Less than a month away from the election on June 2nd, the race for the District 4 (Sunset District) City Council seat in San Francisco has entered its final sprint. The candidate question and answer forum held on the evening of May 5th had a subdued atmosphere.
Five candidates, including the incumbent City Council member Alan Wong appointed by Mayor Daniel Lurie in December last year, Natalie Gee, former Chief of Staff to former District 10 City Council member Shamann Walton, Albert Chow, David Lee, and independent candidate Jeremy Greco, all attended in hopes of winning votes from the limited in-person audience.
The forum took place at A.P. Giannini Middle School, with a capacity of over 300 people, but only around 50 people were present in the audience, including organizers and candidate entourages. Apart from our reporter, there were no other media representatives present.
This scene was starkly different from the candidate forum two months ago. At that time, with the same five candidates and a female host on stage, the event attracted over a hundred audience members with every seat taken. Even in the second half, more audience members continued to arrive, with some standing at the back to listen; there was a presence of media reporters and social media influencers.
The organizers of this forum were well-prepared, with ample support staff in place. The event was live-streamed simultaneously on the San Francisco Government TV channel SFGovTV and the organizers’ YouTube channels. SFGovTV also provided cable TV channel broadcasting, with simultaneous Cantonese interpretation available on-site.
During the evening, the host did not bring up the contentious issues of the closure of Great Highway or the Family Zoning Plan for high-density housing.
Earlier this year, residents’ legal challenge to the K proposal failed, and newly elected City Council member Alan Wong immediately introduced a proposal to reverse the K proposal at the council. However, the proposal did not receive the support of at least four council members needed to get on the ballot.
In 2024, the K proposition to close Great Highway was approved by all San Francisco voters. The upper segment of Great Highway was officially closed to private vehicles at the beginning of 2025, transforming into “Sunset Dunes Park,” while still allowing specific-use vehicles access.
Former District 4 City Council member Joel Engardio, a proponent of the K proposition, was recalled by voters in a special election in September 2025.
During the forum that evening, only Albert Chow explicitly stated his support for reopening a portion of Great Highway; Jeremy Greco maintained his position supporting the preservation of Sunset Dunes Park and opposing the resumption of vehicle traffic. The remaining three candidates, including Alan Wong, did not actively address the Great Highway issue.
Chow mentioned that if elected, his main governance focus would be on pushing for the reopening of part of Great Highway to fundamentally reduce the traffic safety issues caused by a significant diversion of traffic into residential areas.
He had been involved in the campaign to recall former City Council member Joel Engardio.
“In our efforts to recall Joel Engardio, we learned a profound lesson: when a politician ignores public opinion, allows money power to control, and ‘buys off’ the interests of the Sunset District, it will bring disastrous consequences,” Chow said.
“The controversy surrounding the ‘Great Highway’ has actually garnered significant attention for our community.”
Chow stated that if elected, he would advocate for an “open office” policy, conducting regular direct interactions with residents in community cafes, parks, and other venues.
Greco, on the other hand, was firm in his stance, running to ensure the permanent preservation of Sunset Dunes Park, believing it had become an integral part of community cohesion.
Wong expressed his desire to restore common sense in city governance, streamline bureaucratic procedures, and make it easier for residents and small businesses to handle basic matters such as opening shops and renovations.
As an example, Wong mentioned an event he led called “Dumb Laws,” a public contest aimed at identifying outdated regulations that caused trouble in residents’ daily lives, using it as a basis to push for legislation and repeal multiple obsolete or unreasonable municipal laws.
David Lee, focusing on pedestrian safety as a key governance issue, did not address the traffic impacts following the closure of Great Highway during the forum, providing only general discussions on improving traffic safety.
Apart from transportation issues, high-density housing and the Family Zoning Plan have been controversial topics of recent years in District 4. While these topics were not discussed, several candidates voluntarily mentioned the affordability of housing during the forum.
Chow said, “I hope to ensure that this city returns to the right track. The currently ongoing Family Zoning Plan must be ensured to genuinely meet the actual needs and interests of our community, rather than being constructed to meet quotas.”
He believes that addressing the housing problem involves various approaches, including a significant estimate of up to 30,000 vacant housing units, where landlords might be reluctant to enter the rental market due to policy uncertainties.
Lee stated his opposition to the Mayor’s Family Zoning Plan, citing that it fails to protect rent-controlled housing within the Sunset District.
There had been an amendment aimed at including rent-controlled housing, but ultimately, it was rejected by the Council.
Natalie Gee shared a similar view, advocating for the preservation of the 2,200 rent-controlled housing units threatened by the Family Zoning Plan, as they represent the only affordable housing stock currently available.
Wong only vaguely discussed diversification in housing construction, providing various types of housing covering both market prices and the middle to low-income groups applicable to the community.
Greco advocated for attracting artists with discounted rents to bring back an artistic atmosphere to the community, thereby addressing the high rate of storefront vacancies.
Topics for discussion at the forum also included education, children and youth programs, family services, food scarcity, community cooperation, and support for small businesses.
The District 4 City Council candidate forum was organized by the League of Women Voters of San Francisco, co-hosted by ACLU Northern California, District 4 Youth and Families Network, Indivisible SF, Sunset Chinese Cultural District, Sunset Merchants Association, and SFGovTV. ◇