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"content": "\u003cp>Five years ago this month, millions of Americans began\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101876368/working-from-home-in-the-coronavirus-era\"> working from home\u003c/a> as companies adapted to the sudden realities of the\u003ca href=\"https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200312-coronavirus-covid-19-update-work-from-home-in-a-pandemic\"> COVID-19 pandemic\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the coronavirus spread nationwide, individual states — \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/coronavirus/2020/03/california-essential-worker-coronavirus-lockdown/\">including California\u003c/a> — ordered residents to stay in their homes to minimize infections. And while some exceptions were made for workers considered “essential,” by April 2020, a Gallup poll found that 62% of employed Americans had begun \u003ca href=\"https://news.gallup.com/poll/306695/workers-discovering-affinity-remote-work.aspx\">working from home\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cb>\u003ca href=\"#A\">Tell us: How has a return-to-office mandate affected you?\u003c/a>\u003c/b>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>However, even as remote work swiftly became a new normal for many employees, the shift to widespread “working from home” was not permanent. As soon as the strictest\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11874669/californias-june-15-reopening-will-scrap-social-distancing-and-capacity-requirements\"> public health restrictions \u003c/a>were lifted, some companies around the country began calling their employees back to the office, while others instituted hybrid schedules where staff could mix in-office work with remote work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And now, in recent months, several major employers are changing or abandoning those hybrid schedules completely — with companies like Meta, Amazon, Salesforce and JPMorgan ordering their staff to increase their\u003ca href=\"https://www.axios.com/2025/01/01/back-to-work-office-companies\"> in-office attendance\u003c/a>. On March 3, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/RTO-EO-3.3.25_-GGN-signed.pdf\">executive order (PDF)\u003c/a> ordering most state employees to work in-person at least four days a week starting July 1, stating that “When we work together, collaboration improves, innovation thrives, and accountability increases.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, going into the office more often can be a major adjustment for many reasons. These include the length — and expense — of commuting and losing flexibility that remote work can afford people with personal responsibilities like raising a child, taking care of a loved one or dealing with their own health issues. This flexibility, advocates say, has allowed working mothers to be \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/12/business/women-work-remote-flexible-careers.html\">more involved in their careers \u003c/a>while they balance child-raising and granted more job opportunities to folks living with\u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/06/30/return-to-office-inequity/\"> disabilities and chronic health conditions\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if your employer suddenly demands that you increase your in-office hours, what can you do — and what rights do employees even have when it comes to return-to-office mandates? We spoke to several legal experts who focus on employment law to understand what options remote or hybrid employees have in 2025 if they are asked to come to the office more — and how to best advocate for your particular needs.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When it comes to return-to-office mandates, your employer has the upper hand\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“The employer always has the right to set the terms and conditions of employment,” said Christine Long, partner at Berliner Cohen, a San José-based law firm that provides employers with legal representation — “as long as the employee is given notice in advance of those things.” Adequate notice, Long said, “is usually considered a pay period in advance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if you moved to another region — or even another state — during the pandemic, your employer can still require that you come into the office any number of days during the week. And if you were hired during the pandemic \u003cem>while\u003c/em> you were living in another state, it’s likely your employer can also ask for you to move to California. The employer usually has the right to change the terms of employment, Long told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=forum_2010101909031 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/43/2025/02/GettyImages-2197268386-1-1020x574.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ella Zheng, managing partner at the San Francisco and Palo Alto offices of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight — a firm that offers legal services to workers — agrees that businesses have the upper hand here. Ultimately, “the employer has the discretion to set how many days they require their employees to go back to work,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Zheng acknowledges that going to the office more could absolutely make it harder for employees to maintain a work-life balance — particularly caregivers. “If they’re raising a child, especially a young child,” she said, “If the employee is caring for an elder at home potentially with medical conditions, they would have concerns about returning to work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, at the state level, there is still no law in place that requires employers to set up hybrid work schedules for parents or caregivers. During the pandemic, Long said, “there was no order that said ‘you must work from home.’ The order was that you are not to be out unless you’re performing essential services.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is one state law that does allow employees to request accommodations, including working from home in very specific circumstances. In 1959, California passed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.dor.ca.gov/Home/FairEmploymentAct\">Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)\u003c/a>, which states that employers cannot discriminate against employees based on several factors, including a medical condition or a physical or mental disability.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Being a parent or a caregiver, however, is not one of these factors — and “just getting your kid to and from school or needing child care in the afternoon, those are not accommodations,” Long said. (In San Francisco, however, employees who are parents or caregivers \u003cem>are \u003c/em>afforded some additional protections thanks to the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/information--family-friendly-workplace-ordinance\">Family Friendly Workplace Ordinance [FFWO]\u003c/a> — more on that in the next section.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you do plan to request certain accommodations from your employer due to your health or disability, keep in mind that while your employer is not allowed to ask for a diagnosis, they can ask you for a medical note from your healthcare provider confirming that you have a disability and listing the ways in which it limits you. You can contact\u003ca href=\"https://www.dor.ca.gov/Home/FairEmploymentAct\"> California’s Department of Rehabilitation \u003c/a>to better understand which disabilities and health conditions are included under FEHA\u003ca href=\"https://www.dor.ca.gov/Home/FairEmploymentAct\">.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are granted accommodations under FEHA, Zheng said that your employer needs to make sure you will not be adversely impacted in the workplace as a result. Employees, she said, “should not get excluded from important projects or assignments and not be retaliated against because they have this reasonable accommodation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12034008\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1989px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12034008\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/bartnostrike20130804_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1989\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/bartnostrike20130804_qed.jpg 1989w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/bartnostrike20130804_qed-800x536.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/bartnostrike20130804_qed-1020x684.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/bartnostrike20130804_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/bartnostrike20130804_qed-1536x1029.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/bartnostrike20130804_qed-1920x1287.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1989px) 100vw, 1989px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bay Area Rapid Transit commuters stand on the platform as a train pulls into the Powell Street station in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>If you work in San Francisco, you may have more ability to push back against return-to-work mandates\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In 2022, San Francisco expanded its \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/information--family-friendly-workplace-ordinance\">Family Friendly Workplace Ordinance\u003c/a> (FFWO), which sets up rules for SF-based employers with 20 or more employees. “The ordinance allows people to make requests of their employer to help them with parenting, family caregiving or caring for an older adult in their family,” said Katherine Wutchiett, senior staff attorney at Legal Aid at Work, a San Francisco-based legal aid office that offers services across California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People can request things like adjusting their schedule to make it possible to do daycare pickup, or requesting to be on projects that have more predictable hours,” she said. “There’s not a set list of what people can ask for, but it’s just changes that would allow them to be able to take care of their family.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To qualify for \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/Family%20Friendly%20Workplace%20Poster%202022_0.pdf\">accommodations under FFWO\u003c/a>, you must:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>work in San Francisco, or be assigned to your employer’s San Francisco office (you don’t need to live in San Francisco);\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>work for a company that has at least 20 or more employees;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>work with this employer at least eight hours per week on a regular basis, for at least six months;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>be responsible for the care of either a child (your own or a child you’re a guardian of), a family member with a serious health condition, or a family member 65 or older.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>You must submit the FFWO request for accommodations to your employer in writing. If you’re unsure how to get started, San Francisco city officials have created \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/sites/default/files/2024-02/FFWO%20Sample%20Request%20Form%20-%20August%202022%20%28English%29.pdf\">a sample FFWO form (PDF) \u003c/a>that you can complete yourself and submit to your employer.[aside postID=news_12030376 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/M6A0745_qed-1020x680.jpg']“Using the [sample] form can be a great way to make the request because there are some employers that don’t know that this law exists,” Wutchiett said. “It educates the employer that this is actually a San Francisco city ordinance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An employer \u003cem>can\u003c/em> deny your request, but \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/Family%20Friendly%20Workplace%20Poster%202022_0.pdf\">according to city notices (PDF)\u003c/a>, your employer can only deny your request once they have met with you to discuss alternatives — and they must also show that accommodating your request would cause them \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/reports--may-2023--reasonable-accommodation-policy\">“undue hardship.”\u003c/a> Your employer must provide you an explanation in writing and you have the right to file a complaint with the city’s Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you believe that your employer has ignored your request — or is not following the terms of the FFWO — \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/information--contact-office-labor-standards-enforcement\">you can contact OLSE directly\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>You can still try to advocate for yourself in the face of an employer’s return-to-office announcement\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you don’t work in San Francisco and aren’t therefore covered by the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/information--family-friendly-workplace-ordinance\">Family Friendly Workplace Ordinance\u003c/a>, you frankly have fewer options available to push back against an employer who’s demanding that you come into the office more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even though it’s possible to still talk to your employer to propose alternatives, the legal experts KQED spoke to recommend that you exercise a degree of caution when trying this — to make sure you don’t accidentally jeopardize your job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People can certainly talk to their employer about standards and ask questions,” said Wutchiett from Legal Aid at Work. But, “they should be careful knowing that if they say to their employer, ‘I absolutely cannot come to work more than two days a week in person,’ and their employer wants to set a four day in-person requirement, that might make it difficult for them to continue in their job,” she warned.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You also want to be proactive in initiating any conversation like this with your employer, recommended Zheng from Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight. “As soon as [employees] learn about the change in the in-office workday policy, they should start thinking about raising the accommodation request with the employer, and they need to do that as soon as possible,” she said. “They can’t be sitting on the policy for a long time and not say anything until the last minute.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Make sure you know the right person to talk about your company’s policies, Zheng adds — whether that’s your direct supervisor or the human resources department — and then communicate with that person in writing, whether that’s email or text. If you end up having an in-person conversation, make sure to send an email or another type of written message to who you met — confirming what you discussed and potentially agreed to.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That way it’s very clear as to who said what, and it’s really the best way for employees to protect themselves,” Zheng said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When talking to your employer, Wutchiett also suggests highlighting how remote working or a hybrid schedule has helped you become a more productive worker — ideally with concrete examples.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One thing we learned from the pandemic is that a lot of people are able to work really successfully from home,” she said. “Think through the ways that you’ve been successful over the last couple of years, how you’ve been able to accomplish your employer’s needs while still working from your home and being able to point out that in the ways it benefits both the employer and yourself.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That can be a way to have a friendlier conversation about what that transition to go back might look like,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you’re planning to request for an accommodation under California’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.dor.ca.gov/Home/FairEmploymentAct\">Fair Employment and Housing Act\u003c/a> (FEHA), remember that there is a process both you and your employer must follow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Once you make that [FEHA] request, your employer has an obligation to engage in a good faith interactive process with you, to determine how they can accommodate you,” Wutchiett said. Employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations that would allow you to fulfill your essential functions at work, she explained, unless they can show that it would cause them “an undue hardship.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>If you’re part of a union, check in with them about your employer’s return-to-office mandate ASAP\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to 2023 data from UC Berkeley’s Labor Center, 16.2% of working Californians form \u003ca href=\"https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/California-Union-Membership-and-Coverage-2023-Chartboook.pdf\">part of a labor union (PDF)\u003c/a>. If you’re one of them, your union could well be an additional resource when talking with your employer about returning to the office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is always important to seek out your shop steward, your union leadership, and try to get the help that they can provide for you,” said Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Labor Federation. She adds that union leadership can walk you through the finer details of the collective bargaining agreement that exists between workers, the union and the employer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you have a collective bargaining agreement with your employer, it’s really important to know the conditions of it,” she said. “Some things were bargained for during and after COVID that have to be taken into consideration.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unions and employers re-negotiate their collective bargaining agreements every few years and if negotiations are coming up at your workplace, remote working options could be something you tell your union that you’re interested in being considered for negotiations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Returning to the office “absolutely something that could be collectively bargained,” Gonzalez said. “It’s usually up to the union and the membership of the union what the priorities are at the bargaining table.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even if contract negotiations are not scheduled for the near future, she stressed the support that a union can offer its members in these kinds of labor matters. She points to the organizing and legal efforts led by SEIU Local 1000, which represents tens of thousands of state employees, \u003ca href=\"https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/state-workers-protest-newsom-return-to-office-order/103-29575fa6-02d2-4d35-959c-872e2b8e05ec#:~:text=SACRAMENTO%2C%20Calif.,they%20call%20an%20unfair%20mandate.\">as they push back \u003c/a>against Gov. Newsom’s return-to-office mandate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we work collectively with the union, we’re able to have a much stronger voice,” Gonzalez said — “and we’re able to force employers to deal with issues that otherwise they would like to just mandate.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>\u003ca id=\"A\">\u003c/a>Tell us: How has a return-to-office mandate affected you?\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Do you work for an employer that “went remote” during the height of the pandemic but has since requested that employees return to in-person work?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you’ve experienced a return-to-office mandate, we’d like to hear from you. How did having to work in the office more days a week affect your daily life, your family or your commute — and how do you feel about it all? What positive effects, if any, has returning to the office had for you, personally or professionally? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Also, if you feel like you’ve finally made in-person work for you again, we’d like to hear your advice. How would you recommend others adapt to the shift away from remote work and back to the office? And if you worked out an understanding with your employer concerning a return-to-office mandate, what strategies worked for you?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You can use the form below to share your thoughts with us, and what you tell us could be shared in a future KQED story. You don’t have to name your employer if you don’t want to, but it will be helpful to hear about when your employer began mandating more days in the office, where your office is based and where you live.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We may use any contact information you provide to get in touch with you to ask a few follow-up questions, but we’ll never share your information outside of KQED without your permission. We won’t be able to reply to everyone who submits a question, but what you tell us will make our reporting stronger on KQED.org, KQED Public Radio and our social media channels.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeF6RelNW1w7veJkDblmQFXeX-eeH4PiQGGHdodqSbAWHmqfw/viewform?embedded=true\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Five years ago this month, millions of Americans began\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101876368/working-from-home-in-the-coronavirus-era\"> working from home\u003c/a> as companies adapted to the sudden realities of the\u003ca href=\"https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200312-coronavirus-covid-19-update-work-from-home-in-a-pandemic\"> COVID-19 pandemic\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the coronavirus spread nationwide, individual states — \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/health/coronavirus/2020/03/california-essential-worker-coronavirus-lockdown/\">including California\u003c/a> — ordered residents to stay in their homes to minimize infections. And while some exceptions were made for workers considered “essential,” by April 2020, a Gallup poll found that 62% of employed Americans had begun \u003ca href=\"https://news.gallup.com/poll/306695/workers-discovering-affinity-remote-work.aspx\">working from home\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cb>\u003ca href=\"#A\">Tell us: How has a return-to-office mandate affected you?\u003c/a>\u003c/b>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>However, even as remote work swiftly became a new normal for many employees, the shift to widespread “working from home” was not permanent. As soon as the strictest\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11874669/californias-june-15-reopening-will-scrap-social-distancing-and-capacity-requirements\"> public health restrictions \u003c/a>were lifted, some companies around the country began calling their employees back to the office, while others instituted hybrid schedules where staff could mix in-office work with remote work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And now, in recent months, several major employers are changing or abandoning those hybrid schedules completely — with companies like Meta, Amazon, Salesforce and JPMorgan ordering their staff to increase their\u003ca href=\"https://www.axios.com/2025/01/01/back-to-work-office-companies\"> in-office attendance\u003c/a>. On March 3, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/RTO-EO-3.3.25_-GGN-signed.pdf\">executive order (PDF)\u003c/a> ordering most state employees to work in-person at least four days a week starting July 1, stating that “When we work together, collaboration improves, innovation thrives, and accountability increases.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, going into the office more often can be a major adjustment for many reasons. These include the length — and expense — of commuting and losing flexibility that remote work can afford people with personal responsibilities like raising a child, taking care of a loved one or dealing with their own health issues. This flexibility, advocates say, has allowed working mothers to be \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/12/business/women-work-remote-flexible-careers.html\">more involved in their careers \u003c/a>while they balance child-raising and granted more job opportunities to folks living with\u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/06/30/return-to-office-inequity/\"> disabilities and chronic health conditions\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if your employer suddenly demands that you increase your in-office hours, what can you do — and what rights do employees even have when it comes to return-to-office mandates? We spoke to several legal experts who focus on employment law to understand what options remote or hybrid employees have in 2025 if they are asked to come to the office more — and how to best advocate for your particular needs.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When it comes to return-to-office mandates, your employer has the upper hand\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“The employer always has the right to set the terms and conditions of employment,” said Christine Long, partner at Berliner Cohen, a San José-based law firm that provides employers with legal representation — “as long as the employee is given notice in advance of those things.” Adequate notice, Long said, “is usually considered a pay period in advance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if you moved to another region — or even another state — during the pandemic, your employer can still require that you come into the office any number of days during the week. And if you were hired during the pandemic \u003cem>while\u003c/em> you were living in another state, it’s likely your employer can also ask for you to move to California. The employer usually has the right to change the terms of employment, Long told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ella Zheng, managing partner at the San Francisco and Palo Alto offices of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight — a firm that offers legal services to workers — agrees that businesses have the upper hand here. Ultimately, “the employer has the discretion to set how many days they require their employees to go back to work,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Zheng acknowledges that going to the office more could absolutely make it harder for employees to maintain a work-life balance — particularly caregivers. “If they’re raising a child, especially a young child,” she said, “If the employee is caring for an elder at home potentially with medical conditions, they would have concerns about returning to work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, at the state level, there is still no law in place that requires employers to set up hybrid work schedules for parents or caregivers. During the pandemic, Long said, “there was no order that said ‘you must work from home.’ The order was that you are not to be out unless you’re performing essential services.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is one state law that does allow employees to request accommodations, including working from home in very specific circumstances. In 1959, California passed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.dor.ca.gov/Home/FairEmploymentAct\">Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)\u003c/a>, which states that employers cannot discriminate against employees based on several factors, including a medical condition or a physical or mental disability.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Being a parent or a caregiver, however, is not one of these factors — and “just getting your kid to and from school or needing child care in the afternoon, those are not accommodations,” Long said. (In San Francisco, however, employees who are parents or caregivers \u003cem>are \u003c/em>afforded some additional protections thanks to the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/information--family-friendly-workplace-ordinance\">Family Friendly Workplace Ordinance [FFWO]\u003c/a> — more on that in the next section.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you do plan to request certain accommodations from your employer due to your health or disability, keep in mind that while your employer is not allowed to ask for a diagnosis, they can ask you for a medical note from your healthcare provider confirming that you have a disability and listing the ways in which it limits you. You can contact\u003ca href=\"https://www.dor.ca.gov/Home/FairEmploymentAct\"> California’s Department of Rehabilitation \u003c/a>to better understand which disabilities and health conditions are included under FEHA\u003ca href=\"https://www.dor.ca.gov/Home/FairEmploymentAct\">.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are granted accommodations under FEHA, Zheng said that your employer needs to make sure you will not be adversely impacted in the workplace as a result. Employees, she said, “should not get excluded from important projects or assignments and not be retaliated against because they have this reasonable accommodation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12034008\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1989px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12034008\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/bartnostrike20130804_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1989\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/bartnostrike20130804_qed.jpg 1989w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/bartnostrike20130804_qed-800x536.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/bartnostrike20130804_qed-1020x684.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/bartnostrike20130804_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/bartnostrike20130804_qed-1536x1029.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/bartnostrike20130804_qed-1920x1287.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1989px) 100vw, 1989px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bay Area Rapid Transit commuters stand on the platform as a train pulls into the Powell Street station in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>If you work in San Francisco, you may have more ability to push back against return-to-work mandates\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In 2022, San Francisco expanded its \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/information--family-friendly-workplace-ordinance\">Family Friendly Workplace Ordinance\u003c/a> (FFWO), which sets up rules for SF-based employers with 20 or more employees. “The ordinance allows people to make requests of their employer to help them with parenting, family caregiving or caring for an older adult in their family,” said Katherine Wutchiett, senior staff attorney at Legal Aid at Work, a San Francisco-based legal aid office that offers services across California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People can request things like adjusting their schedule to make it possible to do daycare pickup, or requesting to be on projects that have more predictable hours,” she said. “There’s not a set list of what people can ask for, but it’s just changes that would allow them to be able to take care of their family.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To qualify for \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/Family%20Friendly%20Workplace%20Poster%202022_0.pdf\">accommodations under FFWO\u003c/a>, you must:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>work in San Francisco, or be assigned to your employer’s San Francisco office (you don’t need to live in San Francisco);\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>work for a company that has at least 20 or more employees;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>work with this employer at least eight hours per week on a regular basis, for at least six months;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>be responsible for the care of either a child (your own or a child you’re a guardian of), a family member with a serious health condition, or a family member 65 or older.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>You must submit the FFWO request for accommodations to your employer in writing. If you’re unsure how to get started, San Francisco city officials have created \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/sites/default/files/2024-02/FFWO%20Sample%20Request%20Form%20-%20August%202022%20%28English%29.pdf\">a sample FFWO form (PDF) \u003c/a>that you can complete yourself and submit to your employer.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Using the [sample] form can be a great way to make the request because there are some employers that don’t know that this law exists,” Wutchiett said. “It educates the employer that this is actually a San Francisco city ordinance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An employer \u003cem>can\u003c/em> deny your request, but \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/Family%20Friendly%20Workplace%20Poster%202022_0.pdf\">according to city notices (PDF)\u003c/a>, your employer can only deny your request once they have met with you to discuss alternatives — and they must also show that accommodating your request would cause them \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/reports--may-2023--reasonable-accommodation-policy\">“undue hardship.”\u003c/a> Your employer must provide you an explanation in writing and you have the right to file a complaint with the city’s Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you believe that your employer has ignored your request — or is not following the terms of the FFWO — \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/information--contact-office-labor-standards-enforcement\">you can contact OLSE directly\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>You can still try to advocate for yourself in the face of an employer’s return-to-office announcement\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you don’t work in San Francisco and aren’t therefore covered by the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/information--family-friendly-workplace-ordinance\">Family Friendly Workplace Ordinance\u003c/a>, you frankly have fewer options available to push back against an employer who’s demanding that you come into the office more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even though it’s possible to still talk to your employer to propose alternatives, the legal experts KQED spoke to recommend that you exercise a degree of caution when trying this — to make sure you don’t accidentally jeopardize your job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People can certainly talk to their employer about standards and ask questions,” said Wutchiett from Legal Aid at Work. But, “they should be careful knowing that if they say to their employer, ‘I absolutely cannot come to work more than two days a week in person,’ and their employer wants to set a four day in-person requirement, that might make it difficult for them to continue in their job,” she warned.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You also want to be proactive in initiating any conversation like this with your employer, recommended Zheng from Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight. “As soon as [employees] learn about the change in the in-office workday policy, they should start thinking about raising the accommodation request with the employer, and they need to do that as soon as possible,” she said. “They can’t be sitting on the policy for a long time and not say anything until the last minute.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Make sure you know the right person to talk about your company’s policies, Zheng adds — whether that’s your direct supervisor or the human resources department — and then communicate with that person in writing, whether that’s email or text. If you end up having an in-person conversation, make sure to send an email or another type of written message to who you met — confirming what you discussed and potentially agreed to.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That way it’s very clear as to who said what, and it’s really the best way for employees to protect themselves,” Zheng said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When talking to your employer, Wutchiett also suggests highlighting how remote working or a hybrid schedule has helped you become a more productive worker — ideally with concrete examples.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One thing we learned from the pandemic is that a lot of people are able to work really successfully from home,” she said. “Think through the ways that you’ve been successful over the last couple of years, how you’ve been able to accomplish your employer’s needs while still working from your home and being able to point out that in the ways it benefits both the employer and yourself.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That can be a way to have a friendlier conversation about what that transition to go back might look like,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you’re planning to request for an accommodation under California’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.dor.ca.gov/Home/FairEmploymentAct\">Fair Employment and Housing Act\u003c/a> (FEHA), remember that there is a process both you and your employer must follow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Once you make that [FEHA] request, your employer has an obligation to engage in a good faith interactive process with you, to determine how they can accommodate you,” Wutchiett said. Employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations that would allow you to fulfill your essential functions at work, she explained, unless they can show that it would cause them “an undue hardship.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>If you’re part of a union, check in with them about your employer’s return-to-office mandate ASAP\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to 2023 data from UC Berkeley’s Labor Center, 16.2% of working Californians form \u003ca href=\"https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/California-Union-Membership-and-Coverage-2023-Chartboook.pdf\">part of a labor union (PDF)\u003c/a>. If you’re one of them, your union could well be an additional resource when talking with your employer about returning to the office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is always important to seek out your shop steward, your union leadership, and try to get the help that they can provide for you,” said Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Labor Federation. She adds that union leadership can walk you through the finer details of the collective bargaining agreement that exists between workers, the union and the employer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you have a collective bargaining agreement with your employer, it’s really important to know the conditions of it,” she said. “Some things were bargained for during and after COVID that have to be taken into consideration.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unions and employers re-negotiate their collective bargaining agreements every few years and if negotiations are coming up at your workplace, remote working options could be something you tell your union that you’re interested in being considered for negotiations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Returning to the office “absolutely something that could be collectively bargained,” Gonzalez said. “It’s usually up to the union and the membership of the union what the priorities are at the bargaining table.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even if contract negotiations are not scheduled for the near future, she stressed the support that a union can offer its members in these kinds of labor matters. She points to the organizing and legal efforts led by SEIU Local 1000, which represents tens of thousands of state employees, \u003ca href=\"https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/state-workers-protest-newsom-return-to-office-order/103-29575fa6-02d2-4d35-959c-872e2b8e05ec#:~:text=SACRAMENTO%2C%20Calif.,they%20call%20an%20unfair%20mandate.\">as they push back \u003c/a>against Gov. Newsom’s return-to-office mandate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we work collectively with the union, we’re able to have a much stronger voice,” Gonzalez said — “and we’re able to force employers to deal with issues that otherwise they would like to just mandate.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>\u003ca id=\"A\">\u003c/a>Tell us: How has a return-to-office mandate affected you?\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Do you work for an employer that “went remote” during the height of the pandemic but has since requested that employees return to in-person work?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you’ve experienced a return-to-office mandate, we’d like to hear from you. How did having to work in the office more days a week affect your daily life, your family or your commute — and how do you feel about it all? What positive effects, if any, has returning to the office had for you, personally or professionally? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Also, if you feel like you’ve finally made in-person work for you again, we’d like to hear your advice. How would you recommend others adapt to the shift away from remote work and back to the office? And if you worked out an understanding with your employer concerning a return-to-office mandate, what strategies worked for you?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You can use the form below to share your thoughts with us, and what you tell us could be shared in a future KQED story. You don’t have to name your employer if you don’t want to, but it will be helpful to hear about when your employer began mandating more days in the office, where your office is based and where you live.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We may use any contact information you provide to get in touch with you to ask a few follow-up questions, but we’ll never share your information outside of KQED without your permission. We won’t be able to reply to everyone who submits a question, but what you tell us will make our reporting stronger on KQED.org, KQED Public Radio and our social media channels.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cdiv class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__shortcodes__shortcodeWrapper'>\n \u003ciframe\n src='https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeF6RelNW1w7veJkDblmQFXeX-eeH4PiQGGHdodqSbAWHmqfw/viewform?embedded=true?embedded=true'\n title='https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeF6RelNW1w7veJkDblmQFXeX-eeH4PiQGGHdodqSbAWHmqfw/viewform?embedded=true'\n width='760' height='500'\n frameborder='0'\n marginheight='0' marginwidth='0'>\u003c/iframe>\u003c/div>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>“Oh my God — look at this cut!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As soon as he opened his eyes and saw his reflection in the barbershop mirror in front of him, Angel Filimoehala couldn’t help declaring his happiness with the finished result.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Turning his head to see his new haircut from different angles, Filimoehala’s grin only kept growing. “I look good,” he said. “I \u003cem>feel\u003c/em> good!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Standing behind him in the Steel & Strand Barbershop in San Francisco’s Mission District was Santana Vasquez — a barber known professionally as Twinkie or Twinks 415 who’s been cutting Filimoehala’s hair for several years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel like a haircut affirms exactly how I want to look,” Filimoehala said. “As a queer person, it is kind of intimidating stepping into spaces like a barbershop. But with Santana, I know I’m good.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#A\">Jump to: Tips for finding gender-affirming haircuts and grooming\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Finishing Filimoehala’s hair with a spray of coconut oil, Vasquez gently brushed the remaining hair from his shoulders. “A lot of my clients, I feel like they’re my family, to be honest,” Vasquez said. “They sit in my chair, and we talk about what’s going on with them in their day-to-day. I’m not going to stay quiet through the whole haircut.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Vasquez, his barber chair is a safe space for queer people — especially for transgender men like him, who’ve felt anxious or uncomfortable getting their haircut at other barbershops. Earlier in March, he published \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/twinks415/\">a flyer on his Instagram page\u003c/a> offering free haircuts all month long to trans men. Within a week, the post had already been shared hundreds of times, with dozens of people commenting messages of support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033467\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033467\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-12.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-12.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-12-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-12-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-12-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-12-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-12-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Santana ‘Twinks’ Vasquez cuts Angel Filimoehala’s hair at Steel and Strand barbershop in San Francisco on March 26, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I wanted to open this up for younger trans men that are facing homelessness, that are in the shelter, that don’t have the resources to be able to afford a haircut in San Francisco because prices are super high,” he said, adding that since he published the flyer, people from all over the country — and even abroad — have reached out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I honestly did not expect the flyer to reach so many people,” he admitted.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Kind of like community work’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For Vasquez, who grew up in the Mission District, it wasn’t always easy to find a place he felt good getting a haircut himself. Beauty salons often weren’t the best option for finding the styles he wanted. Meanwhile, barber shops were usually spaces taken up by \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/1994/08/14/nyregion/art-a-meditation-on-masculinity-wrapped-up-in-a-barbershop.html\">cisgender Latino men\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Damn, you feel like Tupac — ‘all eyes on me,’” he laughed. “It’s scary to walk in such a male-dominated area … you feel that testosterone walking in and everybody’s looking at you, sizing you up.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, “they might misgender you,” Vasquez said. “They probably don’t know what [wording] to use.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a teen, Vasquez would occasionally cut family members’ hair, but it was after he lost a close friend in 2017 that he decided to formally train as a barber. He wanted to become what he never saw growing up: a trans barber of color serving other trans people of color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033469\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033469\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-33.jpg\" alt=\"A transgender client at a barber shop gets a beard trim, closeup.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-33.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-33-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-33-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-33-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-33-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-33-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Santana ‘Twinks’ Vasquez cuts Angel Filimoehala’s beard at Steel and Strand barbershop in San Francisco on March 26, 2025. Twinks has been offering free haircuts for the month of March to honor trans visibility. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This is your appearance — this is what will make you feel comfortable in your body,” he said. “This haircut can be a haircut for a job interview that you’re trying to get … It can be what helps you get out of the shelter if you’re experiencing homelessness.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Growing up, Vasquez was heavily involved in youth intervention programs like \u003ca href=\"https://mncsf.org/mission-girls-2/\">Mission Girls\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://mncsf.org/precita-valley-community-center-and-family-resource-center/\">Precita Valley Community Center\u003c/a>. “Doing a lot of community work and coming from the juvenile system helped me shift and form how I am now,” he explained. “I feel like cutting hair is still kind of like community work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Find each other and stick together’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>By offering free haircuts, Vasquez has met dozens of transgender men living all over the Bay Area and other parts of California. They’ve shared their personal situations and asked to hear about his own experience transitioning. From his barber chair, he’s been able to form a network of support, where he connects transgender men seeking friends and community with each other.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Filimoehala is one of these men. “For a really long time, especially with my own transition, I felt really alone,” he said. As someone of mixed Pacific Islander and Latino descent, he said he’s always found it rare to meet another trans person who shared his background and traditions. But he’s met several people through Vasquez, which prompted him to form the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pasifikatransmen_network/\">Pasifika Trans Men Network\u003c/a>, a group for trans masc and trans men in the Pacific Islander community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a big need for us to find each other and stick together because we don’t really know what the next steps are in terms of what the federal government\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12029428/how-californians-can-start-changing-names-and-gender-markers-on-government-ids\"> is going to do\u003c/a>,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033470\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033470\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-35.jpg\" alt=\"A transgender client at a barber shop gets ready for a haircut with a barber preparing for work.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-35.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-35-800x1000.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-35-1020x1275.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-35-160x200.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-35-1229x1536.jpg 1229w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Angel Filimoehala checks out his new haircut at Steel and Strand barbershop in San Francisco on March 26, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the past few months, President Donald \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/6-ways-trumps-executive-orders-are-targeting-transgender-people\">Trump’s administration has targeted \u003c/a>the needs and rights of transgender and nonbinary people nationwide. On his first day back in the White House, Trump signed an\u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/\"> executive order\u003c/a> that declares the federal government will only “recognize two sexes, male and female,” and has threatened to cut funding for universities and hospitals that provide gender affirming care to trans minors. The Department of Education has also launched investigations into universities that allow transgender athletes to compete with the team that matches their gender identity — including\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12025974/federal-officials-investigate-san-jose-state-under-trumps-order-trans-athletes\"> San José State University\u003c/a> in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re trying really hard\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12032067/here-are-all-the-ways-people-are-disappearing-from-government-websites\"> to erase us\u003c/a>,” Filimoehala said. “To me, that’s crazy because I feel there’s more problems in our country than us being trans.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Vasquez is still getting messages from folks looking for a free haircut. While he also has to make time for paying customers, he’s now looking at ways he can further extend his services for free in the future. “Money can’t buy community. Money can’t buy real connections with your people,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is about getting to know other black and brown trans men and building community in my chair.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033466\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033466\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-7-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-7-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-7-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Santana ‘Twinks’ Vasquez poses for a photo at Steel and Strand barbershop in San Francisco on March 26, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"A\">\u003c/a>Tips from Vasquez on finding gender-affirming haircuts and grooming\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Do some research…\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before going to a barbershop, Vasquez recommended you spend some time on social media looking for the haircut style you want to go for. It’s helpful to know different terms like a fade or taper haircut, he said, but also …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Don’t be afraid to lean on your barber, too\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you go to a barber and are upfront about what you want, but you don’t know how to describe it … your barber will understand and probably think: ‘Let me give them grace, because at least they’re coming in and they’re trying,’” Vasquez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Be upfront about what you want to keep (or lose)\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you’re first growing out your beard, it comes out like peach fuzz,” said Vasquez. “Tell your barber or hairdresser, ‘Hey, I’m trying to keep this on the side. Please don’t cut it off.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Be upfront because, as barbers, we don’t know if you’re letting it grow out because it’s been a long time since you got a haircut,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "On Trans Day of Visibility, we visit Santana ‘Twinks’ Vasquez at Steel & Strand Barbershop in San Francisco, a safe space for queer and transgender people, and where trans men can get a free haircut.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>“Oh my God — look at this cut!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As soon as he opened his eyes and saw his reflection in the barbershop mirror in front of him, Angel Filimoehala couldn’t help declaring his happiness with the finished result.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Turning his head to see his new haircut from different angles, Filimoehala’s grin only kept growing. “I look good,” he said. “I \u003cem>feel\u003c/em> good!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Standing behind him in the Steel & Strand Barbershop in San Francisco’s Mission District was Santana Vasquez — a barber known professionally as Twinkie or Twinks 415 who’s been cutting Filimoehala’s hair for several years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel like a haircut affirms exactly how I want to look,” Filimoehala said. “As a queer person, it is kind of intimidating stepping into spaces like a barbershop. But with Santana, I know I’m good.