News

Roundup: The Best of the San Francisco Public Press

06.20.2014
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In the mood for a good Friday afternoon read? Since it launched in March 2009, the San Francisco Public Press has published in-depth investigative stories on public-interest topics ranging from human trafficking to smart growth. With our Pedal-Powered News Kickstarter campaign, we’re hoping to double our San Francisco distribution, giving more readers access to these important, under-reported stories. Here’s a roundup of some of our best articles and special reports:

Cost overruns on the Bay Bridge (with McSweeney’s Panorama) (Winter 2009)

Treasure Island: redevelopment on shaky ground (Summer 2010)

Efforts to improve Muni’s on-time record through technology (Winter 2010)

The Bay Area media meltdown (Spring 2011)

The struggle to balance San Francisco’s budget (Fall 2011)

The battle against human trafficking (Spring 2012)

Regional approach to climate change by promoting smart growth (Summer 2012)

San Francisco law enforcement’s uneven efforts on domestic violence (Fall 2012)

Delays in earthquake retrofitting leave thousands vulnerable (Winter 2012-2013)

News
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S.F. Port: Too Much Private Money, Too Little Public Input, Grand Jury Finds

06.19.2014
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By Patricia Yollin, KQED News Fix 
The title of the San Francisco civil grand jury’s latest report says it all: “The Port of San Francisco: Caught Between Public Trust and Private Dollars.”
The report, issued today, concluded that the port and mayor’s office “have been overly reliant on funds from major real estate developers.” It questioned whether there has been adequate public input on decisions involving port property. And it said that transportation along the waterfront does not meet current needs. Read the complete story at KQED News Fix.

News
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Snapshot of Who Uses San Francisco WiFi

06.18.2014
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By Audrey Dilling, KALW Crosscurrents
At the corner of Sanchez and Market, Jason Dorn pulls out an iPhone. He is  at one endpoint of the access area for San Francisco Free WiFi, a free wireless network that the city launched last December. It spans Market Street, from Castro Street to the Embarcadero. Dorn says he has heard of the free network but doesn’t use it, since he already has an unlimited data plan for his phone. Still, he says he likes the idea.

News

David Cohn on Artisanal News

06.18.2014
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“What I love about what the San Francisco Public Press is doing is the idea of treating news almost artisanal… Lots of time, and love, and energy, and sweat and blood goes into each paper…”
David Cohn is a San Francisco Public Press board member and longtime advisor in the realm of all things digital. After founding Spot.us, which was acquired by American Public Media, David joined the founding team at Circa – a mobile news app that covers world events by constantly recombining brief updates – where he is now Chief Content Officer. Here’s what he had to say about the San Francisco Public Press and our Pedal-Powered News Kickstarter campaign:

News
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Once Friendly, California Looks to Toughen Rules on Ride-Service Companies

06.17.2014
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By Jon Brooks, KQED News Fix
In February, when Lyft was battling to stave off regulations of ride-service companies in Seattle, company CEO John Zimmer pointed to California as a shining example of a fruitful partnership between a disruptive tech industry and regulators. “California had a yearlong rule-making process with several steps,” he said in an interview about the California Public Utilities Commission’s decision last year to sanction what it calls Transportation Network Companies, or TNCs. “And they were able to come out with something that put, in many cases, more strict standards on new companies like Lyft, yet preserved innovation and consumer choice. I think that’s a fantastic model.”
Read the complete story at KQED News Fix. 

Housing
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Working Groups Envision Plans for an Affordable San Francisco

06.17.2014
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Part of a special report on solutions for housing affordability in San Francisco. A version of this story ran in the summer 2014 print edition.
San Francisco should encourage building owners throughout the less-dense western neighborhoods to build upward a little bit — by placing prefabricated units on existing rooftops. » Read more

News
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Interactive Map: How Sea Level Rise Could Swamp Coastal Communities

06.16.2014
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By lrothjohnson, KQED News Fix/Science 
Rising seas will likely lead to unprecedented flooding along parts of California’s coast within 20 to 60 years, according to new research by Climate Central. Driven by climate change, global sea levels have already risen several inches over the past century. To help people learn about flooding risks in their communities, Climate Central has released a new version of an online tool that explores flood risks by zip code. Read the complete story at KQED News Fix/Science
 

News

It Takes More Than a Catchy Headline

06.16.2014
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“Newsies,” which came out in 1992, is a cult classic film loosely based on the New York City Newsboys Strike of 1899. We’re taking this piece of immortal wisdom to heart with our Pedal-Powered News Kickstarter campaign, which will help us hire our own team of newsies to deliver the San Francisco Public Press print editions by bicycle straight to your door. We’ve got the headlines covered – we need your support to get our newsies-on-wheels out there! Gif courtesy of the-birdie

Housing
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Housing Solution: Allow Off-the-Shelf Homes in San Francisco’s Underused Spaces

06.13.2014
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Part of a special report on solutions for housing affordability in San Francisco. A version of this story ran in the summer 2014 print edition.
Two Bay Area designers are re-imagining the home as a simple consumer good. If they and other entrepreneurs are successful, San Francisco’s marginal land — including parking spaces — could theoretically be retrofitted to accommodate hundreds or thousands of these barebones, movable living spaces. » Read more

Housing
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Pitching Visions of an Affordable San Francisco at ‘Hack the Housing Crisis’

06.13.2014
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Part of a special report on solutions for housing affordability in San Francisco. A version of this story ran in the summer 2014 print edition.
San Francisco has become the epicenter of the Bay Area’s affordability crisis, with high-tech corporations moving in, rents climbing skyward, and despair and evictions sweeping through long-established but lower-income communities. » Read more