SF’s Future is at Stake: Vote Yes on Prop D, J, & L — No on E & I

Recent polls and headlines reflect San Francisco residents’ deep and abiding frustrations with our city’s most pressing problems. On November 8, voters have an opportunity to enact solutions at the ballot box, most significantly by voting Yes on Propositions D, J, and L and No on competing measures Props E and I.

Placed on the ballot by more than 80,000 citizen signatures, Prop D: Affordable Homes Now is the only housing measure that will make it faster and easier to build more affordable housing by streamlining the approval process. It can currently take four to seven years to approve one affordable housing project, and Prop D would dramatically cut that timeframe down to six to nine months. Prop D would also protect affordable housing projects from meritless NIMBY lawsuits and other needless delays that have exacerbated our housing shortage and affordability crisis.

Unfortunately, the Board of Supervisors voted to put their own bad competing measure — Prop E — on the ballot solely to confuse voters and sabotage Prop D, which is why it’s just as important to vote No on E as it is to vote Yes on D.

Prop J codifies the JFK Promenade in Golden Gate Park as permanent, car-free open space for all to safely enjoy on foot, bikes, and scooters, while also providing expanded parking access for seniors and residents with disabilities. Our city’s flagship park should be free, accessible, and abundantly safe for everyone, and Prop J helps make that a reality.

Unfortunately, Prop J also has a competing measure — Prop I — that would cost taxpayers $80 million and give cars free reign on JFK Promenade and the Great Highway, making both unsafe. Voters who want to keep our parks safe and accessible should vote Yes on J, and No on I.

Along with more affordable housing and safer, more accessible parks, San Francisco can and must improve our public transportation systems. Prop L makes that possible through extension of an existing modest sales tax to fund much-needed improvements to our existing infrastructure. Our residents deserve efficient, reliable, and affordable public transit and voting Yes on Prop L will help us get there.

Yes, our city faces many challenges. But these three measures will help improve people’s lives in critical ways. We need more, high quality affordable housing. We need more accessible open space. We need more reliable transit. These measures will make that vision a reality.

Scott Wiener represents San Francisco and northern San Mateo County in the California State Senate.