Latest news with #JoelEngardio
Politico
7 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
The fight that could doom San Francisco's moderate coalition
Presented by MODS AT ODDS — A dispute over an urban park is threatening to fracture San Francisco's coalition of moderate Democrats, who've successfully wrested control of city politics from more progressive forces in recent years. San Francisco voters approved a ballot measure last year to close a 2-mile portion of a major roadway, the Great Highway, and convert it into a beachfront promenade for residents and tourists at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. While the ballot initiative passed with 55 percent of the citywide vote, the loss of a major arterial to a park has enraged many homeowners on the city's more suburban west side. Those homeowners in the Sunset and Richmond neighborhoods, many of them Chinese Americans, are part of one of the city's most powerful blocs of moderate voters. And they weren't just grumbling about traffic headaches. Unrest over the road closure and the park, renamed Sunset Dunes, has propelled a campaign to recall Supervisor Joel Engardio, who championed putting the question on the ballot. The divide speaks to simmering tensions within the city's coalition of moderates, between so-called urbanists — who want to build a denser city that prioritizes pedestrian spaces, mass transit and apartment towers — and single-family homeowners, many of whom want to keep streets open to car traffic and preserve the suburban feel of more neighborhoods. Both forces have largely put aside their differences in recent election cycles as they focused on common priorities like combating crime, reducing homelessness and improving the city's troubled school district. But as San Francisco has improved in those areas and urbanists flex their political muscle, the fight over housing and transportation policy is taking center stage. The schism is amplified by Engardio's looming Sept. 16 recall election, which his detractors recently qualified for the ballot. It hasn't helped him that the city recently released a proposal to upzone much of the west side that would allow taller apartment buildings along commercial and transit corridors — further angering homeowners in the area. Some urbanist leaders — many of whom are followers of the 'abundance' or YIMBY (Yes in My Backyard) pro-housing movements — say the split shows they need to form a new coalition of San Francisco voters who are in favor of denser development and expect the city to provide clean and safe streets. 'I like to say San Francisco is the most progressive city that hates change,' Engardio quipped during an interview at a coffee shop down the street from Sunset Dunes. 'We need to let each new generation define for themselves what they want the city to be. We can't freeze the city in amber on the day that we arrived.' But Engardio likely faces an uphill battle to keep his seat. Some deep-pocketed moderate political advocacy groups that backed him in the past aren't pitching in to defend him now — and it's unclear if the county Democratic Party will even oppose the recall. One of the groups staying out of the fray is Neighbors for a Better San Francisco, the city's wealthiest moderate advocacy group. Jay Cheng, its executive director, says he supports Engardio. But, he argues, the fight over the Great Highway and denser housing shows that urbanists often overlook or even 'demonize' single-family homeowners, including parents with young children for whom driving is part of their daily routines. 'They're often talking past those voters, and even worse they're often demonizing those voters,' Cheng said. 'The moderate coalition as a whole will lose if we keep going down that path.' Nancy Tung, chair of the county Democratic Party, shares the sentiment. She said many Chinese voters on the west side resent that their community wasn't brought to the negotiating table when Engardio and four other supervisors decided to put the issue on the ballot for voters. Urbanists, she said, need to be less 'heavy-handed' in their tactics to avoid voter backlash. GOOD MORNING. Happy Thursday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. Like what you're reading? Sign up to get California Playbook in your inbox, and forward it to a friend. You can also text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@ and bjones@ or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej. WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Attorney General Pam Bondi plan to visit Alcatraz before it opens for tours this morning, KQED reports. The administration wants to reopen it as a federal prison. CA vs. TRUMP HIGH-SPEED SLOWDOWN — President Donald Trump announced Wednesday his administration had eliminated federal funding for California's high-speed rail project, making good on his promise to end government support for the project, our colleagues Seb Starcevic and Alex Nieves report. The development came after the Transportation Department issued a scathing report last month slamming the ambitious development for 'missed deadlines, budget shortfalls, and overrepresentation of projected ridership.' NEWSOMLAND