Matt Smith

David Sjostedt

Edwin Armando Alvarez relaxed in UN Plaza near City Hall on a recent Friday, dragging on a cocaine pipe and recounting some of the times he nearly died from drugs. His first overdose was at age 12, he said, continuing to the most recent one when he awoke in an ambulance after a paramedic gave him three doses of the opioid antidote naloxone and advised: “You’re really lucky.”

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<p>Edwin Armando Alvarez relaxed in UN Plaza near City Hall on a recent Friday, dragging on a cocaine pipe and recounting some of the times he nearly died from drugs. His first overdose was at age 12, he said, continuing to the most recent one when he awoke in an ambulance after a paramedic gave him three doses of the opioid antidote naloxone and advised: “You’re really lucky.”</p>

Punch line complete, Alvarez turned back to his pipe, identifying in the cocaine resin what he said were yellow flecks of fentanyl, a cheap and powerful synthetic opioid that is often found as an adulterant in street drugs.

<p>Punch line complete, Alvarez turned back to his pipe, identifying in the cocaine resin what he said were yellow flecks of fentanyl, a cheap and powerful synthetic opioid that is often found as an adulterant in street drugs.</p>

“I’m doing my best not to let myself die,” he said. “I keep Narcan on me, and I give it to myself if I feel tired or exhausted.”

<p>“I’m doing my best not to let myself die,” he said. “I keep Narcan on me, and I give it to myself if I feel tired or exhausted.”</p>

Edwin Armando Alvarez sits on a curb and speaks about his experiences with drug use at the United Nations Plaza in San Francisco Calif., on Friday, June 24, 2022. | Ben Fanjoy for The Standard.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="1667" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/OverdoseReversals_002-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-58164"/><figcaption>Edwin Armando Alvarez in United Nations Plaza in San Francisco Calif., on Friday, June 24, 2022. Alvarez has overdosed multiple times and now takes naloxone if he feels &#8220;tired or exhausted.&#8221; | Benjamin Fanjoy for The Standard</figcaption></figure>


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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/OverdoseReversals_002-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-58164"/><figcaption>Edwin Armando Alvarez in United Nations Plaza in San Francisco Calif., on Friday, June 24, 2022. Alvarez has overdosed multiple times and now takes naloxone if he feels "tired or exhausted." | Benjamin Fanjoy for The Standard</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/OverdoseReversals_002-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-58164"/><figcaption>Edwin Armando Alvarez in United Nations Plaza in San Francisco Calif., on Friday, June 24, 2022. Alvarez has overdosed multiple times and now takes naloxone if he feels &#8220;tired or exhausted.&#8221; | Benjamin Fanjoy for The Standard</figcaption></figure>

Alvarez and others who’ve overdosed multiple times and been revived with Narcan, a brand of naloxone, are easy to find in tents along San Francisco sidewalks, in parks, in doorways, and all-too-often in the morgue. The Standard interviewed seven of them just by strolling around Downtown San Francisco. But they’re all but invisible to city leaders, even though overdoses are currently killing <a href="https://sf.gov/sites/default/files/2022-06/2022%2006_OCME%20Overdose%20Report.pdf">around a dozen people</a> a week in SF.

<p>Alvarez and others who’ve overdosed multiple times and been revived with Narcan, a brand of naloxone, are easy to find in tents along San Francisco sidewalks, in parks, in doorways, and all-too-often in the morgue. The Standard interviewed seven of them just by strolling around Downtown San Francisco. But they’re all but invisible to city leaders, even though overdoses are currently killing <a href="https://sf.gov/sites/default/files/2022-06/2022%2006_OCME%20Overdose%20Report.pdf">around a dozen people</a> a week in SF.</p>

That&#8217;s because the city contractor that distributes naloxone, and which the city relies upon for overdose reversal data, collects only limited information about overdose victims. In fact, it stopped keeping track of certain basic healthcare data as of Jan. 1, 2021, according to documents obtained via public records request. The health condition of naloxone recipients, when and where overdose reversals occur, how many people are revived multiple times, or what the long-term prognosis is for naloxone recipients are among the facts not collected.

<p>That's because the city contractor that distributes naloxone, and which the city relies upon for overdose reversal data, collects only limited information about overdose victims. In fact, it stopped keeping track of certain basic healthcare data as of Jan. 1, 2021, according to documents obtained via public records request. The health condition of naloxone recipients, when and where overdose reversals occur, how many people are revived multiple times, or what the long-term prognosis is for naloxone recipients are among the facts not collected.</p>

<p>That&#8217;s because the city contractor that distributes naloxone, and which the city relies upon for overdose reversal data, collects only limited information about overdose victims. In fact, it stopped keeping track of certain basic healthcare data as of Jan. 1, 2021, according to documents obtained via public records request. The health condition of naloxone recipients, when and where overdose reversals occur, how many people are revived multiple times, or what the long-term prognosis is for naloxone recipients are among the facts not collected.</p>

The failure to obtain basic data is among the most dramatic indications that several years into an overdose epidemic that claimed 1,354 lives during 2020 and 2021—about twice as many as Covid—San Francisco lacks a coordinated public health strategy to address the use of fentanyl, a cheap, powerful opioid that’s smoked, injected and often used as an additive in other drugs.&nbsp;

<p>The failure to obtain basic data is among the most dramatic indications that several years into an overdose epidemic that claimed 1,354 lives during 2020 and 2021—about twice as many as Covid—San Francisco lacks a coordinated public health strategy to address the use of fentanyl, a cheap, powerful opioid that’s smoked, injected and often used as an additive in other drugs.&nbsp;</p>

“There’s no way to make progress without data because you don’t know what the problem is,” said Keith Humphreys, a professor of public mental health and population sciences at Stanford University. “If you don’t have that, any coherent strategy would be based on guessing.”

