent figures across the political spectrum and have been proven to work in other cities around the country and the rest of the world, demonstrating their potential to unite our city and move us forward together.

This is more than just a set of policy proposals; it's a statement about the kind of city we want to be and the values we pledge to uphold. A city that tackles its most daunting challenges with courage and compassion. A city that leverages global best practices to create local success stories. A city that believes in the potential of every individual to contribute to our collective future.

Solve Chronic Homelessness

In San Francisco, a beacon of innovation and prosperity, the harsh reality of homelessness stands in stark contrast to the city's wealth. The City has already poured billions of dollars into efforts to address the problem, yet at last count, we still have about 4,400 unsheltered people surviving on the streets every night. My vision is not just to address this crisis but to fundamentally transform our approach to it. I’m inspired by solutions that have proven successful both within the United States and globally, and I’m ready to bring these groundbreaking, evidence-backed strategies to our city. My plan centers on three pillars: 1) alignment of our priorities and approaches in intervening on behalf of people currently experiencing chronic homelessness, 2) directly addressing poverty, drug addiction, and mental illness to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place, and 3) greatly expanding the supply and utilization of supportive housing.

Realigning our Priorities and Approaches

Commit To Ending Chronic Homelessness: Many people believe that it is impossible to end chronic homelessness, but this achievement isn't a distant dream—it's already become a proven reality in 14 communities across the U.S. By reaching "Functional Zero" homelessness, these communities have ensured that homelessness for a given population is both rare and brief. The first step in ending chronic homelessness in San Francisco is believing it is possible and committing to making it happen.
Using Technology To Coordinate Efforts: We currently have many different non-profit organizations and City departments and agencies interacting with and attempting to help unsheltered people, but their efforts are piecemeal and uncoordinated, often lacking the necessary context or continuity they need to be effective. We should learn from the successes of cities like Houston, which reduced homelessness by 60% through the use of a shared technology platform to help all stakeholders and service providers work in unison, creating a well-functioning homelessness response system that’s nimble, frictionless, personalized, respectful, and responsive to people’s needs.
Make “Housing First” a Reality: San Francisco claims to use a “Housing First” approach, but too often those experiencing homelessness have no real opportunity to get housed, either because of a basic lack of available housing supply, a lack of coordination between street response teams and housing services, or red tape. Looking to Houston and Finland as examples, we know that when people are given housing first, without any preconditions, they are more likely to reduce any intake of drugs and alcohol, show improved mental health, and achieve the stability they need to remain off of the streets. We must commit to making Housing First a reality by removing barriers to housing at every stage in our land use policy and throughout the homelessness response system. At the same time, we must honestly assess the current needs and capabilities of every individual and ensure that there is enough intensive integrated addiction treatment and psychiatric care available to those who need it, so they don’t end up in unsupervised, unsupportive housing where they will traumatize their neighbors.
Regular Review of Provider Performance: We must hold our homelessness services partners to high case management standards. We should score partners on these standards, especially those that are funded with taxpayer money, and low scores should impact their future funding. I would ensure that there are weekly workgroups with all of our housing partners to make sure no one is falling through the cracks. These are key components of Houston’s success.

Directly Addressing Causes of Homelessness

Crisis Intervention: Individuals in crisis need access to live-in residential treatment facilities for rehab and mental health crises to be able to stabilize so acute issues don't escalate or become chronic. The City already has 45 beds at the Hummingbird Place respite centers on Valencia and Potrero, but many more services of this kind are needed in order to serve the thousands of individuals that experience homelessness nightly in SF.
Community Sponsorships: To help prevent at-risk individuals from re-entering homelessness after escaping it, we should be linking at-risk individuals with stable community members to offer longitudinal support similar to programs like AA and meaningful volunteer opportunities to those looking to make a difference in someone's life.

A Comprehensive Approach to Drug Addiction: Drug addiction is a major cause of people falling into homelessness and staying there. That’s why I have a comprehensive plan to treat and prevent drug addiction.

Affordable Housing for All: The high cost of housing in San Francisco is a huge factor in causing many people to become homeless. That’s why I have a comprehensive plan to provide affordable housing for all.

Eliminate Poverty: Poverty is a major cause of people initially falling into homelessness. The best way to address poverty is by directly reversing it through cash transfers. That’s why I’m a fierce advocate for a Universal Basic Income.
Dignified Assisted Living: Disability should never lead to homelessness or extreme poverty, even for high-needs individuals. We must take special care to prioritize helping these especially vulnerable people.

Expanding the Supply and Utilization of Supportive Housing

Fixing And Using What We Already Have: Much of our current stock of Permanent Supportive Housing is horribly mismanaged and dilapidated to the point that it is neither supportive nor fit for housing human beings, and many of the units are sitting vacant. This is disgraceful and unacceptable. Within my first 2 years in office, I will overhaul the management of all existing supportive housing units, so that they provide the kind of supportive care and basic health standards we should expect, and ensure that no unit is ever vacant for more than one month at a time.
Building More: I will deliver on the existing plan to build 1,500 more Permanent Supportive Housing units with Proposition C money within my 4 year term.
Landlord Engagement Team: A key part of Houston’s success in reducing homelessness by 60% was their Landlord Engagement Team, which is tasked with reaching out to landlords to identify new permanent housing units and serving as a point of contact for them to work with if they ever have any issues with a tenant. Armed with this peace of mind, more landlords are willing to sign contracts that state they will rent to formerly homeless tenants and will allow time for them to be reassigned to a different housing unit within the system rather than evicting them. Based on this model, I will create a new Landlord Engagement Team within the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing tasked with expanding this important additional supply of housing.

Universal Basic Income: Investing in Economic Resilience and Vitality

UBI

If you’re like many San Franciscans, you know what it’s like struggling to afford living here. You know the overwhelming stress of worrying whether you’ll be able to cover all your bills and also make rent payments this month. You know the feeling of hunger pangs from skipping meals to keep your daily costs down. You know the feeling of panic when your car unexpectedly breaks down, or your cough suddenly turns even worse and you weigh the risks of continuing to avoid the expense of going to the doctor. If none of this sounds familiar to you, then consider yourself lucky.