GERRYMANDERING FEVER — Gavin Newsom suddenly can't stop talking about Texas gerrymandering — and a provocative idea to counter it in California, our Jeremy B. White and Nicholas Wu write. On podcasts and social media, the California governor has threatened that if Texas follows President Donald Trump's advice and redraws its congressional districts to shore up the GOP's slender House majority, California should throw out its own maps to boost Democrats, circumventing or overhauling the state's voter-approved redistricting commission. The proposal, however, is a long shot. And reactions have been … mixed. — 'Trying to save democracy by destroying democracy is dangerous and foolish,' said Assemblymember Alex Lee, the head of the state Legislature's progressive caucus. 'By legitimizing the race to the bottom of gerrymandering, Democrats will ultimately lose.' — 'The idea of taking away the power from the citizens and giving it back to the politicians — the optics of that is horrendous and indefensible,' said one Democratic political consultant granted anonymity to speak freely. 'That's insane. That's a crazy hill to die on.' Read more from the piece here. UNION TOWN SERVING COMPLAINTS — The hospitality union UNITE HERE Local 11 is accusing a defunct restaurant owned by billionaire Rick Caruso of violating labor law by laying off its entire staff without offering severance packages. The union asked the state labor commissioner in a letter Wednesday to investigate. It also filed an unfair labor practice charge accusing managers of Tony P's Dockside Grill in Marina del Rey of failing to provide employees legally guaranteed breaks and requiring them to take a survey, unpaid, outside work hours. 'There's a lot of workers that have been working 10-plus years,' said Lolita Olivarez, a server who was involved in the unionization efforts at the restaurant who was laid off when it closed. 'We didn't want to leave just with the pat on the back.' This is just the latest time UNITE HERE has tangled with Caruso, who could run for governor or again for Los Angeles mayor, after his failed campaign against labor-backed Karen Bass in 2022. The union unsuccessfully this year pushed the California Coastal Commission to block expansion of a Caruso-owned resort because it would place affordable housing in a flood-prone area. 'Billionaire Rick Caruso talks a lot about helping families but closing a restaurant that he owns and tossing workers out on the curb after they had the courage to organize their union and then failing to pay a penny of severance to them speaks volumes about his concern for working people,' UNITE HERE Local 11 Co-President Kurt Petersen said in a statement. 'Los Angeles needs a leader who will protect Angeleno working families and not a billionaire's bottom-line.' Restaurant leaders announced they'd be closing up shop in April, which UNITE HERE officials said was after workers had announced their intent to unionize. But a spokesperson for restaurateur Tony Palermo disputed that claim and said management provided job placement resources to help laid off workers find jobs in the hospitality industry as the grill closed its doors in June. 'The dedicated employees took great pride in working at Tony P's – a fixture in the community and known for its family-oriented culture since the '90's,' the spokesperson said in a statement. 'The allegations by the Union, which did not represent workers until after Tony and Danny announced their decision to retire, are not accurate and contrast sharply with the culture that was developed over nearly three decades of operating Tony P's.' CAMPAIGN YEAR(S) FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: BAINS' MAINS — Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains racked up a slew of endorsements from fellow Democrats on the first day of her campaign against Republican Rep. David Valadao. They include Central Valley state Sen. Melissa Hurtado and seven members of California's congressional delegation: Reps. Luz Rivas, Laura Friedman, Dave Min, Judy Chu, Ami Bera, Julia Brownley, Norma Torres and Adam Gray. 'I know what it takes to win tough races in the Central Valley — and I know Jasmeet Bains has what it takes to do it too,' Gray, who flipped a Republican House seat in the region last fall, said in a statement. Consolidating support on her side of the aisle will be key for Bains, who is up against a more progressive Democratic challenger, Visalia school board member Randy Villegas. Also giving Bains the nod were IBEW Local 428, the Kern County electrical workers union and SEIU California, which has like her been pushing Valadao over Medicaid cuts. 'Dr. Jasmeet Bains is SEIU members' choice for Congress because she's fighting for our lives, our kids' healthcare, and home care our seniors need to thrive,' the Democrat-aligned labor powerhouse said in a statement. BADGE OF APPROVAL — The Deputy Sheriffs' Association of San Diego County is the latest law enforcement group to throw its support behind Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco's gubernatorial campaign. 'California is facing a number of issues that must be addressed — public safety chief among them,' said Michael O'Deane, president of the association. 