Enhancing Our Quality of Life

By Michela Alioto-Pier

As Supervisor, Michela: Won passage of the Civil Sidewalks law to keep our sidewalks clear for everyone. In response to neighborhood concerns across San Francisco and especially in the Upper Haight, Michela introduced legislation to pass a simple policy that would clear our sidewalks and combat aggressive and inappropriate behavior. After the Board of Supervisors rejected the plan, Michela joined Mayor Newsom to go to the voters and win passage of this crucial law. She is the only major candidate for Mayor to endorse and campaign for Civil Sidewalks.

Supported homeownership opportunities for working families. San Francisco has one of the country's most expensive housing markets, squeezing middle class families out of our City. Michela worked with tenancy-in-common owners, first time homebuyers and City agencies to advance policies that will make it easier for working families to own their first home.

Backed "Laura's Law" to help severely mentally ill people get the treatment they need. We all see severely mentally ill people on our streets, and too often turn away. Michela worked with families, mental health experts and judges to explore "Laura's Law," which would allow family members to petition our courts to get people the help they need and establish assisted outpatient treatment. As a result of her work, mental health programs were spared from the budget chopping block and San Franciscans gained a better understanding of how to improve our mental health service system.

As Mayor, Michela will: Fully implement the Civil Sidewalks law. Now that voters passed Civil Sidewalks, it is up to the City to fully implement the law. Michela will ensure that the Police Department and social service agencies have the resources and leadership that is required to legally and properly implement Civil Sidewalks. She will work with merchants, neighbors and the community to ensure this targeted law meets its goals.

Continue Mayor Newsom's "Care Not Cash" program. Many of the candidates running for Mayor opposed "Care Not Cash," and it is crucial that the next Mayor continue the important progress the City has made to move people off the streets and into permanent affordable housing. Michela will ensure that this program remains a central part of the City's response to homelessness, and that homeless individuals and families get the help they need to become self-sufficient.

Focus the City's resources on increasing homeownership opportunities. Increasing homeownership opportunities for all is the best way to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods. Michela will strengthen the Mayor's Office of Housing's homeownership portfolio to provide additional down payment assistance, homeownership counseling and to lend an additional helping hand to working people seeking to put down roots in our City.