San Francisco, California
SFNEWS TODAYNewsroom · Staff byline
Priya Nair is an SF News Today staff byline covering data journalism, privacy and cybersecurity. This profile collects reporting that uses records and datasets to explain matters of public importance.
Infrastructure · PG&E
Four electrical incidents hit San Francisco in three days. PG&E filings show systematic network-cable replacement was reprioritized, with work expected to ramp up again in 2029.
Housing · Presidio Heights
Two Sept. 28 building-permit applications cover 214 and 36 homes at the former CPMC California campus. They are part of a larger 530-unit redevelopment, but the permits have not yet been issued.
Housing · Rent control
San Francisco did not raise its normal rent-control cap to 10%. The 2026 annual increase remains 1.6%. Here is what “banked” rent, eviction protections and Ellis Act payments actually mean — and what is not law yet.
Transit · Muni fleet
Muni says California’s zero-emission purchasing rules would add at least $452 million to its bus and charging costs over the next five years, potentially forcing money away from transit service.
Transit · Muni operators
After a second fatigue-linked Muni rail incident in less than a year, SF News Today examined the contract, rest rules and pay structure governing San Francisco transit operators — and what the public data still cannot tell us.
Guide · Earthquake safety
How to check whether a San Francisco property is affected, what retrofit costs depend on, which 2026 grant may help and where owners and tenants can find official records.
City Hall · Waterfront
Tree removal has begun as part of the $40 million Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park renovation. The city says the trees will be replaced and the finished park will have the same total tree count.
Housing · SoMa
A fresh building permit and an August OSHA inspection appeared after financing trouble at the 202-unit SoMa affordable-housing project. Neither record, by itself, proves full tower construction has restarted.
Business · Food safety
The latest published open-data batch shows red closure results for Mason Deli and Market and Noriega Cafe on Aug. 14. San Francisco’s placard system turns on severity and correction, not simply the number of violations.
City Hall · Public toilets
Public Works asked for $9.3 million to restore the Pit Stop network to 30 locations after a 21% rise in 311 steamer requests involving biowaste. The approved budget did not fund the full restoration.
Street Safety · Data
Sunday’s crash caused minor injuries. The larger 2026 story is that fatal or severe-injury crashes reached 100 in the first half, while serious harm remains concentrated on a small share of streets.
Public Safety · Surveillance
Proposition E passed 54–46 in 2024. Two years later, SFPD can combine drones, license-plate alerts and a 24-hour real-time center to follow suspects across the city. Is this what voters understood they were approving?
Housing · Earthquake safety
The new state grant targets five-to-10-unit buildings. San Francisco’s mandatory program includes larger properties, including a tier for buildings with 15 or more units.
Housing · ADUs
The city added 223 completed or legalized accessory dwelling units in 2025, down from 330 in 2021. A faster Planning review does not guarantee a finished home.