Debra Walker

Debra Walker – District 6 Supervisor Candidate

Debra Walker’s Website: www.votedebrawalker.com

Contact Debra Walker: votedebrawalker@gmail.com .

Fun Facts About Debra Walker:

• District 6 resident for over 25 years.

• Served on the SF Building Inspection Commission since 2001.

• DCCC since 2002.

• Former Vice-Chair of the LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party.

• Current Vice-Chair of the NorCal Women’s Caucus.

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From Debra Walker’s Website:

Debra has lived and worked in our neighborhoods since 1985.  Her record of progressive activism – and accomplishment – is unmatched in the field of District 6 candidates. As a tenant representative on the Building Inspection Commission, Debra helped clean up a notoriously corrupt department and guarantee that new development in District 6 works for everyone. And as a small businesswoman herself, Debra will make sure city government listens to the concerns of struggling shops and businesses all over the district. 

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LiveSOMA.com’s Candidate Questionnaire:

Which part of the district do you currently live, and how long have you lived there?

I live in the North Mission at Mariposa and Alabama Streets.  I have lived and worked there for over 25 years.

What is your favorite restaurant in District 6, and why?

District 6 is home to so many wonderful restaurants that are an essential part of our community. They provide jobs, a place to gather and share with friends, add to the many arts venues and activities I attend in our neighborhoods and are key to our economic engine. It would be impossible to pick a “favorite”, but I have especially fond memories from interactions at Puerto Alegre, Piccolo Pizza, Morleys, Brainwash, Mercury Lounge, Chile Lindo, Lulu’s, Coffee Bar, the Slow Club, Evergreen Garden… the list goes on and on.

Tell us something about you (the “individual”, not the “candidate”) that we may not know.

Back in the early 70’s, I was a struggling artist living in Riverside. I was contacted by a casting director who was looking for contestants for the Dating Game and somehow got my name. I was selected to go on the show and for one episode  I was the “bachelorette” whose job it was to chose from among three “bachelors”.  After I made my selection, they sent us on our “date” –right here in San Francisco! I am pleased to share with you that I did fall in love that night – with San Francisco – the guy didn’t make the cut.

Describe your campaign platform in 150 words or less?

I have worked and lived in District 6 for over twenty five years and during that time I have fought to make our neighborhoods a better, safer place for tenants, families and small business. I want to continue my advocacy for District 6 as supervisor working to provide affordable housing along with tenant protections, sustainable development, healthcare for all, strong education and after-school programs, quality jobs, small business protections and reliable public transit.

District 6 is ground zero for development in this city and I am committed to ensuring that any development protects our local small business, provides real community benefits and creates quality jobs for San Franciscans who need them most.

I am the only candidate with the experience, relationships and first-hand knowledge of the challenges that face District 6. I am passionate about this city and would be honored to be able to continue my work as supervisor.

Are the majority of your District 6 Supervisor Campaign Donors from within District 6? (A ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ answer is fine.)

My work in San Francisco has allowed me to interact with individuals from all across the city. So far I have received over 275 donations from all corners of District 6 and the city as a whole. While the majority of my donations are not from District 6, my supporters from the district are contributing in priceless ways – not just monetarily. They have gathered over 1000 signatures, walked precincts, put up window signs, and have made thousands of phone calls – I am truly humbled by their support.

What do you feel is the most important issue in District 6, and what is your position on the issue?

In a district with so many challenges and facing so many changes it’s hard to focus in on a single issue, but for purposes of this question, I’d say that land use and development are the most important issue in the district. Over the past ten years, District 6 has seen more new units of housing developed than any other part of town. I believe that’s a good thing – as old uses like light-industry diminish, we must address current needs, like housing.  But we must also make sure we have the space for our economic engine, to actual produce things and create jobs for our residents and to create the revenue we need to keep our city running.

