Coronavirus

Gregory Nelson brushes his fingers across the hood of his vehicle, smudging the ashes that have settled on it in early September. “Look at all this dust,” Nelson said, raising his blackened fingers. “I just washed my car yesterday. Now, it’s on everything again. You cannot have anything nice out here.” On Sept. 9, some 14,000 firefighters were battling 28 major wildfires across California. And while the containment of August’s lightning fires seemed imminent, several new wildfires ignited and were fanned by strong gusty winds. Since the beginning of the year, more than 8,500 wildfires have burned over 4.1 million acres in California. To date, the total number of deaths due to wildfires statewide is 31, and nearly 10,500 structures have been destroyed. Thousands of wildfire evacuees are living in emergency shelters and inside their vehicles.

Photo Essay — Pandemic Makes Ride-Hailing Gig Untenable for S.F. Man Living in His Car

11.19.2020

By Yesica Prado, Freelance writer and photographer

Earlier this year, the San Francisco Public Press featured Gregory Nelson in “Driving Home: Surviving the Housing Crisis,” a photojournalism project by Yesica Prado documenting the experiences of people living in vehicles in the Bay Area. Prado followed up with Nelson to find out how his life has changed during the pandemic.

S.F. Hotels, Museums and Some Schools Could Reopen this Month

A United Site Services handwashing station at Haight and Ashbury streets in March was completely out of soap.

S.F. Contractor Repeatedly Failed to Service Hygiene Stations

The Adante Hotel is currently operating as a shelter-in-place hotel run by Five Keys. San Francisco's Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing plans to end the shelter-in-place hotel program, but that process was paused in response to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases.

Workers in Shelter-in-Place Hotels Face Unemployment, Uncertain Future

San Francisco May Be in Purple Tier by Sunday, Late-Night Curfew Likely Next Week

Homelessness

Tolbert unbuckles Supreme’s car seat as she prepares to go grocery shopping in San Francisco. She places him in a baby carrier on her chest for a more comfortable shopping experience. On this trip, Tolbert was loading up on food and household supplies for the month, so she can limit her trips during the pandemic. She enjoys being a stay-at-home mom and watching her son grow. “I never expected to be a mother,” Tolbert said. “But here he is, right Papa?” she said to Supreme.

S.F. Vehicle Dwellers’ Living Situations Diverge During Pandemic

11.19.2020

By Laura Wenus, Reporter & Host for "Civic"

Photojournalist Yesica Prado has been documenting the lives of people living in their cars, vans, RVs and campers — including, at times, turning the lens on herself as she shelters in place in her own RV. Earlier this year, the San Francisco Public Press, in collaboration with the Bay Area visual storytelling nonprofit CatchLight, published Prado’s photos and writing in a special series of multimedia reports called “Driving Home: Surviving the Housing Crisis.” Read more

Housing

On a Sunday morning, Nelson walks three miles roundtrip between the tow yard where he keeps his car parked and the Tenderloin neighborhood, following a routine that involves picking up his breakfast at St. Anthony’s Dining Room. He passes people who have picked up meals and are eating them while sitting in chairs placed on the street by St. Anthony’s. The chairs are spaced six feet apart for social distancing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. After the coronavirus pandemic began, service providers applied safety restrictions. No more open showers or restrooms. No more public seating to charge devices. No more dining rooms. Rather than claiming a chair on the street, Nelson prefers bringing his take-out food back to his car, and enjoys it in privacy.

Pandemic Makes Ride-Hailing Gig Untenable for S.F. Man Living in His Car

11.19.2020

By Yesica Prado, Freelance writer and photographer

Housing

Tantay Tolbert changes her son’s clothes on the dining room table in her new apartment. In March, the Homeless Prenatal Program in San Francisco offered her a hotel room for 90 days, and this became her first step into stable housing. After the hotel room, she transitioned into subsidized housing. “They looked out for me during the time of my pregnancy,” Tolbert said. “They gave us vouchers and made sure we had something to eat. It was catered food every day. It was blessed.” On June 16, Hamilton Families gave Tolbert the keys to her new apartment. “On Tupac’s birthday. It’s a Black holiday,” she said. A time to celebrate.

