Heidary’s experience in 2021 highlighted three critical issues:
The defining moment for Heidary in 2021 was his proposal to rezone a commercial property located at 3500 20th Street (at the corner of Valencia Street) in the Mission District.
At the time, San Francisco was in the process of updating its state-mandated Housing Element—a blueprint required by the state to show how the city plans to meet future housing needs. Because the city had failed to adopt a compliant plan on time, it opened itself up to the "Builder’s Remedy." anwar heidary 2021
This legal provision allows developers to approve projects in jurisdictions without a compliant Housing Element, provided the project includes a significant percentage of affordable housing (typically 20% affordable units, or 100% affordable for moderate-income households). Heidary’s proposal for the site was ambitious: he sought to replace a commercial building with a 120-unit residential complex, with a portion designated as affordable housing.
Looking back, the year 2021 was not just another calendar year for Anwar Heidary—it was the great filter. It separated him from the ephemeral world of "just influencers" and pushed him toward a sustainable career as an artist and community leader. Heidary’s proposal for the site was ambitious: he
No long-form article is complete without addressing friction. In 2021, Heidary faced two primary criticisms:
Anwar Heidary was a pilot in the former Afghan Air Force. For nearly a decade, he flew missions against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, often alongside U.S. and coalition forces. He specialized in flying MD-530 helicopters and was considered a highly skilled aviator. Like thousands of other Afghan interpreters, soldiers, and pilots, he was eligible for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) due to his work supporting the U.S. mission. No long-form article is complete without addressing friction
As the Taliban rapidly seized control of Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, Heidary and his family were trapped in Kabul. He had been approved for an SIV, but the bureaucratic process was incomplete. He, like many others, faced a direct threat: the Taliban publicly targeted former Afghan pilots, military personnel, and interpreters for retribution, including torture and execution.