<p>“There’s no way to make progress without data because you don’t know what the problem is,” said Keith Humphreys, a professor of public mental health and population sciences at Stanford University. “If you don’t have that, any coherent strategy would be based on guessing.”</p>

In a statement, the San Francisco Department of Public Health said the Drug Overdose Prevention and Education (DOPE) Project stopped collecting certain information in order to simplify data collection, improve accuracy, engage with overdose victims, and be able to hand out more naloxone. The most important data, the statement said, is whether or not someone asked for a naloxone refill, which the agency does keep track of.

<p>In a statement, the San Francisco Department of Public Health said the Drug Overdose Prevention and Education (DOPE) Project stopped collecting certain information in order to simplify data collection, improve accuracy, engage with overdose victims, and be able to hand out more naloxone. The most important data, the statement said, is whether or not someone asked for a naloxone refill, which the agency does keep track of.</p>

Andrea Figueroa, project manager of the DOPE Project, added in an email that the idea in reducing data collection was “to streamline and maximize Naloxone distribution.”&nbsp;

<p>Andrea Figueroa, project manager of the DOPE Project, added in an email that the idea in reducing data collection was “to streamline and maximize Naloxone distribution.”&nbsp;</p>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Lives Saved, but for How Long?</h2>


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Pedestrians stroll UN Plaza in the Civic Center of San Francisco, Calif. on June 28, 2022. | Camille Cohen/The Standard


<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright size-full is-resized"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/FentanylPolicy_005.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-58172" width="396" height="396"/><figcaption>Pedestrians stroll UN Plaza in the Civic Center near City Hall in San Francisco on June 28, 2022. | Camille Cohen/The Standard</figcaption></figure></div>


Mayor London Breed’s current budget proposal includes $340 million for mental health, substance use and overdose investments between 2020 and 2023. But the steps she has taken so far—including a state of emergency declaration for the Tenderloin District, stepped up <a href="https://sfstandard.com/public-health/urban-alchemy-security-sf-tenderloin-shooting-patrol/">security patrols</a> and the opening of a so-called “linkage center” to steer those who use drugs into treatment—fall well short of a comprehensive public health approach, drug policy experts say. The “linkage center” <a href="https://sfstandard.com/public-health/controversial-tenderloin-center-to-shutter-in-december/">is already slated for closure</a>.

<p>Mayor London Breed’s current budget proposal includes $340 million for mental health, substance use and overdose investments between 2020 and 2023. But the steps she has taken so far—including a state of emergency declaration for the Tenderloin District, stepped up <a href="https://sfstandard.com/public-health/urban-alchemy-security-sf-tenderloin-shooting-patrol/">security patrols</a> and the opening of a so-called “linkage center” to steer those who use drugs into treatment—fall well short of a comprehensive public health approach, drug policy experts say. The “linkage center” <a href="https://sfstandard.com/public-health/controversial-tenderloin-center-to-shutter-in-december/">is already slated for closure</a>.</p>

At the same time, the DOPE Project has grown into what its managers say is the largest single-city naloxone distribution program in the country, claiming to have trained more than 13,000 people to administer the drug since it began in 2003. The National<strong> </strong>Harm Reduction Coalition receives $365,276 for these services during the current fiscal year, part of what the health department said is its larger overdose prevention strategy.

<p>At the same time, the DOPE Project has grown into what its managers say is the largest single-city naloxone distribution program in the country, claiming to have trained more than 13,000 people to administer the drug since it began in 2003. The National<strong> </strong>Harm Reduction Coalition receives $365,276 for these services during the current fiscal year, part of what the health department said is its larger overdose prevention strategy.</p>

During the first quarter of this year, it recorded 950 halted overdoses, while handing out 3,500 doses of naloxone, likely saving additional lives. As such, the program is a standard-bearer for the city’s commitment to harm reduction, a policy that seeks to protect people’s health as much as possible while not stigmatizing drug use. The idea is to keep people who use alive by not making them wary of healthcare.

<p>During the first quarter of this year, it recorded 950 halted overdoses, while handing out 3,500 doses of naloxone, likely saving additional lives. As such, the program is a standard-bearer for the city’s commitment to harm reduction, a policy that seeks to protect people’s health as much as possible while not stigmatizing drug use. The idea is to keep people who use alive by not making them wary of healthcare.</p>

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The DOPE Project is run by the National Harm Reduction Coalition, a nonprofit committed to fighting the criminalization of drug use and advancing the rights of marginalized and non-white people the organization says have been victims of the war on drugs. Harm reduction advocates are now <a href="https://sfstandard.com/public-health/much-touted-tenderloin-linkage-center-morphs-into-a-safe-consumption-site-for-drug-use-despite-legal-risks/">pushing the city to open so-called safe-consumption sites</a>, where people can use drugs in a supervised environment.

<p>The DOPE Project is run by the National Harm Reduction Coalition, a nonprofit committed to fighting the criminalization of drug use and advancing the rights of marginalized and non-white people the organization says have been victims of the war on drugs. Harm reduction advocates are now <a href="https://sfstandard.com/public-health/much-touted-tenderloin-linkage-center-morphs-into-a-safe-consumption-site-for-drug-use-despite-legal-risks/">pushing the city to open so-called safe-consumption sites</a>, where people can use drugs in a supervised environment.</p>

Yet the DOPE Project operates with an agenda apart from other entities involved in the fentanyl problem. Alex Kral, a researcher with the think tank RTI International who has published multiple studies on San Francisco’s fentanyl crisis and the DOPE Project’s work distributing naloxone, was flummoxed when asked if the city has a cohesive strategy to fight drug overdoses.

<p>Yet the DOPE Project operates with an agenda apart from other entities involved in the fentanyl problem. Alex Kral, a researcher with the think tank RTI International who has published multiple studies on San Francisco’s fentanyl crisis and the DOPE Project’s work distributing naloxone, was flummoxed when asked if the city has a cohesive strategy to fight drug overdoses.</p>

“That&#8217;s a good question. I don&#8217;t have the answer,” he said. But “I&nbsp;think [that] line of questioning is really important.”

