The GrowSF Report: Drug market crackdown coming soon
PLUS: Scott Wiener wants to make it easier to open bars in downtown SF
What You Need To Know
Here’s what happened around the city for the week of February 16, 2025:
- Drug market crackdown coming soon
- Join the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force
- Scott Wiener wants to make it easier to open bars in downtown SF
- Semi-automatic speed cameras
- Julie Kirschbaum takes over SFMTA as Muni braces for service cuts
Recent & upcoming openings:
- Bob’s Donuts has moved—but only a block away
Drug market crackdown coming soon
Supervisor Bilal Mahmood won his election, in part, by taking the Tenderloin’s drug market problem seriously and committing to launching a new intervention program. Now, working in concert with Supervisors Mandelman and Dorsey, it’s happening.
The new approach, called “Drug Market Intervention,” has been tried in many cities, with varying degrees of success. A meta-study in 2017 found that where the plan was implemented with high fidelity (i.e. according to the original plan, with no or minimal modifications), it did work. But given the state of San Francisco’s politics, the chances of a faithful implementation could be low.
To implement the plan, San Francisco supervisors want to bring in David Kennedy, a criminal justice professor at John Jay College in New York who, for three decades, has worked with cities across America to break up drug markets. Hiring Kennedy will cost about $550,000 over two years, but Supervisor Mandelman says “it’s 100% justified.” SF’s drug crisis is hitting the city’s economy and budget hard, and stopping open-air drug markets could help reverse the damage.
Join the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force
There's an opening on the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force. Are you interested? Let us know! We'll connect great candidates with members of the Board of Supervisors to staff this important commission. But get your application in this weekend - the deadline is fast approaching!
About this seat
The opening is for a seat reserved for someone who has "demonstrated interest in, or has experience in, the issues of citizen access and participation in local government." This is an unpaid position, but commissioners are eligible for full San Francisco city health benefits. It is a two-year appointment, and you will attend one or two meetings per month.
What is the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force?
The Sunshine Ordinance Task Force ensures transparency in city government by reviewing complaints about public records access and open meeting violations.
Scott Wiener wants to make it easier to open bars in downtown SF
Ever wonder why it’s so hard to open a new bar in San Francisco? One reason is the low supply of liquor licenses.
Liquor licenses are strictly limited by state law, and SF hit its cap nearly 80 years ago. That means any new business looking to serve alcohol has to buy a license on the secondary market, where prices can soar past $200,000. Just like housing - when the supply is low, costs are high.
Enter a new bill from State Senator Scott Wiener, with support from Mayor Lurie: SB 395 would create 20 new liquor licenses for a designated hospitality zone in downtown San Francisco. This extra supply of licenses will make them much more affordable and will ensure smaller businesses can get in on the fun.
Semi-automatic speed cameras
Automated speed cameras sound great: they make streets safer, enforce the law without bias, and generate revenue from speeding tickets. But recent coverage in The Standard has sparked surprise among many readers in California—why do automated speed camera citations require a human to write the ticket?
It turns out that opposition by the ACLU resulted in a legal mandate that every violation be reviewed by a human before a citation is issued. Groups opposed to speed cameras say this makes them more fair and effective, but the reality is that it dramatically raises costs and limits usage. A better and more cost-effective implementation would have issued the citations automatically and used the existing procedures to contest speeding tickets if the driver thought the system was wrong.
The Standard also presented some flawed analysis about the speed cameras. They estimated that SFMTA could raise $700M annually from the cameras, but this analysis was based on the false premise that speeders would keep speeding. The reality is that as soon as drivers are aware of a speed camera, they slow down. That’s why we’re installing them! In New York and Philadelphia, speeding violations dropped by up to 90% at camera locations, proving that enforcement works to change behavior, not nickel-and-dime drivers.
SFMTA says that at just one of the locations where the 33 cameras are installed, they have recorded as many as 42,000 speeding drivers in a single day (you’re not crazy, people really are driving like maniacs). Unfortunately, SFMTA then used that stat to estimate they would need to hire over 200 new full-time employees to review each ticket from a single camera, which the MTA promptly dismissed as impossible. But if 90% of speeders change their behavior, it’s more like 4,000 tickets per day, easily handled by a team of just 20.
We support automated speed cameras, and we’re thrilled to see them roll out on our streets. But the law is clearly flawed in ways that drive up costs while limiting effectiveness (as is tradition in California). We’d love to see lawmakers ignore the noisiest opponents and fix the bill to allow the the global center of AI technology to rely on image processing technology instead of a room full of people.
Julie Kirschbaum takes over SFMTA as Muni braces for service cuts
Julie Kirschbaum is stepping in as SFMTA’s new director, and she’s no stranger to Muni’s challenges. She’s been leading transit operations for years, steering the system through the pandemic and pushing for reliability improvements that riders actually noticed.
Now, with a $50 million budget shortfall, she’s taking the job just as the agency prepares to cut Muni service by 4% this summer. This is a chance to build a more resilient transit system, she said in the Chronicle. The plan to close the gap includes service reductions, increased fare enforcement, and parking revenue adjustments.
“I’m going to make sure we maintain the incredible improvements we’ve made to the Muni system, despite the SFMTA’s daunting financial challenges,” she said.
