Allen Jones
- Office: Board of Supervisors, District 5
- Election Date: November 5, 2024
- Candidate: Allen Jones
- Due Date: February 28, 2024
- Printable Version
Thank you for seeking GrowSF's endorsement for the November 5, 2024 election! GrowSF believes in a growing, beautiful, vibrant, healthy, safe, and prosperous city via common sense solutions and effective government. Our work includes running public opinion polls to understand what voters want, advocating for those changes, and ensuring that the SF government represents the people.
The GrowSF endorsement committee will review all completed questionnaires and seek consensus on which candidates best align with our vision for San Francisco.
Please complete this questionnaire by February 28, 2024 so we have enough time to adequately review and discuss your answers.
Your Goals
We'd like to get some details about your high-level goals and how you intend to use your elected office to achieve them.
Why are you running for Board of Supervisors, District 5?
Answer: Fed up with political grandstanding.
What is your #1 policy goal?
Answer: Restore world-class status by promoting new ideas that help and inspire.
How will you build the coalition and political capital to enact your #1 goal?
Answer: Build from the homeless up.
Will the power of the office of Board of Supervisors, District 5 be enough to achieve this goal?
Answer: Yes. (This is a silly question)
What are your #2 and #3 policy goals?
Answer: 2. Clear and clean streets. 3. Promote a new vision for San Francisco that is centered around what I believe is unheard of… (details later)
Will the power of the office of Board of Supervisors, District 5 be enough to achieve these goals?
Answer: Yes. Allow me to explain at the risk of sounding as a savior of sorts: It is my opinion that the San Francisco Board of Supervisors lacks leadership. I intend to lead by introducing new ideas/approaches that inspire the full board to follow, partly based on experience.
What is an existing policy you would like to reform?
Answer: Juvenile justice.
What is an "out there" change that you would make to state/local government policy, if you could? (For example: adding at-large supervisors, changing how elections work, creating a Bay Area regional government, etc.)
Answer: I would like to see the state of California empower citizens (those who vote and participate in jury service) to control a new clemency process.
Tell us one thing you think needs to change in SF that the average voter wouldn't know about.
Answer: Installation of public electric wheelchair charging stations throughout the city and in all 220+ parks.
The Issues
Next, we will cover the issues that voters tell us they care about. We hope to gain a better understanding of your policy positions, and we hope that you use this opportunity to communicate with voters.
Public Safety
What is the #1 public safety issue today?
Answer: The #1 public safety issue for residents of Pacific Heights is different than the #1 public safety issue for residents of the Tenderloin.
San Francisco currently has about 1,500 sworn police officers. Some have argued that the City should try to match the per-capita staffing levels that other large cities have. If we matched cities like New York or Paris, we would need to have about 3,400 sworn officers. What do you think of this idea? If you support it, how would the City fund recruitment at SFPD to achieve this staffing level? If you don't support it, what would you propose to do instead?
Answer: I do not support the need for "3,400 sworn officers." However, I do believe that a better relationship between police and the residents and businesses should double. Then add more police if needed, but I do not believe more police will be needed if there is a better relationship between law enforcement and citizens.
What solutions might exist to improve public safety that doesn't involve expanding the size of SFPD?
Answer: Accountability, transparent and honest relations between communities and SFPD. It is my personal opinion that SFPD is more arrogant than racist. But both need to be minimized.
What three things would you change about how SFPD operates?
Answer: 1. Weed out arrogant officers. 2. More female officers. 3. Ban the hiring of officers who transferred with questionable baggage from other police departments.
Do you support policies commonly referred to as "defund the police"? Why or why not?
Answer: No.
Please explain why you did or did not support the recall of DA Chesa Boudin. If you were ineligible to vote in that election, please explain how you would have voted.
Answer: I did not support the recall of DA Chesa Boudin, nor did I vote for him in the 2019 election that he won. I believe it was a knee-jerk decision. And dare I say, I will never support a recall election in the future. It solves little or nothing.
| Should San Francisco… | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Try to achieve "full staffing" for SFPD? (Defined as about 2,100 officers, according to the City) | X | |
| Change the cite-and-release policy so officers can arrest suspects of misdemeanors like shoplifting and car break-ins? | X | |
| Arrest and prosecute street-level fentanyl dealers? | X | |
| Prioritize diversion instead of incarceration for street-level fentanyl dealers? | X | |
| Investigate, arrest, and prosecute fentanyl distribution ringleaders (like organized crime and cartel members)? | X | |
| Arrest and prosecute street-level vendors of suspected stolen goods? | X | |
| Investigate, arrest, and prosecute the leaders of theft rings and fencing operations? | X | |
| Arrest and prosecute street food vendors operating without a permit? | X | |
| Fine street food vendors operating without a permit? | X |
If you want to explain any positions above, please feel free:
Though I do not believe more police is the answer, I am reasonable and if I see the need, I would support more. That said, I voted in support of Prop. E.
