SAN FRANCISCO – More San Francisco families will soon have access to free or discounted childcare thanks to an expansion of a city program announced Thursday by Mayor Daniel Lurie. 

Who’s eligible for free or discounted childcare in San Francisco?

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Under the mayor’s expansion of the city’s Family Opportunity Agenda, nearly 750 more children will have access to free or discounted care. To be eligible for free childcare, families must earn less than 150% of the city’s annual median income, $230,000. Families who earn under 200% of the median income – $310,000 – will receive a 50% subsidy for childcare.

The program expansion will offer more than 700 childcare spots, with a focus on infants and toddlers in the Sunset, Parkside, Richmond, Mission, Bayview, Portola, Mission Bay, Excelsior, Glen Park, and SoMa neighborhoods, the mayor’s office said.

“The new slots will expand the city’s early childhood system for infants and toddlers by more than 8%—broadening access to affordable, high-quality childcare for working families,” the city said, in part, in a statement Thursday.

What is San Francisco’s Family Opportunity Agenda?

Big picture view:

The mayor’s Family Opportunity Agenda was launched in January to make housing, childcare, education and more necessary resources affordable for San Francisco residents. 

“When families have access to quality, affordable childcare, they can stay and build a life in San Francisco,” Lurie said. “For children, it supports their academic and emotional growth long before kindergarten. And for our entire city, it strengthens our future—helping families stay and keeping our communities strong.”

For more information on the city’s childcare program, click here.

How much does childcare cost?

According to the Public Policy Institute of California, full-time childcare for pre-school-age children can cost anywhere between $9,000 and $24,000 per year. For children under the age of two, the cost rises from $11,000 to $29,000, research shows.

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau in 2024 shows California has the third-highest costs for childcare across the U.S., at an average $16,945 per year.

Each week at Last Rites, a Duboce Triangle establishment known for its immersive atmosphere, fans gather for a watch party of the long-running reality television series “Survivor.”

San Francisco resident Kiram Maledi has been a regular since discovering the event with friends.

“We live really close by,” Maledi said. “And my good friend Emily, who turned us on to ‘Survivor,’ found out that Last Rites hosts ‘Survivor’ night. We got super into watching ‘Survivor’ in the past couple years, and the thought of an outing in our neighborhood where we get to participate in community while also indulging in this awesome season is pretty fun.”

“Survivor,” one of the longest-running reality shows in television history, is now in its 50th season on CBS.

For Maledi, appreciation for the series came later in life.

“I’m a fan of the show because I never thought I’d be into reality TV, and I’m pleasantly surprised,” he said. “It’s a good practice of self to challenge myself for what I think I like. The challenges are super fun to watch. It’s cool to watch and be like, ‘How bad would I be at that?’ And for me to watch the social game and be like, ‘Oh, I would be crushed by that, I would really struggle.’ So to kind of role play like, how would these people do it, how would I do it, and oftentimes just get surprised and into it.”

The bar’s carefully crafted environment adds to the experience. With jungle-inspired decor, layered sound design and even scent elements, the space is designed to evoke a tropical destination, echoing the setting of the show itself.

Screens positioned throughout the bar ensure the episode is visible from nearly every angle.

“This is such a well-crafted space,” Maledi said. “The decorations, sound design — it even smells like what I think a tropical destination bar would smell like. I guess it is that. Drinks are super fantastic. I didn’t even know there was a second side of the menu.”

At Last Rites, the weekly gathering goes beyond simply watching a television show. For fans, it’s an immersive experience, one that brings them closer to the world of “Survivor,” and to each other.

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — The San Francisco Police Department is warning the public to be aware of recent jewelry robbery schemes targeting senior citizens around the city.

The perpetrators often operate as part of a larger criminal enterprise that targets victims who wear visible jewelry.

Thieves approach unsuspecting victims, engage them in conversation, and sometimes offer a “gift,” investigators said.

SFPD wrote, “If a stranger approaches you and attempts to make physical contact or offer a gift, step away and alert them that you are calling the police.”

One incident occurred on March 20, when officers were conducting an undercover robbery abatement operation.

“A plainclothes officer observed the occupants of a white BMW SUV approaching multiple individuals wearing jewelry, attempting to engage in conversation. Officers believed the occupants were casing for potential victims,” the police department wrote. “They observed the vehicle approach a victim near the corner of 17th Avenue and Cabrillo Street. The suspects engaged the victim in conversation and during the interaction, the suspect passenger appeared to place a necklace on the victim and then forcibly steal the victim’s jewelry.”

The BMW fled from officers until officers “disabled the vehicle” on Frederick Street, SFPD wrote. Officers arrested 37-year-old Ludovic-Iustinian Ceausu and 41- year-old Claudia Voinescu on suspicion of robbery, grand theft, elder abuse, conspiracy, and possession of stolen property.

Anyone who suspects they have been targeted in the jewelry scheme should contact police. “All victims are urged to contact the SFPD as quickly as possible if they become a victim. The SFPD will diligently investigate these cases,” the police department wrote.