Scott Wiener
- Office: State Senate, District 11
- Election Date: March 5, 2024
- Candidate: Wiener, Scott
- Due Date: December 23, 2023
- Printable Version
Thank you for seeking GrowSF's endorsement for the March 5, 2024 Primary Election! GrowSF believes in a growing, beautiful, vibrant, healthy, safe, and prosperous city via common sense solutions and effective government.
The GrowSF endorsement committee will review all completed questionnaires and seek consensus on which candidates best align with our vision for San Francisco and have the expertise to enact meaningful policy changes.
We ask that you please complete this questionnaire by December 23, 2023 so we have enough time to adequately review and discuss your answers.
Table of Contents
Vision
GrowSF believes in a growing, beautiful, vibrant, healthy, safe, and prosperous San Francisco. We work to propose and pass laws that align incentives of private businesses and individuals to promote shared prosperity for every San Franciscan.
As a candidate for federal office, your day-to-day responsibilities in office will affect not just San Francisco, but California and the United States as a whole. As a representative of the people of California and of San Francisco, the policies you bring to Washington should reflect the best of what we have to offer.
This section of our questionnaire seeks to help us gain an understanding of your alignment with our vision for San Francisco. Note that some of the questions may be outside the scope of the office you're running for.
Short-form questions
Please mark the box that best aligns with your position. You may explain any position if you so desire, but this section is designed to be a quick overview of your governing philosophy and view of the problems of the city, state, and/or country.
If you are not familiar with San Francisco in particular, feel free to skip the questions about it. But please do answer the questions about state and federal policy.
Small Business
| Should San Francisco... | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Reduce the time to obtain all permits to open a new business to no more than 3 months | x | |
| Reduce the cost of obtaining permits to open a new business | x | |
| Reduce the number of activities which must obtain permits, and expand the number of by-right activities | x | |
| Increase the number of available ABC permits | x | |
| Increase the number of available recreational marijuana permits | x |
If you want to explain any positions above, please feel free:
For permits to open new businesses, there may be complex situations for large businesses — e.g., opening a new business park — where it could take more than 3 months. But, in general, it should not take more than 3 months for a business to receive a permit.
| Should the state or federal government have more say, the same say, less say, or the same amount but of a different variety on... | More say | Same amount | Less say | Same, but different |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small business creation | x | |||
| Rules & permitting fees enacted by cities and states | x | |||
| Corporate tax policy | x | |||
| Tax incentives for high tech, green tech, or other desirable industries | x |
If you want to explain any positions above, please feel free:
I don't fully understand what you mean by this question but have answered to the best of my ability. Federal, state, and local governments all play significant roles in these areas, and they should all continue to do so.
Housing
| Yes | No | |
|---|---|---|
| Is it too difficult to build market rate housing in San Francisco? | x | |
| Is it too difficult to build subsidized housing in San Francisco? | x | |
| Should San Francisco make it easier, faster, and/or cheaper to build market rate housing? | x | |
| Should San Francisco make it easier, faster, and/or cheaper to build subsidized housing? | x | |
| Should San Francisco loosen the existing limits on height, density, and bulk for residential buildings? (ie taller, denser, and fewer/reduced setbacks) | x | |
| Should San Francisco abolish the existing limits on height, density, and bulk for residential buildings? | x |
If you want to explain any positions above, please feel free:
Per my legislative work over many years, I support increasing height and density limits and have authored legislation to do so. Removing strict density limits makes sense in many scenarios. Setting increased height limits is better policy than eliminating all height limits.
| Should the state or federal government have more say, the same say, less say, or the same amount but of a different variety on... | More say | Same amount | Less say | Same, but different |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoning | x | |||
| Taxes and fees on homebuilders | x | |||
| Oversight of cities' housing policies | x | |||
| Building subsidized Affordable housing | x | |||
| Building market-rate housing | x | |||
| Building homeless shelters | x |
If you want to explain any positions above, please feel free:
Local communities should continue to play a significant role in planning, but extreme local control has led to our massive housing shortage. As a result, it's important for the state to step in with clear standards, which we have done, and for local communities to follow those standards. Housing is an issue of statewide impact — in terms of our economy, climate action, and so forth — and we need to treat it as such.
Public Safety
| Should San Francisco... | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Have a fully-staffed police force? (That means hiring about 800 officers) | x | |
| Change the cite-and-release policy so officers can arrest suspects of misdemeanors like shoplifting and car break-ins? | x | |
| Shut down its open-air drug markets by arresting and prosecuting both the street dealers and bosses? | x | |
| Shut down fencing operations by arresting and prosecuting both the vendors and the theft rings? | x |
If you want to explain any positions above, please feel free:
The question about "fencing operations" is quite broad. I'm interpreting "fencing operations" as operations with stolen goods — e.g., someone selling products on the street that were clearly stolen from a store. I'm not referring to unpermitted vending in other contexts, e.g., people preparing food and selling it on the street. I do not support arresting people who cook food and sell it on the street.
| Should the state or federal government have more say, the same say, less say, or the same amount but of a different variety on... | More say | Same amount | Less say | Same, but different |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Criminal justice administration at the state or city level | x | |||
| Police funding | x | |||
| Rehabilitation of prisoners | x |
If you want to explain any positions above, please feel free:
Federal, state, and local governments all play significant roles in law enforcement. They should all continue to play those roles.
