Some city officials are dissatisfied with new transit rules that are intended to help pedestrians follow social-distancing guidelines by stepping into streets when necessary. Through its new Slow Streets Program, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will begin closing some streets to through traffic, freeing up space so that maintaining six feet of separation is easier.
Author Archives: Noah Arroyo
Noah Arroyo is the San Francisco Public Press’ editor. He has previously worked at the San Francisco Chronicle and Mission Local, specializing in enterprise journalism.
Posted inCoronavirus, Homelessness, Neighborhoods
Supervisor Pushes for Socially Distanced Homeless Tent Camps
San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman is pushing the city to designate up to five public sites for sanctioned homeless encampments in an effort to protect unhoused residents from COVID-19.
Posted inCoronavirus, Homelessness, Land use
Tenderloin Service Providers Push Street Closure to Thin Crowded Sidewalks
Soup kitchens and homeless service centers are pushing San Francisco officials to shut down a Tenderloin street to through traffic so their clients can maintain social distance from one another as lines wrap around the block and tent dwellers crowd the sidewalks.
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Homelessness
S.F. Officials Explain Their Efforts to House Homeless During Pandemic
City officials explained their efforts to place homeless people in hotel rooms during the COVID-19 pandemic at a press conference April 13.
Posted inCoronavirus, Housing
S.F. Landlords Seeking to Lower Rents During Crisis Can Restore Them Later, Agency Says
Landlords of rent-controlled properties can temporarily lower rents and increase them to previous levels later — such as when the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided and the tenants can once again afford their original rates, according to city officials.
Posted inElections, Government & Politics, San Francisco March 2020 Nonpartisan Election Guide
March 2020 Election Guide: Prop C
Retirement Benefits for Certain Public Employees —
Proposition C would provide health care benefits to a small subset of City Hall workers upon retirement.
Posted inElections, Public Safety, San Francisco March 2020 Nonpartisan Election Guide
March 2020 Election Guide: Prop B
S.F. Emergency-Response System Upgrades —
Proposition B would authorize San Francisco to issue up to $628.5 million in bonds to pay for upgrades to its emergency-response infrastructure. Scientists predict that a major quake has a 72% likelihood of striking the Bay Area by 2043. Property tax revenue would pay off the issued bonds.
Posted inEducation, Elections, San Francisco March 2020 Nonpartisan Election Guide
March 2020 Election Guide: Prop A
City College Improvements, Job Training —
Proposition A would authorize the City College of San Francisco to issue up to $845 million in bonds to pay for repairs and upgrades to facilities, as well as training programs to prepare students for local jobs in the science, arts and technology fields. Property tax revenue would pay off the issued bonds.
Posted inEducation, Elections, Government & Politics
SFUSD Board of Education
Two challengers are running against Jenny Lam, who holds one of seven seats on the city’s Board of Education. Lam serves as the mayor’s education adviser, and was appointed to the board in January because of Matt Haney’s departure from the board to step into his elected role as District 6 Supervisor. Candidates Kirsten Strobel and Bobby Coleman entered the race after the school board voted to destroy a controversial mural at Washington High School, a decision that was later amended to call for the mural to be covered rather than destroyed. We asked all three candidates about their vision for improving student success and how the district should be run.
Robert Coleman
Jenny Lam
Kirsten Strobel
Posted inElections, Government & Politics, San Francisco 2019 Nonpartisan Election Guide
District 5 Supervisor
Three challengers are running against Supervisor Vallie Brown, who previously served as Mayor London Breed’s aide and was appointed by the mayor in July. We conducted interviews with Brown, candidate Dean Preston, a tenants rights advocate, and candidate Ryan Lam, running as a Republican. Candidate Nomvula O’Meara was not available for an interview by the time of this posting.