Two S.F. billionaires spent $1.5M against Daniel Lurie. Now they’re spending millions for him. Two S.F. billionaires were on opposite sides of 2024 mayor’s race and sought to defeat Daniel Lurie. They’re now bankrolling his agenda.

Michael Moritz and Chris Larsen were on opposite sides of 2024 mayor’s race and sought to defeat Daniel Lurie.

They’re now bankrolling Lurie's agenda.

via @kellywaldron.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2026/04/sf-m...

My colleague @stjbs.bsky.social and I spent months working on this new @sfchronicle.com investigation into each of the 48 deaths in ICE custody since the start of 2025. Powerful work as well by our data viz colleague Nami Sumida and
@santiagomejia.bsky.social www.sfchronicle.com/projects/202...

The five neighborhoods with dedicated reporters are:

—The Sunset
—The Richmond
—The Tenderloin
—Bayview-Hunters Point
—and of course, the Mission District

We'll continue providing citywide coverage, we'll be telling stories from everywhere, but we will focus on these areas.

Arrests behind closed doors: How ICE traps immigrants at routine appointments New data shows at least 539 people were arrested at routine immigration appointments last year in San Francisco.

A new analysis suggests at least half of arrests in San Francisco during the first ten months of President Trump’s administration occurred after private routine immigration appointments.

Here is a look inside those appointments.

missionlocal.org/2026/03/sf-i...

Hidden from sight: New analysis shows half of local ICE arrests happened behind closed doors Unlike other cities, most arrests in San Francisco happened at ICE field offices rather than out in the community.

A new analysis suggests that at least half of the ICE arrests that occurred in and around S.F. were at routine immigration appointments.

Those arrests were at private ICE field offices and, unlike the courthouse arrests, hidden from public scrutiny.

missionlocal.org/2026/03/sf-i...

Meet the District 2 Candidates: Should S.F. loosen rules for planting and removing trees? Candidates Stephen Sherrill and Lori Brooke felt differently about letting homeowners and developers pay a fee instead of planting a tree

Should S.F. loosen rules for planting and removing trees?

This week D2 candidates Sherrill and Brooke offer different views on letting homeowners and developers pay a fee instead of planting trees.

via @io-y-g.bsky.social and @kellywaldron.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2026/03/meet...

Mayor Lurie blamed S.F. ‘group’ for antisemitic chants. Video, witnesses reveal an uninvited, raving woman. Mayor Daniel Lurie's version of events went viral internationally and led to online opprobrium against San Francisco. It was inaccurate.

Mayor Lurie yesterday blamed a "group of individuals" for antisemitic chants at a San Francisco protest.

The mayor's version was inaccurate. Video & witnesses reveal a lone, uninvited raving woman.

But the statements led to viral online opprobrium.

missionlocal.org/2026/02/sf-m...

Here’s how many S.F. politicians have kids — and send them to public school San Francisco politicians have been voicing support for teachers on strike and urging that a deal get done

How many S.F. politicians send their kids to public school?

via @io-y-g.bsky.social, graphic by @kellywaldron.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2026/02/sf-p...

How much do S.F. teachers make vs. city workers? Much less. The average schoolteacher makes $20K less than the average librarian, and a whole lot less than police, firefighters, leg aides, and nurses.

San Francisco teachers will enter their 4th day on strike Thursday, unless a deal is made late tonight.

Negotiations have centered on wages, among other issues, so we asked: How much do teachers make vs. city workers?

On average, less—much less.

missionlocal.org/2026/02/sf-t...

Play BINGO along with Mission Local for Mayor Lurie's first 'State of the City' address We'll be listening for the Mayor's signature catchphrase “Let’s go, San Francisco!” and other familiar phrases

"LET'S GO, SAN FRANCISCO!"

Mark it, Dude!

Play BINGO along with Mayor Daniel Lurie's State of the City address with our Daniel Lurie BINGO board!

missionlocal.org/2026/01/sf-d...

We asked every S.F. politician about the Marina Safeway proposal. Here are their answers. San Francisco's elected officials and significant candidates for office are put on the spot and on the record

We asked every San Francisco politician for their position on the Marina Safeway development (on the site of Armistead Maupin's "Social Safeway").

Here are all the answers

missionlocal.org/2025/12/sf-m...

Why is San Francisco’s pro-housing mayor opposing new housing in the Marina? Mayor Daniel Lurie is against a 25-story waterfront tower in the Marina, one of the city’s toniest enclaves

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has been advocating for pro-housing policies like upzoning.

So why is he opposing new housing in the Marina, one of the city's toniest enclaves?

via @io-y-g.bsky.social & @kellywaldron.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/12/sf-m...

