Civic is the flagship audio program from the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit news institution, covering the city and how it works. The radio program airs every weekday on KSFP -LP 102.5 FM in San Francisco.
San Francisco Public Press & KSFP
Decisions by local and state governments have major impacts on our daily lives. But as transparency about those decisions decreases, and underfunded newsrooms struggle to get answers, many affected citizens are taking matters into their own hands.San Francisco Public Press Executive Director Lila LaHood spoke with award-winning journalist Miranda Spivack, author of the forthcoming book, “Backroom Deals in Our Backyards: How Government Secrecy Harms Our Communities — and the Local Heroes Fighting Back.” She shared what she has learned about keeping governments accountable.As mentioned at the end of the episode:How California Utilities Commission Undermines the Public Records ActWeb of corruption: Explore the cronyism, lies, and federal crimes at the heart of San Francisco's government
Increases in the number of migrants arriving in San Francisco have stress-tested the city's shelter system, revealing the dire need for more housing and support for families. We talk to migrant parents driven out of their homes by violence and political upheaval about navigating San Francisco's homeless response system and its impacts on their families' health and wellbeing as they fight for a better future. A housing provider shares the limitations of the city's data on family homelessness, and an immigration attorney tells us how a stable living situation helps migrant families with their court cases.
The impact of the COVID 19 pandemic led to a rise in fatal overdoses among the tens of thousands of Indigenous Mayans living in the Bay area. That alarmed Latinx advocates and officials at the Mexican consulate in San Francisco. Indigenous Latin Americans are categorized as Latinx even though many speak limited Spanish. That means vital information, like drug awareness campaigns and the dangers of fentanyl, may not be reaching the Maya-speaking community. And service providers say culturally-sensitive treatment programs are crucial for healing but are nearly non-existent for the Indigenous population. We discuss the push for change in San Francisco with advocates and health professionals.
The first years of the COVID-19 pandemic are behind us and it's time for an early reckoning of our successes and failures. An epidemiologist shares how a lack of public trust led to unnecessary deaths. AIDS activists discuss the importance of facing trauma and a woman who lost her father to COVID is fighting for a memorial for those who died.
Three years ago, when violence against Asian Americans spiked, local organizations took action to improve public safety. One group, the Coalition for Community Safety and Justice in San Francisco, is still doing that work. In this episode, we join them for one of their recurring community visits in the Richmond District. Outreach workers share how they connect with business owners and residents and help them feel safe.
Lila LaHood, publisher of the San Francisco Public Press, talks with Nuala Bishari from the San Francisco Chronicle, Sydney Johnson from KQED, and Sylvie Sturm from “Civic” and the San Francisco Public Press about their reporting on drug use, public policy and and substance use disorder treatment in San Francisco. They discuss the harm reduction philosophy and practice, San Francisco's inconsistent stance on overdose prevention centers, public safety perceptions, Proposition F, and what other cities are doing to address drug use, sales and treatment in their communities.
Election Special: Voters in San Francisco registered with the Peace & Freedom, Green, Republican or Democratic parties have extra choices in the March 5th election that only come around once every four years — the party county central committees. We talk to a political strategist to discuss the power dynamics of these committees in San Francisco and find out what voters are tasked to choose. We also hear from representatives of each of these parties to learn a bit more about how they operate.Democratic County Central Committee: https://www.sfdemocrats.org/our-party/the-dcccRepublican Party of San Francisco: https://www.sfgop.org/aboutGreen Party of San Francisco: https://www.sfgreenparty.org/about-usPeace and Freedom Party of California: https://www.peaceandfreedom.us/index.php/about-us/about-peace-and-freedomSan Francisco Public Press March 2024 SF Election Guide: https://www.sfpublicpress.org/march-2024-sf-election-guide/
March 2024 Election Special: Mayor London Breed is facing one of the most pivotal moments of her political career as she campaigns for reelection amidst a dual crisis of addiction and homelessness. Her solution is a ballot measure that would compel welfare recipients to submit to drug addiction screening and treatment in order to get cash benefits. We explore the fierce debate that has rippled across San Francisco and beyond, and a very similar measure that catapulted a former San Francisco supervisor onto the national stage and political stardom — Gavin Newsom.
March 2024 Election Special: Why are San Francisco residents being asked to vote on County Superior Court Judges? We talk to University of San Francisco professor of politics Keally McBride about the slate of candidates, how the process works, and what people should be thinking about when considering their vote.
*Audio fixed - Previously uploaded episode was the wrong audio and has been fixed*Fentanyl-related deaths among teens more than tripled across the U.S. from 2019 to 2021. And the CDC reports that two thirds of teens who died had someone nearby who didn't provide an overdose response. Now San Francisco high school students are signing up for training sessions on how to recognize drug abuse and reverse overdoses. And it's not just teens who want to help. City residents are carrying overdose reversal nasal spray in case they come across someone in need of rescuing. But reversing an overdose isn't quite as simple as it might sound. In this sixth and final episode of our series on San Francisco and the overdose crisis, we hear about an organization dedicated to training people on how to reverse overdoses, and we drop in on a session to find out how it's done.
Fentanyl-related deaths among teens more than tripled across the U.S. from 2019 to 2021. And the CDC reports that two thirds of teens who died had someone nearby who didn't provide an overdose response. Now San Francisco high school students are signing up for training sessions on how to recognize drug abuse and reverse overdoses. And it's not just teens who want to help. City residents are carrying overdose reversal nasal spray in case they come across someone in need of rescuing. But reversing an overdose isn't quite as simple as it might sound. In this sixth and final episode of our series on San Francisco and the overdose crisis, we hear about an organization dedicated to training people on how to reverse overdoses, and we drop in on a session to find out how it's done.Narcan resources mentioned in the episode:San Francisco residents can get Narcan from the Community Behavioral Health Services Pharmacy at 1380 Howard Street. Detailed instructions on how to administer Narcan can be found on the DOPE website at harmreduction.org and on YouTube "How to Use Narcan with the DOPE Project."The DOPE Project conducts Narcan distribution and in person trainings at the 6th Street Harm Reduction Center at 117 6th Street, during operating hours, Tuesday to Friday 11 am to 5 pm.
The Fight for Safe Consumption Sites: San Francisco and the Overdose Crisis Part 5As overdose fatalities reach two to three deaths a day in San Francisco, demands for supervised consumption sites are getting more urgent. But city leaders are increasingly reluctant. And health officials who once campaigned for them are now conspicuously silent. We investigate San Francisco's long fight for safe consumption sites and what changed. And we visit an overdose prevention center in New York City that's having a real impact on the neighborhood and people's lives.
The War on Drugs Revisited: San Francisco and the Overdose CrisisSome San Francisco city officials are advocating jail for unhoused people who use drugs and murder charges for people who sell drugs. Critics say their approach mirrors the abysmal failure of the 50-year-old war on drugs. In the fourth episode of our series on San Francisco and the overdose crisis, we take a historical look at the justice system's approach to drugs, its racial inequities, what has changed, and what may be making a comeback.
San Francisco and the Overdose Crisis Part 3*Content Warning: Explicit language and a description of an overdose experience.* San Francisco city officials have decided that arresting unhoused people for using drugs is the way to get them into treatment programs. Critics say jails are no place to get clean. And besides, forcing people into rehab doesn't work. Based on the rate of treatment refusal by those arrested, the critics have a point. In the third episode of our series on San Francisco and the overdose crisis, we take a historical look at policing drug use and the massive hurdles that are getting in the way.
Civic Presents: San Francisco and the Overdose Crisis Part 2While San Francisco is on track to break records for the highest number of fatal overdoses in one year, health experts say the city is failing when it comes to one surefire way to save lives: housing. San Francisco's history has made housing a huge challenge. In this second episode of our series, we take a historical look at the city's homelessness crisis, how it worsens addiction and drug-related fatalities, and how the city is responding.
Civic Presents: San Francisco and the Overdose CrisisSan Francisco is experiencing its worst rate of drug-related fatalities ever, and as city officials impose increasingly punitive measures against people who use and sell drugs, the problem only seems to be getting worse. In this first episode of our series on San Francisco's overdose crisis, we take a historical look at opioid addiction, and we assess the damage of stigma on the city's most vulnerable residents.
Seven months after being violently removed from their grandmother's Santa Cruz home and taken to reunification therapy, Maya and Sebastian take to social media to announce that they have escaped. We touch base with Maya and get an update on the push for reforms.The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides confidential assistance to anyone affected by domestic violence through a live chat and a free 24-hour hotline at 800-799-7233.
San Francisco is considering reparations for Black San Franciscans. To understand why advocates are pushing for reparations in the city, we dive deep into the history of redlining, urban renewal, and other discriminatory housing policies, as well as their impact on two historically Black neighborhoods: the Fillmore and Bayview Hunters Point. The final plan, created by the African American Reparations Advisory Committee, outlines recommendations to address mass incarceration, the war on drugs, disparities in health and education and more. The plan is due June 30th to the Mayor and Board of Supervisors. Go to sfpublicpress.org for the companion piece with a link to the draft plan.
