San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed’s nomination to appoint Sue Diamond to the San Francisco Planning Commission was approved today by the Board of Supervisors with a 9-2 vote. Diamond will fill the vacancy left by Richard Hillis, who resigned from his position on the Commission in September. Her first Commission meeting will be on Thursday, November 21st.

Diamond is an attorney with experience in land use and real estate law. She has her own law firm that works primarily with nonprofit organizations on issues at the nexus of real estate and their mission. Her clients have included Jewish Home of San Francisco, Family House, Camp Ramah of Northern California, Blood Centers of the Pacific, Temple Emanu-El, Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, and Brandeis School of San Francisco.

Before starting her own practice, she was a partner at Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP and at Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP, where she managed the permitting process for some of the largest and most complex real estate projects in San Francisco and the Bay Area. She has served as Board Member for numerous organizations in San Francisco, including Mercy Housing California, Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, and the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco. In addition, Diamond taught Land Use Law at Stanford Law School for many years.

“I am glad that the Board voted today to approve my nomination of Sue Diamond to serve on the Planning Commission,” said Mayor Breed. “I nominated her to the position because I believe she will be a great asset on the Commission, especially as we tackle complex planning decisions to make sure our City is livable and resilient for generations to come. She has a wide range of experience in land use and real estate matters, and will bring her 30-plus years as an attorney and strategic advisor to the Commission.”

“I want to thank Mayor Breed for this important opportunity to serve our City on the Planning Commission and to thank the Board of Supervisors for its vote of confidence and trusting me with this significant responsibility,” said Diamond. “I take very seriously my obligation as Planning Commissioner to represent all of San Francisco’s diverse communities and stakeholders, especially as we work to build more housing in all neighborhoods.”

Diamond has a J.D. from Harvard Law School, a Master of City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a B.S. from Stanford University. She lives in San Francisco.

The San Francisco Planning Commission consists of seven commissioners appointed by the Mayor and the President of the Board of Supervisors, and Commissioners serve four-year terms. The Commission oversees the Planning Department, which plays a central role in guiding the growth and development of the City. The Department works with other City agencies and the community to help balance the needs of residents, businesses, and civic leaders to protect the environment and historical resources, create inspiring and livable urban spaces, cultivate neighborhood resilience, and enforce good land use practices. The Commission is also responsible for the stewardship and maintenance of San Francisco’s General Plan.

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