The GrowSF Report: Overdose deaths down 25%, now at 2020 levels
PLUS: Atmospheric river drenches SF—Flooding, delays, and caution ahead
What You Need To Know
Here’s what happened around the city for the week of November 17, 2024:
- Overdose deaths down 25%, now at 2020 levels
- Atmospheric river drenches SF—Flooding, delays, and caution ahead
- Valencia Street center bike lane is out, side-running protected bike lane coming soon
- SF’s newest public drinking zone comes to Chase Center
- Pay your fare: Muni ramps up enforcement
Recent & upcoming openings:
- Parisian-inspired wine bar Verjus returns to SF
Your action plan:
- Join us for the GrowSF Election Victory party December 17 at ANINA!
SF reports its lowest monthly overdose deaths in years
In some good news, the city just recorded its lowest monthly overdose deaths in four years, down 25 percent so far in 2024 compared to last year.
Among the possible reasons for the recent decline could be better access to drugs that treat overdoses like Narcan, and a 21% increase in residential treatment admissions. Given that this downward trend is happening across the country, there may be something larger at play.
While the numbers are promising, the work is far from done. With overdoses still a leading cause of preventable death, San Francisco must sustain its efforts to ensure this progress continues—and doesn’t backslide.
Atmospheric river drenches SF—Flooding, delays, and caution ahead
San Francisco is in the grip of relentless rain this week as an atmospheric river drenches the city. Streets are already flooding, commutes are snarled, and storm drains are struggling to keep up. The National Weather Service warns that conditions could worsen, particularly in areas like SoMa and the Mission, which are prone to water pooling. Officials are urging everyone to prepare for more downpours in the days ahead.
While the rain brings much-needed water to the region, it’s also creating hazards that residents need to navigate carefully. Flooding, fallen branches, and slick roads are common sights, making caution essential as the weather persists.
Here are three tips to stay safe:
Avoid flood-prone areas: Don’t walk or drive through standing water, especially at underpasses.
Secure your home: Clear gutters and drains to keep water from pooling.
Commute carefully: Slow down, use headlights, and watch for debris on the road.
Valencia Street center bike lane is out, side-running protected bike lane coming soon
Exciting news for Valencia: the SFMTA has approved a plan to replace the center-running bike lane with protected curbside bike lanes between 15th and 23rd.
Construction begins in January and will take two to three months, keeping 26 parklets intact and cutting about a third of the parking. The center lane pilot had its successes—dramatically reducing bike-vehicle conflicts—but was mostly met with opposition. It was a rare unifying force in the city: basically everyone disliked it, even cyclists!
We’re pretty happy with the new design, but are a little unsure how the “floating” parklets will work out. This will put bicycle traffic between the sidewalk and parklet at three businesses: Ritual, Etcetera wine bar, and Manny’s. Hopefully the diners look both ways before heading to the bathroom.
SF’s newest public drinking zone comes to Chase Center
Raise your glass, San Francisco—Thrive City is becoming the city’s newest public drinking zone. Starting November 30, visitors to the Chase Center plaza can enjoy drinks from participating bars and restaurants while soaking in the space, complete with the city’s tallest Christmas “tree” (OK, come on, it’s not a real tree! We can all see it!), a performance by Montell Jordan, and special guests.
This marks SF’s second public drinking zone, following the Financial District’s Oktoberfest success, and aims to bring the same energy to Mission Bay. With downtown in full revitalization mode, public drinking zones are emerging as a win for businesses and locals alike. Thrive City is the latest reason to celebrate—drink in hand, of course.
Pay your fare: Muni ramps up enforcement
Skipping your Muni fare? Think again. The SFMTA is ramping up enforcement as fare evasion climbs to more than 20% of riders. With 30,000 citations issued this year—up from 22,000 last year—the agency is making it clear that fare compliance is a top priority.
Using an “education first” approach, inspectors are focusing on informing riders about payment options and discount programs, while also cracking down on those who repeatedly evade fares. Officials warn that unpaid fares jeopardize Muni’s ability to maintain and improve its services citywide.
Inspectors are now more visible across the system, signaling that the days of getting a free ride might be over. For riders, the message is simple: pay your fare or pay a much, much larger fine.
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Recent & upcoming openings
A great city is constantly changing and growing, let’s celebrate what’s new!
Parisian-inspired wine bar Verjus returns to SF
After a four-year hiatus, Verjus has reopened in San Francisco, bringing back its Parisian-inspired wine bar and menu of natural wines and small plates. The updated space features a revised menu and modernized design while maintaining its original concept of casual dining paired with a strong focus on wine. The reopening offers an opportunity for customers to rediscover the spot in a slightly reimagined form.
WHERE: 528 Washington St, San Francisco, CA
Your Action Plan
Now that you know what’s happening, help us shape what happens next:
GrowSF Election Victory Party
Join us for the GrowSF Election Victory Party at ANINA. We're having a celebration to honor all the hard work that went into this election season.
We're thrilled to announce that Supervisors-elect Bilal Mahmood and Danny Sauter will be joining us, and who knows, maybe a few other surprise guests will pop in too! See you there!
WHEN: Tuesday, December 17 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
WHERE: ANINA, 482 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102
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
A.C.T.'s "A Whynot Christmas Carol"
The American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) presents a fresh take on Charles Dickens's classic with A Whynot Christmas Carol. This joyous and humorous adaptation follows a small theater troupe in the town of Whynot as they endeavor to stage their director's new version of the timeless tale.
WHEN: November 26–December 24, 2024
WHERE: Toni Rembe Theater, 415 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA
Also coming up: San Francisco Ballet's "The Nutcracker"
Experience the magic of the holiday season with the San Francisco Ballet's rendition of The Nutcracker. This cherished production, celebrating its 20th anniversary under Helgi Tomasson's direction, transports audiences to a fantastical world where snowflakes dance and the Sugarplum Fairy reigns.
WHEN: December 6–29, 2024
WHERE: War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA
What we’re writing about
From bar crawls to bare bums — these are San Francisco’s not-so-traditional holiday activities
San Francisco doesn’t “do” the holidays like your Hallmark card suggests. Forget the chestnuts roasting on an open fire — in SF it’s more like Santas shotgunning beers in Union Square and Victorian carolers gossiping about Dickensian scandal. Here’s your guide to flipping the holidays upside down in SF — no ugly sweater required (but hey, it helps).
Dancing with death and marigolds at Davies Symphony Hall
There’s a certain comfort in celebrating death at the San Francisco Symphony’s Día de los Muertos concert. Yes, death — not the scary, grim reaper kind, but the kind you can dance with, laugh at, and honor. It felt nice to attend a chill afternoon with SF Symphony — one with an explosion of marigolds, skulls, costumes, and dancing.
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