Adlah Chisti, Candidate For District 11 Supervisor, Answers Reader Questions

The Ingleside Light gathered questions from the community and posed them to the District 7, District 11 and mayor candidates in advance of the Nov. 5 election.

Here are the answers from Adlah Chisti. With a career in political campaigns like District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar’s in 2020 or Vice President Kamala Harris’ senate in 2016, Chisti knows her way around the political scene. Her campaign focuses on child and senior care, housing, small business revitalization and public safety.

Chisti is running against labor union organizer Chyanne Chen, San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee member Michael Lai, small business owner Jose Morales, SFMTA transit operator Roger Marenco and former District 11 supervisor legislative aide EJ Jones.

Responses have been lightly edited.

How do you plan to be consistently involved in the neighborhood once in office?

As a Supervisor, my role is to engage the community regularly. I plan to host town halls, monthly community meetings and continue door-knocking to connect with those who may not often leave their homes. Establishing an office in the district is essential, though funding could be an issue, so I may hold regular office hours at local cafes. My varied background and experience have given me adaptability and a strong ability to bridge different departments, ensuring collaboration on key issues.

What will you do to eliminate drug dealing and other crime in the neighborhood's parks?

Public safety, as such, is a basic necessity for families, children and seniors to feel safe. My perspective is a unique one. To begin with, I am POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training) certified and a former public safety dispatcher. At the same time, I am a parent and caregiver to seniors. I support pre-pandemic hiring of officers to meet population demands and support all public safety work staff including firefighters, operators and other emergency service administrative staff.

A comprehensive plan would include increasing foot and bike patrols, supporting neighborhood watch programs and creating educational pathways for officers. Additionally, we should expand workforce housing for public safety staff and POST-certify behavioral health specialists and street response teams.

What will you do to reduce crime against small business owners?

Reducing crime against small businesses requires increased community policing, alternative lighting in streets, and ambassador programs. I support creating educational opportunities at CCSF for offenders and offering pre-apprenticeship programs to help them reintegrate into society. Initiatives like a "Wall of Shame" for repeat offenders could deter criminal behavior.

Vibrancy is also a big part of this. We have too many empty storefronts. Housing and density on business corridors is important for foot traffic, which is important to clean streets, which is important for safe streets and in turn uplifting the business corridors. These issues are interconnected and we should continue to look at the big picture for corridor revitalization city-wide. 

We also should extend our efforts to provide more flexible permitting, provide additional funding for technical assistance to small businesses, and extend more financing options for small businesses and without adequate funding or investment in some of these empty storefronts, we may not see the change. I support expanding the Vacant to Vibrant grant program for pop-ups to district corridors, not just downtown and continuing the First Year Free program which waives the cost of initial registration fees and initial license fees. We have to secure funding for assisting in cleaning and upgrading storefronts which is necessary for some of the properties in the district.

Do you support adding more protected bike infrastructure in D11 and the city, even if it means the loss of some (but not all) parking spots? 

This issue requires a balanced approach. We need to discuss how to accommodate families who use bikes and those who rely on cars for daily life. It’s important to consider both perspectives, especially working-class families and seniors. This is a matter of equity for a district like ours. 

Historically, the M line has been neglected; however, it serves communities along Randolph Street and Broad Street, extending to Balboa Park. Since the M line provides access for community members, Randolph Street and Broad Street are ideal candidates for development into a new commercial corridor. Please provide your vision for this corridor and outline the actions you intend to take to bring that vision to fruition.

I envision the M-Line going underground, allowing us to create opportunity sites for housing along Randolph Street. Housing would bring foot traffic and economic revitalization. I also see the potential for making this area a student hub by attracting students from SFSU and CCSF, while enhancing community and third spaces in the surrounding area.

What is one issue in the neighborhood that you see ignored? How would you tackle this issue?

Community spaces are often overlooked. I would focus on leveraging state funding and prioritizing the SF Rec and Park budget to create and maintain more public spaces where residents can gather and engage.

Will you commit to fully funding the Dignity Fund in this and future years to meet the growing number and needs of older adults and people with Disabilities?

