San Francisco

blue

Axios San Francisco Partners

San Francisco Alerts

Alert

A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting San Francisco.

Axios San Francisco Thought Bubble

Thought Bubble

Get smarter, faster on what matters in San Francisco with Nadia Lopez and Shawna Chen.

Axios San Francisco

Standard

San Francisco Members

Membership

Inside San Quentin's effort to redefine prison life

A former symbol of mass incarceration now trains inmates in coding, journalism and filmmaking.

News

For decades, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="San Quentin" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/04/02/san-quentin-state-prison-rehabilitation-project?utm_" data-vars-content-id="a4818f4a-c154-44c2-b995-6a40d40eba5a" data-vars-headline="Inside San Quentin&#x27;s effort to redefine prison life" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/04/02/san-quentin-state-prison-rehabilitation-project?utm_" target="_self">San Quentin</a> stood as a symbol of America&#x27;s harshest era of incarceration, housing California&#x27;s death row and many of the state&#x27;s most <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="dangerous offenders" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-inmates-at-san-quentin-state-prison/treadlightly" data-vars-content-id="a4818f4a-c154-44c2-b995-6a40d40eba5a" data-vars-headline="Inside San Quentin&#x27;s effort to redefine prison life" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-inmates-at-san-quentin-state-prison/treadlightly" target="_blank">dangerous offenders</a>.The big picture: But now, in a transformation that would have sounded implausible even a decade ago, the state&#x27;s oldest prison is trying to reinvent itself as something closer to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Scandinavian-style" data-vars-click-url="https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-48885846" data-vars-content-id="a4818f4a-c154-44c2-b995-6a40d40eba5a" data-vars-headline="Inside San Quentin&#x27;s effort to redefine prison life" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-48885846" target="_blank">Scandinavian-style</a> rehabilitation facility — one centered on education and second chances.

Nothing quizzical about the Friday SF News Quiz!

If there's a better way to start a long holiday weekend, we don't wanna know about it.

A long and overindulgent weekend awaits, but before that, we are back for another edition of your favorite thing on the internet.<ul><li>That&#x27;s right, it&#x27;s Friday SF News Quiz time! Time to test your smarts. </li></ul>

Nancy Pelosi backs Connie Chan in high-stakes congressional race

Pelosi's endorsement gives Connie Chan a late boost as voters cast ballots.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi endorsed Supervisor <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Connie Chan" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/11/20/connie-chan-pelosi-congress-race" data-vars-content-id="fea9a81e-3a9a-4852-b4d0-af7bc7bdf063" data-vars-headline="Nancy Pelosi backs Connie Chan in high-stakes congressional race" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/11/20/connie-chan-pelosi-congress-race" target="_self">Connie Chan</a> this week in the race to<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" succeed her in Congress" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/01/08/san-francisco-pelosi-successor-congress-race-2026-district-11" data-vars-content-id="fea9a81e-3a9a-4852-b4d0-af7bc7bdf063" data-vars-headline="Nancy Pelosi backs Connie Chan in high-stakes congressional race" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/01/08/san-francisco-pelosi-successor-congress-race-2026-district-11" target="_self"> succeed her in Congress</a>, delivering a major boost to a candidate who has struggled to keep pace with her better-funded rivals.Why it matters: Pelosi&#x27;s 11th-hour backing could prove decisive in the high-stakes primary, potentially helping consolidate traditional Democratic voters behind Chan while tying her candidacy to one of the most powerful political networks in the country.

Muni rail ridership hits post-pandemic high

Passenger trips on Muni's rail line have trailed behind buses in the last five years.

More San Franciscans are riding Muni rail after years of stalled ridership, new data suggests.Why it matters: Officials are cautiously optimistic that ridership increases represent a sustained comeback. But SF&#x27;s transit authority is still on the edge of a fiscal cliff and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="potential service cuts" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/04/21/san-francisco-muni-budget" data-vars-content-id="ab4ab8d0-f01a-48a5-8b97-fd67389d7538" data-vars-headline="Muni rail ridership hits post-pandemic high" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/04/21/san-francisco-muni-budget" target="_self">potential service cuts</a>.

Special BARTy car signals return of BART train wraps

The new pilot will explore the feasibility of wraps as an additional revenue source amid looming fiscal cliffs.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="BART" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/09/11/newsom-support-public-transit-muni-bart-rescue-loan-california" data-vars-content-id="a887d6ed-8474-40d3-8d33-8f3cdd060f6f" data-vars-headline="Special BARTy car signals return of BART train wraps" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/09/11/newsom-support-public-transit-muni-bart-rescue-loan-california" target="_self">BART</a> is exploring a return to colorfully wrapped train cars — starting with an adorable design spotlighting the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="beloved mascot BARTy" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2023/06/01/bart-anime-mascots-riders" data-vars-content-id="a887d6ed-8474-40d3-8d33-8f3cdd060f6f" data-vars-headline="Special BARTy car signals return of BART train wraps" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2023/06/01/bart-anime-mascots-riders" target="_self">beloved mascot BARTy</a>.Why it matters: Ad placements were a common part of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="BART&#x27;s legacy fleets" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2024/04/17/bart-legacy-train-farewell-ride" data-vars-content-id="a887d6ed-8474-40d3-8d33-8f3cdd060f6f" data-vars-headline="Special BARTy car signals return of BART train wraps" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2024/04/17/bart-legacy-train-farewell-ride" target="_self">BART&#x27;s legacy fleets</a> before the trains were retired in 2024. Now, it could serve as an additional revenue source <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="amid looming fiscal cliffs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.bart.gov/about/financials/crisis" data-vars-content-id="a887d6ed-8474-40d3-8d33-8f3cdd060f6f" data-vars-headline="Special BARTy car signals return of BART train wraps" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.bart.gov/about/financials/crisis" target="_blank">amid looming fiscal cliffs</a>.

What San Francisco readers really think about Waymo

Waymo hints at safer streets, but trust issues and strange behavior still shape rider opinion.

Transit

Self-driving cars have become as much a part of San Francisco&#x27;s streetscape as cable cars and fog, but the rise of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Waymo" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2025/05/28/waymo-san-francisco-driverless-car" data-vars-content-id="7fe71ae4-b189-48c0-a2bd-384a815cb060" data-vars-headline="What San Francisco readers really think about Waymo" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2025/05/28/waymo-san-francisco-driverless-car" target="_self">Waymo</a> has brought a mix of optimism, skepticism and at times <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="outright bewilderment" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/01/09/waymo-outage-stalled-response-delay" data-vars-content-id="7fe71ae4-b189-48c0-a2bd-384a815cb060" data-vars-headline="What San Francisco readers really think about Waymo" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/01/09/waymo-outage-stalled-response-delay" target="_self">outright bewilderment</a>.<ul><li>Robotaxi backers cite sharply lower pedestrian <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="injury rates," data-vars-click-url="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://waymo.com/safety/impact&amp;sa=D&amp;source=docs&amp;ust=1777669668294700&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Mr4NLs4adoQ2W54wr77qz" data-vars-content-id="7fe71ae4-b189-48c0-a2bd-384a815cb060" data-vars-headline="What San Francisco readers really think about Waymo" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://waymo.com/safety/impact&amp;sa=D&amp;source=docs&amp;ust=1777669668294700&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Mr4NLs4adoQ2W54wr77qz" target="_blank">injury rates,</a> but concerns over driving performance, data privacy and jobs continue to drive resistance. </li></ul>We invited readers to weigh in with their Waymo stories — here&#x27;s what you shared.

Big drop in speeding fuels demand for more cameras

One year into their launch at 33 locations, the conversation is shifting toward rapid expansion.

San Francisco&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="33 speed cameras" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/08/05/speeding-fines-now-enforced-by-sf-cameras" data-vars-content-id="c5759698-a133-48a1-b7d4-a288b5028158" data-vars-headline="Big drop in speeding fuels demand for more cameras" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/08/05/speeding-fines-now-enforced-by-sf-cameras" target="_self">33 speed cameras</a> have led to a nearly 80% reduction in the share of drivers traveling at least 10 mph above the speed limit since launching in March of last year, per SFMTA data released Wednesday.Why it matters: Critics have long <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="expressed concern" data-vars-click-url="https://www.aclunorcal.org/news/california-s-surveillance-systems-have-once-again-become-major-liability/#:~:text=According%20to%20Politicians%20and%20business%20leaders%2C%20surveillance,scrutinize%2C%20understand%2C%20oversee%2C%20and%20dismantle%20surveillance%20systems." data-vars-content-id="c5759698-a133-48a1-b7d4-a288b5028158" data-vars-headline="Big drop in speeding fuels demand for more cameras" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.aclunorcal.org/news/california-s-surveillance-systems-have-once-again-become-major-liability/#:~:text=According%20to%20Politicians%20and%20business%20leaders%2C%20surveillance,scrutinize%2C%20understand%2C%20oversee%2C%20and%20dismantle%20surveillance%20systems." target="_blank">expressed concern</a> over privacy, surveillance and racial equity issues. But now that the numbers are in, some are shifting the debate from whether the cameras should exist to how fast they can scale.

San Francisco approves Muni budget — but bigger crisis looms

Deficits could still force major Muni cuts without new funding.

Facing a massive deficit, San Francisco transportation leaders on Tuesday unanimously approved a two-year operating budget, but whether it holds depends on voters this November.The big picture: The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency&#x27;s budget for the next two fiscal years staves off immediate service cuts and bridges a major deficit, but long-term financial stability hinges on whether <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="two" data-vars-click-url="https://connectbayarea.com/" data-vars-content-id="8368bf75-816e-4f4e-9e0d-6bf9c47c839e" data-vars-headline="San Francisco approves Muni budget — but bigger crisis looms" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://connectbayarea.com/" target="_blank">two</a><a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" crucial funding proposals" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/03/03/sf-ballot-measure-muni-parcel-tax-renters-homeowners-bart-public-transit-november" data-vars-content-id="8368bf75-816e-4f4e-9e0d-6bf9c47c839e" data-vars-headline="San Francisco approves Muni budget — but bigger crisis looms" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/03/03/sf-ballot-measure-muni-parcel-tax-renters-homeowners-bart-public-transit-november" target="_self"> crucial funding proposals</a> pass in the fall.

What San Franciscans have to say about unsafe driving

Axios SF readers pointed to drivers blowing through red lights amid weak enforcement and a slow city response.

Last week&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="newsletter on street safety" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-san-francisco-77c65ecd-74cc-4569-906b-47173cb6e89b.html" data-vars-content-id="ac2db2e3-ad77-4381-ba67-d028ad4b19f6" data-vars-headline="What San Franciscans have to say about unsafe driving" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-san-francisco-77c65ecd-74cc-4569-906b-47173cb6e89b.html" target="_self">newsletter on street safety</a> resonated with a lot of you, and you shared your thoughts.The big picture: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="An Axios analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/03/30/sf-10-streets-pedestrian-crash-hotspots" data-vars-content-id="ac2db2e3-ad77-4381-ba67-d028ad4b19f6" data-vars-headline="What San Franciscans have to say about unsafe driving" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/03/30/sf-10-streets-pedestrian-crash-hotspots" target="_self">An Axios analysis</a> found that 10 streets account for about a third of all vehicle-pedestrian <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="injury crashes" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/03/26/sf-most-severe-crashes-map-high-injury-network" data-vars-content-id="ac2db2e3-ad77-4381-ba67-d028ad4b19f6" data-vars-headline="What San Franciscans have to say about unsafe driving" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/03/26/sf-most-severe-crashes-map-high-injury-network" target="_self">injury crashes</a> in San Francisco — a pattern that hasn&#x27;t changed since before the pandemic.

We ranked BART station bathrooms so you know where to go

You're lying if you've never found yourself scrambling for a toilet at the most inopportune times.

Though I usually try to avoid public restrooms, I found myself bracing to use one at BART&#x27;s Daly City station before the Chinese <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="New Year Parade" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2024/02/23/lunar-new-year-parades-chinatown-origin-story" data-vars-content-id="e50581d0-535d-4e56-8e54-82508e2e319b" data-vars-headline="We ranked BART station bathrooms so you know where to go" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2024/02/23/lunar-new-year-parades-chinatown-origin-story" target="_self">New Year Parade</a> in March.<ul><li>It was surprisingly clean — which got me wondering: Just how well-maintained are BART&#x27;s toilets?</li></ul>Why it matters: You&#x27;re lying if you&#x27;ve never found yourself scrambling for a toilet at the most inopportune times.

