City official got paid by architecture firm while approving its projects

A longtime San Francisco planning commissioner supported the development of at least two projects in the city by a well-known architecture firm from which she also receives income, according to city disclosure forms, an arrangement that appears to breach the city’s conflict of interest rules.



Kathrin Moore, who was appointed to the planning commission in 2006 and currently serves as the body’s vice president, has reported earning between $10,000 and $100,000 each year since 2012 from the global firm Skidmore, Owings &amp; Merrill, also known by the acronym SOM.



In a 2012 financial disclosure, Moore reported that she retired from the company in 1999 and described the income as a “retirement payment.” Since then, she has listed herself on the forms as a retired associate partner.



Meanwhile, Moore voted in September 2021 to approve the firm’s <a href="https://sfyimby.com/2022/02/som-designed-san-bao-temple-redesigned-and-approved-for-1750-van-ness-avenue-nob-hill-san-francisco.html">San Bao Temple</a> at 1750 Van Ness Ave. This May, she cast a vote supporting the company’s initial plans for a <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/25/related-california-office-development-jackson-square/">building</a> at 520 Sansome St./447 Battery St., a project still making its way through the commission.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1667" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/8907937419_housingmapsf_004.jpg?w=2500" alt="A person in a hat speaks at a podium in a wood-paneled room, addressing seated officials at a long desk. Laptops and flags add to the formal setting." class="wp-image-387286" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/8907937419_housingmapsf_004.jpg 8059w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/8907937419_housingmapsf_004.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/8907937419_housingmapsf_004.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/8907937419_housingmapsf_004.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/8907937419_housingmapsf_004.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/8907937419_housingmapsf_004.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The city&#8217;s seven-member planning commission has significant sway over the look and feel of the city&#8217;s development plans.</figcaption></figure>



The city’s conflict of interest rules <a href="https://sfethics.org/laws/conflict-of-interest/conflict-of-interest-other-prohibited-activities-regulations-san-francisco-campaign-and-governmental-conduct-code-section-3-200-et-seq#:~:text=of%20general%20application.-,Regulation%203.214%2D4.%20Disclosure%20of%20Personal%2C%20Professional%20%26%20Business%20Relationships%20%E2%80%93%20Determining%20Whether%20an%20Individual%20has%20an%20Ownership%20or%20Financial%20Interest%20in%20the%20Subject%20of%20a%20Governmental%20Decision,-An%20individual%20has">prohibit</a> city officials, including planning commissioners, from making decisions that involve entities from which an individual has received more than $500 in the past year. The <a href="https://www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/conflicts-of-interest-rules.html">state</a> has similar regulations.



The seven-member commission advises the mayor and board of supervisors on land use, transportation, and development in the city and votes to approve project permits.&nbsp;



Sean McMorris, an ethics expert from the good governance nonprofit Common Cause, said Moore’s votes appear to be a conflict of interest because she was paid by the firm.&nbsp;



“If there is anything that you could presumably be involved in that even gives the appearance of enriching yourself, then you need to recuse yourself,” McMorris said. “That’s why we have conflict-of-interest laws. Our representatives work for us, not for themselves. The public trust is diminished when things like this happen.”



In an emailed statement received after this story&#8217;s publication, Moore defended her votes on Skidmore, Owings &amp; Merrill projects.



&#8220;Having retired as an Associate Partner of SOM in 1999, I receive a pension from SOM which I report on my annual public financial disclosure,&#8221; she wrote. &#8220;In accordance with legal advice from the Office of the City Attorney given to me many years ago, because my pension is unconditional, I have been&nbsp;assured&nbsp;that there is no conflict of interest and do not need to recuse myself from voting on matters involving SOM. My fixed pension does not influence nor is&nbsp;it&nbsp;effected by how I render my decisions. I will continue to hold myself to the highest legal and ethical standards as I have since I first was appointed to the Planning Commission in 2006.&#8221;



An inquiry to Skidmore, Owings &amp; Merrill went unanswered. 



During a May 15 hearing on the 520 Sansome St./447 Battery St. project, Moore thanked a Skidmore, Owings &amp; Merrill representative after his presentation and lauded the plans, saying they would positively impact the city’s beleaguered downtown.



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“This project addresses all the critical points, including the major investment of the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/05/06/transamerica-pyramid-renovation-beacon/">refurbishing</a> of the Transamerica Pyramid,” she said. “I think you’re doing that very skillfully.”



During a September 2021 hearing to approve the Buddhist temple at 1750 Van Ness Ave., Moore similarly advocated for the Skidmore, Owings &amp; Merrill design.



“I am in full support of the project, and I consider the project thoughtful, and as one of the [public] speakers just said, inspirational,” Moore said. “I think it will be a wonderful addition.”



Skidmore, Owings &amp; Merrill is an internationally renowned firm behind <a href="https://www.som.com/">iconic buildings</a> such as 7 World Trade Center in New York, the Sears Tower in Chicago, and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world’s tallest building. Its San Francisco designs include One Maritime Plaza and the San Francisco International Airport trusses.



Lydia So, the planning commission’s president, said she was “shocked” to learn of Moore’s connection to the architecture firm and called for an investigation.&nbsp;



“We need to restore public trust in our government,” she said.



The Ethics Commission, which enforces the city’s conflict of interest rules, declined to comment.



“All complaints and enforcement matters are handled confidentially as required by the City Charter,” Michael Canning, the Ethics Commission’s policy and legislative affairs manager, said in a statement. “This requires that we do not disclose any information about any enforcement matters we may be handling, including if we have received a complaint or are carrying out an investigation.”



City officials <a href="https://sfethics.org/disclosures/city-officer-disclosure/notification-of-recusal">regularly</a> recuse themselves from votes due to conflicts of interest, actual or perceived. More than 20 city officials have withdrawn from government decisions this year, including a San Francisco Retirement Healthcare Trust Fund member who in June recused himself from a vote to invest in a company because he had worked there over a decade ago.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="2500" width="2186" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241112_smogday_aar_9_97746f.jpg?w=2186" alt="The image shows a dense cityscape with tall skyscrapers, including a shiny, cylindrical tower. Streets and lower buildings are visible in the foreground." class="wp-image-349056" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241112_smogday_aar_9_97746f.jpg 4191w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241112_smogday_aar_9_97746f.jpg?resize=262,300 262w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241112_smogday_aar_9_97746f.jpg?resize=768,878 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241112_smogday_aar_9_97746f.jpg?resize=2186,2500 2186w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241112_smogday_aar_9_97746f.jpg?resize=1343,1536 1343w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241112_smogday_aar_9_97746f.jpg?resize=1791,2048 1791w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2186px) 100vw, 2186px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The architecture firm Skidmore, Owings &amp; Merrill is behind multiple San Francisco projects, including One Maritime Plaza. </figcaption></figure>



In 2023, Moore recused herself from approving a project on Taylor Street because she resides within 500 feet of the property.



