Vallie Brown facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vallie Brown
Brown speaking in September 2019
Member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from the 5th district
In office July 16, 2018 – December 16, 2019
Mayor	London Breed
Preceded by	London Breed
Succeeded by	Dean Preston
Personal details
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Residences	San Francisco, California, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Utah
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Activist and politician

Vallie Brown is an American politician. She used to be a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. This group helps run the city of San Francisco, California. She represented District 5, which is a part of the city.

Before becoming a Supervisor, Vallie Brown worked for the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development. She also helped other Supervisors, like Ross Mirkarimi and London Breed. After leaving the Board of Supervisors, she ran for a local political group called the Democratic County Central Committee. She also ran again for her old Supervisor seat in November 2020 but did not win.

Early Life and Education

Vallie Brown grew up in Utah. Her father passed away when she was very young. Her grandmother and mother raised her. When she was a child, her family sometimes did not have a stable home. They even slept in their car sometimes.

At age 12, she lost her grandmother. Her mother also passed away soon after. Friends' families and neighbors then helped raise her. Vallie Brown studied art at the University of Utah. She moved to San Francisco in 1985.

Community Work

Helping the Community

In San Francisco, Vallie Brown started an art program. It was at the Hunter's Point Boys and Girls Club. She noticed many people in the area were getting sick. So, she started telling people about harmful chemicals. She became an environmental activist, working to protect the environment. In 2004, she started the Lower Haight Neighborhood Association. This group helps people in her neighborhood.

Working for San Francisco

Vallie Brown worked as an assistant for Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi from 2006 to 2013. She then helped Supervisor London Breed from 2013 to 2016. After that, she worked as a project manager. This job was at the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. This office helps create jobs and support businesses in the city.

San Francisco Board of Supervisors

In July 2018, London Breed became the mayor of San Francisco. She had been a Supervisor for District 5. Mayor Breed then chose Vallie Brown to take her place on the Board of Supervisors.

Supporting Small Businesses

Vallie Brown suggested creating a $9 million fund. This money would help small businesses. It would offer low-interest loans and help them improve their stores. It would also help with fees they needed to pay.

In April 2019, she proposed a rule. It said that stores must accept cash payments. The Board of Supervisors voted for this rule, and it passed.

Protecting the Environment

Vallie Brown helped create a law about energy. It requires large commercial buildings to use 100% clean energy by 2030. She also introduced a law for large homes to report how much energy they use.

She worked on a law to increase the tax on plastic bags. It went from 10 cents to 25 cents. She also worked to ban plastic bags in grocery store produce sections.

Improving Public Transportation

In 2018, San Francisco's public transportation system had problems. Vallie Brown called a meeting to discuss it. She found out there were not enough transit workers. This was because the city paid low wages.

Helping Mental Health

Vallie Brown worked with Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. They helped create a program for people with severe mental illness. This program allows the city or family members to get court orders. These orders help guide people into treatment for mental health or addiction.

Addressing Housing and Homelessness

Vallie Brown led an effort to expand the Small Sites Program. This program buys buildings from landlords who want to evict tenants. The buildings are then turned into affordable housing.

She also helped get funding for Prop F. San Francisco voters approved this in 2018. It provides free legal help to renters who might be evicted. Vallie Brown also supported a plan to use 50% of certain city money for affordable housing.

She proposed a law to create a Vehicular Navigation Center. This center would help people who live in their cars. Many people in San Francisco sleep in vehicles each night.

Vallie Brown also started a program. It opens churches during the day for people experiencing homelessness. They can rest, use restrooms, and get help from social workers.

2019 Election

In November 2019, Vallie Brown ran for her Supervisor seat again. She lost to Dean Preston. She announced in May 2020 that she would run again in the November 2020 election. However, she lost to Preston by a large amount.

Personal Life

Vallie Brown is from the Paiute and Shoshone tribes.

She often lived in artist warehouses. She sometimes had trouble paying rent in apartments and houses. She faced eviction several times.

In 1994, Vallie Brown and three friends bought a Victorian home in San Francisco. This home was in the Lower Haight neighborhood. However, this purchase led to several low-income African American tenants being evicted. Brown later apologized for saying the tenants had not paid rent. Court documents showed this was not true.