Cohen denies flipping on rent-control issue

In her dual role as district supervisor and a candidate for statewide office, Board of Supervisors President Malia Cohen has taken conflicting positions on a November ballot measure that would repeal a statewide rent-control law.

Cohen voted against a resolution at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting to support Proposition 10, which would overturn the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, a 1995 law that limits cities’ ability to impose rent control. But during her campaign for the State Board of Equalization, Cohen said at least twice that she supported the repeal.

After a 49-minute discussion, the resolution did not pass the board, with Supervisors Cohen, Ahsha Safaí, Catherine Stefani and Katy Tang in the dissent. Cohen, who represents District 10, said she did not support the

resolution because she was unclear how the repeal would impact her district, and that the board did not have an opportunity to have a “rigorous debate” on the issue.

“District 10 has the second-largest home ownership in San Francisco, so for me it’s a matter of clarity,” Cohen said at the meeting. “I’m just trying to understand how this impacts homeowners.”

But as a candidate for the state Board of Equalization, Cohen said in two questionnaires — one by the National Union of Healthcare Workers in June and another for the San Francisco Latino Democratic Club in March — that she would support the repeal of Costa-Hawkins. Both groups endorsed Cohen.

Labor unions and political clubs often present candidates with questions ranging from their educational background to their policy stances, to give voters a sense of who they are. The questions also help the groups decide who they want to endorse.

When contacted by a reporter Wednesday to ask about her conflicting positions, Cohen said “it’s not a discrepancy” and said she would send a statement.

In the statement, Cohen said her answers to the questionnaires represent her “personal political views.” But as the supervisor of District 10 — which includes Bayview-Hunters Point, Potrero Hill, Dogpatch and Visitacion Valley — she must consider the concerns of her constituents and “engage with all stakeholders, weigh the specific issues, and consider the specific policy, not an abstract political concept.” She said the resolution should have been discussed in a committee, rather than at Tuesday’s full board meeting.

“Committee allows us to separate the policy from the politics, and forces us to tease out our personal beliefs — which the questionnaire represents — from how we can best serve our city constituents,” she wrote.

Sal Rosselli, president of the National Union of Healthcare Workers, said he was “disappointed” by Cohen’s flip on the issue — but he said he’s not surprised.

“Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for a candidate to make a statement about (an issue) to gain an endorsement. It is the sad state of politics,” he said. “It certainty puts into question our trust in her, and that will have to be earned and regained in the future by her actions.”