A candid conversation with real estate developer and San Francisco City Attorney candidate Richard Woon.
You’ve had a long and storied history since being born in San Francisco in 1972 to immigrants from China and Guam. You grew up in Union City before becoming a practicing attorney and real estate developer. Fast forward to today. With your roots in the Bay Area, how has San Francisco changed since you grew up?
San Francisco has evolved from a working port to a tech hub. It is much less working-class and much more cosmopolitan. Unfortunately, the overblown COVID restrictions, a Homeless Industrial Complex, and a government-subsidized drug crisis have destroyed downtown. San Francisco is on the wrong track.
What have you been doing lately, and what inspired you to run for office? You’ve had success in life, so why enter the political fray?
Most recently I have been doing what I really love - coaching football. I love mentoring and working with kids but I feel like our country is in deep trouble. Too many people are concerned with their personal lives and are apathetic towards the big picture and public service. It has been said, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” I want to be part of the solution, not the problem so I decided to get on the ballot and give the people of San Francisco options. If they really want change, they can pick me. If they want more of the same, they can go with the incumbent. The choice is theirs. There will need to be a change in their hearts for real change. The best argument I can make for voters to pick me is that I am not part of the SF Royal Family and I am not taking money from anyone.
When you were younger, your family made regular appearances in front of the Rent Board. What was this experience like, and how has it shaped your views?
When I was in college I helped my parents defend a petition for Decrease in Services. I was actually able to impeach a witness on a lie. The hearing officer, who was supposed to be impartial, coached the witness to walk back their testimony. I realized how prejudiced the Rent Board was and this experience motivated me to become an attorney so I would be more equipped to fight back against such injustice.
You have run on a platform to combat corruption. How will you weed it out?
I have never held a position in government, San Francisco, or otherwise. Nevertheless, SF gov corruption is an open secret. We have all heard about the scams, grifts, and payoffs. Since announcing my candidacy, I have been bombarded by more allegations. I don't think weeding out corruption will be a problem - it's everywhere.
It's not about what I am going to do, it's about what I am not going to do.... and I am not going to look the other way like others have.
Having divested from commercial real estate in San Francisco, what is the trajectory of office space and downtown? Is the glass empty or half full?
The glass is cracked and leaking. I am very happy I am out of SF commercial real estate and I don't see myself getting back into California real estate in general. The juice simply ain't worth the squeeze. Unless massive numbers of young people come back to San Francisco, the golden goose is dead. Unfortunately, the city lacks the energy that made it attractive. The SF nightlife scene is a shadow of its' former self. With the new work-from-home culture, Thursday is the new Friday and Friday is sad. Residential property owners are not that inclined to be landlords anymore.
I sort of hope that Prop 33 passes because misery loves company. The nihilist part of me wants all of California to experience the Dystopian effects of Rent Control. Perhaps California needs to see the whole system break to understand how bad rent control is for everyone.
Crime is no longer a peripheral or downstream matter for rental housing providers, as it is creating damages, running up insurance costs with “crime scores,” and tenants living in fear, if not leaving the city. What do you have to say about crime, and what can you do as a City Attorney to combat rampant disregard for the law?
Crime is terrible. I have an app on my phone for local crime alerts and it's going off constantly. As City Attorney, I would eliminate all the "Attractive Nuisances" that the City has created with "Harm Reduction" and "Homeless Industrial Complex" NGOs. Contracts for illegal purposes are Void. I don't know what kind of mental gymnastics the current regime has used to justify contracts to distribute drug paraphernalia but I am not going to play along with that scam. I will return common sense and the spirit of the law to San Francisco. We are shooting ourselves in the foot and somebody is profiting.