I believe the Richmond District can be a better place to live, work and visit. Working together we can clean our streets, fix our sidewalks and roads, and make the streets safer for our family, friends and neighbors. Please join me, and our neighbors, as we re-prioritize the issues facing our neighborhood and develop a long term plan to address the issues that have been present in the neighborhood, but have been placed aside in favor of other issues.

As a lifelong district resident I have been disappointed in the condition of our neighborhood. Every four years, thousands of dollars are dumped into the campaigns of individuals to print mailers and present flashy TV ads, but sadly none of this helps to fill a single pothole, install a traffic light or clean a street.

The Richmond District needs a supervisor who is willing to take care of the nuts and bolts issues facing our neighborhood:

1. Installing the missing traffic lights along Geary and the other commercial corridors, Clement, California, Balboa and Fulton, so traffic moves efficiently and pedestrians can safely cross the street;

2. Require Recology (garbage company) to set up an on-demand pickup service for large items so they do not end up on the sidewalk;

3. Require Recology to provide locks for all three cans (trash, recycling, compost) to prevent spills on windy days and prevent losses of recyclable materials;

4. Resumption of weekly street cleaning, along with targeted cleaning of problem streets, especially those adjacent to commercial corridors;

5. Installation of pipe to distribute reclaimed water throughout the district for washing cars, sidewalks, trash cans and watering of landscape;

6. Determine the cost of replacing roads, sidewalks, and playgrounds every 10 years and reserve 1/10th of that amount each year, so when year 10 arrives we have the resources in hand to replace these items and do not have to borrow money by issuing costly bonds;

7. I will have a member of my office on the streets reporting problems, graffiti, items on sidewalk, and cleaning issues directly to 311 and/or city departments;

8. We will not permit camping or sleeping on streets, but will provide safe and secure space. We will provide mental, addiction and health services as we transition persons to permanent housing and work;

9. We will not reduce the number of sworn officers or divert funding from the police department, but will demand transparency and accountability within the police department, which includes making officer complaints public;  

10. We will have a neighborhood office in the district open daily and staffed. I will hold regular scheduled meetings in the district to keep you updated as to neighborhood and city issues and to receive feedback from residents and businesses as to what city hall needs to do better.

I will strive each day to represent all my neighbors fairly and treat each and every resident, business and organization equally. I want you to believe that government can work for you and make your life better. I have been so lucky to have lived in the Richmond District and believe I have an obligation to leave it in better shape than I found it.

We say we want the influence of outside money out of local elections, but as long as we continue to allow money from outside parties to divide us, the problems we have to face daily will still be here after the election is over. I am the only candidate who has not accepted contributions from unions, corporations, or special interests. I have agreed to limit campaign spending to no more than $2,000. 

Join our neighbors and myself as we say with one voice that we want safety and cleaning issues in the neighborhood taken care of first. 

For more information, visit www.dsilva2020.com, www.facebook.com/sherman.dsilva, email srdsilva@hotmail.com or call (415) 269-1889.

Link to list of candidates HERE.