Drugs
In general, how should the City handle people who are abusing drugs on City sidewalks?
Answer: Get to know them before considering treating them all the same.
Do you support the creation of safe consumption sites in San Francisco? If so, please detail how they should be run. If not, please explain a viable alternative.
Answer: I do not support safe sites. I would employ care teams that work to gain the trust of drug users.
Some have argued that safe consumption sites (or sobering centers) are only viable if they are paired with implementing zero-tolerance for public consumption of illegal drugs like fentanyl and heroin. Do you agree or disagree with this view?
Answer: I disagree.
Should fentanyl dealing be penalized differently from dealing other drugs?
Answer: No.
Mental Health
Should San Francisco amend our current laws around mental health crisis intervention to better help people suffering on the streets? If yes, why and how? If not, why not?
Answer: I don't have an opinion.
What is the role of government in providing care for those who cannot care for themselves?
Answer: Provide any number of best practices.
Some have argued that San Francisco should place people who are experiencing mental health crises on the streets into involuntary mental health holds at psychiatric facilities. Do you agree or disagree with this view? Please explain why or why not.
Answer: For some, I agree, but this is not a one size fits solution of involuntary holds.
If you agree with this view, please outline some guardrails and oversight the City must provide to prevent abuse.
Answer: I will only describe a personal story that is too long for this questionnaire.
If you disagree with this view, please outline your preferred alternative solution as well as any drawbacks it might have and oversight it might need.
Answer: Same as above response.
Education
Should the Board of Education be reformed to bring more accountability and better performance to the Board, and boost public school performance? If so, how; if not, why not?
Answer: Yes. Demand education professionals take the lead.
Some parents prefer their children attend religious schools, others prefer magnet schools for specific skills (like the Ruth Asawa School for the Arts or Lowell), and others prefer charter schools with nontraditional curricula. Do you think all of these educational options should be available to students in San Francisco?
Answer: Yes.
Did you support the recall of Board of Education members Collins, López, and Moliga? Please explain why you did or did not support the recall of each member.
Answer: No, I did not support the recall, and I was furious with the idea to rename some SF schools. However, I do not have children and have not noticed a difference after they were recalled.
| Should San Francisco… | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Offer Algebra in 8th grade to students who want it? | X | |
| Offer Algebra in 7th grade to students who want it? | X | |
| Offer AP courses to high school students who want them? | X | |
| Require schools to improve student performance, and fire teachers who consistently underperform? | X |
If you want to explain any positions above, please feel free:
Small Business
What would you change about the process of new retail business formation in San Francisco?
Answer: Streamline the process.
Should all businesses be permitted by-right? If not, which business categories do you think should require special government approval?
Answer: Food, large businesses, and those who care for others. (there are more but my brain froze after these three)
Some in the Small Business community have argued that San Francisco should increase the number of available ABC permits (also known as a liquor license) to lower the cost of running a business and increase customer revenues from alcohol sales. Others have argued against increasing the number of permits because they don't want more competition, or have already paid a lot of money for their liquor license. What do you think the City should do?
Answer: The city should work with both sides of this issue to make the ABC permit process work for all.
Similarly, some in the legal cannabis retailer community have lobbied to reduce the number of available permits. Economists have argued that this reduces competition, raises prices for consumers, and raises profits for retailers. What do you think the City should do?
Answer: Make more permits available. If so, as many as there are liquor licenses.
| 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 | |
| Try to attract businesses of all sizes to the City? | X |
If you want to explain any positions above, please feel free:
Housing
Do you believe that San Francisco has a shortage of homes? Why or why not?
Answer: No. I believe San Francisco has a shortage of up-to-date homes.
Do you believe that housing prices are set by supply and demand constraints? Why or why not?
Answer: Yes. But I could be wrong.
San Francisco will almost, certainly fail its Housing Element certification, which will cause the State to take over local land use regulation. What should we do now?
Answer: Reduce (for a time) the many fees that come with building housing that have nothing to do with permits.
Should homeless shelters be exempt from CEQA, Discretionary Review, and Conditional Use permits?
Answer: Yes.
Should subsidized Affordable housing be exempt from CEQA, Discretionary Review, and Conditional Use permits?
Answer: For a period of time, yes.
Should market rate housing be exempt from CEQA, Discretionary Review, and Conditional Use permits?
Answer: No.