Behind the street safety fix SF advocates say could save lives

It'd involve inserting physical barriers in the road space next to curbs that are within 20 feet of a crosswalk.

&quot;Hardened daylighting&quot; might not be a term most people know. But in San Francisco, street safety advocates want it to be a priority as the city weighs competing projects to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="curb aggressive driving" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/03/30/sf-10-streets-pedestrian-crash-hotspots" data-vars-content-id="b2210545-4fd7-4d09-9d56-0c8fc2f86858" data-vars-headline="Behind the street safety fix SF advocates say could save lives" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2026/03/30/sf-10-streets-pedestrian-crash-hotspots" target="_self">curb aggressive driving</a>.The big picture: Hardened daylighting involves inserting physical barriers including planters, bike or scooter racks in the road space next to daylighted curbs (within 20 feet of a crosswalk), to force drivers to round corners more carefully.

Just 10 SF streets account for a third of car-pedestrian injury crashes

Vehicle-pedestrian crashes have remained steady despite years of safety upgrades.

Ten streets are responsible for about a third of all vehicle-pedestrian injury crashes in San Francisco — a dynamic that hasn&#x27;t budged since before the pandemic, an Axios SF analysis of city data shows.Why it matters: Despite <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Vision Zero" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/05/21/san-francisco-vision-zero-push-pedestrian-deaths" data-vars-content-id="5f7445cb-ddb8-4a77-b8bf-372b62ffdc51" data-vars-headline="Just 10 SF streets account for a third of car-pedestrian injury crashes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/05/21/san-francisco-vision-zero-push-pedestrian-deaths" target="_self">Vision Zero</a> efforts, street redesigns and pandemic-era traffic shifts, pedestrian safety remains a major concern in a city with heavy foot traffic, especially amid a recent string of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="high-profile pedestrian deaths" data-vars-click-url="https://walksf.org/2026/03/13/five-pedestrians-killed-in-just-five-weeks/" data-vars-content-id="5f7445cb-ddb8-4a77-b8bf-372b62ffdc51" data-vars-headline="Just 10 SF streets account for a third of car-pedestrian injury crashes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://walksf.org/2026/03/13/five-pedestrians-killed-in-just-five-weeks/" target="_blank">high-profile pedestrian deaths</a>.

Where SF's most life-threatening crashes are happening

The city's updated High-Injury Network reveals new high-risk roadways as well as some improvements.

Thirteen percent of San Francisco streets are now responsible for 74% of the city&#x27;s worst crashes, per an updated map of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="high-injury roadways" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/05/21/san-francisco-vision-zero-push-pedestrian-deaths" data-vars-content-id="cc340061-5711-4ca8-ab11-16c8f55b01e6" data-vars-headline="Where SF&#x27;s most life-threatening crashes are happening" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/05/21/san-francisco-vision-zero-push-pedestrian-deaths" target="_self">high-injury roadways</a> released Thursday by the mayor&#x27;s office.Why it matters: The new map will shape the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="city&#x27;s priorities" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/12/16/street-safety-plan-traffic-deaths" data-vars-content-id="cc340061-5711-4ca8-ab11-16c8f55b01e6" data-vars-headline="Where SF&#x27;s most life-threatening crashes are happening" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/12/16/street-safety-plan-traffic-deaths" target="_self">city&#x27;s priorities</a> for targeted street safety improvements amid a recent string of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="high-profile pedestrian fatalities" data-vars-click-url="https://walksf.org/2026/03/13/five-pedestrians-killed-in-just-five-weeks/" data-vars-content-id="cc340061-5711-4ca8-ab11-16c8f55b01e6" data-vars-headline="Where SF&#x27;s most life-threatening crashes are happening" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://walksf.org/2026/03/13/five-pedestrians-killed-in-just-five-weeks/" target="_blank">high-profile pedestrian fatalities</a>, which has renewed attention on persistent street safety concerns.

Transit 🚗

Muni rail ridership hits post-pandemic high

Special BARTy car signals return of BART train wraps

What San Francisco readers really think about Waymo

Big drop in speeding fuels demand for more cameras

San Francisco approves Muni budget — but bigger crisis looms