Ex-Citizen App Employee Declares Candidacy for SF Supervisor

A former tech company employee announced Tuesday that he’s running for supervisor in 2024, hoping to represent San Francisco’s District 9—a seat that the incumbent, Hillary Ronen, will be termed out of.

Trevor Chandler, a gay activist and former director of government affairs and public policy at public-safety app Citizen, is running to represent the Mission, the Portola and Bernal Heights in San Francisco’s legislative body.

Chandler, who moved to the city seven years ago, is a relative outsider in local politics. He appeared on a round of news coverage last year as Citizen was investing in the Bay Area Asian American community. He told The Standard he was laid off earlier this year and is currently unemployed.

“I never imagined I would run for anything,” Chandler said. “But now I was looking around at the city, and I saw what everyone else sees about the streets and the safety issues. And I started thinking, 'Do I have something that I could contribute?'”

Chandler’s policy priorities include increasing police staffing and expanding conservatorship to address the drug crisis. In his campaign video, he touted his support for last year’s school board recall.

Historically, District 9 is a left-leaning progressive stronghold in city politics. Based on his political positions, Chandler would likely fall into the more moderate camp.

“I understand that the chattering class is going to have their own conversation about who I am or what kind of box they want to put me in,” Chandler said. “I am a progressive.”

D9 is also home to substantial Spanish-speaking and Chinese-speaking immigrant communities. After redistricting last year, the district’s demographics are about 42% white, 27% Hispanic, 25% Asian and 5% Black.