'The deputies who keep San Diego County safe know that there's only one candidate in this race who will do what's needed to protect our communities and get things done. We are proud to stand with Sheriff Bianco.' The pro-Trump sheriff from Southern California who had success on the campaign trail for Prop 36 has coalesced a large group of more than 30 county sheriffs, several district attorneys and multiple sheriffs' associations. But an architect of the tough-on-crime ballot initiative — Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig — has endorsed Bianco's most serious Republican opponent, Steve Hilton. STATE CAPITOL PUTTING OUT FIRES — Incoming Assembly Republican Caucus Chair Heath Flora wants you to know even though he's not on the front line anymore, he's still ready to fight fires. After a few picked up seats and legislative wins, Flora, a former firefighter, hopes to build off of the work done by outgoing caucus Chair James Gallagher by staying focused on what he says are 'non-partisan' issues like homelessness, public safety and the cost of living. 'We're not going to chase rabbits down rabbit holes. You want to stay focused on what the electorate cares about,' he told Playbook. Flora says he is also excited to 'lean in on' SB 54 and CEQA reform, something he says they have been making noise on for some time. Opting for a milder style than some of his current and former colleagues, Flora said, 'I want to be a part of being an effective elected official that can be a calming voice [in] sort of a chaotic political climate that we have.' As for those firebrand Republicans, Flora admits that he understands their appeal to voters in conservative districts. Just expect him to be cheering them on from a distance. 'It's just not my style or my personality,' he said. IN THE COURTS RAID FALLOUT — A U.S. citizen who was detained for three days by immigration agents after a raid at a cannabis farm last week in California said he plans to sue the federal government over the incident. 'I hope they learn,' George Retes, a 25-year-old Army veteran and security guard at Glass House Farms, told reporters Wednesday. 'The only way they will learn is through a lawsuit.' Retes said he was pepper sprayed and handcuffed when he showed up for his shift at the Camarillo farm July 10 but was given no explanation of the charges against him. Another person, 57-year-old Jaime Alanís Garcia, fatally fell from a greenhouse roof while fleeing federal agents during a pair of raids at Glass House locations in California the same day. Retes said he missed his daughter's birthday while in custody and was placed on suicide watch. He said Immigration and Customs Enforcement previously visited the facility, but he stopped them from entering. 'The way they're going about this entire deportation process is completely wrong,' he said. CLIMATE AND ENERGY IT ISSUES — Lawmakers are looking to extend their push for affordability to the AI boom, with efforts to shield ratepayers from the potential costs of data centers. The tech industry is fighting back. Read last night's California Climate for more on the changes that lawmakers are hoping will win over techies. Top Talkers SUPERSTAR STATUS — The San Francisco and San José regions are artificial intelligence 'superstars,' meaning that the areas are well-prepared for AI system development, according to a report by the Brookings Institution. San Francisco, San José and Los Angeles are among the top 10 areas for AI. AUTHORITY EXPANSION — ICE is sharply expanding its authority to detain far more people by using a legal authority to jail anyone who entered the U.S. illegally without allowing them a bond hearing, The Associated Press reports. ICE's acting Director Todd Lyons wrote in a memo to workers that the agency was revisiting its authority to detain people and, effective immediately, people would be ineligible for a bond hearing before an immigration judge. They cannot be released unless DHS makes an exception, the report said. AROUND THE STATE — Cannabis industry leaders are figuring out how to react as immigration raids on Southern California cannabis facilities sow fear in workers. (San Francisco Chronicle) — California almond growers are set to have their second-largest harvest in history. (Fresno Bee) — Berkeley's Homeless Response Team could improve its transparency, create stronger coordination practices and enhance its data collection, a City Auditor's report finds. (The Mercury News) Compiled by Juliann Ventura PLAYBOOKERS PEOPLE MOVES — Andrew Kehoe, former communications director for Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, joined UC Davis Health as government and community relations manager. — Lila Mirrashidi became Newsom's chief deputy cabinet secretary earlier this year as Gina Da Silva, the governor's top immigration adviser, stepped back from chief deputy duties to focus on immigration in Trump's second term. Mirrashidi is a Brown administration alum and former deputy secretary at the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO's California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form.
San Francisco Chronicle
15-07-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Letters: Why does the Chronicle downplay traffic problems since S.F. Great Highway's closure?
Regarding 'The bad and good of traffic since the S.F. Great Highway closure' (Letters to the Editor, July 10): It amazes me that in three of the four letters the Chronicle published about traffic on San Francisco's west side since the closure of the Great Highway, one writer saw no difference, one was noncommittal and a third actually claimed that traffic had improved. Those of us not under the influence of the Chronicle's bias know differently. My wife's sister and our son and his family live on Sunset Boulevard, and they report that traffic is worse. When going north on 19th Avenue, every traffic app tells you to abandon it around Ortega Street because it is so clogged. Later this summer, the city will begin repaving 19th Avenue in both directions. It will be a traffic nightmare with the Great Highway's closure, thanks to Supervisor Joel Engardio. Engardio is being recalled, and his billionaire backers have raised $667,000 to save his seat, more than four times as much as recall supporters. Too bad all that money won't be enough to save Engardio's job. Kenneth Jones, San Francisco YIMBYism not nasty Regarding 'When YIMBYs disrespect those who disagree with them, it sounds like right-wing rants ' (Letters to the Editor, July 11): How clever of Amelia Marshall to at first sound measured by stating, 'It behooves us progressives to quit arguing among ourselves.' But she shows her true colors with phrases like 'domineering attitude' and 'outsiders,' and then ends by referring to the 'entitled nastiness of the YIMBY movement.' I am not involved in any YIMBY organization, just a concerned citizen. The YIMBY movement is not 'nasty.' It's one of the most progressive and compassionate views on helping the less fortunate. We have one of the highest homeless rates in the country. A significant reason is NIMBY people who manipulate the levers of the California Environmental Quality Act to delay and diffuse plans for large housing projects. We need to build up, not out. The six-story building in Fairfax referenced in the letter and other projects like it need to be viewed as reasonable if we are going to create a better state for all. Praise those who serve Regarding ''Carrying the torch': WWII soldier who died in prison camp in Philippines identified, buried in S.F.' (San Francisco, July 11): Kudos to Tom Li for his masterfully written, heartwarming and heart-wrenching story. I am so thankful that our military was able to give Army Cpl. Ernest Ulrich a befitting memorial service and burial at the San Francisco Military Cemetery at the Presidio. Things like this are what once made me feel proud to be an American. I fear that this respect for our military and honoring all of our veterans will soon be a distant memory, one of the reasons this story brought me to tears. Ronna Kincaid, Walnut Creek Repeal abuse claim law The students, local taxpayers, teachers and administration are not the responsible parties and should not be punished for terrible crimes they had nothing to do with. The law that allows this should be repealed, not modified at the edges. The state can separately fund services supporting sexual abuse victims. For once, try to take a pragmatic approach, California — one which does not break the critical local services we all need. Jonathan Gole, El Cerrito Park cars in garages Regarding 'S.F. residents had parked in their driveways for years. Then someone started snitching' (San Francisco, July 13): There's a simple solution to the driveway problem. Driveways lead to garages, so park your car in the garage and stop blocking the sidewalk, even if there is enough room for 'two wheelchairs to go in tandem down the street.'
