San Francisco, CA
SF leaders want to fix Van Ness high vacancy rate by allowing more chain retailers
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Some San Francisco supervisors say they have the solution to fill blocks of vacant storefronts along Van Ness Avenue: recruit more chain retailers.
On Monday, Supervisors Stephen Sherrill and Danny Sauter introduced legislation aiming to reduce the time and cost that chain stores such as Target or Home Depot incur when trying to open a storefront along a 1-mile strip on Van Ness north of City Hall.
The proposal would allow more “formula retail” – which the city defines as a chain with 11 or more stores – along Van Ness between Redwood Street and Broadway. If approved, it would reduce the planning and approval process for formula retailers, which can take anywhere from 12 to 24 months and must be approved by the Planning Commission.
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It’s a process that commercial real estate developers say is a big enough deterrent for chains that many have abandoned the idea of coming to San Francisco altogether. Laura Tinetti, an executive vice president with JLL San Francisco, said similar processes in other cities take three to six months.
“We’ve developed a reputation in San Francisco as being difficult to deal with or do business in because of this,” she said. “It has impacted our ability to lease space to national retailers.”
San Francisco’s longstanding approach has been focused on preserving locally-owned businesses and preventing big box retailers from taking over. But Sherrill notes that Van Ness is unique in that its vacant spaces are larger and more equipped for chains with larger inventories. He noted that this corridor, part of Highway 101, was long home to automobile showrooms and dealerships, which have since moved to the suburbs.
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“When we look at the size of the floor plans of these buildings, they’re huge. When you look at Chestnut Street, you look at Union Street, Fillmore Street – they’re just smaller buildings, smaller spaces. So permitting formula retail allows for more flexibility in these really, really big spaces that you aren’t seeing on some of the neighborhood merchant corridors,” Sherrill said.
Functionality aside, the supervisor described the barrage of “for lease” signs on every block as an eyesore.
“It’s eroding the character of our neighborhoods, it’s hurting our economy and it makes people feel less confident. It’s just not as nice a place,” he said.
While public safety issues like retail theft have certainly fueled the exit of major retailers like Bloomingdale’s – which last week announced it is closing its flagship Union Square store – Tinetti said she still has a slew of interested largescale retail clients that want more storefronts in San Francisco.
“It’s not for lack of interest or demand. There is there is real interest. There is real demand,” she said. “The headlines, unfortunately, have not been friendly to ourselves in San Francisco with regards to telling the story of what’s actually going on the streets. Our streets are safer than they were in 2022 at rock bottom.”
In addition to perception problems, Tinetti said ultimately the bureaucratic barriers for getting storefronts are the biggest deterrents for chains.
“What formula retail was created to protect was the integrity of our neighborhood, fabric of the community retail. But it was just applied broadly and and grossly misinterpreted by the city,” she said. “Van Ness is a great first step. It seems like it’s common sense that it shouldn’t be applicable there, but there’s still more work to do.”
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SAN FRANCISCO – As concert season kicks into high gear, the excitement of seeing a favorite artist live is being dampened for many by the sticker shock of skyrocketing ticket prices.
What they’re saying:
At the Chase Center in San Francisco on Monday night, fans gathered for a Demi Lovato concert. Many who spoke with KTVU said they were lucky enough to snag tickets early, but they worry that the era of affordable live music is quickly disappearing.
“It’s just fun. You forget about your daily life, and you laugh,” said concertgoer Barbara Gallardo.
Fellow fan Heloisa Rodrigues agreed, noting that nothing beats “the feeling of hearing the artist so close to me… in real life.”
However, the reality for many other fans is a “sold out” screen followed by astronomical prices on secondary markets.
The “California Fans First Act”
What we know:
State Assembly Member Matt Haney (District 17) says the current system is broken.
He has introduced AB 1720, also known as the California Fans First Act, to combat what he calls “speculators” who buy up inventory just to turn a massive profit.
“Everything from small shows to the biggest festivals are being taken advantage of by folks who want to profit and speculate,” said Haney,”All of that extra money is going into the pockets of scalpers and speculators—not to the artists, not to the venues.”
The bill proposes a strict cap: tickets for concerts and live events can not be resold for more than 10% above the original face value, including fees. Haney pointed to recent Sam Smith performances at the Castro Theater as a prime example of fans being priced out by bulk buyers looking for huge margins.
Mixed Reviews from Advocates
While fans like Mikey Mendrano—who says high prices are “stealing the opportunity” for thousands to see their favorite artists—support the bill, not everyone is on board.
The Consumer Federation of California has come out in strong opposition, calling the bill a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” The nonprofit advocacy group argues that by limiting the secondary market, the bill inadvertently hands more control to Live Nation—Ticketmaster.
In a statement, the group claimed: “This bill merely takes consumers for a ride and enhances the monopoly’s power over an industry it already dominates.”
Several hurdles
For their part, Ticketmaster has signaled support for Haney’s efforts, stating the legislation would protect both artists and fans.
KTVU reached out to secondary ticket platforms, including StubHub and Vivid Seats for comment but did not receive a response.
The “Fans First” bill still faces several hurdles. It must pass through both the State Assembly and the Senate. If successful, the legislation is expected to land on the Governor’s desk by early September.