<p>“That's a good question. I don't have the answer,” he said. But “I&nbsp;think [that] line of questioning is really important.”</p>

<p>“That&#8217;s a good question. I don&#8217;t have the answer,” he said. But “I&nbsp;think [that] line of questioning is really important.”</p>

Kral said the city has fallen far short of complying with its official policy of providing treatment on demand.

<p>Kral said the city has fallen far short of complying with its official policy of providing treatment on demand.</p>

“They don’t have enough treatment slots,” said Kral. “Where are they linking to? Where&#8217;s all the methadone slots that come at no cost to the user? We need more treatment. And then we need to make sure that there are places for people to go where they&#8217;re monitored when they&#8217;re using drugs.&#8221;

<p>“They don’t have enough treatment slots,” said Kral. “Where are they linking to? Where's all the methadone slots that come at no cost to the user? We need more treatment. And then we need to make sure that there are places for people to go where they're monitored when they're using drugs."</p>

<p>“They don’t have enough treatment slots,” said Kral. “Where are they linking to? Where&#8217;s all the methadone slots that come at no cost to the user? We need more treatment. And then we need to make sure that there are places for people to go where they&#8217;re monitored when they&#8217;re using drugs.&#8221;</p>

At the time of publication, there were 26 spaces available for short-term residential treatment, 22 spaces available for longer-term programs, and 10 available for detox treatment to help those with substance abuse disorders manage withdrawal systems as they stop using drugs, according to city data. The city provides 500 such beds in total.

<p>At the time of publication, there were 26 spaces available for short-term residential treatment, 22 spaces available for longer-term programs, and 10 available for detox treatment to help those with substance abuse disorders manage withdrawal systems as they stop using drugs, according to city data. The city provides 500 such beds in total.</p>

Supervisor Dean Preston recently called a special hearing about the lack of a comprehensive plan to fight overdoses.

<p>Supervisor Dean Preston recently called a special hearing about the lack of a comprehensive plan to fight overdoses.</p>

“The city has no comprehensive plan to address overdoses, despite the extent of the crisis and the tragic loss of so many lives,” he said. “We need to bring city leaders, public health experts and community stakeholders together to chart a path forward to solve this crisis, save lives and prevent further suffering.”

<p>“The city has no comprehensive plan to address overdoses, despite the extent of the crisis and the tragic loss of so many lives,” he said. “We need to bring city leaders, public health experts and community stakeholders together to chart a path forward to solve this crisis, save lives and prevent further suffering.”</p>

In an emailed statement, the Department of Public Health said the city does have a “comprehensive multi-pronged plan to prevent overdose.” It involves educating people about overdoses, handing out naloxone, providing addiction treatment, and combating the view that taking illegal drugs is shameful. The city also has programs to train paramedics in helping overdose victims seek services, providing a day shelter for those who are addicted, and working to coordinate various treatment and housing services, the statement said.

<p>In an emailed statement, the Department of Public Health said the city does have a “comprehensive multi-pronged plan to prevent overdose.” It involves educating people about overdoses, handing out naloxone, providing addiction treatment, and combating the view that taking illegal drugs is shameful. The city also has programs to train paramedics in helping overdose victims seek services, providing a day shelter for those who are addicted, and working to coordinate various treatment and housing services, the statement said.</p>

The statement did not include data showing whether or not its programs were successful. But the health department said in a January press release that a decline in overdose deaths from 2021 to 2020 of about 13% may represent a “leveling off” of deaths “with the support of new City investments in substance use treatment, mental health, housing and other services.”

<p>The statement did not include data showing whether or not its programs were successful. But the health department said in a January press release that a decline in overdose deaths from 2021 to 2020 of about 13% may represent a “leveling off” of deaths “with the support of new City investments in substance use treatment, mental health, housing and other services.”</p>

According to the National Association of County and City Health Officials, a comprehensive response to the opioid epidemic should begin with monitoring and surveillance to collect information guiding “public health investigation and response.” Once so armed, such a policy could guide access to services for prevention, treatment and recovery, according to the association’s guide for local health officials. The program also includes harm reduction strategies.

<p>According to the National Association of County and City Health Officials, a comprehensive response to the opioid epidemic should begin with monitoring and surveillance to collect information guiding “public health investigation and response.” Once so armed, such a policy could guide access to services for prevention, treatment and recovery, according to the association’s guide for local health officials. The program also includes harm reduction strategies.</p>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-drug-busts-cause-overdoses">Can Drug Busts Cause Overdoses?&nbsp;</h2>


<h2 id="h-can-drug-busts-cause-overdoses">Can Drug Busts Cause Overdoses?&nbsp;</h2>

Jordan Arther discusses his experiences using Narcan to revitalize people on the streets who’ve suffered overdoses in the SoMa District of San Francisco, Calif. on June 28, 2022. | Camille Cohen/The Standard


<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright size-full is-resized"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/FentanylPolicy_002.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-58187" width="440" height="440"/><figcaption>Jordan Arther is one of many on the streets of San Francisco&nbsp;who&nbsp;have used naloxone to&nbsp;rescue&nbsp;people who have&nbsp;overdosed<strong>.</strong> | Camille Cohen/The Standard</figcaption></figure></div>


Until last year, the DOPE Project collected data on naloxone recipients’ drug use, overdose history, the type of drugs they overdosed on, and where the overdose occurred, reporting the numbers to the city every three months.

<p>Until last year, the DOPE Project collected data on naloxone recipients’ drug use, overdose history, the type of drugs they overdosed on, and where the overdose occurred, reporting the numbers to the city every three months.</p>

But in March of 2021, the Harm Reduction Coalition told the city it had stopped asking about these things. The idea, according to a memo obtained through a public records request, was to streamline naloxone distribution and make the process easier for the uninitiated.