San Francisco Chronicle
07-07-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Letters: Recalling S.F. Supervisor Engardio might not be good idea for those who want someone new
The campaign to recall San Francisco Supervisor Joel Engardio is cutting off its nose to spite its face. By most accounts, Engardio has done a good job in the Sunset, working to increase police presence, get rid of recreational vehicles parked near the beach, supporting small businesses and being a moderate voice on the Board of Supervisors. Engardio has represented us well, except for his support for closing the Upper Great Highway for a park. Once the city voted to close the Great Highway to cars, those unhappy with that decision began a negative campaign to oust Engardio as soon as possible. They could have strategized and put forth a candidate of their choice for the next election in November 2026. Instead, they have potentially given up their vote. If Engardio is recalled, Mayor Daniel Lurie — who appoints a replacement — will choose a supervisor for them. Lurie's choice would surely support the mayor's administration, but will this person represent the people of the Sunset? Jan Scott, San Francisco Payback at midterms Regarding 'The House gives final approval to Trump's big tax bill and sends it to him to sign' (Politics & Policy, July 3): Despite the Republicans' success in passing President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' I believe voters will retire many of the GOP lawmakers who voted for it in next year's midterm congressional elections. If you believe that only the poor rely on Medicaid, you'd be wrong. Millions of middle-class Americans need Medicaid to pay for long-term or life-ending care. It's the only way patients who are institutionalized with Alzheimer's, for example, can afford 24-hour care. If Democrats hammer home the impact of these big, beautiful Medicaid cuts — not by rattling off statistics but with pleas from people truly in need — my guess is they will have a good chance of picking up 15 to 20 seats in the House in 2026. Denny Freidenrich, Laguna Beach, Orange County Protect health privacy As family medicine physicians in California who provide reproductive health care, including abortion, it's deeply distressing to watch attacks on this care in states across the country. But even in California, it's important to remember that reproductive rights aren't guaranteed — they're only protected (or not) — by the choices made by our lawmakers. One of those choices is before us now. AB260, being debated in the state Senate, would strengthen access to abortion care by affirming the legality of medication abortion pills like mifepristone and protecting the privacy of patients and providers by allowing them to remove their names from pill bottles. Patients and providers deserve to have protection from abortion opponents who may otherwise use the information on pill bottles to harass or investigate them. If AB260 is enacted, California will be the first state in the country to offer these protections for patients and help safeguard their privacy. At a time when the federal government is trying to strip away women's bodily autonomy, California can lead in reproductive care rights again with AB260. Dr. Suzan Goodman, Oakland, and Dr. Panna Lossy, Santa Rosa No chaos on bridge Regarding 'When the Golden Gate Bridge turned 50, and a good city descended into chaos' (Total SF, June 29): I beg to differ on the 'human wall' from Marin hitting the human wall on the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. I got on from the Marin side, where there were no huge crowds, and I walked freely to the center of the bridge. People, yes, but not the elbow-to-elbow from the other side. Marin County also made it easy, having buses at the Civic Center to take us to and from the bridge. It was a grand experience that I treasure and it was completely without any crowd stress. Karen Thomas, Lafayette
San Francisco Chronicle
29-06-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
S.F.'s Great Highway recall fight begins: Did Joel Engardio mislead the Sunset?
The campaign to recall San Francisco Supervisor Joel Engardio kicked off canvassing efforts Saturday at McCoppin Square Park along Taraval Street in the Sunset District, one month after successfully triggering a special election set for Sept. 16. Armed with bright yellow pamphlets bearing Engardio's face and text in both English and Chinese that read 'He turned his back on the Sunset,' dozens of volunteers gathered to knock on doors and canvas their neighbors to vote for the recall. The trouble for Engardio, a moderate elected out of District 4 in 2022, started when he championed a ballot measure that would permanently remove cars from a 2-mile stretch of the city's westernmost coastal boulevard, the Upper Great Highway, in favor of opening a park. That measure, called Proposition K, passed with 55% of the citywide vote in the November election. But a majority of voters in westside precincts, where residents say they relied on the highway to drive around their neighborhood, rejected the measure. Engardio has defended the measure that converted the highway into what's now called 'Sunset Dunes Park,' arguing it was a democratic opportunity to restore access to the coast for all residents. He said he's been his district's 'champion' since day one, pointing to his support for restoring algebra to eighth grade, adding police beat patrols to Irving Street and creating the Sunset Night Market. The recall effort reflects not only the intense controversy over urban land use in San Francisco, but also the burgeoning political power of westside residents who feel their quality of life was harmed by what they perceive as a 'war on cars.' 