The extreme winter storms put San Francisco's Department of Emergency Management to the test. Early in the storm cycle, the department faced challenges communicating with people experiencing homelessness. Internal confusion over the forecast delayed the opening of its Emergency Operations Center until a major storm was under way. In at least one instance, flood barriers were deployed too late to prevent homes and businesses from being inundated.
Content Warning: Audio of children in distress, discussions of child sexual abuse and child abuse, & swearingWhen a family court rules that a child was brainwashed into lying about parental abuse, judges routinely order the child into programs called reunification camps. The goal is to make the child recant abuse claims and embrace the parent they allege harmed them. The process involves forcibly removing the child from their preferred parent's home and transporting them to a reunification camp in another city or out of state. It's a process that's caused trauma to an untold number of kids. They then go through four days of “deprogramming therapy” at a cost of $25,000 to $40,000, with parents footing the bill. A viral video showing two teens being violently removed from their Santa Cruz home for transport to a reunification camp has now spurred protests and politicians' calls to ban the practice. We dive into what drives reunification camps, their impact on children, and the horrific story of one survivor who is now fighting to shut them down.
Family court judges routinely grant full custody to a parent after a child alleges they're abusing them. That's because they believe the other parent brainwashed their kids into lying about the abuse. The judge's decision is often influenced by a pseudo psychological theory dreamt up 40 years ago by one guy who created a cottage industry out of defending child abusers. That cottage industry has now become a booming business for many family court lawyers. One lawyer we talked to said that in every single one of his cases, the court decided the child was lying about being abused. A ton of those kids are all grown up and say they weren't lying, and were handed over to their abusers. We talked to one who is now fighting against these harmful family court decisions.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides confidential assistance to anyone affected by domestic violence through a live chat at TheHotline.org, a free 24-hour hotline at 800-799-7233 and by texting "START" to 88788.The National Dating Abuse Helpline, can be reached at 1-866-331-9474, by texting "LOVEIS" to 22522, or through live chat at LoveIsRespect.org.More information about Pierce's Pledge can be found at PiercesPledge.org
Content Warning: This episode discusses sensitive topics, including accounts of domestic abuse and violence.
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NEW: Monkeypox emergency declared; Laguna Honda patients can stay; face masks on BART; Supe supports psychedelic mushrooms; SRO workers strike; Mayor veto stands NEXT: Up Your Alley fetish fest & Outside Lands music fest return; Supes on summer recess.
In 1978, the U.S. government created a path to recognizing Indian tribes in the United States. Four years later, the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, a tribe native to Yosemite Valley, submitted their initial request to become a recognized tribe. They're still waiting. We talk to Chairwoman, Sandra Roan Chapman, about her tribe's pursuit for federal recognition. We also explore the nuts and bolts of the process with SFSU professor and journalist Cristina Azocar.
NEW: $28 billion budget passes; DA gets pushback over criminal justice reform; SFPD policy for surveillance camera access; problematic BART plaza fenced off; ballot measures to 1) permit cars on JFK Drive 2) maintain car-free JFK 3) change election schedule. NEXT: monkeypox vaccines; stopping fatal Laguna Honda patient relocation; mayor vetos housing density law; LGBTQ cultural heritage hearing.
A new District Attorney hires new staff and fires staff hired by the previous D.A. We look at the history of the crisis at Laguna Honda Hospital that has displaced some frail and elderly patients. COVID infections on the rise. Our station KSFP-LP is back on the air and the Board of Supervisors looks at new ballot initiatives for November.
In part two of our coverage of the pending closure of Laguna Honda Hospital, we hear about the potential impacts of relocating patients - a directive from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to move all patients out of the facility before applying for recertification in the fall. We also hear about concerns regarding the recertification process and additional efforts to correct issues uncovered during the inspections.
NEW: Mayor picks new DA; prioritizing housing for veterans; Supes demand PG&E accountability. NEXT: Mayor wants watered down ethics rules; changes to Geary Blvd; Department of Homelessness oversight; shifting election years; SFPD improvement update; big money for affordable housing projects.
Nearly 700 live-in patients at Laguna Honda Hospital are in limbo after the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services announced it would pull federal funding following multiple damning inspection reports. San Francisco Department of Public Health officials are scrambling to regain the certification needed for funding. Meanwhile, two former hospital physicians say they warned city officials about a potential crisis nearly 20 years ago.
NEW: Supes, mayor reach $28 billion budget deal; $4M estimate for abortion services; victory for safe consumption; call for city overdose plan; no more slow Lake Street; school board suspends meetings; two controversial housing bills pass; questions over monkeypox. NEXT: nixing new street cleaning department; potential vacant home tax; cost-of-living adjustment for elder city pensioners; shifting the election cycle; abortion rights protests.
