Adrian Spinelli

Last year’s Stern Grove Festival was cut short in an unpredictable, non-Covid way: A water main broke on Sloat Blvd. above the grounds, sending more than 700,000 gallons of water sloshing down into the verdant amphitheater and resulting in <a href="https://sfist.com/2022/04/26/that-4-million-stern-grove-flood-clean-up-thats-now-more-of-a-20-million-stern-grove-flood-clean-up/">tens of millions of dollars</a> in damage.&nbsp;

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<p>Last year’s Stern Grove Festival was cut short in an unpredictable, non-Covid way: A water main broke on Sloat Blvd. above the grounds, sending more than 700,000 gallons of water sloshing down into the verdant amphitheater and resulting in <a href="https://sfist.com/2022/04/26/that-4-million-stern-grove-flood-clean-up-thats-now-more-of-a-20-million-stern-grove-flood-clean-up/">tens of millions of dollars</a> in damage.&nbsp;</p>

The flood forced organizers to cancel the final show of the season: The Big Picnic with Tower of Power and Too $hort. For the uninitiated, The Big Picnic is the grand finale event of the fest, which also serves as the biggest fundraising effort of the year.&nbsp;

<p>The flood forced organizers to cancel the final show of the season: The Big Picnic with Tower of Power and Too $hort. For the uninitiated, The Big Picnic is the grand finale event of the fest, which also serves as the biggest fundraising effort of the year.&nbsp;</p>

There were challenges in re-opening the Grove for this year’s 85th Summer Concert Series, but thanks to a prodigious push, Stern Grove is ready to welcome back locals, beginning on June 12. The 10-concert slate, helmed by second year Director of Programming Stacey Horne, seems aimed at attracting younger audiences by peppering the classics with plenty of cutting-edge cool. This year’s lineup is also packed with local legends and rising Bay Area stars, which is sure to give the hometown crowd plenty to be proud of.

<p>There were challenges in re-opening the Grove for this year’s 85th Summer Concert Series, but thanks to a prodigious push, Stern Grove is ready to welcome back locals, beginning on June 12. The 10-concert slate, helmed by second year Director of Programming Stacey Horne, seems aimed at attracting younger audiences by peppering the classics with plenty of cutting-edge cool. This year’s lineup is also packed with local legends and rising Bay Area stars, which is sure to give the hometown crowd plenty to be proud of.</p>

Read on for our breakdown of this year’s shows, which we’ve broken down into five categories. Into indie? Toro y Moi, Cold War Kids and Cat Power have you covered. Feeling bluesy? Taj Mahal is a national treasure who certainly knows his way around 12 bars. Looking to get lost in the jam? Grateful Dead founding member Phil Lesh is sure to take a few extended solos.

<p>Read on for our breakdown of this year’s shows, which we’ve broken down into five categories. Into indie? Toro y Moi, Cold War Kids and Cat Power have you covered. Feeling bluesy? Taj Mahal is a national treasure who certainly knows his way around 12 bars. Looking to get lost in the jam? Grateful Dead founding member Phil Lesh is sure to take a few extended solos.</p>

All the concerts are free, but reservations are required. You can snag a spot on the Stern Grove Festival website beginning 12 days before each show—Tuesdays at 2 p.m. The gates open at noon every Sunday and the concerts begin at 2 p.m. You can bring your own chairs, food and drinks. Additional details can be found at <a href="https://www.sterngrove.org/">sterngrove.org</a>.

<p>All the concerts are free, but reservations are required. You can snag a spot on the Stern Grove Festival website beginning 12 days before each show—Tuesdays at 2 p.m. The gates open at noon every Sunday and the concerts begin at 2 p.m. You can bring your own chairs, food and drinks. Additional details can be found at <a href="https://www.sterngrove.org/">sterngrove.org</a>.</p>


<h2 class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-heading">The Ultimate Cure For Last Year’s Fomo</h2>


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<h2 class="has-medium-font-size">The Ultimate Cure For Last Year’s Fomo</h2>

<em>Tower of Power and Too Short w/ DJ Shortkut | June 12</em>

<p><em>Tower of Power and Too Short w/ DJ Shortkut | June 12</em></p>

When this bill was announced last year, it seemed highly improbable: A ’70s era funk and soul revue from Oakland with one of the grittiest rappers in the Bay? OK. But in so many ways, it speaks to the diversity and vibrance of our local music scene. It’s a beautiful world when you can dance alongside your mom to “What Is Hip?” while also taking a puff off a blunt with your dad to “Blow The Whistle” in the same afternoon. We highly recommended arriving early to catch DJ Shortkut warming up the crowd on the decks. The Daly City native is one of the best selectors and turntablists out there. And if you weren’t able to reserve tickets to this one, the whole show will be live streamed for free <a href="https://boxoffice.mandolin.com/pages/stern-grove-festival-livestream">here</a>. 

<p>When this bill was announced last year, it seemed highly improbable: A ’70s era funk and soul revue from Oakland with one of the grittiest rappers in the Bay? OK. But in so many ways, it speaks to the diversity and vibrance of our local music scene. It’s a beautiful world when you can dance alongside your mom to “What Is Hip?” while also taking a puff off a blunt with your dad to “Blow The Whistle” in the same afternoon. We highly recommended arriving early to catch DJ Shortkut warming up the crowd on the decks. The Daly City native is one of the best selectors and turntablists out there. And if you weren’t able to reserve tickets to this one, the whole show will be live streamed for free <a href="https://boxoffice.mandolin.com/pages/stern-grove-festival-livestream">here</a>. </p>

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Tracing The History of The Past 25 Years of Indie Rock


<h2 class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-heading">Tracing The History of The Past 25 Years of Indie Rock</h2>


<h2 class="has-medium-font-size">Tracing The History of The Past 25 Years of Indie Rock</h2>

<em>Toro y Moi w Hello Yello | June 19</em><br><em>Liz Phair w/ Madi Diaz | June 26</em><br><em>Cold War Kids w/ Geographer | July 3</em><br><em>Cat Power w/ SPELLLING | July 17</em>

<p><em>Toro y Moi w Hello Yello | June 19</em><br><em>Liz Phair w/ Madi Diaz | June 26</em><br><em>Cold War Kids w/ Geographer | July 3</em><br><em>Cat Power w/ SPELLLING | July 17</em></p>

You can’t really describe just how thorough of an indie music slate this year’s Stern Grove Festival has put together without running down the entire list. These four shows almost serve to tell the story of independent rock in the past 25 years. Tracing the arc from Cat Power’s charming late-’90s folk and Liz Phair’s always-punishing licks through the anthemic alternative of Cold War Kids to the laid back electronic vibes of Toro y Moi, one can see how home production techniques have evolved over the last three decades, as indie musicians moved from four-track cassette consoles to the virtually limitless capabilities of laptops. All the while they’ve continuously incorporated an increasingly sophisticated suite of software tools, which they’ve deployed to buck the influence of major label malarkey.

