San Francisco’s District 10 – covering Bayview‑Hunters Point, Potrero Hill, Visitacion Valley, Dogpatch, Sunnydale and Portola – is seeing a heated final stretch in the race to replace Supervisor Shamann Walton. The three remaining candidates, each backed by major endorsements, were asked what criticism they have received lately that they consider unjust.
J.R. Eppler – small‑business attorney
Eppler, 46, a longtime Potrero Hill resident, says a local housing watchdog, GrowSF, has mischaracterized his stance as anti‑development. “When developers proposed predominately studios or one‑bedroom units, I pushed for homes that more families could live in,” he told Mission Local. He highlighted his work at Pier 70, where he advocated for a larger share of affordable units. Eppler argues District 10 needs a mix of family‑size, middle‑income and deeply affordable homes to keep longtime neighbors rooted in the community.
D.J. Brookter – former CEO of Young Community Developers
Brookter, 43, counters the claim that he would make housing construction harder. He points to his record delivering 208 homes and securing rights for six additional projects totaling more than 1,100 units. “There is a big difference between overseeing development as a public commissioner and doing the nuts‑and‑bolts work of getting housing financed, built and occupied,” he said. Brookter emphasizes his hands‑on experience as the strongest qualification to turn housing plans into actual homes for District 10 families.
Theo Ellington – executive director, Ruth Williams Bayview Opera House
Ellington, 37, says he has faced pushback for not supporting rezoning of industrial land for housing. He argues that District 10 already has roughly 20,000 homes in the pipeline and that the under‑developed 3rd Street corridor should become an economic hub for life‑science, advanced manufacturing, robotics and other research‑driven jobs. “Our industrial land is different and should be the new economic and jobs center,” he explained, urging the city to welcome innovation that creates employment for local residents.
Endorsements and the campaign landscape
All three candidates have secured high‑profile endorsements. Eppler is backed by the Harvey Milk Democratic Club, the SF League of Pissed Off Voters, United Educators of San Francisco and the California Working Families Party. Brookter enjoys support from Supervisor Shamann Walton, former mayors Willie Brown and Art Agnos, as well as a slate of former supervisors. Ellington’s list includes Mayor Daniel Lurie, State Controller Malia Cohen, Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, Congressman Kevin Mullin and former Mayor London Breed, among others.
Key issues shaping the race
Housing remains the central theme. All three candidates agree on the need for more family‑size units and deeper affordability, yet they differ on how to achieve it. Eppler stresses expanding the range of unit sizes, Brookter leans on his development track record, and Ellington pushes for industrial‑zone conversion into a jobs‑focused economic engine.
The race also reflects broader community concerns about the Navy’s cleanup of Hunters Point Shipyard and a proposed moratorium on data‑center construction, issues that have united the candidates in earlier weeks but have been eclipsed by the recent focus on housing criticism.
Voters can learn more about each candidate’s platform and endorsements by visiting the Mission Local links provided in the original series. The “Meet the Candidates” series will continue to publish concise answers each Thursday, offering San Franciscans a clear view of the choices ahead in the District 10 supervisor election.
Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.
