If any readers out there are looking around at San Francisco and feeling frustrated, outraged, and/or ready for some action, I have a potent suggestion to offer you: sign up for a year on the Civil Grand Jury. The Civil Grand Jury is a watchdog agency that investigates goings on

The scene at Standing Rock is like a medieval morality play, pitting good against evil. Of all the nightmares in America today, one stands out as a symbol of everything that’s wrong: the Dakota Access Pipeline. As a symbol of all that’s right, we have the Standing Rock Sioux and

Why the new hi-rises built on landfill are in big trouble, and why Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are the best option for increasing density in San Francisco

Yes, the city needs more housing, and here are 11 reasons why Accessory Dwelling Units are a better alternative to high rises. The city’s housing crisis triggers endless arguments about what to do. Opinions run the gamut from the build-build-build school of thought to the protectors of the status quo, with

It seems like Hillary has sewn up the nomination, but in a lot of ways, Bernie also won. Anything could happen, in this strange election cycle, but it appears that—barring unforeseen circumstances—Hillary Clinton will be the first female president of the United States. It’s about time we had a woman

The media’s buzzing with the old news of artists’ displacement in San Francisco. Every month the remaining members of the city’s arts community mourn the loss of yet another place where creative people lived or worked together for years. The cause celebre of artist David Brenkus ‘s eviction from his

The average life expectancy for a homeless person is 30 years less than people who have shelter. It doesn’t have to be this way. In Germany for example there’s a much better system…

The annual changes in building codes, one building inspector told me, occur to insure that there’s always work in construction. It has nothing to do with public safety.