Education
| Should San Francisco... | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Allow more educational options, like charter schools, magnet schools, and others? | x | |
| Offer Algebra in 8th grade to students who want it? | x | |
| Offer Algebra in 7th grade to students who want it? | x | |
| Have magnet schools with entry requirements like Lowell and Ruth Asawa School for the Arts? | x | |
| Require schools to improve student performance and fire teachers who consistently underperform? |
If you want to explain any positions above, please feel free:
We need significantly more resources for our schools in general, more funding for school facilities, more funding to increase teacher salaries, more funding to help school districts stabilize the teacher pension system, and more funding to improve mental health resources for both students and teachers. Student success should always be the priority, and we need to ensure schools have the necessary resources to improve performance.
| Should the state or federal government have more say, the same say, less say, or the same amount but of a different variety on... | More say | Same amount | Less say | Same, but different |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standardized education curricula | x | |||
| Public School funding | x | |||
| Private Schools | x | |||
| Religious Schools | x | |||
| Staffing levels | x | |||
| Advanced, remedial, or special needs education | x |
If you want to explain any positions above, please feel free:
Charter schools and private schools have a role to play in our education system. Traditional public schools must always be the top priority for funding. We severely under-fund our public schools, and we need to rectify that deficiency.
Budget
| Do you think the state or federal governments spend too little, too much, or just enough on... | Too little | Just enough | Enough, but badly | Too much |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Police and public safety | x | |||
| Street cleanliness | x | |||
| Homeless services | x | |||
| Affordable housing | x | |||
| Parks | x | |||
| Roads | x | |||
| Bus, bike, train, and other public transit infrastructure | x | |||
| Schools | x | |||
| Medical facilities | x | |||
| Drug prevention and treatment | x | |||
| Arts | x |
If you want to explain any positions above, please feel free:
The state does not fund local law enforcement, which is what most people would think of when you say "police." I support a well-staffed local police department, but that's not what this question is referring to.
What are the top three issues facing San Francisco, California, or the Nation and what would you like to see change?
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Housing crisis: I chair the Senate Housing Committee and have authored a number of aggressive, nation-leading pro-housing laws. Our crushing housing shortage, at all income levels, is the root cause of the homelessness crisis, and I'm working hard to fill the state's need. We need to create more pathways out of homelessness for our unhoused communities, and I've authored a series of successful laws to expedite creation of new homes as well as new shelters and navigation centers. As a result of my legislative work, San Francisco alone has accelerated more than 3,000 new below market rate homes, including many new homes for formerly homeless people.
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Transit funding: I chair the Senate Select Committee on Bay Area Public Transportation, and I'm already working with stakeholders on a multi-year effort to modernize Bay Area public transportation and solve the Bay Area's long-term transit funding crisis. Public transit is essential to our region's future success.
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Mental health/drug addiction crisis: I chair the Senate Select Committee on Mental Health and Addiction. We must do more to address the behavioral health crisis on our streets and in society generally. It's way too hard for people to access treatment. I've authored several groundbreaking laws to force insurance companies to cover more forms of treatment. I've also authored or co-authored laws to expand access to conservatorships for our most severely debilitated residents. Expanding youth access to mental health treatment has been a particular policy focus for me.
Tell us one thing you think needs to change in San Francisco, California, or the Nation that the average voter wouldn't know about.
Ending the housing crisis requires building various kinds of housing that we haven't seen before in California, including market rate housing, subsidized affordable housing, student housing, and social housing. Social housing must be part of our housing solution. Article 34 of the California Constitution is a racist provision designed to make it impossible to build social housing. I authored and helped place a constitutional amendment on the 2024 ballot to repeal Article 34. This amendment will be brought to California voters in November.
Policy
Now that we know where you align and differ from our vision for San Francisco, we'd like to get some details about how you intend to use your elected office to achieve your goals.
Why are you running for State Senate, District 11?
For the past seven years, it's been a deep honor to represent the people of San Francisco and northern San Mateo County in the State Senate. I've lived, worked, and devoted myself to this community for more than 26 years, as a community organizer, Democratic Party leader, Supervisor, and State Senator. Serving my community is my life's work, and representing my community has been the honor of my life. I work extremely hard for our community, having passed 75 bills into law since taking office in 2016.
I focus on the issues of greatest significance in the district, including increasing the availability and affordability of housing; creating pathways to exit homelessness; expanding access to mental health and addiction treatment; increasing legal protections for LGBTQ people, immigrants, and other marginalized communities; reforming our broken criminal justice system and improving public safety; reducing poverty; and attacking climate change through expanded clean energy, reduced fossil fuel use, corporate accountability, and changing our land use and transportation patterns so that people can drive less.