From an RV to Four Walls and a Pantry: One New Mom’s Story

11.18.2020

By Yesica Prado, Freelance writer and photographer

Earlier this year, the San Francisco Public Press featured Tantay Tolbert in “Driving Home: Surviving the Housing Crisis,” a photojournalism project by Yesica Prado documenting the experiences of people living in vehicles in the Bay Area. Prado followed up with Tolbert to find out how her life has changed in recent months. Read more

Housing

Tantay Tolbert poses for a portrait with her son Supreme inside her 1977 Chevrolet Impala in front of her apartment in Richmond. She is hoping to get $10,000 when she sells this classic vehicle. Since the pandemic started, Tolbert and her partner have increased their car sales. “People are buying equity, and they can get to where they need to go,” she said. Tolbert says she has used some of her unemployment benefits to buy cars at auctions. She and her partner fix up the cars and sell them to people — some of whom are using their own unemployment benefits to pay for the vehicles. “We’ve been doing it since I was 21. I’m 38 now. We can do this with our eyes closed,” Tolbert said confidently. “This has been the whole solid foundation.”

Photo Essay — From an RV to Four Walls and a Pantry: One New Mom’s Story

11.18.2020

By Yesica Prado, Freelance writer and photographer

Government & Politics

Mail Workers Renew Calls for Critical Postal Service Funding

11.17.2020

By Laura Wenus, Reporter & Host for "Civic"

Postal workers nationwide rallied on Tuesday to demand Congress approve $25 billion in emergency funding for the Postal Service to ensure its continued operation, and reverse workflow changes made by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. In San Francisco, members of the American Postal Workers Union San Francisco Local #2 gathered in the rain in front of the Fox Plaza post office to distribute leaflets, saying the service was still in dire need of congressional aid and could shut down next year without it. Read more

Transportation

BART Takes Cost-Cutting Measures While Making COVID Safety, Infrastructure Improvements

11.16.2020

By Laura Wenus, Reporter & Host for "Civic"

During the shelter-in-place orders keeping many people working at home and socializing virtually, ridership on public transit has dropped dramatically. On BART, ridership was about 13% of pre-pandemic levels in October. Since around 65% of the system’s revenue comes from fares, the drop in ridership was a major blow to operating plans, said Janice Li, who represents BART District 8 on its board of directors. Read more

S.F. Will Reverse Re-Opening Amid Statewide COVID-19 Case Surge

11.16.2020

By Laura Wenus, Reporter & Host for "Civic"

San Francisco’s COVID-19 risk level as assessed by the state will move from “minimal” to “substantial” on Tuesday, Mayor London Breed announced Monday. As a result, she said, non-essential offices will have to close and gym occupancy will need to be reduced from a maximum of 25% to a maximum of 10% of capacity. Read more

Homelessness

Responding to Homelessness With Law Enforcement Ineffective, Researchers Say

11.10.2020

By Laura Wenus, Reporter & Host for "Civic"

Homelessness across America was projected to increase up to 45% this year because of pandemic-related job losses according to an analysis from a Columbia University professor. People without any kind of shelter are already at risk of worse health and may have difficulty accessing care. Read more

City Hall

Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco Department of Public Health

Fall Coronavirus Surge Forces S.F. to Ban Indoor Dining, Other Activities Starting Friday

11.10.2020

By Mel Baker

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 Director Dr. Grant Colfax said this surge could be far worse than the surge in June shortly after Memorial Day. Read more

Coronavirus

While We Wait: COVID-19 Research Beyond Vaccines

10.27.2020

By Laura Impellizzeri

Scientists in San Francisco have made significant discoveries in recent months about the impacts of COVID-19 as well as prevention and treatment of the disease. For one thing, they’ve discovered how SARS-CoV-2 — scientific shorthand for the coronavirus that’s causing the pandemic — slashes through muscle fibers in the heart. Read more