According to data reported by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2022, 10.4% of San Franciscans (over 82,000 people) were living below the Federal Poverty Level ($13,590/year for an individual), and one out of every three San Franciscans—nearly 300,000 people—was in a household that was earning less than the minimum livable wage ($55,396/year for an individual). That’s a massive proportion of the population experiencing poverty. All of those people have a much lower quality of life, are experiencing significantly more stress, anxiety, depression, and a host of other negative health outcomes, are more likely to experience mental illness or drug addiction, and are at a much higher risk of slipping into homelessness if unexpected emergency expenses come up that cause them to start missing their rent payments and get evicted.

Poverty is fundamentally a lack of money. So what is the most direct and effective way of addressing poverty? Simple: give people money. That's why I propose a Universal Basic Income (UBI) of $1000/month for every citizen of San Francisco. This bold move is designed to help prevent homelessness by providing economic stability for everyone, especially for those on the brink of losing their homes due to economic hardships such as job loss or medical bills. Early results from a pilot in SF have been promising, showing significant reductions in homelessness and improvements in quality of life when people receive $750/month.

But UBI is about more than just fighting poverty and preventing homelessness; it's also about building a stronger, more resilient San Francisco by ensuring that every citizen has a financial floor to stand on. When everyone can depend on a basic income, they have the freedom, flexibility, and peace of mind to make financial decisions that are better for them and their families in the long run, they can care for their children or older parents when they need to, they can leave abusive relationships, they are better equipped to handle unexpected expenses without falling into debt, and they participate more in the local economy. A UBI is an investment in the promise and the dream of every citizen.

This concept is not new; in fact, UBI nearly became a reality in the United States during the Nixon administration in the 1970s, demonstrating its bipartisan appeal and historical precedent. Inspired by hundreds of successful pilots in places as different as Stockton, California and Finland, and the Alaska Permanent Fund, UBI echoes the calls for economic justice championed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who advocated for a guaranteed income as a means to eradicate poverty and uplift marginalized communities in the months before he was assassinated. UBI has also garnered support from a long list of diverse figures such as 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang and libertarian economist Milton Friedman, highlighting its broad appeal and foundation in universal ideals and values. In a quickly evolving world where many jobs are in danger of being replaced by AI, and a lot of uncertainty about whether there will be any new jobs to replace them, the time is ripe for this innovative improvement to the fundamental structure of our economy.

Features and Benefits of UBI

Direct monthly payments to every citizen of San Francisco: Provides financial security and peace of mind, enabling individuals to pay down debt and pay for unexpected emergency expenses, just like it did in the SEED program in Stockton, and cover basic needs like food, housing, and healthcare just like it’s doing currently for the San Franciscans currently receiving $750/month who are spending over 60% of the funds on these necessities.
Better And Cheaper Than Welfare: Offers a reliable cash deposit to your bank account every month, ensuring financial stability that isn’t taken away if you get a better paying job. Lack of qualifying conditions means there’s no stigma attached to receiving it, no bureaucracy to prevent you from getting it when you need it, and very low administrative costs. Because of all these benefits, any amount of welfare that is currently tied to income levels should ideally be replaced with a UBI that goes to everyone, but if someone is currently getting assistance that exceeds the amount of the UBI, then they should not end up with less money in the end. When UBI replaces welfare programs, more money ends up in peoples’ pockets, rather than in the hands of bureaucrats. It’s a streamlined and efficient solution that empowers individuals to make their own choices about how to spend their money. An important caveat is that any programs, like Disability Insurance, that are targeted at people with special circumstances that prevent them from working or saddle them with additional living expenses, should never be taken away, though they could potentially be reorganized into an extension of the UBI program.
Helps Prevent and Reverse Homelessness: Directly addresses one of the major triggers of homelessness, offering a proactive approach that prevents individuals and families from falling through the cracks. Unlike reactive measures, such as temporary shelters or emergency aid, UBI provides a sustainable solution that fosters long-term stability across the entire community.
Kickstarts the Local Economy: By putting money directly into the hands of all residents, UBI stimulates local spending and drives economic growth from the ground up. This contrasts with traditional economic stimulus plans, which often focus on top-down approaches that may not reach those who need it most. Additionally, having the freedom and peace of mind of a UBI reduces the risks of starting new ventures, empowering people to pursue higher education or start a new business, so there’s an increase in entrepreneurialism and a larger number of new small businesses appearing every year.
Better Health Outcomes: Many health outcomes are correlated with income levels, so when people have more income, they’re more likely to have better health outcomes, which not only makes for a happier and healthier society but also reduces health care costs in the long run.
Reduces Childhood Poverty: Children who grow up in poverty go on to have less gray matter in their brains, are more likely to commit crimes, and are more likely to develop obesity. Reducing childhood poverty reduces all of these outcomes, resulting in large cost savings for health care in the long run.
Reduces Inequality: Helps to close the racial wealth gap,
A More Diverse SF: Teachers, artists, and other folks who have been priced out of San Francisco could have a better chance of affording to live here again.
Reduces Crime Rates: Studies of guaranteed incomes in Manitoba and Alaska have shown that when a community receives a cash transfer payment, crime rates go down. This means a UBI would provide the double benefit of less victims of crimes and less cost to taxpayers in law enforcement and criminal justice.
Inclusive Solution: Appeals to voters across the political spectrum by offering a common-sense solution that benefits all citizens. Unlike divisive policies that pit one group against another, UBI fosters unity and cooperation, ensuring a brighter future for everyone.

Addressing Concerns

Won’t It Disincentivize Work?: Studies of UBI programs, like the one in Stockton, show no evidence of reduced work participation. In fact, it can enable individuals to take on more meaningful, fulfilling, or lucrative work.
Won’t It Cause Inflation or Raise Rents?: Careful implementation and monitoring will ensure UBI does not contribute to inflationary pressures, but there’s no evidence so far of a large net inflationary effect of UBI.
Won’t It Cost Us Too Much?: The long-term benefits to individuals and society of increased economic activity, improved health outcomes, and reduced crime will make the investment more than worth it.

How To Fund It

A UBI of $1000/month for every citizen of San Francisco will cost $10.2 billion. Funding for the program can come from a combination of the following sources:

Cost Savings ($500 million): UBI partially pays for itself by reducing City expenses in healthcare, law enforcement, and emergency services. It also can replace some existing welfare programs that are currently limited to people earning below a certain income threshold, since everyone would now be getting the same benefits and the reduced administrative costs associated with making the program Universal would go back into the hands of people instead of bloated bureaucracies.
Increased Tax Revenues ($10 million): UBI is expected to stimulate local economic growth by 5-10%, raising tax revenues.
Pollution Taxes ($650 million): We should be taxing sources of pollution, like greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas and gasoline, that allow certain people to benefit at the expense of everyone else. These taxes will force people to pay the true social costs of the negative externalities of their activities. Over time, the tax revenues would decrease, as they have the expected impact of reducing overall pollution levels. This is a good thing. We could choose to continue ramping up the tax if we wanted to continue to receive the same revenue from less pollution.
Land Squatting Fee (up to $13.5 billion): There are 27 million square feet of privately-owned vacant lots in San Francisco. We should charge a $500/sqft fee to anyone who currently owns such a plot of land and use the proceeds to fund a UBI. If the owner of the parcel can prove that the lot is of more value to the community by remaining empty or that they’re making reasonable progress towards making use of the land, then they can be exempt. If they decide they’d rather not make use of the land and don’t want to pay the fee, then the city can buy the land and use it to build Universal Social Housing. Either way, we would be making housing more affordable.
Land Value Dividend (up to $10.2 billion): My personal favorite is to use a Land Value Dividend as a UBI. Rather than having a property tax that heavily taxes buildings and punishes people for making good economic use of the land they occupy, we should shift the tax burden to the value of the land itself, since land is a common resource that everyone should derive some basic benefit from. A Land Value Tax of $12/sqft on all private property in the city could completely fund my proposed UBI of $1k/month, and the majority of residents would still come out ahead with a net positive income.

Affordable Housing For All

San Francisco's spirit of innovation and progressiveness must extend to its approach to housing. I envision a city where San Franciscans from all walks of life can afford to live in our great city. To achieve this, I propose a comprehensive strategy that combines the agility of private development with the inclusivity of public investment.

A Billion-Dollar Commitment to Universal Social Housing: San Francisco is in desperate need of more housing, and market rate private housing development alone won’t provide affordable housing for all income levels any time soon. That’s why we need to learn from the successes of Vienna and have the City ramp up an ongoing program to create Social Housing at a rate of up to 10,000 units per year within the next 4 years. To accomplish this, I pledge to create a $1 billion Housing Production Fund (HPF). The initial investment in the HPF will be established with a bond measure that would partially replace existing bonds the voters have already approved for affordable housing. The HPF will be a revolving fund, meaning that it will sustain itself in a revenue-neutral way that won’t cost the taxpayers of San Francisco anything. How does it work? First, the HPF provides low-rate 5-year loans to private developers who agree to build universally accessible, income-blind, low-rent Social Housing. Next, the private developers start to pay back their loans with interest, thereby covering the cost of the interest on the bonds. Once the project is done, the loan is repaid and can be used to finance the next project. This initiative will serve as a cornerstone in our fight against socioeconomic segregation and provide a sustainable solution to our housing crisis. The Housing Production Fund in Montgomery County, MD has already shown this type of revolving fund can be successful.
Streamlining Development: While private developers can’t solve our affordable housing crisis alone, any amount of additional market rate housing does help to relieve pressure on housing costs. That’s why we must take immediate actions to spur private housing development. I will cut through the red tape that currently hinders the creation of new housing units. By reforming building codes to allow automated code compliance checks for new construction and ensuring a swift project approval and permitting process—completed in less than 60 days—we'll simultaneously decrease administrative costs to the City while opening the doors to a wave of private housing development.
Embracing Moderate Upzoning: While we don’t necessarily want all of San Francisco to look like downtown, we can still maintain the charm and livability of our many diverse neighborhoods by allowing four-story, mixed-use buildings throughout the city, encouraging a vibrant blend of residential and commercial spaces. This approach will not only enrich the fabric of our communities, but it will also help build over 50,000 homes within 5 years.
Increasing Liquidity in the Housing Market Through Sensible Taxation: We can help reduce housing costs immediately without building a single new building if we take steps to increase the liquidity on the market through more sensible taxation. Currently, the City charges a transfer tax to anyone who sells a building, and that revenue goes into the General Fund. The transfer tax discourages new housing construction and keeps housing prices higher by keeping more buildings off the real estate market that might otherwise be redeveloped. At the same time, some housing units are being kept vacant by overseas investors banking on the 7.8% average annual property value appreciation in San Francisco, while still other units are kept vacant for most of the year as occasional vacation destinations for people who own multiple other properties. To encourage more liquidity on the housing market and discourage speculative or selfish uses of the city’s limited housing stock, we should: eliminate transfer taxes to avoid penalizing a building owner from selling to someone who wants to put the building to better use; and tax units held by non US-residents or US residents who own multiple homes. These tax reforms will increase the availability of properties for San Franciscans and ensure that our housing market serves the community, not the wealthy.
Incentivising Shared Housing: Provide property tax rebates to homeowners who expand the diversity of affordable housing options and help improve density. In a city built for single-family residences, we can dramatically increase available housing by rewarding homeowners who have housemates and encouraging the creation of mother-in-law suites and accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
Impose a Land Squatting Fee: There are 27 million square feet of privately-owned vacant lots in San Francisco. We should charge a $500/sqft fee to anyone who currently owns such a plot of land. Any proceeds collected from the fee would go towards a Universal Basic Income for all citizens of San Francisco. If the owner of the parcel can prove that the lot is of more value to the community by remaining empty or that they’re making reasonable progress towards making use of the land, then they can be exempt. If they decide they’d rather not make use of the land and they don’t want to pay the fee, then the city can buy the land and use it to build Universal Social Housing. Either way, we would be making housing more affordable.
Replace Property Taxes With A Land Value Tax: Property taxes are not only expensive, but they also discourage people from building large housing developments on valuable parcels of land in the city, since the tax goes up when new structures are built. Taxing the value of the land only, and not taxing the value of improvements upon the land at all, would incentivize increasing housing density, since the tax per unit on a given plot of land would actually go down as more units are built, rather than the tax going up. A Land Value Tax has been proposed in the past by former Mayor Willie Brown. It’s time we put it into action.

