The GrowSF Report: Governor Newsom tells cities to clean up encampments
The GrowSF Report: Governor Newsom tells cities to clean up encampments
PLUS: SF’s lone repair crew can't keep up with sidewalk damage
What You Need To Know
Here’s what happened around the city for the week of July 21, 2024:
- San Francisco might clean up homeless encampments
- Waymo seeks repayment from local vandals
- SF’s lone repair crew can't keep up with sidewalk damage
- We need drug-free options in San Francisco’s homeless housing
- Grocery Outlet named most affordable in SF price survey
Recent & upcoming openings:
- Brazilian rooftop restaurant Boto opens in Marina
San Francisco might clean up homeless encampments
Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order this Thursday calling on state officials to begin cleaning up homeless encampments statewide. While he lacks the ability to force cities to act, state officials and agencies will act to clean up state-owned property.
“There are simply no more excuses,” he said in a statement. “It’s time for everyone to do their part.”
This comes hot on the heels of Mayor London Breed's announcement that San Francisco will launch an “aggressive” crackdown on homeless encampments next month. Her comments were made during an election debate hosted by the firefighters union.
As a reminder: San Francisco has a law on the books that requires all homeless people to be offered available space in a shelter before their encampment is cleared. The city is committed to acting compassionately while cleaning up the streets.
Waymo seeks repayment from local vandals
There’s been a series of attacks on Waymo's autonomous vehicles, and we hope that the people responsible get their fair punishment for vandalism. San Francisco is the home of innovation, and we should celebrate new technology.
Waymo recently sued two San Francisco Bay Area residents for such incidents. A pair of lawsuits seeks around $271,000 in damages from the defendants, who are accused of slashing tires and ramming vehicles.
We love these cars! In positive news for them, Alphabet recently announced its $5 billion investment in furthering their development.
One crew, 13,000 blocks: SF's sidewalk repair crisis
SF's sidewalks are in disrepair, and with just one crew in charge of all 13,000 blocks of the city, they just can't keep up with the required maintenance.
Many people who fall on these damaged sidewalks sue the city, resulting in significant payouts; San Francisco settled 129 claims in the past five years, paying residents more than $3.8 million. The backlog of repairs and incoming requests may continue to grow without more hands to fix this problem.
Our poll shows over 90 percent of San Franciscans walk regularly, and 44 percent want to walk more. The solution is obvious: Let's hire more crews and fix the sidewalks!
Dorsey, Mandelman push for sober options in SF’s homeless housing
If you’re homeless and trying to get or stay sober, you’re out of luck. Rules enacted in 2016 have drawn justifiable criticism because many who want to get sober desire to do so in a substance-free environment.
But that’s about to change. Supervisors Matt Dorsey and Rafael Mandelman are pitching new legislation that requires substance-free supportive housing as an option in San Francisco. This is a change we support.
San Franciscans need housing options that provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals committed to their recovery journey. It doesn’t require people to be sober to get help, and doesn’t mandate all homeless housing be sober, it just gives people more options.
“Few challenges in life are more daunting than to face down one’s demons and commit to doing the hard and humbling work necessary to overcome a powerful addiction,” Dorsey wrote in the SF Examiner. Dorsey is the only city Supervisor openly in recovery.
Do you want cheaper groceries in SF? Check out this list
On a quest to find the most affordable groceries in the city, a team of reporters took a list of nine common grocery items to 12 different stores, recording prices at each location. They found out that Grocery Outlet was the least expensive, with the total cost coming out to less than half of the total at Bi-Rite Market, the most expensive store.
We’re often worried about high prices and for good reason: Between 2019 and 2023, grocery prices rose by 25 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. For customers seeking deals, discount stores like Grocery Outlet generally offer cheaper products than local and organic stores.
Love the GrowSF Report? Share it
Help GrowSF grow! Share our newsletter with your friends. The bigger we are, the better San Francisco will be.
Recent & upcoming openings
A great city is constantly changing and growing, let’s celebrate what’s new!
