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Rules Committee hears two candidates for Citizens Committee on Community Development, forwards both files to full Board
Summary
The Rules Committee heard two applicants for one slot on the Citizens Committee on Community Development on May 28, 2015, received public endorsements for incumbent Peter Cohen, and voted to duplicate the hearing file and forward one file for each candidate to the full Board without recommendation. The final appointment will be decided June 9 at the Board meeting.
The Rules Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on May 28, 2015 heard presentations from two candidates vying for a single vacancy on the Citizens Committee on Community Development and voted to send both files to the full Board without a committee recommendation.
Peter Cohen, an incumbent and long‑time participant on the committee, told supervisors he brings “22 years in San Francisco and 15 years in community development work,” highlighting neighborhood‑based community planning in the Mission, Tenderloin, South of Market and other areas. He said his work focused on pushing federal CDBG funds out to community providers and building community planning capacity.
Clinton (Clint) Lofton, who said he has more than 25 years of experience in affordable housing and development and has worked with multiple federal and state funding sources, described his practice managing financing and development at the Oakland Housing Authority and said he hopes to bring that experience to the committee.
Public comment largely favored Cohen: Gabriel Medina (president, Latino Democratic Club) and other community representatives cited his long record of engagement and urged supervisors to support his reappointment. Sam Dennison (Faithful Fools) and others noted Cohen’s committee longevity and local relationships.
Supervisors debated whether to continue the appointment so absent Supervisor Cohen could participate. Supervisor Tang asked to continue the item out of deference to his colleague; Chair John Avalos said he preferred to move the files to the full Board to avoid keeping the item in committee for another month. The committee then agreed to duplicate the hearing file — creating one file listing Peter Cohen and one listing Clinton Lofton — and refer both files to the Board of Supervisors for a June 9 decision, both files “without recommendation.” The motion was seconded and taken without objection.
Next step: both appointment files will appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda on June 9, when the full Board will consider the two candidates and make the final appointment.
