The GrowSF Report: Woman killed after being pushed into BART by homeless man
PLUS: Mayor candidates all agree that we need more homeless shelters.
What You Need To Know
Here’s what happened around the city for the week of June 30, 2024:
- Woman dies after being pushed on BART platform
- Mayoral candidates unite on expanding homelessness shelters
- SF housing projects get fast-tracked after missing state goals
- Initiative to revise Prop. 47 goes to California voters
- New law keeps restaurant surcharges legal in California
Recent & upcoming openings:
- Fiorella opens Noe Valley outpost
Community in mourning: Woman pushed to death on BART platform
A 74-year-old woman was fatally pushed into a moving BART train at Powell Street station on Monday night. The suspect, a homeless man named Trevor Belmont, was quickly apprehended and charged with murder. This tragedy emphasizes concerns about safety on public transit, especially with San Francisco’s homeless population and law enforcement presence. Ensuring the safety of all passengers—particularly during late hours—must be a priority.
Alvin Dandan, her nephew, expressed sorrow, recalling her generosity and the significant impact she had on their family.
“Great does not even define what I think this woman is,” he said by phone to The Standard. “I wouldn’t be here and a lot of my cousins wouldn’t be here.”
Mayoral candidates unite on expanding homeless shelters
The leading mayoral candidates in San Francisco don’t agree on many things, but they all want to grow the city’s shelter capacity for our homeless population.
Mayor London Breed has pointed to her success in adding shelter beds and reducing the number of people sleeping outside. She’s committed to continue these efforts if reelected, but her opponents want more to be done; Mark Farrell, for example, wants to clear encampments his first year in office, if he’s elected.
“We need to send a clear message that we will not tolerate people living in tents on our streets and make it as inconvenient as possible for them,” Farrell said in a statement to The Chronicle.
SF's missed housing goals triggers new rapid approval law
San Francisco missed its housing goals for 2023, so now we’re the first city to fall under a new state law designed to speed things up. Thanks to Senate Bill 423, authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener, the lengthy approval process for housing projects is getting a major overhaul, cutting the time from two years to under six months.
The new law means San Francisco will be evaluated annually to ensure we’re on track with our ambitious goal of 82,000 new units by 2031. With only 3,870 units approved in the last 18 months, most housing projects will now skip the usual Planning Commission hurdles.
Prop. 47 rollback: Californians to vote on new penalties for drug possession and retail theft
California voters will soon decide on increasing punishments for drug possession and theft. Passed in 2014, Prop. 47 downgraded drug possession and retail thefts under $950 to misdemeanors, which proponents say saves money, while others say it emboldens thieves.
The new proposal would eliminate the $950 threshold for a third theft offense and make it a felony. It also includes provisions for mandatory treatment for repeat drug offenders. State leadership is split on how to handle this; London Breed supports it while Gov. Gavin Newsom opposes. Either way, campaigns on it will likely be costly, said reporter Sophia Bollag in The Chronicle.
Bollag noted that Walmart, Target, Home Depot and other big retailers have put forward $8.8 million in support of the measure. “Backers of the measure will likely need to spend much more to convince voters across California to support it,” Bollag wrote.
California diners to see surcharges remain on bills
Gov. Gavin Newsom just signed a law that lets restaurants and bars keep those extra surcharges on your bill. Senate Bill 1524 makes these charges legal, even though there's another law banning "junk fees." Customers did not always know about extra charges upfront, but SB 1524 says they now must be clearly displayed at restaurants before a bill arrives.
"I see both sides [of the issue], but I really value transparency,” Kenneth Lim, who owns The Hobnob in Alameda, told KTVU. “I'd rather raise my prices and put it on the menu so guests know what they're paying upfront, not at the end."
While there’s been some support, some diners feel these surcharges just add to the high cost of dining out in California. The law goes into effect on July 1.
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Recent & upcoming openings
A great city is constantly changing and growing, let’s celebrate what’s new!
