The GrowSF Report: Daniel Lurie’s growing team of experts
PLUS: 40 traffic deaths later, Vision Zero remains elusive for San Francisco
What You Need To Know
Here’s what happened around the city for the week of December 29, 2024:
- Daniel Lurie’s growing team of experts
- 40 traffic deaths later, Vision Zero remains elusive for San Francisco
- Fillmore Safeway to close in February
- California closes car break-in loophole with Scott Wiener’s help
Recent & upcoming openings:
- Japanese-Italian fine dining comes to the Transamerica Pyramid with Ama
Daniel Lurie’s growing team of experts
Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie is wasting no time assembling a powerhouse team as he prepares to take office on January 8. His appointments signal a mix of innovation and experience, with an eye toward housing, public safety, and economic recovery. This growing cast of leaders offers a glimpse into the new administration:
Staci Slaughter: A former executive with the San Francisco Giants, Slaughter will serve as Chief of Staff. Her expertise in public relations and city affairs positions her to navigate City Hall.
Matthew Goudeau: A veteran of City Hall, Goudeau will take on the role of Deputy Chief of Staff. His years of experience for five mayoral administrations will provide continuity and institutional knowledge critical for the administration’s early months.
Ned Segal: The former CFO of Twitter, Segal has been appointed Chief of Housing and Economic Development. Tasked with downtown revitalization, Segal’s tech industry background will help him to address the city’s economic recovery.
Paul Yep: A former SFPD commander, Yep is the new Public Safety Policy Chief. He brings 28 years of experience with SFPD to the Mayor’s office and will coordinate across Police, Fire, and Emergency Management departments.
Han Zou will lead as Director of Public Affairs. He’s known for his excellent ground-game in political campaigns, which helped elect Lurie, Assemblymember Matt Haney, and Congresswoman-elect Lateefah Simon
Penny Coulter: A philanthropist who serves on the Board of SF MOMA is the Chief of Protocol.
We’re still waiting to see who Lurie picks for Chief of Public Health and Chief of Infrastructure.
40 traffic deaths later, Vision Zero remains elusive for San Francisco
A woman was struck and killed by a driver on December 27 while crossing the Great Highway near Ulloa Street, marking San Francisco’s 40th traffic fatality and 24th pedestrian death in 2024. It appears to be a tragic accident - a woman suffering from dementia wandered on to the street around 5:45am and entered the roadway where there are no crosswalks or street lights.
This makes 2024 the deadliest one for pedestrians in over a decade, and tied with 2016 as the second-deadliest overall (the other years have higher vehicle vs vehicle fatalities). 2024 was also the ten-year anniversary of “Vision Zero” which pledged to end all traffic deaths by… 2024.
“Any tragedy like this is a shock and deeply saddening for our community, especially during the holidays,” Supervisor Joel Engardio said on X. “I’m grateful to the first responders who serve 24/7 and provide help whenever it is needed.”
Fillmore Safeway to close in February
Safeway—a key grocery store in the Fillmore District—is shutting its doors by February 7, citing ongoing safety concerns and theft. The store has reportedly been losing approximately $7,000 daily due to shoplifting, making continued operations untenable.
Safeway has been an important spot for the neighborhood since 1984, but this is our current reality: theft and safety concerns have forced retailers in San Francisco—including Whole Foods and Target—to shutter operations in recent years. And the Fillmore community is who loses here; not just a store but a source of fresh food and everyday essentials.
Employees will be reassigned to other Safeway locations, and the site’s new owner, Align Real Estate, plans to redevelop the property into a mixed-use project. We don’t know yet if a new grocery store is in the works at the location.
California closes car break-in loophole with Scott Wiener’s help
Prosecutors in California have long struggled with car break-in cases due to a law requiring proof that the vehicle was locked. So even if a window was shattered or your stuff was taken, you were essentially viewed as inviting the crime if your car was left unlocked.
Now that loophole is finally closed thanks to a new law from State Senator Scott Wiener. New legislation effective Jan. 1 removes the locked-vehicle requirement for prosecution. Now if someone breaks a car window or there’s other evidence of forced entry, that’s enough to move forward with charges.
