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== Early life, education and career ==
== Early life, education and career ==
Safaí was born in [[Iran]] in 1973, and moved with his mother to [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]] at the age of five.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iranianamericanpac.org/ahsha-safai.aspx|title=Candidate San Francisco Board of Supervisors – District 11|publisher=Iranian American Political Action Committee|access-date=December 12, 2017|archive-date=March 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302005546/http://www.iranianamericanpac.org/ahsha-safai.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> He attended Northeastern University, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science and African-American studies. After working his way through college, he later went on to receive his master's degree in city planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Safaí was born in [[Iran]] in 1973, and moved with his mother to [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]] at the age of five.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iranianamericanpac.org/ahsha-safai.aspx|title=Candidate San Francisco Board of Supervisors – District 11|publisher=Iranian American Political Action Committee|access-date=December 12, 2017|archive-date=March 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302005546/http://www.iranianamericanpac.org/ahsha-safai.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>


In San Francisco, Safaí served as political director for the janitors union local.<ref name="sfchron-16sep2016">{{cite news|title=Chronicle endorses Ahsha Safaí for SF District 11 supervisor|url=http://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/article/Ahsha-Safa-for-SF-supervisor-in-District-11-9228319.php|accessdate=March 25, 2017|newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=September 16, 2016}}</ref>
Safaí interned in Bill Clinton’s White House and then as a math tutor for a civil rights program focused on students in need. He went on to work with then mayors Willie Brown and Gavin Newsom on major neighborhood and citywide services for San Francisco to deliver critical resources to low-income communities. Working with Mayor Brown, Ahsha helped protect immigrants from losing their housing and advanced key gang violence prevention strategies. And he helped bring vital resources like a new teen center and new childcare center to public housing residents. With Mayor Newsom, Safaí connected young adults, formerly incarcerated, and homeless people to jobs that supported local small businesses by keeping streets clean, planting trees and gardens, and revitalizing public spaces.

Safaí spent nearly a decade as a labor organizer, representing frontline workers like janitors, sanitation workers, delivery drivers, and grocery store employees. In San Francisco, Safaí served as political director for the janitors union local. He helped raise San Francisco’s minimum wage to $15/hour, secured better wages and working conditions for frontline workers, passed a Retail Workers’ Bill of Rights, and fought tirelessly to deliver Free City College for all San Franciscans.


== San Francisco Board of Supervisors ==
== San Francisco Board of Supervisors ==
In 2008, he ran for the District 11 seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors against [[John Avalos]], losing by a close margin.<ref name="beacon-3jan2017">{{cite news|title=The Union Workhorse – Ahsha Safai, Excelsior|url=http://thebaycitybeacon.com/32740/260596/a/the-union-workhorse-ahsha-safai-excelsior|accessdate=March 25, 2017|newspaper=Bay City Beacon|date=January 3, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Safaí ran again in 2016, successfully, replacing Avalos who was [[term limits|termed out]] of office.<ref name="beacon-3jan2017" /> During the 2016 race, he ran against Kimberly Alvarenga; Safaí was endorsed by the ''San Francisco Chronicle''.<ref name="sfchron-16sep2016" />
In 2008, he ran for the District 11 seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors against [[John Avalos]], losing by a close margin.<ref name="beacon-3jan2017">{{cite news|title=The Union Workhorse – Ahsha Safai, Excelsior|url=http://thebaycitybeacon.com/32740/260596/a/the-union-workhorse-ahsha-safai-excelsior|accessdate=March 25, 2017|newspaper=Bay City Beacon|date=January 3, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Safaí ran again in 2016, successfully, replacing Avalos who was [[term limits|termed out]] of office.<ref name="beacon-3jan2017" /> During the 2016 race, he ran against Kimberly Alvarenga; Safaí was endorsed by the ''San Francisco Chronicle''.<ref name="sfchron-16sep2016" />


In April 2022, Safaí voted against keeping cars off the east end of John F. Kennedy Drive in [[Golden Gate Park]]. The ordinance passed 7–4.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Morris |first=J. D. |date=2022-04-26 |title=Golden Gate Park's JFK Drive will stay permanently car-free after S.F. supes vote following marathon meeting |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/car-free-JFK-Drive-17126175.php |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref>
'''Housing:'''
In 2021, Safaí supported a proposal to streamline housing production in San Francisco.[10] During his tenure, Safaí passed laws to build affordable housing for seniors and low-income families. He recently led the effort to pass Prop C, utilizing audits to ensure homeless funds are spent helping get people off the streets.

