Wiener, Chakrabarti, Chan Split on Housing

Published May 28, 2026

https://growsf.org/news/2026-05-28-candidates-split-on-housing

The Facts

When asked if SF needs more market-rate homes (which is what about 90% of SF residents live in), only Scott Wiener gave an emphatic "yes."

Wiener says the private market "has built the vast majority of new housing" in the US, and supports government subsidized housing as an additional tool to help lower income people afford to live in high-opportunity areas. Saikat Chakrabarti says market-rate housing is just "part of" the solution, but favors huge government programs. While Connie Chan argued San Francisco does not need more market-rate housing (forgetting to mention that she lives in market-rate housing like almost all of us), and SF should only build government subsidized low income housing.

Wiener’s campaign platform promises 8 million homes over ten years, while Chakrabarti’s housing plan calls for millions of new homes, faster approvals, and much larger public-housing investment.

The Context

Connie Chan voted against Mayor Lurie's Family Zoning Plan last December, and has consistently blocked construction of new homes.

Scott Wiener, on the other hand, has authored dozens of pieces of legislation to unlock new home construction, and qualifying developments in the city now get nearly automatic approval under Wiener's SB 423 bill, which sharply limits the old discretionary process for new housing.

The GrowSF Take

GrowSF’s view is simple: San Francisco cannot subsidize its way out of a shortage. It would require 100% of San Franciso's budget for five full years just to hit out 8-year construction goals. That means zero money for the airport, for roads, for schools, for libraries, for police, for healthcare, for literally anything but construction costs. Anyone who seriously pitches this as a solution is delusional, lying, or both.

The serious housing lane is one that recognizes the importance of market-rate homebuilding. Candidates who oppose market-rate supply are offering a scarcity strategy that San Francisco has already tried, and which has failed.

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Aly Bonde Is Lurie's New Chief of Staff

Published May 28, 2026

https://growsf.org/news/2026-05-28-lurie-promotes-aly-bonde

The Facts

Mayor Daniel Lurie named Aly Bonde his new chief of staff, replacing outgoing chief of staff Staci Slaughter. Bonde had been serving as deputy chief of staff and led policy for Lurie's campaign.

The Context

Bonde is a high agency policy wonk. She was the Lurie campaign's policy lead, a former government-relations director at Planned Parenthood Northern California, and a leader at Oakland Thrives who helped secure a $100 million public-private partnership for East Oakland.

The GrowSF Take

This is a promotion for a proven operator. Bonde has already proven herself in the Lurie administration, showing she can move ideas from campaign promise to City Hall execution. San Francisco needs more of that.

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Muni Funding Tax Qualifies For November

Published May 28, 2026

https://growsf.org/news/2026-05-28-muni-tax-qualifies

The Facts

About $160 million a year for Muni is headed to San Francisco voters after the Stronger Muni for All campaign submitted 18,469 signatures for the November ballot. Under a 15-year parcel tax with size-based rates, most single-family homes would pay $129 a year starting July 1, 2027; apartment buildings would start at $249 and commercial properties at $799. In rent-controlled units, landlords could pass through up to half the tax, capped at $65 per year, or about $5.42 a month.

The Context

SFMTA has spent the past year cutting its projected deficit through hiring freezes, function consolidation, management cuts, and modest service adjustments. Its balanced two-year budget preserved core Muni service, paratransit, and discount fares. Without new revenue, however, SFMTA says up to 20 Muni lines could be cut and waits on many other routes could double.

The GrowSF Take

We support this measure. SFMTA has made real cuts and operational changes, and San Francisco cannot have a strong downtown, less traffic, and reliable transit without paying for transit. Voters should fund Muni and keep demanding fast, clean, accountable service.

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Mahmood Targets Hidden Rental Fees

Published May 28, 2026

https://growsf.org/news/2026-05-28-mahmood-targets-hidden-rent

The Facts

Renting an apartment shouldn't come with surprise fees. Supervisor Bilal Mahmood will make sure renters know what they'll owe and not get hit with hidden fees with his No Hidden Rent Act, which will require rental listings and the first page of leases to show total monthly housing costs, with tenants allowed to exit without penalty if recurring charges were not disclosed.

The Context

In San Francisco, the advertised rent is not always the full monthly bill. Landlords can separately charge for parking or storage and other add-on services if the tenant agrees, so two apartments listed at the same base rent can end up costing very different amounts each month. In a city where one-bedroom asking rent just topped $4,000, that kind of price opacity matters. Other states are starting to respond too: Colorado's 2025 law requires clearer total-price disclosure and bans some landlord fees.

The GrowSF Take

We're big fans of fee transparency - from rent to restaurant bills, people should know the real price before they commit.

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