NEW: Supreme Court decisions on abortion & gun rights sends city officials scrambling; SFPD won't negotiate budget requests; school board reverses decisions on Lowell High School admission and controversial mural cover-up. NEXT: SFMTA decision makers to vote on union salaries and $7M cost for temporary facility; voters will decide fate of sales tax; SFPD equipment scrutinized; proposal to add gender identity to anti-discrimination rules; mitigating impact of ride-hailing and self-driving passenger service; upcoming 4th of July celebrations; supervisors weigh in on proposed $717M budget.
The largest display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt in ten years took place in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park in June. Now the quilt is being taken on the road to the southern U.S., where new HIV infections and lower levels of treatment for those infected are the highest in the country. We also speak with the White House official overseeing the Biden Administration's response to the pandemic, after resources for HIV care were diverted to battling the COVID pandemic.
NEW: Tenderloin Center will shut down in December; proposed drug enforcement zones; “massive mismanagement” of addiction and mental health services; proposal to permit behested payments; reopen JFK Drive fight continues; money for Asian and Pacific Islander residents; bridge toll crackdown; town halls after traffic deaths. NEXT: expediting housing development; vaccines for young kids; Golden State Warriors parade; racial makeup of city workers; city budget public hearings; Pink Painted Lady owner breaks contract.
NEW: San Francisco recalls DA with 55% in support; voters approve three anti-corruption measures; COVID rates spike while testing sites are defunded NEXT: school board rethinks Lowell High admission changes; public hearing on Laguna Honda shutdown; housing help for low-income residents; law to allow police access private surveillance cameras.
With the proliferation of social media channels, misinformation and disinformation now spread as fast as the click of a trackpad. Even for a trusted outlet like PBS — nationally recognized for its family friendly programming and sober, nonpartisan news coverage — this era has brought a flood of digital rumors to quell. As the public editor at PBS, Ricardo Sandoval Palos fields complaints for the organization and uses community feedback to cultivate conversations between viewers and PBS's creative teams.
NEW: Get nonpartisan analysis of June 2022 ballot measure at sfpublicpress.org; Honey Mahogany will run for District 6 supervisor; Pride Parade organizers & SFPD reach compromise; driverless car service permitted; Mayor London Breed's 2-year, $28B budget. NEXT: Street patrols for every police district; reviewing beleaguered Below Market Rate housing Program; charter amendment to forfeit pensions of city employees found guilty of crimes.
NEW: Supe reacts to mass shootings; schools step up policing; nearly $50M for city center; proposed change to city elections; city sues slumlord; SF population drops. NEXT: Update on botched school payroll; Pink Triangle returns; protest against gun violence.
HIV activists and healthcare professionals are warning city officials that while everyone is paying attention to COVID-19, rates of HIV infection and HIV related illness have been creeping in the wrong direction. We talk to Monica Gandhi, the director of the center for AIDS research at UCSF, about the history of HIV research in San Francisco, how the pandemic affected resources, and her advice for a path forward. We also hear from HIV survivors and SF officials about the importance of inclusion when it comes to funding decisions.
Office of Victim and Witness Rights; Legal Services for Domestic Violence Victims
NEW: Laguna Honda takes another step towards closure; a drop in the city's unhoused population; $1.3 billion shortfall in affordable housing goals; fired anti-vaccine firefighters fight back with misinformation and conspiracy theories NEXT: Resolution to change garbage rates after $23.4 million overbilling revelation; a new Department of Sanitation and Streets; proposal for gun violence trauma response; expanded Castro Theater landmark designation; pushback on proposed homelessness oversight commission.
NEW: A breakthrough in the vehicle smash-and-grab epidemic; police commissioners may ban minor traffic infraction stops; former SFPD communications director appointed to Board of Supervisors; Supervisor wants public parking lots opened to unhoused vehicle dwellers; School District rescinds nearly all lay off notices. NEXT: Supervisors ask state to help beleaguered City College; hearing on shutting down juvenile hall; hearing on funding shortfall for affordable housing; town hall with city's homelessness officials; proposal to protect wrongly evicted tenants.
John Muir is considered the father of the National Parks and has been honored extensively around California. But in 2020, the Sierra Club began reexamining their founder's words. Was John Muir racist? Civic took a trip up to Yosemite to speak with Lee Stetson, a Muir historian and actor, and Sandra Roan Chapman, chairperson of the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, to discuss Muir's legacy, current efforts to increase recognition of and resources for indigenous people, and the impact of the conservation movement in the region.
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