The GrowSF Report: Our voter guide is here!
The GrowSF Report: Our voter guide is here!
PLUS: Mayoral candidates face the reality of school closures — except Peskin
What You Need To Know
Here’s what happened around the city for the week of September 8, 2024:
- Our voter guide is here!
- Mayoral candidates face the reality of school closures — except Peskin
- Transamerica building reopens
- L Taraval trains are finally coming back
- New deal would revive Hayes Point tower, if the Board of Supervisors approves
Recent & upcoming openings:
- Dogpatch welcomes Gather Wine Lounge
- Newest Bi-Rite location comes to Russian Hill
Our voter guide is here
We’re excited to share our full voter guide for the November 5, 2024 General Election. Hundreds of thousands of voters have used the GrowSF Voter Guide, and over half of all voters say they trust us to help them vote.
Our heavily researched voter guides are your key to voting for positive change in SF. We make it simple to elect results-focused leaders and vote for meaningful policy change. This year’s ballot will decide more than just who sits in the mayor’s office— it will make the difference on fixing our enormous public school budget deficit, whether City College can recover from its budget deficit, and if the Board of Supervisors can get the city back on a track to growth, prosperity, and safety..
Read the full GrowSF Voter Guide here and share it with your friends!
Mayoral candidates face the reality of school closures — except Peskin
Most of San Francisco’s mayoral candidates acknowledge that upcoming school closures are unavoidable. Our school system has lost thousands of students, and even more are expected to leave in the coming years, leaving many schools under-enrolled. The right thing to do, both for budgets and for kids’ education, is to fill up some schools and temporarily close others. Mark Farrell, Daniel Lurie, and London Breed all know that hard decisions must be made for the long-term health of the district.
The lone holdout is Aaron Peskin, who refuses to accept the reality of the budget situations and says he’d keep them all open. The district's financial crisis runs deep, and delaying closures will only make things worse.
We need leaders who will face these issues head-on, not offer empty promises. That’s why we’re supporting Lurie, Farrell, and Breed, who all understand the need for difficult but necessary changes.
Transamerica building reopens
San Francisco’s iconic Transamerica Pyramid has officially reopened following a $1 billion renovation led by real estate firm SHVO. The extensive revamp, designed in collaboration with architect Lord Norman Foster, includes new luxury amenities like a sky lounge and exclusive bars, as well as the launch of the Pyramid Arts series.
You should go check out the ground-level upgrades, including a complete refresh of Redwood Park, providing even more public space for the Financial District.
The building’s grand reintroduction featured a light show with precision laser graphics and more than 1,300 feet of new LED lights putting on a show on the building’s east facade.
L Taraval trains are finally coming back
It’s been a long wait, but the L Taraval train line will finally return on Sept. 28. The trains have been completely offline for 5 years while SFMTA worked on a major overhaul of the tracks, overhead wires, and safety features along the route. Now, finally, L Taraval is set to provide a better experience with new boarding islands, safer crossings, and smoother rails. In just a couple of weeks, we’ll have a safer, more efficient, and quieter ride on L Taraval.
New deal would revive Hayes Point tower, if the Board of Supervisors approves
The Hayes Point project at Market and Van Ness—a massive building consisting of 333 condos and 290,000 square feet of office and retail space—could get new life thanks to a deal with city officials that drops the 25% affordable housing requirement.
Due to rising interest rates, costs of materials, and rising wages for construction workers, the project can no longer be built – the costs exceed the potential income. But if the city drops its requirement for the builder to subsidize 25% of the units for low-income residents, they can still afford to build it.
Australian developer, Lendlease, hopes this will advance the ball after the project faced financial difficulties in the pandemic.
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!
Dogpatch welcomes Gather Wine Lounge
Gather Wine Lounge just opened in Dogpatch, with a wine list that includes 19 selections from regions like Austria, France, and California. There's also a discount for bottles to-go and sidewalk seating that’s pet-friendly.
WHERE: 2295 Third Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
Newest Bi-Rite location comes to Russian Hill
Bi-Rite Market has officially opened its third and largest location yet in San Francisco — this time in Russian Hill. The new store on Polk Street is more than 4,000 square feet, and it features locally-sourced produce, a full-service fish counter, and Bi-Rite Creamery pints and ice cream cakes. We can't wait to try their fresh-made sandwiches and grab a pint of salted caramel ice cream.
WHERE: 2140 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
Your Action Plan
Now that you know what’s happening, help us shape what happens next:
Confirm Mike Chen to the SFMTA board
Mike Chen was nominated by Mayor London Breed in June 2024 to serve on the SFMTA board; Now he needs your support for confirmation by the Board of Supervisors. As chair of the SFMTA Citizens’ Advisory Commission, Chen has worked to improve safety, biking, and sustainability in San Francisco. We need people like Chen to balance financial challenges within SFMTA alongside his work to improve biking across the city.