This is good news for San Francisco, where we see super-high rates of car break-ins. In some neighborhoods, shattered glass on the street is an almost daily sight, and smash-and-grabs are as common as foggy mornings.
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Recent & upcoming openings
A great city is constantly changing and growing, let’s celebrate what’s new!
Japanese-Italian fine dining comes to the Transamerica Pyramid with Ama
Ama is the newest culinary addition to the Transamerica Pyramid that’s set to open in February 2025. From Miami-based chef Bradley Kilgore, the fine-dining spot blends Italian and Japanese influences with dishes like puttanesca agnolotti with uni fondue and toasted milk bread with umami butter. An eight-seat cocktail bar will serve creative drinks, while a back room with a DJ booth and pinball machines offers live music and menu service. Ama will join Kilgore’s other pyramid ventures, Cafe Sebastian and MadLab, which opened in late 2024.
WHERE: Transamerica Pyramid, 600 Montgomery St., San Francisco
The Spirit of San Francisco
There’s a lot to love about our city and the Bay Area. Here’s what makes it great. Brought to you by The Bold Italic.
What we’re doing this week
San Francisco Symphony with James Gaffigan & Ray Chen
The San Francisco Symphony is hosting a series with conductor James Gaffigan and violinist Ray Chen. They're performing from January 9th to 11th at Davies Symphony Hall. If classical music is your thing, this could be a good way to spend an evening.
WHEN: January 9–11, 2025
WHERE: Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102
San Francisco Randonneurs: Pt. Reyes Populaire
For cycling enthusiasts, the San Francisco Randonneurs are organizing the Pt. Reyes Populaire on January 12th. This is a long-distance, non-competitive ride emphasizing endurance and camaraderie. The route offers scenic views as it travels northward through Marin, Sonoma, and Mendocino Counties.
In order to participate, you must pay an annual member fee that’s currently set at $5. The ride cost for this one looks to be $10.
WHEN: January 12, 2025, at 8:00 AM
WHERE: East Bluff at East Beach-Crissy Field, SF — they provide a GPS location of that here.
Some Like It Hot
"Some Like It Hot" is hitting the stage at the Orpheum Theatre. This musical adaptation of the classic 1959 film brings a fresh take on the story of two musicians on the run, blending humor, romance, and toe-tapping tunes. It's a chance to see a beloved story reimagined for the stage.
WHEN: January 7–31, 2025
WHERE: Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Ukulele meetup: Strumming through the evening
There’s something very San Francisco about a ukulele get-together. This in-person meetup invites all skill levels to strum, sing, and pick songs from The Daily Ukulele songbooks. Don’t have a song in mind? No problem—just go with the flow as the group rotates picks. Bring your instrument, a music stand, and your best vibe for a laid-back evening of island-inspired fun.
WHEN: January 10, 2025, 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM
WHERE: The location is given out once you register with the organizer. Their Meetup is here; there’s an optional $5 donation.
Get your songbooks here:
Yellow Book
Blue Book
What we’re writing about
Modern Japanese Bar Iris serves some of the most ambitious cocktails around
Bar Iris — the cocktail bar sibling to Michelin-starred Nisei — has quietly become one of San Francisco’s most exciting drink destinations. The Polk Street bar features a 20-page menu of creative drinks, like a $37 uni-infused cocktail and a savory twist on the martini, alongside dishes like hearty rice bowls and miso-stuffed shishito peppers. With its thoughtful menu and intimate vibe, it’s perfect for a casual drink or a full-on culinary adventure. Our review by Virginia Miller is a pretty deep dive.
Not every holiday bar has to be tacky
Alchemist Bar & Lounge recently leaned into the holiday spirit with subtle, tasteful decor like warm white lights and biophilic garlands, paired with a creative seasonal cocktail menu. Highlights included inventive drinks like Holidays in the Sun and Wreck the Halls, served alongside elevated small bites.
The ambiance was mellow, with jazzy hip-hop fusion music and whimsical silhouette projections adding to the charm. Now that it’s January, the decorations are likely down, but the following was our recent experience. And maybe you’ll go and find out the twinkle lights are still up — if you’re missing that sort of thing.
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