Solomon Bukenya, a formerly unhoused San Franciscan, has never lost hope for long — surviving a genocide in Rwanda, the loss of his leg, addiction and homelessness. Though he had no interest in civic engagement for years, today he’s on a mission to make sure his community’s voices are heard. Even after a tumultuous election, he remains undeterred.
Author Archives: Madison Alvarado
Madison Alvarado is a reporter based in San Francisco who is interested in California's housing crisis, environmental justice and structural inequities. In addition to her reporting on public housing and rent relief at the Public Press, she has covered issues related to the coronavirus pandemic, housing and city government for San Francisco news site Mission Local.
Posted inElections, Homelessness
Encampment Sweeps’ Uptick May Hurt Homeless People’s Access to Services, Voting
An escalation in encampment clearings could be leaving unhoused San Franciscans with fewer of their vital documents, making them less able to access services and, this month, vote, service providers and homeless advocates say.
In light of reports of these worsening problems, the city’s Homeless Oversight Commission has urged local government agencies to prevent the loss of essential items.
Posted in“Civic” Podcast, Elections, Homelessness, Housing
‘Affordable’ Housing Can Be Too Expensive For Seniors. Proposition G Could Help Fix That.
Many older adults living on fixed incomes in San Francisco teeter on the brink of homelessness. After rent, they have little money for other essentials.
Proposition G could keep some of those people off the streets by reducing rents in hundreds of already-subsidized units, putting them within reach for extremely low-income seniors and other groups.
Posted inCalifornia, Elections, Government & Politics, Homelessness
How Unhoused San Franciscans Can Vote in This Election
If you’re unhoused, you might wonder if you are eligible to cast a ballot this November. The answer is yes — even without a fixed address. We’ve tried to answer the big questions you might have about voting while experiencing homelessness in this how-to guide, to make sure your voice is heard this Election Day.
Posted inCity Hall, Elections, Public Safety, San Francisco November 2024 Voter Guide
Proposition N — Create Fund to Pay Off First Responders’ Student Loans
See our November 2024 SF Voter Guide for a nonpartisan analysis of measures on the San Francisco ballot, for the election occurring Nov. 5, 2024. The following measure is on that ballot. Proposition N could help pay off first responders’ student loans with the goal of attracting new hires amid staffing shortages. Listen to a summary of what […]
Posted inCity Hall, Elections, Public Safety, San Francisco November 2024 Voter Guide
Proposition I — Give Nurses and 911 Operators Better Pension Plans
See our November 2024 SF Voter Guide for a nonpartisan analysis of measures on the San Francisco ballot, for the election occurring Nov. 5, 2024. The following measure is on that ballot. Proposition I would improve retirement packages for 911 call dispatchers, as well as nurses who transitioned from temporary to full-time staff positions, in an effort to […]
Posted inCity Hall, Elections, Housing, San Francisco November 2024 Voter Guide
Proposition G — Fund Housing for Extremely Low-Income Tenants
NEW: Read, and listen to our podcast episode, about how affordability and other issues informing Proposition G affect the lives of San Franciscans, in a story published Nov. 1. See our November 2024 SF Voter Guide for a nonpartisan analysis of measures on the San Francisco ballot, for the election occurring Nov. 5, 2024. The following measure is on […]
Posted inCity Hall, Elections, Open Government, San Francisco November 2024 Voter Guide
Proposition C — New Inspector General Would Fight Local Corruption
See our November 2024 SF Voter Guide for a nonpartisan analysis of measures on the San Francisco ballot, for the election occurring Nov. 5, 2024. The following measure is on that ballot. In the wake of years of FBI probes and ongoing scandals, Proposition C aims to fight corruption in San Francisco by creating a local inspector general […]
Posted inCommunity, Coronavirus, Health
Budget Cuts Threaten SF Food Programs for Seniors and Adults With Disabilities
Funding is drying up for food programs that serve some of San Francisco’s most vulnerable, potentially endangering the health of thousands.
The cuts have come from all levels of government, including from City Hall as it has grappled with the fallout of the pandemic.
Posted inCity Hall, Community, Homelessness, Politics
Homeless Outreach Declines With Street Team’s Shifting Priorities, Staffing Woes
Street outreach by San Francisco’s premier team for helping people living on the streets has fallen for years and could continue dropping.
Years-long staffing woes and shifting work priorities have driven the decline, leaving the team less time for their core mission: building trust with unhoused people and helping them access social services and housing. Homelessness advocates approved of the team’s new efforts to bring people indoors, but worried that officials’ political motives might be influencing these changes.