Fog Is My Natural Habitat

There is nowhere in San Francisco quite like the Sunset District. Nestled between the Pacific Ocean, Stern Grove and Golden Gate Park, it’s the kind of place where fog softens the mornings, small businesses know their customers by name and neighbors look out for one another. This is a community built by working families – immigrants and longtime San Franciscans alike – who put down roots and stay.

I am one of those kids. The fog is my natural habitat. My parents immigrated from Hong Kong with very little, and they built a life here through hard work, perseverance and the kindness of neighbors. I grew up strolling down Irving Street with my mom after school, shopping for groceries, meeting local shop owners and eating at the old Irving Street Kentucky Fried Chicken.

I went to De Avila Elementary, Herbert Hoover Middle School and Abraham Lincoln High School. The Sunset raised me and is the only place I have ever called home.

City College helped my family get our footing. My dad took English and culinary classes there, which led to a union hotel job he proudly held for more than two decades to support us. I took classes at City College too, using a low-income tuition waiver that helped me graduate from University of California, San Diego at the age of 19. Public education and community support changed our lives, and that’s why I’ve spent my career giving back – preparing neighbors for disasters with the American Red Cross, working for children and families at Children’s Council of San Francisco, advocating for District 4 residents as a legislative aide, serving as an elected City College Trustee and serving more than 16 years in the California Army National Guard.

All of that brought me here. Being appointed to serve as your District 4 supervisor is the greatest honor of my life. As a veteran, I will always put my community and my country above political partisanship or ideology. I will prioritize pragmatism over rigid dogma and focus on delivering real results for the Sunset. Trust in local government has frayed and I know residents are frustrated. Too often, people feel like City Hall is something that happens to them, not something that works for them. I’m here to change that.

Since taking office, I’ve been listening – at community meetings, inside small businesses and on front porches. I’ve heard from seniors struggling with mobility issues, parents worried about school safety and small business owners weighed down by confusing city rules. The message is consistent: People want a government that shows up. They want safe, clean streets, responsive services and a representative who picks up the phone.

That’s why I’ve committed to dedicating half of my office staff to constituent services. If you have a problem – a broken streetlight, a safety concern, a permit issue or you’ve hit a wall with a city agency – my office is here to help. We will make sure the right people are listening and the right agencies follow through.

Most importantly, I want every Sunset resident to have a real voice at City Hall, especially seniors, working families, small business owners and longtime residents who don’t always have time to organize but whose lives are deeply affected by city decisions.

I was born and raised in the Sunset. And I am here to serve you. Together, we can make sure the Sunset not only preserves what makes it special but continues to be a place where families thrive for generations to come.

Supervisor Alan Wong represents District 4 on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Reach his office at wongstaff@sfgov.org or 415-554-7460.