So yesterday, instead of hanging out on our fire escape or enjoying the outdoor seating of farm:table, we spent the good part of our afternoon listening to District 6 candidates ramble on about affordable housing at the main public library. During the past week we had seen signs around the neighborhood announcing the debate, some of them in English, others in Chinese and others in Spanish. Being a sucker for all things multilingual, I liked that.
However, the debate left much to be desired which was foreshadowed by SFMike of the Civic Center Blog wishing us luck after he snapped us a few shots at the beginning and then left. For starters, only 7 out the 14 registered candidates were invited to participate: (from left to right) Glendon “Anna Conda” Hyde, James Keys, Jane Kim, Jim Meko, Theresa Sparks and Debra Walker. Elaine Zamora was also invited but couldn’t come for personal reasons.
Apparently, inviting not all candidates but only the ones who raised more campaign money, more signatures or the organizers like better is a common thing in these kinds of forums. I understand that having a debate with 14 people could be hard to manage, but why deprive citizens of enjoying candidates debating nude? Or finally meet the man behind Pot Talk TV? At least Glendon Hyde could have made the effort to show up as Anna Conda… At least in this forum they allowed the candidates not invited to speak to be present in the room, unlike the the debate organized by the South of Market Business Association about a month ago. Maybe the SOMA guys were afraid excluded candidate Dean Clarke’s dog would bark at the speakers like he did this time when they were introduced? Smart dog, by the way.
Since the focus of the debate was on low-income housing, it was organized by a bunch of groups that advocate for it, and the folks in attendance seemed to be all recipients (or wannabe recipients) of it, the debate was rather repetitive and without much diversity of opinions. I mean, saying anything against low-income housing in the Tenderloin would be like admitting to the fact that there is sometimes fog in San Francisco. We all know the truth (in that more low-income housing won’t fix a single problem) but no one wants to be that guy/girl/transsexual who actually comes out and says it.
Quotes from the housing debate
Debra Walker said San Franciso is one of the most expensive cities in the US and probably the world, so we should find creative ways to keep affordable housing around. Jane Kim also said that “most of us can’t afford to live in San Francisco”.
Jane Kim (and the other candidates agreed with her) said affordable housing is not just about accommodation, but about services too. They all emphasized the importance of the quality of life in the neighborhood, of clean and safe streets. In fact, when asked about Chris Daly, Theresa Sparks said his big downfall had been to focus too much on housing and less on safety and quality of the neighborhood (and also focusing too much on the TL to the detriment of other parts of the district).
Jim Meko said that at one point in his life he lived on Hyde street between Turk and Eddy (I think he said in an SRO) and that “there’s no dignity” in living in a room without a shower or kitchen, “we need to move away from the SRO model of housing”. He also said that we have to prevent San Francisco from becoming “a bedroom community for Silicon Valley”.
Glendon Hyde repeated several times that landlords need to be held accountable for the shitty services they provide (and for bedbugs). He also said rent control should be extended, and that “we should go after the AoA” (yesss!).
Of course, when asked about gentrification they were all against it, but they didn’t really define what gentrification means to them. Theresa Sparks said “what makes San Francisco San Francisco is diversity” so gentrification by a single population group can’t be allowed, “there’s no alternative”. However, Theresa Sparks also said the smartest thing in the whole debate, and something we wholeheartedly agree with:
The Tenderloin needs to stop being a containment district for low-income people, and low-income services need to stop being focused in the Tenderloin. People should be able to live anywhere in the city, regardless of how much they earn.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot: James Keys basically said nothing besides “I’m endorsed by Chris Daly” and generally behaved like a jackass with no platform other than empty populism, which in this town just might work…
Note: the post has been ammended to reflect that the candidate who wasn’t let into the forum organized by the SOMA Business Association was H. Brown and not Glendon Anna Conda Hyde as we originally stated. It was an honest mistake and we apologize.
10 Comments until now
I like the sentiment behind Theresa Sparks’ comment, but it’s wholly unrealistic to think that economics won’t always play some part in the demographics of SF.
I was the moderator for this event and also one of its principal organizers. I want to make it perfectly clear that if we could have invited every registered candidate we would have – even though in my opinion it would have been a disservices to the public to give voice to what can only be characterized as fringe candidates. Candidates whose only motivation for entering the race was a self serving interest of seeking name recognition and who have no interest in winning let alone governing.
For the sake of full discloser, I need to make it clear that you (the writer of this blog) and myself have never met.
Had you had the privilege of meeting me you would NEVER question my integrity by insinuating I choose to invite only those candidates that I or my associates liked. FOR THE RECORD – BEFORE ANY CANDIDATES WERE INVITED, I personally consulted with the nationally recognized ALLIANCE for JUSTICE organization to ensure that our criteria was both fair and legal. SIR!
My only regret was that at the time of selecting the participants, Mr. Dean Clark did not make the cut; as I believe he is a man of integrity. with every intention of serving the public good, should he be victorious.
I also take umbrage with your statement that “the event left much to be desired”. Immediately following the event I did an informal poll of audience member (15 of approximately 150 attendees) and to a person, they all said that it was enjoyable, informative and that they were glad they came.
Of course you didn’t hear a word I said because I spoke the truth. For too long have people in SRO’s been used as political fodder. I want to create a “new middle class” by moving people through the SRO system, not warehousing them. I sorry for what ever reason you could not or would not hear that, yet I invite you to speak to me at anytime, not justsnipe at me behind my back.
James Keys
Candidate District 6 Supervisor
Lo and behold, somebody videotaped it and put it on Youtube just yesterday…I put all of the clips I could find in one spot
http://www.bluoz.com/blog/index.php?/archives/1066-District-6-candidate-forum-on-Housing.html
The link you described as Glendon “Anna Conda” Hyde throwing a “Shit Fit” seems to be h. brown throwing a shit fit, and not Anna who walked into the debate with very little trouble.
I’m confused, am I missing a shit fit?
The only place I like my skin thin and crispy is on a piece of fried food. Not in a supervisor (had enough of that) and not in an affordable housing advocate.
This blog is the best thing to happen to the Tenderloin since Aunt Charlie’s.
The problem with the blog is that it renders opinion without any indication of the writer’s experience or history in reporting on politics, or for that matter, the Tenderloin. So, hot air and snarky attitude triumph over sound and factual reporting. How much campaign financing qualifies a candidate for inclusion in the forum? Who raised what and where did the money come from? Who addressed the issues of the divisions in D6–low income residents and many disabled on one hand and new million plus dollar condo owners on the other. Is Sixth Street a model of what can be done or is a $12 lunch a bad sign of the future? Sorry your writer was bored and had to listen to candidates “babble.” Maybe, the writer can move on to other topics that satisfy his or her thirst for cutting edge irony and leave space for someone who cares about people and issues to report on the D6 supervisorial race.
Jon, I wasn’t going to respond to your criticism of our lack of qualifications, since as a journalist you should already know that the very definition of a blog is a website that precisely “renders opinion without any indication of the writer’s experience or history”.
But since you conclude that we should “leave space for someone who cares about people and issues to report on the D6 supervisorial race”, I’d like to take the opportunity to invite anyone who feels more motivated/qualified/less ironic to submit their stories (contact page).
it’s awesome that mr. mays kept out the rabble. the last thing we want are SRO residents speaking for themselves. it’s more important that the poverty industry crown the “front runners” so when they lap up the taxpayer dollars they get every nickel they demand.
funny how we have so many non profits devoted to treating “poverty” but none dedicated to ending it or helping people move up. But I suppose if we wiped out poverty there’d be no more need for these little fiefdoms of “non profits” to continue acting as if they’re entitled to tax dollars without any accountability or proof of effectiveness.
Love the article, I did not think you wrote behind anyone’s back who already talks behind others backs.