Dean Preston facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dean Preston
Official portrait, 2023
Member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from the 5th district
In office December 16, 2019 – January 8, 2025
Preceded by	Vallie Brown
Succeeded by	Bilal Mahmood
Personal details
Born	1969 (age 55–56) New York City, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Other political affiliations	Democratic Socialists of America
Residences	San Francisco, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Bowdoin College UC Hastings (J.D.)
Occupation	Politician, attorney
Website	Board of Supervisors District 5 website

Dean E. Preston (born 1969) is an American lawyer and former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. This group of elected leaders makes important decisions for the city of San Francisco. In November 2019, Preston won a special election to join the Board. He was re-elected in 2020 but lost his seat in 2024.

Preston grew up in New York City. He studied at Bowdoin College before moving to San Francisco. He later earned a law degree from UC Hastings College of the Law. For many years, he worked to help people with their housing rights. He also started an organization called Tenants Together, which helps people who rent homes. Preston is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, a group that believes the government should help people with things like housing and healthcare.

Early Life and Education

Dean Preston was born in New York City. His family had moved there from Nazi Germany during World War II. He went to Horace Mann School and then to Bowdoin College. At college, he met his future wife, Jenckyn Goosby.

After graduating in 1991, Preston and Goosby moved to San Francisco in 1993. Preston then studied law at UC Hastings College of the Law. He focused on international human rights law and helped people who needed legal aid. He earned his law degree in 1996.

Early Career Helping People

After law school, Preston worked for a law firm that helped people who were treated unfairly by the police. He also worked for non-profit groups. In 2000, he joined the Tenderloin Housing Clinic. There, he became a lawyer who focused on tenant rights. This means he helped people who rent homes and were facing eviction. He worked to protect tenants from being forced out of their homes, especially because of a law called the Ellis Act. This law allows landlords to remove all tenants and take a building off the rental market.

In 2008, Preston started Tenants Together. This group brought together over 50 local organizations that help tenants across California. As the leader, Preston worked to create new laws that would protect renters and control how much rent could be charged in different cities.

San Francisco Board of Supervisors

Preston at an election event in 2019

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is like a city council. Its members make laws and decisions for the city.

Elections for the Board

Preston first ran for the Board of Supervisors in 2016 but did not win.

In 2018, he decided to run again for the District 5 Supervisor seat. This seat became open when London Breed became mayor. Mayor Breed chose Vallie Brown to fill the spot temporarily, and Brown also ran for the seat. Preston ran as a democratic socialist. He won the election by a small number of votes. He was sworn into office on December 16, 2019.

Preston ran for re-election in November 2020 and won against Vallie Brown. He served a full term. In November 2024, he ran for a second full term but was defeated by Bilal Mahmood.

What He Did as Supervisor

Helping Renters and Preventing Evictions

Preston worked hard to protect people who rent homes. In 2018, he helped create Proposition F. This rule said that people facing eviction in San Francisco should get a lawyer to help them. This is called a "right to counsel." After joining the Board, Preston continued to support this program.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Preston introduced a rule in April 2020 to stop landlords from evicting tenants who couldn't pay rent because of the pandemic. This rule also stopped extra fees. The Board of Supervisors approved it, and a court later agreed it was legal.

He also worked to extend these eviction protections in 2021. In September 2021, he helped pass a temporary rule to stop "no-fault evictions." These are evictions where the tenant hasn't done anything wrong, but the landlord wants them to leave for other reasons.

In October 2021, Preston started a campaign to teach people in his district about their rights and how to avoid eviction. He also helped pass a rule in January 2022 that requires landlords to give tenants a 10-day warning before trying to evict them.

Addressing Homelessness

Preston worked to help people experiencing homelessness. In April 2020, he helped propose a plan to get hotel rooms for homeless people during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also helped raise money to rent rooms at a hotel for homeless individuals.

He supported "safe sleeping sites" where homeless people could stay in a safe place with security, food, and bathrooms. In 2021, he questioned a plan to buy a tourist hotel to turn it into housing for homeless people. He suggested other hotels in his district that might work better.

Ideas on Housing and City Planning

Preston believes that the free market alone cannot solve San Francisco's housing problems. He has said that "unbridled capitalism" is a cause of homelessness. He has also supported rent control, which limits how much landlords can raise rent.

He helped create two important rules approved by voters in November 2020:

• Proposition I: This rule increased the tax on very expensive property sales (over $10 million). The money from this tax is meant to help fund affordable housing.
• Proposition K: This rule allows San Francisco to build or buy up to 10,000 affordable homes.

Preston worked to use money from Proposition I to help people pay rent and to buy buildings for affordable housing. In 2022, he also helped get more money for land to build affordable homes, fix public housing, and improve housing for teachers.

In 2022, Preston proposed a new rule to tax homes that have been empty for a long time. This tax would apply to buildings with three or more units if at least one unit has been empty for over six months. The money from this tax would help low-income seniors with rent and buy empty properties for affordable housing. Voters approved this measure.

Creating a Public Bank

In January 2021, Preston helped start the process of creating a public bank for San Francisco. A public bank would be owned by the city and could help fund local projects and services. The Board of Supervisors approved this idea in June 2021.

Improving Public Transportation

Preston has worked to make public transportation better and more affordable. In February 2020, he opposed plans to raise bus and train fares in San Francisco. He argued that fares should not increase during emergencies.

In April 2021, Preston suggested a three-month trial program for "Free Muni," which would make public transportation free for everyone. The Board of Supervisors approved this idea, but the mayor did not sign it into law. In December 2021, he also helped pass a rule to end street parking at about 1,000 bus stops to make bus service faster.

Public Safety and Police

Preston has sometimes voted against the city's budget when it included increases in police spending. He believes more money should go to social housing instead.

In November 2021, he was one of a few supervisors who voted against allowing the San Francisco Police Department to use robots armed with explosives in certain situations. After many people spoke out against it, the Board changed its decision and banned the use of robots for killing.

Other Important Issues

Preston introduced Proposition H in May 2022. This rule changed when local elections happen, moving them from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years. The goal was to get more people to vote, as more voters usually participate in presidential election years. This rule passed with over 70% of the votes.

Personal Life

Dean Preston is married and lives in San Francisco. He and his wife own a home in the Alamo Square neighborhood.

He has been involved in his local community. In the early 2000s, he worked to stop fast-food restaurants from opening in his neighborhood.

See also

• List of Democratic Socialists of America members who have held office in the United States