REP-SF Planning to the People Newsletter: November 2026

REP-SF Planning to the People Newsletter: Nov. 2026 Latest from REP-SF REP-SF Members & Community Allies Events This month, we're reflecting on the results of the midterm elections and what they mean for our communities across San Francisco. We're also excited to present our new housing report, share a new blog post, and launch our Heroes for Housing Justice series! Next Thursday, join REP-SF member People Power Media in celebrating 15 years! Our REP-SF Planning to the People newsletter provides the latest news and ways to take action on behalf of grassroots communities for housing justice and equitable city planning – all in one place! Read our full newsletter here! In community, The REP-SF Team Race & Equity in all Planning Coalition Latest from REP-SF A Blue Wave Sweeps the Nation, but Billionaires Win Big in San Francisco Illustration above by Neil Ballard (Mission Local). While there were many historic victories to celebrate nationally in this midterm election, Mayor Lurie and his billionaire friends won big in San Francisco. By spending massive, unprecedented amounts of money and deploying powerful disinformation campaigns, real estate and tech billionaires succeeded in buying this election to advance their agenda. We know our communities will feel the consequences of these outcomes for years to come. This election is a stark reminder of the enormous wealth and influence our movement is up against – and of the challenges ahead as we continue fighting for a city that puts working people and our communities first. Billionaires poured more than $13 million into the Mayor's charter reform measures – Props D, E, and F – making it one of the "best-funded ballot measure campaigns in the last decade of San Francisco politics" (SF Chronicle). These measures, particularly Prop D, will increase billionaire power and undermine democracy by locking tenants and working people out of the political process. Real estate lobbyists and corporate landlords spent $2.8 million to defeat Prop I, the Affordable Housing Guarantee Act, which aimed to fund affordable housing and tenant protections. Despite this loss, SF voters passed Prop C, the Housing Trust Fund, demonstrating strong support for solutions that will help the City deliver the affordable housing that our communities desperately need. We're so excited to celebrate the historic vote for Prop B, the Public Bank measure! This marks an important first step by establishing the legal framework for a public bank to serve the needs of San Franciscans that commercial banks don't prioritize. Thank you to all of our community members and allies for making your voices heard, organizing in your communities, and voting to support truly affordable housing and rejecting policies that harm our communities. The fight for truly affordable housing and equity in land use continues! Join REP-SF and be part of the growing movement to make sure our communities are not forced out of SF. Get involved in the fight against the billionaires' agenda. Read more about the local and state election results in Mission Local. Check out this analysis of the national election results by historian Heather Cox Richardson. REP-SF Blog: In A Burning World, Queers Find Home With Each Other by Priya Prabhakar Mayor Daniel Lurie’s Family Zoning Plan lets developers, the real estate industry, and the capitalist market determine what ‘family’ means, what housing gets built, and therefore, who gets displaced. Queer communities – excluded from this manufactured ideal – have long understood the need to radically redefine ‘family’ as an anti-capitalist form of survival. At the Queer Housing Summit in Fresno this year, we kept returning to one question: What does queerness offer our housing justice movements? How can queerness offer our movements the ability to see beyond structures imposed on us and to build relationships, communities, and movements that can survive change? Read REP-SF organizer Priya Prabhakar’s new piece on the REP-SF Blog! Read Priya's Blog Post! Read Our New Housing Report REP-SF and member organization South of Market Community Action Network (SOMCAN) are proud to present Raising Community Voices for Affordable Housing Near Transit, a report on the housing needs of low-income people, immigrants, and people of color in San Francisco. Working with 8 Community Housing Ambassadors (CHAs), SOMCAN and REP-SF collected 485 surveys, conducted 4 focus groups, and led 3 community forums that allowed low-income residents to share their personal experiences living in the city, affordability and accessibility needs, and desires for future development in their neighborhood. We were also able to identify 60 sites for potential affordable housing development, which will inform the future efforts of REP's Claiming Space for Community Initiative.   SOMCAN, CHAs, and REP-SF presented our report to 7 out of 11 Supervisor offices, Planning Commission, Planning Dept, MOHCD, Rent Board, SFPDH, SFE, and MTC. Our presentation with key findings and policy recommendations is available here.  You can download a copy of our report through the link here: somcan.org/published-reports. Physical copies are also available for free at SOMCAN's office (1038 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103). Download the Report! REP-SF Heroes for Housing Justice Series REP-SF members are Heroes for Housing Justice in their communities. Through their lived experiences and deep community-based expertise, they advocate for truly affordable housing and equitable city planning in San Francisco. We’re excited to kick off our Heroes for Housing Justice series, spotlighting REP-SF members from community organizations across San Francisco! Meet our first five Heroes: Zachary Frial (SOMCAN), Reina Tello (PODER), Gwen McLaughlin (Small Business Forward), Jacquelynn Evans (Coalition on Homelessness), and Teresa Dulalas (SOMCAN). We sat down with each of them to hear their stories, learn what inspired them to join the housing justice movement, and find out what keeps them motivated to fight for community-driven solutions. Spotlight on Jacquelynn Evans: Watch or listen to our full interview