The Weekly Digest (February 5, 2023)

Written By Bill Jackson

Happy first Sunday of Black History Month, Brionies! For those looking to observe, commemorate, or celebrate in the Bay Area, there are a number of ways to take part.

Here’s what you need to know about San Francisco politics this week and beyond:

City Hall

  • Tuesday, February 7 at 2pm: Regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors (agenda and call-in instructions here)

  • Thursday, February 9 at 10am: Regular meeting of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee (agenda and call-in instructions here)

    • Agenda Item 1 – Ordinance amending the Health Code to repeal the City’s permitting requirement for the operation of overdose prevention programs (another step towards city-sanctioned drug consumption sites). 

Happenings around town

Frank Falzon investigated over 300 murder cases during his 22-year career as a San Francisco homicide inspector. Cases investigated by Falzon include the Zebra murders of random white victims by extremist Black Muslims, Chol Soo Lee and the Chinatown gang murder, and the November 1978 assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, among many others.

The 5th annual PRI “California Ideas in Action” conference will explore market-based ideas to launch an urban comeback in our state, based upon the work of PRI’s new Free Cities Center, which cultivates innovative ideas to improve urban life based around freedom and property rights. The keynote address will be given by Keith Knopf, President and CEO of The Raley’s Companies. Closing remarks will be given by Michael Shellenberger, bestselling author of San Fransicko.

Beyond Homeless: Finding Hope is an award-winning documentary from the Independent Institute comparing the current tragic conditions of San Francisco’s homeless with a successful community-wide solution called Haven for Hope of Bexar County, located in San Antonio, Texas. In addition to screening the 38-minute documentary, a panel of experts featured in the film (including Chronicle journalist Heather Knight) will discuss the root causes of homelessness and how to mobilize communities to enact solutions.

What we’re reading

  • The cost of unemployment fraud during the pandemic is currently estimated at $46.5 billion, and they aren’t even done counting yet (total costs could reach as high as $163 billion, which makes us just want to sit down for a minute). California got taken for over $20 billion, but of course that wasn’t Gavin Newsom’s fault, it was Donald Trump’s – because everything is, apparently.

  • The Examiner asked each member of the Board of Supervisors what their plans were for 2023 and received some enlightening responses. Solid answers regarding policing, auditing of non-profits, and helping addicts with treatment came from Supervisors Stefani, Engardio, and Dorsey, while Supervisor Ronen kept up the moonbeam act with plans to push harder for city-sanctioned drug dens “overdose prevention sites.”

  • Of course, we at the Briones Society concentrate our efforts on San Francisco, but we like to keep tabs on the rest of the Bay Area, too. To that point, here’s a write up on the new mayor of San Jose, which is also struggling with police staffing levels and homelessness

  • Is San Francisco criminalizing homelessness? This editorial by the Examiner posits that San Francisco isn’t pitiless in its efforts to deal with the homeless, it’s just a bureaucratic mess – a take that echoes what we heard from Tom Wolf in Episode 3 of the Briones Society Podcast.

  • You may remember Baker Places from recent news reports about fiscal mismanagement, one of the factors resulting in the drug rehab center closing. It seems the center may soon get another chance – and neighbors are worried. The center is in line to receive $59 million from the City in 2023, despite being hit with a “red flag” by the city controller. Apparently, that gross fiscal negligence thing is all taken care of.

  • Grab a cup of coffee and peruse this slick run-down of the players in San Francisco’s (ongoing) corruption scandal. 

  • Last week, the Digest featured a story detailing San Francisco’s (at least) eight homeless response teams and the resultant confusion around which one you should contact when a problem arises. Well, we have some great news: Now there are nine response teams!

  • Watch: Our friends at SOAR-D1 hosted the first in a series of talks on the subject “Where Does the Money Go?” featuring journalist Susan Dyer Reynolds.

  • Ever thought about running for local office? Don’t know where to begin? You’re in luck, because the team behind last year’s Board of Education Recall is looking for a few good candidates. Apply for their six-week boot camp to learn everything you need to know to develop a platform, win debates, canvas the electorate, and get elected! (Applications due by February 19.) 

Palate cleanser

Bill Jackson
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