Alexandra Shepard is SF's First Inspector General

Published October 31, 2025

https://growsf.org/news/2025-10-31-first-inspector-general/

The Facts

A committee including Mayor Daniel Lurie, the City Attorney, and the Controller has selected Alexandra Shepard to be San Francisco's first-ever inspector general, according to Gabe Greschler at The Standard. Shepard is an assistant U.S. attorney who helped prosecute former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru and send him to prison for seven years for taking over $260,000 in bribes from contractors.

The Context

The position of Inspector General was created by November 2024's Proposition C, which passed with over 60% voter support. As inspector general, Shepard will have powerful investigative tools, including the authority to seek search warrants, review city contracting for abuse, and investigate whistleblower complaints.

The inspector general will operate under the Controller's Office—the city's chief financial watchdog—and will report publicly twice a year. Shepard, a Stanford Law graduate, has previously advised Ukraine on anti-corruption issues for the U.S. Department of Justice.

The GrowSF Take

While GrowSF opposed Proposition C as duplicative of existing oversight authority, the measure passed with strong voter support. With Shepard's appointment, we hope to be proven wrong, and that she shows that this new position will do better at rooting out corruption than existing mechanisms.

Shepard's track record prosecuting the Nuru case demonstrates she has exactly the skills needed to tackle fraud and abuse in city contracting. Her appointment shows city leaders selecting someone with proven expertise rather than a political insider, which gives this new office the best chance to succeed.

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SF to Begin RV Parking Ban With Housing Support

Published October 31, 2025

https://growsf.org/news/2025-10-31-sf-rv-parking-ban-housing-support/

The Facts

On November 1, San Francisco will begin enforcing a new RV parking ordinance, limiting oversized vehicles to two-hour parking in any single location. The legislation, passed in July, includes $108 fines and potential towing for violations.

To support the transition, the city has issued 270 permits to existing RV dwellers, allowing them to park without time limits for six months while they work with case managers according to Sydney Johnson at KQED. The city allocated $12.9 million for the program, which funds 165 rapid rehousing vouchers and a vehicle buyback program offering $3,000 to $7,000 for those who transition to housing, according to Maggie Angst at The Chronicle.

The Context

The number of people living in vehicles in San Francisco rose 37% between 2022 and 2024, with 90% of the city's unsheltered families living in vehicles. The highest concentrations are in Bayview-Hunters Point, the Mission, and near Lake Merced, where residents have reported issues with blocked sight lines, lost parking, and illegal dumping.

The GrowSF Take

The permit system and dedicated vouchers are signs of a government working strategically, offering real alternatives instead of just punishment. By combining accountability with resources, the city can address legitimate resident complaints while treating everyone with dignity.

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Sauter Eliminates North Beach Zoning Restrictions

Published October 30, 2025

https://growsf.org/news/2025-10-30-sauter-eliminates-north-beach-zoning/

The Facts

The Board of Supervisors voted 8-2 on October 28 to eliminate the North Beach Special Use District, passing Supervisor Danny Sauter's ordinance that removes decades-old zoning restrictions. The change allows storefronts to merge into larger spaces and gives more flexibility to the types of businesses allowed to open.

The vote was nearly unanimous, with only Supervisors Connie Chan and Shamann Walton voting against the measure.

The Context

The North Beach Special Use District restrictions were originally authored by former Supervisor Aaron Peskin. The rules dramatically limited the size of retail stores, strictly regulated residential uses above ground floors, and restricted bars and restaurants. These regulations caused North Beach to struggle with vacant storefronts, rising prices, and limited business diversity, and now they're all gone thanks to Supervisor Danny Sauter.

The GrowSF Take

This decisive vote shows the Board's commitment to eliminating bureaucratic barriers that prevent business growth and economic vitality. While opponents framed the discussion around protecting small businesses, the real effect of these old restrictions was artificially limiting options for entrepreneurs and maintaining unnecessary regulatory complexity.