<p>You can’t really describe just how thorough of an indie music slate this year’s Stern Grove Festival has put together without running down the entire list. These four shows almost serve to tell the story of independent rock in the past 25 years. Tracing the arc from Cat Power’s charming late-’90s folk and Liz Phair’s always-punishing licks through the anthemic alternative of Cold War Kids to the laid back electronic vibes of Toro y Moi, one can see how home production techniques have evolved over the last three decades, as indie musicians moved from four-track cassette consoles to the virtually limitless capabilities of laptops. All the while they’ve continuously incorporated an increasingly sophisticated suite of software tools, which they’ve deployed to buck the influence of major label malarkey.</p>

<a href="https://spellling.bandcamp.com/album/the-turning-wheel">The Turning Wheel by SPELLLING</a>

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Come to hear how Cat Power’s sound expanded digitally on 2012’s <em>Sun </em>and now maintains its influence on her latest <em>Covers</em> album of takes from Frank Ocean to Billie Holiday. Come to hear Geographer run through his scene-defining electropop. Come to discover the unapologetic theatrics of Oakland’s immensely talented SPELLLING and the emerging Madi Diaz’s gorgeous songwriting. And come to hear how Berkeley’s Toro y Moi is a retro psychedelic-minded vessel for the prevalent sounds of today. 

<p>Come to hear how Cat Power’s sound expanded digitally on 2012’s <em>Sun </em>and now maintains its influence on her latest <em>Covers</em> album of takes from Frank Ocean to Billie Holiday. Come to hear Geographer run through his scene-defining electropop. Come to discover the unapologetic theatrics of Oakland’s immensely talented SPELLLING and the emerging Madi Diaz’s gorgeous songwriting. And come to hear how Berkeley’s Toro y Moi is a retro psychedelic-minded vessel for the prevalent sounds of today. </p>

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvcoxunP7KU
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Hear How Country Music and Americana Are Changing


<h2 class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-heading">Hear How Country Music and Americana Are Changing</h2>


<h2 class="has-medium-font-size">Hear How Country Music and Americana Are Changing</h2>

<em>LeAnn Rimes and Amythyst Kiah | July 24</em>

<p><em>LeAnn Rimes and Amythyst Kiah | July 24</em></p>

For over 20 years, LeAnn Rimes has been at the vanguard of the Nashville scene. Her radio-ready country music has exemplified the genre’s push into pop and she’s a bonafide star who will be in San Francisco to positively rock amongst the trees at Stern Grove. But it’s a very mindful bill that also features Amythyst Kiah, a Queer Black woman who is one of the brightest spots in the more inclusive new look of Americana music. An accomplished solo artist, Kiah is also part of the Our Native Daughters roots music supergroup with the equally decorated Rhiannon Giddens, Layla McCalla and Allison Russell; all Black women in the orbit of country music. Kiah’s presence is a refreshing one, and her stellar songs (like the Grammy nominated “Black Myself”) deserve your attention.&nbsp;

<p>For over 20 years, LeAnn Rimes has been at the vanguard of the Nashville scene. Her radio-ready country music has exemplified the genre’s push into pop and she’s a bonafide star who will be in San Francisco to positively rock amongst the trees at Stern Grove. But it’s a very mindful bill that also features Amythyst Kiah, a Queer Black woman who is one of the brightest spots in the more inclusive new look of Americana music. An accomplished solo artist, Kiah is also part of the Our Native Daughters roots music supergroup with the equally decorated Rhiannon Giddens, Layla McCalla and Allison Russell; all Black women in the orbit of country music. Kiah’s presence is a refreshing one, and her stellar songs (like the Grammy nominated “Black Myself”) deserve your attention.&nbsp;</p>

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqtPxwOW3HU
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A Glorious Afternoon of Blues And Soul&nbsp;


<h2 class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-heading">A Glorious Afternoon of Blues And Soul&nbsp;</h2>


<h2 class="has-medium-font-size">A Glorious Afternoon of Blues And Soul&nbsp;</h2>

<em>Taj Mahal w/ Monophonics | August 7</em>

<p><em>Taj Mahal w/ Monophonics | August 7</em></p>

At 80-years-old, Taj Mahal is still one of the most incredible performers in the business. The Harlem-born guitarist has continued to shape what constitutes “contemporary” blues music through his unique fingerpicking style and tunes that trace the origins of American roots music out into the wider world—all the way up to his recently released “Get On Board” album with Ry Cooder of songbook interpretations of Piedmont Blues musicians Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Monophonics will have their blue-eyed San Francisco psychedelic soul on board to wrap a bow on this early August day. Led by vocalist Kelly Finnigan, their music has an instantly vintage feel and is unique to anything else you’ll hear born from the city. 

<p>At 80-years-old, Taj Mahal is still one of the most incredible performers in the business. The Harlem-born guitarist has continued to shape what constitutes “contemporary” blues music through his unique fingerpicking style and tunes that trace the origins of American roots music out into the wider world—all the way up to his recently released “Get On Board” album with Ry Cooder of songbook interpretations of Piedmont Blues musicians Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Monophonics will have their blue-eyed San Francisco psychedelic soul on board to wrap a bow on this early August day. Led by vocalist Kelly Finnigan, their music has an instantly vintage feel and is unique to anything else you’ll hear born from the city. </p>

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STfu1ZjRv5Y
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<h2 class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-heading" id="h-feel-like-it-s-summer-of-love-again">Feel Like It’s Summer of Love Again</h2>


<h2 class="has-medium-font-size" id="h-feel-like-it-s-summer-of-love-again">Feel Like It’s Summer of Love Again</h2>

<em>The Big Picnic With Phil Lesh And Friends w/ Midnight North | August 14</em>

<p><em>The Big Picnic With Phil Lesh And Friends w/ Midnight North | August 14</em></p>

The bassist and founding member of the Grateful Dead, Lesh has been criss-crossing the country as of late with his Phil Lesh and Friends Tour. The “friends” who showed up to a recent Palo Alto show included Scott Metzger, Joe Russo, John Scofield, Benmont Tench and Lesh’s son, Grahame, who performed with his band, Midnight North. Expect Lesh and company play classics and rarities from the Dead and more. Only time will tell who joins Lesh on stage for this one, but this feels like nothing short of a triumphant ending to the 85th season at Stern Grove. In the meantime, you can find me praying for the well-being of all water mains along Sloat Blvd.

