The San Francisco Chronicle’s SFNext Project has conducted a scientific poll to find out what residents really think of the city, its government and its problems. Respondents didn’t hold back on what they want solved: Homelessness, crime and affordability. They’re tired of assurances that they’re being heard. They want to see measurable improvements. In open-ended questions about who or what they see as the main obstacle to improvements, a significant number named government. Hear from residents about their concerns and a survey research expert on how reliable and meaningful these results are. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

Fixing Our City is part of the San Francisco Chronicle’s SFNext Project

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The San Francisco Police Department says it’s struggling to meet the city's law enforcement needs because it’s so short staffed. While it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how many officers the SFPD has the budget to hire, the number of applications to its academy has plummeted over the years. San Francisco is not alone in facing waning interest in police careers. Recruiters and marketers say it’s a nationwide challenge. But they also say departments must modernize their approaches, streamline their application processes, and target young people with messages tailored to their generation. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

 

Fixing Our City is part of the San Francisco Chronicle’s SFNext Project

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Above the retail-dominated street level that visitors are familiar with, Chinatown is one of the lowest-income neighborhoods in the city, home to many seniors and recent immigrants. It's been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chinatown Media and Arts Collaborative is establishing a hub called Edge on the Square, where it plans to serve the neighborhood and visitors alike with boundary-pushing art and performances. How can an arts group transform the life of a neighborhood? Co-founder Mabel Teng shares her thoughts with host Laura Wenus. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

Fixing Our City is part of the San Francisco Chronicle’s SFNext Project

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Opening public toilets to address a public urination and defecation problem may not be revolutionary, but San Francisco’s Pit Stop program adds a crucial element: Attendants who make sure the toilets are used for their intended purpose only, clean up the surrounding area, and connect with visitors seeking relief. While resident reports of poop in the streets citywide have increased steadily over the years, data shows that in the Tenderloin, which has a high concentration of Pit Stops, reports have gone down. Neighbors we spoke with have rave reviews, but they want the toilets open longer. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

Fixing Our City is part of the San Francisco Chronicle’s SFNext Project

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Long description: Early in the pandemic, Latinos were disproportionately affected in San Francisco. When testing sites and other resources weren’t commensurately located in the heavily affected Mission District, community leaders from nonprofits came together to form the Latino Task Force. It ensures community members have access to testing, vaccines, PPE, food, and help accessing government programs. And now it’s preparing to face monkeypox too. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

Fixing Our City is part of the San Francisco Chronicle’s SFNext Project

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Before he became the director of San Francisco’s Department of Police Accountability, Paul Henderson had been a top mayoral adviser, a prosecutor and a sought-after lecturer and media guest. He says he’s been detained and arrested eight times for things he didn’t do, and that on his first day in court as an assistant D.A., the judge mistook him for a defendant and lectured him about where to sit. Now, he runs the city agency that audits police practices and issues policy recommendations, and he says the city needs honest conversation and inclusive citizen participation to meaningfully address racism. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

Fixing Our City is part of the San Francisco Chronicle’s SFNext Project

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Has Texas’ largest city found the key to ending chronic homelessness? Houston has drastically reduced the number of homeless people counted every other year, and its collaborative housing-first approach has garnered national attention. SFNext listeners and readers took notice, and told us to find out what Houston’s getting right. So we did. Two Houston homelessness leaders outline their strategy, and San Francisco’s top homelessness official responds with what could be learned and what’s already in progress. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

Fixing Our City is part of the San Francisco Chronicle’s SFNext Project

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When the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED) gave 125 people $500 a month with no strings attached, researchers found that recipients spent money the same way everyone else does: On food, gas, childcare and bills. The experiment, led by then-Mayor Michael Tubbs, drew criticism from people saying the money would disincentivize work, and that recipients would spend it on alcohol or drugs. Researchers found the opposite: The extra cash reportedly empowered people to get full-time and better paying jobs.

San Francisco has launched several guaranteed income pilot programs of its own. In this episode of Fixing Our City, Tubbs and a guaranteed income recipient describe how the payments can help people reach financial stability. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

Fixing Our City is part of the San Francisco Chronicle's SFNext Project.

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Robert Fruchtman attends municipal hearings and meetings where the fates of housing developments or policies hang in the balance, and he takes to Twitter. He’s documenting, but he’s also offering commentary, from the succinct “lol” to more elaborate visual jokes. He volunteers his time knowing that these hearings, which often eat up hours in the middle of workdays, tend to exclude the very people who already have fewer opportunities to bend politicians’ ears. To democratize housing policy, he tells host Laura Wenus, public comment is not the answer. But until things change, he’s bringing politics to the people — one tweet at a time. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

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There was a time when Amsterdam was sick of losing creative people to Berlin because of its vibrant and diverse round-the-clock cultural scene. Much more appealing than the “open air museum” that residents complained Amsterdam had become. So, the Dutch city tried something new, including electing a new night mayor — a liaison between night culture operators and city government who advocated for policies under which a diverse and varied nightlife scene could flourish. Mirik Milan, former night mayor who currently runs a nightlife consultancy, talks about what worked, the benefits to the city as a whole and what obstacles cities around the world face right now in revitalizing nightlife. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

Fixing Our City is part of the San Francisco Chronicle's SFNext Project

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