The city has tried a variety of measures to help struggling business corridors, including waiving fees<\/a> for new businesses. It has also given grants<\/a> to fill storefront and encouraged pop-ups through its Vacant to Vibrant<\/a> program, though the Castro has not been a part of those programs.\u00a0<\/p>\n In addition to carrots, San Francisco has also tried sticks. In 2020, the city voted to create a new tax on vacant storefronts<\/a>. The Board of Supervisors changed the tax<\/a> last year, though, to exempt storefronts near long-term public construction projects. Following that change, 27 vacancies were taxed in 2025 compared to 241 in 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n This week\u2019s question: What would you do to fill empty storefronts?<\/p>\n Manny Yekutiel<\/p>\n Job: Founder and owner of Manny\u2019s, co-founder and former executive director of Civic Joy Fund<\/p>\n Age: 36<\/p>\n Residency: Renter, has lived in San Francisco since 2012 and District 8 since 2013<\/p>\n Transportation: Driving, public transit and walking<\/p>\n Education: Bachelor\u2019s degree from Williams College<\/p>\n Languages: English, Hebrew<\/p>\n As a small business owner, I know firsthand how difficult starting a business can be in this city and, as a former merchant association president, I already have experience filling vacant storefronts.\u00a0<\/p>\n To fill our District\u2019s 63 vacancies<\/a>, I would work storefront by storefront to understand what\u2019s keeping each space empty and help the landlord find tenants. I would also broaden the vacancy tax<\/a>, reduce exemptions, and increase penalties for landlords who intentionally keep spaces vacant. At the same time, I would offer $100,000 startup grants and remove most zoning barriers so businesses can open faster and stay open.<\/p>\n Endorsed by: Mayor Daniel Lurie, the San Francisco Democratic Party, District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, former Mayor Willie L. Brown Jr, Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, Jane Fonda, Senator Cory Booker, Grow SF, Abundant SF, San Francisco Apartment Association \u2026 see more here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Gary McCoy<\/p>\n Job: Former staffer to Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and former vice president of policy and public affairs at HealthRIGHT 360<\/p>\n Age: 48<\/p>\n Residency: Renter, has lived in San Francisco for 24 years and District 8 for 15 years<\/p>\n Transportation: Driving, biking, public transit and walking<\/p>\n Education: Former City College of San Francisco student, certified phlebotomy technician from Bay Area Medical Academy<\/p>\n Languages: English<\/p>\n Long-vacant storefronts have negatively impacted the vibrancy of our commercial corridors in the Castro and districtwide, and hurt existing businesses.\u00a0<\/p>\n I will strengthen incentives for landlords to quickly lease their spaces, including month-to-month options for pop-ups and local artists.\u00a0<\/p>\n I will also focus on stronger enforcement of the Commercial Vacancy Tax<\/a>, which primarily rests on landlords self-reporting their vacant properties. We need proactive enforcement by the city, and we need to close loopholes landlords have found to circumvent this tax while increasing penalties for those with two or more vacant properties.<\/p>\n Endorsed by: Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Supervisor Matt Dorsey, San Francisco Labor Council, Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club, Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, San Francisco Tenants Union, UESF, Working Families Party, San Francisco League of Pissed Off Voters \u2026 see more here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Michael Nguyen<\/p>\n Job: Patent attorney<\/p>\n Age: 44<\/p>\n Residency: Renter, has lived in District 8 since 2006<\/p>\n Transportation: Driving, public transit and walking<\/p>\n Education: Bachelor\u2019s degree from Southwestern University, law degree from University of California Law San Francisco<\/p>\n Languages: English, some Spanish, some Vietnamese<\/p>\n I would expand Vacant to Vibrant<\/a> from three months to two full years of support, push for commercial rent stabilization so small businesses aren\u2019t priced out, and standardize lease terms so small businesses get the protections they need. I\u2019d implement innovative ideas like partnering with nonprofits for pop-ups, and expand access to small business loans.\u00a0<\/p>\n That\u2019s why I support Prop B, the Public Bank<\/a>, which would invest San Francisco\u2019s own dollars into San Francisco businesses. Filled storefronts mean neighborhood vitality, safer streets, and wealth building opportunities for immigrants and underserved communities, funded by making wealthy corporations pay their fair share.<\/p>\n Endorsed by: GLBTQ+ Asian Pacific Alliance, Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club (#2), San Francisco Green Party, former supervisor Dean Preston, UESF, Working Families Party, UESF \u2026 see more\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Darshini Patel<\/p>\n Job: Former DoorDash employee, worked on the 2012 Obama campaign and the 2024 Harris campaign, former Obama staffer<\/p>\n Age: 38<\/p>\n Residency: Homeowner, has lived in District 8 for 10 cumulative years since 2010<\/p>\n Transportation: Public transit, walking and biking<\/p>\n Education: Bachelor\u2019s degree from Wellesley College<\/p>\n Languages: Gujarati, English<\/p>\n The city<\/a> counts 45 vacant storefronts in all of District 8; Castro Merchants<\/a> counted 68 in the Castro alone. Clearly, our vacancy system isn\u2019t working.<\/p>\n I would audit and enforce the commercial vacancy tax for small businesses, including an audit of delinquent filings and review of community-identified vacancies. I\u2019d also bring Vacant to Vibrant<\/a> to District 8, give businesses a central resource to navigate permitting, and create a complete public marketplace with available storefronts, rents, and lease terms.\u00a0<\/p>\n It should be harder to leave a storefront empty than to help it thrive.<\/p>\n See Patel\u2019s full answer here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Endorsed by: UESF, Solidarity Club SF, San Franciscans for Social Housing, Supervisor Myrna Melgar (#2), Rose Pak Asian American Club (#3)<\/p>\n Candidates are ordered alphabetically and rotated each week. Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling, and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at io@missionlocal.com<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Illustrated](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Manny-Yekutiel-640x640.png\")
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