I’ve been a land use activist in this part of town for decades, fighting to make sure that change benefits all residents, participating in every planning discussion in this district, and I was particularly active in shaping the recent Eastern Neighborhoods rezoning plan that will govern construction in much of the district for decades. I will use my experience with land use gained as a Building Inspection Commissioner to guarantee we are building adequate affordable housing and complete neighborhoods that serve us all.

Thinking about the most important issue that you listed above, how do you plan to work on that issue, and what do you feel will be the biggest challenge(s) that you’ll face in solving the issue?

My promise to voters is that I will make sure that new development works for everyone.  The challenges we face in fighting for sustainable development are abundant. As we build new market-rate housing, we must also guarantee we are building housing for families of all income levels. And as we green-light new developments, we need to make sure that they bring with them the amenities that make up a neighborhood – new parks, new bike lanes, adequate funding for our struggling public transit system, childcare other services,, space for cultural events and businesses – all of the things that will keep San Francisco a thriving sustaining city.

How will fixing the issue benefit District 6?

The obvious benefits to bringing sustainable development to District 6 are robust small business opportunities (including jobs and economic development), affordable housing for low-income people and the middle class as well as real community benefits for us all. New parks, diverse transit options, schools and community based services are all part of District 6’s bright future.  It is also crucial that development provide infrastructure commitments that will prepare our district and our city for the challenges of the future.

District 6 has more mixed uses than any other district in San Francisco.  Through good planning and smarter land use, we can mitigate some of the conflicts we experience in our public space and plan a District that thrives and a city that works.

List the neighborhood groups or organizations (within District 6) that you have worked with in the past. What do you consider your accomplishments while working with these groups, and how you would help them further if you were elected Supervisor in November?

SOMCAN, Alliance for a Better D6, Central City Democrats, Hospitality House, SRO Collaborative, Coalition on Homelessness, NOMNIC, West SoMa Task Force, Somarts,  Bindlestiff, Counterpulse, Luggage Store Gallery,  South Beach and Mission Bay Residents Associations, Rincon Hill Neighborhood Association, Northeast Mission Business Association, Northeast Mission Residents Association -plus many more groups and organizations in my twenty five plus years in this district!

I have been incredibly lucky to work with so many amazing organizations whose sole purpose is to improve the lives of District 6 residents. I have worked in many different capacities with these organizations, but most notably in my work around planning and development. I am very proud of our successes and here are some of the many examples:

The creation of the “Made in SF” program we fought for and achieved in the Eastern Neighborhoods Plan – guaranteeing protections and advantages for local small businesses.

During my time with the Arts Taskforce, I worked to fund and support local arts by creating the “Arts in the Community” grant program to partner arts organizations with community based organizations to do outreach in our neighborhoods.

I worked with community based organizations to implement and expand the alleys program in the Tenderloin – to create more projects like “the Tenderloin National Forest” to bring neighborhoods together to overcome the challenges in the streets.

Supporting local neighborhood groups and organizations will be the foundation of my role as supervisor.

There’s a lot of talk about “progressive values and agenda items” vs. “moderate values and agenda items” in San Francisco politics. What do these terms mean to you, and how does either side help District 6 residents today, as well as over the long term?

Unfortunately, these labels are used more frequently to divide communities than to get anything done. That said, I do consider myself a progressive. To me that means I believe that government should work for all residents, which requires that elected representatives be able to reach across ideological divides to find common solutions. In my time as a neighborhood activist, and my nine years on the Building Inspection Commission I have shown my ability to do just that. From the commission’s higher profile work reforming a notoriously corrupt department, to the more mundane task of transitioning to a new IT system so residents have an easier and faster time pulling construction permits, all of these challenges require compromise and a commitment to equal access. To me, those are progressive values.

If you become supervisor, will you spend equal time meeting with both the San Francisco Tenants Union and the Small Property Owners of San Francisco before proposing more rent control legislation?