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#A\">Jump to: Tips for finding gender-affirming haircuts and grooming\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Finishing Filimoehala’s hair with a spray of coconut oil, Vasquez gently brushed the remaining hair from his shoulders. “A lot of my clients, I feel like they’re my family, to be honest,” Vasquez said. “They sit in my chair, and we talk about what’s going on with them in their day-to-day. I’m not going to stay quiet through the whole haircut.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Vasquez, his barber chair is a safe space for queer people — especially for transgender men like him, who’ve felt anxious or uncomfortable getting their haircut at other barbershops. Earlier in March, he published \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/twinks415/\">a flyer on his Instagram page\u003c/a> offering free haircuts all month long to trans men. Within a week, the post had already been shared hundreds of times, with dozens of people commenting messages of support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033467\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033467\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-12.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-12.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-12-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-12-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-12-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-12-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-12-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Santana ‘Twinks’ Vasquez cuts Angel Filimoehala’s hair at Steel and Strand barbershop in San Francisco on March 26, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I wanted to open this up for younger trans men that are facing homelessness, that are in the shelter, that don’t have the resources to be able to afford a haircut in San Francisco because prices are super high,” he said, adding that since he published the flyer, people from all over the country — and even abroad — have reached out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I honestly did not expect the flyer to reach so many people,” he admitted.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Kind of like community work’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For Vasquez, who grew up in the Mission District, it wasn’t always easy to find a place he felt good getting a haircut himself. Beauty salons often weren’t the best option for finding the styles he wanted. Meanwhile, barber shops were usually spaces taken up by \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/1994/08/14/nyregion/art-a-meditation-on-masculinity-wrapped-up-in-a-barbershop.html\">cisgender Latino men\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Damn, you feel like Tupac — ‘all eyes on me,’” he laughed. “It’s scary to walk in such a male-dominated area … you feel that testosterone walking in and everybody’s looking at you, sizing you up.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, “they might misgender you,” Vasquez said. “They probably don’t know what [wording] to use.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a teen, Vasquez would occasionally cut family members’ hair, but it was after he lost a close friend in 2017 that he decided to formally train as a barber. He wanted to become what he never saw growing up: a trans barber of color serving other trans people of color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033469\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033469\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-33.jpg\" alt=\"A transgender client at a barber shop gets a beard trim, closeup.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-33.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-33-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-33-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-33-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-33-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-33-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Santana ‘Twinks’ Vasquez cuts Angel Filimoehala’s beard at Steel and Strand barbershop in San Francisco on March 26, 2025. Twinks has been offering free haircuts for the month of March to honor trans visibility. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This is your appearance — this is what will make you feel comfortable in your body,” he said. “This haircut can be a haircut for a job interview that you’re trying to get … It can be what helps you get out of the shelter if you’re experiencing homelessness.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Growing up, Vasquez was heavily involved in youth intervention programs like \u003ca href=\"https://mncsf.org/mission-girls-2/\">Mission Girls\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://mncsf.org/precita-valley-community-center-and-family-resource-center/\">Precita Valley Community Center\u003c/a>. “Doing a lot of community work and coming from the juvenile system helped me shift and form how I am now,” he explained. “I feel like cutting hair is still kind of like community work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Find each other and stick together’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>By offering free haircuts, Vasquez has met dozens of transgender men living all over the Bay Area and other parts of California. They’ve shared their personal situations and asked to hear about his own experience transitioning. From his barber chair, he’s been able to form a network of support, where he connects transgender men seeking friends and community with each other.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Filimoehala is one of these men. “For a really long time, especially with my own transition, I felt really alone,” he said. As someone of mixed Pacific Islander and Latino descent, he said he’s always found it rare to meet another trans person who shared his background and traditions. But he’s met several people through Vasquez, which prompted him to form the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pasifikatransmen_network/\">Pasifika Trans Men Network\u003c/a>, a group for trans masc and trans men in the Pacific Islander community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a big need for us to find each other and stick together because we don’t really know what the next steps are in terms of what the federal government\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12029428/how-californians-can-start-changing-names-and-gender-markers-on-government-ids\"> is going to do\u003c/a>,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033470\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033470\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-35.jpg\" alt=\"A transgender client at a barber shop gets ready for a haircut with a barber preparing for work.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-35.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-35-800x1000.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-35-1020x1275.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-35-160x200.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-35-1229x1536.jpg 1229w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Angel Filimoehala checks out his new haircut at Steel and Strand barbershop in San Francisco on March 26, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the past few months, President Donald \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/6-ways-trumps-executive-orders-are-targeting-transgender-people\">Trump’s administration has targeted \u003c/a>the needs and rights of transgender and nonbinary people nationwide. On his first day back in the White House, Trump signed an\u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/\"> executive order\u003c/a> that declares the federal government will only “recognize two sexes, male and female,” and has threatened to cut funding for universities and hospitals that provide gender affirming care to trans minors. The Department of Education has also launched investigations into universities that allow transgender athletes to compete with the team that matches their gender identity — including\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12025974/federal-officials-investigate-san-jose-state-under-trumps-order-trans-athletes\"> San José State University\u003c/a> in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re trying really hard\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12032067/here-are-all-the-ways-people-are-disappearing-from-government-websites\"> to erase us\u003c/a>,” Filimoehala said. “To me, that’s crazy because I feel there’s more problems in our country than us being trans.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Vasquez is still getting messages from folks looking for a free haircut. While he also has to make time for paying customers, he’s now looking at ways he can further extend his services for free in the future. “Money can’t buy community. Money can’t buy real connections with your people,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is about getting to know other black and brown trans men and building community in my chair.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033466\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033466\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-7-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-7-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250326_SFBarber_GC-7-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Santana ‘Twinks’ Vasquez poses for a photo at Steel and Strand barbershop in San Francisco on March 26, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"A\">\u003c/a>Tips from Vasquez on finding gender-affirming haircuts and grooming\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Do some research…\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before going to a barbershop, Vasquez recommended you spend some time on social media looking for the haircut style you want to go for. It’s helpful to know different terms like a fade or taper haircut, he said, but also …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Don’t be afraid to lean on your barber, too\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you go to a barber and are upfront about what you want, but you don’t know how to describe it … your barber will understand and probably think: ‘Let me give them grace, because at least they’re coming in and they’re trying,’” Vasquez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Be upfront about what you want to keep (or lose)\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you’re first growing out your beard, it comes out like peach fuzz,” said Vasquez. “Tell your barber or hairdresser, ‘Hey, I’m trying to keep this on the side. Please don’t cut it off.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Be upfront because, as barbers, we don’t know if you’re letting it grow out because it’s been a long time since you got a haircut,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Traveling or returning to the U.S. from abroad has become increasingly risky for some — even for people with valid visas and green cards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In recent weeks, international tourists, visa holders and lawful permanent residents — also known as green-card holders — have been facing tougher scrutiny at airports and border crossings. The change comes amid a broader crackdown by the Trump administration to reduce both legal and illegal immigration to the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And as spring break trips and summer vacations draw near, stories of green-card and visa holders being detained have sparked new concerns about traveling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, for example, Brown University \u003ca href=\"https://today.brown.edu/announcements/193542\">urged\u003c/a> its international staff and students to postpone any plans to travel outside the U.S. “out of an abundance of caution.” Canada, along with several countries in Europe, including Denmark, Ireland and Germany, have also \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/22/nx-s1-5336792/european-countries-canada-travel-warnings-us\">updated their travel guidance\u003c/a> for the U.S., urging their citizens to strictly adhere to U.S. entry rules or risk detention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement to NPR, Hilton Beckham, assistant commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), said, “Green card holders who have not broken any U.S. laws, committed application fraud, or failed to apply for a re-entry permit after a long period of travel have nothing to fear about entering and exiting the country.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immigration attorneys told NPR the riskiness of traveling abroad will be different for individual travelers, making it important for them to understand their rights and privileges before making travel plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what to know.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Get up to speed on your rights based on your status\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There are generally three kinds of travelers who enter the U.S., according to Stephanie Gee, senior director of U.S. legal services at the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12032046 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/DonaldTrumpEOGetty-1020x664.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>U.S. citizens have guaranteed access to the country, Gee said. Green-card holders have procedural rights, meaning only an immigration judge can revoke their green card status. That means U.S. citizens and green-card holders can choose to not answer CBP officers’ questions or let them search their electronic devices, though refusing to do so can result in a delay in entry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the other hand, travelers with a temporary visa, which is common among students and tourists, have the “fewest rights,” Gee said. CBP officers have the final say on whether these travelers can enter the country, and can simply deny entry if a visa holder refuses to answer officers’ questions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stephen Yale-Loehr, a retired immigration law professor from Cornell Law School, recommends that green-card and visa holders double check their immigration documents before they fly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Make sure everything is in order, their visa hasn’t expired or they don’t have a renewal application pending,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Assess your risk level, preferably with an immigration attorney\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There are additional factors that could raise a traveler’s risk level. Yale-Loehr pointed to a draft list of 43 countries that could be hit with a new travel ban, as reported by \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/14/us/politics/trump-travel-ban.html\">\u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a> earlier this month. (NPR has not independently confirmed the reporting.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though there’s not a list that’s currently in effect, Yale-Loehr advised that travelers from the 11 countries in the proposed “red” category — places where travel to the U.S. would be banned outright — should think twice before flying here. These countries include Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.[aside postID=news_12026273 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/GettyImages-1277623147-1020x680.jpg']Yale-Loehr added that typically, visa holders who are denied entry are simply put on the next plane back to their home country. But some people have recently been taken into custody and detained for days and \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/mar/18/british-tourist-rebecca-burke-held-by-us-over-visa-released-from-detention-says-family\">weeks on end\u003c/a>. “ It’s a seemingly a growing problem,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For green-card holders, factors like a long trip abroad can raise suspicion at the airport. Lately, some immigration attorneys have also been warning that green-card holders with a criminal record, no matter how minor, should avoid leaving the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a recent case earlier this month, 34-year-old electrical engineer Fabian Schmidt, a green-card holder originally from Germany, was \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/17/nx-s1-5329818/2-cases-boston-focus-immigration-crackdown\">taken to immigration detention\u003c/a> from Logan International Airport in Boston over a decade-old misdemeanor charge for marijuana possession.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gee from IRAP said the best practice is for green-card and visa holders to consult an immigration attorney and get tailored advice on their personal situation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even if this is not something you would’ve considered doing and you’ve traveled routinely before,” she said. “Just because its clear that immigration enforcement at airports is picking up in a way that it has not in the past.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Know that customs officers are allowed to search your electronic devices\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>CBP officers can ask travelers to unlock their cell phones, give laptop passwords or hand over digital cameras. U.S. citizens and green-card holders can’t be turned away simply because they refuse, but visa holders can, according to Yale-Loehr.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said during an electronic search, CBP officers often look for material that would suggest non-citizens are ineligible to enter the U.S. That includes criminal convictions, domestic violence and support of terrorism.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s wide discretion at the border in terms of who to admit to the United States, even if you have a valid visa,” Yale-Loehr said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If a traveler’s electronic device gets confiscated, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclunc.org/our-work/know-your-rights/know-your-rights-us-airports-and-ports-entry\">American Civil Liberties Union\u003c/a> suggests asking for the officers’ names, badge numbers and which agency they work for. It also advises that travelers should call the agency to request a receipt documenting that a personal item was taken away.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Alert a trusted friend if things go awry\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/what-do-when-encountering-law-enforcement-airports-and-other-ports-entry-us#do-i-have-to-provide-my-laptop-passwords-or-unlock-my-mobile-phone-for-law-enforcement-officers-at-the-border\">ACLU\u003c/a>, travelers who are asked to undergo further inspection at the airport are not entitled to an attorney.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yale-Loehr said it’s still useful to have an immigration attorney’s contact information on hand. He also suggests travelers to have a friend who can be quickly reached if there’s trouble entering the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So if it looks like you’re going to be questioned by the border people, you can text a friend saying, ‘I’m being pulled into secondary inspection, contact my immigration lawyer,’ ” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gee from IRAP added that travelers can also ask for an interpreter if they need language assistance during inspections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s really important actually because the questions you’re being asked and your answers to them are really going to determine — a lot of times — the outcome of that situation,” she said. “So you should not be shy about saying, ‘I don’t understand. I need an interpreter.’ If that’s your situation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if authorities do not provide an interpreter, Gee said it’s helpful to have the request on the record.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s generally going to be a transcript of the questions and answers in these types of interviews and inspections, and that is the kind of official record of what actually happens during this time,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>NPR’s Joel Rose contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Traveling or returning to the U.S. from abroad has become increasingly risky for some — even for people with valid visas and green cards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In recent weeks, international tourists, visa holders and lawful permanent residents — also known as green-card holders — have been facing tougher scrutiny at airports and border crossings. The change comes amid a broader crackdown by the Trump administration to reduce both legal and illegal immigration to the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And as spring break trips and summer vacations draw near, stories of green-card and visa holders being detained have sparked new concerns about traveling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, for example, Brown University \u003ca href=\"https://today.brown.edu/announcements/193542\">urged\u003c/a> its international staff and students to postpone any plans to travel outside the U.S. “out of an abundance of caution.” Canada, along with several countries in Europe, including Denmark, Ireland and Germany, have also \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/22/nx-s1-5336792/european-countries-canada-travel-warnings-us\">updated their travel guidance\u003c/a> for the U.S., urging their citizens to strictly adhere to U.S. entry rules or risk detention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement to NPR, Hilton Beckham, assistant commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), said, “Green card holders who have not broken any U.S. laws, committed application fraud, or failed to apply for a re-entry permit after a long period of travel have nothing to fear about entering and exiting the country.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immigration attorneys told NPR the riskiness of traveling abroad will be different for individual travelers, making it important for them to understand their rights and privileges before making travel plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what to know.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Get up to speed on your rights based on your status\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There are generally three kinds of travelers who enter the U.S., according to Stephanie Gee, senior director of U.S. legal services at the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>U.S. citizens have guaranteed access to the country, Gee said. Green-card holders have procedural rights, meaning only an immigration judge can revoke their green card status. That means U.S. citizens and green-card holders can choose to not answer CBP officers’ questions or let them search their electronic devices, though refusing to do so can result in a delay in entry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the other hand, travelers with a temporary visa, which is common among students and tourists, have the “fewest rights,” Gee said. CBP officers have the final say on whether these travelers can enter the country, and can simply deny entry if a visa holder refuses to answer officers’ questions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stephen Yale-Loehr, a retired immigration law professor from Cornell Law School, recommends that green-card and visa holders double check their immigration documents before they fly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Make sure everything is in order, their visa hasn’t expired or they don’t have a renewal application pending,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Assess your risk level, preferably with an immigration attorney\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There are additional factors that could raise a traveler’s risk level. Yale-Loehr pointed to a draft list of 43 countries that could be hit with a new travel ban, as reported by \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/14/us/politics/trump-travel-ban.html\">\u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a> earlier this month. (NPR has not independently confirmed the reporting.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though there’s not a list that’s currently in effect, Yale-Loehr advised that travelers from the 11 countries in the proposed “red” category — places where travel to the U.S. would be banned outright — should think twice before flying here. These countries include Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Yale-Loehr added that typically, visa holders who are denied entry are simply put on the next plane back to their home country. But some people have recently been taken into custody and detained for days and \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/mar/18/british-tourist-rebecca-burke-held-by-us-over-visa-released-from-detention-says-family\">weeks on end\u003c/a>. “ It’s a seemingly a growing problem,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For green-card holders, factors like a long trip abroad can raise suspicion at the airport. Lately, some immigration attorneys have also been warning that green-card holders with a criminal record, no matter how minor, should avoid leaving the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a recent case earlier this month, 34-year-old electrical engineer Fabian Schmidt, a green-card holder originally from Germany, was \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/17/nx-s1-5329818/2-cases-boston-focus-immigration-crackdown\">taken to immigration detention\u003c/a> from Logan International Airport in Boston over a decade-old misdemeanor charge for marijuana possession.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gee from IRAP said the best practice is for green-card and visa holders to consult an immigration attorney and get tailored advice on their personal situation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even if this is not something you would’ve considered doing and you’ve traveled routinely before,” she said. “Just because its clear that immigration enforcement at airports is picking up in a way that it has not in the past.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Know that customs officers are allowed to search your electronic devices\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>CBP officers can ask travelers to unlock their cell phones, give laptop passwords or hand over digital cameras. U.S. citizens and green-card holders can’t be turned away simply because they refuse, but visa holders can, according to Yale-Loehr.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said during an electronic search, CBP officers often look for material that would suggest non-citizens are ineligible to enter the U.S. That includes criminal convictions, domestic violence and support of terrorism.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s wide discretion at the border in terms of who to admit to the United States, even if you have a valid visa,” Yale-Loehr said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If a traveler’s electronic device gets confiscated, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclunc.org/our-work/know-your-rights/know-your-rights-us-airports-and-ports-entry\">American Civil Liberties Union\u003c/a> suggests asking for the officers’ names, badge numbers and which agency they work for. It also advises that travelers should call the agency to request a receipt documenting that a personal item was taken away.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Alert a trusted friend if things go awry\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/what-do-when-encountering-law-enforcement-airports-and-other-ports-entry-us#do-i-have-to-provide-my-laptop-passwords-or-unlock-my-mobile-phone-for-law-enforcement-officers-at-the-border\">ACLU\u003c/a>, travelers who are asked to undergo further inspection at the airport are not entitled to an attorney.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yale-Loehr said it’s still useful to have an immigration attorney’s contact information on hand. He also suggests travelers to have a friend who can be quickly reached if there’s trouble entering the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So if it looks like you’re going to be questioned by the border people, you can text a friend saying, ‘I’m being pulled into secondary inspection, contact my immigration lawyer,’ ” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gee from IRAP added that travelers can also ask for an interpreter if they need language assistance during inspections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s really important actually because the questions you’re being asked and your answers to them are really going to determine — a lot of times — the outcome of that situation,” she said. “So you should not be shy about saying, ‘I don’t understand. I need an interpreter.’ If that’s your situation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if authorities do not provide an interpreter, Gee said it’s helpful to have the request on the record.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s generally going to be a transcript of the questions and answers in these types of interviews and inspections, and that is the kind of official record of what actually happens during this time,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>NPR’s Joel Rose contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "eid-al-fitr-end-ramadan-bay-area-2025-bazaars-festivals-night-markets-parties",
"title": "Where to Celebrate Eid al-Fitr in the Bay Area: Bazaars, Festivals, Night Markets and Parties to Know",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12029204/ramadan-2025-where-to-find-iftar-and-suhoor-in-the-bay-area\">As Ramadan comes to an end\u003c/a>, Muslims around the world are preparing for Eid al-Fitr: “The feast of breaking the fast.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re looking for an Eid party to gather with others, enjoy delicious food or meet new people, keep reading for just some of the events — most of them with free admission — taking place around the Bay Area to celebrate the occasion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#A\">Jump straight to: Eid parties and events in the Bay Area\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>One major highlight for 2025 is San Francisco’s first large-scale \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12032039/san-franciscos-tenderloin-bringing-new-eid-festival\">Eid Night Market Street Fair\u003c/a>, taking place in the Tenderloin district on April 5. This “bazaar-style” Eid event will offer food, live performances and even the Golden State Warriors’s academy coaches to play basketball with kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Tenderloin is known for more than just what people see in the news,” San Francisco Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, who represents the Tenderloin, told \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12032039/san-franciscos-tenderloin-bringing-new-eid-festival\">KQED last week\u003c/a>. “We believe this will showcase that, and in some respect, also be a beacon for the 250,000 Muslims who live in the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When is Eid 2025? \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11910408/ramadan-begins-on-a-crescent-moon-ushering-in-a-holy-month-of-fasting-and-kindness\">Depending on sightings of the moon\u003c/a>, Eid is predicted to land on Sunday, March 30. Please note that the Bay Area Eid events listed below begin as early as Thursday, March 27 and last well into April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you’re still looking for Iftar and Suhoor meals and buffets near you this week before Eid, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12029204/ramadan-2025-where-to-find-iftar-and-suhoor-in-the-bay-area\">read our guide to these Bay Area restaurants and pop-ups\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11944171\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11944171\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS63752_GettyImages-1240397744-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A man and a young boy, both with darker skin, wear traditional long sleeved purple shirts and pants, sitting down on a prayer mat. The boy is smiling broadly as the man looks down at him.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS63752_GettyImages-1240397744-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS63752_GettyImages-1240397744-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS63752_GettyImages-1240397744-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS63752_GettyImages-1240397744-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS63752_GettyImages-1240397744-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">This year’s Eid al-Fitr is predicted to begin Sunday, March 30. \u003ccite>(Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Night markets and events\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Thursday, March 27: \u003ca href=\"https://allevents.in/san%20jose/san-jose-pre-eid-shopping/200027946325300\">Pre-Eid Shopping\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in San José at the Home2 Suites by Hilton\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Friday, March 28: \u003ca href=\"https://allevents.in/newark/fremont-grand-pre-chaand-raat/200027702418522\">Grand Pre-Chaand Raat\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Newark at the Hilton\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 29: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/officialelaichico/p/DHg3Es9Smy8/?img_index=1\">Chand Raat night market\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Berkeley at \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.elaichico.com/\">elaichi co\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 29: \u003ca href=\"https://allevents.in/pleasanton/pleasanton-dublin-grand-chaand-raat/200027544852616\">Grand Chaand Raat\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Pleasanton at the Hilton\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 29: \u003ca href=\"https://allevents.in/dublin/grand-chand-raat-in-pleasanton/200027747522040\">Grand Chand Raat\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Pleasanton at the Marriott\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Sunday, March 30: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DHom44UTmBV/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&img_index=1\">Bay Bazaar\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Oakland (address provided following ticket purchase). While the Bay Bazaar is not explicitly an Eid celebration, the \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DHom44UTmBV/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&img_index=1\">organizers said they “hope you choose to spend the second half of your Eid with us.”\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033158\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033158\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/IMG_8257-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/IMG_8257-11.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/IMG_8257-11-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/IMG_8257-11-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/IMG_8257-11-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/IMG_8257-11-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Muslim women in prayer at Darrusalam Mosque in San Francisco, on March 15, 2019. \u003ccite>(Olivia Obineme/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"A\">\u003c/a>Eid parties, carnivals and picnics\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Sunday, March 30: \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventcombo.com/e/MCA-EID-UL-FITR-CELEBRATION-75034\">Muslim Community Association Eid Celebration\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Santa Clara, outside the Muslim Community Association\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, April 5: \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tenderloin-eid-street-fair-tickets-1292258272279?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Eid Street Fair\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, April 5: \u003ca href=\"https://tockify.com/muslimfomo/detail/4878/1743883200000?startms=1742886000000\">Eid Carnival\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Pleasanton at Bernal Community Park. Tickets are $45 per person, free for children under 5.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, April 5: \u003ca href=\"https://www.tickettailor.com/events/mcceastbay/1632421\">Tri-Valley Eid Ul-Fitr ’25 Family Fun Carnival\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Pleasanton, outside the Muslim Community Center. Tickets are $8 per person, $25 for a family of four.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, April 5: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DF3QxYdSdaU/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D\">Eid Bash\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Hayward at Masjid Muhajireen.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Wednesday, April 9 \u003c/strong>or \u003cstrong>Thursday, April 10, \u003c/strong>depending on the moonsighting\u003cstrong>: \u003ca href=\"https://sbia.info/site/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/eid-flyer3-apr10-2.pdf\">Eid-ul-Adha Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in San José at Masjid al-Mustafa\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Thursday, April 10: \u003ca href=\"https://sbia.info/site/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/eid-flyer3-apr10-2.pdf\">Eid al-Fitr Prayer & Celebration\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in San José at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, April 19: \u003ca href=\"https://lu.ma/5p98d56h\">Eid Mubarak Celebration\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> by Bay Area Malaysians in Sunnyvale at Ponderosa Park.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story contains reporting by KQED’s Gilare Zada and Sarah Mohamad.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Tenderloin is known for more than just what people see in the news,” San Francisco Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, who represents the Tenderloin, told \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12032039/san-franciscos-tenderloin-bringing-new-eid-festival\">KQED last week\u003c/a>. “We believe this will showcase that, and in some respect, also be a beacon for the 250,000 Muslims who live in the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When is Eid 2025? \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11910408/ramadan-begins-on-a-crescent-moon-ushering-in-a-holy-month-of-fasting-and-kindness\">Depending on sightings of the moon\u003c/a>, Eid is predicted to land on Sunday, March 30. Please note that the Bay Area Eid events listed below begin as early as Thursday, March 27 and last well into April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you’re still looking for Iftar and Suhoor meals and buffets near you this week before Eid, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12029204/ramadan-2025-where-to-find-iftar-and-suhoor-in-the-bay-area\">read our guide to these Bay Area restaurants and pop-ups\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11944171\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11944171\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS63752_GettyImages-1240397744-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A man and a young boy, both with darker skin, wear traditional long sleeved purple shirts and pants, sitting down on a prayer mat. The boy is smiling broadly as the man looks down at him.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS63752_GettyImages-1240397744-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS63752_GettyImages-1240397744-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS63752_GettyImages-1240397744-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS63752_GettyImages-1240397744-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS63752_GettyImages-1240397744-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">This year’s Eid al-Fitr is predicted to begin Sunday, March 30. \u003ccite>(Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Night markets and events\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Thursday, March 27: \u003ca href=\"https://allevents.in/san%20jose/san-jose-pre-eid-shopping/200027946325300\">Pre-Eid Shopping\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in San José at the Home2 Suites by Hilton\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Friday, March 28: \u003ca href=\"https://allevents.in/newark/fremont-grand-pre-chaand-raat/200027702418522\">Grand Pre-Chaand Raat\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Newark at the Hilton\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 29: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/officialelaichico/p/DHg3Es9Smy8/?img_index=1\">Chand Raat night market\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Berkeley at \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.elaichico.com/\">elaichi co\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 29: \u003ca href=\"https://allevents.in/pleasanton/pleasanton-dublin-grand-chaand-raat/200027544852616\">Grand Chaand Raat\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Pleasanton at the Hilton\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 29: \u003ca href=\"https://allevents.in/dublin/grand-chand-raat-in-pleasanton/200027747522040\">Grand Chand Raat\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Pleasanton at the Marriott\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Sunday, March 30: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DHom44UTmBV/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&img_index=1\">Bay Bazaar\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Oakland (address provided following ticket purchase). While the Bay Bazaar is not explicitly an Eid celebration, the \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DHom44UTmBV/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&img_index=1\">organizers said they “hope you choose to spend the second half of your Eid with us.”\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033158\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033158\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/IMG_8257-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/IMG_8257-11.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/IMG_8257-11-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/IMG_8257-11-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/IMG_8257-11-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/IMG_8257-11-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Muslim women in prayer at Darrusalam Mosque in San Francisco, on March 15, 2019. \u003ccite>(Olivia Obineme/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"A\">\u003c/a>Eid parties, carnivals and picnics\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Sunday, March 30: \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventcombo.com/e/MCA-EID-UL-FITR-CELEBRATION-75034\">Muslim Community Association Eid Celebration\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Santa Clara, outside the Muslim Community Association\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, April 5: \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tenderloin-eid-street-fair-tickets-1292258272279?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Eid Street Fair\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, April 5: \u003ca href=\"https://tockify.com/muslimfomo/detail/4878/1743883200000?startms=1742886000000\">Eid Carnival\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Pleasanton at Bernal Community Park. Tickets are $45 per person, free for children under 5.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, April 5: \u003ca href=\"https://www.tickettailor.com/events/mcceastbay/1632421\">Tri-Valley Eid Ul-Fitr ’25 Family Fun Carnival\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Pleasanton, outside the Muslim Community Center. Tickets are $8 per person, $25 for a family of four.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, April 5: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DF3QxYdSdaU/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D\">Eid Bash\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in Hayward at Masjid Muhajireen.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Wednesday, April 9 \u003c/strong>or \u003cstrong>Thursday, April 10, \u003c/strong>depending on the moonsighting\u003cstrong>: \u003ca href=\"https://sbia.info/site/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/eid-flyer3-apr10-2.pdf\">Eid-ul-Adha Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in San José at Masjid al-Mustafa\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Thursday, April 10: \u003ca href=\"https://sbia.info/site/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/eid-flyer3-apr10-2.pdf\">Eid al-Fitr Prayer & Celebration\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> in San José at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, April 19: \u003ca href=\"https://lu.ma/5p98d56h\">Eid Mubarak Celebration\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> by Bay Area Malaysians in Sunnyvale at Ponderosa Park.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story contains reporting by KQED’s Gilare Zada and Sarah Mohamad.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "bridge-tolls-lane-closures-and-vanity-plates-your-bay-area-transit-questions-answered",
"title": "Bridge Tolls, Lane Closures and Vanity Plates: Your Bay Area Transit Questions Answered",
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"headTitle": "Bridge Tolls, Lane Closures and Vanity Plates: Your Bay Area Transit Questions Answered | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#Transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One thing we know for sure about the Bay Curious audience is that you have lots of questions about how we get around the Bay Area. From the very start of the podcast 10 years ago next month, transportation has been one of the topics that surface again and again and again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’ve received a lot of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11798346/why-are-bart-escalators-nearly-always-broken-and-how-did-they-build-those-tunnels\">questions\u003c/a> about BART, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11932690/why-doesnt-bart-go-more-places\">why it doesn’t go more places\u003c/a> and how the process of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11986396/when-bart-was-built-people-and-houses-had-to-go\">clearing businesses and homes from its route\u003c/a> worked when the system was built.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[baycuriousbug]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’ve received questions about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11892152/the-tale-of-the-bay-bridge-troll\">the Bay Bridge troll(s)\u003c/a>. And about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11864205/is-that-a-ghost-freeway-on-the-peninsula-and-are-our-highways-filthier-than-ever\">why there’s so much trash\u003c/a> on Bay Area freeways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So now, after 10 years and a total of 10,000 questions from you, our loyal audience, we’re returning to the transportation theme by answering a bunch of bridge-related questions and one inquiry that touches on how Bay Area residents express their personalities on our license plates. Here goes:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#A\">Where does the toll money from Bay Area Bridges go?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#B\">Why is there a closed toll lane on the Bay Bridge?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#C\">Is the \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#C\">westbound\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#C\"> right carpool lane onto the Bay Bridge really ‘buses only’?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#D\">Why do so many Bay Area freeway names end in ‘80’?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#E\">What’s with the third lanes on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#F\">Why are there so many vanity license plates?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"A\">\u003c/a>Where does all that toll money from Bay Area bridges go?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11958608\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11958608\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Aerial shot of cars at a series of toll booths on a bridge, with a $7 toll fee in a digital sign above the booths.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1634\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-800x511.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-1020x651.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-1536x980.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-2048x1307.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-1920x1225.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vehicles cross the toll plaza on the Bay Bridge during the afternoon commute in Oakland on June 26, 2023. \u003ccite>(Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>First up, Dani Robillard has this question about the money we shell out when we drive across bridges in our region: \u003cem>Where does all that toll money from Bay Area bridges go? It’s got to be over $20 million a week, right?\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nYour guess of $20 million a week isn’t too far off, Dani. The tolls across the seven state-owned bridges in the Bay Area will bring in about $880 million in the current fiscal year, and that comes out to about $17 million a week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think the natural inclination is to think that the money collected when you drive through a toll plaza is going to be spent on the bridge you’re crossing, end of story. But the reality is more complicated and involves decisions transportation officials and Bay Area voters have made over the last half-century or so. The tolls we pay go to operating and maintaining the bridges — and to lots of other transportation-related things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seven of the eight toll bridges in the Bay Area — the Bay Bridge, Antioch, Benicia, Carquinez, Richmond-San Rafael, San Mateo and Dumbarton spans — are owned by the state of California. The money drivers pay is collected by an agency called \u003ca href=\"https://mtc.ca.gov/about-mtc/authorities/bay-area-toll-authority-bata\">the Bay Area Toll Authority\u003c/a>, or BATA, which also makes decisions about how to spend the revenue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In making its spending decisions, BATA has numerous obligations. Those include paying for ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the bridges, long-term rehabilitation projects, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.fitchratings.com/research/infrastructure-project-finance/fitch-rates-bata-series-2025-sr-toll-revs-aa-subrevs-aa-affirms-outstanding-rev-bonds-07-02-2025#:~:text=Fitch%20has%20affirmed%20BATA's%20%246.3,and%20all%20bonds%20is%20Stable.https://www.fitchratings.com/research/infrastructure-project-finance/fitch-rates-bata-series-2025-sr-toll-revs-aa-subrevs-aa-affirms-outstanding-rev-bonds-07-02-2025#:~:text=Fitch%20has%20affirmed%20BATA's%20%246.3,and%20all%20bonds%20is%20Stable.\">paying off bonds\u003c/a> floated to finance past projects like the $6.4 billion eastern span of the Bay Bridge. Last year, when tolls on the state-owned bridges were $7, BATA estimated that $4 of that charge was being spent in one way or another on the bridges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But how about the other $3? That portion of your toll payment is going in all sorts of different directions due to a series of ballot measures that transportation officials and the Legislature have put before voters since the late 1980s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://mtc.ca.gov/funding/regional-funding/regional-measure-1-rm-1\">Regional Measure 1\u003c/a>, passed in 1988, created a uniform $1 toll for all seven state-owned bridges. (Before Measure 1, tolls on the bridges ranged from 40 cents to $1.) The new funding was used for several bridge improvements but also for several major street and highway improvements, including the Richmond Parkway in Contra Costa County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://mtc.ca.gov/funding/regional-funding/regional-measure-2\">Regional Measure 2\u003c/a>, passed in 2004, raised tolls again by $1 (bringing them to $3 because of a 1998 increase imposed to help pay for the eastern span of the Bay Bridge). The proceeds from RM2 helped pay for the fourth bore of the Caldecott Tunnel, the new Transbay (now Salesforce) Transit Center and other big capital projects. The measure continues to provide day-to-day operating funds for AC Transit’s 1T bus rapid transit line on International Boulevard and San Francisco Muni’s T-Third light rail line and other services. Some RM2 funds also help pay for pedestrian and bike projects near the bridges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11671240/10-things-to-know-regional-measure-3-the-proposed-bay-area-bridge-toll-increase\">Regional Measure 3\u003c/a>, passed in 2018, included $3 in toll increases that, as of Jan. 1 this year, brings the basic charge for crossing the state bridges to $8. RM3 is helping fund nearly three dozen projects and services around the region, including BART’s extension through downtown San José (coming in 2037, by current estimates), some of BART’s new train cars, improved ferry service, and freeway express lanes (toll lanes) in six different counties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’ll mention in closing that the Golden Gate Bridge is owned and operated by a separate agency that has its own toll and budget policies and priorities, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.goldengate.org/\">Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District\u003c/a>. According to the district’s fiscal 2024–25 budget, tolls make up about half of its $320 million of its revenue this year. It’s spending about one-third of that — $108 million — on bridge operations. Most of the rest of the budget, $166 million, is going to pay for the district’s bus and ferry service.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"B\">\u003c/a>That closed toll lane on the Bay Bridge\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11635414\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11635414\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-1180x787.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-960x640.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-240x160.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-375x250.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-520x347.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vehicles approach the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza in Oakland on Dec. 5, 2017. Days before, a truck crashed into toll booth number 14 and killed worker Si Si Han. \u003ccite>(Farida Jhabvala Romero/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The next question comes from Andres Barraza: \u003cem>Why has that single lane at the toll plaza for the Bay Bridge been closed for years, and why won’t they reopen it again? Every time I’m passing, somebody’s always making a last second swerve to avoid the closed lane. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The closure of that lane at the Bay Bridge toll plaza — Lane 14, to be exact — is a tragic story that goes back more than seven years. In the early morning of Dec. 2, 2017, a box truck slammed into the toll booth and killed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11635239/tollbooth-worker-killed-in-bay-bridge-crash-remembered-as-kind-generous\">the veteran toll taker there, 46-year-old Si Si Han\u003c/a>. The fact that the toll booth has never been rebuilt or the lane opened is due to a combination of circumstances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bay Area bridge officials and Caltrans reportedly determined that the loss of the lane did not have a major impact on traffic flow through the toll plaza. That was especially true after the onset of the pandemic and the dramatic drop in traffic on the bridge. More recently, the rationale for leaving the lane as it is has shifted: The entire toll plaza will be phased out at some point in the next few years with the introduction of “\u003ca href=\"https://mtc.ca.gov/operations/programs-projects/bridges/open-road-tolling\">open-road tolling\u003c/a>.” That’s a system that uses an overhead structure, called a gantry, equipped with cameras and tag-reading equipment that can record vehicles passing at highway speeds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can get a little preview of how the system works on the two high-occupancy vehicle lanes on the north side of the Bay Area toll plaza, where carpool (and other) drivers currently zip beneath an overhead gantry equipped with cameras and tag readers.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"C\">\u003c/a>And speaking of that high-occupancy vehicle lane… How legit is ‘buses only’?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12032187\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12032187\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1408768939.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"656\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1408768939.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1408768939-800x513.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1408768939-1020x653.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1408768939-160x103.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">AC Transit buses roll toward the Bay Bridge in the carpool lane of the Eastshore Freeway in Berkeley on Thursday, May 10, 2018. \u003ccite>(Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Listener Sam wrote this: \u003cem>Outside rush hour, the right carpool lane westbound onto the Bay Bridge is labeled buses only, but there’s always a constant stream of cars. Do they not enforce that at all, even with photo tolls? Can I use it too? \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’ve wondered what’s going on with this lane, too, and when we got Sam’s question, we asked John Goodwin from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) what the story is: The brief answer is that during weekday commute hours — between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. — buses, carpools with three or more people, motorcycles and, for now, cars with valid DMV clean-air stickers — are all permitted to use the lane. Outside of those hours, \u003cem>only buses can lawfully use that lane.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for enforcement, the MTC contracts with the California Highway Patrol to enforce high-occupancy vehicle lanes. If you’re caught using that Bay Bridge lane outside the legal hours, you’ll be subject to a fine of $490 or more. (The same goes for violating carpool hours or passenger and decal requirements on any California HOV lane.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sam also mentions the photo toll equipment on that Bay Bridge carpool lane. Two things about that:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>First, drivers using the HOV lanes are supposed to have FasTrak tags, which are necessary to get the 50% discount that carpoolers get during weekday commute hours. Outside the designated carpool hours, when you’re violating the law by using the carpool lane, FasTrak will charge you a non-discounted toll for passing through the toll plaza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Second, the photo equipment Sam mentions is used for toll collection, not carpool enforcement. The cameras, which are deployed on all the toll lanes at the Bay Bridge, serve as a sort of backup system for Fastrak. They capture license plate images for each passing vehicle and ensure that drivers who don’t have toll tags are charged for crossing the bridges like everyone else.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"D\">\u003c/a>Eighty! Eighty! Eighty!\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003260\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003260\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/GettyImages-1938578486.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1298\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/GettyImages-1938578486.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/GettyImages-1938578486-800x541.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/GettyImages-1938578486-1020x690.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/GettyImages-1938578486-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/GettyImages-1938578486-1536x1038.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An aerial view, cars travel along Interstate 80 on Jan. 16, 2024, in Berkeley. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Our next question comes from Martin Aguilera, and he wants to know: \u003cem>Why do so many Bay Area freeways end with “80”? For instance, 880, 680, 280, 580. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The simple explanation for this numbering system is that all those three-digit routes are considered to be branches of Interstate 80 in the Bay Area. I-80 stretches from the George Washington Bridge in New York City to San Francisco, where it connects to U.S. 101 and heads south.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the federal government’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/interstate.cfm\">Interstate highway numbering system\u003c/a>, there are two kinds of these branch routes, each designated with the three-digit numbers Martin mentions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The routes that begin with even numbers. like 280, 680, and 880 in the Bay Area, are rather arbitrarily considered to be full or partial belt routes. Those are highways that traditionally run around the circumference of a region. The best example I know of, a true belt route, is Interstate 495 around Washington, D.C. Arguably, Interstates 680 and 280 in our region are peripheral routes, but there’s no way in the world you could put Interstate 880, from Oakland to San José, in that category. At least in our learned opinion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The routes that begin with odd numbers are considered to be spur or radial routes and they connect other major routes. And so we have 380, 580, 780 and 980. Most of these routes are very short. I-980, just west of downtown Oakland, is just 2 miles long; 380, which connects 280 with U.S. 101 at San Francisco International Airport, measures a little over 3 miles, and 780, between 80 and 680 in Solano County, is 6.5 miles. But sometimes these routes are really, really long: Interstate 580 runs 75 miles from Interstate 5 in San Joaquin County all the way to U.S. 101 in Marin.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"E\">\u003c/a>The saga of the third lanes on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11971910\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11971910\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240108-RSR-BIKE-LANE-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240108-RSR-BIKE-LANE-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240108-RSR-BIKE-LANE-MD-08-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240108-RSR-BIKE-LANE-MD-08-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240108-RSR-BIKE-LANE-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240108-RSR-BIKE-LANE-MD-08-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240108-RSR-BIKE-LANE-MD-08-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Traffic on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge on Jan. 8, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Listener Phil Narodick asks: \u003cem>There’s a third lane on the lower deck of the Richmond Bridge that’s seemingly opened and closed based on the vibes. No rhyme or reason provided. What’s going on and why do they sometimes not want you to drive in it?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To answer that, maybe a little bridge history is in order.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge opened in 1956, both its upper, westbound deck and lower, eastbound deck were configured with three lanes of traffic. Twenty years later, nature intervened.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California suffered through one of its worst droughts in 1976 and 1977. It was so dry for so long that Marin County’s reservoirs threatened to dry up. To respond to that crisis, water officials worked out an agreement to build a water pipeline across the upper deck of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to help relieve Marin’s shortage. That arrangement took the right lane on the westbound desk out of service. As it turned out, the pipeline was used for less than a year because the rains returned in the fall of 1977. A few years later, the pipeline was removed. But the space it occupied was turned into a lane for breakdowns and maintenance crews.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OK — that was the upper deck, and we’ll have more to say about that in a moment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the lower deck that Phil is asking about, something similar happened, only without the pipeline. In 1980, Caltrans decided to reduce traffic from three lanes to two and use the right lane for motorist emergencies and bridge maintenance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And there things stood until about a decade ago when Caltrans and other agencies came up with a proposal to restore that third lane of traffic on the lower, eastbound deck. The reason: Afternoon commute congestion had grown so acute that traffic was backing up not only across the bridge but back along Interstate 580 to U.S. 101 and to surface streets in San Rafael. By \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11648255/san-rafael-richmond-bridge-eastbound-lane\">opening up a third lane\u003c/a>, traffic engineers reasoned, congestion could be reduced. The plan was adopted, and the restored third lane opened in 2018. It turned out the traffic engineers were right: Opening that lane during the afternoon commute resulted in a dramatic reduction in congestion for the corridor, one that continues today in part because of reduced traffic in the wake of the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As to the operating hours for that third lane: The Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s John Goodwin said Caltrans opens the lane from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. He adds that Caltrans can adjust third-lane operations based on real-time conditions, but said that has seldom happened.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now let’s revisit the upper deck: As part of the same four-year pilot project proposal that restored the eastbound third lane, transportation agencies \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11786768/richmond-san-rafael-bridge-bike-walking-path\">installed a bike and pedestrian pathway\u003c/a> on the old right lane of the westbound upper deck. The upper deck path opened in 2019. With the exception of the Golden Gate Bridge, which is extremely popular with bike riders, the Richmond-San Rafael path has become the most used bridge crossing for cyclists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it’s also become \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11971935/richmond-bridge-bike-path-has-an-amazing-view-and-an-uncertain-future\">an object of controversy\u003c/a>. Critics of the lane contend that it’s the main culprit in the long backups that form most weekday mornings as westbound traffic makes its way through Richmond to the bridge. At the same time, \u003ca href=\"https://www.bcdc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/354/2024/12/2025-03-20-Richmond-San-Rafael-Bridge-PATH-Study-Phase-II-Attachment-A.pdf\">a study by UC Berkeley researchers (PDF)\u003c/a> hired to analyze the path’s effect on traffic found it hasn’t had a major impact on congestion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The critics, including the Bay Area Council business group and the Marin County Board of Supervisors, have urged Caltrans and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to take action to relieve the congestion. The resulting MTC plan would close the path four days a week and use it as a breakdown lane. Bike riders and pedestrians would get to use it from Friday through Sunday, the path’s most popular days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ultimate decision on whether that plan will go forward rests with the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, which will consider the issue on April 3.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"F\">\u003c/a>Why so many vanity license plates?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12032191\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12032191\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240128-49ersFans-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240128-49ersFans-07-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240128-49ersFans-07-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240128-49ersFans-07-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240128-49ersFans-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240128-49ersFans-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240128-49ersFans-07-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">49ers fan Bobbie Lince holds her license plate at a tailgate party outside Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Jan. 28, 2024, before an NFC Championship Game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>And one final question for this episode, from Marissa in Oakland. She asks: Why are there so many vanity license plates in the Bay Area? I grew up in Connecticut and remember going on road trips hoping to find some on our route and never really saw any. But now that I’ve been in California for about 8 years, they’re literally everywhere I look.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To our surprise, someone actually did a national survey on this. That’s very helpful in terms of giving Marissa what looks and feels like a solid answer. However, the study, carried out by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and a vanity license plate site called LCNS2ROM.com, was done in 2007. So does it reflect \u003cem>current\u003c/em> reality? We can’t swear that it does.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what we can say is back then, one state stood out above all others for the popularity of personalized license plates: Virginia. \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20080727002335/http:/www.lcns2rom.com/vanityplatesurvey.htm\">The survey\u003c/a>, which we tracked down on the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, found that 16.19% of all plates issued there, one in six, were personalized. Virginia was followed by New Hampshire, Illinois, Nevada, Montana, Maine, Connecticut, New Jersey, North Dakota and Vermont. That’s your top ten for vanity license plates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Where did California come in? Twenty-second, with about 3.5% of all plates issued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We can offer at least a partial update for those California numbers. As of 2007, the old survey said, the state had issued about 1.1 million personalized license plates. The Department of Motor Vehicles said that number is now 1,650,184, a 50% increase over the last 18 years. With about 32 million vehicles on the road, that would mean about 5% are carrying personalized plates. What we don’t know is where California ranks now among the other 49 states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[baycuriousquestion]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Transcript\">\u003c/a>Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Hey everyone, Olivia Allen-Price here. And I want to take you back for a moment to April 2015, when you could have been scanning the radio …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>(sounds of switching through the radio dial)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And settled on 88.5 KQED to hear the very first airing of a Bay Curious story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Archival Tape of KQED’s Joshua Johnson: \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003cem>OK, time for something fun. Today, we’re launching a special series about local oddities, mysterious and curiosities. We’re calling it Bay Curious.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>It was about this old wrecked car that hikers pass often on Mount Tamalpais. Reporter/Producer, Katrina Schwartz, and I hiked out to the wreck to check it out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Olivia and Katrina in archival tape: \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003cem>Holy cow that’s it! What a piece of junk. That is really unexpected…\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In some ways, that was the perfect story to kick off what is now nearly a 10-year-old journalism experiment. It took us through some Bay Area history. We learned about car manufacturing in the 1940s. We talked to some fascinating people. It was a story that had all the elements that I hope Bay Curious has come to be known for. And … it was about a \u003cem>car\u003c/em>. Which, really, isn’t that surprising. Because, over the years, more than 10,000 questions have poured in from you, our dear audience, and \u003cem>transportation\u003c/em> is one of the topics that we get the most questions about. Maybe it’s because getting around our region … has some pain points? I dunno.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Today, as we barrel toward our 10-year anniversary, we thought we’d answer a bunch of your transit questions that have been lingering in the Bay Curious inbox. Like “how much toll money gets collected on our bridges, and where does it go?” “Why has one toll booth been closed on the Bay Bridge for years?” And “Are there more vanity license plates in California than in other places?” It’s a transit lighting round, so hold on tight, and we will get going to pick up some answers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>(Start and rev engine in background)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>When a transit question strikes, KQED editor and reporter Dan Brekke is the person that I always go to to ask. He’s been covering transportation in the Bay Area for more than 20 years, and he’s, I think it’s fair to say, an OG transit nerd. Welcome, Dan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Hi Olivia\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So we have a pile of questions to get through this morning, but more than half of them have to do with our bridges. So I want to start there. Now, every time you cross one of our major bridges, you should probably hear a little ka-ching sound go off because they all come with a toll, usually somewhere in the vicinity of $8 to $10 … less if you’ve been smart enough to carpool. Now, multiply that by thousands of motorists crossing those bridges every hour, and a listener and longtime San Francisco resident, named Dani Robillard, has been seeing dollar signs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dani Robillard: \u003c/strong>Where does all that toll money from Bay Area bridges go? It’s got to be over $20 million a week, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What do you know, Dan?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>So that money goes to maintaining the bridges and to lots of other things. Your guess of $20 million a week isn’t too far off. There’s an organization called the Bay Area Toll Authority. And that’s an agency that was created to collect all the revenue from all the bridges — the seven state-owned bridges — and then to allocate it for various projects that we’ve agreed to as a region over the years. So they say that they bring in about $880 million in the current fiscal year, and that comes out to about $17 million a week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Can we dig in a little bit deeper because Dani wants us to break it down further…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dani Robillard: \u003c/strong>We have so many bridges and prices are increasing at an alarming rate. And I just really question, when I see the roads, and at times the conditions of our cities, where does all that money go?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I always thought the toll was to pay for the bridge. And once the bridge was paid off, the toll maybe go away. But that’s clearly not the case because some of these bridges have been around for decades and I imagine some of these bridges are paid off by now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Well, the bridges themselves might be paid off. You know, the Bay Bridge opened nearly 90 years ago. Next year will be the 90th anniversary. But, you know, there are ongoing costs, right? You build something that big and complex, and you have many needs over the years just to keep it up, to pave it, to reconfigure it if you need to. And so when you look at the toll dollars we spend going into this fiscal year, the Bay Area Toll Authority said about 60% of the toll funds were going into bridge stuff, right, all the things that I was just talking about, but the other 40% goes to a bunch of things that have, on the surface may be little to do with the bridges themselves but are all very important to the Bay Area’s transportation network. And those are things that range from BART’s brand new fleet of cars, to bike and pedestrian paths around the Bay Area and everything in between. So how did we decide to apportion 40% of those funds that we’re paying at the toll booth for these other things that you don’t see on the bridge? Well, there have been a series of regional measures called, cleverly enough, regional measures one, two, and three that we passed in 1988, 2004, and 2018. Those measures did two things. They raised tolls over time, and they apportioned the money from the new tolls to all these other projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All right, so let’s move on to our next question. And we have a few about the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge specifically, which, again, not surprising, because, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Bay Bridge carries more than a third of all the state-owned bridge traffic, something like 42 million cars or so crossed in 2022–2023 fiscal year. Let’s hear our first question about it!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Andrés: \u003c/strong>Hi my name is Andrés and I live in San Francisco. My question is why has that single lane at the toll plaza for the Bay Bridge been closed for years, and why won’t they open it again? Every time I’m passing, somebody’s always making a last second swerve to avoid the closed lane.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Well, that’s a tragic story, actually. But first, I want to say I know exactly what he’s talking about. When you’re approaching the Bay Bridge toll plaza, especially if it’s not super crowded, right? You’re approaching at some speed, and you’re kind of lining up what lane you’re in. And then all of a sudden, there’s this one lane that’s closed, and you might have to change out of that lane to get into one of the other ones. So what happened there was that toll booth was wrecked, and the toll taker inside was killed when a truck smashed into it in December 2017. And Caltrans afterward decided not to rebuild immediately. The damage was really extreme. And a construction project in the toll plaza brings a lot of complications with it. The toll booth was still not fixed at the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020. And there was a big change in how tolls were collected at that point. All the toll takers were removed from the plaza, as well as all the other toll bridges around the region, and toll collection became automated. So there was little need to replace that lane at that point, right? You still have 16 plus other lanes that drivers can use. And, you know, the pandemic started five years ago, and you would think, well, maybe there’s time to go in and do that work. Well, there’s actually a plan to replace the entire toll plaza. So that’s why it’s not getting done now. And what’s going to replace the toll plaza? Something called open road tolling. You can see how that’s going to work if you go to the north side of the toll plaza, where there are a couple of carpool lanes. They’re actually called high occupancy vehicle lanes for buses and carpools. And they’ve got overhead toll tag readers that you can drive through going 60 miles an hour, and your toll tags will be read automatically. And so this technology is going to come to the Bay Bridge and other Bay Area bridges in the next two or three years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All right, let’s move on to our next question, which also has to do with a lane on the Bay Bridge, not too far away from the one we’ve been talking about. Listener Sam wrote in with this: “Outside rush hour, the right carpool lane westbound onto the Bay Bridge is labeled busses only, but there’s always a constant stream of cars. Do they not enforce that at all, even with photo tolls? Can I use it too?” Dan, what have you got on this?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>So there are a couple parts to this question. I asked John Goodwin from the MTC what the story is with this lane, and he answered with a delightful email. I’m going to read from that. “Outside of weekday commute hours, that right-hand carpool lane can be lawfully used only by buses.” So, let’s stop there. Only by busses. Everybody else is not legal. So if you see cars over there, they’re actually breaking the law. He goes on to say, “Every one of the drivers in that constant stream of cars you cite is a scofflaw, a miscreant, and a scoundrel.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Burn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>OK burn, exactly. So it’s a little judgmental, but it is very clear. You can only use that lane during carpool hours. That’s part one of the answer. But Sam is also asking, is there any enforcement there? And the answer is yes. The CHP is under contract with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to pull drivers over when they’re violating the toll pool regulations. If the CHP is there and they pull you over, yes, you’re gonna get a ticket and you’re gonna get hit with a several hundred dollar fine. So essentially you’re taking your chances if you do that. Sam asked about the photo enforcement that’s there. Well, the photo equipment that’s there is not there for any kind of enforcement. It’s there to collect your toll. So if you drive through there in a non-carpool hour, that equipment will see you, it will record your license plate and you will be charged a toll. That’s all that will happen there. But remember, once you get through that point, sure, you’ve paid your $8 toll on the Bay Bridge, watch out for the CHP just waiting for you down the road.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music transition\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>This next question takes us across the bridge to the San Francisco side of things now, still on the Bay Bridge, though, and still in the westbound direction. On the upper deck, there are structures on both sides of the roadway, and they kind of look like shelters of some sort. They have sort of openings the size of garage doors. And we’ve had a few listeners write in asking what they were. Now, I actually dug into this question a few years ago and Caltrans told me that they were once bus stops back from the era when buses could stop on the bridge, and they haven’t been used since probably about the 1960s. Dan, I was hoping you could kind of take us back to this era of bus stops on the bridge and even commuter trains on the Bay Bridge. Just what did the Bay Bridge look like in the ’60s?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>So to begin with, the bridge was configured to have two-way traffic on the top deck, three lanes going in each direction. You also had to pay a toll each way. So you’d pay a toll coming into San Francisco and you’d pay a toll when you got back to the East Bay. That sounds like a treat, doesn’t it? And on the lower deck, there were train tracks for commuter train: The Key System, the Sacramento Northern, and the interurban electric railways all ran into the old Transbay Terminal across those tracks. There were also lanes set aside for truck traffic. No truck traffic was allowed on the upper deck. When the Key System abandoned service in the late 1950s, 1958 to be exact, a big project was undertaken to reconfigure how the bridge worked. So those train tracks were removed from the lower deck, and the two decks were made one way. Westbound traffic on the upper deck, eastbound traffic on the lower deck, just the way we see it today. And there were all sorts of little differences to the way the bridge worked. So as you said, yes, there were bus stops at the beginning of the bridge, on both sides actually and those were done away with when the bridge was reconfigured in October 1963.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music transition\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our next question comes from Martin Aguilera, and he wants to know: “Why do so many Bay Area freeways end with 80, i.e., 880, 680, 280, 580?” And I have to admit, as somebody who, you know, gets around our region by car quite a bit, all those 80s can be sort of confusing. It makes me think of how Olympian boxer George Foreman famously named all five of his sons George, and I’ve always wondered what it’s like to live in a house with five Georges, six Georges. So Dan, why all these 80s?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>So, you know, we actually have encountered this topic before in the Bay Curious newsletter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Which I’ll gently remind listeners they can subscribe to at BayCurious.org. Halfway down the page, just look for the big pink box!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>The simple explanation for this numbering system, all those three-digit routes are considered to be branches of Interstate 80 in the Bay Area. So Interstate 80 is the main drag, right? That’s the one that goes all the way across the country to the George Washington Bridge in New York City. And it ends right there in San Francisco where U.S. 101 comes in and heads south. And all these other 80s, the 580, the 680, the 280, 780 in the North Bay, those are all considered to be branches of one type or another of Interstate 80. There are two kinds of these branch routes. The ones that begin with even numbers, like 280, 680, and 880, are considered to be loop routes that provide a way around the periphery of the region. And I’ll observe while I say those numbers that none of those are really loop routes in and of themselves. Although 280 and 680 kind of make a loop. 880 is really a straight shot from Oakland down to State Highway 17 and San José.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ones that begin with odd numbers are considered to be spur or radial routes and they’re basically to connect busy routes. And so we have 380, 580, 780 and 980.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>OK, so we’re moving a bit north of the Bay Bridge now, on 580 I will add, to answer this question about the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Phil Narodick: \u003c/strong>Hi my name is Phil Narodick. I live in Berkeley and here’s my question: There’s a third lane on the eastbound span of the Richmond Bridge that’s seemingly opened and closed based on the vibes. No rhyme or reason provided. What’s going on and why do they sometimes not want you to drive in it?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Now Dan, the answer for this one might benefit from a little bridge history first — because the third lane in both directions on that bridge has had a number of uses over the years. Can you take us back?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>This bridge opened in 1956 with three lanes in each direction, right? Upper deck, westbound, lower deck, eastbound. We had a really bad drought in 1976 and 1977. Marin was out of water. So where was it going to get water? An agreement was made for East Bay MUD to build a pipeline across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Where did they put it? They put it in the right-hand lane of the upper deck. So, that lane was taken away, and it went from a three-lane to a two-lane bridge right there. Now, the pipeline was sort of a desperation measure and was very useful, but it was only needed for less than a year. And then it was taken out five years later, but traffic was never restored to that right-hand lane on the upper deck. It just became kind of a breakdown lane. And then a few years after that, on the lower deck, for no reason that I can actually determine, Caltrans decided to close the right-hand lane on the lower deck as well. There’s no reason given for it, except for the fact there wasn’t enough traffic to justify it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That changed a few years ago when Caltrans and other agencies started a pilot project to restore a third lane of traffic on the lower deck, the eastbound deck that Phil is talking about. And the reasons for doing that were that there’s enough congestion in the afternoon commute headed back to Contra Costa County from the North Bay, that something had to be done about it and restoring that lane seemed to be a possible answer. So, there is a project to get that done. The lane opened, as I say, a few years ago. And the simple answer from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission is Caltrans operates that lane and they open it from 2 to 7 every day, including weekends. Those are the operational hours, period.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Why would you have a lane closed at other times of the day?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Oh yeah, well, the reason you would see the lane closed at some times of day is because that third lane could still be used for construction activities, right? There’s lots of maintenance that happens on the Richmond-San Rafael bridge, and so there are other things that that lane can be used for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Now while we’re talking about this, the third lane on the upper deck has been in the news a lot lately, can you give us a quick update on what’s going on up there?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>The upper deck is a focus of attention right now because there’s a bike and pedestrian path in that right-hand lane now that went into service in 2019 as part of a pilot project. And it’s proven to be, I mean, it depends on who you ask. Cyclists absolutely love it. It’s gotten more use than any of the other bridge bike paths in the Bay Area. But there are questions about whether it’s making congestion worse in the morning hours going from Contra Costa County into Marin. There’s a proposal that would actually remove that bike lane four days of the week and restore it as a breakdown lane so that if somebody has a problem up there they get flat tire, run out of gas, have a little collision, they can pull over to the side, and they don’t impede traffic in the other two lanes. That’s been a big problem up there. And I want to say, this is a hugely fraught topic. I mean, there have been studies done about whether that bike lane has affected traffic and the delay getting onto the bridge in the morning. And the conclusion is, it hasn’t made a lot of difference. But there are people who feel passionately that it is really screwing with their lives and they wanna see it change. So that’s what’s going on up there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music Cue\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And we’ve reached the final question of this transit lightning round, and it’s about license plates. Now I’ve always had sort of the boring numbers and letters assembly that is randomly assigned, but all over our state, you will find vanity plates where people have paid a little extra to be able to choose what their license plate says. And one listener feels like they’re seeing more of these plates in California…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marissa: \u003c/strong>This is Marissa from Oakland, and I’m wondering why there are so many vanity license plates in the Bay Area? I grew up in Connecticut and remember going on road trips hoping to find some on our route and never really saw any. Living in Massachusetts for years after that, I didn’t see very many either. But now that I’ve been in California for about 8 years, they’re literally everywhere I look. If I’m walking down the street, if I’m in a car, and I was just wondering why that is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Well there was actually a study about this. Done a while ago. It’s the only study I can find — a survey actually, let’s call it a survey. And it was done in 2007 and what it found was California at that time ranked 22nd of the 50 states in the number of personalized or vanity plates. The number one state was Virginia. 16% of the plates in Virginia were personalized plates. And then given Marissa’s question and her regional roots, this is kind of interesting because the top 10 includes several states in the Northeast. Including New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, I think she said that’s her home state. And New Jersey. So, they’re out there somewhere. Maybe they were all parked up when you were looking. Of course, this was a survey done a long time ago and we did reach out to the Department of Motor Vehicles to see if there were some updated statistics. And one thing they could tell us for sure is that there are more personalized plates on the road than there used to be. So, in 2007, California had 1.1 million personalized plates, it now has about 1.6 million, so that’s quite a bit more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> But it’s interesting if California’s vanity license plate incidence has grown since the study was done, that’s kind of a trend happening across the country. So it could just be that as time has gone on, more people are choosing to do vanity plates, maybe they’re just more fun. There’s more interest in customizing your vehicle or something along those lines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Well I think that’s possible. I think something that you and I were talking about in casual conversation is how much people have to pay. Virginia is famous for charging very little for a personalized plate, I think they charge only $10. And in California to get one of those basic plates, it costs $53 to have it personalized. And then you have to pay $43 each year on an ongoing basis. If you want to get one of those specialized plates, like the ones for Yosemite National Park, it costs $103 and $83 on an ongoing basis, so you know that’s kind of steep for a lot people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Have you thought about what your vanity plate would be if you were to get one?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Um…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>TRNSIT NRD\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>TRNSIT NRD!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>TRNSIT NRD!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>I think that’s too many letters, actually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Well, Dan Brekke, thank you so much for joining us today. I really appreciate you sharing all your knowledge with us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Well, thanks for having me, you know, I really love being here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Two reminders on the way out — first, we have a Bay Curious Trivia night coming up on April 1, so be sure to round up a date or a few friends, and grab your tickets for that. That can be done at \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/live\">KQED.org/live\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, we are working on an episode about the best places to take kids in the Bay Area and we would love your help! Do you have a favorite playground? Or a restaurant that’s sneakily kid-friendly? Or maybe that business where you can take your kiddos to burn off some energy? If so, share the knowledge! Send a voice memo to \u003ca href=\"mailto:baycurious@kqed.org\">baycurious@kqed.org\u003c/a> and tell us — your name, the city where you live, and your tip! You can also call our hotline and leave a message… how retro! … the number is 415-553-3334.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Andrés:\u003c/strong> Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marissa: \u003c/strong>The show is produced by …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christopher Beale:\u003c/strong> Christopher Beale\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz:\u003c/strong> Katrina Schwartz\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> and me, Olivia Allen-Price. Additional support from\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Maha Sanad:\u003c/strong> Maha Sanad\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Sprenger: \u003c/strong>Katie Sprenger\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jen Chien: \u003c/strong>Jen Chien\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alana Walker:\u003c/strong> Alana Walker\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Holly Kernan: \u003c/strong>Holly Kernan\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Phil: \u003c/strong>And everyone at Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I’m your host Olivia Allen-Price. Be well, my friends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#Transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One thing we know for sure about the Bay Curious audience is that you have lots of questions about how we get around the Bay Area. From the very start of the podcast 10 years ago next month, transportation has been one of the topics that surface again and again and again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’ve received a lot of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11798346/why-are-bart-escalators-nearly-always-broken-and-how-did-they-build-those-tunnels\">questions\u003c/a> about BART, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11932690/why-doesnt-bart-go-more-places\">why it doesn’t go more places\u003c/a> and how the process of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11986396/when-bart-was-built-people-and-houses-had-to-go\">clearing businesses and homes from its route\u003c/a> worked when the system was built.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003caside class=\"alignleft utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__bayCuriousPodcastShortcode__bayCurious\">\u003cimg src=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/bayCuriousLogo.png alt=\"Bay Curious Podcast\" loading=\"lazy\" />\n What do you wonder about the Bay Area, its culture or people that you want KQED to investigate?\n \u003ca href=\"/news/series/baycurious\">Ask Bay Curious.\u003c/a>\u003c/aside>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’ve received questions about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11892152/the-tale-of-the-bay-bridge-troll\">the Bay Bridge troll(s)\u003c/a>. And about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11864205/is-that-a-ghost-freeway-on-the-peninsula-and-are-our-highways-filthier-than-ever\">why there’s so much trash\u003c/a> on Bay Area freeways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So now, after 10 years and a total of 10,000 questions from you, our loyal audience, we’re returning to the transportation theme by answering a bunch of bridge-related questions and one inquiry that touches on how Bay Area residents express their personalities on our license plates. Here goes:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#A\">Where does the toll money from Bay Area Bridges go?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#B\">Why is there a closed toll lane on the Bay Bridge?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#C\">Is the \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#C\">westbound\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#C\"> right carpool lane onto the Bay Bridge really ‘buses only’?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#D\">Why do so many Bay Area freeway names end in ‘80’?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#E\">What’s with the third lanes on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#F\">Why are there so many vanity license plates?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"A\">\u003c/a>Where does all that toll money from Bay Area bridges go?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11958608\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11958608\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Aerial shot of cars at a series of toll booths on a bridge, with a $7 toll fee in a digital sign above the booths.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1634\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-800x511.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-1020x651.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-1536x980.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-2048x1307.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1528848239-1920x1225.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vehicles cross the toll plaza on the Bay Bridge during the afternoon commute in Oakland on June 26, 2023. \u003ccite>(Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>First up, Dani Robillard has this question about the money we shell out when we drive across bridges in our region: \u003cem>Where does all that toll money from Bay Area bridges go? It’s got to be over $20 million a week, right?\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nYour guess of $20 million a week isn’t too far off, Dani. The tolls across the seven state-owned bridges in the Bay Area will bring in about $880 million in the current fiscal year, and that comes out to about $17 million a week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think the natural inclination is to think that the money collected when you drive through a toll plaza is going to be spent on the bridge you’re crossing, end of story. But the reality is more complicated and involves decisions transportation officials and Bay Area voters have made over the last half-century or so. The tolls we pay go to operating and maintaining the bridges — and to lots of other transportation-related things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seven of the eight toll bridges in the Bay Area — the Bay Bridge, Antioch, Benicia, Carquinez, Richmond-San Rafael, San Mateo and Dumbarton spans — are owned by the state of California. The money drivers pay is collected by an agency called \u003ca href=\"https://mtc.ca.gov/about-mtc/authorities/bay-area-toll-authority-bata\">the Bay Area Toll Authority\u003c/a>, or BATA, which also makes decisions about how to spend the revenue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In making its spending decisions, BATA has numerous obligations. Those include paying for ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the bridges, long-term rehabilitation projects, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.fitchratings.com/research/infrastructure-project-finance/fitch-rates-bata-series-2025-sr-toll-revs-aa-subrevs-aa-affirms-outstanding-rev-bonds-07-02-2025#:~:text=Fitch%20has%20affirmed%20BATA's%20%246.3,and%20all%20bonds%20is%20Stable.https://www.fitchratings.com/research/infrastructure-project-finance/fitch-rates-bata-series-2025-sr-toll-revs-aa-subrevs-aa-affirms-outstanding-rev-bonds-07-02-2025#:~:text=Fitch%20has%20affirmed%20BATA's%20%246.3,and%20all%20bonds%20is%20Stable.\">paying off bonds\u003c/a> floated to finance past projects like the $6.4 billion eastern span of the Bay Bridge. Last year, when tolls on the state-owned bridges were $7, BATA estimated that $4 of that charge was being spent in one way or another on the bridges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But how about the other $3? That portion of your toll payment is going in all sorts of different directions due to a series of ballot measures that transportation officials and the Legislature have put before voters since the late 1980s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://mtc.ca.gov/funding/regional-funding/regional-measure-1-rm-1\">Regional Measure 1\u003c/a>, passed in 1988, created a uniform $1 toll for all seven state-owned bridges. (Before Measure 1, tolls on the bridges ranged from 40 cents to $1.) The new funding was used for several bridge improvements but also for several major street and highway improvements, including the Richmond Parkway in Contra Costa County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://mtc.ca.gov/funding/regional-funding/regional-measure-2\">Regional Measure 2\u003c/a>, passed in 2004, raised tolls again by $1 (bringing them to $3 because of a 1998 increase imposed to help pay for the eastern span of the Bay Bridge). The proceeds from RM2 helped pay for the fourth bore of the Caldecott Tunnel, the new Transbay (now Salesforce) Transit Center and other big capital projects. The measure continues to provide day-to-day operating funds for AC Transit’s 1T bus rapid transit line on International Boulevard and San Francisco Muni’s T-Third light rail line and other services. Some RM2 funds also help pay for pedestrian and bike projects near the bridges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11671240/10-things-to-know-regional-measure-3-the-proposed-bay-area-bridge-toll-increase\">Regional Measure 3\u003c/a>, passed in 2018, included $3 in toll increases that, as of Jan. 1 this year, brings the basic charge for crossing the state bridges to $8. RM3 is helping fund nearly three dozen projects and services around the region, including BART’s extension through downtown San José (coming in 2037, by current estimates), some of BART’s new train cars, improved ferry service, and freeway express lanes (toll lanes) in six different counties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’ll mention in closing that the Golden Gate Bridge is owned and operated by a separate agency that has its own toll and budget policies and priorities, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.goldengate.org/\">Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District\u003c/a>. According to the district’s fiscal 2024–25 budget, tolls make up about half of its $320 million of its revenue this year. It’s spending about one-third of that — $108 million — on bridge operations. Most of the rest of the budget, $166 million, is going to pay for the district’s bus and ferry service.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"B\">\u003c/a>That closed toll lane on the Bay Bridge\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11635414\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11635414\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-1180x787.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-960x640.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-240x160.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-375x250.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28347_IMG_1202-qut-520x347.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vehicles approach the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza in Oakland on Dec. 5, 2017. Days before, a truck crashed into toll booth number 14 and killed worker Si Si Han. \u003ccite>(Farida Jhabvala Romero/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The next question comes from Andres Barraza: \u003cem>Why has that single lane at the toll plaza for the Bay Bridge been closed for years, and why won’t they reopen it again? Every time I’m passing, somebody’s always making a last second swerve to avoid the closed lane. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The closure of that lane at the Bay Bridge toll plaza — Lane 14, to be exact — is a tragic story that goes back more than seven years. In the early morning of Dec. 2, 2017, a box truck slammed into the toll booth and killed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11635239/tollbooth-worker-killed-in-bay-bridge-crash-remembered-as-kind-generous\">the veteran toll taker there, 46-year-old Si Si Han\u003c/a>. The fact that the toll booth has never been rebuilt or the lane opened is due to a combination of circumstances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bay Area bridge officials and Caltrans reportedly determined that the loss of the lane did not have a major impact on traffic flow through the toll plaza. That was especially true after the onset of the pandemic and the dramatic drop in traffic on the bridge. More recently, the rationale for leaving the lane as it is has shifted: The entire toll plaza will be phased out at some point in the next few years with the introduction of “\u003ca href=\"https://mtc.ca.gov/operations/programs-projects/bridges/open-road-tolling\">open-road tolling\u003c/a>.” That’s a system that uses an overhead structure, called a gantry, equipped with cameras and tag-reading equipment that can record vehicles passing at highway speeds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can get a little preview of how the system works on the two high-occupancy vehicle lanes on the north side of the Bay Area toll plaza, where carpool (and other) drivers currently zip beneath an overhead gantry equipped with cameras and tag readers.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"C\">\u003c/a>And speaking of that high-occupancy vehicle lane… How legit is ‘buses only’?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12032187\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12032187\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1408768939.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"656\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1408768939.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1408768939-800x513.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1408768939-1020x653.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1408768939-160x103.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">AC Transit buses roll toward the Bay Bridge in the carpool lane of the Eastshore Freeway in Berkeley on Thursday, May 10, 2018. \u003ccite>(Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Listener Sam wrote this: \u003cem>Outside rush hour, the right carpool lane westbound onto the Bay Bridge is labeled buses only, but there’s always a constant stream of cars. Do they not enforce that at all, even with photo tolls? Can I use it too? \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’ve wondered what’s going on with this lane, too, and when we got Sam’s question, we asked John Goodwin from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) what the story is: The brief answer is that during weekday commute hours — between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. — buses, carpools with three or more people, motorcycles and, for now, cars with valid DMV clean-air stickers — are all permitted to use the lane. Outside of those hours, \u003cem>only buses can lawfully use that lane.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for enforcement, the MTC contracts with the California Highway Patrol to enforce high-occupancy vehicle lanes. If you’re caught using that Bay Bridge lane outside the legal hours, you’ll be subject to a fine of $490 or more. (The same goes for violating carpool hours or passenger and decal requirements on any California HOV lane.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sam also mentions the photo toll equipment on that Bay Bridge carpool lane. Two things about that:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>First, drivers using the HOV lanes are supposed to have FasTrak tags, which are necessary to get the 50% discount that carpoolers get during weekday commute hours. Outside the designated carpool hours, when you’re violating the law by using the carpool lane, FasTrak will charge you a non-discounted toll for passing through the toll plaza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Second, the photo equipment Sam mentions is used for toll collection, not carpool enforcement. The cameras, which are deployed on all the toll lanes at the Bay Bridge, serve as a sort of backup system for Fastrak. They capture license plate images for each passing vehicle and ensure that drivers who don’t have toll tags are charged for crossing the bridges like everyone else.