News

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Hyped San Francisco startup abruptly shuts down after raising $100M in 2021

By Joshua Bote : sfgate – excerpt

A hotly tipped San Francisco-based startup that snagged a major funding round in 2021 has abruptly shut down just days after it was revealed that the company only generated $600,000 in revenue that same year.

Fast, a financial technology startup with an emphasis on one-click payments, announced its closure Tuesday morning on Twitter, shortly after tech publication The Information broke the news Tuesday.

“After making great strides on our mission of making buying and selling frictionless for everyone, we have made the difficult decision to close our doors,” Domm Holland, the company’s CEO and co-founder, wrote in a statement. …(more)

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Lawsuits filed to protect single family homes from Constitutional Overreach

Join Our Neighborhood Voices to help us fight the bad bills and

Four Southern California cities – filed a Lawsuit to overturn SB9 and  SB10 to protect the single family homes that most American families want to live in from being phased out of California by urban density zealots. This case only applies to Chartered cities.

Read all about it. https://www.livablecalifornia.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/SB9-03.29.2022-RB-Lawsuit-re-SB-9.pdf
In enacting Senate Bill 9 (“SB 9”) in 2021, the State of California eviscerated a city’s local control over land use decisions and a community-tailored zoning process.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation Files Lawsuit Against Controversial Housing Bill:  https://kfiam640.iheart.com/content/2021-09-23-aids-healthcare-foundation-files-lawsuit-against-controversial-housing-bill/

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Interim Zoning Controls – Parcel Delivery Service Uses

Thanks to the SF South East Alliance  and Supervisor Walton
for this city-wide ordinance to that puts an 18th month pause
of he expansion of Parcel Delivery Service  Users
Case Number:   2022-002847PCA
Board File/Enactment #:   220159
Initiated by:  Supervisor Walton
Effective Date:  April 1, 2022

The interim controls require Parcel Delivery Service uses to obtain Conditional Use authorization and set additional limits for Temporary Use authorizations of Parcel Delivery Service uses.

Background: Parcel Delivery Services are defined in Planning Code Sec. 102 as: A Non-Retail Automotive Use limited to facilities for the unloading, sorting, and reloading of local retail merchandise for deliveries, including but not limited to cannabis and cannabis products, where the operation is conducted entirely within a completely enclosed building, including garage facilities for local delivery trucks, but excluding repair shop facilities. Where permitted in PDR Districts, this use is not required to be operated within a completely enclosed building.

THE WAY IT WAS: THE WAY IT IS NOW:
Parcel Delivery Service uses were either Principally or Conditionally permitted in most M (Manufacturing), PDR (Production, Distribution, and Repair), MU (Mixed-Use), and C (Commercial) districts. Any new Parcel Delivery Service use must obtain Conditional Use authorization in districts where the Use was previously Principally permitted.
Parcel Delivery Service uses were not eligible for most Temporary Use authorization permits, except for the Temporary Use authorization for Interim Activities on Development Sites permit in Planning Code Sec. 205.5. Parcel Delivery Service uses may receive Temporary Use authorization in any zoning district for a period not to exceed 60 days within a 12-month period, without the possibility of renewal or subsequent approval during the same 12-month period. Parcel Delivery Services shall not be eligible for any other Temporary Use authorization permit.

These controls will be in place for 18 months or until permanent controls are established, whichever is first.

Link to signed legislation: https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=10534391&GUID=D3A42751-B929-4917-8C2F-6BA77259F941

SF South East Alliance should be credited for taking this on and making it a city-wide ordiannce.  https://www.sfsea.org/moratorium

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April 6, 2021 – 5:30 PM – AD17 Debate

Please join us for a follow-up debate between Matt Haney and David Campos for State Assembly District 17.

April 19th is a runoff election between these two candidates to replace David Chiu’s former seat. We’re expecting far fewer people to show up for this election so it’s critical we get the word out.

If you have questions important to you or would like to be considered, please submit them here by Tuesday, March 29th.

Free tickets are available here.

