South San Francisco council race taking shape

The councilmen are campaigning on the merits of their achievements, while some of the challengers claim a fresh perspective needs to be brought to City Hall in the fall election.

“We are the envy of many communities on the Peninsula and if I have been a 1 percent factor in making that happen, then I’m extremely happy,” said Addiego, who was first elected in 1980, served two terms, stepped away, then returned in 2009.

In his approximately 20 years as an elected official, Addiego said he witnessed a variety of changes to his native community and in turn watched residents accommodate South San Francisco’s growth and development.

A central force in establishing the city’s current position is the thriving local biotechnology industry, which has consumed a majority of the Bayshore east of Highway 101 and serves as a primary economic engine along the Peninsula.

Following the life sciences boom has come an uptick in residential development, as builders invested heavily in South City over recent years, populating the city’s expanding skyline with cranes and heavy equipment.

The rise in construction gave way to more community concerns, as residents exhausted with additional traffic congestion and parking problems grapple with the constantly increasing cost of living.

The resulting displacement facing many compelled Steven Ponce-Ramirez to enter the race, as the 22-year-old shared accounts of witnessing family and friends being pushed out of his hometown.

His election to the City Council would give a voice to the next generation of residents who will shape South San Francisco’s future, while also offering a platform to those concerned about affordability, he said.

“The reason I’m running is I want my generation to get more involved in the community. I want to get the youth involved to vote, and get the city moving in the right direction,” said Ponce-Ramirez, who works in the local hospitality industry.

Silva, who operates community website Everything South City, agreed a fresh approach to leadership is necessary as well. To bolster her position, Silva pointed to the frustration many residents are feeling with the crush of ongoing development.

“It’s been too much, too fast and people are mad,” said Silva, who said she was encouraged to run by residents who viewed her as a conduit between the community and City Hall. “Do you want to serve the biotech industry and the rest of the world? Or do you want to serve the residents of South San Francisco?”

To detail the source of her concerns regarding the cozy relationship between life sciences companies and city officials, Silva pointed to the city’s flag, which carries a DNA double helix.

With fears that the biotech industry may eventually uproot in search of a more desirable locale, officials should take more care to cater to the needs of the existing community, said Silva, who grew up in South San Francisco.

Also a South City native, Nagales believes he is the candidate best suited to respect the community’s past while also accommodating future development.

As a member of the city’s Planning Commission, Nagales said he worked hard to honor that obligation by attempting to assure each developer proposing to build new homes is willing to set a portion of the units aside at an affordable rate.

“We need to focus on building more affordable units here in South San Francisco,” said Nagales, who pointed to his ability to work from the dais with the developer constructing the Pinefino project along Baden Avenue to offer below-market-rate units as an example of his successful commitment to the initiative.

Nagales said his prioritization of affordable housing is born from the difficulty his family faced in coping with the cost of living which almost forced them to move before landing a loan allowing them to buy a home.

Gupta, elected in 2013, said he advocated for housing development east of Highway 101 in the area historically preserved for biotech companies in an effort to combat the city’s affordability crisis.

Though the approach was ultimately ineffective due to pushback from titans in the industry, Gupta said he hopes to continually address the quality of life concerns facing many by taking a broad approach.

Gupta said many of the affordability, transportation and parking problems experienced in South San Francisco are similar to those in other communities, and pointed to his breadth of experience on regional boards as the foundation for the informed perspective he can offer in the search for solutions.

Gupta represents South San Francisco as a board member on the Association of Bay Area Governments, the City/County Association of Governments, County Community Action Agency and other regional bodies.

“Today’s issues are such that they are not isolated,” said Gupta, who has lived in South San Francisco for the past 20 years after immigrating to the United States. “And I’d like to benefit the city based on my capabilities currently.”

Also a South San Francisco transplant following her immigration to the United States, Nicolas positioned herself as the candidate best suited to manage the concerns held by neighborhood residents while also maintaining a keen understanding of the biotech community.

The life sciences executive, who also served with the Friends of the Parks and Recreation group, said she wishes to manage the opposing interests by preserving the past while protecting the future.

Nicolas, who has lived in South San Francisco for about 30 years, said she sees the forthcoming general plan update as a mechanism for assuring all opinions are addressed as the city moves ahead.

“We should make sure everyone’s points are heard. We should not divide each other. And we can get to agreement when we hear each other’s perspective,” she said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 105

Note to readers: this article has been amended to accurately detail Nicolas' affiliation with Parks and Recreation, as well as her occupation.