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"D\">\u003c/a>Eighty! Eighty! Eighty!\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003260\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003260\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/GettyImages-1938578486.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1298\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/GettyImages-1938578486.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/GettyImages-1938578486-800x541.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/GettyImages-1938578486-1020x690.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/GettyImages-1938578486-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/GettyImages-1938578486-1536x1038.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An aerial view, cars travel along Interstate 80 on Jan. 16, 2024, in Berkeley. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Our next question comes from Martin Aguilera, and he wants to know: \u003cem>Why do so many Bay Area freeways end with “80”? For instance, 880, 680, 280, 580. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The simple explanation for this numbering system is that all those three-digit routes are considered to be branches of Interstate 80 in the Bay Area. I-80 stretches from the George Washington Bridge in New York City to San Francisco, where it connects to U.S. 101 and heads south.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the federal government’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/interstate.cfm\">Interstate highway numbering system\u003c/a>, there are two kinds of these branch routes, each designated with the three-digit numbers Martin mentions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The routes that begin with even numbers. like 280, 680, and 880 in the Bay Area, are rather arbitrarily considered to be full or partial belt routes. Those are highways that traditionally run around the circumference of a region. The best example I know of, a true belt route, is Interstate 495 around Washington, D.C. Arguably, Interstates 680 and 280 in our region are peripheral routes, but there’s no way in the world you could put Interstate 880, from Oakland to San José, in that category. At least in our learned opinion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The routes that begin with odd numbers are considered to be spur or radial routes and they connect other major routes. And so we have 380, 580, 780 and 980. Most of these routes are very short. I-980, just west of downtown Oakland, is just 2 miles long; 380, which connects 280 with U.S. 101 at San Francisco International Airport, measures a little over 3 miles, and 780, between 80 and 680 in Solano County, is 6.5 miles. But sometimes these routes are really, really long: Interstate 580 runs 75 miles from Interstate 5 in San Joaquin County all the way to U.S. 101 in Marin.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"E\">\u003c/a>The saga of the third lanes on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11971910\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11971910\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240108-RSR-BIKE-LANE-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240108-RSR-BIKE-LANE-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240108-RSR-BIKE-LANE-MD-08-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240108-RSR-BIKE-LANE-MD-08-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240108-RSR-BIKE-LANE-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240108-RSR-BIKE-LANE-MD-08-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240108-RSR-BIKE-LANE-MD-08-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Traffic on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge on Jan. 8, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Listener Phil Narodick asks: \u003cem>There’s a third lane on the lower deck of the Richmond Bridge that’s seemingly opened and closed based on the vibes. No rhyme or reason provided. What’s going on and why do they sometimes not want you to drive in it?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To answer that, maybe a little bridge history is in order.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge opened in 1956, both its upper, westbound deck and lower, eastbound deck were configured with three lanes of traffic. Twenty years later, nature intervened.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California suffered through one of its worst droughts in 1976 and 1977. It was so dry for so long that Marin County’s reservoirs threatened to dry up. To respond to that crisis, water officials worked out an agreement to build a water pipeline across the upper deck of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to help relieve Marin’s shortage. That arrangement took the right lane on the westbound desk out of service. As it turned out, the pipeline was used for less than a year because the rains returned in the fall of 1977. A few years later, the pipeline was removed. But the space it occupied was turned into a lane for breakdowns and maintenance crews.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OK — that was the upper deck, and we’ll have more to say about that in a moment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the lower deck that Phil is asking about, something similar happened, only without the pipeline. In 1980, Caltrans decided to reduce traffic from three lanes to two and use the right lane for motorist emergencies and bridge maintenance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And there things stood until about a decade ago when Caltrans and other agencies came up with a proposal to restore that third lane of traffic on the lower, eastbound deck. The reason: Afternoon commute congestion had grown so acute that traffic was backing up not only across the bridge but back along Interstate 580 to U.S. 101 and to surface streets in San Rafael. By \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11648255/san-rafael-richmond-bridge-eastbound-lane\">opening up a third lane\u003c/a>, traffic engineers reasoned, congestion could be reduced. The plan was adopted, and the restored third lane opened in 2018. It turned out the traffic engineers were right: Opening that lane during the afternoon commute resulted in a dramatic reduction in congestion for the corridor, one that continues today in part because of reduced traffic in the wake of the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As to the operating hours for that third lane: The Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s John Goodwin said Caltrans opens the lane from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. He adds that Caltrans can adjust third-lane operations based on real-time conditions, but said that has seldom happened.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now let’s revisit the upper deck: As part of the same four-year pilot project proposal that restored the eastbound third lane, transportation agencies \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11786768/richmond-san-rafael-bridge-bike-walking-path\">installed a bike and pedestrian pathway\u003c/a> on the old right lane of the westbound upper deck. The upper deck path opened in 2019. With the exception of the Golden Gate Bridge, which is extremely popular with bike riders, the Richmond-San Rafael path has become the most used bridge crossing for cyclists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it’s also become \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11971935/richmond-bridge-bike-path-has-an-amazing-view-and-an-uncertain-future\">an object of controversy\u003c/a>. Critics of the lane contend that it’s the main culprit in the long backups that form most weekday mornings as westbound traffic makes its way through Richmond to the bridge. At the same time, \u003ca href=\"https://www.bcdc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/354/2024/12/2025-03-20-Richmond-San-Rafael-Bridge-PATH-Study-Phase-II-Attachment-A.pdf\">a study by UC Berkeley researchers (PDF)\u003c/a> hired to analyze the path’s effect on traffic found it hasn’t had a major impact on congestion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The critics, including the Bay Area Council business group and the Marin County Board of Supervisors, have urged Caltrans and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to take action to relieve the congestion. The resulting MTC plan would close the path four days a week and use it as a breakdown lane. Bike riders and pedestrians would get to use it from Friday through Sunday, the path’s most popular days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ultimate decision on whether that plan will go forward rests with the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, which will consider the issue on April 3.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"F\">\u003c/a>Why so many vanity license plates?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12032191\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12032191\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240128-49ersFans-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240128-49ersFans-07-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240128-49ersFans-07-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240128-49ersFans-07-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240128-49ersFans-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240128-49ersFans-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240128-49ersFans-07-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">49ers fan Bobbie Lince holds her license plate at a tailgate party outside Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Jan. 28, 2024, before an NFC Championship Game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>And one final question for this episode, from Marissa in Oakland. She asks: Why are there so many vanity license plates in the Bay Area? I grew up in Connecticut and remember going on road trips hoping to find some on our route and never really saw any. But now that I’ve been in California for about 8 years, they’re literally everywhere I look.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To our surprise, someone actually did a national survey on this. That’s very helpful in terms of giving Marissa what looks and feels like a solid answer. However, the study, carried out by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and a vanity license plate site called LCNS2ROM.com, was done in 2007. So does it reflect \u003cem>current\u003c/em> reality? We can’t swear that it does.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what we can say is back then, one state stood out above all others for the popularity of personalized license plates: Virginia. \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20080727002335/http:/www.lcns2rom.com/vanityplatesurvey.htm\">The survey\u003c/a>, which we tracked down on the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, found that 16.19% of all plates issued there, one in six, were personalized. Virginia was followed by New Hampshire, Illinois, Nevada, Montana, Maine, Connecticut, New Jersey, North Dakota and Vermont. That’s your top ten for vanity license plates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Where did California come in? Twenty-second, with about 3.5% of all plates issued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We can offer at least a partial update for those California numbers. As of 2007, the old survey said, the state had issued about 1.1 million personalized license plates. The Department of Motor Vehicles said that number is now 1,650,184, a 50% increase over the last 18 years. With about 32 million vehicles on the road, that would mean about 5% are carrying personalized plates. What we don’t know is where California ranks now among the other 49 states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Transcript\">\u003c/a>Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Hey everyone, Olivia Allen-Price here. And I want to take you back for a moment to April 2015, when you could have been scanning the radio …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>(sounds of switching through the radio dial)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And settled on 88.5 KQED to hear the very first airing of a Bay Curious story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Archival Tape of KQED’s Joshua Johnson: \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003cem>OK, time for something fun. Today, we’re launching a special series about local oddities, mysterious and curiosities. We’re calling it Bay Curious.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>It was about this old wrecked car that hikers pass often on Mount Tamalpais. Reporter/Producer, Katrina Schwartz, and I hiked out to the wreck to check it out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Olivia and Katrina in archival tape: \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003cem>Holy cow that’s it! What a piece of junk. That is really unexpected…\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In some ways, that was the perfect story to kick off what is now nearly a 10-year-old journalism experiment. It took us through some Bay Area history. We learned about car manufacturing in the 1940s. We talked to some fascinating people. It was a story that had all the elements that I hope Bay Curious has come to be known for. And … it was about a \u003cem>car\u003c/em>. Which, really, isn’t that surprising. Because, over the years, more than 10,000 questions have poured in from you, our dear audience, and \u003cem>transportation\u003c/em> is one of the topics that we get the most questions about. Maybe it’s because getting around our region … has some pain points? I dunno.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Today, as we barrel toward our 10-year anniversary, we thought we’d answer a bunch of your transit questions that have been lingering in the Bay Curious inbox. Like “how much toll money gets collected on our bridges, and where does it go?” “Why has one toll booth been closed on the Bay Bridge for years?” And “Are there more vanity license plates in California than in other places?” It’s a transit lighting round, so hold on tight, and we will get going to pick up some answers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>(Start and rev engine in background)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>When a transit question strikes, KQED editor and reporter Dan Brekke is the person that I always go to to ask. He’s been covering transportation in the Bay Area for more than 20 years, and he’s, I think it’s fair to say, an OG transit nerd. Welcome, Dan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Hi Olivia\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So we have a pile of questions to get through this morning, but more than half of them have to do with our bridges. So I want to start there. Now, every time you cross one of our major bridges, you should probably hear a little ka-ching sound go off because they all come with a toll, usually somewhere in the vicinity of $8 to $10 … less if you’ve been smart enough to carpool. Now, multiply that by thousands of motorists crossing those bridges every hour, and a listener and longtime San Francisco resident, named Dani Robillard, has been seeing dollar signs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dani Robillard: \u003c/strong>Where does all that toll money from Bay Area bridges go? It’s got to be over $20 million a week, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What do you know, Dan?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>So that money goes to maintaining the bridges and to lots of other things. Your guess of $20 million a week isn’t too far off. There’s an organization called the Bay Area Toll Authority. And that’s an agency that was created to collect all the revenue from all the bridges — the seven state-owned bridges — and then to allocate it for various projects that we’ve agreed to as a region over the years. So they say that they bring in about $880 million in the current fiscal year, and that comes out to about $17 million a week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Can we dig in a little bit deeper because Dani wants us to break it down further…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dani Robillard: \u003c/strong>We have so many bridges and prices are increasing at an alarming rate. And I just really question, when I see the roads, and at times the conditions of our cities, where does all that money go?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I always thought the toll was to pay for the bridge. And once the bridge was paid off, the toll maybe go away. But that’s clearly not the case because some of these bridges have been around for decades and I imagine some of these bridges are paid off by now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Well, the bridges themselves might be paid off. You know, the Bay Bridge opened nearly 90 years ago. Next year will be the 90th anniversary. But, you know, there are ongoing costs, right? You build something that big and complex, and you have many needs over the years just to keep it up, to pave it, to reconfigure it if you need to. And so when you look at the toll dollars we spend going into this fiscal year, the Bay Area Toll Authority said about 60% of the toll funds were going into bridge stuff, right, all the things that I was just talking about, but the other 40% goes to a bunch of things that have, on the surface may be little to do with the bridges themselves but are all very important to the Bay Area’s transportation network. And those are things that range from BART’s brand new fleet of cars, to bike and pedestrian paths around the Bay Area and everything in between. So how did we decide to apportion 40% of those funds that we’re paying at the toll booth for these other things that you don’t see on the bridge? Well, there have been a series of regional measures called, cleverly enough, regional measures one, two, and three that we passed in 1988, 2004, and 2018. Those measures did two things. They raised tolls over time, and they apportioned the money from the new tolls to all these other projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All right, so let’s move on to our next question. And we have a few about the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge specifically, which, again, not surprising, because, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Bay Bridge carries more than a third of all the state-owned bridge traffic, something like 42 million cars or so crossed in 2022–2023 fiscal year. Let’s hear our first question about it!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Andrés: \u003c/strong>Hi my name is Andrés and I live in San Francisco. My question is why has that single lane at the toll plaza for the Bay Bridge been closed for years, and why won’t they open it again? Every time I’m passing, somebody’s always making a last second swerve to avoid the closed lane.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Well, that’s a tragic story, actually. But first, I want to say I know exactly what he’s talking about. When you’re approaching the Bay Bridge toll plaza, especially if it’s not super crowded, right? You’re approaching at some speed, and you’re kind of lining up what lane you’re in. And then all of a sudden, there’s this one lane that’s closed, and you might have to change out of that lane to get into one of the other ones. So what happened there was that toll booth was wrecked, and the toll taker inside was killed when a truck smashed into it in December 2017. And Caltrans afterward decided not to rebuild immediately. The damage was really extreme. And a construction project in the toll plaza brings a lot of complications with it. The toll booth was still not fixed at the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020. And there was a big change in how tolls were collected at that point. All the toll takers were removed from the plaza, as well as all the other toll bridges around the region, and toll collection became automated. So there was little need to replace that lane at that point, right? You still have 16 plus other lanes that drivers can use. And, you know, the pandemic started five years ago, and you would think, well, maybe there’s time to go in and do that work. Well, there’s actually a plan to replace the entire toll plaza. So that’s why it’s not getting done now. And what’s going to replace the toll plaza? Something called open road tolling. You can see how that’s going to work if you go to the north side of the toll plaza, where there are a couple of carpool lanes. They’re actually called high occupancy vehicle lanes for buses and carpools. And they’ve got overhead toll tag readers that you can drive through going 60 miles an hour, and your toll tags will be read automatically. And so this technology is going to come to the Bay Bridge and other Bay Area bridges in the next two or three years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All right, let’s move on to our next question, which also has to do with a lane on the Bay Bridge, not too far away from the one we’ve been talking about. Listener Sam wrote in with this: “Outside rush hour, the right carpool lane westbound onto the Bay Bridge is labeled busses only, but there’s always a constant stream of cars. Do they not enforce that at all, even with photo tolls? Can I use it too?” Dan, what have you got on this?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>So there are a couple parts to this question. I asked John Goodwin from the MTC what the story is with this lane, and he answered with a delightful email. I’m going to read from that. “Outside of weekday commute hours, that right-hand carpool lane can be lawfully used only by buses.” So, let’s stop there. Only by busses. Everybody else is not legal. So if you see cars over there, they’re actually breaking the law. He goes on to say, “Every one of the drivers in that constant stream of cars you cite is a scofflaw, a miscreant, and a scoundrel.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Burn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>OK burn, exactly. So it’s a little judgmental, but it is very clear. You can only use that lane during carpool hours. That’s part one of the answer. But Sam is also asking, is there any enforcement there? And the answer is yes. The CHP is under contract with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to pull drivers over when they’re violating the toll pool regulations. If the CHP is there and they pull you over, yes, you’re gonna get a ticket and you’re gonna get hit with a several hundred dollar fine. So essentially you’re taking your chances if you do that. Sam asked about the photo enforcement that’s there. Well, the photo equipment that’s there is not there for any kind of enforcement. It’s there to collect your toll. So if you drive through there in a non-carpool hour, that equipment will see you, it will record your license plate and you will be charged a toll. That’s all that will happen there. But remember, once you get through that point, sure, you’ve paid your $8 toll on the Bay Bridge, watch out for the CHP just waiting for you down the road.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music transition\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>This next question takes us across the bridge to the San Francisco side of things now, still on the Bay Bridge, though, and still in the westbound direction. On the upper deck, there are structures on both sides of the roadway, and they kind of look like shelters of some sort. They have sort of openings the size of garage doors. And we’ve had a few listeners write in asking what they were. Now, I actually dug into this question a few years ago and Caltrans told me that they were once bus stops back from the era when buses could stop on the bridge, and they haven’t been used since probably about the 1960s. Dan, I was hoping you could kind of take us back to this era of bus stops on the bridge and even commuter trains on the Bay Bridge. Just what did the Bay Bridge look like in the ’60s?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>So to begin with, the bridge was configured to have two-way traffic on the top deck, three lanes going in each direction. You also had to pay a toll each way. So you’d pay a toll coming into San Francisco and you’d pay a toll when you got back to the East Bay. That sounds like a treat, doesn’t it? And on the lower deck, there were train tracks for commuter train: The Key System, the Sacramento Northern, and the interurban electric railways all ran into the old Transbay Terminal across those tracks. There were also lanes set aside for truck traffic. No truck traffic was allowed on the upper deck. When the Key System abandoned service in the late 1950s, 1958 to be exact, a big project was undertaken to reconfigure how the bridge worked. So those train tracks were removed from the lower deck, and the two decks were made one way. Westbound traffic on the upper deck, eastbound traffic on the lower deck, just the way we see it today. And there were all sorts of little differences to the way the bridge worked. So as you said, yes, there were bus stops at the beginning of the bridge, on both sides actually and those were done away with when the bridge was reconfigured in October 1963.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music transition\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our next question comes from Martin Aguilera, and he wants to know: “Why do so many Bay Area freeways end with 80, i.e., 880, 680, 280, 580?” And I have to admit, as somebody who, you know, gets around our region by car quite a bit, all those 80s can be sort of confusing. It makes me think of how Olympian boxer George Foreman famously named all five of his sons George, and I’ve always wondered what it’s like to live in a house with five Georges, six Georges. So Dan, why all these 80s?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>So, you know, we actually have encountered this topic before in the Bay Curious newsletter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Which I’ll gently remind listeners they can subscribe to at BayCurious.org. Halfway down the page, just look for the big pink box!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>The simple explanation for this numbering system, all those three-digit routes are considered to be branches of Interstate 80 in the Bay Area. So Interstate 80 is the main drag, right? That’s the one that goes all the way across the country to the George Washington Bridge in New York City. And it ends right there in San Francisco where U.S. 101 comes in and heads south. And all these other 80s, the 580, the 680, the 280, 780 in the North Bay, those are all considered to be branches of one type or another of Interstate 80. There are two kinds of these branch routes. The ones that begin with even numbers, like 280, 680, and 880, are considered to be loop routes that provide a way around the periphery of the region. And I’ll observe while I say those numbers that none of those are really loop routes in and of themselves. Although 280 and 680 kind of make a loop. 880 is really a straight shot from Oakland down to State Highway 17 and San José.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ones that begin with odd numbers are considered to be spur or radial routes and they’re basically to connect busy routes. And so we have 380, 580, 780 and 980.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>OK, so we’re moving a bit north of the Bay Bridge now, on 580 I will add, to answer this question about the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Phil Narodick: \u003c/strong>Hi my name is Phil Narodick. I live in Berkeley and here’s my question: There’s a third lane on the eastbound span of the Richmond Bridge that’s seemingly opened and closed based on the vibes. No rhyme or reason provided. What’s going on and why do they sometimes not want you to drive in it?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Now Dan, the answer for this one might benefit from a little bridge history first — because the third lane in both directions on that bridge has had a number of uses over the years. Can you take us back?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>This bridge opened in 1956 with three lanes in each direction, right? Upper deck, westbound, lower deck, eastbound. We had a really bad drought in 1976 and 1977. Marin was out of water. So where was it going to get water? An agreement was made for East Bay MUD to build a pipeline across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Where did they put it? They put it in the right-hand lane of the upper deck. So, that lane was taken away, and it went from a three-lane to a two-lane bridge right there. Now, the pipeline was sort of a desperation measure and was very useful, but it was only needed for less than a year. And then it was taken out five years later, but traffic was never restored to that right-hand lane on the upper deck. It just became kind of a breakdown lane. And then a few years after that, on the lower deck, for no reason that I can actually determine, Caltrans decided to close the right-hand lane on the lower deck as well. There’s no reason given for it, except for the fact there wasn’t enough traffic to justify it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That changed a few years ago when Caltrans and other agencies started a pilot project to restore a third lane of traffic on the lower deck, the eastbound deck that Phil is talking about. And the reasons for doing that were that there’s enough congestion in the afternoon commute headed back to Contra Costa County from the North Bay, that something had to be done about it and restoring that lane seemed to be a possible answer. So, there is a project to get that done. The lane opened, as I say, a few years ago. And the simple answer from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission is Caltrans operates that lane and they open it from 2 to 7 every day, including weekends. Those are the operational hours, period.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Why would you have a lane closed at other times of the day?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Oh yeah, well, the reason you would see the lane closed at some times of day is because that third lane could still be used for construction activities, right? There’s lots of maintenance that happens on the Richmond-San Rafael bridge, and so there are other things that that lane can be used for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Now while we’re talking about this, the third lane on the upper deck has been in the news a lot lately, can you give us a quick update on what’s going on up there?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>The upper deck is a focus of attention right now because there’s a bike and pedestrian path in that right-hand lane now that went into service in 2019 as part of a pilot project. And it’s proven to be, I mean, it depends on who you ask. Cyclists absolutely love it. It’s gotten more use than any of the other bridge bike paths in the Bay Area. But there are questions about whether it’s making congestion worse in the morning hours going from Contra Costa County into Marin. There’s a proposal that would actually remove that bike lane four days of the week and restore it as a breakdown lane so that if somebody has a problem up there they get flat tire, run out of gas, have a little collision, they can pull over to the side, and they don’t impede traffic in the other two lanes. That’s been a big problem up there. And I want to say, this is a hugely fraught topic. I mean, there have been studies done about whether that bike lane has affected traffic and the delay getting onto the bridge in the morning. And the conclusion is, it hasn’t made a lot of difference. But there are people who feel passionately that it is really screwing with their lives and they wanna see it change. So that’s what’s going on up there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music Cue\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And we’ve reached the final question of this transit lightning round, and it’s about license plates. Now I’ve always had sort of the boring numbers and letters assembly that is randomly assigned, but all over our state, you will find vanity plates where people have paid a little extra to be able to choose what their license plate says. And one listener feels like they’re seeing more of these plates in California…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marissa: \u003c/strong>This is Marissa from Oakland, and I’m wondering why there are so many vanity license plates in the Bay Area? I grew up in Connecticut and remember going on road trips hoping to find some on our route and never really saw any. Living in Massachusetts for years after that, I didn’t see very many either. But now that I’ve been in California for about 8 years, they’re literally everywhere I look. If I’m walking down the street, if I’m in a car, and I was just wondering why that is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Well there was actually a study about this. Done a while ago. It’s the only study I can find — a survey actually, let’s call it a survey. And it was done in 2007 and what it found was California at that time ranked 22nd of the 50 states in the number of personalized or vanity plates. The number one state was Virginia. 16% of the plates in Virginia were personalized plates. And then given Marissa’s question and her regional roots, this is kind of interesting because the top 10 includes several states in the Northeast. Including New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, I think she said that’s her home state. And New Jersey. So, they’re out there somewhere. Maybe they were all parked up when you were looking. Of course, this was a survey done a long time ago and we did reach out to the Department of Motor Vehicles to see if there were some updated statistics. And one thing they could tell us for sure is that there are more personalized plates on the road than there used to be. So, in 2007, California had 1.1 million personalized plates, it now has about 1.6 million, so that’s quite a bit more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> But it’s interesting if California’s vanity license plate incidence has grown since the study was done, that’s kind of a trend happening across the country. So it could just be that as time has gone on, more people are choosing to do vanity plates, maybe they’re just more fun. There’s more interest in customizing your vehicle or something along those lines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Well I think that’s possible. I think something that you and I were talking about in casual conversation is how much people have to pay. Virginia is famous for charging very little for a personalized plate, I think they charge only $10. And in California to get one of those basic plates, it costs $53 to have it personalized. And then you have to pay $43 each year on an ongoing basis. If you want to get one of those specialized plates, like the ones for Yosemite National Park, it costs $103 and $83 on an ongoing basis, so you know that’s kind of steep for a lot people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Have you thought about what your vanity plate would be if you were to get one?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Um…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>TRNSIT NRD\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>TRNSIT NRD!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>TRNSIT NRD!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>I think that’s too many letters, actually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Well, Dan Brekke, thank you so much for joining us today. I really appreciate you sharing all your knowledge with us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Dan Brekke: \u003c/strong>Well, thanks for having me, you know, I really love being here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Two reminders on the way out — first, we have a Bay Curious Trivia night coming up on April 1, so be sure to round up a date or a few friends, and grab your tickets for that. That can be done at \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/live\">KQED.org/live\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, we are working on an episode about the best places to take kids in the Bay Area and we would love your help! Do you have a favorite playground? Or a restaurant that’s sneakily kid-friendly? Or maybe that business where you can take your kiddos to burn off some energy? If so, share the knowledge! Send a voice memo to \u003ca href=\"mailto:baycurious@kqed.org\">baycurious@kqed.org\u003c/a> and tell us — your name, the city where you live, and your tip! You can also call our hotline and leave a message… how retro! … the number is 415-553-3334.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Andrés:\u003c/strong> Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marissa: \u003c/strong>The show is produced by …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christopher Beale:\u003c/strong> Christopher Beale\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz:\u003c/strong> Katrina Schwartz\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> and me, Olivia Allen-Price. Additional support from\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Maha Sanad:\u003c/strong> Maha Sanad\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katie Sprenger: \u003c/strong>Katie Sprenger\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jen Chien: \u003c/strong>Jen Chien\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alana Walker:\u003c/strong> Alana Walker\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Holly Kernan: \u003c/strong>Holly Kernan\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Phil: \u003c/strong>And everyone at Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I’m your host Olivia Allen-Price. Be well, my friends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"headTitle": "Got Student Loans? Here’s What to Know During These Department of Education Cuts | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cb data-stringify-type=\"bold\">Update, 11 a.m. March 31: \u003c/b>\u003c/em>\u003cem>As of March 26, the income-driven repayment plans Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) are \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/31/nx-s1-5343770/trump-student-loan-forgiveness\">now open to enrollment again\u003c/a>. Borrowers can also now \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/loan-consolidation/\">apply for loan consolidation online\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 11, President Donald Trump’s administration\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12030839/us-education-department-says-it-is-cutting-nearly-half-of-all-staff\"> announced plans to \u003c/a>cut half of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12030839/us-education-department-says-it-is-cutting-nearly-half-of-all-staff\">Department of Education’s workforce\u003c/a> starting Friday, fulfilling parts of a long-held\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101909180/what-trumps-threatened-education-cuts-mean-for-students-schools\"> conservative mission\u003c/a> to\u003ca href=\"https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/how-project-2025-would-devastate-public-education\"> weaken the agency\u003c/a>. More than 1,300 positions will be eliminated, according to the announcement, and around 600 more employees accepted voluntary resignations or retired over the last two months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Education administers student loans and aid programs and many of the layoffs occurred within \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/12/nx-s1-5325854/trump-education-department-layoffs-civil-rights-student-loans\">the Federal Student Aid\u003c/a> department. One in four adults under 40 in the United States \u003ca href=\"https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/09/18/facts-about-student-loans/\">has student loan debt,\u003c/a> and Americans owed about $1.6 trillion in student loans as of June 2024, according to a Pew Research Center analysis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In\u003ca href=\"https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-initiates-reduction-force\"> a statement\u003c/a>, the Department of Education said it would “continue to deliver on all statutory programs that fall under the agency’s purview,” including student loans and \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/pell\">Pell Grants\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#A\">Jump straight to: I have student loans. Should I be backing up my payment records?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Beth Maglione, the interim president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, called the idea that services will not be interrupted “at best, naive and, at worst, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/35826/Trump_s_Plan_to_Dismantle_the_Department_of_Education_Is_Officially_Underway\">deliberately misleading\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003cem>Inside Higher Ed\u003c/em>, many of the dismissed employees within the Federal Student Aid department assisted with the technical administration of student loans, including working on \u003ca href=\"https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2025/03/13/how-education-department-layoffs-could-affect-higher\">functionalities for \u003c/a>the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which was hit hard during its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">troubled revamp\u003c/a> last year. The planned cuts also include staffers who answered FAFSA questions for students and parents and who handle disputes between \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2025/03/12/yes-your-student-loans-will-be-impacted-by-the-mass-department-of-education-layoffs/\">borrowers and loan services\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the big themes that I noticed is that a lot of the helpers are gone,” said Betsy Mayotte, the founder of the nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://freestudentloanadvice.org/\">Institute of Student Loan Advisors\u003c/a>. “Borrowers need more help, not less.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California quickly joined other states \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031176/california-other-states-gear-up-fight-department-educations-dismantling\">in a lawsuit\u003c/a> to fight the cuts, but the Department of Education’s precarious situation is now coupled with ongoing uncertainty around repayment plans. Eight million student loan borrowers were enrolled in former President Joe Biden’s SAVE income-driven repayment plan in hopes of cheaper payments and a shorter \u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com/save-plan-permanently-struck-down-student-loan-borrowers-lose-relief-2025-1\">loan repayment timeline\u003c/a>, but the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the plan in February in a decision that also prevented borrowers from enrolling in other \u003ca href=\"https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/court-decision-blocks-save-plan-and-idr-access/\">income-driven repayment plans\u003c/a> for their student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All this has left the 42.7 million Americans who have \u003ca href=\"https://educationdata.org/student-loan-debt-statistics\">federal loan debt\u003c/a> with little clarity on what will happen to their current debt, said Adam S. Minsky, a\u003ca href=\"https://minsky-law.com/\"> lawyer specializing\u003c/a> in student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s very difficult right now for borrowers to be able to make informed decisions because there is so much uncertainty and volatility right now,” Minsky said. “We don’t know what the landscape is going to look like in a month or six months or a year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, if you have student loans, what \u003cem>do \u003c/em>we know right now? KQED spoke to Minsky and Mayotte about what borrowers should know in the immediate aftermath of the Department of Education cuts and what practical actions they can take right now amid so much confusion. You can also regularly check \u003ca href=\"http://studentaid.gov\">studentaid.gov\u003c/a> for the latest official updates.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>At a glance: What different types of student loan borrowers should know \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you’re a borrower, make sure you know what kind of \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/income-driven\">income-driven repayment plan\u003c/a> you’re enrolled in for your student loan debt:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Repayment Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>New Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Old Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Unless you are on SAVE, you should be making your payments, Mayotte said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Trump administration’s cuts to the Department of Education and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/01/08/nx-s1-5250031/federal-student-loan-borrowers-await-court-decision-on-repayment-plan\">SAVE court orders\u003c/a> mean that borrowers could be at the mercy of potential changes to their income-driven payment plans, said Minsky. Some borrowers may see their monthly payments increase. Other borrowers may no longer qualify for certain types of forgiveness programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is possible that borrowers could see some very tangible, possibly negative changes as a result of what’s going on right now with student loans,” Minsky said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are currently unable to afford your payments, Mayotte said you can ask your servicer \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/lower-payments/get-temporary-relief/forbearance\">for a “forbearance\u003c/a>” — which is the chance to pause payments temporarily. Keep in mind that this is a move you can only make a limited number of times, and interest does accrue during this period.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12031854\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12031854\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Demonstrators gather outside of the offices of the US Department of Education in Washington, DC on March 13, 2025 to protest against mass layoffs and budget cuts at the agency, initiated by the Trump administration and DOGE. \u003ccite>(Bryan Dozier/Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>If you are on the SAVE plan, look for alternatives\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The SAVE program was meant to serve as \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/despite-collapse-of-his-forgiveness-plan-millions-had-student-loans-canceled-under-biden\">Biden’s victory lap\u003c/a> in fulfilling a campaign promise. However, the courts have now more or less sunk SAVE, said Mayotte,\u003ca href=\"https://www.studentloanplanner.com/doge-access-save-injunction/\"> forcing millions of Americans\u003c/a> into\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/lower-payments/get-temporary-relief/forbearance\"> forbearance\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People enrolled in SAVE\u003ca href=\"https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/court-decision-blocks-save-plan-and-idr-access/\"> do not need to make payments\u003c/a> and interest does not apply. They will need to wait to see when the other income-driven payment programs open enrollment in order to switch to those plans. However, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service/public-service-loan-forgiveness-buyback\">in most cases\u003c/a>, time in this forbearance does not count toward other payment programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It “might be a good idea” for borrowers to “start exploring what your alternative repayment plan options are going to look like” so they are not unprepared for when the change comes, Minsky added.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>If you are on ICR or PAYE, you may run into restrictions\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Some of the other repayment plans like\u003ca href=\"https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/court-decision-blocks-save-plan-and-idr-access/\"> Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Income Contingent Repayment (ICR)\u003c/a> also got caught up in \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/35688/Court_Ruling_Affirms_Blocking_of_SAVE_Plan_While_Next_Steps_for_the_Program_Remain_Uncertain\">SAVE’s legal challenges\u003c/a> — and after the February court ruling, the Department of Education is now barring people from new enrollment or recertifying their income. You can still enroll in the \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/extended\">\u003cem>non-\u003c/em>income-driven plans\u003c/a> for the chance of having a lower monthly payment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are already enrolled in these plans, you can and should still make your payments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you cannot recertify your income,\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/income-driven\"> you will not be kicked off\u003c/a> your PAYE or ICR plan. There is a chance that the Department of Education will extend the deadline for recertifying, but that has not been announced yet, said Mayotte. According to the federal student aid website, your required monthly payment amount “will be the amount you would pay under a\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/standard\"> Standard Repayment Plan with a 10-year repayment period\u003c/a>, based on the loan amount you owed when you initially entered the income-driven repayment plan.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you completed your required number of months under PAYE, you would be placed in a forbearance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in general, it is unknown when recertification of income or new enrollment for these plans may resume.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re hoping that whatever this pause is, it’s temporary and that processing will resume soon,” Minsky said. “It’s still fairly new, so we’ll have to see what happens.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayotte predicts that these repayment programs — except for SAVE — “are going to come back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Acknowledging that it “can be really difficult” not to panic, Mayotte urged borrowers not to “make any rash decisions based on something that happened today.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve never seen the chaos that we’re experiencing today, but I do think that in the end, a lot of this is going to shake out,” she said. “Just sort of take a deep breath, keep yourself educated [on the latest updates] and wait and see.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the Department of Education, “payments on PAYE, SAVE, and ICR are counted toward \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-court-actions\">IBR Plan forgiveness\u003c/a> if the borrower enrolls in IBR.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>You can’t submit online applications for consolidation\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Consolidation allows you to combine your different loan types into one large single loan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, because of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/35688/Court_Ruling_Affirms_Blocking_of_SAVE_Plan_While_Next_Steps_for_the_Program_Remain_Uncertain\">SAVE court block\u003c/a>, you are currently unable to apply for this online. You can file a \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-court-actions\">paper application and mail it\u003c/a> to loan servicer Aidvantage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12031869\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2121px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12031869\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2121\" height=\"1414\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184.jpg 2121w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2121px) 100vw, 2121px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Avoid online misinformation and get your information straight from the source itself, from sites like \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/\">studentaid.gov\u003c/a> or the \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/\">Department of Financial Innovation and Protection (DFPI)\u003c/a>. \u003ccite>(Carol Yepes/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Download copies of your Public Service Loan Forgiveness progress \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>More than\u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/policywatch/executive-order-on-restoring-public-service-loan-forgiveness/#:~:text=Impact%3A%20More%20than%202%20million,organizations%20qualify%20for%20the%20program.\"> two million Americans\u003c/a> qualify for the\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service\"> Public Service Loan Forgiveness \u003c/a>(PSLF) program, which wipes out your debt when you work for a nonprofit and make 120 monthly payments while at a nonprofit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Minsky advised that if you are in the program, take screenshots of your progress by heading to “Track Your PSLF Progress” on your online dashboard and certify your employment if you haven’t in a while. Borrowers on the PSLF program need to enroll their employer on the website so their payments can be counted successfully.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump issued an executive order \u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com/public-service-student-loan-forgiveness-pslf-not-changing-today-trump-2025-3\">to limit the program\u003c/a> to exclude employees working for\u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/restoring-public-service-loan-forgiveness/\"> certain nonprofits\u003c/a>, like organizations the order deems to be “supporting terrorism” and offering “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12023784/after-trumps-order-on-two-genders-trans-rights-groups-taking-action\">so-called transgender sanctuary\u003c/a>.” However, those changes are not happening any time soon, according to Federal Student Aid, which is part of the Department of Education. “The PSLF Program is not changing today, and borrowers do not need to take any action,” the agency wrote on\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/FAFSA/status/1899103979549667522\"> social media\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Several advocacy groups for student loan borrowers have said that the proposed changes would likely be illegal or unconstitutional,” Minsky said. “And so depending on when they get implemented and what the final regulations look like, there might be legal challenges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Programs that were created by Congress typically would require Congress to fundamentally change or repeal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"A\">\u003c/a>How can student loan borrowers back up their records?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“Anytime you have a debt, it never hurts to keep good records on that debt,” said Mayotte.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2025/02/05/student-loan-borrowers-do-these-7-things-as-the-department-of-education-faces-uncertain-future/\">article for \u003cem>Forbes\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Minsky detailed several ways borrowers should save their loan information in case of any changes the federal government may make, like taking down agency websites. (Several digital archivist groups, like the Wayback Machine, have already been attempting to\u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/culture/400705/internet-purge-offline-government-website-archive-trump\"> save records\u003c/a> of these shuttered websites, and Minsky suggested you may \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2025/02/05/student-loan-borrowers-do-these-7-things-as-the-department-of-education-faces-uncertain-future/\">consider taking screenshots\u003c/a> of the details of your plan on the Department of Education website.