San José leaders have announced a new and controversial plan as part of their efforts to end street homelessness. ‘Homeward Bound’ will offer to send unhoused residents to family or friends who are willing to take them in. Mayor Matt Mahan says it’s an additional tool to get people off the streets, while some homelessness advocates say it’s an ineffective and inhumane approach.

This episode was produced by Jessica Kariisa, Mel Velasquez, and Tessa Paoli, and guest hosted by Alan Montecillo.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this edition of the Bay’s monthly news roundup, Alan, Jessica, and intern Mel talk about renewed fears of real estate development at San Francisco’s Presidio, an increase in FasTrak scam texts, and concerns around two famous peregrine falcons at UC Berkeley.

Links:

• Trump Order Revives Fears of Real Estate Push for San Francisco’s Presidio
• Bay Area FasTrak scams are surging — again: ‘It’s been nonstop’
• UC Berkeley falcons Annie and Archie are missing. Is bird flu the cause?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new “triage center” in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood opened in early February. It’s one of Mayor Daniel Lurie’s first tangible initiatives to address the city’s fentanyl crisis as he embarks on his first year in office. A second center is also planned in the Tenderloin. KQED’s Sydney Johnson visited the new center and tells us what she saw.

This episode was produced by Jessica Kariisa, Mel Velasquez, and Tessa Paoli, and guest hosted by Alan Montecillo.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco’s sanctuary policies have been contested repeatedly since they were first enacted in the 1980s following an immigration raid at a Mission District dance club that left dozens of people detained for hours — some U.S. citizens. So what can the history of challenges against the city’s sanctuary policies tell us about President Donald Trump’s threats to it today?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Affected faculty and students at Sonoma State University were caught off guard over plans to slash entire academic departments and NCAA sports programs last month. Could these cuts at SSU signal what’s to come for more campuses in the California State University system?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cities across California are cracking down on homeless encampments following a Supreme Court ruling last year giving local governments the O.K. to do so. Fremont recently took a bigger step than most, by also prohibiting anyone from “aiding and abetting” camping on public property and private land. 

This episode was hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra and produced by Mel Velasquez, Jessica Kariisa and Alexander Gonzales

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some Black churches in the Bay Area are retrofitting themselves to become “resilience hubs” in the event of a major storm or climate-related event. It’s part of a national movement called Green The Church, an organization merging the Black faith community and environmental justice.

This episode first ran on Oct. 28, 2024

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, we asked listeners to share their stories about dating in the Bay Area. Today, we meet some daters from all around the region and hear how they're navigating the highs and lows of the Bay Area dating scene. 

This episode was hosted by Jessica Kariisa. Mel Velasquez and Dana Cronin produced this episode, with additional support from Ericka Cruz Guevarra.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Soaring demand for AI has accelerated the building of massive data centers to support the technology, including in the Bay Area. As more centers are built, local residents and environmentalists are concerned about how they disrupt local communities and pose significant health and environmental risks.

Links

• As California AI Data Centers Grow, So Does Dirty Energy

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On February 5, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, fulfilling a promise he made on the campaign trail. Subsequently, the U.S. Department of Education announced an investigation into San Jose State University for allowing a transgender athlete to play on the volleyball team. Today, we’re revisiting an episode from December 2024 about how San Jose State’s volleyball team got caught up in the fight over women’s sports. 

This episode first ran on Dec. 4, 2024.

Links:

• NCAA Bars Trans Athletes as Federal Officials Launch Investigation of San José State

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On February 1, 2025 a massive fire broke out at the Martinez Refinery Company’s petroleum refinery leading to unsafe air conditions and a shelter in place order. It’s the third major incident at the refinery in the past five years. KQED’s Julie Small explains what led to the fire and how residents are responding.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices