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"slug": "california-forever-isnt-on-the-ballot-but-its-looming-large-over-local-elections",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The small North Bay community of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043295/suisun-city-proposes-annexing-most-of-california-forevers-new-city\">Suisun City\u003c/a> has a lot of problems facing it: a chronic budget deficit, empty stores on its picturesque marsh-facing waterfront and a scant supply of city staff to maintain public services, to name a few. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But all of those are dwarfed by the billionaire-backed elephant in the room: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-forever\">California Forever\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The controversial developer has loomed over election campaigns across Solano County. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://electkpatricewilliams.com/k-patrice-williams-shipbuilding-vote-california-forever/\">City Council\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://carliforsolano.com/platform\">county supervisor\u003c/a> candidates are taking stances on how they feel about the company and its plan to build homes and apartments for more than 100,000 people, retail, offices, and an advanced manufacturing center, among other ideas that could reshape the region — regardless of whether they’ll have any voting power to approve or reject the proposal.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But nowhere are the stakes higher than in Suisun City. For the past two years, the city’s leaders have been exploring whether to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059985/california-forever-clears-first-hurdle-in-suisun-city-annexation\">annex\u003c/a> some of California Forever’s land, a move that would give it authority to approve the proposed megadevelopment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It would be a big change for the small town of fewer than 30,000 residents. Annexation would grow the city’s geographic boundaries by around nine times. And the next City Council and mayor will play a big role in determining not just whether annexation happens, but what kind of deal the city will get out of it. \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/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-6-KQED-6436ee91.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105295\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-6-KQED-6436ee91.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-6-KQED-6436ee91-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-6-KQED-6436ee91-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A sign reading “Protect Suisun Stop California Forever” rests on the ground during a City Council candidate forum in Suisun City on Oct. 8, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For residents, the project is a make-or-break moment: Supporters see it as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to not just grow the city’s footprint, but bring in desperately needed tax revenue that could pull the waterfront community off a looming fiscal cliff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opponents, however, see it as an expensive boondoggle that could drain the county’s already limited resources, siphon the region’s water supply and overshadow the city’s small-town charm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cindy Macdonald, a Suisun City retiree, is still deciding who to vote for, but regardless of who takes office, she thinks California Forever’s development is inevitable. The company already owns the land where the project would be built, plus thousands more acres. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“What are they going to do with it? Is it going to be 400,000 more people in Solano County… or a data center?” she asked. “This particular election is pretty important all the way around.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She likes Amit Pal, a current City Council member who is running to replace Mayor Alma Hernandez, and Princess Washington, an incumbent City Council member running for reelection.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1332\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-21-KQED-9b9df697.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105303\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-21-KQED-9b9df697.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-21-KQED-9b9df697-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-21-KQED-9b9df697-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Suisun City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Amit Pal, left, speaks during a mayoral candidate forum in Suisun City on Oct. 8, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Macdonald thinks they are savvy enough to negotiate a good deal with the company. Both have said they are interested in continuing to explore annexation, but remain skeptical about the project and the company.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other residents want to shake up city leadership and view California Forever’s proposed development as a major threat that could drain resources from their small town. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Katrina Garcia, a small business owner, entered the race for City Council because she felt like her concerns weren’t being heard by the city’s current leaders. In mid-July, she attended a meeting with other Suisun City residents to discuss what they might want in a community benefits agreement if leaders reached an annexation deal with California Forever. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She is worried about the project’s massive size and how it could impact surrounding cities, the environment and Suisun City’s small-town vibe. Garcia wants more public meetings about the project, not just within her city but with county supervisors, too. But she said that when she kept raising those concerns, she felt supporters of the project kept pushing her aside. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They overrode me,” she said. “[Supporters of the project said] it’s all a great thing and that there are just people that are just mad, and we can’t please them. But that’s not true.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Garcia, Washington and mayoral candidate Lilia Dardon believe Suisun City’s annexation deal should ultimately be decided by city voters — an atypical move for the county’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12040357/2-solano-cities-could-annex-some-california-forevers-land-heres-how\">current annexation process\u003c/a>, which gives decision-making power to a county-level regulatory agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Michael Jefferson, on the other hand, is running on a platform of shutting down all annexation talks. Earlier this year, he ran an unsuccessful attempt to recall the entire City Council over their willingness to engage the idea. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“What I heard is [there are] a lot of people that are scared, and they’re afraid of their future right now because of California Forever,” he said. “I am so happy to bring a voice to the voiceless and tell them, ‘No, you actually have someone that will actually represent your interests, who will actually help you, and will actually listen.’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Current Mayor Alma Hernandez rejects that premise and argues that a majority of residents want the council to continue to explore annexation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At a recent forum hosted by the regional coalition Solano Together, Hernandez estimated about 40% of residents had made up their minds, one way or the other: “They’re like, ‘Where’s the shovel coming?” or “No way, we don’t trust them,” she said, and the rest are undecided. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">”About 60% of the community is like, ‘Go do the homework and tell us the answers and see if it makes sense or not,’” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hernandez has her own concerns about the project and how it would impact the town she grew up in. She worries Highway 12 — the main artery running through the southern portion of Solano County — could get clogged with traffic if California Forever doesn’t properly think through its transportation infrastructure. She also worries a site of this size could require an inordinate amount of water, a scarce resource in the county. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Suisun City and Solano County are also facing other major problems without good solutions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jenalee Dawson, an incumbent candidate running for City Council, said she has heard from community members who want more housing and job opportunities, especially after major employers, including the Valero Refinery, the Anheuser-Busch Brewery and the Mare Island Dry Docks have shut down or scaled back operations at local factories. \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/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-20-KQED-1858d254.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105302\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-20-KQED-1858d254.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-20-KQED-1858d254-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-20-KQED-1858d254-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Michael Fortney, Head of Partnerships at California Forever, attends Suisun City City Council and mayoral candidate forums in Suisun City on Oct. 8, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, California Forever officials have promised thousands of jobs — for construction workers during the build-out and at tech campuses when the project is complete — if it is ultimately approved.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“If elected, I would continue to let the exploration of the annexation move forward, because I believe it would be irresponsible as a leader not to explore every opportunity that could benefit our community and region,” she said in an email to KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Residents of nearby cities are also watching how Suisun City’s elections play out and wonder how it might impact their lives. Amy Fabi lives in Vacaville, but attended the Solano Together forum because she leads the Solano chapter of the nonprofit Asian Pacific American Public Affairs Association. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She has talked with her members, many of them senior citizens, who want to know more about how California Forever’s project could impact their grandchildren and their economic futures. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“A lot of the seniors think about what’s important to them for the next generation,” Fabi said. “One of those things is what opportunities are available in this area, especially with the economy hurting so much, with gas being so expensive and food prices going up. And the seniors are always concerned about how [the project will] benefit their children, grandchildren.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The small North Bay community of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043295/suisun-city-proposes-annexing-most-of-california-forevers-new-city\">Suisun City\u003c/a> has a lot of problems facing it: a chronic budget deficit, empty stores on its picturesque marsh-facing waterfront and a scant supply of city staff to maintain public services, to name a few. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But all of those are dwarfed by the billionaire-backed elephant in the room: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-forever\">California Forever\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But all of those are dwarfed by the billionaire-backed elephant in the room: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-forever\">California Forever\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The controversial developer has loomed over election campaigns across Solano County. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://electkpatricewilliams.com/k-patrice-williams-shipbuilding-vote-california-forever/\">City Council\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://carliforsolano.com/platform\">county supervisor\u003c/a> candidates are taking stances on how they feel about the company and its plan to build homes and apartments for more than 100,000 people, retail, offices, and an advanced manufacturing center, among other ideas that could reshape the region — regardless of whether they’ll have any voting power to approve or reject the proposal.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://electkpatricewilliams.com/k-patrice-williams-shipbuilding-vote-california-forever/\">City Council\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://carliforsolano.com/platform\">county supervisor\u003c/a> candidates are taking stances on how they feel about the company and its plan to build homes and apartments for more than 100,000 people, retail, offices, and an advanced manufacturing center, among other ideas that could reshape the region — regardless of whether they’ll have any voting power to approve or reject the proposal.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But nowhere are the stakes higher than in Suisun City. For the past two years, the city’s leaders have been exploring whether to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059985/california-forever-clears-first-hurdle-in-suisun-city-annexation\">annex\u003c/a> some of California Forever’s land, a move that would give it authority to approve the proposed megadevelopment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But nowhere are the stakes higher than in Suisun City. For the past two years, the city’s leaders have been exploring whether to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059985/california-forever-clears-first-hurdle-in-suisun-city-annexation\">annex\u003c/a> some of California Forever’s land, a move that would give it authority to approve the proposed megadevelopment.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It would be a big change for the small town of fewer than 30,000 residents. Annexation would grow the city’s geographic boundaries by around nine times. And the next City Council and mayor will play a big role in determining not just whether annexation happens, but what kind of deal the city will get out of it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It would be a big change for the small town of fewer than 30,000 residents. Annexation would grow the city’s geographic boundaries by around nine times. And the next City Council and mayor will play a big role in determining not just whether annexation happens, but what kind of deal the city will get out of it. \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/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-6-KQED-6436ee91.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105295\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-6-KQED-6436ee91.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-6-KQED-6436ee91-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-6-KQED-6436ee91-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A sign reading “Protect Suisun Stop California Forever” rests on the ground during a City Council candidate forum in Suisun City on Oct. 8, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/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/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-6-KQED-6436ee91.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105295\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A sign reading “Protect Suisun Stop California Forever” rests on the ground during a City Council candidate forum in Suisun City on Oct. 8, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For residents, the project is a make-or-break moment: Supporters see it as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to not just grow the city’s footprint, but bring in desperately needed tax revenue that could pull the waterfront community off a looming fiscal cliff.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For residents, the project is a make-or-break moment: Supporters see it as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to not just grow the city’s footprint, but bring in desperately needed tax revenue that could pull the waterfront community off a looming fiscal cliff.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Opponents, however, see it as an expensive boondoggle that could drain the county’s already limited resources, siphon the region’s water supply and overshadow the city’s small-town charm.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Opponents, however, see it as an expensive boondoggle that could drain the county’s already limited resources, siphon the region’s water supply and overshadow the city’s small-town charm.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cindy Macdonald, a Suisun City retiree, is still deciding who to vote for, but regardless of who takes office, she thinks California Forever’s development is inevitable. The company already owns the land where the project would be built, plus thousands more acres. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Cindy Macdonald, a Suisun City retiree, is still deciding who to vote for, but regardless of who takes office, she thinks California Forever’s development is inevitable. The company already owns the land where the project would be built, plus thousands more acres. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What are they going to do with it? Is it going to be 400,000 more people in Solano County… or a data center?” she asked. “This particular election is pretty important all the way around.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“What are they going to do with it? Is it going to be 400,000 more people in Solano County… or a data center?” she asked. “This particular election is pretty important all the way around.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She likes Amit Pal, a current City Council member who is running to replace Mayor Alma Hernandez, and Princess Washington, an incumbent City Council member running for reelection.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She likes Amit Pal, a current City Council member who is running to replace Mayor Alma Hernandez, and Princess Washington, an incumbent City Council member running for reelection.\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/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-21-KQED-9b9df697.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105303\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-21-KQED-9b9df697.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-21-KQED-9b9df697-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-21-KQED-9b9df697-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Suisun City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Amit Pal, left, speaks during a mayoral candidate forum in Suisun City on Oct. 8, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\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/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-21-KQED-9b9df697.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105303\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Suisun City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Amit Pal, left, speaks during a mayoral candidate forum in Suisun City on Oct. 8, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Macdonald thinks they are savvy enough to negotiate a good deal with the company. Both have said they are interested in continuing to explore annexation, but remain skeptical about the project and the company.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Macdonald thinks they are savvy enough to negotiate a good deal with the company. Both have said they are interested in continuing to explore annexation, but remain skeptical about the project and the company.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other residents want to shake up city leadership and view California Forever’s proposed development as a major threat that could drain resources from their small town. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Other residents want to shake up city leadership and view California Forever’s proposed development as a major threat that could drain resources from their small town. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Katrina Garcia, a small business owner, entered the race for City Council because she felt like her concerns weren’t being heard by the city’s current leaders. In mid-July, she attended a meeting with other Suisun City residents to discuss what they might want in a community benefits agreement if leaders reached an annexation deal with California Forever. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Katrina Garcia, a small business owner, entered the race for City Council because she felt like her concerns weren’t being heard by the city’s current leaders. In mid-July, she attended a meeting with other Suisun City residents to discuss what they might want in a community benefits agreement if leaders reached an annexation deal with California Forever. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She is worried about the project’s massive size and how it could impact surrounding cities, the environment and Suisun City’s small-town vibe. Garcia wants more public meetings about the project, not just within her city but with county supervisors, too. But she said that when she kept raising those concerns, she felt supporters of the project kept pushing her aside. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She is worried about the project’s massive size and how it could impact surrounding cities, the environment and Suisun City’s small-town vibe. Garcia wants more public meetings about the project, not just within her city but with county supervisors, too. But she said that when she kept raising those concerns, she felt supporters of the project kept pushing her aside. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They overrode me,” she said. “[Supporters of the project said] it’s all a great thing and that there are just people that are just mad, and we can’t please them. But that’s not true.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They overrode me,” she said. “[Supporters of the project said] it’s all a great thing and that there are just people that are just mad, and we can’t please them. But that’s not true.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Garcia, Washington and mayoral candidate Lilia Dardon believe Suisun City’s annexation deal should ultimately be decided by city voters — an atypical move for the county’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12040357/2-solano-cities-could-annex-some-california-forevers-land-heres-how\">current annexation process\u003c/a>, which gives decision-making power to a county-level regulatory agency. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Michael Jefferson, on the other hand, is running on a platform of shutting down all annexation talks. Earlier this year, he ran an unsuccessful attempt to recall the entire City Council over their willingness to engage the idea. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Michael Jefferson, on the other hand, is running on a platform of shutting down all annexation talks. Earlier this year, he ran an unsuccessful attempt to recall the entire City Council over their willingness to engage the idea. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What I heard is [there are] a lot of people that are scared, and they’re afraid of their future right now because of California Forever,” he said. “I am so happy to bring a voice to the voiceless and tell them, ‘No, you actually have someone that will actually represent your interests, who will actually help you, and will actually listen.’”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“What I heard is [there are] a lot of people that are scared, and they’re afraid of their future right now because of California Forever,” he said. “I am so happy to bring a voice to the voiceless and tell them, ‘No, you actually have someone that will actually represent your interests, who will actually help you, and will actually listen.’”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Current Mayor Alma Hernandez rejects that premise and argues that a majority of residents want the council to continue to explore annexation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Current Mayor Alma Hernandez rejects that premise and argues that a majority of residents want the council to continue to explore annexation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At a recent forum hosted by the regional coalition Solano Together, Hernandez estimated about 40% of residents had made up their minds, one way or the other: “They’re like, ‘Where’s the shovel coming?” or “No way, we don’t trust them,” she said, and the rest are undecided. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At a recent forum hosted by the regional coalition Solano Together, Hernandez estimated about 40% of residents had made up their minds, one way or the other: “They’re like, ‘Where’s the shovel coming?” or “No way, we don’t trust them,” she said, and the rest are undecided. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>”About 60% of the community is like, ‘Go do the homework and tell us the answers and see if it makes sense or not,’” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>”About 60% of the community is like, ‘Go do the homework and tell us the answers and see if it makes sense or not,’” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hernandez has her own concerns about the project and how it would impact the town she grew up in. She worries Highway 12 — the main artery running through the southern portion of Solano County — could get clogged with traffic if California Forever doesn’t properly think through its transportation infrastructure. She also worries a site of this size could require an inordinate amount of water, a scarce resource in the county. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Hernandez has her own concerns about the project and how it would impact the town she grew up in. She worries Highway 12 — the main artery running through the southern portion of Solano County — could get clogged with traffic if California Forever doesn’t properly think through its transportation infrastructure. She also worries a site of this size could require an inordinate amount of water, a scarce resource in the county. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Suisun City and Solano County are also facing other major problems without good solutions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jenalee Dawson, an incumbent candidate running for City Council, said she has heard from community members who want more housing and job opportunities, especially after major employers, including the Valero Refinery, the Anheuser-Busch Brewery and the Mare Island Dry Docks have shut down or scaled back operations at local factories. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Jenalee Dawson, an incumbent candidate running for City Council, said she has heard from community members who want more housing and job opportunities, especially after major employers, including the Valero Refinery, the Anheuser-Busch Brewery and the Mare Island Dry Docks have shut down or scaled back operations at local factories. \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/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-20-KQED-1858d254.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105302\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Michael Fortney, Head of Partnerships at California Forever, attends Suisun City City Council and mayoral candidate forums in Suisun City on Oct. 8, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, California Forever officials have promised thousands of jobs — for construction workers during the build-out and at tech campuses when the project is complete — if it is ultimately approved.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If elected, I would continue to let the exploration of the annexation move forward, because I believe it would be irresponsible as a leader not to explore every opportunity that could benefit our community and region,” she said in an email to KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If elected, I would continue to let the exploration of the annexation move forward, because I believe it would be irresponsible as a leader not to explore every opportunity that could benefit our community and region,” she said in an email to KQED.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Residents of nearby cities are also watching how Suisun City’s elections play out and wonder how it might impact their lives. Amy Fabi lives in Vacaville, but attended the Solano Together forum because she leads the Solano chapter of the nonprofit Asian Pacific American Public Affairs Association. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She has talked with her members, many of them senior citizens, who want to know more about how California Forever’s project could impact their grandchildren and their economic futures. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A lot of the seniors think about what’s important to them for the next generation,” Fabi said. “One of those things is what opportunities are available in this area, especially with the economy hurting so much, with gas being so expensive and food prices going up. And the seniors are always concerned about how [the project will] benefit their children, grandchildren.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The billionaire-backed developer has been in talks with Suisun City officials for the past two years to annex a portion of its land.",
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"title": "California Forever Isn’t on the Ballot, but It’s Looming Large Over Local Elections | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The small North Bay community of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043295/suisun-city-proposes-annexing-most-of-california-forevers-new-city\">Suisun City\u003c/a> has a lot of problems facing it: a chronic budget deficit, empty stores on its picturesque marsh-facing waterfront and a scant supply of city staff to maintain public services, to name a few. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But all of those are dwarfed by the billionaire-backed elephant in the room: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-forever\">California Forever\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The controversial developer has loomed over election campaigns across Solano County. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://electkpatricewilliams.com/k-patrice-williams-shipbuilding-vote-california-forever/\">City Council\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://carliforsolano.com/platform\">county supervisor\u003c/a> candidates are taking stances on how they feel about the company and its plan to build homes and apartments for more than 100,000 people, retail, offices, and an advanced manufacturing center, among other ideas that could reshape the region — regardless of whether they’ll have any voting power to approve or reject the proposal.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But nowhere are the stakes higher than in Suisun City. For the past two years, the city’s leaders have been exploring whether to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059985/california-forever-clears-first-hurdle-in-suisun-city-annexation\">annex\u003c/a> some of California Forever’s land, a move that would give it authority to approve the proposed megadevelopment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It would be a big change for the small town of fewer than 30,000 residents. Annexation would grow the city’s geographic boundaries by around nine times. And the next City Council and mayor will play a big role in determining not just whether annexation happens, but what kind of deal the city will get out of it. \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/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-6-KQED-6436ee91.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105295\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-6-KQED-6436ee91.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-6-KQED-6436ee91-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-6-KQED-6436ee91-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A sign reading “Protect Suisun Stop California Forever” rests on the ground during a City Council candidate forum in Suisun City on Oct. 8, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For residents, the project is a make-or-break moment: Supporters see it as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to not just grow the city’s footprint, but bring in desperately needed tax revenue that could pull the waterfront community off a looming fiscal cliff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opponents, however, see it as an expensive boondoggle that could drain the county’s already limited resources, siphon the region’s water supply and overshadow the city’s small-town charm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cindy Macdonald, a Suisun City retiree, is still deciding who to vote for, but regardless of who takes office, she thinks California Forever’s development is inevitable. The company already owns the land where the project would be built, plus thousands more acres. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“What are they going to do with it? Is it going to be 400,000 more people in Solano County… or a data center?” she asked. “This particular election is pretty important all the way around.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She likes Amit Pal, a current City Council member who is running to replace Mayor Alma Hernandez, and Princess Washington, an incumbent City Council member running for reelection.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1332\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-21-KQED-9b9df697.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105303\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-21-KQED-9b9df697.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-21-KQED-9b9df697-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-21-KQED-9b9df697-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Suisun City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Amit Pal, left, speaks during a mayoral candidate forum in Suisun City on Oct. 8, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Macdonald thinks they are savvy enough to negotiate a good deal with the company. Both have said they are interested in continuing to explore annexation, but remain skeptical about the project and the company.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other residents want to shake up city leadership and view California Forever’s proposed development as a major threat that could drain resources from their small town. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Katrina Garcia, a small business owner, entered the race for City Council because she felt like her concerns weren’t being heard by the city’s current leaders. In mid-July, she attended a meeting with other Suisun City residents to discuss what they might want in a community benefits agreement if leaders reached an annexation deal with California Forever. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She is worried about the project’s massive size and how it could impact surrounding cities, the environment and Suisun City’s small-town vibe. Garcia wants more public meetings about the project, not just within her city but with county supervisors, too. But she said that when she kept raising those concerns, she felt supporters of the project kept pushing her aside. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They overrode me,” she said. “[Supporters of the project said] it’s all a great thing and that there are just people that are just mad, and we can’t please them. But that’s not true.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Garcia, Washington and mayoral candidate Lilia Dardon believe Suisun City’s annexation deal should ultimately be decided by city voters — an atypical move for the county’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12040357/2-solano-cities-could-annex-some-california-forevers-land-heres-how\">current annexation process\u003c/a>, which gives decision-making power to a county-level regulatory agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Michael Jefferson, on the other hand, is running on a platform of shutting down all annexation talks. Earlier this year, he ran an unsuccessful attempt to recall the entire City Council over their willingness to engage the idea. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“What I heard is [there are] a lot of people that are scared, and they’re afraid of their future right now because of California Forever,” he said. “I am so happy to bring a voice to the voiceless and tell them, ‘No, you actually have someone that will actually represent your interests, who will actually help you, and will actually listen.’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Current Mayor Alma Hernandez rejects that premise and argues that a majority of residents want the council to continue to explore annexation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At a recent forum hosted by the regional coalition Solano Together, Hernandez estimated about 40% of residents had made up their minds, one way or the other: “They’re like, ‘Where’s the shovel coming?” or “No way, we don’t trust them,” she said, and the rest are undecided. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">”About 60% of the community is like, ‘Go do the homework and tell us the answers and see if it makes sense or not,’” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hernandez has her own concerns about the project and how it would impact the town she grew up in. She worries Highway 12 — the main artery running through the southern portion of Solano County — could get clogged with traffic if California Forever doesn’t properly think through its transportation infrastructure. She also worries a site of this size could require an inordinate amount of water, a scarce resource in the county. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Suisun City and Solano County are also facing other major problems without good solutions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jenalee Dawson, an incumbent candidate running for City Council, said she has heard from community members who want more housing and job opportunities, especially after major employers, including the Valero Refinery, the Anheuser-Busch Brewery and the Mare Island Dry Docks have shut down or scaled back operations at local factories. \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/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-20-KQED-1858d254.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105302\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-20-KQED-1858d254.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-20-KQED-1858d254-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261008_SUISUNCITYCANDIDATESFORUM_GC-20-KQED-1858d254-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Michael Fortney, Head of Partnerships at California Forever, attends Suisun City City Council and mayoral candidate forums in Suisun City on Oct. 8, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, California Forever officials have promised thousands of jobs — for construction workers during the build-out and at tech campuses when the project is complete — if it is ultimately approved.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“If elected, I would continue to let the exploration of the annexation move forward, because I believe it would be irresponsible as a leader not to explore every opportunity that could benefit our community and region,” she said in an email to KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Residents of nearby cities are also watching how Suisun City’s elections play out and wonder how it might impact their lives. Amy Fabi lives in Vacaville, but attended the Solano Together forum because she leads the Solano chapter of the nonprofit Asian Pacific American Public Affairs Association. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She has talked with her members, many of them senior citizens, who want to know more about how California Forever’s project could impact their grandchildren and their economic futures. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“A lot of the seniors think about what’s important to them for the next generation,” Fabi said. “One of those things is what opportunities are available in this area, especially with the economy hurting so much, with gas being so expensive and food prices going up. And the seniors are always concerned about how [the project will] benefit their children, grandchildren.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "as-costs-rise-voters-in-3-bay-area-cities-could-cap-one-of-them-rent",
"title": "As Costs Rise, Voters in 3 Bay Area Cities Could Cap One of Them: Rent",
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"headTitle": "As Costs Rise, Voters in 3 Bay Area Cities Could Cap One of Them: Rent | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Linda Jackson and her son moved into the Willow Mobile Home Park in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/east-bay\">East Bay \u003c/a>town of San Pablo five years ago, they paid roughly $900 to rent the space where they parked the home they own. The costs for their mortgage and rent felt manageable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We can be comfortable,” the 75-year-old recalled thinking. “We can do this.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since then, however, Jackson’s monthly rent has climbed to just over $1,200. And another increase scheduled for January will bring it to nearly $1,300.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’ve never been so distraught,” Jackson said, adding she’s living “day-to-day.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, after organizing her neighbors and pressing city leaders for relief, Jackson wants voters to join the fight. She is supporting Measure S, a rent control proposal on San Pablo’s November ballot — one of three in Bay Area cities where voters are considering new rent limits or stronger protections under existing rent-control laws. \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/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and the neighboring Creekside Village Mobile Home Park meet in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026, to discuss rent increases at the parks. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“My prayer is that Measure S provides some sort of relief for us,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tenants in San Pablo have pushed for a citywide rent cap for years. Redwood City voters will also consider a new rent cap this election, and Berkeley is weighing changes to its existing rent-control rules. But San Pablo’s proposal also covers mobile home parks, a response to recent rent hikes that have hit residents hard as they try to hold onto one of the few remaining paths to affordable homeownership in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A representative for Harmony Communities, which manages Willow, said the annual increases are intended to keep pace with rising operating costs. The company said its expenses rose roughly 6% last year, while its rent adjustments average about 4.5%.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure S would limit yearly rent increases for multi-unit rental housing built before Feb. 1, 1995, to 3% or 60% of the regional inflation rate, whichever is lower. The cap would also cover eligible mobile home rentals and the lots residents rent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But some property owners, including the California Apartment Association, said the measures would also limit their ability to keep up with rising insurance and maintenance costs. That could lead owners to sell their buildings or spend less on upkeep, while doing little to address the housing shortage or lower already-high prices, said Joshua Howard, the executive vice president of local public affairs for the association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Research on rent control points to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">mix of benefits and trade-offs\u003c/a>. Studies have \u003ca href=\"https://dornsife.usc.edu/eri/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2023/01/2018RentMattersPERE.pdf\">found\u003c/a> it can help people stay in their homes and keep communities together. Others have also \u003ca href=\"http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/aer.20181289\">found\u003c/a> it can prompt owners to take rentals off the market, leaving fewer options and higher costs for people looking for a home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“San Pablo should instead focus on building housing and providing rental assistance,” Howard said. “We don’t need more local laws regulating the rental housing industry.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Jackson said the measure would offer a defense against future rent increases, while she also juggles other rising costs. Water, sewer, trash and storm drain charges have also increased, bringing her current monthly bill to about $1,450, according to a statement reviewed by KQED. That is more than the roughly $1,044 she said she receives from Social Security after medical deductions. She works part time and sometimes borrows from her son to cover expenses.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Wherever I’m short, I have to ask him for it,” she said. “But I still got a phone bill, car insurance, food, gas, entertainment — if I dare to.”\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/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Linda Jackson helps fellow resident Clara Faria with her jacket during a meeting at Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes at both mobile home parks. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her concerns echo those in an earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079706/theyre-bleeding-us-dry-seniors-struggle-with-rent-hikes-evictions-in-california-mobile-home-parks\">KQED investigation\u003c/a> into Harmony Communities, the Stockton-based company that manages Willow. Interviews with nearly two dozen residents and lawyers revealed repeated rent increases and confusing notices at parks associated with the company, leaving some low-income residents afraid of losing their homes. For example, Jackson’s latest rent increase includes a $300 monthly credit that offsets an additional rent increase from last year. The credit can be removed at any time, according to a notice reviewed by KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We understand that many residents are feeling the strain of rising costs, and we do not take rent adjustments lightly,” Nick Ubaldi, a spokesperson for Harmony, said in a statement. “These annual increases help maintain the property and services residents rely on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But for Jackson and her neighbors, the increases have meant tighter budgets and mounting stress.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That prompted Jackson and her neighbors to bring their concerns directly to the San Pablo City Council, joining a broader community campaign for tenant protections led by the nonprofit Rising Juntos.\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/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080879\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. The park is a privately owned 55-and-older community owned by Harmony Communities. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“In the face of inaction from the city council, we worked together to create a policy that would improve residents’ lives,” said Rhea Laughlin, executive director of Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laughlin noted that although mobile home residents own their homes, renting the land beneath them leaves them uniquely vulnerable to skyrocketing space rents. These communities often include seniors, residents with disabilities and low-income families with few affordable alternatives in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If voters pass Measure S, San Pablo would join 95 cities and 11 counties in California, or roughly a fifth of the state’s local jurisdictions, that already limit rent increases for mobile home spaces, according to the Mobile Home Park Home Owners Allegiance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When long-time residents are priced out, we lose more than individual households,” Laughlin said. “We lose relationships, community networks, cultural history, and the people who have invested decades in making San Pablo what it is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city hired consulting firm RSG to analyze how the proposal could affect San Pablo’s housing market and what it would cost to administer. Its report estimated the program would cost up to around $2.4 million annually to administer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The report found mixed evidence on how rent control affects housing availability and said the effects in San Pablo would depend on local market conditions and how the program is structured. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, would use what they paid then as the starting rent for calculating increases, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RjmkR2L7UmlyqjyZ36XhkzFlV4flZIj6/view?usp=sharing\">report\u003c/a>. Those who moved in afterward would use their move-in rent. Owners could seek increases above the cap to earn a fair return.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The measure would also limit the reasons landlords can evict tenants and require them to help pay moving costs for tenants displaced through owner move-ins and other limited circumstances. Tenants and landlords could bring complaints and rent disputes to the city. Landlords could ask permission to raise rents above the cap if needed to earn a fair return, and fees of up to $120 per unit, paid by landlords, would cover the cost of running the program.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Howard said a more effective system for both apartment owners and tenants would be short-term rental assistance. Asked how short-term assistance would help Jackson, who lives on a fixed income and faces repeated rent increases, he encouraged residents and property owners to work together.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jackson hopes Measure S will let her stay in the home she and her son bought. Without relief, she said, they may have to sell and leave California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There’s no way we can just keep giving,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since then, however, Jackson’s monthly rent has climbed to just over $1,200. And another increase scheduled for January will bring it to nearly $1,300.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Now, after organizing her neighbors and pressing city leaders for relief, Jackson wants voters to join the fight. She is supporting Measure S, a rent control proposal on San Pablo’s November ballot — one of three in Bay Area cities where voters are considering new rent limits or stronger protections under existing rent-control laws. \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/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and the neighboring Creekside Village Mobile Home Park meet in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026, to discuss rent increases at the parks. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\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/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105120\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and the neighboring Creekside Village Mobile Home Park meet in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026, to discuss rent increases at the parks. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“My prayer is that Measure S provides some sort of relief for us,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tenants in San Pablo have pushed for a citywide rent cap for years. Redwood City voters will also consider a new rent cap this election, and Berkeley is weighing changes to its existing rent-control rules. But San Pablo’s proposal also covers mobile home parks, a response to recent rent hikes that have hit residents hard as they try to hold onto one of the few remaining paths to affordable homeownership in California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tenants in San Pablo have pushed for a citywide rent cap for years. Redwood City voters will also consider a new rent cap this election, and Berkeley is weighing changes to its existing rent-control rules. But San Pablo’s proposal also covers mobile home parks, a response to recent rent hikes that have hit residents hard as they try to hold onto one of the few remaining paths to affordable homeownership in California.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A representative for Harmony Communities, which manages Willow, said the annual increases are intended to keep pace with rising operating costs. The company said its expenses rose roughly 6% last year, while its rent adjustments average about 4.5%.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A representative for Harmony Communities, which manages Willow, said the annual increases are intended to keep pace with rising operating costs. The company said its expenses rose roughly 6% last year, while its rent adjustments average about 4.5%.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Measure S would limit yearly rent increases for multi-unit rental housing built before Feb. 1, 1995, to 3% or 60% of the regional inflation rate, whichever is lower. The cap would also cover eligible mobile home rentals and the lots residents rent.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But some property owners, including the California Apartment Association, said the measures would also limit their ability to keep up with rising insurance and maintenance costs. That could lead owners to sell their buildings or spend less on upkeep, while doing little to address the housing shortage or lower already-high prices, said Joshua Howard, the executive vice president of local public affairs for the association.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But some property owners, including the California Apartment Association, said the measures would also limit their ability to keep up with rising insurance and maintenance costs. That could lead owners to sell their buildings or spend less on upkeep, while doing little to address the housing shortage or lower already-high prices, said Joshua Howard, the executive vice president of local public affairs for the association.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Research on rent control points to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">mix of benefits and trade-offs\u003c/a>. Studies have \u003ca href=\"https://dornsife.usc.edu/eri/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2023/01/2018RentMattersPERE.pdf\">found\u003c/a> it can help people stay in their homes and keep communities together. Others have also \u003ca href=\"http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/aer.20181289\">found\u003c/a> it can prompt owners to take rentals off the market, leaving fewer options and higher costs for people looking for a home.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Research on rent control points to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">mix of benefits and trade-offs\u003c/a>. Studies have \u003ca href=\"https://dornsife.usc.edu/eri/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2023/01/2018RentMattersPERE.pdf\">found\u003c/a> it can help people stay in their homes and keep communities together. Others have also \u003ca href=\"http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/aer.20181289\">found\u003c/a> it can prompt owners to take rentals off the market, leaving fewer options and higher costs for people looking for a home.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“San Pablo should instead focus on building housing and providing rental assistance,” Howard said. “We don’t need more local laws regulating the rental housing industry.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Jackson said the measure would offer a defense against future rent increases, while she also juggles other rising costs. Water, sewer, trash and storm drain charges have also increased, bringing her current monthly bill to about $1,450, according to a statement reviewed by KQED. That is more than the roughly $1,044 she said she receives from Social Security after medical deductions. She works part time and sometimes borrows from her son to cover expenses.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But Jackson said the measure would offer a defense against future rent increases, while she also juggles other rising costs. Water, sewer, trash and storm drain charges have also increased, bringing her current monthly bill to about $1,450, according to a statement reviewed by KQED. That is more than the roughly $1,044 she said she receives from Social Security after medical deductions. She works part time and sometimes borrows from her son to cover expenses.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Wherever I’m short, I have to ask him for it,” she said. “But I still got a phone bill, car insurance, food, gas, entertainment — if I dare to.”\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/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-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\">Linda Jackson helps fellow resident Clara Faria with her jacket during a meeting at Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes at both mobile home parks.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\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/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080882\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Linda Jackson helps fellow resident Clara Faria with her jacket during a meeting at Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes at both mobile home parks.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Her concerns echo those in an earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079706/theyre-bleeding-us-dry-seniors-struggle-with-rent-hikes-evictions-in-california-mobile-home-parks\">KQED investigation\u003c/a> into Harmony Communities, the Stockton-based company that manages Willow. Interviews with nearly two dozen residents and lawyers revealed repeated rent increases and confusing notices at parks associated with the company, leaving some low-income residents afraid of losing their homes. For example, Jackson’s latest rent increase includes a $300 monthly credit that offsets an additional rent increase from last year. The credit can be removed at any time, according to a notice reviewed by KQED. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Her concerns echo those in an earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079706/theyre-bleeding-us-dry-seniors-struggle-with-rent-hikes-evictions-in-california-mobile-home-parks\">KQED investigation\u003c/a> into Harmony Communities, the Stockton-based company that manages Willow. Interviews with nearly two dozen residents and lawyers revealed repeated rent increases and confusing notices at parks associated with the company, leaving some low-income residents afraid of losing their homes. For example, Jackson’s latest rent increase includes a $300 monthly credit that offsets an additional rent increase from last year. The credit can be removed at any time, according to a notice reviewed by KQED. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We understand that many residents are feeling the strain of rising costs, and we do not take rent adjustments lightly,” Nick Ubaldi, a spokesperson for Harmony, said in a statement. “These annual increases help maintain the property and services residents rely on.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We understand that many residents are feeling the strain of rising costs, and we do not take rent adjustments lightly,” Nick Ubaldi, a spokesperson for Harmony, said in a statement. “These annual increases help maintain the property and services residents rely on.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But for Jackson and her neighbors, the increases have meant tighter budgets and mounting stress.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That prompted Jackson and her neighbors to bring their concerns directly to the San Pablo City Council, joining a broader community campaign for tenant protections led by the nonprofit Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That prompted Jackson and her neighbors to bring their concerns directly to the San Pablo City Council, joining a broader community campaign for tenant protections led by the nonprofit Rising Juntos.\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/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080879\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. The park is a privately owned 55-and-older community owned by Harmony Communities.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In the face of inaction from the city council, we worked together to create a policy that would improve residents’ lives,” said Rhea Laughlin, executive director of Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“In the face of inaction from the city council, we worked together to create a policy that would improve residents’ lives,” said Rhea Laughlin, executive director of Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Laughlin noted that although mobile home residents own their homes, renting the land beneath them leaves them uniquely vulnerable to skyrocketing space rents. These communities often include seniors, residents with disabilities and low-income families with few affordable alternatives in California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Laughlin noted that although mobile home residents own their homes, renting the land beneath them leaves them uniquely vulnerable to skyrocketing space rents. These communities often include seniors, residents with disabilities and low-income families with few affordable alternatives in California.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If voters pass Measure S, San Pablo would join 95 cities and 11 counties in California, or roughly a fifth of the state’s local jurisdictions, that already limit rent increases for mobile home spaces, according to the Mobile Home Park Home Owners Allegiance. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If voters pass Measure S, San Pablo would join 95 cities and 11 counties in California, or roughly a fifth of the state’s local jurisdictions, that already limit rent increases for mobile home spaces, according to the Mobile Home Park Home Owners Allegiance. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When long-time residents are priced out, we lose more than individual households,” Laughlin said. “We lose relationships, community networks, cultural history, and the people who have invested decades in making San Pablo what it is.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When long-time residents are priced out, we lose more than individual households,” Laughlin said. “We lose relationships, community networks, cultural history, and the people who have invested decades in making San Pablo what it is.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city hired consulting firm RSG to analyze how the proposal could affect San Pablo’s housing market and what it would cost to administer. Its report estimated the program would cost up to around $2.4 million annually to administer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city hired consulting firm RSG to analyze how the proposal could affect San Pablo’s housing market and what it would cost to administer. Its report estimated the program would cost up to around $2.4 million annually to administer. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report found mixed evidence on how rent control affects housing availability and said the effects in San Pablo would depend on local market conditions and how the program is structured. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, would use what they paid then as the starting rent for calculating increases, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RjmkR2L7UmlyqjyZ36XhkzFlV4flZIj6/view?usp=sharing\">report\u003c/a>. Those who moved in afterward would use their move-in rent. Owners could seek increases above the cap to earn a fair return.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, would use what they paid then as the starting rent for calculating increases, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RjmkR2L7UmlyqjyZ36XhkzFlV4flZIj6/view?usp=sharing\">report\u003c/a>. Those who moved in afterward would use their move-in rent. Owners could seek increases above the cap to earn a fair return.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The measure would also limit the reasons landlords can evict tenants and require them to help pay moving costs for tenants displaced through owner move-ins and other limited circumstances. Tenants and landlords could bring complaints and rent disputes to the city. Landlords could ask permission to raise rents above the cap if needed to earn a fair return, and fees of up to $120 per unit, paid by landlords, would cover the cost of running the program.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The measure would also limit the reasons landlords can evict tenants and require them to help pay moving costs for tenants displaced through owner move-ins and other limited circumstances. Tenants and landlords could bring complaints and rent disputes to the city. Landlords could ask permission to raise rents above the cap if needed to earn a fair return, and fees of up to $120 per unit, paid by landlords, would cover the cost of running the program.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Howard said a more effective system for both apartment owners and tenants would be short-term rental assistance. Asked how short-term assistance would help Jackson, who lives on a fixed income and faces repeated rent increases, he encouraged residents and property owners to work together.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But Howard said a more effective system for both apartment owners and tenants would be short-term rental assistance. Asked how short-term assistance would help Jackson, who lives on a fixed income and faces repeated rent increases, he encouraged residents and property owners to work together.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jackson hopes Measure S will let her stay in the home she and her son bought. Without relief, she said, they may have to sell and leave California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Jackson hopes Measure S will let her stay in the home she and her son bought. Without relief, she said, they may have to sell and leave California.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s no way we can just keep giving,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“There’s no way we can just keep giving,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Voters in San Pablo, Redwood City and Berkeley will weigh rent protections this November. For some mobile home owners, the outcome could determine whether they can afford to stay in their homes.",
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"title": "As Costs Rise, Voters in 3 Bay Area Cities Could Cap One of Them: Rent | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Linda Jackson and her son moved into the Willow Mobile Home Park in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/east-bay\">East Bay \u003c/a>town of San Pablo five years ago, they paid roughly $900 to rent the space where they parked the home they own. The costs for their mortgage and rent felt manageable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We can be comfortable,” the 75-year-old recalled thinking. “We can do this.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since then, however, Jackson’s monthly rent has climbed to just over $1,200. And another increase scheduled for January will bring it to nearly $1,300.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’ve never been so distraught,” Jackson said, adding she’s living “day-to-day.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, after organizing her neighbors and pressing city leaders for relief, Jackson wants voters to join the fight. She is supporting Measure S, a rent control proposal on San Pablo’s November ballot — one of three in Bay Area cities where voters are considering new rent limits or stronger protections under existing rent-control laws. \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/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and the neighboring Creekside Village Mobile Home Park meet in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026, to discuss rent increases at the parks. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“My prayer is that Measure S provides some sort of relief for us,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tenants in San Pablo have pushed for a citywide rent cap for years. Redwood City voters will also consider a new rent cap this election, and Berkeley is weighing changes to its existing rent-control rules. But San Pablo’s proposal also covers mobile home parks, a response to recent rent hikes that have hit residents hard as they try to hold onto one of the few remaining paths to affordable homeownership in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A representative for Harmony Communities, which manages Willow, said the annual increases are intended to keep pace with rising operating costs. The company said its expenses rose roughly 6% last year, while its rent adjustments average about 4.5%.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure S would limit yearly rent increases for multi-unit rental housing built before Feb. 1, 1995, to 3% or 60% of the regional inflation rate, whichever is lower. The cap would also cover eligible mobile home rentals and the lots residents rent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But some property owners, including the California Apartment Association, said the measures would also limit their ability to keep up with rising insurance and maintenance costs. That could lead owners to sell their buildings or spend less on upkeep, while doing little to address the housing shortage or lower already-high prices, said Joshua Howard, the executive vice president of local public affairs for the association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Research on rent control points to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">mix of benefits and trade-offs\u003c/a>. Studies have \u003ca href=\"https://dornsife.usc.edu/eri/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2023/01/2018RentMattersPERE.pdf\">found\u003c/a> it can help people stay in their homes and keep communities together. Others have also \u003ca href=\"http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/aer.20181289\">found\u003c/a> it can prompt owners to take rentals off the market, leaving fewer options and higher costs for people looking for a home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“San Pablo should instead focus on building housing and providing rental assistance,” Howard said. “We don’t need more local laws regulating the rental housing industry.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Jackson said the measure would offer a defense against future rent increases, while she also juggles other rising costs. Water, sewer, trash and storm drain charges have also increased, bringing her current monthly bill to about $1,450, according to a statement reviewed by KQED. That is more than the roughly $1,044 she said she receives from Social Security after medical deductions. She works part time and sometimes borrows from her son to cover expenses.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Wherever I’m short, I have to ask him for it,” she said. “But I still got a phone bill, car insurance, food, gas, entertainment — if I dare to.”\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/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Linda Jackson helps fellow resident Clara Faria with her jacket during a meeting at Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes at both mobile home parks. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her concerns echo those in an earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079706/theyre-bleeding-us-dry-seniors-struggle-with-rent-hikes-evictions-in-california-mobile-home-parks\">KQED investigation\u003c/a> into Harmony Communities, the Stockton-based company that manages Willow. Interviews with nearly two dozen residents and lawyers revealed repeated rent increases and confusing notices at parks associated with the company, leaving some low-income residents afraid of losing their homes. For example, Jackson’s latest rent increase includes a $300 monthly credit that offsets an additional rent increase from last year. The credit can be removed at any time, according to a notice reviewed by KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We understand that many residents are feeling the strain of rising costs, and we do not take rent adjustments lightly,” Nick Ubaldi, a spokesperson for Harmony, said in a statement. “These annual increases help maintain the property and services residents rely on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But for Jackson and her neighbors, the increases have meant tighter budgets and mounting stress.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That prompted Jackson and her neighbors to bring their concerns directly to the San Pablo City Council, joining a broader community campaign for tenant protections led by the nonprofit Rising Juntos.\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/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080879\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. The park is a privately owned 55-and-older community owned by Harmony Communities. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“In the face of inaction from the city council, we worked together to create a policy that would improve residents’ lives,” said Rhea Laughlin, executive director of Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laughlin noted that although mobile home residents own their homes, renting the land beneath them leaves them uniquely vulnerable to skyrocketing space rents. These communities often include seniors, residents with disabilities and low-income families with few affordable alternatives in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If voters pass Measure S, San Pablo would join 95 cities and 11 counties in California, or roughly a fifth of the state’s local jurisdictions, that already limit rent increases for mobile home spaces, according to the Mobile Home Park Home Owners Allegiance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When long-time residents are priced out, we lose more than individual households,” Laughlin said. “We lose relationships, community networks, cultural history, and the people who have invested decades in making San Pablo what it is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city hired consulting firm RSG to analyze how the proposal could affect San Pablo’s housing market and what it would cost to administer. Its report estimated the program would cost up to around $2.4 million annually to administer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The report found mixed evidence on how rent control affects housing availability and said the effects in San Pablo would depend on local market conditions and how the program is structured. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, would use what they paid then as the starting rent for calculating increases, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RjmkR2L7UmlyqjyZ36XhkzFlV4flZIj6/view?usp=sharing\">report\u003c/a>. Those who moved in afterward would use their move-in rent. Owners could seek increases above the cap to earn a fair return.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The measure would also limit the reasons landlords can evict tenants and require them to help pay moving costs for tenants displaced through owner move-ins and other limited circumstances. Tenants and landlords could bring complaints and rent disputes to the city. Landlords could ask permission to raise rents above the cap if needed to earn a fair return, and fees of up to $120 per unit, paid by landlords, would cover the cost of running the program.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Howard said a more effective system for both apartment owners and tenants would be short-term rental assistance. Asked how short-term assistance would help Jackson, who lives on a fixed income and faces repeated rent increases, he encouraged residents and property owners to work together.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jackson hopes Measure S will let her stay in the home she and her son bought. Without relief, she said, they may have to sell and leave California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There’s no way we can just keep giving,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "software-engineers-proposed-neighborhood-event-center-gets-preliminary-green-light",
"title": "Software Engineer’s Proposed Neighborhood, Event Center Gets Preliminary Green Light",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Esmeralda, a new neighborhood in the North Bay where \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/siliconvalley\">Silicon Valley\u003c/a> thinkers and culture makers can gather and share ideas, got a preliminary green light on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Cloverdale City Council voted 3-2 to approve the project’s overall plan for some 600 homes, a resort hotel, an event center, a preschool and more than 160 acres of parks and open space — making it one of the largest developments in the small Sonoma County town’s recent history. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A second reading of an ordinance to approve the project is scheduled for mid-November. It would include changes to the site’s current zoning, a draft map of the project and an extensive developer agreement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While the project faced \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059557/esmeralda-courts-locals-as-it-tries-to-learn-from-california-forevers-mistakes\">little organized opposition\u003c/a> when former software engineer and Esmeralda Land Company CEO Devon Zuegel first started hosting informational public meetings about the project in 2024, backlash began to grow as it inched closer to reality. Earlier this year, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103065/as-new-north-bay-neighborhood-nears-approval-environmental-concerns-weigh-heavy\">vocal group of residents\u003c/a> started raising concerns about the project’s environmental impacts. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102962\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Esmeralda Land Company founder and president Devon Zuegel speaks during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Following the meeting, Zuegel acknowledged the recent backlash and the work ahead. “This was a really important step forward that showed us that the city is really taking seriously all the work we have done to be as transparent as possible,” she told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the five-hour meeting, residents were evenly split on whether to proceed with the project. Vice Mayor Todd Lands said overwhelming public sentiment — including residents not present for public testimony — favored approving Esmeralda, which promises to revitalize the rural community’s dwindling population and jobs’ base. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You’ll never please every single person, but we have been elected or appointed to be here to represent you,” Lands said before casting a vote in favor of the project. “Sometimes, we have to make the hard decisions, and we have to do what is best for the entire community as a whole.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Skeptics of the project, however, have called the approval premature and are asking for more environmental review before it can proceed. The project would be sited on an approximately 260-acre property that once housed a wood treatment plant that was known to discharge hazardous waste into the soil and groundwater before it shut down in 1976.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But rather than complete a new environmental impact report, the project’s developers are relying on an update — or addendum — to an existing report completed in 2009. Cloverdale city staff concluded the more focused review was sufficient for the project. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jennifer Sullivan, a staunch opponent, said she’s concerned new construction could unearth dangerous chemicals, hurting existing residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m not anti-growth, I’m about doing things right,” she said. “A [full environmental impact report] takes time because good planning takes time.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proponents pushed back, however, pointing out that the site had been extensively studied by the developer, the site owner and state agencies, which \u003ca href=\"https://www.cloverdale.net/DocumentCenter/View/6953/EIR-Addendum\">verified it had been decontaminated\u003c/a> of hazardous waste in 2012. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Esmeralda Land Company has also agreed to conduct more studies to ensure the site is safe for people to live there before starting construction and to have a city-hired environmental consultant review those studies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The whole point of it is to do additional testing, if additional testing is needed, and then to report that testing and to develop a soil management plan for those specific contaminants if those contaminants are found,” said Michael Yarne, Esmeralda’s director of development. “No construction before testing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ann Elston, who said she has lived in Cloverdale for the past 30 years, argued the project would provide much-needed tax revenue for the city, which has seen its population decline in recent years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What is the plan to attract new businesses and new residents to increase that tax base?” she asked. “We all love the small town charm of Cloverdale. And if we’re honest, there probably is a little bit of NIMBYism in all of us. Unfortunately, towns that are not growing and well-funded wither and may eventually fade away.” \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102957\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mural in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The City Council was originally scheduled to vote on Esmeralda last week, but ultimately postponed the vote so they could spend more time talking with residents and reading over the project’s lengthy entitlements package. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At Wednesday’s meeting, Zuegel said the project’s investors were getting nervous that it might never progress if the council refused to make a decision. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What our investors need to hear — if Cloverdale wants to have this happen— is that [the council is] even interested in taking it to the next step,” she said. “We don’t need a final approval tonight.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But two council members — Andres Marquez and Marjorie Morgenstern, who are both running for reelection this year and voted against the project — made it clear they didn’t mind making the investors wait. They want to refrain from making a decision until the city hosts a series of public meetings, scheduled later this month, to discuss community concerns, including questions about the project’s completed environmental reviews. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think it’s an opportunity to share information with the community [and] have the involvement that people are requesting,” Marquez said. “I think people are asking for time and that’s what we can give them.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While the project faced \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059557/esmeralda-courts-locals-as-it-tries-to-learn-from-california-forevers-mistakes\">little organized opposition\u003c/a> when former software engineer and Esmeralda Land Company CEO Devon Zuegel first started hosting informational public meetings about the project in 2024, backlash began to grow as it inched closer to reality. Earlier this year, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103065/as-new-north-bay-neighborhood-nears-approval-environmental-concerns-weigh-heavy\">vocal group of residents\u003c/a> started raising concerns about the project’s environmental impacts. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102962\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-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\">Esmeralda Land Company founder and president Devon Zuegel speaks during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During the five-hour meeting, residents were evenly split on whether to proceed with the project. Vice Mayor Todd Lands said overwhelming public sentiment — including residents not present for public testimony — favored approving Esmeralda, which promises to revitalize the rural community’s dwindling population and jobs’ base. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You’ll never please every single person, but we have been elected or appointed to be here to represent you,” Lands said before casting a vote in favor of the project. “Sometimes, we have to make the hard decisions, and we have to do what is best for the entire community as a whole.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jennifer Sullivan, a staunch opponent, said she’s concerned new construction could unearth dangerous chemicals, hurting existing residents. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’m not anti-growth, I’m about doing things right,” she said. “A [full environmental impact report] takes time because good planning takes time.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Proponents pushed back, however, pointing out that the site had been extensively studied by the developer, the site owner and state agencies, which \u003ca href=\"https://www.cloverdale.net/DocumentCenter/View/6953/EIR-Addendum\">verified it had been decontaminated\u003c/a> of hazardous waste in 2012. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Proponents pushed back, however, pointing out that the site had been extensively studied by the developer, the site owner and state agencies, which \u003ca href=\"https://www.cloverdale.net/DocumentCenter/View/6953/EIR-Addendum\">verified it had been decontaminated\u003c/a> of hazardous waste in 2012. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Esmeralda Land Company has also agreed to conduct more studies to ensure the site is safe for people to live there before starting construction and to have a city-hired environmental consultant review those studies. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Esmeralda Land Company has also agreed to conduct more studies to ensure the site is safe for people to live there before starting construction and to have a city-hired environmental consultant review those studies. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The whole point of it is to do additional testing, if additional testing is needed, and then to report that testing and to develop a soil management plan for those specific contaminants if those contaminants are found,” said Michael Yarne, Esmeralda’s director of development. “No construction before testing.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The whole point of it is to do additional testing, if additional testing is needed, and then to report that testing and to develop a soil management plan for those specific contaminants if those contaminants are found,” said Michael Yarne, Esmeralda’s director of development. “No construction before testing.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ann Elston, who said she has lived in Cloverdale for the past 30 years, argued the project would provide much-needed tax revenue for the city, which has seen its population decline in recent years. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ann Elston, who said she has lived in Cloverdale for the past 30 years, argued the project would provide much-needed tax revenue for the city, which has seen its population decline in recent years. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What is the plan to attract new businesses and new residents to increase that tax base?” she asked. “We all love the small town charm of Cloverdale. And if we’re honest, there probably is a little bit of NIMBYism in all of us. Unfortunately, towns that are not growing and well-funded wither and may eventually fade away.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“What is the plan to attract new businesses and new residents to increase that tax base?” she asked. “We all love the small town charm of Cloverdale. And if we’re honest, there probably is a little bit of NIMBYism in all of us. Unfortunately, towns that are not growing and well-funded wither and may eventually fade away.” \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102957\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-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\">A mural in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The City Council was originally scheduled to vote on Esmeralda last week, but ultimately postponed the vote so they could spend more time talking with residents and reading over the project’s lengthy entitlements package. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At Wednesday’s meeting, Zuegel said the project’s investors were getting nervous that it might never progress if the council refused to make a decision. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What our investors need to hear — if Cloverdale wants to have this happen— is that [the council is] even interested in taking it to the next step,” she said. “We don’t need a final approval tonight.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But two council members — Andres Marquez and Marjorie Morgenstern, who are both running for reelection this year and voted against the project — made it clear they didn’t mind making the investors wait. They want to refrain from making a decision until the city hosts a series of public meetings, scheduled later this month, to discuss community concerns, including questions about the project’s completed environmental reviews. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But two council members — Andres Marquez and Marjorie Morgenstern, who are both running for reelection this year and voted against the project — made it clear they didn’t mind making the investors wait. They want to refrain from making a decision until the city hosts a series of public meetings, scheduled later this month, to discuss community concerns, including questions about the project’s completed environmental reviews. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think it’s an opportunity to share information with the community [and] have the involvement that people are requesting,” Marquez said. “I think people are asking for time and that’s what we can give them.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The Cloverdale City Council voted Wednesday to forward Esmeralda, a controversial new housing development and event center in the small Sonoma County town. The project faced a recent wave of backlash over environmental concerns. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Esmeralda, a new neighborhood in the North Bay where \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/siliconvalley\">Silicon Valley\u003c/a> thinkers and culture makers can gather and share ideas, got a preliminary green light on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Cloverdale City Council voted 3-2 to approve the project’s overall plan for some 600 homes, a resort hotel, an event center, a preschool and more than 160 acres of parks and open space — making it one of the largest developments in the small Sonoma County town’s recent history. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A second reading of an ordinance to approve the project is scheduled for mid-November. It would include changes to the site’s current zoning, a draft map of the project and an extensive developer agreement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While the project faced \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059557/esmeralda-courts-locals-as-it-tries-to-learn-from-california-forevers-mistakes\">little organized opposition\u003c/a> when former software engineer and Esmeralda Land Company CEO Devon Zuegel first started hosting informational public meetings about the project in 2024, backlash began to grow as it inched closer to reality. Earlier this year, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103065/as-new-north-bay-neighborhood-nears-approval-environmental-concerns-weigh-heavy\">vocal group of residents\u003c/a> started raising concerns about the project’s environmental impacts. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102962\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Esmeralda Land Company founder and president Devon Zuegel speaks during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Following the meeting, Zuegel acknowledged the recent backlash and the work ahead. “This was a really important step forward that showed us that the city is really taking seriously all the work we have done to be as transparent as possible,” she told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the five-hour meeting, residents were evenly split on whether to proceed with the project. Vice Mayor Todd Lands said overwhelming public sentiment — including residents not present for public testimony — favored approving Esmeralda, which promises to revitalize the rural community’s dwindling population and jobs’ base. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You’ll never please every single person, but we have been elected or appointed to be here to represent you,” Lands said before casting a vote in favor of the project. “Sometimes, we have to make the hard decisions, and we have to do what is best for the entire community as a whole.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Skeptics of the project, however, have called the approval premature and are asking for more environmental review before it can proceed. The project would be sited on an approximately 260-acre property that once housed a wood treatment plant that was known to discharge hazardous waste into the soil and groundwater before it shut down in 1976.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But rather than complete a new environmental impact report, the project’s developers are relying on an update — or addendum — to an existing report completed in 2009. Cloverdale city staff concluded the more focused review was sufficient for the project. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jennifer Sullivan, a staunch opponent, said she’s concerned new construction could unearth dangerous chemicals, hurting existing residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m not anti-growth, I’m about doing things right,” she said. “A [full environmental impact report] takes time because good planning takes time.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proponents pushed back, however, pointing out that the site had been extensively studied by the developer, the site owner and state agencies, which \u003ca href=\"https://www.cloverdale.net/DocumentCenter/View/6953/EIR-Addendum\">verified it had been decontaminated\u003c/a> of hazardous waste in 2012. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Esmeralda Land Company has also agreed to conduct more studies to ensure the site is safe for people to live there before starting construction and to have a city-hired environmental consultant review those studies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The whole point of it is to do additional testing, if additional testing is needed, and then to report that testing and to develop a soil management plan for those specific contaminants if those contaminants are found,” said Michael Yarne, Esmeralda’s director of development. “No construction before testing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ann Elston, who said she has lived in Cloverdale for the past 30 years, argued the project would provide much-needed tax revenue for the city, which has seen its population decline in recent years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What is the plan to attract new businesses and new residents to increase that tax base?” she asked. “We all love the small town charm of Cloverdale. And if we’re honest, there probably is a little bit of NIMBYism in all of us. Unfortunately, towns that are not growing and well-funded wither and may eventually fade away.” \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102957\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mural in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The City Council was originally scheduled to vote on Esmeralda last week, but ultimately postponed the vote so they could spend more time talking with residents and reading over the project’s lengthy entitlements package. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At Wednesday’s meeting, Zuegel said the project’s investors were getting nervous that it might never progress if the council refused to make a decision. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What our investors need to hear — if Cloverdale wants to have this happen— is that [the council is] even interested in taking it to the next step,” she said. “We don’t need a final approval tonight.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But two council members — Andres Marquez and Marjorie Morgenstern, who are both running for reelection this year and voted against the project — made it clear they didn’t mind making the investors wait. They want to refrain from making a decision until the city hosts a series of public meetings, scheduled later this month, to discuss community concerns, including questions about the project’s completed environmental reviews. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think it’s an opportunity to share information with the community [and] have the involvement that people are requesting,” Marquez said. “I think people are asking for time and that’s what we can give them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "as-new-north-bay-neighborhood-nears-approval-environmental-concerns-weigh-heavy",
"title": "As New North Bay Neighborhood Nears Approval, Environmental Concerns Weigh Heavily",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>For the past 11 months, Jennifer Sullivan has been anxiously trying to sound an alarm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059557/esmeralda-courts-locals-as-it-tries-to-learn-from-california-forevers-mistakes\">Esmeralda Land Company\u003c/a> has proposed building a resort hotel, hundreds of homes, an event center, a preschool and a public park on a roughly 260-acre property that once housed a wood treatment plant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tucked in the Sonoma County town of Cloverdale, the 8-acre plant was known to use harmful chemicals and discharged them into the soil and groundwater, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sullivan worries that disturbing the site with new development could resurface those chemicals and expose current residents to new harms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is the community that I live in,” Sullivan said. “The decision to approve this development is serious — it’s got serious consequences for our water, for public health.” \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102961\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026. (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-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12102956\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102956\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “No Esmeralda” sign is displayed in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 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=\"12102955\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102955\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">“Yes on Esmeralda” signs are displayed in Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, the Cloverdale City Council will consider whether to approve the project — one of the largest developments in the city’s recent history — along with its extensive community benefits package and already-completed environmental reviews, essentially clearing the path for its eventual construction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As it does, however, council members are weighing the homes, jobs and tax revenue such a project might generate against a new wave of concerns from residents over environmental harms. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Esmeralda CEO Devon Zuegel said she generally understands those concerns but argues the project has already undergone extensive environmental reviews. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This site has been studied for over two decades continuously,” Zuegel said. “And if 20 years is not a long enough review, I just don’t understand, is 100 years enough — 25 years? What is the point where it becomes enough?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, Sullivan isn’t satisfied. And she’s preparing to take the fight to voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the city council approves the Esmeralda development as is, Sullivan wants a referendum and said she’ll start collecting signatures to place such a measure on a ballot.\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/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103230\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vice Mayor Todd Lands speaks with a resident before a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But some officials are skeptical about how widespread Sullivan’s concerns are among the general population. Vice-Mayor Todd Lands said the opposition might be loud, but he has seen more support for the project through letters from residents and conversations in the community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve noticed it’s about the same 15 to 20 people that have been anti-Esmeralda,” he said. “As the letters start steadily coming in, I’m starting to learn more about how the public actually feels as a whole.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the Cloverdale Planning Commission voted 4-1 to recommend the council approve Esmeralda’s plan with conditions that seek to address some of Sullivan’s concerns, including requiring the developer to hire a consultant to monitor compliance with all environmental mitigation measures.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials with the Esmeralda Land Company have hosted several informational town hall meetings with residents since 2024, but Sullivan said she didn’t hear about it until last winter. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The scale of the project surprised her, she said, particularly the fact that Esmeralda wants to build a resort hotel with up to 160 rooms and more than 600 homes on site. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102957\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mural in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“This would be a luxury hotel and, when you live in a small town, you’re like ‘Wow, that’s a lot of people, this is a big change,’” she said. “I just started doing some research into the property itself, and then that’s when I went down the rabbit hole.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sullivan began pulling records on the site’s history and looking into environmental mitigation reports. She started a \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/2111526989254995/\">Facebook page\u003c/a> for opponents of the project and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/defend-cloverdale-from-esmeraldas-shortcuts\">GoFundMe campaign\u003c/a> to hire a land use attorney who could push the city to require more environmental reviews.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For her, it’s personal, she said. When she was 38, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. While medical research has found that genetics play a large role in cases, environmental factors play a role too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The environment that we live in has a huge impact on our health,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 8 acres of the property where Esmeralda hopes to build was previously used as a wood treatment plant, which closed in 1976. Following the closure, state agencies and the site’s owners spent the next several decades remediating the area and the groundwater below.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103228\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103228\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jennifer Sullivan speaks with a fellow resident at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building before a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development on Oct. 1, 2026.\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=\"12103227\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103227\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2009, a different developer proposed the Alexander Valley Resort. Like Esmeralda’s proposal, the project included a hotel, spa, fitness center, offices and shops, but it envisioned an 18-hole golf course and less open space. Though the developer eventually abandoned the project, city officials had \u003ca href=\"https://ceqanet.lci.ca.gov/2003072142/4\">approved \u003c/a>environmental reviews and cleared it for construction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As part of the site’s ongoing remediation efforts, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cloverdale.net/DocumentCenter/View/6953/EIR-Addendum\">North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board issued a certification\u003c/a> in 2012 verifying that the site had been decontaminated of hazardous waste. The following year, state agencies sectioned off the portion used as a wood treatment plant, along with a 14.5-acre buffer zone, and prohibited any schools, homes, hospitals or day care centers from ever being built there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Esmeralda officials felt their project was similar, if not better for the environment than the previous project, partly because it would use less water, would have more dense housing and had more open space. They even conducted their own environmental reviews, including studying how to protect existing animals, habitats and rare plant species on site. The project’s design made sure to avoid building any homes, schools or day care centers on the previously contaminated land. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Esmeralda submitted an addendum environmental impact report — a narrower version of the full report — that’s used “when there’s been small tweaks or changes to a particular project,” according to Tamara Galanter, an environmental attorney at the law firm Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The only time you can do an addendum is if there’s no new information,” Galanter said, adding that, in order for a project to qualify, “There [can’t be any] changes to the project that will result in a new significant environmental impact.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sullivan argues that Esmeralda’s project shouldn’t qualify because it’s too different from the Alexander Valley Resort to rely on the same reviews. Esmeralda would include significantly more homes, a senior living center and potentially a K-6 school. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Esmeralda is majorly different from the Alexander Valley Resort,” she said. “I believed from the start, I was like, ‘They should be doing a newer updated [environmental report].’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the decision on whether a project requires an addendum or a full environmental review is determined by the city, said Chris Elmendorf, a land use law professor at the University of California at Davis. And courts have historically sided with the city’s determination of what is appropriate for a project, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a gray area,” Elmendorf said. “If there’s reasonable arguments both ways about whether there’s substantial new information or a substantial change in the project with implications to the environment, cities get the benefit of the doubt.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the Planning Commission’s meeting, city staff made it clear they felt an addendum was sufficient. That document had been rigorously reviewed by a city-hired consultant, who found Esmeralda’s project would not introduce any new significant environmental effects. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102960\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But it was also clear many residents didn’t agree with that finding and that Sullivan’s skepticism had seeped into public opinion. Many residents demanded more environmental reviews, and some pointed to Sullivan’s Facebook page as a place they turned to for information about the project. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cloverdale resident Nancy Brown said, originally, she really liked Esmeralda’s plan and was excited about the project’s fancy hotel, spa and restaurants. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We can use the revenue in this town, but when Jennifer Sullivan posted all the information about the site being contaminated, it all changed,” Brown said. “It’s our health and safety. We’re 100% invested in that. So we demand a new [environmental review].”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While commissioners ultimately recommended approving the project, they conditioned it on a number of requests, including a new recycled water study and a requirement for routine soil testing, among other items. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Zuegel said she’s sympathetic — to an extent. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102962\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Esmeralda Land Company founder and president Devon Zuegel speaks during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“You definitely don’t want people to be building, especially homes, on a property that is dirty,” she said. “But that’s why California has such high standards for environmental cleanup; it’s to protect people and to protect the environment.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What’s more, she said, is that her project is a form of “brownfield development,” where a developer takes old commercial or industrial land and redevelops it “for higher and better use.” The alternatives would be to develop the project on pristine agricultural land or to develop it within a city, which she said could displace businesses or residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Brownfield is considered amazing,” Zuegel said. “When you do the development, you end up cleaning [the land] to much higher standards than if you weren’t going to be redeveloping it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many Cloverdale residents agree and are urging the city council to ultimately approve the project. Jon Lambert has lived in Cloverdale for the past 20 years. This spring, he started his own Facebook page, called \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/1761744191457347\">Hello Esmeralda\u003c/a>, with hopes that it would be a neutral space where residents could share information. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102954\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jon Lambert, a Cloverdale resident who supports the proposed Esmeralda development, sits in his front yard in Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Personally, Lambert is a big supporter and worries the city might miss out on a great opportunity if officials don’t approve the project.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Something like this may not come around again, and if it does come around again, it may be something that is not a good fit for Cloverdale,” he said. “What Esmeralda wants to do right now is the best possible thing that you could do with that piece of land, including not leaving it vacant.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember Andrés Marquez said that in his conversations with people on both sides, he’s found it’s not so black-and-white. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Just because somebody says they’re for the project doesn’t mean they’re for all the concessions the city might give,” he said. “If somebody says that they are against the project, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want any of this to happen, but they might feel they want certain protections in place.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Marquez said Wednesday’s council meeting is going to be about compromise. “What is the right thing to do for the residents of Cloverdale?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the current size of Esmeralda’s proposed project site. While an earlier proposal stated it would be 266 acres, roughly five of those acres have since been removed from the site plan. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059557/esmeralda-courts-locals-as-it-tries-to-learn-from-california-forevers-mistakes\">Esmeralda Land Company\u003c/a> has proposed building a resort hotel, hundreds of homes, an event center, a preschool and a public park on a roughly 260-acre property that once housed a wood treatment plant.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tucked in the Sonoma County town of Cloverdale, the 8-acre plant was known to use harmful chemicals and discharged them into the soil and groundwater, she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is the community that I live in,” Sullivan said. “The decision to approve this development is serious — it’s got serious consequences for our water, for public health.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102961\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102956\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “No Esmeralda” sign is displayed in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102956\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “No Esmeralda” sign is displayed in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102955\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">“Yes on Esmeralda” signs are displayed in Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102955\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">“Yes on Esmeralda” signs are displayed in Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, the Cloverdale City Council will consider whether to approve the project — one of the largest developments in the city’s recent history — along with its extensive community benefits package and already-completed environmental reviews, essentially clearing the path for its eventual construction. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, the Cloverdale City Council will consider whether to approve the project — one of the largest developments in the city’s recent history — along with its extensive community benefits package and already-completed environmental reviews, essentially clearing the path for its eventual construction. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As it does, however, council members are weighing the homes, jobs and tax revenue such a project might generate against a new wave of concerns from residents over environmental harms. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Esmeralda CEO Devon Zuegel said she generally understands those concerns but argues the project has already undergone extensive environmental reviews. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This site has been studied for over two decades continuously,” Zuegel said. “And if 20 years is not a long enough review, I just don’t understand, is 100 years enough — 25 years? What is the point where it becomes enough?” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This site has been studied for over two decades continuously,” Zuegel said. “And if 20 years is not a long enough review, I just don’t understand, is 100 years enough — 25 years? What is the point where it becomes enough?” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, Sullivan isn’t satisfied. And she’s preparing to take the fight to voters.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If the city council approves the Esmeralda development as is, Sullivan wants a referendum and said she’ll start collecting signatures to place such a measure on a ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If the city council approves the Esmeralda development as is, Sullivan wants a referendum and said she’ll start collecting signatures to place such a measure on a ballot.\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/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103230\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-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\">Vice Mayor Todd Lands speaks with a resident before a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\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/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103230\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vice Mayor Todd Lands speaks with a resident before a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But some officials are skeptical about how widespread Sullivan’s concerns are among the general population. Vice-Mayor Todd Lands said the opposition might be loud, but he has seen more support for the project through letters from residents and conversations in the community. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But some officials are skeptical about how widespread Sullivan’s concerns are among the general population. Vice-Mayor Todd Lands said the opposition might be loud, but he has seen more support for the project through letters from residents and conversations in the community. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve noticed it’s about the same 15 to 20 people that have been anti-Esmeralda,” he said. “As the letters start steadily coming in, I’m starting to learn more about how the public actually feels as a whole.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I’ve noticed it’s about the same 15 to 20 people that have been anti-Esmeralda,” he said. “As the letters start steadily coming in, I’m starting to learn more about how the public actually feels as a whole.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the Cloverdale Planning Commission voted 4-1 to recommend the council approve Esmeralda’s plan with conditions that seek to address some of Sullivan’s concerns, including requiring the developer to hire a consultant to monitor compliance with all environmental mitigation measures.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the Cloverdale Planning Commission voted 4-1 to recommend the council approve Esmeralda’s plan with conditions that seek to address some of Sullivan’s concerns, including requiring the developer to hire a consultant to monitor compliance with all environmental mitigation measures.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Officials with the Esmeralda Land Company have hosted several informational town hall meetings with residents since 2024, but Sullivan said she didn’t hear about it until last winter. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Officials with the Esmeralda Land Company have hosted several informational town hall meetings with residents since 2024, but Sullivan said she didn’t hear about it until last winter. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The scale of the project surprised her, she said, particularly the fact that Esmeralda wants to build a resort hotel with up to 160 rooms and more than 600 homes on site. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The scale of the project surprised her, she said, particularly the fact that Esmeralda wants to build a resort hotel with up to 160 rooms and more than 600 homes on site. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102957\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-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\">A mural in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102957\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mural in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This would be a luxury hotel and, when you live in a small town, you’re like ‘Wow, that’s a lot of people, this is a big change,’” she said. “I just started doing some research into the property itself, and then that’s when I went down the rabbit hole.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This would be a luxury hotel and, when you live in a small town, you’re like ‘Wow, that’s a lot of people, this is a big change,’” she said. “I just started doing some research into the property itself, and then that’s when I went down the rabbit hole.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sullivan began pulling records on the site’s history and looking into environmental mitigation reports. She started a \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/2111526989254995/\">Facebook page\u003c/a> for opponents of the project and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/defend-cloverdale-from-esmeraldas-shortcuts\">GoFundMe campaign\u003c/a> to hire a land use attorney who could push the city to require more environmental reviews.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sullivan began pulling records on the site’s history and looking into environmental mitigation reports. She started a \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/2111526989254995/\">Facebook page\u003c/a> for opponents of the project and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/defend-cloverdale-from-esmeraldas-shortcuts\">GoFundMe campaign\u003c/a> to hire a land use attorney who could push the city to require more environmental reviews.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For her, it’s personal, she said. When she was 38, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. While medical research has found that genetics play a large role in cases, environmental factors play a role too. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For her, it’s personal, she said. When she was 38, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. While medical research has found that genetics play a large role in cases, environmental factors play a role too. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The environment that we live in has a huge impact on our health,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>About 8 acres of the property where Esmeralda hopes to build was previously used as a wood treatment plant, which closed in 1976. Following the closure, state agencies and the site’s owners spent the next several decades remediating the area and the groundwater below.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>About 8 acres of the property where Esmeralda hopes to build was previously used as a wood treatment plant, which closed in 1976. Following the closure, state agencies and the site’s owners spent the next several decades remediating the area and the groundwater below.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103228\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jennifer Sullivan speaks with a fellow resident at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building before a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development on Oct. 1, 2026.\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/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103228\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jennifer Sullivan speaks with a fellow resident at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building before a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development on Oct. 1, 2026.\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/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103227\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\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/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103227\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 2009, a different developer proposed the Alexander Valley Resort. Like Esmeralda’s proposal, the project included a hotel, spa, fitness center, offices and shops, but it envisioned an 18-hole golf course and less open space. Though the developer eventually abandoned the project, city officials had \u003ca href=\"https://ceqanet.lci.ca.gov/2003072142/4\">approved \u003c/a>environmental reviews and cleared it for construction. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In 2009, a different developer proposed the Alexander Valley Resort. Like Esmeralda’s proposal, the project included a hotel, spa, fitness center, offices and shops, but it envisioned an 18-hole golf course and less open space. Though the developer eventually abandoned the project, city officials had \u003ca href=\"https://ceqanet.lci.ca.gov/2003072142/4\">approved \u003c/a>environmental reviews and cleared it for construction. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As part of the site’s ongoing remediation efforts, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cloverdale.net/DocumentCenter/View/6953/EIR-Addendum\">North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board issued a certification\u003c/a> in 2012 verifying that the site had been decontaminated of hazardous waste. The following year, state agencies sectioned off the portion used as a wood treatment plant, along with a 14.5-acre buffer zone, and prohibited any schools, homes, hospitals or day care centers from ever being built there. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As part of the site’s ongoing remediation efforts, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cloverdale.net/DocumentCenter/View/6953/EIR-Addendum\">North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board issued a certification\u003c/a> in 2012 verifying that the site had been decontaminated of hazardous waste. The following year, state agencies sectioned off the portion used as a wood treatment plant, along with a 14.5-acre buffer zone, and prohibited any schools, homes, hospitals or day care centers from ever being built there. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Esmeralda officials felt their project was similar, if not better for the environment than the previous project, partly because it would use less water, would have more dense housing and had more open space. They even conducted their own environmental reviews, including studying how to protect existing animals, habitats and rare plant species on site. The project’s design made sure to avoid building any homes, schools or day care centers on the previously contaminated land. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Esmeralda officials felt their project was similar, if not better for the environment than the previous project, partly because it would use less water, would have more dense housing and had more open space. They even conducted their own environmental reviews, including studying how to protect existing animals, habitats and rare plant species on site. The project’s design made sure to avoid building any homes, schools or day care centers on the previously contaminated land. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Esmeralda submitted an addendum environmental impact report — a narrower version of the full report — that’s used “when there’s been small tweaks or changes to a particular project,” according to Tamara Galanter, an environmental attorney at the law firm Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The only time you can do an addendum is if there’s no new information,” Galanter said, adding that, in order for a project to qualify, “There [can’t be any] changes to the project that will result in a new significant environmental impact.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The only time you can do an addendum is if there’s no new information,” Galanter said, adding that, in order for a project to qualify, “There [can’t be any] changes to the project that will result in a new significant environmental impact.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sullivan argues that Esmeralda’s project shouldn’t qualify because it’s too different from the Alexander Valley Resort to rely on the same reviews. Esmeralda would include significantly more homes, a senior living center and potentially a K-6 school. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sullivan argues that Esmeralda’s project shouldn’t qualify because it’s too different from the Alexander Valley Resort to rely on the same reviews. Esmeralda would include significantly more homes, a senior living center and potentially a K-6 school. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Esmeralda is majorly different from the Alexander Valley Resort,” she said. “I believed from the start, I was like, ‘They should be doing a newer updated [environmental report].’” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Esmeralda is majorly different from the Alexander Valley Resort,” she said. “I believed from the start, I was like, ‘They should be doing a newer updated [environmental report].’” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the decision on whether a project requires an addendum or a full environmental review is determined by the city, said Chris Elmendorf, a land use law professor at the University of California at Davis. And courts have historically sided with the city’s determination of what is appropriate for a project, he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the decision on whether a project requires an addendum or a full environmental review is determined by the city, said Chris Elmendorf, a land use law professor at the University of California at Davis. And courts have historically sided with the city’s determination of what is appropriate for a project, he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s a gray area,” Elmendorf said. “If there’s reasonable arguments both ways about whether there’s substantial new information or a substantial change in the project with implications to the environment, cities get the benefit of the doubt.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s a gray area,” Elmendorf said. “If there’s reasonable arguments both ways about whether there’s substantial new information or a substantial change in the project with implications to the environment, cities get the benefit of the doubt.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During the Planning Commission’s meeting, city staff made it clear they felt an addendum was sufficient. That document had been rigorously reviewed by a city-hired consultant, who found Esmeralda’s project would not introduce any new significant environmental effects. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>During the Planning Commission’s meeting, city staff made it clear they felt an addendum was sufficient. That document had been rigorously reviewed by a city-hired consultant, who found Esmeralda’s project would not introduce any new significant environmental effects. \u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102960\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But it was also clear many residents didn’t agree with that finding and that Sullivan’s skepticism had seeped into public opinion. Many residents demanded more environmental reviews, and some pointed to Sullivan’s Facebook page as a place they turned to for information about the project. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But it was also clear many residents didn’t agree with that finding and that Sullivan’s skepticism had seeped into public opinion. Many residents demanded more environmental reviews, and some pointed to Sullivan’s Facebook page as a place they turned to for information about the project. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cloverdale resident Nancy Brown said, originally, she really liked Esmeralda’s plan and was excited about the project’s fancy hotel, spa and restaurants. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We can use the revenue in this town, but when Jennifer Sullivan posted all the information about the site being contaminated, it all changed,” Brown said. “It’s our health and safety. We’re 100% invested in that. So we demand a new [environmental review].”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We can use the revenue in this town, but when Jennifer Sullivan posted all the information about the site being contaminated, it all changed,” Brown said. “It’s our health and safety. We’re 100% invested in that. So we demand a new [environmental review].”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While commissioners ultimately recommended approving the project, they conditioned it on a number of requests, including a new recycled water study and a requirement for routine soil testing, among other items. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Zuegel said she’s sympathetic — to an extent. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102962\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-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\">Esmeralda Land Company founder and president Devon Zuegel speaks during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102962\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Esmeralda Land Company founder and president Devon Zuegel speaks during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You definitely don’t want people to be building, especially homes, on a property that is dirty,” she said. “But that’s why California has such high standards for environmental cleanup; it’s to protect people and to protect the environment.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You definitely don’t want people to be building, especially homes, on a property that is dirty,” she said. “But that’s why California has such high standards for environmental cleanup; it’s to protect people and to protect the environment.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What’s more, she said, is that her project is a form of “brownfield development,” where a developer takes old commercial or industrial land and redevelops it “for higher and better use.” The alternatives would be to develop the project on pristine agricultural land or to develop it within a city, which she said could displace businesses or residents. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>What’s more, she said, is that her project is a form of “brownfield development,” where a developer takes old commercial or industrial land and redevelops it “for higher and better use.” The alternatives would be to develop the project on pristine agricultural land or to develop it within a city, which she said could displace businesses or residents. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Brownfield is considered amazing,” Zuegel said. “When you do the development, you end up cleaning [the land] to much higher standards than if you weren’t going to be redeveloping it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Brownfield is considered amazing,” Zuegel said. “When you do the development, you end up cleaning [the land] to much higher standards than if you weren’t going to be redeveloping it.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Many Cloverdale residents agree and are urging the city council to ultimately approve the project. Jon Lambert has lived in Cloverdale for the past 20 years. This spring, he started his own Facebook page, called \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/1761744191457347\">Hello Esmeralda\u003c/a>, with hopes that it would be a neutral space where residents could share information. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Many Cloverdale residents agree and are urging the city council to ultimately approve the project. Jon Lambert has lived in Cloverdale for the past 20 years. This spring, he started his own Facebook page, called \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/1761744191457347\">Hello Esmeralda\u003c/a>, with hopes that it would be a neutral space where residents could share information. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102954\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-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\">Jon Lambert, a Cloverdale resident who supports the proposed Esmeralda development, sits in his front yard in Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102954\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jon Lambert, a Cloverdale resident who supports the proposed Esmeralda development, sits in his front yard in Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Personally, Lambert is a big supporter and worries the city might miss out on a great opportunity if officials don’t approve the project.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Something like this may not come around again, and if it does come around again, it may be something that is not a good fit for Cloverdale,” he said. “What Esmeralda wants to do right now is the best possible thing that you could do with that piece of land, including not leaving it vacant.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Something like this may not come around again, and if it does come around again, it may be something that is not a good fit for Cloverdale,” he said. “What Esmeralda wants to do right now is the best possible thing that you could do with that piece of land, including not leaving it vacant.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Councilmember Andrés Marquez said that in his conversations with people on both sides, he’s found it’s not so black-and-white. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Councilmember Andrés Marquez said that in his conversations with people on both sides, he’s found it’s not so black-and-white. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Just because somebody says they’re for the project doesn’t mean they’re for all the concessions the city might give,” he said. “If somebody says that they are against the project, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want any of this to happen, but they might feel they want certain protections in place.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Just because somebody says they’re for the project doesn’t mean they’re for all the concessions the city might give,” he said. “If somebody says that they are against the project, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want any of this to happen, but they might feel they want certain protections in place.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Marquez said Wednesday’s council meeting is going to be about compromise. “What is the right thing to do for the residents of Cloverdale?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the current size of Esmeralda’s proposed project site. While an earlier proposal stated it would be 266 acres, roughly five of those acres have since been removed from the site plan. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The Cloverdale City Council will vote Wednesday on whether to approve Esmeralda, a controversial event center and new neighborhood in the small Sonoma County town that’s faced a recent wave of backlash over concerns that the site is contaminated.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>For the past 11 months, Jennifer Sullivan has been anxiously trying to sound an alarm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059557/esmeralda-courts-locals-as-it-tries-to-learn-from-california-forevers-mistakes\">Esmeralda Land Company\u003c/a> has proposed building a resort hotel, hundreds of homes, an event center, a preschool and a public park on a roughly 260-acre property that once housed a wood treatment plant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tucked in the Sonoma County town of Cloverdale, the 8-acre plant was known to use harmful chemicals and discharged them into the soil and groundwater, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sullivan worries that disturbing the site with new development could resurface those chemicals and expose current residents to new harms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is the community that I live in,” Sullivan said. “The decision to approve this development is serious — it’s got serious consequences for our water, for public health.” \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102961\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-25-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026. (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-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12102956\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102956\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “No Esmeralda” sign is displayed in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 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=\"12102955\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102955\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-06-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">“Yes on Esmeralda” signs are displayed in Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, the Cloverdale City Council will consider whether to approve the project — one of the largest developments in the city’s recent history — along with its extensive community benefits package and already-completed environmental reviews, essentially clearing the path for its eventual construction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As it does, however, council members are weighing the homes, jobs and tax revenue such a project might generate against a new wave of concerns from residents over environmental harms. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Esmeralda CEO Devon Zuegel said she generally understands those concerns but argues the project has already undergone extensive environmental reviews. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This site has been studied for over two decades continuously,” Zuegel said. “And if 20 years is not a long enough review, I just don’t understand, is 100 years enough — 25 years? What is the point where it becomes enough?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, Sullivan isn’t satisfied. And she’s preparing to take the fight to voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the city council approves the Esmeralda development as is, Sullivan wants a referendum and said she’ll start collecting signatures to place such a measure on a ballot.\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/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103230\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-17-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vice Mayor Todd Lands speaks with a resident before a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But some officials are skeptical about how widespread Sullivan’s concerns are among the general population. Vice-Mayor Todd Lands said the opposition might be loud, but he has seen more support for the project through letters from residents and conversations in the community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve noticed it’s about the same 15 to 20 people that have been anti-Esmeralda,” he said. “As the letters start steadily coming in, I’m starting to learn more about how the public actually feels as a whole.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the Cloverdale Planning Commission voted 4-1 to recommend the council approve Esmeralda’s plan with conditions that seek to address some of Sullivan’s concerns, including requiring the developer to hire a consultant to monitor compliance with all environmental mitigation measures.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials with the Esmeralda Land Company have hosted several informational town hall meetings with residents since 2024, but Sullivan said she didn’t hear about it until last winter. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The scale of the project surprised her, she said, particularly the fact that Esmeralda wants to build a resort hotel with up to 160 rooms and more than 600 homes on site. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102957\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-09-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mural in downtown Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“This would be a luxury hotel and, when you live in a small town, you’re like ‘Wow, that’s a lot of people, this is a big change,’” she said. “I just started doing some research into the property itself, and then that’s when I went down the rabbit hole.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sullivan began pulling records on the site’s history and looking into environmental mitigation reports. She started a \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/2111526989254995/\">Facebook page\u003c/a> for opponents of the project and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/defend-cloverdale-from-esmeraldas-shortcuts\">GoFundMe campaign\u003c/a> to hire a land use attorney who could push the city to require more environmental reviews.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For her, it’s personal, she said. When she was 38, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. While medical research has found that genetics play a large role in cases, environmental factors play a role too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The environment that we live in has a huge impact on our health,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 8 acres of the property where Esmeralda hopes to build was previously used as a wood treatment plant, which closed in 1976. Following the closure, state agencies and the site’s owners spent the next several decades remediating the area and the groundwater below.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12103228\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103228\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-22-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jennifer Sullivan speaks with a fellow resident at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building before a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development on Oct. 1, 2026.\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=\"12103227\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103227\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-EsmeraldaProject-34-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2009, a different developer proposed the Alexander Valley Resort. Like Esmeralda’s proposal, the project included a hotel, spa, fitness center, offices and shops, but it envisioned an 18-hole golf course and less open space. Though the developer eventually abandoned the project, city officials had \u003ca href=\"https://ceqanet.lci.ca.gov/2003072142/4\">approved \u003c/a>environmental reviews and cleared it for construction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As part of the site’s ongoing remediation efforts, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cloverdale.net/DocumentCenter/View/6953/EIR-Addendum\">North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board issued a certification\u003c/a> in 2012 verifying that the site had been decontaminated of hazardous waste. The following year, state agencies sectioned off the portion used as a wood treatment plant, along with a 14.5-acre buffer zone, and prohibited any schools, homes, hospitals or day care centers from ever being built there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Esmeralda officials felt their project was similar, if not better for the environment than the previous project, partly because it would use less water, would have more dense housing and had more open space. They even conducted their own environmental reviews, including studying how to protect existing animals, habitats and rare plant species on site. The project’s design made sure to avoid building any homes, schools or day care centers on the previously contaminated land. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Esmeralda submitted an addendum environmental impact report — a narrower version of the full report — that’s used “when there’s been small tweaks or changes to a particular project,” according to Tamara Galanter, an environmental attorney at the law firm Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The only time you can do an addendum is if there’s no new information,” Galanter said, adding that, in order for a project to qualify, “There [can’t be any] changes to the project that will result in a new significant environmental impact.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sullivan argues that Esmeralda’s project shouldn’t qualify because it’s too different from the Alexander Valley Resort to rely on the same reviews. Esmeralda would include significantly more homes, a senior living center and potentially a K-6 school. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Esmeralda is majorly different from the Alexander Valley Resort,” she said. “I believed from the start, I was like, ‘They should be doing a newer updated [environmental report].’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the decision on whether a project requires an addendum or a full environmental review is determined by the city, said Chris Elmendorf, a land use law professor at the University of California at Davis. And courts have historically sided with the city’s determination of what is appropriate for a project, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a gray area,” Elmendorf said. “If there’s reasonable arguments both ways about whether there’s substantial new information or a substantial change in the project with implications to the environment, cities get the benefit of the doubt.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the Planning Commission’s meeting, city staff made it clear they felt an addendum was sufficient. That document had been rigorously reviewed by a city-hired consultant, who found Esmeralda’s project would not introduce any new significant environmental effects. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102960\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-23-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees listen to speakers during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But it was also clear many residents didn’t agree with that finding and that Sullivan’s skepticism had seeped into public opinion. Many residents demanded more environmental reviews, and some pointed to Sullivan’s Facebook page as a place they turned to for information about the project. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cloverdale resident Nancy Brown said, originally, she really liked Esmeralda’s plan and was excited about the project’s fancy hotel, spa and restaurants. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We can use the revenue in this town, but when Jennifer Sullivan posted all the information about the site being contaminated, it all changed,” Brown said. “It’s our health and safety. We’re 100% invested in that. So we demand a new [environmental review].”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While commissioners ultimately recommended approving the project, they conditioned it on a number of requests, including a new recycled water study and a requirement for routine soil testing, among other items. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Zuegel said she’s sympathetic — to an extent. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102962\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-29-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Esmeralda Land Company founder and president Devon Zuegel speaks during a Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Esmeralda development at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“You definitely don’t want people to be building, especially homes, on a property that is dirty,” she said. “But that’s why California has such high standards for environmental cleanup; it’s to protect people and to protect the environment.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What’s more, she said, is that her project is a form of “brownfield development,” where a developer takes old commercial or industrial land and redevelops it “for higher and better use.” The alternatives would be to develop the project on pristine agricultural land or to develop it within a city, which she said could displace businesses or residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Brownfield is considered amazing,” Zuegel said. “When you do the development, you end up cleaning [the land] to much higher standards than if you weren’t going to be redeveloping it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many Cloverdale residents agree and are urging the city council to ultimately approve the project. Jon Lambert has lived in Cloverdale for the past 20 years. This spring, he started his own Facebook page, called \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/1761744191457347\">Hello Esmeralda\u003c/a>, with hopes that it would be a neutral space where residents could share information. \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/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102954\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261001-ESMERALDAPROJECT-02-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jon Lambert, a Cloverdale resident who supports the proposed Esmeralda development, sits in his front yard in Cloverdale on Oct. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Personally, Lambert is a big supporter and worries the city might miss out on a great opportunity if officials don’t approve the project.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Something like this may not come around again, and if it does come around again, it may be something that is not a good fit for Cloverdale,” he said. “What Esmeralda wants to do right now is the best possible thing that you could do with that piece of land, including not leaving it vacant.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Councilmember Andrés Marquez said that in his conversations with people on both sides, he’s found it’s not so black-and-white. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Just because somebody says they’re for the project doesn’t mean they’re for all the concessions the city might give,” he said. “If somebody says that they are against the project, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want any of this to happen, but they might feel they want certain protections in place.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Marquez said Wednesday’s council meeting is going to be about compromise. “What is the right thing to do for the residents of Cloverdale?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the current size of Esmeralda’s proposed project site. While an earlier proposal stated it would be 266 acres, roughly five of those acres have since been removed from the site plan. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "This SF Renter Is Trying to Beat the AI-Fueled Housing Boom With an Analog Approach",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of How We Get By, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>full series here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the past nine months, Harlow Srain has reached out to more than 200 landlords and property managers. In search of a deal, she’s determined to stay in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After nearly a decade bouncing between couches, cars and shoddy apartments, the 28-year-old finally found the perfect place: a one-bedroom in Bernal Heights with access to a backyard that she shares with her now ex-partner. After they broke up late last year, they’ve continued to live uncomfortably together while Srain looks for a new place. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Srain said it’s been a difficult search. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915202/sf-renters-face-buyout-offers-and-evictions-as-ai-boom-sends-prices-soaring\">AI-fueled housing market\u003c/a> has sent rents soaring, \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/rent-report/ca/san-francisco\">up more than 25%\u003c/a> over the past year. Even with a roommate or two, Srain said she’d have to stretch her budget to stay in the neighborhood she’s grown to love.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So, she decided to do something unusual: cold-call landlords and property managers to appeal to their humanity and possibly get them to lower the rent. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I know these people are probably making a stupid amount of profit,” she said. “Why not just ask to have them cut that back a little bit?”\u003c/p>\n\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=\"12087198\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01030-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087198\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01030-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01030-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01030-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Harlow Srain’s (not pictured) plants line a shelf in the backyard of her complex in San Francisco on June 9, 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=\"12087197\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01021-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087197\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01021-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01021-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01021-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Harlow Srain’s (not pictured) view from a balcony in her complex in San Francisco on June 9, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s rental market has “always been a pressure cooker,” Redfin’s chief economist Daryl Fairweather said. The land-constrained city’s scant supply of homes has long been outweighed by intense demand. But now, as more companies require employees to return to the office and investors pump billions of dollars into AI, Fairweather said the fight for available housing has become even more competitive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People, when they have money, they wanna spend it on a better, nicer place,” she said. “It goes into the real estate market and drives up both home prices and rents.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Those prices have spiked so swiftly that earlier this month, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie declared a “rent emergency” and introduced a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098973/san-francisco-mayor-lurie-infuses-30-million-in-reforms-to-tackle-rent-emergency\">$30 million package\u003c/a> to forestall evictions and protect existing tenants from displacement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That doesn’t address Srain’s problem, however, since her landlord isn’t evicting her. She’s competing for a limited supply of apartments with people who have a lot more money to spend. According to a June report from ApartmentList, an online rental marketplace, just over \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/research/vacancy-rate-dashboard\">2% of San Francisco’s multifamily housing\u003c/a> is vacant. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sitting on the back patio of her Bernal Heights apartment earlier this summer, Srain scrolled through listings on her phone in search of a new home. Most of the calls ended in voicemails. Or a bot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When she did get a hold of a live human, they often stonewalled her. “With any situation where there’s a manager — like, ‘I’m just the manager’ — there’s no talking.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But every once in a while, someone picked up and played ball. That’s when she’d get into her pitch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I recognize AI is really booming, tech is hiring, we’re going back into the office, but I don’t work in tech,” Srain told a property manager listing a two-bedroom in the Mission District for $4,700. “I’ve just lived in the Bay Area for … around 10 years, and I would like to stay here. So I’m just trying to see if rent prices are negotiable at all.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The manager sympathized but didn’t budge. People are willing to pay top dollar, he told her. The city is experiencing a boom right now, but he said one day, that boom will cool. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>JJ Panzer, the owner of Real Management Company in San Francisco, said that if Srain had been looking to get a good deal on an apartment, she might have found one during the pandemic, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/These-charts-show-just-how-extreme-the-rent-15848320.php\">rents dropped by more than 20%\u003c/a>, and San Francisco’s apartment vacancy rate \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/research/vacancy-rate-dashboard\">reached nearly 11%\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Srain never reached out to Panzer. But if she had, he said her pitch would have been a “hard sell” in today’s market. His company manages more than 700 units across the Bay Area, though mostly in San Francisco. He owns three buildings himself. \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/10/2026/08/260813-RentNegotiator-04-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095218\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-RentNegotiator-04-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-RentNegotiator-04-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-RentNegotiator-04-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">JJ Panzer, president of Real Management Company, in front of their offices in San Francisco on Aug. 13, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because many San Francisco apartments are covered under state or local rent control laws, Panzer said landlords can only increase rents significantly after a tenant leaves. Once a new tenant moves into a rent-controlled unit, he said they often don’t move out for years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You’ve got to get as much as you can for that vacancy because you don’t know when you’re going to see that apartment come vacant again,” Panzer said. “The better price I give you, the longer it’s going to be before I get a chance to make that money back.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are also first-come, first-served laws that require landlords to approve the first qualified application they receive. And there are anti-discrimination laws that don’t allow landlords to consider protected characteristics — including race, immigration status, familial status or source of income — when choosing a tenant, Fairweather said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You might come to your landlord and say ‘I have small kids’ or ‘I have an aging mother’ or ‘I’ve lived in this neighborhood forever,’ and those all might sound like innocent things to say,” she said. “But in housing, you’re not allowed to give preferential treatment to people based on their family status or these other protected characteristics.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Paul Griffiths, CEO and owner of Vesta Asset Management in San Francisco, a mid-size property management company, said today’s rental market has so much demand that it encourages pricing homes above market so there are fewer applicants to sift through. \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/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01026_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101639\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01026_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01026_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01026_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Harlow Srain’s (not pictured) plants line a stairwell in the backyard of her complex in San Francisco on June 9, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If somebody calls me to say, ‘Can you offer less money?’ First of all, I don’t even have time to call that person back because I’m just scheduling the showings for 75 people,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Srain understands the competition is tough, but can’t help being frustrated by it. “It kind of makes me wonder, where’s the line? Where does it stop?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Srain grew up in Salinas, a mid-sized agricultural community about a two-hour drive south of San Francisco. She decided to move to the Bay Area in 2019 after she started dating someone in San José. She was working as a DoorDash driver and found a room in a three-bedroom house in Fremont for $750 a month. A couple rented one of the other rooms, and another person slept on a mattress in the garage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m freshly moved out of my parents’ house in this giant city that’s in a larger metropolitan area,” she said. “It was really, really exciting until I figured out what it meant to be housing-stable.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Within a week, another person moved into the remaining vacant room and then a stranger started living on the couch. She began to feel like she was living amongst strangers and didn’t have control over who entered or exited her home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she witnessed drug use and domestic violence while living there, so she moved out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For the next three years, Srain moved from apartment to apartment to find an affordable place to live. For some of that time, she lived with friends or in her car.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Having to move almost twice a year every year, it can lead to trauma, believe it or not,” Srain said. “I have been sent through the wringer so many times.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fear of returning to a semi-nomadic lifestyle is part of what’s driving her current push to stay in San Francisco, and especially the neighborhood she’s called home for nearly two years — the longest she’s been in one place in the past decade.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It was in her Bernal Heights apartment where she finally got an opportunity to plant roots and build community. She got to know her neighbors, joined a dodgeball league nearby and volunteered at a nearby bookstore. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is one of the first places I’ve ever felt comfortable. I felt at home,” she said. “I know my neighbors, whether they’re on this street or down a few blocks. I’ve never had this before.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She also got involved in advocating for tenants rights. Srain became a community organizer with the nonprofit Faith in Action, which champions tenants’ rights, affordable housing and efforts to reduce homelessness. Earlier this year, she canvassed for a rent control measure the group supports that’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090248/redwood-city-to-vote-on-rent-control-in-november\">headed to the November ballot in Redwood City\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Through that work, she spoke with small landlords and homeowners about the problems they face.\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/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01227_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101628\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01227_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01227_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01227_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Harlow Srain poses for a portrait on the balcony of her housing unit in San Francisco on June 9, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I can understand that some homeowners are totally oblivious to the rental crisis because they have their own issues owning a home,” she said. “It has become really expensive with rising property taxes, [insurance], PG&E. It’s beginning to become unmanageable to own a home for some people.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She developed sympathy for small mom-and-pop landlords, who own just a building or two and face their own set of affordability issues. While cold-calling, she found they were more willing to explain how they set their rents and the profit they made on each unit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In one such call in January, Srain spoke with an older landlord who walked her through his costs to maintain a Pacifica apartment he was renting out, including details about his water bill, property taxes and how much profit he made. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was only around $100 to $200 [in profit],” she said. “I was like, ‘Wow, this guy really walked me through this!’ That’s impressive.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But not all landlords are willing to entertain Srain’s questions. Of the hundreds she called, she said only around 50 actually picked up the phone and were willing to talk. Many times, she’s found they were unwilling to divulge their experiences. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And no one has been willing to lower the rent. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Griffiths said he understands Srain’s struggle. “I think, ethically, most people believe that housing is a human right.” But he said the United States — even California — doesn’t have enough housing to provide that right to everyone.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can’t put the responsibility of saying, ‘Well, everybody should be housed, and it’s the landlord’s responsibility,’” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fairweather argued that, if anyone is to blame, it’s local governments that largely control how much housing can be built. San Francisco, she said, has long \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12033966/sfs-single-family-home-neighborhoods-apartments-65-story-towers-downtown\">restricted development in certain neighborhoods, and while\u003c/a> city leaders have agreed to allow more housing in those parts of town, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062042/report-projects-weak-housing-production-under-san-francisco-zoning-plan-over-next-20-years\">reports suggest\u003c/a> it may not make a dent in the city’s housing affordability crisis.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>In San Francisco, the problem is so far gone that we can’t just say ‘Get rid of single-family zoning,’ and everything will be fixed,” Fairweather said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Then again, she said, the reality is that there may never be enough apartments in San Francisco for everyone who would like to live there. “There’s no mathematical way around that. There are going to be some people who are left moving to other places because there physically aren’t enough units for everybody.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Srain knows her best option might be to move out of San Francisco to the East Bay, where it’s cheaper — something families have done for generations as the city has grown more expensive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But she said that reality points to a broken system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There are people living through so much worse right now in the Bay Area,” she said. “No one deserves that.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01021-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087197\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Harlow Srain’s (not pictured) view from a balcony in her complex in San Francisco on June 9, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s rental market has “always been a pressure cooker,” Redfin’s chief economist Daryl Fairweather said. The land-constrained city’s scant supply of homes has long been outweighed by intense demand. But now, as more companies require employees to return to the office and investors pump billions of dollars into AI, Fairweather said the fight for available housing has become even more competitive. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s rental market has “always been a pressure cooker,” Redfin’s chief economist Daryl Fairweather said. The land-constrained city’s scant supply of homes has long been outweighed by intense demand. But now, as more companies require employees to return to the office and investors pump billions of dollars into AI, Fairweather said the fight for available housing has become even more competitive. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“People, when they have money, they wanna spend it on a better, nicer place,” she said. “It goes into the real estate market and drives up both home prices and rents.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Those prices have spiked so swiftly that earlier this month, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie declared a “rent emergency” and introduced a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098973/san-francisco-mayor-lurie-infuses-30-million-in-reforms-to-tackle-rent-emergency\">$30 million package\u003c/a> to forestall evictions and protect existing tenants from displacement. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Those prices have spiked so swiftly that earlier this month, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie declared a “rent emergency” and introduced a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098973/san-francisco-mayor-lurie-infuses-30-million-in-reforms-to-tackle-rent-emergency\">$30 million package\u003c/a> to forestall evictions and protect existing tenants from displacement. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That doesn’t address Srain’s problem, however, since her landlord isn’t evicting her. She’s competing for a limited supply of apartments with people who have a lot more money to spend. According to a June report from ApartmentList, an online rental marketplace, just over \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/research/vacancy-rate-dashboard\">2% of San Francisco’s multifamily housing\u003c/a> is vacant. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That doesn’t address Srain’s problem, however, since her landlord isn’t evicting her. She’s competing for a limited supply of apartments with people who have a lot more money to spend. According to a June report from ApartmentList, an online rental marketplace, just over \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/research/vacancy-rate-dashboard\">2% of San Francisco’s multifamily housing\u003c/a> is vacant. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sitting on the back patio of her Bernal Heights apartment earlier this summer, Srain scrolled through listings on her phone in search of a new home. Most of the calls ended in voicemails. Or a bot. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sitting on the back patio of her Bernal Heights apartment earlier this summer, Srain scrolled through listings on her phone in search of a new home. Most of the calls ended in voicemails. Or a bot. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When she did get a hold of a live human, they often stonewalled her. “With any situation where there’s a manager — like, ‘I’m just the manager’ — there’s no talking.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But every once in a while, someone picked up and played ball. That’s when she’d get into her pitch. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I recognize AI is really booming, tech is hiring, we’re going back into the office, but I don’t work in tech,” Srain told a property manager listing a two-bedroom in the Mission District for $4,700. “I’ve just lived in the Bay Area for … around 10 years, and I would like to stay here. So I’m just trying to see if rent prices are negotiable at all.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I recognize AI is really booming, tech is hiring, we’re going back into the office, but I don’t work in tech,” Srain told a property manager listing a two-bedroom in the Mission District for $4,700. “I’ve just lived in the Bay Area for … around 10 years, and I would like to stay here. So I’m just trying to see if rent prices are negotiable at all.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The manager sympathized but didn’t budge. People are willing to pay top dollar, he told her. The city is experiencing a boom right now, but he said one day, that boom will cool. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The manager sympathized but didn’t budge. People are willing to pay top dollar, he told her. The city is experiencing a boom right now, but he said one day, that boom will cool. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>JJ Panzer, the owner of Real Management Company in San Francisco, said that if Srain had been looking to get a good deal on an apartment, she might have found one during the pandemic, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/These-charts-show-just-how-extreme-the-rent-15848320.php\">rents dropped by more than 20%\u003c/a>, and San Francisco’s apartment vacancy rate \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/research/vacancy-rate-dashboard\">reached nearly 11%\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>JJ Panzer, the owner of Real Management Company in San Francisco, said that if Srain had been looking to get a good deal on an apartment, she might have found one during the pandemic, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/These-charts-show-just-how-extreme-the-rent-15848320.php\">rents dropped by more than 20%\u003c/a>, and San Francisco’s apartment vacancy rate \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/research/vacancy-rate-dashboard\">reached nearly 11%\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Srain never reached out to Panzer. But if she had, he said her pitch would have been a “hard sell” in today’s market. His company manages more than 700 units across the Bay Area, though mostly in San Francisco. He owns three buildings himself. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Srain never reached out to Panzer. But if she had, he said her pitch would have been a “hard sell” in today’s market. His company manages more than 700 units across the Bay Area, though mostly in San Francisco. He owns three buildings himself. \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/10/2026/08/260813-RentNegotiator-04-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095218\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-RentNegotiator-04-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-RentNegotiator-04-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-RentNegotiator-04-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\">JJ Panzer, president of Real Management Company, in front of their offices in San Francisco on Aug. 13, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\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/10/2026/08/260813-RentNegotiator-04-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095218\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">JJ Panzer, president of Real Management Company, in front of their offices in San Francisco on Aug. 13, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Because many San Francisco apartments are covered under state or local rent control laws, Panzer said landlords can only increase rents significantly after a tenant leaves. Once a new tenant moves into a rent-controlled unit, he said they often don’t move out for years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Because many San Francisco apartments are covered under state or local rent control laws, Panzer said landlords can only increase rents significantly after a tenant leaves. Once a new tenant moves into a rent-controlled unit, he said they often don’t move out for years.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You’ve got to get as much as you can for that vacancy because you don’t know when you’re going to see that apartment come vacant again,” Panzer said. “The better price I give you, the longer it’s going to be before I get a chance to make that money back.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You’ve got to get as much as you can for that vacancy because you don’t know when you’re going to see that apartment come vacant again,” Panzer said. “The better price I give you, the longer it’s going to be before I get a chance to make that money back.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There are also first-come, first-served laws that require landlords to approve the first qualified application they receive. And there are anti-discrimination laws that don’t allow landlords to consider protected characteristics — including race, immigration status, familial status or source of income — when choosing a tenant, Fairweather said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There are also first-come, first-served laws that require landlords to approve the first qualified application they receive. And there are anti-discrimination laws that don’t allow landlords to consider protected characteristics — including race, immigration status, familial status or source of income — when choosing a tenant, Fairweather said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You might come to your landlord and say ‘I have small kids’ or ‘I have an aging mother’ or ‘I’ve lived in this neighborhood forever,’ and those all might sound like innocent things to say,” she said. “But in housing, you’re not allowed to give preferential treatment to people based on their family status or these other protected characteristics.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You might come to your landlord and say ‘I have small kids’ or ‘I have an aging mother’ or ‘I’ve lived in this neighborhood forever,’ and those all might sound like innocent things to say,” she said. “But in housing, you’re not allowed to give preferential treatment to people based on their family status or these other protected characteristics.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Paul Griffiths, CEO and owner of Vesta Asset Management in San Francisco, a mid-size property management company, said today’s rental market has so much demand that it encourages pricing homes above market so there are fewer applicants to sift through. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Paul Griffiths, CEO and owner of Vesta Asset Management in San Francisco, a mid-size property management company, said today’s rental market has so much demand that it encourages pricing homes above market so there are fewer applicants to sift through. \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/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01026_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101639\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01026_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01026_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01026_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\">Harlow Srain’s (not pictured) plants line a stairwell in the backyard of her complex in San Francisco on June 9, 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 size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01026_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101639\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Harlow Srain’s (not pictured) plants line a stairwell in the backyard of her complex in San Francisco on June 9, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If somebody calls me to say, ‘Can you offer less money?’ First of all, I don’t even have time to call that person back because I’m just scheduling the showings for 75 people,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If somebody calls me to say, ‘Can you offer less money?’ First of all, I don’t even have time to call that person back because I’m just scheduling the showings for 75 people,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Srain understands the competition is tough, but can’t help being frustrated by it. “It kind of makes me wonder, where’s the line? Where does it stop?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Srain understands the competition is tough, but can’t help being frustrated by it. “It kind of makes me wonder, where’s the line? Where does it stop?”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Srain grew up in Salinas, a mid-sized agricultural community about a two-hour drive south of San Francisco. She decided to move to the Bay Area in 2019 after she started dating someone in San José. She was working as a DoorDash driver and found a room in a three-bedroom house in Fremont for $750 a month. A couple rented one of the other rooms, and another person slept on a mattress in the garage.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Srain grew up in Salinas, a mid-sized agricultural community about a two-hour drive south of San Francisco. She decided to move to the Bay Area in 2019 after she started dating someone in San José. She was working as a DoorDash driver and found a room in a three-bedroom house in Fremont for $750 a month. A couple rented one of the other rooms, and another person slept on a mattress in the garage.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’m freshly moved out of my parents’ house in this giant city that’s in a larger metropolitan area,” she said. “It was really, really exciting until I figured out what it meant to be housing-stable.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Within a week, another person moved into the remaining vacant room and then a stranger started living on the couch. She began to feel like she was living amongst strangers and didn’t have control over who entered or exited her home. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Within a week, another person moved into the remaining vacant room and then a stranger started living on the couch. She began to feel like she was living amongst strangers and didn’t have control over who entered or exited her home. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said she witnessed drug use and domestic violence while living there, so she moved out. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For the next three years, Srain moved from apartment to apartment to find an affordable place to live. For some of that time, she lived with friends or in her car.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Having to move almost twice a year every year, it can lead to trauma, believe it or not,” Srain said. “I have been sent through the wringer so many times.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The fear of returning to a semi-nomadic lifestyle is part of what’s driving her current push to stay in San Francisco, and especially the neighborhood she’s called home for nearly two years — the longest she’s been in one place in the past decade.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The fear of returning to a semi-nomadic lifestyle is part of what’s driving her current push to stay in San Francisco, and especially the neighborhood she’s called home for nearly two years — the longest she’s been in one place in the past decade.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It was in her Bernal Heights apartment where she finally got an opportunity to plant roots and build community. She got to know her neighbors, joined a dodgeball league nearby and volunteered at a nearby bookstore. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is one of the first places I’ve ever felt comfortable. I felt at home,” she said. “I know my neighbors, whether they’re on this street or down a few blocks. I’ve never had this before.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She also got involved in advocating for tenants rights. Srain became a community organizer with the nonprofit Faith in Action, which champions tenants’ rights, affordable housing and efforts to reduce homelessness. Earlier this year, she canvassed for a rent control measure the group supports that’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090248/redwood-city-to-vote-on-rent-control-in-november\">headed to the November ballot in Redwood City\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She also got involved in advocating for tenants rights. Srain became a community organizer with the nonprofit Faith in Action, which champions tenants’ rights, affordable housing and efforts to reduce homelessness. Earlier this year, she canvassed for a rent control measure the group supports that’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090248/redwood-city-to-vote-on-rent-control-in-november\">headed to the November ballot in Redwood City\u003c/a>. \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/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01227_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101628\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01227_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01227_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01227_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\">Harlow Srain poses for a portrait on the balcony of her housing unit in San Francisco on June 9, 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 size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01227_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101628\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Harlow Srain poses for a portrait on the balcony of her housing unit in San Francisco on June 9, 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 can understand that some homeowners are totally oblivious to the rental crisis because they have their own issues owning a home,” she said. “It has become really expensive with rising property taxes, [insurance], PG&E. It’s beginning to become unmanageable to own a home for some people.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I can understand that some homeowners are totally oblivious to the rental crisis because they have their own issues owning a home,” she said. “It has become really expensive with rising property taxes, [insurance], PG&E. It’s beginning to become unmanageable to own a home for some people.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She developed sympathy for small mom-and-pop landlords, who own just a building or two and face their own set of affordability issues. While cold-calling, she found they were more willing to explain how they set their rents and the profit they made on each unit.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She developed sympathy for small mom-and-pop landlords, who own just a building or two and face their own set of affordability issues. While cold-calling, she found they were more willing to explain how they set their rents and the profit they made on each unit.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In one such call in January, Srain spoke with an older landlord who walked her through his costs to maintain a Pacifica apartment he was renting out, including details about his water bill, property taxes and how much profit he made. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In one such call in January, Srain spoke with an older landlord who walked her through his costs to maintain a Pacifica apartment he was renting out, including details about his water bill, property taxes and how much profit he made. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It was only around $100 to $200 [in profit],” she said. “I was like, ‘Wow, this guy really walked me through this!’ That’s impressive.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But not all landlords are willing to entertain Srain’s questions. Of the hundreds she called, she said only around 50 actually picked up the phone and were willing to talk. Many times, she’s found they were unwilling to divulge their experiences. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But not all landlords are willing to entertain Srain’s questions. Of the hundreds she called, she said only around 50 actually picked up the phone and were willing to talk. Many times, she’s found they were unwilling to divulge their experiences. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And no one has been willing to lower the rent. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Griffiths said he understands Srain’s struggle. “I think, ethically, most people believe that housing is a human right.” But he said the United States — even California — doesn’t have enough housing to provide that right to everyone.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Griffiths said he understands Srain’s struggle. “I think, ethically, most people believe that housing is a human right.” But he said the United States — even California — doesn’t have enough housing to provide that right to everyone.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You can’t put the responsibility of saying, ‘Well, everybody should be housed, and it’s the landlord’s responsibility,’” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fairweather argued that, if anyone is to blame, it’s local governments that largely control how much housing can be built. San Francisco, she said, has long \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12033966/sfs-single-family-home-neighborhoods-apartments-65-story-towers-downtown\">restricted development in certain neighborhoods, and while\u003c/a> city leaders have agreed to allow more housing in those parts of town, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062042/report-projects-weak-housing-production-under-san-francisco-zoning-plan-over-next-20-years\">reports suggest\u003c/a> it may not make a dent in the city’s housing affordability crisis.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fairweather argued that, if anyone is to blame, it’s local governments that largely control how much housing can be built. San Francisco, she said, has long \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12033966/sfs-single-family-home-neighborhoods-apartments-65-story-towers-downtown\">restricted development in certain neighborhoods, and while\u003c/a> city leaders have agreed to allow more housing in those parts of town, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062042/report-projects-weak-housing-production-under-san-francisco-zoning-plan-over-next-20-years\">reports suggest\u003c/a> it may not make a dent in the city’s housing affordability crisis.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>In San Francisco, the problem is so far gone that we can’t just say ‘Get rid of single-family zoning,’ and everything will be fixed,” Fairweather said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>In San Francisco, the problem is so far gone that we can’t just say ‘Get rid of single-family zoning,’ and everything will be fixed,” Fairweather said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Then again, she said, the reality is that there may never be enough apartments in San Francisco for everyone who would like to live there. “There’s no mathematical way around that. There are going to be some people who are left moving to other places because there physically aren’t enough units for everybody.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Then again, she said, the reality is that there may never be enough apartments in San Francisco for everyone who would like to live there. “There’s no mathematical way around that. There are going to be some people who are left moving to other places because there physically aren’t enough units for everybody.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Srain knows her best option might be to move out of San Francisco to the East Bay, where it’s cheaper — something families have done for generations as the city has grown more expensive. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Srain knows her best option might be to move out of San Francisco to the East Bay, where it’s cheaper — something families have done for generations as the city has grown more expensive. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But she said that reality points to a broken system. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There are people living through so much worse right now in the Bay Area,” she said. “No one deserves that.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Thanks to the AI boom, rents in San Francisco have soared more than 20% since last year. One renter is trying an unusual approach to finding an apartment she can afford. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of How We Get By, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>full series here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the past nine months, Harlow Srain has reached out to more than 200 landlords and property managers. In search of a deal, she’s determined to stay in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After nearly a decade bouncing between couches, cars and shoddy apartments, the 28-year-old finally found the perfect place: a one-bedroom in Bernal Heights with access to a backyard that she shares with her now ex-partner. After they broke up late last year, they’ve continued to live uncomfortably together while Srain looks for a new place. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Srain said it’s been a difficult search. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915202/sf-renters-face-buyout-offers-and-evictions-as-ai-boom-sends-prices-soaring\">AI-fueled housing market\u003c/a> has sent rents soaring, \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/rent-report/ca/san-francisco\">up more than 25%\u003c/a> over the past year. Even with a roommate or two, Srain said she’d have to stretch her budget to stay in the neighborhood she’s grown to love.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So, she decided to do something unusual: cold-call landlords and property managers to appeal to their humanity and possibly get them to lower the rent. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I know these people are probably making a stupid amount of profit,” she said. “Why not just ask to have them cut that back a little bit?”\u003c/p>\n\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=\"12087198\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01030-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087198\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01030-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01030-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01030-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Harlow Srain’s (not pictured) plants line a shelf in the backyard of her complex in San Francisco on June 9, 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=\"12087197\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01021-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087197\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01021-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01021-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01021-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Harlow Srain’s (not pictured) view from a balcony in her complex in San Francisco on June 9, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s rental market has “always been a pressure cooker,” Redfin’s chief economist Daryl Fairweather said. The land-constrained city’s scant supply of homes has long been outweighed by intense demand. But now, as more companies require employees to return to the office and investors pump billions of dollars into AI, Fairweather said the fight for available housing has become even more competitive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People, when they have money, they wanna spend it on a better, nicer place,” she said. “It goes into the real estate market and drives up both home prices and rents.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Those prices have spiked so swiftly that earlier this month, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie declared a “rent emergency” and introduced a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098973/san-francisco-mayor-lurie-infuses-30-million-in-reforms-to-tackle-rent-emergency\">$30 million package\u003c/a> to forestall evictions and protect existing tenants from displacement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That doesn’t address Srain’s problem, however, since her landlord isn’t evicting her. She’s competing for a limited supply of apartments with people who have a lot more money to spend. According to a June report from ApartmentList, an online rental marketplace, just over \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/research/vacancy-rate-dashboard\">2% of San Francisco’s multifamily housing\u003c/a> is vacant. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sitting on the back patio of her Bernal Heights apartment earlier this summer, Srain scrolled through listings on her phone in search of a new home. Most of the calls ended in voicemails. Or a bot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When she did get a hold of a live human, they often stonewalled her. “With any situation where there’s a manager — like, ‘I’m just the manager’ — there’s no talking.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But every once in a while, someone picked up and played ball. That’s when she’d get into her pitch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I recognize AI is really booming, tech is hiring, we’re going back into the office, but I don’t work in tech,” Srain told a property manager listing a two-bedroom in the Mission District for $4,700. “I’ve just lived in the Bay Area for … around 10 years, and I would like to stay here. So I’m just trying to see if rent prices are negotiable at all.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The manager sympathized but didn’t budge. People are willing to pay top dollar, he told her. The city is experiencing a boom right now, but he said one day, that boom will cool. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>JJ Panzer, the owner of Real Management Company in San Francisco, said that if Srain had been looking to get a good deal on an apartment, she might have found one during the pandemic, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/These-charts-show-just-how-extreme-the-rent-15848320.php\">rents dropped by more than 20%\u003c/a>, and San Francisco’s apartment vacancy rate \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/research/vacancy-rate-dashboard\">reached nearly 11%\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Srain never reached out to Panzer. But if she had, he said her pitch would have been a “hard sell” in today’s market. His company manages more than 700 units across the Bay Area, though mostly in San Francisco. He owns three buildings himself. \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/10/2026/08/260813-RentNegotiator-04-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095218\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-RentNegotiator-04-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-RentNegotiator-04-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-RentNegotiator-04-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">JJ Panzer, president of Real Management Company, in front of their offices in San Francisco on Aug. 13, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because many San Francisco apartments are covered under state or local rent control laws, Panzer said landlords can only increase rents significantly after a tenant leaves. Once a new tenant moves into a rent-controlled unit, he said they often don’t move out for years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You’ve got to get as much as you can for that vacancy because you don’t know when you’re going to see that apartment come vacant again,” Panzer said. “The better price I give you, the longer it’s going to be before I get a chance to make that money back.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are also first-come, first-served laws that require landlords to approve the first qualified application they receive. And there are anti-discrimination laws that don’t allow landlords to consider protected characteristics — including race, immigration status, familial status or source of income — when choosing a tenant, Fairweather said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You might come to your landlord and say ‘I have small kids’ or ‘I have an aging mother’ or ‘I’ve lived in this neighborhood forever,’ and those all might sound like innocent things to say,” she said. “But in housing, you’re not allowed to give preferential treatment to people based on their family status or these other protected characteristics.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Paul Griffiths, CEO and owner of Vesta Asset Management in San Francisco, a mid-size property management company, said today’s rental market has so much demand that it encourages pricing homes above market so there are fewer applicants to sift through. \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/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01026_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101639\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01026_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01026_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01026_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Harlow Srain’s (not pictured) plants line a stairwell in the backyard of her complex in San Francisco on June 9, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If somebody calls me to say, ‘Can you offer less money?’ First of all, I don’t even have time to call that person back because I’m just scheduling the showings for 75 people,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Srain understands the competition is tough, but can’t help being frustrated by it. “It kind of makes me wonder, where’s the line? Where does it stop?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Srain grew up in Salinas, a mid-sized agricultural community about a two-hour drive south of San Francisco. She decided to move to the Bay Area in 2019 after she started dating someone in San José. She was working as a DoorDash driver and found a room in a three-bedroom house in Fremont for $750 a month. A couple rented one of the other rooms, and another person slept on a mattress in the garage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m freshly moved out of my parents’ house in this giant city that’s in a larger metropolitan area,” she said. “It was really, really exciting until I figured out what it meant to be housing-stable.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Within a week, another person moved into the remaining vacant room and then a stranger started living on the couch. She began to feel like she was living amongst strangers and didn’t have control over who entered or exited her home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she witnessed drug use and domestic violence while living there, so she moved out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For the next three years, Srain moved from apartment to apartment to find an affordable place to live. For some of that time, she lived with friends or in her car.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Having to move almost twice a year every year, it can lead to trauma, believe it or not,” Srain said. “I have been sent through the wringer so many times.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fear of returning to a semi-nomadic lifestyle is part of what’s driving her current push to stay in San Francisco, and especially the neighborhood she’s called home for nearly two years — the longest she’s been in one place in the past decade.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It was in her Bernal Heights apartment where she finally got an opportunity to plant roots and build community. She got to know her neighbors, joined a dodgeball league nearby and volunteered at a nearby bookstore. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is one of the first places I’ve ever felt comfortable. I felt at home,” she said. “I know my neighbors, whether they’re on this street or down a few blocks. I’ve never had this before.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She also got involved in advocating for tenants rights. Srain became a community organizer with the nonprofit Faith in Action, which champions tenants’ rights, affordable housing and efforts to reduce homelessness. Earlier this year, she canvassed for a rent control measure the group supports that’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12090248/redwood-city-to-vote-on-rent-control-in-november\">headed to the November ballot in Redwood City\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Through that work, she spoke with small landlords and homeowners about the problems they face.\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/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01227_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101628\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01227_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01227_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260609-housingcrisisharlowsrain-TV-01227_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Harlow Srain poses for a portrait on the balcony of her housing unit in San Francisco on June 9, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I can understand that some homeowners are totally oblivious to the rental crisis because they have their own issues owning a home,” she said. “It has become really expensive with rising property taxes, [insurance], PG&E. It’s beginning to become unmanageable to own a home for some people.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She developed sympathy for small mom-and-pop landlords, who own just a building or two and face their own set of affordability issues. While cold-calling, she found they were more willing to explain how they set their rents and the profit they made on each unit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In one such call in January, Srain spoke with an older landlord who walked her through his costs to maintain a Pacifica apartment he was renting out, including details about his water bill, property taxes and how much profit he made. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was only around $100 to $200 [in profit],” she said. “I was like, ‘Wow, this guy really walked me through this!’ That’s impressive.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But not all landlords are willing to entertain Srain’s questions. Of the hundreds she called, she said only around 50 actually picked up the phone and were willing to talk. Many times, she’s found they were unwilling to divulge their experiences. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And no one has been willing to lower the rent. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Griffiths said he understands Srain’s struggle. “I think, ethically, most people believe that housing is a human right.” But he said the United States — even California — doesn’t have enough housing to provide that right to everyone.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can’t put the responsibility of saying, ‘Well, everybody should be housed, and it’s the landlord’s responsibility,’” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fairweather argued that, if anyone is to blame, it’s local governments that largely control how much housing can be built. San Francisco, she said, has long \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12033966/sfs-single-family-home-neighborhoods-apartments-65-story-towers-downtown\">restricted development in certain neighborhoods, and while\u003c/a> city leaders have agreed to allow more housing in those parts of town, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062042/report-projects-weak-housing-production-under-san-francisco-zoning-plan-over-next-20-years\">reports suggest\u003c/a> it may not make a dent in the city’s housing affordability crisis.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>In San Francisco, the problem is so far gone that we can’t just say ‘Get rid of single-family zoning,’ and everything will be fixed,” Fairweather said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Then again, she said, the reality is that there may never be enough apartments in San Francisco for everyone who would like to live there. “There’s no mathematical way around that. There are going to be some people who are left moving to other places because there physically aren’t enough units for everybody.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Srain knows her best option might be to move out of San Francisco to the East Bay, where it’s cheaper — something families have done for generations as the city has grown more expensive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But she said that reality points to a broken system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There are people living through so much worse right now in the Bay Area,” she said. “No one deserves that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "even-in-a-hot-rental-market-what-renters-shouldnt-settle-on-when-looking-for-new-home",
"title": "Even in a Hot Rental Market, What Renters Shouldn’t Settle on When Looking for a New Home",
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"headTitle": "Even in a Hot Rental Market, What Renters Shouldn’t Settle on When Looking for a New Home | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of How We Get By, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>full series here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Looking for a rental property in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a> is not for the faint of heart — a fact Beyond Deng has come to understand very well.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The 26-year-old policy researcher has a few days left to find a new home, after his landlord sold the Mission District apartment Deng shares with two friends. To stay in the city, Deng is now searching for a new home in one of the country’s hottest rental markets. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the sky-high prices and intense competition weren’t even the biggest surprises, he said: “It was how \u003cem>little \u003c/em>I would get for so much that I would have to pay.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1391\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2250030108-scaled-e1789077751622.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078788\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An apartment-for-rent sign hangs outside of an apartment building on Dec. 4, 2025, in San Francisco. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fueled in part by the AI boom, rents in San Francisco \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2026/06/04/oakland-artificial-intelligence-ai-housing-rents-san-francisco/\">have risen\u003c/a> this year faster than anywhere else in the country — bringing with them \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095536/after-the-18000-scam-how-can-bay-area-renters-protect-themselves\">a new breed of scams\u003c/a> — and the rest of the Bay Area is also \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/rent-price-apartment-oakland-22329281.php\">feeling the heat\u003c/a>. The few remaining options on the market, however, are forcing many renters to scale down their expectations \u003cem>even more\u003c/em> to find a home in the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One spot Deng considered was a \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/b/1000-1010-bush-street-san-francisco-ca-CkNrCG/\">110-square-foot room\u003c/a> with only a sink and a closet. The kitchen and bathroom were shared by more than a dozen other residents. Monthly rent for the property was listed at $1,400. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If I’m going to pay that much, let me just gather all my things, go back down South and try to find a whole house,” Houston-raised Deng joked.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A compromise too far?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other renters are looking into homes where tenants are already jostling for limited amenities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Álvaro Galván, a data scientist who just found a new rental spot, recalled visiting a three-bedroom home in the Excelsior District shared by seven people during his own search. When he asked about the TV in the living room, Galván said the existing tenants told him, “That’s our TV.” Meaning: “They could use the TV — but me, as their subtenant — could not,” he recalled.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>High prices and endless competition may encourage you to look for fewer amenities than you’d like, said San Francisco-based attorney and tenants’ rights advocate Joshua Ezrin. But there are actually “basic state rules governing habitability,” he warned.\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/10/2025/08/018_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12051134\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/018_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/018_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/018_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A for-rent sign hangs in the window of an apartment building in San Francisco’s Nob Hill on July 29, 2021. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And you should be very careful, he added, “about entering into any type of lease with a landlord that is knowingly renting a unit that is violating these basic state rules.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Think you could hypothetically live in a rented room with no natural lighting — and where the bathroom is located \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/1ss42dp/is_there_a_place_to_warn_fellow_renters_of_bad/\">in a different building\u003c/a>? The law says something different, said Ora Prochovnick, director of litigation for the San Francisco renters’ rights group, Eviction Defense Collaborative. “You \u003cem>do \u003c/em>have rights and protections as a tenant,” she stressed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Keep reading for what legal experts recommend tenants should remember when looking for a new rental home in California — especially when a limited budget and a tight market might be forcing you to limit your expectations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does the law say homes in California need to have?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are several laws that detail what all living spaces — “dwelling” is the official term used —in California must have. These rules apply when you own the home you live in, or when you are renting a house, apartment or an individual room.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The home “has to be fit for a human being to live in,” said Prochovnick from Eviction Defense Collaborative. “It’s a pretty low bar to meet — but it is a requirement.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One law \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=HSC§ionNum=17920.3.\">requires\u003c/a> all dwellings (including hotel rooms) to have the following:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>sink\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A working \u003cstrong>heating system\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>toilet\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Shower \u003c/strong>or \u003cstrong>bathtub\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Electricity\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>ventilation system\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Some form of \u003cstrong>natural light\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV§ionNum=1941.1.\">another law\u003c/a> specific to rental agreements goes even further: landlords have an \u003cem>immediate \u003c/em>obligation to comply with the standards above if they expect individuals to live in this home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As of this year, California \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067581/in-2026-all-rental-homes-in-california-will-need-to-have-these-2-things\">also requires\u003c/a> rental homes to have a \u003cstrong>fridge \u003cem>and \u003c/em>a stove \u003c/strong>— and property owners must repair or replace them if they stop working.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the home didn’t have a heater or fridge when you moved in, you can still ask your landlord to meet the state’s obligations after you’ve begun living there, as there’s no time limit on invoking these rights.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Tenants don’t waive their rights if there are problems when they move in,” Prochovnick said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you are renting an individual room in a house or large building but that room does not include its own private bathroom or kitchen, your landlord must grant you access to the bathroom and kitchen of that property. You have access to the shared amenities even if the space you are paying for does not explicitly include them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can you flag problems \u003cem>before \u003c/em>you move in?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Renters absolutely have a right to ask property owners to follow state regulations even if they haven’t signed a lease yet, Prochovnick said. But she also acknowledged that some people may feel unsure — to put it mildly — about bringing issues up with a landlord during an interview or a crowded open house.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Yes, there’s a lot of competition for every unit, and you don’t want the landlord to think you’re a troublemaker from day one,” she said. “But this is something we have to weigh: How bad are the problems that you want to point them out now — or later?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And how a property owner responds to you asking a question about what the apartment has — or lacks — can also be an opportunity for you to learn how they may deal with future needs, added Ezrin, the San Francisco-based attorney.\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/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12040031\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A for-rent sign on a house in San Francisco’s Mission District on March 31, 2020. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Are these going to be folks that will be responsive to your repair and maintenance requests?” he questioned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ezrin recommended that you get a record — in writing — from a prospective landlord outlining what problems will be fixed: “either in the lease itself, in a lease addendum or in some separate side agreement before you execute the lease.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Why is this important? So you have something in writing verifying the problem actually exists, Ezrin explained. This also means you’re putting the landlord “on notice of the issue,” he said, so that they can move forward with necessary repairs before you move into the home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There are folks who have no other options based on financial limitations and what the market has available,” he acknowledged. “So sometimes you’re going to concede points that you might not want to.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nonetheless, “you should be very careful about entering into any type of lease with a landlord that knowingly is renting a unit that is violating the basic state rules governing habitability,” Ezrin warned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How small is \u003cem>too\u003c/em> small?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another thing many Bay Area tenants might grudgingly sacrifice to find a place that’s in their budget: space. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Craigslist, there are hundreds of \u003ca href=\"http://craigslist.org/search/city/san-francisco-ca?cat=roo&max_price=1500&min_price=0&postal=94110&radius=10#search=2~gallery~27\">Bay Area listings\u003c/a> for homes with three or more people already sharing the space — and of course, some San Franciscans are even paying $700 per month for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080289/700-a-month-sleeping-pods-make-sf-more-affordable-but-at-what-cost\">a bunk bed\u003c/a> in a room with 30 other adults.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But even in a very crowded home, state law requires minimum physical requirements for those inhabitants. The ceiling height must be at least 7 feet, 6 inches. “You have to be able to stand up straight without bumping your head,” said Prochovnick.\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/10/2025/10/012_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12058552\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/012_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/012_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/012_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A for-rent sign hangs outside of an apartment building in San Francisco’s Nob Hill on July 29, 2021. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State law also \u003ca href=\"https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0-0-0-87716\">dictates\u003c/a> that every dwelling must be a minimum of 70 square feet, she said — which includes bedrooms. And if you’re renting just a bed in a room that’s shared with other people, the room where you all sleep in must be bigger than 70 square feet.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You also have a right to privacy within the space that you are paying for. Even if you are renting a room in a friend or family member’s home, they cannot enter your bedroom without a proper reason and proper notice, Prochovnick said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of those reasons could be that you have invited your landlord to enter your room, or there’s an emergency. Otherwise, your landlord can \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1954.&lawCode=CIV\">come in only\u003c/a> to:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Make necessary or agreed-upon repairs.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Inspect the room’s condition at the start or end of your lease.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Show the space to a potential tenant.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if any of these conditions apply, your landlord still needs to let you know — in writing — that they’ll be entering at least 24 hours in advance.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Knowing what the state requires can help you understand what your privacy would look like in any rental home you’re looking at.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Think ahead of time: What will be your private space?” said Prochovnick. If you’ve rented only a bedroom in the landlord’s home, your right to privacy applies \u003cem>only \u003c/em>to that bedroom, she added. “The landlord doesn’t have to give you notice if they’re coming in the garage or the stairway.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you feel that a home you’re looking to rent already has a lot of people living in it, have a clear understanding of who you have a lease with — is it the landlord or another tenant? If it’s another tenant, check what the main (or “original”) lease says about the maximum number of occupants in the home, Prochovnick advised.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You might feel like bringing in a roommate is just bringing in a roommate,” she said. “But legally that’s subletting, and that could be a violation of your lease if you’re not doing it with prior written consent from the landlord.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of How We Get By, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>full series here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Looking for a rental property in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a> is not for the faint of heart — a fact Beyond Deng has come to understand very well.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Looking for a rental property in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a> is not for the faint of heart — a fact Beyond Deng has come to understand very well.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The 26-year-old policy researcher has a few days left to find a new home, after his landlord sold the Mission District apartment Deng shares with two friends. To stay in the city, Deng is now searching for a new home in one of the country’s hottest rental markets. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The 26-year-old policy researcher has a few days left to find a new home, after his landlord sold the Mission District apartment Deng shares with two friends. To stay in the city, Deng is now searching for a new home in one of the country’s hottest rental markets. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the sky-high prices and intense competition weren’t even the biggest surprises, he said: “It was how \u003cem>little \u003c/em>I would get for so much that I would have to pay.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the sky-high prices and intense competition weren’t even the biggest surprises, he said: “It was how \u003cem>little \u003c/em>I would get for so much that I would have to pay.”\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/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2250030108-scaled-e1789077751622.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078788\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An apartment-for-rent sign hangs outside of an apartment building on Dec. 4, 2025, in San Francisco.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Justin Sullivan/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/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2250030108-scaled-e1789077751622.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078788\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An apartment-for-rent sign hangs outside of an apartment building on Dec. 4, 2025, in San Francisco.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fueled in part by the AI boom, rents in San Francisco \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2026/06/04/oakland-artificial-intelligence-ai-housing-rents-san-francisco/\">have risen\u003c/a> this year faster than anywhere else in the country — bringing with them \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095536/after-the-18000-scam-how-can-bay-area-renters-protect-themselves\">a new breed of scams\u003c/a> — and the rest of the Bay Area is also \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/rent-price-apartment-oakland-22329281.php\">feeling the heat\u003c/a>. The few remaining options on the market, however, are forcing many renters to scale down their expectations \u003cem>even more\u003c/em> to find a home in the region.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fueled in part by the AI boom, rents in San Francisco \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2026/06/04/oakland-artificial-intelligence-ai-housing-rents-san-francisco/\">have risen\u003c/a> this year faster than anywhere else in the country — bringing with them \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095536/after-the-18000-scam-how-can-bay-area-renters-protect-themselves\">a new breed of scams\u003c/a> — and the rest of the Bay Area is also \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/rent-price-apartment-oakland-22329281.php\">feeling the heat\u003c/a>. The few remaining options on the market, however, are forcing many renters to scale down their expectations \u003cem>even more\u003c/em> to find a home in the region.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One spot Deng considered was a \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/b/1000-1010-bush-street-san-francisco-ca-CkNrCG/\">110-square-foot room\u003c/a> with only a sink and a closet. The kitchen and bathroom were shared by more than a dozen other residents. Monthly rent for the property was listed at $1,400. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One spot Deng considered was a \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/b/1000-1010-bush-street-san-francisco-ca-CkNrCG/\">110-square-foot room\u003c/a> with only a sink and a closet. The kitchen and bathroom were shared by more than a dozen other residents. Monthly rent for the property was listed at $1,400. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If I’m going to pay that much, let me just gather all my things, go back down South and try to find a whole house,” Houston-raised Deng joked.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If I’m going to pay that much, let me just gather all my things, go back down South and try to find a whole house,” Houston-raised Deng joked.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "A compromise too far?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A compromise too far?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A compromise too far?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other renters are looking into homes where tenants are already jostling for limited amenities. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Other renters are looking into homes where tenants are already jostling for limited amenities. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Álvaro Galván, a data scientist who just found a new rental spot, recalled visiting a three-bedroom home in the Excelsior District shared by seven people during his own search. When he asked about the TV in the living room, Galván said the existing tenants told him, “That’s our TV.” Meaning: “They could use the TV — but me, as their subtenant — could not,” he recalled.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Álvaro Galván, a data scientist who just found a new rental spot, recalled visiting a three-bedroom home in the Excelsior District shared by seven people during his own search. When he asked about the TV in the living room, Galván said the existing tenants told him, “That’s our TV.” Meaning: “They could use the TV — but me, as their subtenant — could not,” he recalled.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>High prices and endless competition may encourage you to look for fewer amenities than you’d like, said San Francisco-based attorney and tenants’ rights advocate Joshua Ezrin. But there are actually “basic state rules governing habitability,” he warned.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>High prices and endless competition may encourage you to look for fewer amenities than you’d like, said San Francisco-based attorney and tenants’ rights advocate Joshua Ezrin. But there are actually “basic state rules governing habitability,” he warned.\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/10/2025/08/018_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12051134\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/018_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/018_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/018_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_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\">A for-rent sign hangs in the window of an apartment building in San Francisco’s Nob Hill on July 29, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\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/10/2025/08/018_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12051134\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A for-rent sign hangs in the window of an apartment building in San Francisco’s Nob Hill on July 29, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And you should be very careful, he added, “about entering into any type of lease with a landlord that is knowingly renting a unit that is violating these basic state rules.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And you should be very careful, he added, “about entering into any type of lease with a landlord that is knowingly renting a unit that is violating these basic state rules.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Think you could hypothetically live in a rented room with no natural lighting — and where the bathroom is located \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/1ss42dp/is_there_a_place_to_warn_fellow_renters_of_bad/\">in a different building\u003c/a>? The law says something different, said Ora Prochovnick, director of litigation for the San Francisco renters’ rights group, Eviction Defense Collaborative. “You \u003cem>do \u003c/em>have rights and protections as a tenant,” she stressed.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Think you could hypothetically live in a rented room with no natural lighting — and where the bathroom is located \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/1ss42dp/is_there_a_place_to_warn_fellow_renters_of_bad/\">in a different building\u003c/a>? The law says something different, said Ora Prochovnick, director of litigation for the San Francisco renters’ rights group, Eviction Defense Collaborative. “You \u003cem>do \u003c/em>have rights and protections as a tenant,” she stressed.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Keep reading for what legal experts recommend tenants should remember when looking for a new rental home in California — especially when a limited budget and a tight market might be forcing you to limit your expectations. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Keep reading for what legal experts recommend tenants should remember when looking for a new rental home in California — especially when a limited budget and a tight market might be forcing you to limit your expectations. \u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "What does the law say homes in California need to have?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does the law say homes in California need to have?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does the law say homes in California need to have?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There are several laws that detail what all living spaces — “dwelling” is the official term used —in California must have. These rules apply when you own the home you live in, or when you are renting a house, apartment or an individual room.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There are several laws that detail what all living spaces — “dwelling” is the official term used —in California must have. These rules apply when you own the home you live in, or when you are renting a house, apartment or an individual room.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The home “has to be fit for a human being to live in,” said Prochovnick from Eviction Defense Collaborative. “It’s a pretty low bar to meet — but it is a requirement.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The home “has to be fit for a human being to live in,” said Prochovnick from Eviction Defense Collaborative. “It’s a pretty low bar to meet — but it is a requirement.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One law \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=HSC§ionNum=17920.3.\">requires\u003c/a> all dwellings (including hotel rooms) to have the following:\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One law \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=HSC§ionNum=17920.3.\">requires\u003c/a> all dwellings (including hotel rooms) to have the following:\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>sink\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>sink\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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"blockName": "core/list-item",
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"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>A working \u003cstrong>heating system\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>A working \u003cstrong>heating system\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>toilet\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>toilet\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
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"blockName": "core/list-item",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Shower \u003c/strong>or \u003cstrong>bathtub\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Shower \u003c/strong>or \u003cstrong>bathtub\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
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"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Electricity\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Electricity\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>ventilation system\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>ventilation system\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Some form of \u003cstrong>natural light\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>Some form of \u003cstrong>natural light\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
]
}
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV§ionNum=1941.1.\">another law\u003c/a> specific to rental agreements goes even further: landlords have an \u003cem>immediate \u003c/em>obligation to comply with the standards above if they expect individuals to live in this home. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV§ionNum=1941.1.\">another law\u003c/a> specific to rental agreements goes even further: landlords have an \u003cem>immediate \u003c/em>obligation to comply with the standards above if they expect individuals to live in this home. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As of this year, California \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067581/in-2026-all-rental-homes-in-california-will-need-to-have-these-2-things\">also requires\u003c/a> rental homes to have a \u003cstrong>fridge \u003cem>and \u003c/em>a stove \u003c/strong>— and property owners must repair or replace them if they stop working.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As of this year, California \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067581/in-2026-all-rental-homes-in-california-will-need-to-have-these-2-things\">also requires\u003c/a> rental homes to have a \u003cstrong>fridge \u003cem>and \u003c/em>a stove \u003c/strong>— and property owners must repair or replace them if they stop working.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If the home didn’t have a heater or fridge when you moved in, you can still ask your landlord to meet the state’s obligations after you’ve begun living there, as there’s no time limit on invoking these rights.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If the home didn’t have a heater or fridge when you moved in, you can still ask your landlord to meet the state’s obligations after you’ve begun living there, as there’s no time limit on invoking these rights.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Tenants don’t waive their rights if there are problems when they move in,” Prochovnick said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if you are renting an individual room in a house or large building but that room does not include its own private bathroom or kitchen, your landlord must grant you access to the bathroom and kitchen of that property. You have access to the shared amenities even if the space you are paying for does not explicitly include them.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>And if you are renting an individual room in a house or large building but that room does not include its own private bathroom or kitchen, your landlord must grant you access to the bathroom and kitchen of that property. You have access to the shared amenities even if the space you are paying for does not explicitly include them.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "How can you flag problems before you move in?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can you flag problems \u003cem>before \u003c/em>you move in?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Renters absolutely have a right to ask property owners to follow state regulations even if they haven’t signed a lease yet, Prochovnick said. But she also acknowledged that some people may feel unsure — to put it mildly — about bringing issues up with a landlord during an interview or a crowded open house.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Renters absolutely have a right to ask property owners to follow state regulations even if they haven’t signed a lease yet, Prochovnick said. But she also acknowledged that some people may feel unsure — to put it mildly — about bringing issues up with a landlord during an interview or a crowded open house.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Yes, there’s a lot of competition for every unit, and you don’t want the landlord to think you’re a troublemaker from day one,” she said. “But this is something we have to weigh: How bad are the problems that you want to point them out now — or later?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Yes, there’s a lot of competition for every unit, and you don’t want the landlord to think you’re a troublemaker from day one,” she said. “But this is something we have to weigh: How bad are the problems that you want to point them out now — or later?”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And how a property owner responds to you asking a question about what the apartment has — or lacks — can also be an opportunity for you to learn how they may deal with future needs, added Ezrin, the San Francisco-based attorney.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And how a property owner responds to you asking a question about what the apartment has — or lacks — can also be an opportunity for you to learn how they may deal with future needs, added Ezrin, the San Francisco-based attorney.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12040031\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A for-rent sign on a house in San Francisco’s Mission District on March 31, 2020.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\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/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12040031\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A for-rent sign on a house in San Francisco’s Mission District on March 31, 2020.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Are these going to be folks that will be responsive to your repair and maintenance requests?” he questioned.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Are these going to be folks that will be responsive to your repair and maintenance requests?” he questioned.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ezrin recommended that you get a record — in writing — from a prospective landlord outlining what problems will be fixed: “either in the lease itself, in a lease addendum or in some separate side agreement before you execute the lease.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Ezrin recommended that you get a record — in writing — from a prospective landlord outlining what problems will be fixed: “either in the lease itself, in a lease addendum or in some separate side agreement before you execute the lease.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Why is this important? So you have something in writing verifying the problem actually exists, Ezrin explained. This also means you’re putting the landlord “on notice of the issue,” he said, so that they can move forward with necessary repairs before you move into the home.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Why is this important? So you have something in writing verifying the problem actually exists, Ezrin explained. This also means you’re putting the landlord “on notice of the issue,” he said, so that they can move forward with necessary repairs before you move into the home.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There are folks who have no other options based on financial limitations and what the market has available,” he acknowledged. “So sometimes you’re going to concede points that you might not want to.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“There are folks who have no other options based on financial limitations and what the market has available,” he acknowledged. “So sometimes you’re going to concede points that you might not want to.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nonetheless, “you should be very careful about entering into any type of lease with a landlord that knowingly is renting a unit that is violating the basic state rules governing habitability,” Ezrin warned.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Nonetheless, “you should be very careful about entering into any type of lease with a landlord that knowingly is renting a unit that is violating the basic state rules governing habitability,” Ezrin warned.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "How small is too small?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How small is \u003cem>too\u003c/em> small?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How small is \u003cem>too\u003c/em> small?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Another thing many Bay Area tenants might grudgingly sacrifice to find a place that’s in their budget: space. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Another thing many Bay Area tenants might grudgingly sacrifice to find a place that’s in their budget: space. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Craigslist, there are hundreds of \u003ca href=\"http://craigslist.org/search/city/san-francisco-ca?cat=roo&max_price=1500&min_price=0&postal=94110&radius=10#search=2~gallery~27\">Bay Area listings\u003c/a> for homes with three or more people already sharing the space — and of course, some San Franciscans are even paying $700 per month for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080289/700-a-month-sleeping-pods-make-sf-more-affordable-but-at-what-cost\">a bunk bed\u003c/a> in a room with 30 other adults.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Craigslist, there are hundreds of \u003ca href=\"http://craigslist.org/search/city/san-francisco-ca?cat=roo&max_price=1500&min_price=0&postal=94110&radius=10#search=2~gallery~27\">Bay Area listings\u003c/a> for homes with three or more people already sharing the space — and of course, some San Franciscans are even paying $700 per month for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080289/700-a-month-sleeping-pods-make-sf-more-affordable-but-at-what-cost\">a bunk bed\u003c/a> in a room with 30 other adults.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But even in a very crowded home, state law requires minimum physical requirements for those inhabitants. The ceiling height must be at least 7 feet, 6 inches. “You have to be able to stand up straight without bumping your head,” said Prochovnick.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But even in a very crowded home, state law requires minimum physical requirements for those inhabitants. The ceiling height must be at least 7 feet, 6 inches. “You have to be able to stand up straight without bumping your head,” said Prochovnick.\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/10/2025/10/012_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12058552\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/012_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/012_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/012_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_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\">A for-rent sign hangs outside of an apartment building in San Francisco’s Nob Hill on July 29, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\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/10/2025/10/012_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12058552\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A for-rent sign hangs outside of an apartment building in San Francisco’s Nob Hill on July 29, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>State law also \u003ca href=\"https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0-0-0-87716\">dictates\u003c/a> that every dwelling must be a minimum of 70 square feet, she said — which includes bedrooms. And if you’re renting just a bed in a room that’s shared with other people, the room where you all sleep in must be bigger than 70 square feet.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>State law also \u003ca href=\"https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0-0-0-87716\">dictates\u003c/a> that every dwelling must be a minimum of 70 square feet, she said — which includes bedrooms. And if you’re renting just a bed in a room that’s shared with other people, the room where you all sleep in must be bigger than 70 square feet.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You also have a right to privacy within the space that you are paying for. Even if you are renting a room in a friend or family member’s home, they cannot enter your bedroom without a proper reason and proper notice, Prochovnick said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>You also have a right to privacy within the space that you are paying for. Even if you are renting a room in a friend or family member’s home, they cannot enter your bedroom without a proper reason and proper notice, Prochovnick said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One of those reasons could be that you have invited your landlord to enter your room, or there’s an emergency. Otherwise, your landlord can \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1954.&lawCode=CIV\">come in only\u003c/a> to:\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One of those reasons could be that you have invited your landlord to enter your room, or there’s an emergency. Otherwise, your landlord can \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1954.&lawCode=CIV\">come in only\u003c/a> to:\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if any of these conditions apply, your landlord still needs to let you know — in writing — that they’ll be entering at least 24 hours in advance.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And if any of these conditions apply, your landlord still needs to let you know — in writing — that they’ll be entering at least 24 hours in advance.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Knowing what the state requires can help you understand what your privacy would look like in any rental home you’re looking at.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Think ahead of time: What will be your private space?” said Prochovnick. If you’ve rented only a bedroom in the landlord’s home, your right to privacy applies \u003cem>only \u003c/em>to that bedroom, she added. “The landlord doesn’t have to give you notice if they’re coming in the garage or the stairway.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Think ahead of time: What will be your private space?” said Prochovnick. If you’ve rented only a bedroom in the landlord’s home, your right to privacy applies \u003cem>only \u003c/em>to that bedroom, she added. “The landlord doesn’t have to give you notice if they’re coming in the garage or the stairway.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you feel that a home you’re looking to rent already has a lot of people living in it, have a clear understanding of who you have a lease with — is it the landlord or another tenant? If it’s another tenant, check what the main (or “original”) lease says about the maximum number of occupants in the home, Prochovnick advised.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you feel that a home you’re looking to rent already has a lot of people living in it, have a clear understanding of who you have a lease with — is it the landlord or another tenant? If it’s another tenant, check what the main (or “original”) lease says about the maximum number of occupants in the home, Prochovnick advised.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You might feel like bringing in a roommate is just bringing in a roommate,” she said. “But legally that’s subletting, and that could be a violation of your lease if you’re not doing it with prior written consent from the landlord.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You might feel like bringing in a roommate is just bringing in a roommate,” she said. “But legally that’s subletting, and that could be a violation of your lease if you’re not doing it with prior written consent from the landlord.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Less space, natural light and, sometimes, no bathroom — many Bay Area renters are seeing fewer homes within their budget. But legal experts say there are some compromises you shouldn’t have to make, even if you're desperate to secure a spot.\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of How We Get By, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>full series here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Looking for a rental property in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a> is not for the faint of heart — a fact Beyond Deng has come to understand very well.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The 26-year-old policy researcher has a few days left to find a new home, after his landlord sold the Mission District apartment Deng shares with two friends. To stay in the city, Deng is now searching for a new home in one of the country’s hottest rental markets. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the sky-high prices and intense competition weren’t even the biggest surprises, he said: “It was how \u003cem>little \u003c/em>I would get for so much that I would have to pay.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1391\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2250030108-scaled-e1789077751622.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078788\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An apartment-for-rent sign hangs outside of an apartment building on Dec. 4, 2025, in San Francisco. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fueled in part by the AI boom, rents in San Francisco \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2026/06/04/oakland-artificial-intelligence-ai-housing-rents-san-francisco/\">have risen\u003c/a> this year faster than anywhere else in the country — bringing with them \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095536/after-the-18000-scam-how-can-bay-area-renters-protect-themselves\">a new breed of scams\u003c/a> — and the rest of the Bay Area is also \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/rent-price-apartment-oakland-22329281.php\">feeling the heat\u003c/a>. The few remaining options on the market, however, are forcing many renters to scale down their expectations \u003cem>even more\u003c/em> to find a home in the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One spot Deng considered was a \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/b/1000-1010-bush-street-san-francisco-ca-CkNrCG/\">110-square-foot room\u003c/a> with only a sink and a closet. The kitchen and bathroom were shared by more than a dozen other residents. Monthly rent for the property was listed at $1,400. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If I’m going to pay that much, let me just gather all my things, go back down South and try to find a whole house,” Houston-raised Deng joked.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A compromise too far?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other renters are looking into homes where tenants are already jostling for limited amenities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Álvaro Galván, a data scientist who just found a new rental spot, recalled visiting a three-bedroom home in the Excelsior District shared by seven people during his own search. When he asked about the TV in the living room, Galván said the existing tenants told him, “That’s our TV.” Meaning: “They could use the TV — but me, as their subtenant — could not,” he recalled.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>High prices and endless competition may encourage you to look for fewer amenities than you’d like, said San Francisco-based attorney and tenants’ rights advocate Joshua Ezrin. But there are actually “basic state rules governing habitability,” he warned.\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/10/2025/08/018_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12051134\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/018_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/018_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/018_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A for-rent sign hangs in the window of an apartment building in San Francisco’s Nob Hill on July 29, 2021. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And you should be very careful, he added, “about entering into any type of lease with a landlord that is knowingly renting a unit that is violating these basic state rules.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Think you could hypothetically live in a rented room with no natural lighting — and where the bathroom is located \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/1ss42dp/is_there_a_place_to_warn_fellow_renters_of_bad/\">in a different building\u003c/a>? The law says something different, said Ora Prochovnick, director of litigation for the San Francisco renters’ rights group, Eviction Defense Collaborative. “You \u003cem>do \u003c/em>have rights and protections as a tenant,” she stressed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Keep reading for what legal experts recommend tenants should remember when looking for a new rental home in California — especially when a limited budget and a tight market might be forcing you to limit your expectations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does the law say homes in California need to have?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are several laws that detail what all living spaces — “dwelling” is the official term used —in California must have. These rules apply when you own the home you live in, or when you are renting a house, apartment or an individual room.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The home “has to be fit for a human being to live in,” said Prochovnick from Eviction Defense Collaborative. “It’s a pretty low bar to meet — but it is a requirement.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One law \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=HSC§ionNum=17920.3.\">requires\u003c/a> all dwellings (including hotel rooms) to have the following:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>sink\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A working \u003cstrong>heating system\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>toilet\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Shower \u003c/strong>or \u003cstrong>bathtub\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Electricity\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>ventilation system\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Some form of \u003cstrong>natural light\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV§ionNum=1941.1.\">another law\u003c/a> specific to rental agreements goes even further: landlords have an \u003cem>immediate \u003c/em>obligation to comply with the standards above if they expect individuals to live in this home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As of this year, California \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12067581/in-2026-all-rental-homes-in-california-will-need-to-have-these-2-things\">also requires\u003c/a> rental homes to have a \u003cstrong>fridge \u003cem>and \u003c/em>a stove \u003c/strong>— and property owners must repair or replace them if they stop working.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the home didn’t have a heater or fridge when you moved in, you can still ask your landlord to meet the state’s obligations after you’ve begun living there, as there’s no time limit on invoking these rights.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Tenants don’t waive their rights if there are problems when they move in,” Prochovnick said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you are renting an individual room in a house or large building but that room does not include its own private bathroom or kitchen, your landlord must grant you access to the bathroom and kitchen of that property. You have access to the shared amenities even if the space you are paying for does not explicitly include them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can you flag problems \u003cem>before \u003c/em>you move in?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Renters absolutely have a right to ask property owners to follow state regulations even if they haven’t signed a lease yet, Prochovnick said. But she also acknowledged that some people may feel unsure — to put it mildly — about bringing issues up with a landlord during an interview or a crowded open house.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Yes, there’s a lot of competition for every unit, and you don’t want the landlord to think you’re a troublemaker from day one,” she said. “But this is something we have to weigh: How bad are the problems that you want to point them out now — or later?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And how a property owner responds to you asking a question about what the apartment has — or lacks — can also be an opportunity for you to learn how they may deal with future needs, added Ezrin, the San Francisco-based attorney.\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/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12040031\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_RentStrike_03312020_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A for-rent sign on a house in San Francisco’s Mission District on March 31, 2020. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Are these going to be folks that will be responsive to your repair and maintenance requests?” he questioned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ezrin recommended that you get a record — in writing — from a prospective landlord outlining what problems will be fixed: “either in the lease itself, in a lease addendum or in some separate side agreement before you execute the lease.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Why is this important? So you have something in writing verifying the problem actually exists, Ezrin explained. This also means you’re putting the landlord “on notice of the issue,” he said, so that they can move forward with necessary repairs before you move into the home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There are folks who have no other options based on financial limitations and what the market has available,” he acknowledged. “So sometimes you’re going to concede points that you might not want to.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nonetheless, “you should be very careful about entering into any type of lease with a landlord that knowingly is renting a unit that is violating the basic state rules governing habitability,” Ezrin warned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How small is \u003cem>too\u003c/em> small?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another thing many Bay Area tenants might grudgingly sacrifice to find a place that’s in their budget: space. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Craigslist, there are hundreds of \u003ca href=\"http://craigslist.org/search/city/san-francisco-ca?cat=roo&max_price=1500&min_price=0&postal=94110&radius=10#search=2~gallery~27\">Bay Area listings\u003c/a> for homes with three or more people already sharing the space — and of course, some San Franciscans are even paying $700 per month for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080289/700-a-month-sleeping-pods-make-sf-more-affordable-but-at-what-cost\">a bunk bed\u003c/a> in a room with 30 other adults.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But even in a very crowded home, state law requires minimum physical requirements for those inhabitants. The ceiling height must be at least 7 feet, 6 inches. “You have to be able to stand up straight without bumping your head,” said Prochovnick.\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/10/2025/10/012_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12058552\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/012_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/012_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/012_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A for-rent sign hangs outside of an apartment building in San Francisco’s Nob Hill on July 29, 2021. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State law also \u003ca href=\"https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0-0-0-87716\">dictates\u003c/a> that every dwelling must be a minimum of 70 square feet, she said — which includes bedrooms. And if you’re renting just a bed in a room that’s shared with other people, the room where you all sleep in must be bigger than 70 square feet.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You also have a right to privacy within the space that you are paying for. Even if you are renting a room in a friend or family member’s home, they cannot enter your bedroom without a proper reason and proper notice, Prochovnick said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of those reasons could be that you have invited your landlord to enter your room, or there’s an emergency. Otherwise, your landlord can \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1954.&lawCode=CIV\">come in only\u003c/a> to:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Make necessary or agreed-upon repairs.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Inspect the room’s condition at the start or end of your lease.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Show the space to a potential tenant.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if any of these conditions apply, your landlord still needs to let you know — in writing — that they’ll be entering at least 24 hours in advance.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Knowing what the state requires can help you understand what your privacy would look like in any rental home you’re looking at.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Think ahead of time: What will be your private space?” said Prochovnick. If you’ve rented only a bedroom in the landlord’s home, your right to privacy applies \u003cem>only \u003c/em>to that bedroom, she added. “The landlord doesn’t have to give you notice if they’re coming in the garage or the stairway.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you feel that a home you’re looking to rent already has a lot of people living in it, have a clear understanding of who you have a lease with — is it the landlord or another tenant? If it’s another tenant, check what the main (or “original”) lease says about the maximum number of occupants in the home, Prochovnick advised.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You might feel like bringing in a roommate is just bringing in a roommate,” she said. “But legally that’s subletting, and that could be a violation of your lease if you’re not doing it with prior written consent from the landlord.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Opponents of a high-rise housing and commercial building proposal on the footprint of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092328/can-wealthy-san-francisco-residents-stop-a-massive-housing-redevelopment-project\">Marina District’s Safeway\u003c/a> have filed a lawsuit against \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, their latest effort to stop the controversial development.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The YesAND Foundation, a new housing nonprofit in the city, along with four Marina District residents, allege that the city is unlawfully pushing the proposal through a streamlined approval process under a state housing law, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11923146/these-california-affordable-housing-bills-could-create-more-than-a-million-apartments-if-labor-unions-can-agree-on-terms\">Assembly Bill 2011\u003c/a>, that it is not eligible to use. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco Federal Court last week, also contends that the city exempted the project’s developer, Align Real Estate, from performing hazardous-waste assessments on the site.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Neighborhood organizations followed the established process first,” said Lori Brooke, a member of YesAND and NeighborsUnited SF, a coalition of neighborhood businesses and organizations that also joined the suit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1186\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-MARINA-SAFEWAY-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092738\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-MARINA-SAFEWAY-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-MARINA-SAFEWAY-05-KQED-160x95.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-MARINA-SAFEWAY-05-KQED-1536x911.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Safeway at 15 Marina Blvd. in San Francisco, where developer Align Real Estate has proposed 848 apartments. \u003cbr> (Courtesy of Arquitectonica)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brooke said that residents have written to the planning and public health departments, and they spent months asking for an environmental assessment, all without success. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They turned to a legal suit after the city decided in August that the building plans from Align could move forward for approval through a ministerial process that skirts public hearings and environmental reviews, as long as certain criteria are met. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We were not asking for a veto,” she said. “We were asking for proper review and a meaningful opportunity to be heard. When both are denied, the courts become the only option left.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Last December, Align applied to demolish the Safeway at 11 and 15 Marina Blvd. and replace it with a two-tower mixed-use commercial and housing development. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The proposal was met with swift opposition from neighbors and has split local officials, some of whom say it would tower over the surrounding neighborhood and could obstruct Bay views. The 18-plus-story glass towers, right on the waterline of the affluent Marina District, would be especially stark. Erin Roach, the president of the Marina Community Association, previously told KQED that the building would be “roughly six times taller than anything around it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mayor Daniel Lurie and Supervisor Stephen Sherrill, who represents the area, have both previously opposed the project. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sherrill and a coalition of residents asked the city in June to find the site ineligible for development under AB 2011, arguing that the law requires at least 75% of the site’s perimeter to adjoin to parcels developed with “urban uses,” while they said Fort Mason and another city-owned parcel surrounding the Safeway are restricted for maritime and recreational use.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The planning department wrote in response that it considers the site surrounded by urban uses. Planning Director Sarah Dennis Phillips also wrote in a July 20 letter that the property is not on a list of hazardous waste sites in the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other city supervisors, along with state Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, both of whom worked on AB 2011, have expressed support for the project, which would provide more than 800 new residential units, including 86 affordable homes — as the city races to meet lofty state goals to build \u003ca href=\"https://www.spur.org/news/2025-03-19/why-and-where-san-francisco-needs-allow-more-homes-housing-element-primer\">82,000 housing units\u003c/a> by 2031.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The streamlined approval process created by the law exempts projects from Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors votes, as well as a California Environmental Quality Act review. The project also uses California’s “density bonus” law that lets developers override local zoning requirements and build taller, so long as they include affordable units.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The plaintiffs are asking a judge to reverse the city’s streamlining decision and require Align to comply with and complete all health and safety requirements before the project can move forward. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Blue trucks with 'pg and e' logo on them sit parked in a lot with the white and black blurry pattern of a fence in the foreground\" class=\"wp-image-11943199\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">PG&E trucks sit inside a Mission District facility owned by the utility. (Sheraz Sadiq/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legal challenge also accuses the city and PG&E, which operated a manufactured gas plant and steam electric plant on the site, of creating a public nuisance. It furthermore alleges negligence for failing to fully investigate or remediate contamination as a result of its former facilities’ operations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The suit names Align, the city’s Planning and Public Health departments, PG&E and Safeway parent company Albertson’s.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for the city attorney’s office said it would review the complaint and respond in court once the office was served. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E said in a statement that it had not yet reviewed the lawsuit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city is expected to make its final administrative determination on Align’s proposal next month.\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The YesAND Foundation, a new housing nonprofit in the city, along with four Marina District residents, allege that the city is unlawfully pushing the proposal through a streamlined approval process under a state housing law, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11923146/these-california-affordable-housing-bills-could-create-more-than-a-million-apartments-if-labor-unions-can-agree-on-terms\">Assembly Bill 2011\u003c/a>, that it is not eligible to use. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco Federal Court last week, also contends that the city exempted the project’s developer, Align Real Estate, from performing hazardous-waste assessments on the site.\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/10/2026/07/260727-MARINA-SAFEWAY-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092738\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-MARINA-SAFEWAY-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-MARINA-SAFEWAY-05-KQED-160x95.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-MARINA-SAFEWAY-05-KQED-1536x911.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Safeway at 15 Marina Blvd. in San Francisco, where developer Align Real Estate has proposed 848 apartments. \u003cbr>\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Arquitectonica)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Brooke said that residents have written to the planning and public health departments, and they spent months asking for an environmental assessment, all without success. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They turned to a legal suit after the city decided in August that the building plans from Align could move forward for approval through a ministerial process that skirts public hearings and environmental reviews, as long as certain criteria are met. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We were not asking for a veto,” she said. “We were asking for proper review and a meaningful opportunity to be heard. When both are denied, the courts become the only option left.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Last December, Align applied to demolish the Safeway at 11 and 15 Marina Blvd. and replace it with a two-tower mixed-use commercial and housing development. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The proposal was met with swift opposition from neighbors and has split local officials, some of whom say it would tower over the surrounding neighborhood and could obstruct Bay views. The 18-plus-story glass towers, right on the waterline of the affluent Marina District, would be especially stark. Erin Roach, the president of the Marina Community Association, previously told KQED that the building would be “roughly six times taller than anything around it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mayor Daniel Lurie and Supervisor Stephen Sherrill, who represents the area, have both previously opposed the project. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sherrill and a coalition of residents asked the city in June to find the site ineligible for development under AB 2011, arguing that the law requires at least 75% of the site’s perimeter to adjoin to parcels developed with “urban uses,” while they said Fort Mason and another city-owned parcel surrounding the Safeway are restricted for maritime and recreational use.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The planning department wrote in response that it considers the site surrounded by urban uses. Planning Director Sarah Dennis Phillips also wrote in a July 20 letter that the property is not on a list of hazardous waste sites in the state. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other city supervisors, along with state Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, both of whom worked on AB 2011, have expressed support for the project, which would provide more than 800 new residential units, including 86 affordable homes — as the city races to meet lofty state goals to build \u003ca href=\"https://www.spur.org/news/2025-03-19/why-and-where-san-francisco-needs-allow-more-homes-housing-element-primer\">82,000 housing units\u003c/a> by 2031.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Other city supervisors, along with state Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, both of whom worked on AB 2011, have expressed support for the project, which would provide more than 800 new residential units, including 86 affordable homes — as the city races to meet lofty state goals to build \u003ca href=\"https://www.spur.org/news/2025-03-19/why-and-where-san-francisco-needs-allow-more-homes-housing-element-primer\">82,000 housing units\u003c/a> by 2031.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The streamlined approval process created by the law exempts projects from Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors votes, as well as a California Environmental Quality Act review. The project also uses California’s “density bonus” law that lets developers override local zoning requirements and build taller, so long as they include affordable units.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The streamlined approval process created by the law exempts projects from Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors votes, as well as a California Environmental Quality Act review. The project also uses California’s “density bonus” law that lets developers override local zoning requirements and build taller, so long as they include affordable units.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The plaintiffs are asking a judge to reverse the city’s streamlining decision and require Align to comply with and complete all health and safety requirements before the project can move forward. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The plaintiffs are asking a judge to reverse the city’s streamlining decision and require Align to comply with and complete all health and safety requirements before the project can move forward. \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/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Blue trucks with 'pg and e' logo on them sit parked in a lot with the white and black blurry pattern of a fence in the foreground\" class=\"wp-image-11943199\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">PG&E trucks sit inside a Mission District facility owned by the utility.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Sheraz Sadiq/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The legal challenge also accuses the city and PG&E, which operated a manufactured gas plant and steam electric plant on the site, of creating a public nuisance. It furthermore alleges negligence for failing to fully investigate or remediate contamination as a result of its former facilities’ operations.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The legal challenge also accuses the city and PG&E, which operated a manufactured gas plant and steam electric plant on the site, of creating a public nuisance. It furthermore alleges negligence for failing to fully investigate or remediate contamination as a result of its former facilities’ operations.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The suit names Align, the city’s Planning and Public Health departments, PG&E and Safeway parent company Albertson’s.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for the city attorney’s office said it would review the complaint and respond in court once the office was served. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>PG&E said in a statement that it had not yet reviewed the lawsuit.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The new nonprofit is asking a judge to stall a controversial 800-unit planned development ahead of a city decision on the project next month.",
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"title": "San Francisco Housing Group Files Lawsuit Opposing Marina Safeway Project | KQED",
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"headline": "San Francisco Housing Group Files Lawsuit Opposing Marina Safeway Project",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Opponents of a high-rise housing and commercial building proposal on the footprint of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092328/can-wealthy-san-francisco-residents-stop-a-massive-housing-redevelopment-project\">Marina District’s Safeway\u003c/a> have filed a lawsuit against \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, their latest effort to stop the controversial development.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The YesAND Foundation, a new housing nonprofit in the city, along with four Marina District residents, allege that the city is unlawfully pushing the proposal through a streamlined approval process under a state housing law, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11923146/these-california-affordable-housing-bills-could-create-more-than-a-million-apartments-if-labor-unions-can-agree-on-terms\">Assembly Bill 2011\u003c/a>, that it is not eligible to use. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco Federal Court last week, also contends that the city exempted the project’s developer, Align Real Estate, from performing hazardous-waste assessments on the site.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Neighborhood organizations followed the established process first,” said Lori Brooke, a member of YesAND and NeighborsUnited SF, a coalition of neighborhood businesses and organizations that also joined the suit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1186\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-MARINA-SAFEWAY-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092738\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-MARINA-SAFEWAY-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-MARINA-SAFEWAY-05-KQED-160x95.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260727-MARINA-SAFEWAY-05-KQED-1536x911.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Safeway at 15 Marina Blvd. in San Francisco, where developer Align Real Estate has proposed 848 apartments. \u003cbr> (Courtesy of Arquitectonica)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brooke said that residents have written to the planning and public health departments, and they spent months asking for an environmental assessment, all without success. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They turned to a legal suit after the city decided in August that the building plans from Align could move forward for approval through a ministerial process that skirts public hearings and environmental reviews, as long as certain criteria are met. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We were not asking for a veto,” she said. “We were asking for proper review and a meaningful opportunity to be heard. When both are denied, the courts become the only option left.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Last December, Align applied to demolish the Safeway at 11 and 15 Marina Blvd. and replace it with a two-tower mixed-use commercial and housing development. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The proposal was met with swift opposition from neighbors and has split local officials, some of whom say it would tower over the surrounding neighborhood and could obstruct Bay views. The 18-plus-story glass towers, right on the waterline of the affluent Marina District, would be especially stark. Erin Roach, the president of the Marina Community Association, previously told KQED that the building would be “roughly six times taller than anything around it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mayor Daniel Lurie and Supervisor Stephen Sherrill, who represents the area, have both previously opposed the project. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sherrill and a coalition of residents asked the city in June to find the site ineligible for development under AB 2011, arguing that the law requires at least 75% of the site’s perimeter to adjoin to parcels developed with “urban uses,” while they said Fort Mason and another city-owned parcel surrounding the Safeway are restricted for maritime and recreational use.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The planning department wrote in response that it considers the site surrounded by urban uses. Planning Director Sarah Dennis Phillips also wrote in a July 20 letter that the property is not on a list of hazardous waste sites in the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other city supervisors, along with state Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, both of whom worked on AB 2011, have expressed support for the project, which would provide more than 800 new residential units, including 86 affordable homes — as the city races to meet lofty state goals to build \u003ca href=\"https://www.spur.org/news/2025-03-19/why-and-where-san-francisco-needs-allow-more-homes-housing-element-primer\">82,000 housing units\u003c/a> by 2031.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The streamlined approval process created by the law exempts projects from Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors votes, as well as a California Environmental Quality Act review. The project also uses California’s “density bonus” law that lets developers override local zoning requirements and build taller, so long as they include affordable units.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The plaintiffs are asking a judge to reverse the city’s streamlining decision and require Align to comply with and complete all health and safety requirements before the project can move forward. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Blue trucks with 'pg and e' logo on them sit parked in a lot with the white and black blurry pattern of a fence in the foreground\" class=\"wp-image-11943199\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/RS34908_P1100952-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">PG&E trucks sit inside a Mission District facility owned by the utility. (Sheraz Sadiq/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legal challenge also accuses the city and PG&E, which operated a manufactured gas plant and steam electric plant on the site, of creating a public nuisance. It furthermore alleges negligence for failing to fully investigate or remediate contamination as a result of its former facilities’ operations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The suit names Align, the city’s Planning and Public Health departments, PG&E and Safeway parent company Albertson’s.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for the city attorney’s office said it would review the complaint and respond in court once the office was served. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E said in a statement that it had not yet reviewed the lawsuit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city is expected to make its final administrative determination on Align’s proposal next month.\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "san-francisco-mayor-lurie-infuses-30-million-in-reforms-to-tackle-rent-emergency",
"title": "San Francisco Mayor Lurie Infuses $30 Million in Reforms to Tackle ‘Rent Emergency’",
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"headTitle": "San Francisco Mayor Lurie Infuses $30 Million in Reforms to Tackle ‘Rent Emergency’ | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Blasting the “rent emergency” driving up evictions across \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, Mayor Daniel Lurie announced a $30 million package of reforms on Thursday morning to keep families in their homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Today, most San Franciscans feel our city is finally moving in the right direction, but many are also asking whether they can still afford to live here,” Lurie said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news-mayor-lurie-unveils-sweeping-package-with-immediate-actions-to-address-san-franciscos-rent-emergency\">statement\u003c/a> memorializing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/SLkYNFthvlo\">speech\u003c/a> he gave this morning in the city’s Alamo Square Park. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Signs of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098307/the-price-of-raising-kids-in-the-bay\">affordability crisis in San Francisco\u003c/a> are everywhere. According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/research/national-rent-data\">new data\u003c/a> from online rental service Apartment List, the city led the nation in “fastest year-over-year rent growth,” at 11%. San José, it should be noted, is in second place at 7.9% growth.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Citing the wave of high-paying tech jobs and ensuing housing frenzy \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097632/chatbots-data-centers-and-surveillance-5-silicon-valley-bills-land-on-newsoms-desk\">sparked by the AI boom\u003c/a>, the company said that San Francisco rents are up a \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/rent-report/ca/san-francisco\">staggering\u003c/a> 25.6% in just the last year — numbers that it said are “far outpacing all other markets in the country.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It is absolutely an emergency,” Meg Heisler, policy director San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition, said in an interview Thursday with KQED, underscoring the need for “enforcement that reflects the gravity of the crisis we’re in.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1391\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2250030108-scaled-e1789077751622.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078788\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An apartment for rent sign hangs outside of an apartment building on Dec. 4, 2025, in San Francisco, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But we also know that most tenants are forced out before they ever get to court,” Heisler said, pointing to harassment, eviction threats and illegal rent increases. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That is a whole universe of things that we think need to be addressed in addition to any proposals put forward today,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco already \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11971908/as-california-evictions-boom-whether-tenants-get-lawyers-depends-on-where-they-live\">provides an attorney\u003c/a> to all tenants facing eviction, but the reform package that Lurie announced on Thursday earmarks $3 million to expand the right to counsel for 400 San Francisco households who previously would have received only partial representation, according to the city’s announcement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Compared with those who receive “limited-scope representation,” Lurie’s office said tenants who receive “full-scope legal representation were 39% more likely to remain in their homes.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another tack of the new reforms addresses discriminatory or other illegal renting practices, something City Attorney David Chiu laid out at the press conference with the mayor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Everyday San Franciscans cannot afford to live here, and even those paying astronomical rents are getting evicted,” Chiu said in a statement. “This is not sustainable, and renters need help. Our renter protection laws can only help if tenants know about them and they are enforced. My office is bringing a renewed focus on weeding out systemic bad behavior that forces people out of their homes.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To drive awareness for both tenants and owners of what housing laws mandate, primarily about evictions, the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development is launching a $1 million education campaign.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder is behind a new reform aimed at stopping evictions for renters who have fallen only a bit behind on rent. Unless the tenant is one month late or more, the new law would bar their eviction on the basis of nonpayment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another prong of the reform package gives a 25% bump to payouts for displaced tenants under the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/117540/the-ellis-act-and-san-francisco-evictions-a-primer\">Ellis Act\u003c/a>, amounting to nearly $3,000 per person.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For tenant advocates at the San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition, however, they want to see the Ellis Act fully repealed, along with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/costa-hawkins\">Costa Hawkins\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Speaking on KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915202/sf-renters-face-buyout-offers-and-evictions-as-ai-boom-sends-prices-soaring\">Forum\u003c/a> this week, eviction defense lawyer Tuesday Thornton said that the Ellis Act “incentivizes landlords to empty out buildings and essentially convert rent-controlled units to housing for the rich.”\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/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088408\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People rally in front of 1120 Jackson St. in San Francisco to protest evictions and rent hikes proposed by the property’s new owner, on June 22, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If tenants organize, they can fight,” she said. “They can stay housed for longer, but the Ellis Act does need to be repealed or reformed to stop incentivizing these kinds of evictions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lurie billed the tenant-protection package on Thursday as a component of his Family Opportunity Agenda, the two pillars of which are childcare assistance and affordable housing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Most of the $30 million infusion from the city will go toward filling the gap of \u003ca href=\"https://sfha.org/about/news-updates/end-emergency-housing-voucher-ehv-program\">expiring\u003c/a> federal vouchers that have been a lifeline to more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/data--emergency-housing-vouchers\">900 people\u003c/a> in San Francisco since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. President Donald Trump and his U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that the $5 billion voucher program would expire at the end of 2026, four years earlier than originally envisioned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lurie said Thursday that some 650 “extremely low-income households” will benefit now from the $27 million being unlocked by the city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Apartment Association, which advocates for landlords, said it has fought with the city in the past over reforms that encroach illegally on state law, and may do so again here.\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/10/2026/01/024_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12069627\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/024_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/024_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/024_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “For Rent” sign hangs in the window of an apartment building in Nob Hill in San Francisco on July 29, 2021. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“SFAA has been in conversation with members of the Board of Supervisors on many aspects of the legislative package, and remains committed to striking the right balance between offering reasonable tenant protections and enhancing awareness about existing laws,” Charley Goss, the group’s government affairs spokesperson, said in a statement. “The city should do so without inappropriately punishing rental property owners for an issue beyond their control — that San Francisco’s housing shortage has created high asking rents.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Landlords frame the lack of housing in the city as the root of the crisis, with San Francisco delivering just 2,000 to 3,000 new units a year, inching toward its goal of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11993902/san-francisco-mayoral-candidates-agree-bold-action-is-needed-on-housing-what-are-their-proposals\">82,000 new homes by 2031\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The city has not been building enough housing that it needs to meet the growing demand,” Joshua Howard, executive vice president of the California Apartment Association, told Forum. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, costs from regulatory compliance, rent control, maintenance, insurance and construction “are rising at more than 1.6%, which is the annual allowable rent increase from the Rent Board,” Howard said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thornton, the tenant advocate, balked at the claim of landlords not being able to keep up with costs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Rent-controlled units that are subject to the Rent Board’s jurisdiction in San Francisco — owners of those units are able to pass on operation and maintenance costs to their tenants, but they have to prove that their costs actually exceed the amount of allowable rent increase that year,” she said. “Landlords are able to capture those amounts.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Howard, speaking for the landlord group, meanwhile put an asterisk on that $4,000 monthly rent figure for a one-bedroom apartment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Noting that such averages are skewed by the “larger, newer Class A properties,” Howard quoted U.S. Census Bureau figures that show median rent in San Francisco is about $2,476 a month.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Census Bureau data tells us that, on average, the San Francisco renter household is spending 24% to 25% of its income on rent,” Howard said. “That is far below the HUD standard of 30% and the national average of 30%. So we can talk about affordability. Let’s talk about the data, but let’s also recognize that San Francisco renters, on average, spend a smaller share of their household income on rent than renters nationally.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thornton said, on the other hand, that those figures underscore the difficulty that service workers and public sector employees face in a city where average incomes are so high. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you need $160,000 to live in a one-bedroom, who are we building a city for?” she said. “I don’t think that that’s something to celebrate. I think that’s telling a really horrifying story of displacement. And I want to live in a city where everyone can thrive. I don’t think it’s a functional society if people are terrified of losing their housing at any moment.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Today, most San Franciscans feel our city is finally moving in the right direction, but many are also asking whether they can still afford to live here,” Lurie said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news-mayor-lurie-unveils-sweeping-package-with-immediate-actions-to-address-san-franciscos-rent-emergency\">statement\u003c/a> memorializing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/SLkYNFthvlo\">speech\u003c/a> he gave this morning in the city’s Alamo Square Park. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Today, most San Franciscans feel our city is finally moving in the right direction, but many are also asking whether they can still afford to live here,” Lurie said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news-mayor-lurie-unveils-sweeping-package-with-immediate-actions-to-address-san-franciscos-rent-emergency\">statement\u003c/a> memorializing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/SLkYNFthvlo\">speech\u003c/a> he gave this morning in the city’s Alamo Square Park. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Signs of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098307/the-price-of-raising-kids-in-the-bay\">affordability crisis in San Francisco\u003c/a> are everywhere. According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/research/national-rent-data\">new data\u003c/a> from online rental service Apartment List, the city led the nation in “fastest year-over-year rent growth,” at 11%. San José, it should be noted, is in second place at 7.9% growth.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Signs of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098307/the-price-of-raising-kids-in-the-bay\">affordability crisis in San Francisco\u003c/a> are everywhere. According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/research/national-rent-data\">new data\u003c/a> from online rental service Apartment List, the city led the nation in “fastest year-over-year rent growth,” at 11%. San José, it should be noted, is in second place at 7.9% growth.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Citing the wave of high-paying tech jobs and ensuing housing frenzy \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097632/chatbots-data-centers-and-surveillance-5-silicon-valley-bills-land-on-newsoms-desk\">sparked by the AI boom\u003c/a>, the company said that San Francisco rents are up a \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/rent-report/ca/san-francisco\">staggering\u003c/a> 25.6% in just the last year — numbers that it said are “far outpacing all other markets in the country.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Citing the wave of high-paying tech jobs and ensuing housing frenzy \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097632/chatbots-data-centers-and-surveillance-5-silicon-valley-bills-land-on-newsoms-desk\">sparked by the AI boom\u003c/a>, the company said that San Francisco rents are up a \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/rent-report/ca/san-francisco\">staggering\u003c/a> 25.6% in just the last year — numbers that it said are “far outpacing all other markets in the country.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It is absolutely an emergency,” Meg Heisler, policy director San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition, said in an interview Thursday with KQED, underscoring the need for “enforcement that reflects the gravity of the crisis we’re in.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It is absolutely an emergency,” Meg Heisler, policy director San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition, said in an interview Thursday with KQED, underscoring the need for “enforcement that reflects the gravity of the crisis we’re in.”\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/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2250030108-scaled-e1789077751622.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078788\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An apartment for rent sign hangs outside of an apartment building on Dec. 4, 2025, in San Francisco, California. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Justin Sullivan/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/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2250030108-scaled-e1789077751622.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078788\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An apartment for rent sign hangs outside of an apartment building on Dec. 4, 2025, in San Francisco, California. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“But we also know that most tenants are forced out before they ever get to court,” Heisler said, pointing to harassment, eviction threats and illegal rent increases. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“But we also know that most tenants are forced out before they ever get to court,” Heisler said, pointing to harassment, eviction threats and illegal rent increases. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That is a whole universe of things that we think need to be addressed in addition to any proposals put forward today,” she added.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“That is a whole universe of things that we think need to be addressed in addition to any proposals put forward today,” she added.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco already \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11971908/as-california-evictions-boom-whether-tenants-get-lawyers-depends-on-where-they-live\">provides an attorney\u003c/a> to all tenants facing eviction, but the reform package that Lurie announced on Thursday earmarks $3 million to expand the right to counsel for 400 San Francisco households who previously would have received only partial representation, according to the city’s announcement.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San Francisco already \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11971908/as-california-evictions-boom-whether-tenants-get-lawyers-depends-on-where-they-live\">provides an attorney\u003c/a> to all tenants facing eviction, but the reform package that Lurie announced on Thursday earmarks $3 million to expand the right to counsel for 400 San Francisco households who previously would have received only partial representation, according to the city’s announcement.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Compared with those who receive “limited-scope representation,” Lurie’s office said tenants who receive “full-scope legal representation were 39% more likely to remain in their homes.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Compared with those who receive “limited-scope representation,” Lurie’s office said tenants who receive “full-scope legal representation were 39% more likely to remain in their homes.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Another tack of the new reforms addresses discriminatory or other illegal renting practices, something City Attorney David Chiu laid out at the press conference with the mayor.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Another tack of the new reforms addresses discriminatory or other illegal renting practices, something City Attorney David Chiu laid out at the press conference with the mayor.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Everyday San Franciscans cannot afford to live here, and even those paying astronomical rents are getting evicted,” Chiu said in a statement. “This is not sustainable, and renters need help. Our renter protection laws can only help if tenants know about them and they are enforced. My office is bringing a renewed focus on weeding out systemic bad behavior that forces people out of their homes.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Everyday San Franciscans cannot afford to live here, and even those paying astronomical rents are getting evicted,” Chiu said in a statement. “This is not sustainable, and renters need help. Our renter protection laws can only help if tenants know about them and they are enforced. My office is bringing a renewed focus on weeding out systemic bad behavior that forces people out of their homes.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To drive awareness for both tenants and owners of what housing laws mandate, primarily about evictions, the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development is launching a $1 million education campaign.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>To drive awareness for both tenants and owners of what housing laws mandate, primarily about evictions, the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development is launching a $1 million education campaign.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder is behind a new reform aimed at stopping evictions for renters who have fallen only a bit behind on rent. Unless the tenant is one month late or more, the new law would bar their eviction on the basis of nonpayment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder is behind a new reform aimed at stopping evictions for renters who have fallen only a bit behind on rent. Unless the tenant is one month late or more, the new law would bar their eviction on the basis of nonpayment.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Another prong of the reform package gives a 25% bump to payouts for displaced tenants under the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/117540/the-ellis-act-and-san-francisco-evictions-a-primer\">Ellis Act\u003c/a>, amounting to nearly $3,000 per person.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Another prong of the reform package gives a 25% bump to payouts for displaced tenants under the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/117540/the-ellis-act-and-san-francisco-evictions-a-primer\">Ellis Act\u003c/a>, amounting to nearly $3,000 per person.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For tenant advocates at the San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition, however, they want to see the Ellis Act fully repealed, along with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/costa-hawkins\">Costa Hawkins\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For tenant advocates at the San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition, however, they want to see the Ellis Act fully repealed, along with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/costa-hawkins\">Costa Hawkins\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Speaking on KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915202/sf-renters-face-buyout-offers-and-evictions-as-ai-boom-sends-prices-soaring\">Forum\u003c/a> this week, eviction defense lawyer Tuesday Thornton said that the Ellis Act “incentivizes landlords to empty out buildings and essentially convert rent-controlled units to housing for the rich.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Speaking on KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915202/sf-renters-face-buyout-offers-and-evictions-as-ai-boom-sends-prices-soaring\">Forum\u003c/a> this week, eviction defense lawyer Tuesday Thornton said that the Ellis Act “incentivizes landlords to empty out buildings and essentially convert rent-controlled units to housing for the rich.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088408\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People rally in front of 1120 Jackson St. in San Francisco to protest evictions and rent hikes proposed by the property’s new owner, on June 22, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\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/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088408\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People rally in front of 1120 Jackson St. in San Francisco to protest evictions and rent hikes proposed by the property’s new owner, on June 22, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If tenants organize, they can fight,” she said. “They can stay housed for longer, but the Ellis Act does need to be repealed or reformed to stop incentivizing these kinds of evictions.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If tenants organize, they can fight,” she said. “They can stay housed for longer, but the Ellis Act does need to be repealed or reformed to stop incentivizing these kinds of evictions.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lurie billed the tenant-protection package on Thursday as a component of his Family Opportunity Agenda, the two pillars of which are childcare assistance and affordable housing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Lurie billed the tenant-protection package on Thursday as a component of his Family Opportunity Agenda, the two pillars of which are childcare assistance and affordable housing. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Most of the $30 million infusion from the city will go toward filling the gap of \u003ca href=\"https://sfha.org/about/news-updates/end-emergency-housing-voucher-ehv-program\">expiring\u003c/a> federal vouchers that have been a lifeline to more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/data--emergency-housing-vouchers\">900 people\u003c/a> in San Francisco since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. President Donald Trump and his U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that the $5 billion voucher program would expire at the end of 2026, four years earlier than originally envisioned.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Most of the $30 million infusion from the city will go toward filling the gap of \u003ca href=\"https://sfha.org/about/news-updates/end-emergency-housing-voucher-ehv-program\">expiring\u003c/a> federal vouchers that have been a lifeline to more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/data--emergency-housing-vouchers\">900 people\u003c/a> in San Francisco since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. President Donald Trump and his U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that the $5 billion voucher program would expire at the end of 2026, four years earlier than originally envisioned.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lurie said Thursday that some 650 “extremely low-income households” will benefit now from the $27 million being unlocked by the city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Lurie said Thursday that some 650 “extremely low-income households” will benefit now from the $27 million being unlocked by the city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Apartment Association, which advocates for landlords, said it has fought with the city in the past over reforms that encroach illegally on state law, and may do so again here.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Apartment Association, which advocates for landlords, said it has fought with the city in the past over reforms that encroach illegally on state law, and may do so again here.\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/10/2026/01/024_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12069627\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/024_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/024_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/024_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_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\">A “For Rent” sign hangs in the window of an apartment building in Nob Hill in San Francisco on July 29, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\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/10/2026/01/024_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12069627\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “For Rent” sign hangs in the window of an apartment building in Nob Hill in San Francisco on July 29, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“SFAA has been in conversation with members of the Board of Supervisors on many aspects of the legislative package, and remains committed to striking the right balance between offering reasonable tenant protections and enhancing awareness about existing laws,” Charley Goss, the group’s government affairs spokesperson, said in a statement. “The city should do so without inappropriately punishing rental property owners for an issue beyond their control — that San Francisco’s housing shortage has created high asking rents.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“SFAA has been in conversation with members of the Board of Supervisors on many aspects of the legislative package, and remains committed to striking the right balance between offering reasonable tenant protections and enhancing awareness about existing laws,” Charley Goss, the group’s government affairs spokesperson, said in a statement. “The city should do so without inappropriately punishing rental property owners for an issue beyond their control — that San Francisco’s housing shortage has created high asking rents.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Landlords frame the lack of housing in the city as the root of the crisis, with San Francisco delivering just 2,000 to 3,000 new units a year, inching toward its goal of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11993902/san-francisco-mayoral-candidates-agree-bold-action-is-needed-on-housing-what-are-their-proposals\">82,000 new homes by 2031\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Landlords frame the lack of housing in the city as the root of the crisis, with San Francisco delivering just 2,000 to 3,000 new units a year, inching toward its goal of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11993902/san-francisco-mayoral-candidates-agree-bold-action-is-needed-on-housing-what-are-their-proposals\">82,000 new homes by 2031\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The city has not been building enough housing that it needs to meet the growing demand,” Joshua Howard, executive vice president of the California Apartment Association, told Forum. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The city has not been building enough housing that it needs to meet the growing demand,” Joshua Howard, executive vice president of the California Apartment Association, told Forum. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, costs from regulatory compliance, rent control, maintenance, insurance and construction “are rising at more than 1.6%, which is the annual allowable rent increase from the Rent Board,” Howard said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, costs from regulatory compliance, rent control, maintenance, insurance and construction “are rising at more than 1.6%, which is the annual allowable rent increase from the Rent Board,” Howard said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thornton, the tenant advocate, balked at the claim of landlords not being able to keep up with costs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Rent-controlled units that are subject to the Rent Board’s jurisdiction in San Francisco — owners of those units are able to pass on operation and maintenance costs to their tenants, but they have to prove that their costs actually exceed the amount of allowable rent increase that year,” she said. “Landlords are able to capture those amounts.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Rent-controlled units that are subject to the Rent Board’s jurisdiction in San Francisco — owners of those units are able to pass on operation and maintenance costs to their tenants, but they have to prove that their costs actually exceed the amount of allowable rent increase that year,” she said. “Landlords are able to capture those amounts.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Howard, speaking for the landlord group, meanwhile put an asterisk on that $4,000 monthly rent figure for a one-bedroom apartment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Noting that such averages are skewed by the “larger, newer Class A properties,” Howard quoted U.S. Census Bureau figures that show median rent in San Francisco is about $2,476 a month.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Census Bureau data tells us that, on average, the San Francisco renter household is spending 24% to 25% of its income on rent,” Howard said. “That is far below the HUD standard of 30% and the national average of 30%. So we can talk about affordability. Let’s talk about the data, but let’s also recognize that San Francisco renters, on average, spend a smaller share of their household income on rent than renters nationally.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Census Bureau data tells us that, on average, the San Francisco renter household is spending 24% to 25% of its income on rent,” Howard said. “That is far below the HUD standard of 30% and the national average of 30%. So we can talk about affordability. Let’s talk about the data, but let’s also recognize that San Francisco renters, on average, spend a smaller share of their household income on rent than renters nationally.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thornton said, on the other hand, that those figures underscore the difficulty that service workers and public sector employees face in a city where average incomes are so high. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If you need $160,000 to live in a one-bedroom, who are we building a city for?” she said. “I don’t think that that’s something to celebrate. I think that’s telling a really horrifying story of displacement. And I want to live in a city where everyone can thrive. I don’t think it’s a functional society if people are terrified of losing their housing at any moment.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The move is part of a broader affordability push by city officials, even as the tech industry’s AI boom displaces working families. ",
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"title": "San Francisco Mayor Lurie Infuses $30 Million in Reforms to Tackle ‘Rent Emergency’ | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Blasting the “rent emergency” driving up evictions across \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, Mayor Daniel Lurie announced a $30 million package of reforms on Thursday morning to keep families in their homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Today, most San Franciscans feel our city is finally moving in the right direction, but many are also asking whether they can still afford to live here,” Lurie said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news-mayor-lurie-unveils-sweeping-package-with-immediate-actions-to-address-san-franciscos-rent-emergency\">statement\u003c/a> memorializing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/SLkYNFthvlo\">speech\u003c/a> he gave this morning in the city’s Alamo Square Park. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Signs of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098307/the-price-of-raising-kids-in-the-bay\">affordability crisis in San Francisco\u003c/a> are everywhere. According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/research/national-rent-data\">new data\u003c/a> from online rental service Apartment List, the city led the nation in “fastest year-over-year rent growth,” at 11%. San José, it should be noted, is in second place at 7.9% growth.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Citing the wave of high-paying tech jobs and ensuing housing frenzy \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097632/chatbots-data-centers-and-surveillance-5-silicon-valley-bills-land-on-newsoms-desk\">sparked by the AI boom\u003c/a>, the company said that San Francisco rents are up a \u003ca href=\"https://www.apartmentlist.com/rent-report/ca/san-francisco\">staggering\u003c/a> 25.6% in just the last year — numbers that it said are “far outpacing all other markets in the country.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It is absolutely an emergency,” Meg Heisler, policy director San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition, said in an interview Thursday with KQED, underscoring the need for “enforcement that reflects the gravity of the crisis we’re in.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1391\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2250030108-scaled-e1789077751622.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078788\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An apartment for rent sign hangs outside of an apartment building on Dec. 4, 2025, in San Francisco, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But we also know that most tenants are forced out before they ever get to court,” Heisler said, pointing to harassment, eviction threats and illegal rent increases. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That is a whole universe of things that we think need to be addressed in addition to any proposals put forward today,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco already \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11971908/as-california-evictions-boom-whether-tenants-get-lawyers-depends-on-where-they-live\">provides an attorney\u003c/a> to all tenants facing eviction, but the reform package that Lurie announced on Thursday earmarks $3 million to expand the right to counsel for 400 San Francisco households who previously would have received only partial representation, according to the city’s announcement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Compared with those who receive “limited-scope representation,” Lurie’s office said tenants who receive “full-scope legal representation were 39% more likely to remain in their homes.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another tack of the new reforms addresses discriminatory or other illegal renting practices, something City Attorney David Chiu laid out at the press conference with the mayor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Everyday San Franciscans cannot afford to live here, and even those paying astronomical rents are getting evicted,” Chiu said in a statement. “This is not sustainable, and renters need help. Our renter protection laws can only help if tenants know about them and they are enforced. My office is bringing a renewed focus on weeding out systemic bad behavior that forces people out of their homes.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To drive awareness for both tenants and owners of what housing laws mandate, primarily about evictions, the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development is launching a $1 million education campaign.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder is behind a new reform aimed at stopping evictions for renters who have fallen only a bit behind on rent. Unless the tenant is one month late or more, the new law would bar their eviction on the basis of nonpayment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another prong of the reform package gives a 25% bump to payouts for displaced tenants under the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/117540/the-ellis-act-and-san-francisco-evictions-a-primer\">Ellis Act\u003c/a>, amounting to nearly $3,000 per person.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For tenant advocates at the San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition, however, they want to see the Ellis Act fully repealed, along with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/costa-hawkins\">Costa Hawkins\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Speaking on KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101915202/sf-renters-face-buyout-offers-and-evictions-as-ai-boom-sends-prices-soaring\">Forum\u003c/a> this week, eviction defense lawyer Tuesday Thornton said that the Ellis Act “incentivizes landlords to empty out buildings and essentially convert rent-controlled units to housing for the rich.”\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/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088408\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-SF-CHINATOWN-TENANT-RALLY-MD-08-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People rally in front of 1120 Jackson St. in San Francisco to protest evictions and rent hikes proposed by the property’s new owner, on June 22, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If tenants organize, they can fight,” she said. “They can stay housed for longer, but the Ellis Act does need to be repealed or reformed to stop incentivizing these kinds of evictions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lurie billed the tenant-protection package on Thursday as a component of his Family Opportunity Agenda, the two pillars of which are childcare assistance and affordable housing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Most of the $30 million infusion from the city will go toward filling the gap of \u003ca href=\"https://sfha.org/about/news-updates/end-emergency-housing-voucher-ehv-program\">expiring\u003c/a> federal vouchers that have been a lifeline to more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/data--emergency-housing-vouchers\">900 people\u003c/a> in San Francisco since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. President Donald Trump and his U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that the $5 billion voucher program would expire at the end of 2026, four years earlier than originally envisioned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lurie said Thursday that some 650 “extremely low-income households” will benefit now from the $27 million being unlocked by the city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Apartment Association, which advocates for landlords, said it has fought with the city in the past over reforms that encroach illegally on state law, and may do so again here.\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/10/2026/01/024_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12069627\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/024_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/024_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/024_SanFrancisco_Housing_07292021_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “For Rent” sign hangs in the window of an apartment building in Nob Hill in San Francisco on July 29, 2021. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“SFAA has been in conversation with members of the Board of Supervisors on many aspects of the legislative package, and remains committed to striking the right balance between offering reasonable tenant protections and enhancing awareness about existing laws,” Charley Goss, the group’s government affairs spokesperson, said in a statement. “The city should do so without inappropriately punishing rental property owners for an issue beyond their control — that San Francisco’s housing shortage has created high asking rents.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Landlords frame the lack of housing in the city as the root of the crisis, with San Francisco delivering just 2,000 to 3,000 new units a year, inching toward its goal of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11993902/san-francisco-mayoral-candidates-agree-bold-action-is-needed-on-housing-what-are-their-proposals\">82,000 new homes by 2031\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The city has not been building enough housing that it needs to meet the growing demand,” Joshua Howard, executive vice president of the California Apartment Association, told Forum. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, costs from regulatory compliance, rent control, maintenance, insurance and construction “are rising at more than 1.6%, which is the annual allowable rent increase from the Rent Board,” Howard said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thornton, the tenant advocate, balked at the claim of landlords not being able to keep up with costs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Rent-controlled units that are subject to the Rent Board’s jurisdiction in San Francisco — owners of those units are able to pass on operation and maintenance costs to their tenants, but they have to prove that their costs actually exceed the amount of allowable rent increase that year,” she said. “Landlords are able to capture those amounts.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Howard, speaking for the landlord group, meanwhile put an asterisk on that $4,000 monthly rent figure for a one-bedroom apartment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Noting that such averages are skewed by the “larger, newer Class A properties,” Howard quoted U.S. Census Bureau figures that show median rent in San Francisco is about $2,476 a month.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Census Bureau data tells us that, on average, the San Francisco renter household is spending 24% to 25% of its income on rent,” Howard said. “That is far below the HUD standard of 30% and the national average of 30%. So we can talk about affordability. Let’s talk about the data, but let’s also recognize that San Francisco renters, on average, spend a smaller share of their household income on rent than renters nationally.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thornton said, on the other hand, that those figures underscore the difficulty that service workers and public sector employees face in a city where average incomes are so high. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you need $160,000 to live in a one-bedroom, who are we building a city for?” she said. “I don’t think that that’s something to celebrate. I think that’s telling a really horrifying story of displacement. And I want to live in a city where everyone can thrive. I don’t think it’s a functional society if people are terrified of losing their housing at any moment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Living in the Bay Area is expensive, and raising kids here can be especially tough. So how do people do it? KQED reporter Adhiti Bandlamudi talks with three families about what they’re doing to get by. From cramming a family of four into one studio apartment to giving up on the dream of home ownership, compromise is always part of the equation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This episode first aired on May 4, 2026.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Links:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">How We Get By | KQED\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081761/in-the-bay-area-raising-kids-comes-with-compromise\">In the Bay Area, Raising Kids Comes With Compromise\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-megaphone wp-block-embed-megaphone\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC7329718524\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>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/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"headline": "Owners of Beleaguered San Francisco Housing Complex Agree to $9 Million Settlement",
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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": "solano-supervisors-reject-california-forevers-streamlining-bill",
"title": "Solano Supervisors Reject California Forever’s Streamlining Bill",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-forever\">California Forever’s\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089233/california-forevers-bid-to-win-manufacturing-jobs-divides-solano-county-residents\">legislative deal\u003c/a> to streamline a shipbuilding project in Solano County is likely dead after supervisors voted Tuesday to reject the plan.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bill, called the Solano Maritime and Manufacturing Act, would have allowed the company to rely on a nearly 20-year-old environmental impact report for a proposed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037142/california-forevers-shipbuilding-plans-need-more-details-solano-county-officials-say\">shipbuilding site\u003c/a> on land California Forever owns in Collinsville, a rural community at the mouth of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. It would have also fast-tracked regulatory approvals for the project.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The 3-2 vote is a major setback for the billionaire-backed company, which had spent $455,000 to lobby for the bill’s passage, according to \u003ca href=\"https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/PDFGen/pdfgen.prg?filingid=3178319&amendid=0\">recent state reports\u003c/a>. It comes just a month after California Forever \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091366/a-devastating-outcome-california-forever-boosters-decry-loss-of-shipbuilding-deal\">lost a major contract \u003c/a>with the autonomous defense startup Saronic, which instead chose to build its Port Alpha naval shipyard in Brownsville, Texas. And it likely kills any chance of getting a bill passed before the end of the legislative session, which closes on Aug. 31.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Today, we’ve already heard this legislation has holes,” Supervisor Mitch Mashburn said. “We need to continue to work on this legislation.” \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/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt=\"A white man wearing glasses and a suit sits behind a desk with a sign that reads "Mitch Mashburn Chair District 5."\" class=\"wp-image-12000221\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solano County Supervisor Mitch Mashburn speaks at a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Most of the supervisors said they are interested in pursuing legislation in the future but want more time to work with the Governor’s Office, lawmakers and community groups between now and January, when the next legislative session starts, to draft a bill they fully understand and support.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Asked Wednesday about the deal’s demise, Gov. Gavin Newsom expressed frustration that the board didn’t jump at the opportunity and said he would “have voted for that in a nanosecond.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Continue to do what you’ve done, you’ll get what you got,” he said during a press conference on Mare Island in Vallejo. “Things are changing. … We’ve gotta step up our game.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When asked whether he would continue to pursue the legislative deal, he said he would be meeting with his team on “three or four dozen bills” related to other matters, but that he would work through those and assess afterward.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While California Forever officials had been working on the legislative effort since mid-April, a bill has yet to be formally introduced. And as the session neared its end, it kept changing shape. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Earlier this year, company officials said the bill would encompass all of California Forever’s projects, including a proposed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043295/suisun-city-proposes-annexing-most-of-california-forevers-new-city\">advanced manufacturing site and housing\u003c/a>. Earlier this week, a person close to negotiations told KQED the bill could also streamline approvals for an aerospace site near Travis Air Force Base. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bill’s amorphous shape contributed to the supervisors’ skepticism. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Assemblymember Lori Wilson and state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, both Democrats who represent areas impacted by the streamlining proposal, had been in talks with the supervisors in the months leading up to its expected introduction. After the vote, Wilson issued a statement on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DcfJiMBppiM/\">social\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid034SawPTKC53z2ZtZ5r4KfCUyu6zvNkQYTCRfBajFBzNn4BDpsWiH2b2e9nW8MjET4l&id=100080088566313&mibextid=wwXIfr&_rdr\">media\u003c/a> acknowledging the vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Solano County leaders have made clear they do not support the proposed Solano Maritime and Manufacturing Act at this time, and I will continue to let the county take the lead on shipbuilding and manufacturing opportunities,” the statement read.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While it is still possible for lawmakers to introduce the bill, it is unlikely given the lack of support from local officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Solano County has the land and workforce to become a center for shipbuilding and manufacturing and bring in tens of thousands of well-paying jobs,” California Forever spokesperson Jim Wunderman said in a statement. “But to attract employers, key stakeholders must show the county is open for business and able to operate at the speed of competing states. We look forward to working with everyone on next steps.” \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/10/2026/07/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-40-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091524\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-40-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-40-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-40-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Waterfront in the town of Collinsville in Solano County on May 13, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the meeting’s three-hour public comment session, the crowd was overwhelmingly in opposition to the streamlining proposal, arguing it would limit the county’s ability to weigh in on future plans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Karlyn Lewis, a county resident, pointed to \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanotogether.org/post/ca-forever-opposition-letter\">a letter that opposition group Solano Together sent\u003c/a> to state lawmakers in early August, urging them to reject the deal.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It had nothing to do with jobs. It had to do with the state being able to come in and say, ‘We’re going to tell your locality what you need to do,’” she said. “I ask you to be against this proposal, this legislation, because we need to be able to chart our own destiny.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, supporters of the proposal said it would provide much-needed jobs, particularly for people who commute outside the county for work. Steve McCall, the business manager for the local plumbers and steamfitters union, urged the supervisors to support the bill “for the workers, for the people of the county.” \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/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12040859\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The intersection of Highway 12 and Highway 113 in Solano County outside of Suisun City on May 13, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People in this county drive outside of it to go to work,” he said. “And for an area that has the \u003ca href=\"https://vitalsigns.mtc.ca.gov/indicators/unemployment\">largest unemployment\u003c/a> in the Bay Area, I think we can make a change.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, opponents of the deal said they didn’t get time to review the legislation, and it wouldn’t result in jobs and a loss of local control. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company had been courting Saronic since last fall, with the hope that it would choose to build its shipyard on California Forever-owned land near Collinsville. This year’s legislative push was an attempt to woo the startup — and other prospective business partners — to set up shop on its site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legislation would have allowed California Forever to rely on a 2008 environmental impact report for the shipyard. The Solano County Board of Supervisors had previously designated about 1,350 acres near Collinsville for “water-dependent industrial use.” The bill would have also set hard permitting deadlines — 90 days for ministerial permits and 180 days for discretionary approvals — and created a shot clock of 45 days for disputes to be resolved. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Shortly after California Forever lost the Saronic deal, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development convened a meeting with state lawmakers and officials from Solano County and California Forever to discuss a bill to support maritime and advanced manufacturing activities at the Collinsville site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mashburn said he worried the governor would include the legislation in a trailer bill, a secondary piece of legislation used to implement the state budget after it has been approved. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/commentary/2024/02/california-trailer-bills-sneaky-law/\">Some have criticized\u003c/a> the use of trailer bills as a way to sidestep public input. At Tuesday’s meeting, supervisors voted to revisit the streamlining proposal at a later date. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The piece for me that gave it urgency was worrying about whether the governor was going to cram [the bill] down our throats,” Mashburn said. “And I got to tell you right now, I ain’t really that afraid of the governor.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Supervisors Monica Brown and John Vasquez ultimately voted against Mashburn’s plan. While Vasquez did not comment on why he voted no, Brown said she did not want to support any future streamlining bill. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think we’re rushing into something and listening to something that I don’t think is going to [result in bringing] any kind of extra jobs without destroying the land,” Brown said. “And I don’t want the land to be destroyed.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is not the first time supervisors have been asked to provide direction on streamlining legislation for California Forever. Last September, in the last days of the legislative session, company officials worked with state lawmakers to introduce a bill similar to the one they worked on this year. The supervisors ultimately supported the effort, but no legislation was introduced or passed before the session ended. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At Tuesday’s meeting, Mashburn likened this year’s legislative push to “Groundhog Day,” and said he wants more time to discuss the details of any future deal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Not wait until the last minute,” he said. “That’s not going to play well.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED reporter \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/aaliahmad\">Ayah Ali-Ahmad\u003c/a> contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The 3-2 vote is a major setback for the billionaire-backed company, which had spent $455,000 to lobby for the bill’s passage, according to \u003ca href=\"https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/PDFGen/pdfgen.prg?filingid=3178319&amendid=0\">recent state reports\u003c/a>. It comes just a month after California Forever \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091366/a-devastating-outcome-california-forever-boosters-decry-loss-of-shipbuilding-deal\">lost a major contract \u003c/a>with the autonomous defense startup Saronic, which instead chose to build its Port Alpha naval shipyard in Brownsville, Texas. And it likely kills any chance of getting a bill passed before the end of the legislative session, which closes on Aug. 31.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The 3-2 vote is a major setback for the billionaire-backed company, which had spent $455,000 to lobby for the bill’s passage, according to \u003ca href=\"https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/PDFGen/pdfgen.prg?filingid=3178319&amendid=0\">recent state reports\u003c/a>. It comes just a month after California Forever \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091366/a-devastating-outcome-california-forever-boosters-decry-loss-of-shipbuilding-deal\">lost a major contract \u003c/a>with the autonomous defense startup Saronic, which instead chose to build its Port Alpha naval shipyard in Brownsville, Texas. And it likely kills any chance of getting a bill passed before the end of the legislative session, which closes on Aug. 31.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Today, we’ve already heard this legislation has holes,” Supervisor Mitch Mashburn said. “We need to continue to work on this legislation.” \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/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt=\"A white man wearing glasses and a suit sits behind a desk with a sign that reads "Mitch Mashburn Chair District 5."\" class=\"wp-image-12000221\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solano County Supervisor Mitch Mashburn speaks at a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\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/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt=\"A white man wearing glasses and a suit sits behind a desk with a sign that reads "Mitch Mashburn Chair District 5."\" class=\"wp-image-12000221\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solano County Supervisor Mitch Mashburn speaks at a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Most of the supervisors said they are interested in pursuing legislation in the future but want more time to work with the Governor’s Office, lawmakers and community groups between now and January, when the next legislative session starts, to draft a bill they fully understand and support.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Most of the supervisors said they are interested in pursuing legislation in the future but want more time to work with the Governor’s Office, lawmakers and community groups between now and January, when the next legislative session starts, to draft a bill they fully understand and support.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Asked Wednesday about the deal’s demise, Gov. Gavin Newsom expressed frustration that the board didn’t jump at the opportunity and said he would “have voted for that in a nanosecond.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Asked Wednesday about the deal’s demise, Gov. Gavin Newsom expressed frustration that the board didn’t jump at the opportunity and said he would “have voted for that in a nanosecond.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Continue to do what you’ve done, you’ll get what you got,” he said during a press conference on Mare Island in Vallejo. “Things are changing. … We’ve gotta step up our game.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Continue to do what you’ve done, you’ll get what you got,” he said during a press conference on Mare Island in Vallejo. “Things are changing. … We’ve gotta step up our game.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When asked whether he would continue to pursue the legislative deal, he said he would be meeting with his team on “three or four dozen bills” related to other matters, but that he would work through those and assess afterward.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When asked whether he would continue to pursue the legislative deal, he said he would be meeting with his team on “three or four dozen bills” related to other matters, but that he would work through those and assess afterward.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While California Forever officials had been working on the legislative effort since mid-April, a bill has yet to be formally introduced. And as the session neared its end, it kept changing shape. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While California Forever officials had been working on the legislative effort since mid-April, a bill has yet to be formally introduced. And as the session neared its end, it kept changing shape. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Earlier this year, company officials said the bill would encompass all of California Forever’s projects, including a proposed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043295/suisun-city-proposes-annexing-most-of-california-forevers-new-city\">advanced manufacturing site and housing\u003c/a>. Earlier this week, a person close to negotiations told KQED the bill could also streamline approvals for an aerospace site near Travis Air Force Base. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Earlier this year, company officials said the bill would encompass all of California Forever’s projects, including a proposed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043295/suisun-city-proposes-annexing-most-of-california-forevers-new-city\">advanced manufacturing site and housing\u003c/a>. Earlier this week, a person close to negotiations told KQED the bill could also streamline approvals for an aerospace site near Travis Air Force Base. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The bill’s amorphous shape contributed to the supervisors’ skepticism. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The bill’s amorphous shape contributed to the supervisors’ skepticism. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Assemblymember Lori Wilson and state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, both Democrats who represent areas impacted by the streamlining proposal, had been in talks with the supervisors in the months leading up to its expected introduction. After the vote, Wilson issued a statement on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DcfJiMBppiM/\">social\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid034SawPTKC53z2ZtZ5r4KfCUyu6zvNkQYTCRfBajFBzNn4BDpsWiH2b2e9nW8MjET4l&id=100080088566313&mibextid=wwXIfr&_rdr\">media\u003c/a> acknowledging the vote.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Assemblymember Lori Wilson and state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, both Democrats who represent areas impacted by the streamlining proposal, had been in talks with the supervisors in the months leading up to its expected introduction. After the vote, Wilson issued a statement on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DcfJiMBppiM/\">social\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid034SawPTKC53z2ZtZ5r4KfCUyu6zvNkQYTCRfBajFBzNn4BDpsWiH2b2e9nW8MjET4l&id=100080088566313&mibextid=wwXIfr&_rdr\">media\u003c/a> acknowledging the vote.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Solano County leaders have made clear they do not support the proposed Solano Maritime and Manufacturing Act at this time, and I will continue to let the county take the lead on shipbuilding and manufacturing opportunities,” the statement read.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Solano County leaders have made clear they do not support the proposed Solano Maritime and Manufacturing Act at this time, and I will continue to let the county take the lead on shipbuilding and manufacturing opportunities,” the statement read.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While it is still possible for lawmakers to introduce the bill, it is unlikely given the lack of support from local officials. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While it is still possible for lawmakers to introduce the bill, it is unlikely given the lack of support from local officials. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Solano County has the land and workforce to become a center for shipbuilding and manufacturing and bring in tens of thousands of well-paying jobs,” California Forever spokesperson Jim Wunderman said in a statement. “But to attract employers, key stakeholders must show the county is open for business and able to operate at the speed of competing states. We look forward to working with everyone on next steps.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Solano County has the land and workforce to become a center for shipbuilding and manufacturing and bring in tens of thousands of well-paying jobs,” California Forever spokesperson Jim Wunderman said in a statement. “But to attract employers, key stakeholders must show the county is open for business and able to operate at the speed of competing states. We look forward to working with everyone on next steps.” \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/10/2026/07/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-40-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091524\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-40-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-40-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-40-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\">Waterfront in the town of Collinsville in Solano County on May 13, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\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/10/2026/07/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-40-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091524\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Waterfront in the town of Collinsville in Solano County on May 13, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During the meeting’s three-hour public comment session, the crowd was overwhelmingly in opposition to the streamlining proposal, arguing it would limit the county’s ability to weigh in on future plans. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>During the meeting’s three-hour public comment session, the crowd was overwhelmingly in opposition to the streamlining proposal, arguing it would limit the county’s ability to weigh in on future plans. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Karlyn Lewis, a county resident, pointed to \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanotogether.org/post/ca-forever-opposition-letter\">a letter that opposition group Solano Together sent\u003c/a> to state lawmakers in early August, urging them to reject the deal.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Karlyn Lewis, a county resident, pointed to \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanotogether.org/post/ca-forever-opposition-letter\">a letter that opposition group Solano Together sent\u003c/a> to state lawmakers in early August, urging them to reject the deal.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It had nothing to do with jobs. It had to do with the state being able to come in and say, ‘We’re going to tell your locality what you need to do,’” she said. “I ask you to be against this proposal, this legislation, because we need to be able to chart our own destiny.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It had nothing to do with jobs. It had to do with the state being able to come in and say, ‘We’re going to tell your locality what you need to do,’” she said. “I ask you to be against this proposal, this legislation, because we need to be able to chart our own destiny.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, supporters of the proposal said it would provide much-needed jobs, particularly for people who commute outside the county for work. Steve McCall, the business manager for the local plumbers and steamfitters union, urged the supervisors to support the bill “for the workers, for the people of the county.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, supporters of the proposal said it would provide much-needed jobs, particularly for people who commute outside the county for work. Steve McCall, the business manager for the local plumbers and steamfitters union, urged the supervisors to support the bill “for the workers, for the people of the county.” \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/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12040859\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The intersection of Highway 12 and Highway 113 in Solano County outside of Suisun City on May 13, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\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/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12040859\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The intersection of Highway 12 and Highway 113 in Solano County outside of Suisun City on May 13, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“People in this county drive outside of it to go to work,” he said. “And for an area that has the \u003ca href=\"https://vitalsigns.mtc.ca.gov/indicators/unemployment\">largest unemployment\u003c/a> in the Bay Area, I think we can make a change.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“People in this county drive outside of it to go to work,” he said. “And for an area that has the \u003ca href=\"https://vitalsigns.mtc.ca.gov/indicators/unemployment\">largest unemployment\u003c/a> in the Bay Area, I think we can make a change.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, opponents of the deal said they didn’t get time to review the legislation, and it wouldn’t result in jobs and a loss of local control. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, opponents of the deal said they didn’t get time to review the legislation, and it wouldn’t result in jobs and a loss of local control. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The company had been courting Saronic since last fall, with the hope that it would choose to build its shipyard on California Forever-owned land near Collinsville. This year’s legislative push was an attempt to woo the startup — and other prospective business partners — to set up shop on its site. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The company had been courting Saronic since last fall, with the hope that it would choose to build its shipyard on California Forever-owned land near Collinsville. This year’s legislative push was an attempt to woo the startup — and other prospective business partners — to set up shop on its site. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The legislation would have allowed California Forever to rely on a 2008 environmental impact report for the shipyard. The Solano County Board of Supervisors had previously designated about 1,350 acres near Collinsville for “water-dependent industrial use.” The bill would have also set hard permitting deadlines — 90 days for ministerial permits and 180 days for discretionary approvals — and created a shot clock of 45 days for disputes to be resolved. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The legislation would have allowed California Forever to rely on a 2008 environmental impact report for the shipyard. The Solano County Board of Supervisors had previously designated about 1,350 acres near Collinsville for “water-dependent industrial use.” The bill would have also set hard permitting deadlines — 90 days for ministerial permits and 180 days for discretionary approvals — and created a shot clock of 45 days for disputes to be resolved. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Shortly after California Forever lost the Saronic deal, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development convened a meeting with state lawmakers and officials from Solano County and California Forever to discuss a bill to support maritime and advanced manufacturing activities at the Collinsville site. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Shortly after California Forever lost the Saronic deal, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development convened a meeting with state lawmakers and officials from Solano County and California Forever to discuss a bill to support maritime and advanced manufacturing activities at the Collinsville site. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mashburn said he worried the governor would include the legislation in a trailer bill, a secondary piece of legislation used to implement the state budget after it has been approved. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/commentary/2024/02/california-trailer-bills-sneaky-law/\">Some have criticized\u003c/a> the use of trailer bills as a way to sidestep public input. At Tuesday’s meeting, supervisors voted to revisit the streamlining proposal at a later date. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mashburn said he worried the governor would include the legislation in a trailer bill, a secondary piece of legislation used to implement the state budget after it has been approved. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/commentary/2024/02/california-trailer-bills-sneaky-law/\">Some have criticized\u003c/a> the use of trailer bills as a way to sidestep public input. At Tuesday’s meeting, supervisors voted to revisit the streamlining proposal at a later date. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The piece for me that gave it urgency was worrying about whether the governor was going to cram [the bill] down our throats,” Mashburn said. “And I got to tell you right now, I ain’t really that afraid of the governor.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The piece for me that gave it urgency was worrying about whether the governor was going to cram [the bill] down our throats,” Mashburn said. “And I got to tell you right now, I ain’t really that afraid of the governor.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Supervisors Monica Brown and John Vasquez ultimately voted against Mashburn’s plan. While Vasquez did not comment on why he voted no, Brown said she did not want to support any future streamlining bill. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Supervisors Monica Brown and John Vasquez ultimately voted against Mashburn’s plan. While Vasquez did not comment on why he voted no, Brown said she did not want to support any future streamlining bill. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think we’re rushing into something and listening to something that I don’t think is going to [result in bringing] any kind of extra jobs without destroying the land,” Brown said. “And I don’t want the land to be destroyed.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I think we’re rushing into something and listening to something that I don’t think is going to [result in bringing] any kind of extra jobs without destroying the land,” Brown said. “And I don’t want the land to be destroyed.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This is not the first time supervisors have been asked to provide direction on streamlining legislation for California Forever. Last September, in the last days of the legislative session, company officials worked with state lawmakers to introduce a bill similar to the one they worked on this year. The supervisors ultimately supported the effort, but no legislation was introduced or passed before the session ended. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This is not the first time supervisors have been asked to provide direction on streamlining legislation for California Forever. Last September, in the last days of the legislative session, company officials worked with state lawmakers to introduce a bill similar to the one they worked on this year. The supervisors ultimately supported the effort, but no legislation was introduced or passed before the session ended. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At Tuesday’s meeting, Mashburn likened this year’s legislative push to “Groundhog Day,” and said he wants more time to discuss the details of any future deal. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Not wait until the last minute,” he said. “That’s not going to play well.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED reporter \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/aaliahmad\">Ayah Ali-Ahmad\u003c/a> contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "After a 12-hour meeting, the Solano County Board of Supervisors voted to oppose state legislation that would have fast-tracked approvals for the billionaire-backed company’s proposed shipbuilding site. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-forever\">California Forever’s\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089233/california-forevers-bid-to-win-manufacturing-jobs-divides-solano-county-residents\">legislative deal\u003c/a> to streamline a shipbuilding project in Solano County is likely dead after supervisors voted Tuesday to reject the plan.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bill, called the Solano Maritime and Manufacturing Act, would have allowed the company to rely on a nearly 20-year-old environmental impact report for a proposed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12037142/california-forevers-shipbuilding-plans-need-more-details-solano-county-officials-say\">shipbuilding site\u003c/a> on land California Forever owns in Collinsville, a rural community at the mouth of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. It would have also fast-tracked regulatory approvals for the project.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The 3-2 vote is a major setback for the billionaire-backed company, which had spent $455,000 to lobby for the bill’s passage, according to \u003ca href=\"https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/PDFGen/pdfgen.prg?filingid=3178319&amendid=0\">recent state reports\u003c/a>. It comes just a month after California Forever \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091366/a-devastating-outcome-california-forever-boosters-decry-loss-of-shipbuilding-deal\">lost a major contract \u003c/a>with the autonomous defense startup Saronic, which instead chose to build its Port Alpha naval shipyard in Brownsville, Texas. And it likely kills any chance of getting a bill passed before the end of the legislative session, which closes on Aug. 31.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Today, we’ve already heard this legislation has holes,” Supervisor Mitch Mashburn said. “We need to continue to work on this legislation.” \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/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt=\"A white man wearing glasses and a suit sits behind a desk with a sign that reads "Mitch Mashburn Chair District 5."\" class=\"wp-image-12000221\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solano County Supervisor Mitch Mashburn speaks at a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Most of the supervisors said they are interested in pursuing legislation in the future but want more time to work with the Governor’s Office, lawmakers and community groups between now and January, when the next legislative session starts, to draft a bill they fully understand and support.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Asked Wednesday about the deal’s demise, Gov. Gavin Newsom expressed frustration that the board didn’t jump at the opportunity and said he would “have voted for that in a nanosecond.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Continue to do what you’ve done, you’ll get what you got,” he said during a press conference on Mare Island in Vallejo. “Things are changing. … We’ve gotta step up our game.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When asked whether he would continue to pursue the legislative deal, he said he would be meeting with his team on “three or four dozen bills” related to other matters, but that he would work through those and assess afterward.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While California Forever officials had been working on the legislative effort since mid-April, a bill has yet to be formally introduced. And as the session neared its end, it kept changing shape. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Earlier this year, company officials said the bill would encompass all of California Forever’s projects, including a proposed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043295/suisun-city-proposes-annexing-most-of-california-forevers-new-city\">advanced manufacturing site and housing\u003c/a>. Earlier this week, a person close to negotiations told KQED the bill could also streamline approvals for an aerospace site near Travis Air Force Base. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bill’s amorphous shape contributed to the supervisors’ skepticism. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Assemblymember Lori Wilson and state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, both Democrats who represent areas impacted by the streamlining proposal, had been in talks with the supervisors in the months leading up to its expected introduction. After the vote, Wilson issued a statement on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DcfJiMBppiM/\">social\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid034SawPTKC53z2ZtZ5r4KfCUyu6zvNkQYTCRfBajFBzNn4BDpsWiH2b2e9nW8MjET4l&id=100080088566313&mibextid=wwXIfr&_rdr\">media\u003c/a> acknowledging the vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Solano County leaders have made clear they do not support the proposed Solano Maritime and Manufacturing Act at this time, and I will continue to let the county take the lead on shipbuilding and manufacturing opportunities,” the statement read.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While it is still possible for lawmakers to introduce the bill, it is unlikely given the lack of support from local officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Solano County has the land and workforce to become a center for shipbuilding and manufacturing and bring in tens of thousands of well-paying jobs,” California Forever spokesperson Jim Wunderman said in a statement. “But to attract employers, key stakeholders must show the county is open for business and able to operate at the speed of competing states. We look forward to working with everyone on next steps.” \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/10/2026/07/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-40-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091524\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-40-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-40-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-40-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Waterfront in the town of Collinsville in Solano County on May 13, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the meeting’s three-hour public comment session, the crowd was overwhelmingly in opposition to the streamlining proposal, arguing it would limit the county’s ability to weigh in on future plans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Karlyn Lewis, a county resident, pointed to \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanotogether.org/post/ca-forever-opposition-letter\">a letter that opposition group Solano Together sent\u003c/a> to state lawmakers in early August, urging them to reject the deal.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It had nothing to do with jobs. It had to do with the state being able to come in and say, ‘We’re going to tell your locality what you need to do,’” she said. “I ask you to be against this proposal, this legislation, because we need to be able to chart our own destiny.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, supporters of the proposal said it would provide much-needed jobs, particularly for people who commute outside the county for work. Steve McCall, the business manager for the local plumbers and steamfitters union, urged the supervisors to support the bill “for the workers, for the people of the county.” \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/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12040859\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/05/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-15-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The intersection of Highway 12 and Highway 113 in Solano County outside of Suisun City on May 13, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People in this county drive outside of it to go to work,” he said. “And for an area that has the \u003ca href=\"https://vitalsigns.mtc.ca.gov/indicators/unemployment\">largest unemployment\u003c/a> in the Bay Area, I think we can make a change.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, opponents of the deal said they didn’t get time to review the legislation, and it wouldn’t result in jobs and a loss of local control. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company had been courting Saronic since last fall, with the hope that it would choose to build its shipyard on California Forever-owned land near Collinsville. This year’s legislative push was an attempt to woo the startup — and other prospective business partners — to set up shop on its site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legislation would have allowed California Forever to rely on a 2008 environmental impact report for the shipyard. The Solano County Board of Supervisors had previously designated about 1,350 acres near Collinsville for “water-dependent industrial use.” The bill would have also set hard permitting deadlines — 90 days for ministerial permits and 180 days for discretionary approvals — and created a shot clock of 45 days for disputes to be resolved. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Shortly after California Forever lost the Saronic deal, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development convened a meeting with state lawmakers and officials from Solano County and California Forever to discuss a bill to support maritime and advanced manufacturing activities at the Collinsville site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mashburn said he worried the governor would include the legislation in a trailer bill, a secondary piece of legislation used to implement the state budget after it has been approved. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/commentary/2024/02/california-trailer-bills-sneaky-law/\">Some have criticized\u003c/a> the use of trailer bills as a way to sidestep public input. At Tuesday’s meeting, supervisors voted to revisit the streamlining proposal at a later date. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The piece for me that gave it urgency was worrying about whether the governor was going to cram [the bill] down our throats,” Mashburn said. “And I got to tell you right now, I ain’t really that afraid of the governor.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Supervisors Monica Brown and John Vasquez ultimately voted against Mashburn’s plan. While Vasquez did not comment on why he voted no, Brown said she did not want to support any future streamlining bill. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think we’re rushing into something and listening to something that I don’t think is going to [result in bringing] any kind of extra jobs without destroying the land,” Brown said. “And I don’t want the land to be destroyed.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is not the first time supervisors have been asked to provide direction on streamlining legislation for California Forever. Last September, in the last days of the legislative session, company officials worked with state lawmakers to introduce a bill similar to the one they worked on this year. The supervisors ultimately supported the effort, but no legislation was introduced or passed before the session ended. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At Tuesday’s meeting, Mashburn likened this year’s legislative push to “Groundhog Day,” and said he wants more time to discuss the details of any future deal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Not wait until the last minute,” he said. “That’s not going to play well.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED reporter \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/aaliahmad\">Ayah Ali-Ahmad\u003c/a> contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "San José Leaders Eying More Multifamily Homes in Single-Family Neighborhoods",
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"headTitle": "San José Leaders Eying More Multifamily Homes in Single-Family Neighborhoods | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>The San José City Council this week signaled support for big shifts in single-family home neighborhoods Tuesday that could eventually allow for much denser housing in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078615/how-skyrocketing-housing-costs-and-policy-choices-reshaped-the-bay-area\">large swaths of the city\u003c/a> that have long been shielded from major change. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council voted 8-3 Tuesday to have city staff craft zoning changes that, if finalized late next year, could help encourage more apartment buildings, triplexes and fourplexes in San José’s low-density single-family neighborhoods. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The outcome of the changes supported by the council could boost the city’s residential neighborhood density from its current 8 units of housing per acre to as high as 32 units of housing per acre, among a series of other proposed zoning changes in other areas of the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The vote came after several hours of debate, discussion and public comment, with well over 100 people sharing their thoughts, including many residents who were staunchly opposed to the changes, which they said will “destroy” whole neighborhoods. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Single-family neighborhoods currently make up about 85% of San José’s total residential area. Councilmembers in support of the changes and planning officials said building more and different types of homes in those areas will be necessary to ensure the city can meet ambitious housing goals set by the state. \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/10/2025/11/250512-DAY-WITHOUT-CHILDCARE-MD-06_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12063652\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250512-DAY-WITHOUT-CHILDCARE-MD-06_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250512-DAY-WITHOUT-CHILDCARE-MD-06_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250512-DAY-WITHOUT-CHILDCARE-MD-06_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San José City Councilmember Pamela Campos speaks the the Day Without Childcare rally in front of the Federal Building in San José on May 12, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have not built enough housing for decades,” said councilmember Pamela Campos, whose district encompasses southern parts of the city. “Costs have increased so much that most of the housing in San José is not affordable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Councilmembers George Casey, Domingo Candelas and Bien Doan voted against the proposed changes, citing concerns that the revamped densities across the city were not thoughtful enough. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Candelas, who represents the Evergreen area and a large swath of East San José, said he was not opposed to more housing in the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s opposition to what appears to be careless housing policy and the unintended consequences that may create,” he said. “I think we deserve a thoughtful approach that respects the differences between our neighborhoods, and recognizes that once density rights are granted…we can’t take it back.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City planners and leaders have been eyeing ways to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074738/housing-advocates-call-this-big-plot-of-san-jose-land-the-most-important-in-a-century\">foster more housing\u003c/a> overall to help comply with stringent state oversight of housing production, and to bring in more “missing-middle” housing, aimed at lowering the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11966342/how-the-bay-areas-biggest-city-wants-to-overcome-its-sprawl\">sky-high cost of homeownership\u003c/a> for people earning middle incomes. The median home sale price in Santa Clara County is about $2 million, and residents need an income of nearly $500,000 to purchase one, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.car.org/aboutus/mediacenter/newsreleases/2026releases/1qtr2026hai\">California Association of Realtors\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have to strike a balance between allowing the city to change and evolve so that it can create space for our kids and grandkids on the one hand, and really thinking holistically about the built environment and things like access to transit and the walkability of community-serving amenities,” Mayor Matt Mahan said in an interview. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The proposed changes approved by council will be brought back for review by the Planning Commission and City Council around December 2027, according to city staff reports, so single-family neighborhoods are unlikely to transform anytime soon. Anyone seeking to build denser housing would also have to contend with high construction costs, which have for years affected the pace of residential development in the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The changes are supported by several pro-housing organizations and city leaders, but have sparked significant concern for some residents and longtime advocates of protecting established neighborhoods.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The reality is San José has always built the lion’s share of housing, and it shouldn’t alter single-family home neighborhoods across the city permanently,” Pierluigi Oliverio, a city planning commissioner and former councilmember, said in an interview. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The changes are radical. They would impact any city block in a city. Immediately, an entire block could change just by one house being converted to 16 units with no parking,” he said. “Most people would think that’s completely outrageous.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another planning commissioner, Michael Young, spoke to the council as a resident on Tuesday in support of more density. \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/10/2026/03/20230801-SJCityHall-21-JY_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12075969\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20230801-SJCityHall-21-JY_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20230801-SJCityHall-21-JY_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20230801-SJCityHall-21-JY_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pedestrians walk past City Hall in San José, California, on Aug. 1, 2023. (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I feel as a resident in a single-family neighborhood, I need to give back and the best way I can give back is to be open to some changes,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elva Wilson said she is worried about unintended consequences. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Aggressively and dramatically increasing unmandated levels of density will have greater negative impacts in lower-income East San José,” she told the council. “We know it will be a fresh tool for predatory landlords to exploit vulnerable tenants by cramming even more renters into tiny cramped spaces to house people like cattle.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The changes supported by the council would alter the city’s baseline standards for such neighborhoods, which officials say would create uniformity, simplicity and equity for homeowners or developers looking to change a housing plot, and allow the city to guide some development standards and consider individual neighborhood needs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Under a patchwork of hundreds of state housing laws that have gone into effect over the past several years, such as SB 9, most single-family residential parcels in the city can already be legally altered to allow anywhere from two to 10 units, or possibly more, depending on the size of the lot and its location relevant to transit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And that I think is something that the community is not necessarily aware of,” Mahan said. “The question is, do we simply allow developers to buy properties and initiate redevelopment under SB 9 up to four units to the parcel today, or do we impose some local control and put more shape around what gets built?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lynn Repetsky, a resident who spoke during the meeting, said the council should have rejected the changes because the state laws have already opened the door for enough housing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“As we implement these missing-middle guidelines, we need to evaluate their impact on parking, traffic and tree canopy and the use of services before we jump into more dramatic changes,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council supported a memo from Mahan and four other councilmembers that asked city staff to evaluate a range of potential density increases for the council to consider in the future, and to ensure there are minimum amounts of parking required in areas of the city with low access to transit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We can encourage the creation of new homeownership housing, such as row homes, with parking,” the memo said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, Chris Burton, the city’s planning director, said during the meeting that density levels at 16 units per acre would likely not be enough to meet the needs the city has committed to under state guidance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In dozens of emails from opposed residents to city leaders, the loss of character, parking space and the city’s tree canopy were raised as concerns, as well as doubts about whether newly built homes would be affordable. \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/10/2025/06/20230801-SJCityHall-15-JY_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12044177\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20230801-SJCityHall-15-JY_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20230801-SJCityHall-15-JY_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20230801-SJCityHall-15-JY_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pedestrians walk past City Hall in San José, California, on Aug. 1, 2023. (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Luisiana Garcia, a resident who grew up in the city, told the council the changes are needed to help people like her have a better chance at remaining in San José. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s really disheartening to hear how many homeowners — who I would one day love to be — don’t want more housing to be built,” Garcia said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I am commuting three hours a day to save up for what? If there is no housing, I will not be able to live here once I’m able to afford a home.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council also supported increasing density in mixed-use neighborhood areas from a maximum of 30 units per acre to a range of anywhere from 20 to 50 units per acre, and increasing allowable height from four to five stories. For far denser neighborhoods considered urban residential, such as downtown, the council supported raising them from their current 30 units per acre up to a new minimum of 50 units per acre, with the maximum staying at 95. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council also supported making it easier for affordable housing to be built on public or quasi-public lands such as schools and churches. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The San José City Council this week signaled support for big shifts in single-family home neighborhoods Tuesday that could eventually allow for much denser housing in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078615/how-skyrocketing-housing-costs-and-policy-choices-reshaped-the-bay-area\">large swaths of the city\u003c/a> that have long been shielded from major change. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The council voted 8-3 Tuesday to have city staff craft zoning changes that, if finalized late next year, could help encourage more apartment buildings, triplexes and fourplexes in San José’s low-density single-family neighborhoods. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The outcome of the changes supported by the council could boost the city’s residential neighborhood density from its current 8 units of housing per acre to as high as 32 units of housing per acre, among a series of other proposed zoning changes in other areas of the city. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The vote came after several hours of debate, discussion and public comment, with well over 100 people sharing their thoughts, including many residents who were staunchly opposed to the changes, which they said will “destroy” whole neighborhoods. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The vote came after several hours of debate, discussion and public comment, with well over 100 people sharing their thoughts, including many residents who were staunchly opposed to the changes, which they said will “destroy” whole neighborhoods. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Single-family neighborhoods currently make up about 85% of San José’s total residential area. Councilmembers in support of the changes and planning officials said building more and different types of homes in those areas will be necessary to ensure the city can meet ambitious housing goals set by the state. \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/10/2025/11/250512-DAY-WITHOUT-CHILDCARE-MD-06_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12063652\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250512-DAY-WITHOUT-CHILDCARE-MD-06_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250512-DAY-WITHOUT-CHILDCARE-MD-06_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250512-DAY-WITHOUT-CHILDCARE-MD-06_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\">San José City Councilmember Pamela Campos speaks the the Day Without Childcare rally in front of the Federal Building in San José on May 12, 2025.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have not built enough housing for decades,” said councilmember Pamela Campos, whose district encompasses southern parts of the city. “Costs have increased so much that most of the housing in San José is not affordable.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We have not built enough housing for decades,” said councilmember Pamela Campos, whose district encompasses southern parts of the city. “Costs have increased so much that most of the housing in San José is not affordable.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Councilmembers George Casey, Domingo Candelas and Bien Doan voted against the proposed changes, citing concerns that the revamped densities across the city were not thoughtful enough. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Candelas, who represents the Evergreen area and a large swath of East San José, said he was not opposed to more housing in the city. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s opposition to what appears to be careless housing policy and the unintended consequences that may create,” he said. “I think we deserve a thoughtful approach that respects the differences between our neighborhoods, and recognizes that once density rights are granted…we can’t take it back.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s opposition to what appears to be careless housing policy and the unintended consequences that may create,” he said. “I think we deserve a thoughtful approach that respects the differences between our neighborhoods, and recognizes that once density rights are granted…we can’t take it back.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>City planners and leaders have been eyeing ways to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074738/housing-advocates-call-this-big-plot-of-san-jose-land-the-most-important-in-a-century\">foster more housing\u003c/a> overall to help comply with stringent state oversight of housing production, and to bring in more “missing-middle” housing, aimed at lowering the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11966342/how-the-bay-areas-biggest-city-wants-to-overcome-its-sprawl\">sky-high cost of homeownership\u003c/a> for people earning middle incomes. The median home sale price in Santa Clara County is about $2 million, and residents need an income of nearly $500,000 to purchase one, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.car.org/aboutus/mediacenter/newsreleases/2026releases/1qtr2026hai\">California Association of Realtors\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have to strike a balance between allowing the city to change and evolve so that it can create space for our kids and grandkids on the one hand, and really thinking holistically about the built environment and things like access to transit and the walkability of community-serving amenities,” Mayor Matt Mahan said in an interview. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The proposed changes approved by council will be brought back for review by the Planning Commission and City Council around December 2027, according to city staff reports, so single-family neighborhoods are unlikely to transform anytime soon. Anyone seeking to build denser housing would also have to contend with high construction costs, which have for years affected the pace of residential development in the city. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The proposed changes approved by council will be brought back for review by the Planning Commission and City Council around December 2027, according to city staff reports, so single-family neighborhoods are unlikely to transform anytime soon. Anyone seeking to build denser housing would also have to contend with high construction costs, which have for years affected the pace of residential development in the city. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The changes are supported by several pro-housing organizations and city leaders, but have sparked significant concern for some residents and longtime advocates of protecting established neighborhoods.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The reality is San José has always built the lion’s share of housing, and it shouldn’t alter single-family home neighborhoods across the city permanently,” Pierluigi Oliverio, a city planning commissioner and former councilmember, said in an interview. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The reality is San José has always built the lion’s share of housing, and it shouldn’t alter single-family home neighborhoods across the city permanently,” Pierluigi Oliverio, a city planning commissioner and former councilmember, said in an interview. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The changes are radical. They would impact any city block in a city. Immediately, an entire block could change just by one house being converted to 16 units with no parking,” he said. “Most people would think that’s completely outrageous.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The changes are radical. They would impact any city block in a city. Immediately, an entire block could change just by one house being converted to 16 units with no parking,” he said. “Most people would think that’s completely outrageous.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Another planning commissioner, Michael Young, spoke to the council as a resident on Tuesday in support of more density. \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/10/2026/03/20230801-SJCityHall-21-JY_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12075969\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20230801-SJCityHall-21-JY_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20230801-SJCityHall-21-JY_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20230801-SJCityHall-21-JY_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\">Pedestrians walk past City Hall in San José, California, on Aug. 1, 2023.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I feel as a resident in a single-family neighborhood, I need to give back and the best way I can give back is to be open to some changes,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Elva Wilson said she is worried about unintended consequences. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Aggressively and dramatically increasing unmandated levels of density will have greater negative impacts in lower-income East San José,” she told the council. “We know it will be a fresh tool for predatory landlords to exploit vulnerable tenants by cramming even more renters into tiny cramped spaces to house people like cattle.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The changes supported by the council would alter the city’s baseline standards for such neighborhoods, which officials say would create uniformity, simplicity and equity for homeowners or developers looking to change a housing plot, and allow the city to guide some development standards and consider individual neighborhood needs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The changes supported by the council would alter the city’s baseline standards for such neighborhoods, which officials say would create uniformity, simplicity and equity for homeowners or developers looking to change a housing plot, and allow the city to guide some development standards and consider individual neighborhood needs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under a patchwork of hundreds of state housing laws that have gone into effect over the past several years, such as SB 9, most single-family residential parcels in the city can already be legally altered to allow anywhere from two to 10 units, or possibly more, depending on the size of the lot and its location relevant to transit. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“And that I think is something that the community is not necessarily aware of,” Mahan said. “The question is, do we simply allow developers to buy properties and initiate redevelopment under SB 9 up to four units to the parcel today, or do we impose some local control and put more shape around what gets built?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“And that I think is something that the community is not necessarily aware of,” Mahan said. “The question is, do we simply allow developers to buy properties and initiate redevelopment under SB 9 up to four units to the parcel today, or do we impose some local control and put more shape around what gets built?”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lynn Repetsky, a resident who spoke during the meeting, said the council should have rejected the changes because the state laws have already opened the door for enough housing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“As we implement these missing-middle guidelines, we need to evaluate their impact on parking, traffic and tree canopy and the use of services before we jump into more dramatic changes,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The council supported a memo from Mahan and four other councilmembers that asked city staff to evaluate a range of potential density increases for the council to consider in the future, and to ensure there are minimum amounts of parking required in areas of the city with low access to transit.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The council supported a memo from Mahan and four other councilmembers that asked city staff to evaluate a range of potential density increases for the council to consider in the future, and to ensure there are minimum amounts of parking required in areas of the city with low access to transit.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We can encourage the creation of new homeownership housing, such as row homes, with parking,” the memo said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>However, Chris Burton, the city’s planning director, said during the meeting that density levels at 16 units per acre would likely not be enough to meet the needs the city has committed to under state guidance. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>However, Chris Burton, the city’s planning director, said during the meeting that density levels at 16 units per acre would likely not be enough to meet the needs the city has committed to under state guidance. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In dozens of emails from opposed residents to city leaders, the loss of character, parking space and the city’s tree canopy were raised as concerns, as well as doubts about whether newly built homes would be affordable. \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/10/2025/06/20230801-SJCityHall-15-JY_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12044177\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20230801-SJCityHall-15-JY_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20230801-SJCityHall-15-JY_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20230801-SJCityHall-15-JY_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\">Pedestrians walk past City Hall in San José, California, on Aug. 1, 2023.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Luisiana Garcia, a resident who grew up in the city, told the council the changes are needed to help people like her have a better chance at remaining in San José. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s really disheartening to hear how many homeowners — who I would one day love to be — don’t want more housing to be built,” Garcia said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I am commuting three hours a day to save up for what? If there is no housing, I will not be able to live here once I’m able to afford a home.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The council also supported increasing density in mixed-use neighborhood areas from a maximum of 30 units per acre to a range of anywhere from 20 to 50 units per acre, and increasing allowable height from four to five stories. For far denser neighborhoods considered urban residential, such as downtown, the council supported raising them from their current 30 units per acre up to a new minimum of 50 units per acre, with the maximum staying at 95. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The council also supported making it easier for affordable housing to be built on public or quasi-public lands such as schools and churches. \u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "City leaders are considering allowing more density in single-family neighborhoods, which make up the bulk of the city’s residential space.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The San José City Council this week signaled support for big shifts in single-family home neighborhoods Tuesday that could eventually allow for much denser housing in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078615/how-skyrocketing-housing-costs-and-policy-choices-reshaped-the-bay-area\">large swaths of the city\u003c/a> that have long been shielded from major change. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council voted 8-3 Tuesday to have city staff craft zoning changes that, if finalized late next year, could help encourage more apartment buildings, triplexes and fourplexes in San José’s low-density single-family neighborhoods. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The outcome of the changes supported by the council could boost the city’s residential neighborhood density from its current 8 units of housing per acre to as high as 32 units of housing per acre, among a series of other proposed zoning changes in other areas of the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The vote came after several hours of debate, discussion and public comment, with well over 100 people sharing their thoughts, including many residents who were staunchly opposed to the changes, which they said will “destroy” whole neighborhoods. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Single-family neighborhoods currently make up about 85% of San José’s total residential area. Councilmembers in support of the changes and planning officials said building more and different types of homes in those areas will be necessary to ensure the city can meet ambitious housing goals set by the state. \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/10/2025/11/250512-DAY-WITHOUT-CHILDCARE-MD-06_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12063652\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250512-DAY-WITHOUT-CHILDCARE-MD-06_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250512-DAY-WITHOUT-CHILDCARE-MD-06_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250512-DAY-WITHOUT-CHILDCARE-MD-06_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San José City Councilmember Pamela Campos speaks the the Day Without Childcare rally in front of the Federal Building in San José on May 12, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have not built enough housing for decades,” said councilmember Pamela Campos, whose district encompasses southern parts of the city. “Costs have increased so much that most of the housing in San José is not affordable.”\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>Councilmembers George Casey, Domingo Candelas and Bien Doan voted against the proposed changes, citing concerns that the revamped densities across the city were not thoughtful enough. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Candelas, who represents the Evergreen area and a large swath of East San José, said he was not opposed to more housing in the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s opposition to what appears to be careless housing policy and the unintended consequences that may create,” he said. “I think we deserve a thoughtful approach that respects the differences between our neighborhoods, and recognizes that once density rights are granted…we can’t take it back.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City planners and leaders have been eyeing ways to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074738/housing-advocates-call-this-big-plot-of-san-jose-land-the-most-important-in-a-century\">foster more housing\u003c/a> overall to help comply with stringent state oversight of housing production, and to bring in more “missing-middle” housing, aimed at lowering the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11966342/how-the-bay-areas-biggest-city-wants-to-overcome-its-sprawl\">sky-high cost of homeownership\u003c/a> for people earning middle incomes. The median home sale price in Santa Clara County is about $2 million, and residents need an income of nearly $500,000 to purchase one, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.car.org/aboutus/mediacenter/newsreleases/2026releases/1qtr2026hai\">California Association of Realtors\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have to strike a balance between allowing the city to change and evolve so that it can create space for our kids and grandkids on the one hand, and really thinking holistically about the built environment and things like access to transit and the walkability of community-serving amenities,” Mayor Matt Mahan said in an interview. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The proposed changes approved by council will be brought back for review by the Planning Commission and City Council around December 2027, according to city staff reports, so single-family neighborhoods are unlikely to transform anytime soon. Anyone seeking to build denser housing would also have to contend with high construction costs, which have for years affected the pace of residential development in the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The changes are supported by several pro-housing organizations and city leaders, but have sparked significant concern for some residents and longtime advocates of protecting established neighborhoods.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The reality is San José has always built the lion’s share of housing, and it shouldn’t alter single-family home neighborhoods across the city permanently,” Pierluigi Oliverio, a city planning commissioner and former councilmember, said in an interview. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The changes are radical. They would impact any city block in a city. Immediately, an entire block could change just by one house being converted to 16 units with no parking,” he said. “Most people would think that’s completely outrageous.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another planning commissioner, Michael Young, spoke to the council as a resident on Tuesday in support of more density. \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/10/2026/03/20230801-SJCityHall-21-JY_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12075969\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20230801-SJCityHall-21-JY_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20230801-SJCityHall-21-JY_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20230801-SJCityHall-21-JY_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pedestrians walk past City Hall in San José, California, on Aug. 1, 2023. (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I feel as a resident in a single-family neighborhood, I need to give back and the best way I can give back is to be open to some changes,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elva Wilson said she is worried about unintended consequences. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Aggressively and dramatically increasing unmandated levels of density will have greater negative impacts in lower-income East San José,” she told the council. “We know it will be a fresh tool for predatory landlords to exploit vulnerable tenants by cramming even more renters into tiny cramped spaces to house people like cattle.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The changes supported by the council would alter the city’s baseline standards for such neighborhoods, which officials say would create uniformity, simplicity and equity for homeowners or developers looking to change a housing plot, and allow the city to guide some development standards and consider individual neighborhood needs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Under a patchwork of hundreds of state housing laws that have gone into effect over the past several years, such as SB 9, most single-family residential parcels in the city can already be legally altered to allow anywhere from two to 10 units, or possibly more, depending on the size of the lot and its location relevant to transit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And that I think is something that the community is not necessarily aware of,” Mahan said. “The question is, do we simply allow developers to buy properties and initiate redevelopment under SB 9 up to four units to the parcel today, or do we impose some local control and put more shape around what gets built?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lynn Repetsky, a resident who spoke during the meeting, said the council should have rejected the changes because the state laws have already opened the door for enough housing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“As we implement these missing-middle guidelines, we need to evaluate their impact on parking, traffic and tree canopy and the use of services before we jump into more dramatic changes,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council supported a memo from Mahan and four other councilmembers that asked city staff to evaluate a range of potential density increases for the council to consider in the future, and to ensure there are minimum amounts of parking required in areas of the city with low access to transit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We can encourage the creation of new homeownership housing, such as row homes, with parking,” the memo said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, Chris Burton, the city’s planning director, said during the meeting that density levels at 16 units per acre would likely not be enough to meet the needs the city has committed to under state guidance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In dozens of emails from opposed residents to city leaders, the loss of character, parking space and the city’s tree canopy were raised as concerns, as well as doubts about whether newly built homes would be affordable. \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/10/2025/06/20230801-SJCityHall-15-JY_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12044177\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20230801-SJCityHall-15-JY_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20230801-SJCityHall-15-JY_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/20230801-SJCityHall-15-JY_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pedestrians walk past City Hall in San José, California, on Aug. 1, 2023. (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Luisiana Garcia, a resident who grew up in the city, told the council the changes are needed to help people like her have a better chance at remaining in San José. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s really disheartening to hear how many homeowners — who I would one day love to be — don’t want more housing to be built,” Garcia said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I am commuting three hours a day to save up for what? If there is no housing, I will not be able to live here once I’m able to afford a home.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council also supported increasing density in mixed-use neighborhood areas from a maximum of 30 units per acre to a range of anywhere from 20 to 50 units per acre, and increasing allowable height from four to five stories. For far denser neighborhoods considered urban residential, such as downtown, the council supported raising them from their current 30 units per acre up to a new minimum of 50 units per acre, with the maximum staying at 95. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The council also supported making it easier for affordable housing to be built on public or quasi-public lands such as schools and churches. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"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. ",
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"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"marketplace": {
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"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",
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"planet-money": {
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"politicalbreakdown": {
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"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
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"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"pri-the-world": {
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"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
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"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
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"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
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},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
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"order": 16
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},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
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},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
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