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Minsky advises you to consider:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Taking screenshots of your student loan dashboard on studentaid.org\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Include any progress you may have made on income-driven repayment plans.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Downloading your federal student loan data \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Log into your studentaid.org account on your computer, which may make this process easier than navigating on mobile. Click on “View Details” on your dash and then select “My Aid.” There should be a “Download My Aid Data” in the top right corner. This will result in a raw file downloaded to your computer.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Downloading your student loan record from your loan servicers\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Use studentaid.org to find out if your loan servicer is either MOHELA, EdFinancial, Aidvantage or Nelnet. You can then check your account directly with these services and download your loan data to complement the data you downloaded straight from studentaid.org.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>How to add extra security to your student aid account\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In late February, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/business/money-report/federal-judge-blocks-musks-doge-from-access-to-student-loan-borrowers-personal-data/3639469/?os=v%5B0%5D&ref=app\">a judge blocked efforts\u003c/a> by billionaire Elon Musk and staffers at the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-congress-4e0c025629e8a0c758d13dc916ab4f43\">DOGE)\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-congress-4e0c025629e8a0c758d13dc916ab4f43\">gain access\u003c/a> to student loan data. This came after labor unions like the American Federation of Teachers sued agencies for allowing Musk to have access to the data in the first place, stating\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/education-department-trump-doge-8c5bba3883b3d924b28114a4f291bec4\"> concerns about\u003c/a> the privacy of millions of borrowers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Minsky noted there has been “\u003ca href=\"https://archive.ph/WMXai#selection-887.135-887.299\">no clear indication\u003c/a>” of widespread danger to borrower accounts, he wrote that it could be helpful for Americans to update the passwords on their studentaid.gov account and enable two-factor authentication (also known as 2FA), which will send a code to your phone or email that you would then use to access your dashboard.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>How to recognize misinformation about student loans right now \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Mayotte stressed that “wrong” and “damaging” rumors about student loans have spread far and wide on TikTok and Facebook. “So be wary where you’re getting your student loan information,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayotte said posts she’s already debunked from other borrowers include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>False: Current events may mean your loans could be wiped out\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Online, some hopeful borrowers posted — perhaps in an ironic vein — that if the Department of Education is gone, so are student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Minsky said even with cuts at the agency, “it doesn’t fundamentally change the nature of the debt that folks owe. It doesn’t mean that you don’t have to repay their loans. It doesn’t mean that loans disappear.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>False: Your loans could change — or be reduced — by being moved into another part of the federal government.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if a person’s student loan portfolio \u003cem>was \u003c/em>moved out of the Department of Education and into another office like \u003ca href=\"https://time.com/7265794/what-will-happen-to-student-loans-if-department-of-education-closes/\">the Treasury\u003c/a>, as Trump has proposed, “it would just mean that a different agency was performing the oversight,” said Mayotte. “Terms and conditions of the loans aren’t going to change, the servicers aren’t going to change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>False: Student loans can be forgiven because of Musk getting access to data \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A judge issued a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/24/federal-judge-blocks-musks-doge-access-to-student-loan-borrowers-data.html\">temporary restraining order\u003c/a> that stopped Musk’s DOGE staffers from accessing student loan data due to privacy concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, even if Musk and his affiliates were found to have isolated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), students would not be able to have their loans forgiven despite what circulating social media posts may claim.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayotte said this has not historically ever been a way to \u003ca href=\"https://www.studentloanplanner.com/doge-access-save-injunction/\">rectify a FERPA violation\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Where can I find information and guidance about my student loans?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The best information comes straight from the source itself —\u003ca href=\"http://studentaid.gov\"> studentaid.gov\u003c/a>, said Mayotte. But Californians also have a \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/\">student loan ombudsman\u003c/a> that they can reach out to for questions or be reminded \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/rights/\">of their rights\u003c/a>. Questions can be sent to Celina.Damian@dfpi.ca.gov.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApJrmMwZAt4\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you have an issue with your loan servicer, you can file a complaint with the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/submit-a-complaint/\">Department of Financial Protection and Innovation\u003c/a> (DFPI). You can also reach out to DPFI by email at ask.DFPI@dfpi.ca.gov and by phone at 866-275-2677.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other places to get updates on student loans include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.studentloanplanner.com/\">Student Loan Planner\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://freestudentloanadvice.org/about_us/our-staff/\">The Institute of Student Loan Advisors\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.savingforcollege.com/authors/mark-kantrowitz\">Saving for College\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Lastly, don’t forget to keep paying your student loans\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Mayotte added that what has been buried under the latest news concerning the Department of Education layoffs is that many Americans’ credit sources have been going down due to not paying their student loans on time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the first time in over four years, said Mayotte, borrowers are “at risk of having their loans affect their credit reports for being 90 days or more delinquent. And I am seeing borrowers that were caught off guard by that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said many borrowers have been used to \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement\">pauses on payments\u003c/a> during the height of the pandemic. However, those\u003ca href=\"https://www.attigo.com/news-and-insights/borrower-protections-from-missed-student-loan-payments-expired\"> COVID-era \u003c/a>protections are \u003ca href=\"https://www.attigo.com/news-and-insights/borrower-protections-from-missed-student-loan-payments-expired\">more or less gone\u003c/a>, and Mayotte urged people to check their repayment schedule on studentaid.org to see if they need to resume their monthly payments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said people should check on what payment plans work best for them and try to reach out to a loan servicer if they need help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most people — unless you’re on the SAVE plan or you’re in school — you’re due for payment now. If you become 90 days past due or more, it is going to affect your credit,” she warned.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Amid looming federal education cuts, it’s important to keep calm and know where to find reliable information. We talked to the experts about how to manage your student loans in uncertain times.",
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"title": "Got Student Loans? Here’s What to Know During These Department of Education Cuts | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cb data-stringify-type=\"bold\">Update, 11 a.m. March 31: \u003c/b>\u003c/em>\u003cem>As of March 26, the income-driven repayment plans Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) are \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/31/nx-s1-5343770/trump-student-loan-forgiveness\">now open to enrollment again\u003c/a>. Borrowers can also now \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/loan-consolidation/\">apply for loan consolidation online\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 11, President Donald Trump’s administration\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12030839/us-education-department-says-it-is-cutting-nearly-half-of-all-staff\"> announced plans to \u003c/a>cut half of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12030839/us-education-department-says-it-is-cutting-nearly-half-of-all-staff\">Department of Education’s workforce\u003c/a> starting Friday, fulfilling parts of a long-held\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101909180/what-trumps-threatened-education-cuts-mean-for-students-schools\"> conservative mission\u003c/a> to\u003ca href=\"https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/how-project-2025-would-devastate-public-education\"> weaken the agency\u003c/a>. More than 1,300 positions will be eliminated, according to the announcement, and around 600 more employees accepted voluntary resignations or retired over the last two months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Education administers student loans and aid programs and many of the layoffs occurred within \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/12/nx-s1-5325854/trump-education-department-layoffs-civil-rights-student-loans\">the Federal Student Aid\u003c/a> department. One in four adults under 40 in the United States \u003ca href=\"https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/09/18/facts-about-student-loans/\">has student loan debt,\u003c/a> and Americans owed about $1.6 trillion in student loans as of June 2024, according to a Pew Research Center analysis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In\u003ca href=\"https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-initiates-reduction-force\"> a statement\u003c/a>, the Department of Education said it would “continue to deliver on all statutory programs that fall under the agency’s purview,” including student loans and \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/pell\">Pell Grants\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#A\">Jump straight to: I have student loans. Should I be backing up my payment records?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Beth Maglione, the interim president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, called the idea that services will not be interrupted “at best, naive and, at worst, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/35826/Trump_s_Plan_to_Dismantle_the_Department_of_Education_Is_Officially_Underway\">deliberately misleading\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003cem>Inside Higher Ed\u003c/em>, many of the dismissed employees within the Federal Student Aid department assisted with the technical administration of student loans, including working on \u003ca href=\"https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2025/03/13/how-education-department-layoffs-could-affect-higher\">functionalities for \u003c/a>the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which was hit hard during its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">troubled revamp\u003c/a> last year. The planned cuts also include staffers who answered FAFSA questions for students and parents and who handle disputes between \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2025/03/12/yes-your-student-loans-will-be-impacted-by-the-mass-department-of-education-layoffs/\">borrowers and loan services\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the big themes that I noticed is that a lot of the helpers are gone,” said Betsy Mayotte, the founder of the nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://freestudentloanadvice.org/\">Institute of Student Loan Advisors\u003c/a>. “Borrowers need more help, not less.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California quickly joined other states \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031176/california-other-states-gear-up-fight-department-educations-dismantling\">in a lawsuit\u003c/a> to fight the cuts, but the Department of Education’s precarious situation is now coupled with ongoing uncertainty around repayment plans. Eight million student loan borrowers were enrolled in former President Joe Biden’s SAVE income-driven repayment plan in hopes of cheaper payments and a shorter \u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com/save-plan-permanently-struck-down-student-loan-borrowers-lose-relief-2025-1\">loan repayment timeline\u003c/a>, but the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the plan in February in a decision that also prevented borrowers from enrolling in other \u003ca href=\"https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/court-decision-blocks-save-plan-and-idr-access/\">income-driven repayment plans\u003c/a> for their student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All this has left the 42.7 million Americans who have \u003ca href=\"https://educationdata.org/student-loan-debt-statistics\">federal loan debt\u003c/a> with little clarity on what will happen to their current debt, said Adam S. Minsky, a\u003ca href=\"https://minsky-law.com/\"> lawyer specializing\u003c/a> in student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s very difficult right now for borrowers to be able to make informed decisions because there is so much uncertainty and volatility right now,” Minsky said. “We don’t know what the landscape is going to look like in a month or six months or a year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, if you have student loans, what \u003cem>do \u003c/em>we know right now? KQED spoke to Minsky and Mayotte about what borrowers should know in the immediate aftermath of the Department of Education cuts and what practical actions they can take right now amid so much confusion. You can also regularly check \u003ca href=\"http://studentaid.gov\">studentaid.gov\u003c/a> for the latest official updates.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>At a glance: What different types of student loan borrowers should know \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you’re a borrower, make sure you know what kind of \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/income-driven\">income-driven repayment plan\u003c/a> you’re enrolled in for your student loan debt:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Repayment Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>New Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Old Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Unless you are on SAVE, you should be making your payments, Mayotte said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Trump administration’s cuts to the Department of Education and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/01/08/nx-s1-5250031/federal-student-loan-borrowers-await-court-decision-on-repayment-plan\">SAVE court orders\u003c/a> mean that borrowers could be at the mercy of potential changes to their income-driven payment plans, said Minsky. Some borrowers may see their monthly payments increase. Other borrowers may no longer qualify for certain types of forgiveness programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is possible that borrowers could see some very tangible, possibly negative changes as a result of what’s going on right now with student loans,” Minsky said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are currently unable to afford your payments, Mayotte said you can ask your servicer \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/lower-payments/get-temporary-relief/forbearance\">for a “forbearance\u003c/a>” — which is the chance to pause payments temporarily. Keep in mind that this is a move you can only make a limited number of times, and interest does accrue during this period.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12031854\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12031854\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Demonstrators gather outside of the offices of the US Department of Education in Washington, DC on March 13, 2025 to protest against mass layoffs and budget cuts at the agency, initiated by the Trump administration and DOGE. \u003ccite>(Bryan Dozier/Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>If you are on the SAVE plan, look for alternatives\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The SAVE program was meant to serve as \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/despite-collapse-of-his-forgiveness-plan-millions-had-student-loans-canceled-under-biden\">Biden’s victory lap\u003c/a> in fulfilling a campaign promise. However, the courts have now more or less sunk SAVE, said Mayotte,\u003ca href=\"https://www.studentloanplanner.com/doge-access-save-injunction/\"> forcing millions of Americans\u003c/a> into\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/lower-payments/get-temporary-relief/forbearance\"> forbearance\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People enrolled in SAVE\u003ca href=\"https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/court-decision-blocks-save-plan-and-idr-access/\"> do not need to make payments\u003c/a> and interest does not apply. They will need to wait to see when the other income-driven payment programs open enrollment in order to switch to those plans. However, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service/public-service-loan-forgiveness-buyback\">in most cases\u003c/a>, time in this forbearance does not count toward other payment programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It “might be a good idea” for borrowers to “start exploring what your alternative repayment plan options are going to look like” so they are not unprepared for when the change comes, Minsky added.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>If you are on ICR or PAYE, you may run into restrictions\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Some of the other repayment plans like\u003ca href=\"https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/court-decision-blocks-save-plan-and-idr-access/\"> Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Income Contingent Repayment (ICR)\u003c/a> also got caught up in \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/35688/Court_Ruling_Affirms_Blocking_of_SAVE_Plan_While_Next_Steps_for_the_Program_Remain_Uncertain\">SAVE’s legal challenges\u003c/a> — and after the February court ruling, the Department of Education is now barring people from new enrollment or recertifying their income. You can still enroll in the \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/extended\">\u003cem>non-\u003c/em>income-driven plans\u003c/a> for the chance of having a lower monthly payment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are already enrolled in these plans, you can and should still make your payments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you cannot recertify your income,\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/income-driven\"> you will not be kicked off\u003c/a> your PAYE or ICR plan. There is a chance that the Department of Education will extend the deadline for recertifying, but that has not been announced yet, said Mayotte. According to the federal student aid website, your required monthly payment amount “will be the amount you would pay under a\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/standard\"> Standard Repayment Plan with a 10-year repayment period\u003c/a>, based on the loan amount you owed when you initially entered the income-driven repayment plan.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you completed your required number of months under PAYE, you would be placed in a forbearance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in general, it is unknown when recertification of income or new enrollment for these plans may resume.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re hoping that whatever this pause is, it’s temporary and that processing will resume soon,” Minsky said. “It’s still fairly new, so we’ll have to see what happens.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayotte predicts that these repayment programs — except for SAVE — “are going to come back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Acknowledging that it “can be really difficult” not to panic, Mayotte urged borrowers not to “make any rash decisions based on something that happened today.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve never seen the chaos that we’re experiencing today, but I do think that in the end, a lot of this is going to shake out,” she said. “Just sort of take a deep breath, keep yourself educated [on the latest updates] and wait and see.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the Department of Education, “payments on PAYE, SAVE, and ICR are counted toward \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-court-actions\">IBR Plan forgiveness\u003c/a> if the borrower enrolls in IBR.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>You can’t submit online applications for consolidation\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Consolidation allows you to combine your different loan types into one large single loan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, because of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/35688/Court_Ruling_Affirms_Blocking_of_SAVE_Plan_While_Next_Steps_for_the_Program_Remain_Uncertain\">SAVE court block\u003c/a>, you are currently unable to apply for this online. You can file a \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-court-actions\">paper application and mail it\u003c/a> to loan servicer Aidvantage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12031869\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2121px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12031869\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2121\" height=\"1414\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184.jpg 2121w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2121px) 100vw, 2121px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Avoid online misinformation and get your information straight from the source itself, from sites like \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/\">studentaid.gov\u003c/a> or the \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/\">Department of Financial Innovation and Protection (DFPI)\u003c/a>. \u003ccite>(Carol Yepes/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Download copies of your Public Service Loan Forgiveness progress \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>More than\u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/policywatch/executive-order-on-restoring-public-service-loan-forgiveness/#:~:text=Impact%3A%20More%20than%202%20million,organizations%20qualify%20for%20the%20program.\"> two million Americans\u003c/a> qualify for the\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service\"> Public Service Loan Forgiveness \u003c/a>(PSLF) program, which wipes out your debt when you work for a nonprofit and make 120 monthly payments while at a nonprofit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Minsky advised that if you are in the program, take screenshots of your progress by heading to “Track Your PSLF Progress” on your online dashboard and certify your employment if you haven’t in a while. Borrowers on the PSLF program need to enroll their employer on the website so their payments can be counted successfully.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump issued an executive order \u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com/public-service-student-loan-forgiveness-pslf-not-changing-today-trump-2025-3\">to limit the program\u003c/a> to exclude employees working for\u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/restoring-public-service-loan-forgiveness/\"> certain nonprofits\u003c/a>, like organizations the order deems to be “supporting terrorism” and offering “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12023784/after-trumps-order-on-two-genders-trans-rights-groups-taking-action\">so-called transgender sanctuary\u003c/a>.” However, those changes are not happening any time soon, according to Federal Student Aid, which is part of the Department of Education. “The PSLF Program is not changing today, and borrowers do not need to take any action,” the agency wrote on\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/FAFSA/status/1899103979549667522\"> social media\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Several advocacy groups for student loan borrowers have said that the proposed changes would likely be illegal or unconstitutional,” Minsky said. “And so depending on when they get implemented and what the final regulations look like, there might be legal challenges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Programs that were created by Congress typically would require Congress to fundamentally change or repeal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"A\">\u003c/a>How can student loan borrowers back up their records?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“Anytime you have a debt, it never hurts to keep good records on that debt,” said Mayotte.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2025/02/05/student-loan-borrowers-do-these-7-things-as-the-department-of-education-faces-uncertain-future/\">article for \u003cem>Forbes\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Minsky detailed several ways borrowers should save their loan information in case of any changes the federal government may make, like taking down agency websites. (Several digital archivist groups, like the Wayback Machine, have already been attempting to\u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/culture/400705/internet-purge-offline-government-website-archive-trump\"> save records\u003c/a> of these shuttered websites, and Minsky suggested you may \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2025/02/05/student-loan-borrowers-do-these-7-things-as-the-department-of-education-faces-uncertain-future/\">consider taking screenshots\u003c/a> of the details of your plan on the Department of Education website.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Minsky advises you to consider:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Taking screenshots of your student loan dashboard on studentaid.org\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Include any progress you may have made on income-driven repayment plans.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Downloading your federal student loan data \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Log into your studentaid.org account on your computer, which may make this process easier than navigating on mobile. Click on “View Details” on your dash and then select “My Aid.” There should be a “Download My Aid Data” in the top right corner. This will result in a raw file downloaded to your computer.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Downloading your student loan record from your loan servicers\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Use studentaid.org to find out if your loan servicer is either MOHELA, EdFinancial, Aidvantage or Nelnet. You can then check your account directly with these services and download your loan data to complement the data you downloaded straight from studentaid.org.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>How to add extra security to your student aid account\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In late February, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/business/money-report/federal-judge-blocks-musks-doge-from-access-to-student-loan-borrowers-personal-data/3639469/?os=v%5B0%5D&ref=app\">a judge blocked efforts\u003c/a> by billionaire Elon Musk and staffers at the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-congress-4e0c025629e8a0c758d13dc916ab4f43\">DOGE)\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-congress-4e0c025629e8a0c758d13dc916ab4f43\">gain access\u003c/a> to student loan data. This came after labor unions like the American Federation of Teachers sued agencies for allowing Musk to have access to the data in the first place, stating\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/education-department-trump-doge-8c5bba3883b3d924b28114a4f291bec4\"> concerns about\u003c/a> the privacy of millions of borrowers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Minsky noted there has been “\u003ca href=\"https://archive.ph/WMXai#selection-887.135-887.299\">no clear indication\u003c/a>” of widespread danger to borrower accounts, he wrote that it could be helpful for Americans to update the passwords on their studentaid.gov account and enable two-factor authentication (also known as 2FA), which will send a code to your phone or email that you would then use to access your dashboard.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>How to recognize misinformation about student loans right now \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Mayotte stressed that “wrong” and “damaging” rumors about student loans have spread far and wide on TikTok and Facebook. “So be wary where you’re getting your student loan information,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayotte said posts she’s already debunked from other borrowers include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>False: Current events may mean your loans could be wiped out\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Online, some hopeful borrowers posted — perhaps in an ironic vein — that if the Department of Education is gone, so are student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Minsky said even with cuts at the agency, “it doesn’t fundamentally change the nature of the debt that folks owe. It doesn’t mean that you don’t have to repay their loans. It doesn’t mean that loans disappear.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>False: Your loans could change — or be reduced — by being moved into another part of the federal government.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if a person’s student loan portfolio \u003cem>was \u003c/em>moved out of the Department of Education and into another office like \u003ca href=\"https://time.com/7265794/what-will-happen-to-student-loans-if-department-of-education-closes/\">the Treasury\u003c/a>, as Trump has proposed, “it would just mean that a different agency was performing the oversight,” said Mayotte. “Terms and conditions of the loans aren’t going to change, the servicers aren’t going to change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>False: Student loans can be forgiven because of Musk getting access to data \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A judge issued a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/24/federal-judge-blocks-musks-doge-access-to-student-loan-borrowers-data.html\">temporary restraining order\u003c/a> that stopped Musk’s DOGE staffers from accessing student loan data due to privacy concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, even if Musk and his affiliates were found to have isolated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), students would not be able to have their loans forgiven despite what circulating social media posts may claim.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayotte said this has not historically ever been a way to \u003ca href=\"https://www.studentloanplanner.com/doge-access-save-injunction/\">rectify a FERPA violation\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Where can I find information and guidance about my student loans?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The best information comes straight from the source itself —\u003ca href=\"http://studentaid.gov\"> studentaid.gov\u003c/a>, said Mayotte. But Californians also have a \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/\">student loan ombudsman\u003c/a> that they can reach out to for questions or be reminded \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/rights/\">of their rights\u003c/a>. Questions can be sent to Celina.Damian@dfpi.ca.gov.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/ApJrmMwZAt4'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/ApJrmMwZAt4'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>If you have an issue with your loan servicer, you can file a complaint with the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/submit-a-complaint/\">Department of Financial Protection and Innovation\u003c/a> (DFPI). You can also reach out to DPFI by email at ask.DFPI@dfpi.ca.gov and by phone at 866-275-2677.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other places to get updates on student loans include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.studentloanplanner.com/\">Student Loan Planner\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://freestudentloanadvice.org/about_us/our-staff/\">The Institute of Student Loan Advisors\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.savingforcollege.com/authors/mark-kantrowitz\">Saving for College\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Lastly, don’t forget to keep paying your student loans\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Mayotte added that what has been buried under the latest news concerning the Department of Education layoffs is that many Americans’ credit sources have been going down due to not paying their student loans on time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the first time in over four years, said Mayotte, borrowers are “at risk of having their loans affect their credit reports for being 90 days or more delinquent. And I am seeing borrowers that were caught off guard by that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said many borrowers have been used to \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement\">pauses on payments\u003c/a> during the height of the pandemic. However, those\u003ca href=\"https://www.attigo.com/news-and-insights/borrower-protections-from-missed-student-loan-payments-expired\"> COVID-era \u003c/a>protections are \u003ca href=\"https://www.attigo.com/news-and-insights/borrower-protections-from-missed-student-loan-payments-expired\">more or less gone\u003c/a>, and Mayotte urged people to check their repayment schedule on studentaid.org to see if they need to resume their monthly payments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said people should check on what payment plans work best for them and try to reach out to a loan servicer if they need help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most people — unless you’re on the SAVE plan or you’re in school — you’re due for payment now. If you become 90 days past due or more, it is going to affect your credit,” she warned.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Celebrate Holi in the Bay Area: Top Events and Festivals",
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"headTitle": "Celebrate Holi in the Bay Area: Top Events and Festivals | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/perspectives/201601143154/jiya-gupta-holi\">Holi\u003c/a> arrives this week, and there are a ton of parties across the Bay Area over the coming days that will leave you covered head-to-toe in the colorful powder special to this Hindu celebration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Holi — also known as the\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/holi-hindu-festival-of-colors-india-d929d95ebb7ce98f23375b3eeb20753a\"> Festival of Colors\u003c/a> — is widely celebrated in South Asian countries and among its diaspora as a joyous start to spring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The major highlight of any Holi celebration is when the attendees — who often wear white or light-colored clothing — throw kaleidoscopic powder at each other. (If this is your first Holi, a tip: consider wearing clothes you don’t mind being a \u003cem>little \u003c/em>less white after a wash.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Holi itself this year is scheduled to fall on Thursday, March 13, and Friday, March 14, many events will take place over the coming weekends, so be sure to double-check the date before buying any tickets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Holi events in the Bay Area\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s best to get your tickets quickly since some popular events — like\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rang-barse-sfos-biggest-holi-cruise-party-tickets-1246606205719\"> a Holi celebration on a cruise\u003c/a> — are already sold out. Some ticket prices may also rise closer to the event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Daytime Holi celebrations\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Friday, March 14:\u003ca href=\"https://burlingame.libcal.com/event/14119893\"> Holi Watercolor\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>for children, Burlingame (free)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 15:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mar-15-holi-party-color-festival-2025-day-mela-san-jose-downtown-tickets-1256098306849\"> Holi Party\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San José (tickets start at $6.11)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 15:\u003ca href=\"https://www.aiaevents.org/\"> Holi Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San José (tickets are $10, free for children under 7)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 15:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/non-stop-bhangra-holi-festival-of-colors-all-ages-tickets-1215717225949?aff=oddtdtcreator\"> Non-Stop Bhangra, Holi Festival of Colors\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, Oakland (tickets start at $23.18)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 15:\u003ca href=\"https://www.gcabayarea.org/eventview/?label=Mqgfq2rKOw19810\"> Gujarati Cultural Association’s Holi\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, Fremont (tickets start at $3)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 15:\u003ca href=\"https://eventmozo.com/event/fog-holi-festival-of-colors-563701735800807\"> FOG Holi — Festival of Colors\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, Fremont (tickets start at $6)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 22:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rooftop-holi-music-festival-in-san-francisco-on-march-22nd-tickets-1246917386469\"> Rooftop Holi Music Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San Francisco (tickets start at $28.52)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 22:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebrate-the-festival-of-colors-holi-at-mission-dolores-manor-garden-tickets-1210153444529\"> Holi at Mission Dolores Manor Garden\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San Francisco (tickets start at $39.19)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 22:\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/events/1160019089012598/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A%5b%7B%22extra_data%22%3A%22%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22unknown%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22external_search_engine%22%7D%2C%7B%22extra_data%22%3A%22%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22attachment_media%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22newsfeed%22%7D%2C%7B%22extra_data%22%3A%22%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22attachment%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22newsfeed%22%7D%5d%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D\"> Holi: Festival of Colors\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, Foster City (free)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 22:\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/events/mountain-house-central-park/poorbas-holi-2025/980500924129712/\"> Poorba’s Holi\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San Joaquin (tickets start at $12.65)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 23:\u003ca href=\"https://events.sulekha.com/upma-holi-carnival-nyc-s-dj-dharak_event-in_san-jose-ca_383532\"> Holi Carnival\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San José (tickets start at $9)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 22:\u003ca href=\"https://baybasi.us/\"> Holi Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, Foster City (free)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Sunday, March 23:\u003ca href=\"https://citycenterbishopranch.com/events/holi/\"> Holi Celebration\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San Ramon (free)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 29:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holi-pool-party-bollywood-oasis-pool-corinthian-sanjose-mar-29-tickets-1254049548959\"> Holi Pool Party\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San José tickets start at $12.51)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, April 5:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holi-dayger-californias-biggest-color-festival-with-sukhbir-dholis-tickets-1221728545969\"> Holi Dayger\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San José (tickets start at $18.90)\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12030957\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2120px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12030957\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2120\" height=\"1414\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762.jpg 2120w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2120px) 100vw, 2120px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Holi Festival homemade Thandai and falooda drink, traditional Indian festival food snacks, and abir/gulal colors. \u003ccite>(Uma Shankar Sharma/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Holi parties at night\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 15:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holi-sundowner-rooftop-bollywood-party-tickets-1252543223499?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\"> Holi Sundowner Rooftop Party\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San Francisco (tickets start at $23.18)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 15:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holi-night-party-with-colorsbollywood-myth-lounge-sanjose-mar-15-tickets-1259129473149\"> Holi Night Party\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San José (tickets start at $17.85)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Sunday, March 16:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/18-bollywood-holi-party-at-club-cali-berkeley-tickets-1273417659499\"> Bollywood Holi Party\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, Berkeley (tickets start at $9.31)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Friday, March 21:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/neon-holi-rave-glow-party-in-sf-dj-prashant-bollywood-more-bay-area-tickets-1271526673509\"> Neon Holi Rave Glow Party\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San Francisco (tickets start at $16.49)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Friday, March 28:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holi-rave-neon-holi-bollywood-party-on-march-28-temple-nightclub-sf-tickets-1238116242009\"> Neon Holi Bollywood Party\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San Francisco (tickets start at $17.85)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Sunday, March 30:\u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holi-at-shosha-restaurant-tickets-1278196091919\">\u003cstrong> Holi at Shosha Restaurant\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>, Sunnyvale, including a five-course meal (tickets start at $32.78 for children and $65.87 for adults.)\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "A roundup of parties and events to celebrate the colorful Hindu holiday of Holi in the Bay Area.",
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"title": "Where to Celebrate Holi Across the Bay Area | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/perspectives/201601143154/jiya-gupta-holi\">Holi\u003c/a> arrives this week, and there are a ton of parties across the Bay Area over the coming days that will leave you covered head-to-toe in the colorful powder special to this Hindu celebration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Holi — also known as the\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/holi-hindu-festival-of-colors-india-d929d95ebb7ce98f23375b3eeb20753a\"> Festival of Colors\u003c/a> — is widely celebrated in South Asian countries and among its diaspora as a joyous start to spring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The major highlight of any Holi celebration is when the attendees — who often wear white or light-colored clothing — throw kaleidoscopic powder at each other. (If this is your first Holi, a tip: consider wearing clothes you don’t mind being a \u003cem>little \u003c/em>less white after a wash.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Holi itself this year is scheduled to fall on Thursday, March 13, and Friday, March 14, many events will take place over the coming weekends, so be sure to double-check the date before buying any tickets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Holi events in the Bay Area\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s best to get your tickets quickly since some popular events — like\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rang-barse-sfos-biggest-holi-cruise-party-tickets-1246606205719\"> a Holi celebration on a cruise\u003c/a> — are already sold out. Some ticket prices may also rise closer to the event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Daytime Holi celebrations\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Friday, March 14:\u003ca href=\"https://burlingame.libcal.com/event/14119893\"> Holi Watercolor\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>for children, Burlingame (free)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 15:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mar-15-holi-party-color-festival-2025-day-mela-san-jose-downtown-tickets-1256098306849\"> Holi Party\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San José (tickets start at $6.11)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 15:\u003ca href=\"https://www.aiaevents.org/\"> Holi Fest\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San José (tickets are $10, free for children under 7)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 15:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/non-stop-bhangra-holi-festival-of-colors-all-ages-tickets-1215717225949?aff=oddtdtcreator\"> Non-Stop Bhangra, Holi Festival of Colors\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, Oakland (tickets start at $23.18)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 15:\u003ca href=\"https://www.gcabayarea.org/eventview/?label=Mqgfq2rKOw19810\"> Gujarati Cultural Association’s Holi\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, Fremont (tickets start at $3)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 15:\u003ca href=\"https://eventmozo.com/event/fog-holi-festival-of-colors-563701735800807\"> FOG Holi — Festival of Colors\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, Fremont (tickets start at $6)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 22:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rooftop-holi-music-festival-in-san-francisco-on-march-22nd-tickets-1246917386469\"> Rooftop Holi Music Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San Francisco (tickets start at $28.52)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 22:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebrate-the-festival-of-colors-holi-at-mission-dolores-manor-garden-tickets-1210153444529\"> Holi at Mission Dolores Manor Garden\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San Francisco (tickets start at $39.19)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 22:\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/events/1160019089012598/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A%5b%7B%22extra_data%22%3A%22%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22unknown%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22external_search_engine%22%7D%2C%7B%22extra_data%22%3A%22%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22attachment_media%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22newsfeed%22%7D%2C%7B%22extra_data%22%3A%22%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22attachment%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22newsfeed%22%7D%5d%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D\"> Holi: Festival of Colors\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, Foster City (free)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 22:\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/events/mountain-house-central-park/poorbas-holi-2025/980500924129712/\"> Poorba’s Holi\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San Joaquin (tickets start at $12.65)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 23:\u003ca href=\"https://events.sulekha.com/upma-holi-carnival-nyc-s-dj-dharak_event-in_san-jose-ca_383532\"> Holi Carnival\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San José (tickets start at $9)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 22:\u003ca href=\"https://baybasi.us/\"> Holi Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, Foster City (free)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Sunday, March 23:\u003ca href=\"https://citycenterbishopranch.com/events/holi/\"> Holi Celebration\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San Ramon (free)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 29:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holi-pool-party-bollywood-oasis-pool-corinthian-sanjose-mar-29-tickets-1254049548959\"> Holi Pool Party\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San José tickets start at $12.51)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, April 5:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holi-dayger-californias-biggest-color-festival-with-sukhbir-dholis-tickets-1221728545969\"> Holi Dayger\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San José (tickets start at $18.90)\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12030957\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2120px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12030957\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2120\" height=\"1414\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762.jpg 2120w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2059555762-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2120px) 100vw, 2120px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Holi Festival homemade Thandai and falooda drink, traditional Indian festival food snacks, and abir/gulal colors. \u003ccite>(Uma Shankar Sharma/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Holi parties at night\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 15:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holi-sundowner-rooftop-bollywood-party-tickets-1252543223499?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\"> Holi Sundowner Rooftop Party\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San Francisco (tickets start at $23.18)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Saturday, March 15:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holi-night-party-with-colorsbollywood-myth-lounge-sanjose-mar-15-tickets-1259129473149\"> Holi Night Party\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San José (tickets start at $17.85)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Sunday, March 16:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/18-bollywood-holi-party-at-club-cali-berkeley-tickets-1273417659499\"> Bollywood Holi Party\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, Berkeley (tickets start at $9.31)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Friday, March 21:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/neon-holi-rave-glow-party-in-sf-dj-prashant-bollywood-more-bay-area-tickets-1271526673509\"> Neon Holi Rave Glow Party\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San Francisco (tickets start at $16.49)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Friday, March 28:\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holi-rave-neon-holi-bollywood-party-on-march-28-temple-nightclub-sf-tickets-1238116242009\"> Neon Holi Bollywood Party\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>, San Francisco (tickets start at $17.85)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Sunday, March 30:\u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holi-at-shosha-restaurant-tickets-1278196091919\">\u003cstrong> Holi at Shosha Restaurant\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>, Sunnyvale, including a five-course meal (tickets start at $32.78 for children and $65.87 for adults.)\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "ramadan-2025-where-to-find-iftar-and-suhoor-in-the-bay-area",
"title": "Where to Find Iftar and Suhoor in the Bay Area",
"publishDate": 1740830452,