We’ll see you there!
-Telegraph Hill Dwellers

P.S. Co-sponsors include Barbary Coast Neighborhood Association, North Beach Business Association, NEXT Village SF, Russian Hill Neighbors, Lower Polk Neighbors, Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods, D3 Democratic Club, Rincon Point Neighbors Association, East Mission Improvement Association.
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Top Breed Appointee Failed To Disclose Potential Conflict on Amazon Project

By Chis Roberts :sfsttandrd – excerpt

The head of San Francisco’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development failed to disclose her recent employment with a nonprofit that has dealings with the city as required by law, raising new questions about her involvement in negotiations over a new Amazon delivery center.

The omissions in disclosure forms filed by OEWD Director Katie Sofis came to light after The Standard revealed in late January that she signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Amazon that governs negotiations for the proposed 7th St. delivery center project. The existence of the MOU caught organized labor, community groups and some city supervisors by surprise.

Sofis, whom Mayor London Breed appointed last spring, admitted in an interview with The Standard that she erred on her Form 700, a “statement of economic interest” that local government officials must file with the city’s Ethics Commission. Sofis said it was a “misunderstanding” and that she would file a new Form 700.…(more)

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Qualified June 2022 Local and District Measures

https://sfelections.sfgov.org/measures

Charter Amendments:

A – MUNI Reliability and Street Safety $400,000,000
B – Building Inspection Commission
C – Recall Timelines and Vacancy Process

Ordinances and Declarations of Policy

D – Victims and Witness Rights
E – Behested Payments
F – Refuse Collection and Disposal
G – Public Health Emergency Leave
H – District Attorney

Three pending Proposals:
Initiative: Use of Herbicides on City Property – gathering signatures
Initiative Ordinance: Tax on Keeping Residential Units Vacant – gathering signatures
Initiative Charter Amendment: City Approval of Affordable Housing – awaiting proof of publication

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Wait, Why is the Airport Paying for Mayor Breed’s Trip to Europe?

By Sarah Wright : sfstandard – excerpt

This week, Mayor London Breed is jet setting across Europe on an all-expenses-paid trip with one goal: Bring European travelers to San Francisco.

Footing the bill is San Francisco International Airport, who’s paying for Breed, her staff, and various leaders at SFO and SF Travel, the city’s main tourism lobby, to tour several European cities. During the 10-day, $25,000 tour, Breed will visit London, Brussels, Frankfurt and Paris, meet with airlines, airport and local leaders to pitch San Francisco as a prime destination and gateway to California.

Why is Breed going to Europe?

San Francisco’s travel recovery is lagging behind other major cities—and a lack of international travelers is partly to blame…(more)

Maybe she needs a break from these stories? Board of Supervisors Question Evolution of Tenderloin Emergency

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The Treasure Island toll is regressive, pointless—and still somehow alive

ByTim Redmond : 48hills – excerpt

The developers got a sweet deal, and now want to make low-income residents pay for the ferry service they need to sell high-end condos.

The announcement was pretty low-key, and hardly anyone in the news media paid attention: A special meeting of the Joint San Francisco County Transportation Authority Board and Treasure Island Mobility Management Agency Board set for March 8 was cancelled.

I suspect most San Franciscans have no idea what the Treasure Island Mobility Management Agency is, or what is does, or why the Board of Supes, which is also the CTA, would be meeting with that entity…(more)

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Ballot argument deadlines for June ballot

DEADLINES:  https://sfelections.org/tools/cscal_jun22/  

Thursday March 7, noon is the deadline for Submission of official Proponent and Opponent Ballot Arguments for Local Ballot Measures and District Measures 

Deadline for paid arguments is March 21, 2022. 

Writing arguments is extremely important. Paying for a ballot argument or signing onto one has been somewhat effective in the past.

Many of you are concerned about the $400 million bond issue.

You must fill out the forms and hand them in to City Hall with payment by noon Thursday, so get on that now if you want to write something.

We believe that opposing this bond is one of the first steps to take to convince City Hall that the voters oppose the agency policies and would make demands for more voter ballot initiatives on city policies easier to get on the ballot and passed.

I  believe that killing this bond measure may lower sales taxes tied to the current bond or keep them from going up. I am not clear on that. I’m sure someone will correct me if I am wrong about this.