More than 61% of San Francisco voters approved Proposition B, a charter amendment to split the Department of Public Works in two and add oversight commissions to both departments. Proposition B came on the heels of a city corruption scandal, investigations into which are ongoing.
Category: City Hall
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Health
Fall Coronavirus Surge Forces S.F. to Ban Indoor Dining, Other Activities Starting Friday
A significant fall surge in coronavirus infections has forced San Francisco to reverse course and reimpose limits on some businesses.
San Francisco Department of Public Health Executive Director Dr. Grant Colfax said this surge could be far worse than the surge in June shortly after Memorial Day. “In the past two weeks, from Oct. 21 through Nov. 5, our rate has increased from 3.7 per 100,000 people to nine per 100,000 residents. We are averaging nearly 80 new cases a day now, up from just 32 new cases at the end of October,” he said.
Posted inCity Hall, Elections, Government & Politics, News
With Corruption on the Ballot, San Francisco Could Learn Oversight From Other Scandal-Plagued Cities
When it comes to good government, dysfunction and disgrace can occasionally inspire some of the brightest ideas for reform. And getting the whole community involved in the cleanup — through the ballot box — can be one way to make those changes happen faster. Though the parallels are not exact, the tiny scandal-ridden city of Bell, near Los Angeles, could hold keys to fixing a culture of corruption that has insinuated itself deep in the heart of San Francisco’s massive and opaque bureaucracy.
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Homelessness, News
Closure of S.F. Shelter-in-Place Hotel Program Could Push Homeless Back to Streets
San Francisco’s decision to move more than 2,000 homeless people out of hotel rooms could drive many back onto the streets, leaving them as vulnerable to COVID-19 as they were when the temporary housing program was launched in the spring.
Posted inCity Hall, Government & Politics, Homelessness, Law & Justice, News
Surge in S.F. Homelessness Funding Could Be a Game Changer
San Francisco will soon spend previously unthinkable sums on the fight against homelessness. The massive influx of cash — nearly $600 million over the next year collected thanks to a voter initiative, combined with hundreds of millions of dollars in expenditures by the homelessness department — could be a game changer.
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Economy & Business, Education
S.F. Hotels, Museums and Some Schools Could Reopen this Month
San Francisco Mayor London Breed said the city may soon be able to reopen more businesses and even some schools, but only if the Labor Day holiday doesn’t cause a spike in case
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Economy & Business, Health
Outdoor Service for Gyms and Hair Salons Begins on Sept. 1
Starting on Sept. 1, many gyms, hair salons and barber shops in San Francisco will be allowed to serve customers if they can find a way to do so outdoors.
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Economy & Business, Housing, Law & Justice
Breed Extends Eviction Moratorium to Dec. 1
Mayor London Breed Tuesday gave San Francisco tenants an additional month to figure out how they will cover rent and avoid eviction, in light of economic hardships resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the soonest landlords could legally evict for nonpayment of rent is Dec. 1. That’s a month later than the previously announced eviction moratorium was set to end. The information was initially made public in a web post from the Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco. The San Francisco Public Press received confirmation of these changes from Hugo Ramirez, a staff member at the Mayor’s office.
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Government & Politics
COVID-19 Is Priority for S.F. Budget, Breed Says
Hundreds of millions of dollars have been set aside in San Francisco’s budget for COVID-19 prevention, testing and treatment, Mayor London Breed announced this morning at a press conference in San Francisco. Over the next year, the Mayor’s Office has allocated $185 million for health care operations, $183 million for housing and shelter, $62 million for food distribution and $16 million for communications.
Posted inCity Hall, Government & Politics, Open Government
With Budget Cuts, Can the Ethics Commission Still Counter S.F. Corruption?
Members of the San Francisco Ethics Commission let out a sigh of relief last week when they learned from Mayor London Breed’s budget proposal that their funding would be sliced by 3.3%, far less than the 10% they had been expecting. But they warned that even the smaller-than-expected cuts would still have an impact on the political watchdog group’s effectiveness.