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"headTitle": "Where to Find Iftar and Suhoor in the Bay Area | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated 4:30 p.m., March 7\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pakoras, chana chaat, fritters, and an iced lime and rose-flavored drink called Sirap Limau. They’re just a few of the Iftar appetizers and drinks that Cupertino resident Shaliza Kader Sultan will prepare for her family during Ramadan to break their fast at dusk — a menu that’s a nod to her Pakistani and Malaysian roots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#iftar-suhoor-near-me\">Where can I find Iftar and Suhoor meals and buffets near me?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11910408/ramadan-begins-on-a-crescent-moon-ushering-in-a-holy-month-of-fasting-and-kindness\">As Ramadan begins on a crescent moon\u003c/a>, Muslims around the world are observing this holy month of fasting, spirituality, and reflection. “It’s a time to actually slow down a little bit, and reflect, and concentrate on things like family bonding and spiritual growth,” Sultan said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a manager of the massive Bay Area Halal Foodies Facebook group — over 40,000 members and counting — and a volunteer for \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/halalfest/\">Halal Fest\u003c/a>, which mounts huge celebrations of halal food in the Bay Area, Sultan plays a significant part in the halal food scene in the Bay Area throughout the year. But during Ramadan, her role is supercharged.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the community is looking for restaurants open for Suhoor, the morning meal before dawn or special buffets available only during Ramadan, Sultan will be one of the first people to share that information with the community. And while spiritual growth is a big part of Ramadan, it’s also a month to appreciate the diverse food around us, whether it’s at home or at one of the Bay Area’s many restaurants, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029218\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1020px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029218\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-1305451864-1020x680-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1020\" height=\"680\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-1305451864-1020x680-1.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-1305451864-1020x680-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-1305451864-1020x680-1-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">To join an Iftar during Ramadan, check out your local mosque or Muslim community center for more information. \u003ccite>(iStock/Getty Images Plus)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As a Ramadan tradition, dinners are a bit more special and different for Sultan and the family. “We do away with the tables and chairs and sit on the floor at home, picnic style,” she said — a simpler and more intimate style of dining that is common in Asian culture, she shared. On top of that, her son and husband will go above and beyond to try new recipes they find on YouTube to share with family and friends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029219\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1290px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029219\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/7e5b06fa-c232-4bd9-bcae-98c2950d76c1-e1740771381892.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1290\" height=\"896\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/7e5b06fa-c232-4bd9-bcae-98c2950d76c1-e1740771381892.jpg 1290w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/7e5b06fa-c232-4bd9-bcae-98c2950d76c1-e1740771381892-800x556.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/7e5b06fa-c232-4bd9-bcae-98c2950d76c1-e1740771381892-1020x708.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/7e5b06fa-c232-4bd9-bcae-98c2950d76c1-e1740771381892-160x111.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Some Iftar appetizers that Cupertino resident Shaliza Kader Sultan prepares during Ramadan. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Shaliza Kader Sultan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To add to the festivities, every year Sultan creates a Ramadan calendar counting down the days to Eid — complete with a small gift box for each day containing chocolates, a written prayer for her son to read and a random act of kindness for her son to perform that day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Reflecting on her own childhood celebrating Ramadan in Malaysia — a predominantly Muslim country where festivities are a given — Sultan looks forward to putting up lights, decorating the house and cooking special meals for her family during this holy month. “I think it’s important to make an effort to make Ramadan special for my family, especially in a place where Muslims aren’t a majority,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029222\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1290px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029222\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20b2c173-8d27-4ae1-b0c6-6bbd3f7fe810.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1290\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20b2c173-8d27-4ae1-b0c6-6bbd3f7fe810.jpg 1290w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20b2c173-8d27-4ae1-b0c6-6bbd3f7fe810-800x544.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20b2c173-8d27-4ae1-b0c6-6bbd3f7fe810-1020x694.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20b2c173-8d27-4ae1-b0c6-6bbd3f7fe810-160x109.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shaliza Kader Sultan’s Ramadan to-do list. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Shaliza Kader Sultan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"iftar-suhoor-near-me\">\u003c/a>Where can you join Iftar and Suhoor in the Bay Area?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One of the largest Suhoor events in California, HalalFest’s fourth\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/suhoorfest/\"> annual Suhoor Fest\u003c/a> — attended by over 7,000 people last year — will take place on Saturday, March 15, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Sunday at SABA Center in San José.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The event will feature over a dozen halal eateries, including Bay Area staples like El Halal Amigos and Zareen’s. Dessert, chai, coffee and vendors selling clothes including hijabs will also be available during this event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029226\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1020px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029226\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/elhalalamigos-suhoorfest-crop-1020x574-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1020\" height=\"574\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/elhalalamigos-suhoorfest-crop-1020x574-1.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/elhalalamigos-suhoorfest-crop-1020x574-1-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/elhalalamigos-suhoorfest-crop-1020x574-1-160x90.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The team at El Halal Amigos. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of El Halal Amigos)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In addition, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mcabayarea.org/mec-events/3rd-annual-suhoor-night-festival/?occurrence=2025-03-14\">Muslim Community Association, MCA Bay Area’s third annual Suhoor Night\u003c/a> will take place on Friday, March 14, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Saturday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To join an Iftar during Ramadan, check out your local mosque or Muslim community center for more information. Note that some Iftars require registration in advance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To experience Iftar or Suhoor at halal restaurants in the Bay Area, here are some of the venues offering special Iftar menus and open late for Suhoor during Ramadan:\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Ramadan Iftar buffets and specials in the Bay Area\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://mehranbayarea.net/\">Mehran Restaurant and Catering\u003c/a>, Newark: Provides Iftar buffet Tuesdays to Sundays with a different menu every day. Call for reservations: 510-668-1111.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://bamboo-gardens.com/\">Inchin’s Bamboo Garden\u003c/a>, Dublin: \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10165357260074546&set=pcb.1571527276866956\">Offering a special menu during Ramadan\u003c/a>. Call for more information: 925-361-0927.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/183771485642549/user/100020609902156/?__cft__%5b0%5d=AZVjE1ODuKzjFVhNErv7cZNvUe8sj77_Z4-0oF4kv6X5LlySFqLSuThvzlLwwo2wPSoYVdL83XmiLpxbKWcn2dsstOwB2n5uJBiAeLIi2sR829Z_-5p3fWpgK5AfHXNL8rVZ5YpqPyW6-lc6gJHNcyF4qHua1w5MaspLEUhAGBEUMOW25YTJQBSQA3qryTFh1E_sF3rM4fNN9sKg7_pZjpPFFAAf6sywhvrm4ONdPaOsD2e_sXepUG4bvWmS1LcluQNmXCqOyI0AF4BdHbFCsMDQ&__tn__=-%5dC%2CP-y-R\">The Ghurka’s Kitchen\u003c/a>, Hayward: \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10165357260169546&set=pcb.1571527276866956\">Discounts on the buffet menu \u003c/a>are available during Ramadan.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/habibiz_restaurant/\">Habibiz\u003c/a>, Fremont: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DGOggcTCmfq/\">Offering meals less than $10 during Ramadan\u003c/a>. Call for more information: 415-761-3294.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bismillahfremont/?hl=en\">Bismillah Restaurant\u003c/a>, Fremont: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bismillahfremont/?hl=en\">Offering promotions for large catering events.\u003c/a> Call for more details: 510-713-1907.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mangalsnv/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/mangalsnv/?hl=en\">Mangal Turkish BBQ\u003c/a>, Sunnyvale: Offering a buffet menu every night during Ramadan. Call for reservations: 408-747-1888.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/lahorirestaurantsj/?hl=en\">Lahori\u003c/a>, San Jose: Offering a buffet menu every night during Ramadan.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Halal restaurants open late for Suhoor this Ramadan\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Suhoor in San Francisco:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://thehalalguys.com/locations/336-ofarrell-street-san-francisco/\">Halal Guys\u003c/a>: Open Monday to Tuesday until 3 a.m. and Wednesday to Saturday until 5 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/falafelcity425/\">Falafel City\u003c/a>: Open weekdays until 2 a.m., weekends until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://habibiloungesf.com/\">Habibi Lounge\u003c/a>: Open until 2 a.m. daily except Mondays.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cafedafonk/\">Cafe Da Fónk!:\u003c/a> Open for Suhoor on March 14, 15, 21, and 22 until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.modenapizzamenu.com/\">Halal Modena Pizza\u003c/a>: Open daily 24/7.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kinarafusionsf/?hl=en\">Kinara Fusion\u003c/a>: Hours not yet announced. Call 415-932-6518 for more information.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/harazcoffeehouse/\">Haraz Coffee:\u003c/a> Hours not yet announced. Call 415-494-7239 for more information.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Delah Coffee: Hours not yet announced. Call 415-377-2444 for more information.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Suhoor in Peninsula:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dahab_restaurant_cafe/?hl=en\">Dahab Cafe\u003c/a>, San Mateo: Open regular hours with special hours on weekends until 1 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Suhoor in South Bay:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elhalalamigos/\">El Halal Amigos\u003c/a>, San José: Open regular hours with a special Suhoor night on Friday, March 21 from 10 p.m. until 3:30 a.m. Saturday.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/fierychickz_sanjose/\">Fiery Chikz\u003c/a>, San José: Open daily until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/chikindrip/?hl=en\">Chikin Drip\u003c/a>, San José: Open regular hours on weekdays until 1 a.m. and Fridays and Saturdays at 1:30 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/doughburgers/?hl=en\">Dough Burgers\u003c/a>, San José: Open weekdays until 1:30 a.m. and weekends until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bibznribz/?hl=en\">Bibz and Ribz\u003c/a>, South San José: Open weekdays until 2 a.m. and weekends until 4 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://swaadindiansanjose.com/#home\">Swaad Indian Cuisine\u003c/a>, San José: Open Friday and Saturday until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.angrychickz.com/\">Angry Chickz\u003c/a>, San José: Open regular hours until midnight daily for now. Call 408-564-5154 for updates.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/zareensrestaurant/\">Zareen’s\u003c/a>, Palo Alto: Open regular hours with special Suhoor hours on Saturday, March 22, from 10 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. Sunday.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://chickengs.com/\">Chicken G’s\u003c/a>, Mountain View: Open regular hours until 1 a.m. every day.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sanaahousecafe.com/\">Sana’a Cafe\u003c/a>, Mountain View: Open every day until 2 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.shanrestaurant.com/\">Shan Restaurant\u003c/a>, Santa Clara: Open regular hours with special hours until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/falafel_flare01/\">Falafel Flare\u003c/a>, Sunnyvale: Open regular hours with special Suhoor hours on Fridays and Saturdays until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://tandooripizza.com/\">Tandoori Pizza\u003c/a>, Sunnyvale: Open 24/7.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/oklavacafe/\">Oklava Cafe\u003c/a>, Palo Alto: Open regular hours for now. Call 650-561-4898 for updates.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Suhoor in East Bay:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://falafelfremont.com/\">Falafel Fremont\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open every day until 4 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/deccanmorsels/?hl=en\">Deccan Morsels\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open daily until 1 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kabobfusionfremont/?hl=en\">Kabob Fusion\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open regular hours with additional Suhoor hours on Friday and Saturday nights until 4 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yeeshaansgrubb/?hl=en\">Yeeshaans Grubb\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open special Ramadan hours from Tuesday until Sunday from 3:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://waybackburgers.com/locations/us/california/milpitas/\">Wayback Burgers\u003c/a>, Milpitas: Open daily from 10:30 a.m. until midnight. Additional Suhoor hours on weekends until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mirchicafe/?hl=en\">Mirchi\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open regular hours for now. Check back for updates.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/rayos.pizza/?hl=en\">Rayos Pizza\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open special hours for Suhoor on March 7 and 8 until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/wahjeewah/?hl=en\">Wah Jee Wah\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open special hours for Suhoor March 7 and 8 until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/_mayahalaltaqueria_/?hl=en\">Maya Halal Taqueria\u003c/a>, Oakland: Open regular hours with special additional Suhoor hours on Friday and Saturday until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/_mayahalaltaqueria_/?hl=en\">Maya Halal Taqueria\u003c/a>, Union City: Open regular hours with special additional Suhoor hours on Friday and Saturday until 1 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/__theburgershop__/?hl=en\">The Burger Shop\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open regular hours with special additional Suhoor hours on weekends until 2:30 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://chickengs.com/\">Chicken G’s\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open regular hours every day until 1 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bundookhanusa/?hl=en\">Bundoo Khan\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open regular hours until midnight, with special Ramadan hours on Friday and Saturday until 1 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/qamariacoffee/\">Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co\u003c/a>.: Open regular hours except for Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until 2 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/greensngrillsunioncity/\">Greens N Grills\u003c/a>: Open regular hours with special Suhoor hours on Friday, March 14, and Saturdays March 8 and 22 from 11 p.m. until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/theportofperiperifremont/?hl=en\">Port of Peri Peri\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open regular hours for now. Call 510-256-9901 for updates.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "When is SuhoorFest this year? Where can I join Iftars and Suhoors in the Bay Area? Here is all you need to know this Ramadan.",
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"title": "Bay Area Ramadan Guide: Iftar & Suhoor Spots | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated 4:30 p.m., March 7\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pakoras, chana chaat, fritters, and an iced lime and rose-flavored drink called Sirap Limau. They’re just a few of the Iftar appetizers and drinks that Cupertino resident Shaliza Kader Sultan will prepare for her family during Ramadan to break their fast at dusk — a menu that’s a nod to her Pakistani and Malaysian roots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#iftar-suhoor-near-me\">Where can I find Iftar and Suhoor meals and buffets near me?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11910408/ramadan-begins-on-a-crescent-moon-ushering-in-a-holy-month-of-fasting-and-kindness\">As Ramadan begins on a crescent moon\u003c/a>, Muslims around the world are observing this holy month of fasting, spirituality, and reflection. “It’s a time to actually slow down a little bit, and reflect, and concentrate on things like family bonding and spiritual growth,” Sultan said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a manager of the massive Bay Area Halal Foodies Facebook group — over 40,000 members and counting — and a volunteer for \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/halalfest/\">Halal Fest\u003c/a>, which mounts huge celebrations of halal food in the Bay Area, Sultan plays a significant part in the halal food scene in the Bay Area throughout the year. But during Ramadan, her role is supercharged.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the community is looking for restaurants open for Suhoor, the morning meal before dawn or special buffets available only during Ramadan, Sultan will be one of the first people to share that information with the community. And while spiritual growth is a big part of Ramadan, it’s also a month to appreciate the diverse food around us, whether it’s at home or at one of the Bay Area’s many restaurants, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029218\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1020px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029218\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-1305451864-1020x680-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1020\" height=\"680\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-1305451864-1020x680-1.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-1305451864-1020x680-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/iStock-1305451864-1020x680-1-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">To join an Iftar during Ramadan, check out your local mosque or Muslim community center for more information. \u003ccite>(iStock/Getty Images Plus)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As a Ramadan tradition, dinners are a bit more special and different for Sultan and the family. “We do away with the tables and chairs and sit on the floor at home, picnic style,” she said — a simpler and more intimate style of dining that is common in Asian culture, she shared. On top of that, her son and husband will go above and beyond to try new recipes they find on YouTube to share with family and friends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029219\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1290px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029219\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/7e5b06fa-c232-4bd9-bcae-98c2950d76c1-e1740771381892.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1290\" height=\"896\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/7e5b06fa-c232-4bd9-bcae-98c2950d76c1-e1740771381892.jpg 1290w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/7e5b06fa-c232-4bd9-bcae-98c2950d76c1-e1740771381892-800x556.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/7e5b06fa-c232-4bd9-bcae-98c2950d76c1-e1740771381892-1020x708.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/7e5b06fa-c232-4bd9-bcae-98c2950d76c1-e1740771381892-160x111.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Some Iftar appetizers that Cupertino resident Shaliza Kader Sultan prepares during Ramadan. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Shaliza Kader Sultan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To add to the festivities, every year Sultan creates a Ramadan calendar counting down the days to Eid — complete with a small gift box for each day containing chocolates, a written prayer for her son to read and a random act of kindness for her son to perform that day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Reflecting on her own childhood celebrating Ramadan in Malaysia — a predominantly Muslim country where festivities are a given — Sultan looks forward to putting up lights, decorating the house and cooking special meals for her family during this holy month. “I think it’s important to make an effort to make Ramadan special for my family, especially in a place where Muslims aren’t a majority,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029222\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1290px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029222\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20b2c173-8d27-4ae1-b0c6-6bbd3f7fe810.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1290\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20b2c173-8d27-4ae1-b0c6-6bbd3f7fe810.jpg 1290w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20b2c173-8d27-4ae1-b0c6-6bbd3f7fe810-800x544.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20b2c173-8d27-4ae1-b0c6-6bbd3f7fe810-1020x694.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20b2c173-8d27-4ae1-b0c6-6bbd3f7fe810-160x109.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shaliza Kader Sultan’s Ramadan to-do list. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Shaliza Kader Sultan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"iftar-suhoor-near-me\">\u003c/a>Where can you join Iftar and Suhoor in the Bay Area?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One of the largest Suhoor events in California, HalalFest’s fourth\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/suhoorfest/\"> annual Suhoor Fest\u003c/a> — attended by over 7,000 people last year — will take place on Saturday, March 15, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Sunday at SABA Center in San José.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The event will feature over a dozen halal eateries, including Bay Area staples like El Halal Amigos and Zareen’s. Dessert, chai, coffee and vendors selling clothes including hijabs will also be available during this event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029226\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1020px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029226\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/elhalalamigos-suhoorfest-crop-1020x574-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1020\" height=\"574\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/elhalalamigos-suhoorfest-crop-1020x574-1.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/elhalalamigos-suhoorfest-crop-1020x574-1-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/elhalalamigos-suhoorfest-crop-1020x574-1-160x90.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The team at El Halal Amigos. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of El Halal Amigos)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In addition, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mcabayarea.org/mec-events/3rd-annual-suhoor-night-festival/?occurrence=2025-03-14\">Muslim Community Association, MCA Bay Area’s third annual Suhoor Night\u003c/a> will take place on Friday, March 14, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Saturday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To join an Iftar during Ramadan, check out your local mosque or Muslim community center for more information. Note that some Iftars require registration in advance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To experience Iftar or Suhoor at halal restaurants in the Bay Area, here are some of the venues offering special Iftar menus and open late for Suhoor during Ramadan:\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Ramadan Iftar buffets and specials in the Bay Area\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://mehranbayarea.net/\">Mehran Restaurant and Catering\u003c/a>, Newark: Provides Iftar buffet Tuesdays to Sundays with a different menu every day. Call for reservations: 510-668-1111.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://bamboo-gardens.com/\">Inchin’s Bamboo Garden\u003c/a>, Dublin: \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10165357260074546&set=pcb.1571527276866956\">Offering a special menu during Ramadan\u003c/a>. Call for more information: 925-361-0927.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/183771485642549/user/100020609902156/?__cft__%5b0%5d=AZVjE1ODuKzjFVhNErv7cZNvUe8sj77_Z4-0oF4kv6X5LlySFqLSuThvzlLwwo2wPSoYVdL83XmiLpxbKWcn2dsstOwB2n5uJBiAeLIi2sR829Z_-5p3fWpgK5AfHXNL8rVZ5YpqPyW6-lc6gJHNcyF4qHua1w5MaspLEUhAGBEUMOW25YTJQBSQA3qryTFh1E_sF3rM4fNN9sKg7_pZjpPFFAAf6sywhvrm4ONdPaOsD2e_sXepUG4bvWmS1LcluQNmXCqOyI0AF4BdHbFCsMDQ&__tn__=-%5dC%2CP-y-R\">The Ghurka’s Kitchen\u003c/a>, Hayward: \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10165357260169546&set=pcb.1571527276866956\">Discounts on the buffet menu \u003c/a>are available during Ramadan.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/habibiz_restaurant/\">Habibiz\u003c/a>, Fremont: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DGOggcTCmfq/\">Offering meals less than $10 during Ramadan\u003c/a>. Call for more information: 415-761-3294.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bismillahfremont/?hl=en\">Bismillah Restaurant\u003c/a>, Fremont: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bismillahfremont/?hl=en\">Offering promotions for large catering events.\u003c/a> Call for more details: 510-713-1907.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mangalsnv/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/mangalsnv/?hl=en\">Mangal Turkish BBQ\u003c/a>, Sunnyvale: Offering a buffet menu every night during Ramadan. Call for reservations: 408-747-1888.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/lahorirestaurantsj/?hl=en\">Lahori\u003c/a>, San Jose: Offering a buffet menu every night during Ramadan.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Halal restaurants open late for Suhoor this Ramadan\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Suhoor in San Francisco:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://thehalalguys.com/locations/336-ofarrell-street-san-francisco/\">Halal Guys\u003c/a>: Open Monday to Tuesday until 3 a.m. and Wednesday to Saturday until 5 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/falafelcity425/\">Falafel City\u003c/a>: Open weekdays until 2 a.m., weekends until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://habibiloungesf.com/\">Habibi Lounge\u003c/a>: Open until 2 a.m. daily except Mondays.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cafedafonk/\">Cafe Da Fónk!:\u003c/a> Open for Suhoor on March 14, 15, 21, and 22 until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.modenapizzamenu.com/\">Halal Modena Pizza\u003c/a>: Open daily 24/7.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kinarafusionsf/?hl=en\">Kinara Fusion\u003c/a>: Hours not yet announced. Call 415-932-6518 for more information.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/harazcoffeehouse/\">Haraz Coffee:\u003c/a> Hours not yet announced. Call 415-494-7239 for more information.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Delah Coffee: Hours not yet announced. Call 415-377-2444 for more information.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Suhoor in Peninsula:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dahab_restaurant_cafe/?hl=en\">Dahab Cafe\u003c/a>, San Mateo: Open regular hours with special hours on weekends until 1 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Suhoor in South Bay:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elhalalamigos/\">El Halal Amigos\u003c/a>, San José: Open regular hours with a special Suhoor night on Friday, March 21 from 10 p.m. until 3:30 a.m. Saturday.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/fierychickz_sanjose/\">Fiery Chikz\u003c/a>, San José: Open daily until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/chikindrip/?hl=en\">Chikin Drip\u003c/a>, San José: Open regular hours on weekdays until 1 a.m. and Fridays and Saturdays at 1:30 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/doughburgers/?hl=en\">Dough Burgers\u003c/a>, San José: Open weekdays until 1:30 a.m. and weekends until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bibznribz/?hl=en\">Bibz and Ribz\u003c/a>, South San José: Open weekdays until 2 a.m. and weekends until 4 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://swaadindiansanjose.com/#home\">Swaad Indian Cuisine\u003c/a>, San José: Open Friday and Saturday until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.angrychickz.com/\">Angry Chickz\u003c/a>, San José: Open regular hours until midnight daily for now. Call 408-564-5154 for updates.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/zareensrestaurant/\">Zareen’s\u003c/a>, Palo Alto: Open regular hours with special Suhoor hours on Saturday, March 22, from 10 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. Sunday.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://chickengs.com/\">Chicken G’s\u003c/a>, Mountain View: Open regular hours until 1 a.m. every day.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sanaahousecafe.com/\">Sana’a Cafe\u003c/a>, Mountain View: Open every day until 2 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.shanrestaurant.com/\">Shan Restaurant\u003c/a>, Santa Clara: Open regular hours with special hours until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/falafel_flare01/\">Falafel Flare\u003c/a>, Sunnyvale: Open regular hours with special Suhoor hours on Fridays and Saturdays until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://tandooripizza.com/\">Tandoori Pizza\u003c/a>, Sunnyvale: Open 24/7.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/oklavacafe/\">Oklava Cafe\u003c/a>, Palo Alto: Open regular hours for now. Call 650-561-4898 for updates.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Suhoor in East Bay:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://falafelfremont.com/\">Falafel Fremont\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open every day until 4 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/deccanmorsels/?hl=en\">Deccan Morsels\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open daily until 1 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kabobfusionfremont/?hl=en\">Kabob Fusion\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open regular hours with additional Suhoor hours on Friday and Saturday nights until 4 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yeeshaansgrubb/?hl=en\">Yeeshaans Grubb\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open special Ramadan hours from Tuesday until Sunday from 3:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://waybackburgers.com/locations/us/california/milpitas/\">Wayback Burgers\u003c/a>, Milpitas: Open daily from 10:30 a.m. until midnight. Additional Suhoor hours on weekends until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mirchicafe/?hl=en\">Mirchi\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open regular hours for now. Check back for updates.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/rayos.pizza/?hl=en\">Rayos Pizza\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open special hours for Suhoor on March 7 and 8 until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/wahjeewah/?hl=en\">Wah Jee Wah\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open special hours for Suhoor March 7 and 8 until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/_mayahalaltaqueria_/?hl=en\">Maya Halal Taqueria\u003c/a>, Oakland: Open regular hours with special additional Suhoor hours on Friday and Saturday until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/_mayahalaltaqueria_/?hl=en\">Maya Halal Taqueria\u003c/a>, Union City: Open regular hours with special additional Suhoor hours on Friday and Saturday until 1 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/__theburgershop__/?hl=en\">The Burger Shop\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open regular hours with special additional Suhoor hours on weekends until 2:30 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://chickengs.com/\">Chicken G’s\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open regular hours every day until 1 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bundookhanusa/?hl=en\">Bundoo Khan\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open regular hours until midnight, with special Ramadan hours on Friday and Saturday until 1 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/qamariacoffee/\">Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co\u003c/a>.: Open regular hours except for Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until 2 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/greensngrillsunioncity/\">Greens N Grills\u003c/a>: Open regular hours with special Suhoor hours on Friday, March 14, and Saturdays March 8 and 22 from 11 p.m. until 3 a.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/theportofperiperifremont/?hl=en\">Port of Peri Peri\u003c/a>, Fremont: Open regular hours for now. Call 510-256-9901 for updates.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "has-your-walgreens-in-san-francisco-closed-heres-where-your-prescriptions-will-go",
"title": "Where to Get Prescriptions After Walgreens Closes in San Francisco",
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"headTitle": "Where to Get Prescriptions After Walgreens Closes in San Francisco | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>For years, Eileen Norman has relied on her neighborhood Walgreens at 5300 Third St. in San Francisco’s Bayview-Hunters Point. There, she picked up prescriptions for her family, who have multiple disabilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We would be at that pharmacy two to three times a month to pick up necessary medications that we rely on,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Norman is among thousands of San Franciscans whose medical routines have been upended this week by the sudden closure of 11 Walgreens stores around the city — considered the latest and biggest wave of store closures the city has seen in recent years.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which Walgreens stores have closed?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The 11 San Francisco Walgreens stores that closed this week, between Feb. 24 and 27, are located at:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>1201 Taraval St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>3201 Divisadero St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>1363 Divisadero St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>825 Market St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>1750 Noriega St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>5280 Geary Blvd.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>1301 Franklin St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>1189 Potrero Ave.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>135 Powell St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>1630 Ocean Ave.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>5300 Third St.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#closed\">Jump to: If my Walgreens store just closed, where do I go for my prescriptions?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Walgreens at 5300 Third St. — the last one in Bayview-Hunters Point — closed Thursday. A previous Walgreens store, at 3801 Third St., had closed in 2019.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These Bayview-Hunters Point stores fall under District 10, represented by San Francisco Supervisor Shamann Walton. The other closure in his area is at 1189 Potrero Ave., located just next to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to a January statement from Supervisor Walton’s office, his office met with a Walgreens representative who informed them “that these closures are final, with no room for negotiation to secure an extension.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Residents in the Richmond District, which lost a Walgreens store in 2021, also brace for a closure at 17th and Geary Boulevard, housed in a shopping plaza. This leaves the Outer Richmond neighborhood with a lone Walgreens at 25 Point Lobos Ave.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Connie Chan, who represents the Richmond District on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, called it a “blow” to the community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Losing this one more Walgreens, it’s definitely a challenge for us,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Only one store that was originally slated for closure this week — at 1524 Polk St. — has remained open following a review of the store’s “current financial performance,” according to Walgreens spokesperson Marty Maloney.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why is Walgreens closing all these stores in San Francisco?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Last year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/10/15/nx-s1-5153532/walgreens-closing-1200-stores\">Walgreens announced its plans to close 1,200 stores nationwide\u003c/a> in an effort to cut costs and remain viable in the face of online competitors, like Amazon, and declining prescription drug payments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maloney told KQED that the company’s retail pharmacy business “is central to our go-forward business strategy” but that “increased regulatory and reimbursement pressures are weighing on our ability to cover the costs associated with rent, staffing, and supply needs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is never an easy decision to close a store,” Maloney said. “We know that our stores are important to the communities that we serve, and therefore do everything possible to improve the store performance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Susan Bonilla, CEO of the California Pharmacists Association, said part of the problem has to do with the increasing role of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12002132/these-middlemen-say-they-keep-drug-prices-low-california-lawmakers-dont-buy-it\">pharmacy benefit managers\u003c/a> (PBMs) — the “middlemen” that determine the benefit of medications through employer medical insurance plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12002132]“PBMs are methodically under-reimbursing any pharmacy that is not their own pharmacy on the medications, so the pharmacies are running at a deficit,” Bonilla said. “They will pay one cost to get that medication into the pharmacy. Then, the PBM will reimburse it below [this] cost of acquisition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This means that “on many prescriptions, grocery stores and places, like Walgreens, they are literally losing money,” Bonilla said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response, San Francisco State Sen. Scott Wiener has \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB41/id/3030090#:~:text=This%20bill%20would%20prohibit%20a,for%20the%20prescription%20drug%2C%20and\">introduced legislation that would regulate PBMs in California\u003c/a>. However, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed Wiener’s related bill last year, and past legislative attempts associated with PBMs have failed, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2021, Walgreens blamed “organized retail crime” for the company’s decision to close five San Francisco stores in 2021. An analysis of San Francisco Police Department data later found that \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/Is-shoplifting-forcing-Walgreens-to-cut-back-in-16536960.php\">other factors were likely to have also played a role\u003c/a>, including competition from online shopping, reduced foot traffic and an oversaturation of Walgreens locations within the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/06/business/walgreens-shoplifting.html\">Maybe we cried too much last year\u003c/a>,” James Kehoe, chief financial officer for Walgreens, said in a 2024 earnings call, admitting that the company may have overstated how much theft actually happened.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What are the impacts on communities when pharmacies close like this?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“Pharmacy deserts” are a growing problem in California and around the country, Bonilla said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nationally, an estimated nearly 16 million people in the U.S. live in such pharmacy deserts. According to a \u003ca href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11034534/\">2024 study that sought to define pharmacy deserts\u003c/a> in the absence of a national map, the states with the highest number of adults living in pharmacy deserts are California, Florida and Texas — which are also states with large populations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study also focused on the socioeconomic characteristics of pharmacy deserts and found that the people living in them are often marginalized groups who have historically faced structural barriers to health care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12028984\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12028984\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/241204-Pharmacy-Closings-DMB-0254_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/241204-Pharmacy-Closings-DMB-0254_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/241204-Pharmacy-Closings-DMB-0254_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/241204-Pharmacy-Closings-DMB-0254_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/241204-Pharmacy-Closings-DMB-0254_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/241204-Pharmacy-Closings-DMB-0254_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/241204-Pharmacy-Closings-DMB-0254_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Walgreens pharmacy, located at the intersection of High Street and MacArthur Blvd in Oakland, was also scheduled for closure. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The people who face the greatest challenges when a neighborhood pharmacy closes are typically seniors and people with disabilities, who may have to then travel further to their nearest pharmacy, Walgreens customer Eileen Norman said. She is also the executive director of San Francisco In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority, the Medi-Cal program that helps older adults and people with disabilities to live in the community independently and offer services at home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It tends to be a full-time job to be someone with a disability,” Norman said — “to have to constantly manage these types of cuts in services and reconfiguration of services and bureaucratic red tape that sometimes limits people’s ability to access the services that they need.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Norman said she’s grateful that she has a car and can choose where to pick up her prescriptions, she’s nonetheless worried about the lack of access for folks who don’t have the same resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Sometimes whatever is closest is what you’re going to have to go with, and that’s not necessarily fair,” Norman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12028730]Supervisor Walton has echoed these concerns, citing the closures disproportionately affecting low-income residents and highlighting the barriers that the neighborhoods in his district face to basic services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not just about prescriptions either, said Ria Rosenthal, who’s in her 80s and lives in downtown San Francisco. She said she used the now-shuttered Walgreens at 135 Powell St. as a general store and a place to build community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rosenthal also expressed her concern about the impacts of these closures on the stores’ staff — in particular for the friend she said has now lost her position at the Powell Street Walgreens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For years, I go there,” Rosenthal said. “I had just bought us lunch.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In October, when Walgreens announced the mass closures, the company said it would “redeploy” the majority of affected workers.\u003cbr>\n\u003ca id=\"closed\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>If my Walgreens just closed, where do I go now for my prescriptions?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>KQED reached out to Walgreens, and Maloney, the company spokesperson, provided the following list of San Francisco stores where prescriptions have automatically transferred to:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>1201 Taraval St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/kZC6vcaHJbZfSbGk9\">3001 Taraval St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>3201 Divisadero St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/xotincTqFkHAnj5V7\">2141 Chestnut St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>1363 Divisadero St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/79y1nqfjuTQGDKDr7\">1899 Fillmore St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>825 Market St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/vurSJDuEKbmnG9A49\">1301 Market St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>1750 Noriega St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/43mWufJRJkBPgsbR8\">2050 Irving St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>5280 Geary Blvd. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/Lne7P4uQjWPxei5h9\">25 Point Lobos Ave. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>1301 Franklin St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/vurSJDuEKbmnG9A49\">1301 Market St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>1189 Potrero Ave. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/E2A2zqj4AEMqUms86\">2690 Mission St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>135 Powell St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/VR6oo4aP7rpG8YdK7\">459 Powell St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>1630 Ocean Ave. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/mS49MfCsaenGrs999\">200 W Portal Ave. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>5300 Third St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/ntr6v5YuRENQ7Gd38\">2494 San Bruno Ave. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>It’s nonetheless best to also call your closest open Walgreens to verify your prescriptions before making any in-person journey. You can also specify a different Walgreens pharmacy that fits your needs or opt to have your prescriptions transferred altogether to another pharmacy company.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our next closest Walgreens is in a neighborhood that is very small. So we’re going to make sure that we’re going to [another] facility that can take on the extra caseload,” Norman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>If you’re a Walgreens customer, what else can you do to navigate these closures?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Bonilla urges people to consider doing business at independent pharmacies instead of big companies like Walgreens or CVS.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said like any small business, independent pharmacies need support — but they can also foster deep relationships and provide more attention to their customers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’re going to help retain the infrastructure of pharmacy as an essential part of our healthcare system,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12028730/san-francisco-examine-co-op-model-pharmacies-across-city-shutter\">Supervisors Chan and Jackie Fielder are both exploring alternatives\u003c/a> to give people options beyond corporations like Walgreens. These efforts include legislation that would boost local neighborhood pharmacies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Adhiti Bandlamudi, Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí and Dana Cronin contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>For years, Eileen Norman has relied on her neighborhood Walgreens at 5300 Third St. in San Francisco’s Bayview-Hunters Point. There, she picked up prescriptions for her family, who have multiple disabilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We would be at that pharmacy two to three times a month to pick up necessary medications that we rely on,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Norman is among thousands of San Franciscans whose medical routines have been upended this week by the sudden closure of 11 Walgreens stores around the city — considered the latest and biggest wave of store closures the city has seen in recent years.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which Walgreens stores have closed?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The 11 San Francisco Walgreens stores that closed this week, between Feb. 24 and 27, are located at:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>1201 Taraval St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>3201 Divisadero St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>1363 Divisadero St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>825 Market St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>1750 Noriega St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>5280 Geary Blvd.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>1301 Franklin St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>1189 Potrero Ave.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>135 Powell St.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>1630 Ocean Ave.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>5300 Third St.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#closed\">Jump to: If my Walgreens store just closed, where do I go for my prescriptions?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Walgreens at 5300 Third St. — the last one in Bayview-Hunters Point — closed Thursday. A previous Walgreens store, at 3801 Third St., had closed in 2019.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These Bayview-Hunters Point stores fall under District 10, represented by San Francisco Supervisor Shamann Walton. The other closure in his area is at 1189 Potrero Ave., located just next to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to a January statement from Supervisor Walton’s office, his office met with a Walgreens representative who informed them “that these closures are final, with no room for negotiation to secure an extension.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Residents in the Richmond District, which lost a Walgreens store in 2021, also brace for a closure at 17th and Geary Boulevard, housed in a shopping plaza. This leaves the Outer Richmond neighborhood with a lone Walgreens at 25 Point Lobos Ave.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Connie Chan, who represents the Richmond District on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, called it a “blow” to the community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Losing this one more Walgreens, it’s definitely a challenge for us,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Only one store that was originally slated for closure this week — at 1524 Polk St. — has remained open following a review of the store’s “current financial performance,” according to Walgreens spokesperson Marty Maloney.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why is Walgreens closing all these stores in San Francisco?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Last year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/10/15/nx-s1-5153532/walgreens-closing-1200-stores\">Walgreens announced its plans to close 1,200 stores nationwide\u003c/a> in an effort to cut costs and remain viable in the face of online competitors, like Amazon, and declining prescription drug payments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maloney told KQED that the company’s retail pharmacy business “is central to our go-forward business strategy” but that “increased regulatory and reimbursement pressures are weighing on our ability to cover the costs associated with rent, staffing, and supply needs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is never an easy decision to close a store,” Maloney said. “We know that our stores are important to the communities that we serve, and therefore do everything possible to improve the store performance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Susan Bonilla, CEO of the California Pharmacists Association, said part of the problem has to do with the increasing role of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12002132/these-middlemen-say-they-keep-drug-prices-low-california-lawmakers-dont-buy-it\">pharmacy benefit managers\u003c/a> (PBMs) — the “middlemen” that determine the benefit of medications through employer medical insurance plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“PBMs are methodically under-reimbursing any pharmacy that is not their own pharmacy on the medications, so the pharmacies are running at a deficit,” Bonilla said. “They will pay one cost to get that medication into the pharmacy. Then, the PBM will reimburse it below [this] cost of acquisition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This means that “on many prescriptions, grocery stores and places, like Walgreens, they are literally losing money,” Bonilla said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response, San Francisco State Sen. Scott Wiener has \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB41/id/3030090#:~:text=This%20bill%20would%20prohibit%20a,for%20the%20prescription%20drug%2C%20and\">introduced legislation that would regulate PBMs in California\u003c/a>. However, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed Wiener’s related bill last year, and past legislative attempts associated with PBMs have failed, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2021, Walgreens blamed “organized retail crime” for the company’s decision to close five San Francisco stores in 2021. An analysis of San Francisco Police Department data later found that \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/Is-shoplifting-forcing-Walgreens-to-cut-back-in-16536960.php\">other factors were likely to have also played a role\u003c/a>, including competition from online shopping, reduced foot traffic and an oversaturation of Walgreens locations within the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/06/business/walgreens-shoplifting.html\">Maybe we cried too much last year\u003c/a>,” James Kehoe, chief financial officer for Walgreens, said in a 2024 earnings call, admitting that the company may have overstated how much theft actually happened.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What are the impacts on communities when pharmacies close like this?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“Pharmacy deserts” are a growing problem in California and around the country, Bonilla said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nationally, an estimated nearly 16 million people in the U.S. live in such pharmacy deserts. According to a \u003ca href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11034534/\">2024 study that sought to define pharmacy deserts\u003c/a> in the absence of a national map, the states with the highest number of adults living in pharmacy deserts are California, Florida and Texas — which are also states with large populations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study also focused on the socioeconomic characteristics of pharmacy deserts and found that the people living in them are often marginalized groups who have historically faced structural barriers to health care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12028984\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12028984\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/241204-Pharmacy-Closings-DMB-0254_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/241204-Pharmacy-Closings-DMB-0254_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/241204-Pharmacy-Closings-DMB-0254_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/241204-Pharmacy-Closings-DMB-0254_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/241204-Pharmacy-Closings-DMB-0254_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/241204-Pharmacy-Closings-DMB-0254_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/241204-Pharmacy-Closings-DMB-0254_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Walgreens pharmacy, located at the intersection of High Street and MacArthur Blvd in Oakland, was also scheduled for closure. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The people who face the greatest challenges when a neighborhood pharmacy closes are typically seniors and people with disabilities, who may have to then travel further to their nearest pharmacy, Walgreens customer Eileen Norman said. She is also the executive director of San Francisco In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority, the Medi-Cal program that helps older adults and people with disabilities to live in the community independently and offer services at home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It tends to be a full-time job to be someone with a disability,” Norman said — “to have to constantly manage these types of cuts in services and reconfiguration of services and bureaucratic red tape that sometimes limits people’s ability to access the services that they need.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Norman said she’s grateful that she has a car and can choose where to pick up her prescriptions, she’s nonetheless worried about the lack of access for folks who don’t have the same resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Sometimes whatever is closest is what you’re going to have to go with, and that’s not necessarily fair,” Norman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Supervisor Walton has echoed these concerns, citing the closures disproportionately affecting low-income residents and highlighting the barriers that the neighborhoods in his district face to basic services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not just about prescriptions either, said Ria Rosenthal, who’s in her 80s and lives in downtown San Francisco. She said she used the now-shuttered Walgreens at 135 Powell St. as a general store and a place to build community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rosenthal also expressed her concern about the impacts of these closures on the stores’ staff — in particular for the friend she said has now lost her position at the Powell Street Walgreens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For years, I go there,” Rosenthal said. “I had just bought us lunch.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In October, when Walgreens announced the mass closures, the company said it would “redeploy” the majority of affected workers.\u003cbr>\n\u003ca id=\"closed\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>If my Walgreens just closed, where do I go now for my prescriptions?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>KQED reached out to Walgreens, and Maloney, the company spokesperson, provided the following list of San Francisco stores where prescriptions have automatically transferred to:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>1201 Taraval St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/kZC6vcaHJbZfSbGk9\">3001 Taraval St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>3201 Divisadero St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/xotincTqFkHAnj5V7\">2141 Chestnut St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>1363 Divisadero St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/79y1nqfjuTQGDKDr7\">1899 Fillmore St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>825 Market St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/vurSJDuEKbmnG9A49\">1301 Market St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>1750 Noriega St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/43mWufJRJkBPgsbR8\">2050 Irving St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>5280 Geary Blvd. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/Lne7P4uQjWPxei5h9\">25 Point Lobos Ave. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>1301 Franklin St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/vurSJDuEKbmnG9A49\">1301 Market St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>1189 Potrero Ave. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/E2A2zqj4AEMqUms86\">2690 Mission St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>135 Powell St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/VR6oo4aP7rpG8YdK7\">459 Powell St. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>1630 Ocean Ave. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/mS49MfCsaenGrs999\">200 W Portal Ave. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>5300 Third St. Walgreens\u003c/strong>: Prescriptions automatically transferred to \u003ca href=\"https://maps.app.goo.gl/ntr6v5YuRENQ7Gd38\">2494 San Bruno Ave. Walgreens\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>It’s nonetheless best to also call your closest open Walgreens to verify your prescriptions before making any in-person journey. You can also specify a different Walgreens pharmacy that fits your needs or opt to have your prescriptions transferred altogether to another pharmacy company.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our next closest Walgreens is in a neighborhood that is very small. So we’re going to make sure that we’re going to [another] facility that can take on the extra caseload,” Norman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>If you’re a Walgreens customer, what else can you do to navigate these closures?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Bonilla urges people to consider doing business at independent pharmacies instead of big companies like Walgreens or CVS.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said like any small business, independent pharmacies need support — but they can also foster deep relationships and provide more attention to their customers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’re going to help retain the infrastructure of pharmacy as an essential part of our healthcare system,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12028730/san-francisco-examine-co-op-model-pharmacies-across-city-shutter\">Supervisors Chan and Jackie Fielder are both exploring alternatives\u003c/a> to give people options beyond corporations like Walgreens. These efforts include legislation that would boost local neighborhood pharmacies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Adhiti Bandlamudi, Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí and Dana Cronin contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "what-happens-if-the-president-disobeys-the-courts-a-constitutional-crisis-experts-say",