For fans like Gallardo, the change can’t come soon enough.
“I don’t want to spend $1,000 for a ticket that should have been… $200,” she said.
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave a message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU
The Source: California State Assembly Member Matt Haney, Ticketmaster, Consumer Federation of California, concert-goers / music fans
San Francisco, CA
50 Beagles Rescued From Wisconsin Lab Arrive in Bay Area, SF Activist Faces Felony Charges
Animal rescue groups persuaded a Wisconsin breeding lab to sell 1,500 beagles after activists worked for a decade to free them, and 50 of the dogs arrived in the Bay Area Sunday. Meanwhile, an SF activist faces 12 years in prison for rescuing some of them prior to the deal.
Last month, several animal rights activists attempted to free 1,500 beagles at Wisconsin-based Ridglan Farms, the second-largest breeder of beagles for laboratories in the US, as KGO reported last week. Four activists, including Dean Guzman Wyrzykowski of San Francisco, were arrested during the rescue operation and charged with felonies, with up to 12 years in prison, according to a post by Wyrzykowski on social media.
“There are thousands of dogs just like her in laboratories across the country,” says Wyrzykowski, while holding the dog he’s accused of stealing.
Last week, animal rights group Big Dog Ranch Rescue, which is based in Florida, and DC-based Center for a Humane Economy made a confidential agreement with the lab to purchase the animals to be adopted out by rescue groups. Per KGO, well-known Berkeley activist Zoe Rosenberg, who brought one beagle named Chester home with her, was among the volunteers helping the dogs in Wisconsin after they were rescued.
As KGO reports, the Northern California Beagle Rescue Group brought 50 beagles to the Bay Area via school bus Sunday, and they’ll be adopting them out to homes in San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, and nearby cities once they’ve received veterinary care.
The dogs had likely never touched grass until after leaving the lab, and they’ve been slowly acclimating to their new lives. Some were reportedly malnourished and most had bad teeth and were in need of dental work.
“It was very emotional,” says Wendy Lansdon, a volunteer with Northern California Beagle Rescue, speaking to KGO about when the bus full of dogs first arrived in the Bay Area. “Some of them were really quiet when we got in there, some of them were happy, and the other ones were terrified.”
Prior to the dogs’ arrival, the Northern California Beagle Rescue Group announced on social media it was seeking foster home volunteers in Fremont, San Jose, and Sacramento — near where the beagles will be receiving veterinary care. The group is also requesting donations to help fund the dogs’ vet care.
According to the site Save the Dogs, activists had been pushing for the closure of Ridglan Farms for almost 10 years, as investigators, whistleblowers, veterinarians, and others worked to spread the word about the inhumane conditions of the lab, which stayed in operation for decades, despite being hit with hundreds of state-level cruelty violations.
“The dogs born there were treated as inventory: bred, confined, sold to research, disposed of,” says Save the Dogs.
Save the Dogs notes that activists are now targeting Marshall BioResources, the largest breeder of dogs for laboratories in the country, which has operations in New York and the United Kingdom.
Image: Northern California Beagle Rescue/Facebook
Division-leading Dodgers aim to snap home losing trend as they open series against the Giants in a matchup of NL West foes
After dropping their second straight home series over the weekend, the Los Angeles Dodgers head into Monday night’s series opener against the San Francisco Giants sitting atop the National League West Division standings, aiming to avenge a series loss to the Giants from two weeks ago. San Francisco has lost nine of its last 12 games overall and have dropped seven in a row on the road as they begin a 10-game road trip that will keep them away from home until Memorial Day Weekend. The Giants will start Trevor McDonald (1-0, 1.29 ERA) in his fourth start in the Majors while the Dodgers will counter with second-year Japanese import Roki Sasaki (1-3, 5.97 ERA) who has given up a home run in five consecutive outings.
How to Watch San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers:
Date: May 11, 2026
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
TV Channel: MLB Network
Location: Dodgers Stadium
Live Stream the San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers game on Fubo: Start watching now!
Dodger center fielder Andy Pages, who has helped Los Angeles claim World Series titles in each of his first two years in the Majors, leads the team this season hitting .333, ranking the 25-year-old Cuban third among all hitters in MLB. Pages is hitting .371 so far in May with five extra base hits and 10 RBIs and has successfully reached base in 13 of his last 14 games.
With nine hits in seven games so far this month, Giants second baseman Luis Arraez is hitting a team-leading .310 at the plate in 2026 and is on pace for his eighth career 100-hit campaign. Arraez is one of only two active players with a career batting average above .300, hitting .316 for his career and leads Houston’s Jose Altuve by 15 points.
What time is Giants vs Dodgers?
Coverage of the San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers starts Monday, May 11, at 10:00 p.m ET. Tune in to see if the Dodgers can beat the Giants for the fifth time in the last six games at Dodger Stadium or if San Francisco can beat LA for the fourth time in the last five head-to-head matchups.
What channel is the Giants vs Dodgers game on?
Looking to watch the game? Subscribers can tune to MLB Network to catch the action. Make sure you subscribe to Fubo now to watch this matchup at home or on the go with the Fubo TV app.
Watch the San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers game on Fubo: Start watching now!
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