The Rules Committee will review his nomination on September 16. Write a letter supporting his confirmation.
Night Market by the Beach
Check out the Taraval night market next Saturday, Sept 21st from 3 to 9pm. Located on car-free Great Highway at the intersection of Great Highway and Taraval, you can enjoy live music and a taste of the neighborhood.
It’s a music-focused event with a beach party atmosphere. Live music will include salsa, Caribbean beats, and American rock, plus DJ sets by the SF DJ Collective. Bring your dancing shoes!
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
45th annual Haight-Ashbury Street Fair
The 45th Annual Haight-Ashbury Street Fair is set for Sunday, celebrating the spirit and history of the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, featuring live performances on two stages. Musicians like MOONALICE, Frightwig, and Milk for the Angry will perform a mix of rock, punk, and soul throughout the day. Alongside the music, over 200 booths will offer food, crafts, and local art, along with various community outreach stalls.
The fair spans Haight Street between Masonic and Stanyan, with activities including a skate jam and a children’s area. It's an opportunity to explore local vendors and enjoy the live entertainment.
WHEN: Sunday, September 15, 2024, 11:00 AM - 5:30 PM
WHERE: Haight Street between Masonic and Stanyan, San Francisco
Party for the Parks 2024
Get ready for a glitzy night of cocktails, great views, and a solid cause with Party for the Parks on September 21, 2024, at China Basin Park. Sip a cool drink while looking out over Oracle Park and the Bay—no better backdrop for a picnic-style dinner and a bit of dancing. The event runs from 6 to 10 PM, so you'll have plenty of time to soak it all in without feeling rushed.
What makes it even better is that every ticket supports the San Francisco Parks Alliance, a nonprofit working to keep the city’s parks and public spaces vibrant. Whether it’s building new playgrounds or putting on free outdoor events, they’re behind a lot of what makes SF’s parks great.
WHEN: Sept. 21 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
WHERE: 1 China Basin Park, San Francisco, California 94107
What we’re writing about
The coolest San Francisco park events this season
Fall in San Francisco is the sweet spot — tourists are dwindling, the weather is just right, and the parks are throwing their own parties. And we’re not just talking about a lazy afternoon with a book and a blanket (although, honestly, that’s never a bad idea).
From impromptu piano concerts to full-blown galas, September and October are packed with events that’ll make you wonder why you ever considered leaving the city this fall.
Diplo put the rave in fitness on the Embarcadero — but no LSD
Diplo showed us Sunday that being healthy and partying are not mutually exclusive and, in fact, may be even better when you do them together.
We expected something a little wilder — the DJ famously added several drops of LSD to his water before running the LA Marathon last year. So the run could have been Bay to Breakers-flavored, with costumed white rabbits and nudists running around. Instead it was more like ravers who were into a healthy BMI alongside their dance party.
Little Original Joe’s Marina: Italian comfort with a modern touch
Little Original Joe’s in the Marina has been a full house from the get-go in May. This is the latest outpost from siblings John and Elena Duggan, who have carried on the family’s long-standing tradition of Italian-American comfort food with a modern twist. Known for running the iconic Original Joe’s and its spots in North Beach, Daly City and West Portal, the Duggans have turned their focus to this stylish Marina location, bringing the same warmth that’s kept their other spots buzzing.
Vintage finds and tasty bites steal the show at West Coast Craft
Sunshine, craft goods, and a cold pint — that’s how Fort Mason does summer.
San Francisco may be infamous for its high rent and the ever-looming threat of a headline proclaiming the city’s inevitable doom — but let’s get one thing straight: this city still does good things for creators. West Coast Craft’s one-day fest on August 24th was a reminder that San Francisco is still the place to sell (and buy) handmade goods, even if your landlord is charging you a small fortune.
Dreamfest 2024 brings big music and big money to Oracle Park
It’s not every week that you go from tech panels to live concerts, but Dreamforce has always been a bit extra. Dreamfest 2024 continues that tradition with P!NK and Imagine Dragons stepping in after Elton John had to bow out. Set for September 18th at Oracle Park, this event aims to raise over $120 million for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, making it more than just another concert night in San Francisco.
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.
Paid for by Coalition to Grow San Francisco - Grow SF PAC. FPPC # 1433436. Committee major funding from: Jeremy Liew. Not authorized by any candidate, candidate's committee, or committee controlled by a candidate. Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org.