Moore’s links to the architecture firm come to light amid recent turmoil that has shaken the planning commission.



Mission Local reported last month that three commissioners, including Moore, <a href="https://missionlocal.org/2025/06/walkout-planning-commission-san-francisco-lurie/">walked out of a closed-door meeting</a> to appoint a new planning director. The members said they left the meeting in protest over frustrations with Mayor Daniel Lurie’s process of choosing Sarah Dennis Phillips to lead the commission as director. Phillips was later <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/planning-director-sarah-dennis-phillips-20384050.php">confirmed</a>.&nbsp;



Moore then <a href="https://missionlocal.org/2025/06/sf-planning-director-process-illegal-commission/">accused</a> So of violating a state law that requires local agencies to hold open meetings for public access.



Update: This story was updated with a response from Kathrin Moore.

This is why San Francisco’s budget is so screwed

Cratered. Decimated. Tanked. Whatever word you use, the reality is the same.&nbsp;



San Francisco’s budget is screwed.



The deficit is an eye-watering $782 million out of a budget of $15.9 billion. Now, Mayor Daniel Lurie has the unenviable task of digging San Francisco out of that hole by slashing spending.&nbsp;



Lurie plans to balance critical priorities <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/27/san-francisco-budget-cuts-district-attorney-public-defender/">like public safety</a> while gutting the budgets of other city departments. Residents could see service cuts, and 1,000 city positions might be eliminated. More than 100 people may be laid off.&nbsp;



It’s not going to be pretty. The Board of Supervisors and the mayor’s office are mandated to agree on a balanced budget by the end of July.&nbsp;



So, how did we get here?&nbsp; Was it pandemic-era pain that cracked and emptied San Francisco’s piggy bank? Yes — but it’s more complicated than that.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sf-s-leaky-budget-was-patched-with-one-time-fixes">SF’s leaky budget was patched with one-time fixes</h2>



If the city government doesn’t have the money, it can’t spend it.&nbsp;



During boom times, as valuable tech companies planted local roots and property values exploded, San Francisco’s annual budget grew steadily, topping $13 billion by 2021. Then the pandemic hit, emptying downtown, killing tourism, and worsening a structural gap between spending and revenue. Temporary relief came in the form of emergency funds from the federal government.&nbsp;



Last year, Mayor London Breed faced a similarly dire deficit. Downtown is the city’s economic engine. As vacancies rose, tax income fell. Breed could have begun paring down the size of government, lessening the pain by doing so gradually over years.&nbsp;



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Instead, she plugged the budget hole with one-time fixes to the tune of $1 billion, according to the controller’s office. It’s the budget equivalent of raiding your savings account to pay off your credit card debt, rather than trimming spending.&nbsp;



The controller’s <a href="https://media.api.sf.gov/documents/FY24-25_and_FY25-26_Revenue_Letter_FINAL.pdf">annual revenue letter</a>, an analysis of the mayor’s budget, tells the tale: Breed used $445 million in leftover funding from the previous year’s budget, $235 million in pandemic-era Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursements, $138 million from the city’s fiscal reserve, and $137 million in short-term cost shifts, among other one-time uses, to forestall the worst.



“As one-time solutions are depleted, the structural budget gap will become larger, making future budgets more difficult to close,” the controller wrote.



Blame a political season in which budget cuts might’ve guaranteed losing the mayorship. Or blame rosy optimism, with Breed hoping she could forestall layoffs as a hollowed-out downtown revived itself.&nbsp;



No matter the reason, she bet big that the economy would recover. Spoiler alert: It didn’t.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-paying-workers-fairly-is-pricey">Paying workers fairly is pricey</h2>



Breed’s contract negotiations with labor unions last year went surprisingly smoothly. There’s a reason for that: from visor-wearing clerks to meter maids, city workers got higher raises than expected. The cost of their benefits has risen, too.&nbsp;



Cynics pointed out that making unions happy was a sure bet to avoid messy public fights during a fraught election year. But in some ways, Breed’s hands were tied. Public workers&#8217; wage growth is tied to inflation, by city charter mandate, and if negotiations were taken to arbitration, that would be a key factor in handing them a win.



The city has added thousands of workers over the past decade, and the costs of employing them has grown, too. No one is saying people shouldn’t get raises, especially in pricey San Francisco. And workers’ spiraling healthcare costs <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/about/ama-research/trends-health-care-spending">are a national problem</a>. But city government spending is a balancing act. The money has to come from somewhere.



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The tools at Lurie’s disposal include generating revenue from putting tax measures on the ballot, using one-time funds while waiting for revenue to right-size, and laying off workers. Lurie has said — <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/01/23/daniel-lurie-san-francisco-mayor-budget-cuts/">repeatedly</a> — that he will not employ one-time fixes to balance the budget.&nbsp;



That’s why Lurie has signaled that for the first time in more than a decade, city workers may lose their jobs.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-property-owners-want-their-money-back">Property owners want their money back</h2>



Sure, downtown businesses emptied out like a keg at a frat party, but the pandemic hurt our finances in other ways, too. As commercial landlords watched the rental market dry up, they <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2022/04/06/property-tax-assessments-covid-remote-work/">appealed to the city to lower their tax burdens</a>.&nbsp;



Taxes are based on the property’s assessed value. A new assessment may mean lower taxes — a boon for owners but a pain point for the city. Property taxes are the city’s largest source of tax revenue, bringing in billions annually.



During economically stable times, there are 1,000 to 2,000 annual property value appeals, according to city data compiled by local think tank SPUR. But right now, there are a whopping 9,000 appeals pending. More than $217 million is being tucked away just to meet the demand of these appeals, according to SPUR.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-federal-government-stiffed-us">The federal government stiffed us</h2>



San Francisco spent big on public health efforts during the pandemic. FEMA was on the hook to pay the city back, but it has been dragging its feet. In the latest revenue forecast, <a href="https://media.api.sf.gov/documents/March_Update_FY_25-26_through_FY_29-30_03.31.25_FINAL.pdf">from March</a>, the city controller projected that reimbursements for the 2025-26 financial year would be reduced from $147 million to $80 million. This week, the controller’s office confirmed to The Standard that the forecast was accurate.&nbsp;



It could get worse.&nbsp;



<a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/04/10/san-francisco-lurie-budget-trump-2-billion/">Roughly $2 billion in federal spending</a> winds its way through San Francisco’s budget, and all of it is vulnerable to President Donald Trump’s whims. Lurie has pledged a $400 million reserve specifically to guard against federal meddling, <a href="https://missionlocal.org/2025/05/s-f-to-budget-400m-in-reserve-in-anticipation-of-federal-cuts/">Mission Local reported</a>.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-numbers-are-worse-than-they-look">The numbers are worse than they look</h2>



Many San Franciscans have at some time publicly bemoaned, “Why can’t the city pay for that thing we love with its $15 billion budget?”&nbsp;



It ain’t that simple. Most of San Francisco’s budget is legally locked into a specific purpose: immutable, unchangeable. The reasons vary.&nbsp;



For instance, roughly one-third of the budget is thought of as a “pass-through” from federal and state governments, <a href="https://www.spur.org/news/2025-05-20/balancing-san-franciscos-budget-part-2-revenues-and-expenditures">intended for a specific use</a>, like Medi-Cal. Another constraint is voter set-asides. These are the alphabet-soup ballot measures that voters approve regularly. These propositions run the gamut, ranging from a new tax that can be spent only on Free City college for residents to&nbsp; setting aside a certain amount of the general fund to bolster Muni as it hemorrhages riders.&nbsp;



Then there are the enterprise agencies, which raise their own money for internal use only. Those departments include the San Francisco International Airport, Port of San Francisco, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Those agencies add up to billions in the city’s budget.



Tally all that up, and only a scant 18% of the city’s budget, or $2.8 billion, is free for a mayor to sift about as needed —&nbsp;making plugging the $782 million deficit an even more challenging prospect.&nbsp;

SF officials quietly reassess DEI programs as Trump vows to punish liberal cities

San Francisco has spent the last decade embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion into nearly every aspect of local government, from launching the country’s first department on transgender issues to redirecting tens of millions of dollars toward Black community organizations.



Now, with Donald Trump back in the White House, city officials are quietly reexamining the practice with the expectation that the president could turn his ire toward San Francisco’s extensive DEI programs.



The city attorney’s office has issued a slew of confidential memos in the last few months covering everything from how to discuss — and not discuss — the Trump administration to guidance on responding to federal inquiries, according to sources who shared the contents of these messages. Chief among its concerns are the extensive DEI programs and contracts that became a priority in City Hall in 2020 amid nationwide protests over racism. Any missteps could leave San Francisco vulnerable to massive cuts in federal dollars.



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Upon assuming office in January, Trump <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-radical-and-wasteful-government-dei-programs-and-preferencing/">signed an executive order</a> directing federal agencies to dismantle all DEI policies and programs. His administration also has attempted to bring dozens of universities to heel by threatening to withhold billions of dollars in grants, citing protests it views as antisemitic and DEI programs it assails as unlawful. The administration even targeted K-12 schools as purveyors of DEI.



“There has been a real palpable fear of the grants that we rely on from the feds going away entirely,” said a city source. “We know the feds are looking for any kind of excuse. They&#8217;re on the warpath.”



City attorney David Chiu told The Standard that most San Francisco residents “recognize the unprecedented threat that Donald Trump poses to our city, values, and funding.” He called the White House’s actions “illegal and unconstitutional,” while noting that his office has sued the Trump administration four times since January.



“Any competent attorney would take similar steps to prepare their clients for the creeping threat of authoritarianism and encourage clients to be thoughtful in their public statements,” Chiu wrote.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1333" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/INLINE_NonCitizenVoting.jpg?w=2000" alt="A man in a suit holds a folder, standing among a group of people, some with masks. One person holds a sign saying, &quot;No decisions about us, without us!&quot;" class="wp-image-64757" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/INLINE_NonCitizenVoting.jpg 2000w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/INLINE_NonCitizenVoting.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/INLINE_NonCitizenVoting.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/INLINE_NonCitizenVoting.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu has sued the Trump administration four times since January.</figcaption></figure>



On top of instructions on how to identify and flag federal inquiries about contracts and grants, the city attorney’s office has instructed departments to comb through their programs and contracts to ensure they don’t become legal liabilities under Trump’s anti-DEI stance.&nbsp;



At the same time, attorneys have tried to offer reassurances about the city’s commitment to inclusion.



In one Feb. 27 email with a memo titled &#8220;Overview of executive actions impacting the trans and broader LGBTQ+ community,” the city attorney’s office called Trump’s executive order on the transgender community “cruel” and “not based on scientific fact or supported by medical evidence.”



In a Feb. 12 memo regarding communications, City Hall workers were instructed to avoid “sharing individual data or detailed demographic information about vulnerable populations in public statements.” They were also told never to suggest that San Francisco would interfere with “lawful federal actions.” Employees were reminded that their communications are subject to public records requests.



A memo dated Jan. 28 told employees to consult with the city attorney’s office when drafting internal communications about federal matters and to “not create panic” from rumors or unconfirmed reports about Trump’s actions.



In a lawsuit filed this month, a former city department head claimed that city attorneys told her to <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/04/02/san-francisco-kimberly-ellis-department-on-the-status-of-women-lawsuit/">purge DEI-related materials</a>. Other city employees described the process more as legal guidance on how to clean up websites and ensure they don’t put a legal bullseye on San Francisco’s back.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-fight-that-comes-down-to-dollars">A fight that comes down to dollars</h2>



Starting in 2020, few U.S. cities committed more resources to DEI than San Francisco. The city created an Office of Racial Equity and tasked more than 50 departments with creating work groups to study incidents of racism, harassment, and stigma before coming up with racial equity action plans. Hundreds of employees spent tens of thousands of hours creating these plans and undertaking new training programs.



The scope of this work was so sweeping that San Francisco officials say it’s impossible to quantify how much time and taxpayer money went into creating the new DEI era of governance.



Throughout last year’s presidential race, Trump attacked DEI policies as “anti-white” racism. Since returning to the White House, he has targeted elementary schools, private universities, and public agencies with federal funding cuts while threatening penalties for companies that receive grants and contracts from the government. Numerous lawsuits have been filed in response to the threats, while federal judges have blocked some orders from taking effect.



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For his part, Mayor Daniel Lurie <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/01/22/donald-trump-san-francisco-fight-mayor-daniel-lurie/">has diligently avoided</a> publicly uttering the president’s name or wading into national controversies. Lurie declined The Standard’s interview requests through a spokesperson, but his office issued a statement noting that he has attended rallies in support of immigrants, hosted community roundtables at City Hall, and met privately with queer and transgender youth.&nbsp;



“He is in direct communication every single day with city and community leaders who are on the front lines so they can share how we can most effectively support them,” a Lurie spokesperson said.



The city is facing a budget deficit of more than $800 million, and potential cuts in federal funding would make it much more difficult to address homelessness and public health needs, as well as meet housing goals. <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/04/10/san-francisco-lurie-budget-trump-2-billion/">Lurie told The Standard</a> this month that the Trump administration’s actions could multiply the budget shortfall to an eye-popping $2 billion, considering the costs of federal litigation, airport capital project cuts, and funding streams drying up for the Human Services Agency and other departments. The city is also seeking a $147 million reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Covid-era homeless shelters.&nbsp;



Federal judges and state-led lawsuits, so far, have pumped the brakes on the president’s threats to cut funding.



Last week, a San Francisco federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s efforts <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/04/24/san-francisco-judge-blocks-trump-sanctuary-city-order/">to slash funding for cities</a> that aren’t complying with its hardline immigration policies. California has also <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-04-25/california-other-states-sue-trump-administration-over-anti-dei-funding-threats-to-schools">joined a multi-state lawsuit</a> challenging the White House’s quest to rid public schools of DEI material or face funding cuts.



Despite the legal pushback, concerns about San Francisco becoming the next name on Trump’s hit list are coursing through City Hall.



“The federal administration has a very clear desire to take away as much money as possible,” said one City Hall source. “I think he’s all about using that money as leverage.”



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Lurie gives Waymo the keys to Market Street. People are furious

Safe-street advocates and militant cyclists have spent more than a decade fighting with rideshare companies Uber and Lyft in San Francisco’s transportation trenches. But the natural enemies have finally found common ground: They all hate Mayor Daniel Lurie’s decision to <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/04/10/waymo-sf-market-street-service/">give Waymo robotaxis near exclusive access to Market Street</a>.



The mayor’s office gave transit officials marching orders to let Waymo operate on Market Street, similar to the company’s activities at <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/03/17/san-francisco-waymo-alphabet-google-self-driving-robotaxi/">San Francisco International Airport.</a> Meanwhile, officials for Uber and the slow-streets group KidSafe SF were kept in the dark on the company’s Market Street deal, receiving word of Lurie’s unilateral decision less than a day before it was announced.



Lurie’s decision to quietly work behind the scenes with Waymo was a notable departure from how he has handled most of his first three months in office, when he appeared to be trying to appease a wide range of constituents. Many of the key players involved in the mayor’s efforts to revitalize downtown seem to overlap with the Waymo expansion, a scenario that has raised concerns of favoritism. Critics have also noted that Lurie seems to have cut a deal without extracting long-sought concessions on data to make sure the robotaxis are as safe as Waymo claims.



“Market Street is still one of the most dangerous streets in the city, even after we removed private vehicles [in 2020],” KidSafe SF cofounder Robin Pam said, noting that there were 49 injury collisions on the downtown corridor as recently as 2022. “So, it’s not about Waymo, it’s about any vehicles adding congestion to the street. Transportation is never going to solve public safety problems.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240325_pedestrianfatalities-photo-me-17.jpg?w=2500" alt="People cross a busy city street, including someone walking a dog. A streetcar and bus are visible, along with buildings and various storefronts in the background." class="wp-image-262788" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240325_pedestrianfatalities-photo-me-17.jpg 3000w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240325_pedestrianfatalities-photo-me-17.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240325_pedestrianfatalities-photo-me-17.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240325_pedestrianfatalities-photo-me-17.jpg?resize=2500,1668 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240325_pedestrianfatalities-photo-me-17.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240325_pedestrianfatalities-photo-me-17.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Market remains one of the more dangerous streets in San Francisco despite banning private vehicles in 2020.</figcaption></figure>



Uber and Lyft are on the same side as safe-street advocates, albeit for different reasons. By partnering with Waymo, Lurie is now seen as playing favorites in the lucrative rideshare and autonomous vehicle industries, which are almost certain to converge into a single business lane as technology advances.&nbsp;



&#8220;AVs offer exciting rideshare opportunities, and we support their growth,” Alex Tourk, a lobbyist who represents Lyft, said in a statement. “However, allowing only AVs on Market Street disregards the thousands of drivers on Lyft. We should be competing on service, not on creating exclusivity. If the mayor believes opening Market Street benefits the city, it should be accessible to all rideshare drivers.”



Waymo officials have close ties to the Lurie administration. Ruth Porat is the president and chief investment officer of Alphabet, which owns the robotaxi company, and she <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/03/17/lurie-creates-powerful-partnership/">cochairs the mayor’s Partnership for San Francisco</a>, which is tasked with improving business conditions. In a statement last year, Porat praised the appointment of policy chief <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/12/17/ned-segal-san-francisco-housing-economic-development/">Ned Segal</a>, who has fingerprints on all major economic decisions in Lurie’s office.



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Charles Lutvak, a spokesperson for Lurie, did not answer emailed questions about the Waymo agreement. In a call, Lutvak said he wasn’t sure if Waymo officials or the mayor’s office reached out first about getting robotaxis onto Market Street; he added that he probably wouldn&#8217;t share that information even if he did know.



As part of its Better Market Street project in early 2020, San Francisco <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/12/05/san-francisco-market-street-pandemic-big-plans-collapsed/">shut down Market Street to private vehicles</a>, cordoning off the city’s main artery for Muni buses and streetcars, taxis, and commercial loading vehicles. The goal was to reduce congestion and make the city’s most dangerous street safer after years of fatal collisions. But the pandemic hit weeks later, emptying office buildings. The <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/06/10/san-francisco-office-recovery-projected-date/">hollowed-out downtown</a> has lagged in its recovery compared to other major cities.



Officials for both Waymo and the mayor’s office said the robotaxis are safer than human drivers and bear commercial license plates, which would have given them access to Market Street under the 2020 plan. Officials for Waymo said the company has refrained from using the thoroughfare out of respect for the Better Market Street program.



However, Uber officials told The Standard their company also has commercial vehicles on its platform that would meet the criteria, but they haven’t heard from Lurie on gaining access to Market Street.



Rideshare officials also question Waymo’s mapping agreement at SFO, concerned that it could be a step toward Lurie granting the company exclusive rights to curbside pickups.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8540567785_waymoaddicts_010_d2f736.jpg?w=2500" alt="Two self-driving cars and a person on a scooter move on a city street. A green traffic light and a pedestrian crossing are visible. Buildings and trees line the road." class="wp-image-380058" srcset="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8540567785_waymoaddicts_010_d2f736.jpg 7674w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8540567785_waymoaddicts_010_d2f736.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8540567785_waymoaddicts_010_d2f736.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8540567785_waymoaddicts_010_d2f736.jpg?resize=2500,1668 2500w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8540567785_waymoaddicts_010_d2f736.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/8540567785_waymoaddicts_010_d2f736.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Waymo robotaxis have been ubiquitous since 2022.</figcaption></figure>



Not everyone is in opposition, of course. Alex Bastian, president and CEO of the Hotel Council of San Francisco, described the Waymo announcement as “a step in the right direction” when it comes to revitalizing Market Street.&nbsp;



“We need to have everyone at the table, and that includes small businesses, big businesses, transit activists and motorists,” Bastian said. “We’re all going to have to compromise.”



Waymo has been far from compromising in sharing data around “bricking,” or incidents in which a robotaxi shuts down and becomes unresponsive, blocking traffic until it can be removed from the scene. City transit officials have spent the last couple of years trying to gain access to this data and other information related to the blocking of emergency first responders, but Waymo has resisted. Legislative <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/03/11/prodded-by-labor-california-lawmakers-bring-hammer-down-on-self-driving-car-companies/">efforts to corral more data and enforcement on robotaxis</a> went nowhere last year.&nbsp;



People who have been involved in discussions with Waymo were surprised when the company’s agreement to begin mapping operations at SFO did not come with a requirement to share data on bricking or other incidents.



“Apparently, Lurie has been welcoming them with open arms and no conditions attached,” said Aaron Peskin, the former president of the Board of Supervisors. “It’s not an outlandish request, but because Waymo has gotten the support of Gov. [Gavin] Newsom, they have not been required to divulge this information. And now that the city is giving them special favors, the city should get that data in return.”



In response to an emailed question about whether the company will provide bricking data, Waymo officials said the company submits reports as required to its regulators at the state and federal level.



Pam noted that bricking Waymos on Market Street could become a huge issue, as hundreds of thousands of people ride buses there every day.



“Are we gonna have empty Waymos blocking buses on Market Street with 80 people in them?” Pam asked. “I think there are a lot of things that haven&#8217;t been thought through, and the implementation is going to be tricky.”

New estimate puts federal threat to SF at more than $2 billion, Lurie says

Nonprofit funding <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/02/10/trump-executive-orders-impact-san-francisc-bay-area-nonprofits/">is evaporating</a>. Local government is <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/02/06/san-francisco-layoffs-daniel-lurie-budget-deficit/">contemplating layoffs</a>. Parking meter prices might go up. Hell, even the streets <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/02/18/san-francisco-city-hall-street-cleaning-services-department-of-public-works/">might not be as clean</a>, after the city’s latest budget is decided in June.



It could get much, much worse.



San Francisco’s budget deficit could more than double, from an estimated $820 million to nearly $2 billion, Mayor Daniel Lurie told The Standard in an interview.



That’s the latest internal estimate of the fiscal threats posed by President Donald Trump’s administration, which has sought to eliminate or withhold funding for <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/04/01/trump-comes-for-pelosi-again-risking-318-sf-jobs/">healthcare</a>, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/03/11/sfusd-americorps-lawsuit/">education</a>, and more. It’s higher than numbers <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/12/03/san-francisco-budget-deficit-trump-funding-deportations/">previously discussed</a>, which have largely focused on the roughly $147 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursements that were expected in the next fiscal year but the city may not receive. Even that is looking more dire, as the controller’s most recent budget estimate lowered the expected FEMA reimbursement to $80 million.



“We are facing an existential threat in terms of our budget,” Lurie said. “It could be $500 million. It could be a billion dollars more that comes at us in terms of cuts,” on top of the <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/03/31/san-francisco-budget-deficit-lawsuits-business-taxes/">possible $1 billion deficit</a> already announced. “And guess who that will affect the most? It will affect our immigrant community, our LGBTQ+ community, those living in poverty.”



“The attacks coming at San Francisco are my sole focus,” the mayor added.



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Lurie’s assessment includes the cost of federal litigation and possible federal cuts to new airport capital projects, plus hundreds of millions of dollars for programs at the Human Services Agency. Medicare and Medi-Cal programs from the Department of Public Health stand to lose $900 million. The estimate doesn’t include multi-year projects underway at the airport and SF Municipal Transportation Agency that are being funded by the federal government.



San Francisco’s budgeting process is well underway. In late February, city departments submitted <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2025/03/05/san-francisco-budget-deficit-departments-daniel-lurie/">proposals for 15% in budget cuts</a>, which are now being reviewed by Lurie’s team. Former Mayor London Breed relied on one-time funding sources to shore up the budget, rather than making large cuts. In his public statements on the budget, Lurie has signaled a desire to make deeper structural changes instead.



That will undoubtedly raise the ire of various political camps — from organized labor and nonprofits to constituent groups that want increased spending on transit or affordable housing production.



The latest estimate shared by Lurie may help make his case: Let’s make deep cuts now, while we have the time to make them deliberately, instead of in a rush after the latest White House tantrum.



Trump&#8217;s issuance of virtually worldwide tariffs — which he paused Wednesday — is a perfect example of uncertainty in federal leadership leading to economic uncertainty, Ted Egan, the city’s chief economist, said during a public talk Tuesday night at Manny’s.



San Francisco’s economy would be uniquely vulnerable to the tariffs if they continue, Egan said, which would threaten the city’s tax revenue.



“The long-term impact is sort of Econ 101. How much smaller is your economy? How much less are U.S assets worth? How much less are people going to earn because you&#8217;ve cut off trade? And for us in the Bay Area, that&#8217;s likely to be significant,” Egan said.



“It&#8217;s far too early to see” just how bad it could get, he added, “because so much can change.”

Lurie taps ex-Twitter CFO to take charge of SF’s downtown, housing crises

Ned Segal’s résumé includes five years as chief financial officer of Twitter — he got the ax in 2022, when <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2022/04/25/elon-musk-twitter-san-francisco-hq-takeover/">Elon Musk bought the bird</a> site and renamed it X — and nearly 17 years at Goldman Sachs, where he held the titles of managing director and head of global software investment banking.



It also includes selling hot dogs as a teenage vendor at Candlestick Park. Now he’s about to see how the sausage really gets made in San Francisco.



On Tuesday, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/11/07/daniel-lurie-wins-san-francisco-mayor/">Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie</a> announced that he’s hiring Segal, 50, as the first-ever chief of housing and economic development. The new role, part of Lurie’s plan to reshape the way business is done at City Hall, will report directly to the mayor while working with departments that include Building Inspection, Planning, Economic and Workforce Development, and Housing and Community Development, as well as the Arts Commission, libraries, and San Francisco International Airport.&nbsp;



Considering the size and complexity of these departments, which collectively spend about $3 billion, it’s a daunting task for a person with no government experience. However, Segal said he feels more than ready.



“I feel like I&#8217;ve spent my whole life preparing for a role like this, whether it&#8217;s taking the bus downtown as a kid, selling hot dogs at Candlestick Park, or working downtown for much of my career,” he said. “I feel like I have empathy for the companies and families that are trying to thrive here. I couldn&#8217;t be more excited to bring this to bear for the people and businesses in San Francisco.”



The city is facing <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/12/03/san-francisco-budget-deficit-trump-funding-deportations/">a massive budget deficit</a> and an unprecedented housing crisis, as it needs to build 82,000 homes by 2031. Many downtown offices remain empty, and some companies have fled entirely.



Segal said the local economy and housing are “inextricably linked,” which is why the two issues will fall under his portfolio.&nbsp;



“We aren&#8217;t going to shrink our way to prosperity,” he said, “although there are serious budget decisions that the mayor-elect will need to make. Until more people come to visit us, until more people work here, until more families live here, it will be hard for the city to realize its full potential.”



Lurie and Segal have known each other since they were kids at Town School for Boys, a private school in the city. Segal served on the board of Lurie’s anti-poverty nonprofit Tipping Point Community. Asked if their relationship would change after Lurie becomes his boss, Segal sounded unconcerned.



“I&#8217;ve known Daniel for a long time, and he is the right leader for this moment in San Francisco,” Segal said. “I’ve always admired what a good listener he is, how much he cares about people, and how he puts together incredible teams to meet the challenges he&#8217;s facing. And I couldn&#8217;t be more excited to be a part of his team.”



Segal and his former Twitter colleagues made headlines this year when <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/04/1235903181/former-twitter-executives-sue-elon-musk-for-more-than-128-million-in-severance#:~:text=Former%20Twitter%20executives%20sue%20Elon,%24128%20million%20in%20severance%20%3A%20NPR&amp;text=Music%20of%202024-,Former%20Twitter%20executives%20sue%20Elon%20Musk%20for%20more%20than%20%24128,of%20a%20pattern%20for%20Musk.">they sued Musk</a>, claiming he had improperly withheld millions of dollars in severance payments. Segal declined to talk about his time at Twitter in detail, instead diligently sticking to his talking points.



Lurie will be sworn in as mayor Jan. 8. Other <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/12/12/daniel-lurie-mayor-san-francisco-city-hall-office/">key staff hires</a> include Staci Slaughter, a former San Francisco Giants executive who will serve as chief of staff; Matthew Goudeau, who will serve as deputy chief of staff after effectively filling the role of political director for Lurie’s campaign; and Han Zou, a longtime community organizer who worked on Lurie’s campaign and will serve as director of public affairs.

Breed proposes $1.3 billion budget bump, despite months of deficit warnings

For months, Mayor London Breed has been ringing the alarm about an $800 million deficit and asking city departments to plan for budget cuts. But instead of cutting overall spending, Breed’s latest budget proposal calls for a record $15.9 billion outlay next year, a nearly 9% climb from this year’s budget.



The surprising jump, announced Friday, is largely driven by increases in the city’s <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2022/05/06/sfs-budget-includes-enterprise-departments-heres-what-that-means/">enterprise departments</a>, such as the airport and Public Utilities Commission, which earn much of their own revenue by charging customers for services. However, Breed’s team was also able to avoid shrinking the general fund—the city’s main source of discretionary spending—through a combination of cuts, reduced hiring, and leveraging outside funding and rainy day reserves.



“We closed the deficit by spending less than we had planned to spend,” mayoral spokesperson Jeff Cretan said.



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Broadly speaking, the mayor’s plan would preserve core city functions—<a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/05/30/san-francisco-budget-deficit-police-firefighters/">like police</a> and street sweeping. As a result, Breed would trim services seen as nonessential, such as the outreach arms of some city programs, which educate the public but do not provide a direct service.



Breed’s recommendations would push more funding for public safety agencies, while other city departments would see cuts, setting up what may become a fraught and contentious battle as the November election nears and the mayor fights to keep her job. The plan is subject to approval by the Board of Supervisors.&nbsp;



Under Breed’s plan, the police department, sheriff, district attorney, firefighters, and emergency management agency would receive <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/05/30/san-francisco-budget-deficit-police-firefighters/">a roughly $100 million increase in funding</a>, a move that comes as she seeks to present herself as a savior of San Francisco’s public safety employees and a crime fighter.&nbsp;



The budget will also sustain investments in the city’s downtown neighborhood, which has been hit hard by work-from-home trends and questions over its economic vitality. Funding will keep flowing toward departments like Public Works, which deploys cleaning crews to power-wash sidewalks.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="3000" height="2001" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/BreedSFPDOfficerOfTheMonth072623_12.jpg?w=2500" alt="A woman sits next to a row of police officers." class="wp-image-186366" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/BreedSFPDOfficerOfTheMonth072623_12.jpg 3000w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/BreedSFPDOfficerOfTheMonth072623_12.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/BreedSFPDOfficerOfTheMonth072623_12.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/BreedSFPDOfficerOfTheMonth072623_12.jpg?resize=2500,1668 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/BreedSFPDOfficerOfTheMonth072623_12.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/BreedSFPDOfficerOfTheMonth072623_12.jpg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 3000px) 100vw, 3000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Mayor London Breed is prioritizing increasing police and other public safety funding in her new budget proposal.</figcaption></figure>



In a statement, Breed said the city was “making real progress” on its budget.



“In this budget, we made the tough decisions to close our deficit and those are never easy, but we also made the right decision to prioritize critical city services our residents expect and deserve,” she said. “By investing in public safety, families, our economy, and improving the conditions on our streets, we will keep moving our city forward.”



A multitude of factors are contributing to the city’s squeeze in finances, including weak performance in revenue streams like property and business taxes. San Francisco’s pocketbook is still suffering from difficulties in the real estate market, office vacancies that have remained stubbornly high, and high interest rates that have slowed down industries like construction.



Breed’s budget avoided general fund cuts by pulling back on hiring and contracts and dipping into $122 million in reserves. The budget also includes a one-time Medi-Cal reimbursement totaling over $100 million, according to the Mayor’s Office. About $300 million of the deficit is getting resolved through cuts. The budget also axes some new projects or programs, instead opting to fold that funding into core operations.



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Breed’s administration also <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/04/15/san-francisco-city-unions-labor-deal/">struck deals with the city’s unions</a>, offering pay bumps of 13% to tens of thousands of city workers over the next three years. A large portion of the general fund—60%—is devoted to employee salaries and benefits as health care and retirement costs have risen, according to city officials.



That will come at the cost of hiring, however. The budget includes funding for salaries and benefits for 33,285 employees, a small reduction from this year. Breed’s proposal would shut down recruitment almost across the board, except for frontline workers like police, nurses and dispatchers. No city employees would be laid off under the mayor’s plan. 



Other cuts will involve reducing funding for certain community-based contracts.



City officials said core programming that generally provides food or housing would be kept intact, while lower-priority services like workforce development and outreach initiatives would be slashed.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2500" height="1667" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BoardOfSupervisorsChamber-2500x1667-1.jpeg?w=2500" alt="An ornate meeting room with high ceilings." class="wp-image-194579" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BoardOfSupervisorsChamber-2500x1667-1.jpeg 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BoardOfSupervisorsChamber-2500x1667-1.jpeg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BoardOfSupervisorsChamber-2500x1667-1.jpeg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BoardOfSupervisorsChamber-2500x1667-1.jpeg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BoardOfSupervisorsChamber-2500x1667-1.jpeg?resize=2048,1366 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Board of Supervisors will debate, and likely tweak, Mayor London Breed’s budget proposal before voting on it.</figcaption></figure>



For example, the city takes in about $10 million each year in soda tax revenue and has historically used about $3 million of that funding for nutrition and health education. Breed is proposing cutting those education efforts, and instead, use that money to save programs that provide people with vouchers to buy healthy food at farmers’ markets and deliver meals to senior citizens.



Breed’s plan is likely to spur intense debate and discussion this summer and comes as the mayor—along with two supervisors and another two City Hall outsiders—seek the city’s top job in November.&nbsp;



Breed’s challengers are already casting her as having squandered years of bright economic growth—and a moderate versus progressive fight is almost certain in the coming weeks over at least some of the mayor’s spending priorities.



Last year, Breed was <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2023/05/31/san-francisco-mayor-proposes-record-spending-despite-780m-deficit/">able to plug up a similarly large deficit</a> through the use of Covid-related reimbursements and reserve funds. But by October, Breed warned that cuts were coming and directed city departments to make 10% reductions to their budgets.



San Francisco’s supervisors will propose their own tweaks to the mayor’s budget proposal before sending it back to her for a final signature by the end of July.

Mayor’s panda plans bogged down as supervisors question $25M fundraising ask

Mayor London Breed’s giant panda dreams are meeting some harsh political realities.



Citing concerns about potential conflicts of interest among the Mayor’s Office and major political donors, a three-person committee at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 2-1 Thursday morning to postpone Breed&#8217;s request to allow “behested payments” in her nascent efforts to raise $25 million for the San Francisco Zoo to host pandas leased from China.



The panda proposal stems from Breed’s April trip to China, where she secured an agreement to bring a pair of pandas to the city’s zoo. Housing and caring for the pandas is likely to cost the zoo tens of millions of dollars. Breed introduced a resolution to the board that would clear certain city departments to fundraise for a new enclosure and other needed infrastructure upgrades to the zoo.



Among these departments are the Recreation and Park Department, which owns the zoo, and the city-operated San Francisco International Airport and its commission. Breed’s resolution would allow these departments to receive unlimited donations, or behests, from individuals, charities or private-sector companies, even if donors have contracts or do business with the city.



Such an exemption from the city&#8217;s complex behested payment rules, <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2022/06/17/how-sfs-anti-corruption-law-is-causing-fundraising-headaches-in-all-the-wrong-places-and-spurring-backlash-from-mayor-breed/">tightened in 2022</a> because of the <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2023/02/01/san-francisco-city-hall-corruption-scandal-nuru/">Department of Public Works corruption scandal</a>, requires the Board of Supervisors’ approval. The proposed exemption would be only for panda purposes and would last six months, with the possibility of renewal.



At the Government Audit and Oversight Committee hearing Thursday, Breed&#8217;s Chief of Staff Sean Elsbernd said that no taxpayer dollars will be used for hosting the pandas, necessitating an aggressive fundraising campaign from the city.



“That&#8217;s why we continue to ensure only philanthropic [money] will go to support the pandas,” Elsbernd said.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="5400" height="3600" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/xiao-qi-ji-01.jpg?w=2500" alt="A giant panda walks through grass near wooden structures, looking toward the camera." class="wp-image-237864" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/xiao-qi-ji-01.jpg 5400w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/xiao-qi-ji-01.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/xiao-qi-ji-01.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/xiao-qi-ji-01.jpg?resize=2500,1667 2500w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/xiao-qi-ji-01.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/xiao-qi-ji-01.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 5400px) 100vw, 5400px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">China agrees to send a pair of pandas to San Francisco. But the city still needs to fundraise tens of millions of dollars.</figcaption></figure>



However, with the city facing budget cuts, Supervisor Ahsha Safaí, who is running to replace Breed for mayor, criticized the timing and nature of her proposal as a distraction to the city’s pressing priorities.



Safaí said he supported the pandas coming to the city but questioned how leaders could justify the attention paid to such fundraising while the city is also cutting millions of dollars from the multibillion city budget and defunding many programs, which could hurt nonprofits, families and children.&nbsp;



“This is about prioritizing children over pandas,” the supervisor said. “This is about prioritizing our future.”



Some donors are already expressing interest. Elsbernd said that United Airlines has reached out about donating toward the pandas’ costs, but Breed’s office has to wait until the city passes an exemption because the airline has contracts with the airport.



Supervisors Connie Chan and Dean Preston questioned the mayor’s top aide about the potential for corruption if airport commissioners were allowed to ask for unlimited donations from airlines.&nbsp;



“Is it necessary to include airport commissioners?” Chan asked, emphasizing that the behested payment rules aim to stop potential &#8220;pay-to-play&#8221; schemes. Preston also demanded more transparency from the Mayor&#8217;s Office about which donors it plans to approach.



In a statement, Airport Commission President Malcolm Yeung, a Chinese American who went to China with Breed, said that San Francisco hosting pandas was the dream of many mayors and he’s excited to help make it a reality, but he agreed that the commission should stay out of the fundraising campaign.



“While I’m disappointed that I won’t be able to help in this way,” Yeung said. “I understand the need to remove an airport commissioner from the behesting exemption.”



Another concern centered on the zoo’s ability to care for the pandas properly, in light of investigative reports by the San Francisco Chronicle detailing incidents involving a dangerous working environment and the death of a penguin.



Elsbernd parried these questions by suggesting that zoological experts from China and federal authorities will have a chance to assess the zoo’s safety and conditions. The city is currently engaged in discussions involving multiple international partners regarding the technical requirements for the zoo to receive the pandas, he said.



The committee eventually voted to shelve the resolution temporarily, with Chan and Preston voting to postpone, while Supervisor Catherine Stefani, a Breed ally, voted against the delay. Preston, the chair of the committee, would not commit to bringing up the item in the next meeting.



After the vote, Breed&#8217;s office released a statement saying the delay of the issue is not uncommon, and the office will amend the resolution based on the supervisors&#8217; feedback.



“This is an exciting moment and opportunity for our city,” the statement said. “Mayor Breed will continue to work across city departments and with the Board of Supervisors to ensure the private funding needed can proceed.”



The city and the zoo have not yet released a timeline or specific costs for the pandas’ arrival, and the $25 million is just an estimated number, based on previous costs incurred by U.S. zoos that have hosted China’s national animal. Breed can only start the fundraising effort when the resolution passes the board.&nbsp;



Several prominent and wealthy Chinese American leaders have told The Standard that they are interested in donating to the cause but said it is still too early for them to start considering the sizes of their checks.

‘Love all the really tall buildings!’ Breed’s YIMBY quip goes viral in China

San Francisco Mayor London Breed is apparently jealous of one thing in Shenzhen, China.



Breed, an outspoken pro-density YIMBY, was amazed by the skyscrapers in the southern Chinese city during her visit this week, and her reaction is now going viral on Chinese social media.



“I love all the really tall buildings!” Breed <a href="https://www.douyin.com/user/MS4wLjABAAAAhNVxGlvMYWXy1QzpFz0HhJ73nDywsAL29zoRfG5GlvY?modal_id=7357961543444745506">responded excitedly to a reporter asking her what she thinks about Shenzhen</a>. “So we are looking forward to doing more of that in San Francisco.”



Video of Breed’s comments garnered more than 12,000 likes and 2,000 comments on Douyin, a TikTok-like app popular in mainland China. On WeChat, the short clip also received more than 10,000 likes and reposts. Many of the comments praised Breed’s visit and improvements in U.S.-China relations.