Fiorella opens Noe Valley outpost
Fiorella Noe opened its doors on Wednesday, June 26th, serving up all the favorites they’re known for at three other spots: Wood-fired pizza, delicious pasta, and a killer spritz selection. This new location at 4042 24th Street has some unique twists that make it extra special.
WHERE: 4042 24th St., San Francisco, CA
Your Action Plan
Now that you know what’s happening, help us shape what happens next:
GrowSF Happy Hour at Orbit Room
Join us for the July edition of our monthly happy hour. This is a great time to socialize and network with GrowSF members.
WHEN: July 9 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
WHERE: Orbit Room, 1900 Market 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 Free Folk Festival
Music, workshops, and community are all coming to the 48th Annual San Francisco Free Folk Festival in Golden Gate Park on Saturday, July 13, 2024. Founded in 1948, the San Francisco Folk Music Club has been the driving force behind this festival, ensuring that it remains accessible and enjoyable for everyone. The festival thrives on the generosity of donations and sponsors, with performers and workshop leaders donating their time and talent to create a truly magical experience.
WHEN: July 13, 2024
WHERE: Golden Gate Park Music Concourse, between the De Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences
The Commodores at Stern Grove Festival
The Commodores, celebrated for their R&B classics such as "Just to Be Close to You," "Easy," and "Brickhouse," will perform at Stern Grove Festival on July 14. Nestled in the scenic Stern Grove, this festival has been enchanting audiences since 1938 with its mix of world-class music, dance performances, and cultural events. Picture a lush, eucalyptus-filled amphitheater where you can enjoy everything from symphony orchestras and opera to indie bands and global music. Families, friends, and music lovers gather with picnic blankets and snacks, creating a vibrant, communal atmosphere that celebrates the joy of live performance in a breathtaking natural setting.
WHEN: July 14 from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Sigmund Stern Grove at the Corner of 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard in San Francisco, CA 94132
What we’re writing about
First Thursdays SF: Clear skies finally for July 4th
Sure it was a little hazy, but our usual thick blanket of fog took the night off July 4th, giving us clear skies and a great view of the fireworks at First Thursdays, a new-ish series that transforms downtown streets into a celebration of music, fashion, and fun.
We danced under a chilly sky to beats from DJs MOM and Coco & Breezy, enjoyed live music, and witnessed, erm, a hot dog eating contest? How American, and hosted by one Ms. Peaches Christ who appeared to really run with it.
San Francisco Pride was everything, period.
The sun shone brightly on our oft-foggy San Francisco on Sunday, when we saw every color of the rainbow at the annual Pride Parade. From Beale Street to Civic Center Plaza, the city transformed into a vibrant tapestry of love, acceptance, and unbridled joy, capturing the spirit of what makes San Francisco a beacon for the LGBTQ+ community.
The Bold Italic captured much of it in pictures along with producing queer content all week. These were our stories:
Pink Saturday brought us nothing but joy
By noon, Dolores Park became a kaleidoscope of color — parasols, flags, and outfits in every imaginable combination, but emphasizing one hue in particular. It was Pink Saturday, our quintessential preamble to the daylong festivities at Pride, the annual celebration and protest for LGBTQ+ rights.
Ginger’s reopens just in time for Pride
The ribbon cutting was fashionably late, but no one seemed anxious or in a rush. Other than the lack of drinks in hand, the vibe outside of Ginger’s was very similar to that of the bar downstairs.
San Francisco’s most festive gays were present, dressed for the part, and genuinely happy. It was all smiles, hugs, and kisses. What better weekend to hold the San Francisco Financial District’s only queer-identified bar’s Grand Reopening than on the Friday of Pride weekend?
Alora: New waterfront dining on the Embarcadero
San Francisco has no shortage of waterfront restaurants, but Alora’s menu is a game-changer. Here we have modern Mediterranean fare open six days a week, mixing in quality cocktails and wine. Alora fits the bill with surprising affordability compared to the average downtown newcomer; It’s only been around since late January this year.
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