West
San Francisco officials push for drug-free housing in reversal of 'drug-permissive' policies: Report
Lawmakers in San Francisco announced plans Monday to introduce legislation that would allow unrestricted state funds to go towards drug-free housing, according to a recent report.
The bill — led by San Francisco supervisors Matt Dorsey and Rafael Mandelman — would be a reversal of previous years of drug-tolerant policy including a 2016 law in California, Housing First, that prohibited state funding for “sober housing,” instead requiring support for “drug-permissive” housing.
“It’s not enough to get folks indoors and keep them alive until they die of overdose,” Mandelman said at a news conference Monday, KQED reported. “The point is to get them indoors so we can support them in living long and full and productive lives.”
SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR BREED PROPOSES BUSINESS CURFEW TO REDUCE RAMPANT DRUG USE, CRIME
Lawmakers in San Francisco announced plans on Monday to introduce legislation that would allow unrestricted state funds to go towards drug-free housing. (Getty Images)
“San Francisco needs different kinds of supportive housing for the diverse range of people who are homeless, including recovery-oriented housing for people with addictions,” Stanford psychology professor Keith Humphreys said Monday. “Research shows that recovery housing helps residents cease substance use, find a job and stay out of jail.”
State Assemblymember Matt Haney, who represents San Francisco, also indicated support for state funding to be directed towards sober and recovery housing.
“With the deadly, devastating impact of fentanyl, our goal must always be to help people get off of and away from deadly illegal drugs,” Haney said in a press release from April.
“We have to support people who are ready to take the next step in that journey of recovery, as part of a drug-free residential recovery community, and make sure those opportunities are available,” he said.
SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR PUSHES ADDICTION SCREENING FOR WELFARE RECIPIENTS, NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR POLICE
San Francisco Mayor London Breed, a Democrat, has pushed for law enforcement to take a more “aggressive” approach and arrest users and dealers around the city. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Anti-drug and recovery experts, including Joshua Brathwaite, also signaled support for sober housing measures.
“I’ve been sober for 16 months, but I can’t find any available drug-free housing that can give me the programming and support I need to continue being sober,” Brathwaite said in Haney’s April press release.”I’m in danger of relapsing and falling back into a cycle I fought so hard to get out of.”
“Homelessness and drug use have combined into a Category 5 public health tragedy” President & CEO of the Bay Area Council, Jim Wunderman, said. “Recovery Housing projects are currently prohibited by state law from receiving state support. The result is that homeless Californians suffering from addiction but who are ready for recovery are forced to choose between life on the streets and housing where drug use is commonplace. That’s not right.”
San Francisco and other major cities in California have faced increasing pressure from voters to crack down on drug-related crime.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed, a Democrat, has pushed for law enforcement to take a more “aggressive” approach and arrest users and dealers around the city after backlash from the public over rising crime.
Because of this plan, police have arrested 1,300 suspected drug users and more than 1,000 suspected dealers in the last year. However, a tiny fraction of these detainees have actually sought out substance abuse treatment on their own following their arrests.
Mayor Breed’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Fox News’ Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.
Read the full article from Here
San Francisco, CA
SF Supervisor Jackie Fielder hosts listening session after medical leave
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — San Francisco Supervisor Jackie Fielder hosted her first community listening session Thursday night since returning from a three-month medical leave.
Dozens of District 9 residents packed the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center to welcome back Fielder and voice concerns about issues affecting their communities.
“We are thankful that you took time for yourself to equip yourself to be sitting here today,” one attendee told Fielder. “So I thank you and commend you for returning.”
Fielder returned to City Hall last month after taking a three-month medical leave.
“I’m just grateful for the outpouring of support that I had and glad to be back on the job,” Fielder said. “Mental health is really prevalent, and I’m not going to shy away from the fact that I had a mental health crisis. This is a challenging job, and I’m very privileged to be here.”
Fielder said she is hosting a series of town hall-style meetings to give residents an opportunity to voice their concerns.
“To me, the biggest issue locally is the homeless issue, and it’s citywide,” San Francisco resident Maggie Weis said.
Fielder was joined by members of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and San Francisco Police Department to answer questions about pedestrian safety, city budget cuts and other issues.
The supervisor said one of her priorities moving forward is expanding access to clean, well-maintained public restrooms.
“[We’re] still seeing a lot of feces around the district and city,” Fielder said. “Would love to see our city have more public bathrooms and be able to maintain them as well.”
The next listening session is scheduled for July 23 at 6 p.m. at La Fénix in the Mission.
Watch the full report from KRON4’s Sara Stinson in the video player at the top of the story.
Denver, CO
Denver mayor announces new $100 million plan to bring in 10,000 jobs
DENVER — Denver Mayor Mike Johnston is launching a $100 million plan to boost the local economy and support 10,000 jobs over the next three years.
Johnston announced the four-part program Thursday morning, flanked by business leaders while praising downtown businesses like brunch eatery Snooze.