Shenzhen, a major city in Guangdong Province that borders Hong Kong, is a fast-growing technology hub and home to almost 18 million people. Dozens of commercial buildings stand over 800 feet tall, with more than 50 stories.



It’s unclear whether Breed’s comment was an appreciation of Shenzhen’s downtown business skyscrapers or residential towers, which are often very tall in China.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="3024" height="4032" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/mayor-london-breed-visiting-shenzhen-air11.jpg?w=1875" alt="Two people in business attire look out a window at an urban landscape with a distinctive tower in the distance." class="wp-image-267936" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/mayor-london-breed-visiting-shenzhen-air11.jpg 3024w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/mayor-london-breed-visiting-shenzhen-air11.jpg?resize=225,300 225w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/mayor-london-breed-visiting-shenzhen-air11.jpg?resize=768,1024 768w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/mayor-london-breed-visiting-shenzhen-air11.jpg?resize=1875,2500 1875w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/mayor-london-breed-visiting-shenzhen-air11.jpg?resize=1152,1536 1152w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/mayor-london-breed-visiting-shenzhen-air11.jpg?resize=1536,2048 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 3024px) 100vw, 3024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">San Francisco Mayor London Breed looks out the window at Shenzen Airport on Monday.</figcaption></figure>



Facing a tough reelection campaign back home, Breed has long promised to cut red tape in building new housing. However, she <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/03/26/san-franciso-mayor-breed-peskin-housing-density/">recently lost a battle with Supervisor Aaron Peskin</a>—also a mayoral candidate—over a bill to limit density in a section of his Northern Waterfront district.



Breed’s weeklong China trip aims to promote local tourism and seal a deal to rent pandas for the San Francisco Zoo. She’s leading <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/04/10/san-francisco-mayor-breed-china-trip-xi-panda/">a 30-person delegation</a> and landed in China over the weekend. In a press release, Breed touted the trip as deepening economic ties between China and San Francisco and cited the long history of immigration from Guangdong to the city.



“San Francisco is more than a world-class destination,” Breed said in a statement. “Our city is a global partner to cities around the world. My hope for this trip is to reemphasize the importance of creating strong partnerships around the world that will yield both cultural connections and economic opportunities.”



Carmen Chu, city administrator of San Francisco and the daughter of Chinese immigrants, joined Breed for this trip. She praised Breed’s leadership in fostering a stronger connection between San Francisco and Guangdong.



&#8220;As someone who grew up in an immigrant family of southern China, this trip means so much to me and San Francisco,” Chu said. “We continue to recognize all of the contributions by our Chinese American community that helps [build] this city.”



Chinese media has followed Breed closely during the trip. Even her “fusion” food at a buffet <a href="https://www.douyin.com/user/MS4wLjABAAAAhNVxGlvMYWXy1QzpFz0HhJ73nDywsAL29zoRfG5GlvY?modal_id=7357962472822770944">made the news</a> as a reporter filmed her putting rice noodles on salad and called it a “mix of Chinese and Western styles.”



After the visit to Shenzhen, Breed traveled to Guangzhou and visited Bruce Lee’s family home. She will head to Beijing on Wednesday morning.

Oakland just changed its airport name. San Francisco is pissed

Oakland officials have approved changing the name of the city’s airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport, a controversial move that is ruffling feathers with its neighbor across the water and <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/04/08/san-francisco-oakland-airport-renaming-lawsuit/">could set up a fierce legal battle</a>.



Port of Oakland commissioners gave the official thumbs up in a unanimous vote on Thursday, doing away with the Metropolitan Oakland International Airport moniker to better advertise, in their view, the travel hub’s proximity to the San Francisco Bay and bring in more service. 



The site’s three-letter code, OAK, will stay the same.



&#8220;This is to boost Oakland,&#8221; said Danny Wan, executive director of the East Bay city&#8217;s port, during Thursday&#8217;s meeting. &#8220;This is to bring more business to Oakland.&#8221; 



Port spokesperson Robert Bernardo said the name change must go through a second reading among the commissioners for it to be officially implemented.



But the simple name swap, which is expected to cost $150,000 in operating expenses, could carry legal penalties.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1359" height="906" src="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/inlined04_20240115laborwar.jpg?w=1359" alt="Mayor London Breed talks with City Attorney David Chiu." class="wp-image-239378" srcset="https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/inlined04_20240115laborwar.jpg 1359w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/inlined04_20240115laborwar.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://content-develop.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/inlined04_20240115laborwar.jpg?resize=768,512 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1359px) 100vw, 1359px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Both Mayor London Breed and City Attorney David Chiu are pushing back against the Oakland airport name change.</figcaption></figure>



On Monday, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu said the city would sue to block the name change. 



<a href="https://www.sfcityattorney.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CAO-Ltr-to-Port-of-Oakland-re-OAK-Renaming.pdf">In a letter</a>, Chiu argued that it would infringe on the trademark of San Francisco International Airport and confuse travelers, especially those coming from abroad.



&#8220;While the proposed new name is very likely to cause confusion and mistakes broadly, the problem will be particularly acute for an audience of international travelers who may not speak or read English,&#8221; Chiu wrote.&nbsp;



Mayor London Breed also called out Oakland’s move, saying the city should try to improve its airport instead of using San Francisco’s name.



&#8220;[Oakland] does not need the name San Francisco as part of its airport to stand out,&#8221; Breed wrote in a letter to Oakland Port Commission President Barbara Leslie.



But the Port of Oakland&#8217;s Wan pushed back on those claims on Thursday.



&#8220;This is really not about San Francisco,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We’re not trying to confuse people. We’re not trying to copy them.&#8221;



In a statement on Thursday, City Attorney Chiu wrote, “We are disappointed that Oakland did not take the opportunity to work collaboratively with us to develop alternative names and to avoid litigation. We will have further updates in the coming days.”



A spokesperson with the San Francisco Mayor’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.



Oakland port officials conducted polling that shows over half of Oakland residents and the broader East Bay are comfortable with the name change. About two-thirds said they were in support after reviewing information about how the action could improve demand and bring more flights to the airport. 



The survey was conducted in 2023 with over 1,400 East Bay registered voters.











“The airline industry is perceived as being reluctant to sustain certain new routes and destinations to and from OAK, in large part based on the lack of awareness of OAK’s geographic advantages and the centrality of Oakland to the San Francisco Bay by air travelers residing outside of the local region,” a memo from Thursday’s name change vote reads.



This week, <a href="https://develop.sfstandard.com/2024/04/10/oakland-airport-rename-ideas/">The Standard turned to readers to crowdsource names</a> for Oakland’s airport. The ideas included names like, “Raiders Airport of Las Vegas in California,” “Brokeland International,” “No Sports San Francisco Bay Area International Airport,” “The Athletics-Raiders-Warriors Departure Field” and finally, “The There&#8217;s No There There International Airport,” a nod to Gertrude Stein.

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