A Note from Danny

I’ve had the privilege of speaking with thousands of District 3 residents over the past year of this campaign. From doorsteps to corner stores, phone lines to school drop-off lines, I’ve loved meeting you in every corner of our incredible district! 

Through these thousands of conversations, one message has been clear: We all want change. We love our city but we cannot continue down the same path of broken promises, City Hall insiders, and lack of results. 

As you cast your vote, I hope you’ll consider that change doesn’t come from the insiders and those backed by the incumbents. There are other candidates who see our neighborhoods as a political stepping stone and who wish to continue the grasp of power a political machine has had on our district for decades. 

But if you want a grassroots, community candidate, I hope you’ll consider voting for me. I’m asking for a chance to put my 10+ years of community organizing to work. It’s easy to show up in an election year or talk the talk, but as The San Francisco Chronicle recently shared, "Danny Sauter, by contrast, has quietly put his head down and worked for years to make life better for district residents. He started the North Beach Farmers Market, supported a study that helped fill empty storefronts and was instrumental in bringing a new grocery store to the district.”

As other campaigns spend their time making desperate last-minute attacks, we’re continuing to put forward a positive vision for our district with concrete plans to build more homes and protect rent control, fully staff our police department, and make our neighborhoods cleaner. 

I hope to earn your vote so that I can get to work for you. 

- Danny

(415) 562-6441

Compare The Candidates 

-Housing-

Danny Sauter

  • As a 10+ year renter in North Beach, protect rent control and strengthen tenant protections to keep our communities intact. 

  • Introduce a special use district that prioritizes the addition of new senior and family housing.

  • Rejected tall towers along the waterfront and have pushed for mid-rise density to meet our housing goals.

  • Advocated for rebuilding and filling empty buildings (like Lombardi Sports on Polk) and burned out buildings (like at Union & Columbus Ave).

Other Candidates

  • Sharon Lai is a landlord who owns 4 homes across San Francisco and rents a penthouse atop Nob Hill.

  • Moe Jamil’s extreme positions against housing may result in total loss of local control - which means tall apartment towers will be allowed along the waterfront and anywhere in District 3. 

-Safety-

Danny Sauter

  • Rejected calls to “defund the police”, instead advocating for full staffing for SFPD and expanding our entire emergency responder network

  • Stood with our Asian community to fight Anti-Asian hate crimes and marched with community to bring awareness during 2020’s COVID-19 hate crimes.

  • Supported March 2024 Safer San Francisco measure which has cut down on car break-ins and retail theft.

  • Organized public safety town halls for neighbors with District Attorney over past 7 years.

  • Partnered with Central Station to hold merchant walks to build community safety over past decade.

Other Candidates

  • Moe Jamil promised to “erect a wall” around District 3 when asked about ways to stop drug dealing.

  • Sharon Lai’s inconsistent record on public safety resulted in a low score from a key Asian American organization as they found “concerns about her positions on recent public safety ballot measures.”

  • Sharon Lai supported the March 2024 “Cop Tax,” a disingenuous ballot measure that would have required new taxes for more police officers.

  • Sharon Lai did not support the March 2024 Safer San Francisco measure, a set of policy changes that has already resulted in significant decreases in retail theft and car break-ins.

-Community Experience-

Danny Sauter

  • A District 3 resident and community organizer for more than 10 years.

  • Started two small businesses in District 3, including the North Beach Farmers Market

  • Executive Director of a network of community centers, including Cameron House in Chinatown and TEL HI in North Beach

  • Former President of North Beach Neighbors, and director of neighborhood Democratic Club

  • Supported 50+ District 3 small businesses during the pandemic with free delivery service

Other Candidates

  • Sharon Lai moved to District 3 last year, just weeks before filing to run for office.

-Support & Funding-

Danny Sauter

  • Danny is the only candidate endorsed by the San Francisco Democratic Party.

  • Danny has the most small-dollar donations across candidates in this race.

  • Danny has received the greatest share of donations from San Francisco residents.


Other Candidates

  • Moe Jamil and Matt Susk were named top picks of the San Francisco Republican Party, alongside their endorsement of Donald Trump.

  • Moe Jamil, Sharon Lai, and Matt Susk all have more contributions from high-dollar donors.

  • Moe Jamil, Sharon Lai, and Matt Susk have received a greater share of their funding from donors outside of San Francisco.