▶️ WATCH: Denver7’s Alex Dowd reports on the plan
Denver mayor promises to create 10K jobs in next 3 years
Snooze Co-Founder Adam Schlegel said his business benefited from a similar program when U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper was mayor in the early 2000s.
“The city really was the one that stepped up,” Schlegel said. “We wouldn’t have started if it wouldn’t have been for the economic development office. We ended up getting an incentive from the city to open up, particularly in this space [downtown]. It was a fiscal incentive to do it, in addition to coaching.”
Both of those are offered in the new four-part Denver Jobs Agenda. With funding from the Denver Downtown Development Authority and the Office of Economic Development and Opportunity, Johnston aims to develop start-ups in the city, grow existing businesses and draw in new companies while working to advance the Denver-area workforce across industries.
At the end of the last fiscal quarter, Denver’s unemployment rate hovered around 3.6% — under the national rate of 4.2% — according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, while office vacancy sits just under 40%, according to commercial real estate broker CBRE.
Johnston and other speakers made multiple references to more jobs bringing more people downtown.
“Denver has so many things going for it, so it will come back,” Schlegel said. “It’s not coming back as fast as I want, or as much as anyone will, but will it have a long-term future? 100%. It’s things like this, though, that I think give us a lot of hope that it can happen sooner than waiting it out.”
▶️ Watch the full press conference
Press conference: Denver mayor announces Denver Jobs Agenda
Chris Berthiaume, the city’s director of workforce industry initiatives, says the three workforce development centers across Denver serve around 20,000 people each year. He’s confident this new initiative will help more of those visitors find employment.
“We want to focus on things like aerospace, cybersecurity, green construction,” Berthiaume said. “This new initiative really just tightens the focus on sectors that we know are growing. Colorado is home to a huge aerospace culture. Quantum technology is emerging and coming. Green workforce are jobs that we know drive around Denver. Construction is everywhere. We need to make sure we have a skilled workforce that’s ready to take on those jobs.”
While also finding employers to hire them and stay within the community for the long haul.
“I think the reason businesses work — certainly restaurants work — is that you are integral to the community specifically where you are,” Schlegel said. “There are so many people in our community that really believe in Denver and want to see what it can be, and so it will get there.”
It’s well on the way. Denver’s Economic Development Corporation says they’re working with 52 active prospects that could bring more than 12,000 jobs to the area.
Coloradans making a difference | Denver7 featured videos
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what’s right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.
San Diego, CA
WEBTOON Brings Top Creators for San Diego Comic-Con Panels
Global entertainment company Webtoon is returning to the hallowed halls of San Diego Comic-Con with a larger-than-life slate of panels featuring top talent and fresh announcements.
They will be shining the spotlight on some of today’s most engaging webcomic creators, including Derek V. Song (Fantasy High) and Punko (Cinderella Boy).
Let’s take a look at their schedule:
Thursday, July 23 – 10am – Room 29AB
Creature Craft: Visionaries of Horror Comics Share Their Secrets
This panel features Punko, creator of Stagtown and Cinderella Boy on WEBTOON; Cullen Bunn, creator of Ripcord and Deluge for Ignition Press; and Cat Staggs, co-creator of Death Mask, and artist on Tales for a HalloweeNight for Storm King Comics. Rotem Rusak, Editor-in-Chief at Nerdist, will moderate.
Friday, July 24 – 10am – Room 32AB
Love in Every Universe: The Great Romance Trope Debate
Join ROSEOAK, creator of Not So Silent on WEBTOON, Alessandra Ferreri, Head of Content at Wattpad, E.M. Wilson, author of Situationship, and Becca Erin Title, founder of Meet Cute Romance Bookshop. The panel is moderated by Crystal Bell, the Culture Editor at Mashable.
Friday, July 24 – 1pm – Room 32AB
Adapting Fantasy High for WEBTOON with Derek V. Song
Featuring Derek V. Song, writer of Fantasy High. Fans will get a behind-the-scenes look at adapting the beloved Dimension 20 series for WEBTOON and learn more about bringing the world of Fantasy High to a new visual format.
Saturday, July 25 – 11:30am – Room 24ABC
What’s Next from WEBTOON Entertainment
Featuring Ryan Lee, Head of Content at WEBTOON; Sydney Bright, Head of Global Animation at WEBTOON Productions; Erik Kozura, Producer at WEBTOON; ROSEOAK, creator of Not So Silent; Derek V. Song, writer of Fantasy High; Punko, creator of Stagtown and Cinderella Boy; and Ucheomaaa, creator of Vibe Check! on WEBTOON. Journalist, comic critic, and 2026 Eisner judge, Tiffany Babb, will moderate. his panel will deliver a slew of announcements, exclusive first looks, and Creator appearances from its platform and entertainment businesses. Additionally, the panel will give fans a window into what’s next from WEBTOON’s most exciting stories and projects, with news from WEBTOON Originals, WEBTOON Productions, WEBTOON Unscrolled, and more.
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