Drug Plan

Stop Open-Air Drug Use/Dealing

My strategy represents a balanced approach, recognizing that safety and health are interconnected. By enforcing laws against public street dealing and drug use, we create a safer environment for all San Franciscans. Yet, enforcement alone is not the answer. I am committed to also providing comprehensive support and treatment, underscoring my belief in the potential for change and recovery in everyone.

Embracing Switzerland's Four Pillars Approach

I propose that we embrace Switzerland's acclaimed "Four Pillars" strategy. This model balances harm reduction, treatment, prevention, and law enforcement, creating a comprehensive and holistic response that has achieved outstanding results.

1. Harm Reduction: Rather than our current harm reduction strategies of handing out clean needles and foil, we will establish clean, safe, indoor clinics that offer free, evidence-based therapies administered in controlled doses by medical professionals. These facilities will not only address immediate health concerns but also provide wraparound services including trauma counseling, life coaching, job training, and placement, as well as connections to housing. This is about saving lives and restoring dignity to those struggling with addiction.
2. Treatment: Accessible, compassionate treatment is the cornerstone of recovery. By lowering barriers to treatment and expanding our network of support, we can offer personalized care paths for every individual ready to embark on the journey to recovery.
3. Prevention: Education and outreach will form the bedrock of our prevention efforts. We'll engage communities, schools, and workplaces in dialogue, ensuring that everyone in San Francisco understands the risks of drug use and has the tools to make informed decisions.
4. Repression (Law Enforcement): To safeguard our streets and communities, we'll enforce bans on illegal drug use in public and take decisive action against street dealing. This includes prosecuting offenders while ensuring that our response is always geared towards rehabilitation and recovery, rather than punishment alone.

Ensure Public Safety

Public Safety

In San Francisco, safety is not just about policing—it's about creating an environment where every individual feels supported, valued, and connected. My comprehensive approach addresses the root causes of crime, builds trust between law enforcement and communities, and ensures that our city remains a beacon of hope and innovation.

Building a Community-Centric Police Force

Recruit Locally: We need to increase the ranks of our police officers, while also recognizing the great responsibility we entrust them with and the daily opportunities for either halting or perpetuating cycles of trauma that their job entails. We should prioritize recruiting and hiring police officers who are rooted in the communities they will be serving by establishing strong relationships with local veterans groups and creating ROTC-style programs in the high schools and community colleges within the City.
Visible Neighborhood Patrols: Increase patrols in all neighborhoods, prioritizing visibility as a research-backed deterrent to crime, whether in high crime areas or those less affected.
Enhanced 911 Support: By bolstering staffing for support services, including 911 operators, we’ll ensure faster response times, making our emergency system more reliable when seconds count.

Innovating Community-Based Crisis Response

Expand and Enhance the Street Crisis Response Team: Not every crisis on our streets requires a police officer, and the police department is already stretched too thin. In order to improve the City’s capacity to address mental health and substance use crises, we should expand and enhance the Street Crisis Response Team, so that professionals more suited for these situations can respond to them, allowing police to focus on catching criminals, and enhancing overall safety and compassion in our streets. Similar programs in Denver, Colorado (STAR) and Eugene, Oregon (CAHOOTS) have shown that this approach saves money and improves public safety.

Setting New Standards in Law Enforcement

Aim for 100% Case Solve Rate: Low rates of responding to and solving crimes can demoralize the police department, decrease the probability of citizens taking up their valuable time bothering to report crimes, and embolden criminals to continue committing brazen crimes with impunity. That’s why our police department must commit to tracking and consistently improving their solve rate for every crime that involves a victim, dedicating ourselves to justice for every San Franciscan affected by crime, and either rehabilitating the criminal or permanently isolating them from the rest of society.
Equip Officers for Success: We don’t want our police officers to use unnecessary deadly force on our citizens, so we have to give them the alternative tools they need to deal with dangerous situations. We must invest in ongoing, extensive training and support for our officers, including non-lethal self-defense techniques like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (shown to reduce injuries to officers by 25% and injuries to members of the public by 44% in a study from St Paul, Minnesota), de-escalation and conflict resolution tactics, and mental health support, ensuring they can perform their duties with professionalism and care.
Collaboration for Safety and Justice Based on Mutual Respect: I will proactively work with the Chief of Police, the Police Commission, local communities, the District Attorney, and the Board of Supervisors to ensure an ongoing dialogue and maximum transparency between the City and community members, in order to cultivate a relationship where community support for police and police respect for citizens go hand in hand, building trust and cooperation that reinforces our shared mission to maintain peace and justice in our city, and ensuring every individual feels safe, respected, and part of a united San Francisco.

