EJ Jones Is The Neighborhood's City Hall Insider

The neighborhood’s own Ernest “EJ” Jones is going to City Hall after all.

Jones, who placed third in the race for District 11 Supervisor, will serve as Mayor Daniel Lurie’s director of community affairs, joining an administration stocked with professionals from all walks of life.

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“I’m just excited to be able to continue to serve the community,” Jones said. “I’m excited about the team that’s in place with the mayor-elect. I’ve met some of the folks and I think everyone there is really really trying to do the work and make sure that San Francisco is better tomorrow than it was today.”

Jones intends to be a link between San Francisco’s communities and City Hall. The role, he said, will be all things community facing, from attending community meetings to holding preliminary conversations with residents who need support.

Jones will draw on his 15 years of experience as a legislative aide for former Supervisor Ahsha Safaí and as the housing director for the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center among other positions.

The first 60 days in the Lurie administration will most likely be busy with community events, mainly Lunar New Year and Black History Month celebrations, Jones said. Afterward, he predicts the team will select specific actions to implement in various neighborhoods.

Jones knows from the supervisor race that people want to connect with the mayor’s office.

“It’s something I heard over and over again while I was out campaigning,” he said. “People wish they had a pathway to just communicate with the mayor’s office easily.”

District 11 Supervisor Chyanne Chen called Jones’ new position and her election a new beginning for District 11.

“We will make sure that the departments are delivering for our district the same way they deliver for others and we will collaborate on creative solutions to the challenges we face through both the executive and legislative offices,” Chen said.

Chen and Jones formed a ranked-choice-voting alliance. They share the idea that District 11 is a forgotten part of the city that needs its fair share of attention. 

“We talk about this side of the city being forgotten and now we can say we have two people in the position to be able to make sure people remember it,” Jones said.