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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12011618/santa-clara-county-among-first-in-california-to-enroll-incarcerated-people-in-medi-cal-before-release\">Santa Clara County\u003c/a> leaders approved a broad plan to spend roughly $1 billion over several years to revamp significantly outdated jail facilities described as “awful” by county officials, and bring them into compliance with longstanding court orders to improve safety and conditions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The unanimous decision by the Board of Supervisors came over the protests of dozens of residents and advocates for people who are or have been incarcerated, who called on leaders to avoid further spending on new jail buildings, and to instead invest more in preventive and intervention programs, housing and education. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Supervisors said the decision reflects dual realities in the county, with leaders pledging to continue efforts to reduce incarceration and recidivism, while also facing a legal mandate to have adequate, safe facilities for people who are jailed and the people who work there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Today is not about an either-or decision,” Supervisor Susan Ellenberg said just before voting to support the plans this week. “We need to do everything we can to prevent people from entering the criminal legal system. When those investments are not successful, our obligation to care for people doesn’t end when they are incarcerated.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250612-SCCVERMONT-JG-4_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12044070\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250612-SCCVERMONT-JG-4_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250612-SCCVERMONT-JG-4_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250612-SCCVERMONT-JG-4_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg speaks during an event celebrating the opening of Vermont House, a new residential treatment facility in San José for people leaving jail with mental health needs. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The punishment of incarceration itself, while it has debatable value, is the deprivation of liberty,” Ellenberg said, and “should not be the exposure to unsafe, deteriorating or inhumane conditions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The county plans are aimed at addressing the most pressing needs at both its jail facilities: the Main Jail near downtown San José and the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas. The changes include major investments in spaces for better medical and mental-health care, more efficient intake and processing and better assessment of people’s needs as they are coming into the jails. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga said she has toured both jail facilities and was “shocked” by the conditions. “It’s beyond just cleaning the facilities. It’s really quite deplorable,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The lack of proper facilities, including layouts that make it harder for staff to supervise people, and the lack of access to adequate mental health and medical facilities have contributed to devastating outcomes like jail deaths and assaults, which led to costly lawsuits and two federal consent decrees mandating improvements with court oversight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The jail system in the county has faced periods of intense scrutiny that started gaining more traction following the 2015 death of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11489517/three-santa-clara-sheriffs-deputies-found-guilty-of-killing-mentally-ill-inmate\">Michael Tyree\u003c/a>, a mentally ill man who three sheriff’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12010532/santa-clara-jail-deputies-who-admitted-to-fatal-beating-will-be-freed\">correctional deputies\u003c/a> beat to death in his cell. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Overall, county staff said their plans would reduce the total number of jail beds in the system from 4,872 to 3,457, in line with estimated need for the 2035 jail population. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The biggest changes would happen at Elmwood, a sprawling 675,123-square-foot complex where more than two-thirds of the buildings are over 40 years old, with some more than 100 years old. County reports said the facilities there “were designed to meet the operational needs of a bygone era.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The county plans to demolish the minimum-security camp portion of Elmwood, known colloquially as “the farm,” which would eliminate 1,130 beds. County reports said some of the units there are already closed due to poor conditions, and the minimum-security people it was built for are “a group no longer held in custody.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The barracks-style facility was the site of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084364/fired-south-bay-jail-guard-sentenced-for-allowing-beating-of-incarcerated-man\">fatal assault\u003c/a> of an incarcerated man by other incarcerated men in January 2025, in an attack that lasted 15 minutes, much of which was captured on surveillance cameras, but not seen in real time by officers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elmwood would also gain a new 145,000-square-foot medical and behavioral health facility. The undersized medical facilities there currently lack a functional infirmary and an acute psychiatric unit, forcing people in jail who need those services to be transferred to the Main Jail, which increases risk to themselves and others, the report said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250401-REGIONALMED-JG-6_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12034078\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250401-REGIONALMED-JG-6_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250401-REGIONALMED-JG-6_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250401-REGIONALMED-JG-6_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250401-REGIONALMED-JG-6_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250401-REGIONALMED-JG-6_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250401-REGIONALMED-JG-6_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sylvia Arenas, the District 1 supervisor for Santa Clara County, speaks during a ceremony at Regional Medical Center in East San José to mark the county’s first day of ownership of the facility, on April 1, 2025. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The new facility would also “provide 300 new dedicated and purpose-built beds specifically for people with serious mental illness,” according to the report.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another men’s housing unit at Elmwood with 540 beds would be demolished, with a new 672-bed modern facility to replace it, allowing some of the high-security inmates from the Main Jail to be transferred there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Main Jail would be in line for a new 56,000-square-foot intake, booking and short-term housing facility that would provide “dedicated space for medical, mental health, and custody assessments,” the report said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Supervisor Sylvia Arenas said she wants the county to be “equally ambitious” about spending on youth violence prevention programs, education and other efforts to lower incarceration rates.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I take this work really seriously because it impacts me as a mom of a 17-year-old who’s going to school on the East Side,” she said. “I don’t want a new jail. I don’t want any additional jails, because guess what? The people who are in there are going to look like me.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Raj Jayadev, the director of Silicon Valley De-Bug, a community organization that advocates for criminal justice reform, told supervisors the county should “prioritize housing and healthcare and education and youth instead of cages and jails.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jayadev said the county’s plan — which spans about eight years for the first phases but up to 15 years in forecasted phases — lacks perspective. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are limiting our thinking of what’s possible based on the limitations of how the county thinks of the world today. We should allow for the possibility of the next generation, of what they could become,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The initial phases will likely be funded through lease revenue bonds, county reports said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Future phases contemplated in the longer plan include up to another $1.5 billion in demolition, new construction and renovations, including new women’s housing units, and more new men’s units. Those future phases were not up for approval this week, and county staff noted the funding for those projects is unlikely to be available under current forecasts. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The county plans are aimed at addressing the most pressing needs at both its jail facilities: the Main Jail near downtown San José and the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas. The changes include major investments in spaces for better medical and mental-health care, more efficient intake and processing and better assessment of people’s needs as they are coming into the jails. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The county plans are aimed at addressing the most pressing needs at both its jail facilities: the Main Jail near downtown San José and the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas. The changes include major investments in spaces for better medical and mental-health care, more efficient intake and processing and better assessment of people’s needs as they are coming into the jails. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga said she has toured both jail facilities and was “shocked” by the conditions. “It’s beyond just cleaning the facilities. It’s really quite deplorable,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga said she has toured both jail facilities and was “shocked” by the conditions. “It’s beyond just cleaning the facilities. It’s really quite deplorable,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The lack of proper facilities, including layouts that make it harder for staff to supervise people, and the lack of access to adequate mental health and medical facilities have contributed to devastating outcomes like jail deaths and assaults, which led to costly lawsuits and two federal consent decrees mandating improvements with court oversight. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The jail system in the county has faced periods of intense scrutiny that started gaining more traction following the 2015 death of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11489517/three-santa-clara-sheriffs-deputies-found-guilty-of-killing-mentally-ill-inmate\">Michael Tyree\u003c/a>, a mentally ill man who three sheriff’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12010532/santa-clara-jail-deputies-who-admitted-to-fatal-beating-will-be-freed\">correctional deputies\u003c/a> beat to death in his cell. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Overall, county staff said their plans would reduce the total number of jail beds in the system from 4,872 to 3,457, in line with estimated need for the 2035 jail population. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The biggest changes would happen at Elmwood, a sprawling 675,123-square-foot complex where more than two-thirds of the buildings are over 40 years old, with some more than 100 years old. County reports said the facilities there “were designed to meet the operational needs of a bygone era.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The county plans to demolish the minimum-security camp portion of Elmwood, known colloquially as “the farm,” which would eliminate 1,130 beds. County reports said some of the units there are already closed due to poor conditions, and the minimum-security people it was built for are “a group no longer held in custody.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The county plans to demolish the minimum-security camp portion of Elmwood, known colloquially as “the farm,” which would eliminate 1,130 beds. County reports said some of the units there are already closed due to poor conditions, and the minimum-security people it was built for are “a group no longer held in custody.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The barracks-style facility was the site of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084364/fired-south-bay-jail-guard-sentenced-for-allowing-beating-of-incarcerated-man\">fatal assault\u003c/a> of an incarcerated man by other incarcerated men in January 2025, in an attack that lasted 15 minutes, much of which was captured on surveillance cameras, but not seen in real time by officers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The barracks-style facility was the site of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084364/fired-south-bay-jail-guard-sentenced-for-allowing-beating-of-incarcerated-man\">fatal assault\u003c/a> of an incarcerated man by other incarcerated men in January 2025, in an attack that lasted 15 minutes, much of which was captured on surveillance cameras, but not seen in real time by officers.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Elmwood would also gain a new 145,000-square-foot medical and behavioral health facility. The undersized medical facilities there currently lack a functional infirmary and an acute psychiatric unit, forcing people in jail who need those services to be transferred to the Main Jail, which increases risk to themselves and others, the report said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Elmwood would also gain a new 145,000-square-foot medical and behavioral health facility. The undersized medical facilities there currently lack a functional infirmary and an acute psychiatric unit, forcing people in jail who need those services to be transferred to the Main Jail, which increases risk to themselves and others, the report said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250401-REGIONALMED-JG-6_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12034078\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sylvia Arenas, the District 1 supervisor for Santa Clara County, speaks during a ceremony at Regional Medical Center in East San José to mark the county’s first day of ownership of the facility, on April 1, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The new facility would also “provide 300 new dedicated and purpose-built beds specifically for people with serious mental illness,” according to the report.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The new facility would also “provide 300 new dedicated and purpose-built beds specifically for people with serious mental illness,” according to the report.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Another men’s housing unit at Elmwood with 540 beds would be demolished, with a new 672-bed modern facility to replace it, allowing some of the high-security inmates from the Main Jail to be transferred there. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Another men’s housing unit at Elmwood with 540 beds would be demolished, with a new 672-bed modern facility to replace it, allowing some of the high-security inmates from the Main Jail to be transferred there. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Main Jail would be in line for a new 56,000-square-foot intake, booking and short-term housing facility that would provide “dedicated space for medical, mental health, and custody assessments,” the report said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Main Jail would be in line for a new 56,000-square-foot intake, booking and short-term housing facility that would provide “dedicated space for medical, mental health, and custody assessments,” the report said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Supervisor Sylvia Arenas said she wants the county to be “equally ambitious” about spending on youth violence prevention programs, education and other efforts to lower incarceration rates.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Supervisor Sylvia Arenas said she wants the county to be “equally ambitious” about spending on youth violence prevention programs, education and other efforts to lower incarceration rates.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I take this work really seriously because it impacts me as a mom of a 17-year-old who’s going to school on the East Side,” she said. “I don’t want a new jail. I don’t want any additional jails, because guess what? The people who are in there are going to look like me.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I take this work really seriously because it impacts me as a mom of a 17-year-old who’s going to school on the East Side,” she said. “I don’t want a new jail. I don’t want any additional jails, because guess what? The people who are in there are going to look like me.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Raj Jayadev, the director of Silicon Valley De-Bug, a community organization that advocates for criminal justice reform, told supervisors the county should “prioritize housing and healthcare and education and youth instead of cages and jails.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Raj Jayadev, the director of Silicon Valley De-Bug, a community organization that advocates for criminal justice reform, told supervisors the county should “prioritize housing and healthcare and education and youth instead of cages and jails.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jayadev said the county’s plan — which spans about eight years for the first phases but up to 15 years in forecasted phases — lacks perspective. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Jayadev said the county’s plan — which spans about eight years for the first phases but up to 15 years in forecasted phases — lacks perspective. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are limiting our thinking of what’s possible based on the limitations of how the county thinks of the world today. We should allow for the possibility of the next generation, of what they could become,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We are limiting our thinking of what’s possible based on the limitations of how the county thinks of the world today. We should allow for the possibility of the next generation, of what they could become,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The initial phases will likely be funded through lease revenue bonds, county reports said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Future phases contemplated in the longer plan include up to another $1.5 billion in demolition, new construction and renovations, including new women’s housing units, and more new men’s units. Those future phases were not up for approval this week, and county staff noted the funding for those projects is unlikely to be available under current forecasts. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Future phases contemplated in the longer plan include up to another $1.5 billion in demolition, new construction and renovations, including new women’s housing units, and more new men’s units. Those future phases were not up for approval this week, and county staff noted the funding for those projects is unlikely to be available under current forecasts. \u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Santa Clara County supervisors approved a $1 billion plan to revamp two jail facilities over the next several years. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12011618/santa-clara-county-among-first-in-california-to-enroll-incarcerated-people-in-medi-cal-before-release\">Santa Clara County\u003c/a> leaders approved a broad plan to spend roughly $1 billion over several years to revamp significantly outdated jail facilities described as “awful” by county officials, and bring them into compliance with longstanding court orders to improve safety and conditions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The unanimous decision by the Board of Supervisors came over the protests of dozens of residents and advocates for people who are or have been incarcerated, who called on leaders to avoid further spending on new jail buildings, and to instead invest more in preventive and intervention programs, housing and education. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Supervisors said the decision reflects dual realities in the county, with leaders pledging to continue efforts to reduce incarceration and recidivism, while also facing a legal mandate to have adequate, safe facilities for people who are jailed and the people who work there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Today is not about an either-or decision,” Supervisor Susan Ellenberg said just before voting to support the plans this week. “We need to do everything we can to prevent people from entering the criminal legal system. When those investments are not successful, our obligation to care for people doesn’t end when they are incarcerated.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250612-SCCVERMONT-JG-4_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12044070\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250612-SCCVERMONT-JG-4_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250612-SCCVERMONT-JG-4_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250612-SCCVERMONT-JG-4_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Santa Clara County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg speaks during an event celebrating the opening of Vermont House, a new residential treatment facility in San José for people leaving jail with mental health needs. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The punishment of incarceration itself, while it has debatable value, is the deprivation of liberty,” Ellenberg said, and “should not be the exposure to unsafe, deteriorating or inhumane conditions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The county plans are aimed at addressing the most pressing needs at both its jail facilities: the Main Jail near downtown San José and the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas. The changes include major investments in spaces for better medical and mental-health care, more efficient intake and processing and better assessment of people’s needs as they are coming into the jails. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga said she has toured both jail facilities and was “shocked” by the conditions. “It’s beyond just cleaning the facilities. It’s really quite deplorable,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The lack of proper facilities, including layouts that make it harder for staff to supervise people, and the lack of access to adequate mental health and medical facilities have contributed to devastating outcomes like jail deaths and assaults, which led to costly lawsuits and two federal consent decrees mandating improvements with court oversight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The jail system in the county has faced periods of intense scrutiny that started gaining more traction following the 2015 death of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11489517/three-santa-clara-sheriffs-deputies-found-guilty-of-killing-mentally-ill-inmate\">Michael Tyree\u003c/a>, a mentally ill man who three sheriff’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12010532/santa-clara-jail-deputies-who-admitted-to-fatal-beating-will-be-freed\">correctional deputies\u003c/a> beat to death in his cell. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Overall, county staff said their plans would reduce the total number of jail beds in the system from 4,872 to 3,457, in line with estimated need for the 2035 jail population. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The biggest changes would happen at Elmwood, a sprawling 675,123-square-foot complex where more than two-thirds of the buildings are over 40 years old, with some more than 100 years old. County reports said the facilities there “were designed to meet the operational needs of a bygone era.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The county plans to demolish the minimum-security camp portion of Elmwood, known colloquially as “the farm,” which would eliminate 1,130 beds. County reports said some of the units there are already closed due to poor conditions, and the minimum-security people it was built for are “a group no longer held in custody.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The barracks-style facility was the site of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084364/fired-south-bay-jail-guard-sentenced-for-allowing-beating-of-incarcerated-man\">fatal assault\u003c/a> of an incarcerated man by other incarcerated men in January 2025, in an attack that lasted 15 minutes, much of which was captured on surveillance cameras, but not seen in real time by officers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elmwood would also gain a new 145,000-square-foot medical and behavioral health facility. The undersized medical facilities there currently lack a functional infirmary and an acute psychiatric unit, forcing people in jail who need those services to be transferred to the Main Jail, which increases risk to themselves and others, the report said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250401-REGIONALMED-JG-6_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12034078\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250401-REGIONALMED-JG-6_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250401-REGIONALMED-JG-6_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250401-REGIONALMED-JG-6_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250401-REGIONALMED-JG-6_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250401-REGIONALMED-JG-6_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250401-REGIONALMED-JG-6_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sylvia Arenas, the District 1 supervisor for Santa Clara County, speaks during a ceremony at Regional Medical Center in East San José to mark the county’s first day of ownership of the facility, on April 1, 2025. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The new facility would also “provide 300 new dedicated and purpose-built beds specifically for people with serious mental illness,” according to the report.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another men’s housing unit at Elmwood with 540 beds would be demolished, with a new 672-bed modern facility to replace it, allowing some of the high-security inmates from the Main Jail to be transferred there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Main Jail would be in line for a new 56,000-square-foot intake, booking and short-term housing facility that would provide “dedicated space for medical, mental health, and custody assessments,” the report said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Supervisor Sylvia Arenas said she wants the county to be “equally ambitious” about spending on youth violence prevention programs, education and other efforts to lower incarceration rates.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I take this work really seriously because it impacts me as a mom of a 17-year-old who’s going to school on the East Side,” she said. “I don’t want a new jail. I don’t want any additional jails, because guess what? The people who are in there are going to look like me.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Raj Jayadev, the director of Silicon Valley De-Bug, a community organization that advocates for criminal justice reform, told supervisors the county should “prioritize housing and healthcare and education and youth instead of cages and jails.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jayadev said the county’s plan — which spans about eight years for the first phases but up to 15 years in forecasted phases — lacks perspective. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are limiting our thinking of what’s possible based on the limitations of how the county thinks of the world today. We should allow for the possibility of the next generation, of what they could become,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The initial phases will likely be funded through lease revenue bonds, county reports said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Future phases contemplated in the longer plan include up to another $1.5 billion in demolition, new construction and renovations, including new women’s housing units, and more new men’s units. Those future phases were not up for approval this week, and county staff noted the funding for those projects is unlikely to be available under current forecasts. \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "a-chromebook-in-the-hand-of-every-child-did-schools-go-too-far",
"title": "‘A Chromebook in the Hand of Every Child.’ Did Schools Go Too Far?",
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"headTitle": "‘A Chromebook in the Hand of Every Child.’ Did Schools Go Too Far? | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Last year, Suki Reddy started to enter her third-grader’s bedroom to find him, face \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/66537/the-school-year-begins-in-la-with-one-big-change-limited-screen-time\">lit up behind the glow of a computer\u003c/a>, watching YouTube. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This didn’t seem possible, she thought; she had put controls on his iPad and closely monitored his screen time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Reddy’s son didn’t have to use his personal tablet to watch videos in bed. He could open YouTube on his school-issued Chromebook. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They had less controls on their school computer than families have,” Reddy said. “There’s families who don’t have any phones or iPads for their kids. The only access that their kids are getting is through the school computer.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Reddy’s two children are in the San Mateo–Foster City School District, which includes 21 elementary and middle schools across the two cities. For years, the district has issued each child a Chromebook and integrated them into students’ learning, using them for access to textbooks, class handouts and homework as early as transitional kindergarten.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-09-MC_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095056\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-09-MC_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-09-MC_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-09-MC_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bowditch Middle School on Wednesday, Aug.12, 2026, in Foster City. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Last year, as Reddy became concerned about the amount of screen time her children had through school, she started to speak with other parents who were also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/66517/families-and-teachers-are-questioning-ed-tech-are-schools-and-districts-starting-to-listen\">growing worried\u003c/a>. They saw their kids getting distracted by entertainment apps, noticed their attention spans deteriorating and their mental health suffering from the effects of spending hours online. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While many parents already had their own rules for their kids’ use of social media and personal devices, educational technology had opened up a new front. Even when guardrails were put in place to limit the school devices’ usage, parents learned that children had found tricks to bypass protections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SMFCSD spokesperson Diego Perez said via email that the district has “a ton of restrictions” on its Chromebooks but did not respond to direct questions about whether YouTube was blocked on the devices.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It really made me realize it’s time to look at schools,” Reddy said. “That’s when I started asking questions directly to them.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1386\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/StudentsTabletsGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097071\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/StudentsTabletsGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/StudentsTabletsGetty-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/StudentsTabletsGetty-1536x1064.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students explore the possibilities with their new LAUSD-provided iPads on Aug. 27, 2013. (Bob Chamberlin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the last 15 years, classroom technology use has increased rapidly in districts across the country. Most now have 1:1 device programs, sending children as young as 5 and 6 home with personal tablets or computers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But as more research emerges about the potential harms of screen use for children, while test scores in schools across the U.S. struggle to rebound after the COVID-19 pandemic, districts are at an inflection point. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California has mandated \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094226/ousd-cellphone-ban-for-students-takes-effect-on-the-first-day-of-the-school-year\">school cellphone restrictions\u003c/a> across the state, and parents in the Bay Area are pushing their school boards and administrators to pass new policies that limit screen time and institute content guardrails for students — following in the footsteps of the Los Angeles Unified School District, whose board passed a landmark resolution this year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re not anti-technology,” Reddy said. “We’re very much a group in the Bay Area. Many parents work in the tech industry and work for the very companies who produce these tech tools. But because of that, we have a very unique stance where we recognize that there’s not just an upside to this — there are actually a lot of potential problems.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The rise of ed tech\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One-to-one device programs are now in 88% of public schools across the U.S., according to \u003ca href=\"https://ies.ed.gov/learn/press-release/more-half-public-school-leaders-say-cell-phones-hurt-academic-performance\">data from the National Center for Education Statistics\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They gained traction throughout the 2010s, according to neuroscientist and former teacher Jared Cooney Horvath, who said education technology companies pitched their products as an unrivaled opportunity to individualize learning and, later, as the great equalizer for students across demographic groups.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Put a Chromebook in the hand of every child, and that’s how you’re going to close the equity gap,” said Anya Meksin, the deputy director of parent organization Schools Beyond Screens, which advocated for the LAUSD policy. “This idea was sold to school districts without really any data to back it up. It was really a sales pitch.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GettyImages-566010757.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097074\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GettyImages-566010757.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GettyImages-566010757-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GettyImages-566010757-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students in Karen Finkel’s class at Broadacres Elementary School in Carson explore the possibilities with their new LAUSD-provided iPads on Aug. 27, 2013. (Bob Chamberlin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>While 1:1 device programs first jumped significantly in 2010, Horvath said, they became pervasive during the COVID-19 pandemic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many school districts used federal grants to buy and distribute technology to their students at home, which allowed teachers to continue connecting with their classes and provide some instruction — if limited.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a Band-Aid,” Horvath said. “The problem is, [districts] invested so much in the tech infrastructure that when COVID ended, rather than pulling the Band-Aid off and going back to what we know works, we just stuck with it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Schools Beyond Screens\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2025, after California passed statewide legislation restricting students’ cellphone use in school, a group of Los Angeles parents founded Schools Beyond Screens, asking LAUSD to rethink its technology policies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When I toured 10 local public elementary schools to decide where my kid was going to go, I was completely appalled to see kindergartners on almost every single school tour sitting on computers with headphones on in a darkened room,” Meksin said. They were “not looking at the teacher, not looking at each other. A lot of times, the kids were just scrolling on YouTube.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meksin and other parents spent months rallying supporters on dozens of district campuses, flooded the public comment period of school board meetings, lobbied district representatives and board members, and redlined draft legislation before passing a slate of historic policies in June. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-14-MC_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095057\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-14-MC_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-14-MC_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-14-MC_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Audubon Elementary School on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, in Foster City. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Beginning this fall, the country’s second-largest school district banned the use of student digital devices in early education through first-grade classrooms, and put strict minute caps on older students’ screen time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>LAUSD also rolled back its 1:1 device program, no longer making it the default for a student entering the district to be issued a personal tablet or laptop to use in the classroom and at home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have to acknowledge that we now know more,” said LAUSD board member Nick Melvoin, who put forward the district’s “Using Technology With Intention” resolution that passed in April. “Yes, we’ve seen some academic benefits, but we’ve also seen a lot of the harms with kids on screens and the addictive nature of things like YouTube algorithms and all that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When you know better, you need to do better,” he continued. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘A hard Pandora’s box to close’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Parents in the Bay Area said they also started to question school device use after seeing declines in their children’s learning outcomes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nationally, standardized reading and math test scores were lower in 2025 than they were in 2015 in \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/upshot/test-scores-school-districts-us.html?unlocked_article_code=1.iFA.G_Ub.cXbz5_-EC4R3&smid=url-share\">83% and 70% of school districts\u003c/a>, respectively. School districts have cited the pandemic as one of the main causes for a dip in the early 2020s, but scores haven’t rebounded since then as education professionals had hoped. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Mateo–Foster City’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/upshot/look-up-district-test-scores.html?unlocked_article_code=1.iFA.zJm-.fi1gEuALEaT6&smid=url-share\">reading scores declined\u003c/a> by 1.2 grade levels over the 10-year period, with the sharpest drop coming between 2022 and 2025. Math scores followed a similar trend. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-02-MC_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-02-MC_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-02-MC_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-02-MC_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Suki Reddy poses for a portrait in Leo J. Ryan Park on Aug. 12, 2026, in San Mateo. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“It made me look at their curriculum more closely, look at the materials they had and the distractions they were up against,” Reddy said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There was no textbook where [students] could go back and forth between pages to see how to do something and where [they’re] getting things wrong,” she continued. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite growing anecdotal concern and research revealing the pitfalls of ed tech, Meksin said rolling it back “was a hard Pandora’s box to close.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the 2014-15 school year, California public school districts transitioned statewide standardized testing online with the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), eliminating the need for Scantron forms and #2 pencils. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In some districts, digital testing software is also used to track student benchmarks throughout the year and determine which students are placed into advanced courses or receive extra support. Reading quizzes and other small assessments are often embedded in online learning management systems.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Parents said apps such as i-Ready, a digital program that provides diagnostic math and language arts testing and associated curriculum, are now too ingrained to remove — even if their merit is in question. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s no evidence that it actually helps kids, and a lot of anecdotal evidence that what it does do is create a distance between the student and the teacher, create a lot of confusion and anxiety for the parent because they’re getting these scores and they don’t know what they mean,” Candace Wei, a parent in the Palo Alto Unified School District, said of i-Ready’s format. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said despite this, when Mountain View’s school district tried to get rid of the software, “parents revolted.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They said, ‘If our kids don’t do the i-Ready curriculum, how will they be prepared for the diagnostic [test]? How will they get into honors algebra?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mountain View Whisman School District spokesperson Shelly Hausman said the district is moving away from using i-Ready diagnostic assessments this year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“MVWSD is moving toward teacher-created tests that are more closely aligned with California state standards and statewide tests,” she said via email. “This work, based on the district’s systems study, ensures our benchmark assessments align with the rigor of state SBAC assessments.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year, fifth- through eighth-grade students will still take i-Ready math diagnostic exams three times. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For now, i-Ready Math is one of two measures used to determine their placement in math classes, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Using momentum\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After Los Angeles’ historic resolution this spring, though, their tech-limiting movement has gained traction.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We saw a massive influx of interest from across the country, people signing up on our website and emailing and asking, ‘How do I start a chapter?’” Meksin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are now more than 200 chapters in 38 states, and Schools Beyond Screens is \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1k46VkFBIFgETIErq09JsqIASJzOCAnPe1JcODxOA-sg/edit?gid=1633699863#gid=1633699863\">tracking more than 70 districts\u003c/a> that have changed or are considering new tech policies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFirstDay-20-MC_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095609\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFirstDay-20-MC_qed.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFirstDay-20-MC_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFirstDay-20-MC_qed-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students arrive at Jose Ortega Elementary School for the first day of their school year on Aug. 17, 2026, in San Francisco. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay Area has 11 chapters, including San Mateo’s “\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/people/Intentional-Tech-in-SchoolsSMFCSD/61589993704088/\">Intentional Tech in Schools\u003c/a>.” More than 580 SMFCSD parents have signed a petition that the group circulated, urging the district to consider a slew of policies modeled after those in Los Angeles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a message to parents just a week before the school year began this month, Superintendent Diego Ochoa announced that the district would transition away from assigning devices to every student in transitional kindergarten through second grade, and said it’s implementing a new “print-first” math curriculum in elementary schools. SMFCSD is also establishing a technology task force and plans to move toward replacing its 1:1 device strategy with Chromebook carts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Reddy said that at her child’s back-to-school night earlier this month, multiple teachers told parents that students wouldn’t be allowed to use Chromebooks during class downtime, and that the school planned to restrict use during passing periods, P.E. and lunch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some of the educators also said that they planned to give out handwritten assignments and project lessons on a single screen at the front of the classroom, instead of having students follow along on their own devices.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s something. However, it isn’t enough,” Reddy said. “Technology evolves way faster than policy, so we can’t keep sticking to these old-school ways of taking a long time with lengthy stakeholder processes for every decision.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Reddy and other SMFCSD parents plan to attend the district’s school board meeting on Thursday to push for their more robust requests. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, groups in Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, San Francisco and Oakland are also organizing as school resumes, circulating petitions and connecting parents to drum up support at school board meetings. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many said as they look toward the November election, they’ll also be considering school board candidates’ stance on technology reform at the ballot box. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I will absolutely be thinking about sensible screen policy platforms when it comes to voting for any school board member, now and in the future,” said Miranda Arly, who started a Schools Beyond Screens chapter for the Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Los Altos school districts in May. “I’m paying more attention than I ever would have before.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Reddy’s son didn’t have to use his personal tablet to watch videos in bed. He could open YouTube on his school-issued Chromebook. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They had less controls on their school computer than families have,” Reddy said. “There’s families who don’t have any phones or iPads for their kids. The only access that their kids are getting is through the school computer.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They had less controls on their school computer than families have,” Reddy said. “There’s families who don’t have any phones or iPads for their kids. The only access that their kids are getting is through the school computer.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Reddy’s two children are in the San Mateo–Foster City School District, which includes 21 elementary and middle schools across the two cities. For years, the district has issued each child a Chromebook and integrated them into students’ learning, using them for access to textbooks, class handouts and homework as early as transitional kindergarten.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Reddy’s two children are in the San Mateo–Foster City School District, which includes 21 elementary and middle schools across the two cities. For years, the district has issued each child a Chromebook and integrated them into students’ learning, using them for access to textbooks, class handouts and homework as early as transitional kindergarten.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-09-MC_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095056\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-09-MC_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-09-MC_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-09-MC_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bowditch Middle School on Wednesday, Aug.12, 2026, in Foster City.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-09-MC_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095056\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bowditch Middle School on Wednesday, Aug.12, 2026, in Foster City.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Last year, as Reddy became concerned about the amount of screen time her children had through school, she started to speak with other parents who were also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/66517/families-and-teachers-are-questioning-ed-tech-are-schools-and-districts-starting-to-listen\">growing worried\u003c/a>. They saw their kids getting distracted by entertainment apps, noticed their attention spans deteriorating and their mental health suffering from the effects of spending hours online. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Last year, as Reddy became concerned about the amount of screen time her children had through school, she started to speak with other parents who were also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/66517/families-and-teachers-are-questioning-ed-tech-are-schools-and-districts-starting-to-listen\">growing worried\u003c/a>. They saw their kids getting distracted by entertainment apps, noticed their attention spans deteriorating and their mental health suffering from the effects of spending hours online. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While many parents already had their own rules for their kids’ use of social media and personal devices, educational technology had opened up a new front. Even when guardrails were put in place to limit the school devices’ usage, parents learned that children had found tricks to bypass protections.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While many parents already had their own rules for their kids’ use of social media and personal devices, educational technology had opened up a new front. Even when guardrails were put in place to limit the school devices’ usage, parents learned that children had found tricks to bypass protections.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>SMFCSD spokesperson Diego Perez said via email that the district has “a ton of restrictions” on its Chromebooks but did not respond to direct questions about whether YouTube was blocked on the devices.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It really made me realize it’s time to look at schools,” Reddy said. “That’s when I started asking questions directly to them.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/StudentsTabletsGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097071\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/StudentsTabletsGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/StudentsTabletsGetty-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/StudentsTabletsGetty-1536x1064.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students explore the possibilities with their new LAUSD-provided iPads on Aug. 27, 2013. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Bob Chamberlin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Over the last 15 years, classroom technology use has increased rapidly in districts across the country. Most now have 1:1 device programs, sending children as young as 5 and 6 home with personal tablets or computers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But as more research emerges about the potential harms of screen use for children, while test scores in schools across the U.S. struggle to rebound after the COVID-19 pandemic, districts are at an inflection point. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But as more research emerges about the potential harms of screen use for children, while test scores in schools across the U.S. struggle to rebound after the COVID-19 pandemic, districts are at an inflection point. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California has mandated \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094226/ousd-cellphone-ban-for-students-takes-effect-on-the-first-day-of-the-school-year\">school cellphone restrictions\u003c/a> across the state, and parents in the Bay Area are pushing their school boards and administrators to pass new policies that limit screen time and institute content guardrails for students — following in the footsteps of the Los Angeles Unified School District, whose board passed a landmark resolution this year. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California has mandated \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094226/ousd-cellphone-ban-for-students-takes-effect-on-the-first-day-of-the-school-year\">school cellphone restrictions\u003c/a> across the state, and parents in the Bay Area are pushing their school boards and administrators to pass new policies that limit screen time and institute content guardrails for students — following in the footsteps of the Los Angeles Unified School District, whose board passed a landmark resolution this year. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re not anti-technology,” Reddy said. “We’re very much a group in the Bay Area. Many parents work in the tech industry and work for the very companies who produce these tech tools. But because of that, we have a very unique stance where we recognize that there’s not just an upside to this — there are actually a lot of potential problems.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One-to-one device programs are now in 88% of public schools across the U.S., according to \u003ca href=\"https://ies.ed.gov/learn/press-release/more-half-public-school-leaders-say-cell-phones-hurt-academic-performance\">data from the National Center for Education Statistics\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One-to-one device programs are now in 88% of public schools across the U.S., according to \u003ca href=\"https://ies.ed.gov/learn/press-release/more-half-public-school-leaders-say-cell-phones-hurt-academic-performance\">data from the National Center for Education Statistics\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They gained traction throughout the 2010s, according to neuroscientist and former teacher Jared Cooney Horvath, who said education technology companies pitched their products as an unrivaled opportunity to individualize learning and, later, as the great equalizer for students across demographic groups.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>They gained traction throughout the 2010s, according to neuroscientist and former teacher Jared Cooney Horvath, who said education technology companies pitched their products as an unrivaled opportunity to individualize learning and, later, as the great equalizer for students across demographic groups.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Put a Chromebook in the hand of every child, and that’s how you’re going to close the equity gap,” said Anya Meksin, the deputy director of parent organization Schools Beyond Screens, which advocated for the LAUSD policy. “This idea was sold to school districts without really any data to back it up. It was really a sales pitch.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Put a Chromebook in the hand of every child, and that’s how you’re going to close the equity gap,” said Anya Meksin, the deputy director of parent organization Schools Beyond Screens, which advocated for the LAUSD policy. “This idea was sold to school districts without really any data to back it up. It was really a sales pitch.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GettyImages-566010757.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097074\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GettyImages-566010757.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GettyImages-566010757-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GettyImages-566010757-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students in Karen Finkel’s class at Broadacres Elementary School in Carson explore the possibilities with their new LAUSD-provided iPads on Aug. 27, 2013. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Bob Chamberlin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GettyImages-566010757.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097074\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students in Karen Finkel’s class at Broadacres Elementary School in Carson explore the possibilities with their new LAUSD-provided iPads on Aug. 27, 2013. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Bob Chamberlin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While 1:1 device programs first jumped significantly in 2010, Horvath said, they became pervasive during the COVID-19 pandemic. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While 1:1 device programs first jumped significantly in 2010, Horvath said, they became pervasive during the COVID-19 pandemic. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Many school districts used federal grants to buy and distribute technology to their students at home, which allowed teachers to continue connecting with their classes and provide some instruction — if limited.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s a Band-Aid,” Horvath said. “The problem is, [districts] invested so much in the tech infrastructure that when COVID ended, rather than pulling the Band-Aid off and going back to what we know works, we just stuck with it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s a Band-Aid,” Horvath said. “The problem is, [districts] invested so much in the tech infrastructure that when COVID ended, rather than pulling the Band-Aid off and going back to what we know works, we just stuck with it.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 2025, after California passed statewide legislation restricting students’ cellphone use in school, a group of Los Angeles parents founded Schools Beyond Screens, asking LAUSD to rethink its technology policies.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When I toured 10 local public elementary schools to decide where my kid was going to go, I was completely appalled to see kindergartners on almost every single school tour sitting on computers with headphones on in a darkened room,” Meksin said. They were “not looking at the teacher, not looking at each other. A lot of times, the kids were just scrolling on YouTube.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meksin and other parents spent months rallying supporters on dozens of district campuses, flooded the public comment period of school board meetings, lobbied district representatives and board members, and redlined draft legislation before passing a slate of historic policies in June. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-14-MC_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095057\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-14-MC_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-14-MC_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-14-MC_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Audubon Elementary School on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, in Foster City.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-14-MC_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095057\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Audubon Elementary School on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, in Foster City.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Beginning this fall, the country’s second-largest school district banned the use of student digital devices in early education through first-grade classrooms, and put strict minute caps on older students’ screen time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have to acknowledge that we now know more,” said LAUSD board member Nick Melvoin, who put forward the district’s “Using Technology With Intention” resolution that passed in April. “Yes, we’ve seen some academic benefits, but we’ve also seen a lot of the harms with kids on screens and the addictive nature of things like YouTube algorithms and all that.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Parents in the Bay Area said they also started to question school device use after seeing declines in their children’s learning outcomes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nationally, standardized reading and math test scores were lower in 2025 than they were in 2015 in \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/upshot/test-scores-school-districts-us.html?unlocked_article_code=1.iFA.G_Ub.cXbz5_-EC4R3&smid=url-share\">83% and 70% of school districts\u003c/a>, respectively. School districts have cited the pandemic as one of the main causes for a dip in the early 2020s, but scores haven’t rebounded since then as education professionals had hoped. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Nationally, standardized reading and math test scores were lower in 2025 than they were in 2015 in \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/upshot/test-scores-school-districts-us.html?unlocked_article_code=1.iFA.G_Ub.cXbz5_-EC4R3&smid=url-share\">83% and 70% of school districts\u003c/a>, respectively. School districts have cited the pandemic as one of the main causes for a dip in the early 2020s, but scores haven’t rebounded since then as education professionals had hoped. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Mateo–Foster City’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/upshot/look-up-district-test-scores.html?unlocked_article_code=1.iFA.zJm-.fi1gEuALEaT6&smid=url-share\">reading scores declined\u003c/a> by 1.2 grade levels over the 10-year period, with the sharpest drop coming between 2022 and 2025. Math scores followed a similar trend. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San Mateo–Foster City’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/upshot/look-up-district-test-scores.html?unlocked_article_code=1.iFA.zJm-.fi1gEuALEaT6&smid=url-share\">reading scores declined\u003c/a> by 1.2 grade levels over the 10-year period, with the sharpest drop coming between 2022 and 2025. Math scores followed a similar trend. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-02-MC_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-02-MC_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-02-MC_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-02-MC_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Suki Reddy poses for a portrait in Leo J. Ryan Park on Aug. 12, 2026, in San Mateo.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-02-MC_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097080\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Suki Reddy poses for a portrait in Leo J. Ryan Park on Aug. 12, 2026, in San Mateo.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It made me look at their curriculum more closely, look at the materials they had and the distractions they were up against,” Reddy said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There was no textbook where [students] could go back and forth between pages to see how to do something and where [they’re] getting things wrong,” she continued. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite growing anecdotal concern and research revealing the pitfalls of ed tech, Meksin said rolling it back “was a hard Pandora’s box to close.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During the 2014-15 school year, California public school districts transitioned statewide standardized testing online with the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), eliminating the need for Scantron forms and #2 pencils. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>During the 2014-15 school year, California public school districts transitioned statewide standardized testing online with the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), eliminating the need for Scantron forms and #2 pencils. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In some districts, digital testing software is also used to track student benchmarks throughout the year and determine which students are placed into advanced courses or receive extra support. Reading quizzes and other small assessments are often embedded in online learning management systems.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In some districts, digital testing software is also used to track student benchmarks throughout the year and determine which students are placed into advanced courses or receive extra support. Reading quizzes and other small assessments are often embedded in online learning management systems.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Parents said apps such as i-Ready, a digital program that provides diagnostic math and language arts testing and associated curriculum, are now too ingrained to remove — even if their merit is in question. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s no evidence that it actually helps kids, and a lot of anecdotal evidence that what it does do is create a distance between the student and the teacher, create a lot of confusion and anxiety for the parent because they’re getting these scores and they don’t know what they mean,” Candace Wei, a parent in the Palo Alto Unified School District, said of i-Ready’s format. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said despite this, when Mountain View’s school district tried to get rid of the software, “parents revolted.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They said, ‘If our kids don’t do the i-Ready curriculum, how will they be prepared for the diagnostic [test]? How will they get into honors algebra?” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mountain View Whisman School District spokesperson Shelly Hausman said the district is moving away from using i-Ready diagnostic assessments this year. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“MVWSD is moving toward teacher-created tests that are more closely aligned with California state standards and statewide tests,” she said via email. “This work, based on the district’s systems study, ensures our benchmark assessments align with the rigor of state SBAC assessments.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year, fifth- through eighth-grade students will still take i-Ready math diagnostic exams three times. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For now, i-Ready Math is one of two measures used to determine their placement in math classes, she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After Los Angeles’ historic resolution this spring, though, their tech-limiting movement has gained traction.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We saw a massive influx of interest from across the country, people signing up on our website and emailing and asking, ‘How do I start a chapter?’” Meksin said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There are now more than 200 chapters in 38 states, and Schools Beyond Screens is \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1k46VkFBIFgETIErq09JsqIASJzOCAnPe1JcODxOA-sg/edit?gid=1633699863#gid=1633699863\">tracking more than 70 districts\u003c/a> that have changed or are considering new tech policies.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Bay Area has 11 chapters, including San Mateo’s “\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/people/Intentional-Tech-in-SchoolsSMFCSD/61589993704088/\">Intentional Tech in Schools\u003c/a>.” More than 580 SMFCSD parents have signed a petition that the group circulated, urging the district to consider a slew of policies modeled after those in Los Angeles. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Bay Area has 11 chapters, including San Mateo’s “\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/people/Intentional-Tech-in-SchoolsSMFCSD/61589993704088/\">Intentional Tech in Schools\u003c/a>.” More than 580 SMFCSD parents have signed a petition that the group circulated, urging the district to consider a slew of policies modeled after those in Los Angeles. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a message to parents just a week before the school year began this month, Superintendent Diego Ochoa announced that the district would transition away from assigning devices to every student in transitional kindergarten through second grade, and said it’s implementing a new “print-first” math curriculum in elementary schools. SMFCSD is also establishing a technology task force and plans to move toward replacing its 1:1 device strategy with Chromebook carts. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a message to parents just a week before the school year began this month, Superintendent Diego Ochoa announced that the district would transition away from assigning devices to every student in transitional kindergarten through second grade, and said it’s implementing a new “print-first” math curriculum in elementary schools. SMFCSD is also establishing a technology task force and plans to move toward replacing its 1:1 device strategy with Chromebook carts. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Reddy said that at her child’s back-to-school night earlier this month, multiple teachers told parents that students wouldn’t be allowed to use Chromebooks during class downtime, and that the school planned to restrict use during passing periods, P.E. and lunch. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Reddy said that at her child’s back-to-school night earlier this month, multiple teachers told parents that students wouldn’t be allowed to use Chromebooks during class downtime, and that the school planned to restrict use during passing periods, P.E. and lunch. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some of the educators also said that they planned to give out handwritten assignments and project lessons on a single screen at the front of the classroom, instead of having students follow along on their own devices.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s something. However, it isn’t enough,” Reddy said. “Technology evolves way faster than policy, so we can’t keep sticking to these old-school ways of taking a long time with lengthy stakeholder processes for every decision.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s something. However, it isn’t enough,” Reddy said. “Technology evolves way faster than policy, so we can’t keep sticking to these old-school ways of taking a long time with lengthy stakeholder processes for every decision.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Reddy and other SMFCSD parents plan to attend the district’s school board meeting on Thursday to push for their more robust requests. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, groups in Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, San Francisco and Oakland are also organizing as school resumes, circulating petitions and connecting parents to drum up support at school board meetings. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Many said as they look toward the November election, they’ll also be considering school board candidates’ stance on technology reform at the ballot box. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I will absolutely be thinking about sensible screen policy platforms when it comes to voting for any school board member, now and in the future,” said Miranda Arly, who started a Schools Beyond Screens chapter for the Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Los Altos school districts in May. “I’m paying more attention than I ever would have before.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I will absolutely be thinking about sensible screen policy platforms when it comes to voting for any school board member, now and in the future,” said Miranda Arly, who started a Schools Beyond Screens chapter for the Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Los Altos school districts in May. “I’m paying more attention than I ever would have before.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Classroom technology use has exploded in districts across the U.S., especially since the pandemic. Now, a growing movement of parents is asking schools to rethink their policies.",
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"title": "‘A Chromebook in the Hand of Every Child.’ Did Schools Go Too Far? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Last year, Suki Reddy started to enter her third-grader’s bedroom to find him, face \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/66537/the-school-year-begins-in-la-with-one-big-change-limited-screen-time\">lit up behind the glow of a computer\u003c/a>, watching YouTube. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This didn’t seem possible, she thought; she had put controls on his iPad and closely monitored his screen time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Reddy’s son didn’t have to use his personal tablet to watch videos in bed. He could open YouTube on his school-issued Chromebook. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They had less controls on their school computer than families have,” Reddy said. “There’s families who don’t have any phones or iPads for their kids. The only access that their kids are getting is through the school computer.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Reddy’s two children are in the San Mateo–Foster City School District, which includes 21 elementary and middle schools across the two cities. For years, the district has issued each child a Chromebook and integrated them into students’ learning, using them for access to textbooks, class handouts and homework as early as transitional kindergarten.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-09-MC_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095056\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-09-MC_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-09-MC_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-09-MC_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bowditch Middle School on Wednesday, Aug.12, 2026, in Foster City. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Last year, as Reddy became concerned about the amount of screen time her children had through school, she started to speak with other parents who were also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/66517/families-and-teachers-are-questioning-ed-tech-are-schools-and-districts-starting-to-listen\">growing worried\u003c/a>. They saw their kids getting distracted by entertainment apps, noticed their attention spans deteriorating and their mental health suffering from the effects of spending hours online. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While many parents already had their own rules for their kids’ use of social media and personal devices, educational technology had opened up a new front. Even when guardrails were put in place to limit the school devices’ usage, parents learned that children had found tricks to bypass protections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SMFCSD spokesperson Diego Perez said via email that the district has “a ton of restrictions” on its Chromebooks but did not respond to direct questions about whether YouTube was blocked on the devices.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It really made me realize it’s time to look at schools,” Reddy said. “That’s when I started asking questions directly to them.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1386\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/StudentsTabletsGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097071\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/StudentsTabletsGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/StudentsTabletsGetty-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/StudentsTabletsGetty-1536x1064.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students explore the possibilities with their new LAUSD-provided iPads on Aug. 27, 2013. (Bob Chamberlin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the last 15 years, classroom technology use has increased rapidly in districts across the country. Most now have 1:1 device programs, sending children as young as 5 and 6 home with personal tablets or computers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But as more research emerges about the potential harms of screen use for children, while test scores in schools across the U.S. struggle to rebound after the COVID-19 pandemic, districts are at an inflection point. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California has mandated \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094226/ousd-cellphone-ban-for-students-takes-effect-on-the-first-day-of-the-school-year\">school cellphone restrictions\u003c/a> across the state, and parents in the Bay Area are pushing their school boards and administrators to pass new policies that limit screen time and institute content guardrails for students — following in the footsteps of the Los Angeles Unified School District, whose board passed a landmark resolution this year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re not anti-technology,” Reddy said. “We’re very much a group in the Bay Area. Many parents work in the tech industry and work for the very companies who produce these tech tools. But because of that, we have a very unique stance where we recognize that there’s not just an upside to this — there are actually a lot of potential problems.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The rise of ed tech\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One-to-one device programs are now in 88% of public schools across the U.S., according to \u003ca href=\"https://ies.ed.gov/learn/press-release/more-half-public-school-leaders-say-cell-phones-hurt-academic-performance\">data from the National Center for Education Statistics\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They gained traction throughout the 2010s, according to neuroscientist and former teacher Jared Cooney Horvath, who said education technology companies pitched their products as an unrivaled opportunity to individualize learning and, later, as the great equalizer for students across demographic groups.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Put a Chromebook in the hand of every child, and that’s how you’re going to close the equity gap,” said Anya Meksin, the deputy director of parent organization Schools Beyond Screens, which advocated for the LAUSD policy. “This idea was sold to school districts without really any data to back it up. It was really a sales pitch.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GettyImages-566010757.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097074\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GettyImages-566010757.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GettyImages-566010757-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GettyImages-566010757-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students in Karen Finkel’s class at Broadacres Elementary School in Carson explore the possibilities with their new LAUSD-provided iPads on Aug. 27, 2013. (Bob Chamberlin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>While 1:1 device programs first jumped significantly in 2010, Horvath said, they became pervasive during the COVID-19 pandemic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many school districts used federal grants to buy and distribute technology to their students at home, which allowed teachers to continue connecting with their classes and provide some instruction — if limited.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a Band-Aid,” Horvath said. “The problem is, [districts] invested so much in the tech infrastructure that when COVID ended, rather than pulling the Band-Aid off and going back to what we know works, we just stuck with it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Schools Beyond Screens\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2025, after California passed statewide legislation restricting students’ cellphone use in school, a group of Los Angeles parents founded Schools Beyond Screens, asking LAUSD to rethink its technology policies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When I toured 10 local public elementary schools to decide where my kid was going to go, I was completely appalled to see kindergartners on almost every single school tour sitting on computers with headphones on in a darkened room,” Meksin said. They were “not looking at the teacher, not looking at each other. A lot of times, the kids were just scrolling on YouTube.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meksin and other parents spent months rallying supporters on dozens of district campuses, flooded the public comment period of school board meetings, lobbied district representatives and board members, and redlined draft legislation before passing a slate of historic policies in June. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-14-MC_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095057\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-14-MC_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-14-MC_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-14-MC_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Audubon Elementary School on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, in Foster City. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Beginning this fall, the country’s second-largest school district banned the use of student digital devices in early education through first-grade classrooms, and put strict minute caps on older students’ screen time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>LAUSD also rolled back its 1:1 device program, no longer making it the default for a student entering the district to be issued a personal tablet or laptop to use in the classroom and at home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have to acknowledge that we now know more,” said LAUSD board member Nick Melvoin, who put forward the district’s “Using Technology With Intention” resolution that passed in April. “Yes, we’ve seen some academic benefits, but we’ve also seen a lot of the harms with kids on screens and the addictive nature of things like YouTube algorithms and all that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When you know better, you need to do better,” he continued. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘A hard Pandora’s box to close’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Parents in the Bay Area said they also started to question school device use after seeing declines in their children’s learning outcomes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nationally, standardized reading and math test scores were lower in 2025 than they were in 2015 in \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/upshot/test-scores-school-districts-us.html?unlocked_article_code=1.iFA.G_Ub.cXbz5_-EC4R3&smid=url-share\">83% and 70% of school districts\u003c/a>, respectively. School districts have cited the pandemic as one of the main causes for a dip in the early 2020s, but scores haven’t rebounded since then as education professionals had hoped. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Mateo–Foster City’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/upshot/look-up-district-test-scores.html?unlocked_article_code=1.iFA.zJm-.fi1gEuALEaT6&smid=url-share\">reading scores declined\u003c/a> by 1.2 grade levels over the 10-year period, with the sharpest drop coming between 2022 and 2025. Math scores followed a similar trend. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-02-MC_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-02-MC_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-02-MC_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081226-SchoolTechBans-02-MC_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Suki Reddy poses for a portrait in Leo J. Ryan Park on Aug. 12, 2026, in San Mateo. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“It made me look at their curriculum more closely, look at the materials they had and the distractions they were up against,” Reddy said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There was no textbook where [students] could go back and forth between pages to see how to do something and where [they’re] getting things wrong,” she continued. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite growing anecdotal concern and research revealing the pitfalls of ed tech, Meksin said rolling it back “was a hard Pandora’s box to close.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the 2014-15 school year, California public school districts transitioned statewide standardized testing online with the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), eliminating the need for Scantron forms and #2 pencils. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In some districts, digital testing software is also used to track student benchmarks throughout the year and determine which students are placed into advanced courses or receive extra support. Reading quizzes and other small assessments are often embedded in online learning management systems.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Parents said apps such as i-Ready, a digital program that provides diagnostic math and language arts testing and associated curriculum, are now too ingrained to remove — even if their merit is in question. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s no evidence that it actually helps kids, and a lot of anecdotal evidence that what it does do is create a distance between the student and the teacher, create a lot of confusion and anxiety for the parent because they’re getting these scores and they don’t know what they mean,” Candace Wei, a parent in the Palo Alto Unified School District, said of i-Ready’s format. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said despite this, when Mountain View’s school district tried to get rid of the software, “parents revolted.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They said, ‘If our kids don’t do the i-Ready curriculum, how will they be prepared for the diagnostic [test]? How will they get into honors algebra?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mountain View Whisman School District spokesperson Shelly Hausman said the district is moving away from using i-Ready diagnostic assessments this year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“MVWSD is moving toward teacher-created tests that are more closely aligned with California state standards and statewide tests,” she said via email. “This work, based on the district’s systems study, ensures our benchmark assessments align with the rigor of state SBAC assessments.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year, fifth- through eighth-grade students will still take i-Ready math diagnostic exams three times. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For now, i-Ready Math is one of two measures used to determine their placement in math classes, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Using momentum\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After Los Angeles’ historic resolution this spring, though, their tech-limiting movement has gained traction.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We saw a massive influx of interest from across the country, people signing up on our website and emailing and asking, ‘How do I start a chapter?’” Meksin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are now more than 200 chapters in 38 states, and Schools Beyond Screens is \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1k46VkFBIFgETIErq09JsqIASJzOCAnPe1JcODxOA-sg/edit?gid=1633699863#gid=1633699863\">tracking more than 70 districts\u003c/a> that have changed or are considering new tech policies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFirstDay-20-MC_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095609\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFirstDay-20-MC_qed.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFirstDay-20-MC_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFirstDay-20-MC_qed-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students arrive at Jose Ortega Elementary School for the first day of their school year on Aug. 17, 2026, in San Francisco. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay Area has 11 chapters, including San Mateo’s “\u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/people/Intentional-Tech-in-SchoolsSMFCSD/61589993704088/\">Intentional Tech in Schools\u003c/a>.” More than 580 SMFCSD parents have signed a petition that the group circulated, urging the district to consider a slew of policies modeled after those in Los Angeles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a message to parents just a week before the school year began this month, Superintendent Diego Ochoa announced that the district would transition away from assigning devices to every student in transitional kindergarten through second grade, and said it’s implementing a new “print-first” math curriculum in elementary schools. SMFCSD is also establishing a technology task force and plans to move toward replacing its 1:1 device strategy with Chromebook carts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Reddy said that at her child’s back-to-school night earlier this month, multiple teachers told parents that students wouldn’t be allowed to use Chromebooks during class downtime, and that the school planned to restrict use during passing periods, P.E. and lunch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some of the educators also said that they planned to give out handwritten assignments and project lessons on a single screen at the front of the classroom, instead of having students follow along on their own devices.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s something. However, it isn’t enough,” Reddy said. “Technology evolves way faster than policy, so we can’t keep sticking to these old-school ways of taking a long time with lengthy stakeholder processes for every decision.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Reddy and other SMFCSD parents plan to attend the district’s school board meeting on Thursday to push for their more robust requests. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, groups in Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, San Francisco and Oakland are also organizing as school resumes, circulating petitions and connecting parents to drum up support at school board meetings. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many said as they look toward the November election, they’ll also be considering school board candidates’ stance on technology reform at the ballot box. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I will absolutely be thinking about sensible screen policy platforms when it comes to voting for any school board member, now and in the future,” said Miranda Arly, who started a Schools Beyond Screens chapter for the Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Los Altos school districts in May. “I’m paying more attention than I ever would have before.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "splitting-with-state-party-san-francisco-democrats-oppose-billionaire-tax",
"title": "Splitting With State Party, San Francisco Democrats Oppose Billionaire Tax",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Democratic Party has voted to oppose a proposed statewide \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/billionaire-tax\">billionaire tax\u003c/a>, marking a rare divergence from the California Democratic Party, which endorsed the November ballot measure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proposition 40 has emerged as a lightning rod among Democrats, with the state party narrowly voting to endorse it while prominent moderate Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, have come out against it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wednesday’s vote came shortly after the majority-moderate San Francisco Democratic Party changed its bylaws earlier this summer to allow the local party to go against the state Democratic Party’s endorsements. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Supporters have said Proposition 40 would provide a much-needed injection of cash to California’s healthcare system at a time when federal cuts to Medicare have impacted residents across the state and city of San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/021826-Billionaires-Tax-GETTY-CM-01.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088085\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/021826-Billionaires-Tax-GETTY-CM-01.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/021826-Billionaires-Tax-GETTY-CM-01-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/021826-Billionaires-Tax-GETTY-CM-01-1536x1025.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Signs reading “A Billionaire Tax Now” rest on chairs at a Billionaire Tax Now rally where Sen. Bernie Sanders is set to speak in Los Angeles on Feb. 18, 2026. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But opponents say it’s a misguided effort to tax the wealthy and could result in billionaires fleeing to other states.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Passing a billionaire tax in California is not a long-term viable solution to providing affordable healthcare,” member Lanier Coles said. “We need \u003cem>federal\u003c/em> tax reform to address the growing inequities and concentration of wealth.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One member in the audience fired back: “That’s why you lost to Trump twice.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The 17-4 vote fell along moderate-progressive lines. The measure would create a one-time 5% tax on Californians with a net worth that exceeds $1 billion who lived in the state as of Jan. 1, 2026. The tax could generate about $100 billion and would be paid by roughly 200 billionaires, according to the campaign. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The measure has garnered \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095116/california-billionaire-tax-has-strong-support-of-democratic-voters-new-poll-shows\">strong support\u003c/a> from likely Democratic voters in California, according to a recent UC Berkeley poll. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the state’s Democratic leaders are divided on the measure. In addition to the local and state Democratic Party split, Newsom and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, the Democratic frontrunner for governor, have both opposed Proposition 40. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Opponents of the measure say the one-time tax would not produce the long-term funding needed to backfill healthcare cuts from President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Groups opposing Proposition 40 include Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and the California Teachers Association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California healthcare unions back the state billionaire tax and have received the support of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who represents parts of Silicon Valley.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Working families who are barely holding on here in San Francisco and across the state are paying their taxes,” San Francisco Democratic Party member Peter Gallotta said. “Billionaires making ungodly sums of money with more than they can spend in their lifetimes can afford to contribute more.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Progressive members slammed their moderate colleagues for playing defense for billionaires, including powerful tech donors who have helped elect members of the local Democratic Party.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS59360_IMG_5938-qut.jpg\" alt=\"An Asian man in a blue suit holding a microphone and speaking with protesters behind him in support of gig workers.\" class=\"wp-image-11932792\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS59360_IMG_5938-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS59360_IMG_5938-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS59360_IMG_5938-qut-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS59360_IMG_5938-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS59360_IMG_5938-qut-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Former San Francisco Supervisor Gordon Mar, representing District 4, at a rally supporting the creation of a statewide union of Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and other gig workers on Oct. 12, 2022. (Farida Jhabvala Romero/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A no vote on Proposition 40 “would reinforce the public perception that our local Democratic Party is more responsive to the billionaire interest who spent heavily to elect the current majority than healthcare workers and working families,” former Supervisor Gordon Mar said. “The federal healthcare cuts facing California are not minor … Prop. 40 is the only proposal before voters and on the table more generally that approaches the scale of this crisis.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco Democratic Party members Emma Hare and Eric Kingsbury put forward a resolution calling for a national wealth tax, which Newsom has also proposed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“American government increasingly answers to an oligarchy of a few hundred households rather than to the more than three hundred million Americans it exists to serve,” reads the resolution, co-sponsored by Supervisor Matt Dorsey and party member Joe Sangirardi. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If wealthy people know how to do anything really well, it’s to get through loopholes, and I think this measure has a lot of loopholes,” Hare said. “I think we can do better.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Proposition 40 has emerged as a lightning rod among Democrats, with the state party narrowly voting to endorse it while prominent moderate Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, have come out against it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/021826-Billionaires-Tax-GETTY-CM-01.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088085\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/021826-Billionaires-Tax-GETTY-CM-01.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/021826-Billionaires-Tax-GETTY-CM-01-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/021826-Billionaires-Tax-GETTY-CM-01-1536x1025.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Signs reading “A Billionaire Tax Now” rest on chairs at a Billionaire Tax Now rally where Sen. Bernie Sanders is set to speak in Los Angeles on Feb. 18, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But opponents say it’s a misguided effort to tax the wealthy and could result in billionaires fleeing to other states.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Passing a billionaire tax in California is not a long-term viable solution to providing affordable healthcare,” member Lanier Coles said. “We need \u003cem>federal\u003c/em> tax reform to address the growing inequities and concentration of wealth.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One member in the audience fired back: “That’s why you lost to Trump twice.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The 17-4 vote fell along moderate-progressive lines. The measure would create a one-time 5% tax on Californians with a net worth that exceeds $1 billion who lived in the state as of Jan. 1, 2026. The tax could generate about $100 billion and would be paid by roughly 200 billionaires, according to the campaign. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The measure has garnered \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095116/california-billionaire-tax-has-strong-support-of-democratic-voters-new-poll-shows\">strong support\u003c/a> from likely Democratic voters in California, according to a recent UC Berkeley poll. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the state’s Democratic leaders are divided on the measure. In addition to the local and state Democratic Party split, Newsom and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, the Democratic frontrunner for governor, have both opposed Proposition 40. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the state’s Democratic leaders are divided on the measure. In addition to the local and state Democratic Party split, Newsom and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, the Democratic frontrunner for governor, have both opposed Proposition 40. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Opponents of the measure say the one-time tax would not produce the long-term funding needed to backfill healthcare cuts from President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Opponents of the measure say the one-time tax would not produce the long-term funding needed to backfill healthcare cuts from President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Groups opposing Proposition 40 include Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and the California Teachers Association.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California healthcare unions back the state billionaire tax and have received the support of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who represents parts of Silicon Valley.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California healthcare unions back the state billionaire tax and have received the support of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who represents parts of Silicon Valley.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Working families who are barely holding on here in San Francisco and across the state are paying their taxes,” San Francisco Democratic Party member Peter Gallotta said. “Billionaires making ungodly sums of money with more than they can spend in their lifetimes can afford to contribute more.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Progressive members slammed their moderate colleagues for playing defense for billionaires, including powerful tech donors who have helped elect members of the local Democratic Party.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A no vote on Proposition 40 “would reinforce the public perception that our local Democratic Party is more responsive to the billionaire interest who spent heavily to elect the current majority than healthcare workers and working families,” former Supervisor Gordon Mar said. “The federal healthcare cuts facing California are not minor … Prop. 40 is the only proposal before voters and on the table more generally that approaches the scale of this crisis.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco Democratic Party members Emma Hare and Eric Kingsbury put forward a resolution calling for a national wealth tax, which Newsom has also proposed. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“American government increasingly answers to an oligarchy of a few hundred households rather than to the more than three hundred million Americans it exists to serve,” reads the resolution, co-sponsored by Supervisor Matt Dorsey and party member Joe Sangirardi. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“American government increasingly answers to an oligarchy of a few hundred households rather than to the more than three hundred million Americans it exists to serve,” reads the resolution, co-sponsored by Supervisor Matt Dorsey and party member Joe Sangirardi. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If wealthy people know how to do anything really well, it’s to get through loopholes, and I think this measure has a lot of loopholes,” Hare said. “I think we can do better.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The state’s Democratic leaders are also divided on Proposition 40, with Gov. Gavin Newsom and gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra opposing the measure.",
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"title": "Splitting With State Party, San Francisco Democrats Oppose Billionaire Tax | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Democratic Party has voted to oppose a proposed statewide \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/billionaire-tax\">billionaire tax\u003c/a>, marking a rare divergence from the California Democratic Party, which endorsed the November ballot measure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proposition 40 has emerged as a lightning rod among Democrats, with the state party narrowly voting to endorse it while prominent moderate Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, have come out against it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wednesday’s vote came shortly after the majority-moderate San Francisco Democratic Party changed its bylaws earlier this summer to allow the local party to go against the state Democratic Party’s endorsements. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Supporters have said Proposition 40 would provide a much-needed injection of cash to California’s healthcare system at a time when federal cuts to Medicare have impacted residents across the state and city of San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/021826-Billionaires-Tax-GETTY-CM-01.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088085\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/021826-Billionaires-Tax-GETTY-CM-01.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/021826-Billionaires-Tax-GETTY-CM-01-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/021826-Billionaires-Tax-GETTY-CM-01-1536x1025.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Signs reading “A Billionaire Tax Now” rest on chairs at a Billionaire Tax Now rally where Sen. Bernie Sanders is set to speak in Los Angeles on Feb. 18, 2026. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But opponents say it’s a misguided effort to tax the wealthy and could result in billionaires fleeing to other states.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Passing a billionaire tax in California is not a long-term viable solution to providing affordable healthcare,” member Lanier Coles said. “We need \u003cem>federal\u003c/em> tax reform to address the growing inequities and concentration of wealth.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One member in the audience fired back: “That’s why you lost to Trump twice.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The 17-4 vote fell along moderate-progressive lines. The measure would create a one-time 5% tax on Californians with a net worth that exceeds $1 billion who lived in the state as of Jan. 1, 2026. The tax could generate about $100 billion and would be paid by roughly 200 billionaires, according to the campaign. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The measure has garnered \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095116/california-billionaire-tax-has-strong-support-of-democratic-voters-new-poll-shows\">strong support\u003c/a> from likely Democratic voters in California, according to a recent UC Berkeley poll. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the state’s Democratic leaders are divided on the measure. In addition to the local and state Democratic Party split, Newsom and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, the Democratic frontrunner for governor, have both opposed Proposition 40. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Opponents of the measure say the one-time tax would not produce the long-term funding needed to backfill healthcare cuts from President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Groups opposing Proposition 40 include Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and the California Teachers Association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California healthcare unions back the state billionaire tax and have received the support of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who represents parts of Silicon Valley.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Working families who are barely holding on here in San Francisco and across the state are paying their taxes,” San Francisco Democratic Party member Peter Gallotta said. “Billionaires making ungodly sums of money with more than they can spend in their lifetimes can afford to contribute more.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Progressive members slammed their moderate colleagues for playing defense for billionaires, including powerful tech donors who have helped elect members of the local Democratic Party.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS59360_IMG_5938-qut.jpg\" alt=\"An Asian man in a blue suit holding a microphone and speaking with protesters behind him in support of gig workers.\" class=\"wp-image-11932792\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS59360_IMG_5938-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS59360_IMG_5938-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS59360_IMG_5938-qut-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS59360_IMG_5938-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/RS59360_IMG_5938-qut-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Former San Francisco Supervisor Gordon Mar, representing District 4, at a rally supporting the creation of a statewide union of Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and other gig workers on Oct. 12, 2022. (Farida Jhabvala Romero/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A no vote on Proposition 40 “would reinforce the public perception that our local Democratic Party is more responsive to the billionaire interest who spent heavily to elect the current majority than healthcare workers and working families,” former Supervisor Gordon Mar said. “The federal healthcare cuts facing California are not minor … Prop. 40 is the only proposal before voters and on the table more generally that approaches the scale of this crisis.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco Democratic Party members Emma Hare and Eric Kingsbury put forward a resolution calling for a national wealth tax, which Newsom has also proposed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“American government increasingly answers to an oligarchy of a few hundred households rather than to the more than three hundred million Americans it exists to serve,” reads the resolution, co-sponsored by Supervisor Matt Dorsey and party member Joe Sangirardi. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If wealthy people know how to do anything really well, it’s to get through loopholes, and I think this measure has a lot of loopholes,” Hare said. “I think we can do better.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "owners-of-beleaguered-san-francisco-housing-complex-agree-to-9-million-settlement",
"title": "Owners of Beleaguered San Francisco Housing Complex Agree to $9 Million Settlement",
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"headTitle": "Owners of Beleaguered San Francisco Housing Complex Agree to $9 Million Settlement | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>The owners of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a> affordable housing complex will pay $9 million in a settlement with the city, following mounting evidence of disrepair, rodent infestations and deteriorating conditions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The agreement with McCormack Baron Salazar, a St. Louis-based developer that owns Alice Griffith Apartments, includes fixes to reported violations, city penalties and additional improvements beyond the scope of the building’s citations, a first-ever concession according to the city attorney’s office. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“No San Franciscan should have to live in substandard housing, and there must be consequences when residents are deprived of a safe and healthy place to live,” said City Attorney David Chiu. “We know it’s not possible to solve every challenge overnight, but this agreement directs real dollars into Alice Griffith and holds the property owners accountable for the terrible conditions at the property.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260511-YICKWOCOMMEMORATION-JY-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260511-YICKWOCOMMEMORATION-JY-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260511-YICKWOCOMMEMORATION-JY-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260511-YICKWOCOMMEMORATION-JY-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">City Attorney David Chiu speaks during a press conference at the parking lot on Third and Harrison streets in San Francisco on May 11, 2026. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Located in the Bayview neighborhood, Alice Griffith Apartments was previously run by the city’s housing authority and was part of a wave of public housing buildings that were transferred to private owners in the early 2000s. The 337-unit building received major upgrades and was hailed as a model for leveraging public-private partnerships to improve low-income housing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The project was supported by a $30.5 million federal grant, along with other public and private financing. The Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure provided $68.3 million in loans to back construction and long-term affordability for the project.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But within only a few years under its new private owners, the building fell into disrepair. \u003ca href=\"https://missionlocal.org/2026/07/alice-griffith-bayview-san-francisco-public-housing-redevelopment/\">\u003cem>Mission Local\u003c/em>\u003c/a> chronicled conditions at the building, including rat infestations, debris pile-ups and other public health concerns for its residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Multiple city departments issued notices of violation related to health, housing, plumbing, building, electrical and fire code issues at the building, where the John Stewart Company is the property manager. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Everyone deserves a safe, healthy place to call home. Our health is shaped not only by the care we receive, but by the conditions where we live,” Public Health Director Daniel Tsai said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to addressing the repairs and paying city fees, the owners agreed to invest $3 million into pest control and other upgrades within the next two years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have worked tirelessly to provide a place that is safe, secure and accommodating for the\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>tenants who call Alice Griffith home,” a spokesperson for McCormack Baron Salazar said in a statement to KQED. “Today’s mutually agreed-upon settlement between all of the Alice Griffith partners marks a moment for this community to move forward in a collaborative, positive manner.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The owners said that the COVID-19 pandemic fueled economic losses for the site, and cited a “lack of investment in the surrounding areas” that isolated the building and made it “uniquely exposed to various effects of the pandemic.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development is also contributing $2 million for upgrades to the property’s outdoor play areas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Every San Franciscan should have housing that is not only affordable but also safe and well-maintained, and the residents at Alice Griffith have not,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a statement. “Over the past year, our administration has worked with the City Attorney’s Office to hold the owners and property managers accountable for the conditions residents have endured.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“No San Franciscan should have to live in substandard housing, and there must be consequences when residents are deprived of a safe and healthy place to live,” said City Attorney David Chiu. “We know it’s not possible to solve every challenge overnight, but this agreement directs real dollars into Alice Griffith and holds the property owners accountable for the terrible conditions at the property.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260511-YICKWOCOMMEMORATION-JY-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260511-YICKWOCOMMEMORATION-JY-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260511-YICKWOCOMMEMORATION-JY-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260511-YICKWOCOMMEMORATION-JY-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">City Attorney David Chiu speaks during a press conference at the parking lot on Third and Harrison streets in San Francisco on May 11, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Located in the Bayview neighborhood, Alice Griffith Apartments was previously run by the city’s housing authority and was part of a wave of public housing buildings that were transferred to private owners in the early 2000s. The 337-unit building received major upgrades and was hailed as a model for leveraging public-private partnerships to improve low-income housing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Located in the Bayview neighborhood, Alice Griffith Apartments was previously run by the city’s housing authority and was part of a wave of public housing buildings that were transferred to private owners in the early 2000s. The 337-unit building received major upgrades and was hailed as a model for leveraging public-private partnerships to improve low-income housing. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The project was supported by a $30.5 million federal grant, along with other public and private financing. The Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure provided $68.3 million in loans to back construction and long-term affordability for the project.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But within only a few years under its new private owners, the building fell into disrepair. \u003ca href=\"https://missionlocal.org/2026/07/alice-griffith-bayview-san-francisco-public-housing-redevelopment/\">\u003cem>Mission Local\u003c/em>\u003c/a> chronicled conditions at the building, including rat infestations, debris pile-ups and other public health concerns for its residents. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But within only a few years under its new private owners, the building fell into disrepair. \u003ca href=\"https://missionlocal.org/2026/07/alice-griffith-bayview-san-francisco-public-housing-redevelopment/\">\u003cem>Mission Local\u003c/em>\u003c/a> chronicled conditions at the building, including rat infestations, debris pile-ups and other public health concerns for its residents. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Multiple city departments issued notices of violation related to health, housing, plumbing, building, electrical and fire code issues at the building, where the John Stewart Company is the property manager. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Everyone deserves a safe, healthy place to call home. Our health is shaped not only by the care we receive, but by the conditions where we live,” Public Health Director Daniel Tsai said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In addition to addressing the repairs and paying city fees, the owners agreed to invest $3 million into pest control and other upgrades within the next two years. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have worked tirelessly to provide a place that is safe, secure and accommodating for the\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>tenants who call Alice Griffith home,” a spokesperson for McCormack Baron Salazar said in a statement to KQED. “Today’s mutually agreed-upon settlement between all of the Alice Griffith partners marks a moment for this community to move forward in a collaborative, positive manner.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>tenants who call Alice Griffith home,” a spokesperson for McCormack Baron Salazar said in a statement to KQED. “Today’s mutually agreed-upon settlement between all of the Alice Griffith partners marks a moment for this community to move forward in a collaborative, positive manner.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The owners said that the COVID-19 pandemic fueled economic losses for the site, and cited a “lack of investment in the surrounding areas” that isolated the building and made it “uniquely exposed to various effects of the pandemic.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The owners said that the COVID-19 pandemic fueled economic losses for the site, and cited a “lack of investment in the surrounding areas” that isolated the building and made it “uniquely exposed to various effects of the pandemic.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development is also contributing $2 million for upgrades to the property’s outdoor play areas. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Every San Franciscan should have housing that is not only affordable but also safe and well-maintained, and the residents at Alice Griffith have not,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a statement. “Over the past year, our administration has worked with the City Attorney’s Office to hold the owners and property managers accountable for the conditions residents have endured.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Every San Franciscan should have housing that is not only affordable but also safe and well-maintained, and the residents at Alice Griffith have not,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a statement. “Over the past year, our administration has worked with the City Attorney’s Office to hold the owners and property managers accountable for the conditions residents have endured.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Alice Griffith Apartments was once hailed as a model for invigorating low-income housing before concerns about rodent infestations and disrepair mounted.",
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"title": "Owners of Beleaguered San Francisco Housing Complex Agree to $9 Million Settlement | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The owners of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a> affordable housing complex will pay $9 million in a settlement with the city, following mounting evidence of disrepair, rodent infestations and deteriorating conditions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The agreement with McCormack Baron Salazar, a St. Louis-based developer that owns Alice Griffith Apartments, includes fixes to reported violations, city penalties and additional improvements beyond the scope of the building’s citations, a first-ever concession according to the city attorney’s office. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“No San Franciscan should have to live in substandard housing, and there must be consequences when residents are deprived of a safe and healthy place to live,” said City Attorney David Chiu. “We know it’s not possible to solve every challenge overnight, but this agreement directs real dollars into Alice Griffith and holds the property owners accountable for the terrible conditions at the property.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260511-YICKWOCOMMEMORATION-JY-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260511-YICKWOCOMMEMORATION-JY-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260511-YICKWOCOMMEMORATION-JY-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260511-YICKWOCOMMEMORATION-JY-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">City Attorney David Chiu speaks during a press conference at the parking lot on Third and Harrison streets in San Francisco on May 11, 2026. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Located in the Bayview neighborhood, Alice Griffith Apartments was previously run by the city’s housing authority and was part of a wave of public housing buildings that were transferred to private owners in the early 2000s. The 337-unit building received major upgrades and was hailed as a model for leveraging public-private partnerships to improve low-income housing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The project was supported by a $30.5 million federal grant, along with other public and private financing. The Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure provided $68.3 million in loans to back construction and long-term affordability for the project.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But within only a few years under its new private owners, the building fell into disrepair. \u003ca href=\"https://missionlocal.org/2026/07/alice-griffith-bayview-san-francisco-public-housing-redevelopment/\">\u003cem>Mission Local\u003c/em>\u003c/a> chronicled conditions at the building, including rat infestations, debris pile-ups and other public health concerns for its residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Multiple city departments issued notices of violation related to health, housing, plumbing, building, electrical and fire code issues at the building, where the John Stewart Company is the property manager. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Everyone deserves a safe, healthy place to call home. Our health is shaped not only by the care we receive, but by the conditions where we live,” Public Health Director Daniel Tsai said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to addressing the repairs and paying city fees, the owners agreed to invest $3 million into pest control and other upgrades within the next two years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have worked tirelessly to provide a place that is safe, secure and accommodating for the\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>tenants who call Alice Griffith home,” a spokesperson for McCormack Baron Salazar said in a statement to KQED. “Today’s mutually agreed-upon settlement between all of the Alice Griffith partners marks a moment for this community to move forward in a collaborative, positive manner.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The owners said that the COVID-19 pandemic fueled economic losses for the site, and cited a “lack of investment in the surrounding areas” that isolated the building and made it “uniquely exposed to various effects of the pandemic.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development is also contributing $2 million for upgrades to the property’s outdoor play areas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Every San Franciscan should have housing that is not only affordable but also safe and well-maintained, and the residents at Alice Griffith have not,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a statement. “Over the past year, our administration has worked with the City Attorney’s Office to hold the owners and property managers accountable for the conditions residents have endured.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "why-are-there-so-many-public-golf-courses-in-the-bay-area",
"title": "Why Are There So Many Public Golf Courses in the Bay Area?",
"publishDate": 1787824800,
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"headTitle": "Why Are There So Many Public Golf Courses in the Bay Area? | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oakland resident Mary Newson would hike regularly in the parks up in the Oakland and Berkeley hills. It was a pleasant way to get outside, and there was no one around — even on a usually busy golf course near \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/anthony-chabot\">Anthony Chabot Regional Park.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There were deer and bunnies and geese and ducks and turkeys and all these animals that had just converged onto the golf course because nobody was using it,” she said. “That was really a beautiful thing to see.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But then, the restrictions started to let up, things started to reopen, and Mary would start to find dozens of golf balls on her walks. It made her wonder: Why are there so many golf courses in public parks around the Bay Area? Can and should she visit as a non-golfer? And what is their financial relationship to the park?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03134-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083077\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03134-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03134-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03134-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golfers practice at Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“I wasn’t sure how they worked, and if there was any sort of financial relationship, administrative relationship between the larger park and the golf course that sort of made them work together,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As it turns out, golf — and public golf, in particular — has a storied history in the Bay Area. And apart from a few conversions, mostly of private golf courses, these public greens are unlikely to be going anywhere soon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jump straight to:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#private\">The difference between public and private golf courses\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#make-money\">How public courses do or don’t make money for local parks\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#converting-golf-courses\">Golf course conversions underway in the Bay Area\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#visit-a-golf-course\">What to know if you’re visiting a public golf course for the first time\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the history of golf courses in the Bay Area?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The sport of golf made its way to the Bay Area with the arrival of Scottish immigrants in the 1890s and early 20th century, explained Richard Harris, who advocates for accessible golf with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfpublicgolf.org/\">San Francisco Public Golf Alliance.\u003c/a> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That included influential city leaders like John McLaren, the “father of Golden Gate Park,” who was a Scot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04079-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083083\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04079-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04079-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04079-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Richard Harris, president of the SF Public Golf Alliance, poses for a portrait at Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>McLaren, Harris said, was influential in creating Lincoln Park and Harding Park in San Francisco, as well as \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfpublicgolf.org/index.php/save/alister-mackenzies-sharp-park\">Pacifica’s Sharp Park\u003c/a>, designed by famous golf architect Alister MacKenzie. These are all public, not private golf courses, and are considered to be world-class, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Golf has been an important part of the Bay Area for a long time,” Harris said. “It’s one of the major golf areas in the country, and, for that matter, in the world.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"private\">What makes a public golf course different from a private one?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Public golf courses are those owned by local governments or parks districts. In the Bay Area, they tend to be inside or next to public parks you may know or frequent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Municipal golf courses help lower barriers to the sport by being accessible and relatively cheap, said Lily Achatz, president of the Harding Park Women’s Golf Club and a member of the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04136-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083084\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04136-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04136-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04136-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lily Achatz, president of Harding Park Women’s Golf Club, poses for a portrait at Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A private golf club could run you thousands of dollars in initiation fees, monthly dues and food and beverage minimums. A round at a public golf course, meanwhile, ranges from $30 to $100, with discounts for residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s stunning and what makes it so wonderful is that there’s all different generations here,” Achatz said. “The municipal courses are so important because it’s hard to get access to a country club or even be accepted.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"make-money\">Do golf courses make money for public parks?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Depending on the city or parks district, public golf courses can be real money-makers. Max Korten, acting general manager of the East Bay Regional Parks District, said Tilden Golf Course made the district $800,000 last year. It was the most profitable concession in the entire parks district last year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/sites/default/files/fy26-adopted-operating-capital-projects-budgets-w-bookmarks.pdf\">according to district documents.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s not the case with every city or district. In San Francisco, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/sf-golfers-grumble-over-course-privatization-plan-20184922.php\">the city is subsidizing the courses’ expected $6 million deficit\u003c/a> and has \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2025/07/22/sf-parks-fees/\">begun raising rates\u003c/a> at some public courses to help close the gap. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the East Bay, course fees are limited by a public board to keep fees low-cost for residents, Korten said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"converting-golf-courses\">Have there been any talks of converting golf courses to other uses?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s no widespread movement to convert golf courses in the Bay Area into other uses. But there are two notable examples of private golf courses undergoing their own transformations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The most controversial right now is Pleasant Hills in San José. It’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074738/housing-advocates-call-this-big-plot-of-san-jose-land-the-most-important-in-a-century\">a former private 115-acre golf course\u003c/a> that may become 2,000 new homes with some commercial and open space. It’s currently in environmental review as the community goes back and forth on what to do with it. What to do has become a fight, said Manira Sandhir, deputy director of planning for the city of San José. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03581-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03581-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03581-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03581-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12083082\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04043-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083082\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04043-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04043-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04043-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golfers play a game at Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12083078\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03155-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083078\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03155-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03155-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03155-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golf balls line the ground at Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“On one hand we have the community who’s directly affected by this project and has expressed concerns about the traffic that it would generate,” she said. It’s located in a highly car-dependent area, and there’s not a lot of transit or freeway access there either. “But then on the other hand, we have housing advocates who want to see more housing at the site, and they feel that putting 2,000 units at the site would be underutilization of this really large acreage that’s available for development.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The course, Sandhir said, was established in the 1960s but closed in 2004, likely for financial reasons — so not explicitly for this conversion. Sandhir said it’s likely to be years before the dust settles and a coherent plan for the site emerges.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Farther to the north, in Marin County’s San Geronimo Valley, another golf course has seen the end of its days. The Trust for Public Land, a land conservation organization, converted what was once a private 18-hole golf course into \u003ca href=\"https://www.tpl.org/our-work/san-geronimo-commons\">San Geronimo Commons\u003c/a>, a public park that fills a missing connection to surrounding open spaces, restores water rights to the Larson Creek and returns the land to its former function as a wetland. A county firehouse has even taken over the old golf clubhouse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I do think cities, park systems across the country, certainly in California, are rethinking their inventory and what can happen,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The car paths became walking paths, the sand traps became sandboxes for the kids,” said Guillermo Rodriguez, Trust for Public Land’s California director. He said this is one of four golf course conversions they have helped lead in the state, part of what he sees as a growing trend in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San Geronimo conversion wasn’t without its own controversy. After purchasing the property in 2018, Trust for Public Land launched a two-year process to narrow down what the community wanted from the property – and not everyone agreed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We had a lot of passionate golfers who had lots of memories tied to that facility,” he said. “And while, yes, there were other facilities they could go play golf in, they had history there, and so we had to work through that.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Senior manager on the project Erica Williams said in some ways, the COVID-19 pandemic set the stage for the transition of the property — opening people’s imaginations to how their community spaces could look. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“With the pandemic, I think that really allowed people to connect with the landscape, to reconnect with the land and to imagine a future,” she said. “It became a sanctuary.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"visit-a-golf-course\">Can I visit a golf course as a non-golfer?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Municipal golf courses are open to everyone, whether you want to reserve a tee time to try your hand at playing, practice your swing at the driving range, or just hang out at the cafes and restaurants onsite. Unlike private courses, there is no dress code at public golf courses. Dogs are not allowed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While walking along the course if you’re not playing generally isn’t allowed (getting hit by a ball is a real risk), many courses like Tilden have walking trails nearby that are open to anyone. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you want to play a round of golf, you should plan to book a tee time in advance. Public courses also offer golf club rentals if you don’t have any of your own.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>[baycuriousquestion]\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> It’s the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, and everything is shut down – even the gym. So Bay Curious listener Mary Newsom decided to go for a walk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music starts\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom:\u003c/strong> I live in Oakland. And so I would usually sort of go up to the ridgeline and start hiking and all the regional parks that are up on the ridgeline.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Eventually, Mary made her way up to Anthony Chabot Regional Park. Given the pandemic, there was no one around.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>And so one of the golf courses that’s right alongside Chabot was completely empty. There were, like, deer and bunnies and geese and ducks and turkeys and like all these animals. That it just converged onto the golf course because nobody was using it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> But then, the restrictions started to let up, and things started to reopen, and Mary would start to find dozens of golf balls on her walks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>It sort of made me wonder about the relationship between the park and the golf course that’s right up against it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Mary looked into what other municipal golf courses are located inside public parks, and the list is really quite long…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>Golden Gate Park, Presidio, Lincoln Park, Gleneagles, Tilden Park, Lake Chabot, Redwood Canyon, Sequoia…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And that’s just a partial list. This all got Mary wondering about the relationship between public parks and the golf courses within them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>Why are there so many golf courses in the Bay Area right next to, or inside public parks? Do they subsidize the parks? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We sent KQED’s outdoors reporter, Sarah Wright, to take a swing at finding some answers. She started, as you might expect, at Hole 1.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Birds chirping, golf balls getting whacked\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> The Golden Gate Park Golf Course is set up on a hill, right by San Francisco’s Ocean Beach. The breeze is strong, and a hawk has been circling overhead as a new set of golfers sets up at the first hole every 15 minutes. Here, I run into Lizzie Yurchak. She lives in the Pacific Heights neighborhood, and she came out to play the course today with a coworker who is from out of town.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lizzie Yurchak: \u003c/strong>He lives in Texas, so we were like, what’s something fun we can do while he’s visiting the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> It’s her first time out to this course — actually, her first time golfing in the Bay Area since she moved here from Philadelphia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lizzie Yurchak:\u003c/strong> I don’t have my clubs out here, so maybe I’ll feel inspired today. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>And what are your goals for today on the golf course?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lizzie Yurchak: \u003c/strong>Um, don’t shank it. And don’t lose foul balls. I think that’s about it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>She does not, in fact, shank it. I watch as she lines up for a stroke.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Lizzie hitting the golf ball\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Man:\u003c/strong> There we go!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Besides meeting golfers like Lizzie, I’m actually here to meet Richard Harris and Lily Achatz. They’re with the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance, which advocates for affordable golf in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz: \u003c/strong>Hi, Sarah.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> Lily, great to meet you. Thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz: \u003c/strong>Of course!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> I am here to ask them Mary’s question. Why are there so many golf courses in public parks in the Bay Area?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To answer that, Richard says, we have to dig into history.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>Golf has been an important part of the Bay Area for a long time. And it’s one of the major golf areas in the country, and for that matter, in the world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Golf traces its origins to Scotland — Richard explains.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Scottish music plays\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>Originated in what they called the Links Land, which is the land between the cities and the coast, which was not much use for anything. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Richard says that in the 1890s and early 20th century, immigrants, including Scots, came here and brought golf with them. Among them was a man who had a huge impact on recreation in our region. The father of Golden Gate Park – John McLaren. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>John McLaren was a Scot. John McLaren liked golf. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>He first built Lincoln Park, a golf course by the Legion of Honor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris:\u003c/strong> And then quickly, he found another Scot to design Harding Park…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>… A legendary course near Lake Merced.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>And then another Scot to design Sharp Park…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>… Just steps from the ocean in Pacifica.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>That Scot being Alistair McKenzie. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>McKenzie is most famous for having designed Augusta, in Georgia, where the Masters is played.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Those iconic early courses built in the Bay Area were — and still are — all public, not private, golf courses. And today they’re known as some of the most premium municipal courses in the nation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In California, Richard said, publicly owned courses make up about a third of all courses statewide. And they’re at the forefront of welcoming new players into the sport and combating golf’s reputation for being overly white, male and exclusive.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lily Achatz, president of the Harding Park Women’s Golf Club, knows that firsthand. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz:\u003c/strong> I didn’t grow up playing golf. I got into golf much later, about like six years ago. I don’t know how many sports there are that you can get into, you know, get into it so late. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>She says municipal golf courses, with their relatively cheap fees and open access, are critical to help lower barriers to the sport.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>A private golf club could run you thousands of dollars in initiation fees, monthly dues and food and beverage minimums. A round at a public golf course, meanwhile, ranges from about $30 to $100, with discounts for residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz:\u003c/strong> What makes it so wonderful is that there’s all different generations here. There’s friends, all different backgrounds. The municipal courses are so important because it’s hard to get access to a country club or even be accepted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>In fact, golf wasn’t even racially integrated until the 1950s. And Bay Area municipal courses had a role in that, too. Richard shows me a photo of a plaque that hangs at Pacifica’s Sharp Park course. At the time, the course was known for denying tee times to Black players. But in 1955, that changed when Sharp Park became the site of the inaugural championship tournament of the Western States Golf Association, one of the country’s oldest and largest African American golfing organizations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris:\u003c/strong> It was swimming pools in the south. In San Francisco, it was golf courses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Still, even today, municipal courses can feel exclusive. When Mary asked her question originally, she actually pointed out this bias she feels. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>If I’m walking through a city park and I pass by tennis courts, I don’t really blink an eye, or basketball courts. But it’s funny that to me, like a golf course strikes me differently, you know that I sort of wonder, oh, wait, why is this here? And who actually uses this? You know? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> When we return, we explore who these golf courses are for. And get into the finances. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music starts\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>KQED’s Outdoors reporter Sarah Wright is very familiar with the condemnation golf courses sometimes face.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Any type of golf course will inevitably draw criticism from those worried about its environmental impact. They are, after all, enormous, frequently watered, heavily manicured lawns. Many golf courses are\u003cem> \u003c/em>working to become more sustainable, but that could be its own story for another day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To keep things focused on Mary’s question, I spoke with Max Korten, acting general manager of the East Bay Regional Parks District.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He says the public has just as much a right to nice turf on a golf course as any other park amenity. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Max Korten: \u003c/strong>I think it’s one of the really cool things about some of our parks is like, in Tilden, there’s like the merry-go-round, the steam trains, the golf course, like some of these things that… You kind of feel like you’re visiting another era.\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>East Bay Regional Parks has two golf courses, Tilden and Redwood Canyon, and Max says they take up just a combined 240 acres of the 120,000 the district manages. And the golf courses aren’t just for golfers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Max Korten:\u003c/strong> The driving range is something that like anybody could do. I’ve taken my son there, my dad and step-mom, like who haven’t really ever played golf, and go just try to hit balls. And it’s really fun and fairly inexpensive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Max explained that golf courses in East Bay parks are operated as concessions. So a private company, in this case, called Touchstone, operates the courses and then a percentage of their profits, around 10 percent, goes to the parks district. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They can also be a major money maker for the parks. Last year, Max said, Tilden brought in over $800,000 in revenue — it’s the most profitable concession in the entire parks district. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the East Bay, fees are limited by the public parks district board to keep things affordable for the golfers themselves, Max said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Max Korten:\u003c/strong> Keeping these public courses around to provide low-cost ways for community members to access golf is really important because I think they’re sort of an equity opportunity to make sure that this sport is available to everyone. \u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Now, not every city can say public golf is a money maker. In San Francisco, for example, the city is subsidizing the courses’ expected $6 million deficit for the 2026-27 fiscal year, and the city has begun raising rates at some public courses to help close the gap.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So, to answer Mary’s question, there often is a symbiotic relationship between the parks departments and the courses – but not always. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I went and told Mary what I found — about how the golf courses she was walking by during the pandemic — do help fund the park.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary: \u003c/strong>I’m glad to hear that they’re actually making money for East Bay Regional Parks. I feel like, you know, parks are always underfunded, you know, they’re always sort of like the first to be cut. So, to hear that they’re actually supporting the park, I think, is great.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>I admit — I was surprised to learn that too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>Yeah, it’s definitely sort of changed my mind and sort of given me more of a positive perspective on them than I had before.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>So much so that she was even willing to give it a try herself. Olivia and I asked Mary and Lily Achatz, from the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance, to join us at Corica Park in Alameda. It’s hot and sunny, and for a Thursday afternoon, the golf course is bustling.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz: \u003c/strong>You guys brought the good weather. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Corica Park actually has several golf courses, and even a foot golf course where you can kick soccer balls into giant holes in the green. We convened at the smaller Par 3 course, which is a great option for kids, beginners or anyone looking for a lower-key experience — which was perfect for our group of just one expert and three complete amateurs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom:\u003c/strong> I have never played golf before ever in my life. Not even miniature golf, actually, neither one. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So how do you predict this is going to go?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>I honestly don’t know, but I do see some water over here and I imagine one of my balls would go in there.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Well, as it turns out, Mary is an athlete – she grew up playing basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, rowing — you name it. So she got the hang of it quick.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>Here, I’m just going to do a gentle putt.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Mary hitting the golf ball\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Nice, woohoo!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>My first ever!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Olivia and I, we did our best… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Okay, it only took three swings to make contact.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> And you did it. And you were lined up perfectly. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>And, no surprise, Lily crushed us all. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Lily hitting the golf ball\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>That was incredible, I don’t even know where it went! \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz: \u003c/strong>It sliced to the right.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>After around an hour, we called it quits. I asked Mary how she thought it went.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom:\u003c/strong> It felt a little funny, but I think if I did it more, I would definitely get used to it, you know, and it would be something, like, I would be at home, right? You know before bed or something like that, practicing my swing, like, okay, you know.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> So, Olivia, what do you think? Is there more golfing in our future?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I think I’m going to stick to podcasting, for now. But I don’t know, Mary seemed to be getting into it. Maybe we’ll have to check in with her in a year and see how things are coming along.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> I know that I’ll be practicing my swing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Sarah Wright, outdoors reporter for KQED. Thank you!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> Thank you so much.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. We get extra support from Maha Sanad, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild American Federation of Television and Radio Artists San Francisco Northern California Local.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a great week.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oakland resident Mary Newson would hike regularly in the parks up in the Oakland and Berkeley hills. It was a pleasant way to get outside, and there was no one around — even on a usually busy golf course near \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/anthony-chabot\">Anthony Chabot Regional Park.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There were deer and bunnies and geese and ducks and turkeys and all these animals that had just converged onto the golf course because nobody was using it,” she said. “That was really a beautiful thing to see.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“There were deer and bunnies and geese and ducks and turkeys and all these animals that had just converged onto the golf course because nobody was using it,” she said. “That was really a beautiful thing to see.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But then, the restrictions started to let up, things started to reopen, and Mary would start to find dozens of golf balls on her walks. It made her wonder: Why are there so many golf courses in public parks around the Bay Area? Can and should she visit as a non-golfer? And what is their financial relationship to the park?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But then, the restrictions started to let up, things started to reopen, and Mary would start to find dozens of golf balls on her walks. It made her wonder: Why are there so many golf courses in public parks around the Bay Area? Can and should she visit as a non-golfer? And what is their financial relationship to the park?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03134-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083077\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03134-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03134-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03134-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golfers practice at Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03134-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083077\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golfers practice at Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I wasn’t sure how they worked, and if there was any sort of financial relationship, administrative relationship between the larger park and the golf course that sort of made them work together,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I wasn’t sure how they worked, and if there was any sort of financial relationship, administrative relationship between the larger park and the golf course that sort of made them work together,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As it turns out, golf — and public golf, in particular — has a storied history in the Bay Area. And apart from a few conversions, mostly of private golf courses, these public greens are unlikely to be going anywhere soon.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As it turns out, golf — and public golf, in particular — has a storied history in the Bay Area. And apart from a few conversions, mostly of private golf courses, these public greens are unlikely to be going anywhere soon.\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#private\">The difference between public and private golf courses\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#make-money\">How public courses do or don’t make money for local parks\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#make-money\">How public courses do or don’t make money for local parks\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#converting-golf-courses\">Golf course conversions underway in the Bay Area\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#visit-a-golf-course\">What to know if you’re visiting a public golf course for the first time\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"text": "What is the history of golf courses in the Bay Area?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The sport of golf made its way to the Bay Area with the arrival of Scottish immigrants in the 1890s and early 20th century, explained Richard Harris, who advocates for accessible golf with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfpublicgolf.org/\">San Francisco Public Golf Alliance.\u003c/a> \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The sport of golf made its way to the Bay Area with the arrival of Scottish immigrants in the 1890s and early 20th century, explained Richard Harris, who advocates for accessible golf with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfpublicgolf.org/\">San Francisco Public Golf Alliance.\u003c/a> \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That included influential city leaders like John McLaren, the “father of Golden Gate Park,” who was a Scot. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04079-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083083\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04079-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04079-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04079-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Richard Harris, president of the SF Public Golf Alliance, poses for a portrait at Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>McLaren, Harris said, was influential in creating Lincoln Park and Harding Park in San Francisco, as well as \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfpublicgolf.org/index.php/save/alister-mackenzies-sharp-park\">Pacifica’s Sharp Park\u003c/a>, designed by famous golf architect Alister MacKenzie. These are all public, not private golf courses, and are considered to be world-class, he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>McLaren, Harris said, was influential in creating Lincoln Park and Harding Park in San Francisco, as well as \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfpublicgolf.org/index.php/save/alister-mackenzies-sharp-park\">Pacifica’s Sharp Park\u003c/a>, designed by famous golf architect Alister MacKenzie. These are all public, not private golf courses, and are considered to be world-class, he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Golf has been an important part of the Bay Area for a long time,” Harris said. “It’s one of the major golf areas in the country, and, for that matter, in the world.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Golf has been an important part of the Bay Area for a long time,” Harris said. “It’s one of the major golf areas in the country, and, for that matter, in the world.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Public golf courses are those owned by local governments or parks districts. In the Bay Area, they tend to be inside or next to public parks you may know or frequent.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Municipal golf courses help lower barriers to the sport by being accessible and relatively cheap, said Lily Achatz, president of the Harding Park Women’s Golf Club and a member of the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Municipal golf courses help lower barriers to the sport by being accessible and relatively cheap, said Lily Achatz, president of the Harding Park Women’s Golf Club and a member of the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04136-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083084\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04136-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04136-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04136-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lily Achatz, president of Harding Park Women’s Golf Club, poses for a portrait at Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04136-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083084\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lily Achatz, president of Harding Park Women’s Golf Club, poses for a portrait at Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A private golf club could run you thousands of dollars in initiation fees, monthly dues and food and beverage minimums. A round at a public golf course, meanwhile, ranges from $30 to $100, with discounts for residents. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A private golf club could run you thousands of dollars in initiation fees, monthly dues and food and beverage minimums. A round at a public golf course, meanwhile, ranges from $30 to $100, with discounts for residents. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s stunning and what makes it so wonderful is that there’s all different generations here,” Achatz said. “The municipal courses are so important because it’s hard to get access to a country club or even be accepted.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "Do golf courses make money for public parks?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Depending on the city or parks district, public golf courses can be real money-makers. Max Korten, acting general manager of the East Bay Regional Parks District, said Tilden Golf Course made the district $800,000 last year. It was the most profitable concession in the entire parks district last year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/sites/default/files/fy26-adopted-operating-capital-projects-budgets-w-bookmarks.pdf\">according to district documents.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Depending on the city or parks district, public golf courses can be real money-makers. Max Korten, acting general manager of the East Bay Regional Parks District, said Tilden Golf Course made the district $800,000 last year. It was the most profitable concession in the entire parks district last year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/sites/default/files/fy26-adopted-operating-capital-projects-budgets-w-bookmarks.pdf\">according to district documents.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That’s not the case with every city or district. In San Francisco, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/sf-golfers-grumble-over-course-privatization-plan-20184922.php\">the city is subsidizing the courses’ expected $6 million deficit\u003c/a> and has \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2025/07/22/sf-parks-fees/\">begun raising rates\u003c/a> at some public courses to help close the gap. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That’s not the case with every city or district. In San Francisco, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/sf-golfers-grumble-over-course-privatization-plan-20184922.php\">the city is subsidizing the courses’ expected $6 million deficit\u003c/a> and has \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2025/07/22/sf-parks-fees/\">begun raising rates\u003c/a> at some public courses to help close the gap. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the East Bay, course fees are limited by a public board to keep fees low-cost for residents, Korten said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "Have there been any talks of converting golf courses to other uses?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There’s no widespread movement to convert golf courses in the Bay Area into other uses. But there are two notable examples of private golf courses undergoing their own transformations. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The most controversial right now is Pleasant Hills in San José. It’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074738/housing-advocates-call-this-big-plot-of-san-jose-land-the-most-important-in-a-century\">a former private 115-acre golf course\u003c/a> that may become 2,000 new homes with some commercial and open space. It’s currently in environmental review as the community goes back and forth on what to do with it. What to do has become a fight, said Manira Sandhir, deputy director of planning for the city of San José. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The most controversial right now is Pleasant Hills in San José. It’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074738/housing-advocates-call-this-big-plot-of-san-jose-land-the-most-important-in-a-century\">a former private 115-acre golf course\u003c/a> that may become 2,000 new homes with some commercial and open space. It’s currently in environmental review as the community goes back and forth on what to do with it. What to do has become a fight, said Manira Sandhir, deputy director of planning for the city of San José. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“On one hand we have the community who’s directly affected by this project and has expressed concerns about the traffic that it would generate,” she said. It’s located in a highly car-dependent area, and there’s not a lot of transit or freeway access there either. “But then on the other hand, we have housing advocates who want to see more housing at the site, and they feel that putting 2,000 units at the site would be underutilization of this really large acreage that’s available for development.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“On one hand we have the community who’s directly affected by this project and has expressed concerns about the traffic that it would generate,” she said. It’s located in a highly car-dependent area, and there’s not a lot of transit or freeway access there either. “But then on the other hand, we have housing advocates who want to see more housing at the site, and they feel that putting 2,000 units at the site would be underutilization of this really large acreage that’s available for development.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The course, Sandhir said, was established in the 1960s but closed in 2004, likely for financial reasons — so not explicitly for this conversion. Sandhir said it’s likely to be years before the dust settles and a coherent plan for the site emerges.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The course, Sandhir said, was established in the 1960s but closed in 2004, likely for financial reasons — so not explicitly for this conversion. Sandhir said it’s likely to be years before the dust settles and a coherent plan for the site emerges.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Farther to the north, in Marin County’s San Geronimo Valley, another golf course has seen the end of its days. The Trust for Public Land, a land conservation organization, converted what was once a private 18-hole golf course into \u003ca href=\"https://www.tpl.org/our-work/san-geronimo-commons\">San Geronimo Commons\u003c/a>, a public park that fills a missing connection to surrounding open spaces, restores water rights to the Larson Creek and returns the land to its former function as a wetland. A county firehouse has even taken over the old golf clubhouse.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Farther to the north, in Marin County’s San Geronimo Valley, another golf course has seen the end of its days. The Trust for Public Land, a land conservation organization, converted what was once a private 18-hole golf course into \u003ca href=\"https://www.tpl.org/our-work/san-geronimo-commons\">San Geronimo Commons\u003c/a>, a public park that fills a missing connection to surrounding open spaces, restores water rights to the Larson Creek and returns the land to its former function as a wetland. A county firehouse has even taken over the old golf clubhouse.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I do think cities, park systems across the country, certainly in California, are rethinking their inventory and what can happen,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I do think cities, park systems across the country, certainly in California, are rethinking their inventory and what can happen,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The car paths became walking paths, the sand traps became sandboxes for the kids,” said Guillermo Rodriguez, Trust for Public Land’s California director. He said this is one of four golf course conversions they have helped lead in the state, part of what he sees as a growing trend in California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The car paths became walking paths, the sand traps became sandboxes for the kids,” said Guillermo Rodriguez, Trust for Public Land’s California director. He said this is one of four golf course conversions they have helped lead in the state, part of what he sees as a growing trend in California.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The San Geronimo conversion wasn’t without its own controversy. After purchasing the property in 2018, Trust for Public Land launched a two-year process to narrow down what the community wanted from the property – and not everyone agreed.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The San Geronimo conversion wasn’t without its own controversy. After purchasing the property in 2018, Trust for Public Land launched a two-year process to narrow down what the community wanted from the property – and not everyone agreed.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We had a lot of passionate golfers who had lots of memories tied to that facility,” he said. “And while, yes, there were other facilities they could go play golf in, they had history there, and so we had to work through that.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We had a lot of passionate golfers who had lots of memories tied to that facility,” he said. “And while, yes, there were other facilities they could go play golf in, they had history there, and so we had to work through that.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Senior manager on the project Erica Williams said in some ways, the COVID-19 pandemic set the stage for the transition of the property — opening people’s imaginations to how their community spaces could look. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Senior manager on the project Erica Williams said in some ways, the COVID-19 pandemic set the stage for the transition of the property — opening people’s imaginations to how their community spaces could look. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“With the pandemic, I think that really allowed people to connect with the landscape, to reconnect with the land and to imagine a future,” she said. “It became a sanctuary.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“With the pandemic, I think that really allowed people to connect with the landscape, to reconnect with the land and to imagine a future,” she said. “It became a sanctuary.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Can I visit a golf course as a non-golfer?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Municipal golf courses are open to everyone, whether you want to reserve a tee time to try your hand at playing, practice your swing at the driving range, or just hang out at the cafes and restaurants onsite. Unlike private courses, there is no dress code at public golf courses. Dogs are not allowed.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Municipal golf courses are open to everyone, whether you want to reserve a tee time to try your hand at playing, practice your swing at the driving range, or just hang out at the cafes and restaurants onsite. Unlike private courses, there is no dress code at public golf courses. Dogs are not allowed.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While walking along the course if you’re not playing generally isn’t allowed (getting hit by a ball is a real risk), many courses like Tilden have walking trails nearby that are open to anyone. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While walking along the course if you’re not playing generally isn’t allowed (getting hit by a ball is a real risk), many courses like Tilden have walking trails nearby that are open to anyone. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you want to play a round of golf, you should plan to book a tee time in advance. Public courses also offer golf club rentals if you don’t have any of your own.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you want to play a round of golf, you should plan to book a tee time in advance. Public courses also offer golf club rentals if you don’t have any of your own.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> It’s the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, and everything is shut down – even the gym. So Bay Curious listener Mary Newsom decided to go for a walk. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> It’s the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, and everything is shut down – even the gym. So Bay Curious listener Mary Newsom decided to go for a walk. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music starts\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom:\u003c/strong> I live in Oakland. And so I would usually sort of go up to the ridgeline and start hiking and all the regional parks that are up on the ridgeline.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Eventually, Mary made her way up to Anthony Chabot Regional Park. Given the pandemic, there was no one around.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>And so one of the golf courses that’s right alongside Chabot was completely empty. There were, like, deer and bunnies and geese and ducks and turkeys and like all these animals. That it just converged onto the golf course because nobody was using it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> But then, the restrictions started to let up, and things started to reopen, and Mary would start to find dozens of golf balls on her walks.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> But then, the restrictions started to let up, and things started to reopen, and Mary would start to find dozens of golf balls on her walks.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>It sort of made me wonder about the relationship between the park and the golf course that’s right up against it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Mary looked into what other municipal golf courses are located inside public parks, and the list is really quite long…\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Mary looked into what other municipal golf courses are located inside public parks, and the list is really quite long…\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>Golden Gate Park, Presidio, Lincoln Park, Gleneagles, Tilden Park, Lake Chabot, Redwood Canyon, Sequoia…\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>Golden Gate Park, Presidio, Lincoln Park, Gleneagles, Tilden Park, Lake Chabot, Redwood Canyon, Sequoia…\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And that’s just a partial list. This all got Mary wondering about the relationship between public parks and the golf courses within them.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And that’s just a partial list. This all got Mary wondering about the relationship between public parks and the golf courses within them.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>Why are there so many golf courses in the Bay Area right next to, or inside public parks? Do they subsidize the parks? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We sent KQED’s outdoors reporter, Sarah Wright, to take a swing at finding some answers. She started, as you might expect, at Hole 1.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We sent KQED’s outdoors reporter, Sarah Wright, to take a swing at finding some answers. She started, as you might expect, at Hole 1.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Birds chirping, golf balls getting whacked\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> The Golden Gate Park Golf Course is set up on a hill, right by San Francisco’s Ocean Beach. The breeze is strong, and a hawk has been circling overhead as a new set of golfers sets up at the first hole every 15 minutes. Here, I run into Lizzie Yurchak. She lives in the Pacific Heights neighborhood, and she came out to play the course today with a coworker who is from out of town.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> The Golden Gate Park Golf Course is set up on a hill, right by San Francisco’s Ocean Beach. The breeze is strong, and a hawk has been circling overhead as a new set of golfers sets up at the first hole every 15 minutes. Here, I run into Lizzie Yurchak. She lives in the Pacific Heights neighborhood, and she came out to play the course today with a coworker who is from out of town.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lizzie Yurchak: \u003c/strong>He lives in Texas, so we were like, what’s something fun we can do while he’s visiting the Bay.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> It’s her first time out to this course — actually, her first time golfing in the Bay Area since she moved here from Philadelphia.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lizzie Yurchak:\u003c/strong> I don’t have my clubs out here, so maybe I’ll feel inspired today. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>And what are your goals for today on the golf course?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lizzie Yurchak: \u003c/strong>Um, don’t shank it. And don’t lose foul balls. I think that’s about it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lizzie Yurchak: \u003c/strong>Um, don’t shank it. And don’t lose foul balls. I think that’s about it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>She does not, in fact, shank it. I watch as she lines up for a stroke.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>She does not, in fact, shank it. I watch as she lines up for a stroke.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Lizzie hitting the golf ball\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Lizzie hitting the golf ball\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Man:\u003c/strong> There we go!\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Man:\u003c/strong> There we go!\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Besides meeting golfers like Lizzie, I’m actually here to meet Richard Harris and Lily Achatz. They’re with the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance, which advocates for affordable golf in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Besides meeting golfers like Lizzie, I’m actually here to meet Richard Harris and Lily Achatz. They’re with the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance, which advocates for affordable golf in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz: \u003c/strong>Hi, Sarah.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> Lily, great to meet you. Thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz: \u003c/strong>Of course!\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> I am here to ask them Mary’s question. Why are there so many golf courses in public parks in the Bay Area?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> I am here to ask them Mary’s question. Why are there so many golf courses in public parks in the Bay Area?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To answer that, Richard says, we have to dig into history.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>Golf has been an important part of the Bay Area for a long time. And it’s one of the major golf areas in the country, and for that matter, in the world.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>Golf has been an important part of the Bay Area for a long time. And it’s one of the major golf areas in the country, and for that matter, in the world.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Golf traces its origins to Scotland — Richard explains.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Scottish music plays\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>Originated in what they called the Links Land, which is the land between the cities and the coast, which was not much use for anything. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Golf traces its origins to Scotland — Richard explains.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Scottish music plays\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>Originated in what they called the Links Land, which is the land between the cities and the coast, which was not much use for anything. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Richard says that in the 1890s and early 20th century, immigrants, including Scots, came here and brought golf with them. Among them was a man who had a huge impact on recreation in our region. The father of Golden Gate Park – John McLaren. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>John McLaren was a Scot. John McLaren liked golf. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>He first built Lincoln Park, a golf course by the Legion of Honor.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris:\u003c/strong> And then quickly, he found another Scot to design Harding Park…\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris:\u003c/strong> And then quickly, he found another Scot to design Harding Park…\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>… A legendary course near Lake Merced.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>… A legendary course near Lake Merced.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>And then another Scot to design Sharp Park…\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>… Just steps from the ocean in Pacifica.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>… Just steps from the ocean in Pacifica.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>That Scot being Alistair McKenzie. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>That Scot being Alistair McKenzie. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>McKenzie is most famous for having designed Augusta, in Georgia, where the Masters is played.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>McKenzie is most famous for having designed Augusta, in Georgia, where the Masters is played.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Those iconic early courses built in the Bay Area were — and still are — all public, not private, golf courses. And today they’re known as some of the most premium municipal courses in the nation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Those iconic early courses built in the Bay Area were — and still are — all public, not private, golf courses. And today they’re known as some of the most premium municipal courses in the nation.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In California, Richard said, publicly owned courses make up about a third of all courses statewide. And they’re at the forefront of welcoming new players into the sport and combating golf’s reputation for being overly white, male and exclusive.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In California, Richard said, publicly owned courses make up about a third of all courses statewide. And they’re at the forefront of welcoming new players into the sport and combating golf’s reputation for being overly white, male and exclusive.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lily Achatz, president of the Harding Park Women’s Golf Club, knows that firsthand. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz:\u003c/strong> I didn’t grow up playing golf. I got into golf much later, about like six years ago. I don’t know how many sports there are that you can get into, you know, get into it so late. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>She says municipal golf courses, with their relatively cheap fees and open access, are critical to help lower barriers to the sport.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>A private golf club could run you thousands of dollars in initiation fees, monthly dues and food and beverage minimums. A round at a public golf course, meanwhile, ranges from about $30 to $100, with discounts for residents. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz:\u003c/strong> What makes it so wonderful is that there’s all different generations here. There’s friends, all different backgrounds. The municipal courses are so important because it’s hard to get access to a country club or even be accepted.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz:\u003c/strong> What makes it so wonderful is that there’s all different generations here. There’s friends, all different backgrounds. The municipal courses are so important because it’s hard to get access to a country club or even be accepted.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>In fact, golf wasn’t even racially integrated until the 1950s. And Bay Area municipal courses had a role in that, too. Richard shows me a photo of a plaque that hangs at Pacifica’s Sharp Park course. At the time, the course was known for denying tee times to Black players. But in 1955, that changed when Sharp Park became the site of the inaugural championship tournament of the Western States Golf Association, one of the country’s oldest and largest African American golfing organizations.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>In fact, golf wasn’t even racially integrated until the 1950s. And Bay Area municipal courses had a role in that, too. Richard shows me a photo of a plaque that hangs at Pacifica’s Sharp Park course. At the time, the course was known for denying tee times to Black players. But in 1955, that changed when Sharp Park became the site of the inaugural championship tournament of the Western States Golf Association, one of the country’s oldest and largest African American golfing organizations.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris:\u003c/strong> It was swimming pools in the south. In San Francisco, it was golf courses. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Still, even today, municipal courses can feel exclusive. When Mary asked her question originally, she actually pointed out this bias she feels. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Still, even today, municipal courses can feel exclusive. When Mary asked her question originally, she actually pointed out this bias she feels. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>If I’m walking through a city park and I pass by tennis courts, I don’t really blink an eye, or basketball courts. But it’s funny that to me, like a golf course strikes me differently, you know that I sort of wonder, oh, wait, why is this here? And who actually uses this? You know? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>If I’m walking through a city park and I pass by tennis courts, I don’t really blink an eye, or basketball courts. But it’s funny that to me, like a golf course strikes me differently, you know that I sort of wonder, oh, wait, why is this here? And who actually uses this? You know? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> When we return, we explore who these golf courses are for. And get into the finances. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> When we return, we explore who these golf courses are for. And get into the finances. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music starts\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>KQED’s Outdoors reporter Sarah Wright is very familiar with the condemnation golf courses sometimes face.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>KQED’s Outdoors reporter Sarah Wright is very familiar with the condemnation golf courses sometimes face.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Any type of golf course will inevitably draw criticism from those worried about its environmental impact. They are, after all, enormous, frequently watered, heavily manicured lawns. Many golf courses are\u003cem> \u003c/em>working to become more sustainable, but that could be its own story for another day.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Any type of golf course will inevitably draw criticism from those worried about its environmental impact. They are, after all, enormous, frequently watered, heavily manicured lawns. Many golf courses are\u003cem> \u003c/em>working to become more sustainable, but that could be its own story for another day.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To keep things focused on Mary’s question, I spoke with Max Korten, acting general manager of the East Bay Regional Parks District.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>To keep things focused on Mary’s question, I spoke with Max Korten, acting general manager of the East Bay Regional Parks District.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He says the public has just as much a right to nice turf on a golf course as any other park amenity. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He says the public has just as much a right to nice turf on a golf course as any other park amenity. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Max Korten: \u003c/strong>I think it’s one of the really cool things about some of our parks is like, in Tilden, there’s like the merry-go-round, the steam trains, the golf course, like some of these things that… You kind of feel like you’re visiting another era.\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>East Bay Regional Parks has two golf courses, Tilden and Redwood Canyon, and Max says they take up just a combined 240 acres of the 120,000 the district manages. And the golf courses aren’t just for golfers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Max Korten: \u003c/strong>I think it’s one of the really cool things about some of our parks is like, in Tilden, there’s like the merry-go-round, the steam trains, the golf course, like some of these things that… You kind of feel like you’re visiting another era.\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>East Bay Regional Parks has two golf courses, Tilden and Redwood Canyon, and Max says they take up just a combined 240 acres of the 120,000 the district manages. And the golf courses aren’t just for golfers. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Max Korten:\u003c/strong> The driving range is something that like anybody could do. I’ve taken my son there, my dad and step-mom, like who haven’t really ever played golf, and go just try to hit balls. And it’s really fun and fairly inexpensive. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Max Korten:\u003c/strong> The driving range is something that like anybody could do. I’ve taken my son there, my dad and step-mom, like who haven’t really ever played golf, and go just try to hit balls. And it’s really fun and fairly inexpensive. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Max explained that golf courses in East Bay parks are operated as concessions. So a private company, in this case, called Touchstone, operates the courses and then a percentage of their profits, around 10 percent, goes to the parks district. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Max explained that golf courses in East Bay parks are operated as concessions. So a private company, in this case, called Touchstone, operates the courses and then a percentage of their profits, around 10 percent, goes to the parks district. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They can also be a major money maker for the parks. Last year, Max said, Tilden brought in over $800,000 in revenue — it’s the most profitable concession in the entire parks district. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>They can also be a major money maker for the parks. Last year, Max said, Tilden brought in over $800,000 in revenue — it’s the most profitable concession in the entire parks district. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the East Bay, fees are limited by the public parks district board to keep things affordable for the golfers themselves, Max said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Max Korten:\u003c/strong> Keeping these public courses around to provide low-cost ways for community members to access golf is really important because I think they’re sort of an equity opportunity to make sure that this sport is available to everyone. \u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Now, not every city can say public golf is a money maker. In San Francisco, for example, the city is subsidizing the courses’ expected $6 million deficit for the 2026-27 fiscal year, and the city has begun raising rates at some public courses to help close the gap.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Max Korten:\u003c/strong> Keeping these public courses around to provide low-cost ways for community members to access golf is really important because I think they’re sort of an equity opportunity to make sure that this sport is available to everyone. \u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Now, not every city can say public golf is a money maker. In San Francisco, for example, the city is subsidizing the courses’ expected $6 million deficit for the 2026-27 fiscal year, and the city has begun raising rates at some public courses to help close the gap.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So, to answer Mary’s question, there often is a symbiotic relationship between the parks departments and the courses – but not always. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>So, to answer Mary’s question, there often is a symbiotic relationship between the parks departments and the courses – but not always. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I went and told Mary what I found — about how the golf courses she was walking by during the pandemic — do help fund the park.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>I went and told Mary what I found — about how the golf courses she was walking by during the pandemic — do help fund the park.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary: \u003c/strong>I’m glad to hear that they’re actually making money for East Bay Regional Parks. I feel like, you know, parks are always underfunded, you know, they’re always sort of like the first to be cut. So, to hear that they’re actually supporting the park, I think, is great.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary: \u003c/strong>I’m glad to hear that they’re actually making money for East Bay Regional Parks. I feel like, you know, parks are always underfunded, you know, they’re always sort of like the first to be cut. So, to hear that they’re actually supporting the park, I think, is great.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>I admit — I was surprised to learn that too.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>Yeah, it’s definitely sort of changed my mind and sort of given me more of a positive perspective on them than I had before.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>Yeah, it’s definitely sort of changed my mind and sort of given me more of a positive perspective on them than I had before.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>So much so that she was even willing to give it a try herself. Olivia and I asked Mary and Lily Achatz, from the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance, to join us at Corica Park in Alameda. It’s hot and sunny, and for a Thursday afternoon, the golf course is bustling.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>So much so that she was even willing to give it a try herself. Olivia and I asked Mary and Lily Achatz, from the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance, to join us at Corica Park in Alameda. It’s hot and sunny, and for a Thursday afternoon, the golf course is bustling.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz: \u003c/strong>You guys brought the good weather. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz: \u003c/strong>You guys brought the good weather. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Corica Park actually has several golf courses, and even a foot golf course where you can kick soccer balls into giant holes in the green. We convened at the smaller Par 3 course, which is a great option for kids, beginners or anyone looking for a lower-key experience — which was perfect for our group of just one expert and three complete amateurs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Corica Park actually has several golf courses, and even a foot golf course where you can kick soccer balls into giant holes in the green. We convened at the smaller Par 3 course, which is a great option for kids, beginners or anyone looking for a lower-key experience — which was perfect for our group of just one expert and three complete amateurs.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom:\u003c/strong> I have never played golf before ever in my life. Not even miniature golf, actually, neither one. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom:\u003c/strong> I have never played golf before ever in my life. Not even miniature golf, actually, neither one. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So how do you predict this is going to go?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So how do you predict this is going to go?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>I honestly don’t know, but I do see some water over here and I imagine one of my balls would go in there.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>I honestly don’t know, but I do see some water over here and I imagine one of my balls would go in there.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Well, as it turns out, Mary is an athlete – she grew up playing basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, rowing — you name it. So she got the hang of it quick.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Well, as it turns out, Mary is an athlete – she grew up playing basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, rowing — you name it. So she got the hang of it quick.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>Here, I’m just going to do a gentle putt.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>Here, I’m just going to do a gentle putt.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Mary hitting the golf ball\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Mary hitting the golf ball\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Nice, woohoo!\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Nice, woohoo!\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>My first ever!\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>My first ever!\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Olivia and I, we did our best… \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Olivia and I, we did our best… \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Okay, it only took three swings to make contact.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Okay, it only took three swings to make contact.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> And you did it. And you were lined up perfectly. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> And you did it. And you were lined up perfectly. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>And, no surprise, Lily crushed us all. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>And, no surprise, Lily crushed us all. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Lily hitting the golf ball\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Lily hitting the golf ball\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>That was incredible, I don’t even know where it went! \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>That was incredible, I don’t even know where it went! \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz: \u003c/strong>It sliced to the right.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>After around an hour, we called it quits. I asked Mary how she thought it went.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>After around an hour, we called it quits. I asked Mary how she thought it went.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom:\u003c/strong> It felt a little funny, but I think if I did it more, I would definitely get used to it, you know, and it would be something, like, I would be at home, right? You know before bed or something like that, practicing my swing, like, okay, you know.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom:\u003c/strong> It felt a little funny, but I think if I did it more, I would definitely get used to it, you know, and it would be something, like, I would be at home, right? You know before bed or something like that, practicing my swing, like, okay, you know.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> So, Olivia, what do you think? Is there more golfing in our future?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> So, Olivia, what do you think? Is there more golfing in our future?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I think I’m going to stick to podcasting, for now. But I don’t know, Mary seemed to be getting into it. Maybe we’ll have to check in with her in a year and see how things are coming along.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I think I’m going to stick to podcasting, for now. But I don’t know, Mary seemed to be getting into it. Maybe we’ll have to check in with her in a year and see how things are coming along.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> I know that I’ll be practicing my swing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> I know that I’ll be practicing my swing. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Sarah Wright, outdoors reporter for KQED. Thank you!\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Sarah Wright, outdoors reporter for KQED. Thank you!\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> Thank you so much.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> Thank you so much.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. We get extra support from Maha Sanad, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on team KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. We get extra support from Maha Sanad, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on team KQED.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild American Federation of Television and Radio Artists San Francisco Northern California Local.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild American Federation of Television and Radio Artists San Francisco Northern California Local.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a great week.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oakland resident Mary Newson would hike regularly in the parks up in the Oakland and Berkeley hills. It was a pleasant way to get outside, and there was no one around — even on a usually busy golf course near \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/anthony-chabot\">Anthony Chabot Regional Park.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There were deer and bunnies and geese and ducks and turkeys and all these animals that had just converged onto the golf course because nobody was using it,” she said. “That was really a beautiful thing to see.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But then, the restrictions started to let up, things started to reopen, and Mary would start to find dozens of golf balls on her walks. It made her wonder: Why are there so many golf courses in public parks around the Bay Area? Can and should she visit as a non-golfer? And what is their financial relationship to the park?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03134-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083077\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03134-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03134-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03134-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golfers practice at Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“I wasn’t sure how they worked, and if there was any sort of financial relationship, administrative relationship between the larger park and the golf course that sort of made them work together,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As it turns out, golf — and public golf, in particular — has a storied history in the Bay Area. And apart from a few conversions, mostly of private golf courses, these public greens are unlikely to be going anywhere soon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jump straight to:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#private\">The difference between public and private golf courses\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#make-money\">How public courses do or don’t make money for local parks\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#converting-golf-courses\">Golf course conversions underway in the Bay Area\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#visit-a-golf-course\">What to know if you’re visiting a public golf course for the first time\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the history of golf courses in the Bay Area?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The sport of golf made its way to the Bay Area with the arrival of Scottish immigrants in the 1890s and early 20th century, explained Richard Harris, who advocates for accessible golf with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfpublicgolf.org/\">San Francisco Public Golf Alliance.\u003c/a> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That included influential city leaders like John McLaren, the “father of Golden Gate Park,” who was a Scot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04079-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083083\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04079-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04079-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04079-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Richard Harris, president of the SF Public Golf Alliance, poses for a portrait at Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>McLaren, Harris said, was influential in creating Lincoln Park and Harding Park in San Francisco, as well as \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfpublicgolf.org/index.php/save/alister-mackenzies-sharp-park\">Pacifica’s Sharp Park\u003c/a>, designed by famous golf architect Alister MacKenzie. These are all public, not private golf courses, and are considered to be world-class, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Golf has been an important part of the Bay Area for a long time,” Harris said. “It’s one of the major golf areas in the country, and, for that matter, in the world.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"private\">What makes a public golf course different from a private one?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Public golf courses are those owned by local governments or parks districts. In the Bay Area, they tend to be inside or next to public parks you may know or frequent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Municipal golf courses help lower barriers to the sport by being accessible and relatively cheap, said Lily Achatz, president of the Harding Park Women’s Golf Club and a member of the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04136-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083084\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04136-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04136-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04136-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lily Achatz, president of Harding Park Women’s Golf Club, poses for a portrait at Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A private golf club could run you thousands of dollars in initiation fees, monthly dues and food and beverage minimums. A round at a public golf course, meanwhile, ranges from $30 to $100, with discounts for residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s stunning and what makes it so wonderful is that there’s all different generations here,” Achatz said. “The municipal courses are so important because it’s hard to get access to a country club or even be accepted.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"make-money\">Do golf courses make money for public parks?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Depending on the city or parks district, public golf courses can be real money-makers. Max Korten, acting general manager of the East Bay Regional Parks District, said Tilden Golf Course made the district $800,000 last year. It was the most profitable concession in the entire parks district last year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/sites/default/files/fy26-adopted-operating-capital-projects-budgets-w-bookmarks.pdf\">according to district documents.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s not the case with every city or district. In San Francisco, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/sf-golfers-grumble-over-course-privatization-plan-20184922.php\">the city is subsidizing the courses’ expected $6 million deficit\u003c/a> and has \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2025/07/22/sf-parks-fees/\">begun raising rates\u003c/a> at some public courses to help close the gap. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the East Bay, course fees are limited by a public board to keep fees low-cost for residents, Korten said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"converting-golf-courses\">Have there been any talks of converting golf courses to other uses?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s no widespread movement to convert golf courses in the Bay Area into other uses. But there are two notable examples of private golf courses undergoing their own transformations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The most controversial right now is Pleasant Hills in San José. It’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074738/housing-advocates-call-this-big-plot-of-san-jose-land-the-most-important-in-a-century\">a former private 115-acre golf course\u003c/a> that may become 2,000 new homes with some commercial and open space. It’s currently in environmental review as the community goes back and forth on what to do with it. What to do has become a fight, said Manira Sandhir, deputy director of planning for the city of San José. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03581-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03581-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03581-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03581-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12083082\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04043-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083082\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04043-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04043-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-04043-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golfers play a game at Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12083078\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03155-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12083078\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03155-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03155-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260506-GOLFINGBAYCURIOUS-TV-03155-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golf balls line the ground at Golden Gate Park Golf Course Clubhouse in San Francisco on May 6, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“On one hand we have the community who’s directly affected by this project and has expressed concerns about the traffic that it would generate,” she said. It’s located in a highly car-dependent area, and there’s not a lot of transit or freeway access there either. “But then on the other hand, we have housing advocates who want to see more housing at the site, and they feel that putting 2,000 units at the site would be underutilization of this really large acreage that’s available for development.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The course, Sandhir said, was established in the 1960s but closed in 2004, likely for financial reasons — so not explicitly for this conversion. Sandhir said it’s likely to be years before the dust settles and a coherent plan for the site emerges.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Farther to the north, in Marin County’s San Geronimo Valley, another golf course has seen the end of its days. The Trust for Public Land, a land conservation organization, converted what was once a private 18-hole golf course into \u003ca href=\"https://www.tpl.org/our-work/san-geronimo-commons\">San Geronimo Commons\u003c/a>, a public park that fills a missing connection to surrounding open spaces, restores water rights to the Larson Creek and returns the land to its former function as a wetland. A county firehouse has even taken over the old golf clubhouse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I do think cities, park systems across the country, certainly in California, are rethinking their inventory and what can happen,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The car paths became walking paths, the sand traps became sandboxes for the kids,” said Guillermo Rodriguez, Trust for Public Land’s California director. He said this is one of four golf course conversions they have helped lead in the state, part of what he sees as a growing trend in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San Geronimo conversion wasn’t without its own controversy. After purchasing the property in 2018, Trust for Public Land launched a two-year process to narrow down what the community wanted from the property – and not everyone agreed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We had a lot of passionate golfers who had lots of memories tied to that facility,” he said. “And while, yes, there were other facilities they could go play golf in, they had history there, and so we had to work through that.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Senior manager on the project Erica Williams said in some ways, the COVID-19 pandemic set the stage for the transition of the property — opening people’s imaginations to how their community spaces could look. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“With the pandemic, I think that really allowed people to connect with the landscape, to reconnect with the land and to imagine a future,” she said. “It became a sanctuary.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"visit-a-golf-course\">Can I visit a golf course as a non-golfer?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Municipal golf courses are open to everyone, whether you want to reserve a tee time to try your hand at playing, practice your swing at the driving range, or just hang out at the cafes and restaurants onsite. Unlike private courses, there is no dress code at public golf courses. Dogs are not allowed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While walking along the course if you’re not playing generally isn’t allowed (getting hit by a ball is a real risk), many courses like Tilden have walking trails nearby that are open to anyone. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you want to play a round of golf, you should plan to book a tee time in advance. Public courses also offer golf club rentals if you don’t have any of your own.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-content post-body\">\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> It’s the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, and everything is shut down – even the gym. So Bay Curious listener Mary Newsom decided to go for a walk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music starts\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom:\u003c/strong> I live in Oakland. And so I would usually sort of go up to the ridgeline and start hiking and all the regional parks that are up on the ridgeline.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Eventually, Mary made her way up to Anthony Chabot Regional Park. Given the pandemic, there was no one around.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>And so one of the golf courses that’s right alongside Chabot was completely empty. There were, like, deer and bunnies and geese and ducks and turkeys and like all these animals. That it just converged onto the golf course because nobody was using it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> But then, the restrictions started to let up, and things started to reopen, and Mary would start to find dozens of golf balls on her walks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>It sort of made me wonder about the relationship between the park and the golf course that’s right up against it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Mary looked into what other municipal golf courses are located inside public parks, and the list is really quite long…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>Golden Gate Park, Presidio, Lincoln Park, Gleneagles, Tilden Park, Lake Chabot, Redwood Canyon, Sequoia…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And that’s just a partial list. This all got Mary wondering about the relationship between public parks and the golf courses within them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>Why are there so many golf courses in the Bay Area right next to, or inside public parks? Do they subsidize the parks? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We sent KQED’s outdoors reporter, Sarah Wright, to take a swing at finding some answers. She started, as you might expect, at Hole 1.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Birds chirping, golf balls getting whacked\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> The Golden Gate Park Golf Course is set up on a hill, right by San Francisco’s Ocean Beach. The breeze is strong, and a hawk has been circling overhead as a new set of golfers sets up at the first hole every 15 minutes. Here, I run into Lizzie Yurchak. She lives in the Pacific Heights neighborhood, and she came out to play the course today with a coworker who is from out of town.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lizzie Yurchak: \u003c/strong>He lives in Texas, so we were like, what’s something fun we can do while he’s visiting the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> It’s her first time out to this course — actually, her first time golfing in the Bay Area since she moved here from Philadelphia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lizzie Yurchak:\u003c/strong> I don’t have my clubs out here, so maybe I’ll feel inspired today. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>And what are your goals for today on the golf course?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lizzie Yurchak: \u003c/strong>Um, don’t shank it. And don’t lose foul balls. I think that’s about it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>She does not, in fact, shank it. I watch as she lines up for a stroke.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Lizzie hitting the golf ball\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Man:\u003c/strong> There we go!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Besides meeting golfers like Lizzie, I’m actually here to meet Richard Harris and Lily Achatz. They’re with the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance, which advocates for affordable golf in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz: \u003c/strong>Hi, Sarah.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> Lily, great to meet you. Thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz: \u003c/strong>Of course!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> I am here to ask them Mary’s question. Why are there so many golf courses in public parks in the Bay Area?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To answer that, Richard says, we have to dig into history.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>Golf has been an important part of the Bay Area for a long time. And it’s one of the major golf areas in the country, and for that matter, in the world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Golf traces its origins to Scotland — Richard explains.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Scottish music plays\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>Originated in what they called the Links Land, which is the land between the cities and the coast, which was not much use for anything. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Richard says that in the 1890s and early 20th century, immigrants, including Scots, came here and brought golf with them. Among them was a man who had a huge impact on recreation in our region. The father of Golden Gate Park – John McLaren. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>John McLaren was a Scot. John McLaren liked golf. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>He first built Lincoln Park, a golf course by the Legion of Honor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris:\u003c/strong> And then quickly, he found another Scot to design Harding Park…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>… A legendary course near Lake Merced.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>And then another Scot to design Sharp Park…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>… Just steps from the ocean in Pacifica.