By John Ferrannini

San Francisco District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong has been on the job since Dec. 1, 2025. Thus far, his primary concern has been keeping the lights on for Sunset District businesses and residents.

In December 2025, District 4 experienced six power outages.

After the Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) Mission Substation went out on Dec. 20, 2025, temporary generators were installed in the Outer Richmond.

Wong said on Dec. 30, 2025, he had written a letter to PG&E asking the utility “for answers, and information on remedies.”

With the largest outage happening the Saturday before Christmas, the situation was untenable for small businesses.

“Essentially all commerce stopped, and this was in the middle of the holiday season as Christmas approached, and winter solstice for the Asian community,” Wong said. “We had people on ventilators who had to go to the hospital because of the outage.”

Wong wants a hearing and compensation for those affected.

“I called for a public hearing on this disaster – getting PG&E to show up and get us answers on how all this happened and how we can prevent this from happening in the future, because there’s been a lack of sufficient response,” Wong said. “During an earthquake or a fire, life could have been lost. I am sending a query to our city departments, including the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the city controller’s office and others, to look into the fiscal and operational implications and practicalities of potentially having a public electric grid. My position is that I’m open to the idea, and at the same time I’d like to understand what the fiscal and operational implications are for the City if we were to consider something of that magnitude.”

Outer Sunset Merchant and Professional Association President Bill Barnickel has been working with Wong on helping merchants submit claims to PG&E.

“I just called and said, ‘Hey, Alan, we gotta collaborate,’” he said. Barnickel went door to door to merchants to ask if they had electricity problems and give them the PG&E number to complain.”

“I will do the follow-up next week,” Barnickel said in a Jan. 3 phone call. “The big issue we’re going to have is the follow-up. It’s great we file claims, that PG&E gets the paperwork, but once again, it’s the follow-up. I just want to get it done properly.”

Barnickel, who is on the City’s Veterans Affairs Commission, also worked with Wong when Wong was a legislative aide to then-District 4 Supervisor Gordon Mar. Wong was instrumental in helping veterans get affordable housing, Barnickel said.

“Alan’s the person who can do the job,” Barnickel said. “He’s not the most gregarious type, but he gets the job done. That’s all I can say, and I hope he does a good job and he has my support.”

Wong ruffled some feathers when he announced his support for a ballot measure that would reopen the Upper Great Highway to vehicle traffic on weekdays. The closure of the thoroughfare was the major reason for the recall of Wong’s predecessor, Joel Engardio, who was elected supervisor in 2022 then was voted out of office in November 2025.

Though Wong was accused of not meaningfully engaging with those who want to keep the Sunset Dunes park open on weekdays, Wong shared images on social media of himself meeting with park advocates.

“When I was about to enter this office, I stated I would listen to everybody and meet with everybody, and I had different ideas about how to do that, and I expressed different ideas,” Wong said. “Ultimately I did it in the format I did it – going to different community groups and listening to them, so I think I did my part in listening to all these groups.”

In June, Wong is running to complete Engardio’s term, which ends early next year. So far, there are four candidates running against him: Natalie Gee, chief of staff to District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton; David Lee, former Recreation and Park commissioner; Albert Chow, owner of Great Wall Hardware in the Parkside and president of People of Parkside Sunset (POPS); and Jeremy Greco who described himself in a Jan. 2 press release candidacy announcement as a campus coordinator, former worker-owner at Other Avenues and family caregiver.

After Engardio was recalled, but before Wong was appointed by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, the seat was briefly filled by 29-year-old political novice Isabella “Beya” Alcaraz, who resigned after one week due to controversies stemming from her handling of her Sunset District pet store.

Wong said he is devoting two of his four staff members to handle constituent concerns. Wong said public safety, permit reform and education were his primary concerns for this year. Wong had been a trustee of the board of City College of San Francisco immediately before Lurie appointed him District 4 supervisor. He said he wants to increase the child care subsidy to 200% of the area median income.

“I will be an ally to our public and private schools in the Sunset District,” he said. “Many families move to the Sunset so their kids can grow up in a neighborhood that is safe and clean, and I will be a cheerleader for public schools and be there to support them and promote initiatives when practical.”