The 8-2 margin shows that most Supervisors recognize that streamlining zoning rules creates opportunity and vibrancy. Sauter's systematic approach to identifying and eliminating dysfunctional regulations is exactly the kind of practical leadership San Francisco needs.

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City Economist Report: Family Zoning Good, but Will Miss State Target

Published October 29, 2025

https://growsf.org/news/2025-10-29-city-economist-family-zoning-plan-miss-target/

The Facts

San Francisco's chief economist Ted Egan released a report Wednesday projecting that the Family Zoning Plan will produce only 14,600 additional homes over the next 20 years—less than half the 36,000 homes required by state law by 2031. Scaling the projection to the 2031 deadline means the plan would only yield around 4,000 new homes, or just 11% of the state-mandated 2031 target.

This is in stark contrast to the Planning Department's own estimates, which range from 39,000 to 64,000 homes.

Egan's analysis may say the plan is coming up short, but that doesn't mean it's bad. In fact, the Chief Economist's analysis shoed the Family Zoning Plan would deliver significant economic benefits, including a 22-to-1 benefit-to-cost ratio. Over 20 years, the plan is expected to generate between $560 million and $940 million in positive GDP impact, create thousands of jobs, and reduce housing prices citywide.

Note, though, that Egan's analysis doesn't factor in the impact of potential regulatory reforms like streamlined approvals, single-stair reform, pre-approved building designs, or other pro-housing measures that could boost production and cause even more economic benefit to the city.

The Context

The state has not issued guidance on how to correctly model housing production under new zoning plans, leading to widely divergent estimates between and within cities.

The state requires San Francisco to adopt a compliant rezoning plan by January 2026 or risk losing local control over housing approvals to the "builder's remedy." The California Department of Housing and Community Development preliminarily approved the Family Zoning Plan in September based on Planning Department projections that it could accommodate up to 64,000 homes.

San Francisco faces a January 31, 2026 deadline to finalize its rezoning or trigger state override mechanisms. The disconnect between planning projections and economic forecasts creates leverage for housing advocates to argue the plan is insufficient, potentially leading to legal challenges like those facing Los Angeles.

The GrowSF Take

Both the Planning Department and the City Economist present reasonable models for the Family Zoning Plan's potential impact. While the Planning Department analysis may be overly optimistic, Egan's projections may be too conservative since they don't factor in additional regulatory reforms.

Still, we're concerned that Egan's findings suggest the family zoning plan will fall significantly short of state housing targets. It's a reminder that just passing a new zoning map isn't sufficient; we must also pass additional reforms to boost housing production.

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SF Taps Reserves to Cover Federal SNAP Cuts

Published October 29, 2025

https://growsf.org/news/2025-10-29-sf-taps-reserves-cover-federal-snap-cuts/

The Facts

San Francisco will cover food assistance for its 112,000 SNAP recipients through an $18 million public-private partnership as federal benefits are set to end on November 1 due to the government shutdown, according to Joe Garofoli and Alexei Koseff at The Chronicle.

Half of the funding comes from a $400 million reserve Mayor Daniel Lurie established this year specifically to buffer against federal funding cuts. The other half will be contributed by the Crankstart Foundation, the family foundation of venture capitalist Michael Moritz. All 11 supervisors have agreed to approve the expenditure.

However, the payments may not be necessary, as two federal judges have ordered that SNAP benefits be paid despite the shutdown.

The Context

On October 1st, Congress failed to pass a funding bill and all non-essential government services were halted. As a result, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last week that it would be unable to distribute SNAP benefits starting November 1.

SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is a federal program that provides food-purchasing assistance to low- and no-income individuals and families. In San Francisco, SNAP benefits are crucial for many residents, with approximately 112,000 people relying on them for food security.

The GrowSF Take

We all deserve a government that works, from local to state to federal levels. When the government fails to meet its obligations, it is heartening to see local leaders in both City Hall and in philanthropy step up to ensure people don't go hungry.

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