Ending the Cycle of Crime Through Better Sentencing, Rehabilitation, and Opportunity

Innovative Sentencing for Non-Violent Crimes: Because the certainty of getting caught and being punished is much better at deterring crime than the severity of punishment, as we ramp up our efforts to arrest and prosecute people committing crimes, we should also take steps to ensure consequences are certain but reasonable and compassionate. I will work with the District Attorney’s office and the Sheriff’s Office to implement a plan that maximizes someone’s likelihood of reforming their ways after getting caught for certain low-level crimes. In particular, anyone caught shoplifting, breaking into cars, or using illegal drugs in public must serve a minimum of 1 week of jail time. If they can show proof of employment, they will be allowed to schedule the jail time around their work schedule (for example, 21 nights of 8 hours each in jail instead of 7 days straight). The point is not to ruin their life, but to have to face a real consequence. With each additional arrest and prosecution for the same crime, the jail time will be doubled, up to the statutory maximum for that crime. To prevent people’s pasts from haunting them for the rest of their lives, records of the arrests will only be used to determine sentences in cases.
Reform Jails: When someone enters the jail system, we have a golden opportunity to intervene in that person’s life and help them find a better path. That’s why we must transform our jails into centers for true rehabilitation, focusing on drug treatment, mental health support, education, and skill-building, to minimize the chances that someone will commit more crimes after they are released.
Jobs Program for At-Risk Youth: Inspired by the success of Old Skool Cafe, a restaurant run by at-risk, formerly incarcerated and foster care youth ages 16-22, which has improved high school graduation and re-enrollment rates, facilitated first-generation college attendance, and cut recidivism in half among participants, we’ll create employment opportunities for young people, providing them with the skills, confidence, and support needed to thrive on a life path that doesn’t involve crime.

Empower Small Businesses

In the heart of San Francisco, a city known for its iconic landmarks, cultural diversity, and vibrant communities, small businesses serve as the backbone of our local economy and the soul of our neighborhoods. Yet, navigating the labyrinth of regulatory hurdles, bureaucratic delays, and financial burdens can be a daunting challenge for aspiring entrepreneurs. It's time for a change. My mayoral campaign is committed to transforming San Francisco into a city where small businesses are not just surviving but thriving, fostering innovation, community service, and economic growth.

Cutting Red Tape and Fees: I will scrutinize and slash the maze of zoning restrictions, taxes, and fees that currently burden small businesses. My goal is to liberate entrepreneurs from undue financial and regulatory pressures, enabling them to focus on what they do best: innovating, serving our communities, and growing their businesses.
Addressing Urban Challenges: I am keenly aware that the vitality of our small businesses is intertwined with the health and safety of our city. We will tackle the issues that deter foot traffic and create unease in our neighborhoods—be it illegal drug use on our streets or concerns about safety. My comprehensive approach will address these issues head-on, transforming San Francisco into a city where businesses and families flourish side by side.
Creating a Small Business-Friendly Environment: Beyond the bureaucracy, I will nurture an ecosystem that supports small businesses. This includes championing the establishment of the Public Bank of San Francisco to provide affordable loans, incentivizing the use of vacant commercial spaces, and creating a marketing plan to aggressively promote the importance of shopping local to keep our economy vibrant and diverse.
An End to Endlessly Vacant Spaces: The recently enacted Commercial Vacancy Tax is too low. I'll support doubling it to make a strong statement: it's unacceptable to let speculation take priority over the city's vibrancy and community well-being. At the same time, the city will work with property owners to lease empty storefronts and keep commercial property rental rates affordable, turning vacant buildings into thriving businesses that add value to our neighborhoods.
Accelerating Business Formation: Imagine a San Francisco where opening a small business is only limited by your ability to dream, the quality of your idea, the level of your dedication, and your ability to execute, rather than having the long and unpredictable permitting process. I will automate business application approvals, guaranteeing a response within 7 days, complete with clear guidance on any issues and how to resolve them. Additionally, all inspections required by any city departments will prioritize new businesses to help them get up and running as quickly as possible. This fast-tracked process will remove the uncertainty and barriers that too often stifle the entrepreneurial spirit and kill projects before they have a chance to get off the ground. Finally, I will encourage and facilitate a peer mentorship program that connects new business owners with more established entrepreneurs, to further cultivate a supportive and positive culture among the network of small businesses within the city, resulting in a more vibrant experience for every resident.
Unburden Local Businesses from Employees’ Benefits: Employees should absolutely be supported with things like health insurance, parental leave, sick leave, and retirement income, but these benefits should never have been tied to employment and they certainly shouldn’t be paid for by employers. Instead, these should all be universal benefits provided by public programs. In fact, with a sufficiently high UBI, many of these benefits are no longer even needed because people would have enough money to take time off from work for any reason. It’s already hard enough to keep a business afloat, let’s not make it even harder by asking our local businesses to foot the bill for an expense that the public sector should be responsible for. As Mayor, I will advocate for public programs at the city, state, and federal level that will replace employer-provided benefits, thereby allowing us to reduce or eliminate all of these unfair burdens we currently place on local businesses.

Reform City Government

In a city as large, dynamic, and diverse as San Francisco, the efficiency, transparency, and integrity of city government are paramount. Our citizens deserve a government that is responsive, innovative, and free from the constraints of outdated practices and political influence. My vision for reforming city government aims to rebuild trust, foster innovation, and create a model of governance that meets the needs and expectations of all San Franciscans.

Innovative Leadership Structure: I support recent efforts to introduce the role of Deputy Mayors, each responsible for overseeing the city’s response to critical issues. I will leverage this strategy to enhance cross-departmental communication, foster integrated solutions, and ensure accountability at every level of city government, streamlining our path towards tangible, city-wide progress.
Empower Independent Oversight: I will ensure the City Auditor operates independently from the City Controller’s office, enabling proactive investigations and addressing of issues without the shadow of political influence.
Eliminate Opportunities for Corruption: By fully digitizing city department operations, I will close the door on "pay-to-play" practices, ensuring a transparent and fair process for all San Franciscans.
Embrace Modern Technology: Utilizing the latest in technology, including Artificial Intelligence for auditing, I will maintain real-time transparency on city expenses and operations, setting a new standard for accountability.
Reform the Contractor Bidding System: Requiring that all outside work paid for by the city is heavily weighted towards going to the contractor with the lowest bid sounds good, until you realize this system encourages contractors to play a game of chicken with offering a bid that undercuts others, even if they know they can’t actually deliver a quality product on time at the cost they’ve quoted. To avoid cost overruns, delays, and outright failures to deliver a finished project, I will take the Civil Grand Jury’s report seriously and overhaul the bidding process, ensuring that contracts are awarded based on value, performance, and reliability, rather than fixating on the lowest initial bid.
Introduce Vertical Integration to Government: Vertical integration sounds like something that only companies can or should do, but governments can also benefit from the cost savings, quality control, and control over timelines that vertical integration provides. Anything that the city needs to do on a regular and ongoing basis should be a candidate for integrating into the city’s own internal organization, rather than introducing an inefficient middleman into the mix that represents another opportunity for pay-to-play to creep into our city’s politics. If elected, I would push to expand the capacity of the city government, wherever it makes sense, to carry out tasks that are currently done by third-party contractors.
Continual Legal and Process Review: By regularly reviewing the relevance and effectiveness of laws, regulations, and processes with the City Attorney’s Office and seeking input from the Board of Supervisors, City Auditor, Department heads, and the community, we'll discard what's obsolete and improve what's inadequate, keeping our city government relevant and responsive.
Enhance Performance Tracking: With fully updated city dashboards, I'll not only communicate transparently with the public but also internally focus our government’s efforts on meeting and exceeding performance goals.
Streamline the Hiring Process: I will reduce the city’s hiring timeline to 60 days with the help of our union representatives. By also simplifying and reducing minimum job requirements we will attract top talent, including those from the private sector, who are passionate about contributing to our city's future.
Upgrade Our Elections: Make voting more user-friendly and secure by upgrading the current Ranked Choice Voting process to STAR Voting, Ranked Robin, or Approval Voting, which would provide same-day election results, prevent common voter errors, and reduce wasted votes.
Elect At-Large Supervisors: We currently have 11 districts that each elect a single Supervisor with Ranked Choice Voting. While district-based Supervisors provide local and visible representation, they also sometimes put the needs of their district over the needs of the city. I propose a hybrid system where we expand the Board of Supervisors to 17 members (historically, there was a maximum of 18 members from 1900 to 1931), with the 6 new Supervisors elected at the same time in a citywide election via a Proportional Representation method. STAR-PR or Sequential Proportional Approval both use simple ballot designs and would produce a set of winners who simultaneously represent the entire city and reflect the full diversity of opinions and backgrounds.
Citizens’ Assemblies: Convene citizen assemblies with diverse representation to tackle specific issues.
Solutions Lab: Create a "Solutions Lab" within the Mayor's office, bringing together experts from various fields to develop innovative policies.

Revitalize Downtown

Downtown San Francisco, with its iconic skyline, bustling streets, and rich history, stands as the heart of our city. Yet, as we navigate the post-pandemic world, the need to rejuvenate and reimagine this central district has never been more critical. My policy proposal for revitalizing downtown San Francisco is driven by a vision to transform the area into a hub of innovation, culture, and community that caters to the needs of both residents and visitors. This initiative is not just about economic recovery; it's about setting the groundwork for a diverse, sustainable, and vibrant downtown that reflects the spirit of our city.

Incentivize Diverse Industries: Streamline city processes and eliminate unnecessary regulations to attract a mix of technology, green energy, healthcare, and creative industries downtown, diversifying our economic base and reducing office vacancy rates.
Redefine Market Street: Implement a phased plan to transform Market Street into a vibrant pedestrian promenade, featuring green spaces, public art, and mixed-use, communal “third places,” enhancing its appeal to residents and tourists alike.
Build a Citywide Underground Transportation Network: By partnering with The Boring Company, we can finally build the underground citywide transportation network that the Board of Supervisors promised us in 2015. This network would connect the entire city to downtown, facilitating easy and sustainable access and reducing reliance on personal vehicles within the city center.

Public Bank of San Francisco: Investing in Our Future

Homelessness

San Francisco has the opportunity to take control of its financial future and invest in our communities by establishing the Public Bank of San Francisco. This bank, owned and operated by the city, would prioritize the needs of San Franciscans, offering a range of financial services while reinvesting profits back into our local economy. Public banks can empower communities by integrating public financing to offer tailored financial support to small businesses and individuals in need, enhancing stability and access to services, while traditional banks complement this by serving broader markets with a wide range of financial services; together, they can collectively elevate neighborhoods and improve the standard of living for the entire community. The movement for a Public Bank has already gained significant momentum, with the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passing a resolution in support in September, 2023 and feasibility studies underway. Models like the Bank of North Dakota demonstrate the success of public banking, fostering economic growth, supporting small businesses, and funding essential public projects. This fiscally responsible and socially conscious approach has garnered support across the political spectrum, from Senator Bernie Sanders to The American Conservative. As Mayor, I will champion the necessary steps to bring the Public Bank to fruition.

Benefits of a Public Bank:

Local Investment: The Public Bank of San Francisco would prioritize local needs over profits, channeling funds into affordable housing projects, infrastructure development, small business loans, and green initiatives.
Increased Transparency & Accountability: A Public Bank would be subject to public scrutiny and oversight, ensuring transparency and accountability in financial dealings, unlike the often opaque practices of private banks.
Support for Small Businesses: Public banks can provide much-needed capital to small businesses, fostering entrepreneurship and job creation. North Dakota community banks averaged 49 percent more lending for small businesses over the last decade than those in South Dakota and 434 percent more than the national average.
Funding for Public Projects: A Public Bank can provide low-cost financing for essential public projects like schools, parks, and transportation infrastructure, without relying on private bonds and their associated high interest rates.
Economic Growth: The Bank of North Dakota, the only state-owned bank in the U.S., has contributed significantly to North Dakota's economic resilience, with its $3.9 billion loan portfolio that is distributed in partnership with a myriad of locally-owned small and medium-sized banks and credit unions, which account for over 80% of all deposits in the state. It’s perhaps no coincidence then, that North Dakota boasts the lowest unemployment rate in the country (1.9% vs. national average of 3.9%) and had the highest real GDP growth rate in 2023 (5.9% vs. national average of 2.5%).
Reduced Costs: By eliminating the profit motive of private banks, a Public Bank can offer lower interest rates on loans and reduce fees for essential services, saving taxpayers money. The California Public Banking Alliance estimates that a public bank could save a city like San Francisco millions of dollars annually, just by refinancing our debt. Any profit that the bank does make would be re-invested in the community by going into the General Fund or being distributed as a Universal Basic Income.
Environmental Sustainability: Public banks can prioritize investments in renewable energy projects and other environmental initiatives. The German public bank KfW is a global leader in financing renewable energy projects. Similarly, the Public Bank of San Francisco could help to fund loans for every building owner to install rooftop solar and batteries, simultaneously helping the City meet its longstanding goal of achieving 100% renewable energy, and helping each individual homeowner become more energy self-sufficient and resilient to PG&E’s power outages.

LVT

Land Value Tax:
Reimagining Property Taxes

Instead of tinkering with a broken property tax system, I propose a transformative shift to a Land Value Tax (LVT). This proven approach, successfully implemented in multiple cities in Pennsylvania and recently proposed for Detroit, promotes efficient land use, discourages speculation, and generates sustainable revenue. By taxing the value of land instead of buildings, we incentivize development, discourage unproductive land speculation, and ensure that landowners contribute their fair share to the community. This approach can help address issues like vacant lots in prime locations, as seen in Pennsylvania's experience with LVT, where it has contributed to revitalization and growth.

The idea for an LVT has been around for centuries, but it first gained a lot of popularity in the 19th Century when an economist, newspaper editor, and former San Francisco resident named Henry George proposed it in his 1879 book called Progress and Poverty, which sold more copies than every other English-language book except the Bible during the 1890s. Followers of the idea became known as Georgists and advocated for a Land Value Tax as the only tax that should exist, since land has nearly perfect supply inelasticity and therefore the tax introduces no deadweight loss

LVT has been supported by many prominent figures over the years, with advocates ranging from Winston Churchill, former Conservative Prime Minister of the UK, to Thomas Paine, a Founding Father and early advocate for a more equitable distribution of land ownership, demonstrating its enduring relevance and potential for broad-based consensus. Even former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown was an ardent supporter of LVT as a means of creating a fairer and more efficient tax system. It’s time we rejoin the fight to reform our inefficient property tax system into a sensible Land Value Tax.

Taxes the value of land, not the buildings on it: This incentivizes development and discourages land speculation, leading to more affordable housing and a more vibrant city. By shifting the tax burden away from buildings and improvements, LVT encourages investment in our neighborhoods and discourages the neglect of properties.
Reduces property taxes for most homeowners and businesses: Shifting the tax burden to landowners, making homeownership more attainable and supporting local businesses.
Discourages land speculation: Studies show that LVT can effectively reduce land speculation and encourage productive land use. This can help prevent the hoarding of vacant land and promote development in struggling neighborhoods.
Generates sustainable revenue for a UBI: LVT is a great way to fund a Universal Basic Income, since it adapts to increases or decreases in population, which result in increases or decreases in the value of the land. When used for this purpose, the Land Value Tax becomes a Land Value Dividend that allows everyone to benefit equally from the natural riches of the land.

Addressing Concerns:

Impact on existing landowners: A phased implementation and potential exemptions for small landowners, as seen in the LVT systems introduced in Pennsylvania, can mitigate any negative impacts.
Complexity: Implementing LVT requires careful planning and collaboration with stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition. Valuations of the land itself already happen under today’s property tax system, but some adjustments to those methods might be desirable.
Potential revenue fluctuations: LVT revenue can fluctuate with land values, but those fluctuations tend to correlate with population density. If the revenues are distributed as a dividend to every citizen, then there should be little change in the dividends on a per capita basis.
Doesn’t Prop 13 Make This Illegal?: California Proposition 13, which was approved by voters in 1978, placed restrictions on the assessment and taxation of real estate. It is not clear whether efforts to either supplement or replace the standard property tax with a Land Value Tax would be subject to the limitations set forth in Proposition 13. As Mayor, I would exhaust every option at my disposal to implement a Land Value Dividend, including, but not limited to: working with the City Attorney and legal experts throughout the state to explore the legality of implementing a Land Value Tax as a special fee that doesn’t fall under the purview of the limits stipulated in Proposition 13, working with the City Attorney and legal experts to explore the viability of challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 13, and/or mounting efforts to have voters directly approve it on the ballot. We must not allow whatever the law happens to say currently to limit our ability to implement a Land Value Dividend, which would allow every citizen to share equally in the prosperity that is derived from the land, which none of us created and which therefore none of us has any greater stake over than anyone else. When the law isn’t working for us, we must change the law.

Eliminate Traffic Fatalities and Severe Injuries

San Francisco faces a critical challenge in ensuring the safety of everyone who travels. With the ambitious goal of Vision Zero—to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries on our streets—we are called to action. My policy outlines a comprehensive strategy to not only meet but exceed this target, safeguarding the wellbeing of our citizens through innovation, collaboration, and steadfast commitment.