Absolutely – and I have a history that shows I have done just that.  Part of my role as commissioner on the Building Inspection Commission is to work in a collaborative manner to set inclusive, functional policy around land use issues. One specific example includes my work towards seismic safety in San Francisco.  I have been a leader on the Commission around seismic safety of existing buildings, and setting appropriate seismic safety criteria for new construction. Just last month, the board of Supervisors voted 11-0 to place a 47 million dollar bond onto the November ballot to upgrade and protect existing buildings in the city. We have spent the last 10 years working with stakeholders (including tenant groups and property owners) to craft this measure and I am proud that we have reached a consensus that will allow San Francisco to continue its efforts to prepare for when the next big quake hits . This effort is especially critical because the U.S. Geological Survey says that there is a 2 in 3 chance that a “major” quake will strike in San Francisco before 2040.

We keep hearing about million dollar condos being built and SROs moving into the neighborhood – If elected, what do you intend to do about housing for the middle class?

Making sure that the land use changes in the district benefit everyone – especially the middle class and families – is my priority. One way we have had success in this vein is fighting for new ‘inclusionary housing’ rules for new development that require developers build affordable housing units as they produce market rate units. I helped fight to make sure that those units be made affordable to buyers across the socioeconomic scale – from those who make significantly less than average, to those that make just about average. In addition, I fought to require that a portion of those new, affordable units be large enough to house families. While developers are frequently interested in meeting their requirements by building ‘affordable’ studios and one-bedrooms, I fought alongside other land-use advocates to make sure new developments include 2 and 3 bedroom units suitable for young families.

But there’s no single answer to the challenges posed by new development. I am also a strong supporter of the city’s existing first-time homebuyer subsidy programs. In 2004, I supported the Affordable Housing general obligation bond that would have helped fund an expansion in that program, and would have invested in new affordable developments across the income scale.  I am also working on other ideas providing affordability by design that we are engaging stakekholders in conversations about to guide some future development.

There are a number of residents in the middle of SOMA (between 4th and 6th streets, and Harrison and Folsom Streets) who are concerned about a specific SRO that is relocating from the Tenderloin to the corner of 5th and Harrison. What are your thoughts on SRO Swaps particularly with regards to rules and regulations? How should they be managed? What rules and regulations should apply to ensure a safe and vibrant community in the future?

SROs provide critical housing for a vulnerable population in San Francisco. I would like to see more definitions put in place regarding SROs in the city. Definitions that would detail what the occupancy is, what the requirements are for services for residents, some regulation of rent rates and include more community space for residents and neighbors alike.

If elected I will form a planning task force to work on clearer definitions and policy positions about adaptive reuse, SROs, student housing, accessory residential in industrial and commercial properties.  These are all necessary as the landscape of District 6 has changed.

Anything else that you would like to share about yourself or your campaign platform with the residents of District 6?

A lot of people have asked me why I am running for supervisor and the answer is very simple – I love San Francisco and I want to do everything in my power to make it a better place for us all.  I am a hardworking individual that has devoted tens of thousands of hours to making San Francisco a better place, and I have a long documented history in District 6 – I have advocated for tenants; civil rights, working class families, small business, the LGBT community, development issues, the homeless, healthcare for all, AIDS/HIV, community benefits, the Democratic Party, public safety, public transportation, community arts, schools and many more.

I have seen what happens firsthand when individuals and community members join together for a common good and I want to bring that spirit of collaboration and community to City Hall. I have the strong support of Senator Leland Yee, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, Supervisors David Campos, Eric Mar, John Avalos, past supervisors Matt Gonzales, Angela Alioto, Leslie Katz, Board of Education members Kim Shree Maufus, Norman Yee,  The San Francisco Labor Council, United Educators of San Francisco, the Sierra Club, the California Nurses Association, San Francisco Women’s Political Association, the Women’s Campaign Fund, and most importantly – hundreds of District 6 residents.  It would be my honor to earn your support in November.