'''Small businesses:'''
He has directly assisted small businesses facing challenges starting and doing business in San Francisco. His efforts eliminated burdensome fees for the expansion of parklets and outdoor dining during COVID and helped rein in delivery companies from gouging small businesses.

'''Public Safety:'''
In 2023, Safaí introduced a law to bring more foot patrols to neighborhoods to increase safety, and passed another law to allow Deputy Sheriffs to patrol our commercial corridors.

In July 2021, he was among the first supervisors to take a stand against organized retail crime. After a mass looting event at Union Square a few months later, he observed the impact on the city's budget: "If retail frontline workers don't feel safe, if shoppers don't feel safe, stores will ultimately shut down. If stores shut down, we lose sales tax." He subsequently pushed for a permitting process for street vendors, to cut down on fencing of stolen goods.

'''Homelessness:'''
In 2019, Safaí initiated a pilot program to turn a parking lot by the Balboa Park BART station into a "triage center" for people who live in their vehicles. The center offered showers and security for up to 30 vehicles, and allowed temporary residents to stay for up to 90 days while awaiting permanent housing.


=== Actions on housing ===
'''Mental Health:'''
He worked with Supervisors [[Dean Preston]] and [[Aaron Peskin]] to delay the construction of thousands of housing units in the Hub so that [[Tenants and Owners Development Corporation|TODCO]], a low-income housing non-profit in San Francisco, could perform a race and equity study on the project within six months.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Knight |first=Heather |date=2021-11-06 |title=S.F. Supervisor Dean Preston invited YIMBYs to look at his housing record. They panned it. |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/bayarea/heatherknight/article/S-F-supervisor-Dean-Preston-invited-YIMBYs-to-16597021.php |access-date=2021-11-06 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref> More than two years later, TODCO had not begun the study and the group said it had no intent to do so.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Knight |first=Heather |date=2022-08-31 |title=The latest S.F. housing failure: Thousands of units delayed for a study that never happened |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/bayarea/heatherknight/article/san-francisco-housing-17408816.php |access-date=2022-08-31 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref>
In September 2021, Safaí launched the Treatment, Recovery, and Prevention Academy to treat those with drug addictions on parole or awaiting trial with a structured, abstinence-based program.


In 2021, Safaí said he would oppose the building of [[Modular building|modular housing]] for the homeless in San Francisco unless it used labor from San Francisco; a Vallejo company had up until then provided modular housing complexes faster and cheaper than other companies could.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Knight |first=Heather |date=2021-03-20 |title=S.F. finds a way to build homeless housing cheaper and faster. A powerful opponent is fighting it |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/heatherknight/article/S-F-finds-a-way-to-build-homeless-housing-16039820.php |access-date=2021-03-20 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2021, Safaí supported a proposal by Mayor London Breed to streamline housing production in San Francisco.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dineen |first=J. K. |date=2021-12-16 |title=Mayor Breed wants to streamline housing production, but will S.F. supervisors approve it? |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/Mayor-Breed-wants-to-streamline-housing-16705684.php |access-date=2021-12-16 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref>
'''Government Oversight:'''
Safaí has held the city accountable for homelessness and nonprofit spending and tackled corruption in City Hall. He led the effort to protect the City’s ethics oversight committee after the current mayor tried to cut its budget. He also passed a law requiring tough oversight on organizations receiving City funding after the FBI indicted several City department heads.


In 2024, Safaí voted to downzone San Francisco’s Northern Waterfront, reducing the amount and density of housing that could be permitted in the area.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-26 |title=San Francisco mayor's veto of housing bill gets overturned |url=https://sfstandard.com/2024/03/26/san-franciso-mayor-breed-peskin-housing-density/ |website=The San Francisco Standard |language=en}}</ref>
'''Education:'''
In 2023, Safaí cosponsored the measure to give 8th grade students access to algebra. On April 17, 2023, Safaí marched alongside hundreds of San Francisco teachers and staff in support of a new contract. In June 2020, Supervisor Ahsha Safai announced $1 million to support up to 150 family childcare educators experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19. He has also fought to build a public library in his district neighborhood of Oceanview.


