November 2024: Vote for EJ Jones (#1) and Michael Lai (#2) for District 11

The San Francisco League of Conservation Voters endorses EJ Jones for District 11 supervisor, and we recommend a #2 vote for Michael Lai. We appreciated Jones’ alignment with our priority issues, and we were impressed by his demonstration of leadership, bringing opposing views together to come to consensus. While Lai usually aligned with our views, he seemed to be more cautious, reflecting existing views and concerns in his district rather than advocating for a path forward.

Jones sees housing as an environmental and climate issue. As the former Housing Development Director for Bernal Housing Corporation, he has a deep understanding of housing policy. He supports all types of housing development, especially workforce housing. He supports upzoning along transit corridors and sees mixed use as a good opportunity to improve vibrancy, bolster ridership in the transit system, and bring diversity of residents to the neighborhood. 

Jones supports a variety of measures to address the transit funding gap. In his view, more frequent and reliable service will encourage D11 residents to choose transit, and extending the red bus lanes down Mission Street will help D11 see the same benefits D9 residents have experienced. He understands the unique transit needs of D11, a hilly neighborhood where seniors often have a hard time getting safely to a transit stop.

He is a proponent of protected bike lanes and traffic calming measures to make cycling safer. While residents often initially oppose such projects, his experience shows that involving the community from the beginning, identifying common goals, and finding solutions can help all stakeholders come to agreement.

Along with housing and bike infrastructure, Jones sees opportunities to protect and expand parks and greenspace. D11 has great parks that don’t get the love and attention they deserve.

#2 Michael Lai

Lai is a daily Muni rider, and like Jones, suports a variety of measures to close the transit funding gap. He also identifies frequent, reliable service and safe streets as priorities for District 11. He also favors upzoning along transit corridors and finding ways to rezone the large number of single-family lots to incorporate more duplexes and four-plexes. He recognizes that greater density will bring vibrancy to the neighborhood and more traffic to the district’s struggling businesses. 

However, his support for better transit is somewhat blunted by the concerns of these businesses. For example, he doesn’t recognize that extending the red bus lane on Mission Street will increase frequency and reliability while decreasing speeding, as it has in District 9. Instead he reflects their concerns that such a change will harm them. (He likewise prioritizes business concerns when it comes to turning the Great Highway into Ocean Beach Park, and requiring reusable utensils for on-site dining).