Week of Monday, September 14, 2026
This week's news has a lot of about housing. Also, this Saturday, don't miss the Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival!
Top stories
- Mayor Daniel Lurie declared a rent emergency and announced a $30 million package of tenant protections, saying rents rose 25.6 percent over the past year, the fastest growth of any large US market in data from the rental listing company Apartment List (KQED).
- Mayor Daniel Lurie's office reached tentative contract agreements with large city unions that would raise pay for about 25,000 workers by 12 percent over four years and shield full-time union members from layoffs through June 2029, pending a vote by members (World Journal).
- San Francisco police said they arrested 844 retail theft suspects over the past six months, 27 percent more than in the previous six months, and that reported thefts citywide are down nearly 20 percent from a year earlier (Sing Tao Daily US).
- Developer FivePoint broke ground on the redevelopment of the former Candlestick Park stadium site, a project that had been delayed by the neighboring shipyard and by economic conditions (The San Francisco Standard).
- City Attorney David Chiu sued two people over a house at 250 32nd Ave. in Sea Cliff, alleging they used forged deeds to take the roughly $4.4 million property and tried to sell it (Sing Tao Daily US).
What the city decided
- The Board of Supervisors' Budget and Finance Committee released about $5.05 million for PermitSF licenses in fiscal 2026-2027 and about $7.66 million for 2027-2028, plus smaller sums for temporary implementation staff, and sent a related contract amendment to the full board without a recommendation (Budget and Finance Committee). The release is contingent on the full board approving that amendment, and speakers against it described the procurement as noncompetitive.
What's opening
- FRDM Coffee registered a new restaurant or bar location at 1850 Polk St in Russian Hill with a registered start date of Aug. 17, and a building permit at the address supports the opening; a registration means the business is about to open or has recently opened, not a confirmed opening date (event).
- Acapulco Kitchen registered a new restaurant or bar location at 4 Embarcadero Ctr # 4503 in Mission Bay with a registered start date of Aug. 19; a registration means the business is about to open or has recently opened, not a confirmed opening date (event).
- Goop Kitchen registered a new restaurant or bar location at 405 Howard St in the Financial District with a registered start date of Sept. 1, and a building permit at the address supports the opening (event).
- Penny Royal registered a new restaurant or bar location at 1160 Polk St in Nob Hill with a registered start date of Sept. 4, supported by an active entertainment permit at the address; the registration is not a confirmed opening date (event).
- Rocko's Cafe registered a new restaurant or bar location at 3141 Clement St in the Outer Richmond with a registered start date of Sept. 8, supported by an active entertainment permit at the address; the registration is not a confirmed opening date (event).
This week's events
- Local and statewide journalists give presentations to help voters work through their San Francisco ballot, at the Main Library at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16 (SFPL).
- City on the Edge author Jonathan Weber and tech commentator Andrew Keen discuss the rise of tech power in San Francisco and the 2026 elections at Manny's, 3092 16th St, at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16 (Manny's).
- Chanticleer performs the world premiere of The Machaut Project, its first fully staged production since Curlew River, directed by Elkhanah Pulitzer, at ODC Theater, 3153 17th St, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17 (ODC Theater).
- The 35th Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival street fair starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, with lion dances, a mooncake market and a K-pop dance contest at 1:15 p.m. (Sing Tao Daily US).
- The San Francisco Lowrider Council marks its 45th anniversary on Saturday, Sept. 19 with a parade on Mission Street from 1 to 3 p.m., a car show with more than 300 lowriders, and a hopping competition at 24th and Mission streets (Mission Local).
Thanks for reading. Be sure to let us know what other features you'd like to see included.