Supervisor Jane Kim takes first step to run for SF mayor

Board of Supervisors Jane Kim addresses a crowd during a rally on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016 in San Francisco, Calif. Board of Supervisors Jane Kim addresses a crowd during a rally on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016 in San Francisco, Calif. Photo: Santiago Mejia, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Santiago Mejia, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 42 Caption Close Supervisor Jane Kim takes first step to run for SF mayor 1 / 42 Back to Gallery

San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim signaled her intent to enter the 2018 mayoral race Wednesday, requesting nomination papers from the city’s Department of Elections.

Kim, a stalwart progressive as a supervisor, has long been rumored to be considering a bid for the mayor’s office. She was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2010.

She and any other candidates eyeing a run for mayor have until Jan. 9 to file the necessary paperwork. Though any number of people may take out the papers to run, none of them are official candidates until those nomination papers are returned.

Kim ran an unsuccessful race last November to replace termed-out state Sen. Mark Leno. She was beaten by fellow Supervisor Scott Wiener, but the race may have boosted her recognition with San Francisco voters, particularly after her high-profile endorsement from then-presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Before being elected to the board, Kim, San Francisco’s first Korean American elected official, worked as a community organizer for the Chinatown Community Development Center and served as president of the San Francisco Board of Education. She’s also worked as an attorney at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights.

Kim did not respond to a request for comment.

As the supervisor representing District Six, Kim has presided over a corridor of the city undergoing an intensive transformation, thanks to a raft of commercial and residential development. The district includes the South of Market area, which became the city’s most valuable neighborhood this year, thanks to the many real estate transactions taking place there.

But nearby neighborhoods in her district, such as the Tenderloin, remain home to many of the city’s poorest residents.

Among her major legislative accomplishments as a supervisor, Kim led the effort to make City College of San Francisco free to city residents. She also spearheaded the successful 2014 ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage in San Francisco to $15 by 2018. Her official campaign page also touts her efforts to “expand access to affordable housing, protect renters, close the income gap and improve public schools.”

Despite her progressive bona fides, her progressive colleagues on the board — Aaron Peskin, Sandra Lee Fewer, Ahsha Safaí and Norman Yee — have already endorsed Leno.

Kim joins former Supervisor Angela Alioto in pulling papers this week to run for mayor in the June 5 ranked-choice election, which was scheduled after Mayor Ed Lee’s death from a heart attack Dec. 12.

Leno and a handful of lesser-known candidates also have requested nomination documents. Among those believed to be considering entering the mayor’s race are acting Mayor London Breed, Supervisor Mark Farrell, Assemblyman and former Supervisor David Chiu, and City Attorney Dennis Herrera.

Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa