Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco has only agreed to build 16 homes so far this year
City authorities permitted the construction of only 16 housing units in San Francisco, one of the most expensive markets in the country, in 2024 as of June—a far cry from what demand would require and what Mayor London Breed has promised.
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Preliminary 2024 data from the States of the Cities Data Systems (SOCDS) Building Permits Database shows that the total housing unit building permits for San Francisco between January and now was 16, split between seven single-family homes, six 2-unit and multi-family homes and three 3- and 4-unit multi-family homes. Among all types of units, six permits were given in January, one in February, seven in March and two in April.
Joseph Politano, an independent writer at Apricitas Economics who first shared the data on X, commented on the data saying that “it’d be hilarious if it weren’t such a nightmare.” Newsweek contacted Politano for comment by direct message on X on Tuesday morning.
San Francisco permitted two (2) housing units in April. The city’s sum total of new housing was one (1) duplex.
It’d be hilarious if it weren’t such a nightmare pic.twitter.com/KD6RLOjfmU
— Joey Politano 🏳️🌈 (@JosephPolitano) May 30, 2024
The data will be subject to revision throughout the rest of the year and might change, but as they are now, they present quite a bleak picture for San Francisco.
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Home prices have been spiraling upward in San Francisco since the Great Recession of 2008-2009 followed the bursting of the U.S. housing bubble, making buying a home in the City by the Bay unaffordable for many. While home prices in the city dropped during the U.S. housing market correction of late summer 2022 and spring 2023, a chronic shortage of homes has kept them from totally plummeting.
George Rose/Getty Images
As of April, according to the latest Redfin data, the median sale price of a home in San Francisco was $1,400,000, up 3.7 percent compared to a year earlier. It was considerably higher than the national median sale price, which in April was $432,903, up 6.1 percent year-over-year, according to Redfin.
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Last June, Breed introduced legislation boosting the building of new homes in the city by cutting fees and removing laborious requirements for conditional use permits and mandatory public hearings, among other moves. The legislation was designed to help the city meet the state-mandated goal of building 82,000 homes by 2031 to meet the serious need for housing in the city.
But in 2023, the city issued permits for the building of only 1,823 new units, according to the data from San Francisco Planning Department mentioned by the San Francisco Standard. That was about 1,000 short of the units authorized the year before, for a total of 2,701 in 2022.
The number of total new units completed in 2023 was slightly higher, at 1,983, down from 2,893 a year earlier.
In an update in April, Breed didn’t provide concrete details about how many housing units have been authorized in the city, but said that she was “proud to say that over the last year, we’ve started to move San Francisco in the right direction on housing.”
The mayor admitted that “we are not where we need to be, and there is much more work to be done,” adding that her administration continues “to encounter obstruction and delay as we push these solutions forward, but we have made progress. We will continue to make progress.”
Newsweek contacted Breed’s office and the San Francisco Planning Department for comment by email on Tuesday morning.
But the slow pace at which the city has approved new housing units permits this year doesn’t mean that it won’t pick up later in the year. In an article published in April, the SF Standard highlighted how in 2023, the city had approved only 12 units in the first two months of the year—but the number spiked later in the year.
Time will tell whether something similar will happen again this year.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
San Francisco, CA
A Locals-Approved Modern Guide to Fisherman’s Wharf: Seafood, Beer Gardens + Iconic Bay Views
Most locals wouldn’t come within a quarter mile of kitschy, over-touristed Fisherman’s Wharf if they didn’t have to.
But if the last time you visited the neighborhood was when family were in town, prepare to be surprised. There’s more to this waterfront neighborhood than meets the eye—and more to come, as the resurgence of the area, hit hard in the pandemic, picks up speed.
In our locals guide to Fisherman’s Wharf, we remove the wheat from the chaff, directing you only to the good stuff that’s hiding in plain sight—along with a neighborhood hotel recommendation for when those out-of-towners inevitably come to visit.
Where to Eat in Fisherman’s Wharf
Contemporary Filipino at Abacá
(Courtesy of @restaurantabaca)
Scoma’s (1965 Al Scoma Way) is one of the city’s best seafood spots, and not just because it’s located right where the city’s last working fishermen bring in their daily catch. The bayfront restaurant has been in business since 1965 and it has a classy, old-school vibe with a warren of small dining rooms with views, signed memorabilia on the walls, and a mid-century-style showpiece bar at its center. Their cioppino is legendary, along with their Dungeness crab cakes, Louie salads, and perfectly-spiced Bloody Marys. // A leader in San Francisco’s contemporary Filipino food boom, Abacá (2700 Jones St.) chef Francis Ang is known for his creative, California-influenced takes on traditional flavors and dishes. Inside an airy atrium on the ground floor of the Kimpton Alton, the bright and unintimidating restaurant has an extensive lineup of seasonal small plates, barbecued skewers, noodle and rice dishes (you must try the lobster noodles!), and mains like stuffed quail tinutungan with fava beans and morel mushrooms. Don’t skip the cocktails: they’re inventive, unexpected, and pair beautifully with the food. // Stop by Cafe de Casa (685 Beach St.) at breakfast and lunch for Brazilian cheese bread sandwiches, tapioca crepes, and escondidinho, along with a variety of espresso drinks. // A recent addition to the neighborhood is the Japanese-inspired grab-n’-go vegetarian eatery, coffee shop, and market, Bunny Cafe (1327 Columbus Ave.), so named for its lounge full of adorable, adoptable rabbits. They work with a different local rescue organization every quarter, helping to find needy bunnies new homes, and you can reserve a 30-minute spot to visit them whether you’re in the market for a rescue or not. // Korean restaurant Surisan (505 Beach St.) serves up a mix of American-style and K-breakfasts by morning (think jook, bulgogi fried rice, and benedicts) and Korean fried chicken, BBQ, and dishes like bibimbap for lunch and dinner in an inviting, industrial-accented space off the tourist track. // On the second level at the entrance to Pier 39 is Eagle Cafe (Pier 39, Floor 2, A-201), a Fisherman’s Wharf staple since 1928 serving up crowd-pleasing classic breakfasts and lunches like fish and chips and burgers. If the weather is cooperating, eat out on their balcony overlooking the water. // Fog Harbor Fish House is the best spot for dinner on Pier 39. You may be one of the few locals in the crowd but if you’re in the mood to crack into a whole Dungeness crab or take down some clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, this family-owned restaurant specializing in responsibly-sourced, sustainable seafood is the place to do it (plus, you can’t beat the views).
Coming Soon
The second location of affordable, delicious Saigon Sandwich (333 Jefferson St., #125) is set to open in Fisherman’s Wharf later this summer, adding soju cocktails to the menu alongside its beloved banh mi. // Cult-favorite fast-foodery Raising Cane’s is also planning to open later this summer, bringing their famous chicken fingers and Texas toast to the neighborhood (211 Jefferson St.).
Where to Drink Coffee, Cocktails + Beer
Humble Sea opened a beer garden on Pier 39 in 2025.
(Courtesy of @humblesea.sf)
The Buena Vista (2765 Hyde St.) has built its reputation on Irish Coffee, which was allegedly invented by a bartender here in 1952. But the classic cafe with wide windows overlooking the bay next to the cable car turnaround has charmed many a local and visitor for decades (check out the behind-the-bar memorabilia from frequent patron, Hunter S. Thompson). It’s an ideal spot for a nostalgic cocktail—coffee-flavored or otherwise. // Humble Sea (Pier 39, Unit N-111-1) may be a fairly recent addition to Pier 39 but the whimsical, ocean-themed brewery has been making waves since it opened its first taproom in Santa Cruz in 2017. Its newest location has a beer garden on the wharf, and a colorful indoor bar with plenty of hoppy IPAs on tap. // Tiny Signal Coffee Roasters (2701 Leavenworth St.) will brighten up your morning with small-batch, house-roasted coffee drinks and beans, specialty bevvies, and in-house bakes.
Coming Soon
Later this summer, homegrown SF brewery Woods Beer & Wine Co. will open their new taproom in the nautical-themed remains of the historic former seafood spot, Fishermen’s Grotto No. 9 (2847 Taylor St.). The long-term pop-up is slated to have a full liquor license that will add barrel-aged and batched cocktails to their craft beer and wine offerings.
What to Do in Fisherman’s Wharf
A scene from one of the antique games at Musée Mécanique
(Courtesy of @museemecaniquesf)
If you’re not charmed by the Musee Mechanique (Pier 45), you’re dead inside. No, seriously: This place is an absolute gem, featuring more than 300 antique mechanical arcade games (one of the world’s largest private collections) kept lovingly in working order. Many originally came from Playland, the amusement park that operated on Ocean Beach from 1928 to 1972, (along with creepy Funhouse mascot Laffing Sal) and each machine costs just 25 to 50 cents to play. // You don’t have to be from away to want to spend some time with the sea lions at the Viewing Area at K Dock (Pier 39). The pinnipeds post up here by the dozens all year round, barking, sparring, and swimming in the bay, oblivious to the crowd of onlookers. Come in spring to see babies just old enough to climb onto the docks. // If you get a kick out of the more gruesome side of science, check out the Truhlsen-Marmor Museum of the Eye (645 Beach St.). On the ground floor of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, it’s chock-full of interesting exhibits about eyeball anatomy, vision, perception, and medical innovation. // Despite its recent scandal, the Cartoon Art Museum (781 Beach St.), an institution endowed by comic god Charles Schulz, is worth a visit for its small but well-curated collection of cartoon and comic book art. // If you’re into naval history, step on board the S.S. Jeremiah O’Brien (Pier 35) or U.S.S. Pampanito (Pier 45), a restored naval ship and submarine from the World War II era.