with housing justice advocate Jacquelynn Evans on the REP-SF Blog! Stay tuned for more interviews, coming soon! Follow us on social media @repcoalitionsf to hear directly from these community leaders working toward a more equitable San Francisco. Check out Jacquelynn's Spotlight! REP-SF Members & Community Allies On a Whim! by 6M Community Arts Gallery Director Kerim Harmanci 6M Community Arts is a program of REP-SF member Tenants and Owners Development Corporation (TODCO). Gallery Director Kerim Harmanci wrote a piece about 6M's first "guest curated" show and the collaborative process of executing a successful opening. Kerim writes: "For emerging artists at 6M to get more experience with the process of exhibiting art, it can be very helpful for them to curate a show...On a Whim! was conceived by JL Malvar, an emerging and talented Filipino artist and apparel designer (and a regular at 6M who lives on 6th Street) who expressed interest in creating an exhibition that focused on the playful and mischievous side of art. J’s art often employs words and letterforms, in English, Spanish, and Tagalog, in humorous ways, and they decided that there’s a big area of 'whimsical' art – comics, tongue-in-cheek drawings, oddball, and lighthearted pieces – that deserves some exposure." Read the full piece! Housing in San Francisco and the History Behind the Harm by League of Women Voters of San Francisco Intern Eliza Macaluso Eliza Macaluso is an intern with our community allies at the League of Women Voters of San Francisco (LWVSF), conducting research and studying housing and environmental justice in the city. She writes about the racist roots of San Francisco's housing crisis and how redlining and tech wealth are causing harm today. Eliza writes: "In August 2026, I presented my research to LWVSF's Advocacy Committee, a group of members who take action to achieve policy changes on important community issues. At the meeting, LWVSF members were joined by local housing and environmental justice leaders from groups like [REP-SF members] People Power Media, South of Market Community Action Network (SOMCAN), and Coalition on Homelessness. Our goal was to discuss how LWVSF members might support the work community groups are already doing. And while LWVSF does some housing advocacy as part of its community safety area of focus, making housing and environmental justice its own priority could bring more of the League's resources to the issue." Read the full piece! Apply to volunteer with LWVSF's Housing & Environmental Justice Task Force! New Report: Understanding Women's Homelessness REP-SF member San Francisco SafeHouse and the Women's Housing Coalition worked together to conduct one of the most comprehensive surveys of women's homelessness in San Francisco in years: "Understanding Women's Homelessness," the Women's Needs Assessment Survey 2026. More than 400 women shared their experiences, shedding light on the barriers they face, the gaps in our systems, and what needs to change. Read the summary of the report findings here. Mission Action Has Moved! REP-SF member Mission Action's main offices have relocated from their longtime home at 938 Valencia Street to their new headquarters: 2101 Mission Street, #101, SF, CA 94110. Watch this video to learn more about Mission Action's exciting announcement!   From Mission Action: "After 40 years of growth to meet the evolving needs of our beloved community, we have outgrown our former home. Our new location provides the space to bring together services across Mission Action's three program pillars—Housing and Shelter, Community Services, and Community Engagement and Organizing—under one roof. By co-locating staff, programs, and resources, we will be able to offer a more seamless, coordinated, and wraparound experience for community members, ensuring that individuals and families can more easily access the full range of support they need to thrive." In the News: TODCO Developing Affordable Housing REP-SF member TODCO filed its first application for a new affordable housing development since the early 2000s. TODCO's proposed project would bring more than 100 affordable homes to the South of Market. Before he passed away in April, TODCO's long-time president and founder John Elberling agreed to develop TODCO's garden. “Knowing he was going to die, he gave me his blessing,” said Eric Tao, the acting director of TODCO. “He said, ‘Eric, let’s do it, let’s do what we can to rebuild the community, to add more housing for low-income seniors.’” Read more in the SF Chronicle. Events Nov. 19: Celebrate 15 Years of People Power Media! Thursday, November 19, at The Plough and the Stars (116 Clement St) Event starts at 5:30 pm. Program starts promptly at 6:00 pm. Join us next Thursday, November 19, to lift a glass and toast REP-SF member People Power Media's 15th Anniversary! People Power Media's mission is to build power for housing justice and equity in land use. Through multimedia popular education, policy innovation, and grassroots organizing, we’re creating communities that are truly equitable, affordable, and diverse. Your support throughout the years has made a real difference. PPM will be premiering a short film showcasing their greatest hits! From a Canadian prison in the dead of Winter, to the streets and jungles of the Philippines, to the San Francisco tenants' rights movement, to taking over City Hall. A generous supporter will be matching donations dollar for dollar! Donate today or at the event to double your impact! Get your tickets and donate here! WATCH & share this video to help spread the word! Invite Your Communities to Subscribe to Our Newsletter! Our monthly Planning to the People newsletter (that you are reading now!) provides the latest news and ways to take action on behalf of grassroots communities for housing justice and equitable city planning – all in one place! Help us build our momentum by encouraging your networks and communities to subscribe to our newsletter: Share our subscription form! REP-SF Newsletter Subscription Form The Race & Equity in all Planning Coalition (REP-SF) San Francisco, CA REPSF.org | linktr.ee/repcoalitionsf Stay connected with us! Follow REP-SF on social media: