Anti-Growth Group Gains in San Francisco

Mayor Willie Brown appeared to have lost his majority on the city’s board of supervisors Tuesday in a runoff election that amounted to a referendum on the way he has embraced the dot-com economy.

Brown has long been able to count on eight or nine votes on the 11-member board as he pursued his pro-growth agenda for the city, but the entire board was up for reelection Nov. 7 as the city switched from at-large to district representation. Two incumbents were elected outright; the rest failed to gain majorities, leading to the run-off.

While only partial returns were in and some races were too close to call, only one of the candidates Brown supported was leading, and as many as five die-hard Brown opponents had strong leads, meaning sweeping changes are likely at City Hall.

The drawn-out legal battle over presidential votes in Florida may have discouraged people from turning out, said Barbara Joseph, 55, a lifelong resident of San Francisco.

“I think many people are discouraged by the presidential thing,” she said.

Joseph said she made a point to vote Tuesday evening. She now has to work two jobs just to survive the astronomical cost of living in the city, and she fears those costs will continue to swell if the city doesn’t get a handle on the growth issue.

“There’s too many people and not enough housing,” Joseph said. “Things are getting out of control. Pretty soon, no one will live in the city except the dot-commers.”

Aaron Peskin, a candidate opposed to growth, hoped he and other anti-growth candidates would gain a majority on the board. If so, that would strip control from Brown, who has supported growth during his five years in office.

The new board could have to make decisions on development plans that include a proposed floating hotel and conference center built to resemble the Titanic, and 724,000 square feet of new offices, mostly proposed for dot-com businesses that currently are exempt from having to pay into the city’s affordable-housing fund.