"title": "What Happens If a President Defies the Courts?",
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"content": "\u003cp>[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n his first month back in the White House, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/donald-trump\">President Donald Trump and his allies\u003c/a> have intervened in almost every corner of the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Trump has sought to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12026245/can-trump-actually-change-federal-funding-rules-through-executive-orders\">freeze billions of dollars in federal funding\u003c/a> through executive orders, billionaire Elon Musk — who \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/doge-elon-musk-leadership-administrator/\">by all appearances has been tasked with leading the informal “Department of Government Efficiency”\u003c/a> — has \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/02/20/nx-s1-5304220/irs-job-cuts-doge-tax-season\">overseen thousands of layoffs at different government offices\u003c/a>. And newly appointed agency heads are scrubbing away federal initiatives \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/6-ways-trumps-executive-orders-are-targeting-transgender-people\">related to transgender people\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/unleashing-american-energy/\">climate justice\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-education-diversity-equity-inclusion-20cf8a2941f4f35e0b5b0e07c6347ebb\">diversity, equity and inclusion\u003c/a> (DEI).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response, Democrat-led states and civil rights groups are pushing back against these sweeping moves by suing the administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In many of these lawsuits, the courts \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12024387/california-22-other-states-sue-to-block-trumps-federal-funding-freeze\">are ruling against Trump\u003c/a>, arguing that his plans go against the Constitution of the United States — the 237-year-old document that establishes how the American government works and lays out the relationship between the president, Congress and the courts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several federal judges, for example, have already frozen \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12024082/qa-what-to-know-about-birthright-citizenship\">Trump’s executive order that would end birthright citizenship\u003c/a> for children born in the U.S. to parents without a permanent immigration status on the grounds that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12015449/a-129-year-old-san-francisco-lawsuit-could-stop-trump-from-ending-birthright-citizenship\">it defies the Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A ‘constitutional crisis’?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The White House has responded to unfavorable court decisions by attacking the authority of judges. “If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal,” Vice President J.D. Vance \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/JDVance/status/1888607143030391287\">said on social media platform X\u003c/a> earlier this month. “Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And Trump himself has gone even further: “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law,” Trump \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1890831570535055759/\">posted on social media\u003c/a>, referencing a quote frequently attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12024082]U.S. history is full of instances where one branch of government disagrees with another. However, both historians and legal experts note that when these disagreements happen, the branches do not question — or defy — the others’ authority. As the White House doubles down on its anti-court rhetoric, \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/10/what-is-constitutional-crisis/\">more news outlets\u003c/a> and constitutional scholars have started to use the term “constitutional crisis” to emphasize the seriousness of the situation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what does this term actually mean? And what could happen in the coming weeks and months if the White House potentially defies the judicial branch altogether?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How the Constitution allows the courts to challenge the other branches\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In 1787, dozens of men, including George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, gathered in Philadelphia \u003ca href=\"https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/founding-fathers\">to design a new system of government for the United States\u003c/a>, then barely four years old with a \u003ca href=\"https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/intro.5-2/ALDE_00000049/\">weak central government that was struggling to respond to the nation’s problems\u003c/a>. One question they faced was: how do you create a central government that possessed enough authority but could not abuse its power?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their solution was \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/duel-hamilton-and-us-constitution/\">splitting the power of the central government between three branches\u003c/a>: the executive, legislative and judicial. Each branch has tools to preserve its own authority and limit the actions of the other two, known as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government\">system of checks and balances\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Ambition must be made to counteract ambition,” future president James Madison (or Hamilton) said in a \u003ca href=\"https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/text-51-60\">1788 essay\u003c/a> explaining the system of checks and balances. “It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A president can veto legislation from Congress; Congress can impeach and remove a president; a president can appoint judges; and Congress can remove them. But how would the judiciary, led by the Supreme Court, check the other two branches?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some of the framers called the judiciary the weakest branch because it wouldn’t be able to enforce its decisions other than through institutional respect for it,” said Bernadette Meyler, a professor at Stanford Law School who specializes in constitutional law and history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, soon after the Constitution was adopted as the “\u003ca href=\"https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-6/\">supreme Law of the Land\u003c/a>,” the Supreme Court soon began to flex its muscles. In an \u003ca href=\"https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/marbury-v-madison\">1803 case\u003c/a>, the court affirmed — for the very first time — its power to review acts of Congress and \u003ca href=\"https://www.fjc.gov/history/cases/cases-that-shaped-the-federal-courts/marbury-v-madison\">strike down those acts it finds to be unconstitutional\u003c/a>. And in the 200 years since then, Congress has respected the court’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/constitutional.aspx\">judicial review process\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11969070\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 911px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11969070\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/gettyimages-633210786-2-f2e67f6bee591088d738d2789ce8b8f23182b4e3.jpg\" alt=\"The front of the Supreme Court building with a blue sky in the background.\" width=\"911\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/gettyimages-633210786-2-f2e67f6bee591088d738d2789ce8b8f23182b4e3.jpg 911w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/gettyimages-633210786-2-f2e67f6bee591088d738d2789ce8b8f23182b4e3-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/gettyimages-633210786-2-f2e67f6bee591088d738d2789ce8b8f23182b4e3-160x120.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 911px) 100vw, 911px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A view of the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 31, 2017, in Washington, DC. \u003ccite>(Drew Angerer/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the 20th Century, the court also began to check the president. In 1952, the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional for President Harry Truman to seize private steel mills for the Korean War effort, and despite disagreeing with the decision, Truman obeyed the court. Decades later, \u003ca href=\"https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/anniversary-of-united-states-v-nixon\">the Supreme Court successfully ordered President Richard Nixon\u003c/a> to hand over tapes of conversations with his associates, who were accused of being involved in the Watergate scandal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But if the Supreme Court has no military or budget at its command, why do the other branches listen to it? Its authority comes from historical precedent, said Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the School of Law at UC Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Throughout American history, presidents — Democrats and Republicans — adhered to court orders even when they disagreed with them,” Chemerinsky said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the president abandons this precedent and instead disobeys the courts, it would put the U.S. in completely uncharted territory, Chemerinsky said. “Then we really have a constitutional crisis unlike what we’ve seen before,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What could happen if a president defies the courts\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A month into Trump’s second term, no case against his administration has been heard by the Supreme Court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, federal judges at the lower levels of the judiciary have already pushed back against the White House. Besides freezing Trump’s birthright citizenship order, judges across the country have halted orders that would have ended federal funding to medical institutions \u003ca href=\"https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/wa-judge-temporarily-halts-unconstitutional-trump-order-targeting-gender#:~:text=WA%20judge%20temporarily%20halts%20unconstitutional%20Trump%20order%20targeting%20gender%20affirming%20care%20for%20youth,-FOR%20IMMEDIATE%20RELEASE&text=SEATTLE%20%E2%80%94%20A%20federal%20judge%20today,institutions%20providing%20gender%2Daffirming%20care.\">providing gender-affirming care for transgender youth\u003c/a>, rejected the White House’s plan to \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/trump-administration-sued-22-states-funding-cuts-research-projects-rcna191529\">freeze millions of dollars for scientific research\u003c/a> and prevented the administration from \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/02/14/nx-s1-5297870/cfpb-doge-trump-musk-federal-workforce\">firing officials at certain independent agencies\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12026245]But what can the courts do if the White House, which insists its authority is being unfairly limited, ultimately disobeys their rulings? Then, the courts could “hold the government officials who carry out the president’s policies in contempt of court,” Chemerinsky said, adding that \u003ca href=\"https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-939_e2pg.pdf\">it’s unlikely for a sitting president to be held in contempt\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are two different types of punishments for disobeying a court: \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/criminal-resource-manual-754-criminal-versus-civil-contempt\">civil contempt and criminal contempt\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In civil contempt, someone is fined or put in jail until they comply with the court order,” Chemerinsky said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Criminal contempt, however, is a punishment \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/criminal-resource-manual-728-criminal-contempt\">that can also include either jail time or hefty fines\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The president can pardon someone who has been convicted of criminal contempt but not civil contempt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The contempt power can theoretically be used to put [executive officials] in jail until they comply,” said Pamela Karlan, who teaches at Stanford Law School and helps lead the institution’s Supreme Court Litigation Clinic. “If it comes to that, we are going to be beyond the constitutional crisis. At that point, our government is falling apart.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The courts also have the power to order “remedies,” Stanford Law’s Meyler said, actions to make up for the harm or unlawful action someone has experienced. One common example of this is when a judge finds that an employee \u003ca href=\"https://www.usa.gov/wrongful-termination\">was wrongfully terminated by their employer\u003c/a>, the court can either order that the employee get their job back or receive compensation for damages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If the court held that a removal of a particular officer was unconstitutional, there might be some way in which the courts, through their equitable power of crafting remedies, could have some effect,” Meyler said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How Trump has been able to enact his plans so far — even when legal experts say they’re unlawful\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Ahead of Trump’s inauguration, KQED \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12015449/a-129-year-old-san-francisco-lawsuit-could-stop-trump-from-ending-birthright-citizenship\">spoke to multiple legal experts\u003c/a> to ask if his campaign promise to end birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants would go against established law. All of them said yes and went as far as to say that doing so would violate the Constitution and decades of judicial precedent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Trump still went ahead and, on his first day back in office, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12024082/qa-what-to-know-about-birthright-citizenship\">signed an executive order limiting birthright citizenship\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Trump enacts executive orders that go against established law or longstanding judicial decisions, Meyler said his ultimate intention could be to reopen these policy questions through court decisions. In other situations, she said, the White House may be getting its way for now — dismissing thousands of federal employees, for example — because the courts simply move slowly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a gap in time between when the executive fails to comply with law and when the court’s finally adjudicated,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s also important to remember that in certain instances, the courts may actually side with Trump — even if their decisions run contrary to public opinion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of people are counting on the courts to jump in and save us from this person that we elected, and our Constitution just may not be up to the task of doing that,” said Jodi Short, professor at UC Law San Francisco, who focuses on constitutional law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12028420\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12028420\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People participate in a protest against the Trump administration’s mass firing of government workers and civil servants in front of the Capitol building in Washington D.C. on Presidents’ Day, Feb. 17, 2025. \u003ccite>(Dominic Gwinn / Middle East Images via AFP)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Another reason Trump is able to further his agenda so quickly and forcefully in his first month: Congress, where Trump-friendly Republicans control both the House and the Senate, has so far shown little interest in reining in the White House.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout the nation’s history, Congress has used a variety of tools — legislation, censures (a formal condemnation of an official) and even impeachment — to stop presidents who have acted against established law. But so far into this administration, Republican Congressional leaders have not utilized these tools.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What the consequences of a constitutional crisis could look like\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For Chemerinsky, Trump’s threats against the courts signal the president’s belief that he is ultimately above the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The core of the rule of law is that no one, not even the president, is above the law,” he said. But if the president doesn’t have to comply with the Constitution, federal laws and court orders, “then he’s truly above and outside the law,” said Chemerinsky.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We call a ruler like that a dictator,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label='Related Coverage' tag='donald-trump']When the framers of the Constitution headed back home from Philadelphia in 1787, many promised the public that the purpose of the document \u003ca href=\"https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/text-51-60\">was to prevent one branch of government from reaching unlimited power\u003c/a>. Ultimately, the Constitution is a promise from the government to the American people of how it will behave and “envisions a system where our elected officials are also supposed to be acting within the bounds of the law,” UC Law’s Short said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When the government works, it often works in ways that are invisible,” she said, providing an example of how Americans expect to receive clean water when they turn on their taps. “That’s occurring because of layers and layers of government regulation, but you never think about it until it doesn’t work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In its search for government “waste,” the Trump administration has fired thousands of highly trained career officials who had direct roles in ensuring the safety of the public, including \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/faa-firings-trump-doge-safety-airlines-27390c6a7aac58063652302df5a243d3\">inspectors at the Federal Aviation Administration\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/17/nx-s1-5300052/federal-employees-layoffs-cdc-nih-fda\">researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/02/20/nx-s1-5301150/trump-federal-employees-fired-veteran-food-agriculture\">pest control experts at the Department of Agriculture\u003c/a>, among many more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People love to focus on the way that the government intrudes into their lives in negative ways, but the government supports our ability to exist in a highly developed and privileged society,” Short said. “[When] the agencies supporting all of that get gutted and politicized, I think it’s a huge threat to our everyday standard of living.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "What could happen in the coming weeks and months if the White House defies the judicial branch altogether?",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">I\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>n his first month back in the White House, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/donald-trump\">President Donald Trump and his allies\u003c/a> have intervened in almost every corner of the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Trump has sought to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12026245/can-trump-actually-change-federal-funding-rules-through-executive-orders\">freeze billions of dollars in federal funding\u003c/a> through executive orders, billionaire Elon Musk — who \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/doge-elon-musk-leadership-administrator/\">by all appearances has been tasked with leading the informal “Department of Government Efficiency”\u003c/a> — has \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/02/20/nx-s1-5304220/irs-job-cuts-doge-tax-season\">overseen thousands of layoffs at different government offices\u003c/a>. And newly appointed agency heads are scrubbing away federal initiatives \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/6-ways-trumps-executive-orders-are-targeting-transgender-people\">related to transgender people\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/unleashing-american-energy/\">climate justice\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-education-diversity-equity-inclusion-20cf8a2941f4f35e0b5b0e07c6347ebb\">diversity, equity and inclusion\u003c/a> (DEI).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response, Democrat-led states and civil rights groups are pushing back against these sweeping moves by suing the administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In many of these lawsuits, the courts \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12024387/california-22-other-states-sue-to-block-trumps-federal-funding-freeze\">are ruling against Trump\u003c/a>, arguing that his plans go against the Constitution of the United States — the 237-year-old document that establishes how the American government works and lays out the relationship between the president, Congress and the courts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several federal judges, for example, have already frozen \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12024082/qa-what-to-know-about-birthright-citizenship\">Trump’s executive order that would end birthright citizenship\u003c/a> for children born in the U.S. to parents without a permanent immigration status on the grounds that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12015449/a-129-year-old-san-francisco-lawsuit-could-stop-trump-from-ending-birthright-citizenship\">it defies the Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A ‘constitutional crisis’?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The White House has responded to unfavorable court decisions by attacking the authority of judges. “If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal,” Vice President J.D. Vance \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/JDVance/status/1888607143030391287\">said on social media platform X\u003c/a> earlier this month. “Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And Trump himself has gone even further: “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law,” Trump \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1890831570535055759/\">posted on social media\u003c/a>, referencing a quote frequently attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>U.S. history is full of instances where one branch of government disagrees with another. However, both historians and legal experts note that when these disagreements happen, the branches do not question — or defy — the others’ authority. As the White House doubles down on its anti-court rhetoric, \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/10/what-is-constitutional-crisis/\">more news outlets\u003c/a> and constitutional scholars have started to use the term “constitutional crisis” to emphasize the seriousness of the situation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what does this term actually mean? And what could happen in the coming weeks and months if the White House potentially defies the judicial branch altogether?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How the Constitution allows the courts to challenge the other branches\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In 1787, dozens of men, including George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, gathered in Philadelphia \u003ca href=\"https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/founding-fathers\">to design a new system of government for the United States\u003c/a>, then barely four years old with a \u003ca href=\"https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/intro.5-2/ALDE_00000049/\">weak central government that was struggling to respond to the nation’s problems\u003c/a>. One question they faced was: how do you create a central government that possessed enough authority but could not abuse its power?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their solution was \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/duel-hamilton-and-us-constitution/\">splitting the power of the central government between three branches\u003c/a>: the executive, legislative and judicial. Each branch has tools to preserve its own authority and limit the actions of the other two, known as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government\">system of checks and balances\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Ambition must be made to counteract ambition,” future president James Madison (or Hamilton) said in a \u003ca href=\"https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/text-51-60\">1788 essay\u003c/a> explaining the system of checks and balances. “It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A president can veto legislation from Congress; Congress can impeach and remove a president; a president can appoint judges; and Congress can remove them. But how would the judiciary, led by the Supreme Court, check the other two branches?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some of the framers called the judiciary the weakest branch because it wouldn’t be able to enforce its decisions other than through institutional respect for it,” said Bernadette Meyler, a professor at Stanford Law School who specializes in constitutional law and history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, soon after the Constitution was adopted as the “\u003ca href=\"https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-6/\">supreme Law of the Land\u003c/a>,” the Supreme Court soon began to flex its muscles. In an \u003ca href=\"https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/marbury-v-madison\">1803 case\u003c/a>, the court affirmed — for the very first time — its power to review acts of Congress and \u003ca href=\"https://www.fjc.gov/history/cases/cases-that-shaped-the-federal-courts/marbury-v-madison\">strike down those acts it finds to be unconstitutional\u003c/a>. And in the 200 years since then, Congress has respected the court’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/constitutional.aspx\">judicial review process\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11969070\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 911px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11969070\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/gettyimages-633210786-2-f2e67f6bee591088d738d2789ce8b8f23182b4e3.jpg\" alt=\"The front of the Supreme Court building with a blue sky in the background.\" width=\"911\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/gettyimages-633210786-2-f2e67f6bee591088d738d2789ce8b8f23182b4e3.jpg 911w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/gettyimages-633210786-2-f2e67f6bee591088d738d2789ce8b8f23182b4e3-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/gettyimages-633210786-2-f2e67f6bee591088d738d2789ce8b8f23182b4e3-160x120.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 911px) 100vw, 911px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A view of the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 31, 2017, in Washington, DC. \u003ccite>(Drew Angerer/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the 20th Century, the court also began to check the president. In 1952, the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional for President Harry Truman to seize private steel mills for the Korean War effort, and despite disagreeing with the decision, Truman obeyed the court. Decades later, \u003ca href=\"https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/anniversary-of-united-states-v-nixon\">the Supreme Court successfully ordered President Richard Nixon\u003c/a> to hand over tapes of conversations with his associates, who were accused of being involved in the Watergate scandal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But if the Supreme Court has no military or budget at its command, why do the other branches listen to it? Its authority comes from historical precedent, said Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the School of Law at UC Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Throughout American history, presidents — Democrats and Republicans — adhered to court orders even when they disagreed with them,” Chemerinsky said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the president abandons this precedent and instead disobeys the courts, it would put the U.S. in completely uncharted territory, Chemerinsky said. “Then we really have a constitutional crisis unlike what we’ve seen before,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What could happen if a president defies the courts\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A month into Trump’s second term, no case against his administration has been heard by the Supreme Court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, federal judges at the lower levels of the judiciary have already pushed back against the White House. Besides freezing Trump’s birthright citizenship order, judges across the country have halted orders that would have ended federal funding to medical institutions \u003ca href=\"https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/wa-judge-temporarily-halts-unconstitutional-trump-order-targeting-gender#:~:text=WA%20judge%20temporarily%20halts%20unconstitutional%20Trump%20order%20targeting%20gender%20affirming%20care%20for%20youth,-FOR%20IMMEDIATE%20RELEASE&text=SEATTLE%20%E2%80%94%20A%20federal%20judge%20today,institutions%20providing%20gender%2Daffirming%20care.\">providing gender-affirming care for transgender youth\u003c/a>, rejected the White House’s plan to \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/trump-administration-sued-22-states-funding-cuts-research-projects-rcna191529\">freeze millions of dollars for scientific research\u003c/a> and prevented the administration from \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/02/14/nx-s1-5297870/cfpb-doge-trump-musk-federal-workforce\">firing officials at certain independent agencies\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But what can the courts do if the White House, which insists its authority is being unfairly limited, ultimately disobeys their rulings? Then, the courts could “hold the government officials who carry out the president’s policies in contempt of court,” Chemerinsky said, adding that \u003ca href=\"https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-939_e2pg.pdf\">it’s unlikely for a sitting president to be held in contempt\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are two different types of punishments for disobeying a court: \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/criminal-resource-manual-754-criminal-versus-civil-contempt\">civil contempt and criminal contempt\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In civil contempt, someone is fined or put in jail until they comply with the court order,” Chemerinsky said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Criminal contempt, however, is a punishment \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/criminal-resource-manual-728-criminal-contempt\">that can also include either jail time or hefty fines\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The president can pardon someone who has been convicted of criminal contempt but not civil contempt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The contempt power can theoretically be used to put [executive officials] in jail until they comply,” said Pamela Karlan, who teaches at Stanford Law School and helps lead the institution’s Supreme Court Litigation Clinic. “If it comes to that, we are going to be beyond the constitutional crisis. At that point, our government is falling apart.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The courts also have the power to order “remedies,” Stanford Law’s Meyler said, actions to make up for the harm or unlawful action someone has experienced. One common example of this is when a judge finds that an employee \u003ca href=\"https://www.usa.gov/wrongful-termination\">was wrongfully terminated by their employer\u003c/a>, the court can either order that the employee get their job back or receive compensation for damages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If the court held that a removal of a particular officer was unconstitutional, there might be some way in which the courts, through their equitable power of crafting remedies, could have some effect,” Meyler said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How Trump has been able to enact his plans so far — even when legal experts say they’re unlawful\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Ahead of Trump’s inauguration, KQED \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12015449/a-129-year-old-san-francisco-lawsuit-could-stop-trump-from-ending-birthright-citizenship\">spoke to multiple legal experts\u003c/a> to ask if his campaign promise to end birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants would go against established law. All of them said yes and went as far as to say that doing so would violate the Constitution and decades of judicial precedent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Trump still went ahead and, on his first day back in office, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12024082/qa-what-to-know-about-birthright-citizenship\">signed an executive order limiting birthright citizenship\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Trump enacts executive orders that go against established law or longstanding judicial decisions, Meyler said his ultimate intention could be to reopen these policy questions through court decisions. In other situations, she said, the White House may be getting its way for now — dismissing thousands of federal employees, for example — because the courts simply move slowly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a gap in time between when the executive fails to comply with law and when the court’s finally adjudicated,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s also important to remember that in certain instances, the courts may actually side with Trump — even if their decisions run contrary to public opinion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of people are counting on the courts to jump in and save us from this person that we elected, and our Constitution just may not be up to the task of doing that,” said Jodi Short, professor at UC Law San Francisco, who focuses on constitutional law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12028420\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12028420\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/GettyImages-2199641030-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People participate in a protest against the Trump administration’s mass firing of government workers and civil servants in front of the Capitol building in Washington D.C. on Presidents’ Day, Feb. 17, 2025. \u003ccite>(Dominic Gwinn / Middle East Images via AFP)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Another reason Trump is able to further his agenda so quickly and forcefully in his first month: Congress, where Trump-friendly Republicans control both the House and the Senate, has so far shown little interest in reining in the White House.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout the nation’s history, Congress has used a variety of tools — legislation, censures (a formal condemnation of an official) and even impeachment — to stop presidents who have acted against established law. But so far into this administration, Republican Congressional leaders have not utilized these tools.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What the consequences of a constitutional crisis could look like\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For Chemerinsky, Trump’s threats against the courts signal the president’s belief that he is ultimately above the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The core of the rule of law is that no one, not even the president, is above the law,” he said. But if the president doesn’t have to comply with the Constitution, federal laws and court orders, “then he’s truly above and outside the law,” said Chemerinsky.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We call a ruler like that a dictator,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>When the framers of the Constitution headed back home from Philadelphia in 1787, many promised the public that the purpose of the document \u003ca href=\"https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/text-51-60\">was to prevent one branch of government from reaching unlimited power\u003c/a>. Ultimately, the Constitution is a promise from the government to the American people of how it will behave and “envisions a system where our elected officials are also supposed to be acting within the bounds of the law,” UC Law’s Short said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When the government works, it often works in ways that are invisible,” she said, providing an example of how Americans expect to receive clean water when they turn on their taps. “That’s occurring because of layers and layers of government regulation, but you never think about it until it doesn’t work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In its search for government “waste,” the Trump administration has fired thousands of highly trained career officials who had direct roles in ensuring the safety of the public, including \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/faa-firings-trump-doge-safety-airlines-27390c6a7aac58063652302df5a243d3\">inspectors at the Federal Aviation Administration\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/17/nx-s1-5300052/federal-employees-layoffs-cdc-nih-fda\">researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/02/20/nx-s1-5301150/trump-federal-employees-fired-veteran-food-agriculture\">pest control experts at the Department of Agriculture\u003c/a>, among many more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People love to focus on the way that the government intrudes into their lives in negative ways, but the government supports our ability to exist in a highly developed and privileged society,” Short said. “[When] the agencies supporting all of that get gutted and politicized, I think it’s a huge threat to our everyday standard of living.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Some years, you might spend Valentine’s Day with a romantic partner. And there are other years when Feb. 14 rolls around and you’re single.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“After all,” said Carrie Bradshaw on HBO’s \u003cem>Sex and the City\u003c/em>, “computers crash, people die, relationships fall apart.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But whether you’re single for a day or a decade, “you shouldn’t wait for a partner for your life to start,” said Nicola Slawson — a journalist who writes \u003ca href=\"https://thesinglesupplement.substack.com/\">The Single Supplement\u003c/a> newsletter for single women and the author of the new book \u003cem>Single: Living a Complete Life on Your Own Terms\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Slawson, who has been single for more than a decade, has created online communities where single people can openly share their experiences — both good and bad — about living unattached to a partner. In her newsletters, she reminds readers that, in many cases, feeling ashamed about being single is due to social pressures and that happiness comes from within — not necessarily from a relationship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101908870/what-do-you-love-about-being-single\">Slawson spoke with Mina Kim on KQED Forum\u003c/a> to talk about why it’s so important to make the most of life regardless of your relationship status, the liberating elements of being single, and how to have real, tough conversations about what being single later in life — or when you want kids — can look like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>How being single lets you build a relationship with the most important person in your life (yourself)\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nicola Slawson:\u003c/strong> When I was going through these relationships, I was jumping from one to another and getting my heart broken in each one. I just didn’t really think of myself and look after myself. Becoming single and learning to actually stand on my own two feet and look after myself has been incredibly empowering and beautiful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I hate when people say, “You have to love yourself before anyone else will love you,” because even when I didn’t love myself, lots of people in my life loved me. My parents loved me; my friends loved me. Learning to love myself and learning self-respect has been life-changing, but I’ve done that for myself. I haven’t done that to impress someone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same time, I do think that when I do get into a relationship in the future, it’ll stand me in good stead that I do have all those things, and I do look after myself.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>What being single can free you from\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I was so obsessed with getting a boyfriend when I was a teenager and in my early twenties that I would just completely ignore red flags and basically have no self-respect because I thought that having a boyfriend was the most important thing and that would give me validation. And so it’s very freeing when you realize that’s actually not true.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think when you’re single, you really nurture your friendships and you really nurture your community. My friends are the loves of my life, and I’ve really invested in them — which I’ve been able to do because I wasn’t sort of sidetracked by a man.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not just about “things that you do on your own,” although that is also very liberating.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Being single will always have its ups and downs\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Sometimes, people would react to the fact that I had a newsletter called The Single Supplement, saying, “But I don’t want to be single,” “I don’t like being single,” or “I’m unhappy being single.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s not what the newsletter or my book is about. It’s not about making you feel better about being single and just ignoring all the challenges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I hope to have a romantic relationship in the future. I’m comfortable and confident being single at the moment, but it’s something I do want in the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think that sometimes, there’s a tendency to sort of be very all or nothing: “We’re going to talk about single positivity. It’s amazing being single!” … and then completely overlook all the challenges and the difficulties. Or the fact that you might not want to be single, which is why I say in the book, “Whether you’re single for a day or a decade, it’s about making the most of the moment — and not putting your life on hold in this moment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Why it’s important to leave behind the stigma of being single\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In the disability community, they say, “You should be interested and care about disability rights because one day you probably will end up disabled.” … And it’s a similar thing with being single.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I interviewed people who were widowed, who were divorced, and some of the ones that were divorced, they had no idea it was coming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For people who were in really toxic relationships or even abusive relationships, there’s an idea that everyone buys into: That you should \u003cem>feel\u003c/em> lucky to be in a relationship. And if we can break that a little bit and make people realize that actually being single isn’t the worst thing in the world, I think it would help people leave situations where they shouldn’t be in — or even unhappy ones, even if they’re not abusive or anything like that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You just never know when you might end up on your own.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Addressing fears of being alone in later life\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That is something that comes up a lot in the community that I run … and it’s quite a painful topic for some people. Some people have had to have quite honest and painful conversations with family members — with nieces and nephews, for example.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are people who are looking into retirement villages, paying a lot more into pensions to make sure they’re okay, life insurance and things like that. And it is something that people do worry about and they also feel like they don’t want to be a burden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it’s a really hard thing because you’ve got to have conversations with people so they know what you want as you’re getting older. You might need somebody to be the person making decisions about your health care, for example.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But some people in the community will say, “Actually, this is more about society as a whole and how we look after the older people, rather than necessarily [about] being single.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Being single when you want — or have — children\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>So I spent years being single and wishing I was a mom … I was really, really struggling with it when I was approaching thirty-five … I began to panic about it. It was almost like the soundtrack of my whole life was, “How am I going to have a baby?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But at the same time, I was feeling really good about being single, and I didn’t want to date just to find somebody to have a baby with — because that felt really forced and also just really awkward. So I was looking into solo motherhood, with a sperm donor, but the cost of that was really prohibitive for me. I’m a freelancer, and I just felt like I would have had to save up for years and years, and that would have been my fertility years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But luckily, I had another idea, which was when I met a lesbian couple who platonically co-parent with a gay friend — and so that was the idea in the back of my head because that worked out really well for them. Then, during the pandemic, I met a gay guy called Tom, and we quickly became really good friends. We actually bonded over the fact that all of our friends had kids and we didn’t, and we had no one to hang out with … I realized that he would make a really good dad.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Obviously, we spent months and months discussing it and all the ways it could possibly go wrong. But we’re now parents of a 10-month-old baby girl … Tom and I are actually housemates, so we’re at the moment parenting completely 100% all of the time. It’ll only be in the future where we split our time … and that will be a whole new experience for me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think writing the book really made me really reflect on what was important and what I needed to do because I’m writing about how you shouldn’t wait for a partner for your life to start. And I needed to take my own advice because the thing I wanted most was to be a mom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Some years, you might spend Valentine’s Day with a romantic partner. And there are other years when Feb. 14 rolls around and you’re single.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“After all,” said Carrie Bradshaw on HBO’s \u003cem>Sex and the City\u003c/em>, “computers crash, people die, relationships fall apart.