Amourence Lee won’t seek reelection

“My legacy of leadership has always been about lifting up the community with me,” Lee said. “I will not stand in the way of Black leadership, and it requires me to create space and allow that to happen and empower unrepresented communities in my city and in my neighborhood.” 

About 2% of the district’s current population is Black — declining sharply over the last several decades — and roughly 43% are Latino, the highest such percentage of any district in the city. 

Hansen’s recent announcement means the race will have at least two candidates. Nicole Fernandez is also running to represent the district, which includes the North Central and North Shoreview neighborhoods. 

“I’ve lived in the district for more than a decade. I was born in the district, and I’m the only person here who has the extensive relationships that are needed in order to advocate for the resources that the district and residents deserve,” said Fernandez, who works for state Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, and has the backing of Assemblymember Diane Papan, D-San Mateo. 

Hansen has been a San Mateo resident for a few years, but moved to District 2 last month, though he said his work at Peninsula Family Service has led to frequent conversations and relationships with longtime community members.

“We’ve had some very frank conversations around affordable housing and living conditions … some of those conversations really hit home for me, because they simply cannot afford to live here in San Mateo,” Hansen said, adding that marginalized communities across different races and cultures typically face similar barriers, including lack of leadership representation and less access to much-needed resources.

The election will also lead to a new dynamic among city leadership. Tensions on the council have continuously festered since 2022, when a historical precedent in the mayoral rotation process was disrupted, triggering allegations of vote-trading, which were ultimately deemed unfounded. And Lee has frequently clashed with councilmembers, especially Mayor Lisa Diaz Nash, over their positions on housing-related policies, claiming the city’s housing element — a  blueprint on how each city will reach its state-mandated housing goals — doesn’t go far enough in addressing the city’s cost-of-living crisis. 

But she maintains the decision to opt out of the upcoming race is not due to a diminished desire to serve on the council, stating she was “prepared to serve at the will of the community.”

This November will be the second time the city hosts district elections since its implementation. There are two districts with open seats, District 2 and 4. Councilmember Rich Hedges lives in District 4, but was appointed for a citywide vacancy when Diane Papan was elected to the state Assembly. He has announced he will not run for election and has supported Danielle Cwirko-Godycki for the seat. She is the only candidate running so far.

alyse@smdailyjournal.com

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