Address Low Hanging Fruit Immediately: A recent SF Chronicle article highlighted the 10 most dangerous intersections in the city, which account for a disproportionate number of traffic collisions causing injuries. Another article from two years ago highlighted that only 58% of intersections in the city have crosswalks and their distributions vary widely. My administration will fix the 10 most dangerous intersections in the city within the first year and have all crosswalks painted within the first 120 days, with priority given to crosswalks with the highest pedestrian traffic.
Enhancing Infrastructure for Safety: I will accelerate the redesign of dangerous intersections and corridors, prioritizing pedestrian and cyclist safety. This includes expanding protected bike lanes, improving crosswalk visibility, and implementing traffic calming measures such as roundabouts, speed bumps, and narrowed lanes in high-risk areas.
Leveraging Technology for Smarter Streets: My administration will invest in smart traffic management systems that use real-time data and Artificial Intelligence technology to control traffic signals, reducing congestion and preemptively addressing potential collision points. Automated speed enforcement cameras will be strategically placed in high-risk areas to deter speeding, one of the leading causes of traffic fatalities.
Community Engagement and Education: I will launch comprehensive education campaigns aimed at drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists, focusing on the critical importance of safe behaviors on our streets. Community feedback will be integral, ensuring our Vision Zero initiatives are informed by the people they aim to protect.
Improving Public Transit: By offering reliable, affordable, efficient, and safe public transportation options, we can reduce the reliance on personal vehicles, thereby decreasing traffic volume and the potential for accidents. Investments in our public transit infrastructure will be a cornerstone of my strategy. Taking public transit consistently should be cheaper than owning and operating a car, even a cheap old car.
Robust Enforcement of Traffic Laws: My administration will work closely with law enforcement to ensure strict enforcement of traffic laws, with a particular focus on dangerous behaviors such as drunk/high driving, speeding, tailgating, running red lights or stop signs, and not using turn signals.
Supporting Legislation for Safer Streets: I will advocate for and support state and local legislation that promotes road safety, including laws that lower speed limits, ban right turns on red lights, require safer vehicle designs, and protect vulnerable road users.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Our actions will be guided by a rigorous analysis of traffic data to identify trends, assess the effectiveness of implemented measures, and adapt our strategies to meet our Vision Zero goals.
Fostering Partnerships: Achieving Vision Zero requires a collaborative effort. We will strengthen partnerships with community organizations, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders to harness collective expertise and resources in pursuit of our shared goal.

Excellence in Public Schools

Education holds the key to unlocking the potential of our city's next generation. As we stand on the brink of a new era in San Francisco, it is imperative that we reimagine our approach to education, ensuring it serves as a robust foundation for the flourishing future we envision. My own educational journey profoundly influences my perspective on this issue. The invaluable lessons learned and the opportunities afforded to me through my public school education have been instrumental in shaping my vision for our city. This personal experience fuels my commitment to ensuring that every child in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) receives the quality education they deserve.

Pay Teachers the Wage They Negotiated For: First and foremost in ensuring a quality education is ensuring that quality teachers are being paid the wages they negotiated for in their employment contract. First, the SFUSD wasted millions on a payroll system that couldn’t even give teachers their paychecks reliably. Now, SFUSD still hasn’t started paying teachers the raises that were approved in December 2023. How can we expect struggling teachers to continue to put up with this kind of abuse, rather than choosing a career in an easier field that pays them more?
More Affordable Housing for Teachers: Attracting and keeping qualified teachers is a key factor in providing a high quality education to every student. One way to help with this is to ensure housing within the city is affordable on a teacher’s salary, so teachers can live closer to where they work. My proposals to reduce barriers to more private development of housing and to build large amounts of Universal Social Housing will directly address this need.
Reform the Lottery System: The lottery system adds an unfair burden on some families and students who have to travel longer distances, adding time, expense, and stress to the already difficult process of getting a good education. The lottery system should be reformed so that the selection process is more transparent, the final school assignments are announced more quickly, and all children can have the opportunity to attend schools within a reasonable distance from their homes, giving families more predictability and reducing the time/money it takes to get to/from school which currently represents a huge burden for some families. At the same time, we must do everything we can to ensure that every neighborhood is a welcoming and accessible environment for families from diverse backgrounds and that schools in every neighborhood are centers of excellence that offer every student an opportunity to thrive, so that families living nearby will be happy to have their children attend.
Reduce the Number of Managers, Not the Number of Schools: When considering how to address the budget shortfalls in the school district, I think we should listen to the experts and follow the recommendations in a report from the United Educators of San Francisco. Rather than closing school locations, further putting a strain on families who already are struggling to get assigned to good schools within their neighborhoods, we should be cutting out the bloated ranks of upper management that have grown by 139 positions since 2010, even as the number of students in the district has dropped.
Leadership That Makes a Difference: Exploring ways to enhance School Board leadership is crucial. Whether through reverting back to a system of appointing commissioners rather than electing them, to ensure aligned vision and accountability, or by providing adequate monetary compensation for these critical and difficult roles, our goal should be to ensure both effective governance and oversight.
Opportunities For All Students to Excel: When I was in public elementary school in Los Angeles, I benefited from a program that provided special instruction for so-called “gifted” students who showed early promise. In my public middle school and high school, I took the most challenging courses that I could fit into my schedule, including half a dozen Advanced Placement (AP) courses. I took Algebra in 6th Grade, Geometry in 7th Grade, Trigonometry in 8th Grade, and AP Calculus and AP Statistics in high school. I was extremely lucky to be given these opportunities to excel, and I know for a fact that this played a significant role in my successes later in life. That is why I am saddened and angered that many students in our city’s public schools don’t have similar opportunities to excel. For example, the decision to delay all students from taking Algebra until high school was wrong-headed and extremely harmful. While it is important to ensure that we are not perpetuating race and class disparities in our education system, we must also ensure that all children are given a high quality education that prepares them to be self-sufficient, self-actualized adults. Holding back high-performers is not the right way to close the performance gaps. Instead, we should raise up all students.
An Emphasis on Critical Thinking, Logic, Ethics, Civics, and History in the Classroom: A strong city needs each new generation to step up and become leaders. Great leaders in the modern world need a solid foundation in critical thinking and logic, a sense of duty to serve their community ethically, a knowledge of civics, and a deep understanding of the historical context that explains the problems of the present and points to the type of future we want to build. That’s why I want our schools to emphasize these topics at all age levels.