Victories for SFAA members in November election

San Francisco Apartment Association members scored some significant victories during the election cycle that ended in November 2010.

Not only is the Board of Supervisors shaping up to be more business-friendly, but SFAA’s political action committee won 10 of the 14 measures on which it took a position.

"We did very well," SFAA Executive Director Janan New told members at the November membership meeting. "On a good day, we could have five votes on the board and on a really good day, we might have six votes."

The biggest victories among the ballot measures included the crucial and high-profile Muni reform and sit/lie measures.

Supervisor Sean Elsbernd’s “Fix Muni” measure (Prop G), which proposed to set Muni driver wages through collective bargaining instead of the formula now in place, won with a resounding 65% of the vote. Mayor Newsom’s sit/lie measure (Prop L), which would prohibit sitting and lying on sidewalks from 7 a.m.- 11 p.m., passed with 54% of the vote.

Unfortunately, Proposition N, which will increase the real-estate transfer tax for $5 million-plus properties, passed with 58% of the vote.

Of the supervisorial candidates, District Four's Carmen Chu soundly won her district, where she ran unopposed, and SFAA-endorsed Scott Wiener claimed victory after days of vote-counting to take over for Supervisor Bevan Dufty in District 8. It appears that Mark Farrell won District Two's spot, beating out Janet Reilly, and that Jane Kim will be taking over Chris Daly's seat in District Six.

While SFAA-endorsed Theresa Sparks didn't nab the seat, Janan New said Kim is unlikely to be "as openly antagonistic toward us as Daly was." District 10 elected Malia Cohen as its new Supervisor. Malia will replace the aloof Supervisor Sophie Maxwell and is someone we can talk to and work with. Of course, Mayor Gavin Newsom's election as lieutenant governor means the association loses an ally in City Hall; the individual who will be appointed to replace him is still anyone's guess.

SFAA accomplished all of this even while financial support for public policy advocacy from members has been dwindling. This year, only 23% of members made the $20 voluntary PAC donation with their membership dues, and far fewer donated more than the minimum.

Given the vital importance of SFAA’s government-relations activities as tools for promoting the issues many SFAA members value most, starting in 2011, PAC contributions may be bundled with annual dues and may no longer be voluntary. SFAA believes this will allow the organization to rely less on its leadership for raising thousands of dollars in campaign contributions each year. We’ll share more information on this issue soon.

Congratulations to all SFAA members on another successful election season.