<p>But in March of 2021, the Harm Reduction Coalition told the city it had stopped asking about these things. The idea, according to a memo obtained through a public records request, was to streamline naloxone distribution and make the process easier for the uninitiated.</p>

As the DOPE Project was reducing its collection of health data, it was also making controversial policy claims to city health officials, underscoring the extent to which the various city agencies responding to the fentanyl problem often work at cross-purposes.

<p>As the DOPE Project was reducing its collection of health data, it was also making controversial policy claims to city health officials, underscoring the extent to which the various city agencies responding to the fentanyl problem often work at cross-purposes.</p>

Police seizures of drugs, far from being a helpful step in combating addiction, were cited by the DOPE Project as a cause of overdoses—the idea being that fentanyl shortages cause jonesing among those suffering from addiction, leading them to accidentally overdose when finally getting a dose from an unfamiliar supply.&nbsp;

<p>Police seizures of drugs, far from being a helpful step in combating addiction, were cited by the DOPE Project as a cause of overdoses—the idea being that fentanyl shortages cause jonesing among those suffering from addiction, leading them to accidentally overdose when finally getting a dose from an unfamiliar supply.&nbsp;</p>

“These overdoses are the result of a chaotic and unpredictable street market, especially as federal operations continue to target the Tenderloin and people living in poverty,” asserted a 2021 “Trainings &amp; Announcements” memo sent from the Dope Project to the health department.

<p>“These overdoses are the result of a chaotic and unpredictable street market, especially as federal operations continue to target the Tenderloin and people living in poverty,” asserted a 2021 “Trainings &amp; Announcements” memo sent from the Dope Project to the health department.</p>

The DOPE Project has issued a number of such warnings, including one to city healthcare leaders after federal agents conducted a raid in December 2020 advising of “major street supply disruptions as early as this weekend and into next week. We believe the hardest hit communities will be people experiencing homelessness and extreme poverty in the Tenderloin, South of Market, and Mission neighborhoods.”

<p>The DOPE Project has issued a number of such warnings, including one to city healthcare leaders after federal agents conducted a raid in December 2020 advising of “major street supply disruptions as early as this weekend and into next week. We believe the hardest hit communities will be people experiencing homelessness and extreme poverty in the Tenderloin, South of Market, and Mission neighborhoods.”</p>

Police Chief Bill Scott, meanwhile, has called for funds to hire more officers, stating that&nbsp;“the investment of personnel to address [drug overdoses], is just as important as the investment of personnel to address shootings, stabbings and other types of violent crime that leads to murder.”

<p>Police Chief Bill Scott, meanwhile, has called for funds to hire more officers, stating that&nbsp;“the investment of personnel to address [drug overdoses], is just as important as the investment of personnel to address shootings, stabbings and other types of violent crime that leads to murder.”</p>

Academic studies have produced scant evidence for the view that police raids reduce drug use and therefore overdoses. Nor is there a large body of evidence for the opposite, that such raids worsen fentanyl overdose rates in San Francisco.

<p>Academic studies have produced scant evidence for the view that police raids reduce drug use and therefore overdoses. Nor is there a large body of evidence for the opposite, that such raids worsen fentanyl overdose rates in San Francisco.</p>

The Standard asked the health department whether the city believes, as a matter of policy, that police actions taking fentanyl off the street are harmful. The department did not answer the question, but said in a statement that it had sent flyers to the police department describing drug treatment services, with the idea that officers could hand them out to people who use.

<p>The Standard asked the health department whether the city believes, as a matter of policy, that police actions taking fentanyl off the street are harmful. The department did not answer the question, but said in a statement that it had sent flyers to the police department describing drug treatment services, with the idea that officers could hand them out to people who use.</p>

The police department did not respond to multiple inquiries about what its policy is when officers encounter someone who is overdosing, but did send data showing that officers reversed 145 overdoses in 2021.&nbsp;

<p>The police department did not respond to multiple inquiries about what its policy is when officers encounter someone who is overdosing, but did send data showing that officers reversed 145 overdoses in 2021.&nbsp;</p>

The DOPE Project has also disputed the widely held view that people have been overdosing on adulterated cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine, without realizing they’d also ingested fentanyl.

<p>The DOPE Project has also disputed the widely held view that people have been overdosing on adulterated cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine, without realizing they’d also ingested fentanyl.</p>


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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="2500" width="2500" data-id="58184" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/FentanylPolicy_003-1-2500x2500.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-58184"/></figure>
<figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption">A group of people&nbsp;lie<strong>&nbsp;</strong>on the ground in the Tenderloin on Monday, July 4, 2022, left, while a woman,&nbsp;who&nbsp;asked for her name to be&nbsp;withheld, right, points to a NARCAN&nbsp;container. | Benjamin Fanjoy for The Standard </figcaption></figure>


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<figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption">A group of people&nbsp;lie<strong>&nbsp;</strong>on the ground in the Tenderloin on Monday, July 4, 2022, left, while a woman,&nbsp;who&nbsp;asked for her name to be&nbsp;withheld, right, points to a NARCAN&nbsp;container. | Benjamin Fanjoy for The Standard </figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/FentanylPolicy_006-1-2500x2500.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-58181"/></figure><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/FentanylPolicy_003-1-2500x2500.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-58184"/></figure><figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption">A group of people&nbsp;lie<strong>&nbsp;</strong>on the ground in the Tenderloin on Monday, July 4, 2022, left, while a woman,&nbsp;who&nbsp;asked for her name to be&nbsp;withheld, right, points to a NARCAN&nbsp;container. | Benjamin Fanjoy for The Standard </figcaption></figure>

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<div class="wp-block-group"><figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/FentanylPolicy_006-1-2500x2500.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-58181"/></figure><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/FentanylPolicy_003-1-2500x2500.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-58184"/></figure><figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption">A group of people&nbsp;lie<strong>&nbsp;</strong>on the ground in the Tenderloin on Monday, July 4, 2022, left, while a woman,&nbsp;who&nbsp;asked for her name to be&nbsp;withheld, right, points to a NARCAN&nbsp;container. | Benjamin Fanjoy for The Standard </figcaption></figure></div>

In the December 2020 memo, a former DOPE Project manager wrote that there was “NO evidence whatsoever of widespread instances of fentanyl contaminating other drug supplies, like methamphetamine or cocaine,” instead blaming such claims on “false law enforcement narratives.”

<p>In the December 2020 memo, a former DOPE Project manager wrote that there was “NO evidence whatsoever of widespread instances of fentanyl contaminating other drug supplies, like methamphetamine or cocaine,” instead blaming such claims on “false law enforcement narratives.”</p>

Another DOPE Project memo added:<strong> </strong>“white powders and rocks all look the same and the War on Drugs creates an even more unpredictable market.”

<p>Another DOPE Project memo added:<strong> </strong>“white powders and rocks all look the same and the War on Drugs creates an even more unpredictable market.”</p>

&nbsp;The <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6727a4.htm">Centers for Disease Control</a> <a href="https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/han00395.asp">has published</a> <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6643e1.htm?s_cid=mm6643e1_w">multiple papers</a> showing widespread fentanyl contamination in traditional street narcotics such as heroin.

<p>&nbsp;The <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6727a4.htm">Centers for Disease Control</a> <a href="https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/han00395.asp">has published</a> <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6643e1.htm?s_cid=mm6643e1_w">multiple papers</a> showing widespread fentanyl contamination in traditional street narcotics such as heroin.</p>

Laura Guzman, director of capacity building and community mobilization at the National Harm Reduction Coalition, said in an email that the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s toxicology reports haven’t been able to prove somebody’s death was due to taking drugs tainted with fentanyl, meaning there was no proof of contamination. She did acknowledge that a March incident in the Mission that claimed three lives showed strong evidence of unintentional overdose.

<p>Laura Guzman, director of capacity building and community mobilization at the National Harm Reduction Coalition, said in an email that the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s toxicology reports haven’t been able to prove somebody’s death was due to taking drugs tainted with fentanyl, meaning there was no proof of contamination. She did acknowledge that a March incident in the Mission that claimed three lives showed strong evidence of unintentional overdose.</p>

An analysis by The Standard of two years of overdose data obtained from the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s office via records requests found that 64% of San Francisco drug overdoses during 2020 and 2021 involved fentanyl along with at least one other drug.

<p>An analysis by The Standard of two years of overdose data obtained from the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s office via records requests found that 64% of San Francisco drug overdoses during 2020 and 2021 involved fentanyl along with at least one other drug.</p>

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<div class="wp-block-column"><iframe title="San Francisco 2020-21 Overdose Deaths by Fentanyl Involvement" aria-label="Pie Chart" id="datawrapper-chart-wIsWR" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/wIsWR/5/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="569"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(e){if(void 0!==e.data["datawrapper-height"]){var t=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var a in e.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<t.length;r++){if(t[r].contentWindow===e.source)t[r].style.height=e.data["datawrapper-height"][a]+"px"}}}))}();
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<div class="wp-block-columns"><div class="wp-block-column"><iframe title="San Francisco 2020-21 Overdose Deaths by Fentanyl Involvement" aria-label="Pie Chart" id="datawrapper-chart-wIsWR" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/wIsWR/5/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="569"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(e){if(void 0!==e.data["datawrapper-height"]){var t=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var a in e.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<t.length;r++){if(t[r].contentWindow===e.source)t[r].style.height=e.data["datawrapper-height"][a]+"px"}}}))}();
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Of the half-dozen multiple-overdose victims The Standard talked to, most say they expect to overdose again, with hopes they’ll be revived with yet another dose of naloxone. It’s possible that there are thousands of them—dead people walking.

<p>Of the half-dozen multiple-overdose victims The Standard talked to, most say they expect to overdose again, with hopes they’ll be revived with yet another dose of naloxone. It’s possible that there are thousands of them—dead people walking.</p>

When Alvarez overdosed that first time at age 12, he said he was distraught over his parents&#8217; split and took all the pills in his stepfather’s bathroom cabinet, hoping to die.

<p>When Alvarez overdosed that first time at age 12, he said he was distraught over his parents' split and took all the pills in his stepfather’s bathroom cabinet, hoping to die.</p>

<p>When Alvarez overdosed that first time at age 12, he said he was distraught over his parents&#8217; split and took all the pills in his stepfather’s bathroom cabinet, hoping to die.</p>

Nowadays, when he overdoses, he says it’s unintentional. He just wants to do his coke without the fentanyl, but has overdosed by accident because it’s cut with fentanyl. With his stash of naloxone, Alvarez says he’s revived his friends, family members and strangers on the street from potentially fatal overdoses.

<p>Nowadays, when he overdoses, he says it’s unintentional. He just wants to do his coke without the fentanyl, but has overdosed by accident because it’s cut with fentanyl. With his stash of naloxone, Alvarez says he’s revived his friends, family members and strangers on the street from potentially fatal overdoses.</p>

After an overdose, he said, he’s elated to have yet again survived and to have another&nbsp;opportunity to raise his nine-year-old son.&nbsp;

<p>After an overdose, he said, he’s elated to have yet again survived and to have another&nbsp;opportunity to raise his nine-year-old son.&nbsp;</p>

“I’m like: ‘Thank you, God. Thank you, God. Oh my God.’”

<p>“I’m like: ‘Thank you, God. Thank you, God. Oh my God.’”</p>

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<em>Additional research by Hayden Fargo. </em>

<p><em>Additional research by Hayden Fargo. </em></p>

As the drug overdose crisis rages, city fails to collect data needed to fight it

Annie Gaus

Relaxed permitting rules have made it easier to open a storefront in San Francisco, but data shows that the city’s small-business sector isn’t exactly seeing a renaissance.

<p>Relaxed permitting rules have made it easier to open a storefront in San Francisco, but data shows that the city’s small-business sector isn’t exactly seeing a renaissance.</p>

Proposition H, a ballot measure that took effect late last year, saved time and money for some proprietors who opened new businesses this year. But the law doesn’t apply to much of the city, a limitation that city officials say has to be addressed.

<p>Proposition H, a ballot measure that took effect late last year, saved time and money for some proprietors who opened new businesses this year. But the law doesn’t apply to much of the city, a limitation that city officials say has to be addressed.</p>

“I do want to say that Prop H does save time for businesses&#8230;but only for businesses that are able to open where Prop H applies,” said Regina Dick-Endrizzi, executive director of the San Francisco Office of Small Business (OSB), at a Board of Supervisors hearing.&nbsp;

<p>“I do want to say that Prop H does save time for businesses...but only for businesses that are able to open where Prop H applies,” said Regina Dick-Endrizzi, executive director of the San Francisco Office of Small Business (OSB), at a Board of Supervisors hearing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I do want to say that Prop H does save time for businesses&#8230;but only for businesses that are able to open where Prop H applies,” said Regina Dick-Endrizzi, executive director of the San Francisco Office of Small Business (OSB), at a Board of Supervisors hearing.&nbsp;</p>

Proposition H, approved by voters in November 2020, sought to reform the city’s onerous permitting process by mandating 30-day approvals for “principally permitted” businesses—in other words, businesses already allowed under existing neighborhood zoning. It also required the Planning Department to create a single portal where businesses can seek permits, a process that can otherwise involve up to seven different city departments and impose costly delays.

<p>Proposition H, approved by voters in November 2020, sought to reform the city’s onerous permitting process by mandating 30-day approvals for “principally permitted” businesses—in other words, businesses already allowed under existing neighborhood zoning. It also required the Planning Department to create a single portal where businesses can seek permits, a process that can otherwise involve up to seven different city departments and impose costly delays.</p>

The reforms aimed to shore up a small business sector that was badly battered by the pandemic. In June, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce estimated that close to 50% of small businesses in the city remained closed.

<p>The reforms aimed to shore up a small business sector that was badly battered by the pandemic. In June, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce estimated that close to 50% of small businesses in the city remained closed.</p>

San Francisco small business owners are also more pessimistic about their prospects compared to their counterparts in other cities: According to the U.S. Census Small Business Pulse survey, proprietors in San Francisco expect a longer recovery time relative to the national average. That and other findings were published by the Controller’s Office in an <a href="https://sfcontroller.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Economic%20Analysis/Status%20of%20the%20Re-opening%20of%20the%20San%20Francisco%20economy%20August%202021.pdf">August 2021 report</a>, which also warned that low tourism and office attendance remain a drag on the city’s economic recovery.&nbsp;

<p>San Francisco small business owners are also more pessimistic about their prospects compared to their counterparts in other cities: According to the U.S. Census Small Business Pulse survey, proprietors in San Francisco expect a longer recovery time relative to the national average. That and other findings were published by the Controller’s Office in an <a href="https://sfcontroller.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Economic%20Analysis/Status%20of%20the%20Re-opening%20of%20the%20San%20Francisco%20economy%20August%202021.pdf">August 2021 report</a>, which also warned that low tourism and office attendance remain a drag on the city’s economic recovery.&nbsp;</p>

“We are still trailing in terms of small business recovery and still have a tremendous amount of work to do&#8230;it’s important that the city and its employees remember it’s going to take many years for small businesses to recover,” said Sharky Laguana, president of the Small Business Commission. “San Francisco has historically taken a lackadaisical or at times hostile approach to small business, and we need to pivot.”

<p>“We are still trailing in terms of small business recovery and still have a tremendous amount of work to do...it’s important that the city and its employees remember it’s going to take many years for small businesses to recover,” said Sharky Laguana, president of the Small Business Commission. “San Francisco has historically taken a lackadaisical or at times hostile approach to small business, and we need to pivot.”</p>

<p>“We are still trailing in terms of small business recovery and still have a tremendous amount of work to do&#8230;it’s important that the city and its employees remember it’s going to take many years for small businesses to recover,” said Sharky Laguana, president of the Small Business Commission. “San Francisco has historically taken a lackadaisical or at times hostile approach to small business, and we need to pivot.”</p>

At Thursday’s hearing, the Planning Department reported that about 150 businesses had taken advantage of its new online portal since the proposition took effect in December 2020. All of those who applied through the portal were approved within 30 days, said Bridget Hicks, a senior planner at the Planning Department. Some opted to submit applications in person, and were generally approved the same-day.

<p>At Thursday’s hearing, the Planning Department reported that about 150 businesses had taken advantage of its new online portal since the proposition took effect in December 2020. All of those who applied through the portal were approved within 30 days, said Bridget Hicks, a senior planner at the Planning Department. Some opted to submit applications in person, and were generally approved the same-day.</p>

“[Businesses] are now getting information from the city rather than several different disparate agencies,” said Hicks.

<p>“[Businesses] are now getting information from the city rather than several different disparate agencies,” said Hicks.</p>

Dick-Endrizzi and others who spoke on Thursday pointed out that Proposition H applies only on <a href="https://sfplanning.org/save-our-small-businesses-initiative">neighborhood commercial strips</a> and excludes the hard-hit Financial District, which saw the most business closures of any neighborhood during the pandemic.&nbsp;

<p>Dick-Endrizzi and others who spoke on Thursday pointed out that Proposition H applies only on <a href="https://sfplanning.org/save-our-small-businesses-initiative">neighborhood commercial strips</a> and excludes the hard-hit Financial District, which saw the most business closures of any neighborhood during the pandemic.&nbsp;</p>

Fewer than 600 new businesses were registered in San Francisco in July, compared to a monthly average of 1200 prior to March 2020. Still, there were some signs of new entrepreneurial life:&nbsp; 38% of the roughly 1400 owners who requested services between January 2021 and May 2021 were new proprietors, compared to just 18% in the preceding nine months, according to city data.

