San Francisco Board President removes Supervisor from housing committee

San Francisco Board President Rafael Mandelman has removed Supervisor Bilal Mahmood from the Board of Supervisors' Land Use and Government Oversight committees. Mahmood alleges the removal is retaliation for his opposition to Mandelman’s proposed legislation, which seeks to expand the list of registered city landmarks through historic preservation studies.

Mahmood has argued that expanding historic preservation efforts could hinder housing production. He proposed amendments to mandate that any loss in potential housing caused by preservation be remediated by increasing building height limits on other parcels. Without a seat on the Land Use Committee, Mahmood will no longer be able to introduce these amendments directly.

The political friction occurs amid speculation regarding a future California State Assembly race. Mandelman has already launched a campaign for the seat, while Mahmood has not officially declared a run, though political observers suggest a potential matchup in the coming years.