Newsom signs AB 1294, creating middle-income rental housing tax break in San Francisco
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1294 on Monday, creating a pilot program in San Francisco, Alameda County and Sacramento County that gives property tax breaks to developers of middle-income rental housing. The breaks last up to 15 years and target households earning up to 120% of area median income, including teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers and construction workers. Mayor Daniel Lurie and Assemblymember Matt Haney, the bill's author, attended the signing.
Housing & Land Use
4 stories, 4 outletsThis SF Renter Is Trying to Beat the AI-Fueled Housing Boom With an Analog Approach
Harlow Srain, a 28-year-old San Francisco renter, has contacted more than 200 landlords and property managers in nine months as she tries to stay in the city. She lives in Bernal Heights with an ex-partner and says rents have risen more than 25% over the past year. She is cold-calling landlords to ask for lower rent.
Voters will decide whether to reopen Great Highway to traffic in San Francisco
San Francisco voters will vote in November on Proposition G, which would reopen the Great Highway to cars on weekdays and keep it as a park on weekends. The measure would reverse Proposition K, approved in 2024, which closed a two-mile stretch to traffic and created Sunset Dunes park next to Ocean Beach. Supervisor Alan Wong, a supporter, said he prioritizes people who need to drive to work or school on weekdays over recreation.
Ingleside house with squatters and burned roof listed at $450,000 draws multiple offers
A single-family home in San Francisco's Ingleside neighborhood has been listed for $450,000 despite a large hole in its roof and occupants who are squatting there, according to World Journal. The listing drew multiple offers and is now under contract. The house is among the cheapest single-family homes in the city.
Sneak Peek: Climbing Gym Aisle 19’s New Digs Inside A One-Time Supermarket
Touchstone Climbing is converting the former Pacific Super supermarket on Alemany Boulevard into a climbing gym called Aisle 19. The gym hosted an open house on Sept. 24, and a tentative opening is set for 2027. The 27,764-square-foot space will have bouldering walls designed by Walltopia.
City Hall
1 story, 1 outletSF Supervisors Suspend Sheriff’s Oversight Official for Alleged Misconduct
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 10-1 on Tuesday to suspend Sheriff's Oversight Board President William Palmer and file misconduct charges against him. A city anti-corruption investigation found he used his public position for personal benefit. The charges now go to an ethics committee hearing before the supervisors make a final decision.
Public Safety
1 story, 1 outletS.F. sticks with Flock surveillance cameras, but mayor tightens police use
San Francisco will keep its Flock Safety license plate reading cameras under new rules announced by Mayor Daniel Lurie. Police will lose access to license plate data after 30 days, searches must be tied to investigations and approved by supervisors, and the city will conduct regular audits. The mayor said the technology keeps the city safe while adding privacy protections.
Homelessness
1 story, 1 outletS.F. cracked down on RV dwellers. A year later, many have left the city altogether.
A year after San Francisco began enforcing its RV ban, data shows about one-third of RV dwellers who received city aid have moved outside city limits. The city has offered housing vouchers and other assistance. Mission Local reports the figures.
Education
2 stories, 2 outletsSF NAACP Calls on San Francisco Unified to Hold Racist Behavior Accountable
The NAACP San Francisco branch, parents and community advocates accused the San Francisco Unified School District of failing to act on anti-Black rhetoric after several incidents at district high schools. On Sept. 4, a Black student at Lincoln High School was called the N-word during a passing period, according to representatives for the NAACP and Coleman Advocates. A physical altercation followed, and the groups want the district to hold students accountable.
As SFUSD weighs replacing its lottery, a new group pushes a bold overhaul
A new advocacy group called KTAP is pushing an overhaul of the San Francisco Unified School District's student assignment lottery. Its founders include two teachers, a failed school board candidate and a former SF Parents staffer. The district is weighing whether to replace the lottery system.