South San Francisco · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in South San Francisco public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Vision Zero Action Plan
An update on the Safe Routes to School program, which makes walking and biking to school safer for students and families.
Traffic collision trends in South San Francisco
Police will present quarterly collision statistics, showing how many crashes are happening and where. This data drives the city's bike, pedestrian, and traffic safety priorities.
Grand Boulevard Initiative Phase III completion
The Grand Boulevard Phase III street improvements were scheduled to be formally accepted as complete, wrapping up a roughly $4.75 million construction project on a key city corridor.
Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) program oversight
The city was set to report on the status of its fixed-mount license plate reader cameras, vendor research, and the program's future — and to respond to a county Grand Jury report questioning whether the camera network is properly managed. It's a privacy-versus-public-safety question for residents.
Parks and Recreation Master Plan
The city is spending $406,755 on its first new parks master plan since 2015, guiding the next 10-15 years of park, facility and program investments. Council members flagged a Sunshine Gardens neighborhood park, Celtic Park and Zelda Park as priorities, and residents will weigh in through multilingual surveys and workshops.
Legislative Platform Adoption
The council unanimously endorsed the $11.25 billion Prop 1 housing bond and opposed Prop 43, which would require two-thirds voter approval for citizen-initiated local taxes. Council members warned Prop 43 would make it nearly impossible to fund police, fire and parks locally.
Chestnut Avenue Intersection Median Safety Concerns
A resident on Parkway and Eucalyptus said new intersection medians were installed without notifying neighbors, are blocking buses and possibly fire trucks, and are forcing children to cross in unsafe spots. She asked the council to look at the 700 block of Chestnut.
Oyster Point Marina Landfill Overtopping
The old landfill at the marina — the 'spit' — is overtopped by bay water and the city is already under regulatory notice to fix it. Design work is underway, but the estimated $15 million repair has no identified funding source.
Rotary Gardens Affordable Senior Housing Financing
The city is chipping in $7.8 million plus fee waivers to build 80 affordable senior apartments at 500 Linden Avenue, which unlocks $16.8 million from the county. Some units will rent for under $500 a month. Construction could start by the end of 2026.
Housing Authority C Street electrification safety project
The Housing Authority's 80-unit complex on C Street, built in the 1940s, has gas wall heaters whose pilot lights blow out in windy weather, creating carbon monoxide danger. A $3 million federal grant will fund the gas-to-electric conversion, and the council's fee waiver determines whether all 80 units get done.
Caltrain fiscal crisis
Caltrain is thriving at South San Francisco — ridership is over 200% of pre-COVID — but faces a $75 million annual deficit as farebox recovery has fallen from 70% to 30%. Without new funding, weekend service and more could be cut.
Genentech campus activity and community benefits
Genentech's 2025 report showed flat campus square footage, strong transit alternatives (about a third of trips), 80,000 scooter-share rides, and $3.5 million in housing and transportation fee payments, plus an expanded $250,000 community fund.
Accessory Dwelling Unit Technical Services Program
The city planned to spend $206,500 to keep Hello Housing running its ADU assistance program, which helps homeowners navigate building accessory dwelling units. It's part of the city's push to add more housing options.
Residential Entitlement Extensions Extended to Four Years
Housing projects approved by the city currently have three years to get building permits before starting over. With high interest rates and construction costs, every large residential project since 2020 has needed an extension. The change gives housing — including about 200 affordable units — one more year to secure financing.
November 2026 Municipal Election Called
Three council seats (Districts 1, 3, and 5), City Clerk, and City Treasurer are on the November 3, 2026 ballot, with the county running the election under a services agreement.
Downtown parking and the new Linden-Pine park
The long-planned Old Town park is finally moving to construction — two parcels will become one connected park with playground, fitness areas, lawn, and event plaza. Groundbreaking is expected within weeks and ribbon cutting in early 2027.
Potential local limits on immigration detention facilities
The council adopted a resolution making clear that federal immigration agents can be asked to leave city property without a judicial warrant, and that the city will publicly report enforcement activity. Residents were urged to use the rapid response hotline (203-666-4472) to verify reports rather than spread rumors.
South Linden Avenue and Scott Street Grade Separation
The Caltrain grade separation project just got cheaper and faster: total cost dropped from $450 million to $320 million and construction time from seven years to three, thanks to value engineering. The council approved an extra $804,408 in local match — from impact fees, not the general fund — to keep preliminary design moving and position the project for grants.
Measure W Funding for Aquatic Center Operations
The new pool's first phase could open soon with a soft launch, and staff are weighing a free swim day or even a month-long free swim program. Costs are still being figured out.
Project Labor Agreement Push
Labor unions showed up on a Saturday pushing the city to adopt a project labor agreement or contractor pre-qualification language. Several council members made it a 2026 priority, hoping for a compromise model other cities would copy.
