Committee advances Elizabeth McDonald nomination amid requests for more vetting on housing views

The Rules Committee voted to forward Elizabeth McDonald’s nomination to the full Board of Supervisors as a committee report on July 28, but public commenters and some neighborhood groups said they had limited time to assess her record on housing.

President Mandelmann described McDonald as a ‘‘huge get’’ for the Planning Commission, citing her 22-year academic career at UC Berkeley and work on Market Octavia and Octavia Boulevard. McDonald told the committee she would ‘‘be a voice for good planning that follows best practices’’ and emphasized evidence-based, community-engaged approaches to walkable streets and sustainable urban design.

Multiple public commenters asked for more time to vet her stance on housing supply. Peter Belden of the Sierra Club said the organization had ‘‘just learned about them very recently and haven't had a chance to meet them’’ and requested engagement before a final endorsement. Several neighborhood groups urged continuation so they could better understand how McDonald would approach the housing shortage and whether she would support production-focused policies.

After public comment President Mandelmann moved to remove the word ‘‘rejecting’’ from the motions and forward McDonald’s nomination with a positive committee recommendation. The committee passed the motion without objection; the nomination now goes to the full board.