For San Francisco Supervisor and mayoral candidate London Breed, housing is an issue that runs deep. At a debate Monday night, she shared her story of growing up in public housing and when reaching adulthood, being dismayed by the separation of friends that were being pushed out of the city with rising rents.

“I didn’t understand; why weren’t we building more and making a direct connection between the people we know who need housing and the housing that we build?”

She advocates for utilizing underused properties like the purchase of the McDonald’s at Haight and Stanyan and like other candidates, is a critic of San Francisco’s arduous entitlements process and has promised to slash the red tape that entangles new housing projects.

A co-sponsor of Home SF, London Breed supports the increase in density along transit corridors but warns against massive displacement and is a proponent for tenant protections – she is leading the initiative to provide free legal representation to tenants facing an eviction.

Amid the most intense housing crisis, Assemblymember David Chiu has emerged as one of the most prolific authors of tenant protections. To create a tapestry of diversity, community, and vibrancy, Chiu’s answer is expanded rent control. He has spearheaded the efforts to repeal the Costa-Hawkins Act and has fingerprints in other legislative initiatives to catapult tenant rights.

Democratic State Senator, urbanist and environmentalist Scott Wiener embodies the new face of YIMBYism. As the architect of SB 827, Wiener is stirring up the debate as the ambassador for denser housing near transit. “Over the 20 years I’ve lived in San Francisco, I’ve seen the human carnage caused by our bad housing policy,” he says, and submits that we have to pull our heads out of the sand.

Half of San Francisco’s Airbnb listings were nixed overnight, ending an era of non-compliance among hosts. The city now has teeth in enforcing short-term rental regulations, and Kevin Guy is the top cop.

A costly and potentially bruising campaign is taking shape over rent control in California. Michael Weinstein is bankrolling a proposed November ballot initiative to repeal a state law that sets tight limits on the type of housing covered under local rent control laws. 

Meet William Gilchrist, Oakland's planning and building director tasked with reviewing real estate projects and approving building permits in a city which is undergoing a historic construction boom with over 3,000 new units.