The Sunset Connection: People, Property & Policy in the Bay Area

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In this short update and Season 2 finale, I’m catching you up on where I’ve been and what I’m planning next for The Sunset Connection: People, Property, and Policy.

With a new tagline and cover art, the show will explore the questions and decisions that come with buying a home, opening a business, and navigating everyday life in the Bay Area.

Next up is a fresh start with Season 3. Coming soon: estate planning, family legacy, and the conversations that help us prepare for the future.

The Sunset is where this show began, and it’s still where I call home. Let’s keep connecting the dots together.

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The Sunset Connection | People, Property, and Policy. 

Connecting the dots across the SF Bay Area.

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The Sunset is changing, and few businesses have captured the neighborhood's attention quite like Two Pitchers Brewing Company and Maillards.

In this special episode, Jessica is joined by guest co-host Ted Manahan, a Sunset resident and longtime supporter of local businesses, to sit down with Tommy Hester and Max Ponzurick, the founders behind the popular Noriega Street destination.

Together, they discuss the journeys that brought them from college baseball, homebrewing, and farmers market pop-ups to craft beer, smash burgers, and one of the most talked-about new businesses on San Francisco's west side. Tommy shares how Two Pitchers grew from a passion project into a regional brewery, while Max discusses the evolution of Maillards from a beloved Outer Sunset Farmers Market vendor to a permanent brick-and-mortar restaurant.

The conversation explores entrepreneurship, partnership, food and beverage craftsmanship, and the realities of building a business in the Bay Area. They also discuss why the Sunset was the right place to grow, how local destinations like Andytown, Devil's Teeth, Hook Fish, and Palm City helped demonstrate the neighborhood's potential, and whether the west side is experiencing a new era of investment and community-building.

If you care about local businesses, neighborhood identity, entrepreneurship, or the future of San Francisco's west side, this episode is for you.

Special thanks to Ted Manahan for joining as a guest co-host for this episode.

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The Sunset Connection | People, Property, and Policy. 

Connecting the dots across the SF Bay Area.

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San Francisco voters are being asked to weigh in on earthquake preparedness, term limits, and two competing business tax measures that could shape the city’s economic future.

In this episode, Jessica Ho is joined by Ryan Blake of Platinum Advisors to break down Propositions A through D in plain English, including the debate behind the so-called “CEO tax,” downtown recovery, city budget pressures, and how competing ballot measures actually work.

Whether you already vote in every election or are just trying to make sense of the voter pamphlet, this episode aims to make the June 2 ballot easier to understand.

The views expressed by the guest are his own and do not reflect those of Platinum Advisors or its clients.

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✉️ Email: [email protected] 

Have a question or a story to share? I’d love to hear from you. Subscribe, share, or leave a review to help more people find the show.

The Sunset Connection | People, Property, and Policy. 

Connecting the dots across the SF Bay Area.

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Most people in San Francisco think “affordable housing” is for someone else.

But the reality is more complicated.

In this episode, I sit down with Manson Leong from Self-Help for the Elderly to break down how the system actually works and who it really serves.

We talk about:

•  the difference between low-income and affordable housing 
•  how federal and city programs work 
•  Self-Help’s role in senior housing 
•  and how difficult it can be for seniors, especially those who do not speak English, to navigate the system 

We also talk about what is available right now and why so many people still struggle to access it.

If this is something you or your family are trying to figure out, there is a place to start.

The Westside Housing Resource Fair is coming up next Saturday, April 18, from 10 AM to 2 PM at 1199 9th Avenue. It is free and open to the public, with housing counselors, legal help, and more.

Resources

Westside Housing Resource Fair
Saturday, April 18, 2026 · 10 AM – 2 PM
San Francisco County Fair Building (1199 9th Avenue)
Free, walk-ins welcome

Self-Help for the Elderly
selfhelpelderly.org

Manson Leong Contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 415-677-7688

DAHLIA Housing Portal
housing.sfgov.org

MOHCD
sfmohcd.org

MEDA
medasf.org

HUD Income Limits (SF)
huduser.gov

About the Host

Jessica J. Ho is a San Francisco realtor with Sequoia Real Estate and host of The Sunset Connection. She focuses on housing, neighborhood community, and the people who make San Francisco what it is.

Email: [email protected]
 DRE #02251177

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The Sunset Connection | People, Property, and Policy. 

Connecting the dots across the SF Bay Area.

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Disclosure: My husband, Christian Kropff, is Supervisor Alan Wong's campaign manager. Every candidate in this series was made aware of this connection before recording. The questions in this episode are the same ones asked of every candidate throughout the series.

This is the final episode of The Sunset Connection's District 4 Candidate Series.

Over the past several weeks, I've spoken with every candidate running for District 4 Supervisor - asking the same questions, in the same format, each time. The goal has always been the same: to give Sunset residents the chance to hear directly from the people asking for their vote, in their own words, before the race gets condensed into slogans and sound bites.

In this final conversation, I'm joined by Alan Wong, the current appointed Supervisor for District 4. Alan is a lifelong Sunset resident who has served the community as a union organizer, District 4 legislative aide, National Guard officer, City College Trustee, and director of a children's nonprofit. He was appointed by Mayor Daniel Lurie to serve as District 4 Supervisor.

We discuss his personal connection to the district, what motivated him to run, how his experiences have shaped his approach to leadership, and what success would look like in his first year - along with the same scenario question asked of every candidate in the series.

Thank you to every candidate who participated in this series, and to every listener who took the time to hear them out. Local elections are decided by small margins, and informed voters make stronger communities.

Previous episodes in this series:
1. Albert Chow
2. Natalie Gee
3. David Lee
4. Jeremy Julian Greco
5. Alan Wong (this episode)

About this series:
This is a non-endorsement candidate interview series. All participating candidates were asked the same questions in the same format to give District 4 residents direct access to how candidates think, not to persuade or advocate for any outcome. Any personal political views or activities of the host are separate from the podcast and do not affect participation or coverage.

Stay Connected
🎧 Listen on Buzzsprout
📷 Follow on Instagram
📘 Connect on Facebook
▶️ Watch on YouTube
✉️ Email: [email protected] 

Have a question or a story to share? I’d love to hear from you. Subscribe, share, or leave a review to help more people find the show.

The Sunset Connection | People, Property, and Policy. 

Connecting the dots across the SF Bay Area.

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In this episode, I talk with Emma Hare, legislative aide to Supervisor Myrna Melgar, about the Inner Sunset and transportation policy in San Francisco. If you've ever wondered what a legislative aide actually does, what makes the Inner Sunset unique, and the so-called “war on cars," this episode is for you. 

We also talk about including two transit funding measures expected on the November 2026 ballot that could shape public transit funding.

Whether you take transit, drive, bike, or walk, these upcoming measures will influence how the Bay Area moves and how we pay for it.

For more information on the ballot measures discussed:

San Francisco Muni parcel tax proposal:
 https://www.spur.org/news/2026-01-29/proposed-parcel-tax-would-help-sustain-muni-service-and-rider-approval

Regional transportation measure:
 https://transformca.org/regional-transportation-measure-2/

Have questions or ideas for future episodes?
 Email me at [email protected]

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🎧 Listen on Buzzsprout
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▶️ Watch on YouTube
✉️ Email: [email protected] 

Have a question or a story to share? I’d love to hear from you. Subscribe, share, or leave a review to help more people find the show.

The Sunset Connection | People, Property, and Policy. 

Connecting the dots across the SF Bay Area.

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What happens when a home becomes more than real estate?

Welcome to the home of Jim Kirk (yes, that’s really his name), who lives in a house that has become memory, identity, and community all at once.

In this episode of The Sunset Connection, I record on location inside one of the most unusual homes in San Francisco’s Sunset District, known by neighbors as the “Starship House.”

Jim grew up in the Sunset and never really left. Over decades, he transformed his family home into something layered and deeply personal: part art installation, part time capsule, part gathering space. Kids wander in. Neighbors stop by. Stories live in every corner.

But now, the future of the house is uncertain.

This conversation isn’t just about one property. It’s about legacy. It’s about neighborhood change. It’s about what happens when rising costs, shifting priorities, and time itself collide with the places that hold our history.

What kind of Sunset are we building, and who gets to stay?

I’m Jessica J. Ho, and this is The Sunset Connection.

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✉️ Email: [email protected] 

Have a question or a story to share? I’d love to hear from you. Subscribe, share, or leave a review to help more people find the show.

