A "For Rent" sign is taped above a doorway in San Francisco's Mission District, next to a retailer. San Franciscans in need of rent relief could get a reprieve if a law proposed March 24 passes -- but only if they act fast.

California Bill Would Give Tenants 3-Month Eviction Reprieve — but Only to Those Who Act Fast

A bill introduced Thursday in the California Assembly would extend eviction protections by three months for tenants who have applied for emergency rent relief related to the coronavirus pandemic.

The catch: To qualify, tenants who have not yet asked for help would need to submit applications by the end of March, giving them less than a week to get their requests in the queue. » Read more

A tent stands to the left of a pile of charred debris under the charred bottom of an overpass.

What Reporters Learned Mapping Encampment Fires

This article is adapted from an episode of our podcast “Civic.” Click the audio player below to hear the full story.  

Fires in encampments, tents and other makeshift shelters occurred more frequently in recent years, reporting from the San Francisco Public Press and Mission Local shows. » Read more

A man in a plaid shirt holds a fire extinguisher.

Grassroots Nonprofits and Homeless Communities Create Their Own Fire Prevention Solutions

Tucked away on a dead-end street a few blocks from Ring Central Coliseum in East Oakland sits a curbside community whose residents call themselves the 77th Avenue Rangers. The cul-de-sac is home to 14 temporary dwellings, from trailers to tents and makeshift structures, providing shelter to about 20 people. » Read more

Two beds sit on either side of a window at a navigation center for transgender homeless people.

SF Launches First Navigation Center to Serve Homeless Transgender People

Joaquin Remora moved to California with $1,000 in his pocket, no job and two back-to-back evictions under his belt. The move was a lifesaver.

“I was like, ‘I’m either going to come out as transgender, or kill myself,’” he said. “San Francisco was the only place that I could think of where I thought it wasn’t going to be a problem for me to be trans.” » Read more

A view of tall buildings in San Francisco's Marina district, with a palm tree in the foreground. California tenants facing COVID-19 hardships must request rent and utility assistance before the end of March, when the state will stop accepting applications for rent relief.

California’s Rent-Relief Program to Stop Taking Applications March 31

California will stop accepting applications for rent assistance from people facing COVID-19 hardships at the end of this month, the San Francisco mayor’s office said.

Local governments throughout the state will have to figure out how to help people still struggling to cover rent as the economy continues its climb back to pre-pandemic levels. » Read more