San Francisco Public Press (https://www.sfpublicpress.org/2019/10/)
Jessica Hernandez, a science teacher, comes home to a crooked and rodent-infested basement unit that she and her boyfriend can’t afford — so the family is planning to move into an RV.
Katie Waller-O’Connell, a school counselor, was lucky enough to move into an existing below-market-rate unit in Hunter’s Point. » Read more
This year, San Francisco voters will encounter new ballots. Though the city has long used a ranked-choice voting system, prior ballots couldn’t accommodate more than three choices. Now, voters can rank up to 10. Jason McDaniel, associate professor of political science at San Francisco State University, has studied ranked-choice voting and its effect on participation — and his research has indicated that voters make more errors which could disqualify their ballot in a ranked-choice system, and that it reduces participation. » Read more
San Francisco’s transit administrators voted unanimously to approve a plan known as “Better Market Street,” which will start restricting private vehicles from driving on part of Market — but not from crossing it — as early as next year. Ultimately, the $600 million plan includes major infrastructure updates and renovations designed to allow bus, taxi, bicycle and pedestrian traffic to flow smoothly, and the private car ban, along a stretch of Market east of about 10th Street. » Read more
Two challengers are running against Jenny Lam, who holds one of seven seats on the city’s Board of Education. Lam serves as the mayor’s education adviser, and was appointed to the board in January because of Matt Haney’s departure from the board to step into his elected role as District 6 Supervisor. » Read more
Three challengers are running against Supervisor Vallie Brown, who previously served as Mayor London Breed’s aide and was appointed by the mayor in July. We conducted interviews with Brown, candidate Dean Preston, a tenants rights advocate, and candidate Ryan Lam, running as a Republican. » Read more
Proposition F would add restrictions and requirements to campaign contributions in city elections.
Corporations are already barred from donating to campaigns, but this ballot measure would extend that ban to other entities: limited liability companies and limited partnerships.
The measure would also restrict contributions from people with a financial interest in big development projects pending before the city. » Read more
Where Proposition A seeks to inject money into affordable housing, Proposition E seeks to streamline the process of approving it.
If passed, the measure would legalize the construction of “affordable housing” and “educator housing” on public land.
This affordable housing would be for residents earning up to 120% of the median income for the region. » Read more
A 2018 study by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority found that people take about 82 million trips in the city each year on Uber and Lyft combined, and most of those drivers live outside San Francisco.
In light of the report, legislators initially tried to take aim at Uber and Lyft with a gross receipts tax, a tax on company revenue. » Read more
If passed, this ballot measure would overturn and replace existing e-cigarette restrictions in San Francisco.
Current restrictions include a ban, which goes into effect in January 2020, on the sale of any non-FDA-approved e-cigarette products, as well as a blanket ban on flavored tobacco products. » Read more