I look forward to continuing this important work.
What is your #1 policy goal?
Increase housing abundance and affordability across California. We are still millions of homes short of pulling our state out of the housing crisis we face, and we must do all we can to build more housing at all income levels, including robust public investment in affordable and social housing.
How will you build the coalition and political capital to enact your #1 goal?
Throughout my time in office, I've partnered with broad pro-housing coalitions on groundbreaking housing legislation. From labor unions to students to YIMBYs to faith communities, laws I've authored have brought together impactful coalitions. Together, we have been able to boldly push the state in the right direction to begin chipping away at the housing crisis. I plan to continue developing such partnerships for future bills.
Will the power of the office of State Senate, District 11 be enough to achieve this goal?
Yes and no. One State Senator can make significant change, which I've done. But no one does it alone, and I'll always work in broad coalition to move the ball forward.
What are your #2 and #3 policy goals?
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Ensure the long-term viability of our transit systems. BART, Muni, and other systems are facing an imminent fiscal cliff that would require massive service cuts that would primarily impact low-income commuters. While we were successful in advocating for additional funding in this year's State budget, we still have a significant gap to make up. I'm convening a working group in the coming months to find solutions to this critical issue.
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Expand access to mental health and addiction treatment.
Will the power of the office of State Senate, District 11 be enough to achieve these goals?
Yes and no. One State Senator can make significant change, which I've done. But no one does it alone, and I'll always work in broad coalition to move the ball forward.
What is an existing policy you would like to reform?
CEQA. CEQA is a very important law that plays a critical role in California. Unfortunately, however, people sometimes obstruct climate-friendly projects by abusing the CEQA process. We need to preserve CEQA where it achieves positive results while reforming it where it is used to undermine climate goals. I have authored several bills creating exemptions for environmentally sustainable projects like infill housing, public transit improvements, and student housing.
What is an "out there" change that you would make to state/local government policy, if you could? (For example: changing how elections work, creating a Bay Area regional government, etc.)
We've been able to make significant progress on an "out there" concept — the basic notion that we should build enough homes for everyone who needs them and that we should hold cities accountable to facilitate the creation of those homes.
Personal
Tell us a bit about yourself!
How long have you lived in California? What brought you here and what keeps you here?
I arrived in San Francisco in 1997 for the same reason generations of LGBTQ people have come here: to find my community. Growing up as a gay, Jewish kid in New Jersey in the 1970s and 80s, I experienced pretty serious anti-Semitism and homophobia. Overcoming marginalization and bigotry are deeply personal for me, and I know that our communities rise and fall on whether we stand united or let the powers that be divide us.
For the past 27 years, I've lived in San Francisco and dedicated myself to this community. Long before anyone knew who I was, I was spending my nights and weekends dedicating myself to our community's health and well-being. My public service is about the broad issues that will determine our future but also about my deep love for San Francisco.
What do you love most about California and/or your hometown?
I love how California, specifically San Francisco, is a place where everyone can be accepted. You can be who you are and live the life you want here without fear of judgment. This live-and-let-live spirit has been a part of San Francisco for a long time, and it's made the city a haven for people who may not fit in elsewhere. Whether it's a gay man like me who comes to this city to find community, an immigrant from Latin America or Asia who comes here to make a life for their family, or a young tech worker who comes here to develop the next revolutionary technology, they choose San Francisco because of what it represents.
I also love our world-class transit systems, especially MUNI and BART. I'm a daily rider!
What do you dislike the most about California and/or your hometown?
I am concerned by the fact that stable housing has become an out-of-reach idea for many Californians. Our state can't thrive if people can't build a life here. We should be making it easier for people to put down permanent roots in the state, but the housing shortage built up over the last 50+ years, combined with current market conditions and rising costs of construction, have forced many people to be renters or move out of California.
California also faces massive climate-related challenges, especially around wildfires, drought, and sea-level rise. We need to do much more to combat these devastating problems.
Tell us about your current involvement in the community (e.g., volunteer groups, neighborhood associations, civic and professional organizations, etc.)
Before taking office, I held leadership roles in a number of community organizations, ranging from a national civil rights organization to my neighborhood association. As an elected official, I engage with a huge number of community organizations and nonprofits on a regular basis.
- San Francisco LGBT Community Center, Board of Directors (1998-2004)
- Human Rights Campaign, National Board of Directors (2004-2011)
- Castro Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association, Board and President (2008-2011)
- Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF), Co-Chair (1998-2002)
- Castro Community on Patrol (2006-2011)
- Municipal Attorneys Association (labor union), Member (2002-2011)
Thank you
Thank you for giving us your time and answering our questionnaire. We look forward to reading your answers and considering your candidacy!
If you see any errors on this page, please let us know at contact@growsf.org.