DoorDash wants to test drones in the Mission. Some are pushing back. DoorDash plans to launch a drone testing site on Folsom Street, but the Teamsters Union Local No. 665 is pushing back.

There’s a battle brewing over drones – and jobs – in the Mission.

DoorDash, the on-demand delivery app, plans to launch a drone testing site on Folsom Street, but the Teamsters Union Local 665 is pushing back.

via @kellywaldron.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/11/sf-d...

Trump says San Francisco ‘went wrong.’ Crime data shows otherwise. Homicides are their lowest since 1954, robberies since 1985, and smash-and-grabs are down by more than half since 2022.

Trump says San Francisco ‘went wrong,' but crime data shows otherwise.

Homicides are their lowest since 1954, robberies since 1985, and smash-and-grabs are down by more than half since 2022.

via @kellywaldron.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/10/trum...

A new amendment to S.F.'s zoning plan would exempt some 84,000 rent controlled units -- that's about 46% of all units in the current proposal.

Explore our map to see the changes:

w/ @io-y-g.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/10/rent...

Most rent-controlled buildings to be exempted from S.F. upzoning plan Mayor Lurie makes a deal with Myrna Melgar, D7 supe who criticized lack of tenant protections in zoning plan.

Rent-controlled buildings with three or more units will be exempted from SF's upzoning plan.

See how the map changes in our article below.

via @io-y-g.bsky.social and @kellywaldron.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/10/rent...

A slide showing the presenters of this AccessFest panel called Data reporting for smaller newsrooms. This features Cody Lillich, Kate Martin, Justin Myers and Kelly Waldron. AccessFest is an online conference sponsored by Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE)

Looking for tips as one of your organization's few data reporters? Are you a lonely coder? Check out our AccessFest panel in 30 minutes where you will learn tips and tricks, for beginners to experienced reporters @ire.org

District 2’s Stephen Sherrill isn’t saying no to upzoning “I feel strongly that no is not the answer,” said Sherrill, closely echoing remarks made on Monday by Mayor Daniel Lurie.

District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill is not against Mayor Lurie’s proposal to upzone San Francisco, he said.

The alternative, he warned, would be far worse.

via @kellywaldron.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/10/sf-u...

More analysis:

missionlocal.org/2025/09/sf-d...

Those precincts also represent Engardio's political base that helped him get elected in 2022.

Precincts that most strongly rejected Joel Engardio's Prop. K to close the Great Highway are also the precincts that most strongly supported the recall.

Joel Engardio recall live updates: volunteers for the recall are knocking on doors District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio is facing a recall today — check here for live updates, results, and election analysis.

TODAY: Mission Local has reporters across District 4 for live updates and analysis on the recall election of Supervisor Joel Engardio.

Results are expected at 8:45 p.m.

Follow along:

missionlocal.org/2025/09/sf-j...

Lurie: $750M state loan to save Bay Area transit, nixed by Newsom, is back in play Mayor Lurie announced at a rally that the transit funding loan pledged by the state and subsequently curtailed is back on the table.

On Monday, Mayor Daniel Lurie announced at a rally that a $750 million emergency transit funding loan is back on the table.

It remains unclear why the loan, which was approved and allocated for in the June State budget, is in flux.

via @kellywaldron.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/09/sf-7...

So proud of my friends at Mission Local Guild for their new union!

Exciting news! We, Mission Local staff, are forming a union.

Read our Mission Statement below.

cwalocals.org/mission-loca...

Mayor Lurie takes credit for immigrant legal funding he didn’t deliver Lurie’s office touted a private philanthropic grant as their doing. In reality, Lurie has declined to renew funding for immigrant defense.

The release went out on Aug. 5: Mayor Lurie "secures" $3.4M for immigrant legal defense, his team wrote, despite a "historic" deficit.

It wasn't so—Lurie didn't help w/the money, but he did take credit.

In fact, he opted not to renew immigrant legal aid.

missionlocal.org/2025/08/sf-m...

Nonprofit news sites are built to generate impact — but these are also generating audiences In markets large and small, these nonprofit news organizations are achieving traffic numbers that many commercial outlets would envy. Here's our first monthly ranking of the top 25 nonprofit news site...

Hey! We're one of the top 25 most-read nonprofit news sites *nationally.* That's right! Alongside heavy-hitting folks like ProPublica, Mother Jones, & The Intercept.

We're very proud of this, and thanks to all of you for reading us.

www.niemanlab.org/2025/07/nonp...

There are a variety of reasons why a street might be unaccepted. Examples include: being too narrow, missing a sidewalk, having a stairway. To be accepted a street must meet the city's street-design standards:

sfpublicworks.org/services/acc...

In District 10, 20 percent of roads were never adopted as official city or state roads — leaving residents in charge of repairs and maintenance.