Meet Gary McCoy

Two men standing outdoors, one holding a small white and tan dog, with stairs and greenery in the background.

I know what it means to fight. I’ve fought alongside Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, running the campaign to Save our Healthcare from the Trump administration’s attacks on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. I’ve fought for San Francisco’s LGBTQ community as the leader of the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club and Harvey Milk Democratic Club. I’ve stood on the picket lines with labor, fighting for workers. I’ve fought for our parks, for public transit funding and safer streets, and to build more housing for everyone who needs it. 

A man and woman standing together, smiling at the camera. The man is wearing glasses, a gray shirt, and a black jacket. The woman has shoulder-length brown hair, is wearing a blue blazer with a pin, a white top, and a gold necklace.

I’m running for District 8 Supervisor because our district doesn’t need someone who sits on the sidelines. We need a leader who understands how to cut through bureaucracy, to step up for the community, and to get things done. Someone who sees the role of Supervisor not as a trophy, but as a privilege to serve our neighborhoods, our district, and our city—who organizes, legislates, and delivers.

And I’ve fought for recovery. During my lengthy battle with a debilitating addiction, I was homeless. But even in my lowest moments, I never stopped fighting: I joined the recovery community, got sober, and rebuilt my life—now I’m celebrating nearly 15 years substance-free. I went from sleeping on the streets to working in City Hall and the halls of Congress to make life better for the most vulnerable in our community.

I hope you’ll join me in this fight.

“I went from sleeping on the streets to working in City Hall and the halls of Congress to make life better for the most vulnerable in our community.”

Gary McCoy

The road here

From answering constituent calls about potholes and streetlights to drafting federal relief language — fifteen years of showing up.

  • Homeless, and fighting“During my lengthy battle with a debilitating addiction, I was homeless. But even in my lowest moments, I never stopped fighting.”
  • Recovery“I joined the recovery community, got sober, and rebuilt my life” — now nearly 15 years substance-free.
  • 2011–2012Volunteer, Office of Supervisor Scott Wiener (District 8)Gary’s public service started unpaid, handling constituent casework: broken streetlights, potholes, clogged storm drains, and the predatory towing racket hitting neighbors at the time. He was on disability, and he showed up anyway.
  • 2012Interim Legislative Aide, Supervisor Scott Wiener (District 8)Supervisor Wiener hired him onto the staff — the job that let Gary come off disability and go back to work full time.
  • 2012–2013Intern, Office of Nancy PelosiThe oldest intern in the office — and the beginning of a working relationship with Leader Pelosi that continues to this day.
  • 2012–2015Member and Vice Chair, SF Pedestrian Safety Advisory CommitteePushed daylighting, curb cuts, bulb-outs, and raised crosswalks as early as 2013 — years before they became standard city practice.
  • 2012–2014Campaign ManagerRan Joel Engardio’s 2012 District 7 campaign, Supervisor Wiener’s 2013–14 re-election, and the November 2014 Proposition B campaign to adjust transportation funding to population growth.
  • 2015Chief of Staff, Supervisor Julie Christensen (District 3)Ran a Supervisor’s office — legislation, budget, and constituent services for an entire district.
  • 2016–2018Policy & Community Affairs Manager, SF Recreation & Park DepartmentLed the Golden Gate Park Traffic Safety Project, piloted the restroom program now known as Park Stop, and began the Healthy Saturday expansion that became Car Free JFK.
  • 2017–2021Appointed Member, California Homeless Coordinating & Financing CouncilAppointed by Governors Brown and Newsom. Helped build the statewide Homeless Data Information System and created the Council’s Behavioral Health subcommittee.
  • 2018–2021Senior Congressional Aide, Office of Congresswoman Nancy PelosiWorked with the Speaker’s DC policy team on COVID relief language, and got San Francisco’s vanished USPS collection boxes replaced in 2020.
  • 2021–2025VP of Policy & Public Affairs, HealthRIGHT 360Policy and public affairs for a provider of substance use disorder treatment, behavioral health care, and primary care — the same kind of care that saved his life.
  • 2025–PresentCampaign Manager, Save Our Health CareRuns Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s national campaign against the Trump administration’s attacks on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act — and has been her Political Director since 2018.
  • NowCandidate for District 8 SupervisorBack where it started — the same district whose potholes and streetlights he first took calls about, now asking to represent it.

What Gary has delivered

Policy, legislation, and programs he has moved — at City Hall, in Sacramento, and in Congress.

Streets, transit & pedestrian safety

  • As a member and Vice Chair of the SF Pedestrian Safety Advisory Committee, heavily advocated for daylighting, curb cuts, bulb-outs, and raised crosswalks as early as 2013.Source
  • Leading the Golden Gate Park Traffic Safety Project, worked with SFMTA and the SF Bicycle Coalition to implement speed humps and other bicycle and pedestrian safety measures throughout Golden Gate Park and the San Francisco park system.Source
  • Worked with Assemblymember Ting to reduce speed limits through Golden Gate Park and around other parks throughout the system, via state law.
  • Under the leadership of then-Supervisor Scott Wiener, successfully managed the November 2014 Proposition B campaign to adjust transportation funding to population growth.Source

Parks & public space

  • Spearheaded the initial effort to expand Healthy Saturday closures for “Car Free JFK” in 2017–2018 on behalf of SF Recreation & Park, working closely with the disabilities community and the SF Bicycle Coalition — years before the Car Free JFK ballot measure in 2022.Source
  • Successfully piloted a “Pit Stop” program throughout the park system — eventually known as Park Stop — reopening restroom facilities with staff and monitors. It provided safety and access to restrooms while increasing park activation and significantly reducing syringe litter around public parks.Source

Homelessness, housing & behavioral health

  • Instrumental in moving forward the creation and implementation of a statewide Homeless Data Information System while serving on the California Homeless Coordinating & Financing Council.Source
  • Successfully moved to create a Behavioral Health subcommittee of the California Homeless Coordinating & Financing Council.
  • Worked to include specific exceptions to the state’s Housing First policies for people on probation and parole and people in substance use disorder treatment, while eliminating barriers to housing.
  • On the Shelter Monitoring Committee, successfully advocated to add Navigation Centers — new at the time — to approved site visits and Standards of Care inspections by committee members and SFDPH staff.Source
  • As Chair of the Committee’s Policy Subcommittee, successfully expanded San Francisco’s shelter domestic violence policies to be more inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community.

Federal: health care & the pandemic

  • Worked closely with the DC policy team of the Speaker of the House to advocate for and draft language in House-originated COVID relief bills providing Economic Impact Payments to mixed-status households, people with disabilities, and people experiencing homelessness.Source
  • As a Senior Congressional Aide, after dozens of USPS collection boxes started vanishing around San Francisco, worked closely with USPS and the DC policy team to get those boxes replaced quickly.Source
  • Now runs Speaker Emerita Pelosi’s national Save Our Health Care campaign, defending Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.

Appointments & service

Commissions, committees, and clubs — fifteen years of it, most of it on top of the day job.

Commissions & committees

  • California Homeless Coordinating & Financing CouncilAppointed Member, 2017–2021 (Governors Brown and Newsom)
  • San Francisco Shelter Monitoring CommitteeMember, Vice Chair, and Policy Chair, 2015–2018
  • SF LGBTQ Advisory Committee, Human Rights CommissionMember, 2017–2018
  • San Francisco Pedestrian Safety Advisory CommitteeMember and Vice Chair, 2012–2015
  • Market and Octavia Community Advisory CommitteeMember, 2014–2015
  • Castro Country Club Advisory Board of DirectorsMember and Secretary, 2016–2018
  • Pink Triangle Park and Memorial, Eureka Valley FoundationPresident and Member, 2018–2020

Democratic clubs & campaigns

  • Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic ClubImmediate Past President and VP of Communications, 2023–present
  • Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic ClubCo-Chair and Board Member, 2012–2024
  • Nancy Pelosi for CongressPolitical Director, 2018–present
  • Proposition B — Adjust Transportation Funding to Population GrowthCampaign Manager, 2014
  • Re-elect Supervisor Scott Wiener, District 8Campaign Manager, 2013–2014
  • Joel Engardio for District 7 SupervisorCampaign Manager, 2012

“Someone who sees the role of Supervisor not as a trophy, but as a privilege to serve our neighborhoods, our district, and our city—who organizes, legislates, and delivers.”

Gary McCoy
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