<p>Fewer than 600 new businesses were registered in San Francisco in July, compared to a monthly average of 1200 prior to March 2020. Still, there were some signs of new entrepreneurial life:&nbsp; 38% of the roughly 1400 owners who requested services between January 2021 and May 2021 were new proprietors, compared to just 18% in the preceding nine months, according to city data.</p>

Mayor London Breed sought to further liberalize small business permitting in July with a proposal called the Small Business Recovery Act. The Board of Supervisors approved an amended version of that ordinance, which expedites permits for ground-floor retail storefronts and allows businesses to more easily occupy a space once occupied by a similar business, among other changes. The board removed other provisions, such as faster turnaround times for nightlife businesses and formula retail. 

<p>Mayor London Breed sought to further liberalize small business permitting in July with a proposal called the Small Business Recovery Act. The Board of Supervisors approved an amended version of that ordinance, which expedites permits for ground-floor retail storefronts and allows businesses to more easily occupy a space once occupied by a similar business, among other changes. The board removed other provisions, such as faster turnaround times for nightlife businesses and formula retail. </p>

Laurel Arvanitidis, a director at the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), recommended that policymakers strip down neighborhood notice requirements⁠—which can trigger lengthier reviews of new businesses⁠—and to ease restrictions that affect areas of the city such as downtown.&nbsp;

<p>Laurel Arvanitidis, a director at the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), recommended that policymakers strip down neighborhood notice requirements⁠—which can trigger lengthier reviews of new businesses⁠—and to ease restrictions that affect areas of the city such as downtown.&nbsp;</p>

“Through the portal, we were able to identify who isn’t getting into the pipeline and where we need to do more work,” added Arvanitidis.

<p>“Through the portal, we were able to identify who isn’t getting into the pipeline and where we need to do more work,” added Arvanitidis.</p>

San Francisco small business growth lags despite efforts to speed approvals

Josh Koehn

<a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/chesa-boudin-recall/">District Attorney Chesa Boudin</a>’s election in 2019 and the current effort to recall him both fit their times perfectly.

<p><a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/chesa-boudin-recall/">District Attorney Chesa Boudin</a>’s election in 2019 and the current effort to recall him both fit their times perfectly.</p>

The progressive prosecutor squeaked into office with a paper-thin plurality in 2019  as voters coalesced to advance an unprecedented experiment in criminal justice reform. In an election night statement dripping with bravado, Boudin said, “It’s time for radical change to how we envision justice.”

<p>The progressive prosecutor squeaked into office with a paper-thin plurality in 2019  as voters coalesced to advance an unprecedented experiment in criminal justice reform. In an election night statement dripping with bravado, Boudin said, “It’s time for radical change to how we envision justice.”</p>

Calls to “defund the police” were reverberating even before the election, helping to spur a summer of protests—largely peaceful but occasionally flaring into clashes with law enforcement—after the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. Boudin was busy molding the DA’s Office in his image, from abolishing <a href="https://www.sfdistrictattorney.org/policy/no-cash-bail/">cash bail</a> and gang enhancements to deprioritizing harsh sentences for drug dealing and quality of life crimes such as petty theft and public urination. He also went to work holding cops who break the law accountable.&nbsp;

<p>Calls to “defund the police” were reverberating even before the election, helping to spur a summer of protests—largely peaceful but occasionally flaring into clashes with law enforcement—after the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. Boudin was busy molding the DA’s Office in his image, from abolishing <a href="https://www.sfdistrictattorney.org/policy/no-cash-bail/">cash bail</a> and gang enhancements to deprioritizing harsh sentences for drug dealing and quality of life crimes such as petty theft and public urination. He also went to work holding cops who break the law accountable.&nbsp;</p>

But then the pandemic refused to abate. And priorities for many San Franciscans shifted, as they did for people around the country.&nbsp;

<p>But then the pandemic refused to abate. And priorities for many San Franciscans shifted, as they did for people around the country.&nbsp;</p>

On top of the anxieties that came with a global health crisis, certain categories of crime began to surge, with factors ranging from empty streets to viral videos of brazen crimes contributing to a sense that cities had grown less safe. Progressive prosecutors, and the social justice movement’s agenda more broadly, were suddenly on the defensive—and vulnerable to attack from a re-invigorated political right.

<p>On top of the anxieties that came with a global health crisis, certain categories of crime began to surge, with factors ranging from empty streets to viral videos of brazen crimes contributing to a sense that cities had grown less safe. Progressive prosecutors, and the social justice movement’s agenda more broadly, were suddenly on the defensive—and vulnerable to attack from a re-invigorated political right.</p>

In San Francisco, home burglaries and drug overdose deaths surged and smash-and-grab robberies conveyed images of a city out of control—even if, statistically, it remains one of the safer large cities in the country.&nbsp;

<p>In San Francisco, home burglaries and drug overdose deaths surged and smash-and-grab robberies conveyed images of a city out of control—even if, statistically, it remains one of the safer large cities in the country.&nbsp;</p>

A full-scale effort to recall Boudin began gathering tens of thousands of signatures in March 2021. That disjointed effort would fall short but showed enough political momentum to warrant a second go, leading <a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/wealthy-individuals-stock-recall-da-chesa-boudin/">San Francisco’s deep-pocketed investor class</a> to successfully resurrect it.

<p>A full-scale effort to recall Boudin began gathering tens of thousands of signatures in March 2021. That disjointed effort would fall short but showed enough political momentum to warrant a second go, leading <a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/wealthy-individuals-stock-recall-da-chesa-boudin/">San Francisco’s deep-pocketed investor class</a> to successfully resurrect it.</p>

Boudin is now the poster boy for the backlash against the progressive criminal justice reform agenda, though he is not alone in confronting a recall challenge. The efforts to sway voter sentiment in upcoming local and national elections do not appear coordinated in terms of dollars and contributors, but one common thread is a playbook Republicans have deftly used for decades: honing in on the sentiment—sometimes tinged with racism—that something is rotten in the state of Anywhere, U.S.A.

