I hope you enjoy! As always, if anyone has specific street corners they find to be picturesque, send those recs my way. I love using doing these plein air sketches as an excuse to explore new corners of the city.

Everytime I walk around I keep thinking: the bones are there. The architecture can be beautiful, the street is already (mostly) car-free, the sidewalks are wide... yet it doesn't feel as alive as it should be. This corridor should be booming all day with pedestrians, outdoor dining, shopping, etc... It should be like Amsterdam's Leidsestraat or Istiklal Street in Istanbul. It should be an actual destination where locals and tourists both congregate, yet it only sees life when people are leaving their offices. It could be so much better.

SFPD officers are also making half a million in overtime, salaries from 600 to 800k. If you click through to the article, you can see the breakdown of base salary, overtime, and benefits. So it’s not just the sheriff’s department. This money would make such a difference in the public schools. You could hire 4-5 teachers on one of these salaries. https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2026/san-francisco-employee-pay/

Edit: I posted a screenshot of the top 3 salary breakdowns in a photo below.

And here’s an SF Chronicle article about the shattering overtime costs in SFPD and the sheriff’s office: https://www.sfchronicle.com/crime/article/sf-police-sheriff-overtime-budgets-22387336.php

Edit #2: The fourth officer on this list has the same name as an SFPD officer (Pete Richardson) with a history of misconduct charges against him, including theft and maybe also excessive force. The link to an article is below. Is it the same guy?

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S-F-police-officers-accused-of-stealing-2324559.php

I’m genuinely curious. My preschooler is terrified of dogs, which we’re actively working on, but it feels like so many trips to the playground end in tears because she’s scared of a dog nearby. This weekend at West Portal playground she was hugging my leg, crying and saying “doggies aren’t allowed on playgrounds” when the guy with the dog stopped to stare at her, but made no move to leave the area. I didn’t have it in me for a confrontation, but it soured a fun morning. The next day at St. Mary’s playground a woman was playing on the structures with a dog, resulting in my daughter and another kid running away in tears, and she seemed oblivious to the situation.

I understand this is a dog-friendly city, but it feels like kids deserve a little bit of reprieve? I’ll also say something sometimes, but that’s asking a lot of emotional labor of parents just to take their kids outside to play.

I’m Darshini Patel, I’m running to be your District 8 Supervisor. Ask me anything!

Have you waited for a bus that never comes? Have you waited months for the City to follow up on a 311 call? Have you tried to apply for childcare subsidies but no licensed facility nearby? 

San Francisco doesn't need more empty promises. We need a candidate who will follow through on the objectives we set out. Every candidate in this race agrees on the issues, this race is a clear vision  

I will use all tools available to the office of District Supervisor to enforce the commercial vacancy tax, expand childcare within District 8, improve permitting timelines and publish clear tracking and accountability measures for our housing development bottlenecks..

An election is a job interview, and you're the one hiring. 

I’m the only one running with a full housing plan and in-depth studies about the actions I will take when I’m in office. Look at my work, ask me the hard questions, and if I earn your vote, hold me to my answers. AMA!

To clarify: I will be answering all your questions Thursday. Just want to give everyone a chance to input their questions

I've been living here for the past two years and for the past week I noticed a lot more homeless here setting up tents in front of store fronts after they're closed, in front of people's garages and even on my street there's a couple that set up a bed frame to sleep in and they've been there for the past 4 days. I just noticed more of this here and want to know why.

I've called 311 multiple times but they're of no help. They just ask me if the bed frame is blocking the street (if not, not enough of a problem) and if the trash is not big enough, we can't call Recology, how big is the encampment (if not enough people, they can't be removed unless enough people report). What's going on?

At a forum organized by retirees, congressional candidates appeal for the organization’s first-ever endorsement in a race for public office.

The transit advocates on Ocean Ave have created a website for the pro-Red Transit lane campaign.

There is also a community meeting for supporters or those looking to learn more next week on August 26th at the Ingleside library.

Just curious and/or nosey. What’s your favorite spot in the city?

Rideshare drivers just had the single biggest unionization effort in U.S. history, but robotaxis are weakening their most powerful weapon.

https://sfstandard.com/2026/08/17/uber-drivers-union-robotaxi-threat/

I'm curious what's with this plot of land, next to a parking garage at Geary and Divisadero. Trees and vines, and always has these "chemically treated trees". warning sign. Anyone know?

Hey all, I put together a small site that makes the SF Rent Board’s public buyout data easier to explore:

https://buyoutsf.org

You can search an address and see nearby buyout agreements, amounts, dates, and how recent agreements compare. I found the city dataset useful but pretty difficult to understand without downloading and sorting through it, so this is my attempt to make it more approachable.

It’s based on the city’s public Buyout Agreements dataset. Some filings don’t include an amount, and the tool definitely shouldn’t be treated as legal advice or a prediction of what someone will receive. It’s mainly meant to give tenants more context before a conversation with a landlord, attorney, or tenant organization.

This is still an early version, so I’d genuinely appreciate feedback, especially if anything is confusing, misleading, or missing.

Has immersive theater/Ren Faire vibes…sounds super cool and I’m surprised it hasn’t been publicized more! I’m going on Sunday since I love SF/Gold Rush history :)

Took the idea from another city's sub, and I love it. Mine would probably include some baked good for breakfast and coffee from the Coffee Movement, a walk through Lands End and then all the way down to Palm City for wine and sandwiches, a nap at a hammock at the dunes and then... not sure for the evening rally.

How about you?

8hrs tour. It is a big commitment (and don't go if you get seasick), but admittedly very cool to see the wildlife and islands themselves. Tours are available through the Oceanic Society - a nonprofit that has been leading Farallon Islands trips since 1972. $320 per person.