San Francisco, CA
Sideshow turns destructive in San Francisco’s Sunset District, leaving neighbors shaken
A predawn sideshow in San Francisco’s typically quiet Sunset District spiraled into chaos Saturday morning, leaving a rented U-Haul truck burned, a nearby vehicle damaged and neighbors angry over what they described as a delayed police response.
The sideshow erupted around 4:30 a.m. at two intersections just one block apart — Kirkham Street and the Lower Great Highway, and Kirkham Street and 48th Avenue — according to witnesses. Neighbors reported cars spinning donuts, fireworks being set off and gunfire echoing through the neighborhood.
The U-Haul moving truck was set on fire near the intersection of Kirkham Street and 48th Avenue. Todd Brown, who had rented the U-Haul, said the noise of the loud sideshow woke him from sleep and sounded more like a racetrack than a residential street. “They were revving up their motors,” Brown said.
The situation escalated when some spectators vandalized Brown’s truck, breaking the front windshield and opening the door. From inside his home, Brown watched as people set the vehicle on fire.
“They were actually setting off Roman candles inside the car,” Brown said. “Here’s one of the Roman candles, right here.”
Brown said some people in the crowd appeared to be armed, prompting him to stay inside and focus on keeping the flames from spreading to his house. “There were too many people, I didn’t even want them to know that it was mine,” he said. “I was afraid the house was going to catch on fire. It was bad.”
Frightened neighbors said they repeatedly called police as the scene grew more dangerous. Witnesses estimated there were at least 100 participants and spectators.
Perry Jackson said he heard gunshots during the chaos. “[One guy] just reached into his waistband and ‘pop, pop,’ started popping off shots,” Jackson said. “That’s when we went ahead and called the cops and, ‘hey, not only do we have a sideshow, but they’re popping off shots’.”
Neighbors also reported spectators jumping on top of a parked work van, damaging its roof and windshield.
Many residents expressed frustration that it took police at least 20 minutes to respond. Jackson said officers told neighbors they were overwhelmed. “They were outnumbered,” he said. “I asked [an officer]. And he said there was only two squad cars, and so they had to wait for backup.”
Newly appointed District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong met with neighbors Saturday afternoon to address concerns and discuss possible solutions. “There had been suggestions from some of the neighbors about a potential roundabout or different rubber speed bumps to provide some environmental preventions from this happening again,” Wong said. “Then there’s the response side of things, being able to encourage and ensure that we’re fully staffed up in the police department.”
The incident comes as the city steps up penalties for sideshows. Mayor Daniel Lurie recently signed legislation cosponsored by Wong that doubles fines for participating in sideshows from $500 to $1,000.
Some neighbors say tougher penalties alone won’t be enough.
“They need to hire more police like they’re keep saying they’re hiring more police, but it’s not happening quick enough,” said Tony Villa.
As for Brown, he said he was able to salvage only a few kitchen cabinets from the U-Haul, losing most of the cabinets and furniture inside. Jackson summed up the mood of many neighbors: “I’m bumped out. It’s a drag.”
San Francisco police said one person was detained in connection with setting the U-Haul on fire, and that person’s car was impounded. Officers said they are continuing to investigate and are working to identify additional participants involved in the sideshow.
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco considers closing some permanent supportive housing
In San Francisco, homeless advocates are expressing concern as the city considers potentially closing some of its permanent supportive housing sites. As the San Francisco Chronicle reported, homeless service providers reported that the mayor’s chief of health and human services met with housing providers last month that the city was working on a list of potential buildings to be closed.
Multiple homeless advocates told NBC Bay Area they had heard about this proposal and the general approach by Mayor Daniel Lurie’s office to reexamine how the city uses permanent supportive housing.
“This is something that’s been discussed for a few months at this point,” said Christin Evans, a former San Francisco Homeless Oversight Commissioner and current small business owner in the city.
Advocates describe permanent supportive housing (PSH) as a more stable and long term option for people experiencing homelessness, providing a place to live that is directly connected to the health and social services a person needs when transitioning out of homelessness. San Francisco currently has more than 9,000 site-based permanent supportive housing units.
Mayor Daniel Lurie’s press secretary, Charles Lutvak, shared a statement on Thursday, noting, “… our administration is prioritizing tools to get people struggling with addiction into treatment and the path to stability.”
“Permanent supportive housing is a critical one, but we need to make it work better,” Lutvak continued, noting the city is spending $300 million a year while also facing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal cuts.
Lutvak also said it is not determined yet whether the city will be closing permanent supportive housing beds in the coming months.
Still, the conversations so far are enough to have advocates worried.
“Every housing unit you get rid of, you’ve got additional homeless people on the streets,” said Jennifer Friedenbach, executive director with the Coalition on Homelessness.
Friedenbach said there are currently thousands of people on the city’s waitlist to get into permanent supportive housing.
“Permanent supportive housing does work. It has been studied to death, and it is the primary resolution of homelessness that has the highest level of success,” she added.
This conversation about permanent supportive housing units is unfolding as the city already faces a 643 million dollar budget gap. But advocates argue, while housing is expensive, it will cost the city even more to have unhoused people in the city who are disconnected from a place to live or support services.
“We’re cutting really essential services for our most vulnerable san Franciscans, and its actually going to harm our recovery as a city,” Evans said.
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco tops US housing market as homes sell far over asking, report says
The average San Francisco home sold for nearly 90% over the asking price in March, according to Redfin.
The city is now the most expensive metro area in the country.
Artificial intelligence is driving much of those costs, as companies grow and hire, with many requiring staff to work in person.
Housing inventory, on the other hand, isn’t keeping up.
NBC Bay Area spoke with Arrian Binning, an agent with the Binnings Team at Christie’s San Francisco, who said the city is expensive but worth the investment.
“San Francisco is one of the best markets in the world,” Binning said. “I’ve seen supply constriction benefit property owners, so when you’re a property owner in a market that has scarce inventory but also is an engine of growth, that’s kind of the trifecta in terms of investing your hard-earned dollars into a new home.”
San Francisco bumped San Jose out of the top spot.
In San Jose, the median home price in March was more than $1.46 million, about what it was a year ago.
NBC Bay Area’s Kris Sanchez has the full report in the video above.
San Francisco, CA
Thousands head to San Francisco’s East Cut for 415 Day Market & Party
On April 15, back in the year 1850, San Francisco was first incorporated as a city. Each year on April 15, many in San Francisco celebrate 415 day, honoring that anniversary and the date that aligns with the city’s area code. Wednesday, thousands of people headed to The Crossing at East Cut for a night market to ring in the occasion.
This night market was hosted by San Francisco-based record label EMPIRE along with the East Cut Community Benefit District. The event brought a fleet of food trucks and local vendors to the plaza at The Crossing at East Cut, as well as musical talent performing throughout the evening. This night market was free for attendees and drew in people of all ages, many of whom were decked out in their most San Francisco-inspired outfits.
“We are so honored to have this happening here at The Crossing at East Cut, to be welcoming people from across the city, from across the Bay Area, to come see what downtown can be, and to celebrate the beauty of San Francisco,” said Andrew Robinson, the executive director of the East Cut Community Benefit District. Robinson explained that this was the Benefit District’s first time helping to put on the 415 Day celebration. He noted that the event brought in welcome business and foot traffic to the neighborhood.
EMPIRE CEO Ghazi Shami, who is a San Francisco native, was at the event too. Shami explained to NBC Bay Area that the event is a chance to put a spotlight on the creative community in San Francisco.
“I’m a product of my environment, I love San Francisco,” Shami said.
“It’s perfect time to celebrate, like our cultural diversity, music, food, street fashion, all the things that make San Francisco unique,” he said.
Shami added that he hopes next year to see even more 415 Day celebrations across San Francisco.
“I hope this becomes something that everybody adopts and celebrates no matter where you’re from,” he said.
The crowds at the event continued to grow throughout the night. People stopped to take photos with a giant, illuminated “415 Day” sign at the plaza.
“Just seeing this community come together, the diversity, the music, the food, we got it all in San Francisco,” said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, addressing the crowd at the start of the event.
An artist who goes by the name Mando told NBC Bay Area he though the event was “well orchestrated,” he enjoyed the food, drinks, and entertainment.
Mando, who lives in San Francisco, said he thinks 415 Day is an important holiday for the city.
“I think celebrating 415 Day is like a religion, if you’re from the city you basically gotta live it up today, today is the day,” he said.
“The bridge, the city, the everything, the music, the culture, it’s a beautiful thing, today’s the day to just let it all out and not care about nothing,” he continued.
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