Supes approve Lydia So, latest Breed appointee, to SFMTA board

A seat on the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s governing body has been filled after being vacant for nearly a year.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously approved Mayor London Breed’s nomination of Lydia So to the seven-member SFMTA Board of Directors. So is no stranger at City Hall, as she previously served on the Arts Commission and most recently served on the Historic Preservation Commission.

So is a licensed architect and urban planner in the city who founded her own architecture firm Solyd in 2015.

At the supervisors’ July 10 Rules Committee, Supervisor Connie Chan said So will bring a “new dynamic and perspective” to the SFMTA board, adding:

“I would say that there are a lot of issues for the AAPI community when it comes to public safety, efficiency around public transit. I really look forward to having her bring that perspective.”

So, a Chinese American immigrant, said at the committee meeting:

“I myself represent the major ridership in Muni, which is the AAPI community. I personally think public safety is very important. Perception of trust and safety is important to us.”

Supervisor Ahsha Safai, who sits on the Rules Committee, asked So to ensure that all voices in the community are heard in the public outreach process of SFMTA projects, including that of small businesses and neighborhoods, which he said was often “undermined” and “forgotten.”

So told Safai that she has heard from the community that the public outreach needs to improve at the SFMTA, adding:

“I take your comment to heart and will put it in to action. We have to be reaching out to more communities in a more culturally appropriate way to get results.”

So received support letters from several organizations, including from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the Chinatown Community Development Center and the The San Francisco Latinx Democratic Club.

Malcolm Yeung, executive director for the Chinatown Community Development Center, wrote:

“Lydia’s practice as an architect, her work in regional urban growth, transit-oriented developments, and sustainability, as well as her global experience in designing world-renowned structures, showcase her unique skill set and deep understanding of the critical role that transit plays in maintaining the vitality of unique environments.”

So will replace the seat of former Director Sharon Lai, who resigned last year to pursue a master’s degree in public administration at Harvard University.

Last year, Breed previously nominated Gloria Li, who works for the professional group Ascend Leadership and previously worked for State Treasurer Fiona Ma. Li rescinded her nomination due to personal reasons, she told The Wind Newspaper.

The mayor also earlier this month announced her nomination of San Francisco native Dominica Henderson, who currently works as the chief social impact officer for the Oakland Housing Authority and was a former member of the Bayview Citizens Advisory Committee.

Henderson would replace the seat vacated by former Director Gwyneth Borden, who resigned in April following ethics violations in regards to being paid as consultant in 2020 by an Inner Sunset restaurant to lobby city staff and planning commissioners for approval of a permit that would allow the restaurant to serve guests on its rooftop deck.

Jerold Chinn

Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.