The Sunset Connection | People, Property, and Policy. 

Connecting the dots across the SF Bay Area.

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This episode continues The Sunset Connection’s District 4 Candidate Series, where each candidate for Supervisor is asked the same questions in the same format.

In this conversation, Jeremy Julian Greco - a longtime District 4 resident, educator, artist, and former worker-owner at Other Avenues Food Co-op -  shares his personal connection to the Sunset, what led him to run for Supervisor, and how his background shapes his approach to leadership.

Topics include community care, support for working families and seniors, small businesses, and the role of art and culture in San Francisco neighborhoods.

This is a non-endorsement interview. The goal of the series is to give District 4 residents the opportunity to hear directly from candidates in their own words before the race is reduced to slogans and sound bites.

About this series:
This is a non-endorsement candidate interview series. All participating candidates were asked the same questions in the same format to give District 4 residents direct access to how candidates think, not to persuade or advocate for any outcome. Any personal political views or activities of the host are separate from the podcast and do not affect participation or coverage. 

Stay Connected
🎧 Listen on Buzzsprout
📷 Follow on Instagram
📘 Connect on Facebook
▶️ Watch on YouTube
✉️ Email: [email protected] 

Have a question or a story to share? I’d love to hear from you. Subscribe, share, or leave a review to help more people find the show.

The Sunset Connection | People, Property, and Policy. 

Connecting the dots across the SF Bay Area.

Send us Fan Mail

This episode continues The Sunset Connection’s District 4 candidate interview series.

I’m speaking with every candidate running for Supervisor and asking the same questions, in the same order, to give Sunset residents a clear look at how each candidate thinks and approaches decision-making - before campaigns get condensed into slogans.

In this episode, I’m joined by David Lee, a Sunset homeowner, lifelong Westside San Franciscan, and educator. David previously served as a San Francisco Recreation and Park Commissioner, where he worked on neighborhood projects including Sava Pool, Sunset Rec Center, and McCoppin Square. He has also spent decades registering Asian American voters across the Bay Area through his work with the Chinese American Voter Education Committee.

We discuss what motivated him to run, how his experiences shape his approach, how he prioritizes competing community voices, and what success would look like in his first year as supervisor.

About this series:
This is a non-endorsement candidate interview series. All participating candidates were asked the same questions in the same format to give District 4 residents direct access to how candidates think, not to persuade or advocate for any outcome. Any personal political views or activities of the host are separate from the podcast and do not affect participation or coverage. 

Stay Connected
🎧 Listen on Buzzsprout
📷 Follow on Instagram
📘 Connect on Facebook
▶️ Watch on YouTube
✉️ Email: [email protected] 

Have a question or a story to share? I’d love to hear from you. Subscribe, share, or leave a review to help more people find the show.

The Sunset Connection | People, Property, and Policy. 

Connecting the dots across the SF Bay Area.

Send us Fan Mail

This episode continues the District 4 candidate mini-series on The Sunset Connection.

I’m speaking with every candidate who agrees to participate, using the same questions and the same format each time. The goal is simple: to give Sunset residents the opportunity to hear directly from the people asking for their vote.

In this conversation, I’m joined by Natalie Gee, Chief of Staff to Supervisor Shamann Walton and a candidate for District 4 Supervisor. Natalie discusses her priorities, her approach to problem-solving, and what she hopes to accomplish for the district.  Each interview includes a shared scenario question designed to help listeners compare how candidates approach problem-solving 

Local elections are often decided by very small margins. Clear, direct information matters, and this series is intended to help voters make thoughtful decisions by hearing from candidates in their own words.

About this series:
This is a non-endorsement candidate interview series. All participating candidates were asked the same questions in the same format to give District 4 residents direct access to how candidates think, not to persuade or advocate for any outcome. Any personal political views or activities of the host are separate from the podcast and do not affect participation or coverage. 

Stay Connected
🎧 Listen on Buzzsprout
📷 Follow on Instagram
📘 Connect on Facebook
▶️ Watch on YouTube
✉️ Email: [email protected] 

Have a question or a story to share? I’d love to hear from you. Subscribe, share, or leave a review to help more people find the show.

The Sunset Connection | People, Property, and Policy. 

Connecting the dots across the SF Bay Area.