Carpenters Union Push for Public Works Pre-Qualification
Dozens of carpenters packed the chambers asking the city to add skilled-contractor pre-qualification and healthcare requirements to public works bids. The mayor thanked them and said the city will engage with the union on the proposal soon.
New Fire Station 63 at 71 Camaritas Avenue
The city is replacing its cramped, windowless fire station quarters with a modern two-story, three-bay station on the civic campus. Firefighters get proper sleeping rooms, an exercise room, and outdoor space, and the antique fire engine finally gets a public display home. Emergency response continues uninterrupted during construction.
School Liaison Officer Program Renewal and Funding Risk
The SRO program with the school district got another year, with strong survey results and only one on-campus arrest. Council members flagged that if vehicle license fee revenue vanishes, this program is on the cut list — and urged exploring multi-year terms, cost sharing, or dedicated funding.
Capital Improvement Program FY 2026-27
About $20 million in new capital spending is proposed, led by parks, streets and traffic safety — including a $3.8 million Orange Memorial Park playground replacement, $3 million in street resurfacing, and battery backups at 50 traffic signals.
Southline Development Wind Concerns
A resident reported dangerous wind tunnels near the six-story Southline development on Tanforan Avenue, including an elderly resident who fell, and asked the city to order an independent wind study and work on mitigation.
Pedestrian wind impacts near South Line development
A resident reported dangerous wind tunnel effects near the South Line development on Tanforan Avenue, including an elderly resident's fall, and asked the city to investigate and require mitigation. Commissioners can't act on non-agenda items, but staff said the comment will be routed to the appropriate department.
E-bike regulation gap
Police Chief Scott Campbell was scheduled to lead a discussion on e-bikes, which have become a common — and sometimes contentious — way for students to get to school. The conversation was expected to cover safety and enforcement questions.
Bike for Boulevards Project (Junipero Serra and Westboro)
The buffered bike lane project on Junipero Serra Boulevard was finished at a construction cost of $372,949.50, and the council was set to formally accept the work. It adds separation between cyclists and car traffic on a busy corridor.
Westborough Preschool construction contract
The city's preschool program has a 600-child wait list and a three-to-four-year wait. The new 7,000 sq ft facility at Westborough Park nearly doubles capacity from 59 to 100 kids and frees up the community center for senior and other programming.
East of 101 roads and infrastructure funding
With the CFD on pause, the city is chasing grants and layering funding to tackle over $30 million in pavement needs east of 101 — roads cyclists and new employers are calling an embarrassment.
Regional transit funding measure (SB 63 Connect Bay Area)
A potential half-cent sales tax on the November ballot could deliver roughly $50 million a year to San Mateo County transit for 14 years, helping avoid major Caltrain, BART, and Muni cuts. The public survey closes April 30.
Tenant relocation protections (Chapter 8.70)
The finalized ordinance strengthens relocation assistance for tenants displaced from unsafe or substandard housing. Staff met with landlord stakeholders and found no history of misuse since 2019.
Anti-Displacement Roadmap
The city's study found Latino families in downtown down nearly 40% and seniors at growing risk of homelessness, with rents and home values up over 75%. Near-term steps include tenant-landlord rights workshops in May, a possible rental inspection program, expanded Launch Local space, and a small-business emergency fund.
616 Maple Avenue six-unit development and tenant relocation
A six-unit for-sale project was approved last year, but the family living in the existing house remains a concern. State SB 330 requires a replacement-housing plan before building permits, and the housing division is working with the owner; commissioners asked for a future update.
School-area traffic and transportation safety
The committee was scheduled to hear from Public Works on safety improvements around school sites. Safer streets near schools affect daily walks, bike rides and drop-offs for thousands of South San Francisco families.
Housing Production and RHNA Progress
The city permitted 593 new housing units in 2025, about 19.5% of its nearly 4,000-unit state allocation three years into the cycle. Commissioners discussed why market-rate units outpace affordable ones and how financing delays slow construction.
2025 Annual Crime Statistics
Crime dropped across nearly every category in 2025 — robberies down 32%, residential burglaries down 42%, zero homicides. But illegally possessed firearms seized doubled, and vehicle burglaries are already ticking up in 2026 near hotels and airport travelers.
ICE Enforcement Protections
A resident asked the council to pass ordinances requiring ICE agents to show identification, banning ICE from city property, and creating buffer zones around schools and houses of worship, citing detentions and deportations in the community.
City Manager Hiring
South San Francisco has a new city manager! This is a pretty big deal because they'll be in charge of making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes. Keep an eye on who they picked and what their priorities will be.
Garbage Rates
Get ready to pay more for trash pickup in South San Francisco. The city council just gave the green light to raise garbage rates, so your next bill is going to be a bit heftier.