== 2024 San Francisco mayoral election ==
== 2024 San Francisco mayoral election ==
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[[Category:21st-century American politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century American politicians]]
[[Category:American politicians of Iranian descent]]
[[Category:American politicians of Iranian descent]]
[[Category:Asian-American city council members]]
[[Category:City council members of Asian descent]]
[[Category:California Democrats]]
[[Category:California Democrats]]
[[Category:Iranian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Iranian emigrants to the United States]]

Latest revision as of 05:57, 15 August 2024

Ahsha Safaí
Official portrait, 2017
Member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
from District 11
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 9, 2017
Preceded byJohn Avalos
Personal details
Born1973 (age 50–51)
Iran
Political partyDemocratic
EducationNortheastern University (BA)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MS)
WebsiteGovernment website

Ahsha Safaí (born 1973) is an Iranian-American elected official in San Francisco, California. He serves as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors representing Supervisorial District 11.[1][2]

District 11 includes the neighborhoods of Excelsior, Ingleside, Oceanview, Merced Heights, Ingleside Heights, Mission Terrace, Outer Mission, Cayuga, and Crocker Amazon.

Early life, education and career

[edit]

Safaí was born in Iran in 1973, and moved with his mother to Cambridge, Massachusetts at the age of five.[3]

In San Francisco, Safaí served as political director for the janitors union local.[4]

San Francisco Board of Supervisors

[edit]

In 2008, he ran for the District 11 seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors against John Avalos, losing by a close margin.[5] Safaí ran again in 2016, successfully, replacing Avalos who was termed out of office.[5] During the 2016 race, he ran against Kimberly Alvarenga; Safaí was endorsed by the San Francisco Chronicle.[4]

In April 2022, Safaí voted against keeping cars off the east end of John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park. The ordinance passed 7–4.[6]

Actions on housing

[edit]

He worked with Supervisors Dean Preston and Aaron Peskin to delay the construction of thousands of housing units in the Hub so that TODCO, a low-income housing non-profit in San Francisco, could perform a race and equity study on the project within six months.[7] More than two years later, TODCO had not begun the study and the group said it had no intent to do so.[8]

In 2021, Safaí said he would oppose the building of modular housing for the homeless in San Francisco unless it used labor from San Francisco; a Vallejo company had up until then provided modular housing complexes faster and cheaper than other companies could.[9] In 2021, Safaí supported a proposal by Mayor London Breed to streamline housing production in San Francisco.[10]

In 2024, Safaí voted to downzone San Francisco’s Northern Waterfront, reducing the amount and density of housing that could be permitted in the area.[11]

2024 San Francisco mayoral election

[edit]

In May 2023, Safaí filed to run in the 2024 San Francisco mayoral election, challenging incumbent London Breed.[12]

Personal life

[edit]

Safaí, his wife Yadira, and their children live in San Francisco's Excelsior District.[13]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "District 11 | Board of Supervisors". sfbos.org.
  2. ^ Saleem, Sana (January 31, 2017). "Sup. Ahsha Safaí introduces resolution against Trump's so-called Muslim Ban". 48 Hills. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  3. ^ "Candidate San Francisco Board of Supervisors – District 11". Iranian American Political Action Committee. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Chronicle endorses Ahsha Safaí for SF District 11 supervisor". San Francisco Chronicle. September 16, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  5. ^ a b "The Union Workhorse – Ahsha Safai, Excelsior". Bay City Beacon. January 3, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2017.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ Morris, J. D. (April 26, 2022). "Golden Gate Park's JFK Drive will stay permanently car-free after S.F. supes vote following marathon meeting". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  7. ^ Knight, Heather (November 6, 2021). "S.F. Supervisor Dean Preston invited YIMBYs to look at his housing record. They panned it". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  8. ^ Knight, Heather (August 31, 2022). "The latest S.F. housing failure: Thousands of units delayed for a study that never happened". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  9. ^ Knight, Heather (March 20, 2021). "S.F. finds a way to build homeless housing cheaper and faster. A powerful opponent is fighting it". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  10. ^ Dineen, J. K. (December 16, 2021). "Mayor Breed wants to streamline housing production, but will S.F. supervisors approve it?". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  11. ^ "San Francisco mayor's veto of housing bill gets overturned". The San Francisco Standard. March 26, 2024.
  12. ^ Gaus, Annie; Ege, Mike (May 8, 2023). "Mayor London Breed Gets a Reelection Challenger". The San Francisco Standard. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  13. ^ "About". Ahsha Safaí for District 11 Supervisor. Archived from the original on June 10, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
[edit]
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