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But whether you’re single for a day or a decade, “you shouldn’t wait for a partner for your life to start,” said Nicola Slawson — a journalist who writes \u003ca href=\"https://thesinglesupplement.substack.com/\">The Single Supplement\u003c/a> newsletter for single women and the author of the new book \u003cem>Single: Living a Complete Life on Your Own Terms\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Slawson, who has been single for more than a decade, has created online communities where single people can openly share their experiences — both good and bad — about living unattached to a partner. In her newsletters, she reminds readers that, in many cases, feeling ashamed about being single is due to social pressures and that happiness comes from within — not necessarily from a relationship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101908870/what-do-you-love-about-being-single\">Slawson spoke with Mina Kim on KQED Forum\u003c/a> to talk about why it’s so important to make the most of life regardless of your relationship status, the liberating elements of being single, and how to have real, tough conversations about what being single later in life — or when you want kids — can look like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>How being single lets you build a relationship with the most important person in your life (yourself)\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nicola Slawson:\u003c/strong> When I was going through these relationships, I was jumping from one to another and getting my heart broken in each one. I just didn’t really think of myself and look after myself. Becoming single and learning to actually stand on my own two feet and look after myself has been incredibly empowering and beautiful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I hate when people say, “You have to love yourself before anyone else will love you,” because even when I didn’t love myself, lots of people in my life loved me. My parents loved me; my friends loved me. Learning to love myself and learning self-respect has been life-changing, but I’ve done that for myself. I haven’t done that to impress someone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same time, I do think that when I do get into a relationship in the future, it’ll stand me in good stead that I do have all those things, and I do look after myself.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>What being single can free you from\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I was so obsessed with getting a boyfriend when I was a teenager and in my early twenties that I would just completely ignore red flags and basically have no self-respect because I thought that having a boyfriend was the most important thing and that would give me validation. And so it’s very freeing when you realize that’s actually not true.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think when you’re single, you really nurture your friendships and you really nurture your community. My friends are the loves of my life, and I’ve really invested in them — which I’ve been able to do because I wasn’t sort of sidetracked by a man.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not just about “things that you do on your own,” although that is also very liberating.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Being single will always have its ups and downs\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Sometimes, people would react to the fact that I had a newsletter called The Single Supplement, saying, “But I don’t want to be single,” “I don’t like being single,” or “I’m unhappy being single.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s not what the newsletter or my book is about. It’s not about making you feel better about being single and just ignoring all the challenges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I hope to have a romantic relationship in the future. I’m comfortable and confident being single at the moment, but it’s something I do want in the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think that sometimes, there’s a tendency to sort of be very all or nothing: “We’re going to talk about single positivity. It’s amazing being single!” … and then completely overlook all the challenges and the difficulties. Or the fact that you might not want to be single, which is why I say in the book, “Whether you’re single for a day or a decade, it’s about making the most of the moment — and not putting your life on hold in this moment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Why it’s important to leave behind the stigma of being single\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In the disability community, they say, “You should be interested and care about disability rights because one day you probably will end up disabled.” … And it’s a similar thing with being single.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I interviewed people who were widowed, who were divorced, and some of the ones that were divorced, they had no idea it was coming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For people who were in really toxic relationships or even abusive relationships, there’s an idea that everyone buys into: That you should \u003cem>feel\u003c/em> lucky to be in a relationship. And if we can break that a little bit and make people realize that actually being single isn’t the worst thing in the world, I think it would help people leave situations where they shouldn’t be in — or even unhappy ones, even if they’re not abusive or anything like that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You just never know when you might end up on your own.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Addressing fears of being alone in later life\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That is something that comes up a lot in the community that I run … and it’s quite a painful topic for some people. Some people have had to have quite honest and painful conversations with family members — with nieces and nephews, for example.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are people who are looking into retirement villages, paying a lot more into pensions to make sure they’re okay, life insurance and things like that. And it is something that people do worry about and they also feel like they don’t want to be a burden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it’s a really hard thing because you’ve got to have conversations with people so they know what you want as you’re getting older. You might need somebody to be the person making decisions about your health care, for example.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But some people in the community will say, “Actually, this is more about society as a whole and how we look after the older people, rather than necessarily [about] being single.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Being single when you want — or have — children\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>So I spent years being single and wishing I was a mom … I was really, really struggling with it when I was approaching thirty-five … I began to panic about it. It was almost like the soundtrack of my whole life was, “How am I going to have a baby?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But at the same time, I was feeling really good about being single, and I didn’t want to date just to find somebody to have a baby with — because that felt really forced and also just really awkward. So I was looking into solo motherhood, with a sperm donor, but the cost of that was really prohibitive for me. I’m a freelancer, and I just felt like I would have had to save up for years and years, and that would have been my fertility years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But luckily, I had another idea, which was when I met a lesbian couple who platonically co-parent with a gay friend — and so that was the idea in the back of my head because that worked out really well for them. Then, during the pandemic, I met a gay guy called Tom, and we quickly became really good friends. We actually bonded over the fact that all of our friends had kids and we didn’t, and we had no one to hang out with … I realized that he would make a really good dad.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Obviously, we spent months and months discussing it and all the ways it could possibly go wrong. But we’re now parents of a 10-month-old baby girl … Tom and I are actually housemates, so we’re at the moment parenting completely 100% all of the time. It’ll only be in the future where we split our time … and that will be a whole new experience for me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think writing the book really made me really reflect on what was important and what I needed to do because I’m writing about how you shouldn’t wait for a partner for your life to start. And I needed to take my own advice because the thing I wanted most was to be a mom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Navigating ICE Presence in Schools: Essential Information for Families",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12027395/ice-las-escuelas-y-los-ninos-lo-que-las-familias-deberian-saber\">\u003cem>Leer en español\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[dropcap]P[/dropcap]anic has continued to spread through immigrant communities across California ever since President Donald Trump’s inauguration in the light of his promises to conduct mass deportations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some immigrant families in the Bay Area \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12025930/keeping-ice-out-of-classrooms-how-california-leaders-are-stepping-up-efforts\">say this sense of fear is already affecting their daily lives\u003c/a> — and heightened by frequent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12026582/fake-flyer-warning-sf-area-ice-raids-shows-how-false-rumors-spread-fear\">rumors\u003c/a> of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12024332/ice-raids-in-california-how-to-sort-fact-from-rumor-online\">Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sightings locally\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Concerns have also been stoked by the new administration’s reversal of a 2011 Department of Homeland Security policy that kept immigration agents away from “sensitive locations” like schools and churches. One East Bay mother \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12025930/keeping-ice-out-of-classrooms-how-california-leaders-are-stepping-up-efforts\">told KQED\u003c/a> that her teenage daughter noticed many of her classmates stopped showing up to school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re staying home because they’re afraid they could be arrested,” said Reina, who asked not to have her last name shared. “Or their parents could be taken away while they’re in class.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the California Immigrant Data Portal, in 2021, 20% of minors in the state — around 1.8 million people — were either \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantdataca.org/indicators/mixed-status-families?breakdown=by-age-group\">undocumented or living with someone undocumented\u003c/a>. This was true for \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantdataca.org/indicators/mixed-status-families?breakdown=by-age-group&raceth=03\">32% of Latino teens and children, and 19% of Asian American youth\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if you are part of a family that has been affected by the administration’s deportation plans, keep reading for how experts and advocates recommend parents and guardians can talk to young people about their rights when it comes to immigration enforcement — and how to prepare for worst-case scenarios.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bear in mind that this is not legal advice, and it’s always recommended that you consult an immigration attorney for guidance on your family’s specific situation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#schools\">What should families know about ICE in schools?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#talk\">How should you talk to your kids about ICE in the news?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>What does a ‘family preparedness plan’ look like?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Kristina Lovato, the director of the Center on Immigration and Child Welfare Initiative at UC Berkeley, said that it’s “really important” for every family who could be affected by immigration enforcement to have what agencies and organizations call “a family preparedness plan” in case of an emergency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.ilrc.org/resources/step-step-family-preparedness-plan\">Immigrant Legal Resource Center has a thorough tool kit\u003c/a> with guidance on ways to prepare for such a scenario, focusing on a care plan for children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12024332]For example, ILRC suggests that parents should identify a trusted adult to take care of their kids, in case they are detained or deported. (There is a possibility that a child \u003ca href=\"https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/us-citizen-children-impacted-immigration-enforcement\">may end up in the child welfare system\u003c/a> after a parent is detained or deported.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are three avenues to designate a trusted adult to care for for your child:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Find another adult who can verbally agree to take care of your child in a situation where you cannot. The downside of a verbal agreement is that the trusted adult may not be able to make certain decisions for your child, like medical decisions, in the event that their parent or caregiver is deported.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Complete \u003ca href=\"https://www4.courts.ca.gov/documents/caregiver.pdf\">a Caregiver’s Authorization Affidavit (PDF)\u003c/a> so that the trusted adult can also make school and medical decisions on behalf of your child. This option does not impact your parental rights.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Have the court \u003ca href=\"https://courts.ca.gov/sites/default/files/courts/default/2024-11/gc211.pdf\">appoint a guardian for your child (PDF)\u003c/a> by filling out a GC-211 form. This new guardian can, in certain situations, make more decisions than an authorized caregiver on behalf of your child, and the guardianship can also be made conditional, to “kick in” if a parent or caregiver is deported. This route does not take away your parental rights, but it does suspend them by granting legal custody of your child to someone else — making it \u003ca href=\"https://www.ilrc.org/resources/step-step-family-preparedness-plan\">“a serious decision” to embark on, notes ILRC\u003c/a>, and one which should be accompanied by legal advice.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>In any case, parents or caregivers should let their children know about their plan, recommends ILRC — telling them exactly who they would stay with if they were not there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The toolkit also suggests documenting your child’s medications and medical conditions — like allergies — and giving a copy to their school, and another to the adult you designated as an emergency caretaker.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Regardless of your child’s nationality, advocates suggest making sure they have a passport.\u003ca id=\"schools\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What should families know about ICE in schools?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Be familiar with California policy\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since the election, California has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12024851/california-legislature-approves-50m-to-fight-trump-administration-in-court\">prepared to challenge Trump administration actions the state deems illegal\u003c/a>. And while \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2025/02/california-deportations-hit-people-with-deep-roots/\">ICE can still operate in California\u003c/a>, the state is not providing resources to them for immigration enforcement, except for cases of detaining people \u003ca href=\"https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article299940659.html\">convicted of serious crimes\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No matter who is in the White House, in California, we will continue to lead with California values,” State Attorney General Rob Bonta \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/response-increased-threats-california-immigrant-communities-attorney-general\">said in a December news release\u003c/a>. “My office will continue to use the full force of the law and every tool at our disposal to protect the rights of California’s immigrants — and we need staff at these critical locations to do the same.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We cannot let the Trump deportation machine create a culture of fear and mistrust that prevents immigrants from accessing vital public services,” said Bonta.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12025930]California law \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/response-increased-threats-california-immigrant-communities-attorney-general\">limits state and local participation in immigration enforcement activities\u003c/a>. Bonta’s office updated its official guidance surrounding immigration enforcement in the state, stipulating that state courthouses, public health care facilities and public schools are \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/response-increased-threats-california-immigrant-communities-attorney-general\">required to adopt these policies “or equivalent policies.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state’s \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-provides-guidance-students-educators-immigration\">updated guidance for staff at schools and campuses\u003c/a> asks that they do the following:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Notify the local educational agency administrator of any immigration officer’s request to enter campus.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Ask to see — and make copies or notes of — the officer’s credentials, including name and badge number; the phone number of their supervisor; any documentation that allows school access, like a warrant.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Document the actions of any officer who enters the premises without consent.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Notify children’s guardians as soon as possible of ICE activity, and do so before an officer questions or removes a student for immigration-enforcement purposes (“\u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-provides-guidance-students-educators-immigration\">unless prevented by a judicial warrant or subpoena\u003c/a>”).\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Notify the California Department of Justice of any attempt by an immigration officer to access a school site or a student by emailing \u003ca href=\"mailto:immigration@doj.ca.gov\">immigration@doj.ca.gov.\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>According to the state attorney general, \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-provides-guidance-students-educators-immigration\">your family and your children have the right to\u003c/a>:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>a public education, regardless of a parent or caregiver’s immigration status;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>have documents remain private and protected by schools, which can only be released by guardian permission or in response to a court order or subpoena;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>file a complaint or report a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11827832/what-is-a-hate-crime-and-what-you-can-do-if-you-experience-one\">hate crime.\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>If anyone in California suspects that a school or its staff are assisting ICE, state Attorney General Rob Bonta urged them to \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/report\">report these concerns to his office\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Know your right to remain silent\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An ICE agent can approach a minor in a public space to ask questions or ask for their identification, said Lovato. But in this case — and almost \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11955465/dolores-hill-bomb-legal-rights-spectator-onlooker\">all cases with law enforcement\u003c/a> — the young person should know that they do not need to respond to any questions, according to legal experts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates counsel that children \u003ca href=\"https://mobilizationforjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/What-to-do-if-ICE-Comes-to-Your-School.pdf\">should not run away, and try to stay calm (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A minor can state that they want to remain silent until they speak with a lawyer,” Lovato said. “Do not answer any questions about your birthplace, immigration status or how you’ve entered the United States.” Lovato also recommended not giving an ICE agent “any personal information about yourself or anyone in your family.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates say it may also be helpful for a child to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards-tarjetas-rojas\">carry a card that details their rights\u003c/a> with them when they go out. You can \u003ca href=\"https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards-tarjetas-rojas\">find a printable version from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED also has a guide on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12025647/what-to-do-if-you-encounter-ice\">what advocates and legal experts say you can do during ICE encounters\u003c/a>, which includes details like how to tell an ICE agent from a police officer and what advocates recommend you do if ICE knocks on your door.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12025647]If it is safe, legal experts say your child can also attempt to record ICE’s actions. KQED also has a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11871364/recording-the-police-what-to-know-and-how-to-stay-safe-doing-it\">guide on your rights when recording officers\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What can ICE do with children?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>ICE is \u003ca href=\"https://immigrationforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Immigration-Detention-Factsheet_FINAL.pdf\">obligated to hand children over (PDF)\u003c/a> to the Office of Refugee Resettlement — part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — in 72 hours. (\u003ca href=\"https://www.oig.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/assets/2019-07/OIG-19-51-Jul19_.pdf\">This rule has, however, been violated before [PDF]\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are looking for a minor who has been detained, you can call, text, or message (through Whatsapp) \u003ca href=\"https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/orr/national-call-center-eng.pdf\">the Office of Refugee Resettlement (PDF)\u003c/a> at 1-800-203-7001 or email \u003ca href=\"mailto:information@ORRNCC.com\">information@ORRNCC.com\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your child is 18 or over, you can use \u003ca href=\"https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/search\">ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System\u003c/a> to search for them. According to the \u003ca href=\"https://help.asylumadvocacy.org/faqs-other-topics/#detained-loved-one\">Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project\u003c/a>, it might take a few days for a person to show up in this ICE database. If this person has still not shown up in the database after those few days, you can contact advocacy organizations like \u003ca href=\"https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/\">Freedom for Immigrants\u003c/a> through \u003ca href=\"https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/reunite\">their form online\u003c/a> or call 209-757-3733.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other organizations that support children include \u003ca href=\"https://lsc-sf.org/\">Legal Services for Children, Kids in Need of Defense\u003c/a> and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.icwclaw.org/\">Immigration Center for Women and Children\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12026857\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12026857\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250128-SFImmigration-42-BL_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250128-SFImmigration-42-BL_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250128-SFImmigration-42-BL_qed-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250128-SFImmigration-42-BL_qed-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250128-SFImmigration-42-BL_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250128-SFImmigration-42-BL_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250128-SFImmigration-42-BL_qed-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nicole Vara (left), with the Latino Task Force, stands with a group of elected and public safety officials, labor leaders, and community members fill the steps in front of City Hall in San Francisco on Jan. 28 during a press conference to reaffirm San Francisco’s commitment to being a sanctuary city. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>How should you talk to your kids about ICE in the news?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Lovato studied the impact of deportations on Los Angeles families during the first Trump administration. She said many young people in these families faced an “\u003ca href=\"https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvjhzrh4\">ambiguous loss\u003c/a>” after seeing a parent forcibly separated from them, coupled with the uncertainty of when they may be reunited.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a type of loss that is often unnoticed by the general public,” she said. She also noted many children in the study who had seen their parents deported then experienced anxiety that they themselves — or other family members — would be next, even if they had documentation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s easy for young people and children to pick up on any sense of tension around them — and kids “overhear everything,” said Ioanna Angelakis, a marriage and family therapist based in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They might hear [something] in a certain way that they can’t understand and they can’t process,” she said. This stress can appear in different ways for kids, like acting out in school.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of this, she said parents and caregivers should try to explain things to their child in age-appropriate language. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/school-violence-resources/talking-to-children-about-violence-tips-for-parents-and-teachers\">National Association of School Psychologists has this advice\u003c/a> on how to explain traumas, especially in schools, to different age groups. KQED also has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/59143/war-crisis-tragedy-how-to-talk-with-kids-when-the-news-is-scary\">multiple guides\u003c/a> on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11965530/how-to-talk-to-your-child-about-traumatic-world-events\">how to talk to children\u003c/a> when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11764070/how-to-talk-with-kids-after-a-traumatic-event\">the news is disturbing\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_11764070]Some concrete advice advocates suggest for parents and caregivers:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Reassure your children\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angelakis said that while it may be difficult, parents need “to get their own fears under control.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said that parents should explain to their children — even if they’re teenagers — that their family will “continue to protect them” and will do everything they can to “make sure that the kids remain safe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is no easy solution for all of this and it is truly terrifying if a family is in danger,” she said. But Angelakis said that a parent’s reassuring tone can help children from developing tremendous anxiety — or from mirroring their family’s stress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tell your child you have a plan\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angelakis said parents should try “putting some containment” on the anxiety their child is feeling, and let them know that “our family has a plan and we’re doing everything that we can to stay safe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These plans would include the back-up child care and guardian situations suggested by the ILRC.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tell your child they don’t have to say anything to law enforcement\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like adults, \u003ca href=\"https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/juvenile-justice/arrest#:~:text=Your%20child%20has%20the%20right,the%20court%20will%20appoint%20one.\">children have the right to remain silent\u003c/a> when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12025647/what-to-do-if-you-encounter-ice\">interacting with ICE \u003c/a>under the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What’s more, for some children, advocates acknowledge that going to a police officer or providing information to people or schools might not be helpful for them or their families. This can be the case for a child from a mixed-status family, or a young person whose community has historically experienced violent responses from the police.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lovato explained that immigration organizations have been encouraging parents to tell their kids and engage in a household practice of “saying no to ICE. Actually verbally, reciting it and practicing: just saying no.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Regulate your own anxiety\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angelakis said in many situations, fear is warranted and rational — since for so many, ICE headlines hit close to home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she emphasized that parents should try to regulate their response when talking to their children. A way for guardians to check on their own anxiety by consulting with other trusted people in their life, and make sure they are not getting “caught in [their] own head,” said Angelakis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This includes “making sure you breathe right,” she recommended. And that “we pass on the relevant information to the child” in a way that isn’t “skyrocketing anyone’s anxiety.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ways \u003ca href=\"https://www.kidpower.org/library/article/regain-emotional-safety/\">advocates suggest you can do this include\u003c/a>:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>having your child express their feelings, but not letting them try to comfort you;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>giving a child some positive forms of control, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kidpower.org/library/article/regain-emotional-safety/\">deciding what to have for dinner or choosing a game to play;\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>being a role model on how to handle distress and conflict, like making sure anger looks “in-control” rather than “out-of-control.”\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Angelakis said that while families can also try to limit their news intake, she acknowledges that many families are hearing about “terrifying” situations which are hard to ignore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s really important that we do have these conversations with kids, and [that] we do minimize any kind of anxiety evoking or anxiety increasing conversations.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she emphasizes: “Kids are pretty incredible. And super resilient and awfully smart.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story contains reporting by KQED’s Tyche Hendricks and Ki Sung.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12027395/ice-las-escuelas-y-los-ninos-lo-que-las-familias-deberian-saber\">\u003cem>Leer en español\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">P\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>anic has continued to spread through immigrant communities across California ever since President Donald Trump’s inauguration in the light of his promises to conduct mass deportations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some immigrant families in the Bay Area \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12025930/keeping-ice-out-of-classrooms-how-california-leaders-are-stepping-up-efforts\">say this sense of fear is already affecting their daily lives\u003c/a> — and heightened by frequent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12026582/fake-flyer-warning-sf-area-ice-raids-shows-how-false-rumors-spread-fear\">rumors\u003c/a> of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12024332/ice-raids-in-california-how-to-sort-fact-from-rumor-online\">Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sightings locally\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Concerns have also been stoked by the new administration’s reversal of a 2011 Department of Homeland Security policy that kept immigration agents away from “sensitive locations” like schools and churches. One East Bay mother \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12025930/keeping-ice-out-of-classrooms-how-california-leaders-are-stepping-up-efforts\">told KQED\u003c/a> that her teenage daughter noticed many of her classmates stopped showing up to school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re staying home because they’re afraid they could be arrested,” said Reina, who asked not to have her last name shared. “Or their parents could be taken away while they’re in class.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the California Immigrant Data Portal, in 2021, 20% of minors in the state — around 1.8 million people — were either \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantdataca.org/indicators/mixed-status-families?breakdown=by-age-group\">undocumented or living with someone undocumented\u003c/a>. This was true for \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantdataca.org/indicators/mixed-status-families?breakdown=by-age-group&raceth=03\">32% of Latino teens and children, and 19% of Asian American youth\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if you are part of a family that has been affected by the administration’s deportation plans, keep reading for how experts and advocates recommend parents and guardians can talk to young people about their rights when it comes to immigration enforcement — and how to prepare for worst-case scenarios.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bear in mind that this is not legal advice, and it’s always recommended that you consult an immigration attorney for guidance on your family’s specific situation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#schools\">What should families know about ICE in schools?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#talk\">How should you talk to your kids about ICE in the news?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>What does a ‘family preparedness plan’ look like?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Kristina Lovato, the director of the Center on Immigration and Child Welfare Initiative at UC Berkeley, said that it’s “really important” for every family who could be affected by immigration enforcement to have what agencies and organizations call “a family preparedness plan” in case of an emergency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.ilrc.org/resources/step-step-family-preparedness-plan\">Immigrant Legal Resource Center has a thorough tool kit\u003c/a> with guidance on ways to prepare for such a scenario, focusing on a care plan for children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>For example, ILRC suggests that parents should identify a trusted adult to take care of their kids, in case they are detained or deported. (There is a possibility that a child \u003ca href=\"https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/us-citizen-children-impacted-immigration-enforcement\">may end up in the child welfare system\u003c/a> after a parent is detained or deported.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are three avenues to designate a trusted adult to care for for your child:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Find another adult who can verbally agree to take care of your child in a situation where you cannot. The downside of a verbal agreement is that the trusted adult may not be able to make certain decisions for your child, like medical decisions, in the event that their parent or caregiver is deported.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Complete \u003ca href=\"https://www4.courts.ca.gov/documents/caregiver.pdf\">a Caregiver’s Authorization Affidavit (PDF)\u003c/a> so that the trusted adult can also make school and medical decisions on behalf of your child. This option does not impact your parental rights.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Have the court \u003ca href=\"https://courts.ca.gov/sites/default/files/courts/default/2024-11/gc211.pdf\">appoint a guardian for your child (PDF)\u003c/a> by filling out a GC-211 form. This new guardian can, in certain situations, make more decisions than an authorized caregiver on behalf of your child, and the guardianship can also be made conditional, to “kick in” if a parent or caregiver is deported. This route does not take away your parental rights, but it does suspend them by granting legal custody of your child to someone else — making it \u003ca href=\"https://www.ilrc.org/resources/step-step-family-preparedness-plan\">“a serious decision” to embark on, notes ILRC\u003c/a>, and one which should be accompanied by legal advice.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>In any case, parents or caregivers should let their children know about their plan, recommends ILRC — telling them exactly who they would stay with if they were not there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The toolkit also suggests documenting your child’s medications and medical conditions — like allergies — and giving a copy to their school, and another to the adult you designated as an emergency caretaker.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Regardless of your child’s nationality, advocates suggest making sure they have a passport.\u003ca id=\"schools\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What should families know about ICE in schools?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Be familiar with California policy\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since the election, California has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12024851/california-legislature-approves-50m-to-fight-trump-administration-in-court\">prepared to challenge Trump administration actions the state deems illegal\u003c/a>. And while \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2025/02/california-deportations-hit-people-with-deep-roots/\">ICE can still operate in California\u003c/a>, the state is not providing resources to them for immigration enforcement, except for cases of detaining people \u003ca href=\"https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article299940659.html\">convicted of serious crimes\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No matter who is in the White House, in California, we will continue to lead with California values,” State Attorney General Rob Bonta \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/response-increased-threats-california-immigrant-communities-attorney-general\">said in a December news release\u003c/a>. “My office will continue to use the full force of the law and every tool at our disposal to protect the rights of California’s immigrants — and we need staff at these critical locations to do the same.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We cannot let the Trump deportation machine create a culture of fear and mistrust that prevents immigrants from accessing vital public services,” said Bonta.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>California law \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/response-increased-threats-california-immigrant-communities-attorney-general\">limits state and local participation in immigration enforcement activities\u003c/a>. Bonta’s office updated its official guidance surrounding immigration enforcement in the state, stipulating that state courthouses, public health care facilities and public schools are \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/response-increased-threats-california-immigrant-communities-attorney-general\">required to adopt these policies “or equivalent policies.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state’s \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-provides-guidance-students-educators-immigration\">updated guidance for staff at schools and campuses\u003c/a> asks that they do the following:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Notify the local educational agency administrator of any immigration officer’s request to enter campus.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Ask to see — and make copies or notes of — the officer’s credentials, including name and badge number; the phone number of their supervisor; any documentation that allows school access, like a warrant.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Document the actions of any officer who enters the premises without consent.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Notify children’s guardians as soon as possible of ICE activity, and do so before an officer questions or removes a student for immigration-enforcement purposes (“\u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-provides-guidance-students-educators-immigration\">unless prevented by a judicial warrant or subpoena\u003c/a>”).\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Notify the California Department of Justice of any attempt by an immigration officer to access a school site or a student by emailing \u003ca href=\"mailto:immigration@doj.ca.gov\">immigration@doj.ca.gov.\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>According to the state attorney general, \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-provides-guidance-students-educators-immigration\">your family and your children have the right to\u003c/a>:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>a public education, regardless of a parent or caregiver’s immigration status;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>have documents remain private and protected by schools, which can only be released by guardian permission or in response to a court order or subpoena;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>file a complaint or report a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11827832/what-is-a-hate-crime-and-what-you-can-do-if-you-experience-one\">hate crime.\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>If anyone in California suspects that a school or its staff are assisting ICE, state Attorney General Rob Bonta urged them to \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/report\">report these concerns to his office\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Know your right to remain silent\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An ICE agent can approach a minor in a public space to ask questions or ask for their identification, said Lovato. But in this case — and almost \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11955465/dolores-hill-bomb-legal-rights-spectator-onlooker\">all cases with law enforcement\u003c/a> — the young person should know that they do not need to respond to any questions, according to legal experts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates counsel that children \u003ca href=\"https://mobilizationforjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/What-to-do-if-ICE-Comes-to-Your-School.pdf\">should not run away, and try to stay calm (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A minor can state that they want to remain silent until they speak with a lawyer,” Lovato said. “Do not answer any questions about your birthplace, immigration status or how you’ve entered the United States.” Lovato also recommended not giving an ICE agent “any personal information about yourself or anyone in your family.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates say it may also be helpful for a child to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards-tarjetas-rojas\">carry a card that details their rights\u003c/a> with them when they go out. You can \u003ca href=\"https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards-tarjetas-rojas\">find a printable version from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED also has a guide on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12025647/what-to-do-if-you-encounter-ice\">what advocates and legal experts say you can do during ICE encounters\u003c/a>, which includes details like how to tell an ICE agent from a police officer and what advocates recommend you do if ICE knocks on your door.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>If it is safe, legal experts say your child can also attempt to record ICE’s actions. KQED also has a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11871364/recording-the-police-what-to-know-and-how-to-stay-safe-doing-it\">guide on your rights when recording officers\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What can ICE do with children?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>ICE is \u003ca href=\"https://immigrationforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Immigration-Detention-Factsheet_FINAL.pdf\">obligated to hand children over (PDF)\u003c/a> to the Office of Refugee Resettlement — part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — in 72 hours. (\u003ca href=\"https://www.oig.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/assets/2019-07/OIG-19-51-Jul19_.pdf\">This rule has, however, been violated before [PDF]\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are looking for a minor who has been detained, you can call, text, or message (through Whatsapp) \u003ca href=\"https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/orr/national-call-center-eng.pdf\">the Office of Refugee Resettlement (PDF)\u003c/a> at 1-800-203-7001 or email \u003ca href=\"mailto:information@ORRNCC.com\">information@ORRNCC.com\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your child is 18 or over, you can use \u003ca href=\"https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/search\">ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System\u003c/a> to search for them. According to the \u003ca href=\"https://help.asylumadvocacy.org/faqs-other-topics/#detained-loved-one\">Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project\u003c/a>, it might take a few days for a person to show up in this ICE database. If this person has still not shown up in the database after those few days, you can contact advocacy organizations like \u003ca href=\"https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/\">Freedom for Immigrants\u003c/a> through \u003ca href=\"https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/reunite\">their form online\u003c/a> or call 209-757-3733.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other organizations that support children include \u003ca href=\"https://lsc-sf.org/\">Legal Services for Children, Kids in Need of Defense\u003c/a> and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.icwclaw.org/\">Immigration Center for Women and Children\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12026857\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12026857\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250128-SFImmigration-42-BL_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250128-SFImmigration-42-BL_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250128-SFImmigration-42-BL_qed-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250128-SFImmigration-42-BL_qed-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250128-SFImmigration-42-BL_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250128-SFImmigration-42-BL_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250128-SFImmigration-42-BL_qed-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nicole Vara (left), with the Latino Task Force, stands with a group of elected and public safety officials, labor leaders, and community members fill the steps in front of City Hall in San Francisco on Jan. 28 during a press conference to reaffirm San Francisco’s commitment to being a sanctuary city. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>How should you talk to your kids about ICE in the news?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Lovato studied the impact of deportations on Los Angeles families during the first Trump administration. She said many young people in these families faced an “\u003ca href=\"https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvjhzrh4\">ambiguous loss\u003c/a>” after seeing a parent forcibly separated from them, coupled with the uncertainty of when they may be reunited.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a type of loss that is often unnoticed by the general public,” she said. She also noted many children in the study who had seen their parents deported then experienced anxiety that they themselves — or other family members — would be next, even if they had documentation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s easy for young people and children to pick up on any sense of tension around them — and kids “overhear everything,” said Ioanna Angelakis, a marriage and family therapist based in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They might hear [something] in a certain way that they can’t understand and they can’t process,” she said. This stress can appear in different ways for kids, like acting out in school.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of this, she said parents and caregivers should try to explain things to their child in age-appropriate language. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/school-violence-resources/talking-to-children-about-violence-tips-for-parents-and-teachers\">National Association of School Psychologists has this advice\u003c/a> on how to explain traumas, especially in schools, to different age groups. KQED also has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/59143/war-crisis-tragedy-how-to-talk-with-kids-when-the-news-is-scary\">multiple guides\u003c/a> on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11965530/how-to-talk-to-your-child-about-traumatic-world-events\">how to talk to children\u003c/a> when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11764070/how-to-talk-with-kids-after-a-traumatic-event\">the news is disturbing\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Some concrete advice advocates suggest for parents and caregivers:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Reassure your children\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angelakis said that while it may be difficult, parents need “to get their own fears under control.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said that parents should explain to their children — even if they’re teenagers — that their family will “continue to protect them” and will do everything they can to “make sure that the kids remain safe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is no easy solution for all of this and it is truly terrifying if a family is in danger,” she said. But Angelakis said that a parent’s reassuring tone can help children from developing tremendous anxiety — or from mirroring their family’s stress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tell your child you have a plan\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angelakis said parents should try “putting some containment” on the anxiety their child is feeling, and let them know that “our family has a plan and we’re doing everything that we can to stay safe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These plans would include the back-up child care and guardian situations suggested by the ILRC.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tell your child they don’t have to say anything to law enforcement\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like adults, \u003ca href=\"https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/juvenile-justice/arrest#:~:text=Your%20child%20has%20the%20right,the%20court%20will%20appoint%20one.\">children have the right to remain silent\u003c/a> when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12025647/what-to-do-if-you-encounter-ice\">interacting with ICE \u003c/a>under the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What’s more, for some children, advocates acknowledge that going to a police officer or providing information to people or schools might not be helpful for them or their families. This can be the case for a child from a mixed-status family, or a young person whose community has historically experienced violent responses from the police.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lovato explained that immigration organizations have been encouraging parents to tell their kids and engage in a household practice of “saying no to ICE. Actually verbally, reciting it and practicing: just saying no.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Regulate your own anxiety\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angelakis said in many situations, fear is warranted and rational — since for so many, ICE headlines hit close to home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she emphasized that parents should try to regulate their response when talking to their children. A way for guardians to check on their own anxiety by consulting with other trusted people in their life, and make sure they are not getting “caught in [their] own head,” said Angelakis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This includes “making sure you breathe right,” she recommended. And that “we pass on the relevant information to the child” in a way that isn’t “skyrocketing anyone’s anxiety.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ways \u003ca href=\"https://www.kidpower.org/library/article/regain-emotional-safety/\">advocates suggest you can do this include\u003c/a>:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>having your child express their feelings, but not letting them try to comfort you;\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>giving a child some positive forms of control, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kidpower.org/library/article/regain-emotional-safety/\">deciding what to have for dinner or choosing a game to play;\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>being a role model on how to handle distress and conflict, like making sure anger looks “in-control” rather than “out-of-control.”\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Angelakis said that while families can also try to limit their news intake, she acknowledges that many families are hearing about “terrifying” situations which are hard to ignore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s really important that we do have these conversations with kids, and [that] we do minimize any kind of anxiety evoking or anxiety increasing conversations.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she emphasizes: “Kids are pretty incredible. And super resilient and awfully smart.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story contains reporting by KQED’s Tyche Hendricks and Ki Sung.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"marketplace": {
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
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"possible": {
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"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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"pri-the-world": {
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"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
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"radiolab": {
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"reveal": {
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},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
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},
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"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
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"snap-judgment": {
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"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
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