Before joining the board of supervisors, Chu served as deputy budget director in the mayor's office of public policy and finance.

[3] In 2000, Chu earned a bachelor's degree in public policy from Occidental College where she was a recipient of the James Irvine Foundation Scholarship – a program focused on the development of leaders and educational opportunities for city youth.

[5] On February 6, 2013, Chu was appointed by Mayor Ed Lee to serve as assessor-recorder; the post was left vacant after Phil Ting was sworn into the California State Assembly.

[15] On September 25, 2007, she was appointed to replace the embattled San Francisco Supervisor Ed Jew, who was then suspended for alleged official misconduct.

Chu worked on legislation that incentivized local small businesses to do work for the city by streamlining the city's contracting process;[18] provided protections to tenants who are victims of domestic violence; strengthened regulations, coordinated enforcement and expanded community review of establishments in neighborhood commercial corridors; advocated for and improved neighborhood libraries, parks and playgrounds, and directed local funding for neighborhood commercial revitalization efforts including facade improvements, free assessments for compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act, installation of parklets and major street resurfacing efforts.

Chu worked with the local Public Utilities Commission to develop the largest municipal solar project in the country at the time.

Prior to her time on the board of supervisors, Chu served as the deputy director of the mayor office of public policy and finance – the division charged with balancing the city and county's annual appropriations.