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris: \u003c/strong>That Scot being Alistair McKenzie. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>McKenzie is most famous for having designed Augusta, in Georgia, where the Masters is played.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Those iconic early courses built in the Bay Area were — and still are — all public, not private, golf courses. And today they’re known as some of the most premium municipal courses in the nation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In California, Richard said, publicly owned courses make up about a third of all courses statewide. And they’re at the forefront of welcoming new players into the sport and combating golf’s reputation for being overly white, male and exclusive.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lily Achatz, president of the Harding Park Women’s Golf Club, knows that firsthand. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz:\u003c/strong> I didn’t grow up playing golf. I got into golf much later, about like six years ago. I don’t know how many sports there are that you can get into, you know, get into it so late. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>She says municipal golf courses, with their relatively cheap fees and open access, are critical to help lower barriers to the sport.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>A private golf club could run you thousands of dollars in initiation fees, monthly dues and food and beverage minimums. A round at a public golf course, meanwhile, ranges from about $30 to $100, with discounts for residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz:\u003c/strong> What makes it so wonderful is that there’s all different generations here. There’s friends, all different backgrounds. The municipal courses are so important because it’s hard to get access to a country club or even be accepted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>In fact, golf wasn’t even racially integrated until the 1950s. And Bay Area municipal courses had a role in that, too. Richard shows me a photo of a plaque that hangs at Pacifica’s Sharp Park course. At the time, the course was known for denying tee times to Black players. But in 1955, that changed when Sharp Park became the site of the inaugural championship tournament of the Western States Golf Association, one of the country’s oldest and largest African American golfing organizations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Richard Harris:\u003c/strong> It was swimming pools in the south. In San Francisco, it was golf courses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Still, even today, municipal courses can feel exclusive. When Mary asked her question originally, she actually pointed out this bias she feels. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>If I’m walking through a city park and I pass by tennis courts, I don’t really blink an eye, or basketball courts. But it’s funny that to me, like a golf course strikes me differently, you know that I sort of wonder, oh, wait, why is this here? And who actually uses this? You know? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> When we return, we explore who these golf courses are for. And get into the finances. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music starts\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>KQED’s Outdoors reporter Sarah Wright is very familiar with the condemnation golf courses sometimes face.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Any type of golf course will inevitably draw criticism from those worried about its environmental impact. They are, after all, enormous, frequently watered, heavily manicured lawns. Many golf courses are\u003cem> \u003c/em>working to become more sustainable, but that could be its own story for another day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To keep things focused on Mary’s question, I spoke with Max Korten, acting general manager of the East Bay Regional Parks District.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He says the public has just as much a right to nice turf on a golf course as any other park amenity. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Max Korten: \u003c/strong>I think it’s one of the really cool things about some of our parks is like, in Tilden, there’s like the merry-go-round, the steam trains, the golf course, like some of these things that… You kind of feel like you’re visiting another era.\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>East Bay Regional Parks has two golf courses, Tilden and Redwood Canyon, and Max says they take up just a combined 240 acres of the 120,000 the district manages. And the golf courses aren’t just for golfers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Max Korten:\u003c/strong> The driving range is something that like anybody could do. I’ve taken my son there, my dad and step-mom, like who haven’t really ever played golf, and go just try to hit balls. And it’s really fun and fairly inexpensive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Max explained that golf courses in East Bay parks are operated as concessions. So a private company, in this case, called Touchstone, operates the courses and then a percentage of their profits, around 10 percent, goes to the parks district. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They can also be a major money maker for the parks. Last year, Max said, Tilden brought in over $800,000 in revenue — it’s the most profitable concession in the entire parks district. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the East Bay, fees are limited by the public parks district board to keep things affordable for the golfers themselves, Max said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Max Korten:\u003c/strong> Keeping these public courses around to provide low-cost ways for community members to access golf is really important because I think they’re sort of an equity opportunity to make sure that this sport is available to everyone. \u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Now, not every city can say public golf is a money maker. In San Francisco, for example, the city is subsidizing the courses’ expected $6 million deficit for the 2026-27 fiscal year, and the city has begun raising rates at some public courses to help close the gap.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So, to answer Mary’s question, there often is a symbiotic relationship between the parks departments and the courses – but not always. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I went and told Mary what I found — about how the golf courses she was walking by during the pandemic — do help fund the park.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary: \u003c/strong>I’m glad to hear that they’re actually making money for East Bay Regional Parks. I feel like, you know, parks are always underfunded, you know, they’re always sort of like the first to be cut. So, to hear that they’re actually supporting the park, I think, is great.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>I admit — I was surprised to learn that too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>Yeah, it’s definitely sort of changed my mind and sort of given me more of a positive perspective on them than I had before.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>So much so that she was even willing to give it a try herself. Olivia and I asked Mary and Lily Achatz, from the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance, to join us at Corica Park in Alameda. It’s hot and sunny, and for a Thursday afternoon, the golf course is bustling.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz: \u003c/strong>You guys brought the good weather. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Corica Park actually has several golf courses, and even a foot golf course where you can kick soccer balls into giant holes in the green. We convened at the smaller Par 3 course, which is a great option for kids, beginners or anyone looking for a lower-key experience — which was perfect for our group of just one expert and three complete amateurs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom:\u003c/strong> I have never played golf before ever in my life. Not even miniature golf, actually, neither one. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So how do you predict this is going to go?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>I honestly don’t know, but I do see some water over here and I imagine one of my balls would go in there.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Well, as it turns out, Mary is an athlete – she grew up playing basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, rowing — you name it. So she got the hang of it quick.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>Here, I’m just going to do a gentle putt.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Mary hitting the golf ball\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Nice, woohoo!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom: \u003c/strong>My first ever!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>Olivia and I, we did our best… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Okay, it only took three swings to make contact.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> And you did it. And you were lined up perfectly. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>And, no surprise, Lily crushed us all. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of Lily hitting the golf ball\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>That was incredible, I don’t even know where it went! \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lily Achatz: \u003c/strong>It sliced to the right.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright: \u003c/strong>After around an hour, we called it quits. I asked Mary how she thought it went.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Newsom:\u003c/strong> It felt a little funny, but I think if I did it more, I would definitely get used to it, you know, and it would be something, like, I would be at home, right? You know before bed or something like that, practicing my swing, like, okay, you know.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> So, Olivia, what do you think? Is there more golfing in our future?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I think I’m going to stick to podcasting, for now. But I don’t know, Mary seemed to be getting into it. Maybe we’ll have to check in with her in a year and see how things are coming along.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> I know that I’ll be practicing my swing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Sarah Wright, outdoors reporter for KQED. Thank you!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sarah Wright:\u003c/strong> Thank you so much.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. We get extra support from Maha Sanad, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild American Federation of Television and Radio Artists San Francisco Northern California Local.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a great week.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>"
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"slug": "timber-fire-now-third-largest-in-state-chp-announces-highway-1-closure",
"title": "Timber Fire Now Third Largest in State, CHP Announces Highway 1 Closure",
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"headTitle": "Timber Fire Now Third Largest in State, CHP Announces Highway 1 Closure | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>A stretch of Highway 1 in Big Sur will close again on Thursday in an effort to regain control over the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/timber-fire\">Timber Fire\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire has burned nearly 19,000 acres as of Wednesday — more than double what \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">prompted initial evacuations\u003c/a> on Aug. 10. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Timber Fire is now the \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">third\u003c/a> biggest fire in the state this year, according to CalFire. Much of that spread has been to the east, moving deeper into the Los Padres National Forest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Henry Miller Memorial Library, a historic library located on Highway 1, will close indefinitely starting on Thursday. Staff implored visitors not to visit Big Sur in an \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/henrymillerlib/p/DchPwPBkiSy/?hl=en\">Instagram\u003c/a> post on Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1620\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096989\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire.jpeg 1620w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1620px) 100vw, 1620px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">To ensure public safety and facilitate firefighting efforts, Highway 1 will close Aug. 27, between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, Cal Fire said. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials are closing the road and evacuating the surrounding areas so that firefighters can “backburn” — set a controlled burn along the perimeter of the fire to clear out any vegetation that could fuel the flames. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Faith Fassett, a host at the historic Big Sur restaurant Nepenthe, evacuated for 12 days after the Timber Fire broke out earlier this month. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s been pretty rough,” Fassett said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fassett returned last week to find most things back to normal, before the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">blaze\u003c/a> exploded and spread to about 8,665 acres on Saturday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/alerts\">issued\u003c/a> new evacuation orders and warnings that will go into effect on Thursday at 1 p.m. Residents in MRY-F022, MRY-F023-A and MRY-F025 are now under mandatory evacuation orders, joining \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">11\u003c/a> other areas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Those who decide to remain behind “must be prepared to self-sustain for up to 7 days,” according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/home/showpublisheddocument/147995\">press release\u003c/a> from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thursday at 1 p.m. will also mark a hard closure of Highway 1 between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, according to the California Highway Patrol. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A second fire broke out in Monterey County around 11 a.m. on Wednesday. At 40 acres, the Plaskett Fire has displaced 28 people, according to Commander Joseph Bañuelo, a spokesperson for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094810\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles flames from the Timber Fire in Big Sur, California on Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun Anadolu/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal Fire public information officer Ahmad Touré said that Big Sur’s steep, rugged terrain has complicated containment efforts since the fire ignited on Aug. 8.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There are intersecting river valleys, and it’s really hard to get fire personnel and heavy equipment in those areas,” Touré told KQED on Wednesday. “It’s actually very dangerous.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CalFire reports 661 structures are under threat, as the crew continues to prioritize protecting people and structures along Highway 1. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095822/boom-and-bust-in-big-sur\">iconic state route\u003c/a> reopened Aug. 22 after the last closure related to the Timber Fire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our operational objective from day one has been to keep the fire east of Highway 1,” Touré said. “That corridor is very important to the economies of the communities along it, so making sure that the fire didn’t burn that way was essential.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal Fire has been relying heavily on air support to prevent the fire from spreading. The operation includes 14 helicopters,1,788 personnel and 90 fire engines. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Touré said that hotter weather and dry nights along the coast contributed to the fire’s recent growth. He called this weather pattern normal for the region during this time of year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Monterey County \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire/updates/fcadd721-42a4-465d-a116-f68aa949615a\">closed\u003c/a> its evacuation shelter at Carmel Middle School last Wednesday. Bañuelo said that the county is working to find a new location for this week’s evacuees. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Climate scientist Daniel Swain at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources warned in a recent briefing that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094965/dry-lightning-brews-over-california-increasing-fire-risks\">fire damage to the Big Sur\u003c/a> region’s watershed could trigger mudslides that shut down the Pacific Coast Highway this winter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The odds that Highway 1 has big problems this winter were already high, and along this segment they might be even higher now,” Swain said Aug. 12.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A stretch of Highway 1 in Big Sur will close again on Thursday in an effort to regain control over the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/timber-fire\">Timber Fire\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A stretch of Highway 1 in Big Sur will close again on Thursday in an effort to regain control over the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/timber-fire\">Timber Fire\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The fire has burned nearly 19,000 acres as of Wednesday — more than double what \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">prompted initial evacuations\u003c/a> on Aug. 10. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The fire has burned nearly 19,000 acres as of Wednesday — more than double what \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">prompted initial evacuations\u003c/a> on Aug. 10. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Timber Fire is now the \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">third\u003c/a> biggest fire in the state this year, according to CalFire. Much of that spread has been to the east, moving deeper into the Los Padres National Forest.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Timber Fire is now the \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">third\u003c/a> biggest fire in the state this year, according to CalFire. Much of that spread has been to the east, moving deeper into the Los Padres National Forest.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Henry Miller Memorial Library, a historic library located on Highway 1, will close indefinitely starting on Thursday. Staff implored visitors not to visit Big Sur in an \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/henrymillerlib/p/DchPwPBkiSy/?hl=en\">Instagram\u003c/a> post on Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Henry Miller Memorial Library, a historic library located on Highway 1, will close indefinitely starting on Thursday. Staff implored visitors not to visit Big Sur in an \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/henrymillerlib/p/DchPwPBkiSy/?hl=en\">Instagram\u003c/a> post on Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096989\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire.jpeg 1620w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">To ensure public safety and facilitate firefighting efforts, Highway 1 will close Aug. 27, between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, Cal Fire said.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096989\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">To ensure public safety and facilitate firefighting efforts, Highway 1 will close Aug. 27, between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, Cal Fire said.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Officials are closing the road and evacuating the surrounding areas so that firefighters can “backburn” — set a controlled burn along the perimeter of the fire to clear out any vegetation that could fuel the flames. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Officials are closing the road and evacuating the surrounding areas so that firefighters can “backburn” — set a controlled burn along the perimeter of the fire to clear out any vegetation that could fuel the flames. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Faith Fassett, a host at the historic Big Sur restaurant Nepenthe, evacuated for 12 days after the Timber Fire broke out earlier this month. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Faith Fassett, a host at the historic Big Sur restaurant Nepenthe, evacuated for 12 days after the Timber Fire broke out earlier this month. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s been pretty rough,” Fassett said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s been pretty rough,” Fassett said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fassett returned last week to find most things back to normal, before the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">blaze\u003c/a> exploded and spread to about 8,665 acres on Saturday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fassett returned last week to find most things back to normal, before the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">blaze\u003c/a> exploded and spread to about 8,665 acres on Saturday. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/alerts\">issued\u003c/a> new evacuation orders and warnings that will go into effect on Thursday at 1 p.m. Residents in MRY-F022, MRY-F023-A and MRY-F025 are now under mandatory evacuation orders, joining \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">11\u003c/a> other areas. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/alerts\">issued\u003c/a> new evacuation orders and warnings that will go into effect on Thursday at 1 p.m. Residents in MRY-F022, MRY-F023-A and MRY-F025 are now under mandatory evacuation orders, joining \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">11\u003c/a> other areas. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Those who decide to remain behind “must be prepared to self-sustain for up to 7 days,” according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/home/showpublisheddocument/147995\">press release\u003c/a> from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Those who decide to remain behind “must be prepared to self-sustain for up to 7 days,” according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/home/showpublisheddocument/147995\">press release\u003c/a> from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thursday at 1 p.m. will also mark a hard closure of Highway 1 between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, according to the California Highway Patrol. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Thursday at 1 p.m. will also mark a hard closure of Highway 1 between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, according to the California Highway Patrol. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A second fire broke out in Monterey County around 11 a.m. on Wednesday. At 40 acres, the Plaskett Fire has displaced 28 people, according to Commander Joseph Bañuelo, a spokesperson for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A second fire broke out in Monterey County around 11 a.m. on Wednesday. At 40 acres, the Plaskett Fire has displaced 28 people, according to Commander Joseph Bañuelo, a spokesperson for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094810\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles flames from the Timber Fire in Big Sur, California on Aug. 10, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun Anadolu/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094810\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles flames from the Timber Fire in Big Sur, California on Aug. 10, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun Anadolu/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cal Fire public information officer Ahmad Touré said that Big Sur’s steep, rugged terrain has complicated containment efforts since the fire ignited on Aug. 8.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Cal Fire public information officer Ahmad Touré said that Big Sur’s steep, rugged terrain has complicated containment efforts since the fire ignited on Aug. 8.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There are intersecting river valleys, and it’s really hard to get fire personnel and heavy equipment in those areas,” Touré told KQED on Wednesday. “It’s actually very dangerous.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“There are intersecting river valleys, and it’s really hard to get fire personnel and heavy equipment in those areas,” Touré told KQED on Wednesday. “It’s actually very dangerous.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>CalFire reports 661 structures are under threat, as the crew continues to prioritize protecting people and structures along Highway 1. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095822/boom-and-bust-in-big-sur\">iconic state route\u003c/a> reopened Aug. 22 after the last closure related to the Timber Fire. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>CalFire reports 661 structures are under threat, as the crew continues to prioritize protecting people and structures along Highway 1. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095822/boom-and-bust-in-big-sur\">iconic state route\u003c/a> reopened Aug. 22 after the last closure related to the Timber Fire. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our operational objective from day one has been to keep the fire east of Highway 1,” Touré said. “That corridor is very important to the economies of the communities along it, so making sure that the fire didn’t burn that way was essential.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Our operational objective from day one has been to keep the fire east of Highway 1,” Touré said. “That corridor is very important to the economies of the communities along it, so making sure that the fire didn’t burn that way was essential.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cal Fire has been relying heavily on air support to prevent the fire from spreading. The operation includes 14 helicopters,1,788 personnel and 90 fire engines. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Cal Fire has been relying heavily on air support to prevent the fire from spreading. The operation includes 14 helicopters,1,788 personnel and 90 fire engines. \u003c/p>\n"
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"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Touré said that hotter weather and dry nights along the coast contributed to the fire’s recent growth. He called this weather pattern normal for the region during this time of year. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Touré said that hotter weather and dry nights along the coast contributed to the fire’s recent growth. He called this weather pattern normal for the region during this time of year. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Monterey County \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire/updates/fcadd721-42a4-465d-a116-f68aa949615a\">closed\u003c/a> its evacuation shelter at Carmel Middle School last Wednesday. Bañuelo said that the county is working to find a new location for this week’s evacuees. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Monterey County \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire/updates/fcadd721-42a4-465d-a116-f68aa949615a\">closed\u003c/a> its evacuation shelter at Carmel Middle School last Wednesday. Bañuelo said that the county is working to find a new location for this week’s evacuees. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Climate scientist Daniel Swain at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources warned in a recent briefing that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094965/dry-lightning-brews-over-california-increasing-fire-risks\">fire damage to the Big Sur\u003c/a> region’s watershed could trigger mudslides that shut down the Pacific Coast Highway this winter.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Climate scientist Daniel Swain at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources warned in a recent briefing that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094965/dry-lightning-brews-over-california-increasing-fire-risks\">fire damage to the Big Sur\u003c/a> region’s watershed could trigger mudslides that shut down the Pacific Coast Highway this winter.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The odds that Highway 1 has big problems this winter were already high, and along this segment they might be even higher now,” Swain said Aug. 12.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The odds that Highway 1 has big problems this winter were already high, and along this segment they might be even higher now,” Swain said Aug. 12.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "New evacuation orders are in place as the wildfire in Big Sur approaches 19,000 acres.",
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"title": "Timber Fire Now Third Largest in State, CHP Announces Highway 1 Closure | KQED",
"description": "New evacuation orders are in place as the wildfire in Big Sur approaches 19,000 acres.",
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"headline": "Timber Fire Now Third Largest in State, CHP Announces Highway 1 Closure",
"datePublished": "2026-08-26T17:19:47-07:00",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>A stretch of Highway 1 in Big Sur will close again on Thursday in an effort to regain control over the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/timber-fire\">Timber Fire\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire has burned nearly 19,000 acres as of Wednesday — more than double what \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">prompted initial evacuations\u003c/a> on Aug. 10. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Timber Fire is now the \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">third\u003c/a> biggest fire in the state this year, according to CalFire. Much of that spread has been to the east, moving deeper into the Los Padres National Forest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Henry Miller Memorial Library, a historic library located on Highway 1, will close indefinitely starting on Thursday. Staff implored visitors not to visit Big Sur in an \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/henrymillerlib/p/DchPwPBkiSy/?hl=en\">Instagram\u003c/a> post on Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1620\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096989\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire.jpeg 1620w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/CalFire-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1620px) 100vw, 1620px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">To ensure public safety and facilitate firefighting efforts, Highway 1 will close Aug. 27, between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, Cal Fire said. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials are closing the road and evacuating the surrounding areas so that firefighters can “backburn” — set a controlled burn along the perimeter of the fire to clear out any vegetation that could fuel the flames. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Faith Fassett, a host at the historic Big Sur restaurant Nepenthe, evacuated for 12 days after the Timber Fire broke out earlier this month. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s been pretty rough,” Fassett said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fassett returned last week to find most things back to normal, before the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">blaze\u003c/a> exploded and spread to about 8,665 acres on Saturday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/alerts\">issued\u003c/a> new evacuation orders and warnings that will go into effect on Thursday at 1 p.m. Residents in MRY-F022, MRY-F023-A and MRY-F025 are now under mandatory evacuation orders, joining \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">11\u003c/a> other areas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Those who decide to remain behind “must be prepared to self-sustain for up to 7 days,” according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/home/showpublisheddocument/147995\">press release\u003c/a> from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thursday at 1 p.m. will also mark a hard closure of Highway 1 between Andrew Molera State Park and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, according to the California Highway Patrol. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A second fire broke out in Monterey County around 11 a.m. on Wednesday. At 40 acres, the Plaskett Fire has displaced 28 people, according to Commander Joseph Bañuelo, a spokesperson for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094810\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-1-larger-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles flames from the Timber Fire in Big Sur, California on Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun Anadolu/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal Fire public information officer Ahmad Touré said that Big Sur’s steep, rugged terrain has complicated containment efforts since the fire ignited on Aug. 8.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There are intersecting river valleys, and it’s really hard to get fire personnel and heavy equipment in those areas,” Touré told KQED on Wednesday. “It’s actually very dangerous.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CalFire reports 661 structures are under threat, as the crew continues to prioritize protecting people and structures along Highway 1. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095822/boom-and-bust-in-big-sur\">iconic state route\u003c/a> reopened Aug. 22 after the last closure related to the Timber Fire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our operational objective from day one has been to keep the fire east of Highway 1,” Touré said. “That corridor is very important to the economies of the communities along it, so making sure that the fire didn’t burn that way was essential.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal Fire has been relying heavily on air support to prevent the fire from spreading. The operation includes 14 helicopters,1,788 personnel and 90 fire engines. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Touré said that hotter weather and dry nights along the coast contributed to the fire’s recent growth. He called this weather pattern normal for the region during this time of year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Monterey County \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire/updates/fcadd721-42a4-465d-a116-f68aa949615a\">closed\u003c/a> its evacuation shelter at Carmel Middle School last Wednesday. Bañuelo said that the county is working to find a new location for this week’s evacuees. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Climate scientist Daniel Swain at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources warned in a recent briefing that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094965/dry-lightning-brews-over-california-increasing-fire-risks\">fire damage to the Big Sur\u003c/a> region’s watershed could trigger mudslides that shut down the Pacific Coast Highway this winter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The odds that Highway 1 has big problems this winter were already high, and along this segment they might be even higher now,” Swain said Aug. 12.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "the-castro-sings-goodbye-to-queer-icon-dolly-parton",
"title": "The Castro Sings Goodbye to Queer Icon Dolly Parton",
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"headTitle": "The Castro Sings Goodbye to Queer Icon Dolly Parton | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Only hours after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13993258/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80\">Dolly Parton\u003c/a>, one of country music’s biggest stars, passed away on Tuesday, hundreds gathered in San Francisco’s Castro District to celebrate the musician’s life with a solemn rendition of one of her most enduring hits: “I Will Always Love You.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rachel Stassi, a San Francisco resident by way of North Carolina, joined in the singalong. Stassi grew up listening to Parton’s music and traveling to Dollywood, the singer’s theme park in Tennessee. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“She’s basically the patron saint of the Appalachian mountains,” she said, wearing a Dollywood sweater. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s been over a decade since she moved to California. When she feels homesick, she’ll play Parton’s music. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-18-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096857\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-18-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-18-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-18-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Drag performer Dirty Carol leads a singalong during a vigil honoring Dolly Parton in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco on Aug. 25, 2026, following news of the country music icon’s death earlier that day. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“She has been nothing but pure happiness, joy, and love in our lives,” Stassi said. “Seeing her gone definitely hurts the soul, but I know she’s in a better place.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Among San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ community, Parton is a saint — literally. She was \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/SFSisters/posts/rip-to-a-true-queen-and-saint-well-always-love-you-dolly/1499024375593805/\">honored\u003c/a> as one by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the city’s drag order of nuns, who recognized her on Tuesday as “Saint Authenticity the Utmost, Exemplary Artist, Humble Humanitarian, and Patron Saint of Relentless Glamor.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Her songs — along with all their remixes — play weekend after weekend all over Castro’s nightclubs. One of them, Beaux, has already confirmed a \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dolly-parton-tribute-i-will-always-love-you-drag-show-celebration-tickets-1998922975429\">drag show tribute\u003c/a> for this Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Like other local queer icons, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929572/heklina-castro-memorial\">Heklina\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/12983753/rainbow-flag-designer-gilbert-baker-has-died\">Gilbert Baker\u003c/a> and, of course, Harvey Milk, Parton was honored in San Francisco with a community-led memorial after her passing at age 80 in Nashville, Tennessee.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-23-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096858\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-23-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-23-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-23-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dixie De La Tour holds a candle during a vigil honoring Dolly Parton in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco on Aug. 25, 2026, after news of her death earlier that day. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12096855\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096855\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-12-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Drag performer Dirty Carol leads a singalong during a vigil honoring Dolly Parton in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco on Aug. 25, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12096853\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-03-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096853\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-03-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-03-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-03-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Larry Joe Bridwell (center) joins a vigil honoring Dolly Parton in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco on Aug. 25, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The vigil was quickly organized on social media by drag personality Dirty Carol, who told KQED that she was alone when she found out the news. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Grief is something that needs to be shared. It needs to be communal,” she said. “That’s why we have memorial services. But to me, this is even better.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some showed up after seeing Carol’s post. Others were on their way back home and stopped once they heard the music blasting from the speaker Carol wheeled over.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Joe Bridwell brought flowers to the vigil. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They’re a little pink and a little tacky just like her, so I think they’re perfect,” he said with a sad smile.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Like Parton, Bridwell grew up in East Tennessee. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I always kind of felt like she was family,” the now-San Francisco resident said. “It’s almost like losing an aunt today. I’m just here to pay my respects and tell everybody how much I loved her.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It wasn’t just her music that won him over, Bridwell said, but her humanitarian work. He pointed to both Parton’s Imagination Library, which has given away millions of books to children all around the world to promote literacy, and her “Buddy Program,” which pairs middle-schoolers together with the goal of helping them make it to graduation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“All this was done without fanfare, without a lot of hoo-ha,” he said. “Her example was always something to look up to: What would Dolly do?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the crowd switched over to Parton’s more upbeat anthems like “Jolene” and “9 to 5,” San Francisco artist and event producer Dixie De La Tour stepped to the front. She sported a rainbow dress, bright red wig and earrings featuring chickens wearing boots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I threw on the fastest thing I could, which was rainbow and queer,” she said. “And the first wig that I could do. But nobody can rock a wig like Dolly.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In her hands, she carried a candle with Parton’s face. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The thing that I love most is she never changed herself for Hollywood,” she said. “She always had a raunchy sense of humor.“She always just felt like a real person — who happened to look like a cartoon character.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-01-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096852\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-01-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-01-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-01-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Castro Theatre marquee reads, “We Will Always Love You Dolly Parton,” in San Francisco on Aug. 25, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jokes aside, she said she feels the same loss now as when Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11838760/justice-ruth-bader-ginsburg-champion-of-gender-equality-dies-at-87\">died in 2020\u003c/a> — “somebody with a very loud voice who would speak up against all the inhumanity that’s going on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Once the singing wrapped up, Dirty Carol turned off her speaker. But Parton’s legacy is forever, she said: “We have to live by her example.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Carol was growing up in the ’70s and ’80s, she said there weren’t many public figures publicly supporting the queer community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“She was one of the few who did,” she said. “Dolly represents love — unconditional love.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s been over a decade since she moved to California. When she feels homesick, she’ll play Parton’s music. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“She has been nothing but pure happiness, joy, and love in our lives,” Stassi said. “Seeing her gone definitely hurts the soul, but I know she’s in a better place.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Among San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ community, Parton is a saint — literally. She was \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/SFSisters/posts/rip-to-a-true-queen-and-saint-well-always-love-you-dolly/1499024375593805/\">honored\u003c/a> as one by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the city’s drag order of nuns, who recognized her on Tuesday as “Saint Authenticity the Utmost, Exemplary Artist, Humble Humanitarian, and Patron Saint of Relentless Glamor.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Her songs — along with all their remixes — play weekend after weekend all over Castro’s nightclubs. One of them, Beaux, has already confirmed a \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dolly-parton-tribute-i-will-always-love-you-drag-show-celebration-tickets-1998922975429\">drag show tribute\u003c/a> for this Friday.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Like other local queer icons, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929572/heklina-castro-memorial\">Heklina\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/12983753/rainbow-flag-designer-gilbert-baker-has-died\">Gilbert Baker\u003c/a> and, of course, Harvey Milk, Parton was honored in San Francisco with a community-led memorial after her passing at age 80 in Nashville, Tennessee.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The vigil was quickly organized on social media by drag personality Dirty Carol, who told KQED that she was alone when she found out the news. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Grief is something that needs to be shared. It needs to be communal,” she said. “That’s why we have memorial services. But to me, this is even better.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some showed up after seeing Carol’s post. Others were on their way back home and stopped once they heard the music blasting from the speaker Carol wheeled over.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Joe Bridwell brought flowers to the vigil. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They’re a little pink and a little tacky just like her, so I think they’re perfect,” he said with a sad smile.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Like Parton, Bridwell grew up in East Tennessee. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I always kind of felt like she was family,” the now-San Francisco resident said. “It’s almost like losing an aunt today. I’m just here to pay my respects and tell everybody how much I loved her.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It wasn’t just her music that won him over, Bridwell said, but her humanitarian work. He pointed to both Parton’s Imagination Library, which has given away millions of books to children all around the world to promote literacy, and her “Buddy Program,” which pairs middle-schoolers together with the goal of helping them make it to graduation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“All this was done without fanfare, without a lot of hoo-ha,” he said. “Her example was always something to look up to: What would Dolly do?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As the crowd switched over to Parton’s more upbeat anthems like “Jolene” and “9 to 5,” San Francisco artist and event producer Dixie De La Tour stepped to the front. She sported a rainbow dress, bright red wig and earrings featuring chickens wearing boots.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As the crowd switched over to Parton’s more upbeat anthems like “Jolene” and “9 to 5,” San Francisco artist and event producer Dixie De La Tour stepped to the front. She sported a rainbow dress, bright red wig and earrings featuring chickens wearing boots.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I threw on the fastest thing I could, which was rainbow and queer,” she said. “And the first wig that I could do. But nobody can rock a wig like Dolly.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In her hands, she carried a candle with Parton’s face. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The thing that I love most is she never changed herself for Hollywood,” she said. “She always had a raunchy sense of humor.“She always just felt like a real person — who happened to look like a cartoon character.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-01-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096852\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-01-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-01-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-01-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Castro Theatre marquee reads, “We Will Always Love You Dolly Parton,” in San Francisco on Aug. 25, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jokes aside, she said she feels the same loss now as when Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11838760/justice-ruth-bader-ginsburg-champion-of-gender-equality-dies-at-87\">died in 2020\u003c/a> — “somebody with a very loud voice who would speak up against all the inhumanity that’s going on.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Once the singing wrapped up, Dirty Carol turned off her speaker. But Parton’s legacy is forever, she said: “We have to live by her example.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Carol was growing up in the ’70s and ’80s, she said there weren’t many public figures publicly supporting the queer community. \u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Only hours after one of country music’s biggest stars passed away, hundreds gathered in San Francisco’s Castro District to sing and celebrate Parton’s life.",
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"title": "The Castro Sings Goodbye to Queer Icon Dolly Parton | KQED",
"description": "Only hours after one of country music’s biggest stars passed away, hundreds gathered in San Francisco’s Castro District to sing and celebrate Parton’s life.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Only hours after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13993258/dolly-parton-has-died-at-age-80\">Dolly Parton\u003c/a>, one of country music’s biggest stars, passed away on Tuesday, hundreds gathered in San Francisco’s Castro District to celebrate the musician’s life with a solemn rendition of one of her most enduring hits: “I Will Always Love You.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rachel Stassi, a San Francisco resident by way of North Carolina, joined in the singalong. Stassi grew up listening to Parton’s music and traveling to Dollywood, the singer’s theme park in Tennessee. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“She’s basically the patron saint of the Appalachian mountains,” she said, wearing a Dollywood sweater. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s been over a decade since she moved to California. When she feels homesick, she’ll play Parton’s music. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-18-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096857\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-18-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-18-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-18-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Drag performer Dirty Carol leads a singalong during a vigil honoring Dolly Parton in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco on Aug. 25, 2026, following news of the country music icon’s death earlier that day. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“She has been nothing but pure happiness, joy, and love in our lives,” Stassi said. “Seeing her gone definitely hurts the soul, but I know she’s in a better place.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Among San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ community, Parton is a saint — literally. She was \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/SFSisters/posts/rip-to-a-true-queen-and-saint-well-always-love-you-dolly/1499024375593805/\">honored\u003c/a> as one by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the city’s drag order of nuns, who recognized her on Tuesday as “Saint Authenticity the Utmost, Exemplary Artist, Humble Humanitarian, and Patron Saint of Relentless Glamor.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Her songs — along with all their remixes — play weekend after weekend all over Castro’s nightclubs. One of them, Beaux, has already confirmed a \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dolly-parton-tribute-i-will-always-love-you-drag-show-celebration-tickets-1998922975429\">drag show tribute\u003c/a> for this Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Like other local queer icons, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929572/heklina-castro-memorial\">Heklina\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/12983753/rainbow-flag-designer-gilbert-baker-has-died\">Gilbert Baker\u003c/a> and, of course, Harvey Milk, Parton was honored in San Francisco with a community-led memorial after her passing at age 80 in Nashville, Tennessee.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-23-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096858\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-23-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-23-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-23-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dixie De La Tour holds a candle during a vigil honoring Dolly Parton in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco on Aug. 25, 2026, after news of her death earlier that day. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12096855\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096855\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-12-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Drag performer Dirty Carol leads a singalong during a vigil honoring Dolly Parton in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco on Aug. 25, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12096853\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-03-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096853\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-03-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-03-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-03-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Larry Joe Bridwell (center) joins a vigil honoring Dolly Parton in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco on Aug. 25, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The vigil was quickly organized on social media by drag personality Dirty Carol, who told KQED that she was alone when she found out the news. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Grief is something that needs to be shared. It needs to be communal,” she said. “That’s why we have memorial services. But to me, this is even better.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some showed up after seeing Carol’s post. Others were on their way back home and stopped once they heard the music blasting from the speaker Carol wheeled over.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Joe Bridwell brought flowers to the vigil. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They’re a little pink and a little tacky just like her, so I think they’re perfect,” he said with a sad smile.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Like Parton, Bridwell grew up in East Tennessee. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I always kind of felt like she was family,” the now-San Francisco resident said. “It’s almost like losing an aunt today. I’m just here to pay my respects and tell everybody how much I loved her.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It wasn’t just her music that won him over, Bridwell said, but her humanitarian work. He pointed to both Parton’s Imagination Library, which has given away millions of books to children all around the world to promote literacy, and her “Buddy Program,” which pairs middle-schoolers together with the goal of helping them make it to graduation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“All this was done without fanfare, without a lot of hoo-ha,” he said. “Her example was always something to look up to: What would Dolly do?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the crowd switched over to Parton’s more upbeat anthems like “Jolene” and “9 to 5,” San Francisco artist and event producer Dixie De La Tour stepped to the front. She sported a rainbow dress, bright red wig and earrings featuring chickens wearing boots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I threw on the fastest thing I could, which was rainbow and queer,” she said. “And the first wig that I could do. But nobody can rock a wig like Dolly.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In her hands, she carried a candle with Parton’s face. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The thing that I love most is she never changed herself for Hollywood,” she said. “She always had a raunchy sense of humor.“She always just felt like a real person — who happened to look like a cartoon character.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-01-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096852\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-01-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-01-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260825-DollyPartonVigil-01-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Castro Theatre marquee reads, “We Will Always Love You Dolly Parton,” in San Francisco on Aug. 25, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jokes aside, she said she feels the same loss now as when Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11838760/justice-ruth-bader-ginsburg-champion-of-gender-equality-dies-at-87\">died in 2020\u003c/a> — “somebody with a very loud voice who would speak up against all the inhumanity that’s going on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Once the singing wrapped up, Dirty Carol turned off her speaker. But Parton’s legacy is forever, she said: “We have to live by her example.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Carol was growing up in the ’70s and ’80s, she said there weren’t many public figures publicly supporting the queer community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“She was one of the few who did,” she said. “Dolly represents love — unconditional love.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Trump Grant Conditions for Gender, Abortion and Immigration Suffer 9th Circuit Defeat",