Where to Stay in Fisherman’s Wharf
Guest rooms at Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf have just been completely renovated with an eye towards guest wellness and sustainability.
(Courtesy of Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf San Francisco)
If you’ve got friends or family coming into town who’d rather avoid staying in the hustle of downtown, Fisherman’s Wharf is a good, transportation-connected alternative. While the Kimpton Alton (2700 Jones St.) is the most luxurious option in the neighborhood, the Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf (555 North Point St.) is an excellent, more affordable alternative that’s just been completely renovated with a special emphasis on sustainable design and guest wellness. The freshly redone guest rooms—some of the most spacious in town—have a modern look accented in responsibly harvested wood and natural materials free of toxic substances, bronzed lighting and mirrors, patterned wall coverings, and subtle nautical accents.
An outdoor sun deck framed by the hotel’s upper floors has a heated pool and hot tub, along with new loungers and cabanas, and the 24-hour fitness center is full of top notch equipment including treadmills, bikes, and free weights (in-room yoga classes are also available on demand). Brick & Beam, the hotel’s signature, brick-walled gastropub, is open all day, serving generous plates of brioche French toast and croissant sandwiches at breakfast, and a wide range of handhelds, flatbreads, and other crowd pleasers at lunch and dinner. Note the happy hour at the full bar (5:30pm to 7:30pm), where margaritas, beer, and wine are just $6—definitely among the lowest prices in town. A 24-hour market in the lobby also offers snacks and drinks to go. You can’t beat the location which is just two blocks back from the water and a short walk from Pier 39.
San Francisco’s Fourth of July celebration along the city’s waterfront quickly turned into hours of gridlock, dangerous fireworks incidents and a surge in emergency calls.
Thousands packed Crissy Field to watch fireworks launched from the Golden Gate Bridge. But once the show ended, it wasn’t exactly a smooth ride home.
While many left with great memories. Others found themselves stuck for hours in gridlock, caught in a massive backup involving dozens of Waymo cars, while firefighters across the city were responding to fires and serious fireworks injuries.
For Rose Peterson, the ride home after San Francisco’s Fourth of July fireworks took an unexpected turn.
“We were pulling up to a four-way stop and this guy was shooting off a firework in the middle of the road, and then our Waymo starts driving, and we’re like ‘Wait, what’s happening?’,” she said.
No one inside was hurt, but Peterson says the experience left her questioning how autonomous vehicles respond in unpredictable situations.
“I definitely think it needs to be more sensitive of anything that can come into the path of the road,” she said.
That wasn’t the only challenge after the show.
As thousands left Crissy Field and the Presidio, traffic came to a standstill. Among those stuck was Dave Guingona, who had friends visiting from the Philippines and wanted to show them a memorable Fourth of July in San Francisco.
“Five minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes went by, then we realized people were getting out of their cars, yelling and screaming at these Waymos because there were no drivers,” he said.
He says nearly two hours later, Waymo employees finally began driving the vehicles out.
“They had a great time, but this is what they’re going to remember for the rest of their lives. This was unbelievable,” he said.
While traffic barely moved, San Francisco firefighters responded to more than 500 calls for service, including four fireworks-related wildfires, numerous outside fires across the city and a vehicle fire on Connecticut Street believed to have been sparked by illegal fireworks.
Crews also responded to two life-altering fireworks injuries.
Captain Jonathan Baxter says the incident Peterson experienced in the Waymo was another reminder of how quickly things could have turned tragic.
“That situation could’ve had a far worse outcome—not only for the individuals in the car that could’ve been injured or worse—but for the individuals who lit the fireworks. They could have their life altered for the rest of their lives as well,” Baxter said.
Waymo says extreme traffic congestion disrupted operations for several vehicles after the fireworks and crews worked with city officials to clear them from the area.
The company also says it’s evaluating the incident surrounding fireworks, adding it’s committed to learning from situations like this.
San Francisco fire officials are reminding people that even fireworks marketed as “safe” can cause devastating injuries and fires. As for Waymo, the company says it’s reviewing both last night’s traffic congestion and the incident involving Rose’s ride as it looks for ways to improve operations during major events.
An unoccupied Waymo autonomous vehicle caught fire Saturday evening after driving over a small firework in a San Francisco roadway, according to a company spokesperson.
The incident occurred near the 1200 block of Connecticut Street. No one was inside the self-driving car at the time, and no injuries were reported.
Waymo stated it coordinated with the San Francisco Fire Department and local authorities to safely remove the damaged vehicle from the scene.
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