Democrats reject 8 Washington
By Tim Redmond : sfbg – excerpt
The San Francisco Democratic Party has voted to oppose the 8 Washington project and to endorse the ballot measure that would halt it.
By a 15-4 margin, the Democratic County Central Commitee, which makes policy for the local party, endorsed a No vote on the fall referendum that would negate the height limit increase developer Simon Snellgrove says he needs to build the ultra-luxury condos. The units would be the most expensive in San Francisco history.
The supervisors approved the height limit last fall. The referendum puts the issue directly before the voters, and foes of the project need a “no” vote to reject it.
“This was a huge victory,” Jon Golinger, who is running the campaign against the condos, told me. “The Democratic Party is a huge endorsement in San Francisco.”
That’s particularly true in a low-turnout election — and since there aren’t any high-profile races on this November’s ballot, I would guess only the most serious voters will make it to the polls.
The Sierra Club — another group that carries a lot of clout — has already come out against the project.
Snellgrove’s forces first tried to delay the vote until late summer, arguing that the committee needed more time to get all the facts. But Sup. David Chiu, a DCCC member, noted that this project has been discussed and analyzed and fought over for so long already that there’s nothing new anyone could possibly learn by delaying… (more)
The motion to delay failed. Only Bevan Dufty, Sup. Scott Wiener, Sup. Malia Cohen and Kat Anderson voted in favor of the project. Voting against were Bill Fazio, Trevor McNeil, Kelly Dwyer, Leah Pimentel, Hene Kelly, Alix Rosenthal, Carole Migden, Rafael Mandelman, Matt Dorsey, Petra DeJesus, Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, State Senator Leland Yee, Chiu, Sup. David Campos, and Sup. John Avalos… (more)
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Matier-Ross : SFChronicle – excerpt
Condo clash: It took two meetings that ran three hours each, but the Democratic County Central Committee narrowly voted to back the “no” forces in the rich vs. rich battle over whether to build a big condo development along San Francisco’s waterfront.
Much as they tried, backers of the 8 Washington project – including Mayor Ed Lee, Chinatown organizer Rose Pak and the building-trade unions – couldn’t block Board of Supervisors President David Chiu and former City Attorney Louise Renne’s call to endorse a November referendum scaling back the size of the condo project.
The fight has pitted environmentalists and wealthy neighbors and landlords, who fear the loss of views along the waterfront, against advocates of low-cost housing like Pak. She and her allies would benefit from millions of dollars that 8 Washington’s developers would have to earmark for affordable housing elsewhere if the high-end project gets built.
Interesting note: Delegates representing several high-up politicians – including Sen. Dianne Feinstein and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi – either abstained or just didn’t show… (more)
San Francisco Democratic Party endorses measure against 8 Washington
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