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Building Strong School Communities Through Restorative Practices

11.14.2013
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By Jen Chien, KALW Crosscurrents
In October, a group of students from the 100% College Prep Club in the Bayview district marched into the San Francisco Unified School District board meeting. They were protesting suspensions for “willful defiance” – a vague term that in practice can encompass everything from talking back to a teacher to wearing a hat indoors. About a quarter of all suspensions in the district were for “disruption or defiance” last school year, and “willful defiance” infractions are the cause of 53% of suspensions statewide. AB420, a state bill to limit these kinds of suspensions, has made it through the Assembly, but has not yet been signed by the governor. But the district has already made changes.

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5 Reasons Landlords Say They’re Not to Blame for High Rents and Evictions

11.13.2013
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By Amanda Stupi, KQED News Fix
If you want a crowd to turn against you, then just tell people you’re a landlord. In some circles, those who own property and rent to others rank near the top of regional public enemies, alongside tech workers, Dodger fans, and oh, I don’t know, people who kick puppies for fun. But are landlords really to blame for soaring rents, increased evictions and the much-bemoaned changing culture of the Bay Area? Without a doubt, they’re one of the big players at the table when we talk about increasing rents and evictions. But as a number of “Forum” commenters have pointed out, there are many factors that add to the problem of scarce, expensive housing, including the relatively small slice of land available for development in the inner Bay Area and the increased competition for housing as the regional economy improves.

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Boom of Block Parties Brings Power to the People

11.12.2013
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By Courtney Quirin, Mission Local
Simplicity. It’s the maxim behind many a success, and now San Francisco’s transportation agency has followed suit, streamlining the permit application for single-block party events and watching them multiply. With some help from a nonprofit, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency trimmed the 13-page application down to three pages in 2011, and since then, the city has seen its highest number of block parties yet, with applications rising by more than 25 percent in the last two years. Read the complete story at Mission Local.  

City Hall
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Twitter, Other Tech Companies Get S.F. Tax Breaks but Show Little Progress Hiring in Neighborhood

11.11.2013
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The largest of the firms settling in mid-Market signed extensive community agreements, but critics call them toothless
Last year, 14 San Francisco technology companies received $1.9 million in tax breaks for setting up shop in the mid-Market Street area. Supporters said it was a good investment, bringing economic development and jobs to an economically depressed strip in the core of the city. » Read more

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Addressing Chronic Homelessness With Permanent Supportive Housing

11.11.2013
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By Liz Pfeffer, KALW Crosscurrents
California has the largest concentration of homeless veterans in the nation, and in San Francisco, it’s likely that more than 700 homeless vets slept on the street or in shelters on Veterans Day. According to Bevan Dufty, director of San Francisco’s Housing, Opportunity, Partnerships and Engagement (HOPE) program, housing homeless veterans is a high priority for the city. And the number of homeless veterans has decreased since last year, thanks in part to the opening of a permanent supportive housing facility called Veterans Commons. Read the complete story at KALW Crosscurrents.

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San Francisco Looks to Curb Crime, Phone Thefts on Muni

11.07.2013
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By Bryan Goebel, KQED News Fix
Citing an overall spike in smart-phone robberies and a high-profile shooting on Muni, San Francisco city officials launched a multilingual campaign Thursday to encourage transit riders to get off their phones and pay attention to their surroundings. “We think we can get to zero crime on Muni,” said Mayor Ed Lee. “I know that sounds almost impossible to do, but we need to have a goal like that in order to challenge everybody to pay attention.”
During an Embarcadero press conference, Lee, Police Chief Greg Suhr and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Director Ed Reiskin announced a new anti-crime awareness campaign called “Eyes Up, Phones Down.” It includes adding more officers on buses and trains. Read the complete story at KQED News Fix.

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Well-Performing S.F. Schools Lag in Technology

11.06.2013
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By Andra Cernavskis, Mission Local
While students at Marshall Elementary and George Moscone Elementary schools have scored well in state standardized tests, doing so has helped put them behind in acquiring technology. Better test scores meant they lost out on the $45 million, three-year federal School Improvement Grants that added computers, iPads and laptops at the Mission District’s struggling schools. But being tech deficient has not been a problem – until now. Starting in the fall of 2015, all students will take the national standardized tests, known as the Common Core, on a computer. “If we can’t get more money from the school district, we won’t be ready for the Common Core,” said Marco Bianchi, the curriculum technologies integrator specialist at Marshall.

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State Insurance Commissioner Impels Blue Shield to Delay Cancellations

11.05.2013
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By Lisa Aliferis, KQED/The California Report
California’s insurance commissioner Dave Jones announced an agreement with Blue Shield this week that will mean some 113,000 people who had their policies canceled will now be able to keep them through March 31, 2014. If you’re one of those 113,000 people, you now have the option either to hold onto your policy into next year or to shop on the Covered California marketplace where you might qualify for a subsidy. Read the complete story at KQED/The California Report.

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Election 2013: Guide to S.F. Propositions A, B, C and D

11.04.2013
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By Olivia Hubert-Allen, KQED News Fix
Four years ago, just over 22 percent of people registered to vote actually showed up. Analysts are predicting this year could be even lower. The silver lining: If you do show up at the polls, your vote could count more than ever. Chances are good you’ve seen the “No Wall on the Waterfront” or “Open Up The Waterfront” signs around town. But what do those slogans really mean?