<p>The bassist and founding member of the Grateful Dead, Lesh has been criss-crossing the country as of late with his Phil Lesh and Friends Tour. The “friends” who showed up to a recent Palo Alto show included Scott Metzger, Joe Russo, John Scofield, Benmont Tench and Lesh’s son, Grahame, who performed with his band, Midnight North. Expect Lesh and company play classics and rarities from the Dead and more. Only time will tell who joins Lesh on stage for this one, but this feels like nothing short of a triumphant ending to the 85th season at Stern Grove. In the meantime, you can find me praying for the well-being of all water mains along Sloat Blvd.</p>

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<em>Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that Geographer is based in San Francisco. The artist is now based in Los Angeles.</em>

<p><em>Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that Geographer is based in San Francisco. The artist is now based in Los Angeles.</em></p>

Stern Grove Festival returns with Too Short, Toro y Moi, Taj Mahal and more

Josh Koehn

In the days since <a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/elections/campos-haney-april-election-results/">Matt Haney breezed to a state Assembly election victory</a> over David Campos, the San Francisco supervisor has been on a tour to pay homage and thanks to his supporters. On Thursday, Haney spoke with The Standard by phone for a post-election interview on how he won by such a huge margin and what he expects to do in Sacramento.

<p>In the days since <a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/elections/campos-haney-april-election-results/">Matt Haney breezed to a state Assembly election victory</a> over David Campos, the San Francisco supervisor has been on a tour to pay homage and thanks to his supporters. On Thursday, Haney spoke with The Standard by phone for a post-election interview on how he won by such a huge margin and what he expects to do in Sacramento.</p>

What was the primary driver for Haney’s election victory?


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-was-the-primary-driver-for-haney-s-election-victory">What was the primary driver for Haney’s election victory?</h2>


<h2 id="h-what-was-the-primary-driver-for-haney-s-election-victory">What was the primary driver for Haney’s election victory?</h2>

Housing discussions dominated the race, and YIMBY Action’s endorsement of Haney—after the group supported Bilal Mahmood in the primary—has received a lot of attention. Many in San Francisco believe this race should serve as <a href="https://missionlocal.org/2022/04/progressives-ignore-the-lessons-of-haney-campos-at-their-own-peril/">a wake-up call for progressives</a> to more strongly support housing.&nbsp;

<p>Housing discussions dominated the race, and YIMBY Action’s endorsement of Haney—after the group supported Bilal Mahmood in the primary—has received a lot of attention. Many in San Francisco believe this race should serve as <a href="https://missionlocal.org/2022/04/progressives-ignore-the-lessons-of-haney-campos-at-their-own-peril/">a wake-up call for progressives</a> to more strongly support housing.&nbsp;</p>

Haney ran against a YIMBY, Sonja Trauss, during his 2018 supervisor race, and his evolving stance on building more homes over the last year or so—some political observers called it <a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/analysis-matt-haney-david-campos-assembly-housing/">a calculated shift</a>—played a huge role in differentiating himself from Campos.&nbsp;

<p>Haney ran against a YIMBY, Sonja Trauss, during his 2018 supervisor race, and his evolving stance on building more homes over the last year or so—some political observers called it <a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/analysis-matt-haney-david-campos-assembly-housing/">a calculated shift</a>—played a huge role in differentiating himself from Campos.&nbsp;</p>

But the groups Haney credited most for his success in Tuesday’s election were unions. He pointed specifically to support he received from American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and Service Employees International Union, calling the latter’s endorsement “the most pivotal moment in this campaign.”&nbsp;

<p>But the groups Haney credited most for his success in Tuesday’s election were unions. He pointed specifically to support he received from American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and Service Employees International Union, calling the latter’s endorsement “the most pivotal moment in this campaign.”&nbsp;</p>

“I think that was a much bigger part of our win than people realize and are giving credit to,” Haney said. “A winning progressive campaign needs working people and a massive labor coalition behind it, and that was the foundation and backbone of our campaign from the beginning.”

<p>“I think that was a much bigger part of our win than people realize and are giving credit to,” Haney said. “A winning progressive campaign needs working people and a massive labor coalition behind it, and that was the foundation and backbone of our campaign from the beginning.”</p>

What does Haney have to say about criticism of his shifting stance on housing?


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-haney-have-to-say-about-criticism-of-his-shifting-stance-on-housing">What does Haney have to say about criticism of his shifting stance on housing?</h2>


<h2 id="h-what-does-haney-have-to-say-about-criticism-of-his-shifting-stance-on-housing">What does Haney have to say about criticism of his shifting stance on housing?</h2>

Well, San Francisco, all he has to do is point to the returns and yell “scoreboard,” because it clearly didn’t hurt him. But does Haney like being called a political code-switcher who will gladly bend with the political winds? No. He really doesn’t like that.

<p>Well, San Francisco, all he has to do is point to the returns and yell “scoreboard,” because it clearly didn’t hurt him. But does Haney like being called a political code-switcher who will gladly bend with the political winds? No. He really doesn’t like that.</p>

In Thursday’s interview, Haney doubled down on being a real pro-housing guy. He said his previous <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/bayarea/heatherknight/article/Matt-Haney-plans-to-run-for-state-Assembly-16494981.php">agnosticism on building more housing outside of District 6</a>—as well as his temporary opposition to Scott Wiener’s aggressive housing bills in the state Senate—should be viewed as part of the legislative process.&nbsp;

<p>In Thursday’s interview, Haney doubled down on being a real pro-housing guy. He said his previous <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/bayarea/heatherknight/article/Matt-Haney-plans-to-run-for-state-Assembly-16494981.php">agnosticism on building more housing outside of District 6</a>—as well as his temporary opposition to Scott Wiener’s aggressive housing bills in the state Senate—should be viewed as part of the legislative process.&nbsp;</p>

“A narrative catches and it holds, but the reality is I’ve been pro-housing, and I will continue to be in a different role,” Haney said. “My version of progressivism has always been rooted in listening to people and responding to the real concerns that they have, and not governing in a way that dismisses the concerns and experience of my constituents.”

<p>“A narrative catches and it holds, but the reality is I’ve been pro-housing, and I will continue to be in a different role,” Haney said. “My version of progressivism has always been rooted in listening to people and responding to the real concerns that they have, and not governing in a way that dismisses the concerns and experience of my constituents.”</p>

Matt Haney celebrates at his election party on April 19, 2022. | Camille Cohen


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Image-from-iOS-3-1-2-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-47334"/><figcaption>Matt Haney celebrates at his election party on April 19, 2022. | Camille Cohen</figcaption></figure>


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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Image-from-iOS-3-1-2-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-47334"/><figcaption>Matt Haney celebrates at his election party on April 19, 2022. | Camille Cohen</figcaption></figure>

What will Haney do once he’s sworn in to the state Assembly?