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Recent & upcoming openings
A great city is constantly changing and growing, let’s celebrate what’s new!
Bob’s Donuts has moved—but only a block away
Bob's Donuts, a San Francisco staple since the 1960s, is relocating just 300 feet from its original Polk Street location. The new shop at 1720 Polk St. hosted a soft opening on Friday, featuring community art displays and complimentary doughnuts for early visitors. The original location at 1621 Polk St. will remain operational until November, allowing patrons to enjoy both spots during the transition period.
WHERE: 1720 Polk St., San Francisco, CA
Your Action Plan
Now that you know what’s happening, help us shape what happens next:
Join SPUR for a discussion on Vision Zero and what’s next for SF
San Francisco committed to eliminating traffic deaths more than a decade ago, yet progress has stalled due to political and resource challenges. Meanwhile, Hoboken, New Jersey, has successfully gone eight years without a traffic-related fatality. How did they do it?
Join SPUR for a conversation with Hoboken Mayor Ravinder Bhalla, SF Supervisor Myrna Melgar, and KidSafe SF co-founder Robin Pam as they discuss what it takes to create safer streets and the lessons San Francisco can learn. Moderated by Annie Fryman.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 4, 2025, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: SPUR Urban Center, 654 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
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
SF Beer Week 2025
SF Beer Week 2025 is a ten-day celebration of the Bay Area's craft beer scene, running from February 21 to March 2. The event kicks off with the inaugural SF Beer Week Fest on February 22 at Salesforce Park, featuring exclusive collaborations and special releases from top local breweries, along with live music from Audiodub.
Throughout the week, attendees can enjoy a variety of events, including beer tastings, food pairings, and meet-the-brewer sessions across the region. Notably, the highly sought-after Pliny the Younger triple IPA will be available at select venues during the festivities.
WHEN: February 21–March 2, 2025
WHERE: Various locations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area
FROGGY premiere
FROGGY is a graphic novel noir thriller presented by Center Repertory Company. Set in 2007, the story follows Froggy, who gets caught up in an underground video game while searching for her missing boyfriend. The production mixes graphic novel visuals, film noir, and virtual media to create a different kind of stage experience.
Directed by Matt M. Morrow, with creative technology by Jared Mezzocchi and written by Jennifer Haley, FROGGY runs about 80 minutes with no intermission. It contains adult themes and is recommended for ages 13 and up.
WHEN: February 9 – March 2, 2025
WHERE: Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Also coming up: ‘Raymonda’ at SF Ballet
San Francisco Ballet presents Tamara Rojo's reimagining of "Raymonda," set during the 19th-century Crimean War. This adaptation portrays Raymonda as a woman ahead of her time, reflecting the resilience and compassion of Florence Nightingale. The production features Alexander Glazunov's score, performed by the Grammy Award-winning SF Ballet Orchestra.
WHEN: March 1–8, 2025
WHERE: War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102
Late Night Revelry at Grace Cathedral
The magic of Grace Cathedral’s Carnivale gala doesn’t stop at dinner—The Late Night Revelry brings a whole new vibe. Expect an open bar, live beats from The Chris Clouse Project, and a Vanity Portrait Studio to capture you looking your best—with a masquerade twist, of course.
This is the after-party where the crowd lets loose, and the grandeur of Grace Cathedral transforms into an upscale, after-hours affair. Tickets start at $100 for one to the after party, and $165 for a duo. Every dollar supports the cathedral’s community initiatives—so you can party with a purpose. Read our review of the gala last year.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 4, 2025, 8:45 pm – 11:00 pm
WHERE: Grace Cathedral, 1100 California Street, San Francisco
What we’re writing about
Zac Posen’s big night out in San Francisco
Last week Posen pulled a double duty, first attending a 16-piece capsule collection at Gap headquarters that was created by six Black designers — two were twins, so, five labels actually — who reimagined classic apparel from the brand. Gap co-headlined the show alongside Harlem’s Fashion Row, and we love to see inclusivity thematically timed for Black History Month. In nearly the same breath, though, we also have to wonder why no local designer was selected.
‘Cool Britannia’ slaps like a pop anthem that belongs in a sci-fi epic
Cool Britannia is what we assume happens in a ballet dancer’s apartment when they wake up: A White Stripes song comes on. Everyone is in matching nude cami sleepwear, and without a word between them, the dancing begins.
This was Bad Romance meets 2001: A Space Odyssey. The kind of ballet that plays with shadow like it’s a dance partner, bodies swallowed and revealed by stark walls of color. It carried the cold elegance of a sci-fi utopia alongside the relentless energy of a pop music video.
Sadly, this ballet was short-lived and has concluded its run. We are now looking toward attending the opening of Raymonda and Frankenstein.
The boop that conquered San Francisco’s Valentine’s Day pillow fight
Nothing says love on Valentine’s Day in San Francisco more than meeting up for the free pillow fight at the Embarcadero. If you’re tired of the same old overpriced roses and awkward dinner dates, this is the perfect way to get your heart racing. Enough people gathered at 5:45 p.m. to cause a good amount of fluffy mayhem. People of all ages joined. Kids sat giggling in pajamas while clutching their pillows like they were holding onto the last piece of candy in the house.
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