No, that is not the mayor's job at all. Well it shouldn't be. If a mayor tries to make it his job, he'll fail because things like "housing supply" cannot be managed by government.
Governments set rules which directly affect markets - housing in particular is subject to tons of planning and manipulation by government. They absolutely can change supply.
Want to bring on more high-density housing? Change zoning rules so it is easier to get permits.
Housing regulations tend to be extremely local and I'm not a SF resident, but it is stunningly naive to claim that "housing supply" cannot be influenced by government. I realize Americans love to hate them, but city planning is one thing that governments are actually really helpful to have manage.
Doesn't the city effectively control housing supply by issuing permits for new buildings and controlling zoning boundaries? I can see how the city cannot produce new housing but it seems they can definitely restrict housing supply.
Want to bring on more high-density housing? Change zoning rules so it is easier to get permits.
Housing regulations tend to be extremely local and I'm not a SF resident, but it is stunningly naive to claim that "housing supply" cannot be influenced by government. I realize Americans love to hate them, but city planning is one thing that governments are actually really helpful to have manage.