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-will-haney-do-once-he-s-sworn-in-to-the-state-assembly">What will Haney do once he’s sworn in to the state Assembly?</h2>


<h2 id="h-what-will-haney-do-once-he-s-sworn-in-to-the-state-assembly">What will Haney do once he’s sworn in to the state Assembly?</h2>

Eh, not much in the immediate. That’s not a knock on Haney as much as an acknowledgment that he’s starting a new job at an inopportune time. The state Legislature is in the second year of a two-year session, and all bills up for consideration this year have already been introduced. Haney will have the chance to potentially serve on a committee, and he’ll take votes on the budget.&nbsp;

<p>Eh, not much in the immediate. That’s not a knock on Haney as much as an acknowledgment that he’s starting a new job at an inopportune time. The state Legislature is in the second year of a two-year session, and all bills up for consideration this year have already been introduced. Haney will have the chance to potentially serve on a committee, and he’ll take votes on the budget.&nbsp;</p>

Haney’s time to shine as a full participant in the Assembly will come next year—he’s pretty much guaranteed to win the June primary and November runoff. “I will get up there in the very middle of things and I’ll be drinking from a firehose,” Haney said. “For the rest of the year, I can really develop my policy agenda for the next year.” He added that Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) “wants to position me well to be an impactful, influential legislator.”

<p>Haney’s time to shine as a full participant in the Assembly will come next year—he’s pretty much guaranteed to win the June primary and November runoff. “I will get up there in the very middle of things and I’ll be drinking from a firehose,” Haney said. “For the rest of the year, I can really develop my policy agenda for the next year.” He added that Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) “wants to position me well to be an impactful, influential legislator.”</p>

In the meantime, his stint in former state Sen. Joe Simitian’s office should help him at least understand legislative procedure and know where to find the cafe in the bowels of the Capitol building.

<p>In the meantime, his stint in former state Sen. Joe Simitian’s office should help him at least understand legislative procedure and know where to find the cafe in the bowels of the Capitol building.</p>

What does Haney think of any shade about Mayor London Breed’s endorsement?


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-haney-think-of-any-shade-about-mayor-london-breed-s-endorsement">What does Haney think of any shade about Mayor London Breed’s endorsement?</h2>


<h2 id="h-what-does-haney-think-of-any-shade-about-mayor-london-breed-s-endorsement">What does Haney think of any shade about Mayor London Breed’s endorsement?</h2>

So, there’s been a lot of chatter about Mayor Breed endorsing Haney, mainly because his victory opens the door to her appointing his successor on the Board of Supervisors. A lot of political observers thought Haney wanted to run for mayor at some point, but David Chiu’s resignation from the AD 17 seat to become city attorney—also a Breed appointment—sparked Haney’s interest in moving on to the Legislature.

<p>So, there’s been a lot of chatter about Mayor Breed endorsing Haney, mainly because his victory opens the door to her appointing his successor on the Board of Supervisors. A lot of political observers thought Haney wanted to run for mayor at some point, but David Chiu’s resignation from the AD 17 seat to become city attorney—also a Breed appointment—sparked Haney’s interest in moving on to the Legislature.</p>

Honey Mahogany, a Black trans woman who is an activist, performer and staffer to Haney, is being <a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/rumors-swirl-around-matt-haneys-replacement-honey-mahogany-could-make-history-in-a-fast-changing-district/">seen as a strong option to step into the D6 supervisor role</a>. But activists have a way of not always going with the flow, so her appointment is no lock.&nbsp;

<p>Honey Mahogany, a Black trans woman who is an activist, performer and staffer to Haney, is being <a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/rumors-swirl-around-matt-haneys-replacement-honey-mahogany-could-make-history-in-a-fast-changing-district/">seen as a strong option to step into the D6 supervisor role</a>. But activists have a way of not always going with the flow, so her appointment is no lock.&nbsp;</p>

Sources have told The Standard that Mayor Breed’s endorsement of Haney said less about her opinion of him than it did about her drive to install a stronger ally in the position to advance her agenda. Yeah, that’s cynical. But this is politics, and some of the board’s more progressive supervisors have been calling BS.

<p>Sources have told The Standard that Mayor Breed’s endorsement of Haney said less about her opinion of him than it did about her drive to install a stronger ally in the position to advance her agenda. Yeah, that’s cynical. But this is politics, and some of the board’s more progressive supervisors have been calling BS.</p>

“I think it’s nonsense,” Haney said. “You know, [Supervisor] Hillary [Ronen] supported David Campos when he ran for Assembly [in 2014], and [late Mayor] Ed Lee would have appointed the District 9 supervisor. Nobody said anything. Nobody said anything when [Lee] backed Jane Kim for state Senate and would have left this [District 6] seat open. It’s just twisting a narrative to suit their purposes. And even more so, we have an incredibly strong candidate in Honey Mahogany, who will win if she’s not appointed.”

<p>“I think it’s nonsense,” Haney said. “You know, [Supervisor] Hillary [Ronen] supported David Campos when he ran for Assembly [in 2014], and [late Mayor] Ed Lee would have appointed the District 9 supervisor. Nobody said anything. Nobody said anything when [Lee] backed Jane Kim for state Senate and would have left this [District 6] seat open. It’s just twisting a narrative to suit their purposes. And even more so, we have an incredibly strong candidate in Honey Mahogany, who will win if she’s not appointed.”</p>

He added, “San Francisco had the first gay supervisor [in Harvey Milk], and now has the opportunity to have the first openly trans supervisor in California—this is a remarkable opportunity.”

<p>He added, “San Francisco had the first gay supervisor [in Harvey Milk], and now has the opportunity to have the first openly trans supervisor in California—this is a remarkable opportunity.”</p>

How much did likeability play into Tuesday’s results?


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-much-did-likeability-play-into-tuesday-s-results">How much did likeability play into Tuesday’s results?</h2>


<h2 id="h-how-much-did-likeability-play-into-tuesday-s-results">How much did likeability play into Tuesday’s results?</h2>

Some of Haney’s colleagues have said he is <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/bayarea/heatherknight/article/Matt-Haney-plans-to-run-for-state-Assembly-16494981.php">a little shifty when supporting policy</a>, but he’s ultimately likable. In contrast, many political observers see Campos, and by extension his campaign, as more divisive and even a little irritating. Campos often casts himself as an underdog for the poor and working class, playing up an “us vs. them” narrative that is perceived as a turn-off to a broader base of moderates.

<p>Some of Haney’s colleagues have said he is <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/bayarea/heatherknight/article/Matt-Haney-plans-to-run-for-state-Assembly-16494981.php">a little shifty when supporting policy</a>, but he’s ultimately likable. In contrast, many political observers see Campos, and by extension his campaign, as more divisive and even a little irritating. Campos often casts himself as an underdog for the poor and working class, playing up an “us vs. them” narrative that is perceived as a turn-off to a broader base of moderates.</p>

“When you’re choosing leaders, personalities matter, because you gotta bring people together and influence people,” Haney said. “And a lot of the time in Sacramento, things get done because of relationships. I have a lot of respect for David. I hope we can come back and work together.”

<p>“When you’re choosing leaders, personalities matter, because you gotta bring people together and influence people,” Haney said. “And a lot of the time in Sacramento, things get done because of relationships. I have a lot of respect for David. I hope we can come back and work together.”</p>

Matt Haney shares secrets to Assembly victory, rejects criticism on housing

Joe DiMento

<em>Joe DiMento is a renter in San Francisco and a volunteer with SF YIMBY, a grassroots organization that covers the region’s evolving architecture, construction and real estate from a pro-growth perspective.</em>

<p><em>Joe DiMento is a renter in San Francisco and a volunteer with SF YIMBY, a grassroots organization that covers the region’s evolving architecture, construction and real estate from a pro-growth perspective.</em></p>

Just west of Twin Peaks, the San Francisco neighborhood of St. Francis Wood feels like a suburban idyll teleported from the past, with wide, leafy streets, large lawns fronting even larger homes—and even, in perpetually drought-stricken California, intersections boasting fountains. It’s an enclave of real estate excess, tucked away in a city teeming with the unhoused, in a state with a decades-developing housing crisis.&nbsp;

<p>Just west of Twin Peaks, the San Francisco neighborhood of St. Francis Wood feels like a suburban idyll teleported from the past, with wide, leafy streets, large lawns fronting even larger homes—and even, in perpetually drought-stricken California, intersections boasting fountains. It’s an enclave of real estate excess, tucked away in a city teeming with the unhoused, in a state with a decades-developing housing crisis.&nbsp;</p>

And, using a loophole in a hard-fought state housing law, St. Francis Wood is hoping to stay exclusive and unchanged. A group of homeowners calling themselves the St. Francis Homes Association has <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/YIMBYs-accuse-wealthy-S-F-neighborhood-of-trying-17137824.php">filed for historic designation status with the National Register of Historic Places</a>, which would exempt the neighborhood from getting any denser. <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB9">California Senate Bill 9 (SB 9)</a>—passed last year after multiple similar, and thwarted, attempts in the legislature—allows homeowners to divide single-family lots into two to enable the construction of smaller units, increasing the densification of cities and neighborhoods previously zoned solely for single-family housing.

<p>And, using a loophole in a hard-fought state housing law, St. Francis Wood is hoping to stay exclusive and unchanged. A group of homeowners calling themselves the St. Francis Homes Association has <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/YIMBYs-accuse-wealthy-S-F-neighborhood-of-trying-17137824.php">filed for historic designation status with the National Register of Historic Places</a>, which would exempt the neighborhood from getting any denser. <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB9">California Senate Bill 9 (SB 9)</a>—passed last year after multiple similar, and thwarted, attempts in the legislature—allows homeowners to divide single-family lots into two to enable the construction of smaller units, increasing the densification of cities and neighborhoods previously zoned solely for single-family housing.</p>

SB 9 was passed to help alleviate California’s housing crisis, and to make up for the sins of single-family zoning—which, while the aspirational residential experience for millions in the postwar 20th century, was often used to exclude nonwhites from homeownership. (This is the case in St. Francis Wood, which, when it was founded in 1912, <a href="https://www.stfranciswood.org/history">explicitly prohibited</a> the inclusion of Black and Asian families.)&nbsp;

<p>SB 9 was passed to help alleviate California’s housing crisis, and to make up for the sins of single-family zoning—which, while the aspirational residential experience for millions in the postwar 20th century, was often used to exclude nonwhites from homeownership. (This is the case in St. Francis Wood, which, when it was founded in 1912, <a href="https://www.stfranciswood.org/history">explicitly prohibited</a> the inclusion of Black and Asian families.)&nbsp;</p>

Restrictive covenants were explicitly outlawed by the federal government in 1968 under the Fair Housing Act. Still, high housing prices throughout the state—particularly in San Francisco, where the median home price <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/bay-area-home-prices-17089346.php">climbed 12% this year to an astonishing $1.58 million</a>—make homeownership unattainable to many families who haven’t been able to amass generational wealth. St. Francis Wood has a median home price of $3.4 million, making it among the most expensive neighborhoods in San Francisco, which is already the<a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/real-estate/603612/15-us-cities-with-the-highest-average-home-prices"> second-most expensive major city</a> in the country (behind only New York’s borough of Manhattan).&nbsp;

<p>Restrictive covenants were explicitly outlawed by the federal government in 1968 under the Fair Housing Act. Still, high housing prices throughout the state—particularly in San Francisco, where the median home price <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/bay-area-home-prices-17089346.php">climbed 12% this year to an astonishing $1.58 million</a>—make homeownership unattainable to many families who haven’t been able to amass generational wealth. St. Francis Wood has a median home price of $3.4 million, making it among the most expensive neighborhoods in San Francisco, which is already the<a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/real-estate/603612/15-us-cities-with-the-highest-average-home-prices"> second-most expensive major city</a> in the country (behind only New York’s borough of Manhattan).&nbsp;</p>

Since SB 9’s passage, we’ve seen several wealthy, exclusive cities try to circumvent the spirit of the law by throwing up excuses—like <a href="https://www.almanacnews.com/news/2022/02/02/woodside-freezes-sb-9-projects-with-town-citing-excemption-for-mountain-lion-habitats">Woodside’s mountain lion ploy</a>, or the Palo Alto City Council’s attempt to <a href="https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2022/03/22/citing-sb9-concerns-palo-alto-moves-to-expand-historic-registry">unilaterally categorize homes as historic</a> rather than allowing homeowners to submit their homes for the designation. These ultra-affluent enclaves are using exemptions in SB 9—written with the very interest of getting the law passed despite the <a href="https://www.livablecalifornia.org/act-to-oppose-sb-9-and-sb-10/">powerful homeowners’ lobby</a>—to negate its impact. (State Sen. Scott Wiener, author of SB 9, <a href="https://twitter.com/Scott_Wiener/status/1520426148823330816?s=20&amp;t=JUmjzRj4C_YwbimLN1e6xA">tweeted that</a> “Historic districts &amp; homeowners associations shouldn’t be exempt from state housing laws.”)

<p>Since SB 9’s passage, we’ve seen several wealthy, exclusive cities try to circumvent the spirit of the law by throwing up excuses—like <a href="https://www.almanacnews.com/news/2022/02/02/woodside-freezes-sb-9-projects-with-town-citing-excemption-for-mountain-lion-habitats">Woodside’s mountain lion ploy</a>, or the Palo Alto City Council’s attempt to <a href="https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2022/03/22/citing-sb9-concerns-palo-alto-moves-to-expand-historic-registry">unilaterally categorize homes as historic</a> rather than allowing homeowners to submit their homes for the designation. These ultra-affluent enclaves are using exemptions in SB 9—written with the very interest of getting the law passed despite the <a href="https://www.livablecalifornia.org/act-to-oppose-sb-9-and-sb-10/">powerful homeowners’ lobby</a>—to negate its impact. (State Sen. Scott Wiener, author of SB 9, <a href="https://twitter.com/Scott_Wiener/status/1520426148823330816?s=20&amp;t=JUmjzRj4C_YwbimLN1e6xA">tweeted that</a> “Historic districts &amp; homeowners associations shouldn’t be exempt from state housing laws.”)</p>

The St. Francis Wood Homes Association, the group pushing for the designation, is <a href="https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/pages/1067/files/CA_San%20Francisco%20County_St%20Francis%20Wood_DRAFT.pdf">citing</a> the neighborhood’s unique design and landscaping as reason for the attempted designation.&nbsp;

<p>The St. Francis Wood Homes Association, the group pushing for the designation, is <a href="https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/pages/1067/files/CA_San%20Francisco%20County_St%20Francis%20Wood_DRAFT.pdf">citing</a> the neighborhood’s unique design and landscaping as reason for the attempted designation.&nbsp;</p>

But there’s nothing stopping homeowners or small developers from subdividing lots in the neighborhood and designing the smaller homes with a similar aesthetic to the prevailing one.&nbsp;

<p>But there’s nothing stopping homeowners or small developers from subdividing lots in the neighborhood and designing the smaller homes with a similar aesthetic to the prevailing one.&nbsp;</p>

Lee Adams III, one of the State Historical Resources Commissioners who voted in favor of the designation, said of St. Francis Wood that “it’s not open to everyone…but neither [are] many parts of the Bay Area, or other parts of California. I’m sorry about our exclusionary past, but St. Francis Wood isn’t the only place that’s had that.”&nbsp;

<p>Lee Adams III, one of the State Historical Resources Commissioners who voted in favor of the designation, said of St. Francis Wood that “it’s not open to everyone…but neither [are] many parts of the Bay Area, or other parts of California. I’m sorry about our exclusionary past, but St. Francis Wood isn’t the only place that’s had that.”&nbsp;</p>

To translate that comment: Sorry, but the region is expensive and exclusive, so this community can become even more exclusive and expensive by bypassing state law.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<p>To translate that comment: Sorry, but the region is expensive and exclusive, so this community can become even more exclusive and expensive by bypassing state law.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

This has not gone unnoticed. An <a href="https://twitter.com/_fruchtose/status/1520097867167195136?s=20&amp;t=JUmjzRj4C_YwbimLN1e6xA">overwhelming majority of the public comments</a> at the State Commission hearing decried the designation. Even the Commissioners themselves alluded to the racist history of St. Francis Wood <em>and</em> the housing crisis from which it seeks exemption. But like so much that has contributed to our state’s housing crisis, they didn’t take responsibility for the contribution, and approved the request anyway, which is now on its way to the federal government. Specifically, it’s heading to the desk of Joy Beasley, the<a href="https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/joy-beasley-named-national-park-service-associate-director-of-cultural-resources-partnerships-and-science.htm"> National Park Services Director responsible</a> for the historic designation of American landmarks. (Anyone can submit public comment to Beasley<a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/contactus.htm"> through the National Register of Historic Places</a>.)&nbsp;

<p>This has not gone unnoticed. An <a href="https://twitter.com/_fruchtose/status/1520097867167195136?s=20&amp;t=JUmjzRj4C_YwbimLN1e6xA">overwhelming majority of the public comments</a> at the State Commission hearing decried the designation. Even the Commissioners themselves alluded to the racist history of St. Francis Wood <em>and</em> the housing crisis from which it seeks exemption. But like so much that has contributed to our state’s housing crisis, they didn’t take responsibility for the contribution, and approved the request anyway, which is now on its way to the federal government. Specifically, it’s heading to the desk of Joy Beasley, the<a href="https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/joy-beasley-named-national-park-service-associate-director-of-cultural-resources-partnerships-and-science.htm"> National Park Services Director responsible</a> for the historic designation of American landmarks. (Anyone can submit public comment to Beasley<a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/contactus.htm"> through the National Register of Historic Places</a>.)&nbsp;</p>

St. Francis Wood is already exclusive—with <a href="https://www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Saint-Francis-Wood-San-Francisco-CA.html">38% of the population density</a> of the rest of San Francisco. If it were allowed to avoid the densification brought about by SB 9, while the remainder of the city began subdividing lots, it would only grow more so. San Francisco has until next year to create a plan for 82,000 new housing units, under the terms of the looming, <a href="https://www.sfhousingelement.org/about-housing-element">updated Housing Element</a>, a wonkily named process by which the city has to account for its housing deficit or risk being penalized.

<p>St. Francis Wood is already exclusive—with <a href="https://www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Saint-Francis-Wood-San-Francisco-CA.html">38% of the population density</a> of the rest of San Francisco. If it were allowed to avoid the densification brought about by SB 9, while the remainder of the city began subdividing lots, it would only grow more so. San Francisco has until next year to create a plan for 82,000 new housing units, under the terms of the looming, <a href="https://www.sfhousingelement.org/about-housing-element">updated Housing Element</a>, a wonkily named process by which the city has to account for its housing deficit or risk being penalized.</p>

Eighty-two thousand units is a lot of new housing—urgently needed housing, at that. There’s no way for San Francisco to reach its state-mandated goal if neighborhoods like St. Francis Wood are allowed to opt out of their contribution.&nbsp;

<p>Eighty-two thousand units is a lot of new housing—urgently needed housing, at that. There’s no way for San Francisco to reach its state-mandated goal if neighborhoods like St. Francis Wood are allowed to opt out of their contribution.&nbsp;</p>

In the summer of 2020, Black Lives Matter protesters toppled statues that commemorated our racist past. Why should we now enshrine housing monuments to our racist housing past?&nbsp;

<p>In the summer of 2020, Black Lives Matter protesters toppled statues that commemorated our racist past. Why should we now enshrine housing monuments to our racist housing past?&nbsp;</p>

<em>Follow Joe on Twitter at @DiMentor&nbsp;</em>

<p><em>Follow Joe on Twitter at @DiMentor&nbsp;</em></p>

Let’s topple the housing monuments of our racist past, starting with St. Francis Wood

Opinion: Let’s topple the housing monuments of our racist past, starting with St. Francis Wood

Christina Campodonico

It’s 10 a.m. on a Sunday, but the air is filled with the click of laptop keys in a sunken living room of sorts in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley. Fingers race, annotating graphs and charts, filling in spreadsheets and populating Word docs. The low-lit, brick-walled space, decorated with banners of Harry Potter’s magical houses and macrame wall art, feels like a cross between a college library and an underground cafe.

<p>It’s 10 a.m. on a Sunday, but the air is filled with the click of laptop keys in a sunken living room of sorts in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley. Fingers race, annotating graphs and charts, filling in spreadsheets and populating Word docs. The low-lit, brick-walled space, decorated with banners of Harry Potter’s magical houses and macrame wall art, feels like a cross between a college library and an underground cafe.</p>

But this is not a coffeehouse nor a sleek coworking spot. This is <a href="https://www.thesfcommons.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Commons</a>, a community space where dues-paying members can get together daily for a writing marathon or to discuss the finer points of art, spirituality or technology salon-style in a meditative living area. And those in the know can post up in the members-only space on Sundays, when it’s open to the public.

<p>But this is not a coffeehouse nor a sleek coworking spot. This is <a href="https://www.thesfcommons.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Commons</a>, a community space where dues-paying members can get together daily for a writing marathon or to discuss the finer points of art, spirituality or technology salon-style in a meditative living area. And those in the know can post up in the members-only space on Sundays, when it’s open to the public.</p>

The <a href="https://sfstandard.com/technology/what-is-cerebral-valley-san-franciscos-nerdiest-new-neighborhood/">“Cerebral Valley</a>” hub bills itself as a “home outside of home” that’s “dedicated to open-ended curiosity, co-created play [and] collective flourishing in the heart of San Francisco.”

<p>The <a href="https://sfstandard.com/technology/what-is-cerebral-valley-san-franciscos-nerdiest-new-neighborhood/">“Cerebral Valley</a>” hub bills itself as a “home outside of home” that’s “dedicated to open-ended curiosity, co-created play [and] collective flourishing in the heart of San Francisco.”</p>

As San Francisco has emerged from the pandemic, new spaces for building connections—what sociologists might call “<a href="https://www.pps.org/article/roldenburg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">third places</a>” or “third spaces”—are sprouting up in response to remote work and the “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/20/nyregion/loneliness-epidemic.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">epidemic of loneliness</a>” it has fed.

<p>As San Francisco has emerged from the pandemic, new spaces for building connections—what sociologists might call “<a href="https://www.pps.org/article/roldenburg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">third places</a>” or “third spaces”—are sprouting up in response to remote work and the “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/20/nyregion/loneliness-epidemic.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">epidemic of loneliness</a>” it has fed.</p>

Nearly half of Americans <a href="https://www.americansurveycenter.org/research/the-state-of-american-friendship-change-challenges-and-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported losing touch with at least a few friends</a> during the first year of the pandemic, according to 2021 findings from the Survey Center on American Life. In addition to the isolating impacts of Covid, other factors—such as the <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/02/25/marriage-declining-single-dating-taxes-relationships" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">delaying of marriage and children</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/22/us-churches-closing-religion-covid-christianity" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the decline of organized religion</a> and <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90350407/the-death-and-unlikely-rebirth-of-the-american-social-club" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dropping membership in old-school social clubs</a>—could also be contributing to a generalized feeling of loneliness in our nation.

<p>Nearly half of Americans <a href="https://www.americansurveycenter.org/research/the-state-of-american-friendship-change-challenges-and-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported losing touch with at least a few friends</a> during the first year of the pandemic, according to 2021 findings from the Survey Center on American Life. In addition to the isolating impacts of Covid, other factors—such as the <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/02/25/marriage-declining-single-dating-taxes-relationships" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">delaying of marriage and children</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/22/us-churches-closing-religion-covid-christianity" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the decline of organized religion</a> and <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90350407/the-death-and-unlikely-rebirth-of-the-american-social-club" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dropping membership in old-school social clubs</a>—could also be contributing to a generalized feeling of loneliness in our nation.</p>

Manning Edson, left, and Clair Robinson, enjoy the backyard of Neon, a new neighborhood hub, during a soft opening on Thursday, May 25, 2023, in San Francisco, Calif. | Paul Kuroda for The Standard


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/INLINED01_FriendshipClubs_051023-2500x1666.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-165534"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Manning Edson, left, and Clair Robinson enjoy the backyard of Neon, a new neighborhood hub, on Thursday. | Paul Kuroda for The Standard</figcaption></figure>


But the loss of office life may be a particular factor in the Bay Area. While other parts of the country are getting back to the office, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/san-francisco-is-losing-billions-a-year-in-local-spending-to-remote-working/">46% of Bay Area workers are clocking in from home</a>. Is it any wonder many of us are feeling a bit lonely?

<p>But the loss of office life may be a particular factor in the Bay Area. While other parts of the country are getting back to the office, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/san-francisco-is-losing-billions-a-year-in-local-spending-to-remote-working/">46% of Bay Area workers are clocking in from home</a>. Is it any wonder many of us are feeling a bit lonely?</p>

While all of these new private San Francisco social clubs and spaces offer some element of coworking, some are focused on niche circles or serving one neighborhood at a time. Others specifically tout themselves as <a href="https://sfstandard.com/community/this-new-200-per-month-friendship-startup-already-has-a-waitlist/">venues for making friends</a>. All of them, however, are geared toward building community.

<p>While all of these new private San Francisco social clubs and spaces offer some element of coworking, some are focused on niche circles or serving one neighborhood at a time. Others specifically tout themselves as <a href="https://sfstandard.com/community/this-new-200-per-month-friendship-startup-already-has-a-waitlist/">venues for making friends</a>. All of them, however, are geared toward building community.</p>

A friend and I visited the Commons on a recent Sunday. After an hour of concentrated writing, the crowd thinned out, but some stayed behind to talk about their epic weekend on the slopes, aspirations of abandoning their “Google money” for a more meaningful vocation or dreams of creating a utopic life of communal living.

<p>A friend and I visited the Commons on a recent Sunday. After an hour of concentrated writing, the crowd thinned out, but some stayed behind to talk about their epic weekend on the slopes, aspirations of abandoning their “Google money” for a more meaningful vocation or dreams of creating a utopic life of communal living.</p>

On the ride-share to our next destination, I asked my friend what she thought of the Commons.