Brazilian rooftop restaurant Boto opens in Marina
The Marina recently welcomed Boto, a new rooftop Brazilian restaurant from renowned San Francisco bartender Johnny Metheny, also known as Johnny Love. Metheny has played a pivotal role in shaping the city's nightlife scene over the years, and his latest venture brings a unique blend of South American wines and tropical-inspired cocktails to the area.
Boto's menu features Brazilian-style dishes such as coxinhas and dry-aged picanha, and also offers a casual dining experience, authentic flavors and inventive beverages.
WHERE: 1853 Union Street, 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
SF punk fashion & photography opening event
The Haight Street Art Center will showcase Punk Majesty—an eco-conscious DIY punk brand by local artist and designer Alisha Amnesia—alongside its upcoming exhibit, We Are The One: San Francisco Punk, 1970s – 1980s. An opening party takes place August 2nd.
Punk Majesty’s hand-painted and embellished upcycled clothing pieces will be displayed alongside iconic punk photography and memorabilia, celebrating the brand’s roots in punk culture, with a capsule collection for sale during the exhibit.
WHEN: The exhibit runs July 25 to Sept 22, 2024. An opening party is on August 2nd.
WHERE: 215 Haight St., San Francisco, CA
Ballet22 at ODC Theater
Ballet22 exists to push the boundaries of what is possible in ballet by focusing on producing works that break gender normative traditions, specifically by presenting mxn and non-binary dancers en pointe. Ballet22 focuses on commissioning works that bring LGBTQIA+ experiences and representation to the ballet stage. They’re putting on some shows in Mission in early August that they encouraged us to share. Here’s a preview video.
WHEN: August 9th and 10th at 8 p.m., and August 11th at 2 p.m.
WHERE: ODC Theater, 3153 17th St.
What we’re writing about
San Francisco is dead? Tell that to this massive daytime rave
Back to Baysics wasn’t just an underground 20-somethings rave, retrofitted for daylight. It was an intentionally-well-lit party with less than one fifth the attendance of the Skrillex show in June. There was a notable presence of families in attendance, reminiscent of the crowds you would see at Golden Gate Park. Kids who could barely hold their heads up were nestled against their parents’ chests with tiny pastel earmuffs.
From roe-mantic dinners to disco delights: National Caviar Day
National Caviar Day is officially an unofficial San Francisco holiday. Along with Fleet Week, Fog Fair, and the Decorator Showcase, National Caviar Day has become an event we look forward to attending every July.
A quick Google search provides no history or real significance as to why July 18 is National Caviar Day, or NCD. Like every other made-up culinary holiday, it most likely became prominent along with the internet and food blogs as a marketing tool for those who sell caviar.
Inside the SF roller-skaters’ bittersweet anniversary
A temporary rink inside a Crissy Field hangar opened up last week to celebrate local skaters, whose infectious smiles we often see through the stained-glass windows of the Church of 8 Wheels. The OG place of worship in Fillmore became an iconic roller disco in 2013, but the group actually began corralling skaters in 1979 under a different name and stewardship of David Miles Jr.
He beamed on Sunday when Mayor London Breed presented a special commendation for his near half-century of community effort. Fun celebrations ensued, but then Skate Week ended a little early under suspicious circumstances.
A day of beer, music, and family fun at Salesforce Park
Our summer era in San Francisco means lots of street festivals, free parties, and beer. This weekend we saw that with Suds Francisco, a new soirée outdoors that was good for drinking and the kids. This is something we’ve explored here at The Bold Italic.
Held at the top of the Salesforce Transit Center, Suds Francisco featured 25 breweries, offering a wide range of beer samples. Attendees enjoyed live music while children were entertained with bounce houses and face painting. This event built on the positive reception of the SF Beer Week kickoff that Barebottle helped host.
Want more positive news? Subscribe to The Bold Italic
Get some good vibes in your life by subscribing to The Bold Italic. It’s the sister project to GrowSF which focuses on what makes San Francisco a great place to live.