Everybody Hates Chris: The District 6 Interview
So we contacted everyone running for the District 6 seat, and run all the interviews we've received. (Thanks, Manuel Jimenez, Matt Drake, and Rob Black!) So in the spirit of fair play, it seems only right to give the last candidate some space of his own, to answer the exact same questions we asked everyone else.
That's right: it's the one, the only -- they call him the Big Dog of the District, but we call him Mr. Sarah Low: your current District 6 Supervisor, Chris Daly!
(This is part 1 of 2, part 2'll run tomorrow.)
What's your name, how old are you, and what do you do?
Chris Daly, 34 years old, San Francisco Supervisor and Dad.
So the name of the SFist District 6 election column is "Everyone Hates Chris." Why do YOU hate Chris Daly?
Am I limited to just one answer? The Republican front group, SOS, took 22 pages (.pdf) to get everything off their chest! I’ll just answer with this -- I hate how easy it is for me to get Republicans to froth at the mouth!
After the jump: Daly's thoughts on what they call his neighborhood, his burrito order, and who'd he set Gavin Newsom up with on a date -- and much much more!
Picture from the SEIU Daly rally by Sasha from Left in SF.
What neighborhood in District 6 do you live in?
This may be the single toughest question asked and has caused a bit of a stir in our little neighborhood. We’re north of Duboce/Division, so we’re not in the North Mission. We’re northwest of Mission and west of South Van Ness, so we’re clearly not in the South of Market. South of the slot rules out Hayes Valley/Civic Center. East of Guerrero isn’t Upper Market or the Castro. A couple of efforts to name us, including “McCoppin Gulch” and “McCoppin Stub,” haven’t caught on. “The Hub” was the name of our first street fair, and I’m hoping this name sticks.
What do you love about District 6? What do you hate about it?
I love the people, of course. I also think our District has the most going on. It is the most dynamic, fun, and convenient part of the City. I also dig the District’s progressive politics!
The disparity in wealth in the district makes things difficult. We have the City’s wealthiest census tract and the most abject poverty – only about 1 mile apart!
District 6 is one of the most diverse districts in the City, ranging from the expensive condos down in South Beach to the SROs in the 'loin, from downtown corporate offices in SoMA to the left-wing hipsters in the Mission. How do you think all those interests can be accommodated? Should they all be?
Some issues are zero-sum. Tenant-landlord issues are a good example of this, and I am decidedly pro-tenant. With that said, I am very proud of my work to support and encourage development that offers significant community benefits. Previously, development was seen as one of the most controversial zero-sum issues in San Francisco with some believing that all development was good and others pushing for everything to be scaled back. I think that smart development that offers a high level of community benefits is a third approach that is unifying much of San Francisco on the issue.
I negotiated community benefits from the Trinity Plaza and Rincon Hill projects that were unprecedented and won support for these development projects from parties who otherwise would have opposed the projects. While the aforementioned SOS and some other downtown interest groups have criticized me, I have won the support of numerous community groups, labor, developers, and even some land use attorneys for this model. Enhancements to the City’s inclusionary housing legislation that I authored passed through Committee with no speakers in opposition!
more of Chris's answers in tomorrow's interview. Meanwhile, check out his answers to some of the standard SFist questions:
Favorite local business
Archipelago Books.
Best Deal in San Francisco
Any dinner item at Valencia Pizza and Pasta.
Favorite mode of transportation/favorite MUNI line
Bicycle. 14 Mission.
Best Burrito
Taqueria Cancun – I go veggie. Sarah’s staple is the mojado with carne asada. If I’m lucky, I’ll get a bite of hers!
Now that Mayor Gavin is single, who are you going to set him up with?
Easy -- Ms. Eve Batey! (Remind me to give you his cell number.)
Tune in tomorrow, folks -- for Daly's plans if he's reelected, his favorite Bay Area musician, and his side of the story about that fight he got in at Hastings!