District 10 Supervisor Q&A

The View asked three top contenders running for District 10 Supervisor to respond to a series of questions. Their answers are published in the April, May, and July issues.

Q:  What do you think you can accomplish as Supervisor?

DJ Brookter: As the next Supervisor, I will focus on responsible growth and long term stability for our district. That means building thoughtfully and ensuring development benefits current residents while creating opportunities for working families to live comfortably and thrive. I will establish an office that reflects the community it serves. It will be diverse, accessible, transparent, and responsive. My goal is to ensure residents feel heard, supported, and empowered. Together, we can strengthen public safety, support small businesses, protect longtime residents, and create pathways to opportunity for the next generation. District 10 deserves leadership that is proactive, collaborative, and committed to delivering results, and that is exactly what I intend to provide.

Theo Ellington: Create a community and economic development plan that benefits the people who already live and work here. Additionally, housing, transportation, and job creation should not be planned in isolation. Building off the ideals of the Eastern Neighborhood Plan, we need a vision that reaches the entire district, and that includes building much needed housing, establishing new economic hubs in our heavy industrial warehouse area, and maximizing the transit options that connect us to the rest of the city and region. Ensure basic city services reach our neighborhoods. This means a responsive and accessible City government. City Hall should work for the people, not the other way around. I’ll fight to make our local government–and the District 10 Supervisor’s office specifically–more transparent, accountable, and accessible, so residents can get answers, not excuses. From providing language access, to fixing potholes, ensuring cleaner streets, and funding essential programs, our neighborhoods deserve results delivered with urgency, respect, and the cultural sensitivity needed for everyone to thrive. Meet the demands of affordability: housing, transit, childcare, food security, and public education. The rising cost of living is putting enormous pressure on families across District 10. Affordability is not just about housing, it’s about the total cost of everyday life. I will work to expand affordable housing options, improve reliable and affordable public transit by expanding subsidies for those who need it, support access to quality free and low cost childcare, and strengthen food security by attracting grocery stores and supporting local food providers. We should also be exploring a universal basic income program for San Francisco, because too many people are struggling.

J.R. Eppler: The main issue that connects everything else is that D10 is underserved and we need effective advocates to make sure we deliver real results.  When you look at just about any metric, from effective services for unhoused residents, accessible and reliable transit, even 311 response times, what we see is that D10 is not getting the same level of service as other districts. And we’re definitely not getting what we need. So, my number one priority is to listen to this community and go to work each day to deliver what we need—better transit, affordable housing, accepted streets, well programmed parks and vibrant commercial corridors. When I leave office, I want to be able to walk around this District and know that D10 is getting the fair and equitable treatment we’ve been denied for so long.

Q:  What politician do you admire most/least?

DJ Brookter: The politician I admire most is Barack Obama. As a young Black boy, witnessing his election and leadership was deeply impactful. He represented possibility, excellence, and hope at the highest level of our democracy. Seeing someone who looked like me serve as President expanded my sense of what was achievable, not just for myself, but for so many across the country. His message of hope and civic engagement continues to inspire me. The politician I admire least is Donald Trump. I believe leadership should bring people together, especially in times of challenge. In my view, the division that intensified during his time in office is not what our country needs. I believe politics should be about unity, accountability, and building bridges, not deepening divides.

Theo Ellington: One leader I deeply admire is the late Rev. Jesse Jackson for his ability to build coalitions at a time when many communities were politically fragmented. Rev. Jackson showed that real political power comes from bringing together people who may not share the same background but who do have the same hopes for dignity, economic opportunity, and justice—Black, Latino, Asian American communities, labor, farmers, and working families. His vision was rooted in the idea that democracy works best when those who have been historically excluded organize together and demand a seat at the table. This resonates so much with the challenges and opportunities facing today’s District 10.  At the same time, writers like James Baldwin remind us that coalition-building must be paired with urgency. Baldwin famously challenged the nation by asking, “How much time do you want for your progress?”—a powerful reminder that justice delayed is justice denied, and that leadership means refusing to accept the idea that communities should wait indefinitely for fairness, opportunity, and respect. Today, we have a real opportunity to push back against a status quo that has often forgotten about this side of town, and finally build the neighborhoods we deserve.

J.R. Eppler: One of the public servants I admire most is former District 10 Supervisor Sophie Maxwell. She showed what it means to lead with both vision and determination. Supervisor Maxwell helped bring about the closure of the district’s power plants, improving air quality and the health of neighborhoods that had carried that burden far too long. She also played a key role in shaping long-term plans for the Eastern Neighborhoods and the redevelopment of Candlestick Point and the Shipyard—efforts that recognized both the district’s industrial past and its potential for thoughtful growth. What I respect most, though, is that she never lost sight of the people who live here. Supervisor Maxwell worked for neighbors across the entire district, bringing together communities with diverse needs and perspectives and making sure District 10’s voice was heard across San Francisco.

Q:  What should voters know about you?

DJ Brookter: Voters should know that I am the proud son of a retired school district laborer and a mother who worked for Kaiser Permanente as an anesthesiology technician assistant. My parents instilled in me the values of hard work, service, and integrity. When my mother passed away when I was just 16 years old, it shaped my understanding of resilience, responsibility, and the importance of community support. I am a firm believer in education, mentorship, listening, and working together to solve problems. Those principles have guided both my personal and professional life. As a Division I college athlete, I learned firsthand what it means to work hard, stay disciplined, and show up for your team every single day. Success is never individual. It is built through collaboration, accountability, and shared goals. That same team oriented mindset is how I will serve our district. Above all, I understand where I come from. I understand working families. I am committed to building opportunities so that every family in our community has the chance to thrive.

Theo Ellington: I was born and raised less than a mile from where I live today. My boys are the fourth generation of my family to grow up in this city. I’ve never had to learn about this community from a briefing book or third hand–I grew up in it, I’ve fought for it, and I’m raising my kids in it. What I bring to this race isn’t a platform. It’s a track record of real results and a personal stake in whether this neighborhood thrives. I am ready to lead in this moment–and not with a top-down approach, but as an active partner with the people and the neighborhoods that made me who I am today.

J.R. Eppler: What voters should know about me is that I’ve always loved solving problems. That instinct has shaped my career and my community work—from teaching middle school math early in my career, to practicing as a lawyer helping clients navigate complex challenges, to coaching youth sports where every team and every player requires a thoughtful approach. It’s the same mindset I bring to my civic involvement in District 10: listening carefully, bringing people together, and working toward practical solutions. Over time I’ve learned that good problem solving isn’t about the person proposing the solution. It’s instead about making sure the solution truly reflects and serves the people it’s meant to help.