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"headTitle": "Trump Grant Conditions for Gender, Abortion and Immigration Suffer 9th Circuit Defeat | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Citing real and imminent harm to “vulnerable populations, critical programs, and ongoing services,” a federal appeals court refused Tuesday to let the Trump administration withhold billions of dollars in previously awarded \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/federal-funding\">federal funds\u003c/a> from Bay Area cities and counties over compliance with new rules on “gender ideology,” “elective abortions” and immigration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>President Donald Trump had instituted the changes in early 2025, issuing what the court described as “sweeping executive orders” targeting the recipients of grant money from the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The new conditions also require local governments to verify the immigration status of any individual grant recipient.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco and Washington state’s King County were among the raft of local governments that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12041080/two-california-counties-battle-trump-administration-over-homelessness-funding\">challenged the new conditions\u003c/a> that May, quickly securing an injunction from a federal judge.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251124-SJHUDCUTS-JG-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12065389\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251124-SJHUDCUTS-JG-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251124-SJHUDCUTS-JG-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251124-SJHUDCUTS-JG-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rep. Sam Liccardo speaks during a press conference in San José about changes to a federal housing program’s funding by the Trump administration on Nov. 24, 2025. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A divided panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2026/08/25/25-3664.pdf\">affirmed\u003c/a> that decision on Tuesday in Seattle, siding with Sonoma and Santa Clara counties, among other municipalities across the country. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The majority of the conditions far exceed the limited authority set out by Congress and superimpose onerous requirements well after the government already awarded grant funds,” Judge M. Margaret McKeown wrote for the majority.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She noted that some of the governments involved in the lawsuit “have already expended millions of dollars in reliance on their conditional awards.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>McKeown said federal housing funds are designed “to meet the critically urgent needs of the homeless of the Nation” and “to assist the homeless, with special emphasis on elderly persons, handicapped persons, families with children, Native Americans, and veterans.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Joined by fellow Clinton appointee Judge Richard Paez, McKeown agreed with the lower court’s finding that the “loss of grant funds would be devastating and irreparable.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It further concluded that ‘these likely harms are not … merely monetary in nature,’ and noted the potential harm to ‘shelter-unstable families’ and the ‘incalculable effects of forcing unforeseen reductions in transportation spending,’” McKeown wrote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/npr.brightspotcdn-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12038484\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/npr.brightspotcdn-copy.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In his first 100 days in office, President Donald Trump has signed just five bills into law while issuing over 100 executive actions, a pattern that fits with his vision of a more powerful executive. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>McKeown and Paez hinged their ruling on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, saying “the Local Governments are likely to succeed on the merits” of their claim. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Pacifica Law Group attorney Paul J. Lawrence, who represented the local governments at oral arguments in February, called the decision “a major victory for the rule of law and a setback for the Trump Administration’s effort to force its policy objectives on local governments.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Only Congress, not the Executive, has the power to set conditions for the award of federal grants,” Lawrence said in an email. “Local governments depend on Congressionally approved grants to provide critical services to their communities. The ruling preserves access to billions of dollars in federal grants for 75 communities across the nation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Emily Langlie, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle, declined to comment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a 20-page dissent, Trump-appointed Judge Patrick Bumatay called the ruling “yet another instance of courts confronting a question of ‘who decides’ and choosing wrong.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Too often it’s forgotten that the federal judiciary is the ‘weakest’ branch,” said Bumatay, quoting Alexander Hamilton in \u003cem>The Federalist Papers\u003c/em>. “That’s because the judiciary ‘has no influence over either the sword or the purse.’ In other words, the federal ‘purse’ belongs to the political branches — not the courts. Unfortunately, those principles are forgotten here.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A former federal prosecutor who received his judgeship in 2019, Bumatay cautioned that “dislike for the President’s policies is no substitute for following the law.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Rather than deferring to the Executive’s discretion to make these choices, we once again step into the political arena and decide what we think is best for the country,” he said. “By enjoining these funding conditions, we overstep our bounds and intrude on the policymaking left to the elected branches.” \u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The majority of the conditions far exceed the limited authority set out by Congress and superimpose onerous requirements well after the government already awarded grant funds,” Judge M. Margaret McKeown wrote for the majority.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She noted that some of the governments involved in the lawsuit “have already expended millions of dollars in reliance on their conditional awards.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>McKeown said federal housing funds are designed “to meet the critically urgent needs of the homeless of the Nation” and “to assist the homeless, with special emphasis on elderly persons, handicapped persons, families with children, Native Americans, and veterans.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Joined by fellow Clinton appointee Judge Richard Paez, McKeown agreed with the lower court’s finding that the “loss of grant funds would be devastating and irreparable.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>McKeown and Paez hinged their ruling on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, saying “the Local Governments are likely to succeed on the merits” of their claim. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Pacifica Law Group attorney Paul J. Lawrence, who represented the local governments at oral arguments in February, called the decision “a major victory for the rule of law and a setback for the Trump Administration’s effort to force its policy objectives on local governments.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Rather than deferring to the Executive’s discretion to make these choices, we once again step into the political arena and decide what we think is best for the country,” he said. “By enjoining these funding conditions, we overstep our bounds and intrude on the policymaking left to the elected branches.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "A divided appeals court panel said Bay Area cities’ compliance with the new federal funding rules would be “devastating and irreparable” for vulnerable families. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Citing real and imminent harm to “vulnerable populations, critical programs, and ongoing services,” a federal appeals court refused Tuesday to let the Trump administration withhold billions of dollars in previously awarded \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/federal-funding\">federal funds\u003c/a> from Bay Area cities and counties over compliance with new rules on “gender ideology,” “elective abortions” and immigration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>President Donald Trump had instituted the changes in early 2025, issuing what the court described as “sweeping executive orders” targeting the recipients of grant money from the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The new conditions also require local governments to verify the immigration status of any individual grant recipient.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco and Washington state’s King County were among the raft of local governments that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12041080/two-california-counties-battle-trump-administration-over-homelessness-funding\">challenged the new conditions\u003c/a> that May, quickly securing an injunction from a federal judge.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251124-SJHUDCUTS-JG-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12065389\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251124-SJHUDCUTS-JG-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251124-SJHUDCUTS-JG-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251124-SJHUDCUTS-JG-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rep. Sam Liccardo speaks during a press conference in San José about changes to a federal housing program’s funding by the Trump administration on Nov. 24, 2025. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A divided panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2026/08/25/25-3664.pdf\">affirmed\u003c/a> that decision on Tuesday in Seattle, siding with Sonoma and Santa Clara counties, among other municipalities across the country. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The majority of the conditions far exceed the limited authority set out by Congress and superimpose onerous requirements well after the government already awarded grant funds,” Judge M. Margaret McKeown wrote for the majority.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She noted that some of the governments involved in the lawsuit “have already expended millions of dollars in reliance on their conditional awards.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>McKeown said federal housing funds are designed “to meet the critically urgent needs of the homeless of the Nation” and “to assist the homeless, with special emphasis on elderly persons, handicapped persons, families with children, Native Americans, and veterans.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Joined by fellow Clinton appointee Judge Richard Paez, McKeown agreed with the lower court’s finding that the “loss of grant funds would be devastating and irreparable.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It further concluded that ‘these likely harms are not … merely monetary in nature,’ and noted the potential harm to ‘shelter-unstable families’ and the ‘incalculable effects of forcing unforeseen reductions in transportation spending,’” McKeown wrote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/npr.brightspotcdn-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12038484\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/npr.brightspotcdn-copy.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In his first 100 days in office, President Donald Trump has signed just five bills into law while issuing over 100 executive actions, a pattern that fits with his vision of a more powerful executive. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>McKeown and Paez hinged their ruling on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, saying “the Local Governments are likely to succeed on the merits” of their claim. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Pacifica Law Group attorney Paul J. Lawrence, who represented the local governments at oral arguments in February, called the decision “a major victory for the rule of law and a setback for the Trump Administration’s effort to force its policy objectives on local governments.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Only Congress, not the Executive, has the power to set conditions for the award of federal grants,” Lawrence said in an email. “Local governments depend on Congressionally approved grants to provide critical services to their communities. The ruling preserves access to billions of dollars in federal grants for 75 communities across the nation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Emily Langlie, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle, declined to comment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a 20-page dissent, Trump-appointed Judge Patrick Bumatay called the ruling “yet another instance of courts confronting a question of ‘who decides’ and choosing wrong.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Too often it’s forgotten that the federal judiciary is the ‘weakest’ branch,” said Bumatay, quoting Alexander Hamilton in \u003cem>The Federalist Papers\u003c/em>. “That’s because the judiciary ‘has no influence over either the sword or the purse.’ In other words, the federal ‘purse’ belongs to the political branches — not the courts. Unfortunately, those principles are forgotten here.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A former federal prosecutor who received his judgeship in 2019, Bumatay cautioned that “dislike for the President’s policies is no substitute for following the law.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Rather than deferring to the Executive’s discretion to make these choices, we once again step into the political arena and decide what we think is best for the country,” he said. “By enjoining these funding conditions, we overstep our bounds and intrude on the policymaking left to the elected branches.” \u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>One man has died and four others were injured after a series of stabbings within 30 minutes of one another in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">East Oakland\u003c/a> Monday night. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Oakland Police Department said one of the surviving victims is in critical condition, while the other three are stable. A suspect police believe is responsible for the spree is in custody.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just before 7:30 p.m. Monday, police responded to a report of a shooting at Cesar Chavez Park, near the 1800 block of 38th Avenue. Officers determined that the victim had been stabbed, not shot, and administered aid before the person was declared dead on the scene. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>OPD located a second stabbing victim on 38th Ave and San Leandro Street, and BART police reported that a third victim was found near the Fruitvale transit station. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1188\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/20260404_OAKLANDCRIMEDROP_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078763\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/20260404_OAKLANDCRIMEDROP_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/20260404_OAKLANDCRIMEDROP_GC-11-KQED-160x95.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/20260404_OAKLANDCRIMEDROP_GC-11-KQED-1536x912.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Individuals get off the bus at the Fruitvale BART Station in Oakland on April 4, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officers were notified of two more victims with stab wounds near 39th Ave and International Boulevard. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just before 8 p.m., OPD located a suspect nearby, on the 1500 block of 39th Ave, and took him into custody. The department has not released the identities of the suspect or victims, which include three men and two women in their thirties to fifties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>OPD Acting Capt. Gloria Beltran told reporters Tuesday afternoon that the stabbings appear to have been random. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We don’t have any connection with the suspect and the victims, but it’s still early on in the investigation,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she believes that the suspect and multiple of the victims were unhoused. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/bkrans\">\u003cem>Brian Krans\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Just before 7:30 p.m. Monday, police responded to a report of a shooting at Cesar Chavez Park, near the 1800 block of 38th Avenue. Officers determined that the victim had been stabbed, not shot, and administered aid before the person was declared dead on the scene. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Just before 8 p.m., OPD located a suspect nearby, on the 1500 block of 39th Ave, and took him into custody. The department has not released the identities of the suspect or victims, which include three men and two women in their thirties to fifties.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>One man has died and four others were injured after a series of stabbings within 30 minutes of one another in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">East Oakland\u003c/a> Monday night. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Oakland Police Department said one of the surviving victims is in critical condition, while the other three are stable. A suspect police believe is responsible for the spree is in custody.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just before 7:30 p.m. Monday, police responded to a report of a shooting at Cesar Chavez Park, near the 1800 block of 38th Avenue. Officers determined that the victim had been stabbed, not shot, and administered aid before the person was declared dead on the scene. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>OPD located a second stabbing victim on 38th Ave and San Leandro Street, and BART police reported that a third victim was found near the Fruitvale transit station. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1188\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/20260404_OAKLANDCRIMEDROP_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078763\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/20260404_OAKLANDCRIMEDROP_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/20260404_OAKLANDCRIMEDROP_GC-11-KQED-160x95.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/20260404_OAKLANDCRIMEDROP_GC-11-KQED-1536x912.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Individuals get off the bus at the Fruitvale BART Station in Oakland on April 4, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officers were notified of two more victims with stab wounds near 39th Ave and International Boulevard. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just before 8 p.m., OPD located a suspect nearby, on the 1500 block of 39th Ave, and took him into custody. The department has not released the identities of the suspect or victims, which include three men and two women in their thirties to fifties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>OPD Acting Capt. Gloria Beltran told reporters Tuesday afternoon that the stabbings appear to have been random. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We don’t have any connection with the suspect and the victims, but it’s still early on in the investigation,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she believes that the suspect and multiple of the victims were unhoused. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/bkrans\">\u003cem>Brian Krans\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "chinese-immigrants-led-the-first-mass-resistance-to-americas-deportation-system",
"title": "Chinese Immigrants Led the First Mass Resistance to America's Deportation System",
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"content": "\u003cp>Connie Young Yu thought she knew a lot about her beloved \u003cem>gung gung\u003c/em>. As a young girl, she would listen as her grandfather, Yung Wah Gok, recounted what it was like living through America’s Chinese Exclusion era of the late 19th century. She had heard many stories, like how, as a young boy in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> Chinatown, he’d have to sprint home while white residents hurled rocks at him.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It wasn’t until 1972, when Yu was an adult active in Asian American organizing and scholarship, that her mother shared a surprising piece of his history with her. From the family’s large carved camphor chest in her bedroom, her mother pulled out a neatly folded parchment: It was \u003ca href=\"https://www.thegearyactproject.com/copy-of-upload-a-certificate?pgid=m68xajc7-a512c26d-b87a-443c-883e-98cc622e3d31\">her grandfather’s \u003cem>chak chee\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, a certificate of residence that all Chinese people in the U.S. were required to carry, as mandated by the 1892 Geary Act, the successor to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/chinese-exclusion-act\">1882 Chinese Exclusion Act\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Stamped across the top of the document was the word “LABORER.” Below it were his occupation — “cook,” his height — just over 5 feet, 3 inches and identifying marks — “scar on left forearm.” And in the lower left corner was a striking portrait photo of her grandfather at the age of 25.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-ConnieYu-JY-11_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096096\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-ConnieYu-JY-11_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-ConnieYu-JY-11_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-ConnieYu-JY-11_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Historian Connie Young Yu’s collection of certificates of residence includes her own grandfather’s document. Yung Wah Gok and other Chinese residents initially resisted the Geary Act requirement to carry the certificates with them at all times under the threat of deportation. (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“I just thought, ‘Gee … that doesn’t look like my \u003cem>gung gung\u003c/em>,’” said Yu, now 85, who had known her grandfather as a dignified man who wore suits. “But actually, I really liked that picture in many ways because he looks very determined. Like a young rebel.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The certificate was issued in May 1894, two years after the passage of the Geary Act, revealing that her grandfather had been one of the tens of thousands of Chinese residents across the country who had resisted the federal government’s demands to register — forming one of the largest campaigns of civil disobedience in U.S. history.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From 1892-93, Chinese immigrants refused to comply with the requirement to register with their local internal revenue offices. If they were caught without a certificate, they faced arrest, detention and deportation as stipulated by the Geary Act, which historians and legal theorists say helped shape today’s U.S. immigration system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Chinese immigrants are remembered for constitutional victories, including rulings that established \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088125/as-america-turns-250-san-franciscos-role-in-defining-citizenship-endures\">birthright citizenship\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050233/how-a-chinese-laundryman-shaped-us-civil-rights-from-san-francisco\">strengthened equal protection\u003c/a>, they have another legacy: they led a nationwide campaign against the federal government’s expansion of immigration powers. And though they ultimately failed to overturn the Geary Act in court, their resistance challenged the adoption of now-routine practices — calling them “cruel and unjust,” and incompatible with the nation’s constitutional ideals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095828\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Historian Connie Young Yu stands for a portrait in her home in Los Altos, California, on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Yu’s paternal grandfather, Yung Wah Gok, arrived in the U.S.as an 11-year-old laborer in 1881, a year before the Chinese Exclusion Act. (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Those sentiments are echoed today by immigrant communities across the country, as the Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078084/agents-of-chaos-border-patrols-year-of-unchecked-force\">continues\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092697/bay-area-immigrant-advocates-warn-noncitizens-to-avoid-air-travel-after-ice-arrests\">double down\u003c/a> on its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12085159/immigration-courts-are-using-a-new-tactic-to-speed-up-deportations\">deportation efforts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yu, a longtime local historian and author, argues the resistance of early Chinese immigrants like her grandfather should be more well known. She co-founded \u003ca href=\"https://www.thegearyactproject.com/\">The Geary Act Project\u003c/a> two years ago and is now on a mission to collect more certificates — to lay a paper trail of evidence linking the racism experienced by her ancestors to the current administration’s immigration crackdown.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our society is under threat, we’re under attack,” she said. “We’re trying to show that the Chinese Exclusion Act was actually a foundation for ICE and the harassment of people of color and immigration detention and deportation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When Chinese exclusion wasn’t enough\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yu said it’s by luck that she was born in the United States. Her grandfather arrived in 1881, at age 11 — just one year before the Chinese Exclusion Act banned Chinese laborers from entering the U.S. for a decade.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My parents always said, ‘If he had waited until he was 12, you wouldn’t be here,’” Yu said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Chinese people began arriving in the U.S. in the late 1840s, there was no federal immigration system. States, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10429550/boomtown-history-2b\">California\u003c/a>, passed laws targeting Chinese immigrants as anti-Chinese sentiment grew, fueled by the narrative that they threatened the nation’s economic well-being.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1459\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GETTYIMAGES-1311093098-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095866\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GETTYIMAGES-1311093098-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GETTYIMAGES-1311093098-KQED-160x117.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GETTYIMAGES-1311093098-KQED-1536x1121.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Chinese butcher and grocery store, with meat hanging from hooks with vegetables and other fresh produce displayed in crates at the front of the store in the Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco, California, circa 1885. (Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But Reconstruction — the post-Civil War era when constitutional protections were expanded for newly freed Black Americans — changed the landscape. The 14th Amendment ensured due process and equal protection to everyone, giving Chinese immigrants new grounds to challenge discriminatory state laws.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Several Supreme Court justices, along with others who wished to continue excluding Chinese immigrants, pushed for the federal government to take up immigration control, according to Kelly Lytle Hernández, an author and professor of history at UCLA.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I understand our federal immigration system as being the creation of an effort to skirt the 14th Amendment, to skirt the growth of a multiracial democracy,” she said. ”Reconstruction and Chinese Exclusion are all part of the same story.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 1875, the Supreme Court ruled in \u003ca href=\"https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/92/275/\">\u003cem>Chy Lung v. Freeman\u003c/em>\u003c/a> that immigration was a federal responsibility, while \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/safr/blogs/chinese-women-immigration-and-the-first-u-s-exclusion-law-the-page-act-of-1875.htm\">the Page Act\u003c/a> established one of the first major federal restrictions on immigration, targeting Chinese and other Asian women. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1020\" height=\"754\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260820-ChinatownActivism-01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096097\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260820-ChinatownActivism-01.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260820-ChinatownActivism-01-160x118.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Second Market Street Chinatown burned down in an arson fire in 1887. There were no recorded casualties, but the entire Chinese community in San José was displaced. (Courtesy of History San José)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Seven years later came the Chinese Exclusion Act. Despite the passage of the landmark law, thousands of Chinese laborers and immigrants still arrived. They filed legal challenges to their exclusion, inundating federal courts in San Francisco and frustrating white politicians and residents who wanted to see Chinese immigration come to an end.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the Chinese Exclusion Act was set to expire in 1892, the federal government realized it needed a way to plug the loopholes of the act, especially as anti-Chinese violence intensified.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> “As soon as [white residents] saw that their goals weren’t being met by this experiment in diplomatic control, this is why we see the most violent anti-Chinese incidents happening between ’85 and ’88, not before 1882,” said Alexander Jin, a historian at Dartmouth University.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Vigilante mobs seized Chinese businesses and homes, and rural Chinatowns along the West Coast were set on fire, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11891987/chinese-immigrants-were-forced-out-of-eureka-in-1885-heres-how-locals-are-making-that-history-known\">Eureka\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101886267/california-cities-apologize-for-historical-wrongs-against-chinese-community\">Antioch\u003c/a>, Napa and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11877801/san-jose-had-5-chinatowns-why-did-they-vanish\">San José\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yu’s grandfather was a pioneer of San José’s Chinatown, and she said he shared details of how his community was destroyed in 1887: “The newspaper always said ‘mysterious fire’ … but my grandfather always said the fire was set to drive us out … [they should’ve] asked the Chinese themselves how they felt,” Yu said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘The Dog Tag Law’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Months before the Chinese Exclusion Act was set to lapse, Santa Rosa lawyer and U.S. House Representative \u003ca href=\"https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/13702\">Thomas J. Geary\u003c/a> introduced legislation that addressed a question the original act had a hard time answering: how could the government not only restrict newcomers but remove Chinese people who were already living in the country?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Geary Act became law, extending the Chinese Exclusion Act by a decade and imposing remarkable provisions on Chinese laborers living in the U.S. They had to register with the federal government and obtain a certificate of residence that they had to carry with them at all times or risk up to one year of hard labor in prison and deportation unless they could prove their immigration status with the testimony of two white witnesses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-9 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"803\" height=\"772\" data-id=\"12095847\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095847\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-02-KQED.jpg 803w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-02-KQED-160x154.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 803px) 100vw, 803px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">When faced with the prospect of deportation, early Chinese immigrants organized across the country to resist the 1892 Geary Act, forming one of the largest civil disobedience campaigns in U.S. history. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"859\" height=\"797\" data-id=\"12095849\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095849\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-04-KQED.jpg 859w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-04-KQED-160x148.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 859px) 100vw, 859px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Most of the certificates are marked as “laborer” while others, notably children, were categorized as “persons other than laborer.” (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-10 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"853\" height=\"797\" data-id=\"12095850\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095850\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-05-KQED.jpg 853w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-05-KQED-160x149.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Geary Act Project, launched by Connie Young Yu and Barre Fong, has collected about 300 certificates since launching about two years ago. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"803\" height=\"772\" data-id=\"12095848\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095848\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-03-KQED.jpg 803w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-03-KQED-160x154.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 803px) 100vw, 803px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">“This is how they describe somebody born in the United States. They describe him, this 8-year-old boy, ‘persons other than laborer.’ They do not say ‘American,’ they do not say ‘citizen.’ I want people to know this.” — Janice Tong, San Francisco resident. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In other words, the Geary Act provided the U.S. government a way to deport longtime Chinese residents who had entered the U.S. legally. Historians say the law became the precursor to green cards, visas and other forms of surveillance and identification that the federal government uses today.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though the act was signed into law, it garnered strongly worded protests within Congress, including from Robert R. Hitt, a representative from Illinois. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Never before in a free country was there such a system of tagging a man like a dog to be caught by the police and examined, and if his tag or collar is not all right, taken to the pound or drowned or shot … Never before was it applied by a free people to a human being with the exception (which we can never refer to with pride) of the sad days of slavery.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Un-American, barbarous and inhuman’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For the Chinese immigrant community, the law was unthinkable and unjust, and the response was swift. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San Francisco-based Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, or the Chinese Six Companies, a powerful coalition that had financed earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12015449/a-129-year-old-san-francisco-lawsuit-could-stop-trump-from-ending-birthright-citizenship\">legal victories\u003c/a>, asked Chinese residents to each contribute a dollar towards a legal campaign against the law. Meanwhile, in New York, the Chinese Equal Rights League was formed with the sole purpose of overturning the Geary Act.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to applying political pressure and organizing petition drives, the groups organized Chinese residents to challenge the Geary Act through mass noncompliance. The Six Companies distributed leaflets in Chinese communities throughout the country, declaring that “The Geary Act is an unjust law and no Chinese should obey it … They have disregarded our rights and paid no attention to their promise, and made a law to suit themselves, no matter how unjust to us … Let us stand together.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/250731-YICKWOCIVILRIGHTS-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096098\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/250731-YICKWOCIVILRIGHTS-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/250731-YICKWOCIVILRIGHTS-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/250731-YICKWOCIVILRIGHTS-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in San Francisco’s Chinatown neighborhood on July 31, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Russell Jeung, a professor of Asian American studies at San Francisco State University, remarked that spreading these messages across the country was an amazing feat, and demonstrated just how tight-knit and organized the Chinese immigrant population was: “The Chinese networks are in a better position to [raise awareness to] the Chinese community than the American government was … clearly there were networks and newspapers and communication among the community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chinese residents found allyship with different faith communities, particularly Christians. Some white Americans were compelled, in part, by the efforts of people like Jee Gam, a community leader and the first Chinese congregational pastor in America. Gam wrote essays in English for publications, most notably one titled \u003ca href=\"https://www.whobuiltamerica.org/item/the-geary-act-from-the-standpoint-of-a-christian-chinese\">“The Geary Act: From the Standpoint of a Christian Chinese\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> “This Act withdraws some sacred rights such as in the Declaration of Independence are declared to be inalienable,” he wrote. “The right to a free, untrammelled pursuit of happiness, the right of habeas corpus, the right to be adjudged innocent until proven guilty … it is un-American, barbarous and inhuman.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The call to participate in the civil disobedience campaign was an extraordinary success. Only about 13,000 of the approximately 100,000 Chinese residents in the country registered during the initial registration period. That left the federal government with the challenge of arresting and deporting over 85% of the nation’s Chinese population — something they weren’t prepared or resourced to do. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Getting 100,000 people to do a thing is hard in itself, but I think the biggest success is making plain the weakness of the federal government,” Jin said. “Through the process of not registering and seeing how much power that had, they were able to find the weaknesses of the system and continue to exploit it throughout the exclusion era.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The search for the Geary Act’s paper trail\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On a dining room table in her Los Altos home, Yu fanned out the \u003cem>chak chee’s\u003c/em> that she’s been collecting, along with her grandfather’s. Since launching The Geary Act Project, Yu and documentary filmmaker Barre Fong have received and digitized \u003ca href=\"https://www.thegearyactproject.com/thecollection\">almost 300 certificates\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Tens of thousands of people were part of the civil disobedience, including my grandfather. They complied, and they felt unity; there was a community because everybody’s behind it,” Yu said, as she carefully picked up the documents. Most of them are men, marked as “laborers,” but there are also ones for women and children.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Almost all of the certificates collected by the project were issued a couple of years after the Geary Act became law. Chinese immigrants only registered after the Supreme Court upheld the law in its ruling on \u003ca href=\"https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep149/usrep149698/usrep149698.pdf\">\u003cem>Fong Yue Ting v. United States\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, a case carefully orchestrated by the Six Companies. They had raised enough money to hire prominent attorneys and chose three unregistered laundrymen in New York to surrender themselves for arrest. The men were ordered to be deported in accordance with the Geary Act, and a lawsuit was initiated claiming the legislation was discriminatory and violated constitutional protections, including the 14th Amendment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095826\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Historian Connie Young Yu speaks to KQED in her home in Los Altos, California, on Thursday, July 30, 2026. A longtime historian, Yu is the co-founder of the Geary Act Project, which is collecting and digitizing certificates of residence that may still be in the possession of Chinese American families. (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>In May 1893, the court announced a 5-3 decision: the Geary Act was constitutional. The ruling extended the federal government’s power to exclude Chinese immigrants and gave it the ability to deport those already living in the U.S. The decision helped cement \u003ca href=\"https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C18-8-7-1/ALDE_00001261/\">the plenary power doctrine\u003c/a>, which gives the federal government almost unlimited discretion on all aspects of immigration policy and remains a key tenet of U.S. immigration law today. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Things that seem normal today were actually created at a certain moment in time and for a very specific purpose: to keep Chinese immigrants, or as many as possible, out of the country,” Lytle Hernández said. “ What does it mean that the logic and the language and the rhetoric and the spirit of Chinese exclusion remains written into our precedent and our legal landscape of the immigration regime?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In \u003cem>Strangers in the Land\u003c/em>, author Michael Luo wrote about the news of the Geary Act ruling reaching the San Francisco headquarters of the Six Companies: “In the afternoon, a reporter from the \u003cem>Call\u003c/em> found Gee Chong Tone, the secretary of the Six Companies, inside his office surrounded by stacks of telegrams from concerned immigrants across the state and country … he was shocked by the decision. ‘It’s like a man feeling safe being hit between the eyes in the dark,’ he said.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-11 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"738\" data-id=\"12095851\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095851\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-06-KQED.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-06-KQED-160x148.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">When faced with the prospect of deportation, early Chinese immigrants organized across the country to resist the 1892 Geary Act, forming one of the largest civil disobedience campaigns in U.S. history. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"871\" height=\"797\" data-id=\"12095852\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095852\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-07-KQED.jpg 871w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-07-KQED-160x146.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 871px) 100vw, 871px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Chinese immigrants are remembered for constitutional victories, including rulings that established birthright citizenship and strengthened equal protection. But they have another legacy: they led a nationwide campaign against the federal government’s expansion of immigration powers. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-12 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"869\" height=\"797\" data-id=\"12095853\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095853\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-08-KQED.jpg 869w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-08-KQED-160x147.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 869px) 100vw, 869px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Most of the certificates collected by the Geary Act Project were issued in 1894, two years after the passage of the Geary Act, because Chinese residents refused to comply with the requirements of the law. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"874\" height=\"797\" data-id=\"12095854\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095854\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-10-KQED.jpg 874w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-10-KQED-160x146.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 874px) 100vw, 874px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">“Exclusion is kind of a nebulous idea, but then you look at the faces [on the certificates], and you’re like, ‘Oh, those are real people’ … and they were trying to have a dream of what they wanted to do, and they’re trying to survive.” — Barre Fong, documentary filmmaker. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After the ruling, Geary added more teeth to the law, notably requiring the certificates of residence to include photographs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can not make a verbal description of a Chinaman such as you can make of a white man … All Chinamen look alike, all dress alike, all have the same kind of eyes …” Geary said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yu acknowledges the cruelty of the requirement, but as a historian, she also understands the value of having such detailed documentation of the country’s earliest Chinese residents. You know where each person lived and their physical traits, as detailed as “gold filling in upper teeth” or “large wart on nose right side.” There were also portraits of their faces, some of which show indisputable evidence of their hard labor and the stresses of surviving exclusion: the tanned skin from working outside, the wrinkles on their foreheads, the bags under their eyes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The idea to collect the documents came from a conversation with Yu during a community event, Fong said, shortly after Trump won his second presidential election. There was a “general sense of fear and dread” about the threat facing immigrants, he said, and it felt like the right time to tell a counter-narrative about some of the country’s earliest immigrants. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"alignleft size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"812\" height=\"797\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095845\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-01-KQED.jpg 812w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-01-KQED-160x157.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 812px) 100vw, 812px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Transcontinental railroad worker Jow Kee’s original certificate of residence. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“Exclusion is kind of a nebulous idea, but then you look at the faces [on the certificates], and you’re like ‘oh those are real people’ … and they were trying to have a dream of what they wanted to do, and they’re trying to survive,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The preservation of the Geary Act certificates offers a tangible record of the government’s efforts to define and categorize Chinese immigrants. Yu and Fong say it’s a slow, manual, volunteer-run effort. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to tapping into collections from different historical organizations, they’re depending on submissions from families that have held onto the documents as keepsakes for generations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some are stored at the National Archives in San Bruno, which announced \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088904/exclusive-the-bay-areas-national-archives-office-is-closing-researchers-are-worried\">its impending closure\u003c/a> earlier this year. Documents could be dispersed across the country, Fong said, which would make the search far more difficult.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Among the most striking certificates collected by the Geary Act Project came from San Francisco resident Janice Tong, including those belonging to her great-grandfather, great-grandmother and her grandfather when he was just a young boy. It was the child’s certificate that struck Yu as particularly “cold-blooded.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is how they describe somebody born in the United States. They describe him, this 8-year-old boy, ‘persons other than laborer.’ They do not say ‘American,’ they do not say ‘citizen.’ I want people to know this.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Among the most prized certificates they have uncovered was one belonging to Jow Kee, a transcontinental railroad worker. It is the only portrait that has been found of one of the roughly 12,000 Chinese men who helped build the railroad. It had been sitting in a box under a bed in a descendant’s home for years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fong said the collection of certificates could open up some critical conversations in the Chinese American community: “The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12021919/bay-area-japanese-americans-draw-on-wwii-trauma-resist-deportation-threats\">Japanese American community’s incarcerated survivors\u003c/a> [from World War II] are really great at talking about intergenerational trauma. The Chinese American community is not great at that … I think we should be better at talking about it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the work of the Geary Act Project is not just a labor of love, Yu said. She believes it’s her “destiny” and that the current moment demands it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As she carefully slipped the certificates back into their protective plastic sleeves, Yu shared a message to her community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The call to action is ‘stand up, Chinese Americans.’ Stand up for your people and the people in your community … because your ancestors have gone through this turmoil and struggle that so many immigrants are going through … show solidarity. Show empathy.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She also hopes more Chinese American families will search their closets, attics and archives for more certificates — \u003ca href=\"https://www.thegearyactproject.com/upload-a-certificate\">and share them\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And bring proof of your ancestors’ lives,” she said, with a small smile. “They struggled to be here.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It wasn’t until 1972, when Yu was an adult active in Asian American organizing and scholarship, that her mother shared a surprising piece of his history with her. From the family’s large carved camphor chest in her bedroom, her mother pulled out a neatly folded parchment: It was \u003ca href=\"https://www.thegearyactproject.com/copy-of-upload-a-certificate?pgid=m68xajc7-a512c26d-b87a-443c-883e-98cc622e3d31\">her grandfather’s \u003cem>chak chee\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, a certificate of residence that all Chinese people in the U.S. were required to carry, as mandated by the 1892 Geary Act, the successor to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/chinese-exclusion-act\">1882 Chinese Exclusion Act\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Stamped across the top of the document was the word “LABORER.” Below it were his occupation — “cook,” his height — just over 5 feet, 3 inches and identifying marks — “scar on left forearm.” And in the lower left corner was a striking portrait photo of her grandfather at the age of 25.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Stamped across the top of the document was the word “LABORER.” Below it were his occupation — “cook,” his height — just over 5 feet, 3 inches and identifying marks — “scar on left forearm.” And in the lower left corner was a striking portrait photo of her grandfather at the age of 25.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-ConnieYu-JY-11_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096096\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-ConnieYu-JY-11_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-ConnieYu-JY-11_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-ConnieYu-JY-11_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Historian Connie Young Yu’s collection of certificates of residence includes her own grandfather’s document. Yung Wah Gok and other Chinese residents initially resisted the Geary Act requirement to carry the certificates with them at all times under the threat of deportation.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-ConnieYu-JY-11_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096096\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Historian Connie Young Yu’s collection of certificates of residence includes her own grandfather’s document. Yung Wah Gok and other Chinese residents initially resisted the Geary Act requirement to carry the certificates with them at all times under the threat of deportation.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I just thought, ‘Gee … that doesn’t look like my \u003cem>gung gung\u003c/em>,’” said Yu, now 85, who had known her grandfather as a dignified man who wore suits. “But actually, I really liked that picture in many ways because he looks very determined. Like a young rebel.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I just thought, ‘Gee … that doesn’t look like my \u003cem>gung gung\u003c/em>,’” said Yu, now 85, who had known her grandfather as a dignified man who wore suits. “But actually, I really liked that picture in many ways because he looks very determined. Like a young rebel.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The certificate was issued in May 1894, two years after the passage of the Geary Act, revealing that her grandfather had been one of the tens of thousands of Chinese residents across the country who had resisted the federal government’s demands to register — forming one of the largest campaigns of civil disobedience in U.S. history.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The certificate was issued in May 1894, two years after the passage of the Geary Act, revealing that her grandfather had been one of the tens of thousands of Chinese residents across the country who had resisted the federal government’s demands to register — forming one of the largest campaigns of civil disobedience in U.S. history.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>From 1892-93, Chinese immigrants refused to comply with the requirement to register with their local internal revenue offices. If they were caught without a certificate, they faced arrest, detention and deportation as stipulated by the Geary Act, which historians and legal theorists say helped shape today’s U.S. immigration system. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>From 1892-93, Chinese immigrants refused to comply with the requirement to register with their local internal revenue offices. If they were caught without a certificate, they faced arrest, detention and deportation as stipulated by the Geary Act, which historians and legal theorists say helped shape today’s U.S. immigration system. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While Chinese immigrants are remembered for constitutional victories, including rulings that established \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088125/as-america-turns-250-san-franciscos-role-in-defining-citizenship-endures\">birthright citizenship\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050233/how-a-chinese-laundryman-shaped-us-civil-rights-from-san-francisco\">strengthened equal protection\u003c/a>, they have another legacy: they led a nationwide campaign against the federal government’s expansion of immigration powers. And though they ultimately failed to overturn the Geary Act in court, their resistance challenged the adoption of now-routine practices — calling them “cruel and unjust,” and incompatible with the nation’s constitutional ideals. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While Chinese immigrants are remembered for constitutional victories, including rulings that established \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088125/as-america-turns-250-san-franciscos-role-in-defining-citizenship-endures\">birthright citizenship\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050233/how-a-chinese-laundryman-shaped-us-civil-rights-from-san-francisco\">strengthened equal protection\u003c/a>, they have another legacy: they led a nationwide campaign against the federal government’s expansion of immigration powers. And though they ultimately failed to overturn the Geary Act in court, their resistance challenged the adoption of now-routine practices — calling them “cruel and unjust,” and incompatible with the nation’s constitutional ideals. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095828\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Historian Connie Young Yu stands for a portrait in her home in Los Altos, California, on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Yu’s paternal grandfather, Yung Wah Gok, arrived in the U.S.as an 11-year-old laborer in 1881, a year before the Chinese Exclusion Act. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095828\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Historian Connie Young Yu stands for a portrait in her home in Los Altos, California, on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Yu’s paternal grandfather, Yung Wah Gok, arrived in the U.S.as an 11-year-old laborer in 1881, a year before the Chinese Exclusion Act. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Those sentiments are echoed today by immigrant communities across the country, as the Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078084/agents-of-chaos-border-patrols-year-of-unchecked-force\">continues\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092697/bay-area-immigrant-advocates-warn-noncitizens-to-avoid-air-travel-after-ice-arrests\">double down\u003c/a> on its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12085159/immigration-courts-are-using-a-new-tactic-to-speed-up-deportations\">deportation efforts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Those sentiments are echoed today by immigrant communities across the country, as the Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078084/agents-of-chaos-border-patrols-year-of-unchecked-force\">continues\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092697/bay-area-immigrant-advocates-warn-noncitizens-to-avoid-air-travel-after-ice-arrests\">double down\u003c/a> on its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12085159/immigration-courts-are-using-a-new-tactic-to-speed-up-deportations\">deportation efforts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yu, a longtime local historian and author, argues the resistance of early Chinese immigrants like her grandfather should be more well known. She co-founded \u003ca href=\"https://www.thegearyactproject.com/\">The Geary Act Project\u003c/a> two years ago and is now on a mission to collect more certificates — to lay a paper trail of evidence linking the racism experienced by her ancestors to the current administration’s immigration crackdown.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yu, a longtime local historian and author, argues the resistance of early Chinese immigrants like her grandfather should be more well known. She co-founded \u003ca href=\"https://www.thegearyactproject.com/\">The Geary Act Project\u003c/a> two years ago and is now on a mission to collect more certificates — to lay a paper trail of evidence linking the racism experienced by her ancestors to the current administration’s immigration crackdown.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our society is under threat, we’re under attack,” she said. “We’re trying to show that the Chinese Exclusion Act was actually a foundation for ICE and the harassment of people of color and immigration detention and deportation.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Our society is under threat, we’re under attack,” she said. “We’re trying to show that the Chinese Exclusion Act was actually a foundation for ICE and the harassment of people of color and immigration detention and deportation.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When Chinese exclusion wasn’t enough\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When Chinese exclusion wasn’t enough\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yu said it’s by luck that she was born in the United States. Her grandfather arrived in 1881, at age 11 — just one year before the Chinese Exclusion Act banned Chinese laborers from entering the U.S. for a decade.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yu said it’s by luck that she was born in the United States. Her grandfather arrived in 1881, at age 11 — just one year before the Chinese Exclusion Act banned Chinese laborers from entering the U.S. for a decade.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“My parents always said, ‘If he had waited until he was 12, you wouldn’t be here,’” Yu said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“My parents always said, ‘If he had waited until he was 12, you wouldn’t be here,’” Yu said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Chinese people began arriving in the U.S. in the late 1840s, there was no federal immigration system. States, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10429550/boomtown-history-2b\">California\u003c/a>, passed laws targeting Chinese immigrants as anti-Chinese sentiment grew, fueled by the narrative that they threatened the nation’s economic well-being.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When Chinese people began arriving in the U.S. in the late 1840s, there was no federal immigration system. States, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10429550/boomtown-history-2b\">California\u003c/a>, passed laws targeting Chinese immigrants as anti-Chinese sentiment grew, fueled by the narrative that they threatened the nation’s economic well-being.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GETTYIMAGES-1311093098-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095866\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GETTYIMAGES-1311093098-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GETTYIMAGES-1311093098-KQED-160x117.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GETTYIMAGES-1311093098-KQED-1536x1121.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Chinese butcher and grocery store, with meat hanging from hooks with vegetables and other fresh produce displayed in crates at the front of the store in the Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco, California, circa 1885. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GETTYIMAGES-1311093098-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095866\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Chinese butcher and grocery store, with meat hanging from hooks with vegetables and other fresh produce displayed in crates at the front of the store in the Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco, California, circa 1885. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Reconstruction — the post-Civil War era when constitutional protections were expanded for newly freed Black Americans — changed the landscape. The 14th Amendment ensured due process and equal protection to everyone, giving Chinese immigrants new grounds to challenge discriminatory state laws.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But Reconstruction — the post-Civil War era when constitutional protections were expanded for newly freed Black Americans — changed the landscape. The 14th Amendment ensured due process and equal protection to everyone, giving Chinese immigrants new grounds to challenge discriminatory state laws.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Several Supreme Court justices, along with others who wished to continue excluding Chinese immigrants, pushed for the federal government to take up immigration control, according to Kelly Lytle Hernández, an author and professor of history at UCLA.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Several Supreme Court justices, along with others who wished to continue excluding Chinese immigrants, pushed for the federal government to take up immigration control, according to Kelly Lytle Hernández, an author and professor of history at UCLA.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I understand our federal immigration system as being the creation of an effort to skirt the 14th Amendment, to skirt the growth of a multiracial democracy,” she said. ”Reconstruction and Chinese Exclusion are all part of the same story.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I understand our federal immigration system as being the creation of an effort to skirt the 14th Amendment, to skirt the growth of a multiracial democracy,” she said. ”Reconstruction and Chinese Exclusion are all part of the same story.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 1875, the Supreme Court ruled in \u003ca href=\"https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/92/275/\">\u003cem>Chy Lung v. Freeman\u003c/em>\u003c/a> that immigration was a federal responsibility, while \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/safr/blogs/chinese-women-immigration-and-the-first-u-s-exclusion-law-the-page-act-of-1875.htm\">the Page Act\u003c/a> established one of the first major federal restrictions on immigration, targeting Chinese and other Asian women. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In 1875, the Supreme Court ruled in \u003ca href=\"https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/92/275/\">\u003cem>Chy Lung v. Freeman\u003c/em>\u003c/a> that immigration was a federal responsibility, while \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/safr/blogs/chinese-women-immigration-and-the-first-u-s-exclusion-law-the-page-act-of-1875.htm\">the Page Act\u003c/a> established one of the first major federal restrictions on immigration, targeting Chinese and other Asian women. \u003c/p>\n"
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"id": 12096097,
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"imageCredit": "Courtesy of History San José",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260820-ChinatownActivism-01.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260820-ChinatownActivism-01-160x118.jpg 160w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260820-ChinatownActivism-01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096097\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260820-ChinatownActivism-01.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260820-ChinatownActivism-01-160x118.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Second Market Street Chinatown burned down in an arson fire in 1887. There were no recorded casualties, but the entire Chinese community in San José was displaced. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260820-ChinatownActivism-01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096097\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Second Market Street Chinatown burned down in an arson fire in 1887. There were no recorded casualties, but the entire Chinese community in San José was displaced. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Seven years later came the Chinese Exclusion Act. Despite the passage of the landmark law, thousands of Chinese laborers and immigrants still arrived. They filed legal challenges to their exclusion, inundating federal courts in San Francisco and frustrating white politicians and residents who wanted to see Chinese immigration come to an end.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Seven years later came the Chinese Exclusion Act. Despite the passage of the landmark law, thousands of Chinese laborers and immigrants still arrived. They filed legal challenges to their exclusion, inundating federal courts in San Francisco and frustrating white politicians and residents who wanted to see Chinese immigration come to an end.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As the Chinese Exclusion Act was set to expire in 1892, the federal government realized it needed a way to plug the loopholes of the act, especially as anti-Chinese violence intensified.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As the Chinese Exclusion Act was set to expire in 1892, the federal government realized it needed a way to plug the loopholes of the act, especially as anti-Chinese violence intensified.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp> “As soon as [white residents] saw that their goals weren’t being met by this experiment in diplomatic control, this is why we see the most violent anti-Chinese incidents happening between ’85 and ’88, not before 1882,” said Alexander Jin, a historian at Dartmouth University.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp> “As soon as [white residents] saw that their goals weren’t being met by this experiment in diplomatic control, this is why we see the most violent anti-Chinese incidents happening between ’85 and ’88, not before 1882,” said Alexander Jin, a historian at Dartmouth University.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Vigilante mobs seized Chinese businesses and homes, and rural Chinatowns along the West Coast were set on fire, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11891987/chinese-immigrants-were-forced-out-of-eureka-in-1885-heres-how-locals-are-making-that-history-known\">Eureka\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101886267/california-cities-apologize-for-historical-wrongs-against-chinese-community\">Antioch\u003c/a>, Napa and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11877801/san-jose-had-5-chinatowns-why-did-they-vanish\">San José\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Vigilante mobs seized Chinese businesses and homes, and rural Chinatowns along the West Coast were set on fire, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11891987/chinese-immigrants-were-forced-out-of-eureka-in-1885-heres-how-locals-are-making-that-history-known\">Eureka\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101886267/california-cities-apologize-for-historical-wrongs-against-chinese-community\">Antioch\u003c/a>, Napa and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11877801/san-jose-had-5-chinatowns-why-did-they-vanish\">San José\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yu’s grandfather was a pioneer of San José’s Chinatown, and she said he shared details of how his community was destroyed in 1887: “The newspaper always said ‘mysterious fire’ … but my grandfather always said the fire was set to drive us out … [they should’ve] asked the Chinese themselves how they felt,” Yu said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yu’s grandfather was a pioneer of San José’s Chinatown, and she said he shared details of how his community was destroyed in 1887: “The newspaper always said ‘mysterious fire’ … but my grandfather always said the fire was set to drive us out … [they should’ve] asked the Chinese themselves how they felt,” Yu said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "‘The Dog Tag Law’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘The Dog Tag Law’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘The Dog Tag Law’\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Months before the Chinese Exclusion Act was set to lapse, Santa Rosa lawyer and U.S. House Representative \u003ca href=\"https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/13702\">Thomas J. Geary\u003c/a> introduced legislation that addressed a question the original act had a hard time answering: how could the government not only restrict newcomers but remove Chinese people who were already living in the country?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Months before the Chinese Exclusion Act was set to lapse, Santa Rosa lawyer and U.S. House Representative \u003ca href=\"https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/13702\">Thomas J. Geary\u003c/a> introduced legislation that addressed a question the original act had a hard time answering: how could the government not only restrict newcomers but remove Chinese people who were already living in the country?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Geary Act became law, extending the Chinese Exclusion Act by a decade and imposing remarkable provisions on Chinese laborers living in the U.S. They had to register with the federal government and obtain a certificate of residence that they had to carry with them at all times or risk up to one year of hard labor in prison and deportation unless they could prove their immigration status with the testimony of two white witnesses. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Geary Act became law, extending the Chinese Exclusion Act by a decade and imposing remarkable provisions on Chinese laborers living in the U.S. They had to register with the federal government and obtain a certificate of residence that they had to carry with them at all times or risk up to one year of hard labor in prison and deportation unless they could prove their immigration status with the testimony of two white witnesses. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">\n\n\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095847\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">When faced with the prospect of deportation, early Chinese immigrants organized across the country to resist the 1892 Geary Act, forming one of the largest civil disobedience campaigns in U.S. history.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095847\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">When faced with the prospect of deportation, early Chinese immigrants organized across the country to resist the 1892 Geary Act, forming one of the largest civil disobedience campaigns in U.S. history.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/image",
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"id": 12095849,
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095849\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Most of the certificates are marked as “laborer” while others, notably children, were categorized as “persons other than laborer.”\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095849\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Most of the certificates are marked as “laborer” while others, notably children, were categorized as “persons other than laborer.”\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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null,
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null,
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095850\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Geary Act Project, launched by Connie Young Yu and Barre Fong, has collected about 300 certificates since launching about two years ago. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095850\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Geary Act Project, launched by Connie Young Yu and Barre Fong, has collected about 300 certificates since launching about two years ago. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095848\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">“This is how they describe somebody born in the United States. They describe him, this 8-year-old boy, ‘persons other than laborer.’ They do not say ‘American,’ they do not say ‘citizen.’ I want people to know this.” — Janice Tong, San Francisco resident.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095848\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">“This is how they describe somebody born in the United States. They describe him, this 8-year-old boy, ‘persons other than laborer.’ They do not say ‘American,’ they do not say ‘citizen.’ I want people to know this.” — Janice Tong, San Francisco resident.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In other words, the Geary Act provided the U.S. government a way to deport longtime Chinese residents who had entered the U.S. legally. Historians say the law became the precursor to green cards, visas and other forms of surveillance and identification that the federal government uses today.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In other words, the Geary Act provided the U.S. government a way to deport longtime Chinese residents who had entered the U.S. legally. Historians say the law became the precursor to green cards, visas and other forms of surveillance and identification that the federal government uses today.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Though the act was signed into law, it garnered strongly worded protests within Congress, including from Robert R. Hitt, a representative from Illinois. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Though the act was signed into law, it garnered strongly worded protests within Congress, including from Robert R. Hitt, a representative from Illinois. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Never before in a free country was there such a system of tagging a man like a dog to be caught by the police and examined, and if his tag or collar is not all right, taken to the pound or drowned or shot … Never before was it applied by a free people to a human being with the exception (which we can never refer to with pride) of the sad days of slavery.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Never before in a free country was there such a system of tagging a man like a dog to be caught by the police and examined, and if his tag or collar is not all right, taken to the pound or drowned or shot … Never before was it applied by a free people to a human being with the exception (which we can never refer to with pride) of the sad days of slavery.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "‘Un-American, barbarous and inhuman’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Un-American, barbarous and inhuman’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Un-American, barbarous and inhuman’\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For the Chinese immigrant community, the law was unthinkable and unjust, and the response was swift. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The San Francisco-based Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, or the Chinese Six Companies, a powerful coalition that had financed earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12015449/a-129-year-old-san-francisco-lawsuit-could-stop-trump-from-ending-birthright-citizenship\">legal victories\u003c/a>, asked Chinese residents to each contribute a dollar towards a legal campaign against the law. Meanwhile, in New York, the Chinese Equal Rights League was formed with the sole purpose of overturning the Geary Act.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The San Francisco-based Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, or the Chinese Six Companies, a powerful coalition that had financed earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12015449/a-129-year-old-san-francisco-lawsuit-could-stop-trump-from-ending-birthright-citizenship\">legal victories\u003c/a>, asked Chinese residents to each contribute a dollar towards a legal campaign against the law. Meanwhile, in New York, the Chinese Equal Rights League was formed with the sole purpose of overturning the Geary Act.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In addition to applying political pressure and organizing petition drives, the groups organized Chinese residents to challenge the Geary Act through mass noncompliance. The Six Companies distributed leaflets in Chinese communities throughout the country, declaring that “The Geary Act is an unjust law and no Chinese should obey it … They have disregarded our rights and paid no attention to their promise, and made a law to suit themselves, no matter how unjust to us … Let us stand together.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In addition to applying political pressure and organizing petition drives, the groups organized Chinese residents to challenge the Geary Act through mass noncompliance. The Six Companies distributed leaflets in Chinese communities throughout the country, declaring that “The Geary Act is an unjust law and no Chinese should obey it … They have disregarded our rights and paid no attention to their promise, and made a law to suit themselves, no matter how unjust to us … Let us stand together.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/250731-YICKWOCIVILRIGHTS-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096098\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/250731-YICKWOCIVILRIGHTS-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/250731-YICKWOCIVILRIGHTS-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/250731-YICKWOCIVILRIGHTS-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in San Francisco’s Chinatown neighborhood on July 31, 2025.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/250731-YICKWOCIVILRIGHTS-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096098\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in San Francisco’s Chinatown neighborhood on July 31, 2025.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Russell Jeung, a professor of Asian American studies at San Francisco State University, remarked that spreading these messages across the country was an amazing feat, and demonstrated just how tight-knit and organized the Chinese immigrant population was: “The Chinese networks are in a better position to [raise awareness to] the Chinese community than the American government was … clearly there were networks and newspapers and communication among the community.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Russell Jeung, a professor of Asian American studies at San Francisco State University, remarked that spreading these messages across the country was an amazing feat, and demonstrated just how tight-knit and organized the Chinese immigrant population was: “The Chinese networks are in a better position to [raise awareness to] the Chinese community than the American government was … clearly there were networks and newspapers and communication among the community.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chinese residents found allyship with different faith communities, particularly Christians. Some white Americans were compelled, in part, by the efforts of people like Jee Gam, a community leader and the first Chinese congregational pastor in America. Gam wrote essays in English for publications, most notably one titled \u003ca href=\"https://www.whobuiltamerica.org/item/the-geary-act-from-the-standpoint-of-a-christian-chinese\">“The Geary Act: From the Standpoint of a Christian Chinese\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Chinese residents found allyship with different faith communities, particularly Christians. Some white Americans were compelled, in part, by the efforts of people like Jee Gam, a community leader and the first Chinese congregational pastor in America. Gam wrote essays in English for publications, most notably one titled \u003ca href=\"https://www.whobuiltamerica.org/item/the-geary-act-from-the-standpoint-of-a-christian-chinese\">“The Geary Act: From the Standpoint of a Christian Chinese\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp> “This Act withdraws some sacred rights such as in the Declaration of Independence are declared to be inalienable,” he wrote. “The right to a free, untrammelled pursuit of happiness, the right of habeas corpus, the right to be adjudged innocent until proven guilty … it is un-American, barbarous and inhuman.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp> “This Act withdraws some sacred rights such as in the Declaration of Independence are declared to be inalienable,” he wrote. “The right to a free, untrammelled pursuit of happiness, the right of habeas corpus, the right to be adjudged innocent until proven guilty … it is un-American, barbarous and inhuman.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The call to participate in the civil disobedience campaign was an extraordinary success. Only about 13,000 of the approximately 100,000 Chinese residents in the country registered during the initial registration period. That left the federal government with the challenge of arresting and deporting over 85% of the nation’s Chinese population — something they weren’t prepared or resourced to do. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The call to participate in the civil disobedience campaign was an extraordinary success. Only about 13,000 of the approximately 100,000 Chinese residents in the country registered during the initial registration period. That left the federal government with the challenge of arresting and deporting over 85% of the nation’s Chinese population — something they weren’t prepared or resourced to do. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Getting 100,000 people to do a thing is hard in itself, but I think the biggest success is making plain the weakness of the federal government,” Jin said. “Through the process of not registering and seeing how much power that had, they were able to find the weaknesses of the system and continue to exploit it throughout the exclusion era.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Getting 100,000 people to do a thing is hard in itself, but I think the biggest success is making plain the weakness of the federal government,” Jin said. “Through the process of not registering and seeing how much power that had, they were able to find the weaknesses of the system and continue to exploit it throughout the exclusion era.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "The search for the Geary Act’s paper trail",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The search for the Geary Act’s paper trail\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The search for the Geary Act’s paper trail\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On a dining room table in her Los Altos home, Yu fanned out the \u003cem>chak chee’s\u003c/em> that she’s been collecting, along with her grandfather’s. Since launching The Geary Act Project, Yu and documentary filmmaker Barre Fong have received and digitized \u003ca href=\"https://www.thegearyactproject.com/thecollection\">almost 300 certificates\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On a dining room table in her Los Altos home, Yu fanned out the \u003cem>chak chee’s\u003c/em> that she’s been collecting, along with her grandfather’s. Since launching The Geary Act Project, Yu and documentary filmmaker Barre Fong have received and digitized \u003ca href=\"https://www.thegearyactproject.com/thecollection\">almost 300 certificates\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Tens of thousands of people were part of the civil disobedience, including my grandfather. They complied, and they felt unity; there was a community because everybody’s behind it,” Yu said, as she carefully picked up the documents. Most of them are men, marked as “laborers,” but there are also ones for women and children.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Tens of thousands of people were part of the civil disobedience, including my grandfather. They complied, and they felt unity; there was a community because everybody’s behind it,” Yu said, as she carefully picked up the documents. Most of them are men, marked as “laborers,” but there are also ones for women and children.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Almost all of the certificates collected by the project were issued a couple of years after the Geary Act became law. Chinese immigrants only registered after the Supreme Court upheld the law in its ruling on \u003ca href=\"https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep149/usrep149698/usrep149698.pdf\">\u003cem>Fong Yue Ting v. United States\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, a case carefully orchestrated by the Six Companies. They had raised enough money to hire prominent attorneys and chose three unregistered laundrymen in New York to surrender themselves for arrest. The men were ordered to be deported in accordance with the Geary Act, and a lawsuit was initiated claiming the legislation was discriminatory and violated constitutional protections, including the 14th Amendment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Almost all of the certificates collected by the project were issued a couple of years after the Geary Act became law. Chinese immigrants only registered after the Supreme Court upheld the law in its ruling on \u003ca href=\"https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep149/usrep149698/usrep149698.pdf\">\u003cem>Fong Yue Ting v. United States\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, a case carefully orchestrated by the Six Companies. They had raised enough money to hire prominent attorneys and chose three unregistered laundrymen in New York to surrender themselves for arrest. The men were ordered to be deported in accordance with the Geary Act, and a lawsuit was initiated claiming the legislation was discriminatory and violated constitutional protections, including the 14th Amendment. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095826\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Historian Connie Young Yu speaks to KQED in her home in Los Altos, California, on Thursday, July 30, 2026. A longtime historian, Yu is the co-founder of the Geary Act Project, which is collecting and digitizing certificates of residence that may still be in the possession of Chinese American families. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095826\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Historian Connie Young Yu speaks to KQED in her home in Los Altos, California, on Thursday, July 30, 2026. A longtime historian, Yu is the co-founder of the Geary Act Project, which is collecting and digitizing certificates of residence that may still be in the possession of Chinese American families. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In May 1893, the court announced a 5-3 decision: the Geary Act was constitutional. The ruling extended the federal government’s power to exclude Chinese immigrants and gave it the ability to deport those already living in the U.S. The decision helped cement \u003ca href=\"https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C18-8-7-1/ALDE_00001261/\">the plenary power doctrine\u003c/a>, which gives the federal government almost unlimited discretion on all aspects of immigration policy and remains a key tenet of U.S. immigration law today. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In May 1893, the court announced a 5-3 decision: the Geary Act was constitutional. The ruling extended the federal government’s power to exclude Chinese immigrants and gave it the ability to deport those already living in the U.S. The decision helped cement \u003ca href=\"https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C18-8-7-1/ALDE_00001261/\">the plenary power doctrine\u003c/a>, which gives the federal government almost unlimited discretion on all aspects of immigration policy and remains a key tenet of U.S. immigration law today. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Things that seem normal today were actually created at a certain moment in time and for a very specific purpose: to keep Chinese immigrants, or as many as possible, out of the country,” Lytle Hernández said. “ What does it mean that the logic and the language and the rhetoric and the spirit of Chinese exclusion remains written into our precedent and our legal landscape of the immigration regime?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Things that seem normal today were actually created at a certain moment in time and for a very specific purpose: to keep Chinese immigrants, or as many as possible, out of the country,” Lytle Hernández said. “ What does it mean that the logic and the language and the rhetoric and the spirit of Chinese exclusion remains written into our precedent and our legal landscape of the immigration regime?”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In \u003cem>Strangers in the Land\u003c/em>, author Michael Luo wrote about the news of the Geary Act ruling reaching the San Francisco headquarters of the Six Companies: “In the afternoon, a reporter from the \u003cem>Call\u003c/em> found Gee Chong Tone, the secretary of the Six Companies, inside his office surrounded by stacks of telegrams from concerned immigrants across the state and country … he was shocked by the decision. ‘It’s like a man feeling safe being hit between the eyes in the dark,’ he said.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In \u003cem>Strangers in the Land\u003c/em>, author Michael Luo wrote about the news of the Geary Act ruling reaching the San Francisco headquarters of the Six Companies: “In the afternoon, a reporter from the \u003cem>Call\u003c/em> found Gee Chong Tone, the secretary of the Six Companies, inside his office surrounded by stacks of telegrams from concerned immigrants across the state and country … he was shocked by the decision. ‘It’s like a man feeling safe being hit between the eyes in the dark,’ he said.”\u003c/p>\n"
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null,
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095851\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">When faced with the prospect of deportation, early Chinese immigrants organized across the country to resist the 1892 Geary Act, forming one of the largest civil disobedience campaigns in U.S. history.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095851\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">When faced with the prospect of deportation, early Chinese immigrants organized across the country to resist the 1892 Geary Act, forming one of the largest civil disobedience campaigns in U.S. history.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095852\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Chinese immigrants are remembered for constitutional victories, including rulings that established birthright citizenship and strengthened equal protection. But they have another legacy: they led a nationwide campaign against the federal government’s expansion of immigration powers.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095852\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Chinese immigrants are remembered for constitutional victories, including rulings that established birthright citizenship and strengthened equal protection. But they have another legacy: they led a nationwide campaign against the federal government’s expansion of immigration powers.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095853\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Most of the certificates collected by the Geary Act Project were issued in 1894, two years after the passage of the Geary Act, because Chinese residents refused to comply with the requirements of the law. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095853\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Most of the certificates collected by the Geary Act Project were issued in 1894, two years after the passage of the Geary Act, because Chinese residents refused to comply with the requirements of the law. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095854\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> “Exclusion is kind of a nebulous idea, but then you look at the faces [on the certificates], and you’re like, ‘Oh, those are real people’ … and they were trying to have a dream of what they wanted to do, and they’re trying to survive.” — Barre Fong, documentary filmmaker.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095854\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> “Exclusion is kind of a nebulous idea, but then you look at the faces [on the certificates], and you’re like, ‘Oh, those are real people’ … and they were trying to have a dream of what they wanted to do, and they’re trying to survive.” — Barre Fong, documentary filmmaker.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After the ruling, Geary added more teeth to the law, notably requiring the certificates of residence to include photographs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You can not make a verbal description of a Chinaman such as you can make of a white man … All Chinamen look alike, all dress alike, all have the same kind of eyes …” Geary said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You can not make a verbal description of a Chinaman such as you can make of a white man … All Chinamen look alike, all dress alike, all have the same kind of eyes …” Geary said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yu acknowledges the cruelty of the requirement, but as a historian, she also understands the value of having such detailed documentation of the country’s earliest Chinese residents. You know where each person lived and their physical traits, as detailed as “gold filling in upper teeth” or “large wart on nose right side.” There were also portraits of their faces, some of which show indisputable evidence of their hard labor and the stresses of surviving exclusion: the tanned skin from working outside, the wrinkles on their foreheads, the bags under their eyes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yu acknowledges the cruelty of the requirement, but as a historian, she also understands the value of having such detailed documentation of the country’s earliest Chinese residents. You know where each person lived and their physical traits, as detailed as “gold filling in upper teeth” or “large wart on nose right side.” There were also portraits of their faces, some of which show indisputable evidence of their hard labor and the stresses of surviving exclusion: the tanned skin from working outside, the wrinkles on their foreheads, the bags under their eyes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Exclusion is kind of a nebulous idea, but then you look at the faces [on the certificates], and you’re like ‘oh those are real people’ … and they were trying to have a dream of what they wanted to do, and they’re trying to survive,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The preservation of the Geary Act certificates offers a tangible record of the government’s efforts to define and categorize Chinese immigrants. Yu and Fong say it’s a slow, manual, volunteer-run effort. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In addition to tapping into collections from different historical organizations, they’re depending on submissions from families that have held onto the documents as keepsakes for generations. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some are stored at the National Archives in San Bruno, which announced \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088904/exclusive-the-bay-areas-national-archives-office-is-closing-researchers-are-worried\">its impending closure\u003c/a> earlier this year. Documents could be dispersed across the country, Fong said, which would make the search far more difficult.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Among the most striking certificates collected by the Geary Act Project came from San Francisco resident Janice Tong, including those belonging to her great-grandfather, great-grandmother and her grandfather when he was just a young boy. It was the child’s certificate that struck Yu as particularly “cold-blooded.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Among the most striking certificates collected by the Geary Act Project came from San Francisco resident Janice Tong, including those belonging to her great-grandfather, great-grandmother and her grandfather when he was just a young boy. It was the child’s certificate that struck Yu as particularly “cold-blooded.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is how they describe somebody born in the United States. They describe him, this 8-year-old boy, ‘persons other than laborer.’ They do not say ‘American,’ they do not say ‘citizen.’ I want people to know this.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Among the most prized certificates they have uncovered was one belonging to Jow Kee, a transcontinental railroad worker. It is the only portrait that has been found of one of the roughly 12,000 Chinese men who helped build the railroad. It had been sitting in a box under a bed in a descendant’s home for years. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fong said the collection of certificates could open up some critical conversations in the Chinese American community: “The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12021919/bay-area-japanese-americans-draw-on-wwii-trauma-resist-deportation-threats\">Japanese American community’s incarcerated survivors\u003c/a> [from World War II] are really great at talking about intergenerational trauma. The Chinese American community is not great at that … I think we should be better at talking about it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the work of the Geary Act Project is not just a labor of love, Yu said. She believes it’s her “destiny” and that the current moment demands it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As she carefully slipped the certificates back into their protective plastic sleeves, Yu shared a message to her community.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The call to action is ‘stand up, Chinese Americans.’ Stand up for your people and the people in your community … because your ancestors have gone through this turmoil and struggle that so many immigrants are going through … show solidarity. Show empathy.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She also hopes more Chinese American families will search their closets, attics and archives for more certificates — \u003ca href=\"https://www.thegearyactproject.com/upload-a-certificate\">and share them\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“And bring proof of your ancestors’ lives,” she said, with a small smile. “They struggled to be here.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Long before immigration raids and deportations became political flashpoints, Chinese immigrants defied the federal government’s expansion of immigration powers in the late 19th century.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Connie Young Yu thought she knew a lot about her beloved \u003cem>gung gung\u003c/em>. As a young girl, she would listen as her grandfather, Yung Wah Gok, recounted what it was like living through America’s Chinese Exclusion era of the late 19th century. She had heard many stories, like how, as a young boy in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a> Chinatown, he’d have to sprint home while white residents hurled rocks at him.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It wasn’t until 1972, when Yu was an adult active in Asian American organizing and scholarship, that her mother shared a surprising piece of his history with her. From the family’s large carved camphor chest in her bedroom, her mother pulled out a neatly folded parchment: It was \u003ca href=\"https://www.thegearyactproject.com/copy-of-upload-a-certificate?pgid=m68xajc7-a512c26d-b87a-443c-883e-98cc622e3d31\">her grandfather’s \u003cem>chak chee\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, a certificate of residence that all Chinese people in the U.S. were required to carry, as mandated by the 1892 Geary Act, the successor to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/chinese-exclusion-act\">1882 Chinese Exclusion Act\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Stamped across the top of the document was the word “LABORER.” Below it were his occupation — “cook,” his height — just over 5 feet, 3 inches and identifying marks — “scar on left forearm.” And in the lower left corner was a striking portrait photo of her grandfather at the age of 25.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-ConnieYu-JY-11_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096096\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-ConnieYu-JY-11_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-ConnieYu-JY-11_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-ConnieYu-JY-11_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Historian Connie Young Yu’s collection of certificates of residence includes her own grandfather’s document. Yung Wah Gok and other Chinese residents initially resisted the Geary Act requirement to carry the certificates with them at all times under the threat of deportation. (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“I just thought, ‘Gee … that doesn’t look like my \u003cem>gung gung\u003c/em>,’” said Yu, now 85, who had known her grandfather as a dignified man who wore suits. “But actually, I really liked that picture in many ways because he looks very determined. Like a young rebel.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The certificate was issued in May 1894, two years after the passage of the Geary Act, revealing that her grandfather had been one of the tens of thousands of Chinese residents across the country who had resisted the federal government’s demands to register — forming one of the largest campaigns of civil disobedience in U.S. history.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From 1892-93, Chinese immigrants refused to comply with the requirement to register with their local internal revenue offices. If they were caught without a certificate, they faced arrest, detention and deportation as stipulated by the Geary Act, which historians and legal theorists say helped shape today’s U.S. immigration system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Chinese immigrants are remembered for constitutional victories, including rulings that established \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088125/as-america-turns-250-san-franciscos-role-in-defining-citizenship-endures\">birthright citizenship\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050233/how-a-chinese-laundryman-shaped-us-civil-rights-from-san-francisco\">strengthened equal protection\u003c/a>, they have another legacy: they led a nationwide campaign against the federal government’s expansion of immigration powers. And though they ultimately failed to overturn the Geary Act in court, their resistance challenged the adoption of now-routine practices — calling them “cruel and unjust,” and incompatible with the nation’s constitutional ideals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095828\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Historian Connie Young Yu stands for a portrait in her home in Los Altos, California, on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Yu’s paternal grandfather, Yung Wah Gok, arrived in the U.S.as an 11-year-old laborer in 1881, a year before the Chinese Exclusion Act. (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Those sentiments are echoed today by immigrant communities across the country, as the Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078084/agents-of-chaos-border-patrols-year-of-unchecked-force\">continues\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092697/bay-area-immigrant-advocates-warn-noncitizens-to-avoid-air-travel-after-ice-arrests\">double down\u003c/a> on its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12085159/immigration-courts-are-using-a-new-tactic-to-speed-up-deportations\">deportation efforts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yu, a longtime local historian and author, argues the resistance of early Chinese immigrants like her grandfather should be more well known. She co-founded \u003ca href=\"https://www.thegearyactproject.com/\">The Geary Act Project\u003c/a> two years ago and is now on a mission to collect more certificates — to lay a paper trail of evidence linking the racism experienced by her ancestors to the current administration’s immigration crackdown.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our society is under threat, we’re under attack,” she said. “We’re trying to show that the Chinese Exclusion Act was actually a foundation for ICE and the harassment of people of color and immigration detention and deportation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When Chinese exclusion wasn’t enough\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yu said it’s by luck that she was born in the United States. Her grandfather arrived in 1881, at age 11 — just one year before the Chinese Exclusion Act banned Chinese laborers from entering the U.S. for a decade.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My parents always said, ‘If he had waited until he was 12, you wouldn’t be here,’” Yu said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Chinese people began arriving in the U.S. in the late 1840s, there was no federal immigration system. States, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10429550/boomtown-history-2b\">California\u003c/a>, passed laws targeting Chinese immigrants as anti-Chinese sentiment grew, fueled by the narrative that they threatened the nation’s economic well-being.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1459\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GETTYIMAGES-1311093098-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095866\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GETTYIMAGES-1311093098-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GETTYIMAGES-1311093098-KQED-160x117.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/GETTYIMAGES-1311093098-KQED-1536x1121.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Chinese butcher and grocery store, with meat hanging from hooks with vegetables and other fresh produce displayed in crates at the front of the store in the Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco, California, circa 1885. (Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But Reconstruction — the post-Civil War era when constitutional protections were expanded for newly freed Black Americans — changed the landscape. The 14th Amendment ensured due process and equal protection to everyone, giving Chinese immigrants new grounds to challenge discriminatory state laws.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Several Supreme Court justices, along with others who wished to continue excluding Chinese immigrants, pushed for the federal government to take up immigration control, according to Kelly Lytle Hernández, an author and professor of history at UCLA.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I understand our federal immigration system as being the creation of an effort to skirt the 14th Amendment, to skirt the growth of a multiracial democracy,” she said. ”Reconstruction and Chinese Exclusion are all part of the same story.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 1875, the Supreme Court ruled in \u003ca href=\"https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/92/275/\">\u003cem>Chy Lung v. Freeman\u003c/em>\u003c/a> that immigration was a federal responsibility, while \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/safr/blogs/chinese-women-immigration-and-the-first-u-s-exclusion-law-the-page-act-of-1875.htm\">the Page Act\u003c/a> established one of the first major federal restrictions on immigration, targeting Chinese and other Asian women. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1020\" height=\"754\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260820-ChinatownActivism-01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096097\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260820-ChinatownActivism-01.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260820-ChinatownActivism-01-160x118.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Second Market Street Chinatown burned down in an arson fire in 1887. There were no recorded casualties, but the entire Chinese community in San José was displaced. (Courtesy of History San José)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Seven years later came the Chinese Exclusion Act. Despite the passage of the landmark law, thousands of Chinese laborers and immigrants still arrived. They filed legal challenges to their exclusion, inundating federal courts in San Francisco and frustrating white politicians and residents who wanted to see Chinese immigration come to an end.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the Chinese Exclusion Act was set to expire in 1892, the federal government realized it needed a way to plug the loopholes of the act, especially as anti-Chinese violence intensified.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> “As soon as [white residents] saw that their goals weren’t being met by this experiment in diplomatic control, this is why we see the most violent anti-Chinese incidents happening between ’85 and ’88, not before 1882,” said Alexander Jin, a historian at Dartmouth University.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Vigilante mobs seized Chinese businesses and homes, and rural Chinatowns along the West Coast were set on fire, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11891987/chinese-immigrants-were-forced-out-of-eureka-in-1885-heres-how-locals-are-making-that-history-known\">Eureka\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101886267/california-cities-apologize-for-historical-wrongs-against-chinese-community\">Antioch\u003c/a>, Napa and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11877801/san-jose-had-5-chinatowns-why-did-they-vanish\">San José\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yu’s grandfather was a pioneer of San José’s Chinatown, and she said he shared details of how his community was destroyed in 1887: “The newspaper always said ‘mysterious fire’ … but my grandfather always said the fire was set to drive us out … [they should’ve] asked the Chinese themselves how they felt,” Yu said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘The Dog Tag Law’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Months before the Chinese Exclusion Act was set to lapse, Santa Rosa lawyer and U.S. House Representative \u003ca href=\"https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/13702\">Thomas J. Geary\u003c/a> introduced legislation that addressed a question the original act had a hard time answering: how could the government not only restrict newcomers but remove Chinese people who were already living in the country?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Geary Act became law, extending the Chinese Exclusion Act by a decade and imposing remarkable provisions on Chinese laborers living in the U.S. They had to register with the federal government and obtain a certificate of residence that they had to carry with them at all times or risk up to one year of hard labor in prison and deportation unless they could prove their immigration status with the testimony of two white witnesses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-9 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"803\" height=\"772\" data-id=\"12095847\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095847\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-02-KQED.jpg 803w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-02-KQED-160x154.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 803px) 100vw, 803px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">When faced with the prospect of deportation, early Chinese immigrants organized across the country to resist the 1892 Geary Act, forming one of the largest civil disobedience campaigns in U.S. history. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"859\" height=\"797\" data-id=\"12095849\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095849\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-04-KQED.jpg 859w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-04-KQED-160x148.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 859px) 100vw, 859px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Most of the certificates are marked as “laborer” while others, notably children, were categorized as “persons other than laborer.” (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-10 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"853\" height=\"797\" data-id=\"12095850\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095850\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-05-KQED.jpg 853w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-05-KQED-160x149.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Geary Act Project, launched by Connie Young Yu and Barre Fong, has collected about 300 certificates since launching about two years ago. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"803\" height=\"772\" data-id=\"12095848\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095848\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-03-KQED.jpg 803w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-03-KQED-160x154.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 803px) 100vw, 803px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">“This is how they describe somebody born in the United States. They describe him, this 8-year-old boy, ‘persons other than laborer.’ They do not say ‘American,’ they do not say ‘citizen.’ I want people to know this.” — Janice Tong, San Francisco resident. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In other words, the Geary Act provided the U.S. government a way to deport longtime Chinese residents who had entered the U.S. legally. Historians say the law became the precursor to green cards, visas and other forms of surveillance and identification that the federal government uses today.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though the act was signed into law, it garnered strongly worded protests within Congress, including from Robert R. Hitt, a representative from Illinois. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Never before in a free country was there such a system of tagging a man like a dog to be caught by the police and examined, and if his tag or collar is not all right, taken to the pound or drowned or shot … Never before was it applied by a free people to a human being with the exception (which we can never refer to with pride) of the sad days of slavery.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Un-American, barbarous and inhuman’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For the Chinese immigrant community, the law was unthinkable and unjust, and the response was swift. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San Francisco-based Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, or the Chinese Six Companies, a powerful coalition that had financed earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12015449/a-129-year-old-san-francisco-lawsuit-could-stop-trump-from-ending-birthright-citizenship\">legal victories\u003c/a>, asked Chinese residents to each contribute a dollar towards a legal campaign against the law. Meanwhile, in New York, the Chinese Equal Rights League was formed with the sole purpose of overturning the Geary Act.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to applying political pressure and organizing petition drives, the groups organized Chinese residents to challenge the Geary Act through mass noncompliance. The Six Companies distributed leaflets in Chinese communities throughout the country, declaring that “The Geary Act is an unjust law and no Chinese should obey it … They have disregarded our rights and paid no attention to their promise, and made a law to suit themselves, no matter how unjust to us … Let us stand together.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/250731-YICKWOCIVILRIGHTS-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096098\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/250731-YICKWOCIVILRIGHTS-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/250731-YICKWOCIVILRIGHTS-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/250731-YICKWOCIVILRIGHTS-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in San Francisco’s Chinatown neighborhood on July 31, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Russell Jeung, a professor of Asian American studies at San Francisco State University, remarked that spreading these messages across the country was an amazing feat, and demonstrated just how tight-knit and organized the Chinese immigrant population was: “The Chinese networks are in a better position to [raise awareness to] the Chinese community than the American government was … clearly there were networks and newspapers and communication among the community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chinese residents found allyship with different faith communities, particularly Christians. Some white Americans were compelled, in part, by the efforts of people like Jee Gam, a community leader and the first Chinese congregational pastor in America. Gam wrote essays in English for publications, most notably one titled \u003ca href=\"https://www.whobuiltamerica.org/item/the-geary-act-from-the-standpoint-of-a-christian-chinese\">“The Geary Act: From the Standpoint of a Christian Chinese\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> “This Act withdraws some sacred rights such as in the Declaration of Independence are declared to be inalienable,” he wrote. “The right to a free, untrammelled pursuit of happiness, the right of habeas corpus, the right to be adjudged innocent until proven guilty … it is un-American, barbarous and inhuman.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The call to participate in the civil disobedience campaign was an extraordinary success. Only about 13,000 of the approximately 100,000 Chinese residents in the country registered during the initial registration period. That left the federal government with the challenge of arresting and deporting over 85% of the nation’s Chinese population — something they weren’t prepared or resourced to do. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Getting 100,000 people to do a thing is hard in itself, but I think the biggest success is making plain the weakness of the federal government,” Jin said. “Through the process of not registering and seeing how much power that had, they were able to find the weaknesses of the system and continue to exploit it throughout the exclusion era.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The search for the Geary Act’s paper trail\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On a dining room table in her Los Altos home, Yu fanned out the \u003cem>chak chee’s\u003c/em> that she’s been collecting, along with her grandfather’s. Since launching The Geary Act Project, Yu and documentary filmmaker Barre Fong have received and digitized \u003ca href=\"https://www.thegearyactproject.com/thecollection\">almost 300 certificates\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Tens of thousands of people were part of the civil disobedience, including my grandfather. They complied, and they felt unity; there was a community because everybody’s behind it,” Yu said, as she carefully picked up the documents. Most of them are men, marked as “laborers,” but there are also ones for women and children.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Almost all of the certificates collected by the project were issued a couple of years after the Geary Act became law. Chinese immigrants only registered after the Supreme Court upheld the law in its ruling on \u003ca href=\"https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep149/usrep149698/usrep149698.pdf\">\u003cem>Fong Yue Ting v. United States\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, a case carefully orchestrated by the Six Companies. They had raised enough money to hire prominent attorneys and chose three unregistered laundrymen in New York to surrender themselves for arrest. The men were ordered to be deported in accordance with the Geary Act, and a lawsuit was initiated claiming the legislation was discriminatory and violated constitutional protections, including the 14th Amendment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095826\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260730-CONNIEYU-JY-09-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Historian Connie Young Yu speaks to KQED in her home in Los Altos, California, on Thursday, July 30, 2026. A longtime historian, Yu is the co-founder of the Geary Act Project, which is collecting and digitizing certificates of residence that may still be in the possession of Chinese American families. (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>In May 1893, the court announced a 5-3 decision: the Geary Act was constitutional. The ruling extended the federal government’s power to exclude Chinese immigrants and gave it the ability to deport those already living in the U.S. The decision helped cement \u003ca href=\"https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C18-8-7-1/ALDE_00001261/\">the plenary power doctrine\u003c/a>, which gives the federal government almost unlimited discretion on all aspects of immigration policy and remains a key tenet of U.S. immigration law today. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Things that seem normal today were actually created at a certain moment in time and for a very specific purpose: to keep Chinese immigrants, or as many as possible, out of the country,” Lytle Hernández said. “ What does it mean that the logic and the language and the rhetoric and the spirit of Chinese exclusion remains written into our precedent and our legal landscape of the immigration regime?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In \u003cem>Strangers in the Land\u003c/em>, author Michael Luo wrote about the news of the Geary Act ruling reaching the San Francisco headquarters of the Six Companies: “In the afternoon, a reporter from the \u003cem>Call\u003c/em> found Gee Chong Tone, the secretary of the Six Companies, inside his office surrounded by stacks of telegrams from concerned immigrants across the state and country … he was shocked by the decision. ‘It’s like a man feeling safe being hit between the eyes in the dark,’ he said.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-11 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"738\" data-id=\"12095851\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095851\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-06-KQED.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-06-KQED-160x148.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">When faced with the prospect of deportation, early Chinese immigrants organized across the country to resist the 1892 Geary Act, forming one of the largest civil disobedience campaigns in U.S. history. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"871\" height=\"797\" data-id=\"12095852\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095852\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-07-KQED.jpg 871w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-07-KQED-160x146.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 871px) 100vw, 871px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Chinese immigrants are remembered for constitutional victories, including rulings that established birthright citizenship and strengthened equal protection. But they have another legacy: they led a nationwide campaign against the federal government’s expansion of immigration powers. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-12 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"869\" height=\"797\" data-id=\"12095853\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095853\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-08-KQED.jpg 869w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-08-KQED-160x147.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 869px) 100vw, 869px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Most of the certificates collected by the Geary Act Project were issued in 1894, two years after the passage of the Geary Act, because Chinese residents refused to comply with the requirements of the law. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"874\" height=\"797\" data-id=\"12095854\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095854\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-10-KQED.jpg 874w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-10-KQED-160x146.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 874px) 100vw, 874px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">“Exclusion is kind of a nebulous idea, but then you look at the faces [on the certificates], and you’re like, ‘Oh, those are real people’ … and they were trying to have a dream of what they wanted to do, and they’re trying to survive.” — Barre Fong, documentary filmmaker. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After the ruling, Geary added more teeth to the law, notably requiring the certificates of residence to include photographs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can not make a verbal description of a Chinaman such as you can make of a white man … All Chinamen look alike, all dress alike, all have the same kind of eyes …” Geary said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yu acknowledges the cruelty of the requirement, but as a historian, she also understands the value of having such detailed documentation of the country’s earliest Chinese residents. You know where each person lived and their physical traits, as detailed as “gold filling in upper teeth” or “large wart on nose right side.” There were also portraits of their faces, some of which show indisputable evidence of their hard labor and the stresses of surviving exclusion: the tanned skin from working outside, the wrinkles on their foreheads, the bags under their eyes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The idea to collect the documents came from a conversation with Yu during a community event, Fong said, shortly after Trump won his second presidential election. There was a “general sense of fear and dread” about the threat facing immigrants, he said, and it felt like the right time to tell a counter-narrative about some of the country’s earliest immigrants. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"alignleft size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"812\" height=\"797\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095845\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-01-KQED.jpg 812w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260818-FIGHTING-THE-GEARY-ACT-01-KQED-160x157.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 812px) 100vw, 812px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Transcontinental railroad worker Jow Kee’s original certificate of residence. (Courtesy of the Geary Act Project)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“Exclusion is kind of a nebulous idea, but then you look at the faces [on the certificates], and you’re like ‘oh those are real people’ … and they were trying to have a dream of what they wanted to do, and they’re trying to survive,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The preservation of the Geary Act certificates offers a tangible record of the government’s efforts to define and categorize Chinese immigrants. Yu and Fong say it’s a slow, manual, volunteer-run effort. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to tapping into collections from different historical organizations, they’re depending on submissions from families that have held onto the documents as keepsakes for generations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some are stored at the National Archives in San Bruno, which announced \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088904/exclusive-the-bay-areas-national-archives-office-is-closing-researchers-are-worried\">its impending closure\u003c/a> earlier this year. Documents could be dispersed across the country, Fong said, which would make the search far more difficult.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Among the most striking certificates collected by the Geary Act Project came from San Francisco resident Janice Tong, including those belonging to her great-grandfather, great-grandmother and her grandfather when he was just a young boy. It was the child’s certificate that struck Yu as particularly “cold-blooded.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is how they describe somebody born in the United States. They describe him, this 8-year-old boy, ‘persons other than laborer.’ They do not say ‘American,’ they do not say ‘citizen.’ I want people to know this.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Among the most prized certificates they have uncovered was one belonging to Jow Kee, a transcontinental railroad worker. It is the only portrait that has been found of one of the roughly 12,000 Chinese men who helped build the railroad. It had been sitting in a box under a bed in a descendant’s home for years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fong said the collection of certificates could open up some critical conversations in the Chinese American community: “The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12021919/bay-area-japanese-americans-draw-on-wwii-trauma-resist-deportation-threats\">Japanese American community’s incarcerated survivors\u003c/a> [from World War II] are really great at talking about intergenerational trauma. The Chinese American community is not great at that … I think we should be better at talking about it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the work of the Geary Act Project is not just a labor of love, Yu said. She believes it’s her “destiny” and that the current moment demands it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As she carefully slipped the certificates back into their protective plastic sleeves, Yu shared a message to her community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The call to action is ‘stand up, Chinese Americans.’ Stand up for your people and the people in your community … because your ancestors have gone through this turmoil and struggle that so many immigrants are going through … show solidarity. Show empathy.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She also hopes more Chinese American families will search their closets, attics and archives for more certificates — \u003ca href=\"https://www.thegearyactproject.com/upload-a-certificate\">and share them\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Former Sen. Barbara Boxer Endorses San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan for Congress",
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"content": "\u003cp>Former \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12006391/barbara-boxer-is-retired-but-still-deeply-engaged-in-politics\">U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer\u003c/a> is endorsing Connie Chan in the race to represent San Francisco in Congress. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The endorsement adds another legendary female politician to Chan’s list of supporters, which also includes \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084132/nancy-pelosi-endorses-san-francisco-supervisor-connie-chan-for-congress\">House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi\u003c/a>, whose upcoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062796/nancy-pelosi-leaves-congress-after-38-years-defining-generations-of-democratic-power\">retirement\u003c/a> has opened one of the most competitive elections for San Francisco’s seat in Congress in decades. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If ever we needed a fighter and coalition builder who puts working families first, it is now. Connie is that fighter,” Boxer said in a statement. Now retired, Boxer has remained active in politics, including supporting Democratic candidates like Will Rollins, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2024, and former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf’s brief bid for state treasurer the same year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11855572\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-1832x1374.jpg 1832w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-1376x1032.jpg 1376w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-1044x783.jpg 1044w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-632x474.jpg 632w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-536x402.jpg 536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California, speaks during a press conference calling for the creation of an independent military justice system to deal with sexual harassment and assault in the military, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 6, 2014. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Democrat served as a county supervisor in Marin before going on to represent parts of the San Francisco Bay Area in Congress from 1983 to 1993 — one of only 23 women at the time in the House of Representatives. She then served in the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2017.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Although we have made great progress with now 125 women representatives out of 435, there’s still a lot of work to do. Connie will ensure that gap doesn’t grow,” Boxer said. “She will make us proud.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chan, a progressive Democrat with wide support from labor organizations, is running against state Sen. Scott Wiener, a former San Francisco supervisor known for his work around housing legislation and LGBTQ rights at the local and state level. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wiener, a more moderate Democrat, has nabbed support from labor leader Dolores Huerta, the majority of the city’s current Board of Supervisors and other Democratic elected officials, including California Attorney General Rob Bonta, State Treasurer Fiona Ma and Rep. Sam Liccardo, the former San José mayor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chan meanwhile has found a powerful ally in Pelosi, who has thrown her fundraising muscle and political expertise behind her campaign. Recently, Pelosi \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/teampelosi/status/2085488807152136474?s=46\">sharply criticized\u003c/a> one of Wiener’s campaign moves to create an AI-powered chatbot mimicking Chan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Women have spent generations fighting to have our own voices heard in the halls of power,” Pelosi said about the chatbot. “We should not have to now fight against artificial intelligence putting words in our mouths.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wiener’s team later took down the AI chatbot, acknowledging that it “clearly missed the mark.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My campaign created ConnieChan.ai as a parody to draw attention to my opponent’s record of delay and obstruction around housing, public transit and other critical needs,” Wiener said in a statement following criticism that the tool also mocked Chan’s accent. “Innovation means trying new things, and it also means being honest when something doesn’t land the way you intended.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Saturday, the state senator held a “Women for Scott” rally with elected officials including East Bay Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, San Francisco Assemblymember Catherine Stefani and SF Democratic Party Chair Nancy Tung, who have all endorsed Wiener. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wiener may have more name recognition, from his pro-housing supporters to national Republicans who have attacked his LGBTQ legislation, but recent polling suggests the race is competitive.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chan said in a statement that she was “deeply grateful” for Boxer’s support. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Her career has shown what it means to fight for working families and bring local government experience directly to Washington,” Chan said. “I’m honored to follow in Senator Boxer’s footsteps and look forward to carrying that fight to Congress.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chan, a progressive Democrat with wide support from labor organizations, is running against state Sen. Scott Wiener, a former San Francisco supervisor known for his work around housing legislation and LGBTQ rights at the local and state level. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Women have spent generations fighting to have our own voices heard in the halls of power,” Pelosi said about the chatbot. “We should not have to now fight against artificial intelligence putting words in our mouths.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“My campaign created ConnieChan.ai as a parody to draw attention to my opponent’s record of delay and obstruction around housing, public transit and other critical needs,” Wiener said in a statement following criticism that the tool also mocked Chan’s accent. “Innovation means trying new things, and it also means being honest when something doesn’t land the way you intended.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Saturday, the state senator held a “Women for Scott” rally with elected officials including East Bay Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, San Francisco Assemblymember Catherine Stefani and SF Democratic Party Chair Nancy Tung, who have all endorsed Wiener. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Her career has shown what it means to fight for working families and bring local government experience directly to Washington,” Chan said. “I’m honored to follow in Senator Boxer’s footsteps and look forward to carrying that fight to Congress.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Chan has also found a powerful ally in Nancy Pelosi, whose retirement has opened up the first competitive race for the city’s House seat in decades.",
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"title": "Former Sen. Barbara Boxer Endorses San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan for Congress | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Former \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12006391/barbara-boxer-is-retired-but-still-deeply-engaged-in-politics\">U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer\u003c/a> is endorsing Connie Chan in the race to represent San Francisco in Congress. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The endorsement adds another legendary female politician to Chan’s list of supporters, which also includes \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084132/nancy-pelosi-endorses-san-francisco-supervisor-connie-chan-for-congress\">House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi\u003c/a>, whose upcoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062796/nancy-pelosi-leaves-congress-after-38-years-defining-generations-of-democratic-power\">retirement\u003c/a> has opened one of the most competitive elections for San Francisco’s seat in Congress in decades. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If ever we needed a fighter and coalition builder who puts working families first, it is now. Connie is that fighter,” Boxer said in a statement. Now retired, Boxer has remained active in politics, including supporting Democratic candidates like Will Rollins, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2024, and former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf’s brief bid for state treasurer the same year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11855572\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-1832x1374.jpg 1832w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-1376x1032.jpg 1376w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-1044x783.jpg 1044w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-632x474.jpg 632w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/01/8749_transform-536x402.jpg 536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California, speaks during a press conference calling for the creation of an independent military justice system to deal with sexual harassment and assault in the military, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 6, 2014. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Democrat served as a county supervisor in Marin before going on to represent parts of the San Francisco Bay Area in Congress from 1983 to 1993 — one of only 23 women at the time in the House of Representatives. She then served in the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2017.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Although we have made great progress with now 125 women representatives out of 435, there’s still a lot of work to do. Connie will ensure that gap doesn’t grow,” Boxer said. “She will make us proud.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chan, a progressive Democrat with wide support from labor organizations, is running against state Sen. Scott Wiener, a former San Francisco supervisor known for his work around housing legislation and LGBTQ rights at the local and state level. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wiener, a more moderate Democrat, has nabbed support from labor leader Dolores Huerta, the majority of the city’s current Board of Supervisors and other Democratic elected officials, including California Attorney General Rob Bonta, State Treasurer Fiona Ma and Rep. Sam Liccardo, the former San José mayor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chan meanwhile has found a powerful ally in Pelosi, who has thrown her fundraising muscle and political expertise behind her campaign. Recently, Pelosi \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/teampelosi/status/2085488807152136474?s=46\">sharply criticized\u003c/a> one of Wiener’s campaign moves to create an AI-powered chatbot mimicking Chan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Women have spent generations fighting to have our own voices heard in the halls of power,” Pelosi said about the chatbot. “We should not have to now fight against artificial intelligence putting words in our mouths.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wiener’s team later took down the AI chatbot, acknowledging that it “clearly missed the mark.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My campaign created ConnieChan.ai as a parody to draw attention to my opponent’s record of delay and obstruction around housing, public transit and other critical needs,” Wiener said in a statement following criticism that the tool also mocked Chan’s accent. “Innovation means trying new things, and it also means being honest when something doesn’t land the way you intended.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Saturday, the state senator held a “Women for Scott” rally with elected officials including East Bay Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, San Francisco Assemblymember Catherine Stefani and SF Democratic Party Chair Nancy Tung, who have all endorsed Wiener. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wiener may have more name recognition, from his pro-housing supporters to national Republicans who have attacked his LGBTQ legislation, but recent polling suggests the race is competitive.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chan said in a statement that she was “deeply grateful” for Boxer’s support. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Her career has shown what it means to fight for working families and bring local government experience directly to Washington,” Chan said. “I’m honored to follow in Senator Boxer’s footsteps and look forward to carrying that fight to Congress.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Advocates Divided on How to Fix California’s Strained Animal Rescue System",
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"content": "\u003cp>Animal advocacy groups are taking their ideas for fixing California’s shelter system to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sacramento\">Sacramento\u003c/a>, following several high-profile abuse cases throughout the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The advocates gathered outside the California State Capitol on Monday to hold back-to-back press conferences, calling for an increase in oversight and transparency in the state’s animal welfare system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s current system lacks any centralized agency for monitoring animal transfers and enforcing state laws, gaps that were recently highlighted by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084725/bay-area-dogs-found-dead-at-humboldt-county-no-kill-rescue\">the case of Miranda’s Rescue,\u003c/a> a “no-kill” animal sanctuary in Humboldt County. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Its owner, Shannon Miranda, is accused of taking in dogs for profit, then killing them and burying them on his property. More than 700 animals were also recently seized from a southern California rescue, most of them “suffering from severe neglect,” according to an \u003ca href=\"https://sdhumane.org/san-diego-humane-society-provides-update-on-large-scale-animal-rescue-in-julian-2/\">SDHS press release. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096579\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-03-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-03-KQED-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-03-KQED-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Animal advocates gather at a press conference to introduce a bill to reform California’s animal welfare system at the California State Capitol in Sacramento on Aug. 24, 2026. (Zoë Ferrigno/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Humboldt County Sheriff’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088544/hundreds-of-dogs-remain-missing-as-search-resumes-at-mirandas-rescue\">recent investigation\u003c/a> into Miranda’s found that the small sanctuary took in more than 900 dogs last year, but investigators could only confirm adoption paperwork for about 100 of them. Two hundred of those dogs came from Oakland Animal Services. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We did not realize how many animals he was taking in from all these other jurisdictions,” OAS Director Joe DeVries said. “We did not realize that he was at that scale.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If there were a statewide system, with a couple of clicks of the mouse, you could realize that,” DeVries said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>DeVries supported a proposal from the California Animal Welfare Association, or CalAnimals, to create a bureau within the California Department of Food and Agriculture that would license and inspect shelters and rescues. It would also keep and monitor a database of information about the outcome of animals in the system, and give the public a centralized place to raise concerns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It seems like every week we’re getting reports of some sort of rescue that got in over their head,” CalAnimals CEO Jill Tucker said. They’re often started by good-hearted people that wanna save animals, and they’re responding to the pleas for help, and they’re trying to help as many as they can … And then they have too many.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The idea for the bureau was inspired by \u003ca href=\"https://ag.colorado.gov/animal-welfare/pet-animal-care-and-facilities-act\">Colorado’s 1994 Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act\u003c/a>. Tucker said that PACFA is “largely self-sustaining” through licensing fees, and that the goal is to set up a similar model in California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The other group, Fix Our Shelters, also wants an oversight body, but they worry the bureau will end up being governed by the same people it is supposed to oversee. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We wanna make sure at the end of the day that it’s an independent body,” Fix Our Shelters President Julie Virga said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096581\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-04-KQED-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-04-KQED-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">At Fix Our Shelters’ rally, Jenna Moore shares how she and fellow Humboldt County animal advocate Jennifer Raymond uncovered evidence that led to an investigation into Miranda’s Rescue in Fortuna, California. (Zoë Ferrigno/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jenna Moore, a Humboldt County advocate who uncovered evidence that led to the investigation into Miranda’s Rescue, tearfully recounted her experience at the Fix Our Shelters event. She said there’s one sure way to prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future: “The bottom line is spay and neuter. Spay and neuter. Spay and neuter. Spay and neuter.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Assemblymember Alex Lee introduced a bill that would have required shelters and rescues to keep and regularly publish data about the outcome of animals in their care, which died in committee. The groups now calling for change are hoping to get something introduced in the next legislative session. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sabrina Woods, an animal advocate from Solano County, attended both events. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If we can make sure that that’s going to be a fair process with lots of different stakeholders from different areas,” she said, listing vets, animal control and advocates. “Then, it’s gonna be a go.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>DeVries supported a proposal from the California Animal Welfare Association, or CalAnimals, to create a bureau within the California Department of Food and Agriculture that would license and inspect shelters and rescues. It would also keep and monitor a database of information about the outcome of animals in the system, and give the public a centralized place to raise concerns.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>DeVries supported a proposal from the California Animal Welfare Association, or CalAnimals, to create a bureau within the California Department of Food and Agriculture that would license and inspect shelters and rescues. It would also keep and monitor a database of information about the outcome of animals in the system, and give the public a centralized place to raise concerns.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It seems like every week we’re getting reports of some sort of rescue that got in over their head,” CalAnimals CEO Jill Tucker said. They’re often started by good-hearted people that wanna save animals, and they’re responding to the pleas for help, and they’re trying to help as many as they can … And then they have too many.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The idea for the bureau was inspired by \u003ca href=\"https://ag.colorado.gov/animal-welfare/pet-animal-care-and-facilities-act\">Colorado’s 1994 Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act\u003c/a>. Tucker said that PACFA is “largely self-sustaining” through licensing fees, and that the goal is to set up a similar model in California. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The other group, Fix Our Shelters, also wants an oversight body, but they worry the bureau will end up being governed by the same people it is supposed to oversee. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We wanna make sure at the end of the day that it’s an independent body,” Fix Our Shelters President Julie Virga said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jenna Moore, a Humboldt County advocate who uncovered evidence that led to the investigation into Miranda’s Rescue, tearfully recounted her experience at the Fix Our Shelters event. She said there’s one sure way to prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future: “The bottom line is spay and neuter. Spay and neuter. Spay and neuter. Spay and neuter.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Jenna Moore, a Humboldt County advocate who uncovered evidence that led to the investigation into Miranda’s Rescue, tearfully recounted her experience at the Fix Our Shelters event. She said there’s one sure way to prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future: “The bottom line is spay and neuter. Spay and neuter. Spay and neuter. Spay and neuter.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Assemblymember Alex Lee introduced a bill that would have required shelters and rescues to keep and regularly publish data about the outcome of animals in their care, which died in committee. The groups now calling for change are hoping to get something introduced in the next legislative session. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sabrina Woods, an animal advocate from Solano County, attended both events. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If we can make sure that that’s going to be a fair process with lots of different stakeholders from different areas,” she said, listing vets, animal control and advocates. “Then, it’s gonna be a go.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Animal welfare advocates are calling for more state oversight in the wake of high-profile animal abuse cases. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Animal advocacy groups are taking their ideas for fixing California’s shelter system to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sacramento\">Sacramento\u003c/a>, following several high-profile abuse cases throughout the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The advocates gathered outside the California State Capitol on Monday to hold back-to-back press conferences, calling for an increase in oversight and transparency in the state’s animal welfare system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s current system lacks any centralized agency for monitoring animal transfers and enforcing state laws, gaps that were recently highlighted by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084725/bay-area-dogs-found-dead-at-humboldt-county-no-kill-rescue\">the case of Miranda’s Rescue,\u003c/a> a “no-kill” animal sanctuary in Humboldt County. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Its owner, Shannon Miranda, is accused of taking in dogs for profit, then killing them and burying them on his property. More than 700 animals were also recently seized from a southern California rescue, most of them “suffering from severe neglect,” according to an \u003ca href=\"https://sdhumane.org/san-diego-humane-society-provides-update-on-large-scale-animal-rescue-in-julian-2/\">SDHS press release. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096579\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-03-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-03-KQED-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-03-KQED-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Animal advocates gather at a press conference to introduce a bill to reform California’s animal welfare system at the California State Capitol in Sacramento on Aug. 24, 2026. (Zoë Ferrigno/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Humboldt County Sheriff’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088544/hundreds-of-dogs-remain-missing-as-search-resumes-at-mirandas-rescue\">recent investigation\u003c/a> into Miranda’s found that the small sanctuary took in more than 900 dogs last year, but investigators could only confirm adoption paperwork for about 100 of them. Two hundred of those dogs came from Oakland Animal Services. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We did not realize how many animals he was taking in from all these other jurisdictions,” OAS Director Joe DeVries said. “We did not realize that he was at that scale.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If there were a statewide system, with a couple of clicks of the mouse, you could realize that,” DeVries said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>DeVries supported a proposal from the California Animal Welfare Association, or CalAnimals, to create a bureau within the California Department of Food and Agriculture that would license and inspect shelters and rescues. It would also keep and monitor a database of information about the outcome of animals in the system, and give the public a centralized place to raise concerns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It seems like every week we’re getting reports of some sort of rescue that got in over their head,” CalAnimals CEO Jill Tucker said. They’re often started by good-hearted people that wanna save animals, and they’re responding to the pleas for help, and they’re trying to help as many as they can … And then they have too many.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The idea for the bureau was inspired by \u003ca href=\"https://ag.colorado.gov/animal-welfare/pet-animal-care-and-facilities-act\">Colorado’s 1994 Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act\u003c/a>. Tucker said that PACFA is “largely self-sustaining” through licensing fees, and that the goal is to set up a similar model in California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The other group, Fix Our Shelters, also wants an oversight body, but they worry the bureau will end up being governed by the same people it is supposed to oversee. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We wanna make sure at the end of the day that it’s an independent body,” Fix Our Shelters President Julie Virga said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096581\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-04-KQED-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260824-Animal-Rescue-Presser-ZF-04-KQED-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">At Fix Our Shelters’ rally, Jenna Moore shares how she and fellow Humboldt County animal advocate Jennifer Raymond uncovered evidence that led to an investigation into Miranda’s Rescue in Fortuna, California. (Zoë Ferrigno/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jenna Moore, a Humboldt County advocate who uncovered evidence that led to the investigation into Miranda’s Rescue, tearfully recounted her experience at the Fix Our Shelters event. She said there’s one sure way to prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future: “The bottom line is spay and neuter. Spay and neuter. Spay and neuter. Spay and neuter.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Assemblymember Alex Lee introduced a bill that would have required shelters and rescues to keep and regularly publish data about the outcome of animals in their care, which died in committee. The groups now calling for change are hoping to get something introduced in the next legislative session. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sabrina Woods, an animal advocate from Solano County, attended both events. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If we can make sure that that’s going to be a fair process with lots of different stakeholders from different areas,” she said, listing vets, animal control and advocates. “Then, it’s gonna be a go.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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},
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"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
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"order": 10
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},
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"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
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"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
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"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
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"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
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"order": 1
},
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"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "WNYC"
},
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
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},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"hidden-brain": {
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"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "NPR"
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"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
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"how-i-built-this": {
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"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
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"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
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"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"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. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"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. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
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"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
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},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"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.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
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"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"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>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
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"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"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?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
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},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
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"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
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