'I've lived out here for years and I've never seen the Chinese community get so behind anything,' said Susan Chen, a 30-year Sunset resident and recall volunteer, at Saturday's canvassing effort. Meanwhile, Engardio's supporters have argued that recalls, funded by taxpayer money, are a waste of city resources, that it's undemocratic to vote out a supervisor based on a single issue and that the Sunset Dunes Park has had a minimal impact on congestion. A Chronicle data analysis of westside traffic data painted a complicated picture of how the highway closure has impacted traffic: Some commutes have become longer during rush hour as drivers are forced onto more congested alternative routes, especially Chain of Lakes Drive in Golden Gate Park. But some arteries showed no slowdowns at all. Engardio said he's worked with SFMTA to alleviate the traffic impact. Those interventions include adding dual left and right turn lanes and a traffic signal at a key intersection to ease congestion on Chain of Lakes Drive. Engardio's backers ramped up advertising and appealed for Mayor Daniel Lurie to support Engardio last week. Engardio has some high-profile supporters, including Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelmann, who posted on his X account Monday, 'Moderate SF Supervisor @JoelEngardio fixes potholes, supports small biz, brought back Algebra, and fights for what's right no matter how high the personal stakes.' Stoppelmann, who donated $175,000 to the 'Stand with Joel' anti-recall campaign, added that Lurie should back Engardio. Lurie has, so far, not taken a public stance on the recall effort against Engardio. If he is recalled, it will fall on Lurie to pick his replacement. 'This recall is wasteful and threatens to derail all the progress that's been made to tackle the city's biggest challenges,' said Joe Arellano, spokesperson for the Stop the Recall campaign, in a statement, adding that 'Joel will be out knocking on doors and earning votes, like a true public servant.' Arellano also called the recall effort 'GOP-backed,' pointing to an email sent out by the San Francisco Republican Party this week that encouraged followers to join Saturday's rally. Jamie Hughes, one of the lead organizers for the recall, said that the effort includes 'everybody from every ideology' and that the group tries 'to stay away from labels.' Hughes is an ally of former progressive San Francisco Board of Supervisors president Aaron Peskin. He said the recall campaign isn't coordinating with the Republican Party and argued that GOP support shows that the recall is drawing people from all sides of the political spectrum. That's because, in his words, 'Joel messed up.' Recall proponents said the recall isn't only about the Great Highway, but how Engardio's behavior during the past year showed what they consider to be a lack of transparency, accountability and representation. John Higgins, a Sunset resident, said he never even used the Great Highway and is not looking to reopen it, but he felt Engardio lied about his stance. He pointed to how Engardio, alongside four other city supervisors, submitted a proposal to place Proposition K on the ballot on June 18, 2024, the last possible day for them to do so. 'These are shady methods,' Higgins said. Many recall proponents said they were taken by surprise, only learning about Engardio's proposal through news articles, and were upset that Engardio never held town halls prior to placing the issue on the ballot. Many said they thought Engardio had lied to them because, in 2022, while campaigning against then-incumbent District 4 supervisor Gordon Mar, he had said he supported what was then the status quo of pedestrianizing the highway on weekends only. 'Had he told this district when he was running for supervisor that he was going to close down the Great Highway 24/7, he would never have been elected,' Chen said. Engardio rejected that characterization. He supported the status quo in 2022, he said, compared to the alternative at the time, which was a ballot measure to open the Great Highway to cars 24/7. He said he had told voters he didn't want to rule out the option of a permanent park in place of the highway when campaigning in 2022. He also posted on X, then known as Twitter, in December 2022, after being elected, 'I believe the future is a permanent oceanside park.' Those explanations ring hollow to Selena Chu, who had campaigned to elect Engardio in 2022, believing he supported the compromise of keeping the highway open to cars on weekdays. 'We felt our voice was heard and that's why we advocated for this person,' Chu, a recall organizer, said. 'It was a personal betrayal and it was also a betrayal to the community. This was a guy I had advocated for for two years.' As Chu walked down 22nd Avenue Saturday, a fellow Sunset resident, spotting Chu's Recall Engardio sign, started clapping. 'Everything he's done has been underhanded,' Gene Pulliam, who's lived in the Sunset for 60 years, said to Chu. 'He put the paperwork in the last week or something. That's just wrong.'
San Francisco Chronicle
12-06-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Recall of S.F. Supervisor Joel Engardio qualifies for ballot
The recall election against San Francisco Supervisor Joel Engardio has qualified for the ballot, with a special vote set for Sept. 16, the San Francisco Department of Elections said. Election officials said Thursday that the petition, submitted May 22, contains 10,523 valid signatures, above the required threshold of 9,911 signatures, or 20% of registered voters in Engardio's District 4. Only voters registered and residing in District 4 will be eligible to participate in the recall election. Sunset District residents launched the recall over anger that Engardio championed a ballot measure last year to permanently close a 2-mile stretch of the city's westernmost coastal boulevard, the Upper Great Highway, to cars to create a park. During November's election, the measure, called Proposition K, was opposed by a majority of voters in the Sunset and Richmond districts, the neighborhoods closest to the Great Highway, although it passed with more than 54% of the vote citywide. The measure spurred a lawsuit even before the park opened on April 12. 'This verifies that the voters of District 4 want better,' said Jamie Hughes, lead organizer of the recall campaign. 'They want a supervisor who represents them.' Hughes said the campaign is 'confident' Engardio will be recalled in September. Engardio said in a statement in response to the recall election qualifying that he will 'continue to fight for District 4.' 'From day one, I've been District 4's champion in City Hall, working to solve real problems in our neighborhood from increasing public safety and supporting small businesses, to improving traffic flow and filling potholes,' he said. Engardio said he understands the concerns of west side residents about the highway closure and is working with San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to further improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety. 'Attempting to recall me in response will do nothing to reopen the Great Highway,' he said. Recall proponents have described the effort, which received about $144,000 in donations, as 'grassroots.' The 'Stand With Joel' campaign received more than $407,000 in donations so far, including $125,000 from high-profile donors such as Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman. 'The successful recall petition against Joel Engardio is a clear reflection of the Sunset community's unity, resilience and demand for accountability,' recall organizer and Sunset resident Selena Chu said in a statement. 'Residents from all walks of life came together — gathering signatures, knocking on doors and standing up for our voices — because we refuse to be bypassed or silenced.' The issue highlights the divisive debate over public space in San Francisco, with urbanists such as Engardio arguing for the creation of safer pedestrian routes, more bike paths and less dependence on cars, while opponents to Proposition K said many west side families, especially multigenerational ones, rely on efficient car commutes for getting their kids to school, ferrying elderly parents to appointments and commuting to work. West side residents said the closure has hurt their quality of life, lengthened commute times and increased stress as they navigate congested alternative routes around their neighborhoods. Some of Engardio's constituents were also outraged by what they considered his failure to consult them before putting the issue on the ballot last summer. Five other supervisors and then Mayor London Breed also backed the ballot measure, though current Mayor Daniel Lurie opposed it. Opponents said it was unfair to let the entire city vote on an issue that disproportionately impacted west side residents. 'Some people felt left out of the process that led to putting the park on the ballot,' Engardio said Thursday. 'I'm committed to doing more outreach, having more conversations and making sure everyone's voice is part of the work moving forward.' Engardio has consistently argued that all voters, not just his constituents, deserved to decide how San Francisco's coastline should be used. He also said that if the issue was not put on the ballot, the 11 supervisors would have been forced to decide on the fate of the Great Highway anyway at the end of 2025. That's when a pilot program to close the Upper Great Highway to cars on weekends was slated to end. 'The coast belongs to all San Franciscans,' Engardio told the Chronicle last week. 'The cost to our convenience, does it outweigh the benefits of a park?' Supporters of Engardio said a recall is a waste of taxpayer money, especially given that the supervisor is up for reelection in 2026, that he has done a good job otherwise representing west side interests, and that all San Franciscans have benefited from the Sunset Dunes park. Bill Maher, who served as a San Francisco supervisor in the 1980s and '90s, was at a rally outside City Hall to support Engardio on May 22, when the recall organizers submitted petition signatures. He said he voted against Prop K but still opposed the recall. 'To recall a politician every time they make a bad vote, we'd have monthly recalls,' Maher had said. Lifelong Sunset resident and business owner Lareina Chu previously told the Chronicle that she thought Engardio had done a good job, such as organizing the Sunset Night Market, and that he didn't deserve to be recalled. She added that she had not heard of a viable candidate to replace Engardio. Lurie will get to appoint Engardio's replacement if he is recalled. 'The city's got bigger problems, and if we're focusing tax dollars on recalling Engardio, I think it's a dumb effort,' Lareina Chu said, pointing out that San Francisco is already having an election in November 2026 when voters could make their voices heard and oust Engardio.
