Shamann Walton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shamann Walton
Official portrait, 2019
President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
In office January 8, 2021 – January 8, 2023
Preceded by	Norman Yee
Succeeded by	Aaron Peskin
Member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from the 10th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 8, 2019
Preceded by	Malia Cohen
Personal details
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Residences	San Francisco, California
Education	Morris Brown College (BA) San Francisco State University (MPA)
Occupation	Politician

Shamann Walton is an American politician. He has been a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors since 2019. He represents District 10, which is a part of San Francisco. He also served as the president of the Board from January 8, 2021, to January 8, 2023. Before becoming a supervisor, Walton was the president of the San Francisco Board of Education.

Early Life and Education

Shamann Walton grew up in Vallejo, California. He was raised by his mother. As a teenager, he faced some challenges.

Walton graduated from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1998. He then earned his master's degree in public administration from San Francisco State University in 2010.

Role on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors

Walton was elected as a supervisor for District 10 on November 6, 2018. He won his election using San Francisco's ranked-choice voting system. This system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. He took office on January 8, 2019. He replaced Malia Cohen, who could not run again due to term limits.

In 2021, the Board members chose Walton to be their president.

Housing Policies

Walton has shared his views on housing plans in San Francisco. He was the only supervisor to disagree with a plan that would allow more housing types, like four-plexes, in areas that only had single-family homes. He believed this plan could lead to "gentrification," which is when an area changes in a way that makes it harder for current residents to afford to live there.

In 2019, Walton also opposed a state bill called Senate Bill 50. This bill aimed to build more housing near job centers and public transportation.

Views on Policing

In December 2018, Walton and supervisor Hillary Ronen proposed a law to close San Francisco's youth detention center. They aimed to close it by December 2021.

In June 2020, during the George Floyd protests, Walton suggested a rule to stop the San Francisco Police Department from hiring officers with a history of serious misconduct. In October, he introduced the CAREN Act. This act would make it illegal to make fake emergency telephone calls that are motivated by racism.

Addressing Racial Issues

In February 2020, Walton proposed a plan for reparations for the African American community in San Francisco. This plan would create a group to develop ideas for how to make up for past harms.

In 2024, Walton helped pass a new law that makes Vietnamese an official language of San Francisco. He explained that San Francisco has many different immigrant communities. He wanted to make sure everyone has access to language services.

Transportation Projects

In July 2020, Walton and supervisor Aaron Peskin decided not to put a sales tax measure on the ballot. This tax would have helped fund Caltrain, a train service. Caltrain had lost many riders during the COVID-19 pandemic in California. They were concerned about how the train line was managed. They also worried that a sales tax would unfairly affect people with lower incomes. However, they later changed their minds when Caltrain promised to make changes to its structure.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a part of John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park became car-free. Walton and Ahsha Safaí did not want the road to stay car-free after the pandemic. Walton argued that keeping the road car-free could lead to unfair access for some groups. Data showed that visits to the road did not change much for people from different parts of the city.

Personal Life

Shamann Walton is a Christian. He is a father and has two children.

Sources