CM Ora Houston Will Not Seek Re-election

City Council Member Ora Houston, the first person to represent District 1 since it was established with 10-1 in 2014, announced this morning she will not seek re-election in November.

“It has been a joy, privilege and a huge responsibility to represent the ‘blended family’” of D1, Houston wrote in a statement announcing the decision. “Over the next seven months there are major issues to address and votes to take which will impact our City for generations, and the individuals who live here now and in the future.”

Houston told the Chronicle at her State of District 1 address last weekend that she would make a decision later in the summer. Why tip her hand, she asked, when she had the benefit as incumbent of time to consider? Instead, she said she would focus her time on CodeNEXT, by far the heftiest task this Council has yet to consider.

Her statement today alludes to her commitment to that job. She “will focus on executing the responsibilities as the representative of the District and will continue to support the City to not lose sight that all planning, transit and infrastructure, must be inclusive of the outer edges of the City not only the center city.”