Should San Francisco retain, loosen, or even abolish the existing limits on height, density, and bulk for residential buildings? (ie taller, denser, and fewer/reduced setbacks)
Answer: No.
San Francisco Planning requires that new street-facing windows comply with City-imposed design requirements that both raise the price of windows while lowering their thermal and noise insulation. Should the City abolish these requirements?
Answer: No.
| In general, is it too hard, just right, or too easy to… | Too hard | Just right | Too easy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expand your home (adding new stories, rooms, decks, etc) | X | ||
| Renovate your home (update bathroom, kitchen, etc) | X | ||
| Demolish your home and redevelop it into multifamily housing | X | ||
| Redevelop things like parking lots and single-story commercial into multifamily housing | X | ||
| Build subsidized housing | X | ||
| Build market-rate housing | X | ||
| Build homeless shelters (including navigation centers and "tiny homes") | X |
If you want to explain any positions above, please feel free:
Transit Infrastructure
Should Muni be free for everyone? If so, what other programs would you take money from in order to fund this change, or what new tax would you propose to fund it?
Answer: No.
Some have argued that the cost of fare enforcement exceeds the benefit. Others have argued that not enforcing fare payment starves the Muni and BART systems of revenue, lowers quality of service, and makes the systems less safe. What is your position?
Answer: Enforcement does exceed benefit. But we should have a better design to reduce fare cheats.
Recent State funding requires Muni and BART to enforce fare payments in order to receive that funding; do you agree with this requirement?
Answer: Yes.
Should it be the policy of San Francisco to build a citywide protected bike lane network? Why or why not?
Answer: No. I wish I had a dollar for every inconsiderate bicyclist I encounter daily.
| Yes | No | |
|---|---|---|
| Do you support banning cars from central downtown areas and certain retail or residential corridors? | X | |
| Do you support congestion pricing? | X | |
| Should San Francisco prioritize buses over car traffic by creating more bus-only lanes and directing traffic enforcement officers to ticket drivers who ignore the restrictions? Answer: I will not answer this two-part question. | ||
| Should Uber, Lyft, Waymo, and other ride-share services be permitted to operate in San Francisco? | X | |
| Should San Francisco allow more bike share and scooter share companies? | ? | ? |
| Should San Francisco allow bike and scooter share companies to operate with fewer restrictions on the number of vehicles they offer for rent and in more places (including inside Golden Gate Park)? | X |
If you want to explain any positions above, please feel free:
Budget
San Francisco faces a large budget deficit due to declining tax revenues from our struggling downtown. What will your approach be to fix this?
Answer: I would not panic but keep the area so clean that businesses would want to be a part of downtown.
| Do you think San Francisco spends 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:
Personal
Tell us a bit about yourself!
How long have you lived in San Francisco? What brought you here, and what keeps you here?
Answer: I have lived in San Francisco since 1960. My father raised ten children as a single father after moving here from Denver, CO. I tell people that San Francisco taught me to respect others by how its residents have treated me.
What do you love most about San Francisco?
Answer: Everything but the politics.
What do you dislike the most about San Francisco?
Answer: Racist and tone-deaf/hypocritical politics. For instance, I'm a longtime (1960) Black resident and claim this city taught me to respect others based on how mostly White residents have treated me. However, I reject the San Francisco Board of Supervisors February 27, 2024 "Apology" for past "systemic racism." This apology seems hollow or tone-deaf at best. Apologizing at the same time, four White men are trying to oust our Black mayor, and two of these White male candidates for mayor have vowed to fire our Black police chief if elected. Apology for past racist acts? Really? This is no Black History Month gesture. It's an early April Fool's joke. And in my view, the author of the resolution who is the lone Black member of the Board has a questionable political motive. Mayor Breed is opposed to "Money reparations", which along with the apology, is a part of the 100 recommendations mentioned in our "African American Reparations Advisory Committee."
Tell us about your current involvement in the community (e.g., volunteer groups, neighborhood associations, civic and professional organizations, etc.)
Answer: Is this a trick question? Suffice to say; I lived in a pickup truck for ten years (2009 to 2019). While living in my vehicle, I never missed the opportunity to vote. I volunteered wherever I could. Wrote and self-published an autobiography. I wrote a ballot measure on my cell phone that received 98,000 yea votes in the June 2018 special election (Prop. I). For three years (2017 to 2020 pandemic), I produced a weekly public access TV program called The Angelic Troublemaker.
Before that, I am most proud of the ten years (1983 to 1993) when I was the Bible Study teacher in the maximum-security unit of the San Francisco juvenile hall. For two decades, I was a mechanical and electrical draftsman.
Currently, I am preparing for November 2024.
Website: D5campaign.com
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.