<p>Boudin is now the poster boy for the backlash against the progressive criminal justice reform agenda, though he is not alone in confronting a recall challenge. The efforts to sway voter sentiment in upcoming local and national elections do not appear coordinated in terms of dollars and contributors, but one common thread is a playbook Republicans have deftly used for decades: honing in on the sentiment—sometimes tinged with racism—that something is rotten in the state of Anywhere, U.S.A.</p>

And in deep-blue California cities especially, the dynamics of the state’s recall processes, with an up-or-down vote rather than a choice of candidates, can make it easier to depose a political enemy.&nbsp;

<p>And in deep-blue California cities especially, the dynamics of the state’s recall processes, with an up-or-down vote rather than a choice of candidates, can make it easier to depose a political enemy.&nbsp;</p>

George Gascón, who preceded Boudin as San Francisco’s district attorney before leaving for Los Angeles and defeating a more law-and-order incumbent in Jackie Lacey, will likely face his own recall in November.&nbsp;

<p>George Gascón, who preceded Boudin as San Francisco’s district attorney before leaving for Los Angeles and defeating a more law-and-order incumbent in Jackie Lacey, will likely face his own recall in November.&nbsp;</p>

In Philadelphia, District Attorney Larry Krasner, whose policies mirror many of Boudin’s, faced an onslaught of criticism for his <a href="https://www.phillypolice.com/crime-maps-stats/">city’s surge in homicides</a> and the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/magazine/kensington-heroin-opioid-philadelphia.html">deadly opioid epidemic</a>. GOP-sponsored state legislation crafted in 2020 to pave the way for his recall failed to pass, however, and he cruised to re-election in November with 69% of the vote.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<p>In Philadelphia, District Attorney Larry Krasner, whose policies mirror many of Boudin’s, faced an onslaught of criticism for his <a href="https://www.phillypolice.com/crime-maps-stats/">city’s surge in homicides</a> and the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/magazine/kensington-heroin-opioid-philadelphia.html">deadly opioid epidemic</a>. GOP-sponsored state legislation crafted in 2020 to pave the way for his recall failed to pass, however, and he cruised to re-election in November with 69% of the vote.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 30:   (L) Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner reacts while being mentioned by Danielle Outlaw at a press conference announcing her as the new Police Commissioner on December 30, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Outlaw, Philadelphia's first black female police commissioner, was previously the police chief in Portland, OR.  (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images)


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="1667" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Krasner_INLINE-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-52660"/><figcaption>Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner reacts while being mentioned by Danielle Outlaw at a press conference announcing her as the new Police Commissioner on Dec. 30, 2019, in Philadelphia. I Photo by Mark Makela, Getty Images</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Krasner_INLINE-2500x1667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-52660"/><figcaption>Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner reacts while being mentioned by Danielle Outlaw at a press conference announcing her as the new Police Commissioner on Dec. 30, 2019, in Philadelphia. I Photo by Mark Makela, Getty Images</figcaption></figure>

A similar effort to recall State Attorney Kim Foxx, who oversees the city of Chicago and Cook County, failed in the Illinois Legislature this spring. In New York, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg became the target of a <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/01/12/petition-launched-to-oust-manhattan-da-alvin-bragg/">recall petition effort</a> in January, just a month after taking office, and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/02/us/politics/prosecutors-recall-virginia.html">three prosecutors in Northern Virginia</a> became the focus of a shadowy GOP recall effort last summer.

<p>A similar effort to recall State Attorney Kim Foxx, who oversees the city of Chicago and Cook County, failed in the Illinois Legislature this spring. In New York, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg became the target of a <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/01/12/petition-launched-to-oust-manhattan-da-alvin-bragg/">recall petition effort</a> in January, just a month after taking office, and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/02/us/politics/prosecutors-recall-virginia.html">three prosecutors in Northern Virginia</a> became the focus of a shadowy GOP recall effort last summer.</p>

Boudin’s supporters say Republican actors are taking advantage of maelstroms in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago and other major cities to motivate a base of voters looking for villains to blame ahead of this year’s midterms and the 2024 presidential election.

<p>Boudin’s supporters say Republican actors are taking advantage of maelstroms in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago and other major cities to motivate a base of voters looking for villains to blame ahead of this year’s midterms and the 2024 presidential election.</p>

But a unique confluence of factors in San Francisco, where the overwhelming majority of voters are Democrats, have made it almost certain that the most progressive prosecutor in this city’s history will be the first domino to fall.

<p>But a unique confluence of factors in San Francisco, where the overwhelming majority of voters are Democrats, have made it almost certain that the most progressive prosecutor in this city’s history will be the first domino to fall.</p>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-beginning-of-boudin-s-battle">The Beginning of Boudin’s Battle</h2>


<h2 id="h-the-beginning-of-boudin-s-battle">The Beginning of Boudin’s Battle</h2>

As the drug overdose crisis rages, city fails to collect data needed to fight it

San Francisco small business growth lags despite efforts to speed approvals

The recall of Chesa Boudin: How the pandemic fed a national attack on progressive prosecutors

This weekend: NBA Finals come to SF, women of hip-hop and a silent disco at Ocean Beach

‘Shared Spaces’ for outdoor dining to be made permanent, with some tweaks

Search Results for: london breed

As the drug overdose crisis rages, city fails to collect data needed to fight it

San Francisco small business growth lags despite efforts to speed approvals

The recall of Chesa Boudin: How the pandemic fed a national attack on progressive prosecutors

This weekend: NBA Finals come to SF, women of hip-hop and a silent disco at Ocean Beach

‘Shared Spaces’ for outdoor dining to be made permanent, with some tweaks