San Francisco Mayor London Breed recently celebrated new data showing that the number of people living in tents in the city has hit its lowest point in six years. This comes after Breed—in response to SCOTUS' Grants Pass decision—began more vigorous encampment amelioration. KCBS reports on the latest numbers.
Read MoreSee all those empty office buildings in downtown SJ and SF? Ever think: hmmm, why can't we turn them into much-needed housing? The answer is—we can, but it will require substantial zoning and code changes. Pew Charitable explores.
Read MoreSan Jose State University, as part of NCAA, allows certain athletes who are biologically male to compete on female sports teams. Recently, SJSU women's volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose filed a Title IX complaint against the college alleging “favoritism” toward a transgender player—and was suddenly, indefinitely put on suspension. Outkick reports below.
Read MoreMany of Bay Area's colleges and cough gov'ts silence viewpoints they dislike using the “hate speech” moniker—while, at the same time, conveniently ignoring their own supporters' offensive speech. In this Opp Now exclusive op-ed, Housing Commissioner Roberta Moore argues (citing recent local events) that “hate speech” bans are frequently and unjustly weaponized by Council, and alternative viewpoints should instead be welcomed—and protected—under the First Amendment.
Read MoreWhat happens when crime, urban blight, and over-regulation run wild in big CA cities? Businesses leave. SF Examiner reports the grim news from the fair suburb to the north.
Read MoreFed prosecutors claim an Orange County supervisor redirected more than half-a-million cool ones to himself and his family, before he was outed. NYT reports.
Read MoreThe Bakersfield Californian discusses how the city has moved 600 people off their streets since 2020. This city's approach pairs removing the unsafe encampments and quickly building affordable housing.
Read MoreSF's Dream Keeper initiative—which took over $120 million from the San Francisco Police Department and “redistributed” it in the form of grants—is found to be a hotbed for large-scale grift, according to the exceptional Voice of SF.
Read MoreThis November, hundreds of state and local measures seek to raise property taxes across California. HJTA’s Jon Coupal recommends homeowners look at the Voted Indebtedness category of their tax bill—yearly charges that skirt Prop 13 protections. The historic safeguard of a two-thirds voter approval requirement for these tax hikes was already repealed to 55% for school bonds. Now Prop 5 seeks to do the same, adding billions more in tax burdens for CA property owners.
Read MoreWhat won’t they say when they don’t get their way? Housing activists wanted RM4’s $20 billion in bonds (which would cost homeowners and renters over $48 billion). After a bipartisan group of concerned citizens pointed out that the measure was misleading, BAHFA pulled it from the ballot. Activists then hurled all sorts of fantastical insults at the group, as if participation in the democratic process were some kind of extremism. Marin Post’s Bob Silvestri writes.
Read MoreCertainly, the climate crisis is real and deserves a considered response. However, Proposition 4 is representative of the failed statewide financial planning characteristic of Newsom's administration, and wastes most of the money that should be made available for a valid priority, says MCC Vice Chair Gregg Dieguez in the excellent Coastside News.
Read MoreLocal contractor T. J. Nelsen expresses his concern that Proposition 5—lowering CA's “infrastructure” tax approval requirement to 55% from 66.6%—removes Bay Area citizens' needed protection measure against corrupt, money-hungry gov'ts. From a newsletter published by the Marin County GOP.
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