By John Ferrannini

David Lee, an educator and the 20-year executive director of the Chinese American Voters Education Committee who unsuccessfully ran against then-Supervisor Catherine Stefani for State Assembly from District 19 in 2024, is among those who have tossed their hat into the ring to represent the Outer Sunset as District 4 supervisor.

Lee is challenging Alan Wong, who was appointed to the position by Mayor Daniel Lurie in December of last year. Also running in the June election to finish the term of ousted Supervisor Joel Engardio are hardware store owner and People of Parkside Sunset (POPS) president Albert Chow, former food cooperative owner Jeremy Greco, and Natalie Gee, longtime chief of staff to District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton.

There will also be a November race to fill the seat for the four-year term which will begin in 2027.

Lee has been working to try to get cash for Sunset merchants who lost power during several disruptive power outages in December. On Jan. 20, he and Quentin Kopp, former judge, supervisor and state senator, announced a lawsuit against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).

“The merchants have not been paid,” Lee said in a Jan. 21 phone interview. “They’ve filed claims, the whole process, and instead of honoring the claims, PG&E has been asking for more documentation and delaying the process. This, despite the fact that PG&E stated as recently as yesterday claims were supposed to be processed in 11 days. That’s not the case with any of the merchants I’ve been in contact with.”

More than 100 Sunset merchants and residents have signed Lee’s petition asking the household credit for the power outages be raised from $200 to $500, and the business credit from $2,500 to $5,000.

“We recognize the impact of the outage, and we apologize for the disruption and frustration this has caused, especially during the holiday season,” according to a statement from PG&E. “We know this outage caused significant hardship, especially for those who were without power for extended periods.

Kopp did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Lee claimed that “there’s frustration” in the community because “not enough is being done to help them.” He pointed a finger at Wong, saying some businesses are telling him they haven’t heard from their new supervisor.

In a statement, Wong stated what his office is doing on behalf of Sunset residents.

“Over the past several weeks, my office has been actively responding to repeated PG&E power outages that impacted the Sunset District, including six outages in one month,” he stated. “From the start, I have been in direct contact with residents and small businesses, pressing PG&E for answers, accountability and fair compensation. I have been very disappointed with PG&E’s service reliability and communication with residents and small businesses affected by power outages and expressed my outrage in a meeting with their CEO.”

Wong continued that he has asked for a public hearing, for a visit from the utility to the neighborhood, and stated that “PG&E has confirmed that the $200 residential and $2,500 business credits are only a starting point and are not intended to cover full losses.”

In addition to Wong’s advocacy, District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan has introduced legislation to hold the utility accountable.

Lee did not live in District 4 when the San Francisco Chronicle floated his name in September as a possible replacement for Engardio, but he did by an October interview. He said on Nov. 19, 2025, he has strong roots in the district, nonetheless. (Despite the Chronicle’s speculation, Lee said he did not seek the mayor’s appointment.)

“I’ve lived on the west side of San Francisco most of my life,” he said at that time. “My wife and I decided to move to the Sunset some time ago since my kids both are adults now. We spend a lot of time in the Sunset. We shop here, we eat in the restaurants, our friends are here; so, when it was time to think about a forever home, we decided to buy one here in the Sunset.”

Lee, a former Recreation and Parks commissioner, said he supports a compromise that would allow the Upper Great Highway to be a vehicle roadway during the week.

“There’s room for a compromise,” Lee said. “I’m an avid cyclist, and I ride the Sunset and part of my ride, I go through Sunset Dunes, so I use it every day, and I can tell you, the weekdays Monday to Friday there are not so many people on it.”

Speaking to the fact that Prop. K failed in District 4, though it passed citywide, Lee said, “The Sunset has spoken in unison about this issue, and I think it’s really important we get the highway opened to cars again, so Sunset residents can use it to get to work, take their kids to school, get to doctor’s appointments.”

Kopp was one of Lee’s earliest supporters. He was a vocal supporter of the Engardio recall. In a November 2025 phone interview, Kopp said, “I’ve known David for at least 10 years and he, of course, just moved to the Sunset but he is a native San Franciscan and he is keenly attuned to the neighborhood’s desires.”

Among these is opposition to Lurie’s upzoning proposal, which the mayor argues is necessary to prevent further state intervention in setting San Francisco housing policy. The plan was approved by the board and signed by Lurie in December of last year.

Lee “will oppose this upzoning, which is the next infliction of a cause for unrest in the Sunset,” Kopp continued. Lee confirmed in a follow-up phone call he is opposed to the proposal.

Kopp also said Lee would introduce legislation to allow competitive bidding for the city’s garbage contract, currently held by Recology.

The Sunset Beacon published a story last November about Natalie Gee’s candidacy for the District 4 supervisor seat. The story is available at RichmondSunsetNews.com. A story about the remaining two candidates, Albert Chow and Jeremy Greco, will be published in the near future.