Rules Committee Recommends Reappointment of Redevelopment Commissioner Leroy King After Broad Public Support

The Rules Committee voted to forward the mayoral reappointment of Leroy King to the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency with a committee recommendation to the full Board of Supervisors. The reappointment (term noted in the packet) drew extended public comment from residents, union leaders and civic groups who credited King with advocating for working people and speaking up on redevelopment decisions.

Supporters described King's long record of civic and labor engagement. Mike Hardiman said King ‘‘is the most stand up person in San Francisco for working people that's alive today,’’ and Al Williams, president of the African American Historical and Cultural Society, urged the committee to approve the reappointment after citing prior collaborations with King. Several current and former commissioners, community organization leaders and longtime residents repeated those endorsements during the public-comment period.

Amos Brown, pastor of Third Baptist Church and a member of the San Francisco Housing Authority, told the committee he has known King for more than 30 years and described him as ‘‘the sole voice on that redevelopment agency who stood for parity, fairness, and justice for the underserved African American community in this city.’’ Brown also warned that redevelopment must avoid repeating past displacement in neighborhoods such as the Fillmore.

The committee chair noted the breadth of public support and moved the item forward with recommendation to the full Board. No formal roll-call vote on the reappointment is recorded in the committee transcript; the committee’s action is recorded in the minutes as moved with recommendation for placement on the full board agenda.

Next steps: the committee sent the reappointment as a committee recommendation to the full Board of Supervisors for final confirmation.