Yes, I fully support the Dignity Fund as it provides essential services for seniors and people with disabilities, ensuring stability and quality of life for many in District 11.

In many ways, City College of San Francisco was the beating heart of the neighborhood, a source of jobs and customers for local businesses. But its troubles have led to a 60%+ decline in enrollment which has precipitated other issues. How will you work with the college community to turn it around?

City College of San Francisco's decline has deeply impacted our community but we can turn it around by forming strategic partnerships with community-based organizations, expanding eligibility for Free City, and addressing the full cost of attendance, including child care, rent, and transportation, to make education more accessible. We must also strengthen educational pathways and pipelines, ensuring CCSF's curriculum aligns with industry needs. By fostering business sponsorships, promoting local hiring, and working with the Mayor and Board of Supervisors, we can revitalize CCSF, increase ridership, and create a more vibrant, connected neighborhood.

The SFMTA has big plans to speed up the K Ingleside and M Ocean View light rail lines that include boarding island modernization and consolidation, red lanes and more. How will you increase ridership in the neighborhood?

To increase ridership on the K Ingleside and M Ocean View light rail lines, we need to focus on creating stronger connections between the community and local institutions like City College of San Francisco (CCSF). By developing educational pathways that align with industry needs, we can boost student enrollment and local job opportunities, leading to increased transit usage. Business sponsorships and partnerships with CCSF can also promote internships and job placements, encouraging more students and workers to rely on public transportation. 

Additionally, I would push for incentivization from the Mayor's Office and the Board of Supervisors to improve transit accessibility and ensure CCSF updates its curriculum to meet industry demands. Expanding local hire programs—not just limited to union jobs—can further drive ridership by encouraging more residents to use public transit for work and education. These efforts will create a more integrated community where public transportation plays a central role in daily life.

The tree canopy could be a lot better in this part of town — and citywide. What will you do to make it grow?

I will advocate for increased funding for SF Recreation and Park and leverage state funds to address climate change through initiatives that enhance the tree canopy, reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality.

The Balboa Park Area Plan studied many major and minor projects, including decking the Interstate 280 freeway, realigning freeway ramps, etc. How will you advance portions yet to be done in the district?

I will work closely with community stakeholders and city departments to prioritize these projects, ensuring they align with district needs and securing necessary funding for their completion.

What will you do to breathe new life into the neighborhood's commercial corridors? Please list 10 concrete proposals.

1. Build housing along commercial corridors

2. Increase student appeal by partnering with local schools

3. Develop more community and third spaces

4. Attract diverse food establishments, cafes, and family-friendly pubs

5. Decrease storefront rents

6. Support vacant-to-vibrant policies for pop-up stores

7. Offer a "First Year Free" program for small businesses

8. Reevaluate the vacancy tax

9. Implement continuous EV shuttle service across key corridors

10. Streamline the process for opening new businesses by cutting red tape

What does adequate community policing look like for the greater Ingleside neighborhood and its diverse communities?

Adequate community policing includes strong neighborhood watch programs, visible ambassador programs and foot patrols that foster trust and safety in the community. It is important to build relationships with the community. Our dispatch center, Taraval and Ingleside community understand the working class of the district and are working hard to build their relationship with the community at large.

Do you support the renewal and expansion of the Ocean Avenue Community Benefit District? If so, why and how will you work with its leadership to make sure it delivers the best results for all stakeholders?

Yes, I fully support it and will work closely with its leadership to ensure it delivers positive outcomes for all stakeholders by attending meetings and engaging with the community.

Will you support the Recreation and Parks Department in achieving the completion of Phase 2 of the Geneva Office Building? If so, how?

Yes, I will work with the department to secure the necessary funding and resources to complete this project, which is essential for the district's community services. It is an opportunity site for growth, community space, for housing and a transit hub. 

How will you incentivize landlords to rent out long-vacant units and thus increase the housing stock?

We can explore financial incentives, such as tax credits to encourage landlords to make their units available.

What's your position on Recology's monopoly on trash collection?

I support creating tiered pricing based on volume, which would make trash collection more affordable and equitable for residents, encouraging better waste management.