Kelly Waldron

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.

Several city workers arrested during protest at Board of Supervisors meeting Several union workers were arrested during a protest at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday at City Hall.

JUST IN: Several city workers were arrested during a protest during the Board of Supervisors meeting at City Hall.

Some 100 union members had interrupted the meeting to call attention to the mayor's proposed layoffs.

via @kellywaldron.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/06/unio...

Mayor Lurie wants to cut 1,400 positions. Only 1/3 will save S.F. money. A closer look at budget documents reveals that the true number of consequential eliminated positions is much lower: some 470 positions.

Mayor Lurie dropped his budget proposal on Friday, proclaiming that over 1,400 S.F. government positions would be eliminated in an effort to close the city’s deficit.

But only a third of those cuts would lead to any budget savings.

via @kellywaldron.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/06/mayo...

JUST IN: On Friday Mayor Lurie unveiled his two-year budget proposal.

The proposal preserves funding for public safety and street conditions, but slashes nonprofit spending by some $100M and eliminates around 100 city workers.

missionlocal.org/2025/05/luri...

What does the mayor directly control in S.F.’s budget? San Francisco has a $15.9 billion budget. The mayor only controls a fraction of that.

San Francisco has a $15.9B budget. The mayor only has direct control over a fraction of that.

Here's how different funds are baked into the city's budget:

via @kellywaldron.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/05/what...

Mayor Lurie promised 1,500 new shelter beds. Here’s how he’s doing. Mayor Daniel Lurie has an audacious goal: standing up 1,500 new shelter and treatment beds in San Francisco. And we are tracking it.

ICYMI: Mayor Daniel Lurie promised 1,500 new shelter beds.

We are tracking his progress.

And here's how he's doing so far.

missionlocal.org/2025/05/dani...

Explore: San Francisco's $15.9B budget San Francisco is on the eve of $782M in budget cuts. Here's what we’re working with.

San Francisco is on the eve of $782M in budget cuts.

Here’s the $16B budget we’re working with.

via @kellywaldron.bsky.social

missionlocal.org/2025/05/expl...