<p>On the ride-share to our next destination, I asked my friend what she thought of the Commons.</p>

“Honestly, I wouldn’t go with there with the intention to write,” she said. “I would go to make friends.”

<p>“Honestly, I wouldn’t go with there with the intention to write,” she said. “I would go to make friends.”</p>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-commons-college-campus-vibes">The Commons: College Campus Vibes&nbsp;</h2>


<h2 id="h-the-commons-college-campus-vibes">The Commons: College Campus Vibes&nbsp;</h2>

Creating a clubhouse specifically to foster friendship was not the primary intention behind establishing the Commons, said co-founder Patricia Mou. But just as enduring bonds are often forged on a college campus, the Commons offers a chance for interactions that may have long-lasting effects.

<p>Creating a clubhouse specifically to foster friendship was not the primary intention behind establishing the Commons, said co-founder Patricia Mou. But just as enduring bonds are often forged on a college campus, the Commons offers a chance for interactions that may have long-lasting effects.</p>

The concept for the space, inspired by <a href="https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780195104301.001.0001/acref-9780195104301-e-137" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the European Enlightenment cafes of yore</a>, was born out of a brainstorming session hosted by Mou about a year ago, where people with an interest in shared spaces discussed what they would want their ideal “third place” to look and feel like. Mou teamed up with Adi Melamed, launched a GoFundMe campaign and, by September 2022, <a href="https://www.patriciamou.com/newsletter-archive/the-journey-masterlist-of-3rd-spaces" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">opened</a> the for-profit member space.

<p>The concept for the space, inspired by <a href="https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780195104301.001.0001/acref-9780195104301-e-137" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the European Enlightenment cafes of yore</a>, was born out of a brainstorming session hosted by Mou about a year ago, where people with an interest in shared spaces discussed what they would want their ideal “third place” to look and feel like. Mou teamed up with Adi Melamed, launched a GoFundMe campaign and, by September 2022, <a href="https://www.patriciamou.com/newsletter-archive/the-journey-masterlist-of-3rd-spaces" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">opened</a> the for-profit member space.</p>

Mou was shy about sharing the Commons’ membership rates but said that dues are based on a sliding scale depending on applicants’ financial situations and that the organization offers scholarships for people who can’t afford the full fees. Mou said the Commons isn’t financed by venture capital and uses the funds primarily to pay rent and keep the lights on.

<p>Mou was shy about sharing the Commons’ membership rates but said that dues are based on a sliding scale depending on applicants’ financial situations and that the organization offers scholarships for people who can’t afford the full fees. Mou said the Commons isn’t financed by venture capital and uses the funds primarily to pay rent and keep the lights on.</p>

“We&#8217;re just kind of a small-medium business,” Mou said.

<p>“We're just kind of a small-medium business,” Mou said.</p>

<p>“We&#8217;re just kind of a small-medium business,” Mou said.</p>

The aim, Mou said, is to re-create the intellectual openness and curiosity of the college experience through a physical space where members’ commonalities are shared values rather than shared occupation or industry. Mou is secretive about how members are selected, but applicants must fill out <a href="https://tally.so/r/wM0QE3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a questionnaire</a> that asks about their creative hobbies or “What rabbit holes or curiosities have you been pursuing or would like to go deeper on?” She likens the Commons to a public-private living room.

<p>The aim, Mou said, is to re-create the intellectual openness and curiosity of the college experience through a physical space where members’ commonalities are shared values rather than shared occupation or industry. Mou is secretive about how members are selected, but applicants must fill out <a href="https://tally.so/r/wM0QE3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a questionnaire</a> that asks about their creative hobbies or “What rabbit holes or curiosities have you been pursuing or would like to go deeper on?” She likens the Commons to a public-private living room.</p>

Owner Teddy Kramer with his dog Bea Bea at the soft opening of Neon, a new neighborhood hub on Thursday, May 25, 2023, in San Francisco, Calif. | Paul Kuroda for The Standard


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/INLINED02_FriendshipClubs_051023-2500x1878.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-165538"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Neon owner Teddy Kramer with his dog, Bea Bea, at the soft opening of his new neighborhood hub in San Francisco. | Paul Kuroda for The Standard</figcaption></figure>


“We are trying to build San Francisco&#8217;s communal living room for people to be able to take a step back from the daily grind of life [&#8230;] to explore their curiosities,” Mou said. “Why does that have to stop post-graduating?”

<p>“We are trying to build San Francisco's communal living room for people to be able to take a step back from the daily grind of life [...] to explore their curiosities,” Mou said. “Why does that have to stop post-graduating?”</p>

<p>“We are trying to build San Francisco&#8217;s communal living room for people to be able to take a step back from the daily grind of life [&#8230;] to explore their curiosities,” Mou said. “Why does that have to stop post-graduating?”</p>

The living room vibe is member Joshua Vounatsos’ favorite part of the Commons. He moved to San Francisco from Berlin to pursue graduate studies in the South Bay and joined the Commons to have a foothold in the city where he could hang out and study outside his tiny studio apartment. He appreciates being able to stop in for a coffee break, wind down after work, take a class or strike up a casual conversation with a fellow member. He wasn’t yearning for friendship when he moved to the city, but, he said, “I would say friendship is a side effect.”

<p>The living room vibe is member Joshua Vounatsos’ favorite part of the Commons. He moved to San Francisco from Berlin to pursue graduate studies in the South Bay and joined the Commons to have a foothold in the city where he could hang out and study outside his tiny studio apartment. He appreciates being able to stop in for a coffee break, wind down after work, take a class or strike up a casual conversation with a fellow member. He wasn’t yearning for friendship when he moved to the city, but, he said, “I would say friendship is a side effect.”</p>

Neon: ‘The Neighborhood Is the New Downtown’&nbsp;


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neon-the-neighborhood-is-the-new-downtown">Neon: ‘The Neighborhood Is the New Downtown’&nbsp;</h2>


<h2 id="h-neon-the-neighborhood-is-the-new-downtown">Neon: ‘The Neighborhood Is the New Downtown’&nbsp;</h2>

Stern Grove Festival returns with Too Short, Toro y Moi, Taj Mahal and more

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Can ‘friendship clubs’ cure the loneliness created by the remote work era?

The Standard weekend guide to SF events & entertainment—Aug. 25-28

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Stern Grove Festival returns with Too Short, Toro y Moi, Taj Mahal and more

Matt Haney shares secrets to Assembly victory, rejects criticism on housing

Opinion: Let’s topple the housing monuments of our racist past, starting with St. Francis Wood

Can ‘friendship clubs’ cure the loneliness created by the remote work era?

The Standard weekend guide to SF events & entertainment—Aug. 25-28