Connect with us

San Francisco, CA

Storms Bring Icy Roads, City's First Tornado Warning

Published

on

Storms Bring Icy Roads, City's First Tornado Warning


A major ice storm created treacherous driving conditions across Iowa and eastern Nebraska this weekend and prompted temporary closures of Interstate 80 after numerous cars and trucks slid off the road. Many events were canceled across the region when the storm hit Friday evening, and businesses announced plans to open late Saturday as officials urged people to stay home if possible. However, temperatures are expected to rise high enough Saturday afternoon to melt the ice in most places, the AP reports. “Luckily some warmer air is moving in behind this to make it temporary,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Dave Cousins, who works in the Davenport, Iowa, office.

Elsewhere, a storm prompted the first tornado warning in the recorded history of San Francisco, per CNN. Severe storms swept through the city, just one week after a tsunami warning triggered widespread panic in the region. Trees were toppled and roofs were damaged in the city that hasn’t seen a tornado since 2005, according to the Weather Service. The damage on the northwest side of the city was being assessed Saturday to determine if there was a tornado. “This was the first ever warning for possible tornado in San Francisco. I would guess there wasn’t a clear signature on radar for a warning in 2005,” said Roger Gass, a meteorologist in the Weather Service’s Monterey, California, office who says he was not there in 2005.

Advertisement

The fast-moving storm prompted warnings for residents to take shelter, but few people have basements in the area. Winds gusted to 83mph at San Francisco’s airport. The warning was canceled after 6am Saturday; more than 10,000 people were without power in the city. In the Northeast, people are digging out after heavy snow fell in upstate New York, per the AP. More than 33 inches of snow was reported near Orchard Park, New York, but people who live there are used to dealing with heavy lake-effect snow this time of year.

(More winter storms stories.)





Source link

San Francisco, CA

San Francisco supervisors approve Mayor Lurie’s ‘Family Zoning’ housing plan

Published

on

San Francisco supervisors approve Mayor Lurie’s ‘Family Zoning’ housing plan


SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to approve Mayor Daniel Lurie’s controversial “Family Zoning Plan,” a proposal aimed at making it easier for developers to build taller, denser housing across the city.

The plan comes as San Francisco faces mounting pressure from the state to meet California’s housing goals. If cities fail to comply, state officials – not local leaders – will decide where new homes are built. For San Francisco, the city faces a Jan. 31 deadline to update its zoning rules to accommodate housing demand. The city also must create enough capacity for nearly 83,000 new units over the next six years to avoid state intervention.

“This is a critical step to keep San Francisco in control of what gets built in our city,” Lurie said earlier at a groundbreaking for new a affordable housing building in the SoMa neighborhood. “Too many families and young people are wondering if they’ll be able to stay in the city that they call home.”

Currently, most neighborhoods restrict mid-sized multifamily housing. Lurie’s plan would target areas like the Marina, Richmond and Sunset – districts that have seen little development in recent decades.

Advertisement

MORE: San Francisco mayor proposes denser housing to tackle affordability crisis

Some residents welcome the idea, citing affordability concerns.

“I just graduated out of college and trying to find a place that’s affordable is really hard,” said Sunset resident Aisha Williamson-Raun. “As long as they are affordable and make sense for what people are making, then yes. But if it’s just gonna push out people already in the community, then no.”

Supervisors debated how to balance housing capacity with affordability, with opponents criticizing that the measure does not earmark funding for the new housing units.

“This is response to state bullying disguised as results-oriented,” said Supervisor Shamann Walton. “Maybe if it included a financing package or proposal to actually build housing. Maybe if it guaranteed not to displace families and businesses…we can do better.”

Advertisement

MORE: Rethinking megaprojects: Will SF meet its quota of building 82,000 new housing units in 5 years?

In a statement after the board’s vote, small business owners in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood expressed concern about how the ordinance will impact rent-controlled tenants. The Small Business Forward association anticipates anywhere from 10 to 40 owners could face displacement under the new zoning plan.

“The Mayor and Board of Supervisors have paid lip service to supporting small businesses and their workers impacted by the inevitable displacements of dozens if not hundreds of businesses over the next several years. However, with no commitment to funding, there is no plan in place to support small businesses from the displacement they’ll experience from non-renewal of their lease.” said Christin Evans, co-owner of Booksmith and Alembic, co-founder and Board Member of Small Business Forward.

Supporters pushed back, arguing rejecting the ordinance would further delay necessary reforms for the city to catch up on expanding its housing capacity.+

“I reject the notion that we have to choose between building more homes and protecting renters,” said Supervisor Danny Sauter. “We can do both, and that’s what this plan does.”

Advertisement

The measure passed 7-4, with Supervisors Connie Chan, Chyanne Chen, Shamann Walton and Jackie Fielder voting no.

Copyright © 2025 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.



Source link

Continue Reading

San Francisco, CA

Man found shot to death in car in San Francisco’s Tenderloin

Published

on

Man found shot to death in car in San Francisco’s Tenderloin


A man was found fatally shot in a car in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood Tuesday morning, according to police.

Officers responded at 6:12 a.m. to a shooting reported in the 100 block of Turk Street and arrived to find the victim sitting in a vehicle and suffering from a gunshot wound, San Francisco police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene and his name was not immediately released.

Investigators have not made an arrest or released any suspect details in the case. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the SFPD tip line at (415) 575-4444 or to send a tip by text message to TIP411 with SFPD at the start of the message.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

San Francisco, CA

San Francisco neighbours complain of noise as IITian founder works late night for Indian customers

Published

on

San Francisco neighbours complain of noise as IITian founder works late night for Indian customers


An Indian entrepreneur currently living in San Francisco has revealed that his downstairs neighbours have complained about the noise he makes because he works late into the night. Prateek Sachan, the founder of AI startup Bolna, said that he has been living in an Airbnb in San Francisco for the last few months.

Prateek Sachan is the founder of AI startup Bolna and has been living in San Francisco for the last few months.

Sachan said that because his team and his customers are based in India, he often works till 5 or 6 am in the morning, San Francisco time.

Airbnb host defends Indian founder

Been living in SF past months – sleeping at 5/6 AM because of customers & team in India,” wrote Sachan, who holds a BTech degree from IIT Delhi.

Advertisement

The Indian entrepreneur, whose startup Bolna is backed by Y Combinator, said that working Indian hours seems to be inconveniencing his downstairs neighbours. However, his Airbnb host has stood by him and defended his odd working hours.

“Neighbors downstairs kept complaining about it until they learned we work Indian hours. And were so confused on what they can do now. Shoutout to our amazing Airbnb host who defended us!” Prateek Sachan wrote, sharing a picture of his host’s messages.

Airbnb host defends Indian founder

In the messages, the Airbnb host supported Sachan and blamed the neighbours for complaining.

The host said that Sachan has been an exemplary guest and that they have never had noise issues before this.

“Please let me know if the guest below causes any more trouble for you guys,” the host told Sachan in one message. “I am sorry they are difficult. You have both been outstanding guests so l don’t want your eta to be marred.”

Advertisement

(Also read: ‘This is actually sad’: Indian founder in US faces backlash after praising intern for working past midnight)

In another message, the host put the blame squarely on the downstairs neighbours.

“I appreciate that but you need to be able to work as well. The downstairs guest has an inflated sense of their position and I’ve been very clear with AirBnB Support that she is out of line,” the message from the Airbnb host read.

“I do not want you guys to be inconvenienced or feel uncomfortable. We’ve never had a problem with noise and we’ve hosted several guests from South Asia,” the host added.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending